By Elsie Callender, Contributing Writer Like most people on the planet, I love a good hot drink when the weather turns cold. Although I do usually order a Starbucks eggnog latte at some point in the season, I really enjoy experimenting with homemade hot drinks. This mocha is my go-to “special” beverage when I want …
Pink Peppermint Homemade Mini Marshmallows
I’d always thought homemade mini marshmallows were way too hard to bother with, and was surprised at how fun and easy they were to make.
Why You Need to Destress and Refresh for the Holidays
Instead of running yourself ragged during the holidays, destress and refresh using these tips so that you can enjoy this special time of year.
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5 Foods That Slash Stress
By Andrea Green, Contributing Writer Stress can be detrimental to our bodies. Stress leads to anxiety, grumpiness, sleep problems, and lack of concentration. All of these then contribute to heart disease, digestive upset, high blood pressure, and even thyroid problems. Most of us are familiar with the term “stress eating” and it’s negative effects. When …
Grain-Free Apple Spice Cookies
By Stacy Karen, Contributing Writer These apple-spice cookies have a light sweetness and soft texture; they’re a perfect grain-free treat for the holidays. As an added bonus, they are extremely easy to prepare! Just toss everything in the food processor and blend. These cookies are well-suited to many healing diets and are gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and nut-free, thus …
Why I’m Going to Start Using Plan to Eat For Meal Planning (and You Might Want To, Too)
Meal planning might be the death of me…or not, thanks to Plan to Eat. Here’s why I’m going to start using Plan to Eat for meal planning starting NOW.
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Planning and Preparing a Real Food Thanksgiving Dinner
By Hilary Bernstein, Contributing Writer Growing up, Thanksgiving dinner was a wonderful time with family and plenty of food. Yet many of the dishes served were made with processed food: Green bean casserole made with cream of mushroom soup and French fried onions, Pre-made rolls, Gravy from a jar, Canned sweet potatoes topped with brown …
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How to Make Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter
By Kelly Smith, Contributing Writer If you’re a pumpkin pie aficionado, you’re going to fall in love with this delightful pumpkin-spice spread that captures the delicious flavors of fall with every smooth and creamy bite! This spread also makes a thoughtful gift! Simply spoon it into adorable little mason jars and add some pretty ribbons or twine …
Parmesan Red Potatoes in the Slow Cooker
By Andrea Green, Contributing Writer I love a good slow cooker recipe. And this is a GOOD slow cooker recipe. Parmesan red potatoes in the slow cooker only needs to cook between 3 and 4 hours on high, depending on your slow cooker. The quick cooking time means I can get everything in the slow …
Pineapple Upside Down Muffins (gluten-free, grain-free)
By Kelly Smith, Contributing Writer If you’re a fan of pineapple upside down cake, you’re going to absolutely adore these scrumptious gluten-free, grain-free muffins that taste just like their namesake. Hands down, these slightly sweet, rich pineapple-flavored treats are my personal favorite muffins! As a gluten-free girl living in a house full of grain-loving guys, …
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Struggling to Get Your Kids to Eat Real Food? Here’s How Our Family Did It
By Ann, Contributing Writer Believe me, I know that getting your kids to eat real food is not always easy. For my husband and I, it’s been trial and error… a lot of error on my part, but through grace and patience, together we are getting there. You see, we married almost four years ago, blending two …
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Dinner in 30 Minutes or Less? The Author of Good Cheap Eats Shares Her Secrets (and Zucchini Fritters Recipe!)
Do you love serving up homemade food to your family but wish it didn’t take so much time? My friend Jessica has become a pro in the kitchen over the years. As a mom of six kids (including teenage boys!), she makes a whole lot of food. She also happens to like really good food, and makes …
35 Healthy Summer Drink Recipes
By Stacy Karen, Contributing Writer Summer always seems to be a great time for enjoying delicious beverages. There’s something about sipping a tasty drink on a hot day that’s just so pleasant. There are many summer drinks that are not overly healthy. And that’s OK once a while. But today I’d like to share some that …
Mediterranean Summer Salad
Guest Post by Kristen Smith Though summer is winding down to a close, many of my garden plants are still in high gear. Even if you don’t garden, chances are the farmer’s markets and gardeners around you also have an abundance of some fresh, delicious homegrown vegetables! I love taking all of the fresh vegetables …
How to Transform Leftovers into Healthy Lunches Kids LOVE!
By Kelly Smith, Contributing Writer It’s time to break out the lunch boxes … back-to-school season is here! And whether you homeschool, or your children attend school outside of the home, having a plan for what to serve (or pack) for lunch makes getting ready for the busy school year a whole lot easier! When it comes to …
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How to Build the Perfect Pasta Salad
By Tiffany Terczak, Contributing Writer Pasta salad has always been my go-to meal for potlucks. They’re easy to make, easy to transport and often don’t require refrigeration (which is great for picnics during the hot summer months). Besides, who doesn’t love a great pasta salad?! These are also the same reasons why we include pasta …
Ditch the Bag of Chips: 15 Healthier Ideas for Lunches
photo credit By Andrea Green, Contributing Writer I love chips. Crisp and salty, chips just seem to be the perfect side to pack up for lunch. What I don’t love about chips are the levels of acrylamide – a cancer causing chemical found in many brands of pre-packaged chips. The good news is, you can …
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How to Help Picky Eaters Eat Healthy School Lunches
There’s an unspoken stigma amongst moms these days, namely “picky eaters are created by moms who cater to their kid’s every whim.” Or better said, your kid wouldn’t be a picky eater if you didn’t LET him be. And while an element of this certainly may be true, picky eating isn’t quite that simple. Sure, …
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3-Ingredient Mango Ice Cream
Guest Post by Allison of Kale Cuties I LOVE ice cream! I mean, WHO DOESN’T? Isn’t that why there’s a whole song about it? 🙂 Unfortunately, my carefree enjoyment for ice cream came to a halt around my freshmen year of college when my doctor confirmed a dairy allergy. Going dairy-free was hard and meant usually going …
A Two-Week Summer Meal Plan
By Emily McClements, Contributing Writer It’s the time of year where the local Farmer’s Markets and our gardens have begun to overflow with the season’s harvest which make it the perfect opportunity to incorporate a wide variety of produce into our meal plans! I want my family to enjoy as many of the different fruits …
How to Preserve {Pretty Much} Anything: Part 2
By Kresha Faber, Contributing Writer Did you miss Part 1 of How to Preserve {Pretty Much} Anything? Go right on over HERE to read it. It will give you some fantastic information about: Why we preserve food The 7 types of food preservation A note about safety How to choose which method of preparation to …
How to Preserve {Pretty Much} Anything: Part 1
By Kresha Faber, Contributing Writer It’s nearly August, that time of year when zucchini show up unannounced on your doorstep, peaches are offered for sale by the bushel, and tomatoes proliferate. Needless to say, it’s a time of bounty, when everything is growing great gonzos, so it’s the time of year when every year I …
Hidden Veggie Popsicles
Guest Post by Whitney Cornelison of Beauty in the Mess Veggies in a popsicle?! Really?! I promise they aren’t as bad as they sound. While I am sure you think I have lost my mind, let me tell you that my kids gobbled these up and asked for more. They did! Do you have a hard …
DIY Peaches and Cream Gummies
Do you like fruit snacks or gummy candy, but don’t want the yucky food dyes or preservatives that go with them? If so, you need to try these homemade gummies! Not only do homemade gummies taste good, they provide wonderful health benefits! The reason these gummies are so good for you is that they include …