Magazine

The Purple Crown Hidden in Plain Sight The Purple Crown Hidden in Plain Sight (image credits: unsplash) Think about the last time you saw a rutabaga in someone’s Instagram feed, or heard a friend rave about their latest rutabaga recipe. Can’t remember? That’s exactly the problem with America’s most overlooked vegetable. Turnips and rutabagas, while popular in some parts of the world, remain relatively obscure in most of North America and are often confused for one another. This bulbous root vegetable, with its distinctive purple-tinged crown and waxy yellow skin, sits forgotten in produce sections while trendy superfoods get all … Read more

Poultry: The #1 Culprit in Foodborne Illness Poultry: The #1 Culprit in Foodborne Illness (image credits: pixabay) Raw and undercooked poultry remains the leading source of food poisoning cases worldwide, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that poultry was linked to 23% of all foodborne illness outbreaks in 2024. Salmonella and Campylobacter are the two primary pathogens found in chicken and turkey, causing symptoms like stomach cramps, fever, and vomiting. In June 2024, a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Infantis tied to frozen chicken products sickened over 170 people across 18 states. Improper handling in kitchens—such … Read more

Loading Up on Sugar-Packed Cereals Loading Up on Sugar-Packed Cereals (image credits: unsplash) Starting your morning with a bowl of frosted flakes might taste amazing, but it’s basically eating dessert for breakfast. Many of these cereals have 10 to 14 grams of “added sugar” per serving, and some will have more. That’s like dumping roughly three teaspoons of sugar straight into your mouth first thing in the morning. Breakfast cereals made with refined grains and sugars have a high glycemic index, which means it can cause a sharp spike in your post-meal blood sugar levels. After the initial rush, you’ll … Read more

Spanish Rice Soup That Costs Mere Pocket Change Spanish Rice Soup That Costs Mere Pocket Change (image credits: By EinPole, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18028530) Picture this: a steaming bowl of flavorful Spanish rice soup for just over three dollars total. This Spanish Rice Soup is one of my most affordable recipes, costing just over three dollars. With a couple extra dollars you can grab toppings like sour cream, cheese, avocado, lime, or fresh herbs! The secret lies in using simple pantry staples like rice, onions, and basic spices that pack maximum flavor without breaking the bank. What makes this dish … Read more

Wild Blueberries Pack a Powerful Punch Wild Blueberries Pack a Powerful Punch (image credits: rawpixel) Who knew that something so tiny could be so mighty? Wild blueberries are particularly potent in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, and studies have linked increased berry consumption with lower risks of heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes. These little blue gems contain anthocyanins, which are thought to be responsible for much of these berries’ beneficial health effects. Unlike their conventional cousins, wild (or lowbush) blueberries have significantly more antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity compared to conventional (highbush) blueberries. A 2024 review found that regularly eating blueberries … Read more

Mac and Cheese Made the Switch to Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese Made the Switch to Cottage Cheese (image credits: Mac and Cheese, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=83393231) Remember when mac and cheese was basically a heart attack in a bowl? Well, nobody sent out a press release, but it quietly became a protein powerhouse. Modern versions pack 22 grams of protein per serving using cottage cheese as the secret weapon. Food innovators ditched fake ingredients and tons of processed fats while somehow keeping that creamy, velvety texture we crave. These healthier versions are not only lower in calories and fat, … Read more

Whole Grain Pasta Instead of White Pasta Whole Grain Pasta Instead of White Pasta (image credits: wikimedia) Replace white pasta with whole wheat, quinoa, or chickpea pasta – these are just a few of the many alternatives to white pasta on supermarket shelves today. The transformation in taste and nutrition is remarkable. Refined grains like white flour lack key nutrients, including fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, and iron. The fiber in whole grains can help lower cholesterol levels along with your risk of heart attack, stroke, and diabetes. It also fills you up, which helps you control your weight. What makes … Read more

The Ten-Minute Rule That Changes Everything The Ten-Minute Rule That Changes Everything (image credits: unsplash) Most home cooks make the same critical mistake every single day when preparing garlic: they toss it straight into hot pans without giving it time to work its magic. Crush, chop or mince garlic and keep it away from heat for 10 minutes. During this time the maximum allicin is created and stays intact during cooking. This simple waiting period transforms your garlic from a basic flavoring agent into a nutritional powerhouse. When you damage garlic cells by chopping or crushing, alliin and alliinase are … Read more

Transform Your Leftover Chickpea Water Into “Vegan Eggs” Transform Your Leftover Chickpea Water Into “Vegan Eggs” (image credits: unsplash) Here’s something that’ll completely blow your mind – that murky liquid you’ve been draining down the sink is actually culinary gold. It’s the liquid leftover from cooked chickpeas called aquafaba, and it was discovered in 2014 that whipping this liquid results in a meringue-like substance. The general ratio is to use 3 tablespoons chickpea liquid for 1 egg, 2 tablespoons liquid per egg white. The trick to whipping aquafaba is using a hand or stand mixer! You can make everything from … Read more

Chipotle Mayo – The Game-Changing Mexican Secret Chipotle Mayo – The Game-Changing Mexican Secret (image credits: unsplash) Think you know chipotle? Think again. This vegan-adaptable Chipotle Mayo (or Mexican Secret Sauce)- is probably not a huge secret anymore … but to some, it may be the difference between a dish that is bland and unexciting and something fantastically delicious! What makes this sauce truly special isn’t just the smoky heat from those chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – it’s the way it transforms everything it touches. Chipotle sauce is a delicious combination of blended chipotle peppers and, in this case, … Read more