healthy eating

Don’t let a bumper crop leave you bored with homegrown veggies…

Expand your repertoire of recipes so every dish will be new and different. This is a savory version of green beans that is big on fresh taste. This recipe is simple, but be careful not to cook too long…overcooked green beans will be mushy and bland.

Green Beans with Shallots and Tomatoes is also a “recipe duet”…one recipe makes either a warm side dish or a cold green bean salad…

Green Beans with Shallots and Tomatoes

1 lb. green beans, about 2 cups
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 ripe but firm tomato, about ½ cup seeded and diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (optional for warm version)
Capers for garnish

Sauté the shallots in olive oil until translucent. Add the green beans and sauté until bright green in color and just tender. Add diced tomatoes and cook just 1 or 2 minutes more, until the beans are cooked but still crunchy. Serve warm as side dish.

For a cold green bean salad, steam the green beans until cooked but crisp. Rinse in cold water and set aside. Heat the olive oil and sauté the shallots; add the diced tomatoes off the heat and mix to blend the flavors. Chill. When ready to serve, arrange the beans on a platter with the tomato-shallot topping and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy!

If you planted green beans this year then by now you might be overwhelmed with little green beans on big green vines. And even though it’s fun to go out to the backyard to pick vegetables for dinner…ever feel like you’re the only one eating them?

Try to enlist the kids in at least the picking and washing of the veggie crop…and if they are too picky to even taste them, well take heart, we know all about picky kids!

Many kids just haven’t acquired the taste yet for complex, savory flavors. So when in doubt, keep it simple. The fresh taste of steamed green beans, even plain, is hard to beat. Try to be creative with the presentation; for example, serve chilled green beans standing upright in a short glass, like French fries just waiting to be dipped into Ranch dressing (instead of catsup). Finger foods are fun!

These are not your ordinary supermarket green beans, so pick them skinny and tender, only about ¼ inch in diameter. Steam for about 4 minutes, and remove from the heat quickly. Serve a kid-friendly version plain, or with just a dot of margarine or butter. Kids of all ages may enjoy them at room temperature or even cold the next day.

Nobody has to know that green beans are loaded with vitamins and minerals, even anti-oxidants. They are also low in calories for those of us who care about such things, only 43 calories per cup.

My grown-up version is savory, so stay tuned for Green Beans with Shallots and Tomato…

I love good potato salad, but who has enough time (or calories) to splurge on homemade?

This recipe can’t be beat for simplicity and creamy good taste. I served it recently at a dinner for friends and even the folks who don’t cook were asking how I made it. It’s that good!

Start with a great potato (like Sierra Rose Red Skin Golden Gourmet Potatoes) to get the best taste and texture. Then take 30 minutes or more off the prep time by steaming the potatoes in a paper bag! Just put the washed potatoes in a brown grocery sack, fold the top over, and microwave. (My friend Mariel uses a plastic bag…either one works.)  Slide the skins off after cooking if you prefer, but I leave some on for color and nutrition.

Simply Delicious Potato Salad

2 lbs. (about 5 medium) red potatoes
2 or 3 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup mayonnaise*
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper (optional)

Cool and coarsely chop the potatoes into 1 inch pieces. Place them in a bowl with the onion, mayonnaise, and salt. Mix gently and refrigerate before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

*Make this with Best Foods or Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise for a special dinner that is sure to impress. Otherwise, use light or cholesterol-free mayonnaise to cut cholesterol and fat. (You will notice the taste difference in a side by side comparison, but at least you can indulge guilt-free!)

Take things from simple to elaborate with one or more “add-ins” like Dijon mustard, chopped celery, chopped dill pickle or sweet relish, hard boiled egg, capers, etc.

Homemade just doesn’t get any better than…simple and delicious!

