Gifts of Furniture Cleaner / Polish, Citrus All Purpose Cleaner, Face Creams, Lotions, Salt Scrub & more...

Sent out gifts on Monday. Here are what two care packages of homemade Essential and Garden Produce goodies look like. A sampling of home cleaning supplies, lotions, scrubs, sprays, and sample oils. I send detailed information for those who I know will love playing with oils, a sheet on any oil I send, and instructions on how to apply the herbal treatments. On each bottle is the general recipe (I don't put measurements, because it would just get to crowded). 

 Box one is to someone who will love playing with the oils. They have herbal knowledge, but are new to Essential Oils. The box below is for a loved one who will enjoy the products I made, but isn't really interested in herbs; so the box contains mainly instructions on how to use.

 Items before I boxed them up:

This shipment held items made from the fresh, clean power of citrus.

I decided to use real citrus peels, instead of just my essential oils this time. I used the citrus peels in both cleaning products, as well as sea salt scrubs. Recipes are coming up... 

Note: if you wish to make both the Citrus All Purpose Cleaner and the Furniture Polish, a short cut is to: First I put the lemon, lime, grapefruit, and orange peels into the juicer. Then pour white vinegar into the machine to get the loose bits through and to help the peels to give up their oils. I took this citrus goodness and put it into my furniture polish and into my all purpose cleaner mix. I left the furniture polish as is, but strained any peel bits out of the citrus for the all purpose spray cleaner. And of course, you can use drops of Essential oils "instead of" / or "in addition to" real citrus peel 

Basic All Purpose Cleaner:

1 Tbl. OnGuard Cleaner

20 Drops Purity

20 drops Wild Orange

1 C. White Vinegar

1 C. Distilled Water

1/2 C Rubbing Alcohol

Mix, shake well. Pour into spray bottle. Use on most surfaces: counter tops, windows, mirrors, and cabinets.

Recipes:

Citrus All Purpose Cleaner:

1 1/2 C. Citrus Peels 

1/2 C, White Vinegar

Soak peels overnight in flat container.

Juice Mixture in morning. Discard dry peel, keep juice and vinegar mixture. Strain to remove solid pieces. To the strained citrus mixture, 

add half of the basic All Purpose Cleaner Mixture (recipe above).

Now you have two cleaners, one is citrus for the extra tough cleans, (like kitchen cabinets with grease finger-prints) and a regular basic cleaner too!

Citrus Furniture Cleaner & Polish: 

Ingredients: 

3 Lemon's peel, one whole lemon

4 Lime's peel

2 Orange's peel

1 Grapefruit peel

1/4 White Vinegar

1/2 C. Almond Oil

1/2 C. Walnut Oil

Instructions:

Juice just the peels in a juicer with one whole lemon; 

Add to the juicer:

1/4 White Vinegar to clean out the bits. 

Discard the dry peel into the recycling bin. Use the pulp mixture in your polish. 

Add the 

1/2 C. Almond Oil

1/2 C. Walnut Oil

Mix with a hand mixer to make creamy.

Store in a glass container; pour out onto a clothe and use on your wood furniture for a rich wood glow!

Note: I later changed my container because my sprayer clogged (Mixture too thick to spray) and this was plastic. At the time I made it, I didn't have a good glass container. Now I do. ;-) This wood table has been through a families abuse and the color now pops! The two smaller containers I sent out were plastic squirt travel bottles, meant for shampoo (glass would have been better, but it is what I had on hand).

Also included in gift boxes:

 Carpet Cleaner: 
(See grey lidded glass jars on the back left?)
8 oz. Baking Soda
15 drops of Clove
20 drops of Wild Orange
20 drops of Lavender
Fill four 4oz. glass jars with lid or perpetrated top (like with powder). Shake on carpet; let set one hour; vacuum rug.

Refreshing Mist Spray: 
(See blue and brown glass spray bottles in middle?)
4oz. Distilled Water
20 drops of Eucalyptus
16 drops of Lavender
10 drops of Lemongrass
Fill 4 oz. glass jar with spray top. (I made three 4 oz. jars by doing this three times).  

This image is of the Lotions, Eve Cream, Day Cream, and Shea Body Butter gifts:

Shea Butter Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. Shea Butter, 

15 drops Myrrh,

3 1/2 Tbl. Aloe Vera,

2 Tbl. Vitamin E and C.

15 drops Lavender,

15 drops Frankincense

7 drops Lemon Balm (besides, therapeutic benefits, also works as a bug repellent).

