The Best Brown Bag

 This has always been a conundrum for those brown baggers?What to bring for lunch and what makes for a good lunch.It;s nit a sandwich or leftovers. Its a one of a kind taste sensation.

Regular contributor and recipe developer Ali Slagle wrote about this for yesterday;'s New York Times Food section.Brown bagging it has always been a hit or miss for over a hundred years. Anyone can bring in cold cuts on their favorite bread slathered with either ketchup, mustard or mayo. This  idea is good until Wednesday when you crave something else. There are last night's meal but leftovers that you just ate sixteen hours before can be boring. What's to do> Ms Slahle recommends a variety of ideas. One idea is cooking up a big batch of something , preferably on a Saturday or Sunday when there;s time to cook.,Just make sure it doesn't;t get dull or soggy during a few days in the fridge.Pack lunches into servings right before you leave for work.Try to put food in Pyrex glass containers which work the best for this kind of lunch. The Times Wirecutter section recommends these or Glasslock's eighteen piece set. Each has a lock that prevents any kind of leakage Vary the meal by trying different veggie or spice combos

Keep in mind that lunch is the midday treat. Get excited about it.Think about what gets you going about takeout orders. Bring that same drive to a homemade lunch. It could be a slab of creamy salty feta cheese or a pickle.It could be a cup of guacamole or a chewy udon noodle. Add some salame slices or cut fruit for color and flavor.(also a good idea is to bring extra of these for that or three PM hunger attack).If you don;t want to use the company microwave then bring foods that don;t need to be heated up. Cooked chicken tender are good at room temperature. as is thinly sliced steak.Keep these in the office fridge if the ambient temperature is too warm. You can use leftovers in creating your lunch but do it in a way that they don't resemble last night's dinner. Try rice bowls with the previous night's roast chicken or fish. Think quinoa with whatever roasted veggies are around. Top with sauces and seeds.Also think homemade protein rich dips like hummus and cottage cheese. An avocado dip is both filling and delicious.

Brown bag lunch to a whole new level. Get creative. Go for grain based bowls or fun flavor combos. Make lunch the best part of the work day!

Meghan's Kitchen

 It takes guts to marry into any royal family.It takes a lot of them to begin your own brand and show the world your recipes, yet Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has done both. She has done it with aplomb, Her recipes are being copied , cooked and baked the world over.

Regular contributor Julia Moskin interviewed the duchess as well as sitting in on creating a tempting dessert in today';s New York Times Wednesday Food section.Meghan has always been known for creating delicious dishes , first for her college friends at Northwestern then for her blog  The Tig and later for her future husband Prince Harry. Now she has her own lifestyle show AS Ever on Netflix (who is also one of the backers of the new products line) and a brand that features such yummy products as a shortbread mix with flower sprinkles, crepe mix and a raspberry spread. It all comes out her Southern California home in Montecito. even though she has faced criticism, - mostly from the British - she can cook and cook she does. Meghan seems to have inherited her grandmother Jeanette's love of it.Her grandmother grew tomatoes and collard greens in her backyard,, not unlike her granddaughter with her garden, She loved to cook making Meghan's grilled cheese sandwiches with Kraft slices , white bread and a ton of butter.

The Duchess of Sussex is a bit more  sophisticated and even playful with her recipes. She has guests in each issue ,from famous chefs like Alice Waters and Roy Choi but also friends such as Abigail Breslan and Mindy Kaling. Her drinks are cooled with ice cubes speckled with flowers. There is always a plate for crudites around for  nibbling along with an herbal tea to drink. Ms. Moskin includes two of her recipes.One is a Spring garden salad, rich with cherry tomatoes, snap peas and zucchini along with kale stems and Swisschard. The greens are cooked in olive oil and garlic. . It's mixed with already cooked rigatoni.It's finished with freshly squeezed Meyer lemon and  a good dusting of Parmesan or Manchuga cheese.The next dish is a tribute to her grandmother with a topping dedicated to  her daughter. It is a banana pudding , made with homemade vanilla pudding topped with "Chantilly Lili,' a chantilly cream named in honor of her daughter Princess Lilibet.

