As I gazed at the multiple shelves of vinegars at the market today, I wondered why one balsamic vinegar can be $6.99 for a larger bottle while another is $135 (not a typo!) for a teeny tiny bottle. And why so many different types of vinegar?

Vinegar is versatile

Generally speaking, I’m not one for an overly vinegar flavor in foods. I don’t like pickles, for example (pickle and ice cream jokes were completely lost on me when I was pregnant), and salad dressings have to have real flavors, not just vinegar flavor. While I appreciate the roles different vinegars can play in various recipes or dishes, particularly adding a balance of acidity, it’s not a go-to flavor for me.

That said, there’s something about a good, smooth aged balsamic vinegar lightly drizzled over heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella that can’t be beat.

Vinegar is more than sour wine

The word “vinegar” derives from old French “vin aigre”, which means “sour wine.” Fermentation of wine, cider, beer, or fruit juice happens over time - preferably months for richer, smoother vinegars. Vinegars occur in almost every culture and culinary history, from the rice vinegar that is essential to sushi rice in Japan to malt vinegar served with fries (chips) in the British Isles and elsewhere. The type of vinegar is mostly a reference to the source ingredient: rice, wine, beer, and so on. Vinegars have been developed for food preservation as well as adding flavor to dishes. Did you know there is such a recipe as Vinegar Pie?

Balsamic vinegars can accent both sweet and savory dishes

Balsamic vinegars are especially interesting and popular. Originating in Italy, balsamic vinegars are fermented from the concentrated juice of white grapes and aged for a few to many years (hence the higher cost), producing the thick brown acidic yet sweet liquid that nicely complements so many dishes. Some balsamic vinegars are smooth enough to drizzle on ice cream! Try a good balsamic vinegar on fresh, ultra sweet strawberries or fresh figs for a real taste sensation. Balsamic vinegar is my standard vinegar for salad dressings; we always have two or three varieties on hand.

Fruit vinegar

A fun thing to do with white wine vinegar is to add a fruit syrup to it, thus making a fruit vinegar. This is as simple as cooking down some berries or other fruit with sugar (and water) to taste, then strain. Add to white wine vinegar (because it is mellower than regular white vinegar) and store in the refrigerator for use in salad dressings or marinades.

Recipe ideas featuring vinegar

Raspberry Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

1 egg, or equivalent of pasteurized egg substitute
1/4 c sugar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/3 c red wine vinegar
1/3 c raspberry vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp grated onion, including juice from the grating
2 c oil (corn or canola)
3 tbsp poppy seeds

In a blender or food processor, combine egg, sugar, mustard, vinegars, salt and onion. Process or blend until smooth and well-incorporated. Carefully pour in the oil while the machine is running. Stir in the poppy seeds.

Apple Chicken

3 Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled, sliced thin, tossed with the juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp sugar
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, flattened, or cut into 8 thinner cutlets
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/4 c heavy cream
1/4 c chicken stock
1/2 tsp salt

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Saute the apples 5 to 7 minutes, or until they start to brown just a bit on the edges. Sprinkle with sugar, turn the heat to medium-high and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the apples are lightly brown all over. Set aside.

Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet. Add the chicken and cook until each side is lightly golden, about 2 minutes a side. Set aside.

Add the onion to the still hot skillet, cover, and cook until it is soft and caramelized, 7 to 8 minutes. Uncover, add the vinegar to deglaze the pan. When the vinegar is cooked down to a syrup (about 1 minute later), add the cream, stock and salt. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove the chicken again. Return the apples to the skillet and cook until the sauce has reduced, about 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

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The tender, purplish green fig is one of the most ancient of fruits and one of the first fruits to be dried and stored for human consumption. History reveals that the Pyramid builders of Egypt found the fig invaluable, and a papyrus from 1552 BC extols the fig as a tonic that was good for the entire body. The fig is even a symbol of fertility in Oriental, Greek, and other Mediterranean cultures.

Fresh figs season

Dried figs are available year round, usually found in the dried fruit aisle of the supermarket, and can be used in recipes ranging from breakfast breads to savory stuffings for meats. Fresh figs, on the other hand, are in season beginning in the summer and extending into the fall.

