HELPFUL HINTS
DEAR HELOISE: For some reason, my husband has convinced himself that lemons are bad for people to consume. I believe he got this from his mother who hates them. I cook with lemons and enjoy lemon pie, and unless my husband starts making dinner, I’ll continue to use them in my recipes. Is there some way I can show him how healthy lemons can be?
— Kayla T., Midland, Texas DEAR KAYLA: Let’s look at the nutritional information first. Lemons contain flavonoids, which have antibacterial and anticancer properties. Like most other citrus fruit, lemons also contain phytochemicals that benefit your health. Some of these include vitamin C, folic acid, potassium and pectin.
The average lemon has around 10.7 calories and only 3.31 grams of carbohydrates. In addition to this, lemons also contain thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6 and folate. The juice of a lemon can be sprinkled over salad or added to cooked vegetables, such as asparagus or broccoli, for additional flavor.
If you have a sore throat, you can try the age-old remedy of lemon juice, tea and honey to help soothe the tenderness in your throat.
Lemons are very useful, and although your husband may not like them, he might develop a taste for them over time.
DEAR HELOISE: I love an afternoon tea break and prefer to use a tea ball and some loose tea rather than a tea bag. Over time, I have acquired several tea balls, and one day, it occurred to me that I could use them to add more flavor to my soups, stews, chili and a few other dishes. So, I started placing things like peppercorns, bay leaves and a few other spices in a couple of tea balls and sinking them into food while it cooks.
Sometimes I’ll have as many as four tea balls over the side of a pot or pan. I can remove them before serving dinner, and no one ends up chewing on a peppercorn or a bay leaf. It’s such an easy way to add flavor to my cooking.
— Shiela B., Shelton, Wash.
DEAR HELOISE: In regards to the hint you received suggesting that you put your business card in the ID tag, also put some sort of ID inside of your checked luggage. I’m a retired airline employee, and if the tag comes off during transit, there’s no way to find the owner.—