Growing up, I don’t recall ever seeing any heavily sweetened Thanksgiving side dishes on our table. I’m talking candied sweet potatoes with marshmallows, green bean casserole with condensed cream of mushroom soup, and jellied cranberry sauce shaped exactly like the can it came from. Instead, our celebrations were more like the traditional American Thanksgiving, and […]
Category Archives: Self-Health Survival Guides
14
Nov
Nov
This is a question I’ve been wondering about lately. Being the mom of boys, I notice certain things now that I didn’t notice with my brothers. Granted, my brothers are both older than I am, which is probably why I missed it when puberty struck and left each of them with a protuberance on their […]
08
Nov
Nov
Now that fall is upon us in full force, my last yearnings for the crisp and cool flavors of summer have dwindled, and I’m getting into the spirit of all the wonderful, comforting, seasonal ingredients this time of year has to offer. Earthy root vegetables, hearty squash, and juicy pome fruits—the family of fruits with […]
07
Nov
Nov
Each and every day, all day long, we breathe in and breathe out without any thought whatsoever. This most basic, involuntary task keeps us alive—which alone is a pretty big deal. Who is loony enough to disagree with that? But did you know that breathing also has the power to make our days more calm […]
01
Nov
Nov
Few food dishes are as controversial as borscht. Multiple countries have long argued over who gets to claim the ancestral rights to this iconic soup. (Though the most universal consensus in support of borscht’s exact origin seems to be the Ukraine, I’m also looking at you, Russia, Hungary, and Poland!) A few things we can […]
31
Oct
Oct
It’s All Hallow’s Eve, and being freaky is the name of the game. Strolling through your neighborhood over these past few weeks, you’ve surely encountered skeletons, spiders, zombies, and other ghoulish symbols that instill the vibes of the season. Plenty of foods go hand-in-hand with October 31st as well. Here are some freaky facts about […]
25
Oct
Oct
In our house, it’s never too late to grill. Unless there’s two feet of snow on the ground, a miserable downpour, or a bitter wind, I’ve got at least a couple grill meals on rotation each week. One of my absolute favorites is grilled chicken pieces. I’m a crispy skin person to the point that […]
24
Oct
Oct
Is variety always the spice of life? For most of my adult life, I’ve been willing to try almost anything when it comes to food. Beef tongue tacos? When prepared correctly—love ’em. Borscht (beet soup)? Vibrant and one of my favorites. Chocolate covered bacon? Surprisingly delicious combination of sweet and savory. But is variety the […]
18
Oct
Oct
There’s something about a lamb shank that feels so primitive to me. Maybe it’s the protruding, handle-like bone that looks like a big club, but whenever I see a hefty, cooked shank, I always (hilariously) picture a caveman wrapped in mammoth fur with delicious meat juices running down his chin. No matter how hard you […]
17
Oct
Oct
I’ve been curious about acne lately. Is it really just about clogged pores? Does it flare up when a person has more dairy than normal? As a firm believer that our bodies constantly give us signs when something is out of whack with our health, I wonder if acne could be yet another warning about […]
12
Oct
Oct
When it comes to cooking, my friends think I’m a trend spotter (and they may be right!). And I’ve noticed that salts of all kinds are definitely in the limelight these days. Because I love to cook and create new recipes, and with a plethora of new salts readily available, I want to introduce you […]
11
Oct
Oct
I’ve spent the past few years delving deep into my psyche, exploring patterns and my brain–body connection, and deciphering my present-day emotions, mindsets, triggers, etc., in relation to my past experiences. Basically, I’ve been trying to figure out why I do what I do and use that information to make my existence on this Earth […]
10
Oct
Oct
As I stroll through the aisles at my local market, I see more and more products with the Non-GMO Project label. This made me wonder exactly what it means. Does it imply that the product is also organic? What determines whether a product can display this label on its packaging? Not wanting to be a food […]
04
Oct
Oct
I’ve always been someone who dives into regions outside of my comfort zone and that’s especially true with food. As far back as I can remember, I was eating unique things most children would shy away from. An explorer at heart, I have always strived to learn, and I learn best through immersive experience. These […]
27
Sep
Sep
When it comes to vegetable gardening, few plants bring me as much joy as a variety of sweet tomatoes. Their lovely colors often grace my plate at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They’re one of those foods that almost no store-bought specimen will come close to in flavor. Toward the end of growing season, I’m often […]
26
Sep
Sep
Sugar—it’s everywhere and in everything. We crave it and once it’s been in our daily routine for a while, we even get headaches from not consuming it. But, being the anti-nutrient that it is, we need to stop the insanity and stop eating so much of it. A perfectly ripened strawberry is sweet enough. It’s […]
20
Sep
Sep
Many of us have long agreed in the connection between the condition of our gut and the health of our entire being. Theories of the direct, symbiotic harmony between a flourishing gut microbiota and its ability to affect all other facets of our health used to be reserved solely for alternative medicine practitioners and “kooky” […]
19
Sep
Sep
Sounds dirty, doesn’t it? Well, quite honestly, it can be…until you grab a brush and do some scrubbing. Obviously, I’m talking about beets. After all, the beautiful beet is the main ingredient when it comes to getting your kvass on. Kvass has humble origins in Eastern European countries, such as Russia, where it has been […]
13
Sep
Sep
I grew up with a very British grandmother who felt no meal was ever complete without something sweet at the end (I assume this view was likely from both generational and regional influences). To her, dessert could be as simple as sliced fruit or as decadent as a dense chocolate mousse. But I always remember […]
12
Sep
Sep
I refuse to believe I’m the only parent who fights the get-out-of-bed-now battle every school morning. I long for the days when my kids were little and got up all on their own with time to get dressed, eat a leisurely breakfast, pack a lunch, and still have time to play. Man, those were the […]