quick fix

Some days I wish I could just freeze time, or at least start dinner around 3 so I can have fun and mess around in the kitchen . . . yea right!  Since Chris gets home so late from work and class, I wanted to whip something up pretty quickly when I got home.  My soon to be mother-in-law gave us a couple boxes of flavored rice and I wanted to try them out.  This one is basmati rice with green lentils and it was really good, without any artificial ingredients, just the basics.  The other one I tried was couscous with pumpkin and red pepper and I think I like that one even better.  I also added some sautéed tofu (teriyaki flavor from Tj’s), leeks and garbanzo beans.  Leeks have such an interesting flavor and it’s one of my favorite aromatics.  It’s not too hard to prep either, you just have to make sure to clean and rinse out the grit pretty well between the layers before chopping.      

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  On the side I had my staple salad that I like to have with almost anything!  Crispy romaine, champagne pear vinaigrette (from Tj’s), various chopped veggies, herbed goat cheese and some dried fruit. 

I’m saving the last of our roasty walnuts for another recipe to be featured in a bit!  Along with the salad I had some steamed broccoli.  I haven’t had broccoli in awhile and it was so yummy, just plain and steamed.  This dinner was very satisfying even without the ‘meat,’ but I still wanted a little sumthin’ sumthin’ afterwards.  I decided on some cuties and a small handful of grapes.  These are so filling because of their water content and fiber.  Boy, I’m pleasantly full!  Hope you had a wonderful dinner!

a day of friendship and pampering

Sometimes it’s nice to just have part of the day for taking care of one’s self and catching up with a great friend.  This week proved to be overwhelming for both of us in many ways, and getting a pedicure and grabbing some lunch was just the thing we both needed to relax, feel good about ourselves and just have a good laugh and some conversation.   

There is a great salon called Signature Nails on Horizon Ridge, where a pedicure is only $20 (without gratuity, of course).  This time I also tried the paraffin wax hand treatment ($6) and it was divine!  It made my skin feel like a baby’s bum! 

Kristen also decided to get a manicure as well.  This place rocks, and they massage your feet for what seems like an eternity.  Most places just slather on the lotion and that’s it.  I went for a spring color since it’s warming up here, yay sunshine!  (at least for a few days)

After our pampering session, we decided to go to this cute little place called Espresso on Eastern and 2-15.  This place has such a great vibe with that small town feel you would never usually find in Vegas, even though it is a chain.  And look at that mural!  Wow, I want that in my place :) It’s a great place to hang out, chat with friends, use the free Wi-Fi and even play some board games!  They feature many great and simple menu items for breakfast and lunch, not to mention the best Illy coffee concoctions. 

My personal favorite hot drink is the kyoto tea.  Hello reflection!  It comes in a cute little tea pot and it has the most wonderful flavor.  It tastes like nutty, buttery popcorn . . . yep, that’s right!  And look at the surprise we got when we lifted the cups!  So delish and comforting. 

We decided to split the chicken panini.  It was amazing!  Inside there is thinly grilled chicken breast, pesto, sundried tomatoes and gooey mozzarella all pressed between heavenly rosemary focaccia.  On the side they also gave us some sunchips and a balsamic-olive oil combo, but we didn’t eat too much of those.  It was the perfect lunch to enjoy with a great friend.  What I love about this place is that after we finished eating we just sat around and talked and didn’t have to worry about being rushed like a normal restaurant.  It was great! 

Do you have a favorite local place that is always great to go to and is like no other?

not your average burger

I always love trying new takes on traditional dishes, especially when it transforms them to have a better nutritional profile.  Experimenting is definitely the best part of cooking for me.  I have to admit, I’ve always been apprehensive about deviating away from recipes because I am a perfectionist and hate when things don’t come out quite right!  Sometimes my deviations don’t turn out so well, but others turn out really good and it’s very rewarding.  It keeps you on your toes, always learning and figuring out what works and what doesn’t.  For this recipe I tried my take on the Sweet-Potato Black Bean Burger, or what I call southern falafel.  It all came together really quickly and was full of flavor, protein, nutrients and fiber.  You won’t miss the ‘meat’ at all! 

