Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish

Cranberries are super healthy with lots of antioxidants. Thanksgiving, however, does not bring out the best in this super fruit as they are usually accompanied by lots of sugar. This recipe is what I would call healthy-ish as it does have some sugar but lots of fruit that adds most of the sweetness. It also […]

Crinkle-Cut Oven Fries with Japanese Sweet Potatoes

November is Sweet Potato Awareness Month. Sweet potatoes are a healthy source of fiber, potassium, and vitamins A and C. A fun fact, North Carolina has led the nation in sweet potato production for decades and produces about 60 percent of the country’s total sweet potato crop. My favorite type of sweet potato is Murasaki—or […]

DELicata Squash is DELicious

Move over butternut and acorn squash. Now for something…more delicate?  Delicata squash is a winter squash also referred to as “sweet potato squash”.  It has a creamy texture, sweet flavor, and roasts beautifully in the oven. We recently tried delicata squash as a side dish with salmon and it was DELicious!  As the name implies, the skin […]

5 Tips to Stay Motivated For Exercising at Home

Exercising at home has been a struggle during COVID especially amidst gym closures. I am an avid gym-goer…or I was pre-COVID. In fact, most of my free time was spent in a gym as I have been a part-time certified personal trainer for 8 years. Most of my clients used to come to me, not […]

4 Healthy-ish Fair Food Alternatives

COVID-19 has caused some of our favorite events to be either placed on hold or canceled completely. The NC State Fair is a longstanding North Carolina tradition that has been canceled this year for the first time since 1945.  Some people will miss the rides and the exhibits, but many people visit the fair just […]

The Basics and How-To of Vegetarianism

What’s up with vegetarianism? This year, vegetarian awareness week will mark me being vegetarian for 6 years. There are many reasons that people decide to stop eating meat – for me it was to lower my environmental footprint. For others, it can be a religious or cultural practice, a strategy to lower their grocery budget, […]

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Hiking for My Mental and Physical Health

Happy Fall! I love this time of year because I enjoy one of my favorite activities, hiking, even more in the fall and winter than I do in the summer. Don’t get me wrong, summer hikes are still great, but in North Carolina, I have to go early or in the evening to avoid the […]

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Mindfulness Day 2020

September 12th is Mindfulness Day. Mindfulness is a key component of the Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less and Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes programs. Take a moment today or this week to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is simply defined as being present in any particular moment. To go deeper, it involves being conscious and […]

Easy Acorn Squash Breakfast or Dinner: Egg-in-the-hole

This recipe is a go-to when I have an acorn squash and am looking for something easy to put together. It is filling and delicious! I generally make it for dinner but it would be great for a weekend breakfast too. If this is the only thing I made, I’ll eat two eggs-in-holes, but generally, […]

Stretch the Stress Away

I do not know about you, but I constantly find myself physically or mentally on the go all day long; thinking about the next project, and how I can get two things done at once. I have always found traditional yoga classes extremely relaxing and so worth the hour session, but my most stressful days […]