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
Olive Oil or Butter: Which is Better Nutrition and 7 Ideas for Using It
Have you ever wondered if extra virgin olive oil or butter is a better choice nutritionally? If you have, here's the answer! There is a difference between these two common fats. In fact, you might expect differences because these two fats come from very different sources. Extra virgin olive oil comes from the fruit of a plant, the olive. And, butter comes from cream, a by-product of an animal. So, yes they are different nutritionally. A Comparison of the Saturated Fat in Extra Virgin Olive Oil versus Butter One important difference between plant (olive) and animal (butter) fats is … [Read more...] about Olive Oil or Butter: Which is Better Nutrition and 7 Ideas for Using It
Healthier Family Nutrition, 5 Smart Tips for Parents, and 5 Handy Recipes
What are your secrets to healthier family nutrition? When there are kids in the house, your example may be most important. All year long, moms and dads think about their children. Sometimes these thoughts turn into action plans about how to feed the kids and the entire family better nutrition. With room to customize the ideas to fit your unique family, go ahead and try the 5 ideas below. Of course, keep an open mind because kids will always surprise you, even at the meal table. 5 Smart Tips for Parents Who Want to Feed the Entire Family Better Nutrition Be a healthy eating … [Read more...] about Healthier Family Nutrition, 5 Smart Tips for Parents, and 5 Handy Recipes
Cooking at Home with Mediterranean Ingredients
Cooking and consuming better nutrition starts with a home kitchen full of great ingredients, Mediterranean style. The easiest way to shift to high quality, Mediterranean nutrition is to transition your home kitchen's ingredients. This begins with a focused effort to replenish your dry pantry, fridge, and freezer. A Dry Pantry with Better Nutrition The dry foods in your kitchen are important to every meal. To improve their quality, Mediterranean style, try a few changes at a time. Here are 3 steps to take: Add more canned or dried beans, lentils, and nuts Expand your … [Read more...] about Cooking at Home with Mediterranean Ingredients
Waste Less Food with Consistent Meal Planning
If you want to reduce your kitchen food waste - and who doesn't - then the best solution is to consistently plan your meals. There's a lot of information these days about food waste. In fact, here is an easy to understand summary on the topic. The bottom line is that less is better and more is harmful to the landfill, the Earth, and what you spend at the retail food market. There is a solution that seems to tick all the boxes of wasting less food and getting more nutrition and it's meal planning. Taking the time to pre-think your meals for a few days at a time, write them down, grocery … [Read more...] about Waste Less Food with Consistent Meal Planning
A Mediterranean Pantry Starts the Process to Healthier Eating for the Heart
A Mediterranean Pantry leads you to heart healthy foods on a day-to-day basis. A few weeks ago, one of my clients told me that she intended to transform her home pantry into one that features Mediterranean foods. She said it in a firm and proud voice. I was totally impressed. Anytime a home pantry is cleaned or re-arranged, it is usually also refreshed nutritionally. Think about your last 'spring cleaning' project. My last big pantry cleaning was due to some tiny bugs that got into all the wheat foods, like flour and crackers and pasta. What a job and yet when the pantry was finally clean … [Read more...] about A Mediterranean Pantry Starts the Process to Healthier Eating for the Heart