The Benefits of Growing Your Own Garden

The Benefits of Growing Your Own Garden

Spring is here, and it’s time to start planting a garden, which can enrich your life in more ways than one. Fresh fruits and vegetables don’t just bring vitamins to your diet; they provide a pastime that improves your attitude; provide cleaner, healthier food; and can sometimes be done indoors year-round! Here’s a selection of the benefits of growing your own garden.

Different Foods Every Spice Lover Must Try

If you’re a fan of feeling the burn, check out this brief list of several different foods every spice lover must try at least once in their life.

If you enjoy putting a fire in your belly and sweating through the burn, this list is for you. Always looking for the next challenge, we’ve discovered some different foods every spice lover must try in their life that spans the globe and will put your spice tolerance to the test. If you’re new to spicy foods or it’s been some time since you’ve flexed your tolerance, beware—you may just be in over your head.

Business Ideas for People That Love To Cook

Many people dream of combining their passion with their work. If you have a passion for food, consider these business ideas for people that love to cook.

Many people have a passion for cooking. If cooking is a hobby of yours, consider starting a business. Whether you can make several dishes or specialize in making a specific food item, you can turn your love for cooking into a business. We suggest a few business ideas for people that love to cook, so read on to learn more.

National Caramel Popcorn Day, Tuesday April 6, 2021

Today, Tuesday, April 6, 2021, is National Caramel Popcorn Day. Also known as caramel corn, caramel popcorn is a confection made of popcorn coated with a sugar or molasses based caramel candy shell that is normally less than 1mm thick. Typically a sugar solution or syrup is made and heated until it browns and becomes thick, producing a caramelized candy syrup, which is then mixed with popped popcorn, and allowed to cool. 

Varieties include a mix with peanuts, pecans, almonds, or cashews; and sometimes a dark chocolate coating. 

The Benefits of Cooking With Filtered Water

Do you enjoy cooking and baking at home? Read on to learn about the benefits of cooking with filtered water and why you should use it in your cooking.

Filtered water is generally accepted as a healthier, safer alternative to unfiltered tap water. The benefits of drinking filtered water are obvious, but have you ever considered the benefits of cooking with filtered water? There are quite a few, and they just may surprise you.

Foods That Cause Oral Allergy Syndrome

Beware of fruits and veggies you may have to avoid.

Pollen allergies are commonplace. When a hypersensitive immune system mistakes harmless pollen for a pathogen, the body overreacts, causing inflammation, itchy and watery eyes, and sneezing. In some cases, the body goes even further, mistaking the proteins present in some of our favorite foods for the pollen it’s so hyper attuned to. When this occurs, foods trigger the same allergic rhinitis that pollen would, and can even progress to a swollen throat or anaphylactic shock. We know this condition as oral allergy syndrome. Here are some of the foods that cause oral allergy syndrome—though in some cases, it could be more OAS’s case of mistaken identity and a sign of something more serious.

Birch Pollen Allergies

Birch pollen is most prevalent in the spring and is a prime contributor to what we know as “allergy season.” A whole produce stand worth of popular fruits and vegetables bears the protein that resembles the one found in birch pollen. The list is centered upon the pitted fruits—apples, apricots, peaches, plums, pears, and cherries. Kiwi fruit, though dissimilar to these, can also trigger allergic reactions. Carrots and celery share this protein, which sounds disastrous for lovers of soups. Not to worry, however—cooking denatures the protein in question enough that the immune system will not pounce on it, meaning you can make stock with safety. Nuts and legumes can trigger oral allergy syndrome, but a reaction could also be indicative of a separate adult-onset food allergy.

Orchard Grass Allergies

In the summertime, orchard grass and Timothy grass cause their share of seasonal allergies. During this time, the immune system can mistake oranges, tomatoes, and watermelons—all great summer foods—for the protein that makes orchard grass troublesome. White potatoes can trigger allergic reactions, while yams or sweet potatoes will not.

Ragweed Allergies

In the fall, ragweed pollen’s case of mistaken identity involves the muskmelons: cantaloupe and honeydew, those standbys of fruit salad. Watermelon, as it does with birch pollen, shares a similar protein with ragweed pollen, making it a bi-seasonal trigger of oral allergy syndrome. Cucumber and zucchini, two vegetables with thick, dark green skin, should be avoided during the ragweed season of early autumn.

