September 11, 2023

Summertime and It’s International Salad Time

As the summer heats up, I’m less inclined to cook hot meals. Plus, go to any supermarket and it’s clear that produce is in full bloom. Colorful fruits and vegetables inspire me to whip up delicious and healthful salads. When you go to Italy in the summer, you can’t believe how luscious the produce is. That’s because much of it is local or grown not far from where it’s consumed. Our own grocery stores are stocking much more local produce. Check out all the delicious produce at your nearby farmers market. A few weeks ago, I wrote about international dressings […]
July 18, 2023

It’s Summer: Create Your Own Ice Cream Flavors

When it comes to preparing food, I like to go all out. Cooking brings me such joy that I’m willing to go to any length to share the pleasures of the table with others. When the weather turned warm this year, I decided it was time to make ice cream. I have a small ice cream maker for home use, but I quickly realized it wouldn’t produce enough to feed all of my family and friends. So, I bought a professional ice cream machine. And then I bought a blast freezer to go with it, to freeze the ice cream so […]
July 4, 2023

4 Gluten-Free BBQ Tips For the Summer!

It’s summertime and in this household that means one thing: barbeque season. We can’t wait until the weather permits getting outside and lighting up the grill. There is nothing better than Sunday BBQs at the park filled with good food, family, and plenty of sangria. Coming up with a strictly gluten-free BBQ menu can be tricky, so we’ve compiled a few trusty, tasty tips and recipes that will last you through cookout season. Read on, and get your grills ready! 1. Make This Gluten-Free Chicken Marinade ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tsp gluten-free red wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp gluten-free Italian […]
June 20, 2023

Summer Health 101: How To Beat the Heat

Summer is finally upon us! And with it, of course, comes the sun. For many of us, lots of it. If you’re making plans for summer fun and vacations, keep in mind that the sun, while the source of life for our planet, has potentially dangerous effects that should not be overlooked. Below, we’ll explain the basics for helping to keep you and your family safe and healthy in the summer months. Should You Wear Sunscreen? Enough has been said concerning the harmful effects of UV rays. Everyone knows of the risk of skin cancers incurred by sunbathing or tanning […]
June 20, 2023

Cooling Off with Exotic Summer Smoothies

If you’re like me, I am always looking for ways to cool off in the hot summer weather. Who can think of cooking or eating in this weather? When it’s like this, I just want to drink my meals and what could be better than icy-cold smoothies that are full of healthy FoodTrients!  Just for fun, I created several more exotic smoothie recipes with a few of my favorite fruits from Southeast Asia. Don’t be frightened by the fierce-looking jackfruit. It’s a native of Southeast Asia and probably first appeared in India. Jackfruit is a nutritional staple in tropical countries. It […]
June 22, 2021

Don’t Sleep Shorter as the Summer Gets Longer

Summer is a time of abundance, everything from fresh vegetables in your garden to long hours of sunshine. The abundance of sunshine will provide our bodies with vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin”, which supports healthy bones, our immune system and our nervous system. But the long hours of daylight affect people in other ways, such as limiting hours of sleep. There are about 15 hours of daylight between sunrise and sunset during June and July, and when you factor in the twilight and dusk hours, that leaves only about 8 hours of darkness. The long daylight hours can affect our […]
September 10, 2019

The Right Sunglasses To Protect Your Eyes This Summer

Sunglasses that provide maximum UV protection can still be fashionable. Your time outside can quickly lead to an increased risk of exposure to dangerous ultraviolet (UV) rays that can cause a sun spot on the white of the eye called a pinguecula. These may look yellow in appearance and cause irritation over time. Moreover, long-term exposure to harmful UV rays can cause the formation of cataracts, leading to blurred vision and can ultimately require cataract surgery to correct. Unfortunately, most people aren’t doing enough to protect their eyes from the sun, even if they are aware of the risks. Consider […]
September 10, 2019

5 Stress-reducing Summer Smoothies

It’s hard not to get excited about a well-made smoothie, especially at a time of year when just looking outside is enough to make you sweat. Just when you thought the entire brilliant concept of smoothies simply couldn’t get any better—it did. Starting with these recipes. Check ’em out. Not only are these ultra-refreshing blends enough to make us drool, but they also contain stress-fighting ingredients to breathe new life into a downer of a day. We repeat: Stress-fighting. Need we say more? 1. Vanilla Chamomile Smoothie What you’ll need: 1 cup spinach 2 bananas 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 inch ginger, finely shredded or […]
June 9, 2015

Folic Acid Lowers Risk for Summer Heat Cardiac Events

Now that you’re older, you may be having a hard time tolerating summer heat, especially when the humidity is high. A new study shows that supplementing with a certain vitamin may be what you need to feel better in summer heat. Folic Acid Helps Older People Tolerate Summer Heat When you were a kid you could probably handle summer heat pretty well. You stayed out playing all day with your friends without a second thought. But, after age 50, you may have noticed that you don’t tolerate summer heat, especially high humidity, the way you used to. In addition, summer […]