I crave greens, no matter the season. When it is cold outside, I often choose a cooked green over salads. I just want to eat warm food. One of my favorites greens to cook is Swiss chard, and it comes in colors too. The leaves are green, but the stems and veins can be white, yellow or red. The red is my favorite since the color combination is quite dramatic. Not only is it tasty, and similar to Read more

When I was little I thought salad came in two forms: iceberg and spinach. In those day I wasn't particularly a fan of either. Times have changed and I am all about greens — even cooked ones. My new fave is escarole, which is a type of endive and considered the least bitter of that leafy veggie family. One cup of chopped raw escarole has only 7 calories and contains one gram of fiber. It is Read more

I really do love avocados. I might even marry one, that is how deeply I adore this veggie, or technically fruit - but an avocado in any other category would still be just as creamy and delish. Spring is the season when avocados are at their peak, but since they are grown in California (primarily Hass variety) and Florida (mostly Fuerte) there is usually a decent supply all year round. Since Read more

Peas...you either love 'em or hate 'em. But have you ever had FRESH peas? As in not frozen and not canned? Peas that you shell yourself, in the privacy of your own kitchen? Known as English Peas or Garden Peas, these little legumes are a sweet treat and are in season now through about May. Seems that peas don't do well when it gets too hot. Their arrival is a sure sign that Spring is here. Read more

I can always tell when asparagus season is starting...usually in mid February, prices for the veggie start to slowly creep downwards. Now, the season is in full swing - I just had some incredible tandoori asparagus at my favorite Indian restaurant. YUM!!! There are three types of asparagus: green, white and purple. Green being the most common. Not only is the veggie loaded with antioxidant Read more

For a long time I was confused about Vitamin K — particularly its relationship to Special K the cereal. Plus, I wasn't really sure what the vitamin did for the human body. Basically I thought vitamins stopped at the letter E, so this one sounded fake. Then I had a baby and two seconds after she came out, she got a shot of vitamin K in her tiny little heel. OUCH!!!! So I did some research; I Read more

Why is it that I can get the slightest bump and the next day, I've got a huge bruise? Sometimes bruises show up and I don't even remember hurting myself. A bruise develops when small blood vessels under the skin tear or rupture. Blood leaks into tissues under the skin and causes the black-and-blue color. As bruises heal, usually within two to four weeks, they often turn colors, including Read more