While there are many herbs that go with beef, you should base your final selections on the specific cut of beef you’re cooking.

Chef Michael Lomonaco of Porter House New York says:

“All cuts of beef have a different flavor profile: There is the big beefy flavor of the strip steak, the luxurious tenderness of filet mignon, and the juicy, fatty mouthfeel of a great rib eye. Skirt steak is a juicy cut that is great served as an open-faced sandwich. Hanger steak has an offal quality to it and is different from all the others. Braised short ribs pick up all of the flavors of what they are cooked with, developing layers of deep, dark beef flavor after being cooked on the bone for hours.”

So without further ado, simply check our lists below, select the herbs that go with the type of beef you’re using, and expect a mouth-watering flavor pairing!

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We’re all familiar with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) dietary recommendations about whole grains, and research shows that Americans do eat plenty of grains — although it’s not always whole grains we’re eating. It can be challenging to decipher whole grains from their refined counterparts, but understanding the differences is important for our health… and waistlines!

What are whole grains?

To make things simple, grains are simply the seeds of plants. When whole (unprocessed), they contain three parts:

• Bran: The outer edge of the seed that contains the majority of the grain’s fiber
• Endosperm: Sometimes referred to as the kernel, the endosperm constitutes the bulk of the grain
• Germ: The part of the grain from which a new seed sprouts, it contains the bulk of the grain’s nutrients. One serving of whole wheat germ contains over 50% of your daily value of protein, fiber, vitamin B6, thiamin, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, zinc, and manganese!

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You never know what you might find on Fooducopia! On the other hand, sometimes you don’t know what to do with the stuff you DO find.

Such is the case with Lopino’s Lupin Flour. Lupin flour is a gluten-free, high protein, non-GMO flour made from the Lupin bean that is popular in Europe and Australia, but practically unheard of in the United States. So what to do with it? Well, if you’re looking for gluten-free recipes, head on over to the Lopino website.

Luckily for me, gluten poses no problems. In fact, I’m a big fan. But the high protein content of lupin flour did pique my interest. Studies have shown that a high-protein breakfast helps manage hunger throughout the day as well as provides higher brain function. Great, but I love eating pancakes. Is it possible to make my favorite breakfast delicious AND high in protein??

It turns out it is possible. Here’s what I learned in the process: lupin flour is on the salty side, and has a texture closer to cornmeal than white flour. When subbing it into a recipe, skip adding any additional salt. In fact, you might consider adding additional sweetness. Extra moisture is also helpful. I added a heaping scoop of plain yogurt in the recipe below. Last, accept that lupin flour will make your food a shade of yellow similar to cornbread.

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Hamburgers are a classic American meal, but that doesn’t mean they have to be traditional. Try these hamburger seasoning ideas if you’re looking for new ways to eat an old favorite.

Add the mix-ins to the ground beef when you’re forming the burger patties, and use a basting brush to cover the burgers in the designated glaze before grilling.

Far East Burgers

Mix-ins: 3 garlic cloves (minced), 1 Tablespoon ginger (julienned), pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Glaze: 2 Tablespoons low-sodium tamari soy sauce, 2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice

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Moving into a new home is a major life event that provokes excitement and oftentimes stress. If you’re like most people, you envision hosting company long before the purchase of the home. Rather than stressing over the details of a completed home, we encourage you to open your doors to neighbors, friends, and family and break-in your new home!  After all, a house-warming party is part of the process of making a house your home.

Zazzle Invitations

Perhaps your fridge is home to week-old take out and a lone beer, but don’t fret — we have plenty of suggestions for simple housewarming food ideas! Housewarming parties are generally a casual affair, an open house of sorts. People are mingling and house tours are ongoing, which means food needs to be mobile and easy to eat. Assorted cheese and fruit trays are mainstays, but why not mix it up a bit? Shannon Kelley produces made-to-order jams and spreads with fresh, natural ingredients. She suggests using the cranberry chutney with a brie pastry. Three items and you’re set:

• Puff pastry (can be bought frozen)
• The Jam’s Cranberry Chutney
• 8-oz round brie

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Sometimes when I get products from Fooducopia, it takes me a while to figure out what kind of recipe to make. Other items are much easier — their use is so obvious.

So, when I got a ball of pizza dough, the obvious answer was …

… no, not pizza.

I decided to make bread sticks.

Making breadsticks is a great use for the dough if you have some leftover after pizza night. And it’s also worth it to buy extra dough just to make bread sticks.

You can use any herbs you like for this — oregano or thyme would be great, or your favorite herb mix.

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Hot sauce on popcorn may taste too-good-to-be-true, but this zesty-crunchy snack has real roots on the streets of Mexico in the form of palomitas con salsa.

Bland and buttery no more — here’s the trick to putting hot sauce on popcorn for the most flavorful results.

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Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN, discusses the latest hot topics in the field of diet, nutrition, and cancer every week in a column called HealthTalk published by The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR).

Q: Do fresh fruits that are high in antioxidants keep that antioxidant content when dried?

A: Yes, dried fruits can be very good sources of antioxidants despite losing most of the water-soluble vitamin C (one antioxidant) present in their fresh forms. Research now shows that for most fruits, the majority of antioxidant power stems from their many natural plant compounds called phytochemicals.

Dried cherries and cranberries remain high in anthocyanins, which are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory compounds that, at least in laboratory studies, also slow development of cancer. Dried apricots provide somewhat less beta-carotene in their quarter-cup standard serving than you get in a half-cup of fresh apricots, but both forms are excellent sources.

Furthermore, total content of phytochemicals called phenols are similar. Raisins retain many of the beneficial phytochemicals found in grapes, and studies rate their antioxidant power similar, even considering raisins deliver that antioxidant power in a much smaller serving.

Dried fruits also generally retain the fiber content of their fresh forms.

Just remember that you need to find some other good sources of vitamin C, and because calories become more concentrated, watch that portion control.

Photo (cc) via Flickr user babbagecabbage.

While homemade ravioli is not for the faint of heart, substituting ravioli shells made from scratch with wonton wrappers can cut preparation time in half. I think you’ll enjoy my take on butternut squash ravioli, which was featured in the February edition of Taste of Home, a family-friendly cooking magazine.

If you’re pressed for time the night of, buy chopped fresh squash found in most grocery stores and roast it the night before. I also prefer using organic ingredients when available and Corner Store has a great Organic Half and Half.

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Cooking Time:

25 minutes (roasting)

10 minutes (boiling)

Yield: 4 servings

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New moms and seasoned child-rearing veterans alike will appreciate the love and thoughtfulness behind these fabulous Mother’s Day cakes.

Euforia’s Spiced Flourless Thousand-Layer Cake

You could pen a poetic message to your mom along with this cake, alluding to its many individually-baked and delicately sweet layers. The story behind Euforia is also very fitting for Mother’s Day — founder Kartika Castonguay started the company as a way of preserving the memory of her late mother, who taught her how to make these exquisite cakes.

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