Holiday foods bring us into the kitchen, and that's a good thing. Putting together a healthy menu, though, can be tough. Think about your holiday party appetizer table, for example. Are there rich cheeses, sour cream dip, and mini-quiches.? Or, are there steamed shrimp, nuts, and colorful raw veggies? The second option is definitely the direction to go for an enjoyable and nutritious nibble. So, this holiday season, challenge yourself to offer lighter and healthier foods in delicious harmony with great flavor. Here's a tasty starting point: Lighter & Healthier Appetizers - Try these: … [Read more...] about Try These Holiday Foods for a Lighter & Healthier Twist
Banana-Carrot Quick Bread Recipe
The rich nutrition of carrots is a perfect compliment to the natural sweetness of a simple banana bread. This recipe can easily be doubled to make 2 loaves and it freezes beautifully. So, next time your bananas get super ripe, give it a try! Ingredients 2 tablespoons Butter 2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) 1/4 cup Applesauce, unsweetened 1/2 cup Sugar, white or brown 2 Eggs, large 1 cup Flour, white 1 cup Flour, whole wheat 1 teaspoon Baking … [Read more...] about Banana-Carrot Quick Bread Recipe
Mediterranean Turkey & Herb Meatloaf Recipe
Everyone loves comfort food and meatloaf is a perfect choice. By switching out the ground beef and switching in 93% lean ground turkey, along with flavorful fresh and dried herbs, this is a tasty Mediterranean version of your favorite dinner dish! Mediterranean Turkey & Herb Meatloaf Kids can help by cracking the eggs, measuring the dried herbs, and stirring everything together, with supervision. Makes 6-8 servings 1-1/2 pounds Lean ground turkey, 93% lean ½ large Bell pepper, any color, chopped 1 medium Red onion, chopped 2 large … [Read more...] about Mediterranean Turkey & Herb Meatloaf Recipe
Read Your Recipe Carefully to Avoid 5 Common Recipe Mistakes
Even experienced cooks make mistakes. For me, there have been many like over-spicing a chili to the point it was not edible, leaving the sugar out of a quick bread, leaving the egg out of etc etc. You get my drift. If you want to 'nail' your recipe every time, try this simple strategy: Read your recipe carefully before you start making it. It will help you avoid common mistakes. Read Your Recipe Carefully It's super smart to take 10-15 minutes to read over your recipe every time you cook something for the first time. Even if you're cooking a recipe you've made before, take a few minutes … [Read more...] about Read Your Recipe Carefully to Avoid 5 Common Recipe Mistakes
Blueberry Buckle Recipe
Are you a blueberry fan? Me, too, so here is a little background and then a yummy recipe for Blueberry Buckle which is a long-time family favorite! What's So Special About this Recipe? My recipe for Blueberry Buckle is super special because it came from my mother and years of picking blueberries in our yard out West with my sister and brother. In fact, growing up, a familiar summer chore was to go outside and pick blueberries. Even though we sometimes complained, our reward was that Mom would make us a pan of Buckle! In my yard in North Carolina, now, there are rows of mature and very … [Read more...] about Blueberry Buckle Recipe
Breads, Cookies and Muffins with Quality Nutrition and 3 Recipes
Baked goods with carefully chosen ingredients can fit everyone's good nutrition plan if you keep an open mind. Baking Best Practices There are a few best practices to rely on when you want to bake a healthy loaf of bread, a dozen muffins or a batch of cookies. Taking time to work these out will give you a perfect starting point for better nutrition. Why? Because you'll have new items for your grocery list and other items you may take off your grocery list or buy less often. It's always smart to plan ahead. Here are my favorite best practices: Keep it simple Make substitutions … [Read more...] about Breads, Cookies and Muffins with Quality Nutrition and 3 Recipes