I’ll let you in on a little secret: I grew up hating beets. Reflecting back on it, I think I was only offered canned or pickled beets. Fast-forward to adulthood and my experiences with farming. I quickly discovered that beets are easy to grow; their greens are sweet, crisp and delicious in salads. A revelation!

After such a long winter, we are all looking to enjoy spring flowers in every way possible! This includes incorporating the edible varieties into recipes to make them extra special. Pansies are a traditional edible flower and their lovely faces are so spring-like. Many other varieties are available to explore, as well. Culinary herbs have

If you want to celebrate some Irish heritage for St. Patrick’s Day and mix it up from the traditional corned beef meal, meatballs are a delicious and versatile dish. You can serve them as an appetizer or as a main course over mashed potatoes. Typical Irish meatball recipes include Irish whiskey – try this one

I have never been a big “Valentine’s chocolate” person. Sometimes, a little something different – like a little lemon and raspberry – can be the secret to sweet romance. And, you can never go wrong with buttercream frosting. This recipe uses a fun ingredient: freeze-dried raspberries in the frosting (you can also use fresh) to

With each New Year, I start looking for great new recipes that are tasty and nutritious. Of course, we typically gravitate toward meals that are warm and comforting, but I always feel that adding more fresh greens to my diet helps perk me up from the winter blues. And consuming the extra vitamins this time

As the temperatures continue to drop, we are definitely developing a hankering for all the fall comfort foods. How do you keep warm during the colder months? Sit around a nice bonfire in a knitted sweater, right? Here’s the coziest way to stay warm: put a pot of delicious soup on the stove and let

Ratatouille is one of my favorite fall dishes – it’s hearty and warm and uses the late summer vegetables that are hanging on into the cooler weather. A traditional French dish, it’s pretty straightforward to make. The key is taking the time to sauté the veggies so they are almost cooked. Also, don’t skip the

To me, the height of summer produce is pepper season. Beautiful red horned peppers are a nice variation from bell peppers and you’ll find them to also be much sweeter. One of the best ways to enjoy them is roasted with olive oil. With many colors and old varieties of Italian sweet peppers finding their

Nutritious, colorful and satisfying, a grain salad is one of the easiest make-ahead summer meals. Boiling a batch of quinoa, farro or millet in the morning when the weather is cooler and then adding fresh or roasted vegetables, herbs and a salad dressing at dinner time is easy to fit into a busy schedule. Even

As summer approaches, I’m on the lookout for low-sugar, warm weather treats for my toddlers, and it just occurred to me … why not freeze a smoothie? Popsicles can be made as easily as freezing some juice in a paper cup with a fork stuck into it, or you can purchase freezer molds in a

On those crazy mornings when my family is running behind schedule, I’m always looking for quick, healthy breakfast ideas. As this describes pretty much every morning, we make this particular recipe on a weekly basis! In our house, these are known as ‘pecial’ cookies, since our toddlers have limited access to sugar and this is

Spring in Michigan provides the tastiest spinach. After making an endless variety of spinach salads, I’m always looking for a creative way to utilize fresh garden greens. A new dip recipe is always great for a summer picnic or a quick snack. Whatever you like to dip with, this is a great and yummy side