Weeknight cooking calls for recipes that are culinary trifectas: meals that are healthy, taste great and easy to prepare! Slow-Cooker Beef and Bok Choy was this week’s winner -- the whole family devoured it! There are three ingredients that you may not have on hand but are definitely worth purchasing: Hoisin Sauce - a sweet savory sauce used in a lot of Asian cooking. I add a little orange juice and use it as a marinade for chicken, brush it on shrimp or cod before grilling or baking. ...
Simple Summer Recipes at Your Fingertips!
School is finally out, which means we can finally start to enjoy summer! Summertime is fun but it can pose some challenges. Like being out all day and then scrambling for dinner, which leads you to resorting to yet another burger or hot dog on the grill. Hmm, how many nights have you had a burger this week? Or, instead of waiting to have your glass of wine on the weekend, you enjoy one today (and tomorrow) because everyday feels like a Friday! And don’t forget the frequent trips to the ice cream ...
Say Hello to Healthy Summer Shrimp!
Whether skewered on kabobs, tossed in salads or dipped in a cocktail sauce, shrimp is a quintessential summer food. It’s no wonder shrimp has become our most popular seafood, since it is easy to prepare and can be dressed up or down. Shrimp is great way to get in your weekly 8 ounces of seafood. A lean source of protein, shrimp has virtually no saturated fat. While shrimp is high in dietary cholesterol, nutritionists and scientists agree that unless dietary cholesterol intake is combined ...
Prep A Lasagna Dinner in 15 minutes!
Have you ever had one of these days: you roll home at 6:00 pm with no plan for dinner. Your kids return from practice, hungry and asking “What’s for dinner, Mom? I’m starving!” Is your answer “I don’t know” or worse, "Takeout, again"? I have been there so many times that now I always make sure I have a few key items in my kitchen. It allows me to respond to my hungry teenage son this way: “We’re having lasagna”. Now everybody is happy -- who doesn't love lasagna? Typically, when you hear the ...
Gluten-Free Pantry
Amy's admiring her pantry this week. Come see what she's doing right! -- Denise My family recently celebrated our gluten-free anniversary. Looking back at the changes we have made during the past year has been pretty awe-inspiring. The idea of keeping our home completely gluten-free was daunting at first but now it seems like the “same old, same old.” And having two celiacs who are symptom free? Awesome. What were our tricks to success? 1. Get a clean start The most important thing we ...
Detox Day One
Curried Butternut Squash Stew I have always loved food and cooking. I still remember my very first Peanut's Cook Book and making Lucy’s Lemon Squares for my dad every Father's Day. When I became a nurse, I started learning more about the link between food and health. But it wasn’t until I became a mom that I started thinking of food as medicine. We lead such busy lives that committing to healthy habits can be a real challenge. Believe me, I know first-hand! To stay consistent, I created ...
Meatball Blitz
Do you have trouble finding the dinner “sweet spot”? Are you torn between healthy and delicious, gluten-free and family-friendly, all while trying to get dinner on the table after a long day of work, school and extra-curriculars? Me, too! One of our favorite meals has solved that problem: meatballs with tomato sauce, buckwheat noodles and oven-roasted broccoli. Tasty, kid-friendly, quick to the table and rich in iron, vitamin C, B vitamins and fiber. Perfect for a weeknight or any ...
Heart-Healthy Entertaining
It’s snowy here in the Northeast and we tend to be cooped up inside. I love it in the beginning--it gives me time to be in the kitchen to try new recipes. But after awhile, I like to spend time around a table with friends and family. Last night, in honor of Heart Health Month, I prepared Maple-Glazed Salmon with Pineapple and Maple Vinaigrette. It is a family favorite and so simple and tasty. It’s even good enough to serve to guests :) In addition to being tasty, here is another reason I like ...
Why I Eat Goji Berries
And Why You Should, Too! Ever wonder how I came up with my recipe for Dark Chocolate Goji Bark? As you may know, I don’t like to eat anything unless it is jammed with healing nutrients and delicious. Why waste the time and calories if it’s not going to benefit my body? At the time, I was trying to create a healthy sweet, just a little something for the end of a meal. Dark chocolate is a sweet you want to eat because it contains potent antioxidants called flavanols. These flavanols help to ...
A New Year’s Celebration to a Healthier You!
I am so looking forward to the new year. I love the celebration with friends and family, followed by time spent on deciding my intentions for the year ahead. Once I know my goals, I love finding ways to kick start the new year. As you ring in 2014, here are some new recipes and traditions that I hope will bring you health and prosperity. For your New Year’s Eve Celebration, Pomegranate Champagne Punch is a great starter. When hosting a dinner or celebration, I like to greet my guests with a ...