Simple SavingsBlog's for July, 2019http://www.DrLaura.comDr. Laura2024-03-19T04:57:09Z2024-03-19T04:57:09ZDr. Laura10-Second Recipes: Make a Delicious Date with a Palm TreeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Make-a-Delicious-Date-with-a-Palm-Tree/-247739503728050639.html2019-07-08T17:10:00Z2019-07-08T17:10:00Z<p><em><br /><strong>By Lisa Messinger<br /></strong></em><a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
You are lucky if you make a date with a palm tree this summer, especially if it is a breakfast, lunch or dinner date. Often thought of as a lush way to shade yourself in a tropical locale, or possibly a lovely part of your own landscape it you live in a warm climate, everyone, fortunately, can draw comfort from parts of palms for delicious meals from appetizers to desserts.<span> <br /><br /></span>Just ask the experts at the award-winning and gorgeous Sherman Library & Gardens in the tony beach town of Corona del Mar, Calif. They had a gourmet dinner and expert talk in the garden centered around the history, function and foods of the palm. Their menu is an inspiration to anyone who had never thought before of entertaining with a theme spotlighting the gifts of palms, like hearts of palm, coconuts and dates.<span> <br /><br /></span>If you are used to just seeing these tasty treats in their final forms in a supermarket, you might not immediately draw the primal connections, like that hearts of palm are the edible buds of a palm tree and dates come from clusters in tall palm trees.<span> <br /><br /></span>Palms are one of the signature collections of the Sherman Library & Gardens, where they have more than 190 species in their 2-acre space. The menu, created by Pascal Olhats, executive chef at the on-site Cafe Jardin, could serve as a springboard to your own special dishes at home.<span> <br /><br /></span><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for preparing homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! </em> <br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. </em> <br />
<ul>
<li>Appetizers alone like these are a bounty: fried heart of palm with ginger aioli; salami rolls with pickled pacaya palm; and stuffed dates with Roquefort cheese.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Dinner: mushroom and date ceviche with taro chips; fresh coconut soup; curry lemongrass steamed shrimp and chicken; and seared ahi tuna with heart of palm Provencal. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Dessert: Merveilleux cake with dates and coconut. </li>
</ul>
<br />When these ingredients are strolled by separately in varying supermarket aisles, such as dried dates, shredded coconut or coconut milk and jars or cans of hearts of palm, it certainly doesn't bring worlds of possibility together, a la a master chef's creative combinations like these. <br /><br />If Olhats' aforementioned ideas for lunch or dinner spark an even further appetite, like they did in me, breakfast shouldn't be forgotten. Following are a few easy flavor enhancers I've enjoyed. All ingredients are to taste: <br />
<ul>
<li>Swell Smoothie: In a strong blender container, add coconut milk, stevia, banana and pineapple chunks, macadamia nuts, small pieces of white chocolate and ice. Blend until smooth. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Awesome Oatmeal: To cooked oatmeal with coconut milk, stir in stevia, chopped dates and pieces of fresh or dried mango. Reheat until hot. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Heartfelt Hearts of Palm: Serve banana pancakes with a side of grilled hearts of palm that you've first marinated in a mixture of maple syrup and freshly ground black pepper. After grilling, top hearts with finely diced red bell pepper and drizzle with more of the maple syrup mixture.<span> </span> </li>
</ul>
<br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP: </em></strong>Have you already been responsible for more birthday cakes this year than you would care to count? If so, a reminder to try Jamie Sherman's innovative and happiness-inspiring cookbook might be in order. If you want to add variety and fun to your repertoire, Sherman's <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Poke-Cake-Cookbook-Delicious-Combinations/dp/162414439X" target="_blank">The Poke Cake Cookbook: 75 Delicious Cake and Filling Combinations</a></em> should top your wish list. The pretty and tasty results are bigger than the time commitment. By poking holes in cakes and adding an additional flavor, every cut slice shows off the added color treat. Many of the cakes start from mixes. Easy additional ingredients are then used to fill the poked indentations, like store-bought instant vanilla pudding that sets in the holes made by the end of a wooden spoon in a Boston Cream Pie Poke Cake as it chills in the refrigerator. <span> </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> at <a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Creators Syndicate</a> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a></em> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Your-Supermarket-Health-Store/dp/0886876206" target="_blank">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</a></em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br /><br />Staff2019-07-08T17:10:00Z10-Second Recipes: Seasonal Fruits Make Succulent Serving SetsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Seasonal-Fruits-Make-Succulent-Serving-Sets/-878053134384624147.html2019-06-10T17:44:00Z2019-06-10T17:44:00Z<p><em><br /><strong>By Lisa Messinger<br /></strong></em><a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
I saw a warm-weather serving dish set online that I loved. The perfect pastels complemented each other, came in various sizes and were perfect for presenting a multitude of treats. The biggest delights were the edible bowls themselves.<span> <br /><br /></span>The idea came to me not from a kitchenware site, but from a supermarket advertisement promoting a seasonal produce sale. I've seen carved single watermelons, and occasionally melons, used before as decorative baskets for fruit salads, but the photo lineup of the scooped-out halves of personal seedless watermelons, honeydews and cantaloupes of various sizes was even more inspiring.<span> <br /><br /></span>The muted pinks, greens and oranges of these unadorned fruits next to each other was so pretty and appealing, it tempted me to fill them with more than just fruit salad for dynamic centerpieces to a warm-weather buffet table.<span> <br /><br /></span>Following are a few ideas. All ingredients are to taste. Use a variety of sizes of melons for effect. Cut in half any melons you are using, scoop out flesh and seeds, leaving a colorful approximate one-inch border of the fruit between the rind and the inside of your "<em>bowl</em>."<br /><br /><span> </span><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for preparing homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! </em><br /><br /><em> Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</em> <br /> <br />
<ul>
<li><strong>HAM 'N' CHEESE 'N" MORE</strong><span> </span><br />Spread thin slices of ham with spicy mustard and top with a thin mixture of finely diced sweet gherkins and green olives. Alternate rolling slices of sharp cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese around the ham slices. Decoratively stand up rollups within melon basket.</li>
<br />
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>THIS SALSA IS A STAR</strong><span> </span><br />In your favorite fruit salsa recipe that contains peppers, tomatoes and fruit substitute diced honeydew and cantaloupe for the fruit. Serve in a small melon bowl with crumbled feta cheese on top. Use store-bought or homemade herb crackers and spears of peeled jicama and unpeeled cucumber for serving.<span> </span> </li>
<br />
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>FRUIT FOR THOUGHT</strong><span> </span><br />Marinate chunks of melon (use a melon baller if possible) in passionfruit iced tea. Drain, shake in a large plastic bag with red pepper flakes, freshly ground black pepper and tarragon. Fill melon bowl with the fruit and decoratively drizzle with lemon or berry nonfat Greek yogurt.<span> <br /></span></li>
<br />
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>BROWNIE BITES WORTH A BIGGER BITE</strong><span> </span><br />Layer bottom and sides of melon bowl with store-bought or homemade brownie bites and crumbled chocolate chip cookies. Top with a mixture of melons, blueberries, sliced strawberries and chopped peanuts. Drizzle with chocolate sauce, whipped cream and sprinkles.<span> <br /><br /></span></li>
</ul>
<em><strong>QUICK TIP:</strong></em> Lindsay Maitland Hunt, author of <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Healthyish-Seriously-Satisfying-Good-You/dp/1419726560/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=healthish&qid=1560208877&s=gateway&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Healthyish</a></em>, has determined that satisfying home cooking should be good for you, but "<em>not too good for you</em>," as her subtitle advises. This makes watching your own navel for weight fluctuations much more fun and tasty - and, as Hunt writes, easier to stick to. The recipe developer shows off her well-developed chops with innovative, simple flavor combinations, such as Banana-Avocado-Chai Shake; Red Lentil Soup with Cilantro-Lime Yogurt; and Pistachio Apple Slice Cookies.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> at <a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Creators Syndicate</a> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a></em> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Your-Supermarket-Health-Store/dp/0886876206" target="_blank">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</a></em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br /><br />Staff2019-06-10T17:44:00Z10-Second Recipes: Avocados May Earn an 'A' for Weight LossStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Avocados-May-Earn-an-A-for-Weight-Loss/-447809651053252850.html2019-05-12T22:44:00Z2019-05-12T22:44:00Z<p><em><br /><strong>By Lisa Messinger<br /></strong></em><a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
It's not often you can whip up a homemade version of a medical study and, in this case, deliciously follow the basics of it as participants do. In fact, when food is being scrutinized by researchers, sometimes the cupboards are bare and supplements take their place, or nothing at all in the forms of placebos. Results may not be known for long periods of time after numbers are crunched.<span> <br /><br /></span>If you like avocados, though, you could do a mini review yourself. For a study funded by the Hass Avocado Board, researchers at Loma Linda University, Penn State, Tufts University and UCLA were looking for 250 people each to eat either an avocado a day or two a month for six months. Researchers wanted to test if the guacamole ingredient promoted reduction in belly fat and weight loss.<span> <br /><br /></span>Avocados already have been shown to have heart healthy fat that may lower cholesterol. In addition, a study published in the <em><a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/" target="_blank">Journal of the American Heart Association</a></em> found that replacing saturated fats with one avocado a day lowered blood pressure.<span> <br /><br /></span>It's tempting since, once cut in half, the pear-shaped stone fruit is tasty, creamy and easy to work with by scooping its smooth moist flesh from its shell. Beyond guacamole, avocado toast and smoothies also have become staples on many menus. <span> <br /><br /></span>Following are some fun ideas if you want to increase your avocado-based meals at home and check your own weight loss or waistline reduction. All ingredients below are to taste. In addition, during your test, consider replacing saturated fat whenever you can with a few slices of avocado flesh. Those participating in the actual study had to be 25 years old or older, measure at least 35 to 40 inches around the waist and couldn't be pregnant, breastfeeding or planning pregnancy.<span> <br /><br /></span><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for preparing homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! </em><br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. </em> <br /><br />
<ul>
<li><strong>GIVE GUACAMOLE A LIFT</strong><br />Replace lemon or lime juice in your favorite guacamole recipe with fresh tangerine juice and, when mashing, add in finely diced spinach, pressed garlic and chopped roasted heirloom tomatoes.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>HUMMUS THAT'S NOT HO-HUM</strong><br />Stir store-bought or homemade guacamole into store-bought or homemade hummus along with minced roasted red bell peppers and diced pitted black olives.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>A TOAST TO AWESOME AVOCADO TOAST</strong><br />Top whole-grain toast with slices of avocado flesh, orange marmalade, dash of cayenne pepper, minced cilantro and gently mash atop the toast.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>SMOOTH AS SILK</strong><br />In the container of a blender strong enough to chop ice, combine spinach, bite-sized chunks of carrots, peeled orange slices, chopped pitted apple, dark chocolate pieces, slices of avocado flesh and ice and blend to desired thickness.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>BETTER BAKING</strong><br />Replace one-quarter of fat in homemade muffin, cake, brownie and cookie recipes with well-mashed avocado flesh. In addition, blend a small amount of well-mashed avocado flesh into frosting for baked goods. </li>
<br />
</ul>
<em><strong>QUICK TIP: </strong></em>Inspiration for adding avocados to the diet sets in the moment one looks at the cover of Lara Ferroni's <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Avocado-Day-Enjoying-Delicious-Superfood/dp/1632170817" target="_blank">An Avocado a Day: More than 70 Recipes for Enjoying Nature's Favorite Superfood</a></em>. The photographer/cook shows the holes left by the pits of halved avocados filled with seafood salad, fruit salad and dip. What an easy idea for entertaining and getting more of the superfood in your diet, if with each bite of filling you get a bit of the fruit's smooth flesh as well. Such easy experimentation shows how well the mild, creamy avocado goes with other flavors. Ferroni's even more sophisticated innovations include: Spinach-Avocado Phyllo Rolls, Tropical Avocado Oatmeal, Avocado Chutney and Avocado Brulee. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> at <a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Creators Syndicate</a> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a></em> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Your-Supermarket-Health-Store/dp/0886876206" target="_blank">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</a></em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2019-05-12T22:44:00Z10-Second Recipes: Make Spring Sing, Get Creative with Iced TeaStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Make-Spring-Sing,-Get-Creative-with-Iced-Tea/-981364154971703013.html2019-04-29T17:44:00Z2019-04-29T17:44:00Z<p><em><br /><strong>By Lisa Messinger<br /></strong></em><a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br /></a><span style="color: #000000;">If warmer spring weather is tempting you to reach for an iced tea, you will be one of many sipping a cold one. What if instead, though, you nibbled on your iced tea? When you make it an ingredient in your meals rather than just an accompaniment, you'll find yourself drenched in new ideas.<span> <br /><br /></span>As with all meal preparation, quality is job number one. That's why, whether your iced tea is homemade or store-bought, you'll want to pay attention to how it's brewed. After serving in World War II and opening an Alabama restaurant with his wife Bea, Milo Carlton noticed that many customers were returning specifically to buy their fresh-brewed iced sweet tea. Although now available nationally in major chains, the award-winning <a href="https://drinkmilos.com/" target="_blank">Milo's Famous teas</a> are still family owned and purposely brewed the same way with the original ingredients.<span> <br /><br /></span>When taking care like that in brewing, in addition to exceptional tea flavor, other ingredients also shine through, like the lemon in their Famous Sweet Tea with Lemonade or an organic green tea citrus version, and it's then a terrific base for cooking or baking. The Carlton family has long been using iced tea for meal preparation and features recipes on their website for chicken wings, cornbread, sweet tea-glazed scones and peach tea ice cream.<span> <br /><br /></span>For a milder taste, tea can be used as is or as a base for bolder flavors, like an 8-hour chicken wing marinade (covered and refrigerated) made with sweet tea and garlic that then gets joined by more garlic, cayenne pepper, chili pepper and lemon pepper sprinkled on the wings before cooking.<span> <br /><br /></span>Checking out the featured iced teas at your favorite teahouses is another way to expand your palate and pick up on new flavors and then also use in your home cooking. <a href="https://www.coffeebean.com/" target="_blank">The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf</a> chain has sourced internationally since 1963. <br /><br />Recently, their featured herbal iced teas were the dramatically diverse and flavorful African Sunrise (a hand-harvested honeybush infused with vanilla) and Swedish Berries (hibiscus, raisins and an assortment of berries in the style of Swedish infusions). Besides enjoying on site, spicing up your spring cooking in unique ways is as easy as brewing such teas at home and marinating your meats for grilling in them or mixing them into a store-bought or homemade vinaigrette for a memorable spring mixed greens salad or fruit salad dressing. <br /><br />If you are thirsty for more ideas, try the ones that follow. All ingredients are to taste. <br /> <br /><em>Ideas like this also prove food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! </em><br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests</em>. <br /><br /> </span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>OH, THIS OATMEAL IS GOOD</strong><br />Use fruity teas (like peach, mango or berry) as half of the liquid called for in cooking oatmeal. When oatmeal is cooked, before serving, gently stir in slices of fresh fruit that match the tea you used. </span></li>
<br />
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>FRUIT FUELED BY THE GRILL</strong><br />Marinate cut seasonal fruit (covered and refrigerated) in minty green iced tea for a few hours, drain and grill. Serve topped with dashes of fresh chopped mint and flaked coconut. </li>
<br />
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>TONED-UP TUNA </strong><br />Flake drained canned or packaged albacore tuna, add a dash of freshly ground black pepper and gently mix with low-fat mayonnaise into which you've stirred a small amount of an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Palmer_(drink)" target="_blank">Arnold Palmer</a> (homemade or store-bought mixture of iced sweet tea and lemonade). Mix tuna into cooked and cooled linguine for a cold pasta salad or serve as a mound atop spring mixed greens. In either case, top with chopped dill. </span></li>
</ul>
<br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP:</strong></em> Beans are nutritional super foods and, if you think you've tried every variety, Steve Sando might deliciously win a bet with you that you haven't. He's an heirloom bean expert and wrote <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Heirloom-Beans-Recipes-Spreads-Salads/dp/0811860698/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Heirloom+Beans&qid=1556577779&s=gateway&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Heirloom Beans</a></em> with Vanessa Barrington. Here you'll discover the nuances of flavor and texture between selections like Scarlett runners, eye of the tiger and cranberry and how such beans subtly or boldly affect filling dishes for every season, such as dips, spreads, soups and salads. Sando is the founder of acclaimed specialty food company <a href="https://www.ranchogordo.com/" target="_blank">Rancho Gordo</a> and Barrington is a recipe developer and writer. I recently discovered this classic cookbook that has expanded countless recipe repertoires from basic beans to much broader bounties.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> at <a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Creators Syndicate</a> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a></em> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Your-Supermarket-Health-Store/dp/0886876206" target="_blank">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</a></em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2019-04-29T17:44:00Z10-Second Recipes: Muffin Tins Minus the MuffinsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Muffin-Tins-Minus-the-Muffins/-257422545818912782.html2019-03-27T19:32:00Z2019-03-27T19:32:00Z<p><em><br /><strong>By Lisa Messinger<br /></strong></em><a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br /></a><span style="color: #000000;">If you have been laying low on muffin making lately, home decor experts have lots of suggestions for those empty tins as dividers of goodies. Keep your jewelry separated, like rings, pins, and earrings, or your office supplies, like paper clips and thumbtacks, or your mending items, like spools of threads and buttons. <span> <br /><br /></span>However, maybe it's just your muffin recipes that need mending. Lately, I've reclaimed my tins, but my baking has been minus the muffins. Just like as a holder for buttons or earrings, muffin tins can provide delicious alternatives to muffins, saving time in the process as a perfect shaper of multiple single-servings.<span> <br /><br /></span>To spur your imagination, the following are a few of my favorites. Ingredients, unless specified, are to taste. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Always grease muffin tins well</span>.<span> <br /><br /></span><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for preparing homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! </em><br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</em> <br /><br /><br /><strong>EXCELLENT EGGS</strong><span> <br /></span>Whisk eggs with turmeric, cardamom, freshly ground black pepper and salt; set aside. Finely mince at least two vegetables of choice, such as mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers, spinach or broccoli. Fill bottom eighth of greased muffin tins with vegetable mixture. Fill muffin cups to two-thirds full with egg mixture and generously top with grated sharp cheddar cheese. Bake in preheated 375 F oven for 12-15 minutes, until eggs are fully cooked.<span> <br /><br /></span><strong>CHICKEN SALAD BY THE CUP</strong><span> <br /></span>In addition to muffin tin cups being greased, press in wonton wrappers (along the bottom and up sides of tins) and spray the wrappers lightly with nonstick canola oil cooking spray. Bake in preheated 350 F oven for 3-5 minutes, until crisp and browned, but careful not to burn. Let cool. Fill with mixture of chopped cooked chicken breast, finely chopped celery, mandarin orange chunks, minced scallions, chopped cashews, and balsamic vinaigrette.<span> <br /><br /></span><strong>WARM PB&J</strong><span> <br /></span>Cut crust from toasted cinnamon-raisin whole-wheat bread and press one-half slice each into greased muffin tins. Place a dollop of crunchy peanut butter and all-fruit strawberry spread into each and repeat toasted bread and peanut butter and fruit spread layering twice. Sprinkle flaked coconut on top. Place in preheated 350 F oven 3 minutes or until warm.<span> <br /><br /></span><strong>FONDUE-STYLE FUN</strong><span> <br /></span>Press crumbled whole-grain crackers in greased muffin tins. Add a mixture of grated cheeses, bought for convenience in pre-shredded mixed packs or hand grated. Top with chopped green and black olives. Place in 375 F preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted. Let muffin tins cool enough to touch. Serve from muffin tins as a warm dip for raw vegetables.<br /><br /><span><br /></span><em><strong>QUICK TIP</strong></em> <br />Shelly Westerhausen and Wyatt Worcel are excellent at brainstorming. They've come up with platter after platter that can make you look good with barely any effort. <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Platters-Boards-Beautiful-Spreads-Occasion/dp/1452164150" target="_blank">Platters and Boards: Beautiful, Casual Spreads</a></em> for Every Occasion ensures that quick arranging is your expertise, rather than lengthy cooking times. This can be as intimate as a "<em>breakfast-in-bed</em>" board for your sweetheart or as public as a dinner party for eight eagerly grabbed by each guest from an elegant platter. Other occasions might call for a taste test, like various pickles or creatively filled deviled eggs. Visualizing your final results is no problem thanks to the colorful, mouthwatering photography. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> at <a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Creators Syndicate</a> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a></em> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Your-Supermarket-Health-Store/dp/0886876206" target="_blank">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</a></em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2019-03-27T19:32:00Z10-Second Recipes: You Have School Lunches Covered - But What About You?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-You-Have-School-Lunches-Covered---But-What-About-You/-634475958745112586.html2019-02-15T18:32:00Z2019-02-15T18:32:00Z<p><em><br /><strong>By Lisa Messinger<br /></strong></em><a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br /></a>Both you and your kidlets are well into the school year. As the months fly by, many parents become scholars on the subject of lunch. That often means studying school lunch menus to make sure their kids are being served wholesome hot lunches. <br /><br />What about you? Does your own busy schedule at home or work mean you think homemade hot lunches as part of your own day are out of the question? Television commercials for a recipe kit delivery service touted the addition of 5-minute lunches that are creations using some ingredients from dinner the night before. <br /><br />More than just reheated leftovers, these can be fresh ideas with a lunch vibe. That philosophy inspired my imagination and my lunch breaks have been happy hours much more often since then. Following are some of my ideas. All ingredients are to taste. <br /><br /><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for preparing homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! </em> <br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</em><br /> <br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>SPICE UP SOME SOUP</strong></li>
From a dinner of roasted chicken and vegetables, heat leftover cooked chicken and vegetables in store-bought low-sodium chicken broth, add canned enchilada sauce, diced green bell pepper and, when fully heated, top with shredded cheddar cheese and tortilla chip strips. Stir well before serving.
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>CATCH THIS CASSEROLE</strong></li>
From a dinner of macaroni and cheese, fold into leftover cooked macaroni and cheese diced cooked ham or shredded ham lunchmeat, chopped canned pineapple with some of its juices, cilantro and diced black pitted olives and heat in loosely covered microwave-safe dish until fully heated. Stir well before serving.
