EatingWell March 2022

Most years, I mark time based on where I’m traveling next. My favorite destinations are far away and with outstanding food that I can’t get at home in Vermont. For obvious reasons, the last two years have been different—the trips a lot closer to home and the plans more in flux depending on the COVID curveball of the moment. So much of my exploration has been in my own kitchen versus tasting frutti di bosco gelato in the streets of Palermo or sampling wild boar charcuterie in Patagonia. If, like me, you love discovering new foods then this issue is for you. It’s one part travel inspiration and one part at-home culinary adventure. “The Wonderful World of Chicken Soup” is a great example of the latter. We asked five experts with…

1 Spring Entertaining Gather round for vernal cocktails and dishes that feature seasonal produce (hello, rhubarb!), plus party-ready bites like these crispy smashed mushrooms with gremolata.EatingWell.com/spring 2 Salad Challenge A bowl of greens a day. For 30 days. You got this. Find crunchy, zingy recipes for simple sides or satisfying lunches—and boost your veggie intake deliciously.EatingWell.com/saladchallenge 3 Make It Sparkle Nothing says fresh start like a clean home. We’ve got pro tips so you can scour every nook and cranny. Aah!EatingWell.com/springclean THE EATINGWELL GOOD-LIFE GURUS Get inspired by these foragers who are taking Mother Nature up on her edible offerings—responsibly—and sharing their bounty on the ’gram. @foragingandfeasting The author of two books on the topic, Dina Falconi has been foraging for decades. Based in New York’s Hudson Valley, she offers paid workshops online but gives tons of free info…

Mark Ellison, Ed.D., is leading a few world-weary souls into the lush forest of Pinnacle Park in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. Over several hours, the group will cover less than a mile but experience another world. “It is probably the slowest walk you have ever been on,” he says. Along the way, Ellison pauses and encourages participants to immerse themselves in the outdoor experience using all of their senses: rub their fingers over moss, listen to the splash of Fisher Creek, study the intricate geometry of a fiddlehead fern. The walk concludes with white-pine-needle tea sipped from handcrafted mugs and a chance to reflect on the experience. “Afterward, people describe a sense of peace,” he says. More than just a nature stroll, forest-bathing excursions like this are meant…

What ingredients do you always keep in the fridge? I always have to have a variety of vegetables: bok choy, green onions, cilantro, shallots, lemongrass. And of course: peppers! Bird’s eye chiles are my favorite source of spiciness. You live with Chrissy and John, and you all love to cook. Is it hard to share the kitchen? John likes to take over the kitchen when he cooks, so he just asks us to sit down and wait. If Chrissy cooks, sometimes I’ll let her be the boss and I’ll be her sous chef. I taught her how to make spring rolls when she was a young kid while we were living in Idaho. Now when we make them at home in California, I’ll get the filling of pork, tofu and vegetables prepped, and…

Besides being a little unnerving to you (Is he even chewing it?!), wolfing down food too quickly can be a health hazard for your pet or even lead to a medical emergency. (Although dogs are usually the ones most apt to speed-eat—especially the notorious Lab—this advice goes for cats too.) Experts don’t have a clear distinction between what’s fast and too fast, but board-certified veterinary nutritionist Cailin Heinze, V.M.D., M.S., DACVN, says that even mild issues immediately after eating, such as burps or farts, regurgitating food or seeming uncomfortable when trying to lie down, can be evidence of a speed problem. There can be dangerous consequences, as well. “Eating too fast can be associated with swallowing air, and generally you don’t want air in the gastrointestinal tract,” says board-certified veterinary nutritionist…

If you’ve been diagnosed with high cholesterol, you have a lot of company. The condition affects about 38% of Americans—and if you count those who don’t know they have it, that number may be as high as 70%. Though genetics can play a role, studies show that lifestyle factors also contribute to your risk, so making a few smart changes—like the ones here—could help improve your numbers. Feast on Fatty Fish “We need fat in our diets, but the type of fat matters,” says Gina Jones, M.S., RDN, LDN, a Cleveland-based dietitian. Unsaturated fats, particularly those found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and anchovies, are especially beneficial. A study published in the journal PLOS One found that people who consumed at least three servings of these types of fish each week…