Dinner Diva: Quit stressing over dressing

You all know by now that I’m a big fan of salads. If you read any amount of my articles and if you cook from my books, you also know that I am not a big fan of commercial salad dressings. So what’s a Dinner Diva to do? Well, you can hardly eat a pile […]

Food For Thought: Arsenic rice isn’t nice

You’ve probably read the headlines that have been making the rounds, warning us of arsenic in our rice–yes, even organic rice! Sadly, the news is true. Arsenic is a mineral that naturally occurs in the earth. It’s been used throughout history, both as a medicine and as a murder weapon. In some places around the […]

Healthy Foods: Why an apple a day keeps the doctor away…

Apples are sweet and delicious, they have a long shelf life and they make a mean pie! But why are apples so healthy? Seeing as how it is apple season once again, let’s take a look! Fiber. Apples are a great source of fiber and that fiber may combine with phytonutrients in the fruit to […]

Dinner Diva: The Dirty Dozen—Which foods to always eat organic and why!

The word “organic” is on everyone’s lips these days, from choosing organic cotton bed sheets to buying organic fruits and veggies. I always reach for organic first whenever I can, and I recommend you do the same. But, I do realize that we don’t all live in places where fresh organic produce and meats are […]

Tip, Trick & a Recipe: Shall we discuss . . . shallots?

It’s not an onion . . . it’s not garlic . . . it’s a shallot! Shallots belong to the family of root vegetables. They grow in clusters and they’re less pungent than onions and garlic, making them a favorite ingredient of chefs all over the world. Shallots aren’t only smaller than onions, but they’re […]

Food For Thought: Sprouting healthy thoughts

There’s a reason why sprouts are the symbol for life! What? You never noticed how we refer to new babies as little sprouts? 🙂 Many of the foods that we eat started their lives as plant sprouts. Sprouts have long been recognized as healthy little buggers to have on your plate, but now we know […]

Tip, Trick & a Recipe: Big fans of cranberries!

Cranberries are related to blueberries with both fruits being members of the Ericaceae family so it’s no wonder these lovely little orbs are so healthy for us. Cranberries can be found growing wild in boggy areas but we’re mostly used to the cultivated ones which are grown on sandy bogs on trailing vines. Cranberries are […]

Food For Thought: Best non-animal protein sources

Protein is found in each and every muscle, cell, and tissue of our bodies. We need protein to repair, grow and maintain all of our cells. Almost every process in our bodies requires protein. It’s a major component of all of our tissues, organs, and muscles. We also need protein to produce the antibodies that […]

Healthy Foods: Here’s a light “bulb” idea-Eat more garlic!

Garlic is a member of the Allium or lily family. You may know some of its relatives: leeks and onions. The same sulfur compounds that are responsible for giving garlic its pungent odor are also to thank for its health-promoting benefits. So, we know garlic is delicious, smelly, and may or may not ward off […]