Much Ado About Yogurt (and an Orange Creamsicle Smoothie, Revisited)

January 16th, 2014 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast - (3 Comments)

Yogurt is on the list of affordable healthy foods, but I have a good feeling that you’re not sitting there thinking “Oh Alison, please tell us more about this curious food item that I’ve never heard of before!”

Yes, yogurt is good for us – this is not news.  But it’s also worth saying that not all yogurt is created equal.  There are plenty of yogurt items in the dairy section that are not what I would call “healthy” by any stretch of the word.  I recommend taking a close look at the label if you’re eating yogurt for the health benefits and put back anything that has an especially long list of ingredients or additives like coloring or flavors.  Read more...

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Orange Juice in Salad Dressing

January 14th, 2014 | Posted by Alison Spath in Lunch - (8 Comments)

Oranges show up on the list of 44 affordable healthy food under $1 and I have to agree.  When it comes to saving money on produce, the best (and sort of obvious) tip I have is to buy what’s in season.  Oranges are showing up front and center in the produce section right now, coming in by the truck load from California and Florida (as there are no oranges trees in upstate NY, also sort of obvious).  Read more...

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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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