Nutritious choices made simple®
My husband’s family has a cookie recipe that has been passed through generations. The cookies are loaded with just about everything–M&M’s, peanut butter, chocolate chips, Reese’s Pieces, and of course, plenty of sugar, butter and eggs. These decadent cookies are the sort you should limit to just one (okay maybe two!). Here’s the problem: the recipe for these Monster cookies (yes, real name) makes 144 cookies!
As the holidays approach, those of us who are fortunate enough to have a roof over our head, food in our cupboards, and a little extra money to give our family gifts take the time to reflect on our good fortune. As we listen to the news about the economy and hunger and the misfortunes of others, we often realize just how well off we are–well off enough that we can spare a little of our time and money to help those who aren’t quite so lucky. In the spirit of community and kindness that surrounds the holidays, we start looking for ways to give back. Time being short and money being tight, we all want our donations to have the greatest benefit for those in need, so how do we do it?
I would not characterize myself as one of those people that lack focus, but this time of year even I find to be utterly distracting. Even now as I type, emails are popping up, advertising “50% off and free shipping” (today only!…thus multiplying the distraction). So I am here to offer you some helpful, healthy tips for staying focused during this frenzied holiday season. Think of this as a road map to staying healthy.
It has started. The cascade of one-day holidays that each seem to take a full week to celebrate and then linger for months. This was clear when my son was yelling the other day that he must have another piece of candy because, “It is Halloween!!!!” The only problem was that it was October 24. Operation “Hide Candy” has begun.
On a day when people like you and I, despite our better judgment, purposefully cart our children around collecting junk food, here’s a fun way to keep the spirit of healthy living alive tonight. When my children came home and saw these just casually hanging out on the kitchen counter, they were more than a little disturbed…and my kids are not easily impressed by anything I do. But with a few pieces of fruit and about 15 minutes with a paring knife, you’ll have a fun item to share for your Halloween celebration.
Preparing springtime holiday celebrations like Easter and Passover can be a tough job if, like me, you’re in a cold weather climate. Here in Maine, the daffodils are blooming, tree buds are swelling, and the sun is getting stronger. We feel the itch of summer’s approach, and we’re looking forward to the fresh garden produce; the problem is that even our earliest produce is a good month away. Even our wild spring delicacies like rhubarb, fiddlehead ferns and ramps aren’t interested in helping out. Of course, those of us with root cellars can stick with our own garden stashes, but really, at this point I’m sick of winter squash, beets, and potatoes.
Ahhhh, here comes the Big Game. It’s about hanging out, munchies, half-time shows, and cool commercials. I’ve developed a recipe for your Football Sunday menu that will please everyone while they’re eating it and—as importantly—after they’ve eaten it and tried to button their pants again. Perhaps the healthier fare might mitigate the rivalry-induced blood pressure issues as well.
Over the past week we’ve been sharing some great holiday recipes. We don’t want you to give up eating a healthy diet in order to have your favorite foods.