Wellness Spaces at Home

Feeling stressed? Overwhelmed? Wishing you had a sanctuary where you could escape from the stresses of the day to decompress and recenter yourself?

You don’t have to get in the car and drive in traffic to a spa or studio or gym. You could create a space in your own home, either in a dedicated room or a part of a room that incorporates the elements of the space you want — whether for meditation, yoga, working out, soothing your tired body, listening to music or reading. Learn how in my new story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Home and Garden section.

Enter the world of "The Blue Food Cookbook"

Chefs Andrew Zimmern and Barton Seaver are releasing their new seafood cookbook later this month. “The Blue Food Cookbook” is filled with hugely useful information on how to buy and store sustainable seafood, where to shop, types of seafood and how they might taste, pantry and equipment suggestions and cooking techniques. Then come the recipes—delightful and inspiring recipes that include but go beyond clam chowder, bouillabaisse and linguini with clam sauce to include a gorgeous butternut squash and mussel soup, scallop aguachile (inspired by San Diego chef Claudette Zepeda) and steamed black bass with ginger, garlic and scallions. I spoke with Zimmern for my new story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s food section and he offered advice on making these dishes. You’ll want these recipes—they’re in my story. Hey, you’ll want the book!

Foods to Prioritize if You Have Prediabetes

It’s been a minute since I’ve written a healthcare story, but my latest piece for Everyday Health’s online publication Lose It! has just been published. I interviewed several experts about prediabetes and the seven best types of foods to eat to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and improve overall health. There’s lots of great information here and I hope to do more of these articles.

Take Care of Yourself with "In Good Health"

For some people, cooking is the ultimate act of self-care. Rachel Riggs is one of them. As someone who is immunocompromised, she has spent years identifying foods that her body tolerates, and with that under control, began developing recipes that have come together in her delightful first cookbook, “In Good Health” (Figure 1 Publishing, $34.95). Love the recipes, especially the simple, you can’t eat just one slice chocolate cakes. But there’s far more and I’ve included three of them you’ll want to try in my new story about the book for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s food section.

Taste the Flavors of National Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month begins on Sept. 15, and what is a celebration without delicious food? In San Diego, we’re very comfy with the dishes popular just on the other side of the border, but Mexico is a large and diverse country with other regional dishes that aren’t as well known in San Diego — and should be.

For my new story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Food section, Raul Casillas, the new creative chef at Puesto restaurants shared two recipes he has launched at Puesto: a taco riff on cochinita pibil (traditional in the Mexican state of Yucatán) and a celebratory Tres Leches cake that features pistachios and passion fruit. Ohhh, you’ll want to make these!

Emily Brubaker: Most Valuable Chef

Emily Brubaker likes to create food that’s simple but flavor-forward. It’s a focus that put her in the role of resort executive chef at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa — and made her the winner of the first season of the NBC food competition show “Yes, Chef!” helmed by judges Martha Stewart and Jose Andres, which aired earlier this summer. That win earned her $250,000.

If you want to learn more about her (she’s a delight) and get some of the truly tasty recipes that earned her Most Valuable Chef on several episodes, check out my new story for The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Food section.