Tip, Trick & a Recipe: The hourglass-shaped winter squash, in a (butter)nut shell

I love me some delicious, nutritious fresh sliced zucchini in a stir fry, but when winter squash season comes upon us in the fall, I tend to reach for butternut in favor of the milder flavored summer squashes. Like zucchini, pumpkin, cucumber, and melon, butternut squash is a member of the gourd family. You may not think of […]

Tip, Trick & a Recipe: The buzz about honey – my sweetheart!

Fifteen million years ago, folks were enjoying honey. We know that beekeeping has been going on since 700 BC. Before then, I guess it was brave souls sticking their arms in beehives! The Egyptians sacrificed tons of honey to river gods. Rumor has it that Alexander the Great was embalmed with honey. In ancient Rome, […]

Tip, Trick & a Recipe: Buy some bison

Home, home on the range . . . I always picture a rancher in the old west when I think of bison meat. Is that weird? Anyway, whatever image it evokes for you, if you’re looking for a delicious and healthy red meat alternative to beef, buy bison! Bison is generally lower in fat, calories, […]

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 […]

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 […]

Tip, Trick & a Recipe: Oh golly ghee!

With the paleo diet gaining a lot of traction in the US, I’ve been getting more and more questions about ghee. For those of you unfamiliar with this product, ghee is basically butter with its milk solids removed. Like butter, ghee is made from the fats of whole milk. Buffalo milk is often used in […]

Tip, Trick & a Recipe: Fall in love with hemp hearts

Don’t worry. I’m not going to sit here and tout the health benefits of marijuana! Hemp has an association with marijuana because they’re both related. Hemp is a variety of Cannabis sativa, but it does not contain high levels of the stuff that gives you a high. It does have a whole lot of health […]

Tip, Trick & a Recipe: Smokin’ hot food trend: Smoked Salt

I’ve been reading more and more about smoked salt in food magazines and blogs. A lot of TV chefs and home chefs seem to be talking about gourmet salts more and more these days. USA Today has actually placed lowly old “salt” at the top of its food trend of 2012 list! Salt! It’s not […]

Tip, Trick & a Recipe: What’s all the fuss over wheatgrass?

Wheatgrass looks about as appetizing as a plate of lawnmower clippings, but this young grass of the wheat plant is an excellent source of antioxidants and vitamins. An ounce of wheatgrass juice has as many minerals as two and a half pounds of fresh veggies! Drink up your vitamins A, B-12, and E, some calcium, […]