Jackson’s Drawing
An alternative title to this blog could have been: Healthy vs. Unhealthy Foods: Are my children listening? Read on to know more… Read Full Post
Healthy Families: Bringing Vegetables and Fruits into Meal Times
As a mom and, I hope, a healthy role model for my daughter, we work on healthy behaviors as a family. One of the things I am constantly working on is finding ways to incorporate a variety of vegetables and fruits into my family’s snacks and meals. Here are some strategies for boosting your family’s fruit and veggie numbers… Read Full Post
Teach Your Children Well
Think of the good example you set for your family by eating more fruits and vegetables, using low-calorie meal replacements and exercising routinely. If your kids are younger and you’re wondering if they even notice… well, I’d like to give you confidence that they do. Here is an example that convinced me. Read Full Post
Sneaky Chef: The Purees Edition
I got into the habit of making purees regularly when I was making my own baby food. It was so simple to pour a puree into an ice cube dish and freeze it for later use. I’ve continued to do this to be able to have quick and easy access to some extra vegetables that can be easily incorporated (or hidden) in other foods I prepare. Read Full Post
My Favorite Kitchen Gadgets (and how I use them to make my life easier): The Blender Edition
I do most of the cooking for my family and rely on my favorite kitchen gadgets to help me make quick, delicious and nutritious meals. Read Full Post
5-2-1-0 Let’s Go! The Mileage Club
Have you ever heard of a Mileage Club Toe Token? Well, if you are a primary school student in my town, you are working very hard every week to keep earning them - in all different colors. I recently blogged about some of the “5-2-1-0 Let’s Go!” initiatives that my town is doing, and I have to say, Mileage Club is one of my personal favorites. Read Full Post
The 78-year-old Titan
Most of us seek out role models in our personal and professional lives to guide us and inspire us to be our best. However, when it comes to health and weight, most people have very few healthy role models in their lives. Read Full Post
Sneaky Chef: The Beans Edition
In a previous blog, I wrote about how I incorporate zucchini into foods. Here, I’m going to share some tips on how to include extra servings of beans into your family’s meals. Read Full Post
Family Matters: Being Active Together
One of the resolutions I made this year is to be more active with my family - particularly with my 7-year-old daughter. The troubling headlines about childhood obesity do not paint a pretty picture. According to the CDC- approximately 17%, or 12.5 million, children and adolescents aged 2-19 are obese. Read Full Post
5-2-1-0: Eating through the Rainbow
Eating through the Rainbow…what a fun way to inspire kids to eat different colors of fruits and vegetables! As part of the 5-2-1-0 program that I recently blogged about, my daughter’s primary school, along with the School Nutrition Program, participated in this 5-2-1-0 activity: Eating through the Rainbow. Read Full Post
Those Little Cuties!
I’m sure you’ve seen them! Cuties® are little mandarin oranges that are a popular sight in winter months. They can actually be two different kinds of mandarins, depending on the month. They are seedless, super sweet, easy to peel and kid-sized. Read Full Post
Working Out in Winter Months
I’ve previously written about working out with my kids in tow. In thinking about exercise recently, I’ve come to realize that I rely on the outdoors, and more specifically on good weather, for most of it. Living in the Northeast with cold, icy winter weather makes me realize that I’m going to need to do some adjusting as it pertains to my regular exercise routine. Read Full Post
After-School Snack of Champions
With the influence of HMR on one shoulder and a gourmet chef on the other, I try to make my kids after-school snacks that are fun, delicious AND healthy. Read Full Post
The Childhood Obesity Dilemma
It’s all over the news – the escalating weight problems of our youth. Medical communities, the federal government, and the First Lady are all talking about what is causing childhood obesity and what we need to do about it. Read Full Post
No Time for Morning Exercise?
