Posts by Jen
Veggie Boost
We have been taking advantage of the warm weather at my house by doing more grilling recently. I often take advantage when we are going to be using the grill and make extra vegetables to grill along with whatever else we happen to be cooking. There is something about food that has been cooked on the grill that makes it taste so much better. Grilling vegetables brings out the sweetness in vegetables by helping break down the sugars. This past week I gave my husband a few red and yellow peppers as well as an eggplant that I had sliced and coated lightly with olive oil to grill along with the salmon we were planning to have for dinner. Throughout the week I’ll...
Read MoreSpoiled Herbs
I hate nothing worse than opening my refrigerator to a drawer full of rotten herbs. What a waste! I often wish I could just pick out the exact amount of herbs I wanted at the grocery store rather than buying them in a bunch because needless to say I never seem to finish the bunch and I am left with a bunch of expensive spoiled herbs. That is why I love keeping a herb garden during the summer. I have a variety of herbs to choose from at arm’s length all summer long. Even living in a small apartment in Cambridge I kept a small window gardening kit filled with herbs. One of the projects on my husband’s long list of projects to do this year is to...
Read MorePoblano-Jalapeno Chili
Chili is one of my favorite home cooked meals. When I saw this recipe on the cover of Cooking Light magazine this month I decided to try it. I thought it was delicious. One of the things I love about making chili is that it freezes well. I always make extra and freeze in single portions that can easily be reheated for a quick lunch or dinner on a busy day. For a little extra protein and calcium substitute plain non-fat greek yogurt for the sour cream. Chili is a good source of protein, iron, and fiber and ground sirloin is low in fat making this a heart-healthy meal. Check out the recipe here: ...
Read MoreThe Sleep Diet
In my previous blog I discussed Dr. Brian Wansink’s mindless eating solutions. Well, here is another mindless solution…sleep! I know it is easier said than done but getting a good night of sleep is very important, especially if you are struggling to lose weight. I know that when I don’t sleep well I often feel hungry and crave carbohydrate foods the following day. Here is an interesting article that discusses the subject (http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/lose-weight-while-sleeping). Another important issue that the article brings up is sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a disorder where breathing is briefly interrupted or becomes very shallow during...
Read MoreThe Mindless Solution
Do you eat mindlessly? Most Americans, including me, are guilty of this and it can contribute to overeating and weight gain. Dr. Brian Wansink, director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab (http://foodpsychology.cornell.edu/), has done a great deal of research on why we eat the things that we do. He wrote the book Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think We Do. I remember hearing about some of his research when I was in graduate school and it has really stuck with me. You can listen to him talk about some of his research on his website (http://www.mindlesseating.org/) where he aptly says, “The best diet is the diet you don’t know you are on.” He...
Read More