Holly Riddle

Holly Riddle is a food, travel and lifestyle writer whose work can be found on Mashed, Daily Meal and Hotels.com, and in a range of publications focused on regional food and living, particularly as it applies to the Northeast United States. She also works in content marketing and ghostwriting, with work appearing in Forbes, Bloomberg and a variety of consumer publications from top food and beverage brands.

Education

Holly has a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Kentucky, where she graduated with honors in 2014.

Latest Articles

How to Make Tofu Taste Great

Tofu is fairly bland on its own, but that’s what makes it so versatile. If you’re not following a recipe, here’s a few ways to dress up tofu and make it taste great.

Romanesco broccoli (Brassica oleracea), close-up shot.

This Vegetable is a Must-Try for Broccoli & Cauliflower Lovers

This is one piece of produce you’ll definitely want to try. With a fantastical, spiral-like, vibrant green appearance, and a flavor profile similar to that of broccoli and cauliflower (it’s in the same family), Romanesco is a historically favorited veggie that deserves more time in the limelight.

A clump of potatoes growing from a potato plant in a garden bed.

Here’s How Many Potatoes You Can Grow from One Seed Potato

If you’d like to grow more of your own food, potatoes are a great place to start. They’re easy to grow in most climates, and one seed potato can produce 5-10 new potatoes.

Store-front signage in Plant City, Florida that reads: "Florida Strawberry Festival."

What to Know if You’re Headed to the 2024 Florida Strawberry Festival

For a fun foodie festival travel stop, check out the Florida Strawberry Festival. It draws around half a million attendees to enjoy live music and strawberry-based treats each spring in Plant City, Florida.

Homemade vinaigrette dressing in a jar with a whisk.

Use this Technique to Make the Perfect Vinaigrette

You can properly emulsify your vinaigrette mixture by just using the right tools and the right technique.

Diverse mix of friends sports fans watching football game on TV at home, celebrating winning touchdown huddled on couch shouting excited sharing snacks drinking beer.

Healthy Super Bowl Snack Ideas

You can plan an awesome Super Bowl party without relying on take-out menus or slow cookers filled with mostly various forms of cheese.

Man holding kale leaves over a bowl on a kitchen counter.

5 Best Substitutes for Kale

Kale has received a lot of love over the last few years, but not everyone’s a fan. Luckily, you can easily substitute other leafy ingredients for kale in a range of recipes, for a more palatable flavor and texture, and similar health benefits.

Female hands in yellow knitted sweater holding a bowl with pumpkin cream soup on dark stone background with spoon decorated with cut fresh pumpkin, top view.

5 Healthy Winter Soups to Warm You Up

There’s nothing quite like coming home after a long winter’s day, to a piping hot bowl of healthful, filling, comforting soup. Get ready to fill your home with the delicious smells of soup or stew with these five healthy soups.

Sorghum bicolor is a genus of flowering plants in the grass family Poaceae. Native to Australia, with the range of some extending to Africa, Asia and certain islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

This Healthy Ancient Grain Should Be On Your Radar

When someone says “ancient grain” what do you think of? Probably quinoa, right? It’s certainly received the bulk of attention over the last few years. Barley gets a little bit of attention, as does buckwheat and farro. However, there’s one ancient grain that you maybe haven’t tried yet, and it’s one that’s not only good for you, it’s also good for the planet.

An assortment of fresh vegetables including kale, broccoli, celeriac, potatoes, parsnips, fennel, onions, and sweet potatoes.

5 Underrated Vegetables to Try This Year

If you’re growing tired of the seemingly never-ending rotation of potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions in your meals, it might be time to shake up your vegetable selections. There are probably many vegetables that you’re likely overlooking. Here are five underrated vegetables to try this year.

Bananas nut overnight oats with in snap lid glass jar on white marble.

The Best Type of Oats for Overnight Oats

Overnight oats are easy, but you can still end up with a less-than-desirable dish if you don’t follow a few basic rules: like using the right type of oats. While you can buy a range of oats at the grocery store, there’s only one type that will give you a great texture without turning to mush.

This U.S. State Produces the Most Citrus Fruit (And It’s Not Even Close)

Wondering which state leads the U.S. in citrus production? Find out and explore some of our healthy citrus recipes.

