National Nutrition Month 2017

Welcome to National Nutrition Month^® (NNM) 2017! The theme for this month is Put Your Best Food Forward. The goal of this year's theme is to remind us to make healthy food choices every time you pick up your fork.  

I'm a big proponent of small, healthy changes leading to big results. Every small, healthy change you make has beneficial health outcomes today and in the future. Each small change compounds over time to produce big changes.

This month, I'm sharing a few ways to put your best fork forward. The key themes for this month include: 

- Make healthy eating a habit. Include healthy foods in your meals and snacks.

- Healthy eating is about food choices and food quantities. What we eat is as important as how much we eat.

- Cooking at home can help you put your best fork forward. Try different cooking techniques and experiment with different ingredients. Try a new vegetable or spice.

- Include physical activity into your day. Choose something fun! Try a new sport or invite a family member or friend to walk and talk.

This month, we're going to focus on integrating healthy eating choices into a healthy lifestyle. Throughout the month of March, I'm sharing my RD tips for making healthy choices at the grocery store, during meals, and at snack time. Stay tuned for my tips, recipes, and more!

If you want to know more about NNM, here's a little history about how NNM started. And, these are the past themes for NNM since 2000.

2000 - Food and Fitness: Healthy for a Lifetime
2001 - Food and Fitness: Build a Healthy Lifestyle

2002 - Start Today for a Healthy Tomorrow

2003 - Healthy Eating, Healthy You

2004 - Eat Smart -- Stay Healthy
2005 - Get a Taste for Nutrition

2006 - Step Up to Nutrition and Healthy

2007 - 100% Fad Free
2008 - Nutrition: It's a Matter or Fact
2009 - Eat Right!

2010 - Nutrition from the Ground Up

2011 - Eat Right with Color
2012 - Get Your Plate in Shape

2013 - Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day

2014 - Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right

2015 - Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle

2016 - Savor the Flavor of Eating Right

For more tips, encouragement, and recipes for a healthy lifestyle, you can follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. 

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Vegetable Frittata

Dutch Baby

I made my first Dutch baby. What's a Dutch baby? Let me back up. A Dutch baby is an impressive but surprisingly easy breakfast. It's like a cross between a crepe and a popover. It's almost like a giant pancake. However you describe it; it's delicious. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of 1/2 lemon
3/4 cup skim milk
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Toppings
Fruit
Powdered sugar

Equipment
Large mixing bowl
Microplane
Whisk
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Cast iron pan
Oven mitts

Preheat oven to 450*F. Add canola oil and butter to your cast iron pan. Allow cast iron pan to preheat in your oven for at least 10 minutes. 

Crack eggs into your mixing bowl. Mix the eggs well until they are a pale yellow. Add milk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Add your dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt. Gently mix ingredients until incorporated. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.

Carefully remove cast iron pan from oven with oven mitts. Quickly pour the batter in the cast iron pan. And, put cast iron pan in the oven. 

Cook the Dutch baby for 15-17 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

I like to top the Dutch baby with whatever fruit I have in my kitchen. Today, I used some sweet strawberries. Then, I topped the Dutch baby with about 1/2 tablespoon of powdered sugar. It's a delicious and impressive breakfast. I hope you love it. Make it, and share it with someone you love!

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Valentine's Dessert Ideas

Happy Valentine's Day! February is known the month of love, and you know I love to celebrate. Valentine's Day is a great opportunity to celebrate and spend time with the person you love. I have plenty of dinner ideas to celebrate and help you make a great menu.

But, you don't have to make a huge meal to celebrate. Pick something to make or bake. Share it with your loved ones: family, friends, co-workers, or your Galentines! Here are some of make favorite desserts to make and share.

Browned Butter Salted Cereal Bars

Ginger Cookies 

 Layered Cake with Fruit Filling
Here are some tips for decorating layered cakes.