Fill three 4oz. glass jars.  

Sea Salt Scrub ingredients:

1 C. citrus peel pulp
1 C. Geranium Essence, (or substitute 20 drops of Geranium oil),
1 C. Sea Salt,
1/2 C. Epson Salt, 
2 Tbl. Vitamin E, 
10 drops Lavender,
10 drops Myrrh,
10 drops Frankincense, 
7 drops Lemon, 
7 drops Wild Orange
7 drops Rosemary (Optional)
This makes 3 1/2 C's. ~I filled four glass containers (Three recycled 1 C.'s & one 4oz. canning jar). 

Sore Muscle Cream ingredients and product:

20 drops Deep Blue, (or for a dbl recipe: 40 drops)

20 drops Eucalyptus, (or for a dbl recipe: 40 drops)

10 drops Peppermint, (or for a dbl recipe: 20 drops)

1/4 C. Solid Coconut Oil, (or for a double recipe: 1/2 C.)

3/4 C. Cocoa Butter (or for a double recipe: 1  1/2 C.) 
If you're using refined cocoa butter, it is already creamy for use. If you're using raw-hard-purest-form cocoa butter (which is awesome!), you will need to melt it. Black cocoa butter is the hardest I've used. 
Your options are: 1. In a dbl broiler (two pans, larger one has water in it) to slowly melt it. Or 2. Add boiling liquid to cocoa butter and it will melt. Coconut and Almond have a high smoke rate, meaning they can get to boiling without ruining them. But, don't take them past the point of a boil, or you can ruin their properties. ~Perhaps even making them contain free-radicals.
In general you need a ratio of 75% cocoa to 25% liquid in the form of water or oil (like Sweet Almond or Coconut Oil). 
After melting the cocoa butter, and mixing your coconut and cocoa butter together, you may need to refrigerate to make solid again before you can whip it up with a mixer to make an amazing creamy body butter. I pop mine into the freezer for 15-20 min.'s. ;0)
Add your essential oil drops to creamy mixture and stir in. Fill three glass containers with screw top lid (I recycle & use canning jars).(Or if you doubled the recipe, then six glass jars). ---I edited this because I had a question about how to use the cocoa butter from one person, and another question about how I got six jars out of the recipe. Giving away three, I kept three for myself ;0).--- 

For Night and Day Face Cream Recipes: 
http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2016/05/diy-geranium-essence-for-lotions-day.html

For Eyelash Serum, Bug Off, Diffuser, Baby Wipes & more Recipes: http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2016/03/essential-oil-recipes-ive-been-enjoying.html 

For Hair recipes:
http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/01/home-remedies-to-treat-winter-hair.html

For more Cleaning recipes: 
http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/01/clean-your-house-w-household-items.html
and
http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2016/04/courtesy-rmos-i-stumbled-upon-their.html

The mixture of goodies before I sent the packages out: 

*Note: If you enlarge this picture and spy a gift that isn't included on this blog post, simply ask via comment or in person and I'll add the recipe to this post. I didn't put every recipe that is in the picture(sent as gifts), because I didn't want the post to be too long.

Saving on a Tight Budget

~I decided to write a few words on budgeting this morning because I'm currently trying to aid my mother with a budget (Since my father passed away, she's had major changes), as well as my adult kids are living life. Life happens to all of us and there is help available , you will find it under the words: budget and self responsibility. 
Saving on a Shoe String Budget

$ Money, Money, Money. The mighty dollar and how to save. $ 
Cash, Money, Money.

Make a commitment to yourself. If you're in a relationship, get your significant other, and family member's agreement to support the new budget plan. "We can do this!" and "Let us do this together!" Can go a long way in a household of folks wanting to make change happen in their home. A fun family idea that I used involved putting up a central jar for all family member's to contribute their change to (negative words cost $.25 each word. Once enough was saved, it was a fun pizza night!) 

Don't start the new year short on cash; saving money is possible. It's imperative that you save when your discretionary dollars are limited, because when your budget is tight, one random expense can derail your life, making a huge impact because it's harder to come up with the money! Finding a way to start saving money so that unexpected expenses aren't so devastating may not be easy. But shifting your thought patterns can yield long-term results. Being a "saver," may come natural to some; however, it is not natural to most people. 