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

(a.k.a. southern falafel – my measurements for spices are approximate because of the experimenting factor)

• 6 small sweet potatoes (or about 3 medium)
• 1 cup cooked brown rice (I used the instant kind)
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• dash cayenne
• 1 tsp salt
• mrs. dash all-purpose seasoning
• 1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp sumac
• olive oil for sautéing the patties

First, pierce potatoes with a fork and microwave until tender; peel the potatoes (you could leave the peels for added fiber and minerals).  Add all the other ingredients and mash well with a fork or masher to your desired consistency. 

Form the mixture into patties of your desired size (this makes a lot and they freeze well!)

In a large skillet over medium-high heat sauté the patties in a little bit of olive oil until they are nice and golden.  Place on a plate with paper towel layers to drain off the excess oil. 

I like to serve mine in a soft pita stuffed with various veggies (I made some caramelized onions and a salad) and a side of non-fat greek yogurt.

These are really filling and a great addition to a flexitarian meal plan.

 

What’s your favorite way to adjust traditional recipes to make them more nutritious?

how could I forget!

I forgot to mention the greatest thing about the marinara and pasta recipe is . . . . lots of leftovers!  Not only does it taste even better the next day, it saves on time and money. 

One of my favorite ways to use the marinara sauce in another recipe is Chicken, Pasta and Chickpea Stew adapted from CookingLight.  It tastes like it simmered for hours when you use the crock-pot marinara from my last post.

 

Chicken, Pasta and Chickpea Stew

(adapted from CookingLight)

Yield

6 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups soup and 1 tablespoon cheese)

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1  cup  thinly sliced celery
• 3/4  cup  small diced carrot
• 1/2  cup  chopped onion
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 4  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 3  cups  crock-pot marinara (from the previous post)
• 1  cup canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
• 3/4  cup  uncooked small pasta (I used mini farfalle)
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 8  ounces  skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used 1/4 lb extra lean ground beef this time and it was plenty!)
• 6  tablespoons shaved fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add celery, carrot, and onion to pan; cook 12 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add broth and next 4 ingredients (through pepper); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes or until pasta is tender. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes or until chicken is done. Sprinkle with cheese if desired and serve with an ooey gooey grilled cheese sandwich for dipping!

Nutritional Information

Calories: 237 (27% from fat)

Fat: 7.1g (sat 2g,mono 3.2g,poly 1.5g)

Protein: 15.5g

Carbohydrate: 28.1g

Fiber: 5.8g

Cholesterol: 29mg

Iron: 2.5mg

Sodium: 724mg

Calcium: 138mg

And if you can imagine it, with the leftover pureed beets from the beet cakes I made ruby red oatmeal!  I’ve never tried this before, but it actually wasn’t too bad!

For two people:

• 1 3/4 cups non-fat milk
• tons of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice (I like it warm and spicy)
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 1 cup quick oats
• 1/3-1/2 cup pureed beets (washed and peeled)
• 1 tbsp of dark honey
• 1 banana (1/2 mashed in and 1/2 sliced on top)
• 1 pear to chop on top
• 2 tbsp toasty walnuts
• scoop of TJ’s toasty peanut butter and more cinnamon for sprinkling

I start with the milk, spices, raisins and beets and warm them to a small boil, then add the oats, 1/2 mashed banana and honey; stir to combine.  Keep stirring and let it thicken to desired consistency (I like it thicker than most).  And then top with your favorites!  Yum and look at that ruby red color!

 

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve done with an ingredient or a recipe? Did it turn out really well or absolutely terrible?

many shades of red

This Valentine’s Day, we didn’t go all out, but decided that making a nice dinner together would be just the thing.  Baked pasta is one of our favorites, so we made some fresh pasta, with homemade marinara and sautéed veggies.  We paired this with a J. Lohr Cab, which is definitely a wine you can’t go wrong with, especially at about $10/bottle.  It has a little bit of fruit with a nice richness that cabs bring, but not too punchy.  I would say it’s a beginner’s cabernet sauvignon. 

