Tag Archives: sweet potatoes

We Love Alexia Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

As if keeping your dinner entrees interesting wasn’t task enough, what about the side dishes? It’s easy to fall in to a culinary rut, no matter how much you do or don’t like cooking. Personally, I love cooking. I don’t think it’s stressful to make dinner, I actually enjoy it. And while a lot of people like taking short-cuts, like buying pre-chopped vegetables or pre-shredded cheese, I enjoy taking on each of those steps in the preparation. But like everyone else, I too seem to serve the same roasted veggies and salad all. the. time.

When I stumbled upon the Alexia food products in my grocer’s natural food section, I hemmed and hawed over whether to even buy them. I bypassed everything that I know I could easily make myself, and took home a bag of the Alexia Spicy Sweet Potato Fries. Why? Because 1) side dishes get monotonous at my house and we needed something new, and 2) I’ve yet to conquer the sweet potato fry. Mine come out limp, wilty and nothing more than a chunk of mushy sweet potato. (more…)

Posted on December 30, 2023 by Natalie K

Winter Soup Swaps and Additions To Maximize Nutrition

Especially this time of year when Old Man Winter is in full force, there’s nothing I love more than a bowl of soup as a meal. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or even a snack, soup is filling (hello Volumetrics!) and you can pack so much nutrition into a single bowl. Not to mention that soup is pretty fool-proof one-pot dish to make, and usually keeps well as leftovers.

Over the years, I’ve found that no matter what soup recipe you’re following, you can almost always up the nutrition and lower the fat and sodium with a few easy swaps and additions. The best part, because all the flavors in the soup meld together, as long as you keep the proportions right, no one usually notices the healthier changes!

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Posted on December 16, 2023 by Jennipher

Healthy Recipes for Your Hanukkah Celebrations

Hanukkah might have already started, but luckily for everyone who celebrates, there is still almost a week left. That means six more nights of lighting the menorah, spinning the dreidel and digging in to your favorite healthy Hanukkah recipes.

Apple Cinnamon Fruit Dip: Some celebrate Hanukkah with jelly donuts called sufganiyot, but if you’re trying to make it through the holiday season without sacrificing a jeans size, opt for an apple cinnamon fruit dip that will take the edge off your taste for spicy sweets.

Apricot Souffles: Some people think it’s appropriate to indulge on a holiday, but when the holiday lasts eight days, ditching your diet can be detrimental. Stick with a lighter-for-you treat, such as an apricot souffle with less than 70 calories per serving.

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Posted on December 3, 2023 by Maris

Sweet Potato Ranked First in Nutrition

By the time you read this, some of you will still be munching on Thanksgiving leftovers. But I wanted to take a quick look at one of the items on most people’s holiday plates: the sweet potato. Now, most of us are going to have it with all kinds of sweet treatments such as brown sugar, butter, or marshmallow, but if you can stand just adding a wee bit of butter or butter substitute, you are not only in for a treat, but a sweet nutritional surprise.

Maybe the most amazing thing about the sweet potato is how highly regarded it is by health professionals. In fact, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) ranked the sweet potato the most nutritious vegetable of all. (more…)

Posted on December 2, 2023 by Jason

Potato Primer: 4 Healthy Ways to Prep Potatoes

You know you can mash them with cream and butter. You’ve heard of au gratin – butter and cheese. But did you know that there are plenty of ways to prepare everyone’s favorite starchy vegetable without added fat and calories?

Despite their reputation as diet delinquents, potatoes can actually be a healthy side dish, especially in the winter when people tend to crave comfort and carbohydrates. Instead of letting them derail your healthy eating plans, learn how to prepare them so that they can be part of your healthy, balanced diet. (more…)

Posted on November 4, 2023 by Maris

Healthy Recipes for a Perfect Thanksgiving Feast

You might be a great cook but if you serve the same Thanksgiving fare year after year, your guests are bound to start going home hungry.

Whether you’re preparing a meal from start to finish in your own kitchen or toting a side dish and dessert to a nearby gathering, it’s easy to refresh your favorite classic dishes without piling on fat and calories.

Cheese Ball
It’s tempting to snack on rich cheeses and sodium-packed crackers while you’re waiting for the turkey to finish cooking. This year, skip the mindless snacking by presenting your guests with a cheese ball flavored with herbs and spices so tasty you’ll never know that you’re eating reduced-fat cheese. (more…)

Posted on November 2, 2023 by Maris

Fall Veggies for Your Healthy Thanksgiving Table

We all know of Thanksgiving as a day of gluttony. I mean, a day of giving thanks for the people we love. Yes, that’s it. But in between bouts of gratitude, there is usually a large, figure-unfriendly meal involved with the national holiday.

Thanksgiving also kicks off the winter holiday season, which can be a season of sweets, treats and indulgences. To keep yourself from ditching your diet plan on Day 1 of the holiday season, make sure there are plenty of vegetables to go around on your Thanksgiving table.

Brussels Sprouts: The tiny green orbs might have a reputation for being less than favorable, but they also deliver a sweet, nutty flavor that is hard not to like. Shred the fiber-rich veggies into a salad with apples and raisins – the sweet fruit elicits the natural flavor of the sprouts. Toss them in your favorite vinaigrette and you have one side dish ready to go without even using the oven. (more…)

Posted on November 2, 2023 by Maris

One Family’s Experience: Feed Your Family for $15 a Dinner

Feeding your family both nutritiously and inexpensively can be a challenge. Are you up for one?

When I posted a link to the Whole Foods Initiative, Feed Your Family of 5 for $25, many readers suggested that the $25 threshold wasn’t that big of a challenge. Readers felt that it would be more difficult to feed either a large family with that figure or spend less money. I decided to try to do both, and went to my local grocery store with a week of dinners planned. I gave myself a budget of $75 to feed 8 people for dinner. I did not include charges for staples or spices that you should have in your house, like garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil and honey. I was surprised to see that it was not as tough of a struggle as I had anticipated.  (more…)

Posted on October 25, 2023 by Carmen

Fall Produce is Amazing, Abundant and Delicious

Happy first day of fall!

There are some great things about summer, especially with regards to fruits and vegetables, but the end of warm weather doesn’t need to mean the start of a boring, bland diet with no variety. Never fear! Some of the most flavorful and nutritious fruits and veggies are getting ready to come into season, and we all know that in season foods are higher in vitamins and minerals.

Take your meal planning to the next level with some of these delicious choices, full of fall color and flavor and guaranteed to satisfy.

  • Apples – portable, packable and full of endless possibilities, apples are full of fiber and low in calories.There are literally hundreds of varieties available –  I wait all year to be able to enjoy Honeycrisp apples. Top whole grain waffles with sliced apples, or send them in a lunch box with peanut butter for dipping. Or for a twist, add them to a Caramel Apple Milkshake!
Posted on September 23, 2023 by Carmen

Five Healthiest Foods for Fall

apple bushelAfter the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables all summer long, fall might seem lacking in variety. However, with a little research, there are some great fresh fruits and vegetables that are at the peak of flavor and nutrition in the colder months. Not only do they taste better, many of them are grown locally, and local produce is always a great choice. If it’s not shipped in, odds are pretty good that the fruit is more fresh and it’s also a great option to keep your food budget in check, a win-win situation. Add these cold weather choices to your meals for great taste and exceptional benefits to your diet.

1. Apples – Studies have shown that apples can help lower cholesterol, manage diabetes, and prevent several diseases, including cancer. Apples peak in the fall, and the flavor can’t be beat. They are full of fiber, around 5 grams per fruit, and are comparatively low in calories. (more…)

Posted on October 13, 2023 by Carmen