It’s not just for breakfast anymore…this ‘special K’ is the chemical symbol for potassium.

One out of every four Americans has high blood pressure. While high sodium levels play a role in this statistic, so does your intake of potassium.

Potassium is a mineral that keeps the heart pumping smoothly and blood pressure at an even keel. It is best when consumed with the right balance of sodium (read high K, low Na,) but currently most trends reflect the opposite. Ideally, the ratio is 5:1 (K:Na) which is ten times higher than the average intake! Click to continue »

Buckwheat is one of my favorite fruits.  That’s right – buckwheat is actually not a grain, but a fruit seed related to rhubarb.  This also means there’s no ‘wheat,’ so it’s a wonderful option for those looking for gluten-free grain alternatives. Click to continue »

Now I don’t know about your flowers from Valentine’s Day, but there’s another ‘rose’ which is much appreciated in the food family: garlic.  You could say our kitchen has become a makeshift ‘florist’ lately!

Known for its cardiovascular benefits, garlic is also a powerful immune booster which is particularly timely in the thick of cold and flu season.  It is also a ‘strong’ antioxidant, ‘strong’ coming from the organic compound allicin, which is what offers us its ‘fragrance.’ Click to continue »

I’ve been a little under the weather lately (and yay! the weather has finally arrived in Napa!) Even with the healthy diet I consume (future post,) I, too, can succumb to the bugaboos that infiltrate our systems. While I wasn’t in much of a mood to cook recently (now you know I’m not well),  I was able to access a nice assemblage of still-fresh items and pull them together for two nourishing entrees. Click to continue »

Do I have you intrigued? Mouth watering and ready for a healthy jolt?  Great – I’m on the right track.  In the thick of winter there’s nothing better than starting the day with something warm, and this beverage is just the ticket. Or end the day (with your chocolate polenta cake) sending more nutrients to the heart. The energy boost it provides comes from delicious, nutritious ingredients – not caffeine. You could say it’s a healthy take on coffee, lovingly provided by my #1 inspiration, Ed Bauman. Click to continue »

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching…and I heart chocolate.  (I used to be a vanilla girl – now I’m both (see photo.)  In case you needed justification, chocolate actually has heart healthy benefits.   According to Body and Soul Magazine, dark chocolate (70% or higher) is said to tame high blood pressure and fights inflammation.  In a recent study from the Journal of Nutrition, people who ate modest amounts of dark chocolate had 17% lower blood levels of C-creative protein, which increases the risk of heart disease.  Now here comes the Mom in me…a little dab’ll do ya.  A small square of dark chocolate two to three times a week delivers potent heart healthy antioxidants.  And that’s about the amount we use in the following recipe. Click to continue »

In his first major interview since becoming U.S. Energy Secretary, Steven Chu did not ‘mince’ words with regards to the status of California’s agriculture.  The state is in its third year of drought, which is compounded by higher global temperatures preventing snow accumulation.  That runoff is what feeds our rivers and reservoirs, ultimately leaving our farms high and dry.  With California as a producer of half of all U.S. vegetables, the future of our food chain could be severely impacted by the end of this century. How can we help? Click to continue »