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Trim Your Waistline and Your Budget – Three Simple Steps!
With the holidays behind us its time to find ways to trim some of those extra pounds and pay off some bills. It’s possible to eat healthier and stick to a budget. Here are three ways to trim your food spending without sacrificing good nutrition.
Kale, the Healthiest Vegetable
My daughter and her husband decided they are going to eat healthier and exercise more. As part of the plan, she is trying to prepare more of the “30 Top Foods” she found in a magazine article. One of the foods she wanted to try from the list was kale. Kale really is a superstar vegetable. Like other leafy greens (collards and spinach) it is rich in lutein, beta-carotine, Vitamin K and offers just about everything else too (calcium, fiber, folate, iron and Vitamin C).
Just Add One Campaign
The Canned Food Alliance has a campaign called “Just Add One” which is short for just add one ingredient to make a recipe healthier. And the one ingredient is usually—you guessed it …. a canned fruit or vegetable.
Meat and Veggie Mac – SUPER QUICK AND EASY
Everybody is extra busy during May. It’s the beginning of outdoor sports such as soccer, softball, and baseball. Spring celebrations abound such as graduations and Mother’s Day, plus it’s time to get the vegetable and flower gardens going. Whatever the reason, it seems no one wants to be in the kitchen.
Summer Vegetables Ready for Delicious Eating
While I don’t like temperatures in the 90’s and high humidity, the vegetable plants in our garden seem very content especially if they get enough water.
Ramen Noodle Skillet
Ramen Noodle Skillet was a hit with my kids when they were in school and it still is one of my favorite recipes. I think the noodles were the attraction for them. I like it because you can use just about any vegetable that you have in your garden or vegetable drawer, only one pan gets dirty, and you can have the meal on the table in 15 minutes.
Storing Fruits and Vegetables
Most of us are buying more fruits and vegetables. That is a good first step. But should you wash them before you put them away or just before you serve them? Should you store them in the refrigerator or on the counter? Will they continue ripening at home? The answer to these questions is…it depends!
How to “Preserve the Taste of Summer”
The heat and drought are hard on fruits and vegetables, so production at home and at farmers markets is down. But, you might still be able to find some great tasting fruits and/or vegetables to can, freeze, pickle, dry or make into jam. Using current tested recipes and procedures is very important, both to make sure your food is safe and to get the best tasting results.
Get Your Updated Garden Publications
It is almost time to plant the garden. You do not need a big space, container gardens and small plots (like 4’x4’ plot) will produce enough for you to enjoy that fresh garden taste. A couple of years ago, I blogged about “My Top Ten Reasons to Garden”. I skimmed them this morning and they are still on target.
New Videos that Help you Shop for Fruits and Vegetables
When you’re planning your meals and writing your grocery list, do you ever wonder how many fruits and vegetables to buy or how to get the best deals on them? If so, check out our new series of 2-3 minute ‘how to’ videos. Some of the topics for the videos include:
Save on your 4th of July Picnic
Whether it is a Superbowl party, a bridal shower, 4th of July, or Christmas, vegetable trays are always on the table. Recently my grandparents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and their party was no different; a vegetable tray was on the menu. My original instinct was to go with the convenience of a pre-made vegetable tray because I thought it would be comparable in price. Then Spend Smart asked me to compare the prices and time between homemade and purchased veggie trays. BOY WAS I SURPRISED! Preparing my own tray compared to buying the already assembled tray cost a third the cost of the assembled tray. For that savings I am willing to spend the 23 minutes it took me to prepare the vegetables.
Creamy Cauliflower Salad—Lots of Flavor, Few Calories
I have to admit I was skeptical when I first tried this recipe. I could not imagine cauliflower, apples, and lettuce together. Now I am a believer. The fresh, mild taste of the crunchy cauliflower, the sweet, tart flavor of the apple, and the ranch dressing are great together.
