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The best blueberry pie recipe

Fall has apple pie. The holidays have pumpkin pie. Spring screams for strawberry rhubarb, and summer? It’s all about the blueberries. Nothing says summer like a fresh and flaky homemade blueberry pie. Don’t let September set in before you get around to making this sweet summer staple. The blueberry filling is relatively easy to make. Blueberries are great because they don’t require any chopping and barely any prep work. Just take a few moments to weed out any bad blueberries, remove any stray stems, and give them a quick rinse and a good shake. You don’t even have to dry them! Toss them in sugar and flour, and you’re pretty much good-to-go. It’s true that the pie crust takes a certain level of practice, but follow these tips and you’ll master the craft in no time: 1. Keep your ingredients super cold.  Don’t remove anything from the fridge until you are…

The best way to wash your strawberries

Is there anything more delicious than a bowl full of fresh strawberries? But hold up just one second! Before you bite into those ripe, red beauties, you should make sure you’re cleaning off any nasty residue that could make you or your family sick. You don’t want to bake bugs into your perfect strawberry rhubarb pie, and you definitely don’t want chemicals mixed into your strawberry sangria. Follow these trip to make sure you’re doing all you can to make your berries as wholesome as nature intended: Before you begin Don’t wash berries until you’re ready to cook or eat them. Strawberries are like little sponges, and they soak up moisture whenever present. This means premature rinsing can cause them to go bad much more quickly. Save time with organic If you’ve purchased organic strawberries from a local farmer or shop, you only need to wash them off under cool…

All the produce in season in July

Welcome to July, the first official full month of summer! By now you’re probably swimming in summer produce. Ninety degree temperatures and lots of sunlight bring tons of vibrant, colorful food options this month, particularly more fruit. Eat what’s in season, and you’ll save money and enjoy tastier foods. It’s a win/win. Summer produce doesn’t change a whole lot each month, but here’s what’s new for July: Apples Apples are thought of as a fall fruit, but many are actually ripe and ready right now. Apples have a nice, long run, so enjoy your juices, apples, dumplings, and pies, now through November. Apricots Apricots are rich in fiber and bring a healthy dose of vitamin A. Kids love their sweet flavor and smaller size. Eat them fresh, blend them in smoothies, make apricot cookies, or add to salads like this Apricot Arugula Summertime salad. Basil Celebrate the return of fresh,…

The very best way to freeze peaches

Is there anything as delicious as a fresh peach? Peaches on ice cream, peach sangria, peach barbecue sauce — my mouth is already watering. Some summers the crop is extra delicious, juicy and fragrant. It’s these flavors I want to capture and savor all year long. When you come across a crop like this, you’ll be tempted to buy the whole bushel, and that’s what I say go for it! Delicious fresh peaches make for delicious frozen peaches, too. What good are frozen peaches? Well, you can pretty much do just about anything with them that you would have done when they were fresh: savory dishes like peach topped pork chops, kebabs, cobblers, pies, jams, sangria, smoothies. Or use them as ice cubes in your iced tea or lemonade for a fruity treat when you reach the bottom of your glass. So what’s the best way to freeze peaches? The…

Star-Spangled Sangria

This popular Spanish drink gets a red, white, and blue makeover in this Star-Spangled Sangria recipe. Enjoy this festive drink on the 4th of July or any day this summer when you want something refreshing to sip. Star-Spangled Sangria Ingredients 2 bottles of Pinot Grigio 6 ounces blueberries, rinsed and stems removed 6 ounces raspberries, rinsed 8 ounces strawberries, rinsed and sliced 1 red apple, (1 half chopped, and 1 half cut into stars) 4 tbsp Grand Marnier 1 tbsp granulated sugar ice (optional) Directions Pour wine into a pitcher and add fruit. Let mixture sit in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. When ready to serve, remove from fridge and add in Grand Mariner and sugar. Stir well. Serve immediately over ice. Also see, why you should always store your wine bottles horizontally.    Follow us on Instagram.

10 unusual fruits you’ve probably never tried before

You’ve been eating fruit since you were a kid. Strawberries, apples, grapes — you know the usual suspects. But you can go beyond the banana and find a whole new world of sweet, fibrous fruits out there. Because of their known health benefits — like reducing the risk of diabetes and some cancers — fruits are popular around the world. Many fruits are only available in certain regions of the world because their delicate skin can easily bruise or the product, once harvested, can quickly turn rotten. But that doesn’t have to stop us from admiring their exotic appearances. If you ever come across any of these fascinating fruits, you should definitely give them a try. Mangosteen Mangosteen are grown primarily in Southeast Asia and southwest India. The white, pulpy edible segments inside are tangy, cool, and slightly sweet, while the dark purple hard exterior needs to be pulled away.…

Eating for smoother, healthier summer skin

Long summer days are made for backyard barbecues, poolside picnics, and rosé all day. But all of that sunshine can have real consequences for your skin. The good news is that there are tons of delicious foods you can eat to help your skin recover from all of the summer excess — and also keep your complexion glowing long after the warm-weather has faded.  “There’s a big impact on how much your diet can effect the health of your skin,” said Dr. Ivy Lee, M.D., a dermatologist in private practice in Pasadena, California and clinical assistant professor at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. “What we’ve learned is that whatever is good for your heart health is good for your skin as well.”  That means farm-fresh fruits and veggies, healthy fats and plenty of water. But it’s just as much of what you don’t eat as what you do.…

10 foods you’ve probably never grilled before

You’ve uncovered your grill for the season and have already eaten more chicken and burgers than you can count. You’ve even grilled some peppers and veggies as extra sides. But besides these basics, does the lack of diversity have you wondering what else can you make on the grill? Get the most out of your grill this summer by whipping up these unexpected recipes. 1. Mussels Cooking mussels might be the easiest item to cook in the history of grilling. Just heat up the grill and set the mussels onto of the grill to cook. You know they’re done when they open (about 5 to 10 minutes). Garnish with a bit of parsley and black pepper. Serve with melted butter. 2. Oysters Bring that vacation beach vibe to your backyard with grilled oysters. They take on a light, smoky flavor that’s sure to be your new favorite way of eating oysters.…

How to pick the perfect cantaloupe

Is there anything more disappointing in the world of food than getting home from the supermarket with a bunch of fresh produce only slice it open and find you’ve literally picked a bad apple… or pineapple.. or cantaloupe. Cantaloupe can be particularly tricky because they pretty much all look the same from the outside. So how do you tell what’s happening underneath that rough, tannish-grey skin? With a few tips you can actually get a pretty good idea. Here’s what you need to know: Buy only in season You just aren’t going to get the juicy, sweet cantaloupe you crave if you’re shopping in January. In the off season, cantaloupe are shipped from South America, meaning that by the time they make it to your mouth, they’ve been off the vine for quite some time. In the U.S., cantaloupe are at their peak from June until August. So if you’re…

10 Hydrating foods your summer diet needs now

Not drinking enough water is an all-too-common summertime woe. Combine beach boozing, outdoor activities, and a whole lot of sun, and you’re creating a recipe for splitting headaches and serious dehydration. When above average temperatures join the mix, not drinking enough water can be downright dangerous, leading to muscle cramps, low blood pressure, and even organ failure. But dehydration doesn’t have to spoil your summer fun. While water is always your best bet, there are many fresh summer foods that can give your body the extra boost of H2O it needs to make it through the day. Here are some of our favorites: Watermelon Biting into a big slice of juicy watermelon is so enjoyable, you’ll forget it’s good for you, too. Watermelon is 93% water, so it’s an ideal snack on a hot summer day or trip to the beach. Eat it alone, or blend it into a juice…