Pasta salad is the quintessential dish of the summer. This cold side dish makes it’s appearance at every cookout, picnic and potluck. It’s hard to pick a favorite pasta salad, when there are so many variations to choose from. There’s the antipasto salad, BLT pasta salad, caprese pasta salad, Greek...
If you’ve ever tasted hummus, you’ve likely eaten tahini. Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It’s similar to a nut butter, but instead of using nuts, it uses sesame seeds. Tahini is typically expensive, and thus, I’ve always avoided this specialty ingredient. Instead, I always made...
This blog post was written by Illinois State University student, Hannah Gold.
Zucchini is a great source of antioxidants and nutrients, but it might seem like there are only a few ways you can prepare it, such as eating it plain or with minimal seasonings. A fun new way to eat zucchini is...
Oregano is found in many herb gardens likely due to the large number of dishes it can help flavor. It’s famously known for it’s use in pizza and complements most any tomato dish. Fresh oregano has a bold peppery taste that pairs well with cooked vegetables, including eggplant and zucchini, egg...
Now that gardens are being planted, it’s my turn to plant this important seed: how you are going to use the bountiful harvest so that it doesn’t go to waste? Canning is one way to preserve your food, but if that always seemed too overwhelming and time-consuming, maybe you haven’t yet explored the...
Osteoporosis doesn’t typically have any symptoms, and most don’t know they have it until a bone breaks. While it mainly affects postmenopausal women, it’s still a major cause of fractures for older men, too. Prevention begins in childhood and continues throughout adult life, but no matter your age...
As a parent of two kids ages six and nine, I sometimes have to remind myself to stop doing everything for them. Rather it is my job to teach them the important life skills that will set them up for success as they get older and leave the family home. Establishing independence in the kitchen doesn’t...
Broccoli rabe, also known as rapini, isn’t the most well-known vegetable, but that doesn’t mean you should count it out. The whole plant is edible, it’s extremely easy to cook, and it’s loaded with disease-fighting nutrients.
Broccoli rabe may have edible buds that resemble broccoli, but it...
I love a good salad but often get bored using the same greens and the same bottled dressings over and over. What’s the solution? Try watercress! Watercress adds a fresh, slightly peppery flavor that can be added to other salad greens or stand alone as the star.
Hence the name, watercress is...
Springtime carries chances of severe weather, including thunderstorms, high winds and tornadoes that can lead to power outages and boil orders. Knowing what to do before disaster strikes can help you take charge in protecting you and your family.
When the power goes out for a short time it’s...
