Chickpeas or garbanzo beans? A different name for the same food, this member of the legume family has a firm texture and a nutty flavor that enhances a variety of recipes.
To see chickpeas in the fields and at harvest, watch these videos: ...
Part of the parsley family, cumin is an annual plant that produces seeds. These seeds can be used as a spice – often ground up – when cooking. To see cumin go from seed to powder, watch the short video, Grinding Cumin at The Spice House,...
For all the soybeans grown in Illinois, the Illinois Soybean Association notes, "Animal ag is the No. 1 customer for soybeans. Of the soybean meal fed in Illinois, pigs consume 74%, poultry 13%, and beef and dairy cattle 12...
Back in my college classes, we students had opportunities to be food scientists and modify recipes. Since we were also nutrition and dietetic students, we were told to focus these modifications on ways to add nutrition, such as adding fiber, or improve the nutritional profile, such as lower...
Any fans of spicy foods? January 16 is National Hot and Spicy Food Day.
Red pepper flakes – or crushed red pepper – are a great way to add spice and heat to recipes. Red pepper flakes are dried hot peppers that are crushed into small pieces and served along with the seeds.
Nutrition
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Have you noticed? Winter tends to bring citrus fruits into season! While oranges are everywhere, don't forget about other citrus, including grapefruit. Nutrition Half a medium fresh grapefruit contains around 50 calories, 13g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and vitamins and...
It's nearly summer! The weather is better for cooking outside. What is your preferred seasoning for the grill: rubs, marinades, or sauces? Today, I want to explore barbecue (BBQ) sauces. Nutrition There are so many variations of BBQ sauce, which means the nutrition information...
Do you enjoy drinking your vegetables? And no, I am not referring to green smoothies. Today's post is on tomato juice. Let's save green smoothies and vegetable juice – a blend of veggies – for another day. Nutrition An 8-oz cup of tomato juice has around 40 calories, 9g...
While very mild in flavor, rice is one of my favorite grains. It makes a great base for stir-fries, adds bulk to soup, and takes on fun flavors with any seasoning you add. (I sometimes mix peanut butter into cooked rice for a quick side dish.) Nutrition A 1/4 cup of dry brown...
I remember applesauce and cinnamon as an end to many childhood meals and in my lunchbox for school. As an adult, I find it a quick-to-eat fruit and tend to cook more with applesauce. (Enjoy the brownie recipe with applesauce at the end of this post.) Nutrition A half cup of...