Fresh figs have a succulent texture (as compared to the chew of dried figs) and are just as versatile as dried figs. Fresh figs can also be used to sweeten up savory dishes and desserts (you’ll see in the recipes below!).

Nutritious figs

Figs not only taste divine, they are also good for your family’s health. They are full of antioxidants and contain more fiber, potassium, calcium and iron than many other fruits. A 5-ounce serving of fresh figs has about 120 calories, 4 grams of fiber, 380 milligrams of potassium, 75 milligrams of calcium, and 1 milligram of iron.

Figs also contain a proteolytic enzyme that is considered as an aid to digestion and is used by the pharmaceutical industry.

Storing fresh figs

Fresh figs are very perishable and should be kept refrigerated. Use figs as soon as possible. Under ideal conditions, fresh figs can be refrigerated for up to five to seven days, or frozen in a sealed bag for up to six months.

Fresh Fig Recipes

Recipes are courtesy of the California Fresh Fig Growers Association

Citrus, Fig and Prosciutto Salad
Serves 6

One way to get your kids to eat salads is to add out of the ordinary ingredients. Figs and prosciutto have allure because they are so unique and have such distinctive flavors. Sweet figs and salty prosciutto make this salad irresistible.

Ingredients:
3 medium oranges
3 cups tightly packed torn romaine lettuce
3 cups tightly packed torn curly leaf lettuce
1 pound fresh figs, each cut into 4 wedges
4 ounces chopped lean prosciutto
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Directions:
1. Peel oranges and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut each slice in half. Combine oranges, lettuces, figs and prosciutto in a large bowl and toss gently.

2. Combine orange juice, vinegar, water, oil, honey, orange zest, salt, and pepper sauce in a mason jar. Cover jar tightly and shake vigorously. Drizzle orange juice mixture over salad, and toss gently to coat.

Fresh Fig Salsa
Makes 2 cups

Fruit salsas in the summer can’t be beat. This salsa, made with sweet figs and mango, can elevate the taste of any grilled meats, poultry or seafood.

Ingredients:
2 cups (about 1 pound) fresh firm-ripe figs, stemmed, diced
2 fresh green onions, sliced crosswise
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped
1 cup peeled and diced mango
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons grated lime peel
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and chill several hours to blend flavors. Serve with broiled or grilled fish, chicken, pork, beef or lamb or simply eat with chips for dipping.

Grilled Pork and Fig Kabobs
Serves 4

Kabobs are fun for the kids to construct and easy to get from grill to table. Fresh figs add a delectable uniqueness and sweetness that will have your family raving.

Ingredients:
1 pound pork tenderloin
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons unsweetened orange juice
1 clove garlic, minced
8 large fresh figs, halved lengthwise (about 3/4 pound)
8 (8- to 10-inch) metal or wooden skewers*

Directions:
1. Trim fat from pork, and cut crosswise into 16 slices. Combine honey, mustard, vinegar, orange juice, and garlic in a shallow, nonmetal dish. Add pork, turning to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

2. Remove pork from the marinade. Thread 4 pork slices onto each of 4 (8-inch) skewers. Thread 4 fig halves lengthwise onto each of another 4 (8-inch) skewers.

3. Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray and preheat to medium-high. Place pork kabobs on rack and cook 4 minutes.

4. Turn pork skewers over, and place fig skewers, cut sides up, on rack. Cook for 4 minutes or until pork is done and figs are thoroughly heated. Serve with rice (and fig salsa), if desired.

*Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before use to prevent wood from flaming on the grill.

Fresh Fig Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen

Fig Newtons have nothing on these fig and nut studded cookies. These fresh fig cookies are especially good with a tall cold glass of milk or as fig cookie ice cream sandwiches.

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup fresh figs, peeled, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand up mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream sugar and shortening and add beaten egg. In a medium-sized bowl, sift dry ingredients. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, blending on low speed. Use a spatula to fold in figs and nuts. Drop by spoonfuls on greased sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container in the pantry for up to a week.

