Time to Cook

Interest in cooking is at an all-time high. We love everything from watching cooking shows and competitions on TV to blogging about where to get the best banh mi sandwich. But...I wonder how many people are munching junk food ...while watching gourmet cooking on a screen. We've kind of become a nation of nutrient-and-flavor-challenged food voyeurs. Let's change that.--Molly Katzen, Get Cooking

The New Year has begun, and for many of us that means a fresh, healthy change in the way we eat. If you want to cook and eat in a more healthy way, try this easy and delicious recipe and come to one of Time To Cook’s Healthy and Delicious Cooking classes. I will be teaching healthy recipes at two classes to be held in January in my home. Healthy and Delicious Cooking for Adults will be held on January 26, from 5:30pm to 9:30pm. Healthy and Delicious Cooking for Families (par...ents and kids together) will be held on January 29, from 10:30am to 1:30pm. To sign up contact me at www.facebook.com/timetocook or email me at [email protected]. GREEN SALAD WITH PEARS, PECANS, AND FETA Adapted from "Still Life With Menu" by Mollie Katzen Preparation time: 20 minutes Yield: 4 to 5 servings Crisp and soft greens are combined with sweet, juicy pear slices, toasted pecans, and soft, salty feta cheese. When served as a second course, this salad leaves you so satisfied, all dessert cravings just fade away. The amounts/proportions suggested below are flexible, and can be adjusted to your taste. 1 medium-sized ripe pear (D'Anjou, Comice, or Bartlett) 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 small head soft leaf lettuce, cleaned and spun dry 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, lightly toasted 1/2 crumbled feta cheese 2 teaspoons wine vinegar (red wine, sherry, or champagne) Freshly ground black pepper to taste 1.Cut the pear into thin slices (peeling is optional). Transfer to a small bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Set aside. 2.Place the clean, dried lettuce in a medium-sized bowl. Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces, drizzle lightly with oil, and toss until coated. 3.Mix in the pecans and feta. Sprinkle in vinegar and black pepper to taste. Toss to distribute everything. 4.Lift the pear slices out of the bowl of lemon juice with a fork or a slotted spoon. Place them on top of the salad, toss gently, and serve.

I want to eat in a more healthy way in the New Year, but I still want everything to taste fabulous. Here is a great recipe for no-flour, low carb cookies from Chef Jamie Geller's "Joy of Kosher" Magazine. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies 1 cup peanut butter, chunky or creamy 1 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend 1 egg... 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup chocolate chips 1. Preheat oven to 350 2. Mix together all the ingredients 3. With moistened hands, form generous 1 tablespoons of dough into balls and place on 2 ungreased baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. 4. Bake until puffed, golden on bottom, and still soft to touch in center, about 11-12 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks to cool completely. Watch carefully while baking, they can burn easily. See more

Non-cooks think it's silly to invest two hours' work in two minutes' enjoyment; but if cooking is evanescent, so is the ballet. Julia Child