Times like these make me think how lemons can add a touch of color to an otherwise bland and boring meal. And since they are one of the most versatile fruits out there, it is easy to imagine how lemons can be used in both sweet and savory recipes.

Lemons originated in Asia wherein they served as important ingredients in medicines and holistic healing. They contain antiseptic and antibacterial properties.

They can also be used as household cleaning aid since they have a very low pH level. They are great for removing stains and smells from wood countertops, cutting boards and wooden utensils.

But most importantly, lemons are widely used in foods, and…

Onions have been used in a variety of dishes, particularly Asian cuisine. In the world, onion is now the second most important horticultural crop after tomatoes.

There are quite a number of onion varieties: there’s the red, yellow, white and green. All have unique flavors ranging from mildly sweet to very strong. They can be eaten raw, cooked, fried, dried or roasted. In fact, one of my most favorite appetizers is onion rings. They are also most commonly used for dips, salads, soups, spreads, stir-fries and other dishes.

Onions are effective against certain bacteria including Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella, and E. coli. They also have a number of medicinal effects like treatments to…

From October to April, we can usually find these sweet citrus fruits on the market. They are first cultivated in China and Japan 3,000 years ago. They are smaller, less tart and easier to peel than the oranges.

When buying tangerines, make sure that you look for firm to slightly soft skin that are free of marks. They also must have bright orange hues. There are many varieties of tangerines—Clementine is the most popular of the fruit since it contains very few seeds, has dark orange peel and has a very sweet flavor. The Honey variety, on the other hand, is a cross breed between tangerines and oranges. They have many…

Cabbage is the first vegetable I ever learned to eat. They are delicious and inexpensive, making them perfect ingredient in most cold-weather meals. They are available from late fall through the winter. Round in shape with layers of overlapping leaves, cabbages are members of the Cruciferae family.

There are over 400 varieties of cabbage, but the three most familiar are the green, red and the Savoy. Green cabbages are the most popular variety since they are found almost everywhere. Red cabbage, on the other hand, contains twice as much vitamin C as green cabbage. They are characterized by their smooth-textured leaves that are crimson or purple in color. Savoy cabbage, meanwhile,…

If you happen to be in the United Kingdom now, maybe you would like to take a look inside their Mark and Spencers food stores. It is reported that Boffins have been creating some new varieties of familiar fruits and vegetables.

Here are just some of the “unfamiliar”  fruits and vegetables that might welcome you upon entering the store:

* Black Velvet Apricots - which look rather like plums
* Crème de Lite carrots - they are pale cream coloured
* Mayan Twilight potatoes - with purple stripes
* Flower Sprout- a cross between curly kale and Brussels sprouts
* Baby Lemons- much dinkier than the usual variety
* Tiny Tangerines - again, small versions of a…