The Old Forge Farmers’ Market opened for the season last Friday, and we all know what yummy fruits and veggies we can find there.

But, show of hands, who is tired of preparing them the same ol’, same ol’ way?

I know I do.

So how about some ideas on preparing and grilling those farm fresh veggies?

First of all, keep in mind that extra crunchy vegetables such as broccoli and carrots should be blanched prior to grilling.

Blanching is a cooking technique in which food is briefly immersed in boiling water or fat in order to enhance their natural color.

Blanched vegetables are typically plunged into an ice water bath afterward to halt the cooking process.

After about a minute, drain them and blot dry with a paper towel.

Broccoli. Personally, I don’t care much for the big stems, but they work great for grilling purposes.  Continue reading →

Feeling stressed out? Have a couple laughs and call me in the morning

There are many types of humor, but have you ever thought about where a sense of humor comes from? Let’s face it, we all know people who are just not funny. The harder they try, the worse it gets.

So do we include humor in the Nature vs. Nurture discussion? It’s a good question—and one I could not find a scientific answer for.

I’m sure by now you’re all wondering why the heck I’m writing about humor.

And what does it have to do with health and wellness? So glad you asked!

How many of you have seen  the Robin Williams’ movie Patch  Adams? (If you haven’t, you should. It’s a great movie!)

It is based on the real-life story of Dr. Hunter Doherty, aka Patch Adams, a doctor/clown/social activist who wants to change the health care system. His belief is that laughter is the best medicine—and he is certainly on to something.

According to an interview published in the September/October 1996 issue of Humor and Health Journal, Dr. Lee Berk and fellow researcher Dr. Stanley Tan of Loma Linda University have studied the effects of laughter on the immune system. Continue reading →

Part II: Three cheers for the green, white and black teas

If left to wither, tea leaves are transformed through a process known as oxidation (also known as fermentation) into black tea, of which there are hundreds of varieties.

The longer the leaves are left to wither, the more oxygen they absorb and the darker their color becomes. Hence, black tea is fully oxidized.

Some benefits of black tea are: may aid in bone, connective tissue, skin, hair and oral health.

Black tea contains Fluoride, thus it may improve oral and bone health. Black tea, contains flavonoids which are also found in apples.

Unlike green tea, black tea, once processed, eliminates all antioxidants existing in it. Black tea not only helps to fight bacteria but also strengthens the immune system.

Black tea may also help balance hormone levels, which may help fight stress.  Continue reading →

Three cheers for the green, white and black…tea, that is

Do you remember years ago when the selection of tea on the grocery store shelves was limited pretty much to English Breakfast, Chamomile and good ol’ Lipton?

Now there are SO many choices and many of us have NO clue what the differences are. Personally, I only started drinking tea in the last few years. I just wasn’t a big fan.

But the more I read, the more I felt I should—and now I love it!

However, I was curious as to the million different teas that are now available, so I decided to do some research.

So, what is the difference between green, white, and black tea, etc? Let’s explore…

Green tea, black tea and white tea all come from the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis. The difference liesin the ways the leaves are processed.

Green tea leaves are not fermented, they are withered and steamed. Black tea and oolong tea leaves undergo a crushing and fermenting process.

Tea leaves destined to be sold as white tea undergo even less processing than green tea leaves. Instead of air-drying, the unwithered leaves are merely steamed.

All teas from the camellia tea plant are rich in polyphenols, which are a type of antioxidant. These antioxidants scavenge for cell-damaging free radicals in the body and detoxify them.  Continue reading →