More recipes by Dr. Pat…

Try these hearty blueberry muffins this holiday weekend. No dainty little tea muffins for us...these blueberry muffins have less sugar and pack more flavor, texture and crunch because of cornmeal. We love ‘em!If you love blueberries too, buy plenty to freeze when they are in season. Just wash and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet (lined with wax paper) to freeze. Transfer the frozen berries to small containers and they will be ready to use all year long. Toss them straight from the freezer into your favorite pancake batter, or use them in recipes, like this fabulous blueberry muffin recipe!Dr. Pat’s Blueberry Crunch Muffins1 ½ cup flour¾ cup yellow cornmeal¼ cup sugar2 teaspoons baking powder½ teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon salt1 egg¼ cup canola oil1 cup low fat buttermilk1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (but not thawed)Preheat oven to 400 degrees (375 degrees convection) and prepare a muffin pan with Pam for Baking (not paper muffin liners; they will stick).Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside. In another large bowl whisk the egg, oil and buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the blueberries. Spoon batter into the muffin cups.Bake until lightly browned, about 16 minutes in a regular oven or 12 minutes convection. Cool for 2 minutes in the pan, then transfer promptly to a cooling rack. Serve warm.Makes 12 muffins.Did I mention healthy? These muffins have the nutrition of blueberries (with their vitamins and antioxidants) in a low fat, low calorie package, only about 100 calories per muffin! Yum!Still hungry? Browse more by Dr. Pat…

Beer Can Chicken is one of my all-time favorites for chicken on the grill. I certainly didn’t invent it…the recipes are everywhere. But I was always skeptical that the beer can approach was really just a gimmick…until I tried it.

This is absolutely, positively the most succulent chicken you will ever prepare on a grill! The beer bastes the chicken from the inside, and because the chicken is roasted vertically, all the fat just drips away.

What about the kids? The alcohol in the beer fully evaporates of course, leaving just wonderfully moist and flavorful chicken…without any drunken children!

Beer Can Chicken

1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 lb.
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons dry spice rub* or prepared grill seasoning
1 tablespoon oil or cooking spray
1 can beer (16 oz.)

Remove the neck and giblets from the chicken cavity and set aside. Remove any excess fat, then rinse the chicken and dry inside and out with paper towels. Coat the chicken with oil, then rub on the salt and spice mix, covering the inside, outside, and in between the skin and breast meat.

Open a can of beer and pour half into a glass (for later consumption!). Place the chicken over the beer can and transfer to the grill, positioning the can and legs like a tripod to support the chicken upright. Cook on indirect medium for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer placed between the thigh and breast registers 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the grill and place in a shallow pan to rest for 10 minutes. Lift the chicken from the can and cut into serving pieces. (Reserve the carcass for another use, like next week’s recipe!)

*A simple mix: 2 tablespoons each paprika and brown sugar, 1 tablespoon ground black pepper.

Try different dry rubs for variety; just look for more recipes in your favorite grilling book. If you have extra rub, pour a tablespoonful into the beer before cooking for even more flavor. And for the faint-hearted, you can even buy a stand to support the beer can if you don’t mind one more piece of equipment in the kitchen!

While the chicken cools, grill the corn on the cob and take the Zucchini, Apple and Raisin Slaw out of the refrigerator. Dinner is served!

Find more of Dr. Pat’s recipes in Healthy Lifestyle…

Fish and rice with a Southwestern twist! This is a variation of Colorful Fish Fillets, but a few substitutions make it an entirely new dish. Fire-roasted corn, tomatoes and green chilies flavor the fish, and the rice cooks with salsa for a quicker version of Spanish rice…

Look for roasted corn in the freezer section of specialty markets or better yet, make extra to freeze next time you are grilling.

Salsa Fish Fillets

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Add a quick side dish of sliced avocadoes on a bed of lettuce and dinner is served!

More from Dr. Pat…

Yes, it is good to eat fish! Fish is loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids, making it one of the healthiest foods around.

Kids can eat fish up to once a week, as long as you choose fish that has the lowest risk of contamination. The best choices also consider the health of the fish population, so don’t miss Seafood Watch by the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Here is recipe for healthy fish that strikes gold on several counts. It is easy, assembles quickly and adapts to the fresh vegetables you have on hand. It is also fast, only 10 to 12 minutes in the microwave. It will be another family favorite…even those who are “so-so” about fish will appreciate the delicate flavor of the whitefish.

