Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Last Minute Father’s Day Miracle: This Discounted Instant Pot Will Ship Before Sunday

In search of the perfect last minute gift for Father’s Day, or maybe a cool gift for a recent high school grad who’s off to college in the fall? Look no further than the Instant Pot Duo60, the number one selling multi-cooker in the universe. The Instant Pot Duo is currently on sale at Amazon for 40% off, bringing it down to just $59.99 and with Amazon’s famous two day shipping, this good-for-everything-gift will still ship before Sunday, too! We love it for dinner parties, lazy Sundays, and eating healthy, and dad will gush over the trendiest kitchen tool since toasters. 

Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt Multi-Cooker, $59.99 on Amazon

Amazon

The Instant Pot Duo60 is a six quart multi-cooker that combines seven kitchen appliances into one, serving as all of the above: a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, warmer, yogurt maker, and also sautés. In addition to these seven functions, it features 14 smart programs that allow you to prepare your favorite dishes such as soups, stews, chilis, and oatmeal by simply pushing a button.

Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer

Now on Sale for only $59.95 on Amazon
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Ideal for either a pro chef or a beginner looking for some helpful hacks in the kitchen, you can’t go wrong with this Instant Pot. Between the flash sale price and it’s multi-functional properties, this offer on the Instant Pot Duo60 can’t be beat.

Read More: How to Throw an Instant Pot Dinner Party



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As the Heat Turns Up, the Reds Cool Down: Your Guide to Drinking Red Wine This Summer

Poor wine. Beloved as you are, you never can seem to completely shake the nagging stereotype that you’re a bit complicated, bound by rules and guidelines that lead people to find you intimidating and inaccessible. Pair this wine with that dish; Drink this in one season, and that another; Serve these bottles chilled and those at room temp.

While I’m not here to tell you to throw the whole guidebook out the window, I will say, if you’ll allow another cliché, that when it comes to wine, some rules are indeed meant to be broken. So go ahead: drink Champagne with your entrée (and honestly, really just as much as possible); enjoy rosé all year long; pop a couple of bottles of red in the cooler at your next barbecue. That’s right, summer is finally here again and we want you to light up the grill and chill out with some cool red wine.

A Couple Things to Keep in Mind

Reluctant as I am to underscore that thing I just said about guidelines and stereotypes, there are some things you’ll want to consider when it comes to shopping for a good summer red.

How Chilling Affects Structure. Contradictory though it may seem, dropping the temp of a bottle (not too much of course; more on that in a minute) actually turns up the volume on several elements of the wine’s structure. Lighter-bodied, high-acid reds are going to taste even more refreshing, as the cooler temperature emphasizes brightness and acidity. Fruit aromas and flavors will also be dialed up, making it fun to play with more fruit-forward selections. (And no, not sweet. Think juicy fruit flavor without the actual literal sugar content.) Just be mindful that the astringent, dry-in-the-mouth thing that tannins bring to the table will also be more pronounced and can quickly overwhelm everything on the table.

Related Reading: How to Stock Your Wine Rack with 8 Bottles for Every Occasion

It’s All About the (Low) Alcohol. When in doubt, look for a red between 12% and 13% (mayyyyybe 13.5%) ABV. By and large, reds in this alcohol range will have the ideal structural elements you’re looking for in a chillable bottle.

Be Chill But Not Too Chill. Overcooling a wine—whether it be red, white, or rosé—is basically equivalent to putting it on mute. It’s not a High Life, you don’t want it to be chug-perfect ice cold. For reds, you’re going to want something in the 50-55 degree range. So, go ahead and stick it in the cooler, just don’t forget about it for longer than 15 to 20 minutes.

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Consider Production Method. This will likely take a little research or require a chat with a knowledgeable store clerk, but it’s worthwhile to consider how the wine is made. Wines that undergo carbonic maceration (a fermentation process that emphasizes freshness and fruit in the finished product) are ideal candidates for a little chill. Beaujolais is the classic example of wines often made using this method, though a lot of new-minded producers in California are experimenting with the style (Kivelstadt Cellar’s “KC Lab” Zinfandel and Stolpman’s Carbonic Zinfandel come to mind). Reds that are fermented and aged in neutral vessels like stainless steel and concrete will more likely be of the fresh, easy, ready-to-drink variety, which is ideal for summer. Kyle Jeffrey, a young winemaker and sales rep for the Revel portfolio in Southern California, calls out Steve Matthiasson’s Tendu red as another example of a wine that relies on production technique to aid quaffability.

