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November 19, 2025

Sip Smart: Healthier Holiday Beverages

The holidays are filled with delicious drinks — peppermint mochas, mulled cider, sparkling punch, eggnog — and while they’re fun to enjoy, they

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Christmas, Health
November 13, 2025

Holiday Prep with More Joy Less Stress

You’ve planned ahead, stocked the pantry, and maybe even tucked a few casseroles in the freezer. Now comes the real challenge — keeping calm once

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Christmas, Family, Health
November 5, 2025

Holiday Prep Made Easy Part 1

November marks the beginning of the holiday season — that cozy, colorful stretch between gratitude and celebration. What’s meant to be joyful can

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Christmas, Family, Health
October 30, 2025

🎃 Candy, Cravings & Finding the Sweet Spot

When it comes to Halloween, even the healthiest among us have a soft spot for something sweet. Whether it’s plain M&M’s (Mr. Non-Compliant’s

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Fun, Health
October 23, 2025

Your Autumn Reset Guide

It’s almost that time again — when we fall back an hour and suddenly, the evenings feel longer and darker. Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, No

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Health
October 16, 2025

Good Friends, Good Health, Great Life

Some people call it “girl time,” others call it “guy time.” You may even call it a party. Whatever you call it, spending time with friends doe

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Friendship, Health
October 9, 2025

🥣 Warm Foods to Take the Chill Off Fall

As the Midwest air turns crisp and daylight fades earlier, it’s natural to crave warmth — both in what we wear and what we eat. Fall invites us to

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Food, Health
October 2, 2025

A Star Ingredient for Flavorful Meals

In last week’s blog, I wrote about a variety of spices that add warmth to fall dishes. I had a question from a reader about how to use star anise. S

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Food, Health
September 25, 2025

Fall Spices That Warm the Season

As the air turns crisp and leaves begin to scatter the sidewalks, many of us automatically think of pumpkin spice. It seems to be in everything from l

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Food, Health
September 18, 2025

When Healthy Habits Don’t Add Up

You exercise regularly. Your plate is full of colorful fruits and vegetables. You’ve swapped fried foods for lean protein, cut back on sugar, and ev

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Health, Hope

Chicken Salad & Creamy Avocado Dressing

April 22, 2016
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Recipes, Salads

Chicken Salad

  • Chicken breast meat from a rotisserie chicken (skin removed) cut into small pieces
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 apple, gala or other sweet variety, chopped
  • 2 handfuls of seedless (red) grapes, halved
  • Chopped raw pecans

Combine ingredients in a bowl. Add dressing and stir to coat well. Serve on a bed of greens or in a lettuce wrap.Chicken Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

Other ideas:

  • Use canned chicken or chicken leftovers from another meal
  • Canned tuna may be substituted for chicken
  • Omit the apples and grapes and add onions
  • Add whatever you would like and see what happens-dried cranberries, cherries, almonds, walnuts

Creamy Avocado Dressing

  • 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt to taste

Combine ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add to chicken or tuna salad. If dressing is not creamy enough, add a bit more olive oil to make it the right consistency.

This dressing is versatile and could be used on greens or as a vegetable dip.

Southwestern Chopped Salad

April 22, 2016
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Recipes, Salads
  • Large head of Romaine 15 oz.
  • 1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 large orange bell pepper
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen, thawed)
  • 5 green onions

Finely chop romaine, bell pepper, tomatoes, and green onions. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. Toss with desired dressing.

Dressing

  • 1 bunch of cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 avocado (or 1/2 cup plain vegan yogurt or Greek yogurt)
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime), more to taste
  • 1-2 garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 1 1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar
  • 1/8 tsp. salt

Puree all ingredients in a food processor/blender until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

 

Chocolate Coconut Mousse

April 22, 2016
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Recipes, Treats

Strawberry Mousse Parfait1 can full-fat coconut milk (Thai Kitchen is my favorite)
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
Stevia or honey to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or some other flavor, peppermint perhaps?)
Optional:  shredded coconut, almond butter, cinnamon

Chill the unopened can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Scoop out the solidified cream into a mixing bowl and beat vigorously with a whisk or electric mixer until softened (it shouldn’t liquefy). Add the cocoa powder, stevia or honey, and vanilla. Continue to beat until light and fluffy. You may top the mousse with coconut, almond butter or cinnamon.

Leftovers keep well in the fridge and the concoction becomes a bit thicker and fluffier. This is great a dip for strawberries, bananas, apples.

 

April’s Healthy Lifestyle Habit

April 3, 2016
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Food

I think you’ll like this month’s habit because it is REALLY EASY! In fact many of you may be doing this already, but if you aren’t, time to give it a whirl.

When you cook, make extra so you have leftovers for another meal. This is especially handy when you grill because there are no dirty dishes! Ideas: grill extra chicken to make chicken salad or add to greens; extra abstract-1239143_640steak may be sliced thin and made into a stir fry with lots of vegetables or used in fajitas; bratwurst or any type of sausage may be sliced and added to pasta with sauce or vegetables.

Soups, chili, roasts, and just about everything, will be delicious the next day for lunch or dinner. The one exception that comes to mind is fish, which is not my favorite when the next day. Salmon, the exception, is good when added to greens, but only warm it slightly so it doesn’t dry out.

Ok, I hear some of you whining that you don’t like leftovers. I understand this can be a problem when there is SO much left that you are eating it for days. There is rebellion in my home when we are still eating the same soup for 3 days. If you don’t like to eat something two days in a row, skip a day, then have it for lunch. This is a much better option than fast food or no food.
chicken-825232_640

If you get carried away and have too many leftovers, freeze them. You could also give them away to a friend or neighbor.

This is such a super habit because the biggest obstacle standing in the way between families and a good meal is planning ahead. When you decide to cook a meal, capitalize on the time it took to plan, shop and prepare it. Make this process work for you!

We grilled chicken thighs and bratwurst and ate about half. (It is hardly worth heating up the charcoal grill for four pieces of chicken or bratwurst.) Whether lunch or dinner, we are set for another meal or two, and that makes me very happy.

Oh, and if you have a “leftover” whiner, I’m sure that person would be delighted to take a turn and make dinner.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
― Benjamin Franklin

P.S. If you’re looking to lighten up for spring, shape up for summer, and have more energy to play outdoors, contact me today.  We can do this together!

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