Cinnamon Baked Pears

A delicious and healthy alternative to fruit pies, these baked pears can be served as dessert, or even eaten with breakfast. This is a favorite of mine at holiday meals when you want something sweet after dinner because they fulfill the sweet tooth craving without being too sugary or too filling. These pears are delicious […]

Perfect Pumpkin Pancakes

Recipe from NC EFNEP Ingredients Recipe makes 1 dozen 3 1/2-inch pancakes 2 cups flour (use 1/2 whole-wheat) 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon salt 1 egg 1/2 cup canned pumpkin 1 3/4 cup skim milk 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Vegetable cooking spray Directions Wash […]

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 […]

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, […]

National Waffle Day: Banana Oat Waffles

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and what better way to celebrate than National Waffle Day. #NationalWaffleDay falls on Monday, August 24th, and celebrates the anniversary of the very first waffle iron patent issued.  For you to celebrate, we share a favorite banana oat waffle recipe. Oats contain beta-glucan fiber, which helps […]

Why You Should Still Meal Prep When Working From Home

Our team has written a lot of great blogs about meal prep lately, and they all make so much sense to prepare for a busy work week. Remember though, just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you don’t have a busy work week! Meal prep is a fantastic way to make sure you have […]

Make Ahead: Strawberry Lemon Chia Seed Muffins

Anyone else stuck at home and find themselves in the kitchen… often? You are not alone! Being at home provides us with constant access to all of our food and snacks, making it a bit more difficult to stay on track with healthy eating. One strategy for staying on track is to make the healthy […]