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 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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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 …
Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Cake Bars
Stephanie’s note: In a week, our family will be embarking on yet another “free” diet. You know the kind – free from gluten and grain, free from dairy, free from sugar, free from our usual favorites and convenience and ease. And I know that so many of you have also turned to diets like this, …
How to Make Honey Sweetened Summer Berry Preserves
By Kelly Smith, Contributing Writer Summertime is filled with a bounty of the most amazing fresh produce. But by far, one of our favorites is berry season! First to appear are red and delicious strawberries, followed by sweet-n-tangy raspberries, plump blueberries and one of my personal favorites – blackberries. It’s no secret that we get a …
Cool Down with 10 Iced Tea Recipes
By Hilary Bernstein, Contributing Writer By this time every summer, I’m searching for easy ways to cool down. I love iced drinks – but after drinking a lot of iced lemon water, I need a little change. Iced teas are a great way to add some variety to your summer sipping. As long as it’s unsweetened, …
Benefits and Uses of Chia Seeds (Plus 50 Chia Recipes)
Chia seeds have been lauded as a super food for a few years now, and for good reason. Of all of the benefits of chia seeds, some of the most notable are their ability to provide significant amounts of protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids. The amount of omega-3 fatty acids contained in chia seeds …
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9 Healthy, Portable Snacks for Family Road Trips
By Elsie Callender, Contributing Writer What’s a road trip without snacks? For me, food is an essential part of any journey. Having something to snack on helps to pass the time in the car–and saves you from pulling into McDonald’s when hunger strikes! Healthy, portable snacks will keep your family full longer, and your kids won’t …
Easy 7-Day Summer Grilling Meal Plan
By Kelly Smith, Contributing Writer Summer is here … my family’s favorite time of year, because not only do we love having fun in the sun, but we’re also seriously into grilling out as often as possible! In fact, I’m such a huge grilling aficionado, I’ve created a special 7-Day Summer Grilling Meal Plan just for you! …
My 10 Favorite Real-Food Recipe Sites
I have recently started meal-planning for the month. It is just amazing to look at the month of meals, PLANNED, in my calendar! While it is a bit of a bear to plan 30 days of meals at once, the rewards far outweigh the trouble! Anyone with me?? Whatever your method of planning meals (or not …
Homemade Canned Soup Replacement
By Stacy Karen, Contributing Writer When I think back to my newlywed days, and all the canned soup we consumed, I cringe a little. As a newlywed, I learned to prepare all manner of meals while clutching my Betty Crocker Cookbook. I followed each recipe step by step, not thinking much about any kind of …
Homemade Iced Tea Popsicles
Like all kids, mine love nothing better than a cool snack on a hot day. A common summertime treat around our house is popsicles. Since popsicles are so easy to make, we stick with homemade ones, rather than buying them. Sometimes we make them out of a smoothie-type blend of frozen fruits, with things like …
How to Make Colorful Homemade Sprinkles (plus DIY yellow cake mix!)
By Kresha Faber, Contributing Writer While I was writing my book, The DIY Pantry, it was essential to me that the book include the staples that people actually USE regularly in their kitchens. A few things were obvious, like taco seasoning and ketchup, but of all the vast array of foods we eat, what’s actually essential? …
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65 Fabulous Gluten-Free Strawberry Recipes for Spring
By Kelly Smith, Contributing Writer Strawberry season has arrived! And even though these bright red beauties are calling to us everywhere we turn – from roadside stands to farmers markets to local grocery stores – my family’s favorite way to get our hands on them is to pick them ourselves. Nothing compares to the taste of fresh-picked, sun-ripened …
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Allergy-Friendly Menu for Spring and Summer Entertaining
; By Jessica Smartt, Contributing Writer We are eagerly, painfully, awaiting the coming of warm weather here in the southeast United States. It has been COLD! We love to have friends over during the warm-weather months and I’m always looking for easy, delicious meals to serve to our friends and family. Today I’m sharing an allergy-friendly menu …
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Build Your Own Healthy Salad
By Hilary Bernstein, Contributing Writer Salad season is here again! If you’re excited to get back to the healthy crunch of fresh foods at mealtime or you’re simply trying to add more vegetables to your daily diet, use this guide to pair together your favorite salad fixings. Simply build your own healthy salad based on your flavor …
Simple Homemade Ranch Dressing
By Emily McClements, Contributing Writer Whether a topping for salad, a dip for crudités, or a way to get your kids to eat something they might not otherwise eat, ranch dressing is a staple for many families. But as those of us who have been around the real food/natural living world for more than a …