Having a mindset of a "spender" is the current American way. It is too easy to put that "on sale" item on a credit card with a 20% interest rate because you're saving money, while the reality is after you pay off the bill, the item cost more than regular price. Any and everyone can become a Saver, it can be developed through practice. 

Eight Ways to save money when money is tight.

1. Shop smarter (Collect coupons, read the store's newspaper, compare prices, make detailed lists, and rid yourself of impulse buying!) [Grocery Coupon Apps: http://www.squawkfox.com/2014/01/15/grocery-apps/] Great grocery saving ideas: http://www.mymoneycoach.ca/blog/budget-grocery-shopping-tips-to-save-money.html
2. Keep the change (Make additional games to save money with this old fashioned idea: every time you think of having an expensive latte coffee, put that $3.95- $5.00 [http://hackthemenu.com/starbucks/menu-prices/coffee-espresso/] into your jar, or whenever you visit an ATM, find your bank using GPS on your phone and save that $2.00 fee into your jar!  Add your loose change to your emergency fund every month). 
3 Pay yourself first (Decide on a percentage and make it a priority over that new purse you have your eye on. By saving each month first, then paying fixed expenses and lastly, budgeting the rest for variable spending, you will not be as overwhelmed, because you "have a plan.") 
4. ***Stop using credit cards (If may be old fashioned to pay with a checkbook, but it's harder to part with cash, while you're keeping track in the checkbook ledger, than to slap a plastic card down with the pay later mentality). Another, more modern day version of this practice is to keep a running log in your phone/ I-Pad for every single cent spent, or in a notebook. Tally each dollar spent from the budgeted amount. You can't overspend if you are subtracting and you will be aware of where your money is actually going. Hum, $5.00 for a drink? Forget it! I'll sip my flavored water out of the thermos I brought with me; thank you! 
5. Make it automatic (Arrange an agreement with your bank to move $10 a month into your emergency fund, while moving $20 into your long-term future home fund). 
6. Save with purpose ( Label your saved fund with a name: emergency, new apartment deposit, car repair fund, or even a date night fund).  

7. Create a budget (I use a spreadsheet program on my computer. Create "cells," or squares that re-calculate as your expenses or income changes). Your main expenses will be fixed amounts (and choose wisely your fixed expenses, make your rent affordable at your income level), food, clothing, entertainment is not fixed. Come up with a number, like $100 for groceries and entertainment for the month. Take that cash out of the bank and stick to the plan, not taping into other funds because you want to "have a drink out." Each month try to lower that amount by $10; you will find money that you never knew you had. Once you've grown accustomed to living on your budget, you'll open up more money for saving toward various goals.  
8. Stay committed. 

***More on Credit Cards, because they are the worst vandals: 
If you don't have the cash, you don't need it! 

If you don't have any money to save at the end of the month, you shouldn't be putting more onto credit cards. The top priority goal needs to be to pay them down and get rid of them so that you can start to work from a cash basis as opposed to a debt basis. Rather than using credit cards to fund living expenses that are beyond your means, or are outside of your income, cut out nonessentials and focus on eliminating your use of credit cards. If your extra cash each month is spent on making credit card payments, you'll never be able to save and get closer to your financial goals.
 (Funny and great article from a former shopaholic: 
http://forevertwentysomethings.com/2011/08/18/finance-tips-from-a-shopaholic-10-steps-to-save-on-a-recent-grads-budget/). 

And, then the biggy: Where it all starts, You must have a full-time job. That is just starters! If there is debt, it is wise to continue paying yourself first; taking on more hours or even a second job to pay down the debt.

Additional Great articles: 
Ideas and organizations to help if you are attempting to save on a shoe-string:
http://www.americasaves.org/for-savers/make-a-plan-how-to-save-money/saving-on-a-tight-budget
I found this article funny and if you read further into peoples comments, you will find great ideas (thinking outside of the box for great savings!):
 http://www.bankrate.com/finance/smart-spending/the-craziest-thing-i-did-to-save-money-2.aspx
Ideas of things to do, instead of spending money: 
http://www.figuringmoneyout.com/50-things-to-do-instead-of-spending-money/

The Perfect Soft, Medium or Hard Boiled Egg

I was asked to post a blog on the perfect boiled egg.

