My front yard is full of pumpkins in the fall. These are the sweet little sugar pies that last for months if stored in a cool dry place. We cut them in half, bake them for an hour, scoop out the flesh, and freeze it for recipes all winter long.

You know vegetables and whole grains are healthy and it is not worth repeating that which you already know. Fats, however, have been misrepresented as the bad guys. Grains, surprisingly, are not as nutrient dense as we think.

The Muffuletta sandwich was brought to New Orleans by Italian immigrants, named after the round Sicilian sesame bread it is made on. The sandwich is layered with salami, mortadella, mozzarella, ham, provolone and a tasty olive salad.

The addition of mayo was enough for me to throw out my entire sandwich as a child. It wasn't until I tried a fancy garlic aioli, just another word for mayonnaise, that I fell in love with this basic condiment.

Ahhh, lasagna, one of the ultimate comfort foods. I love most casseroles because they only leave one dish to clean, they can incorporate leftovers, odds, and ends, and they can be made ahead of time, frozen, or left in the fridge overnight.

The most important practice I hang onto when I am not detoxing is the 80/20 rule. My family believes that as long as you eat well 80% of the time, we will look the other way for the other 20%.

I am pretty easy to please when it comes to food. As long as it is real, not processed, and cooked with love I get very happy. My kids, however have much higher expectations.

The Standard American Dietary Guidelines have often been referred to as the SAD diet in the holistic health community. We are speaking of the sad results in health when people eat the processed foods recommended.

There are many simple chai tea blends found in your local store made with sweet rooibos, green tea or strong black tea. The dilemma with some teas and processed foods is that added sugar is often disguised as "natural flavor".

Whether you grow your own plants, buy from a trusted farmer or shop at local health food store, be sure to get the highest quality of herbs possible when steeping brews and elixirs.