Skip to main content

Simply Nutritious, Quick and Delicious 2015

Making the Perfect Sandwich

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...
Finish this story

Going Greek with Gyros

As we head into the fair season, it's quite possible that you may come across a gyro stand. Gyros, a popular Greek sandwich, are traditionally made with roasted lamb on a vertical spit and served on pita bread with tomato and onion. Gyros are most commonly topped with tzatziki sauce, made with...
Finish this story

Measuring Ingredients for Success

Baking often requires precise measurements, but if you're not sure how to measure correctly, your fabulous recipe may turn into a frightful flop. Professional chefs make it look so easy by just tossing in a pinch of this or a dash of that, but if you're a newbie to cooking or just like following...
Finish this story

Back to School, Back to Healthy Eating

By now you and your children should be in the routine of being back in school. This is the perfect time to re-evaluate your family's meals. Ask yourself, "How will we make time to eat together as a family now that school is back in session?" and "are my family's meals nutritionally balanced or...
Finish this story

Cooking with Dates: Kid-Approved!

Have you ever wondered what the sweetest fruit in the world is? If you go by sugar content, you may be surprised to learn that it is the date. Dates have over 60% sugar content. However, in terms of taste, the Guinness Book of World Records lists the Philippine mango called Caraboa, as the sweetest...
Finish this story

To Peel or Not to Peel?

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...
Finish this story

Food Safety Feng Shui

Feng shui is the Chinese philosophical art of balancing energies in the surrounding environment for good health. The kitchen is often the busiest room in the house, where good flow and energy is essential to produce healthy meals, keep food safe, and circulate the kids, adults and pets that walk...
Finish this story

For the Love of Basil

When asked what my favorite herb is, I'd have to go with basil. Not only is it fragrant and flavorful, but it's also a beautiful plant. Basil is an annual herb belonging to the mint family. It's so easy to grow that even I, a wannabe gardener with a black thumb, cannot kill it. If you grow your...
Finish this story

Let's Give Brussels Sprouts Another Chance!

If you were haunted by childhood memories of having to force down a bite of Brussels sprouts before getting dessert, it's time to give those little green balls another chance. Modern cooking techniques have turned what was once a mushy, bitter miniature cabbage into a complex sweet and nutty...
Finish this story

Want Your Kids to Eat Healthier? Get Them in the Kitchen!

This week's blog post is written by University of Illinois student intern, Brett Loman. Sometimes it's just easier to have your kids play in the other room while you throw dinner together, but are you making the right choice? Recent research suggests that kids who are involved in meal...
Finish this story

Cilantro Lover or Hater?

Cilantro is an herb that most people either love or hate. And some studies have indicated that the haters may actually have good reason; people with certain odor-detecting genes pick up a soapy smell and taste when they eat cilantro. However, scientists agree that although someone may have this...
Finish this story

Should You Sneak Vegetables in Your Child's Foods?

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...
Finish this story

Grocery Store Trips with the Kids? No Problem!

This blog post is written by Taylor Streitmatter, student-intern from Illinois State University! Its summer, the children are home all day, and their little fingers seem to make food disappear from your cabinets and refrigerator faster than it did during the school year. This may mean...
Finish this story

Grilling Up Kebabs (or Kebobs!)

There's just something about eating food on a stick that brings out your inner child-being. Popsicles, corndogs, and cotton candy were kid-favorites, but now that you're an adult, you may have a bit more refined tastes. Kebabs (or kebobs) can satisfy your fun-loving nature and grown-up taste buds....
Finish this story

Mad for Mango!

Mangoes are a sweet and juicy tropical fruit grown in many parts of the world. While you may not see many of them grown here in the States, we can still get a taste of them thanks to countries like Mexico, Brazil, Haiti, and Ecuador, which harvest mango crops year round. When buying mangoes, look...
Finish this story

First Taste of Spring

This week's blog post is written by Illinois State University student, Jade Umberger. We made it! Finally, winter is coming to an end, and we are getting our first warm days of spring. March 20th was the official first day of spring, and that can only mean one thing: more warm weather...
Finish this story

Green Beans Galore!

"I have green beans coming out of my ears!" This is the time of year when the garden is lush that I hear that phrase often. It makes me reminisce back to my childhood days of snapping hundreds of green beans until my tiny fingers hurt. Green beans are actually immature dry beans that taste the...
Finish this story

Killer Kidney Beans?

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....
Finish this story

Wild-Caught or Farm-Raised Fish: Which to Choose?

Buying seafood can be a confusing task. How do you know which has the lowest amount of contaminants, the highest amount of nutrients, and is labeled correctly? These are good questions to ask before feeding your family. Our seafood is either wild-caught or farm-raised. Both methods include strict...
Finish this story

You Don't Have to Ditch Desserts

By this time, we may already be burnt out on sweets. Sugar cookies, pecan pies, caramels, divinity and fudge have been hard to resist. But with the New Year quickly approaching its time to get back on track. So does that mean we have to forgo all the wonderful sweet treats? Desserts don't have to...
Finish this story