It's happened to me. I caught the bug. Several of my friends have, too. Once you've been infected, you're never the same. It usually strikes the first time you get a stamp in your passport. Life as you know it is never the same. It goes by many names but I call it, simply, the travel bug. International travel exposes you to new tastes, sounds, smells and sights that can make you feel more alive than ever before. 

The heat is on. Much of the country is battling record high temps—killing appetites and certainly any inclination towards knobbing on the stove. Fulfilling meals need not elude you though. There's one rule of thumb when it comes to salads: There are no rules. From greens and grains to beans and berries, everything's got a place in a well-balanced salad (well, maybe skip the Cheetos).

"Cool as a cucumber" isn't just an expression. Cucumbers help lower your blood pressure, making you feel refreshed and clear-headed even when it's muggy out. Cucumbers are also just coming into season: If you didn't plant them in your own garden, you're bound to find them at the farmers market. Make the most of their blood-cooling effect with these refreshing drink recipes.

Onions, onions, the magical vegetable. Growing in your garden, oh-so plentiful. The more you eat, the better you feel. We should have onions at every meal.

If those Shakespeare-worthy poetic words didn’t get you excited about onions, just wait! While well known for their flavor enhancing characteristics in the culinary world, onions can do far more than elicit an “mmmmm” out of you. Here are eight reasons to celebrate the pungent little plant even more.

Today, the canning trend is soaring ahead as people want to take advantage of the seasonal availability of local produce, add more fruits and vegetables into their diets and enjoy the slow rewards of delayed gratification. Free of many of the chemicals that come along with commercially canned food, home canning is a healthier alternative that is kinder to the earth and your budget.

Perhaps you’re not a big fan of the red wine blend that you coughed up five whole smackers for (thanks, Trader Joes!)… or you just found out that you’re pregnant… or your sole vice in life plagues you with terrible wine-induced migrane headaches (um… some sacrifices are worth it, I guess?). Whatever reason you may find yourself scratching your head while pondering how on earth you can make the most of your remaining wine dregs, you’ve come to the right place. Behold five shiny new ways to turn that leftover juice into something that Momma Nature would be proud of:

The thermostat is reaching triple digits outside and you haven’t even turned the oven on yet to make lunch. Ikes. Cut back on the heat in the kitchen (and the rest of the house) by utilizing no-cook recipes this summer. This recipe for no-cook tomato sauce is raw, vegan and completely heat-free. Now, that’s cool.

You don’t need to go to a spa to treat yourself to delightfully refreshing fruit- and herb-infused water. This seemingly fancy-pants water is actually quite easy to make.

Simply pick up some of this season’s delectable fresh fruits, snip some herbs from your garden, grab a pitcher of ice-cold water and mix it all together. Drink up. (Maybe you could ask your significant other for a massage while you're sipping.) When you’re thirsty again, repeat with different combinations of fruits and herbs.

We know, we know – charred ground beef on a bun isn’t the healthiest dinner option around. Unless you are planning a vegetarian conversion, however, it is unlikely that you are going to kick the hamburger habit any time soon. 

The following tips can be used separately or can be combined to create a truly healthy hamburger.

We're in the thick of it: Summertime! And that means fruit coolers, iced tea, fresh pies and gelled desserts! But hold up. Before you get started on the Strawberry Jell-O Mold or the Banana Cream Pie, do you know where your gelatin comes from? If not, we've got the not-so-appetizing details that will have you wondering what alternatives you have for using gelatin in cold pies, gelled dishes and custards. Meet the all-natural, completely plant-based alternative to animal gelatin: Agar.