Do you find it hard to make healthy lunch choices? It can be hard to know how to pack healthy lunches, but with a little planning, you can eat healthy all week long! Here are some ideas for healthy lunches!

Do you enjoy delicious pasta with a creamy sauce? I do! I had been seeing recipes for noodles made with zucchini, sweet potatoes, carrots and more. I wondered what they were like, but didn't have a spiralizer. Thankfully, my sister came to the rescue! 

When I was growing up as a vegetarian, my mom used to buy a product called "Nuteena". It was a peanut butter based loaf that came in a can. Unfortunately, it seems that they no longer make it, but I missed it. I came up with this recipe and its pretty close to what my mom used to make.

I'm sure you've heard the buzz about fresh green juices. It seems everyone who's into health is drinking them! It can be a bit pricey to buy gree juices, but you can save a little money by making your own! The bonus is that you get a ton of nutrition and antioxidants in a serving of green juice. It is estimated that you get at least 5 servings of vegetables in a serving of juice! This is why I juice - my husband doesn't love to eat big salads like I do, and this is one way I can get lots of nutrition into him!

I checked my email and noticed that the theme for this last week's potluck was Healthy Food - trying to keep everyone's New Year's Resolutions going strong! Now, I always try to cook healthy foods, but I was still at a little bit of a loss as to what to make. (My husband was a huge advocate for PB&J sandwiches!) I finally landed on a recipe that I thought should fit the bill. (Original recipe here). Of course, I always modify my recipes to meet my specific dietary needs due to being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease (Low FODMAP diet plus vegan) and to meet my tastes! To make a long story short, I didn't bring any leftovers home and got lots of requests for my recipe. So, here it is, folks!

The thought of some delicious dark chocolate makes me smile! Throughout my life I can count on one hand the number of people I have met who don’t like chocolate. You may have read that dark chocolate has health benefits, but did you know its actually good for your digestion? It turns out the good bacteria, or probiotics, in your gut love cocoa as much as you do!

Do you like cauliflower? What’s your favorite way to make it? Numerous studies have shown that what you eat can have a big impact on your risk for cancer. Some of these studies have shown that cauliflower is especially beneficial for preventing certain types of cancer, such as breast, lung, stomach, colon and liver cancers.

We all know that eating fruits and veggies is good for our long-term health, but did you know it can actually help you feel happier in the here and now? A recent study out of Australia studied over 12,000 people and they can up with some pretty astounding findings! 

Lemons are an amazing little fruit. You may not think about them much because of their sour flavor, but they are packed with vitamin C! In fact, one raw lemon (minus its peel) contains over half of your daily dose of vitamin C! This is why it has been commonly used to treat scurvy, which may make you think of pirates! Aye, matey, them there lemons will cure what ails ya! OK. Enough of the pirate talk for now!

With all the buzz about quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) in the last decade, the odds are that you have tried it. Did you feel like it lived up to all the hype? This naturally gluten-free whole grain has a very mild, nutty flavor, so for flavorful quinoa you must add plenty of seasonings. Eating 3 servings of whole grains every day can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity.
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Quinoa is packed full of nutrients, so it is considered a superfood. Plus it is one of the least allergenic grains, so it’s great for those with wheat allergies.