One tiny berry packs a nutritious and versatile punch as we celebrate the blueberry during National Blueberry Month. Starting in June and throughout the summer, look for subtly sweet blueberries growing locally in Illinois. Nutritionally, blueberries are like many fruits: low in calories,...

My fondest memories of my childhood summers center around our family vacations. Every year, in early August we would spend a week at my grandparents condo in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. It is here I learned all my open water know how-skiing, how to drive a boat, and most importantly, how to...

They're a cool and creamy summer treat, but you can end up sipping over 500 calories in just a few minutes. Can you have your milkshake and drink it, too? With a few recipe tweaks, yes! (Scroll to the bottom of the post for a printable PDF version of the recipes!)...

There is a common misconception that everyone should drink two liters (68 ounces, or about eight 8-oz glasses) of water per day however this is not supported by scientific research. It is however a good rule of thumb. But why is this not an accurate statement? Well, it is because an individual's...

This is my third post now touting the health benefits of sprouts, and inspired by a recent study published in the Journal of Cancer Prevention Research. 291...

Lasagna has morphed from an Italian classic to an Americanized diet disaster. Typical recipes are filled with sausage and/or beef, carb-heavy noodles, plus gobs of ooey gooey cheese. We really don't need all that meat and cheese (translation: artery-clogging fat and waist-...

I want to let you all in on a little secret: dietitians do not eat perfectly! I really do enjoy fresh, wholesome, colorful foods, but I also include a little bit of "junk." I have a huge sweet tooth-total chocolate addict! All shapes and forms! One being chocolate pudding! A super comfort food...

We're just past Father's Day, but did you know that June overall is Men's Health Month? The media seems to pay a lot of attention to ladies' health issues, so let's not neglect the guys; men, too, have special nutritional concerns. Here's what you need to know to keep yourself (or — if you're a...

Carrot cake has vegetables, so it's healthy.. right? Not so much. Between the rich, nutty cake and over the top sweet cream cheese frosting, you've got a carrot catastrophe! Try my version with a secret ingredient for a carrot cake that's far more waistline-friendly and still...

Let's face it, eating healthy is tough. It can be expensive, time consuming, and it doesn't taste as good as eating junk food. There is no magical food that will help in this task, but smoothies might be the ticket to helping you with your healthy habits. Here are 8 reasons why you should add...