New Blog Location

I am now posting at this site.

Seasonal Eating with a Pumpkin Dip

Seasonal eating brings new tastes into the home. And one of the healthiest fall food choices is the pumpkin. Many of us just buy pumpkins to carve, but they are actually very healthy and tasty too.

Pumpkins have lots of fiber, which helps to keep your appetite in check. They are also full of vitamins and minerals, particularly beta-carotene, vitamin C, and potassium.

Here's a fun pumpkin dip recipe to try. Kids love dips, so it's an additional way to get them eating veggies. Add your favorite whole grain crackers, and you're ready to go.  

Save Seeds for Health, Safety and Thrift

Why Seed Save?

Learn about the benefits of seed saving, how-to's, and how it can help your family go green and save money with my article on ThriftyandGreen.com.

Recycled Textbook Tips -- Saving Money with Back to School

If you have a college student entering school this fall and are looking to cut costs, consider recycled textbooks as a way to save money and do good by the planet.

Be the Early Bird

Remember when you went to college? The “early bird caught the worm” in the race for used books on the shelf. Today, being early is still the modus operandi if you want a deal. But, the difference is you have more used options available to you than just the one bookstore shelf.

Read on for my tips at ThriftyandGreen.com ...

Make Summertime Cravings Work For You

Have you found yourself craving cool-temperature meals and water-laden foods, like fruits?  These are the signs of a summer appetite.  Luckily, many of these choices are healthier for you and probably include more fruits and veggies.

Eating more fruits and vegetables should be a year-round goal.  So why not make summertime a jumpstart into healthier habits for you?

Here are some tips and ideas --

• Pick seasonal fruits and vegetables that you crave and build a meal around them.  For example, you start with sliced strawberries and nectarines, along with cooked squash, and then you tack on rice with organic edamame and a slice of whole grain bread.  Get thinking fruits and veggies first.

• Use online recipe sites to think of new and better ways to use vegetables.  While fruits are often exciting and tasty all by themselves, many times veggies need a boost.  Try new ways of presenting them to your palette that will leave you wanting more -- either as a side dish or part of the main entree.  Some favorite sites to peruse -- epicurious.com and allrecipes.com. 

• Visit your local farmer's market.  Most communities have a local farmer's market once a week during the summer months.  If you haven't visited yours yet, try it -- visit localharvest.org for schedules.  Fruits and veggies tend to be really fresh and tasty, leaving a sense memory in your brain that healthy food tastes great too.  

• Get creative with salads.  There are so many ways to make salads beyond lettuce and tomato.  Other fruits can replace the tomato, making for exciting new tastes -- like strawberries, nectarines, plums, and peaches.  Add avocados, onion slices, cucumbers, corn kernals, zucchini, snap peas, cooked beets.  Try new combinations.  And, all-fruit salads are wonderfully easy to make.

• Layer veggies in sandwiches.  Who wants to come home and cook up a warm meal on a warm day?  Sandwiches are a delightful alternative, especially when you can layer in thin-sliced vegetables to add variety.  Try cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash, radishes, mushrooms, avocados, and spinach. 

• Make fruit drinks.  Instead of purchasing flavored drinks, make your own.  It's a bit old fashioned but easy.  Fill a blender with water, leaving enough space for some cut-up fruit and a bit of sugar.  Liquify.  And you've got a natural fruit drink.  The more fruit you add, the more smoothy-like it becomes.  Try strawberries, melons, peaches, raspberries -- basically any fruit.  

• Have fun with homemade popsicles.  Pour the same make-your-own fruit drink (above) into a basic popsicle mold.  Freeze.  And you've got a cool treat.  Kids love doing this, especially when they get to experiment with flavors. 

 

World Oceans Day - June 8

Video from my friends at Earth-Touch.

Cameron Diaz talks food

Check out dozens of short videos on food and sustainability at www.nourishlife.org!