Swiss Chard – What Do I Do With That?

Swiss Chard – What Do I Do With That?

Food & Recipes / Healthy Bytes

Originally, all foods were “organic” – grown and prepared without pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, hormones, irradiation to prevent spoilage, and microwave cooking. Our food these days, whether of vegetable or animal origin, is not only deficient in nutrients but also full of pollutants and farm chemicals. The modern denaturing of…

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The Art of the Marinade

The Art of the Marinade

Food & Recipes / Healthy Bytes

It’s a sad fact that these days it has become almost essential to marinade most cuts of meat, unless you intend to casserole them. I’ll go into why that is the case a bit later on, but for the time being let’s just examine why we use marinades at all….

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Do a Dry Rub First

Do a Dry Rub First

Food & Recipes / Healthy Bytes

The debate on ribs has ended in my home. After years of toil I have finally capitulated and agreed to make ribs the fool proof way every time. Consequently the neighbors, the kids, and family from out of town all place special requests for ribs. To begin preheat your oven…

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Try Truffles!

Try Truffles!

Food & Recipes / Healthy Bytes

Want to serve an elegant, yet easy, dessert? Try truffles. The chocolate kind, that is. Not the fungi. These rich and creamy bite-sized indulgences are really quite simple to make. The secret is to buy the best chocolate you can afford. For 25-30 basic chocolate truffles you will need: 4…

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Spice Up Your World

Spice Up Your World

Food & Recipes / Healthy Bytes

The tandoori masala and curry of India, the oregano and thyme of the Middle East, the anise and ginger root of China, the mustard of France, or the Japanese poppy seed. Spices have been valued by men throughout history, and trading them is one of the world’s oldest professions. They…

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Is Your Recipe Safe?

Is Your Recipe Safe?

Food & Recipes / Healthy Bytes

Sure, it tastes great and earns rave reviews from everyone sitting at the dinner table. But is your favorite recipe also a safe one? To prevent serving up foodborne illness at the dinner table, follow this helpful checklist when preparing a meal: Marinating –I am marinating in a covered container…

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Basic Pasta Cooking Guidelines

Basic Pasta Cooking Guidelines

Food & Recipes / Food How to 101

Getting your pasta just right can be tricky. If it’s overcooked, you have a big pile of mush. If it’s undercooked, you get bits of hard, dried noodles. Neither is appetizing or pleasant to eat. If you are trying to cook the perfect pasta, there are some basic pasta cooking…

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How to Caramelize Onions

How to Caramelize Onions

Food & Recipes / Food How to 101

by Lerrina Collins What can turn a spicy, smelly vegetable into a sweet, flavor-enhanced delight? Caramelizing! At least when it comes to onions. While some people enjoy onions any way they can get them, most have learned cooking, particularly grilling or sauteing, changes the onion’s chemical makeup, diminishing its strong…

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Organics vs. Nonorganics

Organics vs. Nonorganics

Food & Recipes / Food Product Reviews

Do you spend a little more on organic or stick with the regular non-organic fruit? It all depends on the fruits you are buying. Here’s a great rule of thumb to remember — thin skin, go organic and thick skin, it’s ok to go non-organic. Purchase your organic fruits in…

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