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Recipes – Tips & Tricks

Tips on using fresh ginger

Have you ever seen those weird brown knobby looking things at the grocery store?  Did you wonder who in the world would buy such an ugly root?  Well, I do and so should you! Ginger root has strong anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce your risk for cancer and even help you feel less sore after a workout (who doesn’t want that?). Here are some tips on how to select,…

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How to make holiday simmering spices

Christmas brings with it some wonderful smells.  The aromas of cookies baking, gingerbread cooling, hot cider simmering.  They bring with them a warm and cozy feeling that you just can’t get any other time of year. One simple way to fill your house with the scent of the holidays is to make a pot of simmering spices.  It’s easy to throw together, and if you keep adding water, it will…

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How to roast garlic, and a recipe for roasted garlic hummus

Did you know that when you roast a bulb of strong and pungent garlic, it becomes soft and sweet and oh so amazing? Roasting garlic is one of the simplest things you can do in the kitchen.  Even for you non-cooks out there, you can do this.  It’s so easy.  Choose a bulb of garlic that has a flat bottom. Slice off the very bottom of the garlic so that…

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How to Slice a Mango

One of my favorite summer fruits is the mango.  Mangoes are silky and sweet, perfect for nibbling.  They also work in a variety of recipes from salsas to desserts.  But how do you cut into one?  Let me show you. First of all, start with a mango that is slightly soft when you push into it.  You don’t want it to be rock hard, but you don’t want it to…

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How to Cook and Eat an Artichoke

After receiving an entire box of artichokes last week from Ocean Mist Farms, I was determined to use them in as many different ways as possible.  There are so many ways to use artichokes.  You can steam them, grill them, roast them, or use them for soup.  My favorite way to eat them is the simplest.  Steamed with garlic butter. Here’s how you do it. Give your artichokes a nice…

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8 Tips for a Better Smoothie

I have been interested in making and drinking more smoothies lately, especially as the temperatures start to heat up outside. I don’t have much experience in making my own, and I needed some creative tips along with basic advice for smoothie-making.  I asked nutrition guru Andy Bellatti for his tips.  The following is his guest post: I’m an equal-opportunity smoothie drinker.  Whether the temperature outside my apartment calls for a T-shirt…

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How to Make Chia Pudding

Last week, I posted about the health benefits of chia seeds.  I received lots of comments.  Many of you enjoy chia seeds on a regular basis, and many of you have never tried them before.  Ricki from Diet, Dessert and Dogs says that she eats them every single day, many times in pudding form.  I was intrigued by her chia pudding post and decided to make my own.  She suggests…

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