“A blend of Aglianico and Montepulciano, it’s an awesome no-SO2 option that is fermented at cool temperatures allowing for less extraction of tannin,” he says.

Ok, But Specifically, What Am I Looking For?

We tapped a couple of industry experts to talk us through what to look for in terms of grapes, regions, and bottles.

Pinot Noir

Specifically when sourced from cool-climate regions of France, California’s Sonoma Coast, or Oregon, it’s a pretty fail-safe candidate. While the grape may not be the first thing that comes to mind when people think of Sancerre, the prized Loire Valley region makes some incredibly compelling Pinot (Lucien Crochet and Gitton Père et Fils are two favorite producers). Bright and fresh with a tart red berry juiciness, these wines tend to have a unique maritime quality and slight pepper-spice note that makes them a dynamite match with whole grilled fish. Get our Campfire Trout with Herbs and Bacon recipe.

Related Reading: 16 Super Drinkable (& Affordable!) Wines for BBQ Season, According to the Pros

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They may rank among the best wines in the world, but red Burgundy—okay, Burgundy in general—usually falls at a fairly restrictive price point (and that’s kind of not the point of a backyard barbecue/porch red, amiright?). Still, if you have your heart set on it, there are great values to be found at the regional level, aka Bourgogne Rouge, meaning that the fruit can be sourced from throughout the whole of Burgundy as opposed to a specific village or vineyard.

Gamay

Of course, if you’re looking in the Burgundy region, you might as well just divert your attention a little south to Beaujolais, whose Gamay-based reds are arguably the OG of chillable red wines. While bottles from one of the region’s ten “crus” represent the highest quality, recent “It” status as an industry darling has price tags consistently creeping up. Allison Whittinghill, a sommelier and general manager at New Orleans natural wine restaurant Bar Frances, recommends Lapierre’s “Les Raisins Gaulois,” the entry-level, young-vine bottling from the children of one of the region’s most celebrated winemakers.

“From Marcel’s kids to God’s ears…this is a glou-glou wine that delivers,” she praises. “It has the fruit and juiciness and structure that I now come to see as Beaujolais. A low-alcohol, toss-back Gamay with a purpose, perfect for the day-drinker. Pass the cheese and charcuterie please, thanks.”

Throwing it back to the Loire for a minute, Whittinghill points out that the region also produces some tasty barbecue-friendly Gamay. Her favorite at the moment is Olivier Lasson’s “Gama Sutra”, made under his Les Vins Contés label.

“It’s definitely meaty, with a slightly bigger body and more structure for those who don’t want to go super-light. Good for an afternoon when the storms roll in early and you have leftover brisket in the fridge.” Get our Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket recipe.

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Blaufränkisch

Alex Alvarez, Advanced Sommelier and wine director at San Francisco’s Cotogna, also has meat on the brain when it comes to picking his favorite summer reds. Among them is the staple Austrian varietal Blaufränkisch, which he describes as smelling like a cross between Cab Franc and Syrah: “It’s meaty and peppery and just crammed with juicy tart red and black fruits. A case of it should be included free with every Weber grill sold at Home Depot.”

Two of his favorite bottles at the moment are Moric’s more serious “midweight, spicy, refreshing” 2014 entry-level bottling, and one from Hungarian producer Pfneisl.

“This is light and juicy and quaffable, a red for vegetables and fish, but still with a hint of the muddy Blau earthiness. And it’s like $15 for a liter of wine. What’s more summery than that?’

Schiava (aka St. Magdalener)

Both Alvarez and Whittinghill recommend this lesser-known grape from northern Italy’s German-speaking Alto Adige region.

“It can be a difficult grape,” Alvarez cautions. “There’s a lot of Schiava out there and most of it is pleasant enough but pretty anonymous and lacking in real character. But, every once in a while you come across one that makes you wonder why you’d want to drink anything else. These are light bodied, fruit-driven reds with just enough tea leaf and orange peel complexity to keep you interested. Plus it works with just about anything that would land on a summer table, from tomatoes in salad to sausages on the grill.” Get our Herbed Heirloom Tomato Salad recipe.

