Is it OK to use the garlic and ginger that comes in jars?

Those little jars of prepared garlic and ginger are so completely convenient!  No fussing with paper-thin garlic peels, no paring gnarly knobs of ginger or endangering fingers on the ginger grater and no garlic-smelling hands for the rest of the night.  But is it OK to use these conveniences? I get this question a lot, … Read more

How to Stock the Pantry . . . or Do a Better Job Working the One You Have

“Stocking the pantry.” Sounds like it should be a nice, predictable process akin to stocking inventory at the local shoe store. Actually, “raucous,” “adventuresome” and “messy” are more descriptive, likely because stocking the pantry is such a unique, personalized process. Discover 5 helpful steps for creating a pantry just right for you.

Investment Thinking at the Grocery Store

Hate grocery shopping? “Investment thinking” will keep you out of the aisles and free up more time to make the healthy, economical meals you want to be eating.

The Post-Vacation Refrigerator Blues

Coming home from vacation is usually disappointing in and of itself, what with all the mail to read, newspapers to deal with, email to catch up with and, worst of all, the frig to re-stock. While there’s no avoiding the inevitable, learn the KitchenSmart trick that can at least delay a trip to the grocery store for a few days, until you’re a little more caught up.

Wheat-Free and Gluten-Free Living—Beyond Recipes and Cookbooks

What do you do if you’ve been told to stop eating wheat or gluten? Cookbooks and recipes aren’t a bad starting point. But they are only part—and a relatively small part of the solution. What’s more, they’re the easy part. Find out the deeper fundamentals that will lead to more lasting–and enjoyable–success.

Holiday Stress-Reducing Secret No. 2: Steer Clear of Holiday Shoppers

Fighting crowds of frenetic shoppers can zap the magic right out of your holiday buying. So avoid last-minute shopping–which is easy enough if you took the first Stress-Reducing Secret to heart and planned out your holiday meals in advance.