Colorful Fish Fillets

(Substitute any combination of veggies: sliced mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, yellow or red peppers, leeks)

Arrange the fish fillets in a single layer in a greased microwave-safe dish. Season the fillets with salt and pepper, sprinkle with onion, green pepper, and tomato. Dot with butter. Cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap, venting one corner to allow steam to escape. Microwave on high 6 to 8 minutes, then check the fish for doneness. Thicker fillets will require more time, but check every 2 minutes to avoid overcooking. The fish is done when it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Let stand covered 2 to 3 minutes before serving. Serves 3.

I like to start the rice before preparing the fish, so while the fish cooks I’ll have just enough time to make a quick salad. Dinner is served in less than 30 minutes…move over, Rachael Ray!

Here is more by Dr. Pat…

The refreshing taste of citrus is so nice in the water served at your favorite restaurant…or is it?

Recent reports of a study in the Journal of Environmental Health have revealed that the lemon slice or wedge served with the water in restaurants is contaminated with disease-causing bacteria about 70% of the time. This doesn’t mean people get sick that often, but I don’t find that very reassuring.

The study found that servers usually do not use gloves or tongs when adding a lemon slice or wedge to the glass, causing contamination when hands are dirty. This is not only unsanitary, but violates the health code in many regions.

Must we forego even that little slice of luxury when eating out? The risk seems to be low, but now the whole idea seems quite unappealing.

I guess it just comes down to personal choice. For me it’s going to be…
“Water please, no lemon.“

More Dr. Pat…

Love those bananas! Bananas are one of the most nutritious fruits you and your kids can eat. They are loaded with potassium, B vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin C, and even calcium and magnesium. I like them firm, so when they get soft and over-ripe, I just put them in the freezer as is, peel and all. They stay perfectly packaged until I pull them out to make this extra hearty, kid-friendly banana bread.

What’s so special about this recipe, besides being delicious? This banana bread is a good choice for toddlers because it uses less sugar, has heart-healthy canola oil and applesauce instead of butter, and raisins instead of nuts. It also makes a nutritionally balanced snack for kids when paired with cream cheese. Yum!

This is a double recipe, so your family will appreciate your effort twice as much. I like to use mini loaf pans; the extra loaves are easy to wrap and store in the freezer…but freeze them quickly before they disappear!

Dr. Pat’s Banana Bread

1 cup canola oil (or use ½ cup oil and ½ cup applesauce)
1 ½ cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
5 or 6 ripe bananas (about 2 ½ cups mashed)
4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup raisins

Wisk oil and sugar together. Add eggs and banana pulp and mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients, then milk and vanilla. Stir in raisins.

Pour into greased and floured pans (or use Pam for Baking). Bake at 350 degrees F approximately 1 hour for two 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans. For mini loaf pans, shorten the baking time to 45 minutes (or less). (In my convection oven the mini loaf pans take only about 30 minutes, so be careful not to overbake.) Cool, then wrap and store overnight before cutting or freezing. (This is important, because the raisins plump up and the bread really is more moist and flavorful the second day).

When comparing my banana bread recipe to other quick breads (ah yes, the buttery recipes…), I found another recipe that intrigued me, kumquat bread.

It looked wonderful, especially since I have a kumquat tree in my yard (yes, I live in California). I never have figured out what to do with kumquats, so I am eager to try it! I’ll keep you posted…

Happiness is…picking fruit from your own back yard.

I feel kind of silly writing this post. I have a concern that someone is going to show up at my house one morning and discover that I am a fake. I have wonderful ideas for inventive and healthy school lunches, but the sad fact is that my daughter could care less. What does she want every day? Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, goldfish crackers, a Sigg bottle of filtered water and dessert (preferably chocolate).

I am not sure where she got inherited this desire to eat the same (boring) thing everyday, but it certainly wasn’t from me. I crave variety! I hate cold sandwiches! Bring on the gourmet salads, the luscious and creamy soups, and the crispy falafel. One day, I am sure, my kid will wise up and welcome my creative lunch overtures. Until then, I must be content to write about these fabulous resources and live vicariously through you, my readers. (It also helps to remember that if your kids don’t want variety, that is OK. The important thing is that they are eating something nutritious. No one ever died from eating PB&J every single day. Well, I might, but that would be an anomaly.)