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For him, one of those stop-you-in-your-tracks bottles is Franz Gojer’s 2015 St. Magdalener Classico: “Light and soft with what smells like every red fruit under the sun (pomegranates! cherries! strawberries!) and an herbaceous edge.”

Whittinghill’s go-to is from winemaker Elena Walch: “They’re always solid. Tons of red fruit and mineral notes and that classic smokiness at the back end that lends to structure and begs for a chill, el pastor tacos, and a front porch.” Get our Tacos el Pastor recipe.

Chowhound

Lambrusco

And while we’re on the subject of Italy, we would be remiss to overlook Emilia-Romagna’s iconic cold red fizz: Lambrusco. Jeffrey would vouch for a number of northern Italian reds as great summer drinking options (“Novaia’s Corvina from Valpolicella is cheap and delicious“), he notes that a Lambrusco works beautifully throughout the season. Despite its typically inky color and dark berry flavor, the wine’s bubbly effervescence makes it feel like more a natural fit in the fridge (not to mention, a natural partner to charcuterie). It’s worth mentioning also that not all Lambruscos match this classic description. It all depends on the type of Lambrusco grape used. Those made from the Sorbrara variety produce a wine that is much lighter, rosé-tinted with a tangy, raspberry sour beer quality.

Remember What We Said About Rules and How They’re Meant To Be Broken?

While the above-mentioned tenets stand, that doesn’t mean there can’t be exceptions. For the tannin-loving and fuller-bodied summer red drinkers, Alvarez has two different, unexpected suggestions. For the former, he points towards Nebbiolo.

“Yeah, the same Nebbiolo as in high-tannin, high-alcohol, needs-ten-years-in-the-bottle Barolo. But if you look to the Langhe hills, you’ll find some Nebbiolo-based reds that are absolutely perfect for an outdoor midsummer meal.”

Try the 2012 Caves Cooperatives de Donnas Nebbiolo from the Vallée d’Aosta: “tart red fruit, flowers, and tobacco without the bass-y tar aromas and tough tannic structure of Barolo or Barbaresco.”

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And what if you want a red with more punch?

“Syrah gets a bad rap. Most people think of it as an inky, alcoholic clunker of a wine best reserved for cold nights in a pot with braised meat. And they’re not all wrong. There are plenty of Syrahs—especially American and Australian—that taste like you’re being force-fed concord grape jelly through a rubber inner-tube. But the best examples, from France’s northern Rhône Valley and from more forward-thinking domestic producers, can be sublime: floral yet savory, intense yet ethereal in a much lighter package (comparatively) than you might expect. The ideal burger grape.”

He recommends Cruse Wine Co.’s 2014 Sonoma County Syrah and Jean-Louis Chave’s 2014 “Offerus” Saint-Joseph.

Get our Bull-Market Burger recipe.

Chowhound

Keep Reading: These 7 Canned Wines Are Living Their Best Life on Instagram



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11 Ways to Sip (and Eat!) Sweet Tea This Summer

Eat the Rainbow: The Science Behind Brightly Colored Summer Fruit and Why It’s So Good for You

What makes summer fruit so brightly colored?

Unicorn trends may come and go, but there will always be something appealing about brightly colored food, especially if the vibrant hues are all-natural. There are plenty of gems studding the stereotypical beige bleakness of the winter food scene, but summer definitely brings a broader and brighter rainbow of produce, from sunset-colored peaches to crimson tomatoes—the fruit family being particularly striking. We know we love them as much for their looks as for their taste, but what makes these summer fruits so bright and beautiful in the first place?

Well, it depends on the color—different naturally occurring substances account for specific pigments in a range of fruits and vegetables, and those pigments are further influenced by pH levels in each individual fruit, so we get a wide spectrum of shades even within one color family. Per a 2010 paper from UC Davis, “The primary pigments imparting color quality [to fruits and vegetables] are the fat soluble chlorophylls (green) and carotenoids (yellow, orange, and red) and the water soluble anthocyanins (red, blue), flavonoids (yellow), and betalains (red).”

Many fruits and vegetables contain more than one of these compounds too, and all in different concentrations, but in a general sense, here are the major players responsible for the vibrant palette that paints our summer fruit, which also happens to benefit our health as well as our sensibilities.

