I have to admit, I like spicy foods. Mind you, I don’t like to cry while dining, or break a sweat, but a good kick is always appreciated (I don’t think I’d ever survive eating in England!).

Late summer is a great time to get to know chiles, whihc are Latin Am,erican fruits, by the way.

Chiles not only contain vitamins A and C, but also capsaicin, a spicy compound that increases circulation, mutes nerve sensitivity and may even help with weight loss.

However, not all are hot.

The mildest of them all are the Anaheim, which are long, skinny and lime green with a tough skin. These are best used peeled or roasted to add a smoky flavor to foods.

Jalapenos are medium hot, small, dark green and can be chopped and added to almost anything you want a kick in (jalapenos are called chipotle when they are smoked).

Poblanos are also medium hot, and are larger, dark green with a hint of purple, and are often used in rellenos and moles.

The hottest of the bunch are Habaneros, whihc are small and lantern shaped, orangey-yellow in color and can burn you even when handling them. With these babies, a little goes a long way.

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At first glance, a pomegranate might look more like a gourd and less like a fruit, but with a little hands-on effort and patience, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor.

How To Pick ‘Em
Go by feel–the ones that feel heavy for their size, and color–rich red and supple skin that isn’t dry.

Get To The Good Stuff
To get the seeds out with minimal mess, slice off the top of the pomegranate and cut the fruit into quarters. Place one quarter in a large bowl of water, and rub the seeds off, letting them sink to the bottom of the bowl. Repeat with each quarter, then strain the water out and enjoy (one pomegranate yields about 3/4 cup of seeds).

Pomegranates contain high levels of antioxidants (three times more than green tea), and a single pomegranate contains 40 percent of an adult’s daily vitamin C requirement, and the fruit is also a rich source of folic acid.

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Ever since I started drinking (and loving) virgin mojitos about a year ago, my husband and I have been on the quest to perfect our virgin mojito-making skills at home.

We tried them with sugar. We tried simple syrup. With mint and without. Real limes and RealLime.

Some have been too fizzy, some too sweet, some too strong, and some, well, some so terrible that they were immediately poured down the drain.

We tried almost every recipe we came across, too, and nothing seemed to replicate the delicious virgin mojito of my dreams.

Until now, that is. (And we owe our friends Paul & Beverly dearly for teaching is how to make the perfect virgin mojito at home!)

Without further ado, here’s the recipe for DIY Virgin Mojitos–get your blender ready!

Ingredients:
Water
Ice
Mint
Limes
Baker’s Sugar (very fine sugar)
Club Soda

Directions:

Blend one cup of baker’s sugar, two cups of water and two limes cut into quarters (skin and all) on high for about 30 seconds.

Strain mixture (to remove large lime chunks) into a pitcher.

Add ice to glasses (fill to the top), and then pour club soda into 1/3 of glass. Top with blended mixture, and, if you desire, add plenty of crushed mint leaves.

These are addictive, so don’t say I didn’t warn you!

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As a vegetarian teetering on the edge of veganism, I eat a lot of nuts and seeds.

And as the summer turns to fall, I tend to throw almonds into my oatmeal, sunflower seeds into my soy yogurt, and, after carving pumpkins for Halloween (and roasting the seeds), pumpkins seeds straight into my mouth.

But I need to branch out, so I’ve been exploring other seeds, such as flax and sesame.

And it turns out I should have been embracing them all along, as both are helpful for what, specifically, ails me.

Flax seeds are among the best plant sources of alpha-linolenic acid (which is an omega 3), have been known to ease inflammation, help hot flashes and keep cholesterol levels healthy. (For the record, I would be hoping for help with hot flashes!) They are best used ground up and then mixed into yogurt, smoothies, soups and hot cereals.

Sesame seeds also offer heart healthy phytosterols, are good sources of calcium and may even halt certain types of cancer cells (all of which packs a three-fer punch for me!). I plan to sprinkle them liberally on vegetables and salads, at least to start.

So what’s your favorite seed, and how do you use it?

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