Two women holding drinks wine start eating paella with seafood and squid at a table in a Mediterranean restaurant.

4 Easy Ways to Get Started with the Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet is renowned for boosting health and longevity. Here are four easy ways to get started with this healthful approach to eating.

Black-eyed Pea soup in a metal pan on a wooden stand on a blue background.

Are Black-Eyed Peas Actually Peas?

Black-eyed peas have a strong connection with Southern culture and traditions, particularly when it comes to New Year’s Eve and Day, and, despite their name, they’re not actually peas. Here’s what you need to know.

Blooming buckwheat field with white flowers.

Top Healthy Food Trends to Expect in 2024

What healthy food trends can you expect in 2024? Get ahead of the curve and be in the know, with these six, expert-predicted 2024 healthy food forecasts.

Basket of fresh sweet potatoes after being harvested from the soil, surrounded by live sweet potatoes plants still in the ground.

The U.S. State That Produces the Most Sweet Potatoes

While sweet potatoes might feel familiar, there’s probably a lot that you don’t know about these sweet, orange veggies.

A group of people wearing Santa hats are sitting and standing around a table with breakfast food.

4 Healthy Christmas Morning Breakfast Ideas

You don’t have to choose between convenience and health. You can throw together a delicious breakfast on Christmas morning after all the presents have been unwrapped and you’ve had time for a cup of coffee or two, and it can be something nutritious and healthful that will keep your family feeling great all day.

Several Cara cara navel oranges, some whole and some cut in half, and some in a bowl and some on a table with a white tablecloth.

5 Must-Try Winter Citrus Fruits in Season Now

While your local apple orchard might be closed and backyard blueberry bushes snow-covered, winter brings a variety of fresh fruits to your local grocery store.

Holiday cocktail with cranberry, vodka, rosemary and ice.

How to Make a Healthier Cocktail This Holiday Season

If you’re trying to get a lighter, mostly refreshing, and still slightly buzzy drink during the holiday season, it may feel easier said than done. We’re sharing five tips on how to make a healthier cocktail this holiday season.

A fully stocked (but somewhat messy) refrigerator.

4 Food Safety Rules You Need to Follow Around the Holidays

Avoiding a foodborne illness — at least when it comes to your own kitchen, cooking, and food prep — is easy enough if you follow a few rules. These four food safety rules are easy but often overlooked.

Creamy potato soup garnished with parsley

The Best Types of Potatoes for Soups and Stews

Depending on the type of soup or stew you’re making, as well as your desired texture, certain potatoes will be better than others.

Pan-roasted brussels sprouts in a cast iron skillet.

How to Make Brussels Sprouts Less Bitter

For many, Brussels sprouts are becoming standard fare (especially around the holidays), as home cooks move beyond the sad, boiled brussels sprouts you may have grown up with, to more palatable recipes. But what if you’ve tried some of these much-improved Brussels sprouts recipes and still just find the veggie too bitter for your taste? We share four easy ways to make Brussels sprouts less bitter.

The Most Underrated Kitchen Gadget You Need to Buy

A potato ricer doesn’t just make the fluffiest potatoes; you can use it for other tasks as well. It is an extremely underrated kitchen tool that you should be using on a regular basis, and not just for potatoes. Learn four unexpected ways to utilize your potato ricer.

A turkey carcass on a platter on a table.

How to Make Turkey Stock from the Carcass

The second best thing about Thanksgiving is making turkey stock from the carcass. So before you start cleaning up and toss the turkey carcass in the trash, consider making turkey stock from it. The process is incredibly easy (just what you need after a full day or longer spent in the kitchen) and it results in a delicious, healthful, homemade broth that you can use in recipes all winter long.

Woman preparing tasty mashed potatoes on wooden background.

Why Your Mashed Potatoes Turn Gummy (and How to Avoid It)

Mashed potatoes are one of the highlights of every holiday meal, but while mashed potatoes are relatively simple (potatoes, cream, butter, salt, pepper and you’re done), there are still ways they can go wrong, quickly and easily, and turn into gummy mashed potatoes.

A skillet with diced celery, carrots, and onions. Celery stalks and carrots are in the background.

