It's a Sunday, and my daughter is begging for pancakes ... and not just any pancake, but pumpkin pancakes - ugh!  Not that I don't love them myself, but they take so much time ... plus I feel like a short order cook, standing there impatiently waiting to flip them.  When you use non-traditional flours, cooking times are much longer, and for the not-so-patient types, it's pure torture.  I found a similar recipe on another site (detonixista.com) made with apples, so I thought why not try pumpkin instead?  These are baked, rather than cooked on a skillet, which allows them to all be done at the same...


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The holidays are synonymous with pumpkin … pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin lattes … Now pumpkin itself is probably one of the most nutritious fruits available … low in sugar, fat and calories, high in fiber, and Vitamins A, C and E, all powerful antioxidants. Unfortunately, however, most pumpkin delights also contain a lot of sugar. Because we love comfort food this time of year, I wanted to find a way to incorporate the much needed comfort factor along with the health benefit of pumpkin.  Don’t forget, we are extra busy right now and probably not getting enough sleep, so how about...


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Nothing says the holidays are here like eggnog.  Cartons and cartons are now lining our grocery store shelves. Unfortunately, 1/2 cup of this holiday brew can set you back a whopping 230 calories and 10 grams of fat, all before adding the brandy or rum.  (The light version has 170 calories & 3.5g fat).  Homemade nog doesn’t get any better with recipes typically calling for egg yolks, whole milk, heavy cream, and sugar – yikes, the alcohol free versions here are in the 350 calorie range. Another problem with this holiday favorite is that it contains milk (a lot of it), which makes...


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The recommended amount of sodium, as prescribed by the American Heart Association, is 2300 mg per day for healthy people, and 1,500 mg per day for salt-sensitive populations, i.e. anyone with high blood pressure, is African-American, or is over the age of 50 years old. As innocent as sodium and salt may seem in your diet, they can cause you to appear heavier on the scale. Excess sodium in our diet causes us to retain water, thus adding to the numbers on the scale. You might think that because you don’t add salt to your foods or don’t eat a lot of salty-tasting food, that you are not at risk...


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How many of you have found a recipe that you would love to make, but discover it contains ingredients that you need to avoid either due to an allergy, or other health condition? Thankfully, there are many alternative ingredients available, and with some simple substitutions, can make a dish healthier, and allergen free all without having a negative impact on taste and texture. Rather than get super detailed with exact substitutions, I've decided to keep it simple by listing the many different options available.  Gone are the days of white flour, white sugar, salt and shortening … thank...


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Turkey tortilla soup - my personal favorite.  The problem with most tortilla soups, however, is they tend to be very high in both fat and salt, due to all the cheese and chips that get added.  First things first – you don’t need the cheese … this soup is flavorful enough without it. Give it a try and if you still thing you need something, add just a sprinkling for flavor. Now on to the chips … one way around the tortilla chip issue, is to make your own. Granted, you could weigh your chips or count them out, but sometimes it's a little self defeating when you realize that you get a whopping...


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Welcome to National Nutrition Month.  Every March, The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly known as the American Dietetic Association) spearheads a campaign to educate and inform the general public about the importance of Registered Dietitians (that’s me!) and of course, nutrition.  The 2012 theme is “Get Your Plate in Shape.” Okay, so how do you get your plate in shape?  Here are some quick and easy tips: Watch Your Portion Size – Enjoy all foods, but try using a smaller plate and bowl – this will help to avoid oversize portions.  Limit eating out to 1-2 times per week,...


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