Of course boiling eggs are easy, but getting it soft, medium or hard boiled takes a timer and getting the egg to peel into a smooth oval shape without pieces missing has a few secrets. ;0) So, here are my tricks or secrets that I have figured out through trial and error over my years of cooking.

*Note the best way to get your desired eggs exact, is to experiment with a timer yourself. Take one hour out of a day to play with eggs. It will be just you, your sauce pan, water, vinegar, a timer, and your choice of egg (size, brand, fresh, organic, free-range, or regular grocery store variety). I decided to take a morning and play; I used three timers set one minute apart (using one timer twice). I took the cooked egg out of the pan and  put it under cold running water while peeling it within one minute of the next one being done (that way the cooking stopped and I didn't have a cold egg, which putting it on ice would give you). I cooked each fresh brown cage free organic large egg 2, 3, 4, and 5 minutes on my gas top stove.

A closer view shows the two minute egg on top is runny, and progressively gets more solid up to 5 minutes (the bottom sliced egg).

~And again, 1 minute apart spacing, this time I took the large eggs out at 1, 2, and 3 minutes:

Close up of one minute, two minute and three minutes from start of boil (turn off heat let sit one minute, or two, or three).

Large eggs with their times on timers above them.

I'll begin with a chart for cooking times. (I usually use large or extra large eggs). Try the different times below, so you can hear yourself say, "Ah, now that is just right;" be like Goldilocks! Every morning at breakfast, you will wonder why you waited so long to "use that one hour it took" to learn what you like, getting the perfect eggs for you and your family.

Egg Size      Cooked to Order    Boiling time

Medium                      Soft yolk                                .75 minutes
Medium                      Medium yolk                          2.5 minutes
Medium                      Hard yolk, but not green            8 minutes

Large                          Soft yolk                                  1 minutes
Large                          Medium yolk                        3-4 minutes
Large                          Hard yolk                                 9 minutes

Extra Large                Soft yolk                                   2 minutes
Extra Large                Medium yolk                         4-5 minutes
Extra Large                Hard                                       10 minutes

1. I used a larger pan than necessary for the purpose of pictures for this blog; a smaller saucepan would be fine too. Pour cold water into pan with raw eggs. Note: You do want to allow the eggs to move around a bit, because if they are too crowded, you will have flat sides due to the stationary egg cooking in a settled position.

2. I add vinegar to the pan, it helps the peel to come off easier. Baking soda added to the water works too, just don't let it soak in water to long, as it can make the egg white "meally."

3. Bring to a full boil. Place lid on pan (optional, I didn't in my experiments), turn off heat. Note: If you use a lid, it will take a second more of your time to lift lid... since I only had one minute to peel each egg, I didn't use a lid. To be frank, I usually don't use a lid because 1, 2, 3 minutes until done is fast enough! A lid will hold in the heat and could speed up your cooking times.

Lol,, ever try to take a pic of boiling water? Camera lens steams up & the eggs & water move.

My friend wanted to see the difference btwn simmer & boil.

4. I set the timer for the desired time once the boiling begins. When it rings. I pour off the hot water, roll eggs around in pan to slightly crack them.

5. Refill with cold water to stop the cooking process. The water will loosen the shell off the soaking eggs while you get set to peel them. I place one bowl out next to the sink for the shells (I compost, or you can let them go down the garbage disposal) and another bowl placed on the other side of the sink for the freshly peeled eggs.

6. Peel from wider end. I pore running cold water over the egg while I peel it; the running water will get under the membrane skin making it much easier to peel off with the hard shell. (This is my secret to smooth deviled eggs).

water will push it's way under the egg membrane shell, separating it from the egg for easy removal. ;0)

See film in upper right hand corner & along the top of the egg? You want to work on peeling this, not focusing on the hard part of the shell because it will take the hard with it, making it so easy to remove.

~Picture of the film on my black granite counter top that is separated from shell on a free-range brown egg. It's easier to view on fresh eggs, because their shells and film are thicker due to the better diet of the mother hen.

7. The following are images for you to pick your "Cooked to Order" desired doneness:

As soft as they come, 1.75 minutes on an Extra Large egg:

You can also find adorable egg servers to serve them in their shell. Purchase shell cutters or carefully use a knife to cut off the top. --(Found these two pretty images on The Food Network, one of my fav sites & shows):

 So Cute! Don't ya want to just dig in?