There is just something about fresh pasta that makes it so much better than dried.  This is especially true for the long varieties like fettuccine, tagliatelle, etc. It’s very tender and spongy, and of course very fresh!  It’s not that hard either, check out this post for pictures of the well-method. 

For the pasta:

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (you could experiment with a little whole wheat too)
• 4 eggs
• 1-2 tbs olive oil
• You could also add frozen spinach (squeezed very dry), beets or spices to make colored or flavored pasta!

You mix it all together on the counter top using the well-method and kneed it until smooth.  It is important to let it rest for 30 minutes and then you can shape into anything you like.  We used our mixer attachment for fettuccine this time around.  Or you can simply use a knife to cut them.

 

 

 

For the sauce, we decided we would try to simmer it in the crock-pot all day, since we wouldn’t have too much time once we got home.  It turned out great, and tasted rich with deep tomato flavor.

For the marinara sauce: 

• 2 cans TJ’s whole tomatoes with basil
• 1/4 cup tomato paste (about 1/2 small can)
• 1 jar roasted red bell peppers
• 1/2 cup sweet balsamic vinegar
• All your favorite Italian spices.  I used about 2 tbsp italian seasoning (I didn’t have any herbes de provence), 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp of salt, pepper, an all-purpose seasoning like mrs. dash, 1 tbsp sugar.  It’s best to taste after it has been simmering for awhile and adjust to your liking.  I just dump them in there and don’t have measurements.

Cook everything in the crock-pot on low all day (about 8 hours) and once you get home, continue to cook but with the lid slightly off to help it reduce some more.  And voila!  How easy is that?!

Then, I sautéed some zucchini and chicken sausage in a pan, put it on top of the pasta with a bit of mozzarella and parmesan and broiled until bubbly and golden.  I call this love in a bowl!

 

For dessert, I made beet cakes from Tyler Florence (more red!)  They actually turned out pretty good and were not too sweet.  Instead of oil and butter, this recipe uses applesauce and low-fat buttermilk. 

 

They were very moist, almost like Yorkshire pudding  (I could have probably cooked them 45 min), and especially good paired with a little frozen yogurt!  Look at them beets.  When I was younger and ate beets for the first time, my mom had never told me that beets do something to your . . . you know . . . so the next day I ran to my mom because I thought I was dying!  And then she told me, “it’s the beets, silly.”  

   

    

I have these little flower baking pans, and here is a picture of my favorite . . . sunflowers!

   

All in all, it was a very nice, simple Valentine’s Day!  Do you have any romantic Valentine’s Day stories?

peanut butter party

Peanut butter has always been a love of mine, and I’ve probably eaten gallons and gallons already in my lifetime!  It is just creamy, nutty, roasty toasty and just plain lip-smacking delicious.  I get excited when I get to the last of the jar because then I can have what I call a ‘peanut butter party.’  This is my way of scooping out the very last of the peanut butter without digging right out of the jar (which I would happily do if I didn’t restrict myself).  I call it a party because I like to ‘finish off’ things, and who doesn’t like scraping right out of the peanut butter jar?!  It’s just plain fun trying to get in all the nooks and crannies, and then when I’m done with just that little bit left, I’m done.  You should try it, it’s highly satisfying! 

As far as brands go, I would stick with the natural varieties, or those that don’t have any hydrogenated oils (trans fats) in them.  My favorite would have to be Trader Joe’s brand.  It has such a pronounced roasted peanut flavor that is delicious!  I have yet to try that Barney Butter that every one raves about, but I haven’t looked for it here.  Anyone want to swap brands?  I will send a jar of Trader Joe’s for a jar of Barney Butter!

Another thing I love about peanut butter, aside from its great nutritional value (in moderation of course), is that it is so versatile.  I swear I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert!  I recently made a recipe called peanutty noodles that I adapted from CookingLight, which plays on the savory side of peanut butter.  I also have a cookbook called The Ultimate Peanut Butter Book, which features a ton of savory and sweet recipes, all of which highlight peanut butter . . . of course!

