Tamia’s go-to breakfast is a wholesome grain pilaf with fruit and avocado, which keeps the pipes open and sets her up for the day’s physical efforts. And she can dish up that breakfast in no more time than it takes to brew a pot of necessary coffee. All she has to do is pour breakfast out of a jar. And so can you.
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by Tamia Nelson | May 10, 2018

Everyone knows that a healthy breakfast forms a solid foundation for the day’s activities, but when time presses and adventure calls, who has time to make a proper meal to start the day? Not I. Especially because my preferred breakfast these days is a wholegrain pilaf mixed with seasonal berries and a slice of avocado. Pilaf takes time to cook. The better part of an hour, in fact. I’m not up to that job at oh-dark-thirty. But last autumn I made a serendipitous discovery.

Here’s how it happened. One evening, I prepared a dinner of rice and farro pilaf to accompany roast chicken. Leftovers went … Continue reading »

The next time you’re in a hurry for a home-cooked dinner but don’t have the time to do everything yourself, pick up a rotisserie chicken on your way home. By adding a couple side dishes, you’re in for a well-rounded and almost effortless meal that’s sure to fill in all the empty corners. Comfort food doesn’t get any easier than this.
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by Tamia Nelson | April 2, 2018

Roasted whole chicken is one of the easiest meals to cook, and one of the most satisfying to eat. A small chicken of four to five pounds is just the right size for four hungry people, or for two people with leftovers for more meals. Plus there’s the carcass, which when simmered with aromatic vegetables, produces enough broth for soup. Chicken is healthy and is versatile. Its mild flavor is pleasing on its own, but can get a boost or kick depending on how it’s seasoned and prepared.

So roasted chicken is a great choice when you’re hungry and want comfort food. Yet there’s a snag. It … Continue reading »

“Soup’s on!” Do you long to hear those welcome words? Then here’s how to make your wish come true.
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by Tamia Nelson | March 11, 2018
Originally published in different form on January 8, 2013

Whatever your complaint—a bad cold, the flu, or just one dark winter day too many—soup is good for what ails you. But soup-making has now become a black art practiced only by a coterie of cognoscenti, something far beyond the reach of ordinary mortals. That’s what the Mad Men in marketing would like you to think, anyway.

To which I reply: Piffle. Making soup from scratch is no harder than shoveling the drive, and it won’t take any longer. So before you grab a can off the shelf, give this recipe a try. It will put a steaming pot of vegetable soup on your table in less than 30 minutes.

• 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 32-ounce container of broth (vegetable, chicken, or beef—cook’s choice)
• Medium-sized potato (any variety), diced small
• Small onion diced fine, or a few green onions, sliced fine