I write about health and food. My husband Mike writes, too, but about technology. Every once in a while, our areas of specialization overlap.

Today Mike wrote about our daily walks together. While walking, we listen to podcasts, talk (both on the phone and to each other) and do other things. By using technology, we combine learning, talking and exercise -- and save a lot of time. You can, too.

Here's what my husband wrote about what he calls a "cell phone-based exercise program."

Peppers are often thought of as flavorings -- a way to spice up a meal. In fact, they're healthy super-foods. One small pepper, for example, can provide 100% of the daily requirement of vitamin C. And they have many other vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

It’s the beginning of August, and fresh peppers are now in peak season. Take advantage!

Be careful: Stores often mislabel fresh poblano peppers as “passilla” and “ancho.” Sometimes poblanos are even mistaken with Anaheim peppers. The farmer I bought my poblano peppers from had a sign saying “ancho” peppers, which should only be called that in their dried form.

Poblanos are fresh, dark green chili peppers with a distinct flavor and aroma. They're not spicy, but darker ones tend to be spicier. These peppers have a medium length and taper from top to bottom. They are not as wide as bell peppers or as skinny as Anaheim peppers. Poblano peppers originate in Puebla, Mexico, which is where they get their name. They make the best Mexican-style stuffed peppers. Don't fry them! Just bake for better taste and maximum health.

Ancho peppers are dried poblano chili peppers. They neither look nor taste like fresh poblano peppers. Ancho peppers, when mature, turn dark red and, when dried, take on a dark, reddish brown color.

Pasilla peppers are dried chilaca chili peppers, which in their fresh form are dark green, but when dried turn dark brown or blackish. Both fresh and dried forms are spicy hot.

I did some research online and, to my dismay, found some web sites with the wrong information about the their names, what they are and how they're used. It’s perplexing as to why peppers are so misunderstood and why people who should know better mislabel them so carelessly.

I know people who are great cooks and who are not afraid to use exotic or unusual ingredients. But I've found myself correcting them when they call poblano peppers pasilla peppers or vise versa.

It’s a problem because recipes often call for different kinds of peppers -- including poblano, pasilla and ancho or even Anaheim peppers -- which serve entirely different roles in cooking. When stores or farmers mislabel the peppers, people end up buying the wrong ones. And it's no small error. There is a vast difference between poblano and ancho or between poblano and pasilla. Ninety percent of the time these peppers cannot be used interchangeably in the same way that green bell peppers cannot be used interchangeably with ground black pepper.

Though poblano and ancho are the same pepper, one is fresh and the other dried. One can be stuffed and the other cannot. And their flavors and textures are completely different. Using the right peppers is important.

August, September and even October are good months to explore all the flavors and variety organic peppers have to offer -- and only for a fraction of what they cost other times of the year when they’re imported, expensive and not so flavorful.

Becoming a skillful shopper, a good cook and smart eater is much simpler than you might think. It does require planning, organizational skills and a good attitude, but anybody can do it. The benefits of educated shopping and healthy cooking and eating far outweigh any perceived inconvenience.

The act of getting food on the table becomes whatever you make it. Treating food as some time-wasting but necessary chore, makes it just that. But choosing healthy meal preparation as an act of love transforms all aspects of it into a deeply fulfilling experience. It is wonderfully gratifying to choose your own food, know where it comes from, prepare it with your own hands, eat it joyfully, and watch your loved ones savor the fruits of your labor.

So by all means, learn the skills. But also cultivate a love of healthy cooking. Here are my 12 steps on how to shop, cook and eat for maximum health.

Get some organic corn (or maize) at your nearest Farmer's Market. It's sweet. It's fresh. It's crunchy. And it tastes amazing. You can steam it, grill it or simply eat it raw! That's right, fresh raw corn tastes delicious in salads. Just remove the husks and silks, break off the stem holding the leaves or husks and then sit it on a cutting board top or wide end firmly pressing vertically on the cutting board. Use a sharp knife carefully slicing off kernels. Add the kernels to your all your salads. Eating fresh corn when it's in season is by far the best way to eat corn. Our whole industrialized food system is based on corn. But consuming corn syrup in sodas or corn flakes as sugar coated cereal candy is taking something wonderful and turning into something horrible. Don't compromise taste or freshness. Frozen corn and ready-to-use husked corn on the cob is not the same. Go to your nearest Farmer's Market or produce stand where it's just been picked the same day and try corn the way we're meant to eat it.

