The Love of Table Sugar! Do your kids love sugary foods and snacks? Do they go nuts for drinks that pack in the sugar? Do they expect a sweet cookie, cupcake or ice cream for dessert day-after-day? If you answered, yes, you are not alone. Sadly, sugar-rich treats are on the top of many kids' want-lists. But, table sugar isn’t what kids’ bodies need nor is it great for your dental bill. It's time to set kids up for a successful new school year, academically and nutritionally! Steering Away from Too Much Table Sugar! As a registered dietitian, I help caring parents steer their kids … [Read more...] about Back-To-School with Less Sugar and More Good Nutrition!
Back-To-School with a Healthier Macaroni & Cheese Recipe
A Home Recipe to Love I cannot imagine feeding a busy family without macaroni and cheese. It's just one of those comfort foods that everyone seems to love and it goes with everything. With the kids going back-to-school, wouldn't it be nice to find a less-processed solution than boxed mac and cheese? I hope you'll try my recipe and then teach your kids to make it, too! For other tips on making recipes healthier, click here. Super Duper Easy Mac & Cheese - Makes 8 servings Ingredients: 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2-1/2 Cups Macaroni or Spiral Pasta, … [Read more...] about Back-To-School with a Healthier Macaroni & Cheese Recipe
Back-to-School with a Healthier and Cheaper Sandwich!
Are you tired of sandwiches? After the first week of kindergarten, my son came home and said to me, "Mom, I'm tired of sandwiches." Oh boy, I thought, what else can I use as the anchor to his healthy bag lunch? I pulled out all my most creative thoughts and came up with things like whole grain crackers with cheese, bread sticks with peanut butter and honey to dip, and a rolled sandwich on a tortilla. Are you tired of the same old sandwich? Unlike my son, I have always been more-or-less a sandwich lover. But I get tired of the same old sandwich. I vary it between tuna salad, hummus and … [Read more...] about Back-to-School with a Healthier and Cheaper Sandwich!
Featuring Pears in Your Meals and Snacks
September 2013 Easy Solutions: Pears are Worth a Look and a Taste this Fall! When was the last time you had a fresh, fall pear? A sweet and nutritious, medium-sized pear has a lot going for it such as 100 calories, 6 grams fiber, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol and 0 sodium. Here is the humble pear’s Nutrition Facts label and, just for fun, take a look at 10 different varieties of fresh pears. Try substituting pears every time you think of having an apple, like this: Pear in the kids’ school lunch box, and yours Pear for a late afternoon … [Read more...] about Featuring Pears in Your Meals and Snacks
Go Green with Greens for Good Nutrition this Fall!
Eating Seasonally! When fall is in the air, like today, I cook leafy greens. It's not that I grew up eating a lot of greens because I didn't. The only green my sister, brother and I found on our dinner plate was spinach and I wasn't too excited about it back then. When I moved south of the Mason-Dixon Line, first to Virginia and later to North Carolina, I began appreciating the special foods of the Southeast - like greens. When I got hooked on Farmer's Markets, I began craving greens of all kinds! Kinds of Greens! I especially love Swiss Chard and you can see it in the photo at the … [Read more...] about Go Green with Greens for Good Nutrition this Fall!
World Vegetarian Day & 5 Easy Recipes for Good Nutrition!
Vegetarian Recipes are Worth a Try! Cooking vegetarian recipes is not hard. In fact, here are 31 easy, fast and healthy vegetarian recipes to try with a friend or your family. If you dive in and try some of these, I think you'll be amazed at how the flavors of these recipes pop and the timing is great since World Vegetarian Day is October 1st! 5 Recipes to Help You Eat More Vegetables! Vegetarian quiche works for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Make a healthier crust by cutting several whole wheat tortillas and laying them in a single layer on the bottom of your quiche/pie … [Read more...] about World Vegetarian Day & 5 Easy Recipes for Good Nutrition!