Dying Easter eggs using plant-based dyes is a tradition in Eastern Europe. It’s so easy to do, and everyone should give it a try at least once! To create these gorgeous eggs you need some herbs and colorful veggies. You can use spinach leaves, beets, red cabbage, or onion skins for the dyes. As for the designs, herb leaves work well, or you can go outside and look for interesting leaves and plants. What better way to welcome spring than with some natural Easter eggs decorated by Mother Nature herself? Let’s get started!

Supplies:

1) A dozen eggs

2) Vegetables, fruits, and spices (red cabbage, spinach, carrots, onion skins, blackberries, blueberries, paprika, and turmeric are dyes that work well)

3) About 1 1/2 cups of white vinegar

4) Salt

5) Leafy herbs or fresh leaves that you’ve found outside

6) Two pairs of sheer stockings, cut into tubes

7) Pots (each dye will need its own pot)

Step #1:

The first step is to make your dyes. To make a green dye, add about 5 cups of water to a pot with 1 pound of fresh spinach leaves. Add in a pinch of salt and bring it to a boil. After it starts boiling, turn down the temperature to a simmer. Allow the dye to simmer for 1 hour. If you would like an orange dye, add about 5 cups of water, 10 carrots, 5 tbsp of paprika, and a pinch of salt to a pot. As before, bring it to a boil and then turn down the temperature to a simmer for 1 hour. For a blue dye, do the same using 1 whole red cabbage. If you’d like a reddish-brown dye, use onion skins (you need about 5-6 onions worth of skins). For a pink dye, use beets (about 3 cups). If you want your dye to be yellow, use turmeric (2 tbsp). When your dyes are ready, strain the vegetables and fruits, leaving only the liquid. Pour your dyes into a measuring cup to see how much dye you have. For every cup of dye, you need 3 tbsp of white vinegar. When you’ve measured out the amounts of dye, pour the dyes back into their pots and add the required amount of vinegar.

Step #2:

Once you have made your dyes, it’s now time to decorate your eggs! Rub a paper towel soaked in vinegar over each of the eggs. Place an herb leaf on each egg and arrange it any way you want. Take a stocking tube and place the egg inside the tube. The stocking will hold the leaf in place. Tie the ends of the stocking and repeat this process with all your eggs.

Step #3:

Place your eggs in the dye pots and boil them for 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes are up, take them off the heat and allow them to cool completely. Place them in the fridge overnight. If you’d like them to be a pale color instead of a vibrant color, keep the pots in the fridge for 1 hour.

Step #4:

When the eggs have reached the shade you like, you can take them out of the stockings and place them on a wire rack to dry. When the eggs have dried, you will notice that the colors may not seem so bright. To make them shiny, you can rub a tiny bit of oil over them to bring out the beautiful colors.

Photos: Adventures in Cooking, Craft Hubs, Indulgy.

This gingerbread butter popcorn is so addictive, you’ll need to make multiple batches to satisfy your party guests! It’s really easy to make, all you need is popcorn, butter, and spices. The popcorn is then thrown into the oven and you’re finished! The caramel syrup drizzled over the popcorn is just to die for, and it’ll become a holiday tradition in no time flat!

 Photos: Snap Creativity.

If you don’t know what to make for dinner, but are craving something light, try this calamari! It’s oven fried, which cuts down on a lot of fat and calories, and it tastes just like the real thing. Serve it up with some oven fried French fries and dip. We would recommend using your favorite pasta sauce as dipping, or you can try Tzatziki sauce. Anything goes! A simple side salad would go great as well. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar is all you need for the dressing!

Crispy Oven-Fried Calamari

Delicious oven-fried calamari that are better than their fried counterpart! Also with less fat and calories!

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 1 pound calamari, tubes and tentacles
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup white tortilla chip pieces (2 inch pieces)
• 1 tbsp powdered ranch dressing mix
• 1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp flour
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Coat 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray.
3. Pat calamari dry with a paper towel.
4. Cut tubes into 1/2″ thick rings. Don’t cut the tentacles. Set aside.
5. Combine breadcrumbs, tortilla chips and seasoning in a food processor and process until finely ground. Transfer mixture to a bowl.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, 2 tbsp of the flour and black pepper. Place remaining 1/2 cup of flour in a large freezer bag.
7. Add calamari rings and tentacles to the bag with the flour and shake to coat.
8. Dip the flour-coated calamari into buttermilk mixture and then into breadcrumb mixture.
9. Arrange calamari in a single layer, on prepared baking sheets. Spray with cooking spray.
10. Bake 15-20 minutes, until coating is crisp and golden brown.

Photos: Dishbase, Robin Miller Cooks.

Fried chicken is a classic meal that everyone loves, and we should all know how to make it, too! Follow along with our step-by-step guide that makes making this recipe easy and simple!

