Live Well. Eat Well. 2014

Who out there (besides me) loves peanut butter? I mean, could eat it every day, would die without it type of love it? And yes, as a Dietitian I admit, covering it in chocolate just takes it to whole now level of love. Did you know there is an entire month devoted to people like you and me? That...

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...

Green bean casserole is a Thanksgiving classic that few American tables go without. The dish made of canned green beans, condensed mushroom soup, milk, and French fried onions can pack in over 700 milligrams of sodium and 7 grams of fat in just ½ cup. Luckily, it just takes a few tweaks to slash...

Autumn means pumpkin-flavored everything and cheesecake is no exception! Sure, the pumpkin adds a bit of nutrition, but traditional recipes typically include a combination of full-fat cream cheese, heavy cream and/or sour cream -- plus sugar, eggs, and a buttery graham cracker crust. Try our...

Its summer time and we all know what that means... It means spending time outdoors as much as possible, and catching some good ole sunshine! With all of that outdoor fun it gets hot, which leads you to crave something cold and refreshing, right? So reach for something that's refreshing, delicious,...

Here's a recipe you can serve to mom this Mother's Day without the guilt! A friend shared a Stuffed French Toast Casserole recipe with me a few years ago. The original had a pound of regular cream cheese, a quart of half and half, and eight eggs. Amazingly indulgent, but more like a dessert than...

Hello fall and hello pumpkin spice lattes! Do you love fall flavors in your morning cup o' joe but hate spending the money?? Well, you're in the right place because there's no need to say goodbye to your hard earned cash. Instead of driving to the coffee shop, waiting in line, and...

Ever since I saw the grind your own nut butter machines at Fresh Market, I wanted to make my own peanut butter. It's simple in its truest form. What are the ingredients? Peanuts. That's it. No hydrogenated vegetable oil, no sugar, no molasses, no mono and diglycerides and no salt. Making your own...

Ah, the smell of a campfire. Roasted marshmallows, hot dogs, fruit cobbler, foil packets of hobo stew…. there is nothing as good as simple food cooked over an open fire. I can almost taste it now! Whether it's a day at the park or a weekend camping trip, preparing and eating food outdoors takes...

Last but not least in Recipe Rescue: Thanksgiving Edition... pumpkin pie! Pumpkin pie is actually one of the healthier pie choices, relatively speaking. We've made some tweaks here and there, but the major change is simple portion control. Rather than serve smaller slices, amp up the fun factor...

Football season means appetizers galore. Get your next viewing party "popping" with these flavor-packed, crunchy Bacon & Cheese Jalapeno Poppers! (Scroll to the bottom of the post for a printable PDF version of the recipe!) Ingredients: ...

Mozzarella sticks are always a crowd pleaser, but with that fried cheesy goodness comes a lot of fat and calories. Here's a healthier version that's a delicious option to serve at parties or just make when you need a fix. (Scroll to the bottom of the post for a printable PDF version of...

According to the National Peanut Board, the average American person will eat around 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by the time they are 18 years old. If you are like me, then those delicious sandwiches are still a staple in your diet; but are they actually healthy for you? The answer is...

Growing hemp in Illinois? Currently some states, including Illinois, allow hemp to be grown for research purposes. This past summer, Pat Quinn signed a bill making this possible but there are no funds attached which may make it difficult for this research to take place. Illinois...