The Name Chefs Use for this Classic Veggie Trio

You’ve probably been making this trio of vegetables your entire life (or, at least as long as you’ve been cooking). It forms the base of many a soup and stew and adds flavor, depth, and texture to many favorite Western dishes. It’s a simple blend of diced celery, onions, and carrots.

Happy African American mature woman brining stuffed turkey at dining table during family Thanksgiving dinner.

Healthy Holiday Swaps Your Guests Won’t Even Notice

Whether you’re just trying to eat healthily or you’re following a specific diet, the holidays can be tricky. If you have the pleasure of hosting this season, you can make a few simple, holiday swaps that your guests won’t even notice. Learn how to serve the holiday classics without overdoing it on the sugar, carbs, and dairy.

Sweet Potato Casserole topped with Pecans.

5 Ways to Lighten Up Your Sweet Potato Casserole

Let’s be honest, sweet potato casserole is more of a dessert than a side. With our tips to lighten up your sweet potato casserole, you can eat it all season long without sacrificing flavor.

Sweet Potato Gratin in a casserole dish.

5 Things to Do with Leftover Sweet Potatoes

If you have extra sweet potatoes on your hands and don’t want more plain-Jane boring leftovers, try repurposing your leftovers with these exciting dishes.

A row of Starbucks holiday drink cups on a counter.

How to Make Starbucks Holiday Drinks a Little Healthier

Starbucks holiday drinks are not only tasty but they are filled with sugar and dairy. While your occasional Peppermint Mocha indulgence certainly won’t hurt anything, if you’re ordering a holiday favorite on the daily, you might notice a few negative effects. Luckily, there are a few simple things you can do to make Starbucks’ holiday drinks a little healthier.

How to Make Lentils Taste Better

Lentils are one of those foods that, when served straight up, boiled in water, and drained, are just plain boring and bland. Here are six delicious ways to make lentils taste better.

Healthy Halloween snacks made from bananas, oranges, and apples.

7 Healthier Halloween Snacks

The majority of Halloween-themed snacks are cute but aren’t exactly healthy and tend to be laden with processed sugars. With a little creativity you can enjoy healthy Halloween snacks all October.

Root mash. Root vegetables mashed in a bowl. Garnished with oil and herbs.

What Rutabaga Tastes Like and Why You Should Add It to Your Mashed Potatoes

Rutabaga is a mystery food for many people. You’ve probably seen it at the farmers market and at restaurants. We’ll help you discover a new root vegetable you’re going to become obsessed with!

A white bowl with a blue rim filled with pumpkin chili with tortilla chips in the background.

5 Unique Ways to Use Pumpkin This Fall

Pumpkin isn’t just for desserts and pumpkin spice lattes. Pumpkin is filled with tons of health benefits so why not incorporate it into more fall recipes? There are still plenty of unique ways to use pumpkin this October. We have 5 more delicious suggestions.

A whole pizza in a pizza pan topped with sliced tomatoes.

How to Give Homemade Pizza a Healthy Upgrade

Pizza is everyone’s favorite Friday night eat. However, don’t think that just because you’re indulging, that means you have to throw out your health and nutrition goals for the week. While you might see pizza as a cheesy, carb-laden treat that’s best enjoyed only on rare occasions, there are many ways you can have your pizza and eat it, too.

A photo of a large pumpkin with smaller pumpkins and butternut squash.

Is a Pumpkin a Squash?

Is a pumpkin just another type of squash? You’re likely thinking that squash is summer squash, maybe a butternut squash, or a spaghetti squash — probably not a pumpkin. We’ll discuss what family the pumpkin belongs to and if you can use it in squash recipes.

The Best Types of Pumpkins for Eating & Cooking

There’s so much more to pumpkins than that boring puree in a can. Discover varieties like Sugar, Cinderella, Kabocha, Fairytale, Jarrahdale, and Styrian, each offering unique flavors and textures.

Healthy homemade oatmeal with strawberries and blueberries for breakfast.

How to Make Oatmeal Taste Good Without Sugar

Indulge in a bowl of oatmeal that’s both delicious and sugar-free. Enhance the flavor with low-sugar fruits, natural sweeteners, or protein powders. Mix in nuts or explore savory options for a hearty, satisfying meal. Your tasty, healthful breakfast awaits!