A Life Without Diets

Wholesome Wave Georgia

2010-07-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

Do you know anyone who uses Food Stamps/EBT/WIC? Have you ever tried to feed a family, or even yourself, using little more than what is given to you through SNAP benefits? If you aren't sure what I'm talking about, consider yourself lucky. If these words hit close to home, then you probably understand how difficult it is to eat at all, let alone healthily, on the budget given to those utilizing

Blueberry Basil Granita

2010-06-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in an earlier post that creating desserts around fruit are a great way to cut calories as well as add much needed nutrients to an otherwise indulgent, nutrient-deprived course. This Blueberry Basil Granita does just that! Granita is essentially a grown-up version of shaved ice, except this time we're adding real fruit and herbs that are packed with antioxidants and vitamins. I got the

Jimmy Dean Sausage Balls

2010-06-29T09:02:00.000-07:00

Being from Tennessee, if my family uses sausage at all it's typically Tennessee Pride or even the sausage my uncle smokes himself. With the recent death of Jimmy Dean, another one of the sausage kings (among other things), I decided it was time to pay tribute. As I'm sure I've mentioned before, I am not a big fan of traditional breakfast. I'm picky about my eggs, I don't really like sausage on a

Summertime Pasta

2010-06-23T06:51:00.000-07:00

When the weather is cold, there's nothing better than warming up with a hot plate of tomato sauce, cheese and pasta! But what is comforting in the wintertime can be downright oppressive during warmer months. That is why I like to switch my pasta sauce to a lemony flavor during Summer. This lemon, spinach proschiuto combination is perfect for days like today when it is 95+ degrees and I really

You CAN Have Dessert!

2010-05-28T05:57:00.000-07:00

Dessert has long been the enemy of those looking to lose weight. It has been portrayed as the demon of healthy living. I'm here to to tell you, you shouldn't been afraid of dessert! While eating large pieces of chocolate cake with buttercream frosting every night might not be the best thing, there are a good choices you can make to not only enjoy a yummy dessert but also get in some extra

aaaand I'm Back! Potato Salad

2010-05-18T10:48:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm finally moved in and ready to begin graduate school. It feels nice to be in my own place again, although I will miss living with my parents (by the way, thanks for everything!) One small problem with the first day in a new place: empty refrigerator. I had a few small groceries, but I'm waiting until Thursday for the East Atlanta Village Farmer's Market to pick up the bulk of my food.

Julia Child's Stuffed Mushrooms

2010-03-30T07:07:00.000-07:00

Although it wasn't one of the major films nominated for an Oscar this year, Julie and Julia was still a must-include in this year's Oscar theme dinner. Plus I LOVE Merely Streep and, although she didn't win ANOTHER Oscar for her portrayal of Julia Child, her performance deserves recognition during this year's Oscar dinner. Stuffed mushrooms weren't featured in the film, but they were an easy to

New Project: Composting

2010-03-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize it until I was much older, but my grandparents have been composting since...forever, I guess. They have a large square structure in their yard that, as a kid, I always wondered what it was (just never curious enough to actually ask). Now that I've learned exactly what it means to compost and why it is beneficial, I convinced my family that it was time to start our own. I began

"Memphis BBQ" Sweet Potato Fries

2010-03-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

I was so happy when Sandra Bullock won best actress for her role in The Blind Side!! With all the buzz surrounding her nomination, I knew she had to win, which was why I chose to make a dish inspired by that movie. I found this recipe for Sweet-Hot BBQ Tater Fries. It sounded a little strange, and wasn't any kind of BBQ I had ever had (I'm partial to the sloppy, drippy kind, myself) but I love

Adventures in Gardening: We Have Seedlings, Folks!

2010-03-22T14:29:00.000-07:00

As my first post this season mentioned, I have planted my seeds for this year's vegetable/herb garden. I was worried at first because of the varying temperatures they were experiencing. They seem to very resilient seeds, though, and have sprouted beautifully! Not all pots have sprouts, and there aren't as many tomato and peppers sprouts as I originally planted, but that is why we started more

"Avatar Blue" Blue Cheese Crostini

2010-03-18T11:55:00.000-07:00

The first recipe from the Oscars Night Dinner is based on the film that won best Art Direction, Cinematography and Visual Effects: Avatar. The Na'vi, the indeginous people of the planet Pandora where the movie is set are blue. Blue is a difficult color to find in food, besides the obvious blueberries. However, after searching ideas from all over the web, I decided blue cheese would be the

Meatless Monday: Beer Beans & Cornbread

2010-03-16T07:48:00.000-07:00

Typically when we think of Southern comfort foods, we think fried, high fat, unhealthy and delicious. Not so in the case of beans and cornbread! Add a little beer to the mix (an idea I got from Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian) and you've got yourself and delicious, comforting AND healthy Meatless Monday meal! Someone once told me that if I didn't like the weather in Georgia, just

And the Oscar Goes To....

