It’s that time of year again when the holiday parties and the pounds start to pile on. For the past couple years, we have been isolating through the holidays. Now it may seem that there are more parties than ever with people making up for lost time. Feeling stressed out about attending all your holiday…
DetailsGrowing up as a Greek- American, stuffed grape leaves (dolmades) were always a staple at any occasion. Whether a holiday, wedding or just part of our daily meals, grape leaves always found their way in. Many Greeks will even refer to the grape leaves as gold because growing up in Ohio there is only one…
DetailsHave you ever tried roasting your tomatoes? If you haven’t, it is a great way to add a punch of flavor to your meals. Lately I have had a serious obsession with roasted tomatoes- I want to put them on EVERYTHING! With summer only a couple weeks away, many people’s gardens will be bursting with…
DetailsChances are you are either entering the last decades of your life or are caring for someone who is. Between 2019 and 2020 the number of people over age 55 grew by 27%. This increase is due to the baby boomer generation who are in the 65-74 year-old age group (1). The Older Americans Act…
DetailsIf you are following a plant-based diet, trying to cut back on saturated fats or just want to try something new, this Lentil Bolognese will make you forget you ever craved meat! This meal is vegan, gluten free and packed with nutrients. But don’t let all that fool you, this meal is comforting, hearty, and…
DetailsThese giant baked lima beans, AKA, Gigantes Plaki, is a traditional Greek dish often used during the lenten season. Weather you are following a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle or just looking to add some more beans to your diet, this is a great recipe to try. Although it can take some time due to the soaking and…
DetailsApril is among us and with that, mother nature’s April fools day joke was snow in Ohio! Just as spring was making its appearance, and us Midwesterners were getting use to not having to bundle up every time we walk out the door, we are hit with a couple inches of snow. If you need…
DetailsA year ago the world just about shut down forcing Americans, and the rest of the world, to change their lifestyle dramatically. For most of the people in the United States, our lifestyles have always been “GO, GO, GO”! Because of the pandemic, over the last year, we have been forced into our homes with…
DetailsAs we are deep into the winter months in Ohio, sickness has traveled through my home prompting me to pull out my dried herbs that I got on my last stop in Greece this summer- the island of Crete. Stopping in Crete, my intentions were to further explore the Mediterranean diet and the gastrostomy of…
DetailsAfter traveling from Athens to Agrinio, our next stop to experience the Mediterranean diet firsthand was an island in the eastern Aegean Sea named Samos. After having many meals rich in plant-based foods, fresh fish, olives and olive oil with the touch of creamy cheeses and lamb, we stumbled upon a small honey store that…
DetailsThe Mediterranean diet is recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans as well as the World Health Organization as it is considered one of the healthiest ways of nourishing your body. The lifestyle of this diet has been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. This was first observed when it was noted that…
DetailsMany of us feel that the holiday season is one long season to indulge! Come January first, many of us will be returning to our scales to see that we have gained 5, 10 or even 15 pounds that we had worked so hard to keep off over the year. Did we really work so…
DetailsMore and more we are finding out that increased added sugars in our diets, coming from the large amount of sugar sweetened beverages and processed foods we consume in the United States, is leading to increased numbers of overweight, obesity and many chronic diseases. In part 1 of my sugar series- The Truth About Sugar!,…
DetailsSugar- it is lurking in almost all the foods we consume in our diets. If you are buying something that comes in a package, box or, can, there is a good chance that sugar has been added to that product. We are constantly hearing that sugar is bad for us but is it really?
Eating vegan is a trend that is on the rise. People decide to eat vegan foods for several reasons including animal rights and religious reasons. While I am not a vegan there will be times that I eat vegan foods. I will stress that just because you are eating vegan does not mean that you…
DetailsJust like so many of you, my mornings are filled with stress and anxiety as I rush out the door with a long, busy day ahead of me. Preparing breakfast in the morning is not always an option if I want to get a solid eight hours of sleep. Skipping breakfast can be detrimental to…
DetailsFor a lot of people, the start of a new year means the start of many other “new” things. Millions of people make New Year’s Resolutions at the beginning of each new year. Anything from quitting smoking, saving money, being more positive and losing weight are among the most popular ones. Walk into any gym…
DetailsNew food trends are continually hitting our grocery store shelves. In the past we may have noticed new food items while shopping that we had never heard of before. Now with social media, you don’t have to be in the grocery store to learn about all the new food trends because you are bombarded with…
DetailsDoes this sound familiar? You spend all year living your healthy lifestyle and when it comes to the holiday season you may be hearing this from your family and friends. Or is this something you say to yourself only to find you’ve gained 10 pounds come the new year?
After making my vegetable stuffed pumpkin I couldn’t even think of throwing away the pumpkin seeds! They are way to precious! Not only are they delicious, but pumpkin seeds are packed full of nutrients including magnesium, iron, zinc and protein just to name a few. There are so many different seasonings you can put on…
DetailsWith Halloween behind us and Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner, I have started to think of things I can make for holiday parties. While we are subjected to a mass number of tasty appetizers, entrees and desserts, what is often missing at these parties is anything with nutrient value, resulting in a larger…
DetailsAs a Registered Dietitian I am constantly hearing false information about nutrition or about the newest diet craze and I am here to debunk all of those myths for you right now!
Feeling like spaghetti tonight but don’t want to consume the refined carbohydrates that come along with pasta? A good substitute is spaghetti squash. If you have never had spaghetti squash or are wondering what exactly it is, it is a yellow/orange fruit that you will find in the grocery store with other squashes and gourdes…
DetailsIn the past couple years it seems the trend has been to use coconut in everything. From coconut oil to coconut flour and coconut water, it seems that the coconut industry is booming. So is this new love for coconut just a trend or is there any real health benefit from all these coconut products.…
DetailsAccording to the CDC, among the leading causes of death in the United States, heart disease (which includes heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases) ranks at number one claiming 611,105 deaths in 2013 which is about one in every four Americans. Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease killing over…
DetailsYou’ve heard the saying before- you are what you eat. But some people say why would I want to be a bland vegetable rather than a delicious jelly donut? The answer is not as simple as taste. Without going into great scientific detail, the body is made up of every nutrient through the food we…
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