Comfort Foods and Indulgences

Sometimes what I crave isn't the thing itself but the sauce that goes with it. Years ago when I was a vegetarian, I did very well without eating meat except for a recurring craving for hot dogs. I couldn't go to a Dodger's game or a county fair without being taunted by the sight of a hot dog stand.

Even now, writing this, my mouth waters at the thought. In time I realized it wasn't actually the hot dog that I missed, it was the mustard, relish, and chopped onions that had me questioning my commitment to vegetarianism.

I have to confess to a lack of enthusiasm for fish. Over the years I have found appetizing ways to prepare salmon, sand dabs, tuna, and sole, but fish isn't my "meat" of choice.

What a meal.  Busy life = slow-cooking meat = happy family. 

Again, I am embracing the slow-cooker.  It's saving me! However, have you ever been home all day while the slow-cooker is going?  Or worse asleep at night while it's cooking? I feel like I snack more while those amazing smells are wafting from the kitchen.  Then the kids come home from school and whine until dinner because they smell the food too.  And want it.  Oh well, a small price to pay for an awesome meal.

This pork, is melt in your mouth delicious.  And you can literally throw it together in 5 minutes and be on your merry way.  When you get home you will have a fabulous, slightly sweet and savory meal that goes QUITE well with mashed potatoes.  And there is so much juice to pour over the meat, leaving it moist and yummy. Ah, bliss.

We will be doing this one again and again this winter.

It’s Fall. The start of a new school year, being on a schedule, homework (grrrr), packing lunches, and the change of the season. I live in a house filled with boy energy. It’s loud, it’s rough, and my husband has dubbed it perfectly; a mini frat house.

My frat boys look forward to the fall season and all the sports that comes along with it.  Monday night football is no exception. One rule that I prefer to not break is that we sit down to dinner each night, as a family, and discuss our day.  It’s a great way to bring the family back together and can be quite calming and soothing.  As my kids get older and their activities grow and expand, gathering around the dinner table becomes a bit more challenging.

A healthy breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Plus it's an easy way to get a healthy dose of calcium for your bones.

Not a breakfast eater? Could you try eating breakfast for 3 weeks? Because that's how long it takes your brain to develop a habit, and this is one healthy habit.

Eating a healthy breakfast can help you:

Jump start your metabolism, so you burn more calories all day long.

Consume fewer calories throughout the day since you tend to be less hungry and make smarter eating choices.

Stabilize your blood sugar, which has been linked to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.

Concentrate and perform better at work (hey, maybe that whole wheat toast and scrambled eggs could help get you a raise).

Build endurance with physical activity, so your work-outs will be better.