A Little Rub For Your Grub

I'm so excited to share a great new find with you - Nantucket Off-Shore Seasonings, a high quality line of all natural spice rubs. So versatile and easy to use, these spices can be sprinkled on roasted vegetables or potatoes, tossed in soups or stews, used for grilling, baking and creating flavorful marinades. These rubs are crafted from the finest, all natural herbs in the world, free of salt and sugar and come in cute little stay fresh tins. Available in eleven different varieties, I am particularly fond of the Mt. Olympus Rub, which is, according to the package description, "a savory Aegean blend of flowering herbs, garlic and lemon". I find it ideal for roast chicken or lamb and I'm thinking that I will be using this on Easter Sunday when I cook up a delicious boneless lamb roast. Here's the recipe I'll be making this weekend - be sure to check out http://www.nantucketoffshore.com/ for their recipe of the month and a store locator.

Lamb Roast

1 2 1/2 - 3 pound boneless lamb roast

4 cloves of garlic, halved

2 T olive oil

3-4 T Mt. Olympus Rub

1 T Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using a small paring knife, make 8 small slits in the lamb and insert a half a glove of garlic into each slit. Combine all the above ingredients to form a paste(adjusting quantities as necessary) and using your hands or a small spatula, rub the mixture all over the lamb. Place the lamb on a rack in a roasting pan and bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes. Lower heat to 375 degrees and roast 1 1/4- 1 1/2 hours more, basting several times. After 1 hour check for doneness with a meat thermometer, bringing the temperature to 130 degrees for rare and 140 degrees for medium. Let roast sit a few minutes before carving and enjoy. Serve with sweet potatoes and roasted vegetables.

Apple Cider Vinegar Cure - Relieved My Allergies & Lowered My Cholesterol

As a chronic allergy sufferer for over fifteen years, having relied on expensive prescription medicine to control my symptoms, I was searching for something more natural to help alleviate all the itching, sneezing and stuffiness I was experiencing. I had read about the miracles of apple cider vinegar (ACV) and it's ability to help with seasonal and perrenial allergies and honestly, I was a bit skeptical, but willing to give it a try.

Apple cider vinegar has been highly regarded throughout history, dating back to 400 BC when Hippocrates used it for its amazing health qualities. ACV is rich in enzymes, supports a healthy immune system, helps control weight, promotes digestion, helps soothe sore throats and aids in removing toxins from the body.

I had learned from the research I had done that it is imperative to use the type of ACV that has a brown sediment at the bottom of the bottle, which is called "the mother". Only raw, organic, apple cider vinegar has "the mother of vinegar" that makes it so beneficial. The "mother" is made up of living nutrients and bacteria, so it is actually alive, compared to clear vinegar, which has gone through processing and distilling and is actually dead.

So, for the past year I have used the recommended daily dose of ACV, which is two tablespoons, mixed with 1/2 packet of steviaa and eight ounces of water. Since it is too strong to drink on its own, ACV should be mixed with a bit of juice and water or the water and stevia combo that I use. It took about a week of continuous use for my body to feel the effects, but I am proud to say that I am now naturally free from allergies, thanks to apple cider vinegar! I also noticed an added benefit to my new regime - my cholesterol dropped twenty five points without changing anything else in my diet or routine. If you would like to try ACV for whatever's ailing you, I would highly recommend the Bragg's brand, as it is made from organically grown apples, processed in accordance with USDA guidelines and is certified organic.

Would love to hear if you have experienced similar positive results - please let me know if you end up trying out apple cider vinegar and what conditions it has helped.