Making time to brew a satisfying cup of organic tea or coffee before rushing out the door each morning is back in vogue, as many of us bid adieu to high-priced cafes and coffee shops.

The right appliances can help you master the art of making smooth-tasting, flavorful hot beverages.

Planning a Labor Day barbecue?

Transform sweet organic watermelon into a savory side dish with a Thai-inspired sauce.

Grill watermelon wedges until they’re caramelized, drizzle them with the tangy sauce, and garnish with fresh organic cilantro. The recipe can accompany ribs, chicken or shrimp.

All of the ingredients should be available at a well-stocked natural and organic food store. Enjoy!

Mushrooms are known for their nutritional value and culinary versatility. Now, there’s a new reason to buy these fabulous fungi: They may help prevent breast cancer.

Shiuan Chen, PhD, a professor of tumor cell biology at the City of Hope in Duarte, Calif., was among the first scientists to study how white button mushrooms offer protective benefits.

“Diet is a key consideration for prevention because it is something that everyone can control,” he says. “Our research shows that women may benefit from a balanced diet that includes about 3.5 ounces of mushrooms per day.”

Some home cooks cringe at the thought of hosting a crowd because they don’t know how to plan the menu.

Entertaining needn’t be stressful. Focus on filling guests’ bellies, and remember that you can’t please everyone all the time. An organic vegetarian entree solves multiple problems.

If you don’t have a go-to dish, I’d recommend a classic eggplant rollatini. It’s a perfect entree, especially if time is of the essence. Pre-sliced raw or roasted organic eggplant slices are available in bulk from a well-stocked supermarket or natural/organic food store.

School is almost in session, so it’s time to “think outside the loaf,” according to registered dietitian Elizabeth Somer.

“Kids do get tired of the same old sandwiches,” says the visiting professor of exercise science at Willamette University in Salem, OR. She’s also the author of numerous books, including Age-Proof Your Body: Your Complete Guide to Looking and Feeling Younger.

A tortilla wrap is a great way to experiment with a variety of healthy ingredients, Somer says, and tortillas are a good choice for budget-conscious families.

Organic watermelon is a nutritional best bet, with more than 1,200 varieties available for savvy snacking.  Farmers in 44 states grow these juicy members of the Cucurbitaceae plant family, with Georgia, Florida, Texas, California and Arizona leading the pack.

 Here are 10 reasons to head to the summer produce aisle.

1. Get your vitamins—naturally 

A 2-cup serving of watermelon is an excellent source of vitamins A and C: 

• Vitamin A is critical for optimal eye health. A 2-cup serving of watermelon contains 25% of your daily requirement.
• Vitamin C helps bolster the immune system. A 2-cup serving of watermelon contains 30% of your daily requirement.

2. Potassium is your BFF

Potassium helps maintain water balance. If your potassium level is low, you may experience muscle cramps. 

A 2-cup serving of watermelon provides 270 mg potassium: 8% of your daily requirement. A watermelon is also more than 90% water, so a few cups will help you stay hydrated.

3. Watermelon is heart-healthy

 Watermelon contains amino acids that help maintain healthy arteries and blood flow. 

“With its naturally sweet taste, watermelon can be a wonderful way to get more fruit into a sensible low-saturated-fat, low-cholesterol diet,” says Maureen Storey, PhD, former director of the Center for Food, Nutrition and Agriculture Policy at the University of Maryland.

4. It helps protect you against cancer 

Red-fleshed watermelon contains high concentrations of lycopene, an antioxidant that helps reduce cancer risk. A 1.5-cup serving contains 14 to 15 mg lycopene, according to plant physiologist Penelope Perkins-Veazie, PhD, a professor at the Plants for Human Health Institute  at North Carolina State University. The redder the watermelon, the more lycopene it offers.

5. Pour me a drink 

Because of its high water content, watermelon is a perfect addition to drinks like Watermelon Lemonade (right) and Three-Melon Smoothie. 

As with our story on making lemon-flavored ice cubes, you can create watermelon ice cubes (above) by pureeing the melon’s flesh and freezing it in ice cube trays.

6. Watermelon is kid-friendly

 Few children will turn down a slice of juicy watermelon, so make it a part of their regular fruit and veggie intake. Be creative in the kitchen. Let your kids use a melon baller to form watermelon spheres.

7. Baby, you can drive my car

 Place cubes of melon in travel containers for hydration and a nutritional boost during long car trips. Bring napkins!

8. Watermelon shines at organic picnics 

Dishes like Watermelon Salad with Thai Basil and Feta will please your adult guests, while Watermelon and Tomato Salad  and  Poppy Seed Fruit Salad will appeal to both children and adults. 

Labor Day is almost here. Make an Americana Basket (above) for backyard barbecues and potlucks.

9. Get thee to a farmers’ market 

Buy locally grown organic produce to support family farmers. Willie Nelson will thank you. 

Not sure where your local farmers’ market is located? Local Harvest will solve this problem in a jiff.

10. Grow your own 

Kits like Ecosource’s Organic Grow Your Own Seedling Starter Kits are great gift items, and they make the job easy. More advanced gardeners can pick up a copy of Amy Goldman’s Melons for the Passionate Grower. 

