Summer is fun – especially going to the beach and other water events – but fall is my favorite season. Wearing jeans, watching football, and the crisp fall weather all comes together to create a delightful time.
One of the stand out features of the fall is the availability of fall produce – the cooler days make it perfect to turn on your oven and slow roast the heavier squashes and comfort soups for which the season begs. Try some of these terrific, tasty fall dishes that won’t break the calorie bank but will satiate your taste buds and warm you from the inside out.
Puree butternut squash in small batches in your blender to make this Butternut Squash Soup recipe from Elana’s Pantry. Top each bowl with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt to lend depth of flavor.
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As summer winds down and pumpkin and apple recipes begin to float across the internet, gardeners everywhere are scrambling to make the most of their treasured summer produce.
For most, it means an excessive amount of zucchini to harvest and cook in a very short period of time. If it seems like someone is handing you a home grown zucchini every time you turn around, take advantage of the free veggies and try these delicious and unique recipes.
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It’s well known that babies are not a lover of vegetables. Researchers have long wondered why this is, surmising that it could be due to the somewhat bitter taste of many vegetables. Maybe it’s because the parent doesn’t like vegetables and so the distaste is passed on. Parents have long been instructed to introduce vegetables into their babies’ diet in order to try to offset a sweet tooth. Now, recent research has shown a new way to help teach your baby to love vegetables – even earlier than first foods.
The study, which was published in the journal Pediatrics, demonstrated that strong flavors were passed from mother to baby via the amniotic fluid. These flavors were also passed along to the baby via breast milk after birth.
“Things like vanilla, carrot, garlic, anise, mint — these are some of the flavors that have been shown to be transmitted to amniotic fluid or mother’s milk,” study leader Julie Mennella told NPR News.
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By Michelle Schoffro Cook for Care2.com
When it comes to cleansing your body of harmful toxins, food really is the best medicine. You’ll be amazed to learn that many of your favorite foods also cleanse the body’s detoxification organs like the liver, intestines, kidneys, and skin, preventing harmful toxic buildup. Help ward off the harmful effects of pollution, food additives, second-hand smoke, and other toxins with delicious fruits, vegetables, nuts, oils, and beans.
Apples. Because apples are high in pectin, a type of fiber that binds to cholesterol and heavy metals in the body, they help eliminate toxic build up and to cleanse the intestines.
Avocados. We rarely think of avocados as a cleansing food but these nutritional powerhouses lower cholesterol and dilate blood vessels while blocking artery-destroying toxicity. Avocados contain a nutrient called glutathione, which blocks at least thirty different carcinogens while helping the liver detoxify synthetic chemicals.
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If you’re thinking of starting a juice regimen, it’s important to make informed decisions about your new diet. If you’re planning on replacing your meals with juice, you should first check with a doctor or health care provider to ensure that your new regimen is safe for your body.
However, if you are thinking about adding juice to your existing diet to up your fruit and vegetable intake, we have some tips to help you get started.
Know the importance of buying organic. According to Cherie Calbom, MS, author of The Juice Lady’s Turbo Diet and Juicing for Life, it’s very important to know what vegetables and fruit are the most heavily sprayed and which ones are the cleanest. “Not everything has to be organic, but the most heavily sprayed produce should always be organic,” said Calbom. “Otherwise, it may not be safe to use. Familiarize yourself with the most heavily sprayed produce, known as the ‘dirty dozen’ and shop accordingly.”
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