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>HEROIC SANDWICH </strong></li>
From a dinner of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, on a half of an Italian or French baguette roll, spread a mixture of cooked leftover stuffing, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce and lightly top with gravy, then turkey and the other half of the roll. Very lightly glaze top of roll with a mixture of cranberry sauce and orange marmalade or orange juice and heat sandwich until turkey and potato mixture are fully heated, making sure glazed top of sandwich does not burn, or topping with aluminum foil if necessary.
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>RED-HOT MEATLOAF CHILI </strong></li>
From a dinner of meatloaf, crumble leftover meatloaf into a saucepan, add canned baked beans, canned tomatoes with their juices, diced onions and a dash of red pepper flakes and, when fully heated, top with shredded Swiss cheese.
</ul>
<br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP:</strong></em> Maybe your savvy adult lunch could even get its kickstart at the breakfast table. That's just one of the innovative ideas of J.M. Hirsch, national food editor at Associated Press, in his Rachael Ray Books-published <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beating-Lunch-Box-Blues-Lunches/dp/1476726728" target="_blank">Beating the Lunch Box Blues: Fresh Ideas for Lunches on the Go</a></em>. Hirsch advises not only gussying up dinner leftovers for lunch but stealing from the first meal of the day as well. Why not make an easy to warm up rolled-up "<em>sandwich</em>" starting with homemade pancakes from breakfasts? Fresh ideas like that have always made this one of my favorite quick lunch cookbooks. Hirsch gives ideas for both parents and kids, and with recipes like peanut butter-chocolate hazelnut pancakes, there is some tasty crossover as well.<strong><br /><br /><br /><br />Lisa Messinger</strong> at <a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Creators Syndicate</a> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a></em> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Your-Supermarket-Health-Store/dp/0886876206" target="_blank">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</a></em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br /><br />
<p> </p>Staff2019-02-15T18:32:00Z10-Second Recipes: Miniaturize Valentine's Day for Maximum ResultsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Miniaturize-Valentines-Day-for-Maximum-Results/275329736605537272.html2019-02-05T18:32:00Z2019-02-05T18:32:00Z<p><em><br /><strong>By Lisa Messinger<br /></strong></em><a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a><br />Valentine's Day may not seem like the most likely time to put a healthier dessert strategy in play for you, your special someone or your kidlets, but it's the perfect time for a delicious bite in the right direction. If you're looking for a clever way to reduce dessert portions, a bite can go a long way. <br /><br />This Valentine's Day, whether you prepare your own treats from your favorite recipes or zip into a supermarket bakery, treats like brownie bites, mini cupcakes or muffins and tiny cookies are big on flavor and lighter on calories, carbohydrates and fat.<span> <br /><br /></span>Even more satisfying and innovative, though, is to stretch the treats by including them as highlights within an even more satiating health-conscious dessert.<span> <br /><br /></span>Let some of the following loving ideas rev up your imagination.<span> <br /><br /></span><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for preparing homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! </em><br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. </em> </p>
<ul>
<br />
<li><strong>FUN FLOATS</strong><br />Along with a dollop of whipped cream, float a frosted, decorated mini cupcake atop diet black cherry soda, diet root beer, a bar of dark chocolate or strawberry high-protein shake. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>PB&J MUFFIN SANDWICHES</strong><br />Slice a mini muffin and spread with natural peanut butter or almond butter and fruit-only strawberry spread (available in the jam aisles of supermarkets). After closing like a sandwich, lightly dust with ground cinnamon and unsweetened cocoa powder and an additional decorative dot of the strawberry spread. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>ANYTHING-BUT-KOOKY COOKIES</strong><br />Use a small handful of mini cookies as dippers in raspberry-flavored low-fat or fat-free Greek yogurt (higher in protein and lower in sugar than traditional yogurts). Also, dip mini organic or regular carrots and slices of Fuji apples (sweeter-tasting than many apples). </li>
<br />
<li><strong>SUNDAE ON VALENTINE'S DAY</strong><br />Create a sundae by topping strawberry Greek (or regular) frozen yogurt with a sliced frosted, decorated mini cupcake, sliced fresh strawberries, a few chopped walnuts, and sugar-free chocolate syrup. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>CORNY BUT TRUE</strong><br />Slice a mini corn muffin and gently mix with plain popcorn and a few chopped peanuts. Drizzle with sugar-free maple syrup.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>OATMEAL COOKIES WITH A TWIST</strong><br />Break a small handful or chocolate or chocolate chip mini cookies in half and gently mix with oat cereal (like Cheerios) before adding low-fat milk or unsweetened soymilk or almond milk, or using the cookie halves as a topping for warm oatmeal that has been prepared with one of these types of milk. </li>
</ul>
<p><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP:</strong></em> Recently, juice stores and juice cleanses were so widespread that it might not have been that surprising to hear that one had popped up on the moon. However, <a href="https://moonjuice.com/" target="_blank">Moon Juice</a> isn't there. It's a current small, upscale Southern California chain that seems to have distilled all that was best from the juice craze. They also further distilled it into a major publication: <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Moon-Juice-Cookbook-Cosmically-Consciousness/dp/0804188203" target="_blank">The Moon Juice Cookbook: Cook Cosmically for Body, Beauty, and Consciousness</a></em>. Mostly raw ingredients and herbs are employed by Moon Juice founder/former fine dining restaurant chef Amanda Chantal Bacon into primarily raw or lightly cooked finished snacks, treats, and beverages. More than a decade ago, Bacon's doctors' tests seemed to show that she helped tame a lifelong thyroid condition with her dietary changes. She expanded and more than 75 tempters like beet juice and seed crackers, cumin and chard crisps and savory tarts with cheese and tomato filling are a few of the unique and tasty "<em>functional food</em>" results. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> at <a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Creators Syndicate</a> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a></em> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Your-Supermarket-Health-Store/dp/0886876206" target="_blank">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</a></em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br /><br /></p>Staff2019-02-05T18:32:00Z10-Second Recipes: Drinking Straws That Stand OutStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Drinking-Straws-That-Stand-Out/944389529785211231.html2019-01-10T19:32:00Z2019-01-10T19:32:00Z<p><em><br /><strong>By Lisa Messinger<br /></strong></em><a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br /></a>The corporate vice president was quite progressive when it came to everything, whether it was in the workplace or for her diet. Yet even though she had a mini refrigerator in her office specifically for the fruitarian diet she was following, she couldn't help but chuckle every time she walked by my office and saw me sipping my steaming cup of tea (a mixture of green/ginger/chamomile/rooibos/apple-cinnamon). Her laughter wasn't because of all the teabag strings hanging out of my mug representing the delicious antioxidant-filled personal concoction, it was because of the glass straw from which I was drinking. <br /> <br />I wasn't yet doing this for the environment, as it was well before it was part of the national discussion. That is unlike all the current news of states, cities, and businesses, like the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/09/business/starbucks-plastic-straws.html" target="_blank">announcement from Starbucks, banning or considering banning plastic straws</a> in order to help avoid danger to marine life in our oceans. My own statement then was more regarding my personal environment. <br /><br />As one of the first investigative preventive health columnists and book authors, the initial syndicated article I wrote was about how the enamel of the teeth can be eroded by acidic foods and beverages. At that time, dentists were seeing it especially in patients who drank an excessive amount of diet soda, since consumers might be more tempted to drink extreme amounts of that and they note that one of the best ways to avoid acids from beverages hitting the teeth was by using straws. They also pointed out that the practice helped keep teeth whiter looking. <br /><br />I have used straws for all these years for that reason and didn't want to give up the positive procedure when I drink hot beverages like tea. However, at times there was also news about not exposing plastic like that used in straws to extreme heat. Therefore, I looked on the internet and found a world of glass straws for heated beverages and ordered three, one for me at home, one for my husband, who at the time drink a lot of tea with honey and lemon (another acidic item) in it and one for me at work that the VP and others used to good-naturedly chide me about. <br /><br />Now, of course, the reason for alternative straws, like glass, metal, and paper, to become more well-known is much more urgent. The environmentalist group <a href="https://www.1millionwomen.com.au/blog/plastic-straw-bans-wont-solve-pollution-crisis-its-start/" target="_blank">1 Million Women</a>, among others, note that places like the state of California are bringing up banning plastic straws because, since they are plastic, they are often just used once. Unlike paper, plastics take longer to break down. Eight million tons of plastics enter the oceans every year and plastic straws are often among the top-ten items picked up on beach cleanups. An avid scuba diver reported to 1 Million Women that in a 20-minute period she picked up 319 plastic straws at the beach; 24 hours later she went back and found 294 more in the same spot. <br /><br />If like me, you want to protect both the environment and the enamel of your teeth, you too might join environmental groups in picking up all types of plastics from seashores as well as expanding your straw knowledge to include all types, like paper and reusable metal and glass ones. <br /><br />Following are my cold and hot favorites to drink with whatever straws you choose. All ingredients are to taste: <br /> <em> <br /></em></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>HOMEMADE LEMONADE-PLUS</strong><br />Squeeze fresh lemon, lime, and tangerine or mandarin juices. In a blender container strong enough to chop ice, combine one part of the mixed citrus juice with two parts water and one part coconut or almond milk, sliced strawberries, peeled cucumber pieces, stevia, and ice cubes. Blend until smoothie is of desired consistency. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>TEA THAT'S JUST PEACHY</strong><br />Brew peach tea. While tea bags are steeping, in a small saucepan, combine store-bought or homemade peach nectar and peach preserves and cook over low-medium heat, carefully stirring occasionally, until it warms and reduces. Add steeped tea and carefully stir before serving. </li>
</ul>
<p><em><br />Ideas like this also prove food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! </em></p>
<p><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become better in the kitchen, since these are virtually can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. </em><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> at <a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Creators Syndicate</a> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a></em> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Your-Supermarket-Health-Store/dp/0886876206" target="_blank">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</a></em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br /><br /></p>Staff2019-01-10T19:32:00Z10-Second Recipes: Apply Comfort Food Philosophy to Winter AppetizersStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Apply-Comfort-Food-Philosophy-to-Winter-Appetizers/133336976579157290.html2018-12-22T19:01:00Z2018-12-22T19:01:00Z<p><em><br /><strong>By Lisa Messinger<br /></strong></em><a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a></p>
<p> <br />Winter might as well be called comfort food season. All year long, many look forward to warm, hearty, stick-to-your-ribs feasts with strong childhood memories served on the side.<br /><br /><span> </span>Why not, though, start the comfort food coziness even earlier than that - with the appetizer course? Since comfort food is by its nature mood-altering, it's even nicer to get the serenity started as soon as possible.<span> <br /><br /></span>It's memorable, too, since those that follow are not decades'-old recycled comfort food concoctions, but new takes on well-loved favorites. All ingredients are to taste.<span> <br /><br /></span><em>Ideas like this also demonstrate food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! </em><br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. </em><br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>SPICED PB&J FOR DIPPING DELIGHT</strong><br />In a microwave-safe bowl, combine peanut butter, no-sugar-added fruit spread (often found in supermarket jam aisles), ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Heat for a few seconds, just until warm, careful not to burn. Stir carefully. Serve warm with carrots, celery and small squares of rye and pumpernickel bread for dipping. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>CHICKEN POTPIE BY THE CUP </strong><br />Cook frozen chicken potpie according to package instructions. Meanwhile, lightly grease mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray and press in wonton skins with tops emerging above the rims. Lightly spray wonton skins with nonstick cooking spray. Cook at 375 F for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. By rounded tablespoons, carefully fill wonton cups about three-quarters full with the cooked chicken potpie, with a bit of the potpie crust ending up on top. Sprinkle with minced scallions.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>DRESSED-UP MINI MEATLOAF SANDWICHES </strong><br />Slice cooled leftover cooked meatloaf into one-inch squares. Top half of the squares with a mixture of barbecue sauce, spicy mustard, and chutney. Cover with the remaining squares. Serve at room temperature. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>MEATY MAC 'N' CHEESE BALLS </strong><br />When preparing your favorite baked meatball appetizer recipe, combine a small amount of leftover cooked macaroni 'n' cheese into each meatball before baking. Serve with warm marinara sauce for dipping. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>CORNBREAD CUTIES </strong><br />Slice store-bought or homemade cornbread into one-inch squares. Spread tops of squares with the filling of store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie and top with a dash of red pepper flakes and freshly ground black pepper. </li>
</ul>
<p><br /> <strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Kids often have fun just looking at a pumpkin, when it's your turn it might be wiser to leaf through the second edition of DeeDee Stovel's <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pumpkin-Cookbook-2nd-Celebrating-Versatility/dp/1612128335" target="_blank">The Pumpkin Cookbook: 139 Recipes Celebrating the Versatility of Pumpkin and Other Winter Squash</a></em>. As an adult, the colorful book is also welcome in a world of pumpkin-spiced prepackaged goods. There is no questioning that Stovel's finished dishes are homemade and unique, such as currant-pumpkin oat scones, cheddar-pumpkin tart, pumpkin pizza with gorgonzola and golden pumpkin corn pudding.<br /><br /></p>
<p><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at <a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Creators Syndicate</a> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a></em> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Your-Supermarket-Health-Store/dp/0886876206" target="_blank">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</a></em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2018-12-22T19:01:00Z10-Second Recipes: Room Temperature Treats Save Holiday TimeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Room-Temperature-Treats-Save-Holiday-Time/804396349147548478.html2018-12-08T19:05:00Z2018-12-08T19:05:00Z<p><em><br /><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong></em><br /><strong><em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">Author of: </a><span id="productTitle" class="a-size-large"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine<br /></a></span></em></strong></p>
<p> <br /><span> </span>Transitioning into the holiday season is more than turning the page of a calendar. It often means --- almost literally --- turning your kitchen into a nonstop oven. The oven may be on what seems like continually for months heating, roasting and baking family favorites, most of which are toasty, hot, hearty entrees. Room temperature tempters, therefore, can be welcome time savers --- and surprisingly gourmet. <br /><br />Most tantalizing is the ease with which room temp treats can be assembled, often with light cooking or none at all. Taking advantage of seasonal fare shows off your own up-to-the-minute flair. <br /><br />Even though room temperature dishes are neither hot nor cold, they should be refrigerated, covered, after no more than two hours. If not eating immediately, refrigerate, covered, first and then bring to room temperature before serving. All ingredients are to taste.<span> <br /><br /></span><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! </em><br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. </em><br /><br /></p>
<li style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>HARVEST THESE TUNA TOASTS</strong><br />Grate unpeeled apples and peeled carrots and mix with flaked, drained canned tuna, diced, pitted black olives, currants and a small amount of extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar and freshly ground black pepper. Spread open-faced onto toasted multigrain bread and sprinkle with cilantro. </li>
<br />
<li style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>GREAT GRAPE PASTA</strong><br />Cook rotini pasta al dente, carefully drain and rinse with cool water. Gently toss with grapeseed oil, diced cooked and cooled store-bought or homemade skinless rotisserie chicken and halved preferably red grapes and sprinkle with basil and oregano. </li>
<br />
<li style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>EGGPLANT WITH EXTRA APPEAL</strong><br />Gently mix small amounts of fresh orange juice and curry powder with store-bought or homemade red bell pepper hummus. Spread onto broiled eggplant "steaks" that have first been brought to room temperature. </li>
<br />
<li style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>PIZZAZZ IN THE FORM OF POTATOES</strong><br />Cut cooked, cooled unpeeled new potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Gently mix with lightly steamed, cooled bite-sized pieces of raw broccoli and cauliflower and small amounts of white wine and balsamic vinegar. </li>
<br />
<li style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>OPEN-FACED SANDWICH COOKIES</strong><br />Finely dice unpeeled pears and gently mix with chopped walnuts and poppy seeds. Remove tops of store-bought chocolate sandwich cookies. Place a dollop of pear mixture atop each. Finely crumble cookie tops and drizzle over open-faced sandwich cookies. </li>
<p><br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP: </em></strong>Is it holiday season or grilled cheese season? If you pick up a copy of <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Great-Grilled-Cheese-Book-Childhood/dp/0399580743" target="_blank">The Great Grilled Cheese Book: Grown-Up Recipes for a Childhood Classic</a></em> by Eric Greenspan, one of the most celebrated chefs in the country, you will know the answer. Greenspan offers innovative creamy, dreamy fare in the form of chapters devoted to popular varieties, such as cheddar, mozzarella, blue and goat. However, Greenspan's creativity knows no bounds, as evidenced by his signature sandwich, "<em>The Champ,</em>" developed at one of the award-winning restaurants he helmed. "<em>I took a stinky Taleggio,</em>" he writes, "<em>and put it between two slices of the raisin-walnut bread common to cheese plates but so uncommon to a grilled cheese. I blended dried apricots and capers into a puree and added sun-dried tomato as a nod to the dried fruits and pickles typically found on a cheese plate. For good measure, I added some shredded short ribs that happened to be lying around the kitchen.</em>"</p>
<p><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at <a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Creators Syndicate</a> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a></em> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Your-Supermarket-Health-Store/dp/0886876206" target="_blank">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</a></em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br /><br /></p>Staff2018-12-08T19:05:00Z10-Second Recipes: Downsize Your Supersized Silverware If Your Own Size Has Gone UpStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Downsize-Your-Supersized-Silverware-If-Your-Own-Size-Has-Gone-Up/-818949576936055316.html2018-11-28T19:27:00Z2018-11-28T19:27:00Z<p><em><br /><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong></em><br /><strong><em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">Author of: </a><span id="productTitle" class="a-size-large"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine<br /></a></span></em></strong></p>
<p> <br />In addition to specific dietary guidelines, for decades nutritionists also have had tricks up the sleeves of their lab coats. Some of the most repeated have been about plates, not only what foods in what proportions should be on them, but also the advice to try and fool yourself that you are eating more by using smaller plates.<span> <br /><br /></span>Eating a trimmed-down meal off of a salad plate rather than an entree one is still a great idea in order to trim yourself down. I usually do just feel like I am unwillingly eating less, though. However, I stumbled upon some additional items for a cheat sheet that are as close as your kitchen's silverware drawer. <em>They help keep things in control during the busy holiday season, also often known as the busy eating season.</em><span> <br /><br /></span>Like for me, it could start as innocently as waiting on a dishwashing load and therefore running out of dinner forks and resorting to a salad fork for your meal. Eating with the smaller fork means it automatically takes you longer to eat, which is another longstanding dietician tip. It also fits in more with today's philosophy of "mindful" dining for weight loss, where one focuses on and enjoys every bite. Ditto when you use a teaspoon instead of a larger soup spoon. Now it's my salad forks and teaspoons that are the ones filling up the dishwasher, as I never use the larger versions anymore.<span> <br /><br /></span>Also emerging from my cupboards are metal measuring cups, which, unlike the roomy extra cheat space in many glass measuring cups, have not a speck of additional room at the top. Layering snacks is the trick. Fill more than half the cup with the least caloric, least fat-filled snack and then divide the rest in descending order, ending with just a smidgen of the least nutritious or most caloric (and often most crave-worthy) as a topping only. <br /><br />Following are a few ideas to fill a one-cup measure that for me have meant satisfaction guaranteed. All ingredients are to taste.<span> <br /><br /></span><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! </em><br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</em> </p>
<ul>
<li><strong>TREAT DRIED FRUIT LIKE RARE GEMS </strong><br />Dried fruit is some of the most nutritious foods on the planet, however, it's high in calories and concentrated natural fruit sugars --- or added sugar if you have discovered the treat of dark chocolate-covered raisins. Therefore, generous layer one for me is cinnamon-coated, whole-grain crunchy cereal that is nonfat and low calorie. I top that with a few crunchy raw cashews and then even fewer dark chocolate-covered raisins.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>GOING GREEK</strong><br />Greek yogurt is higher in protein and lower in sugar than many other yogurts. Generous layer one is nonfat plain Greek yogurt, layered with a smaller portion of sliced fresh strawberries and sliced black olives that have been marinated together in extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and then drained. Top layer is a very small amount of broken-up pieces of white chocolate.</li>
</ul>
<span> </span>
<ul>
<li><strong>PRETZEL PERFECT</strong><br />Ham is usually very lean. Use paper thin slices as the generous first layer and top with a smaller portion of bite-sized chunks cut from light mozzarella string cheese (available next to regular string cheese in many supermarkets and less in calories and fat than the already desirable string cheese, which can be substituted), drizzle with spicy mustard and top with very small portion of peanut butter-filled or plain pretzels nuggets. </li>
</ul>
<p><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP:</strong></em> What if you could have not just one physician guiding you and your family as to what to eat for good nutrition, but 65? The tips they follow at home, plus give to their own patients, as well as their own superfood-packed recipes fill <a href="https://doctortaz.com/what-doctors-eat/" target="_blank"><em>What Doctors Eat</em> by Tasneem Bhatia, M.D.</a>, making it one of my favorite go-to resources. If you think doctors' healthy recipes might be boring, plan to be delighted with choices like Sweet Potato Ravioli, Chicken Tacos with Charred Salsa, Peanut Butter-Banana Muffins and Dark Chocolate Bark with Cranberries, Almonds, and Pecans.</p>
<p><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at <a href="https://www.creators.com/features/after-work-gourmet" target="_blank">Creators Syndicate</a> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a></em> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Your-Supermarket-Health-Store/dp/0886876206" target="_blank">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</a></em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br /><br /></p>Staff2018-11-28T19:27:00Z10-Second Recipes: 'Halloweenize' Healthy Food for Spine-Tingling ResultsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Halloweenize-Healthy-Food-for-Spine-Tingling-Results/-915763174509768764.html2018-10-28T17:36:00Z2018-10-28T17:36:00Z<p><em><br /><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong></em><br /><strong><em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">Author of: <span id="productTitle" class="a-size-large">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine<br /><br /><br /></span></a></em></strong><span id="productTitle" class="a-size-large">If you sometimes hide candy from your kidlets in anticipation of Halloween, or after your own cleverly dressed goblins have collected it, there are other more productive places to tuck it away. <br /><br />You could "<em>Halloweenize</em>" healthy food with splashes of candy nuggets. That would mean your kidlets - or your own - consumption of sweets is measured, but not less of a treat. In fact, this kind of crafty ghoulish culinary work is a gourmet improvement to both Halloween candy and the healthy fare to which you add it. <br /><br />Moderation, rather than complete restriction, we've all been advised for years, is the key to sustaining healthful diets. Putting a spooky spell on food, like the ideas that follow, helps do the trick.</span><span id="productTitle" class="a-size-large"> <br /><br /><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! </em> <br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. </em><br /><br /></span></p>
<ul>
<li><em><strong>HALLOWEEN START TO THE DAY</strong></em><br />If kids - or spouses - have been begging you for heavily sweetened cereals they see advertised on TV, a Halloween start to the day might be a fun and more hearty way to go. Top cold whole-grain, unsweetened cereal or cooked, plain, unsweetened oatmeal with a small serving of a few minced Halloween candies, as well as a few dark chocolate-covered raisins and dark chocolate-covered almonds. </li>
<br />
<li><em><strong>CANDY CORN MEETS ITS MATCH</strong></em><br />Top cooked store-bought or homemade corn chowder with a small amount of candy corn, crisply cooked, crumbled turkey bacon, freshly ground black pepper and a dash of curry powder. </li>
<br />
<li><em><strong>HAVE A SPOOKY SIP OR TWO</strong></em><br />Carefully melt chocolate-based mini Halloween candy bars and stir into sugar-free hot chocolate along with a splash of coconut or almond milk. </li>
<br />
<li><strong><em>THESE TORTILLAS ARE TOPS</em></strong><br />Spread a whole-wheat tortilla with peanut butter and all-fruit spread (found in the jam aisles of most supermarkets) and top with a small amount of gooey, ghostlike marshmallow creme, dried cranberries and dashes of minced Halloween candies, roll up and heat for about 10 seconds in microwave oven. </li>
<br />
<li><strong><em>YOU DON'T HAVE TO DUNK FOR THESE APPLES</em></strong><br />Slice red apples of your choice in half and core them, leaving an indentation you can fill. Spoon in a tiny amount of maple syrup and diced chocolate-based Halloween candies. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake at preheated 350 F for about 15 minutes, or until apples soften. Let cool before eating. </li>
<br />
<li><strong><em>SWEETER SWEET POTATOES</em></strong><br />In the last 10 minutes of roasting sweet potatoes, carefully stir in candied pecans, dark chocolate-covered raisins, and candy corn. </li>
<br />
<li><em><strong>PEP UP YOUR PUMPKIN PIE</strong></em><br />Press Halloween candy into pumpkin pie. Top with whipped cream into which you've stirred unsweetened cocoa powder. Drizzle with maple syrup. </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a></em> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2018-10-28T17:36:00Z10-Second Recipes: Let Flour Power Blossom for YouStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Let-Flour-Power-Blossom-for-You/-1672235506152454.html2018-10-12T17:22:00Z2018-10-12T17:22:00Z<p><em><br /><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong></em><br /><strong><em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">Author of: <span id="productTitle" class="a-size-large">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine<br /><br /><br /></span></a></em></strong>When you walk down a supermarket flour aisle are you like a kid in a candy store? Years ago, the choices were generally all-purpose white and wheat. Thanks to artisanal bakers, our purposes have expanded, though, and Oregon-based Bob's Red Mill, founded in 1978, alone distributes about 50 varieties of flours to supermarkets and online, including almond, hazelnut, coconut, oat, barley, brown rice, quinoa, and garbanzo bean. </p>
<p>You've never tasted a gingersnap made with garbanzo bean flour? The minute I heard of them a few years ago from a New York City bakery that drew lines and shipped out orders, I knew I wanted in. Flour ingredients share their strengths with the foods they are in, such as protein content from garbanzo beans or cholesterol-fighting ability from oats. Give up flavor? To the contrary, the package of 12 large ginger chew cookies I had shipped from <a href="https://sansbakery-nyc.com/" target="_blank">Sans Bakery</a> were the best I had ever tasted. <br /><br />Buying the occasional bag of specialty flour in the supermarket (they tend to come in smaller sizes with higher price tags per ounce than traditional big-brand all-purpose white and wheat ones) and craving a hit of overnighted unique cookies, led me to further experimentation at home. Making your own small-batch, even one-use, flour samples from items already in your pantry can broaden your horizons and put you in better touch with choosing products you may want to try in the future.<br /><br />All you need is a food processor or strong blender, which I use. Following are a few easy ideas. Unless noted, ingredients are to taste.<br /><br /><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for preparing homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</em><br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>PB&J OUT OF THE OVEN</strong><br />We eat homemade oatmeal all the time and also always have raw almonds on hand. My favorite home blend flour has become a half and half mixture of the two. I substituted it for the flour in a basic peanut butter cookie recipe and also included dried cranberries, which gave a flavor note reminiscent of peanut butter and jelly.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>OPEN SESAME</strong><br />A large jar of sesame seeds (ounce for ounce, named one of the healthiest foods in the world) was calling to me from the pantry as I remembered warm sesame puffs served to me before every meal for decades at my favorite recently defunct Mongolian barbecue restaurant. Within a half hour, I calmed my craving. I started with my basic half-and-half oat and almond flour and based on sesame puff recipes I read, mixed in a beaten egg and teaspoon of baking powder and then gently stirred in sesame seeds (I wanted them throughout, rather than just sprinkled on top). As I placed them by teaspoonful on a lightly greased baking sheet, I pressed a bit of dried fruit-seed trail mix I had into each one and baked at 350 F until slightly browned and a fork came out clean.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>BET ON BARLEY</strong><br />If you have barley cereal, like Grape-Nuts (which also includes wheat), finely grind it in your food processor or strong blender. Use it as a substitute in your favorite graham cracker crust recipe. When cooled, create a brunch parfait pie by filling the crust with a layer of cooked oatmeal, dusted with brown sugar, a layer of mixed fresh berries, a drizzle of chopped walnuts and a dollop of whipped cream.</li>
</ul>
<br /> <strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> If you or a loved one, like many with diabetes, are restricting yourself, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0429318/" target="_blank">Biggest Loser</a> TV series <a href="http://www.devinalexander.com/" target="_blank">chef Devin Alexander</a> says instead <em><a href="http://www.devinalexander.com/diabetes/" target="_blank">You Can Have It</a></em> in her book of the same title. It's filled with healthful takes on "<em>decadent</em>" comfort foods calibrated to work within a diabetes-friendly diet. A strategy like this means nothing is out of the question, even dishes like waffle fries, cheesy lasagna rollups and bacon ranch flatbread pizza.
