Welcome the Fair Weather
Last days of winter, we’ll be officially welcoming spring. Some of us did not see much of winter, others have seen too much of it lately, and, hopefully, spring is now close for them.
What will you do to welcome the fair weather? Maybe you can start having dinners out on the porch or take the first short trips –a day at the zoo with the kids, a picnic. Whatever you do, check the list of seasonal foods available in spring and aim to use them more often.
Why don’t you start your own herb garden? Many aromatic herbs can be grown in pots and you could try even it in the city. Sow the seeds at the beginning of spring but, honest, it is easier to buy the seedlings from a garden center and transfer them to a larger pot, or start with those ones you find at the grocery store.
Basil – likes plenty of sun and plenty of water, will want a little pruning. It will grow during the summer.
Chives – Given enough water, they grow fast. Cut the tips as they get yellowish.
Mint – Grows, no problem in this quarter, despite not getting much water and having indifferent soil.
Parsley – Provided you water it often and lightly, it will grow even inside your kitchen. Set the pot close to the window and water the base of the stems, not the leaves.
Rosemary – needs sun, likes a large pot, the protection of a wall and also plenty of water.
Sage – water moderately, likes sun, cannot stand wind.
Those celebrating Easter, start planning. It will be on top of you before you know it.
Healthy Eating
Aromatic Herbs Updated
Well known for their healing properties, as source of essential oils and in tisanes, lemon balm and lemon vervain have not been used that often in the kitchen; both can add an interesting lemony flavor to your dishes. Dare to explore.
Health News
We have read news that should have two well rooted principles in the minds of nutritionists and health specialists tumbling down.
Low fat dairy products might impair ovulation. Latest statistics revealed women who eat at least 1 serving of a normal dairy product a day were 27% less likely to suffer of anovulatory infertility. The challenge is to go back to full fat products without putting on weight. Apparently, Harvard Medical School is the origin of this piece of news.
The second setback is for vitamin supplements. According recent studies, not only there is little evidence vitamins A, E or beta-carotene could protect against heart disease but there is evidence that vitamin pills -either for a single one or multivitamin supplements- might make you a 5% more likely to die. The original source is The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Entertaining
Saint Patrick's Day
There is a bit of Irish in almost anyone in the United States; probably this is the reason Saint Patrick's Day is such a fuss there. Those not having Irish grandparents can join, just for the fun of it. Erin M. Phelan explains how she celebrates Saint Patrick's Day, including the menu and recipes for corned beef and cabbage, brown soda bread, Irish stew and Irish bread pudding. Get all those green shamrocks and leprechaun hats ready!
Food Naturally Line
Recipe Competition
And the book goes to... Rachel, from Albacete, Spain, for her partridges with chocolate sauce recipe. It is a great example about how to use chocolate as flavoring. There are so many recipes we'll be taking some extra days to have the page up. We have enough recipes to have a chocolate special next month.
Now we will start collecting recipes using coffee, preferably as flavoring. Send your words by the last day of March 2007 using this form or by email to the postmaster@all-foods-natural.com, and good luck! A copy of the book Fix it and Enjoy it is waiting for the best recipe. Finalists will feature in this newsletter and the web site. The winner will be notified by email, and we will request then the postal address to send the book. Have a look to what you can find in the book
Food and Cooking tips
Baked Potatoes
It is back to basics as Anne Ehmer explains how to roast vegetables. Anne is very partial to anything that cooks in the oven, so she's bound to select good recipes. Vegetables cook in the oven with minimum fuss and top flavor. Baked or grilled vegetables seasoned with herbs can be served as side dishes, appetizers or light meal. Let's explore the world of baked potatoes and their fillings and see what else we can bake.
This article will be available for all in April. Subscribers get a sneak preview.
Your Questions and Suggestions
I've heard/read that coconut oil is found to be easier on the liver, thus may aid in lowering cholesterol. Information/recipes re coconut oil would be appreciated. Thank you!
From: Donna, through Food Naturally line feedback form.
We don’t find evidence that coconut oil will help you with your cholesterol levels and it might be the opposite. We have started a series about cholesterol with our article about a low cholesterol diet and some recipes from the book Cholesterol Down.
No added sugar
Help to find recipes for jams and other sweet treats for children who cannot have sugar.
From: Debbie, through Food Naturally line feedback form.
There are some treats you can prepare sugar free or no added sugar.
Coming Next
Coming in April 2007
We will be building the page about coffee and will get to the next three aromatic herbs in alphabetical order: marjoram, mint and myrtle.
If you had plan to welcome the fair weather with a picnic, that will be the motto for next month. Recipes suitable to take and eat outdoors, on the picnic mat.
No more monthly recipe contests, sorry. We will be making only seasonal ones with more than one book as prize. We cannot test as many recipes as we receive in a monthly basis; next one in June, for the summer.
For the eyes of the subscriber only
The second part of vegetables in the oven. | 
