It’s true: cocktails don’t have to be bad for you, especially if you make them with fresh, whole, organic ingredients! Unfortunately most cocktails are made with highly processed ingredients. Just like processed food, artificial drink mixes and sweeteners can be hard on your body – and your head! If you’re going to be celebrating this […]

Isn’t there something about summer that begs for an icy cold cocktail? Think sunshine, warm deck, lots of friends, you get my drift. What’s interesting to me, is how those of us who seem to care so much about the food we put in our bodies (whole, organic, unprocessed) throw everything out the window when […]

This holiday season, I am adding raw nut creams to my menu. I’ve always been intrigued with nut cheeses and creams, and I’m amazed by how flavorful, rich and delicious they are. Nut creams are a great substitute for dairy creams and can be paired with many favorite holiday dishes. Making a raw nut cream is a […]

A few weeks ago I was in a restaurant and ordered the “Sweet Potato Fries”. I had visions of crispy chewy thick strips of well-seasoned, slightly browned sweet potatoes. Instead, I received orange waffle chips out of a bag that were pretty much potato chips. Ugh! As I often do, I started thinking about how […]

The USDA tells us that consuming high-antioxidant foods (5000 ORACS units/day) may greatly decrease the chances cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, and cancer. One of the best ways to get antioxidants is through herbs and spices, which I regularly use to make homemade tea. I love to make my own tea for a variety of reasons; using […]

For me, canning is all about preserving what is in season. I learned all about canning from my friend Kevin West , author of the forthcoming book Saving the Season, Knopf, Summer 2013. For me, “putting up,” as they say in the South, is all about the quality of the fruits and vegetables you are […]

Peppers and I have never really gotten along. I have always wanted to like them, but many peppers, especially green ones, have a strong flavor and do not sit well in my stomach. I have tried various methods of cooking them and I have tried eating them raw, all with little success, until now. I […]

Most people think potato salad is bad for you, and rightly so if you buy it from the store or use store bought highly processed mayonnaise to make it. However, sans the dressing, potato salad is usually made with a bunch of delicious healthy vegetables and herbs. When combined with homemade mayo and organic whole […]

How often do you throw away fruits and veggies that have gone rotten in the fridge? For me, it’s way too often. This is one of the reasons I am becoming more active in preserving my food. Drying, jamming, and freezing are all methods I have used that, in the end, save me time and […]