Lycopene = Red and Pink

Examples: watermelon, tomatoes, papaya

Lycopene is actually a type of carotenoid (more on those a little later on), but it’s responsible for the vivid pink-red flesh of most watermelons, as well as the red in tomatoes—which, as you may remember, are also a fruit. Of course, there’s practically an entire rainbow of tomato shades alone, but the classic crimson beefsteak, and all other red tomato varieties, are the ones containing this compound. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to have a host of health benefits, including helping to prevent heart disease and certain cancers. Why not double up on both the benefits and the taste with our Watermelon, Tomato, and Kalamata Olive Salad?

Anthocyanins and Betacyanins = Red, Blue, Purple, and Magenta

Examples: raspberries, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, blackberries, dragon fruit

summer berries

Shutterstock

Anthocyanins are named for a combination of the Greek words for “dark blue” and “flowers”—and they are responsible for deep blue and purple pigments in many fruits, but they also cause bright red colors, like in raspberries. The pH levels of different fruits determine the exact shade expressed, but regardless of the color, these compounds are also antioxidants that may help prevent cancer and improve brain function. They’re often used as natural food coloring for things like blue tortilla chips, jelly beans, and fruit soda. In their original packaging (aka whole, fresh fruits and veggies), we like them any way we can get them—eaten as-is, of course, but also in fruit salad, on flatbread, in salsa, or even grilled, whether for dinner or dessert.

Closely related to anthocyanins are betacyanins (a type of betalain, which you may recall from the UC Davis run-down earlier). These are found in plants of the Caryophyllales family, including beets, carnations (which can be eaten if free of pesticides), cacti (many of which produce edible fruit), and pitaya, or dragon fruit.

red pitaya or dragon fruit

Shutterstock

Some dragon fruit flesh is snow white, but some is bright magenta. Unlike with berries, you can’t easily tell what you’re getting by looking at the outside of this one; both the fuchsia-fleshed and white-fleshed varieties are neon pink outside, though some sources say the pink-fleshed ones are generally smaller. Thanks to the rising/enduring popularity of smoothies and açaí bowls, you may be able to find the magenta dragon fruit flesh in the freezer section of your store all year long, and you’ll probably see the fresh fruit year-round too, but the natural growing season starts in midsummer, so we’re counting it here along with more familiar summer fruits. (And there are just as many great things to do with dragon fruit.)

Carotenoids = Orange and Yellow

Examples: yellow peaches, mangoes, cantaloupe, apricots, nectarines

As mentioned when talking about tomatoes, lycopene is one type of carotenoid that causes red coloration in produce, but other types of carotenoids include lutein and beta carotene, which are responsible for yellow and orange pigments, like you see in peaches, mangoes, cantaloupe, apricots, and nectarines (as well as carrots, of course, plus corn, squash, and pumpkin). These compounds are thought to help prevent cancer and eye disease—so there’s some truth to the longstanding claim that carrots are good for your eyes; but so are other foods rich in beta carotene.

Now, remember how we mentioned that many fruits and veggies contain multiple color-influencing compounds at once? Raspberries are a great example. When we think of them, we usually think of brilliant ruby red or deep pink-tinged berries, but golden raspberries also exist, and are completely natural (i.e. not genetically modified, although selective breeding has made it possible to grow them on a larger commercial scale).

golden raspberries or yellow raspberries

Shutterstock

Both types of raspberries contain beta carotene, but red raspberries also contain the aforementioned anthocyanins, which mask or override the golden coloring they would otherwise have, and make them bright red instead. Since golden raspberries lack those additional anthocyanins, that leaves their beta carotene to shine through in their lovely color, which can range from a pale straw yellow to more of a muted orange, or even edge into a sort of rose-gold.

Produce giant Driscoll’s cultivates regular golden raspberries and “sunshine raspberries” (a name patented by them) which are available at many major supermarkets, but it’s worth checking out local farmers markets for these rarer berries too. Golden raspberries happen to be less tart than red raspberries, but they can be used in all the same ways, including in jams, preserves, pies, and tarts. Try turning them into cordial too, to ensure a little sunshine during winter, regardless of what the weather has in store.

