Live Well. Eat Well. 2014

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...

I don't know about you, but I am fired up to fire up my grill after the brutal winter we had. Grilling is one of my favorite ways to prepare all types of foods — from the typical burgers, steaks and chicken to fish, vegetables and even fruit. It's a relatively low-fat preparation method, and...

At the rate of sparing myself the embarrassment of my overgrown garden-I did not include any pictures of the inspiration of this post. The late harvest of tomatoes in my home garden more than my husband and I can possibly consume! We have made BLT's, salad, salsa (fresh and canned)...we are...

A few years ago, hazelnut spread was something very few people ever heard of or tried before. Nutella® used to be the sole brand found on the market shelves. Suddenly, this creamy spread is being made by multiple big brand names, including Jif® and Hershey's™, as well as store-bought or off-brands...

One of my favorite lunchtime staples is a bowl of Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey and topped with some kind of trail mix or fruit and nut blend. I mean, dried fruit and nuts go together like peas and carrots. Chewy sweetness combined with rich, crunchy nuts is both satisfying and delicious....

Is there anything more American than apple pie? There's something about that buttery sweet filling and flaky crust that just hits the spot. But a typical slice can set you back nearly 500 calories, and that's not even a la mode or mile-high. Try a mini cinnamon-sugar apple pie instead for a...

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...

Peach Cobbler is a very American summer favorite, but all that buttery sweet deliciousness means fat, sugar, and calories! Try my lightened version at this weekend's Memorial Day BBQ! (Scroll to the bottom of the post for a printable PDF version of the recipe!) Image...

The other day I was eating lunch in our staff break room with some of my coworkers. As I was assembling my lunch and adding my mandatory scoop of avocado atop my chicken and kale, my co -workers winced in disgust. "I can't eat avocado alone" they kept saying. Guacamole seems to be the only way...

March is National Nutrition Month and this year's theme is "Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right." Given that taste is the biggest indicator of whether we will eat a food, the theme is certainly appropriate! With warmer weather on the way, I'm asking you, too, to bring the heat and try my favorite...

Cold temps triggering a craving for comfort food? There's nothing better than a steaming bowl of chili on a crisp fall day, but it can be a bit high in calories when higher-fat ground beef is used. Whip up a batch of our hearty turkey chili for a meal that'll stick to your ribs but not your...

We Americans like to put our own spin on most international dishes, and orange chicken is no exception! Pile fried chicken pieces on top of fried rice and cover it all in a sticky sweet sauce and you've got a meal that's far from healthy. Can we rescue this restaurant favorite? (Scroll...

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-...

Howdy! If you're like me, you cringe every time you have to throw away a piece of moldy or suspiciously smelly piece of food, produce, or leftovers. I hate wasting food, because it's like wasting my hard-earned money, especially when I know it can be prevented. It makes sense that wasting less food...