Diligent Spoon

A nutrition blog that promotes healthy eating habits and recipes

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Menu
  • Home
    • About
  • Food
    • Meals & Planning
    • Healthy Eating “in the Wild”
    • Snacking
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Mains
    • Salads
    • Snacks
  • Fitness
    • Equipment & Products
    • Injuries
    • Running
    • Workouts
    • Yoga
  • Philosophy
    • Healthy Living Mindset
    • Making Healthy Habits
    • Personal Perspectives
  • Debunking
    • Fad Diets
    • Nutrition News and Research
    • Biochemistry, Physiology, Thermodynamics
  • Favorites
  • Pumpkin Power Muffins | Delicious, Easy, Gluten-free
    Breakfast,  Desserts,  Recipes,  Snacks,  Special Diets

    Pumpkin Power! Easy Gluten-Free Muffins to Energize Your Fall

    September 16, 2021 / 2 Comments

    It’s not quite fall, but I’m already seeing Pumpkin Spice everything. Advertised in coffee shops and stores, pumpkin spice is like a retail cue of the fall season. Have you seen the Pumpkin Spice ads yet? Lattes, coffee creamers, nail polish (not kidding). While some new pumpkin spice products are questionable, I know Pumpkin Muffins are a winner. Honestly, I think Pumpkin Spice Lattes (or “PSLs”)) are kind of disgusting-tasting, even though I love pumpkin. 😝 And, if you’re trying to reduce sugar intake, PSLs are something you might not want to drink. Pumpkin itself, spiced or not, is an amazing vegetable packed with nutrition and flavor. What I also…

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    Brook Hagen

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    The Best Breakfast for Sustained Energy

    June 16, 2021
    Fall in Love With Pumpkin Breakfast Bowls

    Fall in Love With Pumpkin Breakfast Bowls

    September 30, 2020
    Healthy Indulgence | Mocha Smoothie

    Favorite Diligent Indulgence – The Mocha Smoothie

    June 14, 2021
  • Easy Vinaigrette Dressing in 2 Minutes & 3 Ingredients
    Recipes,  Sauces and Dressings

    Make Your Own Vinaigrette in 2 Minutes

    September 10, 2021 / 4 Comments

    One of my favorite things to make at home is salad dressing. You may have read my past post about my all-time favorite Magic Sauce dressing recipe. While I love Magic Sauce, it has a lot of ingredients, and I don’t always feel like getting the blender out to make it (no matter how much I love my blender). Thank goodness for vinaigrette. No matter what the situation, if you have oil, vinegar, and a bottle to put it in, you can make this tangy and delicious dressing or marinade. I’ll be the first to admit that store-bought bottled vinaigrettes are super convenient and come in all kinds of creative…

    read more
    Brook Hagen

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    Fiesta Pasta | Make a Plant-Based Dinner Meat-Eaters Will Love

    Make a Plant-Based Dinner Meat-Eaters Will Love

    May 20, 2021
    Super Bowl Party Dips That Aren't Guacamole

    Amazing Super Bowl Party Dips That Aren’t Guacamole

    February 6, 2021
    No-Bake Cookies the Easy Way | GF, Dairy-free, under 30 minutes

    No-Bake Cookies – The Easy Way

    August 18, 2020
  • Healthy Indulgence | Mocha Smoothie
    Breakfast,  Food,  Recipes,  Snacking,  Snacks

    Favorite Diligent Indulgence – The Mocha Smoothie

    June 14, 2021 / 3 Comments

    This creamy, chocolatey treat can be whipped up in your blender in less than five minutes. Gluten-free, vegan, and dairy free. What has under 250 calories, plenty of protein, some healthy fat, and tastes like a chocolate dream-come-true? I’m so excited to introduce you to Mocha Smoothie. I developed this recipe when I was an e-campus student taking all my courses from home. It was summertime, so hot outside, and I wanted to have a healthier, lower calorie alternative to a Frappuccino. Oh … and I wanted to be able to make it at home to save time and money. Plus, I made extra coffee every morning, and I did…

    read more
    Brook Hagen

    You May Also Like

    Fall in Love With Pumpkin Breakfast Bowls

    Fall in Love With Pumpkin Breakfast Bowls

    September 30, 2020
    Pumpkin Power Muffins | Delicious, Easy, Gluten-free

    Pumpkin Power! Easy Gluten-Free Muffins to Energize Your Fall

    September 16, 2021
    Best Breakfast Bowl for special diets

    Best Breakfast Bowl for Special Diets

    June 16, 2021
  • Fiesta Pasta | Make a Plant-Based Dinner Meat-Eaters Will Love
    Mains,  Meals & Planning,  Recipes,  Special Diets

    Make a Plant-Based Dinner Meat-Eaters Will Love

    May 20, 2021 / 0 Comments

    Are you looking to add more plant-based meals to your diet, but are not sure where to start or afraid your family won’t like it? Believe me, I’ve been there! When I was a vegan for a few years, I constantly tried different dinner recipes, hoping that they would be easy, use “normal” ingredients, and – most importantly – be edible. Not just for me, but also for my kids and husband. After many fails, complaints, and even ridicule from my meat-loving family, Fiesta Pasta is one plant-based dinner that even has the meat-eaters going back for seconds. Goal: Plant-Based Dinner That’s Easy and Delicious The goal here is to…

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    Brook Hagen

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    Amazing Chicken Salad

    Amazing Chicken Salad in Under 30 Minutes

    August 19, 2020
    Make a Gluten-free Whole30 (or vegan) Dinner in Under 30 minutes