<p> </p>
<p><span><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a></em> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2018-10-12T17:22:00Z10-Second Recipes: Giving Your Beans a MakeoverStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Giving-Your-Beans-a-Makeover/227506260689651254.html2018-09-20T17:22:00Z2018-09-20T17:22:00Z<p><em><br /><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong></em><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a></p>
<p><br />I placed the smallest one from my stacking mixing bowl set next to my healthy instant cup of tortilla soup. It was called that, even though black beans were the first listed ingredient, brown rice the second and tortillas the last, even behind spices. I strategically positioned the tiny bowl, which fits about 2 tablespoons of food, so that I could spoon the beans in there before I sipped the soup. <span> <br /><br /></span>Some people love everything about beans, especially the fact that they've been shown to be such an exceptionally healthful contributor of protein and fiber. I, too, was interested in the 9 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber this lunch soup had to offer. However, I don't like the chalky texture of beans and try to eat them in other forms.<br /><br /><span> </span>That day I had been planning, after placing them in my little bowl, to do a quick blending of the cooked ones and spread on baked zucchini slices I was having as a side dish.<br /><span> </span><br />After I added the boiling water to the paper cup's fill line, stirred and waited the allotted time, I decided to rewarm the soup, covered, for 40 seconds in the microwave. This ended up making my waiting bowl obsolete. After I stirred and began eating, I thought, "<em>Where are the black beans?</em>" picturing the plump ones I saw on the photo of the prepared soup on the package. Fortunately, this now essential step of reheating caused the partial skins only to be what was visible of the beans and they were similarly sized and perfectly mixed with the shreds of chili peppers and brown rice kernels in the broth. The remainder of each bean, due to the extra heat, had become part of the broth. I loved it.<br /><br /><span> </span>If bean texture is not one of your favorite foods, consider that broth rewarming trick, and here are a few other ideas I've enjoyed for alternatives. All ingredients are to taste.<br /><br /><em> Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for preparing homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</em><br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. </em> <br /> <br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>SPREAD THE WEALTH</strong><br />Place your favorite cooked beans, vegetables and spices in a blender with a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil. Blend completely. Taste and adjust spices, if desired. To serve, spread on whole-grain crackers and inside celery stalks. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>GIVE A TOAST TO THESE TOSTADAS</strong><br />Cook pinto beans, mash well and spread within a large crisp corn tortilla salad bowl or along the bottom of a flat corn tortilla crisp shell. This leaves out the lard and frying of often-used refried beans. Top with your other favorite tostada ingredients, such as shredded cooked chicken, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, pitted black olives and guacamole. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>FALAFEL FIX</strong><br />Buy falafel mix (made from chickpeas/garbanzo beans and available in the ethnic aisles of many supermarkets), prepare according to package instructions but bake falafel balls rather than frying. Serve alongside vegetable-filled omelets as a fiber- and protein-packed spiced alternative to potatoes. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>EARNING BROWNIE POINTS</strong><br />Substitute half of the flour in your favorite brownie recipe with cooked, pureed black beans, or search online for black bean brownie recipes or vegan restaurants or bakeries that sell them.</li>
</ul>
<p> <br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Does the thought of vegan food make you uncomfortable? For some, considering going well beyond vegetarianism into full-fledged rejection of any animal-based ingredient (such as the eggs or dairy that many vegetarians eat), does bring a tinge of discomfort. <a href="https://www.laurentoyota.com/" target="_blank">Lauren Toyota</a>, a vegan blogger and YouTube star who used to be a popular MTV host in Canada, aims for the opposite: vegan comfort food. She's gone so far as to call hers <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Food-Vegan-Comfort-Classics/dp/039958014X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537486893&sr=8-1&keywords=Vegan+Comfort+Classics" target="_blank">Vegan Comfort Classics</a></em>. The "<em>irreverent</em>" cookbook includes showstoppers like "<em>nacho</em>" cheese made from carrots and potatoes that you could use to drape her crispy "<em>loaded</em>" French fries. Everything from gooey cakes to decadent brunches to share with friends make up her tempting world. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><span><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2018-09-20T17:22:00Z10-Second Recipes: Saucepots - and Sauce Shortcuts - for Great GrillingStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Saucepots---and-Sauce-Shortcuts---for-Great-Grilling/204994097789645177.html2018-08-22T17:43:00Z2018-08-22T17:43:00Z<p><em><br /><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong></em><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a></p>
<p><br />My favorite summer hostess gifts are saucy, and by that I don't mean spicy, I mean fun and functional. They are small cast-iron BBQ saucepots crafted with platform bases to sit out-of-the-way on the corner of the grill well above flames or heat. They come with a brush to baste or glaze while grilling, or can warm sauces as accompaniments to outdoor meals. <br /><br />The pots make great gifts because even some of the most avid grillers don't yet own this sleek cookware that is sold everywhere from mass-market kitchen warehouse stores to culinary chains for about $10-$40. <br /><br />Warming up barbecue sauce is a warm-weather comfort food that breaks the boredom of months of BBQ sauce monotony. If the reasonable price tag means you also treat yourself to a barbecue saucepot, the even better news is that store-bought sauce can be easily supercharged. <br /><br /><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! </em> <br /><br /> <em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. </em> <br /><br />Consider some of these "<em>best practices recipes</em>" for warmed barbecue sauce innovations. All ingredients are to taste. Before heating store-bought barbecue sauce, gently stir in ingredients. Place small saucepots that have been made to withstand heat of grill on grill well away from any flames and occasionally carefully stir to avoid sauce burning. <br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>LUCKY LUAU</strong><br />Add: Diced pineapple and fresh pineapple juice, mango, fresh or dried ginger, scallions. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>GET YOUR GREENS</strong><br />Add: Shredded kale and spinach, diced green bell pepper and chives, chopped fresh or dried dill, freshly ground black pepper.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>SALSA THAT SINGS</strong><br />Add: Chopped Roma tomatoes, onions and cilantro, store-bought medium salsa, cotija cheese or queso blanco, refried beans.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>SWEETHEART OF A SAUCE</strong><br />Add: Honey, brown sugar, molasses, diced maraschino cherries and juice, peeled, chopped pears, ground cinnamon.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>CITRUS SURPRISE</strong><br />Add: Blend of fresh citrus juices, such as: tangerine, pink grapefruit, lemon and lime, and hulled and diced strawberries, chopped fresh mint. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>JUST PEACHY </strong><br />Puree fresh or frozen peaches and add with: chopped honeydew, lemonade, dried tarragon. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>GREAT GARLIC</strong><br />Add: Minced garlic, red pepper flakes, diced black olives, chopped fresh parsley, freshly grated Parmesan cheese. </li>
</ul>
<p><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If your thirst for lemonade is never quite quenched, April White has done you a favor by stirring up <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lemonade-Zest-40-Thirst-Quenching-Recipes/dp/1452162778/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535046607&sr=8-1&keywords=Lemonade+with+Zest." target="_blank">Lemonade with Zest</a>.</em> The award-winning food writer's 40 recipes cover everything from the traditional to the innovative and promise months of tingling for the taste buds. Most notable is her showing off of flavors and ingredients that shine when combined with lemon, such as honey, cardamom, ginger, mint, lemongrass, rose, cucumbers, coconut, cherries, honeydew, and watermelon. Grilling and boiling lemonade are also on the menu, as are sorbets, granitas, international fare and some luscious lemony adult libations.</p>
<p><span><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2018-08-22T17:43:00Z10-Second Recipes: Healthy Add-Ins Equal Dreamier Ice CreamStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Healthy-Add-Ins-Equal-Dreamier-Ice-Cream/-66378287143332627.html2018-08-06T16:34:00Z2018-08-06T16:34:00Z<p><em><br /></em>By Lisa Messinger</p>
<p><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /></a><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html"><br /></a></span></p>
<p>Warm weather often means cravings for cool treats. Even if you're on a quest for a bathing suit body, it doesn't preclude indulging in ice cream, especially if you supercharge it. <br /><br />Many popular chains offer, not just toppings, but mix-ins that become your own custom flavors. Emulate the process at home, but tweak those additions, and your scoop will hide some healthy treasures.<span> <br /><br />Many kinds of cereal, for instance, taste like sweets, but are high-fiber gems. Ditto for dried fruit and nuts, superfoods due, not only to fiber count but to antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. <br /><br />Dark chocolate - the higher cacao content the better, shooting for package labels that note at least 70 percent - also is loaded with fiber and antioxidants. Delicious fresh herbs amp up both nutrients and sophistication.<span> <br /><br /></span>Consider some of the following mix-in montages as springboards for creating your own. All ingredients are to taste. For further nutrition boosts, think about using sugar-free ice cream, sorbet or frozen Greek yogurt. <br /><br /><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! </em><br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</em><br /><br /><br /><strong>CITRUS SYRUP DELIGHT</strong><br />Gently mix the juice of freshly squeezed tangerine, grapefruit and lime and add a dash of corn starch. Heat over low-medium heat in a saucepan, stirring occasionally, until it reduces and becomes the consistency of syrup. Let cool, stirring occasionally, to get more syrupy. Mix the syrup into lemon sorbet along with shredded fresh basil.<br /><br /><strong>WHISK IN A WAFFLE</strong><br />Toast whole-grain frozen toaster waffles. Carefully cut into squares. Drizzle with honey and, along with chopped toasted pecans, mix into sugar-free vanilla ice cream or frozen Greek yogurt.<br /><br /><strong>BERRY GOOD</strong><br />Dice strawberries and gently mix with dark chocolate chips and toasted sliced almonds. Mix into sugar-free strawberry ice cream, sorbet or frozen yogurt, along with shredded fresh mint.<br /><br /><strong>RAISING THE BAR</strong><br />Mix into chocolate ice cream, sorbet or frozen yogurt, bran cereal, dark chocolate raisins, sugar-free strawberry pancake syrup, chopped cashews and minced fresh cilantro. <br /><br /><em><br /><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Judging the best cook in the world is all relative - especially when that relative is your own. There's no question that many of us would respond with the name of our mother, father, grandmother, grandfather or other favored family member. That longstanding truth is sweetly conveyed in Rick Bragg's <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Best-Cook-World-Recipes-Mommas/dp/B077BK3DJX" target="_blank">The Best Cook in the World: Tales from My Momma's Table</a></em>. The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author from Alabama passes on his mother's Southern treasures, many of which are decades'-old family heirlooms. It's a delicious twist that he made this memoir a food-tinged one and included more than seventy recipes. If you like your recipes with a side order of superlative writing and storytelling, look no further. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2018-08-06T16:34:00Z10-Second Recipes: Pea Protein Is Muscling Its Way Into MealsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Pea-Protein-Is-Muscling-Its-Way-Into-Meals/638604717227242279.html2018-07-13T17:58:00Z2018-07-13T17:58:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /></a><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html"><br /></a></span></p>
<p>Fresh peas and frozen peas have long satisfied appetites and recipe requirements, but now it's pea protein itself that is increasingly in demand. Perhaps you'll first notice it as a supplement or "<em>boost</em>" at your favorite juice bar, as part of a dish at your local cafe or on supermarket shelves next to old stalwarts whey and soy protein powders. <br /><br />I first was introduced a few years ago when craving a fruit and vegetable smoothie from the counter at a popular health food market chain. It was evening and the server said she was all out of the soy protein I'd requested for my boost, but they were featuring a new pea protein, which she said would blend in without changing the flavor or texture. It worked as promised.<br /> <br />Now it's often the protein shot that is available at the huge international chain <a href="https://www.joejuice.com/" target="_blank">Joe & The Juice</a>, where I had the spicy ginger, carrot and apple "<em>Go Away Doc</em>" juice in New York City with a 15-gram pea protein boost, where the juicer told me it often goes on the menu as "<em>plant protein.</em>" The chain's Uppercut shake, for instance, is billed as espresso, plant protein and chocolate almond milk (often only 1 gram of protein per cup of almond milk, compared to 11 grams in a one-quarter cup of uncooked yellow peas and 7 grams in an egg).<br /><br />However one wants to gussy up the name, the University of California at Berkeley Wellness newsletter from their school of public health confirmed sales have been explosive in its "<em>Pea Protein: The New 'It' Ingredient"</em> July 2017, story. They noted that the number of products including pea protein grew by about 200 percent between 2014 and 2017 and that the world's largest pea protein manufacturing plant had been planned in Canada.<br /><br />Daiya, a longtime vegan food company, for instance, has begun selling dairy-free Greek yogurt alternatives, pizza, and cheese, all featuring pea protein. A treat I discovered recently, then being featured, was Trader Joe's Peanut Butter Protein Granola with 11 grams of protein per 2/3 cup serving. I thought it was exceptional straight out of the bag, hard to stop eating and lived up to its billing of "<em>chunky, crunchy rolled out clusters with peanut butter, pea protein, and peanuts.</em>"<br /><br />Unlike most food (including many types of protein powders, which can be chalky or lumpy within foods), it's the lack of flavor and texture that many brands of pea protein have going for it. I've never detected it. In the peanut butter granola, the flavor mainly came from large, roasted peanuts that reminded me of premium ones sold at baseball stadiums, plus the slight sweetness from a bit of added cane sugar. My freshly pressed juice from Joe & The Juice was just a small size (12 ounces) and was definitely not overwhelmed by the Joe's add of 15 grams of pea protein (compared to 7 grams of soy protein the <a href="http://www.robeks.com/" target="_blank">Robeks</a> chain often adds as a single boost). My only flavor or texture notes were strong bursts of ginger followed by carrot and apple.<br /><br />If you invest in a tub of pea protein powder from the supermarket or health food store, your imagination can go wild, or here are a few tasty combinations I tried. Follow serving size suggestions on the pea protein powder package; other ingredients are to taste.<br /><br /><em>Ideas like this also prove food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</em><br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. </em> </p>
<ul>
<li><strong>PEA-BRAINED PEANUT BUTTER SMOOTHIE </strong><br />In a strong blender, create a smoothie with fresh raspberries, banana, canned beets (adds a burst of natural sweetness in addition to its nutritional prowess), peanut butter, fresh spinach, vegan yogurt, pea protein powder and ice.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>OH, BOY, OATMEAL WITH ADDED PROTEIN</strong><br />Cook oatmeal. Stir. Then, carefully stir in pea protein powder, half sweetener of stevia and half sweetener of brown sugar, dark chocolate-covered raisins, fresh blueberries and raw almonds. Heat again for a few seconds to warm it, being careful not to overheat.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>APPLAUSE FOR THESE APPLESAUCE PANCAKES</strong><br />Stir pea protein powder and very thin unpeeled slices of apples into pancake batter before cooking. Serve topped with a mixture of unsweetened applesauce, cinnamon and vegan sour cream.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>YOU'LL BE SOLD ON THIS CELERY</strong><br />Mix well vegan whipped-style cream cheese, pea protein powder, curry powder and minced dried apricots. Spread inside washed raw celery stalks.</li>
<br />
</ul>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>When I saw that Smitten Kitchen blogger and bestselling author Deb Perelman called her recipes "<em>unfussy</em>," I realized that was almost just the word I was searching for when describing a number of new restaurants in our neighborhood that I didn't like to my husband: "<em>fussy.</em>" Fancy-schmancy combinations filling menus with no rhyme or reason to the ingredient mixtures, just reaching way too far to show off. That's why Perelman's <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Smitten-Kitchen-Every-Day-Triumphant/dp/1101874813" target="_blank">Smitten Kitchen Every Day: Triumphant & Unfussy New Favorites</a></em> first caught my eye. Unfussy is the tough stuff to do; it's harder to get unfussy to taste great than pretentious fare. You have to know what you're doing; there's no place to hide. Whether it's truly simple, like biscuits or old-fashioned chicken soup, or impressive but foolproof, like a leek, feta and greens spiral pie, these new favorites are a more-than-worthy addition to Perelman's triumphant <em>2012 Smitten Kitchen Cookbook</em>.</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2018-07-13T17:58:00Z10-Second Recipes: Let Salads Serve as ShortcutsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Let-Salads-Serve-as-Shortcuts/-641245667036235263.html2018-05-30T09:30:00Z2018-05-30T09:30:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /></a><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html"><br /></a></span></p>
<p>Spring is salad season. Restaurant menus, online pages, and cafe sidewalk chalkboards are often bursting with descriptions of conglomerations featuring seasonal bounties. Even more interesting entree salads make their entry this time of year. <span> <br /><br /></span>When you want to emulate at home, whether traditional treats, like a chef or Cobb salad, or a one-of-a-kind spring special, consider stretching the salad to serve as a shortcut to other meals within the next few days. It's a delicious - and nutritious - way to save time.<br /><br /><span> </span>Salads can be deceiving as quick meal solutions. The washing, chopping and sometimes cooking of a multitude of ingredients take time. Therefore, make double (without any added dressing), store in an airtight container refrigerated for up to two days and put that effort to use to save additional effort.<br /><br /><span> </span>Following are some ideas for your twin salads. All ingredients are to taste. <span> <br /><br /></span><em>Ideas like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</em><br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. </em> <br /><br /><br /> <strong>THEY WILL THANK THE CHEF </strong> <br /><br /><strong>SALAD:</strong> Chef salad. Follow the instructions of your favorite recipe with your desired meats, vegetables and dressing (for salad only).<br /><br /><strong>NEXT-DAY SHORTCUT: </strong>Combine light mayonnaise with Dijon mustard, a dash of balsamic vinaigrette dressing and diced sweet gherkins. Gently fold in stored salad ingredients. Serve as a sandwich between two slices of thick Hawaiian, challah or egg bread. <br /><br /><br /><strong>ADD SPRING TO YOUR OMELET </strong><br /><br /><strong>SALAD:</strong> Gently toss chopped cooked: asparagus, peas, corn, chunks of potatoes and shredded chicken with creamy Italian dressing (for salad only). <br /><br /><strong>NEXT-DAY SHORTCUT: </strong>Just before finishing and folding a cooked omelet fill with Monterey Jack cheese and the stored salad ingredients and freshly ground black pepper. <br /><br /><br /><strong>SUPER FRESH SOUP</strong> <br /><br /><strong>SALAD:</strong> Gently toss mixed spring greens, sliced green bell pepper, diced French green beans, cubed steamed tofu and Green Goddess dressing (for salad only). <br /><br /><strong>NEXT-DAY SHORTCUT:</strong> Include cooking of wild rice in your favorite vegetable or chicken broth. Just before the soup is fully cooked, gently stir in stored salad ingredients until warmed through. <br /><br /><br /><strong>SMOOTH IDEA FOR SMOOTHIE </strong> <br /><br /><strong>SALAD:</strong> Create a fruit plate with segments of tangerine, pink grapefruit, and sliced strawberries. Drizzle with a combination of fresh lemon and lime juices mixed with stevia and almond extract. Serve with a side of plain Greek yogurt for dipping (for salad only). <br /><br /><strong>NEXT-DAY SHORTCUT:</strong> In a strong blender, place stored salad ingredients, small amount of orange juice, sliced almonds, chunks of banana, plain Greek yogurt and ice (to create desired smoothie thickness). <br /><br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>The STARZ series "<em><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7563270/" target="_blank">Sweetbitter</a></em>" debuted this spring. If you are watching in real time or binging on multiple episodes, you might feel even more in the know if you read the 2017 acclaimed book of the same name. It'by Stephanie Danler. Danler received rave reviews for her debut novel about Tess, a 22-year-old front of the house worker in New York's glitzy restaurant world. She's quickly introduced to the high-flying risky habits of those in the "chaotic, enchanting, punishing life she has chosen." When I was 17, I did the same in a Los Angeles suburb as a hostess at two non-swinging joints. I was just making a few dimes prior to attending college and learning to approach people to overcome my shyness (which worked). Little did I know until learning of Danler's bestselling account what I narrowly missed out on. It's not just chefs, apparently, that get caught up in the glam of restaurant life, but front of the house folks, too. </p>
