The markings on the thermometer have begun to rise, but that’s not what’s really telling me that summer is here. It started with a Memorial Day picnic and it has continued since then with gatherings for graduations, a farewell, a birthday party, a baptism, a ‘welcome home,’ and a ‘nice that you’re here in town.’  […]

Peanuts are wannabes; I think the little guys want to be nuts, because health-conscious consumers are sprinkling nuts (tree nuts like almonds, Brazil nuts, pecans, walnuts, macadamias, and cashews) on their cereal, stir fries, salads and yogurt. Look up, I remind the humble peanut; reach for the stars! Remember, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Peanuts have […]

Of course you know that eating dark green leafy greens is good for you; after all, your mom, your grandmother, Popeye and Dr. Grandma have all told you so. And certainly, let’s not forget Dr. Ancel Keys, who published his book, How to Eat Well and Stay Well the Mediterranean Way. Without doubt, owning a […]

Have you been reading any of the reports on omega-3 fatty acids? New studies weaken the pizzazz in the high-powered marketing magic. In this bit of marketing magic, a tasty filet from a whole fish disappears and is replaced by a few pills, spoonfuls or oil, or by an invisible processed food additives named in […]

Ralph Waldo Emerson, one of my favorite poet/writers said, “The glory of the farmer is that, in the division of labors, it is his part to create.” He goes on to say, “The food which was not, he causes to be.” Emerson, of course, lived in a different time, but I very much believe that […]

You probably know how nutritious dark green leafy veggies are; but are you worried that the children won’t like them, or that you won’t like them? My vegetable garden is bountiful with Swiss chard, which is a big surprise, because the quail that live in our woodsy yard were totally convinced that my first plantings […]

Picnics seem like a celebration of summer, a season with a little more freedom; freedom to roam onto the back deck, backyard, the local park, along a highway, and beyond. It’s exciting for the children to break with their everyday schedules. Picnics offer an inexpensive way to bring a little interest and variety to a […]

Yesterday, I was at the market picking up a few items, including a few golden beets; and the checker asked what could a person do with beets. So I quickly explained how I like to make them – roasted in the oven. I told her that I cut them from the greens and scrub them […]

Did you know that there are still lots of unanswered questions regarding the benefits of fiber in the diet as related to colorectal cancer? It’s certainly an issue worth understanding; as colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer – accounting for about 9.7% of all cases of cancer – about 1.2 million […]

While I was at the annual conference of The American Dietetic Association, now known as The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, I came upon a booth sponsored by the Pulse Canada Association. First, let me tell you that prior to FNCE 2011, I did not know Pulse is the term for the edible seeds of […]