Tag Archives: colds

Heart Healthy Vegetarian Dishes

Cooking for a mother who is on a low calorie, low cholesterol diet PLUS a husband who has diabetes and needs to eat foods that are low in fat, salt and sugar can be challenging to say the least. However, it is a task that my best friend has met full on… and succeeds at in ways that never cease to amaze me. The following recipes are ones she prepares for her family on a regular basis. I had a chance to sample them during my recent visit home. Because neither one of them calls for meat they were great … Continue reading →

Spring Gardening Tips

If the weather is beginning to warm a bit then you must have thoughts of spring and gardening. There are still plenty of rough winds out there, a couple of good ones tried to blow us off of the playground just yesterday. But, there is plenty to do in March to prepare the garden. As soon as the weather gets mild, the grass will come out of hibernation and start to grow. Now is the time to check over the lawnmower for any repairs that might need to be made. The first spring cut of the lawn should be made … Continue reading →

Two Side Dishes That Make the Dinner

Are you a one dish Betty, preferring to schlop all of your vegetables, meat and potatoes in one casserole dish? Don’t get me wrong, casseroles have their place at our dinner table. They are quick, easy and can often be prepped ahead of time. On the other hand, it sets a certain mood to have dinner where there is one main meat and several delicious side dishes. These particular side dishes go well with anything, are fairly easy to prep and will complete your meal with a touch of elegance! Sauteed Spinach and Mushrooms You will need: 3 tablespoons butter … Continue reading →

What to do with Leftover Raw Vegetables

Well, I guess I won’t be cooking for a Super Bowl party after all. Now that the Green Bay Packers blew their chance to compete for the title of best team in the NFL not only am I left with a bitter taste in my mouth, I have a ton of leftover raw vegetables to boot. For those of you who haven’t been following my guest blogs here in the FOOD category, Valorie has been kind enough to allow me to share the recipes I have been furiously preparing for the numerous playoff and championship game parties I’ve attended during … Continue reading →

My Family’s Favorite All-in-One Meal

Yesterday I told you about a rare event in my home—having extra ground beef in the refrigerator. It came in very handy in preparing a number of easy and affordable all-in-one meals. Not only did I have enough meat to make the Beef and Asparagus Pasta Toss and the Sloppy Joes on Wheels I also had a pound leftover to make one of my family’s favorite Sunday night dinners—-Easy Meatballs, Vegetables and Pasta. (Don’t let the name fool you—-they are more like meat squares than balls.) Only this week our favorite Sunday meal will be served on Monday, as we … Continue reading →

Creating the Perfect Dip Table

A big bowl of chunky dip surrounded by chips, crackers, and veggies solves a lot of life’s entertainment problems. The quick and easy dish serves as an attractive table centerpiece, doesn’t require utensils and is one of the only ways my kid will eat raw vegetables without being bribed. If you’ve been reading my recent guest blogs in the FOOD category then you know that I’ve been on a dip kick as of late. Blame the Green Bay Packers. Our hometown football team is on the road to the Super Bowl and ever since they made the playoffs, party invitations … Continue reading →

Beat Colds and Flu Faster

Do you ever feel like your body WANTS to be sick? Over the last week or so, I’ve been feeling the first hints that there may be a cold on the horizon: a scratchy throat, a drippy nose, and a general feeling of fatigue. Here are some tips to help you beat colds and flu faster this winter! Work on your resistance. When I start to feel crummy, I reach for my Echinacea and goldenseal supplements — but there are lots of different options out there! Check your local health food store or the vitamin section of your favorite pharmacy … Continue reading →

Do Dogs Catch Colds?

Up until the last week or so, I could say that I’ve never really heard a dog cough before. But in the last few days, Lally’s been making a weird noise that is somewhere between a human cough and the sound she makes before she barfs. Aside from the cough, she seems fine… so it got me wondering: do dogs catch colds? Colds — like humans have — aren’t transmittable from humans to pets. So what could be causing Lally’s cough? Kennel cough comes with a high, dry cough — the dog seems to feel fine otherwise. In most adult … Continue reading →

Does Bagged Produce Save You Money?

Those pre-selected bags of produce seem to save you money, but do they? Actually, it depends on a couple of factors. This question was recently posed to me by a member, reader and fellow frugal person here at Families.com. She asks, “Is buying those pre-bagged fruits and vegetable really worth it? They seem less expensive, but I always wonder if they are really just bruised and rotten.” Here are some tips to help you make the best choice when it comes to deciding between bagged produce and produce that you hand select. With bagged produce you can usually expect some … Continue reading →

What on Earth do I do with Chard?

Our adventures in the Botanical Gardens on Thursday proved to provide quite the amount of blog fodder. I wrote about planning to have a healthy lunch in my mission possible journal in weight loss. I wrote about the twins’ tantrums in the baby blog. And now I’m writing about the bounties from gardening class in the food blog. One of the side benefits of having my kids in a gardening class is that my kids harvest their own produce. Every week we abound in good fruits and vegetables. Fresh garlic, cherry tomatoes, basil–you name it–they’ve brought it home. I’m generally … Continue reading →