The Ancient Aztecs used the Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia spp.) as food and medicine. I know it doesn’t look like something you’d want to grab – or even eat – but it’s packed full of powerful properties.
“Almost one-third of Americans drink at least one sugar-laden soda or other sweetened drink every day,” according to a recent CDC report (source below).
It’s almost cranberry season! I saw a package of fresh cranberries at the market and thought it was the “perfect juice experiment.”
Spirulina is a blue-green algae growing in fresh water and is rich in protein, vitamins and minerals and has many health benefits. Spirulina has been used by the Aztec people since before the Conquistadors.
Anyone who knows me – or any Vermonter for that matter – understands that I am undyingly loyal to maple syrup. It is indeed a cliché treat of the green mountain state, and for good reason. Maple syrup is delicious in too many forms: over pancakes, ice cream, fruit, in oatmeal, coffee, soups, as hard candy, soft candy, cotton candy, milkshake, you name it! But don’t get me wrong; although maple syrup is sweet, especially as candy, it is by no means the worst sweet treat you could savor.
Chia is a species of the sage plant which produces pods filled with tiny seeds. It is a New World plant that has long been used by the Native Peoples of Central America, northern South America and southwestern North America. The term chia is the Aztec word for strength. When soaked in water, it changes into a gelatin-like consistency that was used to make refreshing drinks and porridges. The Aztecs also dried and ground the seeds to make flour for baking breads. They sprouted the seeds for salads and sprinkled them on many dishes and stored the seeds for future use.
Fall is officially here, which can only mean two things...the world is about to go pumpkin crazy...and pomegranates are in season. For the sake of all of our orange squashed sanity, for this article, I'm going to focus on the surprisingly versatile pomegranate and present to you three delicious and unique recipes using this delightful Middle Eastern fruit.
Vegetables are certainly better for you raw. Or at least that's what we've been told. There has been an ongoing debate between raw and cooked vegetables. It is believed that cooking can deplete vegetables of their nutrients. While for some vegetables this may be true, it is not always the case.
While some vegetables lose nutrients as they are cooked, others gain them. How can that be, you ask? Let's take a look at these vegetables to see why some are better with a little bit of heat and some are better left alone.
Lately, I’ve been really good about going to the gym four times a week. However, when my mom and dad came down with a cold, I couldn’t help but think of the bright side of things—if I caught what was going around, I’d get a few days of rest from the gym. If I could manage to eat anything right now, I’d be eating my words because this sickness is terrible. I’d take the gym over this sore throat that refuses to go away a million times over. Since I always seem to become ill pretty early in the cold and flu season, I decided to look into foods I could eat to help my body fight back.
It is sweet potato season! This yummy recipe is one of my absolute favorites for fall and is a great complement to a meal with roasted chicken or turkey or as the main course in a vegetarian meal with a side salad. The combination of the sweetness of the potatoes and the savory flavor of the black beans with the added accent of the herbs used here is simply divine. Sweet potatoes are a wonderful source of Vitamins A and C and potassium, and they also help regulate our blood sugar and contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.