Eating Superbly Well

Shawn and I share a love of cooking...and of eating. We get a bit competitive in the kitchen, especially because we have differing styles when it comes to crafting dishes. Shawn finds a recipe and follows it exactly, and by some magic (good taste and intuition), what he makes almost always turns out world-class. I take a look at what ingredients I have sitting around and throw them together in impromptu creations--dark chocolate walnut cranberry coconut muffins, bok choy tofu udon soup, etc. When we have people over for dinner, we work on our separate dishes, and to my seething chagrin, Shawn's dishes seem to get the best accolades. "These fried plantains and this Caribbean rice is great. But what Shawn made, the Puerto Rican fish stew, that...that was like something a chef would make. That was amazing. I'll never forget that. That's the best thing I've had in a very long time."

Yes, precision and good taste are Shawn's strengths. Fearless adventure is mine. I'm not a baker--all those measurements?! When I read "sift," to me that says, "scoop loosely; don't pack." For Shawn, "sift" means "go to the store, buy a flour sifter, and painstakingly sift until my thumb cramps up."

Now that we're deep into fall, I'm in all my farmer's market glory--buying gnarled varieties of squash, selecting new heirloom apples to try, on quests for the perfect purple bell pepper, lugging Canary melons under one arm, and collecting "dragon apples" (heirloom tomatoes--the weirder-looking, the better!) as if they were gems. This may be the one season where Shawn cannot outshine me...and he dare not even try to match my pumpkin-selectin' and pureein' skills...in my homemade pumpkin pie, mulled wine, and spiced cider, I have absolute confidence--yes, Sept and Oct are my favorite "food months" of the year.

I've branched out these past couple years, however, due to Eating Well Magazine. Thanks to these good folks, I've actually come to enjoy collecting and treasuring recipes. While all of their recipes seem to be online, I still find it well-worth it to subscribe to their print magazine, with its sumptious photos, aesthetically-pleasing layout, and informative ecological articles. I like how their recipes are both meat- and vegetarian-friendly, which has really bridged the gap between me and my carnivorous friends/family at dinner gatherings. And, ingredients that I never bought before, I now look for every time they're in season--asparagus, brussels sprouts, watercress...so here is an ode to our top 10 Eating Well recipes, which are guaranteed to make you like such daunting ingredients as Savoy cabbage and fennel. They range from simple sides to more ambitious entrees...all striking in their celebration of the fine things earth has to offer :)

My Top 10 Eating Well Recipes:

1. Puerto Rican Fish Stew (There's really nothing you can do to make this one vegetarian, so this is a great option for pescetarians who have meat-eaters over for dinner--THE singlemost best recipe ever. Serve with fried plantains and Caribbean rice)

2. Shrimp Tamale Casserole with Three Sisters Black Mole (The mole really makes this one, but pesco-friendly tamales are always a treat. Pure vegetarians could subsitute roasted veggies for shrimp)

3. Gnocchi with Tomatoes, Pancetta & Wilted Watercress (Vegetarians, substitute veggie bacon for pancetta. Cook separately and add last, since adding early to the dish will just impart more salt, and the flavor of the veggie bacon will be cooked out)

4. Asparagus Soup (Vegan if veggie broth is substituted for chicken broth)

5. Creamy Fettuccine with Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms (This one made me like brussels sprouts, which I now can enjoy cooked up in just some sherry and served with some parmesan on top)

6. Tuscan Cabbage & Mushrooms (Vegetarians substitute veggie bacon for pancetta, and veggie broth for chicken broth)

7. Asparagus with Curry Butter (This is so easy that's it's become our fav way to cook up fresh asparagus)

8. Spaghetti Squash & Pork Stir-Fry (Vegetarians substitute veggie chicken strips for pork)

9. Roasted Squash & Fennel with Thyme (Vegan)

10. Blue Cheese-Walnut Green Beans (an early summer fav way to cook all those green beans you bought at the farmer's market)

Eat well and prosper!