Name the first classic American condiments that pop into your mind. To me, those are undeniably ketchup and mustard. They're everywhere and taste great with a number of dishes. The only problem? Most commercial condiments are loaded with artificial ingredients. Not to mention they're almost always packaged in plastic (which isn't exactly good for the environment).
Were those tortilla chips you just finished baked or fried? Was your coworker’s birthday cake made with butter or margarine? And what was in the frosting?
Strawberries are the ultimate summer fruit. I remember going strawberry picking with my family every year as a kid. We would make a whole day out of it and at the end we would get freshly-made strawberry ice cream right from the farm itself.
If you’re short on time but still want to prepare a fresh, healthy meal, the zucchini that are overflowing in markets and gardens across the northern hemisphere during this time of year are calling your name. During the summer, this supermarket staple is at the height of flavor.
While we don’t have a magic mirror who could call us “the most beautiful of them all,” our daily visage tells us how we look clearly. In case all you see is a dull face staring back at you, here is some short-term and long-term help.
Condiments are great. There are so many of them, and they can always make or break a dish. Two of my favorite condiments are peanut butter and jelly, a diehard classic. One day, while eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I wondered how easy it would be to make my own peanut butter and jelly condiments from scratch. You’ll be delighted to know that it’s very easy (and tasty!). It just takes a little time, patience, and dedication. The best part is, you have full control over the ingredients list.
Powerfully minty-fresh with a cool distinctive fragrance, peppermint oil is quickly becoming one of the most versatile essential oils in the world. The rapidly growing perennial plant native to Europe and Asia supports a wide range of health benefits due to the nutrient-rich compounds present in peppermint leaves.
The Jerusalem artichoke is neither an artichoke nor has it any connection to Jerusalem. It is the tuber at the root of a flowering plant of the aster family and is native to North America. The flower is similar to the sunflower and the tuber, much like that of ginger, with a texture of a potato. In 1585, Sir Walter Raleigh came upon the plant cultivated by the area peoples of Virginia.
Water permeates all facets (and faucets – pun intended) of our lives: from what we drink, to how we bathe, to where we gather to swim, kayak, ride boats, and even travel. We’ve all heard familiar phrases like “drink half your body weight in ounces per day,” and “eight cups of water per day is the minimum of what you need,” but few of us ever bother to take a look at our water.
Yes, it can be found in a well, reservoir, tap, or bottle, but few of us are familiar with the actual source: springs.
The artichoke has origins in the Mediterranean basin. It is a member of the thistle family and evolved from the cardoon plant. It is the bud part of the plant before it flowers, which is edible. It is composed of triangular scales around the central choke known as the heart and only the lower half or fleshy part of each scale can be eaten, but the heart is the most delectable part of the artichoke. The immature bud can be eaten in its entirety.