How to Tell If You Have Allergies. Allergies. Allergy . Health
Do you think that you may be suffering from allergies? If you do, you may looking for conformation. The good news is that there are a number of approaches that you can take to help you tell if you do have an allergy problem.
Perhaps, the easiest way to determine if [...]
Common Allergy Symptoms. Allergies. Allergy . Health
Do you suspect that you may be suffering from allergies? If you do, you may be looking for a confirmation. After all, some individuals believe that they do not need to seek medical attention if they are able to diagnosis themselves. This is true in some cases, as long as your allergy [...]
Allergy Air Purifiers: Do They Really Work? Health Problems and Allergy.
Do you suffer from allergies? If you do, you may always be on the lookout for ways to treat or manage your symptoms . Although there are a number of natural and affordable ways to treat allergies, some are interested in buying allergy air purifiers. Before many do so, they [...]
Healthy Recipe Thursday! Creamy Fennel & Leek Soup
As I was thinking about what to post for today’s healthy recipe, I ran across this wonderful idea from Pinch My Salt, a great cooking blog that I often grab recipes from to share with you and to delight my friends and family, too. This one appealed because I had all the ingredients in the frig already. As it’s cold here, a hot soup added to the appeal, too.
The soup is chock-full of vegetables that aren’t just good for us, they’re great for us. My days in Italy also made me a huge fan of fresh fennel. If you don’t know it yet, I hope this recipe inspires you.
If you’re in the cooking mood, check out other healthy recipes on our site.
Have a great New Year’s Eve!
Creamy Fennel and Leek Soup
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium fennel bulbs (stalks removed), chopped
3 medium leeks (white parts only), sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium head cauliflower, chopped
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock (or broth)
1-2 cups water
2 cups whole milk
kosher salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, or to taste
1. In a large saucepan, melt butter in olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onions, celery, leeks, and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes, or until vegetables are softened and just starting to take on a bit of color.
2. Add the chopped cauliflower, the quart of stock, and enough water so that the vegetables are just barely covered with liquid (I added about a cup of water). Turn up the heat, and bring the soup up to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Remove pot from heat, and puree soup in the pot with an immersion blender. Alternately, you could puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor (make sure to let it cool first!) and then return the soup to the pot.
4. Add the milk, and season to taste with salt and white pepper. Return to low heat and cook until the soup is warmed through, but don’t let it boil. Serve immediately.
Yield: 8 servings
Recipe notes: You can reserve and chop the fennel fronds and use them to garnish the bowls of soup. This is a very light soup as is, but you can make it even lighter by using milk with a lower fat percentage. I personally feel that the soup will taste best using whole milk, but feel free to make it according to your own preference. Alternately, if you want a creamier soup, you can substitute part or all of the milk with half and half or even heavy cream. I used chicken stock in my soup, but it can easily be made vegetarian by substituting vegetable stock.
Taking the Boredom/Choredom Out of Healthy Cooking
Today’s post comes from Green Mountain’s Robyn Priebe, RD.
I find that lately I’ve been getting pretty fired up (in a good way) about preparing food. I’m excited by the idea of trying a new recipe or thinking of creative ways to sneak in the healthy “stuff” so my husband doesn’t know there is pumpkin in his pancakes. I think part of the reason I enjoy cooking is that I try not to get stuck in a rut where I’m making the same food over and over and over again. I can see why people sometimes dread the process of beginning to cook again if we’ve fallen out of the habit and we remember it being a boring chore.
One way to keep it interesting is by challenging yourself to make one new recipe per week or month. I always find it’s helpful to focus on food groups that are often neglected, like vegetables or whole grains. It may also be helpful to pick a food you haven’t ever tried or something that you haven’t had in years. Not only does that encourage variety, but it helps keep our meals interesting.
Finally, I also like multi-tasking when preparing food. I find I really look forward to cooking if I pair the activity up with either good music or a podcast (my latest addiction). Recently I whipped up a bunch of food in just two hours and the time flew by since I was enjoying a pretty entertaining podcast.
What’s your take on cooking? Do you love it? Hate it? Any tips for making it more of a joy and less of a chore?
Tips for Parents of Children with Food Allergies. Allergies. Allergy . Health
Are you the parent of a child who suffers with food allergies? If you are, you may be looking for some helpful tips to cope with your child’s medical condition.
One of the first things that you will want to do is talk to your child about their food allergy. This is most [...]
Suffering from Allergies: Should You See a Medical Professional. Allergies. Allergy . Health
Do you suspect that you suffer from allegories? If you do, are your symptoms severe? If they are not, you may be wondering if you really need to seek medical help. Of course, there is no harm that can come from scheduling a visit with your doctor, but you still may not [...]
All Or Nothing – The Truth About Motivation
“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what? Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” ~ Mark Victor Hansen
We couldn’t have said it better.
Yet it’s hard to find motivation when you’re trudging down the same old road – especially when it comes to weight loss. A well-worn dieting path is rarely as interesting, sexy or exciting as it was the first go ‘round. There are no dips or turns that you don’t see coming because the ground feels so well-tread. Anyone can drink lemon water with cayenne pepper for 10 days straight — once. Right? But doing something as punitive as that again, when you have even more weight to lose, now that takes motivation! For many of us (and especially for the weight-struggling women I speak to), trying to lose weight is more often than not an all-or-nothing proposition. Just like so much of our behavior, once we’ve made up our mind, we rush into something with all the gusto we can muster. Because if we can’t attack it 100% – why even make the effort? And if we figure out that our master plan is failing us, even a little bit, are you kidding? Back to the drawing board!
When it comes to dieting, no wonder so many of us throw in the towel. With so many failures stored in our databanks, who can trust they actually possess the ability to achieve healthy weight loss success? Especially if we keep boarding the ‘all or nothing’ diet train to nowhere.
My advice to all of you all-or-nothing types out there is just this one simple thing — give yourself a break! Life is neither good nor bad, either right or wrong, and rushing toward a thinner you like a speeding train isn’t healthy. Stop dieting and start living (yes, we said it first), because taking just a few steps in the right direction (as Mr. Hansen suggests above) will get you where you need to go. We see it happening here every day.
Happy, healthy New Year!
Getting Back on Track after the Holidays
Time for a little self care
Now for the last question from the Mompreneurs Twitter party I was a guest expert on a couple weeks ago. Before Christmas. Time does fly….
Q5: If I do put on a few extra pounds over the holidays, what’s the best way to get back on track without feeling deprived?
- First realize that it’s normal to put on a few pounds. If you aren’t weighing yourself, however, u might not even know it.
- After the holidays, stock the house with what you really want to eat. If it continues to be treats, you may be caught up in deprivation.
- Plan regular, well-balanced meals and make them happen. If you feed yourself regularly, won’t be so tempted by what u don’t really want.
- Get regular physical activity. Doesn’t have to be extreme. Walking is a great way to take care of yourself physically.
- Manage stress. Weight worries are one of greatest stressors for many women. Start thinking about health instd. Focus on feeling great.
Were you able to get some self-care time in this holiday season? If not, now’s a great time to start!
How to Choose an Air Purifier for Allergy Relief. Allergies. Allergy . Health
Are you looking for relief from your allergy symptoms ? If you are, you may want to examine air purifiers. Air purifiers are a great way to seek relief from many of the most common allergy symptoms . In fact, some individuals see a complete elimination of [...]
