Peak season for beets runs through October and fresh corn is still available. Why not enjoy a crunchy, colorful combination of these vegetables in a rainbow-colored salad?

Beets are a good source of beta-carotene, folate, potassium and iron. Beets are naturally sweet and vary in sweetness according to the color…the darker the beet, the more intense the flavor. Look for firm beets with smooth skins (smaller beets are usually most tender). Choose beets with greens attached. (more…)

Crisp, fresh apples are coming into our markets. Apples are a beloved symbol of life’s sweetness in many Rosh Hashanah New Year celebrations. Carrot “coin” slices may be used to represent wishes of prosperity. Both merge as colorful and delicious compliments in a simple salad. Let’s roast these symbolic seasonal foods to vary texture and accentuate sweetness. We can dress them with pomegranates… another blessed fruit for the holiday. Just by happy accident, this fruit-vegetable grouping boasts “rainbow nutrition” on our healthy tables! (more…)

This lightly dressed summer melon salad of bitter greens and fragrant melon is gorgeous and healthy. Tuscan melons are superb now but any melon will be delish in this recipe. I have added kiwi for color but try figs, strawberries or white peaches, too. The syrup-style dressing of honey and herbs makes the flavor intriguing. Why not try the same fruit and syrup ingredients to your next HMR Vanilla Shake? While you’re at it… use left-over mint-basil syrup to sweeten your next glass of iced tea. The “rainbow nutrition” makes it all so wonderfully healthy, every way, anytime. (more…)

Mayonnaise-drenched tuna salad is sooo outdated! Most restaurants now dress their tuna with a good quality olive oil. As long as we are on the path to improvements, why not ditch the bread and substitute a superior “starch” for hearty texture and appetite satisfaction? Super easy, super nutritious and super high fiber beans win hands down! This breadless lunch dish goes together quickly with foods that are already on your pantry shelf. Your healthy table takes the prize once again for best-ever nutrition…no contest! (more…)

Refreshing summer watermelons deserve more than stand alone status. These potassium, vitamin C, and lycopene rich beauties can be used for the main dish on your healthy table. Just use a bit of culinary sorcery by starting with a pairing of chilled watermelon with cucumber. The two are “related” and share many of the same flavor characteristics. Both pair well with lime and fresh herbs. Toss in a few black beans as the “seeds” and dress the combo with a fresh, minty lime dressing. You can top off your creation with a grilled gift from the sea (like shrimp or crab) … heavenly! (more…)

Passover is a festival of rebirth. The Jewish history is symbolized by meaningful foods that re-tell the stories of heritage. There are as many variations of these traditional foods as there are locations of Jewish ancestry. (more…)