Frightened of the GAPS Diet? Too complicated? Have no fear—it’s easier than you think! When people tell me they have symptoms that just won’t heal, I always bring up the healing properties of food. I ask what they are eating and if they cook for themselves. Often, when I talk with people about the GAPS […]
Category Archives: Self-Health Survival Guides
Holidays and special occasions are a great time to present dishes that are a little more special than your average, everyday home meal. It’s also an excellent time to splurge on fancier ingredients and put forth a little extra effort in preparation. Unfortunately, there’s also the danger of getting carried away when dreaming up all […]
Sleep is one of those things that most of us don’t get enough of. Though the restorative impact it has on our bodies is well known, I bet we don’t even know the half of it. The busyness of this time of year can be an arch enemy of slumber, so make sure you don’t […]
Everyone loves chocolate cake. (Well, nearly everyone.) I created this recipe one evening after dinner, when my husband said that he’d love a piece of chocolate cake. I told him to give me about an hour, and he’d have one! We’ve been eating GAPS-style at my house for years now. And for a few years […]
The holidays come with all sorts of bustling activity, being the perfect time to relish good food and good company with cheer. It’s also a time for lots of entertaining, be it a cocktail party, a lavish dinner, or a family brunch with all the out-of-town guests—and with all that, exhaustion. Many of us feel […]
It’s hard to remember the last time you got a piece of personal mail delivered to you, isn’t it? If you’re like me, the route back from the mailbox always includes a brief stop at the recycling bin or the shredding pile, and rarely does anything make it any further than that. When a handwritten […]
I could have just as easily titled this blog post “Why No One Turns Down a Dinner Invitation in Italy.” That’s right—no matter the hour, no one in their right mind would turn down a dinner invitation in Italy. In fact, my son Billy tells me that it would an insult to do so. During […]
It’s that time of year again: my annual tribute to Thanksgiving leftovers that don’t taste like leftovers! If you’ve been reading my posts for a few years, you might already know that I’m big on finding tasty, imaginative ways to repurpose that Thanksgiving bird beyond the traditional reheated dinner or turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce […]
Here in the United States, Thanksgiving is just a couple days away. While the origins of the holiday aren’t without controversy, President George Washington’s first Thanksgiving proclamation was about giving thanks to God. I was raised to celebrate this day as a time to give thanks for the good things in my life. And, I […]
Ask Chef Phyllis This is the time of year I start thinking about turkey. I roast a large bird for our family (about 22–25 pounds), because they enjoy seeing a whole bird on the table, like a picture postcard. However, they don’t really enjoy the drumsticks and other dark meat, which we sometimes save for […]
In keeping with the theme of holiday fare, this week we’re delving into one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving: The Pie. It’s not often I’ll say no to pie. In fact, I love pie so much that I’ve been known to do “birthday pie” instead of cake for my annual celebration. Fruit pies, chocolatey […]
Quick! Grab your to-do list and tell me what’s on it. If you’re like most adult humans on the planet, you’ll rattle off rather mundane tasks: Balance the checkbook. Pick up dog food. Return library books. But have you jotted down any joyfully rejuvenating activities to take care of yourself? No? Let’s change that immediately. […]
Ask Check Phyllis It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything with chickpeas. But last week at a party, the hostess served not only hummus as the appetizer but also a chickpea soup. She said was an old seafood recipe from Tuscany. Can you shed some info on this delicious soup? It was a […]
The holidays are fast approaching, which means it’s time to start thinking about all the delicious ways to celebrate the season’s bounty. Though this is usually a time of celebration and extravagance, pleasure and revelry, it can also present some challenges for those with special food needs or aspirations. I want to enjoy the season […]
November is National Family Caregivers Month, which couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time in my life. You see, we just lost our dear friend, Andy, to pancreatic cancer, and I was truly amazed by the number of people who stepped up to make sure he wasn’t alone as he battled through the stages […]
When it comes to seafood, halibut is almost unanimously appreciated. With its gentle flavor, firm texture, and mild flesh, it takes well to a variety of pairings and manners of cooking. And because this tender, white, sweet-flavored beast of a fish is available year-round as frozen filets, it’s easy to serve any time. However, I […]
Though I have a hard time saying goodbye to the warmth and waning slivers of light at fall’s end, when the air turns crisp I’m never disappointed at the prospect of the hearty, comforting foods that accompany this time of year. My cravings for crunchy, crisp salads and juicy fruit are all but gone, replaced […]
Ask Chef Phyllis I was gifted a tin with all kinds of nuts in it. I left it on a shelf in my pantry and forgot about it for many months. When I finally opened the tin, the nuts looked okay but most tasted nasty. The almonds were okay, but the pecans and pine nuts […]
Ever since I moved to Colorado from British Columbia, I’ve made a point of celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving with my fellow ex-pats each year. Approximately 13 years running, the tradition has taken on a whole new meaning for us—in addition to getting together, it helps us feel a connection to our families who all live so […]
Earlier this month, I mentioned Child Health Day in a post I wrote about the importance of starting healthy habits from a young age. Well, I’m just not sure that one day alone gives our children’s health the attention it truly deserves. This generation of kids is going to be responsible for taking care of […]