Ben Starr – The Ultimate Food Geek

Author: Ben Starr

  • Ben’s Recipe for a Happy Life

    1 generous handful of laughter. Laugh every day. If you find yourself not laughing frequently, something is wrong. Offer to walk your neighbor’s puppy dog, and let him lick you all over your face and stick his cold nose in your ear. That’ll get you giggling! 1 reserved teaspoon of religion. Spirituality is important for…

  • Whole Grain Low Fat Banana Bread

    My parents raised me on a whole grain diet with NO processed sugars.  I’m talking course whole wheat and cornmeal, brown rice, with honey as the only permitted sweetener.  Needless to say, many of my mom’s dessert recipes, particularly cakes and quick breads, suffered as a result.  The texture was never comparable to recipes made…

  • Pumpkin Apple Gingerbread

    I made this recipe for a demonstration at Le Cordon Bleu’s campus in Scottsdale.  An instructional video is at the bottom of this recipe.  This is a loaf-style gingerbread, with enormous depth of flavor thanks to molasses and coffee in the mix, lightened and brightened with bits of apple, earthy with pumpkin, and spicy with…

  • Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins

    I’m famous for cooking with pumpkin, and I use it all year, not just during the holidays.  This is a recipe that always brings them running.  The sweet spiciness of the pumpkin bread is countered by the tartness of the cranberries. While canned pumpkin is available year-round, fresh cranberries are not.  So I buy about…

  • MasterChef Green Chili Cornbread

    This recipe is adapted from my grandmother’s cast iron skillet cornbread, which is made in true Texas style…course and savory, not cakey and sweet.  I love the flavors of roasted corn and green chilis and onion and cheese in my cornbread, so I overloaded this recipe with good stuff.  I made this on MasterChef, and…

  • Mashed Root Veggies

    Mashed potatoes are tasty, but are almost entirely empty carbs.  I’ve developed this PHENOMENAL recipe for mashed root veggies that tastes WAY better than mashed potatoes, and it’s healthier for you, too. 1 large rutabaga or 2-3 small turnips 1 bag parsnips (these look like white carrots) 3 sweet potatoes 2 potatoes 1 whole bulb…