ArcaMax

Note: Soon after finishing this piece, I was shocked and saddened to learn of the devastating fire that destroyed thousands of acres in and around the picturesque mountain town of Ruidoso, New Mexico. My prayers are with all the people involved in this disaster.

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Each time I visit my home state of New Mexico, I know why it’s called “...Read more

After hearing from a reader with diabetes and dry mouth who was searching for hard sugar-free candy with no sugar alcohols, I replied that if there are any products without these types of sweeteners, they did not come up on my radar.

I soon received a note from Mary O. in Richmond, Virginia: “It took me a few seconds to find candy free of ...Read more

Over the years, in numerous circumstances, I’ve treasured the wisdom of others, especially when it comes to living a healthful life. Some has come from personal friends, others from those in the public eye…some serious, others witty.

Hippocrates, for example, was an ancient Greek physician who is often referred to as the “father of ...Read more

Bring a taste of Jamaica to your kitchen. Jerking is an ancient Jamaican method for preserving and cooking meat. The meat is marinated and slowly cooked over allspice wood. This recipe uses a dry-rub marinade to create the flavors of jerk cooking without spending hours cooking on a barbecue.

Use the jerk seasoning recipe here or buy one at the ...Read more

Seems we are still not finished with comments regarding two recent columns on counting calories. Interestingly, these two letters arrived in my inbox on the same day.

Dee V. from Santa Cruz wrote: “I too have found that plain old fashioned counting calories is the easiest and most reliable way to achieve a goal and stay there. I don’t do ...Read more

A well-meaning friend encouraged me to add an electrolyte powder into my daily water bottle.

“It’s got a lot of sodium,” she explained. “But you need extra sodium when you’re active and sweating.”

This particular product contains potassium, magnesium and sodium — essential minerals that can be lost in sweat and urine. It was the ...Read more

The coat of this bronzed tilapia is golden and caramelized from the cooking method. The secret to bronzing is to keep the skillet at a medium temperature. The tilapia should take 4 to 5 minutes to cook. Bring the fish to room temperature before cooking. This creates more even cooking.

The Spinach Rice Pilaf recipe is easy to make and takes ...Read more

Elaine L., who reads this column in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes, “I am diabetic and also get a very dry mouth frequently. Sucking on a hard candy helps my mouth, but I really don't need the sugar. I have searched for sugar-free hard candies, but every one I have found contains sugar alcohols, which greatly upset my stomach. Are there ...Read more

Graduation celebrations abound this time of year. Even our 4-year-old granddaughter got into it. With a miniature square cap proudly balanced on her head, she excitedly waved at us the entire time she and her classmates were recognized for completing preschool.

Amid the flurry of high school announcements were two we received from our nephews ...Read more

Spicy tomato salsa gives these light, juicy chicken burgers a hint of the Southwest.

Look for ground chicken made from chicken breast meat only. If it says ground chicken, then skin, fat and dark meat may have been added.

Helpful Hints:

Be sure to drain the salsa to keep the hamburgers from being too wet to retain their shape.

Any type of ...Read more

A recent column about my husband and I trying to shed a few vacation pounds brought these responses:

“I read your article about counting calories after a trip to Texas. I can totally relate. In 2016, I started an Excel spread sheet and kept track of each calorie. I dropped from 275 to 231 (pounds)," said Red in York, Nebraska.

"Four ...Read more