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The American appetite for spices has tripled since 1960, according to a 2015 USDA report entitled, “The Spice Market in the United States: Recent Developments and Prospects. 

The study didn’t directly address consumption, only availability. However, the USDA analyst that created the document insisted that availability represents consumption in this case. We are enjoying more spices than ever!

Another interesting takeaway from the report was that spices fall in and out of favor. While caraway seeds used to be widespread, interest has declined. On the other hand, chile peppers have seen a boom. If we are increasing our consumption of spices, should we be buying the organic versions?

Want to learn what the benefits of organic spices are and if they are worth the additional cost?

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

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Are you looking for a simple Oktoberfest menu? You’ve come to the right place!

There is no better way to celebrate the fall than to host an Oktoberfest party. Jubilant in nature and focused around Munich’s flavorful food and drink, this is the perfect theme. Not familiar with German cuisine? An Oktoberfest celebration is a great way to introduce yourself and your guests. 

Many would argue that German food doesn’t get enough attention in the U.S. However, one food authority believes it should.  According to Mimi Sheraton, the author of The German Cookbook, “German cooking has more appeal to the average American palate then the cuisine of any other foreign country.” She states that meat and potatoes are staples of the German diet, just like America’s. The fats are similar, too, as both often use butter, lard, and bacon. The cuisine also includes a significant sweet and sour component that rivals the Americans. You can usually find ham and pineapple or turkey and cranberries together on a dinner table. 

The Germans even have the motto gut essen, gut tinken, which means good eating and good drinking. You can’t go wrong with that!

Now is the time to celebrate the fall and host a party. So here is your Oktoberfest menu.

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

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I am in love with the simple avocado. You can place it on toast, salads, and everything in between.  If it is in a dish, I am likely to love it and have it on a meal plan. And I am not alone. Since March, demand for the green fruit (yup, it is a fruit) has been surging, and the cost has gone along with it. Prices are up almost 63 percent. This is making an already pricy piece of produce even more expensive.

So, if we are paying a premium for the avocado, we want one that tastes great. The problem is, we are unable to tell from the outside just what we are getting. It is impossible just to see if it is problem-free. I’ve had more and more encounters with brown avocados, stringy avocados, and avocados that won’t ripen, no matter what method I employed. 

So what is a consumer to do? Here are common problems with avocados and what to do about them.

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

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I turned 40 this year.  And I was tired. I had two little kids running around and no time to focus on my health.  I was trying to survive. My birthday came about, and I thought it would be cute to try and do a backbend.  I could barely get up. Thankfully my girlfriends told me AFTER the fact that their girls watch Youtube videos of gymnastics fails, which include severe injuries from backbends. I needed a change.

I was determined to get healthy. Now, I’m not the kind of drastic measure girl.  I love food, so the idea of trying a traditional, restrictive diet was not in the cards for me.  Not to mention that my carnivorous family would probably revolt if I made a massive immediate change. I knew that I didn’t want a diet per se, but more of a lifestyle change.

Then I remembered that my husband had mentioned the Mediterranean Diet in passing a few times. Boom! Let’s give it a go. As usual, he regretted those few words as I fully integrated the Mediterranean Diet within a few weeks.  Gone were his steaks, No helper Cheeseburger Macaroni dinners and in were fish, tomatoes and feta, a whole lot of feta. You would think he would choose his words more wisely around me by now.

Want to learn about how to do the Mediterranean Diet for beginners?

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

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