    How to Make a Gluten-free, Whole30 (or Vegan) Dinner in Under 30 Minutes

    May 6, 2021
    Don't Like Turkey | 6 Alternatives to Turkey on Thanksgiving

    Don’t Like Turkey? Here Are 6 Alternatives For Thanksgiving

    November 4, 2021
  • Make a Gluten-free Whole30 (or vegan) Dinner in Under 30 minutes
    Mains,  Recipes

    How to Make a Gluten-free, Whole30 (or Vegan) Dinner in Under 30 Minutes

    May 6, 2021 / 0 Comments

    Want dinner on the table in 30 minutes – a main dish that takes one pan, has no gluten, and can be either Whole30 or vegan? Oh, and one that your kids and husband will eat too? I know how insanely challenging it can be to accommodate multiple dietary preferences (For example, Is your husband is not eating grains? Asking for a friend … 😉 ) in one household. It feels almost impossible to make a single meal that everyone will eat and no one will complain about! That’s why, when I find a recipe that fits all these criteria – tasty, healthy enough for adults, modifiable for special diets,…

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    Brook Hagen

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    Killer Slow Cooker Chili

    No Beans About It – Killer Slow Cooker Chili

    October 14, 2020
    Ring in the New Year with Spicy Peanut Stew

    Ring in the New Year with Spicy Peanut Stew

    January 3, 2021
    Don't Like Turkey | 6 Alternatives to Turkey on Thanksgiving

    Don’t Like Turkey? Here Are 6 Alternatives For Thanksgiving

    November 4, 2021
  • Ring in the New Year with Spicy Peanut Stew
    Mains,  Meals & Planning,  Recipes,  Soups,  Special Diets

    Ring in the New Year with Spicy Peanut Stew

    January 3, 2021 / 2 Comments

    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…

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    Brook Hagen

    You May Also Like

    Amazing Chicken Salad

    Amazing Chicken Salad in Under 30 Minutes

    August 19, 2020
    Killer Slow Cooker Chili

    No Beans About It – Killer Slow Cooker Chili

    October 14, 2020
    Make a Gluten-free Whole30 (or vegan) Dinner in Under 30 minutes

    How to Make a Gluten-free, Whole30 (or Vegan) Dinner in Under 30 Minutes

    May 6, 2021
  • 30-Minute Creamy Broccoli Soup for Kids and Special Diets
    Recipes,  Soups

    30-Minute Creamy Broccoli Soup for Kids and Special Diets

    December 17, 2020 / 2 Comments

    Have you tried to offer creamy broccoli soup to a kid? I have. The reaction is a combination of bewilderment and disgust. Once I tricked my kids into actually tasting this (gluten-free, dairy-free, & vegan) soup, they were hooked (yesss!). This kid- and special diet-friendly creamy broccoli soup is ready in 30 minutes and now in heavy winter rotation at our house. Creamy Broccoli Soup Without Cream How to make a soup creamy without the cow? First, the non-dairy milk alternative (NDMA) adds the right amount of white/creamy color and enhances the texture. Note that “creamiest” NDMAs I’ve tried are oat milk and soymilk. Second, nutritional yeast gives the soup…

    read more
    Brook Hagen

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    Easy Vinaigrette Dressing in 2 Minutes & 3 Ingredients

    Make Your Own Vinaigrette in 2 Minutes

    September 10, 2021
    Magic Sauce Dressing

    Magic Sauce – Salad Dressing, Dip, Simmer Sauce

    August 5, 2019
    Make the Ultimate Comfort Food This Winter | Chicken Vegetable Soup

    Make The Ultimate Comfort Food This Winter – Chicken Vegetable Soup

    February 14, 2021
  • Magic Sauce Dressing
    Food,  Recipes,  Salads

    Magic Sauce – Salad Dressing, Dip, Simmer Sauce

    August 5, 2019 / 4 Comments

    Salad dressing can be many things – creamy, tangy, sweet, chunky or smooth. When it’s good, salad dressing makes a salad. Think fresh Caesar dressing made with egg yolks, anchovies, lemon, and a great olive oil. The flavors meld together in a velvety, briny goodness. A great salad dressing evenly coats the greens and vegetables it is served with. It makes greens, vegetables, and other toppings taste better and compliments their textures. In addition to tasting great, salad dressings made with quality ingredients are fabulous sources of healthy fats like olive and avocado oils. When made with nut and/or seed butters (think tahini or peanut butter), salad dressings and sauces…

    read more
    Brook Hagen

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    DIY Substitutes for Staple Ingredients

    DIY Substitutes For Eggs, Milk, & Flour

    March 31, 2020
    Is Shopping At Whole Foods Worth It?

    Is Shopping At Whole Foods Worth It?

    September 22, 2019
    4 Ways To Eat More Mindfully

    4 Ways to Slower, More Mindful Eating

    July 29, 2019

Recent Posts

  • The Best Way to Lose Weight and Keep It Off August 13, 2022
  • How Much Exercise Do I Need? How to Stay Fit Over the Holidays December 23, 2021
  • 10 Awesome Gift Ideas for Foodies December 1, 2021
  • Don’t Like Turkey? Here Are 6 Alternatives For Thanksgiving November 4, 2021
  • What Are Omega-3s? 4 Things You Need to Know About These Essential Fatty Acids October 25, 2021

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Disclaimer

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. I hold a BS in Dietetics (Missouri State University) and an MS in human nutrition (Colorado State University). The information I provide is based on my formal education and practice in dietetics, human nutrition, and biochemistry; and my experience as a runner and athlete.  Any recommendations I may make about exercise, nutrition, supplements or lifestyle; or information provided to you in person or on this website are for information purposes only and do not take the place of professional medical advice.

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I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Diligent Spoon, LLC does not accept money for editorial gear reviews.

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