Vegan Lunch Box: This phenomenon started as a blog, but has now become a book, chock-full of delicious, healthy recipes, all intended to be packed up in re-usable bento box-style containers for an environmentally friendly lunch option.

ParentHacks School Lunch Post: Do you read this site? No? Boy, are you missing out. This is the be-all-end-all site for everything you ever needed to know about raising a child. The school lunch post is nearly 18 months old, but the tips in the comment section are still good.

AskMoxie: This is another fabulous online parenting resource, and her post on school lunches generated some terrific suggestions within the comments.

Laptop Lunches: Want to pack your kids’ lunches in a cool container? This is the place to go for your supplies. Warning: These lunchboxes do not feature licensed characters, so if your kid insists on Disney princess decorations, be prepared to do it yourself with stickers and Sharpie markers.

Lock & Lock: Due to my child’s unique lunch demands and her desire for a PowerPuff Girls lunch box, the laptop lunchbox isn’t the best choice for our household, but we do like avoiding plastic wrap and other non-environmentally friendly lunch wrappers. We are big fans of the Lock & Lock containers, which can be found online via the link provided, or at your local Target. Note: The picture above is of one of our Lock&Lock containers. It shows one of the more creative lunches I sent to school with my daughter. (She didn’t eat it.)

This new question has surpassed “paper or plastic” as the most stressful question at the supermarket (THAT answer, for the record, should be “this tote I brought from home, thanks.”).

Everyone needs to make their own decisions about what food to buy, but I’m going to share my opinion here. One of the most important things to realize is that getting certified organic is a very expensive proposition. What this means is that there are many small farmers who grow everything organically, but they just can’t afford to be certified. How do you find these guys? Go to your local farmers market. Talk to shop and restaurant owners who source from local farms. Who are their favorites? Get to know the local players. If you know the people growing your food, you can talk to them about their growing practices.

If I have a choice of local, non-certified organic food and organic food flown into Chicago from California by a large conglomerate, I’m going to choose local nearly every time. This is made easier for me because I also attempt to eat seasonally. What does this mean? We only have strawberries in our house for a couple of months in the summer. And tomatoes? I never buy them off-season. It’s easy to find local, sustainably-grown strawberries in Chicago in June.

I also keep in mind a 2003 study by the Environmental Working Group (that I read about in the August, 2006 issue of Gourmet Magazine). In that study, they found 192 different pesticides on 46 fresh fruits and vegetables and determined that consumers can lower their risk of pesticide exposure by as much as 90 percent by buying organic varieties of the top 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables. These are:

Fruits
apples
cherries
imported grapes
nectarines
peaches
pears
red raspberries
strawberries

Vegetables
bell peppers
celery
potatoes
spinach

Whether you are a SAHM, a WAHM or a WOHM (or even a dad), you probably have stress about dinner time. Take solace in the fact that you are not alone in this struggle. A client of mine once told me about some research they conducted. I don’t remember the exact statistics, but the gist of it was that as late as 4:30pm, most people still have no clue what they are making for dinner. Sound familiar?

One of the best ways to eliminate dinnertime stress is to start meal planning. This can be as simple as writing dinner ideas on a scrap of paper, or as complicated as paying for a service that helps you create meal plans online. Choose the system that works best for you. I find that I do best when I create a meal plan and then post it online to share with the world. (I work well under pressure!)

Stefania of the ever-popular City Mama blog tries to post her meal plan every week as well. Reading her plans always inspires me, especially because she also has two young children at home. For even more meal planning bloggy goodness, you’ll want to check out the blogs of those participating in Menu Planning Monday.

If you are willing to pay for your inspiration, you might want to subscribe to one of the many meal planning services. For a list and comprehensive reviews, check out this Real Simple article. It clearly lays out the pros and cons of each service, and includes links and screenshots.

Finally, if you want to really branch out, check out this thread on eGullet (my favorite food-related message board). Every time I read it, I am blown away by the amazing meals that people put together for an ordinary weeknight. I don’t often have time to do the same, but what’s life without a little aspiration?