No time for morning exercise right? Or at least that used to be the case. As the kids have gone, so have my excuses. I’ve learned that there are advantages to staying on the same morning schedule that used to be my norm when the kids were home, and using that time to exercise. But the reality is that it can be easy to talk myself out of it. Read Full Post
Banishing the Baking Blues
This time of year, it is so fun to be in the kitchen with my children creating cookie masterpieces! However I also struggle with having baked goods in the house as I could easily eat a lot of calories in baked goods several times a day. This has been a dilemma for me until I found some recipes for baking things that are not meant to be eaten. Read Full Post
My Winter CSA Share
In a previous blog I waxed poetic about the benefits of having a CSA share. But did you know that a CSA share doesn’t have to just be for spring, summer or fall? Yes, there are also winter shares, and shares that go year round. Read Full Post
The Kids are Back in Town
Ah, the joys of a visit from the kids! I look forward to the stories of friends, classes, life decisions and just the chance to catch up. However, along with the pleasures of bringing the babes back into the nest, comes the challenge of having to blow up the “I can do what I want on my timelines” routine. Read Full Post
Un-learning Theory
The other night my daughter was lamenting the fact that I had to teach a class on a night I normally would be home. I explained to her in terms that a 6-year-old would understand that “Mommy needs to go teach grown-ups how to eat veggies and fruits.” My daughter laughed at the idea that adults would need to be taught something like that. Read Full Post
My Favorite Kitchen Gadgets (and how I use them to make my life easier): The Food Processor Edition
I recently wrote about how much I love using my crockpot. With a big family to feed, and small children underfoot, I am able to make healthy and delicious meals without a lot of fuss or time spent in front of a hot stove. I will now share my love and appreciation for another helper in my kitchen: the food processor. Read Full Post
Empty Nest – Empty Fridge!
After signing the lease for the last of the kids to move into their own apartment (and the college years almost wrapped up too!), I’ve hit what is fondly known as the “empty nest” stage! Can anyone else relate? Is it what you expected? What I don’t think I could have ever expected is that it would change my routine around meals. Read Full Post
Yoga with Irene
Imagine you’re stuck in a small log cabin in Vermont with 3 young children while Hurricane Irene is storming outside! I know what you’re thinking – how fun! A day filled with baking bread and crazy art projects! Not so much. That's where we rode out the storm, and my husband and I pulled out all the tricks for what to do on a rainy day. Read Full Post
Sneaky Chef: The Zucchini Edition
I know there is some debate about being a sneaky chef. I’ve read the pros and cons. A sneaky chef finds a way to “hide” fruits and vegetables in meals and baked goods without it being too visible to the eater (typically kids that might otherwise refuse to eat these vegetables and fruits). Read Full Post
Fast Food for a Family of Five
Before having my children, even as far back as when I was single, I’ve always thought of the HMR Entrees as the starting point of my meal, kind of a “hamburger helper” if you will. I am a volume eater and like a big plate of food, so I have always added vegetables to the entrees. Read Full Post
Are School Lunches Getting Healthier?
Just in time for back to school, there’s a controversy brewing over a proposed rule in the National School Lunch Program. Read Full Post
Farm Fresh, Any Time of Year
As I’ve mentioned in a previous blog, we belong to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) for vegetables and fruits. We have done both summer and winter shares and I have gotten pretty good at finding new recipes to use up these fresh goodies. Read Full Post
Kids and Kabobs
I recently decided to introduce vegetable kabobs to my kids since food on skewers is so interesting to little children. I mean really, who doesn’t like food on a stick? Read Full Post
Veggies Undercover
Several years ago, there was a raging debate over the wisdom of hiding pureed vegetables or fruits in children’s food. Parents with picky eaters were at the forefront of this movement. They reasoned that since vegetables and fruits are so important for good health, it was okay to get this nutrition into their children in whatever way they could. Read Full Post
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly… of working out with kids in tow
I often find myself wondering “what was I thinking?” when I’m in the middle of a “workout” and I’ve tried to bring the kids along or, even harder, include or involve them. That’s when I started thinking about the pros and cons. Read Full Post
CSA Share, How Do I Love Thee?
CSA Share, how do I love thee, let me count the ways:
I love the bounty of fresh vegetables and fruits you provide.
I love the new vegetables we have never tried that push us to try something new.
