Plant Protein Power

It's a common misconception that you need to eat meat in order to get enough protein. The problem with meat is it not only comes with protein, but most of the meat we eat comes with artery clogging fat and cholesterol as well. Calorie for calorie most plant based proteins carry a heavier protein punch than their animal based brothers, so you can get this important muscle building nutrient without the added health hazards of clogged arteries, heart disease, and extra wiggle in the middle. Am I saying you should become a vegetarian and swear off meat all together? Not at all. However, your heart will thank you if you cut back and substitute some of these powerhouses a few times a week. Here are my top 10 sources of plant based protein.

Food Fight: Quinoa vs Brown Rice

I love rice! It's one of my favorite side dishes and I make it quite often. A few years ago I was introduced to a funky little grain called Quinoa. I always love to hear the different ways people pronounce that word - totally cracks me up every time. I think it's been in the main stream long enough now that most people have heard of it and know how to say it, but in case this is new to you, let me help you out so others in the room don't get a chuckle out of you. Quinoa is pronounced Keen-wa. Now you will sound like a total nutrition smartie! Both of these grains pack a punch and are great for you, but let's take a closer look to see which one is better.

New Study Shows French Fries Are Good For You!

I love french fries. They are one of my many weaknesses, and I could sit down and eat an entire large order of fries all by myself. I so desperately would love for this greasy, starchy food to be good for me, so I have decided to write a post about the health benefits of french fries, because everyone knows if it's on the internet it must be true. I'm here to put it in writing so it will become a  hard fact truth - FRENCH FRIES ARE GOOD FOR YOU!

My Top 5 Snacks

I have people asking me all of the time what kinds of snacks they should be eating. I always tell them to eat "one ingredient" foods and they can't go wrong. If it comes in a crinkly wrapper, no matter what said wrapper says about the health of their product, it's not as good for you as what nature provides. I am not a huge snacker and don't routinely eat them during the day, but when I do get hungry here is what I am usually munching on.

My 5 Favorite Breakfasts

I have people asking me all of the time the best things to eat for different meals throughout the day. I try to keep a lot of recipes on the site, but wanted to do a little mini-series of quick/healthy bites that you can  use for staples on busy days. Take a look on the Recipes page for specific recipes, but here are my top 10 healthy go to's for breakfast.

Why Am I Always Hungry?!

Ever wonder why you can eat 2,000 calories throughout the day and still be hungry all of the time? You pound the calories but never feel satisfied, or you are full only to be starving again an hour or two later. Then, to rub salt into the wound, your health-nut coworker eats like a bird and never seems to lose control with ravenous hunger pains come 3:00. There is an answer to this mystery and I am here to shed some light on this for you. 

Top 5 Nutritional Musts

I am very firm against the "one size fits all" phrase. We are all different, with different sizes, beliefs and likes/dislikes. This is just as true for nutrition as everything else. We are all different, with different digestion, likes, tolerances and systems. I, for one, have found I just can't eat meat. My body doesn't like it, doesn't digest it properly, and I personally don't like it - so I have become a vegetarian and am very happy with this lifestyle. On the total flip side of that coin, I have a good friend who's husband is literally allergic to vegetables. After only a few bites into a salad his throat will start to itch and swell up on him. I have friends/relatives that are diabetic, have celiacs disease, or are lactose intolerant. This list goes on and on, so diet is really different for each one of us. However, there are 5 rules of nutrition that I think we should all follow, regardless of our individual needs or tastes.

Food Fight: Kale vs Spinach

Kale is one of the new buzz foods of the moment. It's a food I have not played around with yet, but I know a lot of people who love it and I am thinking about giving it a try. One food I DO love however is spinach: I use it almost daily, in salads, sandwiches, smoothies and wraps. So, I decided to put these two foods in the ring and find out which has the heavier punch. Here's what I found out.

Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast has become my new favorite ingredient in a lot my cooking as of late. I discovered this little gem a few months back when it was called for in one of my recipes: before then I had never even heard of it. It's low fat, sugar free, gluten free, vegan, packed full of B-Vitamins (most are even fortified with B-12) and protein and has an awesome nutty/cheesy flavor. WHY has this never been in my life before?! Let me introduce you to my new friend, and it will quickly become yours too.

Prepare Veggies Right After Shopping

Planning ahead, and taking a few minutes to get organized will go a long way in making your week go smoother. As soon as I get home from the grocery store I get all of my veggies lined out on the counter for the weeks preparation.  I chop my broccoli, cauliflower, celery, carrots and green onions into bite/stir fry sizes. I organize the rest of the veggies into zip lock bags: this keep them fresher longer, and keeps them all together. (I can't tell you how many times a rouge tomato or pepper has made it to the back of the fridge, only to get forgotten and rotten!) This gets all of your veggies ready to grab and go, to either eat as a snack or throw into a stir fry or soup, and makes eating healthy so much easier!

How to Choose the Healthiest Bread

With all of the low-carb hype people have become scared of eating bread. The thing is, carbs are extremely important in a healthy diet. 50-60% of your diet should come from healthy carbs, but it can be confusing with all the different products on the shelves. Michelle Ulrich wrote a great article on How to Choose the Healthiest Bread. Check it out, and don't be afraid to eat a piece!

5 Healthy Eating Habits You Should Be Doing

I came across a great little article written for The American Council on Exercise by the Nutrition Twins. The nutrition twins are twin sisters and nationally recognized registered dietitians and personal trainers. They always have great tips and recipes for eating better, and I wanted to pass along these awesome tips they had. Check it out at:

ACE Fitness

You can also check out the Nutrition Twins at:

Nutrition  Twins

12 Ways To Get More Fruits and Veggies Into Your Diet

We all know we need to eat more fruits and veggies. It is a very rare person that gets enough of these nutrient packed foods on a regular basis. I have good days, but more often than not I fall short, and some of us can go through an entire day without even getting a bite of either. These amazing foods help to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes and they are high in nutrients and low in calories and fat, helping with obesity. Here are 12 ways you can sneak more of these powerhouses into your daily diet.

Deciphering Produce PLU Codes

Those little stickers that come on all of our produce do more than tell the clerk how much to charge you: they are an indicator of the origins of you food. It's easy to decipher, and all you have to remember is three numbers.

Food Fight: Agave vs Honey

We all know that sugar is bad for us: it's refined, has a lot of calories, and it's not packing very many nutrients. And, if you are diabetic, which is a disease on the rise, it's a death warrant. But, what are the alternatives? I have used honey as my sweetener of choice for many years now, but there is a new heavy hitter on the market getting a lot of attention the last few years - Agave. It has been a topic of conversation with a few of my friends as of late, so I decided to put the competition to the test and find out once and for all which is better for you.

Vital Wheat Gluten

You will notice in a lot of my recipes that an ingredient called "Vital Wheat Gluten" will be called for. There are a lot of people not understanding what this is, so I am going to explain here what it is and why it is important to use in all of your baking where 100% whole wheat is used. Gone are the days of having to use 1/2 wheat flour mixed with 1/2 white flour!

Beware of Buzz Words

Fat Free. Sugar Free. Organic. Whole Grain. Gluten Free. We have all heard them before - the buzz words that the food industry latches onto to boost sales. The cleaver little tag lines that get stamped onto every product, hoping to hook you into thinking you are eating healthier. But, are these ways of eating actually helping us to become healthier, or is it all just a ploy to get you to eat a certain food and pad the pockets of the food manufacturer? Here is my soap box on the issue.