Many people consider broccoli an essential part of their diet. When considering which broccoli to purchase, should broccoli be organic? Broccoli should be organic because it’s untreated with synthetic pesticides. Between 2006 and 2011, the USDA inspected broccoli and found 60% contained the insecticide imidacloprid. This article will take a more in-depth look at the…
As a Certified Health Coach I get many questions about pomegranates. One of the most common is, what to do with unripe pomegranates? Unripe pomegranates can be used in many food dishes, drinks and recipes. Unripe pomegranates can be used to produce pomegranate juice, fruit salads, smoothies, baked dishes and added to other food. This…
As a Certified Health Coach many people ask me about pomegranate ripeness and storage. Therefore, when picking one at the market you’ll need to know, will pomegranate ripen after picking? Pomegranate fruit does not ripen after picking because a non-climacteric fruit. Non-climacteric fruits cannot ripen after its picked. A pomegranate must remain on the plant until the…
Asparagus is not only fast to prepare, it also turns bad fast if not stored properly. Therefore, how do you store asparagus? Asparagus should be stored in the refrigerator. The asparagus should be standing upright in a jar with its cut lower spears soaking in water. Follow these four steps: In this guide, we’ll explain the…
Have you ever stood there bewildered at the supermarket’s food storage and food freezer bags section, wondering what on Earth the difference is? Well, we were wondering too, so we took it to the task to find out. The difference between food storage bags vs. freezer bags lies in the thickness of the polyethylene plastic and…
Storing strawberries for the best results is essential. Therefore, how to store strawberries? The best way to store strawberries is by keeping them dry and either cold or frozen. For short-term storage strawberries are kept in the refrigerator and a ventilated container. For long-term storage strawberries are kept in the freezer and a sealed bag….
You may think it’s good to store balsamic vinegar in the refrigerator as we do with everything else that needs preserving. Some research says that may not be such a clever idea. Therefore, do you refrigerate balsamic vinegar? Balsamic vinegar should not be refrigerated. The cold in the refrigerator alters the flavor and taste of…
Pomegranates are one of those fruits that can be very tricky to determine when they are ripe. The standard methods for checking whether a fruit is ripe don’t necessarily consistently apply to pomegranates. Therefore, how can you tell when a pomegranate is ripe? A pomegranate is ripe when there is no more green coloring, has…
One thing many people notice about spinach is how quickly it goes bad. Looking for the solution to this problem you may be asking yourself, can I freeze spinach? Spinach can be frozen and remain in the freezer up to one year. It should be cleansed and completely dried before placing it in a storage…
With such an enormous range of possibilities when cooking with shrimp there is one question often asked: which is better, farm raised or wild caught shrimp? Wild caught shrimp is better than farm raised shrimp. Wild caught shrimp is safer because its regulated to ensure product safety for customers and preserving the environment. Farm raised…
They are two of the most common types of cinnamon, the only remaining question is, which is better, Ceylon cinnamon vs. Cassia cinnamon? Ceylon cinnamon is better than cassia because it contains many various layers of the bark making the taste richer and texture softer. Ceylon cinnamon is equally recognized for possessing fewer levels of…
If you buy more than one bottle or don’t drink yours fast enough, you may be asking, can pomegranate juice go bad? Pomegranate juice can go bad. How long it takes to go bad depends on the packaging, brand or freshly juiced. Fresh pomegranate juice will last for three days in the refrigerator. If unopened,…
Let’s examine the ripening and storing of strawberries and answer, will strawberries ripen on the counter? Strawberries will not ripen on the counter. Once a strawberry is harvested, it will not continue ripening. Some fruits, like strawberries, can only ripen while still attached to the plant. After a strawberry is picked, it will remain at…
As a Certified Health Coach specializing in nutrition, I’m often asked about legumes and nuts. Sometimes there are questions. Let’s answer the most common one asked, what’s the difference between legumes and nuts? Legumes have multiple seeds within a pod typically attached to the inside walls. Nuts have a single seed in a hardened shell…
Can you eat the whole kiwi? Kiwi fruit is entirely edible, skin included. Most people who eat kiwi fruit regularly do not eat the skin due to its texture. Kiwi fruit skin contains a high amount of fiber, folate, and other vitamins and is quite good for you. As a Certified Health Coach many people…
When deciding which blueberries to use you may ask, what blueberries are the sweetest? The sweetest blueberries are ones that come off the Northern or Southern Highbush. These blueberries are from the Eastern coast of the United States. The second sweetest blueberries are the legacy blueberries grown in the Northeast and across the Northern Midwest….