Fresh basil is a welcome sign of spring and summer. You can easily grow your own, or buy bags of the fresh fragrant leaves for a mouthwatering myriad of palate-pleasing recipes. If you tend to use dried basil or simply opt for fresh parsley when a recipe calls for basil, let the following 10 ways to use fresh basil inspire you to include this distinctive herb in your savory (and even sweet) dishes.

Add fresh basil leaves to your salads

Instead of hum-drum iceberg or your usual bag of chopped romaine, add baby basil leaves to your salads. Combine spinach and basil leaves with shredded carrot, grape tomatoes, and cubes of feta or fresh mozzarella cheese and drizzle with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Make basil pesto

Puree a generous bunch of basil leaves with a handful of walnuts, a garlic clove, juice of a lemon, a cup of Parmesan, and enough extra virgin olive oil to form a sauce-like consistency. Use pesto on everything from cooked pasta and pizza to sandwiches and cooked vegetables.

Devil your eggs with basil

Add a few fresh basil leaves to your favorite devilled egg recipe for an elegant updated taste.

Bake basil into casseroles

Lasagna is the quintessential casserole in which basil is right at home. However, when any casserole recipe calls for fresh parsley or mint or oregano, substitute fresh basil leaves. You can even julienne basil leaves and mix them with baked mac and cheese. This Baked Artichokes and Coddled Eggs Nicoise features fresh basil and is especially satisfying and delicious

Garnish your meals with basil

With the many varieties of basil, you can add unique flavor and colorful eye-appeal to any of your dishes. Add purple Thai basil leaves to a plate of couscous vegetable salad. Layer thick slices of tomatoes, red onion, and mozzarella cheese on a serving plate, drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with cinnamon basil leaves. Place a lemon basil leaf in a glass of iced tea. You can even garnish a fruit salad with a few basil leaves.

Basil your pizza

In addition to using pesto as a sauce instead of marinara, you can always use fresh basil leaves as a topping ingredient for pizza. This White Bean Basil and Sun-dried Tomato Pizza is a family favorite on the weekends. It will be even more a favorite if you grow your own basil.

Make a basil compound butter

Compound butters or flavored butters are a sophisticated way to enrich a meal, especially when made with heady fresh herbs like basil. Simply soften a stick of butter at room temperature and then blend with chopped fresh basil, salt and fresh ground black pepper. Place butter on a sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap and form into a log, wrapping tightly with the paper or plastic. Refrigerate until firm. Cut butter log crosswise and use pats of butter to garnish a baked potato, steamed vegetables, toasted bread, or roasted fish.

Make a basil-flavored vinegar

Flavored vinegars are near effortless to create and they make excellent home-warming gifts as well as welcome additions to your every day meals. Pour two cups of white wine vinegar into a large mason jar and add 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves, two cloves of garlic, and the sliced peel of an orange. Place vinegar in a dark, cool place for two weeks to allow the flavors to develop and blend. When ready to use, strain vinegar through a sieve and store in a cruet or a clean mason jar. Use to make salad dressings, marinades, or drizzle lightly on vegetables, chicken, or fish.

Add basil to your desserts

Fruit desserts are delish in the summer and tend to be healthier than heavier flour and sugar-based goodies. Make a lively fruit salad with melon balls, strawberries, and blueberries and toss with lemon juice and finely chopped basil leaves (start with one or two chopped leaves and add one or two more if you want a stronger basil flavor). Basil can also be baked into cookies and cakes and even used to enliven ice cream.

Make a basil mojito

Try this minty mojito recipe but substitute fresh basil leaves for the fresh sprigs of mint

Lusciously creamy and full of flavor, avocados are a welcome ingredient in many recipes, from satisfying savory dishes to indulgently sweet desserts (avocado is a fruit, after all). Since avocados are applauded for their high content of heart-healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats and other health-promoting benefits, you can feel good about including them in your family’s every day meals.

Avocado are nutritious

According to the California Avocado Commission, avocados are a good source of lutein, a carotenoid associated with heart and eye health. They are also rich in beta-sitosterol, which is a natural plant sterol which research suggests can maintain healthy cholesterol levels. In addition, avocados contain nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and plant compounds that contribute to the healthy nutrient quality of your diet.

