Fresh and authentic are two key characteristics of the wide selection of herbs and spices offered by Pereg Natural Foods (www.pereg-gourmet.com).

Spring is the perfect time to sort through and replenish your pantry to ensure that you are using only the best quality herbs and spices to create meals for your family as the Easter and Passover holidays approach. Among the many choices Pereg offers are Mediterranean style Shawarma, Za’atar Passover Blend, Spearmint, Whole Stick Cinnamon, Garden Quality Basil, as well as Dill, perfect for pickling.

Pereg Herbs and Spices are packaged in easy to store plastic shaker bottles and chef’s tips are included on the labels for additional recipe inspiration. Check out the company’s website for more detailed recipe suggestions at https://www.pereg-gourmet.com/blogs/recipes

Pereg Herbs and Spices — Gotta Love It!

Three Trees Pistachio Nut Milk (https://www.threetrees.com/pistachio) provides a delicious alternative to cow’s milk if you are sensitive to dairy products.

This plant based beverage makes a tasty drink all on its on, containing only 5 organic ingredients and nothing artificial. A serving size offers 4 g of protein and only 100 calories. Try it on cereal, to make morning oatmeal, or to add a creamy texture to coffee.

Three Trees Organic Unsweetened Pistachio Nutmilk — Gotta Love It!

“Make Yourself Cozy” by Katie Vaz (www.andrewsmcmeel.com) is the type of book we put into the “Hyacinth to Feed the Soul” category.

Beautifully written and illustrated, it provides the reader with dozens of suggestions for ways to feel good, safe, calm and well cared for. “Make Yourself Cozy” is the perfect antidote for the winter blues and makes a fabulous gift to give yourself or someone you care about!

“Make Yourself Cozy” by Katie Vaz — Gotta Love It!

If you want your Mardi Gras celebration this year to feature Authentic Cajun Flavor, check out the Zapp’s snack products available from Utz Brands (www.utzsnacks.com).

The Variety Box is the best way to sample these very addictive chips, offering four different kettle style potato chips, ranging from Regular and Spicy Cajun Crawtators to Voodoo and Hotter ‘N Hot Japapeno. The individual serving sizes in this special box also make Zapp’s snacks great for the Mardi Gras Buffet or to enjoy year-round in lunch boxes and at summer picnics.

Zapp’s Variety Box from Utz Brands — Gotta Love It!

Eating can be fun and entertaining, and preparing foods, no matter the daypart, should be as well!

Chef Justin Chapple is on a mission to provide home chefs with “uncomplicated recipes that work every time” and his cookbook, “Just Cook It!” (www.hmhco.com) succeeds admirably. You won’t have to spend all day in the kitchen to create such delicious offerings as Fish Stick Tacos, Mexican Style Street Corn, or White Chicken Chili. And why serve plain poached eggs for brunch when you can serve them over Reuben Toast! Chapple provides you with 145 reasons to love what you are cooking!

“Just Cook It!” by Justin Chapple — Gotta Love It!

The Universe certainly seems to be throwing numerous catastrophes and problems onto the journey that the world is taking. But “How to Survive Anything” from Tim Macwelch (www.weldonowen.com) and the editors of Outdoor Life (www.outdoorlife.com) comes to the rescue.

Readers will find a fascinating array of dangerous scenarios they can prepare for using proven survival skills , running the gamut from animal attacks and wild weather to pirates, acts of terror and even zombies. Each event is profiled under one of three categories: the unexpected, the unpredictable and the unthinkable. “How to Survive Anything” helps every adult follow that tried and true Boy Scout motto: “Be Prepared.”

How to Survive Anything by Tim Macwelch and the editors of Outdoor Life — Gotta Love It!

Readers will gain a new respect and understanding of the power and resiliency of Mother Nature in the face of climate change from “The Rescue Effect” by Michael Mehta Webster (www.timberpress.com).

The author outlines numerous ways that the natural world is adapting to changing atmospheric conditions throughout the globe, including coral reefs throughout the Caribbean, tigers roaming India, and American chestnut trees. Webster makes a good case for optimism despite mankind’s ongoing efforts to that threaten the extinction of many species throughout the natural world.

The Rescue Effect by Michael Mehta Webster — Gotta Love It!

Ready to woo and wow your Valentine this year? Then hurry on over to GourmetGiftBaskets.com and check out the tempting array of delicious and delectable Valentine’s Day gift baskets and boxes they can send straight to your sweetie! (www.gourmetgiftbaskets.com).

We recently sampled the goodies from their Happy Valentine’s Day Meat and Cheese Deluxe Box (pictured above) and enjoyed an impressive array of treats, including Hanover Smokehouse sausages, Mountain View Cheese Company cheddar cheeses, Sincerely Nuts Mixed Nuts, Kettle Corn, Cubetti wafer cookies, Capeachio’s water crackers, Annalee’s chocolate fudge and much more. All artfully packed into a colorful presentation box decorated with charming red and white hearts. We simply added the beverage of our choice and happily snacked away! Their website presents more than three dozen Valentine’s Day options in every price category and by using the code GIFTING10, you can received 10% off your order. But don’t delay – Happy Hearts Day is less than two weeks away!

GourmetGiftBaskets.com for Valentine’s Day — Gotta Love It!

We made a wonderful discovery while searching for a solution to the skyrocketing prices of fresh eggs in the dairy case — J U S T Egg! (https://www.ju.st/).

This liquid plant-based scramble mix is liquid gold in your skillet – without cholesterol, artificial flavors, the use of industrial chicken farms, or any artificial flavors. Use it just as you would beaten eggs to create mouthwatering omelettes, scrambles and other breakfast and brunch delicacies. Check out their website to find the nearest store location from you and for some wonderful recipe ideas.

J U S T Egg — Gotta Love It!

The New Year offers great inspiration for pursuing new hobbies, interests and leisure time pursuits! If you have any interest in learning more about fine art in 2023, we recommend you check out Questroyal Fine Art, LLC, headquartered in New York City. (www.questroyalfineart.com).

Questroyal specializes in American art and offers prospective clients a choice of three free catalogs shipped directly to them “to inspire and educate”the recipient about American artists and their amazing collections. The artists they represent range from Milton Avery and Louis Darling to Henry Lejeune and “Grandma” Moses, just a few among hundreds.

Questroyal Fine Art, LLC — Gotta Love It!