<strong style="font-size: 12px;"><br /><br />Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>Staff2018-05-30T09:30:00Z10-Second Recipes: Raise the Bar with Nutrition BarsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Raise-the-Bar-with-Nutrition-Bars/-398745008903396975.html2018-05-17T19:05:00Z2018-05-17T19:05:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html"><br /></a><span style="color: #000000;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p>Food and nutrition bar makers have done a lot of work for you. With precision, they have balanced calories, fat, fiber, carbohydrates and other elements. Flavoring also has become sophisticated, with offerings that have covered everything from sweet to savory, such as those featuring international spices, like Kind bars Strong line of products.<br /><br />As the <em><a href="https://thebarshack.com/build-a-protein-bar/a-brief-history-on-protein-bars/" target="_blank">A Brief History of Protein Bars</a></em> post in <em><a href="https://thebarshack.com/build-a-protein-bar/blog/" target="_blank">The Bar Shack blog</a></em> notes, there are now hundreds of brands and thousands of flavors. <br /><br />You could make a meal with a protein bar, since they are often meal replacements. But why not consider easily upping the profile of some everyday dishes with the occasional shortcut inclusion of these powerhouses? <br /><br />An additional benefit? Diet bars have been designed to quell cravings. Therefore, using them as ingredients can be a way to become satiated faster. <br /><br />Following are a few innovative ideas. All ingredients are to taste.<br /><br /><span> </span><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for preparing homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</em><br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. </em><br /> <br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>CASSEROLES WITH CARE</strong><br />In the last few minutes of baking, uncover casserole and crumble a spiced nutrition bar so that it gets crispy, being sure not to burn. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>YUMMIER YOGURT</strong><br />Crumble nutrition bar and divide between layers of Greek yogurt for a parfait. Within each layer also include fresh fruit, such as blueberries, or even vegetables, like leftover honey-ginger carrots. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>TOAST THAT IS THE TOTAL PACKAGE</strong><br />Mash avocado well and spread atop nutrition bar. Drizzle with tarragon and lemongrass and top with dried cherries. Heat slightly to warm it. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>SATISFY CREAM PIE CRAVINGS</strong><br />Mix well low-fat cream cheese or soy-based cream cheese with small amounts of unsweetened cocoa powder and stevia. Gently fold in diced banana and unsweetened coconut flakes. Carefully spread atop iced nutrition bar.</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>If you have watched for decades as Patricia Heaton acted as though she had been cooking in her two television series, "<em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everybody_Loves_Raymond" target="_blank">Everybody Loves Raymond</a></em>" and "<em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Middle_(TV_series)" target="_blank">The Middle</a></em>," you know the results often have been laughable. That is appropriate for those hit sitcoms and befits Heaton's expert comic timing. What is more serious, though, is how she also managed to cook for her real-life husband and four sons during that time period with nutritious, delicious comfort food results. Somehow, the multitasking Heaton found time to put together 100 of her favorites in <em><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062672445/patricia-heatons-food-for-family-and-friends/" target="_blank">Patricia Heaton's Food for Family and Friends</a></em>. In her cookbook's text, Heaton comes across as approachable and affable as on TV. Recipes always keep in mind that home cooks like her are busy, yet her talents mean you can emulate results like blackberry cream scones, garlic and roasted butternut squash dip and chicken cutlets with mushroom-sage sauce. Heaton also has hosted "Patricia Heaton Parties" on the Food Network and it is easy to see why one of her three Emmys was for her cooking show efforts. </p>
<strong style="font-size: 12px;"><br /><br /><br />Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>
<p> </p>Staff2018-05-17T19:05:00Z10-Second Recipes: Spring Seasonings Spark the SeasonStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Spring-Seasonings-Spark-the-Season/-17767618692658963.html2018-05-02T19:05:00Z2018-05-02T19:05:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html"><br /></a><span style="color: #000000;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p>Often, we fill our pantries, refrigerators and produce baskets with ingredients that mark --- and spark --- the season. Spring, for instance, might mean your baskets are overflowing with peas, asparagus, mustard greens and leeks (sometimes known as spring onions). Lamb chops might be broiling. Perhaps you will toast with a mint julep. <br /><br />What if instead, though, it took just a mere dash of an item you had on hand to give a dish a seasonal splash? For time-pressed cooks who still wish to impress and bring the season into their repertoire, herbs and spices are quick fixes. <br /><br />"<em>Dainty and light as a feather are the herbs of springtime...that lend unmistakable flavor and fragrance of freshness and green,</em>" write the keepers of Puget Consumers Co-op (<a href="https://www.pccmarkets.com/" target="_blank">PCC</a>), a more than 50-year-old co-op in the Pacific Northwest. <br /><br />Fragrance and color isn't the only difference for spring fare. Cooking technique comes into play as well. While seasonings may simmer and roast in winter cuisine, PCC recommends to add spring herbs "<em>near the end of cooking for optimal color and flavor.</em>" <br /><br />Some fresh choices include: </p>
<ul>
<li>Chervil </li>
<li>Chives </li>
<li>Dill </li>
<li>Lemongrass </li>
<li>Marjoram </li>
<li>Mint </li>
<li>Oregano </li>
<li>Parsley </li>
<li>Rosemary </li>
<li>Tarragon </li>
<li>Thyme </li>
</ul>
<p><br />Following are a few spring twists I recently created. All ingredients --- and seasonings ---are to taste.<br /><br /><span> </span><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for preparing homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</em><br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. </em> <br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>CHILI FOR A WARM SPRING DAY</strong><br />In your favorite chili recipe, substitute ground lamb for ground beef and peas for beans. Other than chilies, salt and freshly ground black pepper, use only tarragon and chervil as the seasonings.</li>
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<li><strong>SIP A SEASONAL SMOOTHIE</strong><br />In a strong blender add water, fresh lemon juice, 1-inch pieces of leftover cooked asparagus, arugula, hulled strawberries, honeydew melon balls, mint, lemongrass and pea protein (a powder from peas, often available where soy or whey protein powders are sold, which also may be substituted) and ice cubes. Blend until smooth.</li>
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<li><strong>OVERJOYED FOR THIS OMELET</strong><br />Just at the end of whisking the eggs for an omelet, gently fold in chopped: parsley and dill as well as mustard seeds. Toward the end of cooking, fill with leftover cooked, diced honey-glazed ham.</li>
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<li><strong>SPRING CARROT CAKE MADE WITH CARE</strong><br />To the batter of your favorite carrot cake recipe, add fresh lemon juice, hulled, minced strawberries, mint, rosemary and marjoram. In addition, gently mix some of the minced mint into cream cheese frosting before spreading.</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> The question is whether you will be more voracious for food or for additional stories after devouring Cara Nicoletti's <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Voracious-Hungry-Reader-Cooks-through/dp/0316242977" target="_blank">Voracious: A Hungry Reader Cooks Her Way Through Great Books</a></em>. Nicoletti is a Brooklyn, NY-based butcher (from a long line of them), former pastry chef and author of the literary recipe blog Yummy Books. Lucky for us, she is as avid a reader as she is a talented cook and also inventive to have come up with this interesting premise. I was hooked when I saw that part one in the book was all about childhood and extracted tales and treats from some of my all-time favorites, such as the <em>Little House on the Prairie</em> (breakfast sausage) and <em>Nancy Drew</em> (double chocolate walnut sundae) series, <em>Pippi Longstocking</em> (buttermilk pancakes) and <em>The Secret Garden</em> (currant buns). The book continues cleverly on through adolescence/college years and adulthood. The recipes continue to get more sophisticated, such as selections from the adult section, like a red wine-rosemary bread inspired by <em>The Odyssey</em>, goat cheese pumpkin pie by The <em>System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether </em>and grilled peaches with homemade ricotta by <em>Goodbye to All That</em>. You'll either come away a more informed cook or reader, or, better yet, both. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2018-05-02T19:05:00Z10-Second Recipes: Open-Faced Omelets Challenge SandwichesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Open-Faced-Omelets-Challenge-Sandwiches/676684340693576827.html2018-03-26T19:32:00Z2018-03-26T19:32:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html"><br /></a><span style="color: #000000;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p>Folding closed an omelet means you might be missing out on sky-high fillings chockful of flavor and nutrients. Instead, think about your egg base like a tortilla below a tall tostada or like the foundation of famed French tartine open-faced sandwiches that resemble works of art. <br /><br />You could use two eggs rather than the three or four that often go into preparing fluffy omelets with little to show inside. <br /><br />Vegetables, lean meats, and cheeses are all good choices. After the omelet is cooked, create the tallest stack possible, warming the ingredients before serving. <br /><br />A bonus: The awesome tall presentation as you bring the plate to the table is known to make a big splash with kidlet diners. <br /> <br />Following are some ideas for topping your cooked open-faced omelet. All ingredients are to taste. <span> <br /><br /></span><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</em><br /> <br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</em> </p>
<ul>
<li><strong>STIR-FRY SOLUTION</strong><br />While the open-faced omelet is cooking, in a wok in a small amount of peanut oil, carefully stir-fry bok choy, water chestnuts, lemongrass, mushrooms and green beans with lite soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and Chinese five-spice powder. </li>
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<li><strong>EASY AND CHEESY</strong><br />Layer low-fat cheddar and pepper jack cheese, brie and bite-sized chunks of cooked turkey and ham and drizzle with Dijon mustard and strawberry all-fruit spread (sold in the jam aisles of most supermarkets). </li>
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<li><strong>ONE FUN DATE </strong> <br />While the open-faced omelet is cooking, warm and slightly caramelize mandarin orange pieces and slices of kiwi. Sprinkle with coconut flakes and finely chopped dates. </li>
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<li><strong>NUTTY IDEA</strong><br />Melt whipped cream cheese and, as it's melting, stir in nuts and seeds you've toasted, such as hazelnuts, sliced almonds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. </li>
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<li><strong>BELIEVE IN BEANS</strong><br />Top with cooked pinto, black and white beans, salsa, crushed tortilla chips, nonfat sour cream and guacamole. </li>
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<li><strong>CHIC CHICKPEAS</strong> <br />While the open-faced omelet is cooking, carefully fry chickpeas until crispy and season with curry powder. Top omelet with the chickpeas, sesame seeds, and cooked ground lamb. </li>
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<li><strong>MINI MEATBALLS FOR MAXIMUM FLAVOR</strong><br />Top with grilled zucchini and cauliflower, Swiss cheese and cooked mini meatballs.</li>
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<li><strong>POTATO PATCH </strong></li>
Roast bite-sized pieces of red, blue and Russet potatoes, coat with olive oil and freshly ground black pepper. Saute scallions, red and white onions.<br /><br />
<li><strong>THE SPIN IS ON SPINACH</strong></li>
Carefully saute spinach, peas, and corn and mix with cooked Italian sausage, ricotta cheese and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
</ul>
<p><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If open-faced omelets lead to cravings for more such adventures, a tasty option is "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Toast-Tartines-Crostini-Open-Faced-Sandwiches/dp/1631590774" target="_blank">On Toast: Tartines, Crostini, and Open-Faced Sandwiches</a>" </em>by Kristan Raines. The toasts are little works of art and flavor fests and reflective of their international roots. Choices are as diverse as roasted broccoli and spicy hummus; blistered tomatoes and burrata; and blood oranges and honeyed ricotta. Homemade spreads are bountiful. Recipes are thoughtfully presented seasonally.<br /><br /><br /></p>
<p><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br /><br /></span></p>Staff2018-03-26T19:32:00ZSpirals Are Now a Straight Line to Convenience FoodStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Spirals-Are-Now-a-Straight-Line-to-Convenience-Food/589788251132025141.html2018-03-05T20:05:00Z2018-03-05T20:05:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html"><br /></a><span style="color: #000000;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p>Is your world spiraling out of control? Maybe it should be. Although that might sound hectic, in the culinary world it's actually currently the opposite. Spiralizing your food just took some turns toward even the more convenient for quick "<em>pasta</em>" meals of everything from soups, salads, breakfasts, and entrees. <br /><br />For the last few years, the rage has been spiralizing "<em>noodles</em>" from vegetables for health. The process involved often peeling vegetables, inserting blades and cranking a kitchen appliance with your arm to do it. The popularity of the trend, though, has now led to much more convenient twists. <br /><br />Walking down the fresh produce aisle at Whole Foods Market recently revealed prepackaged fresh spiralized beets, sweet potatoes, zucchini, and summer squash. The cover of Rachael Ray's Everyday magazine showed off a tart made from frozen spiralized vegetables that are now available at many supermarkets. <br /><br />Big brand Green Giant recently introduced frozen Veggie Spirals prepared from carrots, butternut squash, and zucchini. They are 100 percent vegetables that contain no sauce or seasonings. Green Giant ads refer to them as "<em>an exciting new take on noodles" that are "a family-friendly alternative to pasta.</em>" <br /><br />Those who have bought home spiralizers in the last years know that if you pepper such curly creations into your diet in place of pasta, you get the fiber and nutrients of vegetables without as many carbohydrates. The texture is similar to pasta as well as the appearance and the way they absorb sauces and function in recipes. Often, they also add vibrant color to meal presentation, which reflects them being packed with antioxidants. <br /><br />If you're ready to take that helpful and delicious curve at the next fork in the road, use either your own spiralized vegetables or the new convenient ones available in many supermarket fresh produce and frozen food aisles to create the easy examples that follow. All ingredients are to taste.<br /><br /><span> </span><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for preparing homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</em><br /> <br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. </em> </p>
<ul>
<li><strong>QUICK CARROT "<em>PASTA</em>" SALAD</strong><br />Gently combine carrot spirals with raisins, chopped walnuts, honey, minced cooked chicken, turkey or ham, ground cinnamon and low-fat vanilla or plain Greek yogurt (if plain, add a dash of pure vanilla extract). </li>
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<li><strong>OODLES OF "<em>NOODLES</em>" OMELET</strong><br />Gently combine zucchini spirals with pressed garlic, freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Just before folding cooked omelet, fill with zucchini mixture, finishing heating omelet until mixture is heated. </li>
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<li><strong>CAN'T BEAT THIS "<em>PASTA"</em></strong><br />In a nonstick skillet, heat the following, while carefully and gently stirring occasionally: beet spirals, pine nuts, dried basil, oregano and thyme. Place in serving bowl and toss with small amount of olive oil and cooked shrimp or cooked mock crab. </li>
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<li><strong>SOAK UP THIS "<em>NOODLE</em>" SOUP</strong><br />To store-bought or homemade tomato-basil soup when first heating, add pearl onions and chopped green beans. Cook and let simmer. When almost done heating, gently stir in butternut squash (or other squash) spirals. Just before serving, top with freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated Romano cheese.</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If you need some inspiration for what to do with spiralized vegetables - whether they emerge from your own kitchen appliance or fresh produce or frozen food aisles of your supermarket - Ali Maffucci's "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Inspiralized-Vegetables-Healthy-Creative-Satisfying-ebook/dp/B00O02AMLQ" target="_blank">Inspiralized: Turn Vegetables into Healthy, Creative, Satisfying Meals</a></em>" has a lot to offer. The <a href="http://inspiralized.com/" target="_blank">Inspiralized.com</a> blogger obviously has put much thought - with gourmet results - into chapters on everything from breakfasts to desserts. There is lots of Americana, as well as stops around the world, including egg drop soup (with spiralized zucchini), spring rolls (with spiralized cucumber), nori rolls (with spiralized beet), enchilada bake (with spiralized carrot) and hummus wraps (with spiralized golden beet). <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2018-03-05T20:05:00ZValentine's Week Offers More Romance than a Single NightStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Valentines-Week-Offers-More-Romance-than-a-Single-Night/-378742597178456291.html2018-02-11T18:50:00Z2018-02-11T18:50:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html"><br /></a><span style="color: #000000;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p><br /><span> </span>If intimacy is at the heart of any romantic Valentine's dinner, how is that achieved inside jam-packed restaurants? Everything from the parking spaces in the lot, to the barstools for a toast before the meal, to the window seat with a view, may come down to a wait and a competition, not to mention the hurried table turnover and the roar of the crowds even if you do have a reservation.<br /><br /><span> </span>For the first time, my husband and I cracked this tough nut last year and had one of the most romantic and memorable Valentine's Days of our long courtship, and it seems like some national chains read our minds from advertisements I've seen for this year.<br /><br /><span> </span>Because of his work schedule, we went out not on Valentine's Day, which is, of course, one of the busiest restaurant days of the year and often involves expensive prix fixe menus, but a different night that week. We were able to go to our favorite restaurant without a reservation, sit at a table with a gorgeous view and order from the a la carte items we prefer. Mostly, it was incredibly relaxed and romantic; we felt like we were in our own special world with a secret without others experiencing a rushed cookie-cutter experience an elbow away from us. We decided we would repeat the experience every year because it was exceptional.<br /><br /><span> </span>Prior to this holiday, I was surprised to see a slew of restaurants alerting those on their email lists to similar suggestions. The first one I received was from Seasons 52, an upscale chain serving farm-fresh locally sourced health-style meals. They suggested to "<em>beat the Valentine's rush this year</em>." They recommended a champagne toast with a three-course meal at a special price for two only available on the nights surrounding Valentine's Day that's "<em>perfect for a more relaxed and intimate celebration</em>." They further stressed that "<em>your date is important. The date is not.</em>"<br /><br /><span> </span>My only fear as I saw more such advice in the favored customer emails sent to me from restaurants: Maybe date switching will become so popular that it will defeat the purpose and restaurants will bulge not only on Valentine's Day but the currently slow-traffic weeknights surrounding it.<br /><br /><span> </span>This year is still most likely ripe for secret romance. What's also nice to impress your Valentine, without the work of preparing an entire meal at home, is to follow our other cozy culinary advice: Either before or after heading out, whip up an impressive, but shortcut, appetizer or dessert for your honey. Following are a few of our favorites. All ingredients are to your taste - or that of your sweetheart. <br /><br /><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation - even for special occasions - can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</em><br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</em><br /><br /><br /><strong> MELON MELANGE FOR MY HONEY</strong><br /><span> </span>Remove seeds from honeydew and cantaloupe melons. With a melon baller or a round tablespoon measure, scoop bite-sized balls from the melons and from seedless watermelon (or remove seeds from watermelon if seedless is not available). <br /><br />Marinate in a mixture of honey and curry powder, along with dried cranberries, chopped dried figs, and minced scallions. With a slotted spoon, serve fruit mixture over a bed of romaine hearts and then drizzle honey sauce over it to taste.<br /><br /><span> </span><strong><br />A CUPCAKE FOR MY CUPCAKE</strong><br /><span> </span>Cut a cylinder within a large frosted store-bought cupcake and fill with a slotted spoon with a mixture of blueberries and chopped hulled strawberries that have been soaked in champagne or ginger ale. <br /><br />Top with store-bought whipped cream that's been gently mixed with pure almond extract and colorful sprinkles.<br /><br /><br /><span> </span><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If you're looking for a pink, sweet and show-stopping treat for your Valentine (or your sweetheart of a kidlet), the time of year is perfect to try Victoria Kann's <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pinkalicious-Cupcake-Cookbook-Victoria-Kann/dp/0062023578" target="_blank">Pinkalicious Cupcake Book</a></em>. Kann is the bestselling illustrator behind the whimsical <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pinkalicious-Victoria-Kann/dp/0060776390/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1518481251&sr=1-1&keywords=Pinkalicious" target="_blank">Pinkalicious</a></em> picture book series. Having edible evidence of her magical world is inspired. Everything from classic pink cupcakes with cherries on top, to a princess cupcake and castle, to flower-shaped decorated cake pops is among the 20 unique recipes. Valentine's Day may be a good day to start, but kidlet - or adult - birthday parties throughout the year are equally as appropriate settings for the specialties.<span> </span></p>
<br /><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>
