Tag Archives: fruit

Your Kids, Video Games and Fruit

If you have a tough time getting your children to eat fruit, you might consider unplugging their video games. In what some may consider a complete waste of time and money, researchers in the Netherlands have unearthed a fact that most parents have known for a while:  Kids who play video games promoting fruit don’t crave apples, oranges, grapes, kiwi or any other type of fresh produce upon completing the online challenges. According to the new study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Dutch scientists expected their young research participants to crave more wholesome snacks after playing video … Continue reading →

What’s the Deal with the Fruit Scale?

Why the heck do we measure things in terms of fruit? My research on fibroids — starting with the info packet from the doctor — said that they can get as large as a grapefruit. Talking to friends revealed that many of them have experienced the fruit scale when talking about fibroids and other growths. After my ultrasound results came in, the doctor described one of my growths as a “long grapefruit” (to which a friend said I’d achieved a whole new level on the fruit scale). A quick web search found a really cute list that ran through a … Continue reading →

How to Save Money on Fruit and Vegetables

Plenty of fruit and vegetables should be part of a healthy family diet. But when it cost more to buy a couple of apples than it does to buy a couple of cookies, it is hard to make the best choices. Produce has really gone up in price in the last few years, and I am not even talking about organic produce. It takes skills to be able to provide these healthy items to your family without causing you to go over your budget. Here are some tips on how to save money on fruit and vegetables. Buy in Season … Continue reading →

Fresh Fruit Desserts for Your Easter Buffet

Spring is in the air, so why not add some color to your Easter buffet with fresh seasonal fruit? The following desserts are excellent alternatives to the traditional all-chocolate creations typically featured at Easter feasts. Not only are they simple to make, they’re also relatively healthy as well. BLUEBERRY COBBLER BARS Ingredients for Crust: 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds 1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into cubes Ingredients for Pastry Cream: 4 large eggs 1/4 cup heavy cream 1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 … Continue reading →

Recipes for Eater Sunday Brunch

Easter Sunday is one of the most popular days of the year for restaurants serving Sunday brunch (Mother’s Day is No.1). However, with the economy in disarray many families are planning to celebrate the holiday at home this year. If you are planning to nix the expensive restaurant brunch this Easter and create your own homemade holiday feast, then consider these simple and affordable recipes: ELEGANT EGGS AND BACON Ingredients: 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon chopped chives 1/4 cup milk 2 ounces cream cheese, cut into chunks 2 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled 4 extra large eggs Pinch of … Continue reading →

Fruit for Dinner

Like many kids her age my preschooler would much rather crunch on apples than carrots and celery. My daughter loves fruit. Vegetables… not so much. So imagine her surprise when we visited Hawaii a couple months ago and my fruit loving daughter was offered the following dishes. They were a hit with my little one and I have since integrated these recipes into our menu mix. (Note: I would make them more often; however, I am allergic to some of the ingredients.) COCONUT CHICKEN WITH FRUIT SALSA Ingredients: 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts Salt and pepper 1/2 cup flour 1 … Continue reading →

Valentine’s Day Breakfast in Bed

Valentine’s Day is this Saturday. Since the holiday falls on a weekend, why not start off the day sharing a romantic breakfast in bed with your sweetie. Or, if you have kids, consider making makeshift beds out of pillows and comforters in the living room and dine on these delicious Valentine’s Day-inspired recipes the entire family is sure to love: STUFFED CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY FRENCH TOAST Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter 3 eggs 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 milk Strawberries, sliced (you determine the amount) Semi sweet chocolate chips (you determine the amount) Cream cheese, softened Powdered sugar Directions: … Continue reading →

Simple Brunch Recipes

Many families typically “do” brunch on Sundays only. But recent studies show that since the economy took a nosedive, brunch has become a popular midweek meal. Experts maintain that the mid-morning meal eliminates the need to serve both breakfast and lunch and the type of foods served at brunch are relatively inexpensive to prepare. With that said I’ve decided to share some of my favorite brunch recipes. They are a cinch to make and can be doubled or tripled to accommodate large groups. EASY QUICHE LORRAINE Ingredients: 1 (9-inch) pie crust, partially baked in a pie plate 8 slices bacon, … Continue reading →

Last-Minute Homemade Thanksgiving Decorations

You have everything to make your Thanksgiving feast, but you just realized that your dining room table has nothing to complement the holiday spread. Now what? All is not lost. Simply gather a few items from around your home to make these easy last-minute seasonal decorations: LEAVES Fill a galvanized container with oversized leaves (such as magnolia). Make sure the stems aren’t all the same length. The arrangement should mimic the natural, free-flowing form of the leaves themselves. CANDLES Collect several small glass jars or vases and fill them with dried corn. Then, nestle fall-colored candles of differing heights into … Continue reading →

Pomegranate: Nature’s Superfruit!

Okay, whenever I hear something touted as being a superfood or a superfruit, I admit I get a mental image of a little cape, and little tights . . . but maybe they’re on to something this time. Pomegranates aren’t your most common fruit. I think I’ve had one, maybe twice, in my life. They’re kind of hard to eat and you can’t just walk down the street munching one (unless you’re more talented than I am). But look at what they can do for you: Considered one of the healthiest fruits in the world, it contains a huge array … Continue reading →