Although it's just about here, you don't have to wait until the 4^th of July for fireworks, or for a reason to turn on the grill. There are plenty of oohs and aahs to be had when you give your guests the fixin's table makeover. That's right; ditch the squeeze bottles and make way for these easy, tasty, homemade condiments for all your summer eats.

Three-day weekends are the best kind of weekends…and this 4^th of July is no exception! Looking for some fun recipes to liven up your holiday celebrating? We've got a slew of delicious recipes for you to try...great appetizers, burgers, salads and of course, cocktails. This July 4th falls on Meatless Monday, so make sure to include as many yummy fruits and veggies as you can! Lots of great ones are in season right now (and may be growing in your garden!), so remember to shop your local farmers markets to get the best deal on abundant produce that needs to be moved quickly. And when you can, buy organic.

Summer movie blockbusters are irresistible: the chase scenes, special effects, those superstuds in superhero costumes. What's not to love? Oh, right. The overwhelming stench of that chemical-laden artificial butter poured over genetically modified corn. It's bad enough that they charge as much as the ticket price for a bucket of the stuff—it could at least be healthy! Whatever. Sneaking your own food into the theater is way more fun anyway. Read on for some worthy faves.

Glossy fashion ads, movie billboards and magazine covers feature our cultural icons at their very best – with seemingly flawless skin, enviably toned bodies and most importantly, superstar, high-wattage smiles – because it’s easy on the eyes and the entire powerhouse package helps sell whatever product is being hawked. Even if we pride ourselves on resisting superficiality, in all honesty, none of us would ever want to find out the real truth behind Victoria’s Secret if her posse of pouty beauties sported gnarly yellow teeth.

Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. As a foodie and a socialite, there is just nothing better than taking the day off to enjoy great food with my friends and family. However, there is always quite a bit of planning involved with throwing an Independence Day barbecue. Not to worry, we gathered some great articles from our friends around the web to help you handle the grill -- and the kids! From all of us at Organic Authority, we hope you have a wonderful extended weekend!

Perhaps you have a garden, and you've already thought about how to get your organic garden started. Or, if you live in an apartment, you might have considered setting up a windowsill garden or a container garden, or you may even be lucky enough to live near some fantastic vertical urban gardens!

However, if you don't have a community garden nearby and don't fancy making one yourself, then take a look at some of these super innovative design ideas for gardens inside your home. Some of them are available to buy now and others are just fantastic concepts, but either way they should definitely be marvelled at!

Here's the thing about avocados: Really, truly, there may be no greater food on the planet than a perfectly ripe "alligator pear." The avocado has it all. It's a flavor powerhouse; it has texture and smoothness that melts in your mouth like the finest chocolate. Avocados are also full of healthy fats that may prevent weight gain, depression and high cholesterol. The Aztecs used the avocado as a sexual enhancement stimulant (the Aztec name for avocado was ahuacatl, which means "testicle."). Plus they're the ultimate summer food. Use them as a condiment, slice 'em up and eat them solo, or make them into a delectable guacamole.

In what looks to be the final episode of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution (at least as far as ABC is concerned), the clever chef pulls one last stunt in the name of  healthy kids: He duped several of L.A.'s top chefs into a meal made entirely of Los Angeles Unified School District cafeteria food, a.ka. majorly, seriously gnarly stuff…

Personally, I keep just three knives in my kitchen, which serve for all my personal and professional purposes: A small paring knife, which is used for zesting, peeling and cutting small foods; A serrated knife, which is used for slicing breads, tomatoes and shoes (not really); And a Japanese chef’s knife (although French is also quite popular) for virtually all other purposes in the kitchen. Of these three knives, only one ever needs to be sharpened: The chef’s knife.

Charles Darwin was the first scientist to identify the necessity of earthworms—citing that every living thing on Earth once passed through the digestive system of an earthworm. Whether they give you the willies or not, they're some of the cleanest creatures on the planet, and a new skincare product says worm castings (a.k.a. worm poo!) are actually beneficial in an entirely bizarre way... they do wonders for your skin. Seriously.

Many of us tremble in the presence of red hot chili peppers, Anthony Kiedis included, but Scoville-unit intimidation really shouldn’t prevent us from throwing caution to the wind and chomping down. Whether you’re triple-dog-dared by an apparently iron-stomached arch enemy or you finally decide to confront your chili pepper demons as part of your personal plan of empowerment, the initial pain is always followed by an oddly cooling and come-hither type of pleasure, which could just be Mother Nature’s cleverly strategic way of hooking us in for a second helping.

Raw or cooked? Health advocates on either side could argue until the grass-fed cows come home. But while no dogma may either be proven as the best, scientists have identified certain foods that are more nutritionally-available to our bodies if they are cooked—versus those that should be eaten raw. Read on to find out what foods to cook for optimal nutrition absorption, and which to consume raw.

We are here to say: Don't underestimate the importance of vitamin D, my friends. From a strong, sturdy skeleton of hardy bones to the prevention of cancer and heart disease, this little vitamin is critical in a big way. In fact, vitamin D deficiency has now been linked to breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, depression, weight gain, MS and beyond! And where do we get it? The sun prompts our bodies to create it. One little thing though: Sunscreen completely blocks our ability to get vitamin D. So in a world obsessed with slathering on the UV protection at all times (to stave off cancer and wrinkles), no wonder so many of us are vitamin D deficient (and probably don't even know it). What are we to do?

You have three ways to get your vitamin D, and we suggest you do all three, or at least two!

For the past 10,000 years of human existence, life was like one long food ritual. Planting and harvesting informed the seasons, and the slow walk through days was filled with the humble task of cooking, eating and sharing food with family and friends. Still today most of our holidays seem to revolve around food: The Thanksgiving feast, Valentine’s chocolates, Halloween candy and black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day.

Summer - long a season of play for agrarian communities - was once a time to sit back, relax and ponder the fruits of your labor. Recapture that meaning of the season when you institute these new summer food rituals, which are meant to slow you down and give you a much-needed break to savor the bounty of life.