I’m not one to tamper with tradition too much when it comes to holiday foods. Stuffing still needs to be made with white bread/stuffing mix, mashed potatoes still need butter and maybe even cream cheese and sour cream, and pumpkin pie needs a pastry crust. But with just a few minor tweaks, I’m able to keep all the traditional taste and save a few calories and fat grams. Simple substitutions. Great flavor. Comparisons: Stuffing: 75% less fat and 65 fewer calories Smashed Potatoes: 50% less fat ...
Perfect Halloween Menu for Procrastinators
Beef & Black Bean Chili. Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip with Pears & Apples. Ghosts in the Graveyard Pudding Dessert. No tricks – only treats with this fun, tasty and nutrient-rich Halloween menu. I’m reposting these recipes, because I realize many of you have waited until the very last minute to decide what to serve for your Halloween party. Plus, this also works for a quick dinner before the kids head out for Trick or Treating. Or for busy weeknights. Get the kids involved with the ...
Dorm Room Microwave Favorites
Budget-friendly, fast and easy, and nutrient-rich. Yes, you can blend all three while microwaving in your dorm room. And instead of feeling bad or guilty that you love those inexpensive ramen noodles or boxes of mac ‘n cheese, just try these easy ways to boost the nutrients by adding Nutrient-Rich ingredients: good sources of protein and lots of filling vegetables. Here are four recipes to get you started. Don’t forget to watch your portions! And just in case you don’t feel like cooking, the ...
Spongy Birthday Cake
When Chelsea said her favorite cake was Angel Food Cake because of its spongy texture, I cringed. Sponginess is exactly why this cake falls at the bottom of my favorite cake list. But mostly I cringed because I hadn’t baked a homemade Angel Food Cake in over thirty years. And I tend to get a tad too worked up about birthday cakes in general, fretting over which recipe is the best and obsessing over which ...
P.A.C.K. Smart Back to School Lunches
Lunches that include a variety of foods and beverages help children stay focused, alert and perform their best throughout the school day. Besides providing the nutrients, hydration and energy children need to grow, learn and play, packed lunches can provide fun and variety that inspire kids to eat well and develop lifelong healthy habits. So, how do parents get an A+ for making creative and fun-filled lunches? It’s not as hard as you think. Kids love variety, so think about not only what your ...
Garden in a Bowl
What’s the next best thing to standing in a huge vegetable garden, picking ripe red tomatoes and green bell peppers and eating them right on the spot? Gazpacho (gahz-PAH-choh), the ubiquitous summer soup, that’s what. I realize it takes nearly an hour to prepare this no-cook cold soup; there’s a lot of slicing, chopping and dicing going on. But after just one bite – and knowing you’ll have a batch big enough to last several days - you’ll agree it was worth every second. All 3600 of them to be ...
Zesty Black Bean & Corn Salsa
Call it a salad, a salsa, a dip. Doesn’t matter. What DOES matter is that you enjoy lots of this zesty creation, because it is 100% nutrient-rich. As a registered dietitian, I especially love it because it uses FOUR forms of fruits and vegetables – and ALL are nutrient-rich: Fresh, frozen, canned and 100% juice. This salsa/salad is: *Excellent source of vitamin C, A, numerous other vitamins & minerals and powerful antioxidants *Excellent source of fiber *Only 110 calories in ¾ ...
Bring on the Blueberries
Blueberry pancakes, blueberry cobbler, blueberry crisp, blueberry muffins, blueberry smoothie, blueberry scones……I could go on and on for great-tasting ways to use this “just coming into-season” power-packed fruit. They not only give a flavor boost to anything you’re making, but a nutrient-rich boost as well. Just look at these blueberry benefits: *Excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese. *Good source of fiber *Only 80 calories in one cup *One of the highest antioxidant ...
Super, Simple Salad
Red Onion & Orange Salad over Mixed Greens. Certainly not a new salad concept.....I started making a version of this salad in the late 1970's. Back then I don't think we even had bagged lettuce & greens. And it called for peeling and cutting fresh oranges. But now, my favorite updated version is super-fast and easy, because I toss together bags of Mixed Greens and Romaine Lettuces, top with sliced/diced red onion, sprinkle with a drained can of Mandarin Oranges and a few sliced ...
Stir-fry for Three
One cooking experience + two adults = three meals. Day 1: Cook whole-grain brown rice on the stove-top while you’re cutting, chopping and prepping nutrient-rich vegetables and lean protein-rich chicken breasts. Stir-fry the veggies and chicken in an electric wok. Eat and enjoy. Day 2: Heat and enjoy leftovers for Dinner. Day 3: Heat and enjoy remaining leftovers for Lunch. Only one day of prep and cooking, yet three meals filled with whole-grain goodness and antioxidant-rich vegetables! ...