2010-03-07T10:07:00.000-08:00

I am such a huge fan of movies! Good movies, okay movies, great movies...I like them all! So naturally my favorite awards show is the Academy Awards, otherwise known as the Oscars. This year we will celebrate the 82nd Academy Awards and I have planned a delicious finger food style menu inspired by several nominees! Unfortunately, I forgot to buy the champagne... BLUE Cheese Crostini, inspired

Recipe: Traditional Bruschetta

2010-03-04T08:55:00.000-08:00

There is nothing better than a delicious recipe that uses the most basic ingredients. I made this super easy Bruschetta for a Valentine's Day appetizer, but it doesn't have to be a special occasion to enjoy. The thing that made this one so appetizing was the really warm bread and really cold tomatoes. Another great thing about this recipe is that it can easily be changed to make a large or small

Adventures in Gardening Begin Again!

2010-03-02T13:21:00.000-08:00

My last attempt at gardening was feeble, at best. It did, however, serve as a really good starting/learning point and now I'm back again to try my hand at growing herbs as well as various vegetables. We purchased a bag of organic seed starter soil, potting containers that can be planted directly into the ground when the time comes, as well as several packets of seeds. Both my Mom's and Dad's

Heart Healthy Molasses Muffins

2010-02-27T07:18:00.000-08:00

They are finally here! These muffins are just sweet enough but pack enough fiber to qualify as heart healthy. I used blackstrap molasses, a seriously nutrient dense food, as my sweetener along with a little the white sugar the original recipe called for. I also substituted part of the white flour with oats and the result is a substantial, even hearty, muffin that can keep those hunger cravings at

American Heart Month: How to Salt Food

2010-02-26T18:24:00.000-08:00

As I sat here making the final edits on my post about sodium and its effects on our blood pressure and heart health, I was almost finished when I accidentally hit that mystery key that deleted the entire post! (Not quite acquainted with my new computer as of yet) For whatever reason, the Undo Magician DID NOT WORK! So with frustration in my heart (and showing on my face) I will keep you busy

Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler!

2010-02-16T19:00:00.000-08:00

It's finally FAT TUESDAY! With all the hype surrounding the city of New Orleans and their Super Bowl win over the Colts (and my favorite player Peyton Manning), it feels like everyone has been celebrating Mardi Gras for weeks! Traditional Mardi Gras food may seem unhealthy, but it has so much to offer in flavor that it's easy to cut out unnecessary fat and calories without losing the essence of

American Heart Month: Cholesterol

2010-02-11T08:47:00.000-08:00

OlivesHigh cholesterol is a buzz term we hear very often when talking about heart health, but what exactly does it mean and how can what we eat improve our cholesterol levels? There are several misconceptions we have regarding cholesterol, the first and maybe the most dangerous is that cholesterol is bad. We also tend to assume that the majority of cholesterol found in our bodies comes from the

Happy American Heart Month!

2010-02-09T19:41:00.000-08:00

I feel as if I've started too many papers with this sentence over the years, but unfortunately it is true. Heart Disease is still the number one killer of Americans. According to the 2010 statistics from the American Heart Association, Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) simply OCCURS in over 78% of men and over 84% of women over the age of 20. Fifty one percent of all deaths occur due to CHD. That is

Meatless Monday: Pizza Again!

2010-01-26T09:27:00.000-08:00

I really should learn my lesson with betting. I could bet someone that the sky is blue and sure as we look up it would be purple. I know betting on the Vikings (I do love Brett Favre!) wasn't as smart as betting the sky is blue, but we were only betting a Meatless Monday dinner, and I do love to cook! One of the easiest and tastiest ways to create a meatless meal is pizza. Loading pizza dough

Calci-YUM (The Non-Dairy Way)

2010-01-19T09:58:00.000-08:00

I hate milk. Ok, hate is probably a strong word but I have never really enjoyed anything about milk. Even as an infant I simply refused to breastfeed. As a toddler the only way my parents could get me to drink milk was to add chocolate to it. My grandpa used to make the BEST chocolate milk! Later in life when I had developed somewhat of a small tolerance for the taste of milk, I had the

The Recession That Made Us Great

2010-01-15T13:30:00.000-08:00

I am not an AllState customer, so I am not advertising for them. However, I really LOVE the message their newest commercial sends. “Years from now how will we look back on today: As the great recession or the recession that made us great?...This recession is different because WE are different.” Check out the commercial on YouTube.

Meatless Monday: Bittman's Mushroom and Goat Cheese Tart

2010-01-11T07:28:00.000-08:00

If you're reading this blog more than likely you are, to some degree or another, a foodie. So I'm going to assume you know who Mark Bittman is. (If you don't, check out his blog). ANYWAY...my new favorite cookbook is his all encompassing How To Cook Everything Vegetarian. (His original How To Cook Everything is fantastic, as well!) One of the first recipes I tried was a mushroom tart and boy was

New Resource Post!

2010-01-07T11:54:00.000-08:00

Check out the Thanks+Resources link above for a comprehensive list of foodie links from an ultimate foodie, Michael Pollan!