Last week I had a wine tasting party with some friends and family.  The idea of throwing a wine tasting party started about a year ago when I was invited to a friend’s party.  Each month the group of friends will pick a different Country to them the party after (such as France, Italy, [...]

You know how people always say that when things taste good, they’re bad for you? And when things taste bad, they’re good for you? Well, in the case of Kardea Nutrition, food not only tastes good, but it’s also very good for you. Kardea’s snack bars deliver 50% more heart healthy soluble fiber than found in [...]

Late summer is the perfect time to enjoy the bevvy of blueberries in stores. Wild blueberries are typically found back east from Maine to North Carolina and into Florida, and the blueberry cousin, huckleberries, are taking center stage on the West Coast. Whether you bake with them, cook them down into jams, or simply pop [...]

What better way to combine two passions (environmentalism and chocolate) than through companies that make delicious chocolate treats that don’t impact the environment? First up, Endangered Species, which donates 10 percent of net profits to wildlife habitat conservation projects. Their Supreme Dark Chocolate bar has 72 percent cocoa content in 3 oz., and is gluten free [...]

Mendocino, Calif., may not be the end all be all for dogs and their humans, but for those who enjoy a good meal, the town sure delivers. On a recent trip, my husband and I stayed at the MacCallum House for two nights, which included breakfast for both of us the following two mornings. But [...]

To me, cherries are the best fruit ever. They’re fun to eat, good for you, and sweet enough to be considered a dessert. In fact, one cup of cherries is only 87 calories, and is a good source of choline, a nutrient in the B vitamin family. Other stone fruits are equally tasty and offer [...]

Melon is a refreshing treat for breakfast, lunch, a snack or even dessert in the summertime. Most have a low calorie count (30 calories per 1/2 cup). Choosing melons is a snap–be sure the melon you select feels heavy for its size, smells ripe, and yields slightly to gentle pressure at the stem end. Ripe melons will keep [...]

Chocolat (2000), is about a single mother, Vianne (played by Juliette Binoche), and her six-year-old daughter, who move to rural France and open a chocolate shop across the street from the local church. Soon, the townspeople are imbibing and enjoying the treats. When a group of river drifters visit the town, Vianne teaches the closed-minded townspeople something about [...]

Now that it’s warming up, it’s time for some frozen treats that are easy to make and good for you, too. Equipment You’ll Need Blender Popsicle mold The rule of thumb is to use 3 to 4 cups of cubed/chunked fresh or frozen fruit and 1/4 cup of fruit juice (fresh or frozen concentrate). The [...]

When I was growing up, frozen yogurt (or fro yo, as some people call it) was all the rage–my friends and I used to visit the local Penguins every weekend. I can think of three frozen yogurt places within a five-mile radius (all conveniently located near where I live, by the way). Just the other day, my [...]