Snacks

How to make a healthy smoothie: best smoothie ingredients & 10 to ditch

Nifer — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:04:46 +0000

Whether you enjoy smoothies for breakfast, a snack or even dessert, they’re a great way to increase your daily servings of fruits and vegetables. But depending on the ingredients they’re made with, smoothies can quickly turn into unhealthy calorie-bombs filled with sugar and saturated fat. And drinking too many high-calorie smoothies could counteract their health benefits and sabotage your efforts to stay—or get—slim.

Health benefits of juicing vs. smoothies

Nifer — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:17:47 +0000

Juicing and smoothies are all the rage right now. While both can boost your fruit and vegetable intake (something most Americans need to do) and are great for getting a variety of produce into your diet, one is the better choice.

DIY easy slice & bake cookies (skip the processed refrigerator tubes)

Nifer — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:34:11 +0000

To me, cookies aren’t just for special occasions; I can find a reason for a cookie (or two) anytime. Before I had children, my cookie jar was always stocked with a fresh, homemade batch. Fast-forward 10 years: my time is limited and my cookie jar often bare. Some might resort to packaged cookies or store-bought dough, but being a baker and health-conscious mom, I try to steer clear of processed treats in favor of homemade.

How to eat to lose weight: what a 1,500 calorie day looks like

Nifer — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 15:24:52 +0000

Did you know that one-third of New Year’s resolutions pertain to weight, diet and health? It’s true. Unfortunately, the majority of us are successful for no more than one week. You’re 10 times as likely to keep your healthy-eating resolutions, however, when you set an explicit goal—like, say, by following a meal plan.

5 instant no-cook appetizers

Nifer — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 18:23:15 +0000

An invitation to dinner is just about all the appetizer I need—I’m so happy to have someone feed me that I’m not fussy about what’s on the menu. But if, when I arrive, there are little nibbles to start things off, it’s a delightful bonus. Appetizers really take gatherings up a notch, showing an attention to detail I appreciate.

Easy fall quick breads & muffins

Nifer — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 16:58:34 +0000

On a late-fall afternoon, as the little light of the day leaks out through the darkening clouds, one of my favorite things to do is to warm things up inside by baking. When my kids were little it was one of those activities that made me feel like a good mom (especially when I reminded myself not to freak out about flour showers and random bits of eggshell). When I have apples (or pumpkin, squash, zucchini, bananas…) lingering on the counter, I am inspired to bake.

Super snacks to pack right now

Nifer — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 16:17:42 +0000

Every weekday morning, I pack not only a lunch to bring to work, but snacks too. Maybe it’s the registered dietitian part of me, but I don’t like to be caught hungry with no healthy options around. A good-for-you snack can be an important part of a healthful diet. Research suggests that nutritious snacks can stave off hunger by stabilizing blood sugar—which may help you eat more sensibly at mealtimes.

Recipes to Try: 30 Healthy Snacks for 100 Calories or Less

5 tasty recipes to use up your ripe bananas

Nifer — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 16:53:36 +0000

Bananas are one of the most commonly eaten fresh fruits: the average American consumes about 30 pounds of bananas per year! However, if you’re like me, the enjoyment that comes from eating a perfectly ripe banana is rare—it seems that as soon as I get them home from the grocery store, they are already turning brown. If Americans are eating that many bananas a year, I don’t even want to imagine how many pounds are being thrown away because we’ve let them go pass their prime.

4 foods to pack in your kid’s lunchbox

Nifer — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:27:25 +0000

It’s that time of year when many of us start thinking about back to school. And, as a nutrition editor and registered dietitian, that means lunch (and maybe even breakfast or snack). “What should I be packing for meals for my kid while they’re at school?” is a question I hear often.

Don’t Miss: 5 Healthy-Sounding Kids’ Foods That Aren’t

Here are a few suggestions to help you fuel your kiddo’s young brain and body.

Take-along snacks for a car trip

Nifer — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 18:04:54 +0000

Taking off on a road trip seems like an essential part of summer. According to a recent study, over 140 million Americans are planning to travel this summer—with 69% opting to go via car. That’s a lot! I have at least two car trips planned for this summer—and I couldn’t be more excited.

But one thing I’m not psyched about: the terrible snack options at convenience stores and gas stations. Who wants to fill up on chips filled with who-knows-what, day-old pastries or nuts coated in sugary gunk? Not me.

How to pickle anything (no canning necessary)

Nifer — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 17:16:32 +0000

There are certain things I will never understand in this world: the rules of cricket, how fish reproduce, quantum harmonic oscillation…and people who don’t like pickles. That last one is probably the hardest for me to grasp, however.

Because: come on, pickles taste amazing! Snap into a perfectly crisp gherkin that’s sopped up plenty of gleeky vinegar, fresh herbs and just a hint of salt and tell me you’re not in briny heaven. Sneak a dill spear into your next burger and tell me it’s not tangily enhanced.

6 healthy ingredients to supercharge your smoothie

Nifer — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 17:08:42 +0000

I’m on a big smoothie kick lately. Every morning, I’ve been blending up different variations of frozen fruit and skim milk or yogurt with a handful of walnuts. It’s a refreshing breakfast on hot mornings that also happens to be nutritious.

Must-Try: 21 Quick & Healthy Smoothie Recipes
Related: Best & Worst Smoothies to Buy at Fast-Food Restaurants

5 power ingredients for fueling your workout

Nifer — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 15:57:55 +0000

Want to give your workout a boost? Five key ingredients can give your body an extra edge when exercising—or recovering from your workout, as Joyce Hendley wrote about in the July/August issue of EatingWell Magazine. And as a bonus, she developed a homemade energy bar recipe that packs them all into a delicious, convenient bar to power your workout and help you refuel afterward. (Get the recipe for EatingWell Energy Bars and more Granola & Power Bars.)

6 surprising salsa ingredients

Erin McCormick — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 13:19:54 +0000

My husband and I are salsa addicts. We eat it with chips and quesadillas, on our burgers and stuffed inside grilled cheese sandwiches.

Lately, though, we’ve wanted more variety than traditional tomato-based salsas and have started to experiment with fruity, summery ingredients like cherries, mango, pineapple and nectarines that make great fresh salsas! Here are 6 surprising foods to make salsa with and sensational salsa recipes from EatingWell that we love and now make all the time at home.

Cheap, Healthy Snack Recipes You Can Make At Home

Matt Malenczak — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 12:52:22 +0000

I recently appeared on a Yahoo! Financially Fit segment about how to cook cheap, healthy snack recipes at home. You can get the recipes from the video below and check out my advice here: