Another Awesome Foodie Resource....

Recently described as "The Facebook for Foodies,"

Foodbuzz.com is a definite must-have resource for foodies everywhere. 

Check it out here.

Enjoy!

Try it Out Tuesday - Healthy Recipes for Healthy Digestion

Looking for great recipes that are digestion-friendly (and tasty?)? Take a look at this web resource, shared by an EGS reader and friend. (Thanks, Lori!)   

Want to learn more about the digestive tract?

Check out The Food Museum: Online Exhibit.

It's Meatless Monday! Farmers' Markets Offer Lots of Great Ingredients

It's ...

What's on your menu tonight?

How about a trip to your local farmers' market to find

great ingredients for the perfect Meatless Monday meal? 

Check out this video for some tasty ideas.

Ready to try going meatless one night a week?

Happy eating and cooking, friends.....

Robin

Fave Family Recipes from Real Simple

Do your kids scoff at the 'healthy stuff' you often want to serve? 

Are you looking for lots of great recipes that are kid/family-friendly? 

Look no further.  Real Simple Magazine serves up

50 great family-friendly recipes

here.

Try it Out Tuesday - MYOP: Make Your Own Pizzas

Do you and your family have a pizza night in your house?  We do, once a week, usually because it's convenient, quick, and no clean up.  But what if we had a pizza night with lots of hands-on pizza making, or better yet, a pizza-making party?  Everyone makes a personal pizza with toppings of choice and then maybe a game night?  How fun!  We do make our own pizzas in our house, too, usually BBQ pizza for Hubby and a veggie version of some sort for me (lots of pictures on the blog). 

What to use?  The list is endless and only dictated by what you and your family prefer.  For the base, we typically use a product such as Boboli's prepackaged pizza crusts; we prefer the personal-sized, thin version (lower carbs), but the choice is yours.  In addition to product information, Boboli also provides lots of healthy lifestyle information and dietary guidelines on their user-friendly website.  Another option is the fresh pizza dough often found in the bakery section of the grocery store.  Or, start from scratch with the flour of your choice, and completely personalize it for your dietary needs and preferences. 

And how about the toppings?  Check out these suggestions by Noelle Carter, shared in the LA Times, in which she says, "Pizza Toppings Must Work Together." 

Happy eating and cooking, friends.....

Robin 

It's Meatless Monday! Walking With Thoreau, Einstein, and King

It's .....

Read the perspectives of these great men, whose views were well before the current 'green movement.' 

Will you walk with these 'environmentalists,'

if only one day a week?

Happy eating and cooking, friends....

Robin

Target Stores on Target with Commitment to Greater Sustainability

Target's decision to sell wild salmon instead of farmed salmon demonstrates its continuing commitment to sustainability through greener efforts.  Read the full story here.

Try it Out Tuesday - On Hiatus Today... Back Soon!

It's Meatless Monday! Going Meatless One Day a Week in Public Schools... Do You Support the Idea?

It's.....

Baltimore Public Schools made the commitment to go meatless on Mondays this school year, and began offering its 80,000+ students plant-based menu items one day per week, a decision that has led to much coverage and feedback, from Joshua Rosenthal's thoughts in The Huffington Post to the CNSNews.com article that highlights the initiative's purpose as well as its followers and detractors.  Education Week focuses on the health benefits of the district's decision and accompanying efforts to improve the health and well-being of its students.

How would you feel about your children's school district adopting the Meatless Monday initiative? 

Happy eating and cooking, friends....

Robin

What's for Lunch in Your Kids' School(s)?

 

 

With over 55 million children in U.S. schools,

chances are pretty good that you have one (or more) of those kids,

and consequently have one (or more) of these .....

 

on your refrigerator right now.

 

How closely do you look at the monthly menu when it arrives for you to ceremoniously post alongside the grocery list, To Do list, and extracurricular activities schedule?  I've seen my sisters' refrigerator doors.  :-)

 

You want your kids to eat healthy food, and at home they do.

 

But what do they eat at school? What do your kids, grandkids, nieces/nephews eat Monday - Friday?

 

Does it look like this?

 

 

Or this....

 

  As a 15+ year educator, I can tell you the answer is probably "yes."

 

Okay, so the first picture is pretty obvious: devoid of any color (aka fruits/veggies), loaded with calories, refined carbohydrates, and fat.

 

But the second picture appears to be a better choice, right? 

Let's take a closer look.

The milk is a healthy choice, but lowfat would be a better option. The orange is also healthy, but oversized (1/2 would be a serving size) and loaded with natural sugar. Green beans: canned (lots of salt and preservatives).  Spaghetti with 'meat' sauce: oversized portion/refined carbohydrates. White bread: oversized portion/refined carbohydrates.

 

Why does this matter?

 

Because according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), "the prevalence of obesity in U.S. children and adolescents has more than doubled in the past 30 years, a leading contributor to diabetes, which is also on the rise among our nation's children."

 

Click here to read the report and review the statistics. Click here to read about the contributing factors.

 

According to Your Total Health, a wellness website provided by NBC and iVillage,

• Obesity, an excessive amount of body fat, boosts the risk of diabetes, heart conditions and many other diseases. Nearly one-fifth of American children are overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 
• Type 2 diabetes was once labeled adult-onset diabetes, but that term no longer applies. As the incidence of childhood obesity has risen in recent decades, so has the number of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The CDC now estimates that one out of three children born in 2000 will develop diabetes.
• Obesity can also cause a phenomenon called double diabetes, in which children with type 1 diabetes who gain weight develop insulin resistance. Obesity might also cause an earlier onset of type 1 diabetes.

 As an adult type 2 diabetic, who was diagnosed after 39 years of the standard U.S. American diet, I encourage you to check out the links, read more, and give thought to what kind of difference we can make for our children in U.S. schools.  If you're thinking, "That doesn't apply to me. I don't have kids," I'd ask you to stop and think:  Who are the future adults in this country?  Whose healthcare may we have to support (not talking politics here)?  How can we make a difference to ensure their health and well-being?

How healthy are your children's school lunches?

Look for next Monday's Meatless Monday focus on Baltimore Public Schools.

 Happy eating and cooking, friends...

Robin 

Try it Out Tuesday - Every Day with Rachel Ray

In this life of busy days and equally busy evenings and weekends, wouldn't it be nice to have a magazine that's loaded with great ideas in an organized, quick-to-read format?  Here's one just for you! 

With a 7-day menu planner and grocery list, travel ideas, party suggestions, recipes, and coupons, Rachel Ray's Every Day magazine is a great little investment at $12.00 for a one-year subscription.  What are you waiting for?  Check it out here!

   

Happy cooking and eating, friends...

Robin

It's Meatless Monday! Why Go Meatless?

It's ....

Why go meatless? 

Click here to learn more about the benefits of going meatless one night a week.

Happy eating and cooking, friends....

Robin