Take a bite out of food waste by making sure you use fruits and vegetables before they spoil.

Be a superhero by trimming food waste

Small steps can make a big impact in the 1.3 billion tons of food that’s wasted every year

On a recent flight, I was pleasantly surprised by the built-in video screens with free movies in the seat backs. I settled in and decided on entertainment for my 2-1/2-hour flight. I tuned into an animated movie, “The Incredibles 2,” which tells the story of a superhero family. The supermom (Elastigirl) has the ability to

Squash provides health benefits and can be used in a variety of menus.

Let’s play ‘name that squash’

Squash is a nutrition all-star in all its many varied forms

When I was growing up, we usually had two types of vegetables served for our evening meal. We usually had potatoes boiled or baked in their skins and a brightly coloured side vegetable. In the winter, our favourite was squash grown in our garden. It was mashed and served with a bit of butter, salt


Can an apple a day really keep the doctor away?

Can an apple a day really keep the doctor away?

Nobody knows for sure, but there’s no doubt that apples are truly good for our health

Last year, I was very disappointed because our apple tree had no apples. Our tree had never been completely fruitless. I kept staring up at the tree, walking around it and looking for even one apple. I couldn’t find an apple on the tree, even at the very top. At first, I thought the squirrels

Vegetables such as eggplant can be grilled, roasted, fried, steamed and sautéed.

I’m keeping my day job

I learned there’s a lot to being a chef, and it’s mostly in the details

“Zucchini are easier to slice if you cut them from top to bottom,” the student chef said to me. I cut the zucchini as described. I was enjoying a culinary workshop on Spanish and Mediterranean-inspired foods one afternoon at a conference out of state. “You were supposed to cut the zucchini on the bias,” the


Beans of any type are a healthy dietary choice and they can be used in many versatile recipes.

Spilling the beans

Dry edible beans are nutritious and have several health benefits

Have you ever been to a food festival? Every state has at least one food festival, and they often showcase the foods grown or caught in the region. Sometimes festivals also highlight the ethnic heritage of people in the area. Supporting your community and everything that makes it unique is a memorable way to connect.

Garden-fresh carrots can be stored a long time if precautions are taken.

Harvesting, storing and enjoying carrots

All carrots, in any form, are an excellent addition to any diet

Delicious, affordable and versatile, carrots are everything we could want in a vegetable. It’s no wonder this nutritious, subtly sweet root vegetable is loved by young and old and is one of the most popular root vegetables in the world, second only to potatoes. Carrots, whether red, purple, yellow or orange, are rich in fibre,


Jars of freshly applesauce with home-canning equipment in the background.

The latest in home canning

Grandma was wrong — you shouldn’t be boiling your lids, and beware of pressure cookers

Home canning has and continues to undergo constant changes. While it’s nice to romanticize about putting up food just like Grandma did, keeping up with the times and following canning processes based on scientific research will lead to much better and safer results. The most reliable and trusted source for current home canning standards in

Freezing fruits and veggies can keep them at their best if the  proper procedures are followed.

Freezing your bounty of fruits and vegetables

Prairie Fare: As gardens hit high gear, it’s time to preserve some of the excess for the coming winter

Freezing is an easy, convenient and affordable way to preserve fruits and vegetables. In fact, when fresh produce is frozen shortly after being harvested, it can contain more nutrients than fresh vegetables that have been shipped long distances or stored in warehouses or on retail shelves. If you have a garden, a neighbour with surplus


A slow cooker isn’t just for the colder months. It can save time 
and keep the house cool in summer too.

Enjoy fajitas using your slow cooker

Prairie Fare: A slow cooker shouldn’t be ignored in the summer months

Mom, that’s a female yellow pepper because it has four bumps,” my 14-year-old daughter said as she pointed at the peppers on a cutting board. “It’s sweeter.” She was grinning sweetly and looking at me. I mean my daughter, not the yellow pepper. “That red pepper is a male pepper because it has three bumps,”

There are U-pick operations around the province getting ready to greet 
the season’s visitors.

It’s fruit-picking time

Prairie Fare: Make the most of Manitoba’s short season

We are fortunate to have an incredible variety of fruit here on the Prairies. We have apples, cherries, choke­cherries, crabapples, currants, gooseberries, grapes, has­kaps or honeyberries, melons, pears, plums, raspberries, saskatoons, strawberries and many more. It’s enough to make one’s mouth water. Our beautiful, jewel-coloured fruit is high in antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients making it