At Best of NJ, we do our best to provide readers with high-quality content that’s engaging, entertaining and useful. When it comes to the latter category, we think learning about new foods, drinks and general kitchen tips are all rather beneficial. That’s why we’re rounding up all of our best recipes and kitchen tips.
We hope these guides enhance not only your holiday festivities, but also your day-to-day meals. Bon Appétit!
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Table of Contents
- General Recipes & Kitchen Tips
- Winter Recipes & Kitchen Tips
- Fall Recipes & Kitchen Tips
- Summer Recipes & Kitchen Tips
- Spring Recipes & Kitchen Tips
General Recipes & Kitchen Tips
Foods that can Boost your Workout Performance
From protein powders to creatine, there are tons of workout-enhancing supplements on the market. But did you know that you can boost your workout performance simply by eating certain foods? Studies have shown that whole foods often work better than supplements for boosting workout performance. Whether you’re a gym regular or just starting your fitness journey, try adding the following foods to your diet…
3 Desserts that are so Healthy you can Eat them for Breakfast
Eating healthy can be challenging, especially if you have a sweet tooth. But there are plenty of ways to satisfy your sugar craving while sticking to a healthy diet. Rather than eating cookies and ice cream, which are full of refined sugar and saturated fat, you can make a dessert using whole fruits, vegetables or nuts. Before you say, “There’s no way that will taste good,” try one of the following recipes. You’ll probably be surprised…
Does Apple Cider Vinegar Really Work?
According to the internet, the health benefits of apple cider vinegar are seemingly endless. People are using apple cider vinegar to treat everything from acne to the common cold. But does it really work? As it turns out, there is some scientific evidence to support the health benefits of apple cider vinegar, or vinegar in general. Let’s take a look at some of the proven ways in which apple cider vinegar does the body good…
5 Ways to Get Kids to Eat their Vegetables
Did you know that June is National Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month? June 17 is also Eat Your Vegetables Day. Eating vegetables is essential for staying healthy, but we all know that convincing children to eat vegetables can be difficult. But don’t give up hope! Research has shown that small changes can actually make a big difference in the amount of veggies kids eat. These tips are scientifically proven to help…
Easy Vegan Meals Full of Protein
Switching over to a vegan diet can be intimidating. The list of foods to avoid is long, leaving you to wonder whether you’re still getting all of the components of your diet that your body requires. Many people think that vegan meals don’t have enough protein in them to fulfill their needs. But, when you look at the nutrition facts on plant-based foods, you find that they actually have plenty of protein to keep you healthy and strong…
Literary-Inspired Cocktails
Whether you’re in grad school or a parent with kids returning to class, back-to-school season means picking up some classic literature (or at least the SparkNotes version of it). While study guides may help with characters and plot, they often miss the classic cocktails practically dripping from the pages of so many of the world’s great books…
The Best Tips for Vegan Baking
From muffins to cupcakes and more, vegan baking has exploded, becoming synonymous with “tasty” instead of “something that those health nuts eat.” But before we get into the nuts and bolts of turning your favorite grandma’s cake recipe into a vegan delight, a small disclaimer: Vegan baked goods are still baked goods…
The Best Healthy Foods for Picnics and Parties
As the weather starts to get warmer, invitations to outdoor picnics start to roll in. While hot days filled with hamburgers, potato salad, sauerkraut and all the fixings may not be the best addition to your diet, that doesn’t mean the traditional picnic dishes can’t be made healthier (or less likely to spoil in the sun)…
The Best Tips for Making a Healthy Smoothie
The smoothie – it’s a drink that can be either friend or foe to our waistlines and health. With hundreds of ingredients (acai, cacao nubs, flaxseeds) and supplements (vegan protein powder, spirulina, omega-3 oil) to choose from, it’s no wonder that smoothie-making has become so complicated…
8 Easy Tips for Healthy Cooking
The prospect of eating right can seem daunting, but eating healthy doesn’t always have to be difficult. With a bit of planning and a few simple changes, you can easily set your family up with delicious, healthful food all year long. Read on for eight fresh tips for cooking healthy meals…
Winter Recipes & Kitchen Tips
Mardi Gras-Inspired Cocktails
Ever wonder how Mardi Gras came to be associated with New Orleans in the first place? After all, the celebration itself, which heralds the start of Lent, dates back thousands of years, and New Orleans is many miles away from New Jersey. As it happens, the whole thing started with real estate…
Winter (Cocktail Season) is Coming
December marks the official start of winter, and there’s no time like the present to look forward to the things that make winter the coolest season of them all: Snow, cozy sweaters, the holidays and, of course, toasty winter cocktails to chase the chill away. But what makes a “winter” cocktail different from any other drink?
