The best-tasting veggie burger I’ve ever met is falafel. A product of the Middle East, falafel are deep-fried fritters made from ground chickpeas or fava beans that are tucked into pita pockets and drizzled with tahini. They are delicious, hearty, inexpensive and relatively healthy.

The road to Florence isn’t long when country music stars are in town. People flock from the East Valley to the Country Thunder music festival, spurring the question: What else is there to see in Florence? It didn’t take long to find an answer — alpacas.

Pressure cookers never really did much for me. They seemed fussy — and scary! All those stories about explosions...

There is just something about roasted chicken that comforts, nourishes and satisfies like nothing else, especially when the wind is howling and it is cold outside.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the No. 1 cause of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. The top risk factors, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking, diabetes and obesity are poorly treated, often with toxic pharmaceutical drugs, and most patients never reach their goals. There are also more than 400 coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors and mediators now proven.

We know we should eat better, but let’s face it: When we find ourselves at a fast food drive-thru, we’re probably not going to order a salad — not with all those burgers, fries and shakes on the menu board.

Created by Arizona native Timothy Reckart, “Head Over Heels” puts an imaginative, whimsical twist on the tale of a married couple grown apart – he lives on the floor while she lives on the ceiling.

The day of the big game calls for big, stick-to-your-ribs grub.

Super Bowl Sunday surely is one of the meatiest eating days of the year. But it’s still somewhat surprising the lengths some people will go to push their game day feed over the top. Last year, for example, some enthusiastic carnivores went as far as to build football arena replicas out of deli meats, cheese and bread.

You can call it a peppercorn all you like, but the peppery ingredient that puts the buzz in Sichuan-style cooking actually isn’t one.

Chinese New Year is the sort of new year celebration I love.

These noodles are a fun and approachable dish equally good for a busy weeknight or to celebrate Chinese New Year.

Allow me to confess right at the start — this is not your grandfather’s Reuben sandwich.

If you think you’ve done nearly everything a cook can with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, it might be time to talk turkey.

After the holidays thousands of people make New Year’s resolutions. Included at the top of this list is getting healthier, fitter and losing weight. The majority of people who make New Year’s resolutions give up on their goals within four to six weeks.

I’m always searching for ways to make a healthier version of risotto, one of my favorite winter Italian dishes.

The problem with buttermilk is there isn’t a lot of “real” buttermilk around.

The beauty of poached eggs is their versatility. Depending on what you pair them with, they can be breakfast, lunch or even dinner.

Much as I love mashed white potatoes, my favorite “potato” is the sweet variety.

Everybody loves French onion soup, and with good reason. Caramelized onions swimming in a rich beef broth flavored with a splash of red wine or brandy and topped with broiled Gruyere cheese? Every warm, gooey mouthful lights up your taste buds like a pinball machine. It’s exactly what you want on a cold winter’s night.

If ever a food needed a brand overhaul, it is salt cod.

The first time I had to test a recipe for steamed fish was back in the ’80s, when I was working in the test kitchen at Gourmet magazine. And truthfully, the very idea seemed preposterous.

This summer I had the misfortune to encounter the Internet culinary sensation known as cookie dough dip.

Wild boar — a tasty way to do a good deed.

My family has always insisted that the centerpiece of our Christmas feast be some kind of show-stopping roast. We’re talking a standing rib roast or whole beef tenderloin. And, as if these prizes were not already rich enough in themselves, we tend to pair them with an extravagant sauce, usually bearnaise. Hey, it’s Christmas.