 Blueberry Thyme Crisp

 Individual Vanilla Soufflé

 Blackberry Crostata

 Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta topped with Berries

 Strawberry Shortcake with Homemade Whipped Cream

 Sugar Cookie Decorating

You're the only one I "sea."

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter and Nutella Buttercream

If you can't choose one treat, make a few and set up a dessert bar. Share with the ones you love.

Dessert bars are a great way to entertain. It would be such a fun idea to host a dessert potluck. Have everyone bring one dessert or fruit and send everyone home with the extra as a party favor.

For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. 

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Dessert Bar

Valentine's Dinner Ideas

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching. February is the month of love, and you know I love to celebrate. Valentine's Day is a great opportunity to celebrate and spend time with the person you love. But, you don't have to just celebrate today. I have plenty of dinner ideas to celebrate with a meal and spend time together. Here are some recipe menu ideas for you and your loved ones. Pick an entrée and 1 or 2 sides, and you've made a great menu!

 Homemade Pasta Tips

 Prosciutto and Vegetable Risotto

Crab Cakes

Chicken Marsala

Lasagna Bake

Salads and Sides:

 Greek Salad

 Caesar Salad

 Southern Italy Salad

Berry and Feta Cheese Salad

Glazed Carrots

Bacon or Turkey Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

Roasted Asparagus

Your Valentine's Day doesn't need to be elaborate or complicated to be special. Think about what you and your significant other love, and celebrate together. Maybe even try cooking together. Stayed tuned because I'm sharing dessert ideas later this week.

For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. 

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Browned Butter Rice Cereal Bars

Dessert Bar

Rice Cereal Bars

Recently, my family and I were invited to a friend's house; she prepared a delicious dinner for our family and hers. After dinner, she announced that she made salted cereal treats. They were such a delicious surprise that everyone, toddlers and adults, enjoyed!

 
I was thinking about treats for the holiday season and for entertaining. I'm always searching for recipes that are quick, easy, and delicious. It's the recipe trifecta! It's an added bonus when adult and kids request recipes.

Did you grow up eating cereal treats? They're the marshmallow covered cereal bars. I was inspired to create a "grown-up" version of this dessert. Salty and sweet desserts are very popular. Salt helps balance the sweetness of the marshmallow. Also, I've been on a browned butter kick recently, so I browned the butter for these. They turned out super tasty! If you're unfamiliar with browned butter, don't worry. Keep reading, and I'll explain.

Ingredients

1 stick (8 Tablespoons) unsalted butter

6 cups rice cereal

1, 10 ounce bag of mini marshmallows

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Sprinkles (optional) - I used navy, light blue, and white stars.

Equipment
Nonstick cooking spray

Wax paper
8 x 13 pan
Cutting board
Chef's knife

Directions

Measure all ingredients. Have them prepared and ready to go. This process is called "mis en place." It's super helpful for this recipe because you need every ready to go.

Prepare an 8 x 13 baking pan by lining the bottom with waxed paper. Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray. I used a canola oil spray.

Start by placing 1 stick (8 Tablespoons) butter into a large pot. Heat on medium heat. Stir the butter consistently until the color turns to a caramel color, and it smells nutty.

Add salt. Then, add all the mini marshmallows.  

Stir marshmallows until they are melted and smooth. Turn off heat.

Add cereal treats, and stir until coated. Pour the cereal treats into your lined 8 x 13 inch pan. Let the cereal treats set until cool for 15 minutes. Turn treats out onto a cutting board. Spray a knife with cooking spray, which helps cut the sticky treats more easily. Cut into 16 pieces.

I really enjoyed making  . . . and eating these browned butter treats. The browned butter gives a caramelized, nutty almost smoky taste, which offsets the sweetness of the treats. The salt helps balance the sweetness. To me, these taste like a salted caramel cereal treat. This dessert is quick, easy and tasty! It's everything I want in a dessert. I hope you enjoy this dessert and share it with your friends!

For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. 

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