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Live Well. Eat Well.

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Slow cooker with kidney beans

Kidney Beans and Slow Cookers

Slow cookers, commonly known by one of the brand names Crock-pot®, are a popular kitchen appliance used to make a variety of soups, stews, desserts, or one-pot meals. One common ingredient in soups and stews is kidney beans. Purchasing dry beans and soaking them at home is an excellent way to save...
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Cutting board with different types of sliced citrus

Eat all the varieties of winter citrus

I so enjoy the big variety of citrus that comes to stores in winter. Stocked with more than oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit, I'm seeing mandarins (including tangerines, clementines, and satsumas), tangelos, ugli fruit, oranges with fun colors (like cara cara and blood oranges), and pomelos....
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Child mixing food in bowl while adult holds onto bowl

Let's make cookie bars (and adapt a cookie recipe)

A few things happened that day I wanted to make cookies. I didn't want to make individual cookies - or multiple dozens of cookies. (Too much time waiting on batches.) The dietitian in me wanted to add in a boost of nutrition. (But not make the cookies so "healthy" as to remove satisfaction.)...
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food on table

Gluten-free, low sugar, no fat... Thanksgiving?

Gluten-free, low sugar, no fat — doesn’t that sound like a yummy Thanksgiving dinner? We could be describing a trend in modern dieting; however, what we are talking about is the first Thanksgiving. When coloring hand-traced turkeys and making paper bag vests in elementary school, we learned that...
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Pour jam into jar

Why is open kettle canning unsafe?

Canning food at home has been around since the early 1800s, with the first mason jar designed for canning distributed in 1884. Canning, freezing, and drying is a science and has evolved over the last 100 years.  The only safe way to can food at home and store at room temperature is by using either...
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Cleaning kitchen, pumpkin season

Add food safety to your fall recipes!

The celebration of Labor Day quickly moves us into the fall season. It's a welcome transition to cooler weather - some even say "sweater weather." Another transition is the expectation of seasonal fall foods. They bring back memories of delicious warm cider, lattes, apples, and meals in the slow...
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baby and mommy

Should I breastfeed?

Breastfeeding…it can be tough, but oh so worth it!  August is National Breastfeeding month and a wonderful time to raise awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding.  As a new mom, nearly 16 years ago now, I was fortunate that through my education as a Registered Dietitian, I felt confident in...
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Glass top stove built into counter top, with plant near by and water facet for sink

Should I use my ceramic cooktop when canning?

Canning season is in full swing, and a common question I get asked each year is, "Can I use my glass or ceramic cooktop when canning?” To answer this question, begin by contacting your cooktop manufacturer to find out what they recommend. But then I want you to ask yourself, "Is it a...
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