Perfect party food for me means easy to make and easy to serve. And of course, filled with healthy nutrients for my guests as well. Oven-roasting mixed nuts is so easy. Just toss a bunch of sweet, hot, and smokey spices together in a bowl, then stir into your favorite nuts. Add a couple tablespoons of oil so the spices will stick to the nuts. Oven-roast. Watch closely and stir a couple times so they don't burn. Cool. Enjoy. These freeze well. Store in tightly covered container or ...
Halloween Pizza Inspired Party
Halloween Party with Pizza-Inspired Foods for the Entire Family Notice I said "pizza-inspired" party, not just "pizza" party. That's because instead of just a bunch of traditional round pizzas, I thought it would be fun to throw together a main dish, side dish and dessert that all "resemble" pizza in one way or another. So my Pizza-Style Sloppy Joe's are like Pepperoni Cheese Pizza, but in a quick, stove-top skillet sloppy joe recipe. Italian seasoning, onion, garlic, ground beef and plenty ...
Fall & Football Favorites
Touchdown! All these fall favorites - apples, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, chili, cornbread - score big time at your next celebration or tailgate party. Intercept ho-hum tailgate sides with a batch of Maple Apple Baked Beans. Pass the apple and pear slices for my Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip. Huddle for more whole grains with my Skillet Cornbread. And tackle that bag of apples you bought by turning them into Homemade Chunky Applesauce. Forward pass to my Recipe page for all four recipes and get in ...
3 Reasons Canned Foods Fill My Pantry
1. Budget-friendly and nutrient-rich. Not only are canned foods one of the most affordable ways to meet the Dietary Guidelines goals on MyPlate, they contain comparable nutrients to fresh, frozen and dried forms. Think about it. They are picked at their peak and packed immediately which means valuable nutrients are retained. In some cases, however, canned choices may have even more nutrients than their fresh counterpart. Peaches are my favorite example. Research shows that canned peaches ...
Red Velvet, Green Apple & Hot Wings on Game Day
Still haven’t figured out the line-up for your Super Day of Eating menu? Consider these crowd-pleasing ideas. Dessert: Red Velvet Brownies with Cream Cheese Icing. Simple to make and so much easier to cut into bite-size portions than a huge Red Velvet Cake. You’ll still get rich red velvet flavor with irresistible cream cheese icing, though. Appetizer: Hot Wings Hummus. Fast, easy and a fantastic substitute for the more calorie-and fat-laden but oh-so-delicious Hot Wings or Buffalo ...
Zippy, Zesty, Super-Saver Salsa
Zippy and zesty because it packs a punch of jalapeno pepper, lime and cilantro. Super-saver because it features in-season mango and strawberries. And in-season translates to “at their most budget-friendly price right now.” So it makes perfect cents to take advantage of both antioxidant and nutrient-rich fruits over the coming weeks. But instead of just enjoying them “as is” for a snack or side dish, or adding them to yogurt, smoothies and cereals, try this easy-to-make salsa. You’ll find ...
Dining with the Guys at Korn Country: Boost, Sub, Switch
Time to visit the guys at Korn Country 100.3 FM and talk all things nutrition! And celebrate registered Dietitian Day, too! I'm taking them a variety of foods, and all have been changed a little to boost nutrition or cut calories/fat. I boosted nutrient-rich onions and garlic in my Zesty Guacamole. I substituted lower-fat and lower-calorie cheese and cream cheese and dressing in my Hot Buffalo Dip and I switched to all whole wheat flour in my Oatmeal Raisin Date Bars. Still rich flavor, but more ...
A Dietitian’s Football Party Strategy: No Fumbles, All Extra Points
Formation for Winning Strategy: Flavorful + Nutrient-Rich Foods Forward Pass: Lean Beef in Chili & Burrito Meat + Lean Pork Tenderloin Field Goal: Vegetable-Rich with Beans, Corn, Tomatoes, Chilies & More in Chili & Salsa Touchdown: Fruit for Dessert with Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip Celebration: Fantastic, Flavorful and Colorful Foods = Happy Party Guests Hearty Three Bean Chili with Beef 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 ½ cups chopped onions 1 to 2 tablespoons minced ...
Holiday Party Foods with Perks
Holiday Party foods - great tasting and filled with nutrient perks....the perfect choice to please holiday guests. Add some red to your spread - with antioxidant-rich tart red cherries and make a sweet-tart punch with half the calories of a regular punch. Triple Cherry Sauce pairs well with lean pork tenderloin or lean ham. Add green to your holiday spread with Super Spinach Dip filled with more spinach and lower-fat versions of sour cream and mayonnaise. Happy Holidays to all. Merry Cherry ...
Thanksgiving Favorites
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 ...