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Quick, COOL Cucumber Salad

4 Jul

It is finally Summer in Chicago and if you’re like me you’re looking for an easy and refreshing, almost rote summer dish. Favorite Cucumber Salad is what you need. It is so very easy, you’ll just need fresh cucumbers, onions, vinegar and seasonings. I usually slice the onions and cukes by hand, but if your food […]

Step Up Your Greens Game!

13 Jun

When asked about flavor profiles it’s rare to hear folks respond enthusiastically that they “love bitter.” Bitter is one of the four basic tastes that our taste buds identify along with sweet, salty, and sour. Your affinity for bitter is influenced by taste experiences, culture, and environment. Bitter plays several roles—it can signal toxins and something that […]

Start National Soul Food Month with Black-Eyed Peas in Salad

30 Jun

It’s National Soul Food Month and folks must look toward eating and being healthier. There is greater awareness of the many health challenges faced by African Americans—diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity.  We need to increase consumption of many traditional soul foods. The foods are not unhealthy, it’s how we adorn the food […]

National Soul Food Month Celebrates Food Legacy

1 Jun

June is National Soul Food Month. This is the 15th annual celebration of the heritage and foodways of African Americans and peoples from the African diaspora. The yearly recognition grew out of the 2001 Chicago area conference hosted by the Culinary Historians of Chicago. In working on the conference, I realized we needed to celebrate […]

Good Things to Eat from Fall Gardens

7 Nov

We’ve had a couple of days of unseasonably warm weather with thermometers posting numbers typical of early summer at 70 degrees. For folks who are enthusiastic gardeners the remnants of summer edibles are holding their own in almost empty garden beds. I checked in with my friend and favorite gardener Sylvia to see what was […]

Tri-Color Tomato Salad Adds Color

30 Dec

We’ve been tempted to overindulge at just about every gathering during the holiday season. Lighten up with this salad of tri-color tomatoes, arugula and fresh mozzarella cheese. It adds a splash of color to any menu and delivers on flavor from good-for-you ingredients. It’s easy to make, is gluten-free and is a great addition for […]

Bacon, Kale ‘N Potato Salad

2 Jul

Bacon Kale 'N Potato Salad

I know you’re planning the 4th of July week-end and good things to eat will be part of the festivities. Whether you’re grilling ribs, burgers, brats or dogs sides will make a meal. Some of you know that as a recipe developer with the Kraft Kitchens I’ve created a hefty file of salads for just […]

Go Red–It’s the Color for Healthy You

5 Feb

Say yes to the dress—the red dress that is.  It’s that time of year when savvy women don their best red apparel.  It is not about the fashion, but the message that true fashionistas need to look good and feel good by leading a healthy lifestyle.  We’ve all heard about Go Red for Women®,  the […]

5 Last Minute Tips for Holiday Cooks

20 Nov

For 21st century meal mavens juggling a full plate of activities—jobs and multigenerational family tasks, the countdown to Thanksgiving is swift and can lead to menu mayhem or turkey trauma. No worries, take a deep breath and use the following  guidelines to help avoid holiday cooking drama. 1. Turkey Still Frozen?  “Yes, they do take […]

Family, Reunions & Food Legacy

1 Sep

by Charla L. Draper Family reunions have  become a tradition of summer. They’ve evolved beyond picnics, to include week-end celebrations, and week-long cruises. These days reunions bring biological kin to the table or the reunion may be a non-traditional gathering of unrelated “cousins” sharing the bond of community and common interests. One of the brightest […]