Want to Eat it Today?

An avocado that is ripe and ready to eat will be forest green. You should be able to easily flick off the avocado’s little nub on its top side. It should feel a bit soft to the touch when you gently squeeze it.

It’s Gone Bad

An avocado has gone bad if the color is going past green into brownish territory and feels slack in your hand. If the skin is falling away from the fruit on its own, the avocado is probably overripe.

Not Ready Yet

If your avocado is lighter green and still firm, it’s not ready to eat yet. While you wait for it to ripen, set it on the counter for three to five days. If you’re really impatient, you can ripen the avocado in a paper bag with a banana. That’ll make it ready to go in just a day or two.

The post How To Choose An Avocado appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

A Quick List

• Strawberries peak from April till June and that’s when you want to get them.
• Radishes are sweet and crunchy in spring, perfect for adding to any salad.
• New potatoes have super-thin skin, sugary instead of starchy taste, and an amazing potential for many spring dishes.
• Baby carrots are harvested in spring and early summer, and they are the most delicious carrots you’ll eat.

Other Factors to Consider

The availability of foods definitely depends on the region. Not all of them can be harvested at the same time, so it’s a good idea to walk to your nearest farmer’s market once per week and see what’s new. Discover the freshest spring colors and flavors and find the recipes that use them if you feel like cooking light spring meals. It can be very relaxing and great for your health!

The post Spring is the Season When These Fruits and Veggies Peak appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Wash Your Hands

Before you start doing anything, it’s important to wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Only then you can start handling fresh produce. It’s also a good idea to sanitize your countertops, cutting board, and knives before starting.

Separate

If you bought fruits, vegetables, eggs, and meat in one go, separate everything as soon as you get home to avoid cross-contamination.

Wash and Dry Produce

Carefully and thoroughly wash everything, even fruits and vegetables you’ll peel, before moving on. Use cool running water to do this. After washing, dry everything with a clean cloth or paper towels.

Store

Store fruits and veggies in the fridge or as you normally do. You can pre-chop them if you want for easier grabbing later.

The post How to Properly Wash Fruits and Vegetables appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Bananas

Bananas are full of vitamin B6, potassium and more — which makes eating them all the better. However, a medium-sized banana will have about 100 calories, which is quite high for a fruit. If you don’t want to eliminate bananas completely, think about eating only half at a time.

Blueberries

Surprisingly, blueberries are also quite high in calories. They hold tons of anti-oxidants and are said to help so many body parts function better, including your brain, heart, and eyes. However, they are also the berry with the highest amount of calories, with about 85 per cup.

Mango

Mangos are such a sweet treat to have on their own, with a little chili powder, or in a smooth. But, they are also very high in sugar and in calories, with 1 cup holding about 100 calories. One cup of mango will also give you 100% of your daily vitamin C requirement, so eat accordingly if you’re cutting out mango even a little.

The post If You’re Counting Calories, Watch Out For These Fruits appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

For example, watermelons grow naturally in the summertime, whereas carrots you can find in the spring and then again in the fall. Seasonal eating is very important for many reasons, so read on to figure out why.

Environmental Reasons

Every fruit and vegetable has specific needs in order to grow. Soil and temperature are the most important, because it gives the plants nutrients to grow. If you don’t respect the seasonal needs of plants and try to procure them when they’re out of season, like many companies do, there is a lot of chemicals that have to go into the food and the soil to make that possible.

Taste

Fruits and vegetables have different tastes based on the way they were grown. The best tasting produce will come during the time it’s actually supposed to be harvested, so consider only buying products that are in season from your local market or farmer’s market to ensure you get the best tasting and best quality products.

The post Why You Should Be Eating Seasonal Food appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Want to Eat it Today?

An avocado that is ripe and ready to eat will be forest green. You should be able to easily flick off the avocado’s little nub on its top side. It should feel a bit soft to the touch when you gently squeeze it.

It’s Gone Bad

An avocado has gone bad if the color is going past green into brownish territory and feels slack in your hand. If the skin is falling away from the fruit on its own, the avocado is probably overripe.

Not Ready Yet

If your avocado is lighter green and still firm, it’s not ready to eat yet. While you wait for it to ripen, set it on the counter for three to five days. If you’re really impatient, you can ripen the avocado in a paper bag with a banana. That’ll make it ready to go in just a day or two.

The post How To Choose An Avocado appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

A Quick List

• Strawberries peak from April till June and that’s when you want to get them.
• Radishes are sweet and crunchy in spring, perfect for adding to any salad.
• New potatoes have super-thin skin, sugary instead of starchy taste, and an amazing potential for many spring dishes.
• Baby carrots are harvested in spring and early summer, and they are the most delicious carrots you’ll eat.

Other Factors to Consider

The availability of foods definitely depends on the region. Not all of them can be harvested at the same time, so it’s a good idea to walk to your nearest farmer’s market once per week and see what’s new. Discover the freshest spring colors and flavors and find the recipes that use them if you feel like cooking light spring meals. It can be very relaxing and great for your health!

The post Spring is the Season When These Fruits and Veggies Peak appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Wash Your Hands

Before you start doing anything, it’s important to wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Only then you can start handling fresh produce. It’s also a good idea to sanitize your countertops, cutting board, and knives before starting.

Separate

If you bought fruits, vegetables, eggs, and meat in one go, separate everything as soon as you get home to avoid cross-contamination.

Wash and Dry Produce

Carefully and thoroughly wash everything, even fruits and vegetables you’ll peel, before moving on. Use cool running water to do this. After washing, dry everything with a clean cloth or paper towels.

Store

Store fruits and veggies in the fridge or as you normally do. You can pre-chop them if you want for easier grabbing later.

The post How to Properly Wash Fruits and Vegetables appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

Bananas

Bananas are full of vitamin B6, potassium and more — which makes eating them all the better. However, a medium-sized banana will have about 100 calories, which is quite high for a fruit. If you don’t want to eliminate bananas completely, think about eating only half at a time.

Blueberries

Surprisingly, blueberries are also quite high in calories. They hold tons of anti-oxidants and are said to help so many body parts function better, including your brain, heart, and eyes. However, they are also the berry with the highest amount of calories, with about 85 per cup.

Mango

Mangos are such a sweet treat to have on their own, with a little chili powder, or in a smooth. But, they are also very high in sugar and in calories, with 1 cup holding about 100 calories. One cup of mango will also give you 100% of your daily vitamin C requirement, so eat accordingly if you’re cutting out mango even a little.

The post If You’re Counting Calories, Watch Out For These Fruits appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.

For example, watermelons grow naturally in the summertime, whereas carrots you can find in the spring and then again in the fall. Seasonal eating is very important for many reasons, so read on to figure out why.

Environmental Reasons

Every fruit and vegetable has specific needs in order to grow. Soil and temperature are the most important, because it gives the plants nutrients to grow. If you don’t respect the seasonal needs of plants and try to procure them when they’re out of season, like many companies do, there is a lot of chemicals that have to go into the food and the soil to make that possible.

Taste

Fruits and vegetables have different tastes based on the way they were grown. The best tasting produce will come during the time it’s actually supposed to be harvested, so consider only buying products that are in season from your local market or farmer’s market to ensure you get the best tasting and best quality products.

The post Why You Should Be Eating Seasonal Food appeared first on thedancingcucumber.com.