 Soft-Medium, yolk runny with yolk sides a bit solid (Extra-Large egg 3 minutes) :

Medium Egg, (Large egg for 4 minutes).

Medium Well Egg, (Extra-Large egg for 7 minutes) the shell half on lower front right; my fella ate the other half before I could grab my camera, lol. ;0)
Hard Egg, (10 minutes for Extra Large egg) on left side. They're sliced with a simple fork.

17 minutes. Green Eggs mean over-cooked; not "Green eggs and Ham."

Four hard boiled Tips:

--The egg whites on hard boiled eggs will become rubbery if you over-cook them. ;-) Green eggs are the sulfur in the whites (which cook faster than yolk in a quick heat or hot water method) reaction to the iron in the yolk. Keep the temperature of the white and yolk the same during the cooking process by beginning with cold water and eggs in the pan. A slow raise to boil; then do not "overcook" them. 

--Notice fluffy texture & pretty yellow color of the yolk; not green, due to over-cooking. ;0)

--Older eggs are much easier to peel than fresh ones, but I've done these steps with eggs from my friends' hens & did fine.

--On a normal day I do not do the "pin into an end" trick, but it does work to let the air out, as well as it ensures that the egg will not have a flat side. I'd do it, if a famous chef came to my house to eat, though, lol. ;-) Note: a large enough pan that allows eggs to roll around during cooking will eliminate a flat spot too. 

Now Enjoy your Breakfasts...

Egg Summer Vegetables w Licorice Mint & Pecorino

For today's Breakfast, I had a friend over; using leftovers from our dinner (and garden) the night before, we made an omelet, well kinda, lol... I'm calling the meal: Eggs and Summer Vegetables. --She requested the recipe; I find doing a blog so much easier than writting it all down w a pen and finding the time to get it to each other... not to mention, we bloggers love to share. ;-)

Ingredients are per person. I.E.: (multiply it by how many people served):
4 large eggs
1/4 C fresh spinach leaves
1 chopped miniature sweet pepper
1 Tbl sliced red onion
6 fat grilled asparagus, roughly chopped into one inch pieces.
1 slice of lunch meat ham, slivered.
1 piece thick bacon, cut into 1/2 inch chunks.
Wht pepper, black pepper and salt.
*2 large Licorice mint leaves sliced or Tarragon will work too.
Pecorino cheese shaved with a potato peeler or a grater.

Directions:
1. Soft boil two eggs in salted water (wht done, yolk soft or semi-soft). (I poured off the boiling water, banged them in the saucepan to crack their shells and filled the pan with cold water, --letting sit while I did the rest of the meal prep. Then the peels slid right off once I came back to them! Slice eggs after peeled and place on plate first.
2. In a skillet saute meat, onion, and Sweet pepper (in that order, partially cook meat first, giving you the needed oil for the rest of the stir-fry).
3. Add spinach leaves and then asparagus to warm them. Lay stir-fry mixture over sliced eggs.
4. Fry two eggs over easy (wht's done, yolks runny), or poach would be better (hindsight, I'd rather have done that instead). Salt and pepper eggs to taste w both peppers and salt while cooking, before turning them. Note: If poached, wait until you spoon them out of the water to season them. The rich yolk will be your sauce as it flows between your vegetables; it is more rich than most creams (think of Eggs Benedict). Which is why I made toast to go with the meal, to get every drop of yolk! ;0)
5. Shave the cheese over your meal.
6. Arrange sliced Licorice Mint over your dish to finish!

*A note on Licorice Mint, also known as: Agastache rugosa (Korean Mint, Blue Licorice, Purple Giant Hyssop, Huo xiang, Indian Mint, Patchouli Herb, Wrinkled Giant Hyssop; syn. Lophanthus rugosus Fisch. & Mey). It is a medicinal and ornamental plant in the Lamiaceae family. It is called huò xiāng in Chinese and it is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine. --I like to grow and cook with all sorts of herbs that are great for health and flavor! Tarragon also has that desired licorice taste and could subsitute just fine.

Using leftovers never got easier! ;0) Sooo EasY!

The Color Wheel of Vitamins and Minerals

Eating a Variety of Color:

I've read many articles over the years, saved some, although unfortunately, I can't recall all of the sources. I even studied nutrition and food in my nursing courses, but my greatest education came from my mother and being raised off her garden! I can thank her for my basic knowledge of herbs, vegetables, and fruits.

