Gumbo and jambalaya are two signature dishes of southern Louisiana that are both native to Cajun and creole cuisine. While the two cuisines are often used interchangeably, there are notable differences stemming from their cultural roots. Creole refers to the original settlers of New Orleans whose...

Getting your child to eat vegetables can be a challenging task. If you've ever seen them dig a hole in their pile of cooked carrots or shovel some peas underneath their plate to make it look like they've actually eaten them, you may have considered hiding a few veggies in some of their favorite...

This weeks blog post is written by Illinois State University graduate student-intern, Jeanne Arbuckle. This is a great time of year for soup. After all, it's National Soup Month. Wouldn't it be wonderful to come home to the smell and warmth of a hearty soup cooking on the stove? Soups can be...

Beans are a wonderful source of protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins, iron, folate and potassium. Choosing dried beans over canned is generally a healthy idea since canned beans tend to be loaded with sodium. However, certain dried beans can be very harmful if not prepared correctly....

Sandwiches can be a quick go-to meal when there's nothing else in the cabinets to fix. They're ideal to pack in lunch bags but can also be the perfect fill-you-up food at a local sandwich shop. Americans are crazy about their sandwiches. But how do we make one of these creations delicious without...

I recently was asked the question: should I peel my apple to rid any pesticides that may be present, or leave it unpeeled for its potential health benefits? While my answer was ultimately "leave it unpeeled," it's not quite as simple as that. Many of us may already know that leaving the peel on is...

It's a fresh new year, which has many American's looking for a change. For some, it's time to slim down and seek diet advice. However, most advice comes in the form of foods to cut out. For a refreshing change, consider these five foods to add in. Milk: While you may already...

Christmas morning breakfast in my house is more than just the usual oatmeal, cereal or smoothie. I admit; it generally consists of an unhealthy Danish, donut or cinnamon roll…but with a bowl of fruit, of course! This year, I am fixing my fellow co-worker's healthier take on Apple Donuts. Donuts...

I'm pleased to introduce guest blogger, Virginia Luchini! Virginia is an undergraduate student at Illinois State University studying Food, Nutrition and Dietetics. While we would all love a relaxing, peaceful holiday season that's rarely ever the case. There are too many things to do,...

Does Aunt Bethany's green Jell-O® mold with bits of cat food in it on "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" make you turn up your nose to gelatin salads? Well, most gelatin salads aren't filled with pet food but rather various fruits, vegetables, nuts, marshmallows, whipped topping, pretzels and...