If you have a baby transitioning into soft solids, consider mashed avocado. The smooth texture and nutritional profile makes it an ideal first food. Best yet, the healthy fat in avocado acts as a nutrient booster, meaning it helps the body absorb other nutrients. Good for a growing baby and good for a health-conscious family.

One whole avocado has about 250 calories. That sounds like a lot but if you make avocado a part of your meals instead of the meal, you can enjoy the creamy fruit’s rich flavor and health benefits without worrying about the calories.

Picking the perfect avocado

When you are in market to pick your avocado, opt for hard, unripe fruit if you aren’t planning on eating it right away, or choose a ripe fruit that gives when squeezed. Color is not a determinant of ripeness since some avocados turn black as they ripen while others stay bright green.

If you do pick an unripe avocado, ripen it in a paper bag at room temperature for a couple of days. Refrigerate ripe avocados or avocados that have been cut. To prevent browning of the flesh, lightly coat with freshly squeezed lemon juice and store in an airtight container. Eat ripe or cut avocados within a day or two.

Preparing avocado

Facing an avocado for the first time can be daunting. However, preparing it for meals is quite simple. Use a sharp knife to cut avocado lengthwise, pressing the knife through the peel and flesh to the pit. Gently twist the two halves to expose the pit. Use a spoon to pop the pit out.

Now you have the option of scooping out the flesh for dishes calling for mashed avocado, such as guacamole, salad dressings, or avocado ice cream, or you can use a sharp knife to score the flesh and use a spoon to gently remove the slices or dices from the peel.

Family-friendly summer meals with avocado

Strawberry Avocado Smoothie
Serves 2

A creamy blend of calcium-rich vanilla yogurt, avocado and high-antioxidant strawberries, this smoothie is packed with nutrition. The avocado adds healthy fat to this drink without being a dominant flavor.

Ingredients:
1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
1/2 avocado, pit removed
1 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries
1 tablespoon honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Divide into two tall glasses and serve cold.

Avocado Fruit Salad
Serves 4

Though avocado is thought of as a vegetable, it is actually a delectable fruit. Adding it to fruit salad boosts the staying power and nutrition of the dish due to the avocado’s fat content.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup plain yogurt
Juice of a small lemon
2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, diced
1 cup cantaloupe balls (use a melon baller or just dice)
1 cup seedless grapes
Fresh mint leaves

Directions:
Whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, and honey or agave nectar in a large bowl. Add avocado, cantaloupe, and grapes. Gently toss to evenly coat fruit with dressing. Serve garnished with fresh mint.

Toasted Quinoa and Avocado Salad
Serves 4

Quinoa is a healthy kid-friendly grain with a nutty taste and excellent protein profile. Combining quinoa and avocado creates one of the healthiest vegetarian meals your family will love.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, diced
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup cooked/canned chickpeas or garbanzo beans
1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Juice of a small lime
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 cups diced avocado
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Belgium endive leaves

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add quinoa and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Add broth and stir. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

2. In a large bowl, combine cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, onion, parsley, and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice and vinegar. Add quinoa to the cucumber mixture and drizzle with lime vinegar dressing, tossing to coat.

3. Gently fold avocado into the quinoa and season with black pepper. Arrange endive leaves around the edges of individual serving plates and mound quinoa salad in the center. Serve warm or chilled.

Grilled Shrimp and Avocado Sandwiches
Serves 4

This open-faced sandwich combines a delectable array of textures and tastes. The butter lettuce serves as a top piece so you can still eat dinner with your hands.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/3 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
16 jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined
Salt and black pepper as needed
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
4 pieces sliced sourdough bread, toasted
2 medium avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, sliced
4 Roma tomato, sliced lengthwise
Butter lettuce leaves as needed

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix the oil, basil, and garlic. Stir in shrimp and marinate up to 4 hours, refrigerated. Remove from marinade and grill shrimp (on skewers or in a seafood grill basket) over high heat until bright orange, about 1 minute on each side.

