Researchers have found that we can actually reduce our exposure to harmful carcinogens when we grill if we incorporate antioxidant-rich ingredients into the mix. A 2010 story in The Washington Times told us of a study where researchers looked at the power of spiced marinades in protecting us from cancer-causing compounds that can form in grilled foods. They found that marinades, along with other spices and antioxidant-boasting foods, are an effective way to help protect us from damage. Here are some useful cooking tips you can incorporate into your grilling this summer to boost the protective power of your foods.

Many people think food waste is the safest thing to throw in the garbage. It all rots, right? Wrong! For food waste to compost properly, it needs light and air—of which there is very little in a landfill. So just like those plastic gee-gaws you can't recycle, it's going to sit there for a long, long time. Follow these four easy steps to reduce your food waste.

It wasn’t until my 20s that I was first introduced to authentic strawberry shortcake. No pound cake, no fake whipped “topping,” no saccharine strawberry syrup. Instead, old-fashioned strawberry shortcake is made of crumbly, buttery biscuits, fresh whipped cream and whole strawberries. The real deal, needless to say, is a world apart from the stuff most of us had as a kid. Here’s my personal recipe for this dazzling, whole-food summer dessert that’s going to win over both kids and adults with its freshness and ripe berry flavor.

There is no more perfect exercise than to dance. The act of dancing can be the ideal combination of aerobic exertion, mental transcendence and social connection. Humans have been bouncing to drum beats around campfires for hundreds of thousands of years, and it has only been in recent centuries that we have taken dancing out of our lives. If you have relegated dancing to the realm of children or to the young and foolish, then you are missing out on one of life’s easiest paths to joy and an experience that helps to define humanity against the rest of the animal world.

There's no two ways about it: what you eat impacts the environment in a big way, especially when you eat meat and dairy. That also means that a few small, totally doable diet swaps (we're not saying you have to go vegan!) can also help protect the environment, big time.

Organic Authority is thrilled, honored and absolutely gushing to announce that we've been nominated for "Best Blog" in the first annual ALIVE health and environmental award!

Okay, so technically there is only one way to eat an apricot (we're presuming you all use your mouths, too), but there are many delectable ways to make that suspenseful moment between uneaten and eaten intensely more satisfying. Of course, it's all about the preparation, and if you weren't already aware, apricots are culinary masters, making them a most welcome seasonal fruit to experiment with. Here are our nine favorite ways to use apricots.

My grandfather enjoyed scoffing at my dinner plate and earnestly telling me that he simply would not eat anything that was green, save a juicy honeydew melon at the peak of summer. Nevertheless, we both agreed to just agree that the other person was completely insane, and left it at that. I watched him eat his steak and potatoes as if it were his patriotic duty, and he not-so-quietly left me to my salads and steamed kale. But beyond those important leafy greens, there are many delicious and healthy green foods we should be eating regularly, regardless of how we feel about their color. How many of these nine green foods are you eating everyday?

Hummus has been a staple throughout Mediterranean cultures for millennia. Light, creamy and full of flavor, this raw hummus recipe omits the chickpeas and focuses instead on the nutty and super rich flavor of the sesame seed tahini. It is perfect as a dip or spread, or as a dressing for making tangy, ranchy-flavored dehydrated kale chips.

Often I wonder why it is that certain foods rise to popularity while others linger in utter obscurity. Certainly processed food marketing prowess is an obvious perpetrator when it comes to building excitement for foodstuffs destined for heat lamps, microwaves and all sorts of strange packaging, but what about when it comes to those unlabeled, unpackaged fruits and vegetables? Why is it that kale has become a culinary darling while equally as delicious and comparably nutritious collards and chard receive little such praise? And it's not just in the supermarket, either. Even in my own garden, kale towers over chard, speeds past strawberries and dwarfs tomatoes. It's on a mission, it seems, and I for one, love it!

Out at a restaurant this week, I enjoyed a stellar rhubarb dessert crumble and wondered, "what else can I use the stalks of this odd leafy green vegetable (dubbed a 'fruit') in?" Simultaneously a seasonal gem and totally underappreciated, give these Meatless Monday recipes from some of the most awesome foodie bloggers around (the blogosphere that is) the chance to convert you from a rhubarb renegade to an adept "pie plant" aficionado. 

We're continuing our stroll through local cheesemakers of America, but we're not quite ready to leave New York State yet! Last week, we discovered New York goat cheese, but goats are not the only animals supplying high-quality milk to cheesemakers in the Empire State: today, we're talking about cows.

In order to do any high quality, top-notch, one-of-a-kind (we could go on) work, a person needs the right tools! This rings especially true when researching and assembling tools to build an organic garden. If you’re building a new, sustainable garden from scratch, or just looking to add some snazzy new implements to your gardener’s box, do consider the following gardening tools.

Knowing the "right" thing to feed your baby is a little bit like knowing what is the "best" diet: low-fat, low-cal, low-carb, high-protein... breast milk, formula, baby food, fresh food... At the end of the day, though, both things boil down to common sense. As with feeding yourself, when feeding your baby, all-natural is best. Here are some tips on making sure your baby has everything they need.

Chef Mario Batali, along with his wife and two teenage sons, has taken the challenge to protest the pending cuts that could drastically affect families on the food stamp program. If approved by Congress, the cuts could reduce the amount of support to just $31 per person per week, less than $1.50 per meal.

The fastest growing type of household in the United States is that of the single person. Until modern times, living alone was a luxury that few could afford, but today the number of solo households is surging. Men and women alike are discovering the benefits of living alone, and despite the higher price tag that comes with a single existence, many people are choosing this lifestyle rather than cohabitating with roommates, family or lovers.