If you love chocolate, prepare to turn a little sour over the price of your favorite sweet during 2024. A cocoa shortage caused prices of the bean to more than double over the first quarter of this year, and costs are now three times higher than they were 12 months ago, according to a National Public Radio report. Bad weather and climate change are being blamed for three straight years of meager crop harvests in West Africa, where about two-thirds of the world’s cocoa beans are grown. The lack of supply has pushed up prices throughout the chocolate manufacturing and selling process, and many ..read more

With spring here and the weather perking up, many of us have recalled our New Year’s resolutions that we so ardently committed to on January 1, realizing now that our personal pledges went the way of the sun as we slogged through winter’s end. Trust that you’re not alone. Whether your goal was to adopt a plant-first approach to eating or weave more exercise into your daily routine, research shows that a scant nine percent of people see their resolutions to fruition. No shame there: life gets lifey and even our best intentions can fall by the wayside if we’re overwhelmed by our careers, fami ..read more

The autoimmune protocol diet can be a godsend to people who suffer from autoimmune conditions. This diet plan aims to reduce inflammation in people with autoimmune conditions by eliminating and then reintroducing foods that could be triggering inflammation. This can result in inflammatory foods being cut from your diet and non-inflammatory foods remaining in your diet. Autoimmune disorders that might be alleviated with help from AIP diet include: Irritable bowel syndrome Crohn’s disease Ulcerative colitis Celiac disease Multiple sclerosis Psoriatic arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis Keep in m ..read more

Indulge in a slice of sunshine with this lemon pound cake recipe. Bursting with citrusy zing and melt-in-your-mouth goodness, and iced in a luscious lemon glaze, it’s the perfect balance of tart and sweet, guaranteed to brighten up any day. Print Iced Lemon Pound Cake Prep Time 10 minutes minutes Cook Time 45 minutes minutes Cool 1 hour hour Total Time 1 hour hour 55 minutes minutes Servings 9 Calories 345kcal Author Pamela Higgins Ingredients Cake 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. pink salt 3 eggs 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup coconut oil 1 Tbsp. lemon zest 1/2 cup lemon ..read more

Embrace the freshness of the season with this lively spring salad bursting with seasonal goodness. Blanched English peas dance with peppery arugula, roasted asparagus and the crisp bite of radish and cucumber. Sprinkled throughout are creamy bits of goat cheese, adding a mellow richness to the fresh medley. Drizzle on a sunlit lemon-mint dressing, and the salad sings with the flavors of spring. Print Bright Spring Salad with Lemon-Mint Vinaigrette Prep Time 15 minutes minutes Cook Time 12 minutes minutes Total Time 27 minutes minutes Servings 4 Calories 254kcal Author Toni Williams Ing ..read more

Packed with clean, wholesome ingredients, these crustless mini quiche cups are a wonderful way to start your day on the sunny side. Whip them up effortlessly, tossing in fresh basil, broccoli and scallions, along with vegan cheese and almond milk for dairy-free bliss. Whether you’re munching them for a grab-and-go breakfast, for dinner with a green salad, or as a high-protein pick-me-up snack, these bitty bites are an egg-cellent choice. Plus, they freeze like champs, ensuring you’ve always got a healthy, savory treat on hand. Print Crustless Mini Quiche Cups Prep Time 10 minutes minute ..read more

If you appreciate fresh herbs, flowers and flavor-packed spices, you may be open to creative new ways of enjoying them, such as infused sugar. Infused sugars are created by blending herbs, flowers or spices into various types of sugar to create unique seasoning for foods and beverages. Infused sugars are surprisingly easy to make with simple ingredients you may already have in your kitchen and/or garden. “Foodies” especially tend to love them, as they intensify the flavors in beverages, baked goods and many other foods. To make your own infused/flavored sugars, you will need: Sugar of choic ..read more

Everyone wants long lashes. Long eyelashes make your eyes pop and look larger and brighter — and they never go out of style. If you weren’t genetically gifted with long eyelashes, you always had the option of gluing artificial ones on, paying for expensive extensions, or, more recently, clipping on a fake magnetic pair. Unfortunately, it can turn into a time-consuming and potentially expensive hassle to sport beautiful, long lashes. However, with the help of over-the-counter lash serums, you can grow your own pair for an easy, natural look that you wake up with. The eyelash serum market has ..read more

Stress is a part of everyone’s life. Few of us sail through life without occasionally feeling any worry or frustration. But for some people, stress can become debilitating. More than one-quarter of Americans — 27% — say they are so stressed that they cannot function on most days, according to the American Psychological Association. April is National Stress Awareness Month. The first step in reducing stress is to try to understand what it is and how it impacts your health. Here are some of the most common types of stress – and what you can do to reduce their impact. Types of stress and manag ..read more

Featuring a classic buttery shortbread base and silky and sweet red grapefruit topping, the cheerful color palette and bright citrus flavors make these shortbread bars a refreshing treat for spring. Use freshly squeezed juice for best results, and don’t skip the lemon – it creates the perfect balance of tart and sweet. To make the topping more vibrant, add a few drops of red food coloring, or leave as is for a perfectly pretty pale pink. Print Red Grapefruit Shortbread Bars Prep Time 20 minutes minutes Cook Time 1 hour hour Cool & Chill 4 hours hours Total Time 5 hours hours 20 minu ..read more