Are you an herbs-and-spices kind of cook? With all the good news about how they boost the immune system and lower risk for chronic disease, you'll want to use herbs and spices in your kitchen everyday. But how? 10 Easy Tips for Using Spices and Herbs - Getting Started Get started for using more spices and herbs by tossing out your very old ones. If they've been in your pantry for >3 years, then out they go. Next, go to the grocery store and buy new ones, two per shopping trip. If you see a sale, then buy three. Little by little, you'll own an assortment of fresh and flavorful spices … [Read more...] about 10 Tips for Using Spices and Herbs
Read Your Recipe Carefully to Avoid 5 Common Recipe Mistakes
Even experienced cooks make mistakes. For me, there have been many like over-spicing a chili to the point it was not edible, leaving the sugar out of a quick bread, leaving the egg out of etc etc. You get my drift. If you want to 'nail' your recipe every time, try this simple strategy: Read your recipe carefully before you start making it. It will help you avoid common mistakes. Read Your Recipe Carefully It's super smart to take 10-15 minutes to read over your recipe every time you cook something for the first time. Even if you're cooking a recipe you've made before, take a few minutes … [Read more...] about Read Your Recipe Carefully to Avoid 5 Common Recipe Mistakes
Corn is a Tasty, High Quality Carb!
There are many tasty carbs out there. Corn, sweet potato, white potato, pasta, bread, butternut squash, lima beans and more are in the high carb category. They also contain essential nutrients for good health. So, what to do? Enjoy them every day in a sensible portion. Why and How to Choose & Cook Tasty Carbs The essential nutrients in high carb foods are, yes, carbohydrates plus fiber plus vitamins and/or minerals. Since we're talking plant-based foods here, there are also the super important phytochemicals which are helpful in reducing the risk for chronic diseases, boosting the … [Read more...] about Corn is a Tasty, High Quality Carb!
10 Tasty Ways to Use Tomatoes
Where I live in North Carolina, late summer is overflowing with tomatoes. But, it isn't a big problem because there are so many ways to use them up! Nutrition of Tomatoes The nutrition resume of tomatoes is great. This includes abundant amounts of vitamin A and its pre-cursor, lycopene, as well as vitamin C, potassium and folic acid. Tomatoes are a very hydrating 95% water and they are one of the most versatile fruits out there. Yes, scientifically speaking, tomatoes are a fruit but most of us think of them as a juicy & sweet vegetable. 10 Ways to Use Tomatoes Here is a … [Read more...] about 10 Tasty Ways to Use Tomatoes
Blueberry Buckle Recipe
Are you a blueberry fan? Me, too, so here is a little background and then a yummy recipe for Blueberry Buckle which is a long-time family favorite! What's So Special About this Recipe? My recipe for Blueberry Buckle is super special because it came from my mother and years of picking blueberries in our yard out West with my sister and brother. In fact, growing up, a familiar summer chore was to go outside and pick blueberries. Even though we sometimes complained, our reward was that Mom would make us a pan of Buckle! In my yard in North Carolina, now, there are rows of mature and very … [Read more...] about Blueberry Buckle Recipe
Cooking in a New Kitchen
It takes determination and desire to break-in a new kitchen and the results are definitely worth it. My Cooking Mistakes While living in northwest Spain this fall, I'm finding out that cooking in a new kitchen is not so easy. I've already made a ton of mistakes like these: Letting the rice boil over and make a mess Burning part of the eggplant I was trying to sauté Measuring the salt incorrectly, without a proper measuring spoon Running out of eggs when I wanted to make a Spanish Tortilla Omelet Missing the spices I needed to make a chickpea burger … [Read more...] about Cooking in a New Kitchen