recipes

Summertime is here! This means backyard parties with barbecues.  One of the fun things about cooking on a barbecue is the versatility of it. No matter what your dietary preferences are, everyone can enjoy a BBQ. 

I personally love barbecued vegetables, with lots of smoky BBQ sauce smothered on them. Summer squash, sweet peppers, onions, eggplant, tomato, corn, and mushrooms can make a fantastic summer backyard BBQ meal. But what really makes this meal special: a good homemade BBQ sauce that has no preservatives or added sugar. 

Ahhh...strawberry rhubarb pie season. Or, have you ever tried a rhubarb apple pie? Perhaps you’ve seen delightfully dainty rhubarb tarts and pastries in the local café? Some towns around the U.S. love rhubarb so much that they host a rhubarb festival celebrating the unique late spring-early summer crop.

Now that it's summer time, it's super important to adjust your skin to the new season. Prepare for extra heat, sun, and fun! That's why I've devised this little 'summer essential kit': It will teach you how to make everything you could want or need this summer, including (but not limited to) an after-sun lotion, sunscreen, deodorant, and more.

Do you have a hankering for a weekend breakfast that’s a little indulgent but still healthy, and also easy to put together? If so, shakshuka could do the trick nicely.  

During the week I’m mostly all business, which means my breakfast will likely consist of presoaked oats or fruit, depending on the season. But on those mornings when I want to linger a little in the kitchen yet stop short of a culinary challenge, I turn to shakshuka.

Okay, so you just spent approximately $3 on a salad dressing at the grocery store. The problem? It's loaded with way too many unnecessary ingredients. Have you ever read the label on most salad dressings? They put everything from sugar (yes, you heard that right) to Calcium Disodium EDTA in it (to "protect freshness"). No thanks. I'm good. Instead, I like to make my own salad dressings at home. Here are eight DIY salad dressings that are actually healthy for you and require no unnatural sweeteners.

What do you think of when you hear the words “Fourth of July”? Most people think of fireworks, picnics, family, and, of course, food. Dishes like potato and pasta salads, burgers and hotdogs, fried chicken and corn-on-the-cob, and even strawberry shortcake can be a fun way to celebrate a once-a-year occasion, but most traditional dishes are full of processed grains, high in sugar, and saturated with dangerous hydrogenated oils and trans fats.

Nothing beats a nice summer BBQ with fresh, seasonal foods and good company. Even when you're not at a BBQ or special occasion, you can still bring in the bounty of summer with these four recipes. All of them incorporate in-season produce. I highly recommend going to the local farmers market and picking up the ingredients for these recipes from there, as it will enhance your dishes greatly.

Summer is my favorite season, hands down. That's why I'm always so excited when June 21st rolls around (it means summer is officially here!). It reminds me of days spent with my friends, good laughs, and pool parties. Throughout my childhood, I would be in the pool practically every day in the summer. I lived in an apartment complex (and still do) that had a community pool for residents only. All my friends would always be there and we'd spend hours upon hours swimming, playing pool games, and just goofing off.

I’ve been writing these monthly produce guides for quite some time now, and I have to be honest with you—this month may very well be offering the best produce to date. This June, do your taste buds a favor by picking or purchasing these five produce items: basil, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, and watermelon.

Do the gorgeous blooms of spring turn you into a sneezing, sniffling, itchy-eyed mess?  If so, food can help.