Olive oil, martinis, Popeye’s girlfriend. Olives are known for a lot of things! They are one of my favorites. I love stuffed olives in my martinis. But did you know that they are also incredibly healthy and versatile?

You do not think about it much, except when you run out of it. Most of us sprinkle it out of an herb shaker or a red capped shaker. When you use parsley, is it dried and prepackaged? Is it gathered in a bunch and sold by the pound? Or do you gather it yourself, from your own garden?

If you ask me, microgreens sound a little like a science fiction term. But microgreens are just young vegetable greens that are around three inches or smaller in height. They are filled with so many nutrients. Not to mention the fact that they come in a variety of textures and colors.

I love Sweet Potatoes! I eat them quite often. Normally they make their presence in most kitchen around Thanksgiving when sweet potato casserole starts appearing on our dinner tables. However, they should be incorporated more throughout the year since they are filled with so many great nutrients and medicinal benefits.

This is my favorite time of year! The wonderful memories of the leaves changing colors, the cool weather, decorating the house for Halloween and carving pumpkins. (In Florida, we have palm trees and beaches that are beautiful, but I do miss Ohio this time of year!)

I love Parsley! I’ve even included a picture of my herbs that includes Parsley. Even though I use parsley all the time in my kitchen, I realized recently that I did not know much about this herb other than its powerful flavor and its versatile use in the kitchen. So, I decided to do a bit of research and find out all the health benefits. This is what I found…

This coming July 4th will be an important one. While we will not have the same kinds of crowds with fireworks and all the hoopla, it will be a great time to show how grateful we are to live in a country like ours.

Okra! Okra. It’s not a vegetable that gets everyone excited, but it should be. Okra is a great source of vitamins and minerals, especially fiber. Not only that, okra is great for a number of uses, not just for its nutritional value. You often see it in dishes like gumbo, breaded or fried. But between you and me, there are some other great dishes that are great for your waistline as well as your taste buds.

It’s that time of the year when the weather is changing, flowers and crops are in bloom, and I start looking for ways to stay healthy and cool at the same time. While keeping my ears tuned into the latest food trends, I’ve noticed that celery has been on the tips of everyone’s tongues and disappearing from grocery stores. So, let’s talk about this fascinating vegetable, shall we?