I'm excited to try this yummy recipe TuristaChef posted in the Healthy Recipe Group that features a unique dipping sauce made with veganaise and mustard.
If you're curious how to make this delicious appetizer, read more
I love artichokes from the bottom of their little hearts. There is no vegetable I crave more — even down to the décor. The leafy blooms are divine with hollandaise sauce, but their purple and green hues can add the perfect amount of flavor and warmth to any room. Modern or traditional, there's a way for every home to have its way with the delicious artichoke.
Dissatisfied with the choice of flowers at your local market? Then head to the produce aisle instead.
Take a tip from the current issue of Canadian House and Home, and try using an unusual veggie in lieu of a floral arrangement. In this case, the editors used a red cabbage displayed in a pretty bowl.
What veg would you try? I'm interested in seeing how a Savoy cabbage's curly textures translates in a room, or how radicchio plays when it's arranged in a wide-mouthed vase.
It's that time of year for fiddleheads, the veggie that's named because they resemble the coiled head of a violin. They're actually the tops of baby ostrich ferns, and many people go foraging for them in the woods during this time of year. Since there are many types of toxic ferns, you want to be sure you're only choosing ostrich ferns. If you don't go picking for yourself, fresh fiddleheads can be found at farmers markets and grocery stores. Just to warn you, this pricey produce can run you $12 to $20 a pound or more.
Fiddleheads must be cooked well since they contain natural substances that can cause gastric distress if eaten raw or not cooked properly. Once prepared, this green veggie tastes like Spring to me. They have a unique earthy, woodsy flavor that's a cross between asparagus, artichoke, mushroom, cooked broccoli, and cooked spinach. Look for bright green fiddleheads with tightly coiled tops. You want only one to two inches of stem attached to the coil. Anything longer should be cut off.
If you're wondering how nutritious these circular plants are and how to prepare them then read more
Spending more time in your kitchen is good for your waistline and your wallet, and the abundance of delicious Spring vegetables gives us another reason to choose eating at home. Challenge your inner chef and get excited about eating healthy by experimenting with something new from the produce aisle each week.
Take advantage of in-season bounty by creating a watercress salad, steaming artichokes for snacking, roasting asparagus for a side dish, adding fennel to pasta, or swapping your romaine for mustard greens. Don't be intimidated by any unfamiliar offerings you may come across; there are plenty of resources online for learning how to cook every vegetable under the sun. Following through with this little challenge will help you eat more vegetables, and you may find yourself wanting to continue the weekly routine when next season rolls around.
Several fruits and vegetables come into their prime during the Spring and Summer seasons, making it cheaper and easier for us to reach our daily requirements. Striving to eat five colors a day is a fun way to meet your nutritional needs, but do you know what size portions you should be eating to fulfill your daily five? Take the quiz to find out!
Since Winter is in full force, getting fresh produce can not only be tough, but even if you can find it, it's usually pretty pricey. That combined with the bad economy makes frozen veggies a great option. You can use them in soups, pasta dishes, for pizza toppings, or in stir-fries. It is nice to always have some veggies on hand to make sure you're eating your five daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Here's the nutritional breakdown of Cascadian Farm Organic veggies that you can find in the freezer section.
| Veggie | Calories | Total Fat (g) | Sodium (mg) | Carbs (g) | Fiber (g) | Sugars (g) | Protein (g) |
| 2/3 cup Asparagus Cuts | 20 | 0 | 85 | 3 | less than 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 2/3 cup Garden Peas | 70 | 0 | 95 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 2/3 cup Sweet Peas | 70 | 0 | 95 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 3/4 cup Sugar Snap Peas | 35 | 0 | 140 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
To see the rest, read more
This Valentine's Day, maybe some of you are saving money by cooking a romantic dinner at home. 
If you're trying to get the love flowing between you and your partner, maybe you're considering steaming some asparagus since it's considered an aphrodisiac. While its phallic shape is said to “stir up lust in man and woman,” it can also stir up some interesting issues with your body. Forty to 50 percent of asparagus eaters experience an odd side effect after eating this green veggie — smelly urine. Don't stop eating asparagus though if this happens to you, because the effect is completely harmless. Plus you'd be missing out on a really nutritious veggie that's packed with vitamins A, C, K, and folate.
If you're curious to know why this happens, read more
Next time you are at the grocery store or farmers market, be on the look out for fiddleheads. Not some crazy violinist, but baby ostrich ferns, all coiled up so they resemble the scroll of a violin. They really are a delicacy and May is the time to eat them.
I must warn you though, these green plants must not be eaten raw, since they contain natural substances that can cause gastric distress if not cooked properly. So just boil them for five to seven minutes or steam them for eight, until they're just tender. You may notice that the water turns brown, which is totally normal. Be careful not to overcook them as they'll become mushy and lose their wonderful flavor, which is similar to a blend of pea pods, asparagus, and artichoke.
Are these green veggies exceptionally healthy for you? To find out read more
