What I Learned About Salads from Sweetgreen

Sweetgreen is a fast causal restaurant that serves salads, bowl meals, and protein plates. They are a growing chain with a loyal following. I don’t usually eat out as I prefer cooking meals for my family. When traveling, however, it is an opportunity to try new restaurants, hence my visit to Sweetgreen during a recent […]

In Need of Meal Planning Inspiration This Week?

In need of meal planning inspiration this week? Pam Outen was recently honored by NC State University for her 50+ year career as an Extension agent. Pam’s goal was to help people plan quick, easy, and nutritious meals. You can find Pam’s videos on her YouTube channel Pam’s Kitchen*. I hope this will fuel your […]

Are Nuts and Seeds Healthy?

I have been in the nutrition business for over 40 years. This means that I participated in the low-fat craze of the 90’s and early 2000’s. High-fat foods such as nuts and seeds were not go-to foods. Considering what we know now about fat in general and nuts and seeds in particular, we could not […]

cabbage stir fry

Indian-Style Cabbage Stir Fry

I am sharing my favorite recipe for cabbage stir-fry made Indian style – it is super easy to make. The combination of green cabbage with carrots and peas makes this dish so colorful and tempting. The spices bring out a flavor that is hard to resist. You can adjust any of the spices listed in […]

Quinoa, Broccoli, and Chicken with Peanut Sauce

Batch prepping and batch cooking can save you time and money as well as help you eliminate some areas of food waste. I don’t always have time to do this on the weekend but when I do it makes the work week so much less stressful. Batch cooking and prepping on the weekend allow me […]

Get Inspired for Grilling Season!

Whether it’s a casual backyard gathering or a festive barbecue, the pleasures of grilling when the weather heats up evoke a sense of joy, celebration, and the simple pleasures of good food enjoyed in your backyard or the great outdoors. From marinated meats to vibrant vegetables and juicy fruits, the grill transforms ordinary ingredients into […]

A serving of the salad on a plate

Can We Rebrand Salads?

Salads are often labeled as “diet foods” and that is quite frankly a bummer. Rather than simply being a boring and healthy side dish, salad should be reimagined as a delicious and satisfying main course. One way to do this is by adding flavorful and filling ingredients, such as protein-rich grilled chicken, hearty grains like […]

Best Scrambled Eggs…EVER

It is hard to improve on a classic. No dish is more classic than scrambled eggs. It is a go-to breakfast, lunch, or dinner for a quick comfort food that is bound to please. You may think it is impossible to improve. Well, that is what I thought until I added cottage cheese. Yes, cottage […]

A serving of roasted vegetables over grains

Farro, Bean, and Roasted Vegetable Salad

If you have never tried farro, this is a great way to start. Farro gives this salad a wonderful texture. You can, however, use another grain you may have on hand such as brown rice, barley, or bulgur. This recipe uses roasted carrots and zucchini. However, you can use any roasted vegetable or even leftover […]

Kale, Arugula, and Farro Salad

If you have never tried the grain farro, this is a great place to start. I like cooking it using the pasta method. This means you use lots of water and cook until tender and drain, as you would pasta. It usually takes around 45-55 minutes. Farro is an ancient grain with a slightly nutty […]