As I’ve adopted the habit of menu planning, I’ve realized that there are a number of basic recipes that are essential to preparing the meals on my menus. Paramount among these are cheese sauce and cream of mushroom soup. If I wanted to save a little time and effort, I could use a processed cheese product (e.g., Velveeta) instead of … [Read more...] about Essential Recipes: Cheese Sauce and Cream of Mushroom Soup
Promoting Healthful Living
Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping
I absolutely love wrapping gifts! There’s something about lovely wrapping paper and shiny bows that sparks creativity in me. I’ve become increasingly aware that wrapping gifts in traditional gift wrap and using disposable bows isn’t particularly beneficial to the environment. Fortunately, I’ve discovered several creative, eco-friendly … [Read more...] about Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping
Navigating the Nutrition Maze: Fresh, Frozen, or Canned Fruits and Vegetables?
It’s clear that fruits and vegetables are key components of a nutritious diet. What’s not so clear is what impact various forms of preservation have on the nutrients in these foods. Are there significant differences in the nutritional content of fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables? If the answer to this question is yes, then … [Read more...] about Navigating the Nutrition Maze: Fresh, Frozen, or Canned Fruits and Vegetables?
Protect Yourself from the Silent Killer
We’ve already discussed how we can use the spring and fall time changes as cues for testing the smoke alarms in our homes. Daylight saving time ends this weekend, so it’s time to check these again. As we do, let’s consider another important safety device and the threat from which it can protect us. Carbon monoxide (CO), often referred … [Read more...] about Protect Yourself from the Silent Killer
All About Apples
Is the produce department at your grocery store packed full of apples? I’ve seen quite a few where I shop and I’m eager to bake some sweet treats with them. I looked up some general information about apples as I perused recipes. Apples are pretty awesome for being such an understated fruit! Varieties Though there are nearly 100 … [Read more...] about All About Apples
Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: Should I Be Concerned?
The cold and flu season is quickly approaching, making this an apt time to consider one of the biggest fears of public health experts: The arrival of a post-antimicrobial era—one in which bacterial infections cannot be effectively treated or cured with existing antibiotics. Let’s take a closer look at antibiotic resistance so we can … [Read more...] about Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: Should I Be Concerned?
Dare to Prepare: Obtaining and Storing Disaster Preparedness Supplies
If you attempt to gather the disaster preparedness supplies we talked about two weeks ago, you’ll likely encounter some tricky issues related to procuring and storing the supplies. Let’s explore four of these. How to afford disaster preparedness supplies You may find yourself shelling out as much as several hundred dollars if you purchase … [Read more...] about Dare to Prepare: Obtaining and Storing Disaster Preparedness Supplies
Healthier Queso Dip
The cheesy, spicy flavor of creamy queso dip is practically addictive. Until recently, the only queso dip I was familiar with was made with Rotel® and Velveeta®. As my husband and I have moved in the direction of healthier eating, we’ve eliminated processed cheese products (including Velveeta®) from our diets. We weren’t about to go … [Read more...] about Healthier Queso Dip
