Live Well. Eat Well. 2014

If you are anything like me, you welcome the blazing sunny days of summer. Every chance I get, I am poolside soaking up the sun. What's better than a summe

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...

Would your Thanksgiving table be complete without sweet potato casserole? I know mine wouldn't! My grandma always made hers with canned sweet potatoes, loads of butter and sugar, plus a to-die-for topping of sugary spiced pecans. The taste is over-the-top, and so are the nutritional stats! I've...

Tortilla chips are a mainstay in Mexican restaurants and home kitchens alike! They're the perfect vehicle for all kinds of dips - salsa, guacamole, French onion, spinach artichoke, the list goes on and on. Problem is, tortilla chips are usually fried and salted, making them high in fat, sodium, and...

Pancakes are usually just a vehicle for butter and syrup, which can end up slowing you down mid- morning. Try these protein-packed pancakes instead, with lots of room for creativity. (Scroll to the bottom of the post for a printable PDF version of the recipe!) ...

Here in the Midwest, home canning has been a way of life for many since before they could even remember. But home canning has enjoyed a surge in popularity in the past few years, thanks to Americans' increased interest in the local food movement and desire to be economical in the wake of our...

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...