A Practical Guide To Healthy Living

Hi Sweeties! I have an update on the slow cooker/lead front. [Read more →]

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Cabbage is humble food, no? It stands in stark contrast to all the fancy, fussy food we just finished eating for the holidays.  It’s cheap, it’s filling, but it’s also remarkably healthy.  I had two giant heads in the fridge, courtesy of my Shared Harvest CSA share – one green, one purple. [Read more →]

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So it’s the new year . . . and maybe you’re sportin’ a few extra lbs. from all that holiday hoopla . . . muffin tops are great for eating, not so much for wearing.  Time to get serious and get back on the health bandwagon, folks.  And we know that small changes can equal big results over time.  Try these quick ‘n’ easy tips for shaving 100 calories off your eats and start watching the needle move left on the scale.  Slow but steady wins this race – enjoy your food, just stop stuffing your face!

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I write today with some potentially distressing news.  I have heard a rumor that the ceramic liner of your slow cooker might contain unacceptable amounts of lead . . . and that it could potentially be leaching into whatever you’re slow-cooking.  Now let me stress that this is, as yet, unsubstantiated.  At the end of last week, another mother at pickup approached me and asked me if I knew anything about this – I was shocked (maybe I shouldn’t be?)!

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Let’s preface today’s recipe by saying that I love beans.  I love their subtle flavor, their versatility, their healthfulness (ooooh, all that fiber and protein in a little vegetarian package) and I love that they’re cheap.  My love affair is long:  Beans kept me well-nourished and on a budget through 2 graduate programs.  And today, they allow us to eat meatless meals while still feeling satisfied.  But in the interests of full-disclosure, let’s also say that D. is not so much of a fan of the bean, and so he was not a huge fan of this recipe.  He is in the “beans are OK if they’re an accompaniment to other stuff” camp.  He turns up his nose at a side of black beans, or at refried beans in Mexican food.  You get the idea.

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I dunno about you, but I’ve got a plethora of root veggies here . . . my winter CSA share dropped a boat-load of squash on us and I’ve been clamoring for a way to use it all up, without getting sick of it.  To boot, D.’s not a huge squash fan – and 6 butternuts is a little much for even this veg-tastic mama.

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Just another reason to stock up on those hearty leafy greens you see in the market these days: People who eat about 1/1/4 c. daily (that’s a little more than 1 serving) have a 14% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Eaten raw or cooked, leafies like spinach, bok choy and kale contain antioxidants (possible anti-inflammatories), magnesium (linked to lower diabetes risk) and alpha linoleic acid (may cut insulin resistance). A one-two-three punch in your favor!

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Hey Sweeties . . . how’re you feeling after the New Year weekend?  And perhaps you took some time off last week off to be merry? Indulge a bit, yes? I know we did . . . and I am SO ready to ratchet it all back and load up on healthful foods again.  My body was aching for greens at the end of the week. And fiber, and less bread, and a lot less sugar.  Oh, the sugar!

So here we are, start of the new year, end of the holidays – ready to cook up some good-for-you vittles again? [Read more →]

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