Food and Recipes

To some of us, growing a crop in the shade is a perplexing concept. But for crops like coffee, shade is a good thing -- for the environment, for biodiversity and even for your cup of joe.

By Julia Layton

Food prices have been steadily rising and it can be a challenge to find food for less than five dollars. Do you know where to look? Explore our gallery and discover where you can find some cheap treats!

Spice pictures will delight you with brilliant colors and aromas from around the world. Check out our spice album and learn how to flavor your food.

By Candace Keener & Marie Bobel

If you love history, mystery and happy endings, you'll enjoy learning about autumn apples. One of the earliest cultivated fruits, the apple has come a long way from its crabapple-like ancestors. Most apples have long and respected pedigrees.

By Sara Elliott

Cider is the signature beverage of autumn, but you may be a little confused about the difference between apple cider and apple juice. Don't worry, it's a common question and has an answer that differs all over the United States.

By Sara Elliott

Apple cider conjures up images of hayrides through colorful leaves and the scent of wood-burning stoves. And while it's readily available year-round in stores, you can whip up your own batch, too.

By Emilie Sennebogen

Steamy summer days and yellow ears of grilled corn are behind us. The produce aisle is stocked with red and blue Indian corn. Can you actually eat it? What's the story behind those colorful ears?

By Victoria Vogt

Depending on how you look at it, the practice of genetically engineering crops is either a boon for civilization and the greatest hope to feed a hungry world, or a dangerous interference with nature that threatens both our health and our ecosystem.

By Emilie Sennebogen & Gallagher Flinn

From using seawater to grow crops in the middle of the desert to helping us colonize distant worlds, greenhouses are undoubtedly going to be an integral part of humanity's future.

By Chris Obenschain

Harvest rituals can be found around the world, in almost every culture. They're used to give thanks and appease the gods for a bountiful growing season. But how do they vary from place to place?

By Emilie Sennebogen

The ads say that eggs are incredible and that they're nature's most perfect food. But conscientious shoppers take note: Some eggs aren't all they're cracked up to be. What type should be on your grocery list?

By Chris Obenschain

As adults, some of us crave rich, savory treats, such as caviar and foie gras. But for children, anything with sugar will satisfy and delight. Why do kids have such a yen for sweets?

By Alia Hoyt

S'mores are the stuff memories are made of. But who created this ooey, gooey, chocolatey sandwich?

By Victoria Vogt

Want to make your brownies less fattening? Don't have wine but your recipe calls for it? Good news. There are simple ingredient swaps that can help you out with both.

By Chris Obenschain

What's the opposite of fast food? Slow food -- food that's been prepared from locally grown ingredients and reflects a certain culture and its history. It's the kind of food you savor, not scarf down in your car on the way to your kid's soccer game.

By Debra Ronca

Rich in vitamin C and low in fat, cranberries have been used for centuries in everything from medicine to a dye for clothes and fabrics. But what are some of the myths surrounding this popular fruit? And what can you do with it today?

By Emilie Sennebogen

Your child may not like to eat spinach but loves gulping down smoothies. So why not puree the dark greens with blueberries for a covert nutrition operation? That's not the only sneaky idea we've got.

By Gallagher Flinn

You don't have to do all your shopping at a high-priced, organic grocery store to cook healthy meals. What inexpensive ingredients can you make into light fare?

By Debra Ronca

When the economy is in the toilet, there's no money to go out to a restaurant and eat a fine meal. So, you'll have to make gourmet meals at home. What are the chef's secrets?

By Debra Ronca

These recipes taste good, but they look disgusting. If you're clever, you'll have your Halloween party guests eating everything from cockroaches to kitty litter with these 10 scary recipes.

By Debra Ronca

Everything feels grosser when you're blindfolded and there's scary music playing. Besides peeled grapes, Jell-O and cold spaghetti, what slimy foods creep people out on Halloween?

By Debra Ronca

Let's say you're hosting a Halloween party, and you're dressing up as a witch. Wouldn't your costume be so much more convincing if it were paired with a gurgling kettle? Of course it would.

By Debra Ronca

Pasta is a great base to use for a main dinner dish or for a light lunchtime salad. But you may be tired of the same old boring pasta recipes. Don't worry; there's lots you can do to spice it up.

By Emilie Sennebogen

Being prepared for unexpected culinary challenges is one way to ensure that your surprise guests will be well-fed when they drop in for a visit. These recipes will transform even lackluster cooking skills into kitchen wizardry.

By Sara Elliott

Even if you can't tell the difference between a potato peeler and a paring knife, chances are there's some type of canned food in your kitchen pantry. And having a good mix can be beneficial to you.

By Sara Elliott