Blog
Plant Protein Made Simple
I had an interaction with a friend recently that I decided to use as inspiration for a blog. She shared with me that she had heard a lot of buzz about plant protein and how it was important for good health. However, when she went to the grocery store to buy plant protein products, she could not find any that seemed appetizing to her. She looked at ground meat substitutes, ‘chicken-less’ nuggets, and soy-based cheese and sausage. She shared that these products were expensive, had a whole lot of ingredients, and she did not think her family would like them. How was she supposed to get plant protein? I can relate to this challenge. I grew up eating mostly animal products for protein and learning to incorporate plant proteins took some time.
Recipe Mashup – Slow Cooker Pork Roast on a Sandwich
This month we are sharing food mashups. These are ideas for using foods or recipes in unexpected ways. You will hear about a mashup from each of the Spend Smart. Eat Smart. bloggers through the month of June! Have you tried our delicious Slow Cooker Pork Roast? This is one of my favorite recipes on our website. It is rich and tasty and has bright citrus flavors that are somewhat unexpected in a pork recipe.
Double Up Food Bucks
One of the best things about summer in Iowa is the wonderful fruits and vegetables that come into season. Sweet corn, summer tomatoes, and fresh green beans are high on my list. In Iowa, we are lucky to have a program that helps Iowans who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eat more fruits and vegetables while sticking to their grocery budget.
Sloppy-ish Joes!
This month I am excited to bring some attention to an old favorite recipe and offer an idea for how you might try it a different way. Sloppy Joes have been around for a long time and most people have a favorite version of them. My favorite is the version on our website. This recipe tastes more like ketchup and mustard than it does like barbeque sauce or tomato sauce – it’s delicious!
Beginner’s Guide to Vegetable Gardening
The gardening urge tends to strike me this time of year as we start to see trees, flowers and grass come back. I love to grow flowers, herbs and a few vegetables at home. I stick with container gardening because I do not have the space for a raised bed or an in-ground plot. Even on this very small scale, gardening is a source of joy for me. Vegetable gardening not only gives you healthy, tasty food to eat, but the activity of gardening can support good physical and mental health through exercise and stress relief. Gardening can also be a valuable point of connection between people. Whether it is talking with friends about what you plan to grow or sharing your harvest with your family or neighbors, gardening can be a wonderful source of community.
Meal Planning for One
So far in our meal planning series we have heard a lot about how to engage our families in the process to make it easier and suit everyone’s preferences. That might leave you thinking that if you live on your own, meal planning will be a breeze – no arguments over dinner! I can share that I do not have to worry about others’ preferences, but for me meal planning is a must-do if I am going to eat well.
Show Your Heart Some Love
Each year we celebrate Heart Month during February. It is an opportunity to raise awareness of heart disease and the steps we can each take to try to decrease our risk. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States and most of us know someone who has struggled with heart disease before. The good news is we can choose healthy behaviors that make it less likely we will develop heart disease. Here are a few recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Iowa Concern is Here for You
We’re taking a pause from our usual food and cooking content today to share a valuable resource with our readers. We all have days when stress feels like it is weighing us down. Whether it is stress related to work, relationships or money, sometimes we need help to manage it all. This is why the Iowa Concern hotline exists. Iowa Concern is a service of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach designed to help callers navigate challenges and help to find solutions.
Recipe of the Month – Beef Stew
Throughout 2025 our Spend Smart. Eat Smart. bloggers will be highlighting some of our favorite recipes from the website. You can find these in the blog released on the first Monday of each month. It is a chance to remind our readers about some of our older recipes that have not been in the spotlight for a while. I get to go first, and I chose our recipe for Beef Stew. It is rich and tasty and ideal for the frigid winter nights we have ahead of us. Here are some of the things that put Beef Stew at the top of my list.
Spend Smart. Eat Smart. with Family – Holiday Edition
We are in the midst of a blog series where we ask our family members about food, specifically around the holidays. It’s my turn and we get to hear from my dad, Bob! He’s a man of few words so you’ll see I added some color commentary to his answers.
Roasted Vegetables and Kielbasa
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! If you’re anything like me, you probably have a bit of a mess in your refrigerator with bits of this and that leftover from holiday gatherings and meals. This month’s recipe is the perfect way to use what is left in your vegetable drawer to make a tasty meal.
MyPlate Series – Christine
We’re kicking off a series of blogs about MyPlate this week. MyPlate is a simple guide to help us think about food groups at meals and snacks. A few of us Spend Smart. Eat Smart. blog authors will share how we use the MyPlate ideas at home.