Let me know how you like it!

Many readers have asked me to share a list of my favorite personal care products. My criteria for choosing personal care products is primarily that they have to be 100% biodegradable and made with certified organic ingredients when possible. Additionally, I make sure that they are free of harmful synthetic fragrance, mineral oil, preservatives, petroleum products, parabens, phthalates, FD&C colorants or dyes, and other toxic chemicals. Here are a few my favorite products:

1. Thoroughly Clean Face Wash with Organic Tea Tree Oil and Awapuhi by Desert Essence for face, hands and body. I’ve been using this for many years. I buy the 32 oz refill bottles to refill the soap dispensers I keep in showers and sinks around the house. The tea tree oil in it makes it a natural antibacterial soap, but it can also burn the eyes as a result of it. It leaves the skin clean and soft like.

2. Dr. Bronner’s Organic Castile Soap Lavender for face, hands and body. I love the smell of this soap, which I use alternately with the Thoughroughly Clean Face Wash. I buy the 32 oz refill bottles to fill up my soap dispensers. I don’t like using any one product exclusively as I think variety and moderation are important.

3. Aubrey Organics Camomile Luxurious Shampoo. I love the smell of this product. It’s not very foamy as it doesn’t contain toxic petroleum surfactants but it cleans hair well and leaves it nice and shiny.

4. Aubrey Organics Camomile Conditioner. It makes hair silky and soft as long as you use plenty of water to rinse the hair thoughroughly. Otherwise, it leaves residues in the hair making the hair feel sticky and hard to detangle.

5. Peelu dental fibers. It doesn’t taste very good but it cleans teeth well. To be followed by flossing and Peelu toothpaste or Burt’s Bees Toothpaste.

6. Ecodent Dental Floss.

The Easter tradition of dying easter eggs for most American kids is all about using toxic supermarket Easter-egg dying kits. But you can use organic foods such as juice, onion skins, paprika, cabbage, carrots, coffee and spinach to make your own Easter egg dyes. Christina over at the SoloMother blog tells us how.

Warda, who publishes the 64 sq ft Kitchen blog has a wonderful recipe for roasted garlic oil. The reciepe will produce, in fact, two foods: oily garlic (called garlic mash), and garlicky oil. The Vegetarian Organic Blog, as you know, is all about the most healthy, delicious foods. And I also believe that a little planning and common sense can make the preparation of great food quick and easy. Roasted garlic oil is a perfect way to plan ahead for health and deliciousness. Garlic is one of the most powerful superfoods around. Eat it often to avoid getting sick, and when you do feel under the weather, garlic will fix you faster than any other food. Olive oil is an extremely healthful cooking fat. As always, buy only organic garlic and olive oil. As Warda points out, roasted garlic oil keeps unrefrigerated for at least a month. The garlic mash lasts that long, too, but in the refrigerator. The garlic oil will make it easy to prepare other foods that call for olive oil and a mild garlic flavor. The garlic mash will supply you with an instant superfood replacement for unhealthy things like butter, or store-bought relishes and dressings. Enjoy!

If you're going to be bringing a giant plant into your home this holiday season, makes sure it's organic. Some Christmas tree farms use dozens of toxic pesticides and chemical colorants. Where do you find organic trees? EcoBusinessLinks has an incomplete list. Green Promise has a few more. If you don't find an organic tree seller on one of these lists, add the name of your town to this Google search, and hopefully you'll find one.

Here's how to keep cilantro (also known as coriander) fresh for two weeks: Cut the bottom off the stems, rinse and place in a glass of water. Cover it loosely with plastic, but not so tight that the leaves can't dry, and place in the refrigerator. Change the water every few days.

Baked sweet potatoes make a delicious snack all by themselves, or can be pureed to make an ingredient for baking. Bake in 350 F oven. Wash and scrub well. Use a piece of parchment paper big enough to wrap around sweet potato once just like wrapping a hard candy with the ends twisted. Place in oven and bake from 35 to 50 minutes depending on size but until completely tender. Allow to cool and remove spoon and mash. To store for later use, store sweet potatoes in the refrigerator without removing the parchment paper. They make delicious snacks.