Mugwort Allergies

The late-autumn allergy season centered around mugwort, a flowering plant, brings a long list of foods that cause oral allergy syndrome in people with mugwort pollen allergies. Fresh broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, garlic, and onion can all trigger oral allergy syndrome, along with bell peppers, parsley, and chard. Even a variety of aromatic spices, like anise, fennel, caraway, coriander, and black pepper, can dupe your immune system into fighting an imaginary adversary. Remember, however, that thorough cooking breaks down the protein, and that if symptoms get serious, consult your doctor.

The Best Ideas for Birthday Party Snacks

Throwing a birthday party? Don’t skimp on snacks. Here are a few tips for some appetizers and munchies for birthday celebrants of all ages.

Throwing a birthday party means keeping guests entertained—and fed—throughout the course of the event. While the meal and the birthday cake get most of the attention, don’t forget that your guests will do some grazing before you bring out the main events. If you want to make this party a memorable one, you may have to do a little more than just leave out a big bowl of plain potato chips. You won’t forget this crucial step after referring to some of our best ideas for birthday party snacks.

Snacks for First Birthdays

If the guest of honor is still sitting in a high chair, you don’t really need to cater to more inchoate palates just yet. Instead, now’s your chance to play around with some more sophisticated birthday party snacks before future birthday parties mean you’ll simply be an accessory to sugar highs. Deviled eggs are almost the textbook example of party food: everyone loves them, but no one ever seems to make a plate of deviled eggs just for some idle weekend. Homemade pita chips with hummus allow you to spice up your chips and dip beyond what you can snatch off the shelves. Upgrade peanut butter and celery to raspberry walnut endives for a nuanced, mostly healthy snack.

Snacks for Kids’ Birthdays

Here’s where you’ll have to bifurcate your snacking options. For the grown-ups, you’ll want assortments of vegetables, flavorful flatbreads, and nachos that go beyond salsa and queso. For the kids, well, birthdays come but once a year, so even if you’ve been encouraging a healthy lifestyle, here’s a day to really let loose. This means you’ll be shopping for sugary treats as part of your party-planning to-do list. Younger guests will have fun with monkey bread in all its cinnamon-y, syrupy, pull-apart-able glory. “Puppy chow,” which is Chex mix dragged through chocolate and powdered sugar, should give your guests the burst of energy they’ll need to get through all the games you have scheduled.

Snacks for an Adult’s Birthday

Let’s circle back to some of the more nuanced party snacks for what’ll be a true family affair. Without the pressure to satisfy a sweet tooth that you’d feel at a kid’s party, a balanced approach is the best idea for birthday party snacks when a grown-up is the celebrant. A chili cheese dip can offer a heartier alternative to the typical salsa you’d supply for nachos. Barbecue pork sliders can hit the spot while guests wait for dinner. And finally, to please guests of all ages, some plates of cookies that transcend the usual chocolate-chip option will be a welcome and fun addition to the pre-meal munching.

How To Prepare for a Foodie Road Trip

Soon, the country will open up again, and you’ll have the chance to experience all the tasty treats out there. Here’s how to prepare for a foodie road trip.

Pretty soon, you’ll be able to hit the highway and enjoy all the sights, sounds, and tastes the road has to offer. Until that fantasy becomes a reality, though, you can plan for your first few outings. Nothing beats a road trip where you can experience life, the great outdoors, and a wealth of new foods. Follow these tips on how to prepare for a foodie road trip for a taste-tantalizing vacation.

Keeping Your Restaurant Sanitized

Keeping Your Restaurant Sanitized

Since the pandemic, we have heard a lot about the importance of sanitation, especially in restaurants. Fortunately, restaurants have been cleaning and sanitizing their establishments for many years. Keeping your restaurant sanitized is a necessity for everyone’s health, and it’s a great way to create returning customers.

The Best Marketing Techniques for Your Restaurant

Showing photos of your food is important!

You have tasty food and a unique atmosphere, but people must notice your restaurant before they try it out. That’s why advertising your business is critical. Here are the best marketing techniques for your restaurant if you need some help getting the creative juices going.