Photos: Jermaine Justice, Wyscan, kokopinto, nsaplayer, Chris Breeze, ccharmon, xlorddashx, National Watermelon Promotion Board, McCormick, Suddenly Salad 

Follow me on Twitter: @BarbGoesOrganic

Triple-digit temperatures have hit Southern California later than expected. I suppose I should be grateful that the thermometer reads only 103° today, as opposed to the day’s record high of 116° that blistered us in 1985. 

Staying hydrated is critical when the sun decides to show off. I make sure my ice cube trays are well stocked and drink more fluids to make up for water loss. 

I also take a cue from Jenny Harper, senior culinary specialist for the Nestlé Test Kitchens. Jenny freshens up summer drinks with lemon-flavored ice cubes. 

“Squeeze fresh lemons, and put the juice in ice cube trays,” she says. “You can also add some zest for an extra lemon boost.” 

Freeze the cubes, and then transfer them to a freezer-ready storage container. You can add a burst of flavor to water, iced tea, fruit juice and other beverages. 

I like the BPA-free, though pricey, Stainless Steel Ice Cube Tray (right) from Onyx. And if I’m out of lemons, I’ll substitute other citrus fruit juices for flavorful ice cubes.

4 Special Recipes from Jenny Harper 

1. Early-Morning Pumpkin Maple Oatmeal
2. Pumpkin Latte
3. Creamy Margaritas (Tequila Optional)
4. Frozen Hot Chocolate 

Photo: FotoosVanRobin 

Follow me on Twitter: @BarbGoesOrganic

Nothing beats sipping a tall, cold Blueberry Mojito while grilling outdoors. 

The combination of fresh mint and blueberries is super-refreshing, and the drink can be prepared with or without alcohol. (For a virgin mojito, top off the glass with lemonade or club soda in lieu of rum.) 

Here’s the best part: All of the ingredients should be available at a well-stocked natural and organic food store. 

Cheers!

Blueberry Mojito

Makes 1 drink

1. In a tall 16-oz. glass, add mint leaves, lime juice and sugar. Mash the ingredients with the back of a spoon or muddler until fragrant.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of the blueberries, and mash until juicy.
3. Fill the glass three-quarters full with ice. Add lemonade until the glass is two-thirds full.
4. Add splash of soda, light rum and remaining blueberries; stir.
5. Slowly pour dark rum into the drink so it floats on top.
6. Garnish with a sprig of mint and slice of lime; serve immediately. 

Recipe developed by Lewis & Neale for the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council

Summer bequeaths us an abundance of fresh, juicy, organic blueberries, which you can easily find at natural and organic food stores, mainstream supermarkets, farmers’ markets and roadside stands. 

Here are 8 reasons to go blue: 

1. Blueberries represent America at her finest. Only three fruits are native to North America: blueberries, cranberries and Concord grapes. The first colonists adopted the Native American practice of picking fresh blueberries in the summer and drying them for winter consumption.
2. They’re at their seasonal peak. Fresh blueberries are available for almost 8 months in the United States and Canada. The North American harvest runs from mid-April through early October, with peak harvest in mid-May through August.
3. They’re a nutritional powerhouse. A half-cup serving has only 40 calories and provides 2 g fiber and 10% of your daily vitamin C requirement. Blueberries are also high in antioxidants that help fight cancer and protect your skin.
4. They’re easy to buy. When shopping, look for berries that are dry, firm, plump, purple-blue to blue-black, well-shaped and smooth-skinned. Be sure to avoid containers with juice stains, which often indicate blueberries are crushed and/or moldy. Eat blueberries within a week of purchase.
5. They’re a low-maintenance fruit. Buy ’em and rinse ’em. They don’t need to be peeled, cored, sliced or stemmed.
6. They’re easy to freeze for winter enjoyment. Buy them in season. Then, place  unwashed, completely dry berries in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Pop the cookie sheet in the freezer. Once blueberries are frozen, transfer them to freezer containers. They’ll last 10 months to 1 year.
7. They’re an ideal breakfast food. Boost your breakfast’s heart-protective benefits by adding blueberries to oatmeal, cold cereal, pancakes and smoothies.
8. They’re extremely versatile. Add a new recipe to your repertoire, such as American Fruit Basket, Blueberry & Red Onion Compote, Poppy Seed Fruit Salad and Triple Berry Granola Crisp.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council

Burlington, VT-based VerMints has introduced a new line of vegan-friendly mints made exclusively from all-natural and organic ingredients. 

Six full-bodied flavors are available in pocket-size tins: 

1. PepperMint
2. CinnaMint
3. WinterMint
4. GingerMint
5. Chai
6. Café Express 

Each product is gluten- and nut-free, kosher and free of animal products. No high-fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners are used. 

Chai, my favorite flavor, is made with organic crystallized cane juice, organic tapioca syrup, organic Vermont maple syrup, chai tea and Vermont Pure Spring water. 

Mints are available at well-stocked natural and organic food stores like Whole Foods Market. You may also order the mints online. 

5 More Organic Food Finds

1. VitaSoy Peppermint Chocolate Organic Soy Beverage (seasonal)
2. The Great Organic Uncured Hot Dog
3. Dagoba’s Sweet and Savory Organic Chocolates
4. Clover Organic Eggnog (seasonal)
5. Moosewood Soups and Entrees