Chlorophyll = Green

Examples: kiwi fruit, gooseberries

Shutterstock

All plants contain chlorophyll, which makes them green when they’re growing, but most fruits and vegetables lose the pigment as they ripen. Kiwi fruits—which are native to China and were originally called Chinese gooseberries, then melonettes, but got their current name once they became an established export from New Zealand—hold on to a higher proportion of chlorophyll than many fruits. However, they also contain carotenoids and anthocyanins, hence their fetching peridot hue (as opposed to a deeper emerald shade like chlorophyll-rich spinach, which also happens to contain a lot of beta carotene, but that’s masked by the even larger amount of chlorophyll in the leaves; it’s all a delicate balancing act).

Golden kiwi fruit, which is a naturally-crossbred 20th century innovation, is higher in the carotenoid lutein, which would suggest you get more health benefits in addition to a pronounced yellow color, but regular green kiwi is still considered a superfood, thanks to its outstanding nutritional density; it’s packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and potassium, while being remarkably low in sugar and calories—meaning, even if you turn it into sorbet for dessert, it’s still pretty healthy. And it keeps its beautiful color intact too.

Related Video: 5 of the Most Bizarre Fruit Hybrids



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8 Gluten-Free Breads That Are Worthy of Any Sandwich

Longstanding gluten-free-people can vouch that early versions of wheat-free bread seemed like a grand punishment for being gluten intolerant: as though some god yielding a three-pronged baguette suddenly declared all gluten-free bread to be tiny and made of chalk. No more! Whether you have celiac disease, a gluten allergy, aversion or intolerance, your sans-gluten-lifestyle is immeasurably easier today than it would have been even five years ago. You can now save rice noodles for pad thai (bolognese never tasted quite right with them – check out our guide to cooking GF pasta the right way), wash down a gluten-free muffin or pastry at a steadily growing number of gluten-free-friendly cafes and bakeries, and make a sandwich on normally-sized slices of flavorful gluten-free bread that don’t crumble from the simple spread of a condiment.

Related Reading: The Best Low-Calorie, Low-Carb Beers for Summer

While it’s taken the U.S. a few decades to catch on, celiac patients in Italy, a global gluten capital, founded the Associazione Italiana Celiachia back in 1979 helping to make Italy one of the most gluten-free-friendly countries in the world. And as the gluten-free trend continues to blossom stateside supported by growing awareness and diagnosis of gluten-related health issues, so too does the demand for quality certified gluten-free brands and products: fantastic news for the estimated 1 in 100 people who are diagnosed with celiac disease (and the number is growing).

So please join us in saying “farewell” to those tiny brittle slices of gluten punishment as we celebrate a list of the best loaves of gluten-free bread money can buy.

The Gluten Free Bakery Original Sandwich Bread, $6.99 on FreshDirect

The Gluten Free Bakery

Founded in 1977 in Chatham, NY, Our Daily Bread (now The Gluten Free Bakery) specialized in hearth-baked artisan loaves sold at local markets and in NYC. And after switching out wheat flour for gluten-free whole grains, local buckwheat, and other alternatives to establish a certified gluten-free baking space, they still do.

Their original loaf is beautifully aromatic achieving gluten-like aeration and texture with an expert blend of local organic flours like sorghum and buckwheat, tapioca and potato starches, xanthan gum, yeast, and egg whites. Apple cider vinegar adds a sourdough-like tanginess making these hefty slices flavorful and hearty enough to enjoy toasted on their own. Though a little butter and sea salt certainly wouldn’t hurt.Buy Now

Ener-G Mulitgrain Loaf, $6.01 on Instacart

Instacart

An astounding variety of gluten-free flours, oils, and natural binding ingredients like applesauce, tapioca starch, and bamboo fiber make for a surprisingly simple-tasting sweet loaf of pre-sliced sandwich bread. Though more complex than (and not as squishable as) your average white Wonder Bread, Ener-G’s multigrain loaf (or you can opt for their light version) offers nostalgic pillowy slices perfect for a classic ham and cheese. Ready your lunchboxes!Buy Now

