August is a great time of year for many reasons! One big reason is the assortment of fresh fruits and veggies that is all around us. Farmer's markets and grocery stores are brimming with this season's finest. And, if you know someone with a garden, you've undoubtedly had tomatoes or zucchini tossed in your arms as you're leaving their house.

A big question that I hear lately is, "what do I do with these fruits and veggies?". Here are some simple ideas that take minimal time and have maximum taste.

This weekend is going to be a hot one for most of us! You're going to hear from a lot of people to drink more water. But, do you know why? How much? Or, do you need a little extra incentive to drink water?

A funny thing often happens when I remind people to drink water, my words are often met with the same enthusiasm a 4-year old has when you tell them it's time for bed. Even though we know we need it, many of us still struggle to do it.

Here, in Washington, DC, when the cherry blossoms bloom, they not only bring with them the feeling of spring but they also bring their wisdom. 

The cherry blossoms are beautiful, intense, and fleeting! They can easily be taken for granted by the people living closest to them. If you want to see them at their peak, you can't put it off for another day. You never know when a rain storm or a windy day can come and knock down the blossoms. So if you want to see them, even if it's inconvenient, you need to make time in your day. 

Did you already pick up on the wisdom of the cherry blossom? 

Don't give up just yet! Since February is the time when most of us start tossing our new year's resolutions aside, I thought this was the perfect occasion to break out my annual guide to building a resolution. 

Admittedly, I'm not always a huge fan of making resolutions. First, I think change can happen at any time and on any day of the year. Second, I think resolutions are great when we create realistic and specific goals. But, resolutions are not so great when we only say "I am going to lose weight" or "I'm not going to be late this year". Without a specific plan of how we'll achieve the goal, the odds are we'll get discouraged, give up and say, "I'll try again next year". And, this can leave us feeling worse than before we started to make a change. 

So, how can you build a better resolution? Try following these 5 steps.

A few weeks ago, I went apple picking and beet pulling. Such a fun day! In my excitement though, I bought A LOT of apples and beets. 

During the ensuing apple sauce making and beet roasting production, I started thinking about how I often hear from people that they don't buy many fruits and veggies because they end up going bad before they can eat them. They feel like they're tossing food and money down the garbage disposal. 

Since I'm always looking for ways I can help people eat more fruits and veggies, here are 5 tips to help you increase your fruit and veggie consumption and decrease your food and money waste.