Do you know what this is?

No, it’s not grub worms. This is fresh raw turmeric—nature’s own ibuprofen.

Ever slathered yellow mustard on a sandwich? Then you’ve had turmeric. Like curries? Yep, turmeric gives it the bright yellow color. Even the iconic Kraft Mac and Cheese now uses turmeric to enhance the intense cheesy color.

Turmeric is bright orange on the inside, with a knobby light brown skin. The flavor of the tuber is a little bitter, but with a subtle bite, like ginger, with hints of black pepper. Some people think it tastes a little like an orange.

Turmeric contains curcumin, which helps decrease the amount of harmful inflammatory chemicals in the body. If you’re dealing with any inflammatory conditions, like arthritis, fibromyalgia or other auto-immune issues, you need to add turmeric to your diet.

Turmeric also reduces bloating, helps reduce the pain of a sunburn and, some believe, it helps slow the aging process (WHAT??? Research needs to be done into that RIGHT NOW).

But here’s the thing: In order for your body to absorb the curcumin, the turmeric has to be combined with black pepper. Which is why black pepper is one of the ingredients in this easy Turmeric Vinaigrette.

I don’t peel my turmeric when I make the vinaigrette. I wash the turmeric, throw everything into the blender, pulse for 5 seconds and then let it rip until the mixture is smooth. Turmeric Vinaigrette is great on heavy greens like kale, and is wonderful when tossed on roasted Brussel Sprouts or other vegetables. I’ve even stirred it into tuna and chicken salads for a taste sensation!

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I’m getting ready to go on holiday in a few weeks so I’ve been eating a lot of fresh greens and raw veggies to shed this extra layer of warmth that somehow glommed onto me this winter.

I’ve been topping my salads with freshly squeezed lemon, but sometimes your mouth craves a little more excitement.

This vinaigrette is deliciously easy, versatile and light enough for tiny baby greens… but it goes perfectly with romaine, iceberg and spinach salads. Another idea: I pour this vinaigrette over all kinds of vegetables before I roast them in the oven. I’ve even used it instead of mayonnaise in chicken salads! Here’s how to make the  best vinaigrette ever… an easy recipe that everyone should have in their back pocket!

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Making Monday’s evening meal meatless is a great way to feel a little less guilty for any weekend over-indulgence.

Using what you’ve already got in the fridge makes it a double bonus… it helps you get rid of those leftovers!

I came up with this recipe for Baked Quinoa and Carrot Fritters using leftover quinoa and sautéed carrots. I’ve also made something similar with leftover brown rice. It makes a great vegetarian dinner or a side dish.

And even thought I’ve called these “fritters,” technically they’re not because they’re baked not fried.

Click here to see the rest of my post and get the recipe!

It has been a little cooler than normal around here, so all the fresh summer veggies I crave have been a bit delayed in making their usual appearance at my farmers market.

But that hasn’t stopped me from whipping up my favorite salad of all time: Cobb Salad inspired by the Hotel Bel-Air’s Cobb Salad in Los Angeles.

What’s not to love about this protein-packed totally indulgent salad? Eggs, avocados, tomatoes, roasted chicken, onion, bacon and blue cheese all in pretty little rows on top of mounds of crisp lettuce. Toss it with a little homemade herb vinaigrette and you’ve got a beautiful (and substantial) meal!

That’s a lot of ingredients, I know, but here’s an easy way to remember what to include:

EAT COBB

E is for egg… A is for Avocados… T is for tomatoes… ah, you get the picture.

Most recipes call for iceberg lettuce but I use romaine lettuce instead because that’s what they use at that fancy-do Hollywood hotel where I learned how to make perfect Cobb Salad!

My Dexas Kitchen Tools really helped pull this recipe together easily!

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Want more great salad ideas? Here are a few:

Crunchy Bacon and Broccoli Salad 

Old School Wedge Salad

Sriracha Potato Salad