Fab Finger Food Ideas for a New Year’s Eve Party
Hosting a New Year’s Eve party and have no idea what to serve everyone? Think beyond the frozen packs of hors d’oeuvres and try making your own. We spoke to chefs from Kings Cooking Studio in Short Hills about finger-food suggestions for all sorts of eaters, while Brinker International shared their Presidente Margarita recipe…
Fall Recipes & Kitchen Tips
Spooky & Sweet Halloween Cocktails
Halloween is one of the most exciting times of the year. According to a 2015 survey by the National Retail Federation, more than 157 million people plan to celebrate the spooky day, generating sales of nearly $7 billion in the United States alone. And it’s no wonder: With the costumes and late-night reveling, Halloween offers a chance to feel like a kid again…
Apple Cocktails to Try this Fall
Fall in the Garden State brings with it crisp weather, brilliant foliage — and everyone’s favorite weekend pastime, apple picking. Kids of all ages bound through the leaves in cozy sweaters; but for parents, nothing closes out a day at the orchard or even the farmer’s market like a crisp and fruity cocktail…
4 (Incredibly Delicious) Fall Cocktails to Try
Where did the summer go? Suddenly, it’s sweater weather, meaning it’s time for apple picking and pumpkin spice coffee drinks. To help you snuggle stylishly into the season, we’ve put together a few cocktails featuring New Jersey’s best boozemakers and the flavors of fall. Cheers! And as always, drink responsibly…
How to Survive Kitchen Disasters on Thanksgiving
Turkey. Stuffing. Havoc! The countdown has begun. In no time at all, you’ll have a home full of family and friends. Finding a place for everyone to sit is hard enough. Finding enough time for all of the prep and cooking? Well, that can be a turkey of a problem. For help, we consulted professional chef and Essex County resident Jeff Butler…
Thanksgiving Recipes That Are (Almost) Guilt-Free
The plates of appetizers. The piles of stuffing. It’s incredibly easy to eat a whopping 4,500 calories when you sit down to Thanksgiving dinner. But there’s a way to cut calories without sacrificing flavor (or the buttons on your pants). Check out these recipes that are lower in fat and calories than your usual holiday fare…
Summer Recipes & Kitchen Tips
How to Make Delicious Pizza on the Grill
There’s nothing as satisfying as a crispy slice of homemade pizza. But who wants to turn on the oven in sweltering summer heat? You’ll be thankful to learn there’s a simple solution. You can use your barbecue grill like a pizza oven. It’s true, and easier than you think! In fact, after learning what to do, you may never go back to the oven again. Learn how to grill your homemade pizza with these eight easy steps…
Tequila 101: All About the Spirit
Tequila’s history has a lot in common with the story of Mexico itself— rooted in an ancient civilization, deeply impacted by European colonists and encompassing a multitude of oft-misunderstood expressions. Most only think of tequila in connection to margaritas or Cinco de Mayo, but there’s so much more to the spirit of Mexico…
Summer’s Coolest Drink: The Spritz
Cold, bubbly, refreshing, and with a tendency to make one feel rather glamorous – as though enjoying cocktail hour in Venice with George and Amal Clooney – the spritz might just be the ultimate warm weather cocktail. This longtime staple of classic Italian drinking culture is also one of the hottest drinks in America…
The Best Healthy Red, White and Blue Recipes for 4th of July BBQs
Nothing is more American than hosting a BBQ while waiting for your town’s fireworks to begin on 4th of July. But even though BBQs may be absolutely delicious (who can resist a second helping of your best friend’s macaroni salad, and those ice cream pops that are not just for kids?), they can lean toward the calorie-laden side of the recipes scale…
9 Best Red, White & Blue Cocktails for 4th of July
With parades from Paramus to Point Pleasant, fireworks from Finesville to Freehold, and barbecues from Bayonne to Buena Vista Township, no one celebrates Independence Day like New Jersey. Though the holiday weekend is just around the corner, there’s still plenty of time to add a splash of Jersey pride to your cocktails for 4th of July festivities…
The Best Recipes for a Homemade 4th of July BBQ
Aside from parades and fireworks, cookouts typically top the list of much-anticipated Fourth of July festivities. If you’re looking to take your grilling game to the next level, we’ve got just the thing: We asked the quartet of a New Jersey-based chef, caterer, nutritionist, and wine expert to share their recipes and recommendations…
Spring Recipes & Kitchen Tips
Celebrate BBQ Month with Grilling Recipes from NJ Chefs
May is National BBQ Month, which means it’s time to break out of the kitchen and step out into the great outdoors. We’re not sure about you, but we love grilling up everything that late spring and early summer produce has to offer. To celebrate BBQ Month, we’re sharing some of our favorite grilling recipes – featuring Garden State produce – from some of our favorite NJ chefs and cookbook authors…
Mother’s Day Breakfast in Bed Ideas Mom will Love
Let’s be honest, if you’re a mother reading this (or a child or a father…), Mother’s Day is most likely highlighted on the calendar with some rather colorful exclamation points. Some folks plan brunch out at a fancy restaurant or offer gift bouquets of peonies and chocolates; while those things are very much welcomed, honestly nothing says “I love you” quite like some Breakfast in Bed, especially home cooking that’s not done by mom…
Cocktails for Mom Created by Top NJ Sommeliers
It’s rare to come across an idea that everyone believes is true, especially nowadays. Yet, when it comes to talking about mothers, there is one universally accepted truth: Moms are inspiring. They are fighters, cheerleaders, and — in a very real way — they are the creators of the world we live in. On Mother’s Day, Americans nationwide will take a break from their busy lives to offer a heartfelt “thank you” to the women they call Mom…
Must-Try Lamb Recipes for Easter
There are baskets overflowing with candy! Chocolate bunny figurines! Frantic hunts for brightly colored eggs! With all that going on, it’s easy to forget that lamb actually is the most widely recognized symbol of Easter. The association of lamb — and lamb dinners — with Judeo-Christian religion is about as old as, well, Judeo-Christian religion…
5 Chef Secrets for the Best Memorial Day Barbecue
Dinosaur BBQ has become legendary since its inception 28 years ago. It’s mostly known for slow-cooked ribs, wings and brisket, and earning accolades from The Food Network, Good Morning America and Eating Well magazine. Former President Clinton has even given the restaurant rave reviews…
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