Blog
Recipes
Spiced Raisin Brazil Nut Mix
- - Brazil nuts (washed and dried), raisins, anise seed, raw honey, In a small mixing bowl, add raisins, anise seeds, and nuts. ; Stir well. ; Fold in raw honey. ; Spread on a sheet pan covered with waxed paper. ; Refrigerate at least an hour...
Irish Stew
- - olive oil, onion (diced), garlic (minced), beef stew meat (cut into 3/4-inch cubes), dried thyme, dried sage, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste), low sodium beef broth (or use homemade), russet potatoes (peeled and cut...
Banana Chocolate Almond Smoothie
- - unsweetened almond milk, water (or more almond milk), banana (sliced), almond butter, cacao nibs, Perfect Paleo Protein, FiberMender 3.0 (optional), Just Juiced Veggies (optional), In a blender, add unsweetened almond milk, water, banana,...
Tips & Tricks
All About Allspice!
Contrary to popular belief, allspice is not actually a blend of different spices. Allspice is actually a berry that comes from the “Pimenta dioica” tree, native to Jamaica and other areas of the West Indies as well as Southern and Central America. You can find...
Health Benefits of Purple Potatoes!
I love purple potatoes. So does my daughter. I remember the first time I made them for her when she was still little--she was delighted! Young children have some of the best reactions to some of the more odd vegetables, though I know a lot of adults that react the...
All About Artichokes
Artichokes are actually big thistles, a member of the sunflower family. I bet you didn’t know that, did you? Watch for when they are coming into peak season so you can take advantage of the sales that are going to be out there and enjoy this fun, fiber-filled veggie....
Back to Basics
Top Ten Hints for Buying Meat and Poultry
Where’s the beef, was the cry heard ‘round the world over twenty-five years ago, by a little lady named Clara Peller who got a tad upset when there wasn’t enough ground round between the hamburger buns. A lot has changed since 1984. Not only is it hip to beef up the...
How to Find a Great Local Butcher
There are many reasons why you should seek out a trusted local butcher rather than shopping for your meats at the local big box store. This is especially true if the most popular local source for groceries is a Wal-Mart Super Center. (Please don’t buy your meat from...
Back to Basics: Clean Up Your Spices
New month, new season and it’s time to get back to basics! One of the places where we all need a good look-see on the basics is your spices. I am going to bet you that some of those spices in your cabinet have lasted longer than some of your marriages! Those old icky...
Nutrition
CRUSH Your Carb Cravings!
YES, you CAN crush your carb cravings! Cravings are complex things--heavily loaded, connected to emotions, physiology, and habit, they’re not easy to get under control using just one strategy. As a recovering carb addict myself, I can speak to this truth on every...
A Multitude of Reasons for Multivitamins
Hands in the air if you’ve ever taken a multivitamin! I’m going to bet you got them from a big box store or maybe online. Multivitamins are certainly an easy way to get a combination of vitamins and minerals in 2 capsules as opposed to taking a multitude of...
What’s the Skinny on CLA?
What’s the Skinny on CLA? Is CLA a weight loss miracle pill? Theories and postulations abound--fortunately, there’s some research too. One theory says that it modulates fat metabolism, which helps your body use food for energy. Another thought is that it causes fat...
Weight Loss
Rebounding – Bounce Into Health
Rebounding! It’s not just for basketball players. Let’s just begin by stating that if you do not already have a rebounder, you should get one ASAP. After looking at all the health benefits gained by bouncing up and down on a mini-trampoline it is hard to imagine a...
The Mindful Mug
There’s mindlessness and there’s mindfulness. They’re polar opposites of each other and when it comes to food, nutrition, and eating, mindlessness is basically autopilot, and being on autopilot is not where you want to be when it comes to nourishing your body. Don’t...
New Year’s Revolution
Dear Friends, Every year, we make New Year’s resolutions with the hopes that THIS year will be different. We are zealots on a mission to become thinner, more organized and more financially successful, among other things. But stop and think for a moment. Who makes...
Dinner Diva
The Healthiest Herbs and Spices
I am all about the herbs and spices! Most people don’t realize how many health benefits those simple little jars in our pantries contain inside. As I mentioned in the article I published a while back, we are eating nutritionally deficient foods, so we might as well...
Shopping Cart Envy
What you’re about to read is based on a true story… About 2004 or 2005, I was shopping at my neighborhood grocery store (the new Harris Teeter in Wesley Chapel, NC) for the week. List in hand (well duh--I’m the Dinner Diva!), I had conquered the store and my cart was...
The Mindful Mug
There’s mindlessness and there’s mindfulness. They’re polar opposites of each other and when it comes to food, nutrition, and eating, mindlessness is basically autopilot, and being on autopilot is not where you want to be when it comes to nourishing your body. Don’t...