Everybody Eats Crusty Baguette, $8.00 (package of two loaves) at Everybody Eats

Everybody Eats

We searched high and low, but alas, there is no veritable gluten-free replacement for a perfect French baguette (I’m sure calling this a baguette is even making some bread aficionado cringe). But Brooklyn-based Everybody Eats Bakery offers a Crusty Baguette in striking likeness to the “real” thing. It’s no Poilåne, but once these classic diagonally-scored loaves come out of your toaster oven, you might think you’re in Paris.Buy Now

Canyon Bakehouse Rye-Style Bread, $5.99 at Target

Target

Craving pastrami on rye? Or better yet, a classic reuben? Look no further than the rye-style loaf from Canyon Bakehouse. Getting distinctive rye flavor in a gluten-free loaf is tricky since rye is a gluten grain. But Canyon Gluten Free is welcoming gluten-free reuben-lovers with open arms and hearty slices of savory caraway-seed-laden bread. The Gluten Free Bakery also has a rye loaf, which they call their Caraway Loaf. While not as widely available as their original or seedy sandwich loaves, you can find it at Target and specialty grocery stores like Union Market in New York.Buy Now

The Gluten Free Bakery Seedy Sandwich Bread, $6.99 on FreshDirect

The Gluten Free Bakery

A solid roast beef sandwich (or any meaty roasted veggie sandwich) requires bread that can withstand weight, texture, moisture, heat (if toasted) and flavor without overwhelming its contents. Frankly most gluten-free bread brands fall short of this culinary engineering feat, but The Gluten Free Bakery’s Seedy Sandwich Bread is up to the challenge. Egg whites, yeast, organic starches and flours, and xanthan gum provide the perfect structure for organic millet, flax seeds, and sunflower seeds. Bring on the roast beef (or portobello mushrooms)!Buy Now

Glutino Seeded Bread, $6.02 on Instacart

Instacart

While not as robust as The Gluten Free Bakery’s Seedy Sandwich Loaf, Glutino’s Seeded Bread is a mild yet flavorful every-day-alternative. Wheat-free, non GMO, and liberally studded with flax and chia seeds, this reliable loaf is conveniently only a click away.Buy Now

Related Reading: The Best Keto BBQ Sauce to Save You From Boring Food

Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free White Sandwich Bread, $4.49 at Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s

A dark horse in the gluten-free bread category, Trader Joe’s gluten-free sandwich bread is a reliable staple making up in consistency and structure what it lacks in organic whole grains and locally milled flours. While we’d suggest a richer, more grain-and-seed-heavy option for plain toast at breakfast, it passes muster for french toast and no-frills grilled cheese.Buy Now

Udi’s Gluten-Free Hamburger Buns, $4.59 at Target

Target

FOMOOB, or “Fear Of Missing Out On Buns” at barbeques is officially over. Udi’s classic hamburger buns (and hotdog buns) are the soft, pillowy answers to your gluten-free barbecuing prayers. Think the most wonderful marriage between a fluffy potato bun and a sturdier wheat bun. They do offer whole grain versions of each, but we’re barbecuing, not dieting. Welcome to a new meaning of “BYOB.”Buy Now

Keep Reading: The Best Frozen Gluten-Free Pizzas You Can Order Online



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Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

Chicken and Pineapple Kabobs

Food on a stick is a winner for both kids and adults! Chicken and pineapple are a perfect match for the grill. Top with lemony yogurt sauce for an easy summer meal.

Continue reading "Chicken and Pineapple Kabobs" »



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Every Tip You’ll Ever Need for Making Crispy Falafel

Six Cookbooks That Are All About Salad

Between healthy fast-casual chains like Sweetgreen and upscale reinventions from top chefs, salads have come a long way in the past few years. When it comes to cookbooks and recipes, though, they still seem like an unlikely candidate to seek out. After all, salads are easy enough to make—you just mix together a bunch of vegetables, right?

But if you’ve ever panicked in the middle of getting a custom salad, started pointing at random ingredients on the salad bar, and ended up struggling through a weird mixture that doesn’t seem to mesh at all, then you know how difficult it can be to actually put together a great bowl.

Related Reading: The Salad My Coworkers & I Can’t Stop Eating (Psst, I Got the Recipe!)

