Nutritious choices made simple®
There are a few reasons why the summer season is uniquely challenging for the home cook. For one, kids are enjoying a blissful break from their school schedule, waking when they want and embracing an unscheduled life. Then there is the working parent, trying to squeeze as much fun as possible in while still going to work. Keeping up with the summer schedule while still providing nutritious family meals can be a little tough, but with a some thought, it’s a summer breeze.
Even if brunch is closer to lunchtime for you, few of us are eager to roll out of bed before the sun to start cooking for a host of people. Fortunately, there’s a host of options for offloading most of the workload onto the night before so you can sleep in and serve your guests an incredible meal too.
When you ask someone about the Mediterranean Diet, typically the first thing they’ll mention is “Oh, yeah, lots of olive oil!” So that message has gotten through (though don’t forget the other basics of the diet: loads of veggies, seafood, whole grains, little meat, and very few sweets). Most folks also know that doctors, dietitians, and other health professionals sing the eating plan’s praises for its potential to bring important health benefits such as better blood cholesterol levels, help prevent chronic diseases, decreased likelihood of obesity, and others.
Planning brunch is an interesting challenge, nutritionally. Guests often look forward to enjoying one or two sweet treats, and many people love the chance to show off their favorite muffin recipes or the new pastry technique they learned watching their favorite baking show. Without careful thought, brunch can often end up being a festival to highly processed carbs that spike our blood sugar and leave us all crashing soon after. If you want to plan a brunch that gives guests a nutritious start to their day, here are a few types of food to consider including.
With Mother’s Day approaching, I’m writing about celebrating motherhood from my new perspective as a father. My wife gave birth to our first child, a son, in early April. We think he’s precious, despite his nocturnal lifestyle. We’re reassured by the promise that his sleep habits will improve in due time. It might seem odd to be offering parenting advice when I’m a little over a month into fatherhood, but I hope my experience can be helpful to others going through the same thing.
Happy graduation season! Along with the caps, gowns, speeches (and tears!) are the barbecues and outdoor parties that accompany this time of year. Why not give graduates another chance to build their skills by working the grill at their own party? After all, what better way to say “thank you for supporting me and helping me meet my goals” than by making a perfect burger or other grilled dish for family and friends? So before their next step, let’s enroll graduates in grilling 101.
What makes a brunch epic? Three things: (1) It’s delicious. (2) It gives you the energy you need to face the day. (3) The host doesn’t have to wake up before the sun to make it happen. These recipes are a few of our favorite options for a well-balanced brunch everyone can love.
If freezer meals are your jam, working with the properly frozen produce straight from the store is often the easiest option. One of the many budgetary benefits of freezing food, however, is that it lets you keep fresh food from going to waste. Whether you’ve got a bumper crop of peas in the garden or a bunch of odds and ends that need using up, it’s worth knowing how to use your freezer to get the best bang for your buck.