Freekeh (pronounced free-kah), has been a staple grain in the Middle Eastern diet for centuries, and it is now gaining popularity in the United States.
‘Cooking Together’: Freekeh Salad With Bulgar and Vegetables
‘Cooking Together’: Beet Halwa
The term “halwa” originates from Arabic, meaning “sweet confection.” It can be made from grains, dried fruits, or vegetables, with varying textures. Beet halwa, rich in antioxidants and nutrients, offers health benefits. The recipe involves melting butter, cooking beets in milk, adding sugar and cardamom, and finally serving the halwa. It’s a delightful, nutritious dessert.
‘Cooking Together’: Wild Rice Pilaf
In addition to having a great history as an old staple, wild rice has many health benefits. Wild rice is 100% gluten-free, so it is suitable for a gluten-free diet. Wild rice contains more protein and fewer calories than most whole grains.
‘Cooking Together’: Almond Cookies
I would take my 4-year-old son to the park near the Japanese Tea Garden almost every afternoon to play. After a couple of hours of play time, we would sit down by the tea house and have green tea with almond cookies.
‘Cooking Together’: Let’s Make Sheera for Diwali
One simple sweet my mother made on Diwali morning has left me with deep and fond memories. It is called Sheera – also known as simple Halwa in some parts of India. Sheera is often served as prasadam (gods leftovers) to the attendees of Hindu temples after a worship ceremony.
‘Cooking Together’: Vegan Kadhi with Butternut Squash
Kadhi is a North Indian soup that is prepared with a variety of methods, with one common denominator; it is always made with yogurt and besan (garbanzo or chick-pea flour).
‘Cooking Together’: Home-made Berry Jam
I have not bought jams from a grocery store ever since I moved to California, some 50+ years ago. And I have raised three children, frequently making them PB&J sandwiches for lunch. Now that the kids are grown, I still enjoy making jams, sometimes for myself or to give them away to friends.
‘Cooking Together’: Sopa de Elote
Besides being sweet and flavorful, corn is also a healthy food. Corn is rich in vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps protect your cells from damage and prevent cancer and heart disease. Yellow corn is a good source of the carotenoid, lutein and zeaxanthin, which help in maintaining healthy vision.
‘Cooking Together’: Zucchini Boats
Zucchini is available all year in most parts of the United States. It is an easy vegetable to grow in the summer, even in the foggy parts of the San Francisco Bay Area. Once these summer squashes get growing, you will have so many that you will have to find new recipes. Good recipes can turn this vegetable into a centerpiece.
‘Cooking Together’: Kale Bhaji
Some South Indians believe that “curry” came from the Tamil word “Kari” (meaning a sauce), but then the North Indians would argue that “curry” is derived from the word “Kadhi” (meaning yogurt soup).
‘Cooking Together’: Beet Borscht – Warming Red Soup for Your Valentine
Depending on how you plan to serve this beet borscht, it can be thick or thin; it can vary in form, content and consistency. I like my beet bortsch with lots of red broth. You can modify the recipe by adding more vegetables, such as potatoes (or even beans) to make it thicker.
‘Cooking Together’: Vegan Lasagna With Tofu, Brown Lentils, Mushrooms and Homemade Marinara Sauce
I prepare food for a lot of vegan folks who do not consume animal products for various reasons, such as to be healthier or to help the environment or to respect animals’ rights to live. Then there are those people who cannot tolerate dairy or cheese. So, I have to come up with ingredients and options that are suitable for these diets.
‘Cooking Together’: Holiday Pasta with Festive Red and/or Green Sauce
Home-made sauces are usually tastier and can be more nutritious if you prepare them with right ingredients. Once the sauce is made, it can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for a longer period.
‘Cooking Together’: Vegetarian Empanadas
Thanksgiving celebrations in the U.S. started with Native Americans and Europeans sharing food after the harvest. However, many people today do not realize the vital role the Natives played in cultivating crops such as corn, squash, beans, tomatoes, and berries and sharing this knowledge with the pilgrims.
‘Cooking Together’: Savory Pumpkin Dish with Garnets and Red Potatoes
Pumpkins and other orange vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, are abundant with a variety of nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, E and K, and minerals, including potassium and iron.
Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon 