No More Bye Bye Berry!

Okay, stop fretting about your taxes for a minute and check out this dandy tip from my friend, Jane.  And not a moment too soon, with berry season just about to burst all around us. 

How often have you carefully selected a gorgeous container of red, ripe strawberries, savored a few at a time, and then reached the bottom of the basket only to discover that the last few are covered with . . . well, what the heck is that anyway?  Looks like miniature dust bunnies to me (or worse), but I know for sure it's not a food group.  Well, no more -- here's your solution:

When you get your beautiful berries home, dump them into a big bowl and swirl them around in a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider) to ten parts water.  After swirling, rinse them in plain water, pat dry, and pop them into the fridge.  The vinegar helps to kill the mold-causing spores and bacteria lurking in those little berry bodies, so now you should be able to enjoy each and every scrumptious morsel.  Let me know how it works for you.  And thank you, Jane!

My Least Favorite Thing on the Face of the Earth -- The Final Word (I Promise)

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the kitchen . . . it's another PEEPS show!  My friend, Sara, shared with me an article about Peeps that is so disturbing that I simply cannot allow you people to continue to walk around innocently unaware.  But brace yourselves.  You may not sleep well tonight.

Peeps have been called "surprisingly polarizing" due to the passionate reactions they receive, both positive and negative.  You either love 'em or you hate 'em.  There doesn't seem to be any gray area when it comes to these sugary little rascals.  A documentary entitled "The Power of the Peep" (there was actually a movie made about them?????), suggests that "they coexist as both cute and horrible.  They're like a sugar Rorschach test.  One person will see a Peep as a cute chick with beady eyes while another will see it as a grotesque blob with black, Satanic eyes."  (All in favor of the latter choice, raise your hands.)

The marketing director for Just Born, the company that manufactures the little devils, says, "No one Peeps chick is the same as another.  Each one has its own personality."

ITS OWN PERSONALITY?!?!?!?!?!  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?  It takes six minutes to make a Peep.  It takes only six seconds to stomp on one.  And that's my final word about PEEPS.

My Least Favorite Thing on the Face of the Earth -- Redux

Happy Day After Easter!  And what, may I ask, are you doing sitting at home staring at your computer?  Time to get crackin', my friend -- we're up, we're off, we're out the door on our way to stocking up on 50% off Easter candy!  That's right -- it's that magical time of year.  As for me, I'll be amassing an impressive supply of discounted PEEPS just so I can pull out a package every now and then and STOMP ON THEM.  Good times!!!

Attack Allergies With Your Plate

     Sneezing?  Sniffling?  Scratching your eyes out?  Help may be on the way.  It turns out that certain foods contain quercertin and pycnogenol, which are natural antihistimines.  Try adding these winners to your spring diet:

Foods rich in Vitamin A:  Mangos, apricots, cantaloupe, tomatoes, kale, spinach, dandelion greens, carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, paprika, red pepper, and cayenne pepper.

Foods rich in Vitamin C:  Oranges, guavas, papaya, kiwi fruit, strawberries, acerola cherry, watermelon, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers, red and green chili peppers, thyme, and parsley.

Foods rich in quercertin and pycnogenol:  Raspberries, cranberries, chokeberries, blueberries, apples, broccoli, tomatoes, kale, onions, garlic, capers, and green tea.

And last but not least, the winner of all the money and the camper too -- pineapple is considered to be the best source of natural antihistimines. 

Try adding these delicious alternatives to your diet and see if you can cut back on allergy medications this spring.  And be sure to let me know!