<p> </p>Staff2018-02-11T18:50:00ZYour Horoscope? Throwing Even Happier Birthday PartiesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Your-Horoscope-Throwing-Even-Happier-Birthday-Parties/-190779085394464273.html2018-01-26T18:50:00Z2018-01-26T18:50:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html"><br /></a><span style="color: #000000;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p>Birthstones have lots to do with birthdays, but not often with the celebrations themselves. A fun and tasty way to change that is by throwing a birthstone-themed party. <span> <br /><br /></span>The good news, of course, is that, since you know the birthday of the guest of honor, you have the key to researching their birthstone. How can this be yummy? Take a look at the easy ideas below for those with birthdays early in the year that may spur your own offshoots for the rest of the time. <br /><br /><span> </span>Start with the birthstone color of the month as the uniform palette of all the decorations at any of this year's parties, such as the lavender of amethyst in February, blue of aquamarine in March, and glitziness of diamonds in April. You've got a starting point if you begin your planning with a favor and a memorable food item, like those below. <span> <br /><br /></span><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation - even for parties - can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</em><br /> <br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. </em> <br /><br /> <strong>FEBRUARY</strong> <br /> <br /><em>Favor:</em> Small ceramic or other pots of lavender to represent the color of amethyst can be inexpensive online or in nurseries. Tie a purple ribbon around each planter and in permanent ink in calligraphy style write the first name of each guest and leave by their plate. <br /> <br /><em>Food:</em> An easy purple salad will be eye-catching, memorable, healthful and tasty. Chop the following: purple cauliflower, red cabbage (which looks purple), dried figs and boiled purple potatoes. Toss with store-bought or homemade ranch dressing that you've mixed with a small amount of red wine vinegar. <br /><br /><br /><strong>MARCH</strong> <br /> <br /><em>Favor:</em> Buy aquamarine colored inexpensive small plastic boats (that might be sold as bath toys) and fill them with wrapped candies at each guest's place-setting. <br /> <br /><em>Food:</em> Serve blueberry parfaits as part of dessert. Layer Greek nonfat blueberry yogurt with granola and chocolate chips. Repeat twice and top with a dollop of whipped cream you've tinted blue by mixing with crushed fresh blueberries. <br /><br /><br /><strong>APRIL</strong> <br /> <br /><em>Favor:</em> Inexpensive rhinestones or charms ready for a bracelet or necklace, online or in craft shops, are often sold in packs of 12, featuring the color or type of the birthstone of each month. A packet with a ribbon at each place-setting is festive and assures that everyone receives their "<em>birthstone</em>" in the mix. Party favor stores often also sell big glass crafted "<em>engagement rings</em>" that look like diamonds. <br /><br /><em>Food:</em> Diet ginger ale looks like and even tastes a bit like champagne, which meshes with the theme of diamonds. Squeeze in the juice of fresh lemons, limes and tangerines for a lively bubbly beverage for toasting. <br /><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> TV Food Network star <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Flay" target="_blank">Bobby Flay</a> has often challenged folks to "<em>throwdowns</em>" when it comes to cooking, hence the name of his popular series. Currently, though, the effervescent Flay is fitter than ever and possibly even better suited to real throwdowns. If you would like to tone up yourself, there are 200 recipes to help you get that way in <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bobby-Flay-Fit-Recipes-Lifestyle/dp/0385345933/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1517211857&sr=1-1&keywords=Flay%27s+Fit" target="_blank">Flay's Fit</a></em>. The secret to Flay's fitness is "<em>flavor bombs</em>" with which he accents healthful foods, like fresh produce and whole grains. These are rubs, relishes, marinades and other super-charged condiments. The creativity is off the charts here with entire chapters filled with vinaigrettes, spice rubs and even pickles, such as pickled green onions and pickled saffron shallots. How does it work? Think of Brussels sprouts and then think of <a href="/Flay's Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate-Orange Vinaigrette and Pecans" target="_blank">Flay's Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate-Orange Vinaigrette and Pecans</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2018-01-26T18:50:00Z10-Second Recipes: A New Year Can Mean Future Holiday FavoritesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-A-New-Year-Can-Mean-Future-Holiday-Favorites/58063208969610262.html2017-12-29T21:08:00Z2017-12-29T21:08:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html"><br /></a><span style="color: #000000;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p>January is the start of a new year, but what if it was also the beginning of new cooking adventures? Many of us spent months during the recent holiday season replicating generations’-old family favorites that we know are tried-and-true and much appreciated by family and friends. In fact, a lot of us recognize that we would have a virtual riot on our hands if we didn’t make those beloved holiday dishes.</p>
<div id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_31980">Good cooks understand it’s not a good idea to prepare recipes for the first time on the holiday. Disappointment on all ends can run deep if the results aren’t up to par. That’s why every January, when the weather is still cold and similar to that of the holidays and the same season’s ingredients are still front and center is the perfect time to treat your family to some experiments that can expand your holiday repertoire for next holiday season.</div>
<div id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_31986"><span id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_31987"> </span></div>
<div id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_31989"><span id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_31990">If, for instance, turkey and ham have always been your go-to selections, what about a festive holiday fish dish? If sweet potatoes have been de rigueur, why not dazzle with a spicy potato medley? Following are ideas for those and a few additional festive selections that just might get a seat at your future holiday tables, all of which also take ease and economics into consideration.</span></div>
<div id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_31992"><span id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_31993"> </span></div>
<div id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_31995"><span id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_31996"> <em id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_31997">Fun fare like this also proves food preparation – even for holidays – can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</em></span></div>
<div id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_31999"><em id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32000"><span id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32001"> </span></em></div>
<div id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32003"><em id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32004"><span id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32005">Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can’t-go-wrong combinations. They can’t help but draw “wows” from family members and guests.</span></em></div>
<div id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32007"><em id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32008"><span id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32009"> </span></em></div>
<div id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32011">
<ul>
<li><strong><span id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32012">GO FISH</span></strong><br />The “<em>feast of seven fishes</em>,” is, in fact, a Christmas Eve tradition in many homes in Italy. You don’t need to prepare near that many, though, to make a splash. Fish stew makes the perfect experiment. Pick a few of your favorite varieties of fish and shellfish, bone up on the best cooking techniques for your choices, add complementary spices and pitted olives and raisins if you’d like to give it a Sicilian flare.</li>
<br />
<li><strong><span id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32024">A RAINBOW OF POTATOES</span></strong><br />A golden idea when it comes to both presentation and flavor is to create a pretty plate of gold, red, blue and white roasted potatoes. Before cooking dab with olive oil and sprinkle with cumin and turmeric. Serve topped with dollops of store-bought of homemade hummus that you’ve mixed with shredded carrots and tiny amounts of carrot juice and ginger. </li>
<br />
<li><strong><span id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32036">RECREATING CRANBERRY SAUCE</span></strong><br />Rethink the mighty cranberry for some diversity. Other combinations could pep up your sauce and condiment portfolio, such as these substitutions in your favorite cranberry sauce recipe: Fresh minced pear, lime juice and curry powder; tangerine segments, golden raisins and freshly ground black pepper; and turnips, parsnips, carrots, curry powder and orange marmalade. </li>
<br />
<li><strong><span id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32048">YOU’LL BE ON A ROLL</span></strong><br />Ditch regular dinner rolls and serve store-bought or homemade mini muffins with fun glazes, like apple-mint, chive-scallion-vanilla and cinnamon-green tea.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong><span id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32060">PIE BOTTOMS THAT ARE TOPS</span></strong><br />Cut thick slices of any of the following (store-bought or homemade pumpkin bread, banana bread, date bread or carrot cake) and push them down firmly on top of (and shaped the same way as) store-bought or homemade graham cracker pie crusts before filling the innovative double-crust pies.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32071"><strong id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32072"><em id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32073"><span id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32074">QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </span></em></strong><span id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32075">Chef and cookbook author Rocco DiSpirito’s weight loss was our gain when he started focusing on recipes that pack on the flavor instead of the pounds. One of his latest, <em id="yiv4590942360yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1514364640962_32076"><a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062378125/roccos-healthy-and-delicious" target="_blank">Rocco’s Healthy & Delicious: More Than 200 (Mostly) Plant-Based Recipes for Everyday Life</a></em> makes you pay attention to what you are eating much more than what you are missing. Standouts include: Pumpkin spice trail mix; kiwi veggie burgers; cauliflower risotto; and pomegranate chia overnight oats. The dashing DiSpirito’s huge smile on this book cover is much wider than his pre-diet days, but he himself is much thinner after making innovative, flavorful choices such as these.</span></div>
<p> </p>
<p><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2017-12-29T21:08:00Z10-Second Recipes: Cheers to Healthy Holiday Hostess GiftsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Cheers-to-Healthy-Holiday-Hostess-Gifts/-456203147244496583.html2017-12-19T18:35:00Z2017-12-19T18:35:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /></a><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html"><br /></a><span style="color: #000000;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p>What if your indoor holiday tree, instead of the scent of inedible pine, had the aroma of delicious rosemary? In fact, rosemary, sage and thyme --- let alone a multitude of other flavorful sensations --- could be filling your holiday home and those of your friends and family if you give the presents of innovative produce gifts, instead of run-of-the-mill offerings. <br /><br />Talk about a tasty hostess gift to bring to holiday gatherings or to brighten up your own home decor. The approximate 1-foot plants, which are cut and formed into the shape of pine trees, and often decorated with tiny ornaments and flanked by a recipe card, are sold by a number of the nation’s florist websites. Some of the country’s supermarket chains also sell them in their produce or floral departments and even have a tube of rosemary-scented body lotion attached. <br /><br />The innovative healthy hostess holiday gift ideas don’t stop there. If you think in terms of bouquets from your supermarket produce aisles, your creative gift options grow. Some even sell attractive, ribbon-wrapped bouquets for gift giving that are not only pretty, but specifically for cooking. They are often called “turkey blend” and are made from sage, rosemary and thyme. To give you even more ideas, following are a few other recent supermarket produce department finds. <br /><br /><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation – even for holidays – can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! </em><br /><br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can’t-go-wrong combinations. They can’t help but draw “wows” from family members and guests. </em><br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li>A premium fruit brand sells gift bags of their apples decorated with bows and accompanied by recipes for special holiday side dishes, such as a quinoa medley that you could emulate at home with your favorite grain recipe using milk, cinnamon, pecans, and honey. </li>
<br />
<li>Companies that sell cute little cherry tomatoes have “constellation” collections in pretty containers for the holidays. The constellation includes red, yellow, green and orange cherry tomatoes.</li>
<br />
<li>Other tomato plants to be on the lookout for: cocktail tomatoes sold on the vine, decoratively cut and wrapped in supermarket produce departments as a fun, fresh gift your hosts can use in their libations. </li>
<br />
<li>You can let your imagination go wild creating your own healthful hostess gift produce baskets, such as bunches of cute little green Brussels sprouts flanked by mini red bell peppers and recipes for dishes including those ingredients. </li>
</ul>
<p><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If you’re not having the most fun of anyone at your party and your house isn’t a hot mess when it’s over, then you’re doing something wrong when you are entertaining, notes Kate Hudson. As some have pointed out recently, everything Hudson touches seems to turn to gold, whether it’s her films, her athletic wear line and now her tips about entertaining in her book “<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pretty-Fun-Creating-Celebrating-Tradition/dp/B0754L6F43/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513750636&sr=8-1&keywords=pretty+fun+by+kate+hudson" target="_blank">Pretty Fun</a></em>.” The book should also strike many as a pretty fun read filled with color photographs of the appealing actress/lifestyle guru. It gives lighthearted tips that can make any gathering even more lighthearted for what may have ordinarily been a stressed-out host. Some standouts include: turning your entire dining table into a huge, varied meat and cheese board, so the guests have fun, but you can as well by not being tied to the stove; or not taking on all fancy food presentations yourself by instead setting up a fun guest self-serve hot apple cider or hot chocolate bar with the accompaniments, like cinnamon sticks and marshmallows, in pretty containers on the side.</p>
<p><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2017-12-19T18:35:00Z10-Second Recipes: Toast Thanksgiving with Toasty AppetizersStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Toast-Thanksgiving-with-Toasty-Appetizers/75408642236745479.html2017-11-21T18:35:00Z2017-11-21T18:35:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /></a><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html"><br /></a><span style="color: #000000;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p>Toasting Thanksgiving with toast just may be an easy and inventive way to kick off a memorable holiday meal. Crostini, the popular Italian appetizer of small topped toasts, can be the foolproof inspiration for unique seasonal hors d’oeuvres.</p>
<p>Usually, Italian ingredients and seasonings crown the toast. However, as Thanksgiving celebrations begin, instead be innovative with both your breads and toppings and let traditional holiday flavors be your guide. Pumpkin, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, cranberries and even stuffing can turn this traditional crowd-pleaser into treats that are all your own. </p>
<p>Take a look at the ideas that follow. All ingredients are to taste. Each combination below should be lightly toasted in the oven at desired temperature until desired doneness, being careful not to burn. </p>
<p> <em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation – even for holidays – can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</em><em> </em></p>
<p><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can’t-go-wrong combinations. They can’t help but draw “wows” from family members and guests.</em></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>PEPPY PUMPKIN</strong><br />Top slices of pumpkin bread with a thin layer of pumpkin butter, freshly ground black pepper, curry powder and pumpkin seeds.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>CRAVING CRANBERRY</strong><br />Top slices of baguette with a thin layer of cranberry sauce that’s been gently mixed with orange marmalade, allspice, orange zest and dried cranberries.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>STICK WITH CINNAMON</strong><br />Quarter slices of whole-grain bread and top with a thin layer of cream cheese, freshly ground cinnamon sticks, drops of peppermint extract and golden raisins.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>CORNY BUT TRUE</strong><br />Top slices of cornbread with a thin layer of olive oil and minced: garlic, shallots and sundried tomatoes (that have been drained).</li>
<br />
<li><strong>ANYTHING BUT STUFFY</strong><br />Form cooked seasoned Thanksgiving stuffing into thin slices and top with cooked and minced: water chestnuts, carrots and parsnips. Drizzle with pure maple syrup.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>Leo Pearlstein was on the team that created the pop-up turkey timer. As a top culinary public relations company founder for more than 50 years who represented turkey advisory boards, he often accompanied the annual turkey to be “<em>pardoned</em>” to the White House, including the one that John F. Kennedy posed with days before his assassination. As longtime friend and representative of food product pioneer Sophie Cubbison, creator of <a href="http://www.mrscubbisons.com/about-us/history.php" target="_blank">Mrs. Cubbison’s brand of toasted products</a>, stuffing also became a Pearlstein (who is now 97 and still doing annual pre-Thanksgiving press interviews) specialty. I unearthed 50 years of Cubbison’s recipes in Pearlstein’s offices before he donated them to university libraries and was proud about 10 years ago to write with him <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Cubbisons-Best-Stuffing-Cookbook/dp/0757002609" target="_blank">Mrs. Cubbison’s Best Stuffing Cookbook</a></em>. His tip: Don’t ever let stuffing in a casserole limit your culinary imagination. As chapters in the book show, stuffing also can be turned into visual showstoppers, like muffins, loaves, balls and even desserts, such as bread pudding.</p>
<p><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2017-11-21T18:35:00Z10-Second Recipes: Dress Up Greek Yogurt for Even More Flavor and NutritionStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Dress-Up-Greek-Yogurt-for-Even-More-Flavor-and-Nutrition/149209732490231921.html2017-11-14T23:35:00Z2017-11-14T23:35:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /></a><span style="color: #000000;"><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html"><br /><br /></a>Greek yogurt invaded supermarkets. Chobani, which the Washington Post calls the best-known brand, saw its sales explode in its first five years from about $3 million to more than $1 billion in 2012, the newspaper reported.</span></p>
<p>There is good reason Greek yogurt is a fierce competitor when it comes to regular yogurt. It is creamier, akin to mousse, has significantly more protein and less sugar. Many nonfat varieties have been introduced in the marketplace as well in the last few years.<br /><br />The higher protein content (often 12 to 15 grams per serving compared to 5 grams in many regular yogurts) makes it not only a worthy snack, but a good foundation for a main course. It is the production process itself that is responsible for the better nutrition profile.<br /> <br />The Los Angeles area (including Beverly Hills and Santa Monica) boasts Go Greek, a small chain that prepares its own fresh regular and frozen Greek yogurts in both savory and sweet made-to-order dishes. That's a rarity, however, inquiring at local Greek restaurants as to whether they make their own yogurt is a way to taste fresh versions nationwide. Also, tzatziki, one of Go Greek's offerings, a Greek staple, served with pita bread and raw vegetables for dipping, is available at most Greek restaurants and includes cucumber, mint, garlic, lemon juice, salt and crushed black pepper.<br /> <br />Some of Go Greek's simple, yet flavorful, creations that follow can provide inspiration for dressing up supermarket versions (either plain or flavored) at home, and result in adding even more superfoods to the mix than just the Greek yogurt itself. All ingredients are to taste.<span> </span> <br /><br /><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</em><br /> <br /><em>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. </em></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>FLORINA</strong><br /> Raisins, apple, pecan, cinnamon, flaxseed and Greek honey. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>DODONI </strong> <br /> Sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, feta, pine nuts, olive oil, cumin, salt and crushed black pepper. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>ACESO</strong><br /> Mango, avocado, Serrano chili pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, hemp seeds, salt and crushed black pepper. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>HERMES</strong><br /> Dates, walnut, cacao nib, dark chocolate shaving, carob syrup and Greek honey. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>MEGAS</strong><br /> Strawberry, banana, walnut, flaxseed, dark chocolate shavings and Greek honey. </li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If you want to give "<em>wheat meat</em>" a thorough try, or, if you've only tasted packaged versions and wondered what homemade might be like, noted Chef Tommy McDonald's <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Field-Roast-Artisan-Vegan-Recipes/dp/0738219592" target="_blank">100 vegan recipe collection in Field Roast</a></em> offers lots of tasty practice. He calls his recipes "<em>artisan</em>" for good reason. Packaged versions are usually plain, McDonald's recipes are anything but and it's most likely the flavors that will linger rather than the fact that you skipped meat. After learning to prepare your own vegan charcuterie, you'll feast on spicy sausage, five-alarm chili, burgundy stew and specialties like pate de Campagne.<br /><br /></p>
<p><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2017-11-14T23:35:00Z10-Second Recipes: Mock Nachos Fill You Up, Not OutStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Mock-Nachos-Fill-You-Up,-Not-Out/11648381149235930.html2017-10-20T17:36:00Z2017-10-20T17:36:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<p>Mock crab has plenty of takers who want to save money, but what if saving calories is your goal? Perhaps you could create your own mock-ups of favorite foods. I've done it with nachos and such action can expand your culinary skills without expanding your waistline.<br /><br />The key with any mock maneuver is to recreate the parts, even when the ingredients are different than the original. In regard to nifty nachos that means a foundation to replace the chips and tempters to stand in for the cheese and toppings.<br /><br />Following are a few of my favorites and make terrific autumn appetizers and snacks. All ingredients are to taste and arranged on baking sheets before broiling, being careful not to burn and covering with aluminum foil if necessary until heated through:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>ONIONS ARE AWESOME</strong><br />Divide red and white onions into pieces that resemble a base of chips. Top with minced scallions, chives, red chili pepper flakes, curry powder and chopped black and green pitted olives.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>THE GIFT OF WHOLE GRAINS</strong><br />Use multigrain baked chips as the foundation. Top with minced cooked chicken sausage, Mexican seasoning blend, chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, spicy mustard and a drizzle of maple syrup.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>HOW SWEET IT IS</strong><br />Bake sweet potatoes and, when cool, slit and scoop out filling, leaving about one-quarter inch on the skin. (Reserve the filling to make an additional dish like mashed sweet potatoes.) Cut the sweet potato skins into sixths and top with ground cinnamon, freshly ground black pepper, golden raisins, and chopped pecans.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>LEAF OF FAITH</strong><br />Chop layers of radicchio into the size of chips. Drizzle with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Top with finely minced kale and roasted red peppers. Top with crumbled fried onions.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>PIED PEPPERS</strong><br />Seed green, red and yellow bell peppers and cut into the size of chips. Brush with barbecue sauce and top with cooked corn kernels and red chili pepper flakes.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>TRY THESE "APPS"</strong> <br />Core red and green apples, slice into wide wedges, leaving about one-quarter inch of flesh on the skin. Brush with mint jelly and top with minced fresh mint and Chinese Five Spice powder, found in the spice aisle of most supermarkets.</li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong><br />QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If you're too busy to be creating whole foods all day long, don't fret Jessica Nadel has done it for you in <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Superfoods-24-Inspired-Recipes-Nutritious/dp/1615192786" target="_blank">Superfoods 24/7: More than 100 Easy & Inspired Recipes to Enjoy the World's Most Nutritious Foods at Every Meal, Every Day</a></em>. This means Adzuki beans will be hiding in your brownies and tahini in your truffles and, yes, you can guiltlessly enjoy brownies and truffles along with entire inspiring menus from the acclaimed author of <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Greens-24-Delicious-Recipes-Vegetables/dp/1615192271/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1508528913&sr=1-1&keywords=greens+24%2F7" target="_blank">Greens 24/7</a></em>. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2017-10-20T17:36:00Z10-Second Recipes: Transitional Apple Pies Are Ripe for the Change of SeasonStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Transitional-Apple-Pies-Are-Ripe-for-the-Change-of-Season/-740241234383400239.html2017-09-29T20:59:00Z2017-09-29T20:59:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<p><span> </span>Apple pie is so synonymous with autumn that many of us automatically eat it and get burned out well before winter. Eagerness for apples is the part of the timeline we're on now. One way to both stretch and satisfy that feeling is with innovative pies that mark the change of season from summer to fall.<br /><br /><span> </span>Choice of ingredients, like accompanying fruits and vegetables, and including seasonings, makes all the difference. Following are some ideas for use with your favorite apple pie recipe. All added ingredients are to taste.</p>
