Tag: Winter

Why You Need Essential Oils In Your Household For The Winter Season

Essential oils have become extremely popular in the last decade or so as the go-to remedy for a variety of situations. They are simple to use, very enjoyable (unlike many natural remedies), and support many of the core systems that people are having difficulty with today. You can use essential oils in any season of…


How to Stay Warm During the Winter

It’s wintertime, which means unless you live in the South, it’s cold! With cold temperatures comes cold hands and feet. Your hands and feet feel colder during the winter months because low temperatures cause veins and arteries to constrict, which limits blood flow to these extremities. Blood flow is necessary to feel warm, so reduced…


Cheesy Italian Weddings: An Adaptable Soup for Wintertime Comfort

I’ve written about the satisfaction of bowl food at this time of year, but there’s another style of food that’s equally comforting in the winter: meatballs. After all, who doesn’t like a good meatball? Meatballs come in all sizes—small, large, patties—with different types of protein (beef, pork, lamb, turkey, chicken, and even fish), while variations…


Serve Healthy Beef Short Ribs for a Winning Dinner

Now here’s a healthy beef short ribs slow-cooker recipe you can serve to company. Serve with mashed celeriac or mashed potatoes and steamed green beans. Slow-Cooker Balsamic Short Ribs Active Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 4 1/2 to 8 1/2 hours Serves 6 6 bone-in beef short ribs (about 3 1/4 pounds) 3/4 teaspoon salt,…


Classic French Lentil Soup

Packed with hearty vegetables, ham, and pantry staples, classic French lentil soup is on heavy rotation across French households during the winter. The key ingredient to this staple dish is a French culinary treasure: nutty, firm, and nutrient-rich Le Puy lentils, which make it both healthy and filling. Whether you’re looking to lighten up your…


What Good Is Poetry? Shakespeare’s ‘Winter’ and the Hard Joys of the Season

The world bound up in the snow and ice of winter is as fascinating as it is forbidding. Hoary mountains, blinding blizzards, snowy deserts, solid waters, fluid fires of the aurora borealis, and air that stings to breathe all give the distinct impression that men ought not keep company with such inhospitable presences. But how…


The Patient Art of Drying Persimmons

In Japan, to be alive in autumn is to live on persimmons. The sweet ones, crisp or soft, are everywhere. You’d know an astringent variety at first taste—you would spit it out immediately and run to rinse your mouth. Or, if you were among those fruit magicians privy to the art of making hoshigaki, or…


Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Aside from roasting marshmallows over a campfire, one of the best ways to enjoy them is dropped into a steaming mug of hot chocolate. This version combines both chocolate and cocoa powder for a richer, deeper flavor. Using mint and vanilla extract to flavor the drink makes this recipe kid-friendly; however, you can always add…


Winter Gardening: A Checklist for the Prepared Gardener

It may seem like there isn’t much to do in the garden over the winter, but here are some ideas that may keep you busy. For northerners, is your snowblower ready? Do you have the gas and oil it needs, or electrical cords that aren’t frayed? Make sure you have sand or salt and snow…


Norwegian Glogg (Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic)

Serves 4 to 6 For the Garnish (Optional) 3/4 cup dark raisins 1 cup brandy or aquavit, or boiling water for a non-alcoholic version 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted For the Wine 1 cup white sugar 2 cups water 1 bottle light, dry red wine (pinot noir, merlot, Beaujolais, malbec), or 3 1/2 cups of…