That’s where these fabulous cookbooks come in. Not only do they cover the foundational elements of buying and prepping vegetables, all of them suggest interesting ways to layer new flavors, pair textures, and finally try out that fancy produce you’ve been eyeing at the farmer’s market. Whether you’re a salad aficionado or still trying to figure out what goes with cherry tomatoes, these healthy, salad-forward recipe books will change the way that you approach vegetables.

“Salad-ish: A Crunchier, Grainier, Herbier, Heartier, Tastier Way with Vegetables” by Ilene Rosen with Donna Gelb, $14.10 on Amazon

Amazon

This book is all about pushing the limits of salad and incorporating a vegetable-forward philosophy into everyday life. In the opening manifesto, Rosen—who launched the popular salad bar at NYC’s City Bakery—delves into the foundational elements of a good salad and suggests some pantry staples and tools. From there, the recipes are divided up by season, which makes it easy to hone in on the produce in season when you want to eat. Inventive combinations like tofu skin with cabbage, and carrots with buckwheat honey will spice up your lunchbox, and beautiful photos provide plenty of Instagram inspo.Buy Now  

“Salad for President: A Cookbook Inspired by Artists” by Julia Sherman, $23.79 on Amazon

Amazon

Part cookbook and part artbook, Sherman’s gorgeous cookbook makes a convincing case for why salad should be a joyous everyday meal, not just a once-a-week thing for health. Clever recipes like a kale and lentil twist on bagna cauda, a watermelon radish and spring shoots plate for brunch, and even a salad-inspired martini (featuring herb-infused vodka) are easy to put together but sophisticated enough for parties. There are also short interviews with artists, chefs, and musicians like Alice Waters and Laurie Anderson, who offer their own favorite salad recipes.Buy Now

Cuisinart Citrus Juicer, 25.99 on Amazon

A citrus juicer is the key to fabulous homemade dressings.
Buy Now

“Food52 Mighty Salads: 60 New Ways to Turn Salad into Dinner” by Editors of Food52, $15.31 on Amazon

Amazon

Like the subtitle says, the focus here is filling, stick-to-your-bones salads that are still healthy and refreshing. That means plenty of approachable recipes with grain, pasta, and bread components, plus ones that spotlight proteins like seafood and meat, all through a vegetable-colored lens. In true “Food52” fashion, tips for home cooks are also scattered throughout, including easy flavor-boosting techniques like frying herbs or melting cheese for dressings.Buy Now

“Salad of the Day: 365 Recipes for Every Day of the Year” by Georgeanne Brennan, $25.30 on Amazon  

Amazon

Perfect for people who hate leftovers or monotony, Brennan’s cookbook offers a different salad for each day. The recipes are organized by month, which means that home cooks also get a built-in guide to which types of produce are in season. They’re inventive but totally approachable and easy to put together, ranging from pure vegetables to heartier grain and noodle bowls, like a farro salad with artichoke dressing. Buy Now

OXO Good Grips Little Salad & Herb Spinner, $26.50 on Amazon

One of the best reviewed salad spinners for a reason!
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“Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables” by Abra Berens, $31.50 on Amazon

Amazon

Unlike the typical breakdown by season or meal, the recipes here are organized by vegetable. They cover more familiar roots and greens like kale, potatoes, and parsnips, as well as lesser-known ingredients like sunchokes and kohlrabi. For each, Berens offers a few different techniques to best draw out and enhance natural flavors. Beets get steam-roasted or pureed, for example, while tomatoes are tossed into a panzanella or stuffed with lentils. So, okay—this book is not strictly just a salad cookbook. But the non-salad recipes (plus Berens’ helpful notes on variations) are also really useful for understanding flavor combinations and textures.Buy Now  

“Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables” by Joshua McFadden with Martha Holmberg, $22.93 on Amazon

Amazon

This is another not-strictly-salads cookbook. But if you’re looking for a comprehensive encyclopedia on vegetables, “Six Seasons” is the one for you (which is why we also featured it on our veggie-heavy cookbook list). As a chef and farmer, McFadden delves into the nitty-gritty of how to get the best out of each vegetable at any given point in its harvesting lifespan, from raw and marinated to steamed, stewed, and roasted. It’s so detailed that summer is divided up into three mini-seasons (thus totaling six). Among the standout salad recipes are a beet slaw with pistachios and raisins, and a raw asparagus salad loaded with breadcrumbs, walnuts, and mint.Buy Now

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