<ul>
<li><em><strong>RAZZLE DAZZLE </strong></em> <br />Add fresh raspberry puree to apple pie filling. Before serving, top each slice with a dollop of whipped cream cheese and fresh raspberries. </li>
<br />
<li><em><strong>TOMATOES CAN BE TOPS </strong></em> <br />Add one thick tomato slice for every five apple slices in the pie filling (which also will add to the juiciness), as well as fresh mint leaves and lemon zest. </li>
<br />
<li><em><strong>CORNY BUT TRUE </strong></em> <br />Sprinkle sweet corn kernels over a layer of apples and add a drizzle of orange juice. </li>
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<li><em><strong>CITRUS MEDLEY </strong></em> <br />Top apple layer with lemon, orange and lime zest. </li>
<br />
<li><strong><em>T</em></strong><em style="font-weight: bold;">ASTE OF THE TROPICS </em> <br />In a bowl, before adding to pie, gently mix apple pie filling with shredded sweetened coconut and diced and drained pineapple. Before serving, top each slice with vanilla ice cream, dried banana chips and drained mandarin orange slices. </li>
<br />
<li><em><strong>VERY BERRY </strong></em><br />In a bowl, before adding to pie, gently mix apple pie filling with slices of strawberries and blueberries. Serve with strawberry and vanilla ice cream and whipped cream that's had a tiny addition mixed in of fresh strawberry and blueberry coulis. </li>
<br />
<li><em><strong>MADE WITH LEMONADE </strong> </em> <br />Covered and refrigerated, soak apple slices in lemonade overnight before using in pie. Serve slices topped with lemon sorbet and dark chocolate raisins. </li>
<br />
<li><em><strong>PULLING A PUNCH </strong></em><br />Covered and refrigerated, soak apple slices in fruit punch overnight before using in pie and add a few dollops of cherry pie filling when arranging apples. </li>
<br />
<li><em><strong>A TO Z PIE </strong></em> <br />Peel zucchini and add one slice of zucchini for every five apple slices, as well as tarragon and cardamom. </li>
</ul>
<p><span><br /></span>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "<em>wows</em>" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>If you don't yet have a favorite apple pie recipe, an excellent source is Ken Haedrich's <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Pie-Delicious-Decidedly-Different/dp/1558327428" target="_blank">Apple Pie: 100 Delicious and Decidedly Different Recipes for America's Favorite Pie</a></em>. In fact, his "<em>Special Occasion Apple Pies</em>" chapter alone is good reason to take a bite of the book. Bread pudding lover in your family? Serve up the pie that includes both. Want a pie all to yourself? Individual apple and plum pies are topped with streusel. Looking for a dinner idea? Sausages are added to the apple mix for a hearty potpie.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2017-09-29T20:59:00Z10-Second Recipes: Improving Eating While on the RunStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Improving-Eating-While-on-the-Run/603312958799659132.html2017-09-15T20:21:00Z2017-09-15T20:21:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<p>Although homemade meals are the gold standard, there are also ways to improve occasional restaurant meals to your family's advantage. The same logic can kick in if you are in the car a lot running errands or driving from one kidlet appointment to another. <br /><br />I've found that, in addition to packing healthy snacks that don't require refrigeration for car rides, what can fill in the missing nutritional gaps at roadside restaurants for occasional necessary quick stops are mini packs of secret weapons. <br /><br />These are the kind of foods nutritionists recommend, but don't often appear on menus and can be popped almost like magic bullets before the meal. For instance, dietitians often advise a small portion of a "good fat," like nuts, along with lean protein and vegetables at meals, as well as talking up a few bites of antioxidant-filled gems like dried fruit. Whole grains, which they tout, may also be in short supply from short order cooks.<br /><br />Following are a few ideas of what to bring, along with simple suggestions from most menus that can make a significant difference while leaving the cafe's flavor fest intact.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves improving food can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating specialties, even on the road, and, more importantly, always enjoying the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br /><strong><em>--- FROM YOUR OWN STASH:</em></strong></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>MEANINGFUL MEDLEY</strong><br />Combine golden and dark raisins, dried cherries and dried blueberries.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>GOING NUTS FOR NUTS</strong><br />Combine shelled pistachios, almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>GRAB A GRAIN</strong><br />Combine oat, whole wheat, and barley ready-to-eat cereals to eat a few bites dry.</li>
<br />
</ul>
<p><strong><em>--- FROM THE MENU:</em></strong></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>CHECK YOUR OIL</strong><br />Ask for olive oil and vinegar and drizzle a few dashes on every salad or hot vegetable you order, as well as compatible items, like soups, omelets, chili and casseroles.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>AIM FOR AVOCADO</strong><br />Add this "good fat" to sandwiches, salads, omelets and burgers.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>BREAKFAST-FREE BOWL</strong><br />Order a dry bowl of whole-grain cereal and eat a few bites dry or sprinkle on dishes, like soups, salads, hot vegetables, macaroni and cheese or meatloaf. Or order a side of brown rice and add a few tablespoons to burritos, wraps, hot vegetables or soups. </li>
<br />
</ul>
<p><em><strong><br />QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> There's the old saying "Y<em>ou don't know what you don't know</em>." If part of that exasperation is not mastering how to properly eat lobster and other culinary quandaries, an apt guide is Ashley Blom's "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/How-Eat-Lobster-Enigmas-Explained/dp/1594749213" target="_blank">How to Eat a Lobster: And Other Edible Enigmas Explained</a></em>" that's also handsomely illustrated by Lucy Engelman. Topics, such as cracking nuts, eating a whole fish and how to open a coconut, are broken into easy-to-follow steps. Practice a few times and, voila, you are a connoisseur, or at least probably won't embarrass yourself.<br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;"><br /><br /><br />Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2017-09-15T20:21:00Z10-Second Recipes: Labor Day Leftovers Reduce Your Workload Even LongerStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Labor-Day-Leftovers-Reduce-Your-Workload-Even-Longer/-807259603469484040.html2017-08-31T17:09:00Z2017-08-31T17:09:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<p>Labor Day leftovers can keep the workload manageable. Surprisingly, summer leftovers rival those from Thanksgiving feasts. Sure, turkey is tried and true as a holiday extender, but the creativity possible with warm weather favorites, like hot dogs, hamburgers, corn-on-the-cob, fruit salad and ice cream, will give you additional time off from cooking the following day.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Tightly cover and refrigerate all of your goodies until you are ready to prepare the leftovers within 24 hours. All ingredients are to taste. Here are some innovative ideas for your time off from meal prep.<br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>HOT DOG HELP FOR BREAKFAST</strong><br />Slice leftover cooked hot dogs and carefully saute in olive oil with sliced green and red bell peppers, red onions and a pressed clove of garlic before using as a filling for a cooked omelet.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>KICK START FOR CASSEROLE</strong><br />Gently mix all of these cooked leftovers: sliced hot dogs, broken-up bits of hamburgers, chunks of barbecued boneless chicken, baked beans and shucked corn. Combine with your favorite casserole recipe before baking.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>PICK THIS POTATO</strong>Remove flesh from leftover baked potatoes, mash and mix with leftover shucked grilled corn-on-the-cob, black pepper, garlic powder, chopped chives and butter. Heat until hot. </li>
<br />
<li><strong>TUTTI-FRUTTI SALAD</strong><br />Place leftover summer fresh fruit salad on a baking sheet and sprinkle with brown sugar. Heat in oven at desired temperature until caramelized, making sure it doesn't burn. Let cool. Prepare a spinach salad foundation, top with the cooled caramelized fruit and drizzle with homemade or store-bought yogurt dressing.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>SMOOTH ICE CREAM IDEA</strong><br />In a blender container, add multiple flavors of leftover frozen ice cream, decaffeinated freeze-dried coffee crystals, uncooked one-minute whole oats, almonds, sugar-free chocolate syrup and enough ice to provide desired thickness when blending is completed.</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Daphne Oz, co-host of TV's "<em><a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes" target="_blank">The Chew</a></em>," knows that sometimes just a simple touch is all it takes to hit a home run with an everyday meal. That's why she adds truffle salt to her roast chicken, coconut and mango to her pancakes and makes her quesadillas taste like Philly cheesesteaks in <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Cook-Recipes-Eating-Weekend-ebook/dp/B019WVPU2U" target="_blank">The Happy Cook: 125 Recipes for Eating Every Day Like It's the Weekend</a></em>. The key is that every one of the handfuls of ingredients in each easy recipe is irreplaceable and balances expertly with the others.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br /><br /></span></p>Staff2017-08-31T17:09:00Z10-Second Recipes: Family Cooking Night That's Light on the CookingStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Family-Cooking-Night-Thats-Light-on-the-Cooking/951471742292906754.html2017-08-18T18:01:00Z2017-08-18T18:01:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<p>Family night cooking adventures where everyone gets to flex and strengthen their culinary muscles don't have to involve sophisticated or time-consuming recipes. If you start with foundations that kidlets already crave, you are one step ahead when it comes to improving their kitchen skills.<br /><br />For instance, if, instead of immediately teaching them to prepare waffles from scratch, what if you started with whole-grain toaster waffles and taught them to create a sophisticated topping that would stretch their palate? What if, rather than making an entire pasta dish, you showed them how to enhance a healthful sauce with hidden treasures?<br /><br />Those and other meal-starters follow. The absolute best news is that once started, you probably won't be able to get your kidlets to stop wanting to be pint-sized short-order cooks.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You - and your children - effortlessly become better cooks, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows." All ingredients are to taste. <em>Children should be supervised at all times in the kitchen and any tasks with heat or knives should be performed by adults, with children as observers.</em><br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>SAY WOW TO THESE WAFFLES</strong><br />Prepare this topping for whole-grain toaster waffles. A half hour before serving, to create a topping, marinate the following in one part sugar-free pancake syrup and one part pure maple syrup: freshly chopped basil and mint, ground cinnamon, sliced strawberries and chopped apples, stirring occasionally.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>SMART SAUCE</strong><br />Purchase a bottled marinara sauce with the least amount of sugar shown on the label. Place it in a saucepot for stovetop cooking or a microwave-safe container for microwave heating. Before heating according to product instructions, stir in the following (all kid-sized, bite-sized chunks): Roma tomatoes, carrots, green bell pepper and unpeeled zucchini. Use a cheese grater just before serving to grate a small amount of Parmesan cheese over the sauce.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>CHOCOLATE FOR FUN AND FITNESS</strong><br />To the milk of your choice (regular, low-fat, almond, soy, coconut, etc.), add unsweetened cocoa powder (a provider of antioxidants and fiber), stevia natural zero-calorie sweetener and a small amount of strawberry all-fruit spread (found in the jam aisles of most supermarkets). Stir well and serve with a dollop of store-bought nondairy topping or homemade whipped cream.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>VEGETABLES FOR THE VERY CREATIVE</strong><br />Mash some cooked cauliflower and add salt, freshly ground pepper and a small amount of butter and stir until smooth for a side dish that mimics mashed potatoes. Have especially adventurous kid cooks pick an additional spice blend to add to the mix, such as curry powder, Mexican seasoning or Chinese Five-Spice powder (available in the seasoning aisle of most supermarkets and including star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, and pepper).</li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong><br /><br />QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> One of my all-time favorite kids' cookbooks - for either adult-supervised kids or busy parents - is <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/365-Foods-Kids-Love-Eat/dp/1570710309" target="_blank">365 Foods Kids Love to Eat: Fun, Nutritious and Kid Tested</a></em> by Sheila Ellison and Judith Gray. It's gone through three editions in over 20 years and the perennial favorites still are standouts, from soups to sandwiches, to dinners. Each recipe only has a few ingredients and instructions and all are inspired by foods that kids already love to eat. There is, for instance, an entire chapter on peanut butter, with easy recipes for winners like peanutty popcorn balls, peanut butter oatmeal and P.B. chip muffins.</p>
<p><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2017-08-18T18:01:00Z10-Second Recipes: Cool Kid Snacks for Hot Summer DaysStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Cool-Kid-Snacks-for-Hot-Summer-Days/793099568684208564.html2017-07-19T18:01:00Z2017-07-19T18:01:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<p><br />When kidlets learn to prepare their own food it's a step toward life-long independence. A cool trick that's easy on the schedule and the wallet is teaching them how to create cold snacks on hot summer days. Good nutrition can easily be tucked into these fun treats as well. All ingredients are to taste.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You - and your kidlets - effortlessly become better cooks, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "<em>wows</em>." <br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>TROPICAL TREATS</strong><br />Preparing snacks also can be a way to teach kids about other topics, like geography and climate. The fun result can be a kid cooler that's a quick tropical mix of pineapple juice and coconut milk that's blended with a frozen banana for a summer smoothie</li>
<br />
<li><strong>GOING NUTS OVER NUT BUTTERS</strong><br />Teach kids to wash and dry celery, trim with adult supervision and fill the stalks with nut butters, like peanut, almond, cashew and hazelnut, and a drizzle of black and white sesame seeds (often rated the healthiest food of all) and perform a taste test to decide which butter they like best.</li>
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<li><strong>THE DIP CHALLENGE</strong><br />Challenge kidlets to come up with their own healthful dips to serve with fresh vegetables and whole-grain chips. Bases might include nonfat Greek yogurt (higher in protein and lower in fat than many other yogurts), nonfat sour cream or fat-free salad dressings. Teach them about fresh herbs that might work well, such as mint, basil, thyme or mashed fruits that will add fun colors, like seedless watermelon or blueberries, as well as a drizzle of honey or molasses for sweetness.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>MIXING UP SEASONAL TRAIL MIX</strong><br />Kids often love trail mix. Teach them how it's made by giving it a lighter summer spin. Use golden raisins, dried cherries, and dried blueberries, along with dried banana chips, oats and other whole-grain cereals, such as strawberry flavored mini shredded wheat squares.</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Sometimes a book for one subject can provide universal help in the kitchen. <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Sushi-Sashimi-step/dp/0778805204" target="_blank">The Complete Guide to Sushi & Sashimi</a></em> by Jeffrey Elliot and Robby Cook features 625 step-by-step photographs with instructions. Many, though, translate well beyond the sushi bar. Just one example is opening clams; there are eight photos which teach that skill, including tips like the foot of a clam "<em>tastes like the ocean, while the muscle is slightly sweet</em>." Similarly, the <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Diabetes-Rescue-Diet-Naturally-Love-Even/dp/1609618483/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500580171&sr=1-1&keywords=Diabetes+Rescue+Diet" target="_blank">Diabetes Rescue Diet</a></em> by Mark Bricklin, former editor-in-chief of Prevention magazine, is jam-packed with health and cooking tips from the Mediterranean diet that research recommends, such as "<em>one study found that a heart-healthy diet that included almonds lowered LDL cholesterol as much as a statin drug did</em>."<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2017-07-19T18:01:00Z10-Second Recipes: Whole New Versions of Wholesome FoodsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Whole-New-Versions-of-Wholesome-Foods/286439360201413415.html2017-06-28T20:50:00Z2017-06-28T20:50:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<p>Whether it's a picky kidlet's palate or just that of a bored dieter, sometimes wholesome food loses its wow factor. However, usually, all it takes is a strategic tweak to make a tasty difference.<br /><br />I learned this recently with graham crackers. The old-fashioned cookies are fairly low in sugar and calories and, importantly, unlike many other packaged cookies, have 2 grams of dietary fiber per serving. After a while, though, they no longer called to me. That was until I came across a package of cocoa- and chocolate-infused ones. All of a sudden, a craving was created and, to boot, dark chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder are powerful controllers of blood sugar. <br /><br />The snacks were excellent as is, or even more exciting when spread with a thin layer of whipped cream cheese and topped with halved fresh raspberries or drained mandarin oranges.<br /><br />Following are a few more whole new ideas to enhance wholesome foods. All ingredients are to taste.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>STACK UP AN OATMEAL SUNDAE</strong><br />Prepare quick-cooking oatmeal and carefully while hot in individual serving dishes intersperse layers of oatmeal with layers of fruit-only strawberry spread (available in the jam aisle of supermarkets), hulled and diced fresh strawberries, unsweetened shredded coconut, and chopped peanuts.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>CARAMELIZED CARROTS</strong><br />Spray a nonstick skillet lightly with nonstick cooking spray, turn on low-medium heat and carefully add shredded carrots, diced, peeled beets, minced garlic and onions and cook, stirring frequently. Cover lightly with low-fat French salad dressing, stir frequently until carrots and the French dressing gives the appearance of being caramelized. </li>
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<li><strong>EVEN GREATER GREEN TEA</strong><br />Boil apple juice, ground cinnamon, and the juice of freshly squeezed tangerines. Steep green tea bags in it for 4 minutes. Remove tea bags before serving.</li>
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<li><strong>BEAUTIFYING NUT BUTTER</strong><br />Melt a single serving of 70 percent or higher cacao dark chocolate and stir into a single serving of peanut, almond, cashew or hazelnut butter, along with diced dried apricots and ground allspice. Good served on whole-wheat toast or spread on fresh apple or pear slices.</li>
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<li><strong>BRING WHOLE-WHEAT BREAD TO LIFE</strong><br />Add chunks of one-day-old whole-wheat bread to your favorite bread pudding recipe, along with golden raisins, diced fresh pears and Chinese five-spice powder (available in supermarket spice aisles).</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Do you prefer your "<em>superfoods</em>" in a broth or pureed and piping hot? If soothing soup sounds like just the home for your kale, spinach, quinoa and other diet enhancers, then Julie Morris' <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Superfood-Soups-Energizing-Plant-based-Superfoods/dp/1454919477" target="_blank">Superfood Soups: 100 Delicious, Energizing & Plant-Based Recipes</a></em> is worth a sip. Having already put her spin on a book of Superfood Smoothies, soup was a logical next step with innovative combinations like Portobello Barley Soup with Horseradish Cream. A neat addition: Soups are organized in the index by health benefits as well, such as contribution to bone strength or ability to help cleanse or detox.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2017-06-28T20:50:00Z10-Second Recipes: Skipping Ingredients Still Creates Classic CombinationsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Skipping-Ingredients-Still-Creates-Classic-Combinations/-97574415052713753.html2017-06-15T20:46:00Z2017-06-15T20:46:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<p>Anyone who grew up on treats like date nut bread and cream cheese - or even English muffin "pizzas" from the toaster oven - knows how comforting they can be. What's even more heartening is how easy it is to replicate the cozy experiences, even when you don't have all of the ingredients on hand. A flavor fest is just that. It's about memories of the essences of classic flavor combinations that just may become dishes your kidlets will crave as well. <br /><br />Below are some dishes I make in a flash that often even feature improvements over the originals. The date nut dazzler, for instance, is even tastier with the pecans I always have in the house rather than the plainer walnuts featured in most traditional recipes. All ingredients are to taste.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>DATE NUT DAZZLER</strong><br /> Spread whole-wheat crackers with cream cheese and top with ground cinnamon, chopped dates, and chopped pecans.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>PIZZA PEP-ME-UPS</strong><br />Paint store-bought thawed puff pastry dough with pizza or pasta sauce, fill with cooked pepperoni slices, shredded mozzarella cheese, finely diced green bell pepper, mushroom and red onion, fold closed and cook according to puff pastry package instructions.
<ul>
</ul>
</li>
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<li><strong>INSIDE-OUT CHILI DOGS</strong><br />When it's finished cooking, to homemade or canned chili, carefully add sliced cooked hot dogs, ketchup and mustard. Serve with torn pieces of toasted hot dog buns for dipping.</li>
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<li><strong>FROZEN WAFFLE FEST</strong><br />Stir pure maple syrup and orange marmalade or strawberry jam into peanut butter and spread on top of warm toasted freezer waffles.
