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Show Your Heart Some Love
February is American Heart Month. As you may expect, at Spend Smart. Eat Smart. we usually focus in on our diet and physical activity during heart month. But did you know there are many other ways to show your heart some love? Here are a few:
What are Functional Beverages? – Part 2
Last week, Jody shared with us about functional beverages and some of the newer sodas that have added fiber. This week, we will look at some functional beverages that have been around for a while but are surging in popularity – protein shakes. You can purchase pre-made protein shakes at the store, or you can buy protein powder and add it to water, milk, or a smoothie.
Holiday Favorites for Your Menu
I always enjoy hosting a get-together at some point during the winter holidays. I want to make it as low-stress as possible, especially for family members who have to go to more than one celebration. So, I try to be flexible with the time of day and menu. Some favorite menus from over the years have been brunch, taco bar, soups, and pizza. Below are some of my favorite Spend Smart. Eat Smart. recipes that I have included in my holiday menus over the years.
Soup-er Birthday
My birthday is later this week, so I want to celebrate with you all by sharing three recipes this month! Soup recipes are my favorites to make and eat. I love making soups because they are flexible and I can usually put a soup together with ingredients I have on hand. I love eating soup because of the warm feeling it gives me. Below are my top three Spend Smart. Eat Smart. soup recipes.
Prebiotics and Probiotics
Prebiotics and probiotics – I cannot always remember which is which and I usually have to look it up when someone asks me a question about them. What I do know for sure is that they are important for a healthy gut microbiome. The gut microbiome is made up of the bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites that live in our digestive tract, mainly the colon. Having a healthy gut microbiome may have positive impacts on the rest of our body such as a stronger immune system, better absorption of some nutrients, and cardiovascular health.
Air Fryer Adventures – Part 1
Over the next few weeks, Jody and I are going to share with you some of our adventures with air fryers and highlight Spend Smart. Eat Smart. recipes that we have made successfully using this appliance. An air fryer cooks food by circulating hot air around the food, which gives it a similar taste and texture to frying but with much less oil. Air fryers come in different sizes and types. Mine is a 5.8-quart basket air fryer. It is too big to fit into a kitchen cupboard, but it does fit nicely in a corner of my kitchen counter. To be safe, I always pull it away from the wall when I am cooking with it and then let it cool completely before I slide it back into place. Clean up is a breeze because I just need to wash the basket with hot, soapy water and then let it air dry.
Black Beans – A Pantry Staple
Last week, Christine shared with you how she uses plant-based protein in her home cooking. This week I am doing the same with black beans. A can of black beans is a pantry staple in my home. I almost always have one on hand. With three busy kids, I need to be able to create a quick meal on the days our schedule is packed. Canned black beans allow me to do that. Here are three Spend Smart. Eat Smart. main dish recipes that use canned black beans for the protein.
Garden Check In
Back in April I wrote a blog about good places to find free garden seeds. I also shared about how, in the summer of 2024, deer ate everything in our garden except the marigolds and zucchini. This year, we made some changes to our garden and we are feeling successful. We used a deer repellent spray around the outside of our garden, and we placed dog hair in and around our garden.
Cool Cucumber Salad
This time of year, you can find a cucumber almost anywhere you go – the farmers market, the grocery store, or the food pantry. They are also being harvested from home gardens. I have a cucumber plant in my garden that is growing nicely and I hope to pick and eat a cucumber from it soon. In a few weeks, I will give you an update on how my garden is growing and share some pictures. Today, I would like to share with you one of my favorite cucumber recipes.
Apple Crisp Bars
This week it is my turn to share a Spend Smart. Eat Smart. recipe mashup. Christine and Katy shared main dish mashups, so I thought I would sweeten it up and share a dessert mashup. I used the base of our Cranberry Oatmeal Bars recipe to make, what I am calling, Apple Crisp Bars.
How Much Protein Do I Need?
I hear and read a lot about eating protein foods, but I often end up confused. Am I not eating enough protein? Am I eating too much? This week and next week on the blog, Jody and I are digging deeper into protein needs to help us all better understand this topic.
Free Garden Seeds
Have you noticed the displays with garden seeds going up in the stores in your community? Those displays are a sign to me that it is time to start thinking about our garden for the summer. We do not plant our garden until after the middle of May to avoid freezing, but it is fun to start planning what we want to plant. For us, the garden is a family project that gives us tasty fresh vegetables, but it can feel like a risk. What if the seeds do not grow? What if an animal eats the plants? What if we do not like what we grow?