If you are growing your own blueberries, knowing when they are ripe may cause some issues. This sometimes leads you to pick your blueberries before they are ripe leaving you to wonder, will blueberries ripen off the vine? Blueberries will ripen off the vine but it depends on how ripe they were before they were…
Many people wonder if lemons last longer in the refrigerator or counter. Lemons will last longer in the refrigerator as opposed to on the counter. A lemon will stay fresh for about one to two weeks on the counter. In the refrigerator, a lemon can stay fresh and edible for about two weeks. In resealable…
People wonder if broccoli can be frozen, and if so, how to do it. Broccoli can be frozen. Freeze fresh broccoli in the following six simple steps: select fresh broccoli, discard the tough stalks, soak the broccoli in a brine solution, blanch the broccoli, put the broccoli in an ice bath, then pack and freeze…
It’s hard to know when mangoes are ready to eat. Therefore, let’s take a close look. Mango is ready to eat by feeling its firmness and looking at the color. A mango is ready to eat when it is ripe, you will know if it is ripe when it changes its color from green to yellow…
If you enjoy Mango, you are probably considering using the skin. Before you can even start thinking of that, you will probably wonder, can mango skin be eaten? Mango skin can be eaten and used for many different reasons. You can eat Mango skin as is or use it in cooking recipes to add some…
Many believe that “superfoods” like spinach can also slow down the aging process naturally. So, what are the benefits of spinach? The nutritional value of spinach may help contribute to anti-aging health benefits. Spinach contains a significant percentage of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and B6. Many of the nutrients have been proven in scientific…
With its tropical flavors and creamy texture, not all Mangoes taste the same every time. This may lead you to question, why does mango taste bitter? A mango can taste bitter depending on how ripe it is which determines the flavor. If a mango is under or overripe, it can acquire a bitter taste. In…
Many people wonder about the differences between organic onions vs. regular onions. The key difference between organic onions and regular onions is the way they are grown. Organic onions are produced without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Organic onions are more costly than regular because the way they are grown. Organic onions were tested and found…
Are you looking for a way to keep your mashed avocados fresh for a lengthy or short period? Before storing them next time, you’ll want to learn the best storage method. To store mashed avocado for the long-term you must freeze it. Keep it in a ziplock bag or Tupperware container to prevent them from…
While discussing regular kale and organic kale, you may be asking yourself, what’s the difference between organic kale and regular kale? Organic kale and regular kale are different because organic kale has less pesticide residue. Regular kale placed third on the Environmental Work Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list because of its high pesticide levels. Organic and…
Strawberries and grapes tend to go bad easily, meaning extra storage care is needed. Therefore, let’s examine if you can store strawberries and grapes together. Strawberries and grapes can be stored together in the short term. Strawberries and grapes both emit low levels of ethylene gas. In addition, they both aren’t overly sensitive to the…
Finding good black walnuts in stores is difficult, but finding them in the woods can be easy. So you’ll want to know, how to forage black walnuts. To forage black walnuts, you’ll have to travel to the midwest USA. The nuts grow on trees at the edges of forests. Walk along these areas starting in…
If you have bananas and potatoes, you might be wondering if you can store them together. Bananas and potatoes can’t be stored together because as they ripen, bananas exude ethylene gas, which causes the potatoes to start sprouting. On their part, potatoes release moisture, which can lead to the bananas spoiling faster. Therefore, it’s best…
Which is best, farm-raised vs wild caught Scallops? Wild caught scallops are better than farm-raised scallops because they have better taste and texture. Although farm-raised scallops are a good alternative because for health, nutrition and safety, both versions are similar and have equal benefits. Farm-raised are more environmentally safe because it prevents the decimation of…