Search Results for: blog is there such a thing as a healthy hamburger

No Such Thing as a Free Lunch

It’s been a year of firsts for my first grader: First time attending all-day school, first time riding a school bus and the first time eating lunch in the cafeteria. Granted, I pack her lunch the majority of the time, but there have been days when she’s opted for the school’s hot lunch. So far she has only done so on the days that feature pepperoni pizza or chicken nuggets, but, hey, it’s a start, and given that it frees me from wracking my brain at 11 at night trying to figure out what to pack in her lunch bag, … Continue reading →

Tricking Kids Into Eating Healthy

Often adults don’t give kids credit for being the intelligent little munchkins that they are. Then, out comes a study that makes you go hmmm… or DUH!… depending on how well you know kids. A few years ago researchers at the Sesame Workshop gathered a group of preschoolers to see if their taste buds could be manipulated by a bunch of sneaky grown ups. As part of the study the kids were first asked to choose between a mouthwatering chocolate bar or some pretty broccoli fresh from the garden. The results: 78% of the kids chose the candy bar while … Continue reading →

Letting Things Slide

Having to deal with an extremely combative 5-year-old, you learn to pick your battles very carefully. Prior to having kids I envisioned myself being an extremely strict parent. More “Do as I say” than “Okay, let’s negotiate.” However, these days, I find myself letting things slide more than I ever thought I would. Don’t get me wrong; I am very much a stickler when it comes to important issues, such as hygiene (there’s no negotiating out of daily teeth brushing), manners (“please” and “thank you” are required, not merely suggested), proper behavior (talking back and hitting are never tolerated), and … Continue reading →

Holiday Weekend Cookout: Hawaiian Hamburgers and Bacon in the Middle Burgers

For many families the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend marks the last major BBQ of the summer season. If this is the case for your clan consider hosting more than just a traditional weenie roast. The following recipes are easy to prepare but pack a real punch in the flavor department. They are both kicked up versions of the traditional hamburger, but instead of the standard meat, bun, ketchup and mustard these patties are loaded with the taste of the Hawaiian Islands and bacon and Colby-Jack cheese respectively. Take a look: MINI HAWAIIAN BURGERS Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef chuck … Continue reading →

Spicing Up the Holidays with Healthy Spices

My daughter and I spent the better part of last week in the kitchen trying to get our holiday baking done. We’ve got a few more batches of cookies to go before I can collapse under the Christmas tree and start enjoying the fruits of our labor. It’s been hectic, but there’s nothing better than having your home smell like the inside of a spice factory. The mouth-watering aroma of warm spices got me thinking about the nutritional value of some of the ingredients we’ve been adding to our recipes—-namely the spices. Obviously spices make a dish taste good, but … Continue reading →

Making Healthy Choices at the Thanksgiving Dinner Table

For many people who watch what they eat on a daily basis Thanksgiving is the one day of the year that they throw caution to the wind and devour whatever their stomachs desire. Not my sister-in-law. In fact, she won’t eat a bite of turkey (or ham) today. Rather, she’ll fill her plate with samples of all of the fabulous side dishes that surround the sliced up bird. It’s not because she’s a vegetarian; rather she believes that she’s doing her body good by skipping the meat dishes and eating the lower calorie menu options. (To each her own I … Continue reading →

Is Pasta Really Healthy?

This Sunday more than 35,000 runners will take to the streets of the Big Apple for the 2007 New York City Marathon. Prior to making their way along the 26.2-mile route runners have the opportunity to participate in the traditional night-before pasta dinner. Carb loading before a big race is part of the training process. At least it was for me. I pigged out on pasta before I ran the Chicago Marathon. I gorged on ziti at the Olive Garden before I ran the Madison Marathon and I had two plates of spaghetti plus four pieces of garlic bread the … Continue reading →

Eating Healthy At The State Fair—It Can Be Done

I know what you are thinking… Is it possible to eat healthy at a place where just about everything is deep-fried and impaled with a stick? Moreover, does anyone try to eat healthy at a local fair? I know I don’t. But then there are people like my friend (and running partner) Kim who do. Recently I detailed my adventures at our local fair and listed all of the tantalizing on-a-stick-creations my daughter and I gorged on during our time there. Kim attended the same State Fair with her kids and she left without ever wrapping her lips around a … Continue reading →

What Do You Mean Pop-Tarts Are NOT Healthy?

Okay, I’m not completely nutritional challenged. I know that the popular toaster pastry isn’t exactly packed with vitamins and nutrients. However, I didn’t realize that you are better off skipping breakfast altogether than downing one as you dash out the door. It was news to me. A nutritional update I got directly from someone who knows a thing or two about the health benefits of food. Last week I drove to the TV station I used to work for to drop off a birthday present for a friend/former colleague. (I was out of town and missed her party.) As I … Continue reading →

Eating Your Way To Healthy Skin

Last week I was watching some morning show that was promoting Catherine Zeta-Jones’ new movie “No Reservations.” In it she plays a high-powered chef in a busy Manhattan restaurant. Only in real life, Zeta-Jones told the interviewer that she rarely cooks for her family. Interesting (though not surprising, after all, how many millionaires do you know that don’t have a private chef), but that wasn’t the part of the interview that threw me. When Zeta-Jones’ was asked how she maintains such a flawless complexion given her work schedule (apparently many of the restaurant scenes were shot after midnight) she answered: … Continue reading →