<ul>
</ul>
</li>
<strong><br /> </strong>
<li><strong>EVEN MORE CREAMY CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP</strong><br />In a microwave-safe container for 20 seconds, or until melted, heat together cheddar, pepperjack and Swiss cheeses. Swirl into cooked servings of homemade or canned cream of tomato soup and top with garlic-flavored packaged croutons.</li>
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<li><strong>HAPPY HOT CHOCOLATE</strong><br />Into a cup of heated hot chocolate, stir strawberry pancake syrup, pure vanilla extract, a dash of cayenne pepper, and top with whipped cream and ground cinnamon.</li>
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<li><strong>BREAD PUDDING PIZZAZZ</strong><br />Rip chunks of egg bread or challah and mix gently into homemade or store-bought vanilla pudding to which you have stirred in ground allspice and cloves.</li>
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<li><strong>APPLESAUCE APPLE PIE</strong><br />Into no-sugar-added applesauce, stir chopped walnuts, raisins and cinnamon. Top with broken sugar cookie pieces and heat in microwave for 30 seconds, or until warm.</li>
<strong><em><br /></em></strong>
</ul>
<strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> A slow cooker is often the home of rich, creamy comfort food meals full of calories. Gina Homolka, creator of the popular Skinnytaste series of books, proves that doesn't always have to be the case. In "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Skinnytaste-Fast-Slow-Knockout-Quick-Fix/dp/0553459600" target="_blank">Skinnytaste Fast and Slow</a></em>", she fills diners up and not out with thoughtful lowered-fat recipes full of simmered-in flavor. Because of her expertise with this type of recipe creation, Homolka comes up with lots of varied innovations, such as chicken and dumplings, cauliflower "fried" rice, Korean-style beef tacos and flourless chocolate brownies.<br />
<ul>
<br /><br />
</ul>
<strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>Staff2017-06-15T20:46:00Z10-Second Recipes: Don't Wait to Use Waiters' TipsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Dont-Wait-to-Use-Waiters-Tips/36571152178267035.html2017-06-08T20:46:00Z2017-06-08T20:46:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<p>When eating out, you probably already ask your waiter for more water, coffee or napkins, but, if you direct that same inquisitiveness toward your meals, you just may find yourself with an inventory of easy, economical new ideas.<br /><br />Sometimes condiments or other dashes of flavor you love but don't recognize when eating a restaurant meal may be the key to quickly perking up your own homemade dishes. Your waiter is your guide to these riches.<br /><br />Following are some tasty questions I asked recently and how I applied them at home. All ingredients are to taste.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>MUSTARD MYSTERY SOLVED</strong><br />"<em>What is the condiment with the tiny bulbs?</em>" My warm ham and gruyere cheese croissant sandwich at a casual French-style cafe came with a tiny side of three swirled condiments. I loved the slightly sweet/slightly spicy flavor of the one with the little bulbs. In addition to the tapenade and Dijon mustard, the waiter clued me in that this third condiment I enjoyed was whole grain mustard. Each miniscule seed seemed to pop with flavor. The waiter gave me a small side of it to take home with the half of my sandwich I was going to eat later. At home I needed to save only a fraction of the whole grain mustard for the leftover sandwich. While adding the item to my shopping list (online I learned it's not as common as stone ground or regular mustard, but available in specialty aisles of some supermarkets or in gourmet stores), I immediately prepared a fantastic side salad for that evening simply by slicing some large, organic white mushrooms I had and gently mixing them with balsamic vinegar and the whole-grain mustard my waiter had given me and letting it marinate covered in the refrigerator for a few hours.</li>
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<li><strong>THIS IDEA DIDN'T COST A MINT</strong><br />"<em>What is giving this drink such a zing?</em>" I've had many blended fresh greens juices that could have gone by the same "Super Greens" moniker as the one about which I addressed my waiter. The answer was some muddled fresh mint they added just before serving. I now do the same to my cucumber-celery-honeydew-based beverages, like that one was (and I have found in all instances involving mint that a delectable zing also arises from ripping open the pure peppermint teabags I always have on hand and adding the contents of one to the mix). I also include it as a topping over cold salads, hot vegetables and even vanilla or chocolate ice cream or frozen yogurt.</li>
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<li><strong>MISO IS SO GOOD</strong><br />"<em>What makes this dressing so creamy and tangy?</em>" Although good, it wasn't the spice in the "Spicy Chicken Bowl" that kept me coming back to the casual Asian restaurant I've visited many times. It's the dressing they have in a vat chilling for self-scooping. It literally draws me back to the restaurant and makes that rice-based hot bowl a favorite of mine. The server at the ordering counter told me it is a miso-based dressing to which they have added peeled, shaved fresh ginger. This combination is memorable and I've since prepared my own version as well as buying creamy miso salad dressing (available in many supermarket ethnic aisles) and gently stirring in some peeled, shaved fresh ginger. I've also coated tilapia with it before broiling and tossed the dressing with cooked steamed vegetables.</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If there's any place that a laugh or two is needed it's in the popular genre of detox and cleanse books. It's hard enough to give up everything but juice or soup without letting your sense of humor starve as well. Beth Behrs has come to the rescue. Her '<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Total-ME-Tox-Ditch-Your-Diet/dp/1602863083?ie=UTF8&%2AVersion%2A=1&%2Aentries%2A=0" target="_blank">The Total ME-Tox: How to Ditch Your Diet, Move Your Body, & Love Your Life</a>' </em>is full of lighthearted humor, much like the author, who is one of the stars of the hit situation comedy "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_Broke_Girls">2 Broke Girls</a>." It's part memoir of her pre-celebrity dieting life and part commonsense tips for lightening up body and mind. Behrs was a nanny while pursuing acting and also defines herself as a couch potato, who survived on donuts and other low-nutrition foods with results like poor skin and skyrocketing stress. The comic actress cleaned herself up slowly and learned to laugh a lot more along the way. Some of her favorite dishes are included as well, such as Sort-of-Sherbet Smoothie and Baked (Not Fried) Falafel with Spicy Yogurt Dip.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2017-06-08T20:46:00Z10-Second Recipes: Soar to Culinary Heights with Store FlyersStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Soar-to-Culinary-Heights-with-Store-Flyers/-760873527266706907.html2017-05-25T18:27:00Z2017-05-25T18:27:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<p>Is your junk mail pile stacked with seasonal store circulars? Before tossing them out perhaps you should circle back over and take a closer look. Recently, I found them to be a treasure trove of culinary tips and products to turn my grilling season from good to great. I won't be so quick to confine them to the trash pile in the future.<br /><br />Because the leaflets are advertising specials, prices were also illuminating with even non-sale prices reasonable, ranging from $8.99 for a Himalayan salt slab cleaning brush and $9.99 for an attachable grill light to $39.99 for cedar grilling planks. In case you, too, could beef up your barbecuing, following are the types of products that enlightened me.<br /><br />Fun products like these also prove food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive - and fast. <br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>HEAD TO THE HIMALAYAS</strong><br />Not only does the Himalayas, the Asian mountain range separating India from the Tibetan plateau, have many of the world's highest peaks like Mt. Everest, it has salt to yearn for. Slabs and accompanying products have invaded our culinary and home stores, I learned from a national chain's flyer I received and then a quick search online. Grilling on a Himalayan salt slab the chains now sell adds intense, complex flavors. Specially sized platters for the grill, as well as slab cleaning brushes with bristles and scrapers, complete an ensemble.</li>
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<li><strong>PICK UP SOME PLANKS</strong><br />Wood chips used with a grill always have imparted a smoky flavor to food, but the newer trend of large cedar planks is also in play. The planks are bigger than chips and are big flavor enhancers. Another welcome additional product: hardwood charcoal.</li>
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<li><strong>SIMMER YOUR SAUCE</strong><br />Small cast-iron saucepots are made to warm your barbecue sauce right on the grill for basting and then accompanying the finished meal. Elevated bases mean sauces shouldn't burn.</li>
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<li><strong>PRESS IT PRONTO</strong><br />Heavy metal pre-seasoned cast iron grill presses make sure that meat, especially thin cuts, cook evenly on the grill, or that meats like bacon don't curl up when heating. They also work well for making a panini or other sandwiches on the grill.</li>
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<li><strong>COP SOME COPPER</strong><br />For it's nonstick and other cooking prowess, copper pans have been the rage lately. My home store circular, though, also alerted me to inexpensive copper grill mats that allow foods to cook more evenly.</li>
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<li><strong>LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE</strong><br />As the sun sets on another seasonal meal, sometimes it becomes difficult to see the nuances of what you are cooking. Flexible arm clip-on battery-powered grill lights brighten up everything.</li>
</ul>
<br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Better-Homes-Gardens-Jams-Jellies/dp/0544715551" target="_blank">Better Homes & Gardens Jams & Jellies: Spread on Summer with 100 Creative Recipes</a></em> is sold on newsstands since the beginning of May. In there and in the June 2017, issue of the magazine, which promotes the booklet, there are some creative time-saving ideas. Freezer jam, for instance, is featured. Instant pectin, enhancing the pectin already in fruit, is used and no special canning equipment is necessary. Instant pectin also allows the addition of less sugar. Interesting ingredients are just mixed together to create specialties such as Brandied Strawberry Freezer Jam.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>Staff2017-05-25T18:27:00Z10-Second Recipes: A Tortilla Chip Pairing May Perk Up Your WeekendStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-A-Tortilla-Chip-Pairing-May-Perk-Up-Your-Weekend/314439295185946765.html2017-05-02T18:27:00Z2017-05-02T18:27:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<p>The tortilla chip aisle of the supermarket has never been more crowded. Whether it's using my favorite brand of cheddar tortilla chips with flax seeds and quinoa; a combination including black, green and Kalamata olives; one with chili-lime; or roasted jalapeno, it might just be time for a tortilla chip tasting.<br /><br />Pair four varieties of chips with your favorite compatible soft drinks, iced teas, beers and wines and first taste plain ones. Have on hand store-bought or homemade dips and toppings and you've got your own truly happy hour going.<br /><br />There's more good news than just the taste sensations you may discover. If made from whole corn, tortilla chips are a whole grain containing fiber. Since they are a grain, a serving usually also contains about 4 grams of protein, no sugar and is especially filling due to the whole grains and protein. The fat, too, from the fried varieties (seek out those with healthful oils) is part of what makes them satiating, and baked varieties are available as well. All ingredients for possible dips and toppings below are to taste.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>"CORN CHOWDER" DIP</strong><br />Mix well still-semi-crisp cooked corn with diced red and green bell pepper, nonfat sour cream, whipped cream cheese, curry powder and freshly ground black pepper.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>"CHILI DOG" DIP</strong><br />Mix well diced cooked hot dogs or veggie hot dogs, homemade or store-bought cooked chili, grated pepperjack cheese and diced red onions. Serve hot.</li>
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<li><strong>SALSA SUPREME</strong><br />Mix well store-bought or homemade salsa and chutney, sliced scallions and finely diced fresh mango.</li>
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<li><strong>PULLED PORK PEP-ME-UP</strong>Top with cooked pulled pork that's been combined with barbecue sauce and finely diced dill pickles.</li>
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<li><strong>MORE THAN BLACK AND WHITE</strong><br />Top with homemade or store-bought white bean dip and sprinkle with pitted diced black olives, chopped cilantro and dried cumin.</li>
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<li><strong>ENCHILADA CHIPS</strong><br />Top with cooked homemade or store-bought enchilada sauce, cooked shredded chicken, shredded cheddar cheese and chopped chives. Serve hot.</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Wendy Rowe has seen a lot of skin problems close up. For more than the last 20 years, she's been a celebrity makeup artist and beauty consultant, who can now add cookbook author to her resume. In order to help banish such problems, she wrote <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Beautiful-Recipes-Nourish-Inside/dp/0804189587" target="_blank">Eat Beautiful: Food and Recipes to Nourish Your Skin from the Inside Out</a></em>. Advice includes tips about: "<em>Spinach (the free-radical fighter whose iron moves your blood, helping to repair your skin cells); chili peppers (the circulation booster famous for its capsaicin, which reduces blood pressure and improves circulation by encouraging blood vessels to relax and dilate, therefore acting as an anti-inflammatory); and natural red wine (the youth potion featuring a powerful anti-ageing antioxidant that slows the growth of acne-causing bacteria...)</em>" She translates information deliciously with recipes for dishes like beet-quinoa burgers, almond milkshakes and no-cook walnut brownies.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2017-05-02T18:27:00Z10-Second Recipes: Give Yourself a 'Shot' of Good NutritionStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Give-Yourself-a-Shot-of-Good-Nutrition/869997627382563721.html2017-04-12T19:27:00Z2017-04-12T19:27:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br /></a>Even if you don't drink alcohol, perhaps you should add a few shot glasses to your cupboards. I prefer my "shots" that way - in the form of juices, herbs and other nutritional powerhouses.<br /><br />Many fresh juice bars and coffeehouses appropriated the term in the last decade, offering shots of energized additions like wheatgrass juice and coconut water. I look forward to my homemade shots every day, which in addition to the vitamins I take, seem to match the popular view of possibly boosting immunity.<br /><br />What they also have is built-in portion control. Those of us watching our weight and intake of added and/or natural sugar know that fresh fruit is recommended and that, when the juice is enjoyed, being aware of portion size is recommended. I down a shot glass of orange juice every morning along with a small bite of candied ginger, another go-to for those who have learned about possible immunity boosting. A morsel is better than a handful of this sugar-covered goodie and still a lot more decadent and quick as a treat than peeling and chopping fresh ginger, which I sometimes include in smoothies and vegetable sautees.<br /><br />Following are a few other ideas to boost your repertoire of shots. All ingredients are to taste and can fill a shot glass or a mini paper cup about one-half to three-quarters full.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>CATCH SOME CAYENNE</strong><br />Mix a tiny dash of cayenne, turmeric<span style="font-size: 12px;">, and cinnamon (all are often called superfoods) into coconut milk.</span></li>
<br />
<li><strong>IN LOVE WITH LIME</strong><br />Stir fresh lime and lemon juices into pomegranate or apple juices.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>TRAILBLAZING TEA</strong><br />Stir freshly ground black pepper, curry powder, honey and fresh orange juice into iced green tea.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>GRAB THESE GRAPES</strong><br />Stir ground dried mint and ground dried basil into a mixture of concord and white grape juices.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>CARING ABOUT CARROTS</strong><br />Stir ground ginger and allspice into a mixture of carrot and apple juice.</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> As you tuck away your leftovers in Tupperware or other such plastic containers, did you ever think there might be intrigue and glamour in their backstory? <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownie_Wise" target="_blank">Brownie Wise</a> was proof that there was more to the dishes than met the eye. She was by far the top salesperson of Earl Tupper, the founder of Tupperware. She started as a secretary and divorced mother and went from rags to riches to almost rags again. Her story is chronicled in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Life-Party-Remarkable-Brownie-Tupperware/dp/1101903651" target="_blank"><em>Life of the Party: The Remarkable Story of How Brownie Wise Built, and Lost, a Tupperware Party Empire</em> </a>by Bob Kealing, which has been eyed as a possible film role by Sandra Bullock. Wise's charisma, spunk - including often putting Tupper in his place - and natural business acumen are credited with her quick rise in the 1950s, when she headed sales and grew the number of dealers from almost nothing to 10,000. That same charisma was partially behind Wise's decline, which is part of what makes this a fascinating story.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2017-04-12T19:27:00Z10-Second Recipes: Mix It Up With Convenient Spice MixesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Mix-It-Up-With-Convenient-Spice-Mixes/56620124985589993.html2017-03-30T22:31:00Z2017-03-30T22:31:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a>I used to think seasoning blends were for amateurs, like the cheat sheets of the spice world. After all, wouldn't gourmets do their own spice selections, measurements and blending? Because I did follow that philosophy for years now that I've been relying on the blends in my spice rack I appreciate just how convenient, tasty and economical they are.<span> <br /><br /></span>A new eating plan my husband was embarking on was helped by my learning and following it, too, and adjusting my cooking. That took time and energy and I found myself relying on the Mexican, Italian, Chinese and curry spice blends I had rather than taking additional seasoning steps. When I realized how much they were improving the meals, I looked forward to shaking them as well as having to open (as well as to have bought) only one spice bottle, rather than the five or so that might have been required to equal the blend.<br /><br />Here are the A, B, C's (or anise, basil, cumin) of some of the more popular blends, though they can vary slightly by brand. Look for them in spice jars in supermarket seasoning aisles; popular paper packets are generally instead marketed for one type of meal, such as taco seasoning, and may not have the gourmet punch of the contents of jars.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>ITALIAN: </strong>marjoram, basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, savory sage. Sometimes garlic is included.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>MEXICAN:</strong> onion, garlic, basil, cumin, red pepper, oregano, cilantro. Sometimes specific peppers, such as jalapeno, are included.</li>
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<li><strong>CHINESE FIVE SPICE: </strong>star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel, black pepper.</li>
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<li><strong>CURRY POWDER: </strong>coriander, fenugreek, turmeric, cumin, black pepper, bay leaves, celery seed, nutmeg, cloves, onion, red pepper, ginger.</li>
</ul>
<p><br />Just like other foods, spices can be labeled organic, non-genetically modified (non-GMO), sugar- and salt-free, as well as having been produced from only whole herbs and spices. This can make a difference in quality and flavor. Some blends, like often curry and Chinese five spice, are powders. Others are dried and look very natural. <br /><br />Don't restrict your culinary creativity to using international blends only for that country's cuisine. Although they are classic combinations from that region, pay attention as well to their individual flavor notes and how that could conveniently expand your recipe repertoire. Below, for example, are some of the reasons why my rustic-looking Mexican seasoning blend bottle got emptier every day. All ingredients are to taste.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>JEWEL OF A JUICE</strong><br />Stir well into tomato juice: lime juice, orange juice, green tea iced tea and Mexican seasoning blend.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>CRACK THIS OMELET</strong><br />As an omelet filling, saute in olive oil sliced green and red bell peppers, mushrooms, slices of cooked ham and Mexican seasoning blend.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>PEPPY POTATOES</strong><br />Cook mini (about 1-inch long) red potatoes and let cool enough to slice. Heat olive oil on low heat in skillet, carefully add cooked potato slices, sliced fresh zucchini, pimiento, diced black olives and Mexican seasoning blend. Cook until heated through and zucchini starts to get somewhat tender, but not soggy, stirring occasionally.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>SIZZLING SLIDERS</strong><br />Mold slider patties out of one-ounce each of ground beef, turkey, chicken or lamb, including within the patty small amounts of shredded Swiss and mozzarella cheeses, cooked corn kernels and Mexican seasoning blend. Heat for about 2 minutes on each side until fully cooked and meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 F. Good as is without buns.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>ICE CREAM IDEAS</strong><br />Top vanilla ice cream with a dash of Mexican seasoning blend and then warmed caramel sauce, sprinkles and ground cinnamon.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><em><br />QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>Many families are rushing through their meal each night to get to a game and cheer for their homegrown super star. If so, <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/42927554-melissa-clark/my-recipes" target="_blank">Melissa Clark</a> of the New York Times is changing the rules of the dinner game. In "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dinner-Changing-Game-Melissa-Clark/dp/0553448234" target="_blank">Dinner: Changing the Game</a></em>", Clark provides easy dishes that are so flavorful and nutritious they require no time spent on side dishes. Innovative, easy choices that may become new family favorites include Spicy Pork & Black Bean Chili; Spiced Corn & Crab Cakes; Fried Lemon Pasta; and Red Curry & Coconut Tofu.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2017-03-30T22:31:00Z10-Second Recipes: Cellophane Noodles Are an Easy SellStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Cellophane-Noodles-Are-an-Easy-Sell/-440767844484363037.html2017-03-16T22:31:00Z2017-03-16T22:31:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a><br />Regardless of its name, I didn't see right through cellophane noodles. I had ordered it on and off from my favorite Chinese restaurants for years and had no idea that the thin, flexible transparent noodles were made from mung beans. It wasn't until a relative was eating gluten free that I decided to call and check on a take-out order I had made from a popular spot. I knew everything else I ordered had met the gluten-free goal (no wheat, rye and barley), but without thinking at the last minute I had ordered the "<em>Special Noodles</em>" I enjoyed many times in which the soft texture and seasonings really made them live up to their menu title.<br /><br />That's when the co-owner enlightened me about gluten-free cellophane noodles, which I began to research before the order even arrived. Because of their appearance and texture, they are also known as glass noodles and Chinese vermicelli. They are often prepared from mung bean starch, yam, cassava or potato starch. You may also have noticed them as part of the filling for spring rolls at Asian restaurants, one of the dishes in which they are often featured.<br /><br />They are usually dry and then reconstituted while cooking like other packaged pasta noodles and can be bought at Asian markets and some supermarket ethnic aisles. Below, are some of the inspirations I've had since that enlightening meal. The noodles are a perfect fusion food because until you season or adorn them, they are just an all-purpose thin, soft, mild-tasting noodle. All that follow use cooked cellophane noodles, which can be prepared from a store-bought package or enhanced from a take-out order. Ingredients are to taste. <br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>YOU'RE ON A ROLL</strong><br />Top store-bought wonton wrappers (in most supermarket ethnic aisles) with small amounts of cooked cellophane noodles, finely minced green onions and mandarin orange slices, bits of candied ginger and Chinese five-spice powder (in supermarket spice aisles). Fold, close and cook according to wonton wrapper package instructions.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>A SAUCY IDEA</strong><br />Brew ginger tea or ginger-lemon tea and mix well with some bottled miso salad dressing and freshly ground black pepper. Heat over low-medium flame. Use it as the sauce for still-hot cooked cellophane noodles, tossing well.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>GOING NUTS</strong><br />To still-hot cooked cellophane noodles, add a few dollops of chunky or smooth peanut butter, honey and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>BOWLS OF FUN</strong><br />Fill individual serving bowls hallway with cooked cellophane noodles. Top with cooked chopped shrimp, minced dried figs, diced cooked green beans, curry powder and teriyaki sauce.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>SLINKY SALAD</strong><br />Place cooked cellophane noodles in a salad serving bowl. Top with small amounts of freshly ground pepper and dried coriander, fresh spinach leaves, shredded cooked chicken breast, diced celery and carrots and cashew pieces. Toss well with a store-bought or homemade ginger-based salad dressing.</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em><a href="https://healthygreendrink.com/about/" target="_blank">Jason Manheim</a> has made a habit of drinking healthfully. He's a fan of <a href="https://www.nutribullet.com/" target="_blank">NutriBullet</a> fruit and vegetable extractors and his recipes seem to work well with NutriBullet and other brands of extractors and blenders. Mainly, his cookbooks, such as <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Healthy-Smoothie-Nutribullet/dp/1634508718" target="_blank">The Complete Healthy Smoothie for NutriBullet</a></em> (not affiliated with the company) and <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Green-Drink-Diet-Energize/dp/1616084731/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489720081&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Healthy+Green+Drink+Diet%3A+Advice+and+Recipes+to+Energize%2C+Alkalize%2C+Lose+Weight%2C+and+Feel+Great" target="_blank">The Healthy Green Drink Diet: Advice and Recipes to Energize, Alkalize, Lose Weight, and Feel Great</a></em>, fill in where the cookbooks that come with the products and are sold online as extras by the brands seem to leave off when you are specifically looking for vegetable inclusive and green beverages. Interesting, easy combinations abound, such as a minty melon one with lime, cucumber and cooked Chinese broccoli and another with spinach, kiwi, banana and fresh basil leaves. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2017-03-16T22:31:00Z10-Second Recipes: Melt Your Way to Mouthwatering SandwichesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Melt-Your-Way-to-Mouthwatering-Sandwiches/977528258698825048.html2017-03-08T22:38:00Z2017-03-08T22:38:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a><br /><br />If you are in a place where the snow isn't melting yet outdoors, to take refuge from the cold, you might just want to get toasty and "melt" indoors. Patty melts aren't just longtime diner dishes but can be easily dished up at home, as can many vibrant variations. Perfecting your melting is a fun and easy way to warm up this winter.<br /><br />The Melt, a chain with outlets in California, Colorado, and Texas, for instance, showed how thoughtful tweaks could improve the all-time favorite. Their patty melt recently got upgraded to a mix of top-shelf Angus and Wagyu beef, caramelized onions (rather than just grilled), a combination of provolone and Swiss cheeses and spicy mustard on artisan bread.<br /><br />Besides emulating patty melts like that at home, use its components as a blueprint for planning your own masterpieces, like those that fill out the remainder of the menu at The Melt and the nation's other melt-themed bistros. Here are some that I've come up with at home, which fit the bill on blustery days:<br /><br /><em>Use a skillet or grill pan in which you've carefully melted enough butter to grill both butter-brushed sides of the sandwich until the bread is browned and toasty, the pre-cooked fillings hot and the cheese melted. All ingredients are to taste.</em><br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>BREAKFAST MELT</strong><br />Prior to grilling sandwich as indicated above: Spread the inside of two toaster or homemade waffles with thin layers of strawberry jam and cream cheese. Layer one of two waffles, both of whose outsides have been brushed with a butter-cinnamon mixture, with a small amount of hash browns that have been prepared with grilled onions and a precooked breakfast sausage patty before closing the sandwich with the other waffle.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>RAINBOW MELT</strong><br />Prior to grilling sandwich as indicated above: Grill rings of red, green and yellow bell pepper until just beginning to blacken. Let cool enough to handle. Spread one of two outer butter-brushed slices of pumpernickel bread on the insides with a thin layer of store-bought or homemade pesto and the other slice with a thin layer of red-orange port wine cheese, and stack the first one with a thick cooked piece of pink salmon (or flaked canned salmon), multicolored bell pepper rings and Swiss cheese before closing the sandwich with the other piece of pumpernickel bread.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>PIZZA MELT</strong><br />Prior to grilling sandwich as indicated above: Use two slices of leftover store-bought or homemade pepperoni pizza as the two pieces of bread for a "sandwich," brushing the outer crusts with butter mixed with crushed garlic. Before closing the sandwich, layer the pepperoni side of one slice with very thin slices of sauteed eggplant.</li>