Happy meal planning!

(Oh, and feel free to tell us what you’re cooking this week in the comments, or just post a link to your blog if you’ve already posted it elsewhere.)

A single cupcake will probably do you no harm, but eating foods with Low GI Ratings have now been linked to clearer, healthier skin.

Before we continue let’s review . . . GI stands for Glycemic Index. You have heard about good carbs and bad carbs as they relate to weight loss, diabetes and heart disease, now eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and less pasta, rice and cereal can contribute to the health of your skin as well.

Specifically, a new study suggests there may be a link between a low-glycemic diet and an improvement in blemished skin. The study, “Low-Glycemic-Load Diet May Improve Acne in Young Men,” published in the July 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined whether male acne patients aged 15 to 25 who followed a low-glycemic diet (25 percent of energy from protein and 45 percent from low-glycemic-index carbohydrates) had a reduction in acne lesions vs. a control group that consumed a diet rich in carbohydrates.

The study found that at 12 weeks, acne lesions had decreased more in the young men in the low-glycemic group than their counterparts in the control group whose diet had no consideration for the glycemic index. This suggests that there could be a relationship between limiting carbohydrate-rich foods and an improvement in acne.

If you would like to compare a meal you might have during the day with one that has a “low GI rating,” click here.

So, let me get this straight, healthy weight, healthy heart and healthy skin . . . sounds like a win, win, win!

Happy New Years! It’s that time of year when all of us are thinking about our New Year’s Resolutions. While losing a couple of pounds and vowing to eat healthier may be at the top of your list, there is another reason to eat well, simply put . . . healthy skin.

The old adage “you are what you eat” not only applies to our overall health and nutrition, but how our skin looks and feels as well. As the largest organ in the body, our skin can benefit from the same nutrition we get from foods that have a positive effect on our heart and other major organs. In fact, research suggests that eating foods rich in protein and certain vitamins and minerals might provide valuable anti-aging effects.

While there’s no mistaking how our diet affects our overall health, it can also impact our skin’s health.

Healthy Food . . . Healthy Skin

Perhaps the simplest way to maintain a healthy, balanced diet and ensure the skin is getting optimal nutrition from the foods we eat is to follow the recommendations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Daily Food Guide, commonly referred to as the food pyramid.

These include:

• Choosing and eating at least three ounces of whole grain breads, cereals, rice, crackers or pasta.
• Eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including more dark green and orange vegetables.
• Consuming calcium-rich foods, such as fat-free or low-fat milk and other dairy products.
• Opting for a variety of low-fat or lean meats, poultry and fish.

Research has shown that the antioxidants in vitamins C and E can protect the skin from sun damage and help reduce damage in skin cells caused by harmful free radicals, which contribute to aging skin.

Similarly, we have long known that the B vitamin biotin is responsible for forming the basis of skin, hair and nail cells, and vitamin A - found in many fruits and vegetables - maintains and repairs skin tissue. Without an adequate supply of these vitamins, you may notice it in the appearance of your skin, hair and nails.

While the direct link between food consumption and skin damage has not been widely studied, one study comparing the correlation between food and nutrient intake with skin wrinkling found a positive relationship. The study, “Skin Wrinkling: Can Food Make a Difference?,” published in the February 2001 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, determined that Swedish subjects aged 70 and older had the least skin wrinkling in a sun-exposed site among the four ethnic groups studied. This cross-sectional study, which analyzed the pooled data using the major food groups, suggests “that subjects with a higher intake of vegetables, olive oil, and monounsaturated fat and legumes, but a lower intake of milk/dairy products, butter, margarine and sugar products had less skin wrinkling in a sun-exposed site.”

Eating a variety of healthy foods and drinking plenty of water so the skin stays hydrated will help most people improve the appearance of their skin.

Happiness is eating well for beautiful skin . . .

Many people choose health-related resolutions for the New Year…and I suspect that diet and exercise rank at the very top of the behaviors many of us would like to improve.

Year after year, I drop more resolutions in the first week of January than I would like to admit. Some years I even refuse to make resolutions, telling myself that if I had more discipline I wouldn’t need them. Probably true.

