Common diet mistakes: Getting healthy "Not-to-do's"

In a restaurant the other evening, I overheard a woman ask her husband: “Kale, what’s kale?” Her hubby sort of harrumphed and replied, “That’s the chewy green stuff on your plate that nobody eats.”
While it’s true many an American restaurant plate features a wilted kale leaf as an accent, it’s also true that this tasty [...]

As the summer continues to heat up I’ve been constantly looking for ways to keep my body cool. Recently I was working on a recipe for a cooking class I gave at the Lake Austin Resort & Spa and came up with this delightful soup. As many of you may know, I’m all about simplicity [...]

If you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen. Try making a salad! Temperatures are already topping the 90-degree mark here in Austin. It can be difficult to get excited about firing up the stove as temperatures rise outdoors, but that shouldn’t keep you from creating a delicious and nutritious meal!
My favorite thing [...]

So, by now, anyone reasonably interested in eating healthy, whether as a disease preventative, or for weight loss, has heard how beneficial “green vegetables” are.  Different sources will tout which ones are really best for you.  Experts everywhere seem to agree that some of the top ones are broccoli, kale, spinach romaine lettuce, swiss chard, [...]

Most people have heard that you need variety in a well balanced diet, and this not only comes in types of foods, but also colors of foods.  By incorporating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in your daily nutrition, you will be able to include a wide variety of nutrients and colors in your [...]

Americans spend over $20 billion every year on dietary supplements.  It isn’t surprising, considering the promises made by manufacturers – “fast and easy weight loss,” “bigger, faster, stronger,” “get more energy naturally.”  Half of all Americans are trying to lose weight, with many of them looking for that “magic bullet.” Everyone wants quick and easy results.
As a registered dietitian, [...]

On a whim, I picked up a book called “Farm City,” a charming tome by Novella Carpenter. It’s an intriguing, sometimes funny, and just plain interesting exploration of the author’s immersion into urban farming. As if that weren’t enough, Carpenter hones her food production skills smack in the middle of Oakland, California’s, decaying ghetto.
Without spoiling [...]

After exercising this morning, I was craving a solid breakfast. Eggs popped into my mind. On occasion, I make am omelet of sorts, by gracing scrambled eggs with a concoction of whatever might be around from my garden, the farmers’ market and the produce bin of our refrigerator. There was a complication today–a house guest [...]

My last watermelon was mushy and tasted slightly fermented.  I guess its pretty safe to say that watermelon season is coming to a close.  Sad news for me.  Watermelon became my daily treat this summer, its sweet and filling nature was the perfect ending to a warm day.
On the plus side, saying goodbye to watermelons [...]

Oh no…ate the last tomato and peppers from our Wisconsin garden yesterday. This morning, I swung into a local apple orchard (self serve early on Sunday) and grabbed a bag of apples. The sign above them, “Thanks, closing today.” The farmer’s market downtown has two more weekends. Uhhh…
Yes, much of the produce can be saved [...]