Some food news to start the new year, including: how to make white rice and pasta healthier; the link between a healthy diet and a healthy brain; and why a critical eye is needed for stories about ultra-processed foods.

Answers on persistent questions about seed oils, onions and foodborne illness, rethinking the high-protein reputation of some foods, and what to do with mouldy cheese. Plus, some “best-of” articles on cookbooks and recipes. 

I’m back after a summer off for baseball and getting kids ready to leave the nest. Here are a few things I bookmarked over that time: the anniversary of the caesar salad, busting some food myths, and bad news/better news around food and climate. Plus, a newer article that will come in handy for parents of school-aged children.

In this edition of Bookmarks, food combinations that keep blood sugar in check, the cookbook editor who revolutionized the genre, tips for avoiding food waste, plus heritage gardens & mushroom “snake oil.”