The calendula has a zesty or peppery flavor that complements soups, salads, rice dishes and herb butters.

Edible flowers have been used in international kitchens for thousands of years. You can grind them into a powder, to be used as a spice, or adorn an elegant dish with brilliantly hued petals. Purchase edible flowers at an organic market, spice store, nursery or farmer's market, or start an organic gardening project that brightens your backyard. You can search for an organic farmer's market in your area through Local Harvest or for a nursery through Plant Search Online.

According to OFA-an Association of Floriculture Professionals, the top 10 edible flowers are calendula, chives, daylily, mint, nasturtium, pansy, rose, sage, signet marigold and squash blossoms. Other favorites include chrysanthemum, dandelion, hibiscus, honeysuckle, lavender, sunflower, tulip and violet.

In mainstream America, the "cafeteria ladies" we all grew up with haven't changed much over the last 30 years. While the "hairnet set" is still doling out jiggling squares of lime Jell-O and steaming plates of "mystery meat," our children are scarfing down the same pseudo-entrees we were forced to eat, unless Mom packed a brown-bag lunch for us.

Even worse today, however, is the fast-food invasion that has overtaken the nation's schools. Many schools have "special" days when they bring in McDonald's hamburgers or Arby's roast beef sandwiches, accompanied by fat-laden French fries. Vending machines dispense Coke and Pepsi, rotting teeth and contributing to soaring childhood obesity rates.

Shopping for organic foods is an extremely rewarding experience, as you're bound to happen upon items you never knew existed.

While most of the major manufacturers and brands are represented at chain and local organic food, whole food and natural food stores, there are many vendors "off the beaten path" that can expand your culinary horizons. If you travel frequently, you've no doubt stumbled upon these smaller, specialized natural and organic food stores in out-of-the way locales, where you stocked up on delicious, hard-to-find and often-exotic treats. These days, if you can't hop on a plane to a specific location, the Internet has made shopping a 24/7 breeze.

Spring produces one the most amazing anomalies of citrus, blood oranges. The deep red, sweet, garnet colored flesh tastes as though it has been kissed by a raspberry. This unique citrus fruit is less acidic than other juice oranges. The season for this unique fruit is December through July. Blood oranges come in three varieties, Tarocco, the Moro, and the Sanguigno. Recently they have come into high season and are sweet and succulent.

How would you like to save around $30 a week while feeding your baby the highest-quality organic foods?

You can make a week's supply of baby food in only 30 minutes with an innovative new kit that contains all of the supplies you need to create fresh cuisine for your pride and joy.

Designed for infants 4-6 months old, the So Easy Baby Food Kit preserves foods' natural color, ensures your baby will not be exposed to harmful pesticides or additives (including sugar and salt) and allows great flexibility in choosing seasonal produce.