 

Peanutty Noodles 

Serving Size: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1  tsp dark sesame oil
• 1.5  tsp  grated peeled fresh ginger (about a 1” cube)
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 - 1/2  cup  natural-style peanut butter (I used 1/2 cup because I like mine peanut buttery!)
• 1/4  cup  low-sodium soy sauce
• 3  Tbs  rice or white wine vinegar
• 1  tsp chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee) 
• Cooking spray
• 2 tsp canola oil
• 1 block marinated tofu (I like TJ’s teriyaki flavor), cut into strips
• 2  carrots, peeled and shaved into thin strips with a veggie peeler
• 2  cups  red bell pepper strips (about 2), thinly sliced
• 2 baby bok choy, sliced, separate white and green parts
• about 2 bunches soba noodles (you can also use udon) 

Preparation

Heat 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and minced garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and the next 4 ingredients (broth through chili garlic sauce); stir until well-blended. Reduce heat, and simmer just until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and keep warm.

Cook Soba noodles according to package instructions.  This usually is pretty quick and can be done just before tossing everything together.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add tofu, bell peppers and white parts of the bok choy; sauté 5-10 minutes or until tender and golden. Add carrot slices and green tops of bok choy; sauté just until wilted.  Add warm peanut butter sauce, and cooked soba noodles; toss well. Serve Immediately and enjoy!

Nutritional Information

(based on CL recipe)

Calories: 296 (27% from fat)

Fat: 8.8g (sat 1.7g,mono 3.8g,poly 2.7g)

Protein: 11.7g

Carbohydrate: 43.1g

Fiber: 3.4g

Cholesterol: 1mg

Iron: 3.6mg

Sodium: 400mg

Calcium: 44mg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s your favorite way to use Peanut Butter?

one recipe, so many possibilities

Pizza dough is the best when it comes to stretching your food dollar and its a lot of fun too!  With just this one whole wheat pizza dough recipe, which I first featured here, when we made calzones, we made 5 pizzas this time around!  Making your own pizza is great too because you can put pretty much any kind of topping you want on there and experiment with other ingredients or leftovers that you need to get rid of.

For 4 of the pizzas we used:

• pasta sauce from TJ’s
• sautéed in a pan until golden – 3 chicken sausage links, 2 small cartons of crimini mushrooms, 8 oz of chopped spinach (about half a bag), 2 shredded carrots, garlic powder, and italian seasoning.
• Couple of handfuls of mozzarella cheese and sprinkling of Parmesan

For the last pizza we used:

Leftover lentil daal from this recipe as the sauce

• Leftover falafel patties from this recipe

Shredded mozzarella and a sprinkling of garam masala

 

This last one may sound weird, but it tasted really good!  Any variation of pizza is only limited by your imagination and the ingredients you have on hand.  I did have some canned pumpkin in the fridge, but decided I might try that one next time. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris is brave when it comes to throwing the pizza dough in the air.  I’m too scared I’m going to drop it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another great thing about pizza is that we had a little leftover from the filling, so I decided to put it into an omelet the next morning.  If you don’t have an omelet pan like this one, it is really the best pan ever!!  For those of us (uh . em . . me), who haven’t really mastered the art of big omelets with just a regular pan, this is the best invention.  It was actually my step dad’s pan first and for the longest time when I would come home to visit I wanted to secretly steal it, but he would always say I was crazy!  Then one visit he said it was all mine and I was so excited.  All you do is . . . 

• Whisk 3-4 eggs and season with your favorite spices
• Pour it evenly into each side of the pan sprayed with pam
• Top each side with your favorite omelet fillings and some cheese
• Let it get nice and set, flip the pan to close, then flip one more time
• Voila! you have a big fluffy omelet that comes out perfect every time!  It is quite big, so Chris and I split it.

  

This was a hearty breakfast with the good quality protein and kept me feeling full till lunch time!

 

What are your favorite pizza toppings?

nutrition facts at restaurants?

