Kiwis are natives of the China’s Yangzte River Valley, but today are grown commercially worldwide. The fuzzy brown-skinned fruit with the tasty green center is loaded with nutritional benefits that rival those of many other fruits.

Shallots have a distinctive taste that might best be described as a garlic-onion hybrid, although this bulb isn't a genetic mix of the two. Shallots have an onion-like flavor with a bite that approximates garlic's, but with a sweeter and milder taste.

Few things are more frustrating than putting time and energy into a recipe only to have it turn out badly. While low-quality ingredients, the wrong heat setting and poor technique can each befoul a perfect dish, when you're cooking with tomatoes, the pan you choose counts, too.

Made from white or red wine and usually aged for several years in oak barrels, brandy can be flavored with various fruit juices. In particular, apple brandy is made from apple cider and white wine. The two main types of apple brandy are Calvados and applejack.

Tender and crispy vegetables not only taste better, but also have greater nutritional value. While your chances of achieving a crisp, tender state are better with certain cooking methods, any method will do as long as you refrain from overcooking.

If you avoid eating dried fruit with added sugar, you're making a smart choice because you'll avoid the excess calories from all that fructose. Still, you may wonder whether dried fruit is really a healthy choice at all.

If you are fond of drinks such as melon margaritas, Midori sours, Gila monsters, shark bites or Zimamazings, you are likely paying too much at the store for their operative nonalcoholic ingredient: lemon sour. Also referred to as "bar mix," "simple syrup" or "sweet and sour mix,"

Heartburn is a burning sensation behind your breastbone that happens when your lower esophageal sphincter, which is normally a one-way door from the food pipe into the belly, relaxes enough to let stomach acid seep up into the esophagus. Wearing tight-fitting clothes, smoking and eating big meals can worsen heartburn.

Raw potatoes sliced into French fry shapes cook up amazingly quickly when cooked in hot oil. While French fries aren't a healthy treat, you can at least choose the oil -- such as organic canola oil -- you use when you cook them at home, to reduce some of the potential health risks associated with fried foods.

Honey and lemon are two healthy natural foods that have been combined by many cultures for countless generations. Combining pure, raw honey with fresh lemon juice is a popular weight-loss remedy, although there are many other benefits to be had, including enhancing your digestion.

Use a heavy skillet to prepare vegetables using a variety of easy cooking methods. Sauteeing is a quick-cooking method that retains the quality and flavor of nearly any vegetable.

Cucumbers have a mild, refreshing flavor and are a delicious addition to any salad, sandwich or side dish. Frequently cucumbers are peeled, because the rough outer skin can be difficult to chew and digest. However, what many people don't know is most of the beneficial nutritional value of cucumbers stems from the peel.