2. Split each shrimp in half and season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.

3. Spread mayonnaise on sourdough toasts. Layer shrimp, avocado, tomato, and lettuce leaves evenly on each of the toasts. Cut each sandwich in half and serve with extra avocado and mayonnaise.

Avocado Walnut Bread
Serves 8

Having a healthy quick-bread on hand in the summer gives you the mouthwatering opportunity for instant-gratification without turning on he oven - simply slice the bread for an easy breakfast, snack, or dessert.

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup sugar or more to taste
Zest and juice of a small orange
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed avocado
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and grease a 9-inch square baking dish.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, orange zest, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together orange juice, avocado, egg, and buttermilk.

3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until moist. Fold in walnuts. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until bread is golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes then invert onto a cutting board. Cut into squares and serve with yogurt or ice cream.

And, of course, you can always transform your avocados into guacamole, salad dressing, or dips. Even easier, just slice them and use as a healthy filling for sandwiches or wraps and even deviled eggs. This summer, make nutrient-rich avocados a staple in your family’s healthy diet.

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If there’s a single food that says summer, it must be watermelon. The green rind, the red flesh, and the black seeds in a big wedge on a hot summer day, juice dripping down you chin - who doesn’t have this memory?

Watermelon is a staple on our summer grocery list, and we can go through a whole fruit in less than a day. While it’s enough to just eat it straight, why stop there?

The other night I made a watermelon salad that was wonderful. Wonderful, I tell you! The only thing that I think might make it more wonderful is substituting chopped basil for the chopped parsley. Oh, and go light on the vinaigrette as the melon itself makes quite a bit of juice for the salad.

Here are some other things to do with watermelon:

• If you can get your hands on different varieties of watermelon, including the yellow fleshed variety, cubing the fruit and alternating colors on a skewer then freezing them makes pretty and tasty watermelon kabob/popsicles.

• Just cubing the fruit and freezing it then putting in ice water with a squeeze of fresh lemon makes for different and delightful rehydration.

• Try adding watermelon cubes to your weeknight green salad.

• Puree the watermelon with a banana and some ice for a light smoothie.

• Make watermelon gazpacho.

• Grill watermelon, yellow pepper and shrimp kabobs. Perhaps topped with watermelon salsa?

• After the kids are in bed, make a watermelon martini. Add some of those frozen cubes of watermelon to the glass, too.

Regardless of how you use watermelon, don’t forget to just let the juice drip down your chin a bit. It is summer, after all!

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Did you know that feeding your family an extremely low-fat diet is actually not in the best interests of their health? Though dietary fat contributes more calories per gram as compared to carbohydrates and protein (1 gram fat = 9 calories; 1 gram carb or protein = 4 calories), the right fats are actually essential to a healthy diet.

Less fat could actually be less healthy 

Research has shown that consuming less than 20 percent of your calories from fats and oils may actually increase your risk of heart disease and even prevent your good cholesterol (HDL) from rising. Good-for-you fats, such as omega-3 and other unsaturated fats, are heart-healthy, can improve your cholesterol profile, and help your body better absorb other nutrients, like antioxidants and phytochemicals.

However, as with all foods, keep your oil intake in check. One tablespoon of most oils is about 120 calories. The good news is that a little oil can go a long way. Aim for one to one-and-half tablespoons of healthy oils per day, using the following oils for your family’s meals.

Olive Oil

The most commonly hailed good-for-you oil, olive oil comes in different varieties. Extra-virgin olive oil is the highest in quality and a natural for vinaigrettes and drizzling on vegetable, grain, or pasta salads. Olive oil is also divine brushed on crusty bread for sandwiches or tossed with hot pasta and Parmesan cheese. In addition, olive oil is a healthy choice for sautes.

Flaxseed Oil

Nutty in flavor, flaxseed oil is rich in alpha-linolenic acid, which your body converts to heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed oil is delicate and should be used in unheated dishes. Try adding it to smoothies or whisking it together with flavorful vinegars to put on your salads and vegetables. Because of its delicate nature, keep flaxseed oil refrigerated.