This year is going to be different. I always liked the idea of a New Year’s Resolution because of the feel of a fresh start. Here are a few tips for creating successful resolutions:

• Write it down. Keep your written resolution in a prominent place, like on the refrigerator or the steering wheel of your car.
• Keep it focused. Instead of “I am going to eat healthier,” try something specific like “I will eat three fruits a day.”
• Allow yourself some wiggle room. If you resolve to “exercise for an hour every day,” you will feel like a failure the first time you miss a day. Give yourself a range, like exercising three times a week.
• Keep it practical. Lofty goals are harder to attain and will be abandoned sooner. Even if you need to lose 20 lbs., resolve to lose 5 or 10 pounds as an initial goal, so that you can actually succeed. You will be more motivated to keep going.
• Reward the effort, not just the result. Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started, so if you splurge on your reward (just had to have those earrings) on your way to your goal, remember to add another teaser for the next level. Just be careful not to sabotage your efforts. (Ice cream is not an appropriate reward for following your diet!)
• Share your ideas for healthy resolutions. Consider a weekly “salad day” at work and have each co-worker bring an ingredient for a big chef’s salad to share for lunch. Your friends will love it!

Remember that routines take time to change, so keep a positive outlook. When you lapse, plan to restart tomorrow or next week, just don’t wait until next year!

Send me your ideas for healthy resolutions and in a few weeks, lets see how we’ve done! Leave a comment, or e-mail me at chatterbox@noodleandboo.com. Questions on any other health issues? . . . Just ask!

Here’s to a Happy and Healthy New Year!

I work on the 63rd floor of a high rise building in downtown Chicago. The elevator rides are long and tedious, but I pass the time by watching TV. Sadly, it’s not anything too compelling. The elevator network is called Captivate, and they broadcast weather, stock information and news snippets all day long. Earlier this week, on my way down to the lobby, I caught a news blurb about holiday parties and kids. Apparently “event planners” (not sure which ones) have decided that the making and decorating of holiday cookies is destroying today’s youth. Their suggestion? Instead of sugar cookies, have your kids create cutouts of whole wheat bread. They can then “frost” the bread with fat-free cream cheese and decorate these delicacies with colorful veggies. Say what?

Now, don’t get me wrong. I am all for wholesome eating. But this is ridiculous. The making of cookies is a holiday tradition that children will remember for their entire lives. And we are supposed to get rid of it?

I realize that childhood obesity is a growing problem, but this isn’t the solution. Let’s get soda out of our schools, and substitute fresh fruit for junky after-school snacks. I’m all for that! But the once a year traditions? The family memories? Those are sacred.

I wonder what the food police would have had me make in lieu of the pretty Hanukkah cake that my daughter and I created last week.

Hello everyone!! I’m so excited to be starting this new blog about healthy eating for you and your family. I promise to provide you with lots of great recipes and tips, but before I officially get started, I thought it would make sense to share with you my background and philosophy.

First and foremost, I am not a trained chef. That said, I do have a lot of food experience under my belt! When I was a kid, I “studied” with my Grandma Ana. She would show me how to prepare her special dishes, and when she thought I was ready, she started letting me actually help. I’ve also been a die-hard cooking show viewer since I was a kid. Believe it or not, my college application essay was all about the Frugal Gourmet!

Now (many years later), I work in PR and social marketing for food clients, but my career has almost always involved food. I worked at the Food Network, I was a food critic for three years and I was even a bread baker and a cheese buyer. I just love blogging and writing about food, and I just wouldn’t feel funny if I weren’t doing so!

I live in Chicago with my two kids and my husband, and we try to eat homecooked meals about 4-5 nights a week. It’s not always easy, but I do my best, because family dinners are just so important to me. And that is really my philosophy on food; the number one thing is to eat with people you love. I also do my best to use fresh ingredients when possible. I try to avoid processed foods, trans fats and high fructose corn syrup. I’m not always able to do so, and I am a big fan of not making myself crazy. Yes, I will take a short-cut if it will save my sanity. But, my kids know where food comes from, and they know that eating together is important. In the end, teaching them that is what is most important to me.