Category Archives: Food
Pumpkins are full of surprises
Pumpkins are dotting the countryside, in every yard and on every front porch. They’re a lovely splash of fall color, but more than being decorative—pumpkins are an amazing super fruit. We often call them a vegetable but this nutritionally dense powerhouse is a member of the gourd family—a fruit. Pumpkin contains an abundance of disease-fighting [...]
Energy Bars and Sports Drinks
We’re a nation of consumers. I am fascinated by the number of products that appeal to our senses because of their name. Names like “energy bar” or “sports drink.” The name alone suggests we may need them if we want to participate in sports, or have energy. But a closer look leaves me in awe [...]
Quinoa—A Super Food
Incan tribes in the Andes Mountains of South America knew they had something special. They considered quinoa to be sacred and referred to it as the “mother of all grains.” They held ritual planting ceremonies where the emperor sowed the first seeds of the season using golden implements. They believed quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) gave their [...]
What’s in a Tub of Popcorn?
What’s in That Tub of Popcorn? The weekend is coming and it might find some of us nestled in to a theater seat, popcorn in hand, waiting for the lights to dim. But before you start munching away, let’s take a look at exactly what you’ve got in that tub you’re holding. [...]
Digging Up Gold
I love visiting my sister’s ranch in southern Utah. Her vegetable garden spans boldly across an open field, row by row. It appears endless. I love the potato patch. For us city folk it is a little mind blowing to take a shovel and “dig up” what’s for dinner. But, neatly tucked underground where they [...]
The Non-GMO Movement
More than ten years ago, Europe banned genetically modified foods simply by letting consumers know what they were. The ban happened without government assistance—the pressure put on the food industry by consumers was all it took. Yet here in the U.S., GM food is consumed daily. Our lack of awareness is the Biotech industry’s biggest [...]
In A Nut Shell
The other day while I was grocery shopping, a gentleman taps me on the shoulder and asks, “since I’m not likely to make too many changes, what’s the one food that will give me the most bang for my buck? Can you give it to me in a nut shell?” I’m smiling knowing that’s exactly [...]
Sweeter Without Sugar
Ah, the “olden days,” a time when life was simpler, even food was simpler. We ate less processed, sweetened food, and sugar was a rare treat. Just before the turn of this century, the average American consumed about 5 pounds of sugar per year. Cut to today, you’ll find sugar in cereal, catsup, bread, crackers, [...]
A Berry Good Idea
Ah, summertime in La Canada–blue skies, a dip in the pool, barbequing with the neighbors and…berries! Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, boysenberries—all are the perfect summertime treat. Berries are a “high water-content” fruit, perfect for hot weather and keeping your body hydrated. Their high water content also makes them low in calorie so, eat them guilt-free. [...]
Fishin’ for the facts
The pendulum of information on eating tuna swings back and forth from “you need omega three fats and tuna is a good source” to “don’t eat it—mercury levels are too toxic.” It can be difficult to sort it all out and know what to do. And while pregnant women should avoid or eat tuna sparingly, [...]