Some states looking to require nutrition facts to be posted on all restaurant menu items raises the question: Is this really the best thing for Americans?  Charleston, W. Va is also considering a bill that will require their chain restaurants to post nutritional info on their menus in this recent article.

 

Obesity is definitely on the rise with an increase of meals and snacks eaten away from home going from 16 percent of all meals and snacks in 1977-1978 to 27 percent in 1995 (RLWG).  This is a big jump, considering that most meals eaten away from home usually aren’t the healthiest and have higher calories, sugar and fat.

At this time, the Restaurant Labeling Working Group (RLWG) does not recommend that the ADA support legislation that would require mandatory nutrition disclosure by restaurants. Instead, they recommend ADA support legislation that establishes a national nutrition labeling education campaign along with a comprehensive evaluation of nutrition labeling.

The reason for supporting a funded public educational campaign with any nutrition information disclosure policy lies in the fact that, for the most part, the general population does not understand food labels and healthy food choices are difficult without that understanding.

There are many points to consider with this issue, and I’m sure I’ll miss a few of them.  But, on a personal note I do not think nutrition facts need to be posted blatantly on menus, but should be easily available for those who wish to know the macronutrients of the foods they are eating.  I know I would definitely think twice about eating a whole plate of baked pasta if I knew how many calories were really in there!  I think it would give people that wish to know about and feel confident in the food they eat a way to gauge their intake for that day.  I also believe that there should be more general education about the labels so that the population would be able to put them to good use.  It is amazing to me how important nutrition is and there are many people that don’t know how to read nutrition labels (at no fault of their own), let alone interpret them for a healthier lifestyle.  There should be more legislation for national nutritional labeling education for sure.  This would greatly reduce health disparities in the future.  But, this is of course easier said than done. 

There is also another side of people that could care less about what they are eating because it tastes darn good and that’s all that matters.  They don’t want the calories of their meal staring them at the face, ruining their “fun,” and making them feel guilty.  What can we do about these individuals?  It is there right and their body to eat what they so choose, right? 

Many restaurants believe that posting the nutrition facts will hurt the sales of some of their items because they are seen as “less healthy” and people will be scared to eat them again.  It has been shown, as mentioned above, that many people don’t have the knowledge for interpreting labels so this shouldn’t matter, right?  But, in reality we as a society need to wake up and realize the importance of nutrition for our future health and the impact on the health care system, and shouldn’t hide it from consumers just because they are eating at a restaurant.  If consumers start eating healthier options and demand nutrition facts at restaurants then I think this should be pursued for the future health of everyone.

Here is a great resource for understanding the nutrition facts label from the FDA.

 

Whew!  Lots of sides to this heated topic.  I’m sure I’ve missed lots and I’d love to see your comments!

What do you think about posting nutrition facts on restaurant menus?   

flexitarian

I would have to say that while I do include meat and animal products in my daily meals, I also enjoy great vegetarian-based meals. I really don’t mind if I don’t get meat in on many days of the week because a vegetarian based diet has many health benefits, and can actually be a lot more flavorful, creative and budget-friendly. It can help in the prevention of many chronic diseases like obesity, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. There are lower levels of saturated fat and cholesterol with less animal protein, as well as higher levels of fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and phytochemicals in vegetarian-based diets. A few things that one may need to watch out for, if the plant-based diet isn’t well planned, or with some vegan diets, is deficiencies in vitamin B-12, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin and n-3 fatty acids.

Check out this position paper by ADA.

Aside from Italian food, my next favorite is Mediterranean or Greek type cuisine because there are so many great spices and flavors in their traditional dishes. One of my favorite greek restaurants is Greek Bistro. Boy do they have some great dishes! The ultimate vegetarian meal for me is falafel. Basically, it’s a patty of mixed garbanzo beans, bread crumbs and flavorful spices like cumin, cayenne and sumac (I add this one since I have a huge jar left from my lamb kofta). It is so great stuffed into a nice fluffy pita from Amena Bakery, with all kinds of veggies and a creamy yogurt-cucumber dip.

