The warmer weather inspires us to go into pie-baking mode, before the summer heat makes us avoid turning on the oven.

Have you ever made a strawberry pie? It couldn’t be easier: Just toss fresh strawberries with sugar and cornstarch. (We also add the zest of a lemon or orange, or a tablespoon of orange liqueur.)

Make two pies: One to serve at home with strawberry or vanilla ice cream or whipped cream; the other as a gift for someone special.

We’re enjoying all the flavors of new Crystal
Light Pure. Photo courtesy Kraft Foods.

Crystal Light has introduced a tasty sister, Crystal Light Pure, which replaces Crystal Light Pure Fitness. Because there’s no artificial sweetener, there’s no artificial aftertaste, which is what kept us from enjoying regular Crystal Light (yes, we know that millions of people love it, including some of our closest friends).

But if you’d like a more natural-tasting, low calorie fruit drink—as well as one made of all-natural ingredients—we nominate Crystal Light Pure.

All-natural Crystal Light Pure has no artificial sweeteners, flavors or preservatives. It’s sweetened with sugar and Truvia, a natural sweetener derived from the stevia plant (a member of the holly family). Stevia has no calories, so even after the addition of sugar, the drink has just 15 calories per 8-ounce serving, with 4g sugar. (Regular Crystal Light has 5 calories per serving and 0g sugar.)

The sweetness level is so natural that even those who normally use all-sugar-sweetened drink mixes should give it a try.

 
You can make a pitcher of Crystal Light Pure or add it to a reusable water bottle and drink sustainably all summer long.

And, a bit of gin, vodka or tequila turns it into a fruity, lower-calorie cocktail.

Crystal Light Pure is available at supermarkets nationwide and on Amazon.com.

Watching a professional chef wield a knife is impressive: in a whoosh, everything is chopped, neatly and evenly. Whole chickens are cut apart effortlessly and chives are cut into impossibly small pieces.

If you’re not a knife wizard, consider a pair of kitchen shears. They make our tasks go quickly and don’t remind us that our knife skills could be better.

Use them for:

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In addition to cutting food, you can use the shears to trim flowers, parchment paper and twine; open boxes; and other cutting tasks.

Newer kitchen shears have added features:

 
The metals are also dishwasher-safe (although hand washing keeps the edges sharper).

If you don’t want to buy something new, any clean, sharp scissors with a 3″ to 4″ blade can be repurposed as kitchen shears.