The snowfalls have ceased, the outside air temperature is almost regularly 60 degrees and I’ve spotted artichokes and fava beans at the market.  It must be spring!  To welcome the season, I’ve put together a vegetarian quinoa paella with all of the familiar flavors and a healthier, lighter…

There are many ways we can make our meals healthier and sometimes just a little tweak here and there can make a big difference. One of the ways we can make an adjustment is in the oil we use for cooking and flavoring our foods. For the most part we do have to use oil for frying, sautéing or even if…

Revising your diet to include more nutrients and less fat is easier than you think. There is one pantry item that is often overlooked but it packs a punch when it comes to nutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins. It is easy to make, and can be used in numerous dishes. Beans, also known as legumes, are…

Recife, Brazil is an unlikely area for a Jewish community but the small enclave in the port city has been a safe haven for Jews from Spain and Portugal since the 1600s, escaping the wrath of the Spanish Inquisition.  The early 1920’s brought another wave of Jews from what in now Belarus, fleeing…

The diet Latinos enjoy is actually a lot more healthy than the standard American fare.  Studies show that the lifespan of Hispanic immigrants who stuck with traditional diets from their homeland outlived those who did not. But there is room for improvement—especially since the foods we consume…