Falafel Pita

(adapted from CookingLight)

4 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed pita halves)

Ingredients

Falafel:

• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs (I use a stale garlic ciabatta bread from TJ’s and pulse it in the food processor or about 1 1/2 slices of your favorite bread)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 3 rounded teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tbsp sumac (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 large egg
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• big handful of baby spinach leaves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (you may need more if you sauté in batches)

Tzatziki Sauce: (feel free to double)

• 1/2 cup plain low-fat greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cucumber, drained on a paper towel
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame-seed paste)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• salt and pepper to taste

Remaining ingredients:

• 4 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas, cut in half (Amena bakery is my favorite)
• As many of your favorite veggies like dark leafy lettuce, tomato slices, etc. that you can stuff into the pita! I also like to add roasted zucchini slices with olive oil and herbes de provence in a 400 oven for about 40 minutes until they get brown and delicious. Roasted red pepper is a great addition too.

Preparation

To prepare falafel, place garlic cloves in food processor and pulse (these tend to not mix well), then add the other ingredients; process mixture until smooth. Add a little bit of olive oil if it is too thick. Divide mixture into 16 equal portions, and shape each portion into a 1/4-inch-thick patty. Or you can make 8-9 big patties. They may be quite sticky, so I spray my hands with pam first). Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties, and cook 5 minutes on each side or until patties are browned.

To prepare sauce, combine all the ingredients, stirring mixture with a whisk. Spread a dollop of ziki sauce into each pita half. Fill each pita half with desired veggies and 2 patties. I had one pita with 2 bigger patties. Enjoy some great vegetarian nutrition!

My pita was bursting at the seams!

Nutritional Information

Calories: 403 (28% from fat)

Fat: 12.6g (sat 1.9g,mono 5.6g,poly 3.9g)

Protein: 15g

Carbohydrate: 59g

Fiber: 6.8g (that’s about 28% of your daily needs)

Cholesterol: 56mg

Iron: 4.4mg (Chickpeas have 2.4 mg of iron per serving, lentils have 3.3 mg per serving, and one 4 oz serving of lean beef has 3 mg, but is more bioavailable for absorption)

Sodium: 901mg

Calcium: 188mg

Do you eat a plant-based diet? What are some recipes or spices you enjoy?

R.D. vs. Nutritionist – what’s the big deal?

 

The term “RD,” or Registered Dietitian, is different than “nutritionist” contrary to popular belief. A Registered Dietitian has to complete an extensive 4-year degree with an accredited university, complete a 900 hour minimum dietetic internship, pass the National Registered Dietitian Examination, maintain membership dues for CDR (Commission on Dietetic Registration) and ADA (American Dietetic Association), and complete 75 hours of continuing education credits every five years in order to maintain their credential. 

Anyone can call themselves a “nutritionist” really, and many states have licensure laws to protect the RD credential. Nutrition information is always changing and RDs are up-to-date on the latest nutritional information backed by sound research and must continue their education and professional development even after graduation.  This information cannot just be given out for free.

To be assured that you are receiving legitimate nutritional advice, it is important you are working with a Registered Dietitian.  It is disheartening when people give out nutritional advice when they don’t have the credential to back it up because it not only discredits our profession, we lose client confidence in spending money for our services. 

For more information you can visit the American Dietetic Association.

The Time is Now!

Never before have we seen how important nutrition and overall health is in the prevention of many diseases from diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and obesity. Prevention is the key to this puzzle. You are the creator of your world and you ultimately have the power to build the path to health and happiness.  Only you can unlock your potential!

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh and here is what I had for dinner . . . . Chili Chicken Tacos!  I featured this recipe on my first ever post titled low and slow awhile ago (at the bottom).  It is just such a great, easy recipe I just couldn’t help it!  You just throw all the stuff in the crock-pot and let it get nice and tender . . . Yum!  I piled the chicken into crunchy corn tortillas with cheese, spinach, avocado and non-fat greek yogurt, and it was just the thing after a long day.  Now I’m off to kick-my-butt box!

 

 Do you use a crock-pot for speedy weeknight meals?  What is your favorite and why?