Sesame Oil

Use sesame oil when stir-frying or cooking at high temperatures, because it can stand up to the heat and has a high smoke point. The distinctive flavor of sesame adds a nutty flavor to mild-flavored ingredients, such as chicken, white fish, and vegetables. Sesame oil comes in dark and light varieties - the dark oil has a stronger flavor. And if sesame is too distinct for your tastes, use peanut oil, instead.

Safflower Oil

Another delicate oil, safflower oil is derived from the thistle-like safflower plant. Light in flavor, safflower oil is ideal for salad dressings or when you simply want to add some staying power to low-calorie ingredients. Keep safflower oil in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Coconut Oil

Despite being previously maligned for its saturated fat content, coconut oil is now being hailed as one of the healthiest oils you can consume. Though coconut is high in saturated fat, research indicates the type of saturated fat found in coconuts (which is different than the saturated fat found in animal fats) actually helps your body burn fat for energy, boosts metabolism, and is good for your immune system. Whisk coconut oil into vinaigrettes, drizzle on vegetables, or combine with olive oil for your next saute (coconut oil does not have the same nonstick qualities as other oils).

So, for your health, try these different cooking oils and strive to get more of the right fats in your diet.

This flavorful sweet potato salad makes a unique side dish. It also made a light and delicious vegetarian supper the next day!

This week our CSA bounty included four tender new sweet potatoes. My husband typically (irrationally!) hates sweet potatoes, but our friendly CSA farmer girl enclosed a recipe for this unique salad that I just HAD to try. With so many layers of strong flavors, I thought maybe he could enjoy sweet potatoes prepared this way. At least, I decided, that if he didn’t like sweet potatoes with FETA, then I would be sadly convinced that he’s never going to like sweet potatoes.

So, we had this for dinner Friday night with steak and butterflake rolls. The verdict? My husband said, “You could almost fool me into thinking these are NOT sweet potatoes!” He liked it! He ate it!

He also grilled a whole jalepeno when he was grilling the steak and sliced some of that up into the salad. If hot and spicy is your thing, he thought it was a great addition. We also thought this recipe would work well with red skin potatoes or beets.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Onions and Feta

2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large red onion, cut into wedges
3 lbs small sweet potatos, cut into wedges
3/4 cup (loosely-packed) coarsely torn flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp thinly sliced preserved lemon rind (optional)
2/3 cups crumbled feta

Preheat oven to 400F. Combine crushed garlic and spices into a paste. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/8 cup of lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place onion and sweet potato in a large bowl with the garlic and spice mix and toss to coat evenly.  Place the potato and onion mixture on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Cool vegetables for approximately 15 mnutes and place in a large bowl.

Add parsley and preserved lemon to sweet potato mixture and toss to combine. Combine remaining olive oil and lemon juice in a bowl, season to taste, add feta and mix to combine. Drizzle over sweet potato and toss to coat.

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Though the radish is a root vegetable that is in season during the fall, it is available year-round, added to salads, nestled in sandwiches, and used as a decorative garnish. If you are used to radishes being a simple salad ingredient, try these kid-friendly radical radish recipes that your whole family will love.

Picking the right radish

When choosing radishes at the market, opt for ones that are plump, firm, and free of cracks or marks. If you plan on serving radishes raw as a snack, buy them with the leaves still attached (as long as the greens are fresh and brightly colored) because it means the radishes will taste and look fresher.

If you want a sweeter flavor, choose smaller radishes; and if you love sharp, hotter radishes, opt for the large ones. Radishes are available in the produce aisle in bunches with their leaves attached, or trimmed and sold in plastic bags. Buy the bagged variety if the leafy topped radishes look wilted or old or if you are planning to use the radishes in dishes that appearance is not as important (as in a sandwich, stir-fry, or other cooked dish).

Storing radishes for optimal freshness

Place radishes in a perforated plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Radishes with leafy tops should be used within a day or two because the leaves tend to spoil quickly. Once you trim the leaves off, use them as part of the ingredient list for a homemade vegetable stock, or discard. Radishes without leafy tops can be kept up to a week. You will know if your radishes are getting past their prime if they feel spongy, look dull, and start developing blemishes.

