ArcaMax

Dry whole-wheat couscous has been partially cooked, making it a quick-cooking (5 minutes!) whole-grain weeknight dinner champ. And when you buy peeled shrimp, plus a bag of prechopped kale and bottled barbecue sauce, the savings in prep time helps to get this healthy dinner done in a jiff.

BBQ Shrimp with Garlicky Kale & Parmesan-Herb Couscous ...Read more

Eggplant dips are ubiquitous across the Mediterranean. Sicily has its caponata with tomato, onions, and capers that has a pronounced sweet-and-sour taste; Israel has its baba ghanoush with savory tahini; and Greece has its red onion and lemony melitzanosalata. My California caponata embraces eggplant’s creamy, neutral flavor along with some ...Read more

Rich in vitamins, fiber, and health-protective compounds, kohlrabi is a worthy addition to your vegetable lineup.

The folklore

Originally from northern Europe, kohlrabi — a unique bulb with leafy stems growing out the sides — was unknown in the U.S. until the early 1800s, though it was a popular vegetable in ancient Rome ...Read more

It was recently pointed out to me that I’m a bowl person. It’s exactly what it sounds like: I almost always prefer a big mishmash bowl of stuff over your classic “meat and two” plate. Add to that I am a self-identified salad person, and you find yourself in the middle of a Venn diagram holding this crispy rice salad.

You, like me, may ...Read more

Cherry season comes and goes quickly, but our love for cherry pie lingers all year long. The good news? This ruby-hued pie can be made with fresh cherries or ...Read more

Every morning, I sip my coffee from a mug acquired on a vacation. Sometimes I’m in a buoyant mood. The porcelain cup displaying Jeff Koons’ “Puppy” at Guggenheim Museum Bilbao does the trick. The tall black mug from Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame definitely sets a tone for the day. Souvenir mugs from Hawaii recall sunshine and ...Read more

Rhubarb isn’t just for pie. It also makes a classic fruit and mustard sauce for pork (it works nicely on chicken and lamb, too) that helps keep the meat moist once it’s cooked so it can be prepared ahead and held until folks are ready to eat.

Pork chops are cut out of the same basic part of the pig: the loin, which runs along the pig’s ...Read more

One of the best ways to introduce yourself to a new place or culture is through food. Whether you’re traveling the state, globe or just across the metro, the restaurants, markets and little corner shops at your destination can be a window into another world.

You can have that same view in the comfort of your kitchen, too. Exploring recipes ...Read more

Tender swordfish, seared on a stove-top grill with a vibrant salad of tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, and red onion, makes for a light and flavorful dinner that comes together in no time.

Cooking fish so it stays juicy and sweet — rather than dry and overdone — can be tricky, but this method keeps it simple. I start by searing the swordfish ...Read more

I was making my favorite type of spiced nuts for a party, and I realized I needed maple syrup.

Maple syrup is the key ingredient in these nuts, along with brown sugar, orange juice, chipotle powder, fresh rosemary, orange juice, brown sugar and an assortment of increasingly expensive nuts.

These spiced nuts are spectacular, but they ain’t ...Read more

For meat lovers, there's nothing better on a spring day than firing up the grill and making yourself a really great steak.

But what if the weather doesn't cooperate, or worse, your budget doesn't allow for those fat New York strips or marbled rib-eyes you just know would fill your family's savory hankerings with their rich, buttery flavor?

How...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- Looking out the car window, the scenery rolls from wetland grasses into soft hills of freshly turned black soil, the cropland framed by trees sporting tiny green buds. The road narrows as the humming of the freeway gives way to the thumping of weathered asphalt.

It’s a scene Karyn Tomlinson could re-create from memory with a ...Read more