healthy – In Good Taste

Easy Baba Ghanoush Recipe

Maris Callahan — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 06:00:15 +0000

Besides the fact that it’s fun to say, Baba ghanoush is actually quite fun to make, too. Baba ghanoush sounds like it would be overly complicated to make, but in reality, this easy baba ghanoush recipe is simply eggplant blended up with lemon juice, tahini, garlic and sea salt. While most recipes ask you to char the eggplant on a grill or over the flame of a gas stove, you can also use your broiler to achieve smoky flavor while saving time and energy. This tip proves to be especially useful, too, if you have neither a grill nor a gas stove, which is not uncommon for those of you cooking from your first or “starter” kitchen. Baba ghanoush, which resembled traditional hummus, is a Levantine dish of cooked eggplant mixed with onions, tomatoes, olive oil and various seasonings. You’ll find it in Middle Eastern cuisine but you’ll also find it in the supermarket next to the packaged prepared dips and spreads. What’s it taste like? It’s creamy, tastes way more decadent than it actually is and has a balance between slightly sweet notes and savory undertones from the lemon and tahini. It’s naturally vegan and gluten-free so you can serve it to pretty […]

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Summer Heirloom Tomato Salad

Maris Callahan — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 05:00:49 +0000

Heirloom tomato salad made with corn, red onion, string beans and a handful of fresh herbs mixed with a summery vinaigrette and feta cheese is a perfect summer salad to serve at a picnic, cookout, or even as a late Saturday or Sunday afternoon lunch. I’d like to know: who was it that decided to put lettuce in salads? I’m not saying there is anything wrong with lettuce salads. Or spinach salads, arugula salads or even kale salads for that matter. What I am saying, though, is that salads are perfectly good without lettuce, especially in the peak of the summer when fruits and vegetables are arguably at their freshest. Before we talk about heirloom tomatoes, let me tell you a little sob story. Well, one might call it a first world problem but for the sake of this story, it’s a sad one. Last summer, the beautiful Green City Market farmers’ market that Chicago is known for opened a little outpost in a parking lot about three blocks from my apartment building. I loved it and took Henry there every weekend to sniff the basil plants and say hello to the different vendors. I tried to buy as many […]

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“Egg-centric” Brunch Menu [Ham & Cheddar Miniature Quiches]

Maris Callahan — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 05:00:02 +0000

It’s been well documented that brunch parties are among my favorite occasions for entertaining. Whether it’s a last-minute winter brunch or you’re whipping up a batch of chai-spiced apple cinnamon pancakes for a special occasion breakfast in bed. If you’re hosting Easter brunch at home, there’s really only one way to celebrate and that is with eggs. Eggs are the ultimate Easter entertaining food. Not only are they delicious, but they’re affordable at approximately 20 cents apiece and incredibly versatile. So versatile that you can serve them at any party in more than one way, and I can almost guarantee you that nobody will complain. My favorite way to serve eggs for a brunch party is in a quiche or fritatta. When serving a crowd, I like to make miniature quiches so that if someone arrives late or wants to pop back into the kitchen for seconds after the meal has been served, they can easily reheat their portion. “Egg-centric” Brunch Menu Deviled Eggs, Three Ways Cherry Lime Scones Ham & Cheddar Miniature Quiches (recipe below) Arugula Salad with Pear & Blue Cheese Blueberry Elderberry Tart with Shortbread Crust Pro-Tip: if you’re also planning to make the above deviled eggs, the American Egg […]

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Simple Cheese Quesadilla

Maris Callahan — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 05:00:33 +0000

The humble quesadilla wears many hats . It’s a quick weeknight meal that you can make with pretty much any leftovers and it’s a quick snack that will satisfy anyone, from a house fill of kids to a cocktail party crowd. If you start with a clean slate: a tortilla and your favorite quesadilla cheese, you can dress them up or down for any occasion. Quesadillas might be the easiest thing in the world to make. Unless you’re like me and have a tendency to turn your back to the stove at the precise moment that your pancakes begin to burn or your omelet falls apart, they’re pretty much impossible to ruin. The process goes something like: warm tortilla over a slightly greased skillet, add cheese and whatever delicious toppings suit your fancy, fold, and repeat until your quesadilla cravings are satisfied. When I make quesadillas, I’m a purist. Cheese and salsa, finito. If you want a heartier meal, I do love experimenting with a black beans and avocado quesadilla or a shrimp and avocado quesadilla. There’s a special place in my heart for the always delicious breakfast quesadilla with bacon and eggs…but at the end of the day, no-frills is […]

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Baked Salmon with Garlic and Dill

Maris Callahan — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 05:00:48 +0000

There are many ways to make baked salmon but for every baked salmon recipe you find, there is an equal and opposite way to ruin said baked salmon. Salmon is quite easy to overcook, which I know because I’ve overcooked it many times to the point where not even a healthy sauce or marinade could fix it. It goes along with my theory: most people who think they’re bad cooks are actually perfectly competent, but they either get distracted, sidetracked or otherwise preoccupied during the cooking process, leading to various mistakes and missteps in the kitchen. This recipe is pretty difficult to ruin: it uses three ingredients, most of which are already in your house. If you have to make a run to the store to purchase anything, you can get in and out for the cost of the salmon, plus a dollar or two for garlic or dill. Assuming you have a kitchen stocked with salt, pepper and olive oil, which I realize is a generous assumption for some people, this is a no-frills, no-fuss dinner that you simply can’t ruin…especially if you set a cooking timer. Pair it with a green salad or sautéed spinach and some wild […]

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