Pumpkin Palooza…Celebrate with our 7 Pumpkin Favorites!

“Tis the time for pumpkin to take over your lattes, overnight oats, muffins, pancakes, pasta, pies and breads! AND I LOVE IT! I can’t wait for Libby’s canned pumpkin to line the supermarket shelves. To celebrate everything pumpkin, we’ve gathered our favorite pumpkin recipes so you can get a head start on this cinnamon infused,…

Sweet and Spicy Snacking Nuts

Nuts and seeds are nature’s perfect snack package. Full of healthy fats, fiber, protein not to mention magnesium, zinc, and even melatonin. Up to a handful a day (1 ounce) of nuts/seeds are recommended as part of a heart healthy eating plan. Portioned right out of the jar, unsalted or lightly salted nuts and seeds…

Chocolate and Vanilla Cherry Smoothies

Frozen cherries, like frozen berries, should be a staple in your freezer. Their natural sweetness and nutrient density make them a delicious addition to smoothies, cereal, yogurt, desserts, and even savory dishes. Another bonus, cherries are a natural source of melatonin. And although sour cherries are highest in melatonin, sweet cherries are a good source…

Chocolate Peanut Butter “Light Cream”

True confessions. I love sweets, especially ice cream! Instead of my usual after-dinner bowl of ice cream, I’ve been having fun making a batch of “light” cream using frozen bananas, peanut butter, and cocoa powder. It definitely satisfies my sweet tooth even though there’s no added sugar! Ripe, frozen bananas provide the sweetness and they…

Pina Colada “Light” Cream

How frozen bananas transform into creamy, luscious, “ice cream” is simply magical! Use them to create your favorite ice cream flavors such as my favorite, Pina Colada. Whirl together canned pineapple, coconut, and frozen bananas for a deliciously creamy but much lighter version of ice cream. Don’t throw away those overripe bananas. Peel them and…

Red, White and Blue Berry Trifle

A family favorite at many Memorial Day and 4th of July parties, this dessert is light, delicious, and extremely fast and easy to prepare. I don’t have a formal recipe because the ingredients and amounts used are really up to you. Here’s how I make it. Use a store-bought angel food cake or make one…

Bran Muffin Bread

It was 1985. I was working as a clinical dietitian, recently married, and just learning how to cook. Friends recommended, Good Food Book by Jane Brody, a NY Times Food Columnist, to help me with my cooking skills as well as to understand the art of healthier cooking. I read it cover to cover. I…

Gluten-free Buckwheat Blueberry Muffins

Buckwheat flour, despite it’s name, is not wheat and is naturally gluten-free. Buckwheat kernels or groats are actually a seed which are used to make buckwheat flour. Buckwheat is rich in fiber and many minerals. Some studies suggest buckwheat can improve blood pressure and help regulate blood sugar. I’ve been enjoying making new recipes using…

One Bowl Fruit and Oat Muffins

I’m always on the search for a delicious, better for you muffin. My requirements are simple. Made from whole grains without becoming dry, uses unsaturated oils instead of butter, less added sugar so it doesn’t cross into cupcake territory, and does not leave you with lots of bowls to clean. This recipe ticks all the…

Bran Muffins with Orange and Dried Plums

What a great way to start you’re busy day. Enjoying a warm, homemade muffin with your tea or coffee. But not one of those store-bought cupcakes pretending to be muffins. These muffins are packed with fiber and just sweet enough from a fresh orange and dried plums (aka prunes). Everything comes together in the food…

1, 2, 3, 4 Yogurt Cake

Simple baking is my kind of baking. In France, the 1, 2, 3, 4 yogurt cake uses the entire container of yogurt then uses the container to measure the other ingredients. It’s a cake recipe that’s often used when baking with young children. No need for measuring cups. I was drawn to this recipe not…

Pistachio-Berry Bars

Holiday cookies are such a treat and when they’re easy to make and also good for you, how can it get better? Dorie Greenspan is famous for her cookies and I fell in love with this one. Made with only 5 ingredients and it combines the flavors of ground pistachios and fresh raspberries, what’s not…