Ring in the New Year with Spicy Peanut Stew
Whether you believe in “good luck” foods or not, you’ll love to ring in the new year with Spicy Peanut Stew. It’s full of “lucky” legumes – black beans, garbanzo beans, and peanuts. (Feel free to throw in some black-eyed peas, if you’re a purist.) According to popular folklore in the United States and elsewhere, eating certain foods on New Year’s Day will guarantee good luck in the new year. Legumes – especially beans, black-eyed peas, and lentils – are traditionally “lucky” foods because they symbolize money or wealth. Other so-called lucky foods (and recipes) are: Pork – Juiciest Pork Chops Cabbage – Pan-Asian Chicken with Cabbage Greens – Salad…
Secrets To Avoid Overeating During the Holidays
Uuuuggghh … that’s the collective sound/sigh I make after eating too much at Thanksgiving. As much as I love eating, I try to avoid overeating in the painful sort of way. Let’s be clear: It’s totally fine to eat too much sometimes. In fact, it’s a lot of fun to feast with friends and family! But, have you ever eaten so much that you’re miserable afterwards? I have, and I remember the stomach ache, feeling overfull (like I’m 9 months pregnant and all my food is pushed up into my ribcage), and just surviving it. That’s no way to spend the holiday! Here are some strategies that have (sometimes) worked…
How to Eat When You’re Injured
Have you ever put in weeks (or months) of hard work, only to be sidelined by an injury? Whether you run long distances, play in a volleyball league, or chase you kiddos over playground equipment, injuries can happen to all of us. And, the timing is never right. You might have your food dialed-in for training or being active, but do you wonder how to eat when you’re injured? Questioning Nutrition During Injury Nutrition-wise, now what? How do you eat in a way that preserves muscle, promotes healing, and lifts your spirits? (Let’s face it, when laid up on the sofa instead of out doing your favorite activity, you need…
Don’t Like Turkey? Here Are 6 Alternatives For Thanksgiving
What is your favorite Thanksgiving food? Maybe it’s pumpkin pie, Grandma’s stuffing, or Aunt Paula’s Cherry Cheesecake. I’m willing to bet it’s not the turkey. In fact, I know people who don’t even like turkey, but most of us eat it every Thanksgiving (and Christmas!) anyway. Since 2020 is a dumpster fire already, why not take control (of something) and try some alternatives to turkey for Thanksgiving this year? Why Find Alternatives to Turkey on Thanksgiving? In a recent survey, over half of Americans said that the worst part about preparing Thanksgiving dinner is messing up the turkey. Some common mishaps: the bird gets dried out, takes an hour longer…
What A Nutritionist Really Eats In A Day
As a nutritionist, people are often curious about what I eat in a day. Many assume I follow a strict diet of hard-to-find-and make foods. The reality is that I eat a lot of the same “regular” foods every day – yogurt bowls, lots of vegetables and fruit, smoothies, eggs & meats. These are foods that I like and make me feel good. As a rule of thumb, I eat for enjoyment and performance for life. By performance, I mean feeling great mentally and physically, staying fit, sleeping well – like one would feed a racehorse. That may be a weird analogy, but think about it – what would you…
No Beans About It – Killer Slow Cooker Chili
Warm up with a slow cooker chili that takes 20 minutes to prep, has no beans, and is super nutritious and delicious.
I Love to Hate Grocery Shopping; How I Make It Better
Grocery shopping. It ranges from leisurely selecting pristine produce and locally-produced specialty condiments to throwing elbows at Costco on a Saturday afternoon. A Neilson survey in 2015 found that about 6 in 10 people find grocery shopping an “engaging and enjoyable experience” and think of it as “a fun day out for the family.” Wait, what?! There are times when I leave the grocery store feeling like I’ve been in a street fight while playing cutthroat Jeopardy for the last 45 minutes. I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that the number of people who enjoy grocery shopping has dropped in the past few years, and…
Salad Slam! 4 Simple Steps to Perfect Salads
Hi there, this is an updated post for this summer, and I’ve added a FREE salad-making guide that you can grab using the form below. 🙂 If you’re from a certain generation and geography, the word “salad” may conjure up images of limp iceberg lettuce with a few carrot shreds and bottled ranch dressing. Perhaps you’ve seen “Jello salad”, which combine sweet gelatin with any manner of canned fruits, marshmallows, pudding, and even sometimes vegetables. Don’t believe me? Here you go – it’s real. For the purposes of this post, the term salad will always include leafy greens and vegetables. It will not include jello, pasta, canned fruit, or marshmallows.…
15 Red, White, & Blue Food Ideas
Even if you’re not at the park watching fireworks or gathered in a backyard with 50 of your closest friends, there are still ways to get festive with food! Favorite 4th of July Festivities We all want something to look forward to. In the summer, I always look forward to the 4th of July. Independence Day brings parades, fireworks, swimming pools, and barbeques – all good stuff! My family usually attends our city’s “Pet Parade”, then we walk to the town park for an old-fashioned festival – complete with funnel cakes and three-legged races. In the evening, we cook-out with friends and try to stay awake long enough to watch…
Intermittent Fasting 101
What is it? Intermittent fasting is like regular fasting (not eating), except on a regularly-planned schedule, totally optional, and usually done to lose weight. Intermittent Fasting is Hugely Popular In 2013, the Canadian Medical Association Journal predicted that intermittent fasting (IF) would be the next big weight-loss fad. As we know, many predictions don’t come true, but this one sure did! Intermittent fasting – rotating periods of eating and fasting – is a huge trend in diet culture right now. A 2020 poll found that IF is one of the most popular weight-loss diet Americans have ever tried. Yes, ever in recorded dieting history. An estimated 24% of US adults…