On Your Table: It’s Grilling Season

Summer is here, so is delicious flavor By Cathy Branciaroli, Food Correspondent, The Times Grilled fruits combined with vegetables add smokiness and sweetness to summer salsas. In late June it’s already high summer, so get ready to get cooking with fire – grilling that is. Grilling brings out the best in the usual roster of meats, fish and vegetables. After a stint on the grill they emerge flame-licked...

On Your Table: Enjoy Summer potlucks with no-fuss dishes

A few tips to make your warm-weather event a success By Cathy Branciaroli, Food Correspondent, The Times Layered salads make for spectacular potluck dishes. Potlucks are cropping up everywhere these days in a resurgence of popularity and it’s time to jump on the bandwagon. Who would not enjoy an event where there are so many dishes to choose from? Generally there is something for everyone, from gluten-free...

So Sweet! May is National Strawberry Month

You don’t have to wait until June’s Strawberry Fest to get ‘Berry’ happy By Cathy Branciaroli, Food Correspondent, the Times These individual tartlets combine the best of spring strawberries with the tart taste of their spring partner, rhubarb. Photo courtesy of Annalise at Completely Delicious. May is National Strawberry month, when we celebrate the love of these juicy berries...

Fermentation for the health of it

Age old technique preserves foods, adds healthy live bateria to diet By Matthew Lapp, Columnist, The Times Fermenting is an age-old method used to preserve food.   In fact, according to Robin Foroutan, MS, RD the earliest record of fermentation dates back as far as 6000 B.C. in the Fertile Crescent. Since then, nearly every civilization has included at least one fermented food in its culinary heritage....

On Your Table: Go bold for the big game!

Yes, you can enjoy big taste and keep it healthy for your game day eats By Cathy Branciaroli, Food Correspondent, The Times An easy to make and tasty nosh for Superbowl is a Jalapeno popper courtesy of my friend Susan Pridmore of the Wimpy Vegetarian. It’s not a proper Super Bowl party without a smorgasbord of appetizers, snacks, dips, finger-foods, drinks and desserts to match the rest of the...

On Your Table: Wake up to delicious

Individual breakfast frittatas with vegetables By Cathy Branciaroli, Food Correspondent, The Times Individual breakfast frittatas offer a healthy, nutritious on the run meal for kids on the way to school The best thing we can do for kids on a school day is to have something healthy and nutritious ready for them to eat on the run on their way to class. But it can be a challenge to get this important...

On Your Table: Farmers Markets in your area

Fresh is best and you can enjoy from local farms — find your local event By Cathy Branciaroli, Food Correspondent, The Times Despite the gloom of this past week or two, summer is arriving across the area and with it the lush produce offered at local farmers markets. We welcome the fresh foods of the new season.  And we are not alone.  Across the country, the number of U.S. farmers markets has...

On Your Table: For Memorial Day, get grilling!

Unofficial start of summer means it’s time to fire up the grill By Cathy Branciaroli, Food Correspondent, The Times Although summer doesn’t officially begin until June 21st, Memorial weekend unofficially kicks off the summer season, marked by picnics, barbecues and much outdoor dining.  A forecast of balmy weather and sunny skies can only add to the fun. Traditional Memorial Day pleasures...

On Your Table: Celebrate National Gardening Month

Enjoy a family adventures starting vegetables from seeds By Cathy Branciaroli, Food Correspondent,The Times Planting seeds for a summer garden is a great family project. Vegetable plants can also be gotten at local garden centers. Starting seeds that will grow to produce this summer’s garden bounty and then nurturing a backyard garden plot can be a fun family project.   It’s the miracle...

Exploring our relationships with food

Spring is a good time for people to examine their diets By Dr. Matthew Lapp, MS, DC, Columnist, The Times Spring is a natural time of cleansing, detoxification, and renewal.  For many people this means evaluating their current diet.  As a health and wellness professional, food and diet are one of the most common areas of questioning that I receive.  Regardless of your age, personal nutrition is...