Meghan < Duchess of Sussex has proved that she can transcend all the criticism thrown her way. She is not only a influencer. She is a creative chef who knows how to produce a good meal.

Delicious Treats In Bulk

 If you own a store or a restaurant and want healthy snacks look no further than WHolesale Nuts and Dried Fruit. Owner Matthew Baron has a whole forest of nuts seeds and dried fruits. This is the perfect site for creating baskets of goodies and interesting desserts and snacks.

Being a dried fruit and nut lover this site sang to me. I tried their apples , mangoes and my all time favorite nut -pecans

The dried fruit is delicious without that sweetness and funny dried fruit taste that others have. The apples tand mangoes I selected were very natural tasting. Keep in mind that these can be bought in bulk to create tasty granola if  you have a B and B or sell them at  your local farmer's markets. Some of Mr Barons; dried fruit have no sulphates which account for the more natural flavor.  Chefs and pastry chefs  should consider buying his coconut flakes and nuts in bulk for delicious dishes and desserts.

There are also dried figs , dates and cherries to consider as well as raisins. The seeds range from quinoa to roasted and salted sunflower ones There are also bulk flax and chia seeds ,perfect for baking. The prices are also affordable, good for anyone just starting out in the restaurant and bakery businesses.

Try Wholesale Nuts and Dried Fruits for any of your recipes' needs. They're well priced along with being downright delicious. They';re perfect on their own or as an ingredient.

Warm Weather Salads

 This is the time for year to eat lighter. That means relying on that classic duh salad. Yet it won;t be a simple one . It's time to liven those bowls up with different ingredients for the perfect Spring salad.

Of course its starts with a base.Yet instead of Cobb or Bibb look outside the garden Dandelion greens are a different and bright addition to any salad bowl. They're full of probiotics which make for a good gut health. They are also loaded with the antioxidants that aid in liver health. Some people may be  put off by eating a "common weed"/ yet the taste is earthy and pleasantly bitter. You could add sweet ingredients to them to balance off that sharpness. Another different green is the Japanese one mizuna lettuce. The is a mustard green. The flavor is peppery like arugula. You can find in in an Asian grocery store along with the basis of a good dressing - rice wine vinegar. For something really off the menu try nettles. Yes they are those scratchy annoying fronds that sting ankles and feet during a woodland hike but their leaves are another matter. They have a state like spinach = decidedly mild and easy to pair with other ingredients.

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hat about the other ingredients and dressings? Seafood is always a tasty addition to a salad, especially a warmer weather one. Yes you could add the usual, shrimp crab or tuna. A different spin would be seared scallops. These are an easy cook.Sear in a very hot pan with a mix of oil and plant or dairy based butter. Their sweetness would pair well with dandelion greens and a simple citrus based dressing. Think orange , lemon or lime added to a light olive oil  along with a tiny drop of agave or maple syrup.If you want true luxury the think about chopped lobster tails with a mix of common and uncommon greens.To balance to out and add color add multicolored tomatoes that come in such bright hues as purple red and yellow. You could use a mayo based dressing on this, Think a creamy one with herbs to bring out the lobster's briny flavor . Another idea is a simple vinaigrette but made with a white wine vinegar base instead of a red wine one. If you;re craving poultry, then try leftover Cornish hen. Keep in mind to debone it carefully because unlike chicken or turkey , the bones are tiny and could easily wind up  amongst the greens. A nice orange based dressing would work with this.

It's salad season. Make a different kind using uncommon greens and ingredients.It'll make for a light tasty and invigorating bite.

Tastes Of Spring

 Spring brings with it a freshness.It happens in fashion, weather and cooking.Cooking and baking brings a plethora of natural ,refreshing tastes that liven up any meal.

