SEASONED THOUGHTS

Fall is almost here, and with it comes the annual pull of the pumpkin spice latte. It’s been five years since I ordered one at Starbucks. Back then I didn’t think twice about what was actually in the cup—I just liked the taste. Once I started paying attention to emulsifiers, though, I realized how often they show up in coffee shop milks, creamers, whipped toppings, and even some of the plant-based options. What Are Emulsifiers? Emulsifiers are additives that help oil and wate

Idaho Harvest Stuffing Seasoning is an apple, sage, and thyme blend for stuffing, rice pilaf, and roasted squash. Salt, garlic, and onion are already in the jar. The three recipes below use it as the only seasoning. Rice Pilaf - Serves 4 1 cup long-grain white rice 2 teaspoons Harvest Idaho Harvest Stuffing Seasoning 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil 1¾ cups water or unsalted stock 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or toasted almonds, optional Rinse the rice until the water runs m

A quick, flavorful version of classic Mexican street corn using Clean Living Taco Seasoning. Creamy, cheesy, and ready in about 20 minutes. Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 10–12 minutes Total time: 15–20 minutes Servings: 4 Ingredients 4 ears corn, husks and silk removed ¼ cup mayonnaise (or Mexican crema, or a mix) 2–3 tablespoons taco seasoning (to taste) ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese (or queso fresco) 2 limes, cut into wedges Chopped cilantro (optional, for garnish) Instr

After previously recommending Chosen mayo and with the avocado oil controversy still unresolved, here’s my reliable homemade olive oil mayo recipe. Seed oil free, creamy, and ready in minutes with an immersion blender. On August 10, 2026 I published a post explaining why I chose Chosen Foods mayo over other avocado oil brands. At the time it seemed like one of the cleaner, more trustworthy options available. Since then, independent testing has raised questions about the puri

Avocado oil has become a kitchen staple for good reason. It offers a high smoke point (around 500°F), a neutral flavor that works for almost any cooking method, and healthy monounsaturated fats. But here’s the hard truth most labels won’t tell you: a large percentage of the “avocado oil” on store shelves isn’t pure—or fresh. The Landmark UC Davis Study That Exposed the Problem In 2020, researchers at the University of California, Davis conducted the first extensive study of c

Discover simple, flavorful marinade recipes using our Mediterranean Garden Blend, Tuscan Bread Seasoning, and Lemon Herb Seasoning Salt. Clean ingredients, big flavor, and perfect for chicken, steak, fish, and vegetables. Looking for easy ways to add bold, clean flavor to your meals? Our small-batch seasoning blends make fantastic marinades with just a few simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. Here are three of our favorite marinade recipes using our blends.