Luvo’s Fresh Blog
Lifestyle, Health, Nutrition & Inspiration from Luvo
DIY Teas
Posted by Ryan Abbott |
Tea is something we take for granted. It seems complicated, those mysterious pieces of dried leaves or branches or spices or whatever they are. It must have taken hours of labour to grow and harvest the plants, dry them out, blend the flavors and box them up with soothing packaging copy and labeling. That’s true, but if you’ve got an open mind and a bit of creativity, making your own tasty tea at home is simple and satisfying.
Shallots: the Untold Story
Posted by Ryan Abbott |
Home cooking has undergone a paradigm shift in the past twenty-five years. An industry of TV shows, books and flavor gurus has arisen like an airy soufflé, dedicated to helping the home cook create restaurant-quality feasts from the comfort of his or her galley kitchen. One of the outcomes is a better understanding of the techniques, tools and ingredients professional chefs use to make food taste great. But questions linger about certain mysterious ingredients, not least of which is “What the heck is a shallot?”… Read more »
Pesto Power!
Posted by Jessica G. |
Originating in northern Italy and first mentioned in a cookbook written in 1863, pesto is a sauce traditionally made from a blend of crushed garlic, fresh basil, pine nuts, olive oil and Parmesan cheese. The name comes from the Italian word pestare which means “to crush”, and refers to the pesto preparation method which involved crushing the ingredients together in a mortar and pestle. Today, you can buy pesto in pre-made form at the grocery store, or you can make it… Read more »
What’s So Great About Whole Grains?
Posted by Jessica G. |
While many of us were raised on the classic white bread, rice and pasta, whole grains are starting to take over. That’s because we’ve discovered that eating products made with whole grains is more beneficial for your health than their lighter cousins. But why?… Read more »
Salads with Grains
Posted by Ryan Abbott |
Not every salad has to consist of a gleaming mass of green vegetables. The word “salad” simply means a collection of small pieces of food, usually complemented by a sauce. Many cultures have long embraced this broad definition, with traditional salads that include meats, cheeses (we’re looking at you, France), nuts, fruit — heck, even Jell-O. At the moment, one of our favorite ways to build a healthy salad is with a member of the grains family.
… Read more »
So Many Reasons to Love Lemons
Posted by Jessica G. |
Lemons are in season in November, which means now is the perfect time to give them a squeeze and show how much you love them. Used in cooking, beauty treatments and cleaning, lemons have many naturally wonderful powers. If you’re eating them, for example, you’re getting a good source of calcium… Read more »
When Does This Go Bad?
Posted by Jessica G. |
I must credit this article to my mother, who has always read expiry dates religiously. I’m not so strict. I’ll eat spinach that looks good even though the ‘best before’ date on the package says it’s past its prime. It’s not turned to green mush yet? Sweet… let’s eat! I’ve also heard that eggs actually last a couple weeks longer than the date stamped on their cartons because farmers want to give themselves
extra protection against repercussions of someone eating a bad egg, which can be pretty traumatic. Fair enough! I haven’t encountered any tummy upset… yet.… Read more »