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Oil Prices Are Spiking — Here's What It Means for Your Gas Tank and Grocery Bill

  Published July 17, 2026 Crude oil is trading near one-month highs this week, and if you've filled up your tank recently, you've probably already felt it. The culprit: an escalating conflict in the Middle East that's disrupting one of the world's most important oil shipping routes — and it's starting to show up at Canadian pumps and, eventually, on grocery store shelves. What's happening with oil prices West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the North American benchmark, has been trading around the $79–$80 per barrel range this week — up roughly 5% over the past month. Brent crude, the global benchmark that matters more for what Canadians pay at the pump, has been hovering near $85 per barrel, also near a one-month high. The spike traces back to renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. reimposed a naval blockade on Iran and has intensified strikes, while Iran has responded with attacks on U.S. bases and threats to disrupt regional energy shipments further. ...

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Healthy Meals: Restaurant-Style Beef and Broccoli

               beef, broccoli, green onions, and red peppers on plate with rice in the background

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup oyster sauce
  • ⅓ cup sherry
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ¾ pound beef round steak, cut into 1/8-inch thick strips
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more if needed
  • 1 thin slice of fresh ginger root
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1 pound broccoli, cut into florets

Directions

  1. 1.  Whisk oyster sauce, sherry, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and cornstarch together in a bowl; stir until sugar has dissolved.

  2. 2.  Place steak in a shallow bowl. Pour oyster sauce mixture over meat and stir to coat; cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

  3. 3.  Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic; let sizzle for about 1 minute to flavor oil, then remove and discard. Stir in broccoli. Toss and stir until bright green and almost tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove broccoli from the wok and set aside.

  4. 4.  Add a little more oil to the wok, if needed, then add beef with marinade. Stir and toss until sauce thickens and turns shiny and meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Return broccoli to the wok; stir until heated through, about 3 minutes.

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