Seafood for dinner is a popular request in my house. My husband grew up on the water in Long Island, and he not only loves to eat a variety of seafood but he is quite the cook as well. When we recently found out that some of our favorites were on the list of red-rated seafood (unsustainable) and soon to be unavailable at our local Whole Foods Market, I took on the challenge of recreating some of our seafood suppers with different species.
To be honest, it wasn’t that tough. When swapping out one fish or seafood for another in a recipe, it’s most important to look for similar size and texture. Because many fish have a mild flavor, there’s a good chance that your new selection will blend in perfectly with whatever recipe you’re making. If you’re unsure, don’t hesitate to ask a seafood Team Member at your local store. They are more than happy to help you figure out what to use for your delicious dinner.
One of the varieties my husband and I were most disappointed to lose was octopus but squid (calamari), also one of our favorites, is a great substitute and easy to work into many dishes that call for octopus.
Fresh herbs are a fantastic way to add subtle flavor to a dish or they can be used as boldly flavored garnishes and in sauces. Since herbs are quite perishable it’s best to use them soon after purchase. When you have fresh herbs on hand, don’t be afraid to experiment and try cilantro where you usually use parsley or combine several herbs for a deeper flavor.
It doesn’t get easier than this. Slow cooking is one of the best cooking methods for beans and stews. You simply cook on the stovetop or in a slow cooker at very low temperatures (175°F–200°F) for long periods of time. Investing in a slow cooker will make your weekly meals a breeze.
You say potato, we say endless possibilities. With white, yellow, red, purple and even sweet potatoes to choose from, there are countless ways to cook these terrific tubers! Here we’ve collected ten of our favorite ways to enjoy potatoes with additional recipes and ideas to inspire you. Remember to store potatoes in a cool, dark place and keep them separate from onions as they’ll both deteriorate more quickly if stored together.
Made with light coconut milk, this flavorful (but not spicy) recipe for Tempeh Curry with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans is a satisfying combination. Watch as Healthy Eating Chef Chad shows us how to make this meal step-by-step with helpful hints along the way.
Make a rich and satisfying sauce with this hearty recipe for Greens, Mushroom and White Bean Ragoût. Healthy Eating Chef Chad shares his take on the recipe and gives you helpful tips and tricks to master this simmer of greens and beans. For a closer look at his technique for sautéing onions without any oil, watch Chef Chad’s video on Steam Frying.
A member of the cabbage family, cauliflower is a hearty vegetable that rarely gets the spotlight. Packed with vitamin C and delicious raw or cooked, it’s time to give this versatile veggie a nod and explore the many ways in which cauliflower can be enjoyed. Most of us are familiar with white heads of cauliflower but there are also colorful varieties of cauliflower that come in greens and purples.
When choosing what to put in your basket, look for heads that are uniform in color with no spots or bruises. Cauliflower will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator but for the best flavor, cook soon after buying.
Learn one of Healthy Eating Chef Chad’s best tricks to cut calories and fat in your recipes. He’ll show us how to steam fry your onions without using any oil or butter. One tablespoon of oil has at least 120 to 140 calories (you do the math on how much you’ll save!).
Watch to learn another one of Healthy Eating Chef Chad’s kitchen tricks: how to make a blended balsamic dressing with pears for natural sweetness, then use it to coat portobello mushrooms before roasting. The combination of roasted mushrooms, quinoa, almonds and greens makes a hearty, flavorful dish. Make it yourself with this recipe for Quinoa with Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms.
While most bell peppers start out green, depending on the variety, they will mature into a rainbow of red, orange, yellow and sometimes even purple. Bell peppers are abundant late summer into fall and these colorful veggies have a sweet, not spicy flavor (the spicy peppers we know and love are referred to as chile peppers). Green bell peppers have a grassy flavor and are less sweet than their red, orange or yellow counterparts.
When choosing bell peppers, make sure to pick those with shiny, blemish-free skin. No wrinkles or soft spots for these beauties. Their size and shape will vary greatly so don’t use that as an indicator of age or taste. Packed with vitamins and low in calories, bell peppers can (and should) be added to a variety of dishes to bring both color and flavor to your diet. Use them raw or roasted and freeze them if you end up with more than you can handle. Add some to your basket and try one of our ideas tonight!
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Fresh herbs are a fantastic way to add subtle flavor to a dish or they can be used as boldly flavored garnishes and in sauces. Since herbs are quite perishable it’s best to use them soon after purchase. When you have fresh herbs on hand, don’t be afraid to experiment and try cilantro where you usually use parsley or combine several herbs for a deeper flavor.
