Using Mindfulness to Create a Healthy Half-Time Nosh

Poblano Chili with Avocado Cream

The game is on! According to some estimates, Super Bowl Sunday is the second-biggest eating day (after Thanksgiving) for Americans. That’s a LOT of wings, chips, guacamole, pizza, beer and brownies. But you don’t have to resign yourself to a day-long snacking binge—after all, we aren’t playing the game: we’re just sitting around watching it. Nevertheless, you can provide your guests with a tasty half-time spread that won’t require abandoning New Year’s resolutions or adding extra holes to belts. Maybe some of these recipe tweaks and tips for mindfully making your football party more healthy will work for your event.

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Troubleshooting Holiday Tummy Trouble

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Does the holiday season give you more tummy trouble than usual? (And by this, I do not mean the increasing size of one’s tummy, but rather, increasing incidence of discomfort.) You’re not alone. With all the party food, higher-than-usual alcohol intake, and yes—stress—lots of times our GI systems bear the brunt of the season’s soirees. Here are a few ideas for minimizing tummy issues so you can feel healthy and ready for all the festive fun this season.

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Holiday Spice is Nice (and Healthy)!

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One of the best things about baking for the holidays (aside from eating delicious results, that is) is the aroma in the house, am I right? Part of what makes those aromas so comforting is the spices in those baked goods. Think gingerbread, apple pie, eggnog bread pudding, etc. And, though you might not have thought about it before, those same spices that make your holiday favorites taste so good are also good for you! What luck! So, as you ring in the season this year, here are a few more reasons to make room in your diet for holiday treats (as if any of us needed extra reasons…).

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Are home cooked meals a thing of the past?

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A recent article by three sociologists from North Carolina State University, called “The Joy of Cooking?” drew media attention this fall for its “tell it like it is” critique of the increasingly prevalent food and nutrition message that healthy meals need to be home-cooked meals. It’s a message we are seeing more of as people seek out more information about food quality, food sourcing and nutrition. And yet, it’s a message that may not resonate with some people, say the article’s authors—and for good reason. It isn’t very practical. Here are some of my thoughts on this topic—let me know what you think!

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Trends From the Food and Nutrition Expo

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As a Registered Dietitian, I travel annually to my professional association’s conference and exposition. This year the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo took place in Atlanta, and having just returned, I thought I’d share what I observed from the exposition part of the meeting. The expo is the tradeshow part of the conference, where attendees get to taste new products and chat with manufacturer representatives about products. Here are three of the trends I found pervasive on the expo floor this year…

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Same old, same old? Get out of that cooking rut!

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If your usual rotation of meals has you feeling ho-hum about cooking, it’s time to shake things up. Variety isn’t just the spice of life, it’s a way to help ensure that you get a wide array of nutrients, thus improving your overall nutritional status.

Climbing out of your cooking rut isn’t all that difficult, but you’ll need inspiration and few ideas. Banish boredom from your kitchen and give yourself and your family a break from the usual Sunday spaghetti or taco Tuesday. Here are a few ideas I came up with…

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