Preparing radishes

Trim the leafy tops and tiny root ends from the radishes. Rinse radishes in a bowl of cold water and pat dry with paper towels. If you are going to serve the radishes as a snack, appetizer, in a salad, or as decorative garnish, soak them in ice water for 10 to 15 minutes so they are extra plump and crisp for show.

Radical radish recipes your family will love

Radish Cream Cheese Rafts
Serves 4

This is a perfect recipe to take on a picnic or eat in the backyard this summer. Serving your kids “rafts” makes the dish fun and irresistible. If you are going to pack a picnic, store the toasts and radish spread separately and assemble when you are ready to eat.

Ingredients:
8 large radishes, trimmed
6 tablespoons softened cream cheese
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley
1 (8-ounce) baguette, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grate radishes into a bowl or use the grater disk and grate using your food processor. Combine with cream cheese and parsley.

2. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until crisp (but not rock hard) and golden. Remove from the oven and spread each toast with radish cream cheese. Season with a little salt and black pepper and serve.

Asian Radish Slaw
Serves 8

This Asian-inspired coleslaw is a healthy change from the Miracle Whip or mayonnaise-laden versions. Even better, classic coleslaw recipes have lots of added sugar. This recipe contains less, but you won’t miss it because of the yummy mélange of other fun flavors. Try this as a topping for burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, or as a crisp, flavorful side-dish.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger (or 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger)
1/4 cup finely chopped or grated red onion
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cups shredded green cabbage
15 to 20 small radishes, halved, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together ginger, red onion, peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Gradually add the oil, whisking to blend and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, toss together cabbage, radishes, and green onions. Pour in half of the dressing and toss until slaw is well coated, adding more dressing, if needed. Garnish with peanuts and serve with extra dressing.

Radish Mice
Makes 12 mice

This is a Martha Stewart trick that will have your kids fighting over who gets the last “mouse.” Serve these cute edible little creatures as part of a buffet vegetable platter or simply use them as plate props to keep your kids interested in dinner.

Directions:
1. Using a paring knife, trim off the leafy end of each radish, creating a small white circle that will be the nose of the mouse. Don’t trim off the tiny root because it will be the tail of the mouse.

2. Cut off a small slice from one of the sides of the radish to give the mouse a flat base so it will stay upright and not roll. Cut a small triangular wedge out of the removed slice to make ears.

3. Using the tip of the knife, make a slit near the stem end (the end with the white circle) and insert the ears, pointy ends up. Mice are ready to be served.

Looking through my recipe box this weekend, I found a recipe for roasted barley pilaf that used to be one of our favorites. In fact, we used to eat a fair bit of barley.

I have no idea why we stopped eating barley, but I suspect it had something to do with kid meals. During that phase with the kids were very young and their diets limited, the recipe must have fallen out of mind, and, therefore, out of practice.

I decided to make the roasted barley last night with our grilled porkchops and grilled asparagus. The nutty flavor of the roasted barley paired well with the grilled food. And the kids liked it! Most of it anyway. The boys claim not to like mushrooms, but my daughter loves them. I think we’ll be having more barley.

Barley is a healthy, versatile grain

A member of the grass family, barley is an ancient crop. While typically used in beverages and for cereal, it’s also great at the dinner table. It’s good source of dietary fiber and will absorb well the flavors of the liquid in which it is cooked. I used to make a vegetable and barley soup in which I would puree the vegetables before adding partially cooked barley. After the barley was completely cooked, the soup was thick and rich and very filling. It was perfect for winter nights - or even chilly spring nights.

I decided to look up some other barley recipes, and there are quite a few out there that look interesting. There’s Barley, Feta, and Pear salad, Barley Risotto with Asparagus and Hazelnuts, Barley and Apricot salad, and many, many more. Some of these recipes could work well for picnic salads and wraps.

Roasted Barley Pilaf

1 tbsp olive oil (butter also works nicely)
1 c pearl barley, rinsed
2 shallots, chopped fine
¼ lb sliced mushrooms
2 c low sodium stock (vegetable, chicken or beef all work well depending on what you pair with the disk) or water
Salt and pepper

In a heavy saucepan, heat oil or butter over medium heat. Add the barley and cook, stirring often, until the barley starts to brown and give off a nutty aroma, about 10 minutes. Add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook 3 minutes more. Add the stock carefully and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes.