Mint is a lovely addition to any meal. It can be grown in the back yard and bloom sometime in May if you live in the Northeast.Another Spring ingredient lamb is perfect with this herb.Add garlic to a lamb chop sauce rich with mint and soy sauce.  The English have perfected English sauce creating one that also has apple cider vinegar boiling water and just a tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of salt. It's just cooking all of this to two cups of fresh mint(which you can also buy at your local grocery store),It's a ten minutes cook and pureeing when the sauce cools. You can also use this brightly flavored sauce on leg of lamb too.Surprisingly enough chicken and mint pair well together. The sweet herbiness can bring out the bird's earthiness and take it up a level.MInt pairs wonderfully with peas. Add two tablespoons of mint sauce  to mushy peas if you;re making this side dish with fish and chips. Mint tea is also a perfect drink for warmer spring days. Use a mint infused simple syrup for this. It's easy to make and store. It;s boiling a half a cup of sugar with a cup of water and half a cup of mint leaves. Strain to remove mint leaves and cool.

One of the most Springtime flavors is fresh asparagus. It's abundant as we head into April. It;s delicious Piedmontese style steamed and dressed with melted butter,sliced hard boiled eggs and Parmesan cheese. However you can make  a vegan version by using plant based butter and cheese and omitting the eggs. The taste is still the same with the asparagus' earthy greenness shining through.The grills will be getting fired up once warmer weather arrives and it's a good time to try grilled asparagus. This is an easy cook.It 's coated in olive oil and then simply seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook on a preheated grill, lightly turning the spears.They will be done in anywhere from three to five minutes. Keep in mind you can add them to a salad too for more flavor.Peas are also a tasty Spring veggie and make for a perfect side to any main course. Sauteed petit pois in butter sauce make a good accompaniment to Cornish hens. A pea salad is a great early barbecue dish. You can just dress cooked and cooled with  a simple vinaigrette or the traditional pea salad dressing. This is am mix of mayonnaise, , bacon ranch dressing and red onion. This is the perfect dish for a Spring barbecue.

Spring is here and with it comes fresh flavors. Use these for a taste of brightness.Like Spring flowers hey'll liven up any table.

Barbecue or Picnic

 Eating outdoors is here. The question is do you want to go on a picnic or a barbecue? A picnic can be fun especially a beach one but it's also good in a park or  I  the mountains too. A barbecue is another fun eating outdoors option. There's everything from grilled wings and burgers and dogs to corn and s'mores later on.

What is your favorite? Let us know here . Mine would be a beach picnic? Is yours the same?

Dining Alone

 Is there still a stigma for dining alone? Yes and no . Even though it is liberating to head into any eatery and not worry about what friends think of your eating choices people who go solo are still treated somewhat badly. Why is that? what's so bad with just having a good meal by oneself?

Regular contributor and chef Priya Kirshna wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. There is nothing wrong with dining for one. Many think of it as an adventure to try different cuisines or just have a relaxing meal with out the distraction of talk. It shows in numbers taken from Open Table, a site that takes restaurant bookings from all over the world.The percentage of people eating alone rose sixty-four percent in 2019 while between 2022 and 2025 it only jumped to twenty percent.The increase is probably even greater now since many people just walk into a restaurant sans reservations.. Yet more solo dining doesn't necessarily mean better accommodations. Many feel that they're taking up valuable table space by sitting at a full table. there's also the feeling of fearfulness this can bring along with the feeling of being judged by other diners.According to Rajika Shah, a Los Angeles lawyer the host or hostess's whole demeanor changes when just one walks in.It's either a look of panic as in what to do with this person or a look of sympathy.

Some places do accommodate the solo eaters Bar areas often have tables for one, Mind they're those mile high ones with stools people have to clamber up on. Bar dining has been the default way to go, providing there is space and seating. Many independent restaurants are taking reservations for the bar area but a majority does not. Luckily there are the chain restaurants like Olive Garden and Applebees that are happy to serve just one person.Tiktok features  videos of people eating alone at the OLive Garden. Their restaurants are designed with a bar in the center to make customers feel more comfortable instead of feeling  isolated.Other restaurants , both private and chain should take notice, There is a level of comfortableness in eating alone according to the interviews done for the article.Of course they' felt more at ease in a chain restaurant than a fancier high priced one.It's also easier to dine alone in big cities where there is always a level of anonymity. Still it's a trend to catch on throughout the country.

Dining olo should be a fun experience. There's no friends and their prejudices to weigh upon order selection.It's just the diner alone enjoying quiet time with good food.