First, gather up your ingredients:

– 1 kg chicken, cut into medium-sized pieces

– juice from 2 1/2 lemons

– 1 1/2 tsp fresh pepper powder

– 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder

– 1 fat pinch turmeric

– 1/2 inch grated ginger

– 6-7 cloves grated garlic

– 3/4 tsp dried rosemary

– 1 tsp salt

– 3-4 tbsp cornflour

– coarse breadcrumbs, as needed

– crumbled cornflakes, as needed

– oil for frying

– 1 egg

Step 1:

In a bowl, squeeze the lemons. Add in salt, chili powder, pepper powder, turmeric, grated garlic and ginger. Mix until well combined.

Step 2:

Place the chicken into the spice mix and rub the spice all over the chicken. Add in cornflour.

Step 3:

Mix well. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Step 4:

Beat an egg with a fork and pour it over the chicken. Mix until everything is evenly coated.

Step 5:

Place breadcrumbs and crumbled cornflakes in a shallow dish. Take each piece of chicken and dip it in the breadcrumbs and cornflakes. Press firmly with your fingers and gently lay it in another container. Do this until all the chicken pieces are coated. You can keep the coated chicken in the fridge, or place them in the freezer to fry later.

Step 6:
In a deep pan, heat the oil. It should be very hot, at least 680 F. Put in the chicken to deep fry. Be careful that the outer covering on the chicken (the breadcrumbs) doesn’t brown too quickly. You can do this by simmering the flame on and off. Strain the chicken on paper towels.

Step 7:

Enjoy your juicy chicken!

Photos: Nisahomey.

We love using spices and herbs! From simple oregano and basil to nutmeg and saffron, there are many to choose from. There are spices and herbs that are common in every day dishes that we use almost every day. If you’re wondering which to stock up on, read our list!

1. Oregano

Oregano is a staple in Mediterranean cuisine, and it’s mostly used on pizza, as well as tomato sauce. Due to its strong flavor, oregano is best paired with other bold flavors to keep it from dominating the dish.

2. Basil

Just like oregano, basil is a staple spice that’s added to sauces and topped on pizza. Basil goes best with tomato dishes. Basil can also be paired with meats, fish, and salads.

3. Rosemary

Just as you would with oregano, rosemary is best paired with bold flavors since it has a bold flavor itself. You can remove the leaves from the stems and just add them like that to your dish, or you can chop them up to release the oils and thus more flavor.

4. Cinnamon

Cinnamon can be used as a natural food preservative due to its ability to stop mold from growing. It can be used in savoy and sweet dishes like chili, beef brisket, or pumpkin pie.

5. Black Pepper

Black pepper is the most widely used spice in the world. Dishes with a cream sauce may require white pepper, which is a milder version than black pepper. Black pepper is usually added after the dish has been cooked.

6. Sage

Because of its minty taste, sage is often used in sauces for meant entrees like pork chops, chicken breasts, and turkey. It also goes well with squash and pumpkin.

7. Bay Leaves

Bay leaves were used by the ancient Greeks, and it’s commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine. Bay leaves can be used in soups, meat stews, seafood dishes, and vegetable dishes.

8. Paprika

Paprika is a common spice used in the Balkans, Morocco, and even South Africa. It can be used in stews such as goulash, and it is also used in preparation of sausages. Paprika also goes well with tomato dishes, and in chili.

9. Onion Powder

Onion powder is simply ground onion with salt. You can use it in pasta dishes, pizza, and on grilled chicken.

10. Nutmeg

Nutmeg goes great in stuffings and sausages. It also pairs well with lamb, veal, and pumpkin.

Photos: Wikimedia, Evo Marketplace, Gourmandistan, Rhinobutt, Jones Garden, Free Food Photos, Amoils, Gujarat, Cooks.ndtv, Your Med Guide.

We’ve decided to ditch the store-bought deodorizers in favor of natural, home-made ones. Free of any toxic chemicals, they’re completely safe for you and your pets. These natural home deodorizers can be made in almost any combination. Simply add the ingredients (cut any fruit into slices ) to a pot and fill 3/4 of the way with water. Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature down to a simmer. Leave the scent to simmer for a few hours, adding water as needed. If you like, you can use a crock pot instead of using the stove. You can also freeze the scents for future use. Remember, there are no measurements in these recipes! Experiment a little to find which scent suits you best.

Here are a few recipes to get you started:

1. Cinnamon sticks, orange rinds, apple peels, and whole cloves.

2. A few drops of vanilla and orange peels.

3. Lime, coconut oil, and vanilla.

4. Oranges, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and vanilla.

5. Rosemary, lavender, and lemon.

6. Cedar twigs.

7. Lemon, black peppercorns, and basil.

8. Earl Grey tea and vanilla extract.

9. Lemon, peppermint extract, and rosemary.

10. Orange and almond extract.

Photos: Day Break Houses, Eliza Domestica, A Joyful Dwelling.