Simply Nutritious, Quick and Delicious 2018

This blog post is written by University of Illinois Extension intern, Amanda Dieugenio. Amanda is a student at Illinois State University! As summer comes to a close, (I know, what a bummer!) it is time to start welcoming that fall weather, and along with it, some healthy new fall-inspired...

My mother-in-law always put a variety of whole nuts in the bottom of everyone's Christmas stockings. It's a tradition that has been passed down in her family, and I'm sure other families do the same. But why do we serve whole nuts for the holiday season? Many of us think of the old-fashioned...

Sadly, currants do not seem to get the respect and admiration that they deserve. However, in Europe, their love for currants is like our love for blackberries or raspberries. In fact, the purple candy in a bag of Skittles® is flavored grape in the U.S., but tastes like black currant in the U.K. Why...

Today's blog post and recipe are written by Illinois State University students and dietetic interns, Amanda Dieugenio and Samantha Concha! Salmon is a fish that tastes delicious during any time of year, but for some reason it tastes just a little better when warm weather approaches and...

A pinch of this, a dash of that. The more experienced cooks can often get by without properly measuring ingredients. Their skill and experience guides them to know how much to add, but many novice cooks struggle at knowing when is enough to give flavor and when is enough to push it to the edge of...

Nectarines are often confused with peaches, but when given a second look nectarines are easy to spot because they don't have the fuzzy outside that peaches have. Nectarines are similar in taste to the peach and both exhibit a pit on the inside. A clingstone does just that: the flesh clings to the...

Today's blog post is written by Illinois State University graduate student and dietetic intern, Michael O'halloran! What if I told you that in your home, at this very moment, you likely have several antioxidant-dense foods hidden away? If you are thinking about your latest trip to the...

The smell of a light and fluffy waffle cooking in a waffle iron is sure to wake anyone up in the morning. Waffle batter is made with flour, sugar, eggs, milk and a leavening agent, similar in make-up to a pancake. However, while a pancake is thin and spongy, a waffle is thicker and crisp on the...

When a friend gave me a recipe for tuna stuffed sweet potatoes, I thought it was on odd combination. My curiosity got the best of me, and soon my family was chowing down on this sweet-salty blend. Clean plates proved that it was victorious! The success continued when a week later we visited my...

For most children, the first few days of August is a reminder that it's soon time to head back to school. However, the start of school can also be the start of stress with hectic schedules to keep track of. Putting a healthy meal in the kids' bellies is just another thing to add to the growing list...

As you carve frightening or charming faces in your jack-o-lanterns this Halloween, be sure to keep the seeds for a nutritious snack. Pumpkin seeds are truly one of the greatest rewards to this fall activity.Saving the seeds is easy. Once cutting out the stem of the pumpkin, the fun part begins!...

Pita bread is a type of flatbread that is a staple in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Thankfully, it's a bread that we can now typically find at most U.S. grocery stores, helping to expand our palate and broaden our horizons. Pita bread is not much different from many flatbreads,...

This Valentine's Day, show your loved one they're loved by making them an elegant treat. A crepe only takes a few minutes to prepare, but due to it's French heritage, it signifies a sort of "sophisticated romance" feel. A crepe is essentially a very thin pancake. Made with flour, milk, oil, eggs,...

Sadly, only one in ten American adults meet the recommended amount of fruits (1 ½ - 2 cups) and vegetables (2 – 3 cups) each day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you sheepishly think to yourself that this is you, start the autumn season off with a healthy start and a...

If it's your turn to host the family holiday dinner, you hopefully have your game plan ready. There's a lot to consider, including whether or not you have the space: dining table space, burner/oven space and refrigerator space. Not to mention, what foods you are going to prepare and what foods you...

A good deli sandwich is a typical go-to lunch for many Americans. While many health conscientious people are concerned with the carbohydrates in bread, others are more concerned with nitrates and nitrites in meat. Nitrates and nitrites are chemical compounds that are naturally present in many...

Bread, potatoes, rice: these carbohydrates tend to get a bad rap. But are carbohydrates really that bad for you? Carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy and are needed to maintain proper cell function. Carbs come in two forms: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates break down easily...

Next to water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. Here in the U.S., about 85% of tea consumed is black tea and iced. The heat of the summer is the perfect time to enjoy a tall glass of refreshing iced tea, but how you brew it is an important step to keeping you safe. When...

As many are embarking on calorie-restricted diets and wearing belly bands to lose weight this new year, others are taking a more simplistic approach: increase fruits and vegetables and shrink breads, pastas, goodies and meats. There's no reason to cut out any one food or food group and doing so...

Sauerkraut is the German word for "sour cabbage" and is most notably known for it's use in German-inspired dishes. However, it actually originated in China and has now become one of the most well known fermented products on the market. Sauerkraut is shredded cabbage that has been...