Your recipe calls for almonds but when you get to the store to quickly grab a bag you realize you have to choose between natural, blanched, unblanched, roasted or raw. Who knew there were that many choices for one little nut? More than likely, the only almond you've ever had was produced in...
The 68th United Nations General Assembly declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses. What in the world are pulses you ask? Pulses are a subgroup of legumes; legumes refer to the whole fruit enclosed in the pod of the plant, but pulses refer to only the edible seeds within the pods. Common...
We all know that oats are nutritious and good for our health. But for some, a bowl of hot oatmeal in the morning just doesn't sound appealing. Allow me to introduce you to the new craze: overnight oats! These uncooked oats are served cold with endless mix-in possibilities. It's a breakfast that...
As the weather gets cooler and the days get shorter, the cravings of a warm bowl of soup get stronger. Of course, the same goes for bisque, chowder or stew. While your taste buds may not care, there is a difference between them. The word "soup" generally refers to ingredients, such as meat and...
This week's blog post was written by our Nutrition and Wellness intern, Paige Meints. She is a student at ISU studying Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics. Zucchini is a popular summer crop in the Midwest because it's a low maintenance plant and is fairly easy to grow. Zucchini plants do not take up...
I would argue that there isn't much better in life than a cool and refreshing ice cream cone on a hot and humid day. I think everyone can agree that ice cream and summer-time definitely go hand-in-hand. Unfortunately, on average a ½ cup serving of vanilla ice cream weighs in at about 15 grams of...
This week's blog post is guest written by Illinois State University student, Paige Meints. She is an undergraduate student studying Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics at ISU. When I think of summer, I think of the smell of burgers, charbroiled on the grill. Although delicious, hamburger meat patties...
This July 29th we celebrate an Italian classic: Happy National Lasagna Day all you lasagna lovers. A cheesy, gooey pan of carbs is what makes this meal a favorite of all ages. The ingredients are simple, inexpensive, and feeds an army, making the whole family happy. Lasagna begins with the flat-...
Plump and juicy blueberries are one of nature's best treats. The blueish purple fruit is grown on bushes and typically in season all summer long from April to late September but peaking in June and July. Blueberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of dietary fiber. They've...
Most people wouldn't think twice about buying a bag of beautiful orange carrots, but what if those carrots were white? Back in Roman times, wild carrots were actually white, not orange. According to Philipp Simon, research geneticist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farmers prior to the 16th...