Peas, A good crunch, fresh, right out of the garden, you can pop them into your mouth!

Recently I have had a few conversations with girlfriends who are trying to lose weight and with a colleague who is also a foodie chef and it got me to thinking that is was time for a blog designed to share the good fortune of wonderful food! 

Eating the Color Spectrum for Good Nutrition

It is no secret that eating a variety of colors in your diet will give you a better range of vitamins and minerals, so perhaps sometimes we just need a reminder to mix it up! Keep in mind Noah's rainbow in the sky, the next time you head to the grocery store and pick up a variety of color! If you usually just grab banana's, try instead some plums and oranges for your sweet tooth. If you're hooked on corn, give broccoli a try tonight!

Image is Mediterranean food.

 Image: There is more than one way to make a taco.

Another strategy is to try new types of food, like Mediterranean, Middle Eastern or Asian; Today, you can find that the Internet is full of recipes to try! Unlike the fast food variety of Chinese food, instead of relying on unhealthy fat for flavor, expose yourself to flavor in the form of savory herbs, various peppers or spices, and a glorious rainbow of vegetables!

The Color Wheel of Vitamins and Minerals: 

·         Red. In fruits and vegetables, red is vitamin A (beta carotene) and vitamin C. Typically, red produce are also high in manganese and fiber. Choose red bell peppers, tomatoes, cherries, cranberries, raspberries, rhubarb, pomegranates, and beets. Red apples also contain quercetin, a compound that seems to fight colds, the flu, and allergies. Tomatoes, watermelon, and red grapefruit are loaded with lycopene, a compound that appears to have cancer-fighting properties.

·         Orange. Just a shade away from red, orange in fruits and vegetables signifies a similar vitamin and mineral profile. You’ll get vitamins C, A, and B6, potassium, and fiber in choices such as butternut squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupes, oranges, pumpkins, orange peppers, nectarines, and peaches.

·         Yellow. Banana is probably the first yellow fruit that comes to mind. It delivers potassium and fiber. It is the most calorie dense fruit you will find, which means it will also keep you full longer. Potassium and fiber, vitamin A, and magnesium you will find in other yellow produce, such as spaghetti squash, summer squash, and yellow bell peppers.

·         Green. Dark leafy greens are packed with nutrients, and because they are low calorie, they are considered "free food" in most diets. This means pile them on your plate! Dark leafy greens provide a staggering number of vitamins and minerals, compared to ice berg lettuce, that is more like consuming water. The dark leafy green group is spinach, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, field greens for lettuce salads, broccoli and asparagus. Because of their rich lutein content, which aids eyesight, and foliate, which supports cell reproduction, they are well worth eating. So green it up! The calories only show their ugly head if you add salad dressing or butter on them. Try instead, a mixture of minced garlic, black pepper, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and a touch of olive oil. --And Instead of adding butter to cooked greens, try steaming them in chicken broth.

Play with your food!

·         Blue. Think blue, and you’re most likely picturing a bowl of blueberries, one of nature’s most powerful antioxidants. They are also loaded with fiber and make an incredibly versatile addition to your diet. Rather than eat plain pancakes, try making a whole-grain pancake and add blueberries to the batter! --And then add several raw ones on top, adding more yum to your cooked breakfast! Eat them by the handful, sprinkle them on cereal, or add them to salads for a sweet, different and delicious taste!

·         Purple. This group includes vegetables like red onions and eggplant, and fruits such as blackberries, Concord grapes, currants, and plums. Purple indicates the presence of anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that protect blood vessels and preserve healthy skin. You can also find vitamin A and flavonoids in purple vegetables like radicchio, purple cabbage, purple potatoes, and purple carrots. If you garden, try some of these "Easter Egg" colors; an added benefit: Kids may be more inclined to eat them!

      










White. White may not be much of a color, but white vegetables, such as cauliflower, rutabagas, and parsnips, still shine with vitamins and minerals like vitamins C, K, and foliate, and they contain fiber. Don’t forget onions and garlic, which have a compound called allicin that seems to protect the heart and blood vessels from damage. Although, unlike the folk-lore they do nothing to keep the imaginary vampires away. ;-)

If your fruit and vegetable basket has been limited to peas and grapes, exploring the rainbow of choices available at your local farmers’ market or the produce section of your grocery store, will reward you with a bounty of vitamins and minerals as well as delicious meals! Bon appetit!