I love the interest you pique in my children when they see interesting shapes and colors among the produce. Read Full Post
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2012 (56)
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April
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Introducing the 2012 HMR Triple Imperative Challenge Is it Really More Expensive to Eat Healthy? No Longer Black and White! The Guinea Pig Diet Really Simple Soup: Garden Chicken and Rice Common Phase 1 Challenges: Family Pizza Night Jackson’s Drawing Top 5 from the Trenches: Entrees with Veggies Girl about Town: Every Little Bit Counts Take Control of Your Food Environment Healthy Families: Bringing Vegetables and Fruits into Meal Times
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March
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Dixie Dog and My Workout Rut Teach Your Children Well Sneaky Chef: The Purees Edition My Favorite Kitchen Gadgets (and how I use them to make my life easier): The Blender Edition 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go! The Mileage Club Hacking Your HMR Shakes Eating Healthy Fats Gluten-Free Diets – A Closer Look Hacking Your HMR Entrees My Gym Dilemma March is National Nutrition Month Top 5 from the Trenches: High Volume Shakes The Importance of Good Hydration All Year Long
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February
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Sneaky Chef: The Beans Edition The Can Man: Adding Volume to my HMR Entrees Family Matters: Being Active Together Really Easy Meals: The Five-Bean Potato 5-2-1-0: Eating through the Rainbow Make a Shake, Make it Great: Use Spices, Coffee and Cocoa Those Little Cuties! Share the Love this Valentine’s Day Tell your Honey to Take a Hike! Working Out in Winter Months Your HEART is in Your Hands!
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January
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The Super Bowl: Who’s Going to Win? 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go! After-School Snack of Champions BBQ that’s PDQ and ITB A Blast from My Past: The Counter-top Blender The Childhood Obesity Dilemma The Secret Life of a Five-Bean Entrée No Time for Morning Exercise? How to Pick a Diet Soup: The Weight-Loss Secret That Comes in a Bowl The DVR is my Secret Weapon So You Made a New Year’s Resolution to Lose Weight. Now What? The Rehabilitation of Brussels Sprouts
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April
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2011 (71)
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December
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Girl about Town: Hot Drinks for Cold Days Suffering from Holiday Diet Fatigue? Pump up the Volume! Demo-licious! To Snack or Not To Snack? Sneaking in Physical Activity during the Busiest Time of the Year Healthy Hanukkah Helpings The Phase 1 ‘Stay In the Box through Year End’ Challenge Banishing the Baking Blues Moo Goo Gai Pan: In the Box Take-Out Food Training for White Rock Girl about Town: The Well-Stocked Pantry Pesto Change-o Turkey Chili with Beans: Three Ways
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November
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The Kids are Back in Town Are You Planning to Stay “In the Box” on Thanksgiving? Un-learning Theory Building the Better Burger: Portabello Burgers The Phase 1 Thanksgiving Challenge Wondering How to Make Sense Out of Health Information on the Internet? Autumn Chili Taking a Bite out of Holiday Weight Gain My Favorite Kitchen Gadgets (and how I use them to make my life easier): The Food Processor Edition Raise the BeneFit Bar Starting Over: How an Injury Brought My Exercise to a Whole New Level On the Road… and on the Decision-Free Diet Lettuce Play With Our Food
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October
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Empty Nest – Empty Fridge! Can You Reset Your Metabolism? Yoga with Irene On the Road: How to Take Your Exercise with You Picnic Beans Girl about Town: Party Down at the Pot Luck My Favorite Kitchen Gadgets (and how I use them to make my life easier): The Crockpot Edition Freeze, Frappe or Float A Train, A Plane, and A Hotel Room Dips Without Chips Sneaky Chef: The Zucchini Edition
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September
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A Conversation with Jason Fast Food for a Family of Five Make a Shake, Make it Great: Use Extracts Dynamic Entree Duos Are School Lunches Getting Healthier? Farm Fresh, Any Time of Year Girl About Town: The Lost Weekend Misleading Labels: How ‘Zero’ Calorie Foods Contain Hidden Calories Just Like Mom Used to Make Make a Shake, Make it Great: Use Sugar-Free Pudding or Jell-o Yo-yo Dieting: Harmful or Harmless? Kids and Kabobs
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August
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Recipe Substitutions: Great Taste, Less Calories! Benefits of Weight Loss that Your Doctor Won’t Tell You Yikes! The Gym! Veggies Undercover I Eat Whole Cantaloupes No-Bake Entree Recipes, Part 1 Looking for Straight Talk about Nutrition? The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly… of working out with kids in tow Make a Shake, Make it Great: Use Sugar-free Syrups Girl About Town: Putting Your Best Foot Forward CSA Share, How Do I Love Thee? Diary of a Demo The 4 O’clock Shake Make a Shake, Make it Great: Use Diet Soda or Sugar-free Flavored Water What’s on the Menu? Lots of Calories!
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December
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