In a Hurry? Stir-Fry!

By Zoe McLaughlin

Investing in a wok is a great way to make delicious meals fast. You don't need special training to use a wok and create scrumptious Asian cuisine. And you don’t need a range with a gas burner either; just make sure to buy a flat-bottomed wok.

Woks aren't limited to Asian cuisine. In fact, if I’m in a hurry to leave the house in the morning, I often make scrambled eggs and veggies in a wok. It’s ready in minutes and cleanup is easy.

Today’s recipe is a stir-fry that takes minutes to make and is unique because it uses celery leaves. Often celery leaves are thrown away but they actually have a much stronger flavor than the celery stalk. The beef pairs very well with the cumin seeds and the addition of the celery leaves at the end give this dish a burst of flavor.

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Zorba’s Dinner

Traditional moussaka at the Greek Fest.

By Marilyn Hunter

Last week, we celebrated another year at the annual LA Greek Fest, a three-day festival of culture, music, dancing and great food.

We splurged on gyros, souvlaki, spanakopita and moussaka. The boys got their fill of games and rides and Nick took home the grand prize for the Zorba Night Dance Contest which was quite a feat as he competed against dancers of all ages and skills. We think it was his enthusiasm and two missing teeth that hooked the judges. It didn’t hurt that his name is Nicholas. I had to accept the grand prize of “very old Metaxa Greek brandy” since he’s only six.

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A Return to Chase’s

By Lori Powell

As promised per my last post, I am blogging again about Chase’s Daily Restaurant in Belfast, Maine. Since corn, green beans (my own are almost done) and tomatoes are still so plentiful, I thought I would share my version of a salad I had at Chase’s that used those classic summer ingredients.

What’s nice about this recipe is that minimal cooking is required; the only thing that is cooked is the fresh green beans, which are just given a good blanching.

Blanching is the process of cooking something quickly in boiling salted water until crisp-tender, draining immediately and then refreshing in a bowl of cold water that includes a few ice cubes. This not only stops the vegetables from cooking but also helps to retain their vibrant color and crisp texture – the trick is to not undercook or overcook.

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Too Many Tomatoes (and Other Produce)

By Sandy Hu

The start and end of a season always brings out the greed in me. At the start of the season, I overbuy produce because I’m so happy to see all the new offerings. At the end of the season, I tend to buy more than I need because I know that what’s in the market today will be gone tomorrow.

So it was in this state of mind that Steve and I bought too much of everything at the Alemany Farmers’ Market last week – figs, white nectarines, tomatoes, basil and more.

I always inventory everything before I put my produce away. I hate waste and I feel I can manage my inventory better if I make a list. But having overbought, I was beginning to lose control and it was time for triage.

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A Healthy Snack

By Sandy Hu

When my kids were young, I used to try a new brown bag recipe or two each fall to kick off the school year. It might be a cookie, a new sandwich filling, or once, I even made sandwich rolls from scratch. Since I worked full-time outside the home, the variety wasn’t sustainable throughout the year, but it was my way of acknowledging to myself and the kids that it was time to refocus and get back to routine.

If you’re looking for a healthy after-school snack for your kids or a sweet treat to brown bag to the office, try these Dried Plum Bars. They’re made with heart-healthy rolled oats as the “crust” of the cookie and dried plums for the filling. Dried plums, also known as prunes, are considered a superfruit because they have unique phytochemicals not found in other fruits, and are a source of important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.

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