Roses are Red, Violets are Blue…

…And boy, do we have a sweet tip for you! We hope you had a lovely Valentine’s Day on Wednesday. And if you were lucky enough to receive a bouquet of beautiful roses from a loved one, you can make them last forever… Just turn them into this easy, scent-sational homemade potpourri: 

1. After your flowers have fully opened but before the petals turn brown, remove all the petals from the stem. Gently lay them out in a single layer on a screen or cookie sheet.
2. Allow the petals to dry out for a week or so away from any heat sources and sunlight.
3. Once the petals are fully dried, place them in a jar with 1 teaspoon of rose essential oil for every 1 cup of petals.
4. Put the lid on the jar and store it for 2 weeks, gently shaking the petals each day.
5. Now all that’s left to do is place the potpourri in a pretty bowl and display it with pride! 

Find more flower tips and tricks (including a recipe for our Dazzling Basil Potpourri) in our bestselling book, Supermarket Super Gardens! You can even try it out absolutely FREE with our 21-Day Free Preview!

Chocolate: the Kiss of Good Heart Health!

You already know that strawberries are superior sources of antioxidants, the compounds that battle heart disease. And it’s true — five strawberries offer about 2,400 antioxidant units. But I bet you didn’t know that chocolate — yes, chocolate! — offers more.

Dark chocolate packs a whopping 5,700 antioxidant units in 1½ ounces (about the size of a standard candy bar), and milk chocolate has nearly 3,000. But that’s not all the goodness you’ll get from this delicious treat. It’s been scientifically proven — although most of us didn’t need a study to tell us this — that chocolate contains a chemical that improves mood! 

So how much rich and creamy chocolate should you eat to reap the benefits? As with most things in life, moderation is the key. You’re also better off reaching for solid chocolate candies or those with nuts rather than those with creamy fillings, which contribute calories but very few antioxidants. Also, steer clear of chocolate in desserts such as cake, cookies, and ice cream. Although you get the health benefits of the chocolate, they also come with a lot of calories and other ingredients that could spell trouble for your heart.

The bottom line: Settle for a kiss this Valentine’s Day!