Fried rice is a go to recipe for me when I have leftover rice and vegetables in the crisper, when I want something healthy but filling, and when I don't want to put a lot of effort into a weeknight dinner. Most of the time I eat a vegetarian version, but if I need the extra protein I add shrimp or chicken but you could also substitute with pork or beef.

This recipe uses a minimal amount of oil and get's its flavor from garlic, onions, chili and five spice seasoning. And, the nuttiness and chewiness of the brown rice makes this dish even more enticing. . . . . Read more, view more photos & recipe.

About Andrea
Andrea Juarez is an award-winning writer. She writes on a variety of topics, however, her food blog ForkFingersChopsticks.com is the nexus of her love for food, research and culture. There you’ll find recipes for cooking an ingredient several ways. She makes cooking both fun and interesting.

I'll be the first to admit, cooking brown rice is not as easy as following the directions on the back of the bag. The slow cook time of brown rice plus added time for altitude, made for several mediocre pots of rice.

However, I've come across a new method that works. And, now you can (if you haven't already) partake of the pleasures of brown rice - the added nutritional benefits and the extra oomph in flavor.

Guesswork is removed in a technique that involves using an excess of water then draining it off . . . . Read more, view more photos & recipe.

About Andrea
Andrea Juarez is an award-winning writer. She writes on a variety of topics, however, her food blog ForkFingersChopsticks.com is the nexus of her love for food, research and culture. There you’ll find recipes for cooking an ingredient several ways. She makes cooking both fun and interesting.

It's not that unusual to pair plantains with beans. Think of the delicious stewed black beans and platanos in Puerto Rico, Belize or Mexico.

I've created a lovely lentil salad for a modern twist on traditional Mexican lentejas y platanos (lentils and plantains), which is usually served more like a stew.

This salad can be eaten as a meal and would make an excellent lunch - it has lentils, wild rice, caramelized plantains, and crispy vegetables. Click to view the recipe & more pictures.

About Andrea
Andrea Juarez is an award-winning writer. She writes on a variety of topics, however, her food blog ForkFingersChopsticks.com is the nexus of her love for food, research and culture. There you’ll find recipes for cooking an ingredient several ways. She makes cooking both fun and interesting.

Lentils come in at least 50 cultivated varieties, some split and others whole. They also come in various sizes and an array of colors including yellow, red, green, brown and black.

Hulled lentils such as red lentils cook faster than other varieties. In dry form, the disc-shaped legumes are closer to a salmon color than red. When cooked, the lentils turn golden and are perfect for soups or purees because they are delicate.

Locally, red lentils can be found in the bulk area at natural grocers and some of the smaller staple stores. For an Ethiopian-inspired recipe and more pictures, visit ForkFingersChopsticks.com.

About Andrea
Andrea Juarez is an award-winning writer. She writes on a variety of topics, however, her food blog ForkFingersChopsticks.com is the nexus of her love for food, research and culture. There you’ll find recipes for cooking an ingredient several ways. She makes cooking both fun and interesting.

I recently read Beans: A History by Ken Albala and he confirmed my beliefs.

Beans have gotten the shaft. They had long been considered peasant food by aristocrats and generally folks have retained some of that prejudice against them. Yes, slowly that attitude is changing as more people learn about their health benefits.

Note, however, legumes have had a loyal following with those eating vegetarian. Lentils and other beans make an excellent substitute for meat, especially when paired with grains, nuts, seeds, eggs and dairy products making them a complete protein.

When it comes to tasty vegetarian fare, Indians do it very well. Their dal (also spelled daal, dahl) is a lentil stew that is flavorful, filling and nutritious. I've posted a recipe for a dal that can be made in 15 minutes. Comfort food fast! View the recipe and more pictures of Easy Dal.

About Andrea
Andrea Juarez is an award-winning writer and a hobbyist food anthropologist. She writes on a variety of topics, however, her food blog ForkFingersChopsticks.com is the nexus of her love for food, research and culture. There you’ll find recipes for cooking an ingredient several ways. She makes cooking fun and interesting.

Mexican Hot Chocolate
The precursor to today's hot chocolate dates back thousands of years to MesoAmerica to the Mayas, Aztecs and other Central American Indians. The original drink was bitter and flavored with cinnamon, vanilla and chiles . . . View more images, info about its origin and an easy recipe.

Easy Mexican Chicken Mole Poblano
This chile sauce is made special with chocolate. Yes, chocolate. It's a little peculiar to some, but when you try it, you'll find that the chocolate gives this dish a special depth and richness. It's so good, it's considered the National Dish of Mexico. View more images, info about its origin and an easy recipe.

Red Velvet Cacao Nib Cupcakes
Chocolate in the form of cocoa powder is a main ingredient in red velvet cake. The lovely contrast of brilliant red cake with cream cheese frosting has been a long-time favorite. So, I made you cupcakes and added cacao nibs to give them even more chocolate. Do you know the origins of red velvet cake? Or, think you do? View more images, info about its origin and the recipe.

About Andrea
Andrea Juarez is an award-winning writer and a hobbyist food anthropologist. She writes on a variety of topics, however, her food blog ForkFingersChopsticks.com is the nexus of her love for food, research and culture. There you’ll find recipes for cooking an ingredient several ways. She makes cooking fun and interesting.

If you haven’t tried quinoa yet, this toothsome African peanut soup will surely lure you in. It has a slew of nutritious vegetables in a creamy, peppery broth with lovely bits of crunchy quinoa. The soup makes the rotation in my comfort food repertoire several times during the cold-weather season because it is both healthy and decadent.

Although quinoa is native to the South American Andes region, it is now cultivated around the world – from Colorado to the Himalayas to Ethiopia and other areas of East Africa. This dish has a definite African influence – the use of nuts to thicken the stew, and staple ingredients such as sweet potatoes and okra. . . . Read more, view more photos & recipe at Fork Fingers Chopsticks.

About Andrea
Andrea Juarez is an award-winning writer. She writes on a variety of topics, however, her food blog ForkFingersChopsticks.com is the nexus of her love for food, research and culture. There you’ll find recipes for cooking an ingredient several ways. She makes cooking both fun and interesting.

Since I started this blog I’ve become a food history nerd. I get excited about sexy stuff like botanical names and species, nutritional makeup, and how an ingredient was cultivated and used in a particular culture. As I learn, I’ve gained a deeper appreciation of food and its long, long journey over time and distance to my plate.

If you’re unfamiliar with quinoa, chew on this . . . Today, quinoa is considered a “superfood” and I’d venture to say it’s on the brink of becoming very mainstream.

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) dates back more than 5,000 years and was a staple to millions of South American natives. . . . Read more, view more photos & recipe at Fork Fingers Chopsticks.

About Andrea
Andrea Juarez is an award-winning writer. She writes on a variety of topics, however, her food blog ForkFingersChopsticks.com is the nexus of her love for food, research and culture. There you’ll find recipes for cooking an ingredient several ways. She makes cooking both fun and interesting.