Healthy Snacks for Hungry Kids – Part 1

It’s summer. They’re home. They’re whining and, most of all, they’re constantly hungry. So what’s a mom to do? Feed ’em! Kids need snacks, but not constant grazing. You need to make sure the snacks are healthy and are going to do them some good, nutritionally. Just giving them the junk that they clamor for […]

Tip, Trick & a Recipe: Scallops

I love, love, love scallops! I know there are a handful of you that don’t like fish or shellfish. That’s okay, I’ll eat what you don’t want. Scallops are mollusks with two hinged scalloped (if you can believe that) shells. The part of the scallop that we eat is the white muscle that opens and […]

Pumping Iron

Food For Thought Pumping Iron by Leanne Ely, CNC   Did you know that it is iron in your body that helps transport oxygen in the blood throughout the whole body? If you don’t ensure that you’re getting the necessary amount of iron in your diet, you can start building an iron deficiency, which can […]

Stress Eating

Dinner Diva Stress Eating by Leanne Ely, CNC   If life is overwhelming and ice cream is your comfort, you have fallen classically into stress eating.  Is your job weighing you down? Do your family’s needs seem endless and way too much? And is that chocolate bar you stowed away behind other pantry items starting […]

Easy Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

We hear all the time about how someone has a fast or slow metabolism. Those of us with slow metabolisms are always envious of those in possession of a fast metabolism. Why? Because it means they burn calories faster. In other words – it’s easier for them to stay lean. Sadly, not all of us […]

Getting to Know the Glycemic Index

The Glycemic Index has been around for a while and in the last few years, has become a buzz word in the nutrition world. The GI (Glycemic Index) is a measure of the effects of all carbohydrates on blood sugar levels and recorded on a scale from high to low. Understanding that carbohydrates break down […]

5 Tips for Stress-Free Catering

Dinner Diva 5 Tips on Stress-Free Catering by Leanne Ely, CNC   A few weeks back, I threw a bash for my husband’s birthday and had nearly 50 people in our house. The food was enjoyable, fun and beautifully presented. I had people falling over themselves thinking I had cooked it all from scratch–well hardly! […]

Dinner: Easy Button Style

There is nothing quite like the right appliance doing the right task. Take my pasta maker for example. Yes, you can take it—I don’t use it. But touch my crockpot? You and I are going to have issues. I love my crockpot! But right now, my crockpot is my second best friend. My BFF (best […]

Menu Planning Isn’t Brain Surgery

It’s so funny how perspective changes over time. Years and years ago (back in the dark ages when I was a newlywed), I just loved to be spontaneous and fun about dinner. “Let’s go out”, I’d announce knowing it really wasn’t in the budget. Or the conversation would go something like this, “What do you […]