Season well with salt and pepper and server immediately.

PointsandPrizes.com Keyword: MUSHROOMS worth 50 points good through 05/18/08.
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We still haven’t had the spaghetti carbonnara. Just one meal glitch from last week, really, but that glitch pushed out the carbonnara meal once again.

I feel confident that we will have the spaghetti carbonnara this week. This week we must address a significant schedule change that will affect meal planning. This is also the first of two major schedule changes with meal-time impact this month, and a third will be upon us in June.

Starting this week, my husband will be picking up the kids - and cooking - two nights per week. At the end of the month, it will go back to one night a week, but that adjustment will coincide with little league baseball season. We’ll get to all that then; it’s not likely to be pretty. In the meantime, recipes with asterisks have the recipe included below.

Sunday: Balsamic-roasted chicken*, roasted carrots and potatoes, salad. Ice cream for dessert.

A good sit-down Sunday meal to start our week off right.

Monday: Spaghetti carbonnara and salad.

Finally!

Tuesday: Alf’s birthday! Burgers, salad, birthday cake.

My oldest son’s birthday is on Tuesday. That meal choice is all his. Also, he gets to pick what he wants for breakfast that morning. He has asked for blitzes.

Wednesday: Chicken quesadillas for the kids, Rosemary and White Bean Soup for the adults

Our typical Wednesday, with the kids needing to eat earlier and the adults having a couples meal.

Thursday: Pasta with red sauce and meatballs, salad.

Now, my husband can cook more complicated meals than this. In fact, he is a better cook than I am. But as we get into this routine change, best to keep things as simple as possible for all of us.

Friday: Chicken Pad Thai Salad*

Saw this one in a cookbook, and it sounded really good! Also, I need to expand our repertoire of salad meals for the change that occurs in late April.

Saturday: Quiche - probably with leftover chicken, peas and cheese, plus salad.

The Science Fair is Saturday. Something fairly simple seems right. I can pick up a prepared pie crust at the market.

Balsamic-Roasted Chicken

1 roasting chicken, 3 1/2 -4 pounds
6 sprigs fresh marjoram or sage
1 lemon, cut in half
1 yellow onion, cut in half
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup dry white wine or apple juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
kosher salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry the chicken, and carefully loosed the skin around the breast. Place about half the marjoram or sage under the skin. With the chicken breast side up in a roasting pan, squeeze the lemon over the whole chicken. Put the lemon halves and the onion inside the chicken cavity with the remaining marjoram or sage. Pour the vinegar and the wine or juice over the chicken, then rub the olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper over the chicken breast, then turn the chicken over so it begins roasting breast side down.

Roast 30 minutes, basting occasionally with the pan juices. Turn the chicken breast side up, then continue to roast about another 50-55 minutes, basting frequently with the pan juices. The skin should be golden brown and a meat thermometer should register 180 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh. Juices should run clear.

Let rest 10-20 minutes, loosely covered with foil, before carving.

Pad Thai Salad with Chicken

1/2 pound flat rice noodles
shredded chicken
1/4 snow peas or snap peas, stem ends and strings removed, blanched and julienned
1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
1/4 small head of savoy or napa cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
2 scallions, minced

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, finely chopped
2 oz bean sprouts or pea shoots

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup Pad Thai Vinaigrette

Set aside half of the peanuts and half of the bean sprouts for garnish.

Boil four cups of water in a large saucepan. Remove from heat, and immerse the noodles in the hot water. Let them sit in the hot water for about 10 minutes. They should be tender but firm. Drain well.

In a large bowl, combine the noodles with the remaining ingredients. Toss gently with the vinaigrette. Garnish with the reserved peanuts and bean sprouts.

Pad Thai Vinaigrette

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
2 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp light soy sauce or tamari
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
Zest and juice of one lemon
Zest and juice of one orange
1 tsp crushed red pepper or chili paste, optional

Whisk together all the ingredients. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 week.