Author Archives: Alison Spath

Ham and Spinach Quiche (Because Eggs are Cheap)

January 12th, 2014 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast - (8 Comments)

I eat eggs just about every day.  They are easy to prepare, crazy good for you and there are approximately one gagillion different ways to use them. I completely agree that eggs are one of the healthiest foods on this planet and in my opinion, represent the pinnacle of affordable nutrition.

I try to buy pastured eggs from my local co-op or farmers at the markets because free range chickens produce eggs that are nutritionally superior to conventional eggs.  When I don’t have time to get to the markets or the co-op, I do sometimes buy organic supermarket eggs, but it’s important to say that organic supermarket eggs are not the same as eggs you would get from a local farm or your own backyard.  Read more...

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Popcorn is Cheap, Easy and Healthy

January 11th, 2014 | Posted by Alison Spath in Healthy Snack Attack - (9 Comments)

(You had me at cheap and easy.)

Popcorn is #20 on the list of 44 Healthy Foods Under $1.  Whenever I say “Does anybody want popcorn?”, applause and cheers erupt from my crowd of kids.  I usually take that as a yes, and I often join in with the applause and cheering too because it’s so easy to make.

We get to call popcorn healthy because it’s a source of fiber and polyphenols – a type of antioxidant that is linked to cancer prevention.  This article from Science Daily says high dietary intake of polyphenols are are associated with longevity.  (Yay!  Live long and eat popcorn!)  This article agrees but also says the benefits of popcorn are often oversold.  Read more...

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The Quinoa Bowl

January 9th, 2014 | Posted by Alison Spath in Dinner Time - (2 Comments)

I love this term “quinoa bowl”.  It just sounds so… cozy.  Like we should nestle right in and rest our heads on pillows of soft, fluffy quinoa and take a little nap.

Sweet potato spinach quinoa with cumin

Or just eat it.  That’s fine too.

Over the holidays I tried my hand at Sweet Potato Kale Quinoa Cakes to take to a New Years Eve dinner party, but they were sort of a flop.  They tasted great, but they didn’t hold together very well.  Still, even though the quinoa cakes were a fail, the ingredients were a win and I was left wanting to make it as a dinner side – more specifically, a “quinoa bowl” that I’ve seen around the interwebs and have been excited to steal try.  A quinoa bowl is comfort food with benefits – warm and carby, but some nutritional perks you don’t get with rice or pasta.  Read more...

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Eating Healthy on a Budget (A Series)

January 8th, 2014 | Posted by Alison Spath in Healthy Habits - (2 Comments)

I’ve recently been bitten by the Pinterest bug (I resisted for a long time!) and this pin about 44 Healthy Foods Under $1 from Greatist caught my attention.

Eating Healthy on a Budget

[image source: Greatist]

I can often find flaws in lists like these, but I have to admit – this one is a pretty good.  And I hear this question a lot too, “How can I eat healthy without spending a lot of money?”  Whether you’re a college student, feeding a family on one income or just don’t have a big grocery budget, there are definitely ways to eat well (taking both nutrition and taste into consideration) without breaking the bank.  Read more...

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Coconut Curry Chicken Stew

December 31st, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Dinner Time - (5 Comments)

I’m on a mission to eat more turmeric.

Turmeric Powder

I don’t think it’s news that turmeric is a health food – but it’s one of the supplements recommended by Dr. Perlmutter in Grain Brain, so I’ve recently been thinking more about this pungent spice.

Turmeric is one of the spices that make up curry powder (among cumin, coriander, ginger) and it’s got a list a mile long (literally – if you write really big and use a lot of paper) of alleged health benefits.  It said to support your immune system, it has anti-inflammatory properties and is often recommended to those who suffer from joint and arthritis pain.  It’s believed to have a positive effect on cholesterol and contains curcumin, an anti-oxidant that can protect us from damage by free radicals and can potentially slow the signs of aging.  Read more...

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Real Food Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

December 23rd, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Short or Sweet - (5 Comments)

This recipe is not healthy.  Not at all.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Slice

But ’tis the season to make your kids the sweet foods that they’re asking for, so I’m singing “Fa la la la la, LA LA LA LA!” with my fingers in my ears when it comes to sugar consumption right now.

OK, OK… <insert fake, dramatic eye roll here> I guess I can make Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie.  Twist my arm whydontcha.  Read more...

Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Snack Cookies

December 19th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Healthy Snack Attack - (Comments Off on Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Snack Cookies)

I’m calling these cookies “healthy” because a.) they aren’t loaded with sugar and b.) they contain squash.

(Well, pumpkin – but pumpkin is a squash last time I checked.  Consider this your homeschooling lesson of the day.)

They are sweetened only with banana and a little maple syrup, which makes them low enough in sugar that I feel I can throw the word “snack” into the title as well, while also keeping my conscience clear.

Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Maple Cookies

I whipped these together yesterday morning using this banana oatmeal cookie recipe as my starting point, subbing pumpkin for flour and using maple syrup instead of white sugar.  Read more...

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Turkey Sweet Potato Chili

December 3rd, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Dinner Time - (2 Comments)

Maybe you’re turkey-ed out, or maybe Thanksgiving insanity threw off any sort of meal plan you had going and you ended up eating turkey four days in a row due to poor planning/holiday recovery. The pumpkin pie made me do it.

I’ve been making turkey marinara with spaghetti squash like it’s going out of style.  It’s easy and it’s good, and for these reasons I’ve been throwing a pound of ground turkey and a spaghetti squash into my shopping cart each week knowing it’s a (relatively) fast, go-to meal we enjoy.  Read more...

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Coleslaw with Greek Yogurt Dressing

November 29th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Vegetable Lovin' - (1 Comments)

I’ve been on a coleslaw kick for quite a while now.  It’s just a great salad to have on hand for a fast vegetable side for lunch, dinner, snacks or what the heck, even breakfast.  It’s easy to make, the flavors deepen and improve on Days 2 and 3 (if it lasts until Day 3!) It’s easy to get hooked on coleslaw.  Maybe we should call it cabbage crack.  Read more...

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Recipe for a Clean House

November 27th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Motivation - (5 Comments)

I love to live in a neat and tidy house, but naturally-neat-and-tidy I am not.  Items collect on our dining room table, clothes gather on furniture, colored pencils and drawings scatter like plastic bags in a windstorm.  In a perfect world I would stay on top it of regularly – but the reality is that I get behind and end up needing to devote time to picking up and cleaning.

I feel like the Slobbiest McSlobberson to admit this, so I take comfort in messy house memes because it leads me believe I am not alone.

Messy House Prayer  Read more...

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