Nour Mahmoud, 21, a junior at Virginia Commonwealth University, is shown on Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Almaz Abedje)
Palm trees, too — but only the males. In fact, female trees don’t produce pollen at all, so seek them out when possible.Grasses can irritate eyes and sinuses, too. The scale ranks Bermuda (except sterile male varieties), Johnson, Kentucky, orchard, sweet vernal and timothy grasses among the highest for allergens.
Weeds like ragweed, curly dock, lamb’s quarters, pigweed, plantain, sheep sorrel and sagebrush are also big pollen producers, Ogren found.On the other hand, plants with “double” flowers or heavier pollen that doesn’t travel far are less likely to release much pollen.Among trees, apricot (Prunus armeniaca), fig (Ficus), fir (Abies), fruiting pear (Pyrus), fruiting plum (Prunus domestica, Prunus insititia), redbud (Cerus),
(Amelanchier laevis), female ash (Fraxinus), female box elder (Acer negundo), female cottonwood/poplar (Populus), female maple (Acer), female palm (Arecaceae) and female willow (Salix) are easier on the respiratory system.St. Augustine and sterile male Bermuda are safer bets in the grass department.
As for flowers, you’ve got options: Begonia, female clematis, columbine, crocus, daffodil, delphinium, hibiscus, impatiens, iris, bird of paradise, pansy, petunia, phlox, poppy, snapdragon, tulip, verbena and zinnia are friends. Roses, too — especially tightly packed, dense-petaled varieties, which exude even less pollen than those with single or semi-double flowers (rose allergies are more often fragrance-related than due to pollen, according to Ogren).
And if you suffer from seasonal allergies, keeping windows closed and getting someone else to mow the lawn will also help toTo make the salsa, in a food processor, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano and 1 teaspoon salt. Process until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; reserve the food processor bowl and blade. Stir the cabbage and cilantro into the puree, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.
To make the tacos, in the food processor, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Pulse to a coarse puree, about 10 pulses. Transfer to a small bowl. To the food processor, add the shrimp and pulse until finely chopped, about 4 pulses.In a 10-inch skillet over medium, heat the 3 tablespoons oil until shimmering. Add the tomato-onion puree and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the moisture has evaporated, 7 to 9 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until well incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring constantly, until the shrimp turn pink and the mixture has thickened, about 1 minute. Set aside off heat.
Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium until water flicked onto the surface immediately sizzles and evaporates. Add 2 tortillas in a single layer (it’s fine if they overlap slightly) and heat, flipping them once, until warm, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to a kitchen towel and wrap loosely to keep warm and pliable. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, stacking and wrapping them in the towel. Add the remaining 1 cup oil to the skillet; keep warm over low while you fill the tortillas.Lay 4 of the tortillas on a work surface and divide half of the shrimp mixture evenly among them, placing the filling on one side of the tortilla. Fold the unfilled sides over and press lightly; leave the edges open (do not seal them). Fill the remaining tortillas with the remaining shrimp mixture in the same way.