At one time or another we’ve all added something tasty to give our plan ‘ol glass of water or fizzy seltzer a little boost. A squeeze of lemon or lime, a few slices of cucumber, perhaps a few sprigs of mint. This summer try something a little different. Cool off your drinks and add a hint of fresh flavor with melon ball ice cubes. I stumbled across this genius tip on Pinterest recently, and it was too good not to share with you!

Somehow I’ve managed to accumulate no less than 100 wooden skewers. Or, perhaps the count is closer to 200. Either way there’s a lot. And that’s in addition to my collection of metal skewers. Every summer I seem to forget I’m well stocked in this area, and pick up a new package of skewers the very second grilling season begins. If you, like me, are well-stocked with skewers, here are some creative ideas for putting them to use this summer.

I think we can all agree that it doesn’t take a lot to make a great guacamole. Just a simple blend of mashed avocado, plenty of chopped fresh cilantro, red onion, fresh lime juice, salt and pepper. Add the chips, and perhaps a cold beer or margarita and you’re all set. This summer, I propose breaking out of your purist shell and expanding your horizons to consider one of these 5 fun add-ins to jazz up your next batch of guac! If you love a good sweet-savory blend, this is for you!

Can it really be possible to make homemade whipped cream with just a mason jar? No tired arm from whisking. No lugging the stand mixer out just to make a few dollops of whipped cream. No beaters to wash, or immersion blender to clean. Instead, there’s a method as simple as pouring whipping cream in a jar, sealing the lid nice & tight and giving it a good shake. Kind of sounds too good to be true, right?! I first read this tip, written by Chris Scheuer, in Parade Magazine.

This coming Saturday, June 14, is a national food holiday, paying homage to one of summer’s quintessential desserts — strawberry shortcake. So, what better time than now to talk to expert baker (and one of our favorites!), Dorie Greenspan, about her tips for preparing the perfect strawberry shortcake, complete with tender, mile-high biscuits, every time! Is shortcake a project that any baker can take on? Shortcake is such a great project for newbie bakers and pros, alike!

Right now farmers markets are teeming with tables of leafy greens. There’s everything from large, sturdy collards to delicate microgreens and painful sounding stinging nettles. Whether you’re a die-hard kale lover, or the sight of it makes you cringe, there’s no better time than right now to get a little adventurous and give these five greens a try! I keep hearing that collards are gearing up to be the new kale.

For years I was convinced that the only way to cook a great steak, and well, most types of meat, was on the grill. And since there was no way to have a grill in my small New York City apartment, I restricted my meat eating to restaurants and weekends visiting my parents (and their grill!) in the suburbs. A few years ago, I experimented with cooking a steak in my cast iron skillet. Despite my initial skepticism, this forever changed the way I cook meat!

Adding frozen fruit to smoothies is nothing short of amazing. And, pretty much mandatory in my book. It’s a great way to add flavor and sweetness, and best of all, I love the icy, refreshing consistency it brings to my drink. There’s no question that buying frozen fruit is easy and convenient, but it also gets a little pricey…especially if you drink smoothies as often as I do! While it takes a little time and some prep work, consider freezing fresh fruit instead.

I’ve been cooking with coconut milk a lot lately, and I seem to have a knack for picking recipes that never quite use the entire can. It feels wasteful to to get rid of the leftovers, so whether it’s just a few tablespoons or a cup, I always save what’s left. To prevent your leftover coconut milk from getting lost and forgotten in the back of the fridge, here are five great ways to use up that open can.

I was wary of stinging nettles for quite a while. Until just the other week, in fact. There was always something about the sign marked ‘DANGER’, perched in front of the bin of nettles at the farmers market, that kept me away. Not to mention their painful-sounding name. I mean, stinging nettles…not exactly the most friendly-sounding name. So, will stinging nettles really sting you? Yes, and no.

Love natural nut butter, but can’t stand when it separates? You’re not alone! There are a few different methods to blend, and re-blend, separated nut butter, and I have a tried and true, super-easy method that works every time. I don’t know about you, but nearly all of my attempts to stir separated nut butter result with me spilling oil everywhere, including on myself. Thankfully there’s an easier (and less messy!) way to get the job done.

A few months ago while I was waiting in line at my local juice shop, I noticed the woman ahead of me purchase the most stunning smoothie I have ever set eyes on. It was the most mesmerizing shade of deep blue-green. I knew it was finally time to stray from my predictable berry-almond-protein number and give that stunning mystery smoothie a try. I soon learned it was the addition of spirulina that gave this smoothie such a beautiful hue.

Warmer weather signals the return of many things, my favorite being the start of iced coffee season. It’s a refreshing way to start the day and a cool afternoon pick me up when it’s too hot for a cup of hot joe. If you’re like me, a slow coffee drinker, then you’re familiar with how quickly melted ice can ruin an otherwise blissful cup of iced coffee.

What’s your favorite last-minute dinner? Mine is scrambled eggs. I like them soft as possible, with plenty of butter, eaten on crisp toast at 7 p.m., taking comfort in a simple, hot meal after a scattered day. If scrambled eggs are your idea of easy comfort food, when it’s for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, these five tips will make them even better. Scrambled eggs are one of the few foods that it doesn’t pay to get too much of a head start.