LIVE NORI ROLLS

Nori rolls are convenient for meals on the go or as an elegant appetizer. You can serve

them with a simple soy sauce for dipping or with the Spring Roll Dipping Sauce (page

308). Nori sheets come either toasted or sun-dried. Use the sun-dried version for a truly

raw roll. The key for a successful raw nori roll is for the pâté not to be too moist or the

nori sheet will get soggy and spoil everyone’s fun. Here we provide two pâté recipes,

each of which lends itself to numerous variations.

TRADITIONAL HUMMUS

MAKES 1½ CUPS

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans

2 tablespoons tahini

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon water

2 garlic cloves

¼ teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1. Process all of the ingredients in a food processor until well combined. You may

wish to add more water, for a thinner consistency. Start with 2 tablespoons at

a time.

2. It is possible to just mash the garbanzos up with a fork if you do not have a

food processor, then add all of the other ingredients for a chunkier hummus

experience.

How To Dehydrate Kale Step by Step

Kale is a nutritious vegetable and is considered to be a form of cabbage. It can be

green or purple and is a rich source of calcium, beta-carotene and vitamins.

Like broccoli kale contains sulforaphane, which is believed to have anti-cancer properties.

Kale chips are a popular and very nutritional snack and if you happen to have kale sitting in your garden, fridge or freezer and you are not sure what to do with all of it you can always dehydrate your kale. Dehydrating kale or any other collard greens is a relatively easy process and can be done in your very own kitchen using a dehydrator or the oven.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are the edible fruit parts of a fungus. They are not considered a vegetable because they lack chlorophyll and the ability to make nutrients from the sun .

 

There are upwards of 38,000 varieties of mush­rooms in North America. They are available in Michigan year round.

How to select and store:
Choose firm, evenly colored mushrooms with tightly closed caps—visible gills are indicative of age. Avoid those that are broken or damaged with soft spots. Shiny and slimy skins are signs of spoilage. Store fresh mushrooms partially covered in the refrigerator to keep them from drying out but still allowing

Dieting is great, but healthy habits are better

Trying a new diet, and hoping it sticks, is like trying something new at a favorite restaurant. I often return to the eateries where I know exactly what I like. Occasionally trying something new is exciting, offering all sorts of possibilities, but in the end I usually wind up going back to flavors I have loved before. It is hard to adopt new foods or practices.

There’s a certain restaurant where my regular lasagna experience was almost ruined by a one-time encounter with a weird-meat stuffed ravioli. I don’t know what I was thinking. The ravioli looked so good on the menu, but tasted so odd. How could I ever go against lasagna? Lasagna is layered, for Pete’s sake! February rolls around and spring is starting to come into focus. Hopefully any weight loss goals set in January are still on the horizon. I know I made a few resolutions that are still in my sights. I’m feeling pretty good about them.

At their best: Sweetcorn & Pears

Sweetcorn Sweetcorn falls into the category of one of those things that when you eat it fresh from the cob

, nothing else will do. Tinned sweetcorn is very handy but could never match up to a boiled and grilled cob smothered with butter and black pepper. Sweetcorn is a form of maize which has become very popular here in the UK, stemming from Aztec backgrounds. It is harvested fairly young to make sure the kernels are sweet and tender but once harvested quickly deteriorates losing its sweetness, very much like peas. If you can, buy sweetcorn with the husks still on as this indicates freshness. This should be green and firm and the kernels should be firm and tightly packed. Make sure you eat them quickly to savour their sweetnes

CORN ON THE COB WITH THAI INFUSION

8 ways to go natural

Find an heir

Popcorn shouldn’t need to be smothered in butter to taste good, heirloom popcorn

enthusiasts say.

Companies cultivating the centuries-old plant using organic, sustainable farming practices are popping up nationwide, and proponents say their popcorn is more flavorful and easier to digest than commercial varieties. Plus, keeping heirloom plants in circulation helps preserve genetic diversity in our food supply.

 You’re good enough, and smart enough ...

If you suffer from chronic stress, here are three good reasons to carve some

me-time into your day: A brief selfaffirmation can relieve acute stress,