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<li><strong>DESSERT MELT</strong><br />Prior to grilling sandwich as indicated above: Spread insides of a croissant that is three-quarters split with thin layers of chocolate sauce and ricotta cheese that you've sweetened by mixing in a small amount of sugar or stevia. Layer in a small mixture of banana and strawberry slices that you've caramelized.</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>There are some cookbooks that never get dusty, but do get dog-eared. Marjorie Druker and Clara Silverstein's 2007 <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/New-England-Soup-Factory-Cookbook/dp/1401603009" target="_blank">New England Soup Factory Cookbook</a></em> fits that bill. Although the selection of more than 100 recipes for "fine soups" from this fine eatery could fill one's calendar splendidly all year long, winter - whether you spend it in a warm climate or bundled up by a fireplace as you watch it snow outside - is the season when it's most appreciated. Druker, who created the original menu for the Boston Chicken chain, notes that her main talent has always been turning people's favorite ingredients into soups. Standouts include: Sweet potato and corn chowder; pumpkin, lobster and ginger soup; and apple, onion and cheddar soup. Hearty sandwich and salad recipes also make a splash.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2017-03-08T22:38:00Z10-Second Recipes: A Restaurant Regret May Equal A Home RunStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-A-Restaurant-Regret-May-Equal-A-Home-Run/27180533321859858.html2017-03-01T23:55:00Z2017-03-01T23:55:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a><br /><br /><br />Recipe ideas come from lots more than just cookbooks or TV cooking shows. Sometimes my shot in the arm emerges from a less-than-stellar restaurant experience. Using the encounter as a comparison to a better one immediately improves my next culinary adventure.<span> <br /><br /></span>Tacos with high-quality meats and seafood at our neighborhood spot, for instance, provided such fodder. At my favorite locale further away, I crave the standout tacos because the authentic cabbage topping is crowned with a mixture of both traditional pico de gallo and tomatillo (green) salsa that the cooks gently combine with sour cream. The nearby locale, though they use impressive fillings, like Angus beef and wild-caught fish, serves the taco fillings mixed only with minced onions and cilantro. My missing what was missing was the split-second realization of the double salsas/sour cream quick trick I now use to serve my own creations at home.<br /><br />Following are some other diner disappointments that made the kitchen lightbulb go on in my mind for easy improvements in my own kitchen. All ingredients are to taste. <br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>BEAUTIFYING A BURGER</strong><br />We went to an acclaimed burger hangout. What was missing was the special sauce of our longtime favorite place. Mix equal parts barbecue sauce and Thousand Island dressing. Add pickle relish, finely minced red onions and freshly ground black pepper.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>CHICKEN THAT'S GOT CHOPS</strong><br />This popular neighborhood cafe lost a competition with itself. What brought me back, again and again, was a lightly breaded, baked, specially seasoned chicken sandwich that was made with a very thick and juicy whole chicken breast. Cost-cuts must have ensued because later it became a pounded very thin quarter chicken breast that was dry, chewy and missing any seasoning. At home, I emulate the first version with curry powder added to my light bread crumb overlay for the whole chicken breast I bake for memorable sandwiches.</li>
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<li><strong>A SALAD I SALUTE</strong><br />Asian chicken salad is an item I've had at many places. The one that immediately shined, though, and has had me returning multiple times, had sprinkles of both white and black sesame seeds and, not just a miso dressing, but a creamy miso dressing. At home, into a store-bought miso dressing, I gently mix nonfat sour cream, as well as the white and black sesame seeds the restaurant instead had drizzled on the chicken, minced scallions and a spritz of fresh lemon juice.</li>
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<li><strong>ONE SMART SMOOTHIE</strong> <br />A family-owned coffeehouse's nearby no-sugar-added smoothie stands out above those in a crowded field of competition of fresh juice joints, health food markets, and chic natural foods cafes. Although it's often pushed to serve in-season, farm-to-table fresh fruit, and that's usually outstanding, when I noticed this excellent fresh peach smoothie never changed on the menu even in winter, and still tasted super crave-worthy sweet, the light bulb went on that they are using fruit frozen at the peak of season and sweetness. I now use frozen peaches, pears and apricots to emulate their mixture. Like them, I also add rice protein (available at many health food markets) instead of soy or whey protein because it mixes in without any residue or added flavor.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>PREFERRED PIE</strong><br />The first bite of a chocolate cream pie at a coffee shop known for its bakery blew away my formerly bland choice at a local pie chain. My taste buds told me the difference was real dark chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder (which always gives a rich flavor) and heavy cream. This was rather than what now seemed certain to me to be some kind of powdered mix with artificial flavors and the addition of something less premium than heavy cream in the former only choice I had known of in my neighborhood.</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> It had to happen. With the craze in the publishing of adult coloring books (for stress relief, artistic inspiration, etc.), a coloring cookbook had to be next. <a href="http://www.acozykitchen.com/" target="_blank">A Cozy Kitchen</a> blogger Adrianna Adarme is one of the first to try it and has brought to life a palette that serves our palates, too. She created <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cozy-Coloring-Cookbook-Simple-Recipes/dp/1623368324" target="_blank">A Cozy Coloring Cookbook: 40 Simple Recipes to Cook, Eat & Color</a></em>. You'll need a rainbow of coloring tools, as, fortunately, the recipes are inspired and full of bright ingredients, such as Ratatouille Tarts and Roasted Maple Acorn Squash with Crispy Sage and Pomegranate Seeds. The only conundrum might be if you'll get stressed out if you choose to only cook some of these innovative choices and not color them or vice versa.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2017-03-01T23:55:00Z10-Second Recipes: You Are the Chef in the Chef's SaladStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-You-Are-the-Chef-in-the-Chefs-Salad/753420331259337296.html2017-02-22T17:31:00Z2017-02-22T17:31:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a><br /><br /><br />There is no reason you shouldn't be as proud of your chef's salads as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Diat" target="_blank">Louis Diat</a>, chef at the Ritz Carlton in New York City, was of his. Although, as Gourmet Magazine wrote at the end of the last century, no one ever had officially claimed to be the chef in the title of the popular American salad, Diat is usually the one closest associated with modern versions, which started popping up on restaurant menus in the 1940s.<br /><br />Diat may have been among the first to include a mixture of meat, vegetables and hard-cooked egg that is most linked with today's easy and economical interpretations and whose brief instructions were remarked upon in food historian <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/05/nyregion/evan-jones-80-a-food-writer-renowned-for-his-own-cooking.html" target="_blank">Evan Jones</a>' <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/American-food-gastronomic-Evan-Jones/dp/0525053530" target="_blank">1975 American Food: The Gastronomic Story</a></em>. <br /><br />The salad may trace its roots to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmagundi" target="_blank">salmagundi</a>, a 17th century meat and salad dish that originated in England and then was popular in Colonial America.<br /><br />Unlike Colonial compositions, that of Diat and New York Sun food editor Edith Barber, who both included different versions in their 1940s cookbooks, many restaurant menus over the last 50 years seem to be in a chef's salad rut. They often conform to this popular description from Wikipedia: "<em>An American salad consisting of hard-boiled eggs; one or more varieties of meat, such as ham, turkey, chicken or roast beef; tomatoes; cucumbers; and cheese all placed on a bed of lettuce or other leaf vegetables</em>." Merriam-Webster Dictionary adds that it is meal-sized and that the cheese and meat are usually cut julienne style. Such compilations allow home cooks and chefs to economically use up leftovers in an everything-but-the-kitchen sink-style salad.<br /><br />The most important thing to remember, a la Diat with his choices, is that you are the chef in chef's salad. Pick palate pleasers that appeal to you and your family and serve surprises in the form of both the proteins and dressings, like the ideas that follow. First is Diat's suggestion from his 1941 <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Ritz-Louis-Diat/dp/B0007E913Q" target="_blank">Cooking a la Ritz</a></em> cookbook. Tongue could be skipped or beef tongue from a delicatessen could substitute for the ox tongue. <br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>EARLY MODERN CHEF'S SALAD A LA CHEF LOUIS DIAT</strong><br />Place separately in a salad bowl equal amounts of chopped lettuce (place on the bottom of the bowl), boiled chicken, smoked ox tongue and smoked ham, all cut in julienne style. Add one-half hard-cooked egg for each portion. Place some watercress in the center and serve with French dressing.</li>
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<li><strong>CHEF'S SALAD WITH TRIPLE THREAT DRESSING</strong><br />Top chopped raw spinach leaves with strips of cold cuts of maple turkey and crisply cooked bacon bits, white cheddar cheese, cooked honey-glazed carrots and cooked string beans. Serve with a dressing that is an equal mixture of French and raspberry vinaigrette and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.</li>
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<li><strong>CHEF'S SALAD THAT'S SOY GOOD</strong><br />Top chopped arugula with chunks of firm tofu, spiced soy cheese, roasted soy nuts (sold in packages in many supermarkets like peanuts), and peeled jicama and bell pepper cut julienne style. Serve with a dressing mixed well from softened soy cream cheese, fresh orange juice, honey and curry powder.</li>
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<li><strong>WARM YOU UP CHEF'S SALAD</strong><br />Top shredded butter lettuce with cooked (and still hot) crumbled ground lamb or turkey that's been seasoned with mint, allspice, cinnamon and cumin, crumbles of feta cheese, chopped cooked eggplant and green onion and chopped pistachios. Serve with a dressing mixed well from extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, chopped parsley, freshly ground pepper and salt that has been slightly warmed.</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> When it comes to famed restaurant chef and culinary TV series host <a href="https://www.gordonramsay.com/" target="_blank">Gordon Ramsay</a>, the safest place to eat might be at his home. On various U.S. and U.K. (often shown on the BBC in the U.S.) TV shows, the innovator is shown often angrily chewing out restaurateurs or cooking competitors he doesn't think are up to the task. In <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gordon-Ramsays-Home-Cooking-Everything/dp/1455525251" target="_blank">Gordon Ramsay's Home Cooking</a></em>, Ramsay gives a glance at his easier-going side with recipes he's found to have panache but require less know-how and anxiety than it would take, he writes, to become a "Michelin-starred chef." In this offering from the last few years that is among the best of his many books, he assures: "<em>You know the kind I mean-where following one recipe meant you had to turn to five other recipes to prepare the various stages before you could even begin to tackle the featured dish. It was crazy, and completely failed to recognize that home cooking and restaurant cooking are two very different things.</em>" Yet, even slashing the anxiety, Ramsay still manages to have you easily creating memorable dishes such as pork and bacon sliders with homemade barbecue sauce; wild mushroom risotto; and miso-braised salmon with Asian vegetables. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2017-02-22T17:31:00Z10-Second Recipes: Substitute Lots More Than Just IngredientsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Substitute-Lots-More-Than-Just-Ingredients/355732340214528220.html2017-01-18T21:32:00Z2017-01-18T21:32:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br /></a></p>
Recipes often give helpful options for ingredient substitutions or extensive variations. Savvy cooks can save time by looking for other changes that can be implemented.<br /><br />Use your cooking knowledge to determine what steps can be altered without affecting a good final result. A vegetarian recipe I recently made inspired me. I had all of the ingredients on hand, which included a potato, apple, eggs, cheese and olive oil. I had lent out my spiralizer and couldn't spiralize (make into thin noodle form) the potato and apple.<br /><br />Since I read the entire recipe first, I knew I could make do. I wanted the fiber of the potato (the only part of the recipe that is cooked ahead in a skillet before mixing with the other ingredients and lightly frying as patties), so I saved time by not peeling it as called for. I cut the potato and apple into thin, small pieces I could tell would work in the recipe. I also don't relish shredding cheese, so I instead quickly cut it very thin with a cheese slicer and knew it would still melt as needed in the patties I was making.<br /><br />The recipe's writer, <a href="http://inspiralized.com/meet-ali/" target="_blank">Ali Maffucci</a>, author of '<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Inspiralized-Vegetables-Healthy-Creative-Satisfying/dp/0804186839" target="_blank">Inspiralized: Turn Vegetables into Healthy, Creative, Satisfying Meals</a></em>', called hers buns that imitated a grilled cheese sandwich. Mine, which like hers, were cooked in olive oil in a pan on each side, emerged more like potato pancakes, hash browns or mini quiches. They were delicious.<br /><br />Following are some additional ideas for tasks that might be ripe for changing in a recipe if you decide the final result would not be jeopardized.<br />
<ul>
<li>Anytime you are interested in keeping more fiber within your dish (and saving time), don't peel your washed fruits or vegetables, even when called for in a recipe.</li>
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<li>Try to always purchase the type of sausages that have no casings that later have to be removed.</li>
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<li>Unless you think it will make a difference, before cooking, break dry pasta, like spaghetti, into smaller, easier to work with (and eat!) pieces.</li>
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<li>If recipes call for more than one bowl or pan consider if you really need duplicates or could make it work with one each.</li>
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<li>Think back decades ago to how your relatives who were good cooks would have made the same recipe without the availability of today's modern ingredients, cooking utensils and appliances and, if some of those steps save time or replace items you don't have, utilize them instead.</li>
</ul>
<br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The ideas are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> If you want to explore the aforementioned subject further and don't only want to rely on a given recipe to hopefully cover exactly the change you would like to make, '<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Food-Substitutions-Bible-Ingredients-Techniques/dp/0778802450" target="_blank">The Food Substitutions Bible: More Than 6,500 Substitutions for Ingredients, Equipment, and Techniques</a></em>' by <a href="http://www.davejoachim.com/home.php" target="_blank">David Joachim</a> continues to be an excellent resource. The IACP winner is easy to use since it is organized alphabetically. A good gift for new cooks, the book is so comprehensive it will most likely also be used often by seasoned chefs. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br />Staff2017-01-18T21:32:00Z10-Second Recipes: Squash Cravings with Seasonal Super FoodsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Squash-Cravings-with-Seasonal-Super-Foods/-137756004495996301.html2017-01-12T22:10:00Z2017-01-12T22:10:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br /></a></p>
Cold-weather dining often means cozy comfort foods that fill out our winter sweaters. Seasonal super foods, though, are the answer. They help with slimming down, squashing cravings (especially all the hearty varieties of winter squash) and tempting the taste buds.<br /><br />Acorn squash, sugar pumpkin and sweet potatoes are excellent cooked as is, but adding a few other seasonal adornments, such as pomegranate seeds, dried figs and baked pears create special dishes that experts note are healthful do-gooders. All ingredients are to taste.<br /><br />
<ul>
<li><strong>SWEETENED SQUASH</strong><br />Roast individual serving size pieces of acorn squash. For last 10 minutes, carefully add dollops of cilantro, pomegranate seeds and honey.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>TOAST TO MAKE YOU FEEL TOASTY</strong>Toast whole-grain raisin bread and spread with almond butter, sprinkle with ground cinnamon and top with extremely thin slices of unpeeled fresh pears.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>SWEET POTATO GRANOLA</strong><br />Make slight slits in sweet potatoes, wrap in aluminum foil and bake until soft. Carefully slice the skins, remove potatoes, place in bowl and mash with a small amount of butter, brown sugar and allspice. Use as a topping for store-bought or homemade granola.</li>
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<li><strong>TEMPTING TUNA SANDWICH</strong><br />Prepare drained and flaked canned albacore light tuna mixed with finely chopped celery, dried figs, unpeeled red apples, a small amount of mayonnaise, freshly ground black pepper and ground cloves. Serve on toasted rye bread.</li>
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<li><strong>HAM CANDIED WITH SUPER FOODS</strong><br />Before baking ham, spread with a thin layer of orange marmalade, and secure firmly into the top of the ham whole cloves and pieces of candied ginger. Serve slices of ham atop packaged slaw you've mixed with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, segments of drained mandarin oranges and freshly ground black pepper.</li>
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<li><strong>PUMPKIN WITH PIZZAZZ</strong><br />Mix canned (with no added ingredients) pumpkin with dried cranberries, chopped unpeeled red apple, ground cinnamon and nutmeg and thoroughly heat. Use as a dip for graham crackers (a good choice since they are whole grain and contain fiber).</li>
</ul>
<br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><br /><span> </span><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>Simplifying your cooking is a worthy culinary goal of any New Year. Diana Henry is a master of such finesse, as is on display in "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Diana-Henry/dp/1784722049" target="_blank">Simple: Effortless Food, Big Flavors</a></em>". As is a hallmark of some of the world's best cuisines (such as Italian and dishes emerging from Hong Kong), the combination of well-chosen ingredients is key to use just a few and end up with dishes that still combust into fireworks. Simple sauces sometimes help do the trick, as do easy techniques, like caramelizing onions or roasting cauliflower. Just the right additions work wonders, too, like a tablespoon of sake in an egg dish. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br />Staff2017-01-12T22:10:00Z10-Second Recipes: The New Year Can Equal Easy Culinary AdventuresStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-The-New-Year-Can-Equal-Easy-Culinary-Adventures/-10369132686588916.html2016-12-29T07:58:00Z2016-12-29T07:58:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br /></a></p>
A few contests for the New Year were giving away 52 cookbooks, one for each week. If you want to save time, you can look to your favorite cookbooks. You can pick one recipe a week, double or triple it, refrigerate or freeze the leftovers and think of simple variations. Mixing it up between hot, cold and room temperature offerings makes the most of the opportunities. Your creativity just may amaze you. The following chicken tacos and toppings show how easy it can be.<br /><br />Fun fare like this proves that food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive -- and fast. The dishes are delicious evidence that everyone --- including you and your kidlet helpers --- has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook since there are no right or wrong amounts. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the table.<br /><br />
<ul>
<li><strong>CHICKEN TACOS TO START THE WEEK</strong><br />Jazz up your favorite chicken taco recipe with standout toppings, such as packaged cabbage salad mix tossed with green goddess dressing and Mexican seasonings, halved grape tomatoes marinated in olive oil and vinegar dressing and Mexican seasoning and finely chopped red onions.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>CHICKEN TACO SALAD</strong><br />Use refrigerated leftover taco filling and toppings as a main-dish salad. For the salad bed, use arugula, peeled matchsticks of jicama, julienned carrots and zucchini.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>CHICKEN TACO MULTI-LAYER DIP</strong><br />Put refrigerated leftover taco filling and toppings in food processor and pulse until consistency of a slightly chunky dip. Divide as layers in a microwave safe serving dish. In between the chicken taco layers, spread layers of cooked refried beans and queso cheese sauce. Cook in microwave until thoroughly heated (careful not to overcook). Serve warm with dollops of sour cream and guacamole on top.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>CHICKEN TACO SANDWICH<br /></strong>Mince leftover chicken taco filling and gently mix with small amounts of mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, chucks of pear and dried cherries. Serve on toasted whole wheat bread, accompanied by the leftover refrigerated taco toppings as a side dish.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>CHICKEN TACO MEATBALLS</strong><br />Put refrigerated leftover taco filling in food processor, add finely chopped red bell pepper, leftover red onion topping, small amount of fresh garlic and pulse until the consistency of meatballs. Roll into meatballs and cook according to your favorite meatball recipe. Serve with warmed store-bought or homemade salsa as a sauce.</li>
</ul>
<br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If your adventure isn't what to prepare each day for meals, but whether or not your kids will eat it, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jennifertylerlee/" target="_blank">Jennifer Tyler Lee</a> has got your back. She turned the whole thing into a game. A few years back, Lee dared kids to try one new food a week in the excellent "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/52-New-Foods-Challenge-Adventure/dp/1583335560" target="_blank">The 52 New Foods Challenge: A Family Cooking Adventure for Each Week of the Year</a>"</em>. Part of the fun is that the children get to peruse the book and choose what foods they would like to try in what order. Selections (featured in more than 150 recipes) include bok choy, Brussels sprouts, persimmons and quinoa. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br />Staff2016-12-29T07:58:00Z10-Second Recipes: The Scent of the Holidays Might Be the Most Delicious Part of AllStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-The-Scent-of-the-Holidays-Might-Be-the-Most-Delicious-Part-of-All/-230288775199530270.html2016-12-20T22:10:00Z2016-12-20T22:10:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br /></a></p>
I got my best holiday recipe this year from a garden designer. I was reading about California nursery co-owner <a href="http://www.rollinggreensnursery.com/blog/home-away-from-home" target="_blank">Greg Salmeri</a> and I translated his "<em>best garden tip</em>" into an indoor tip that I tested. Salmeri had told <a href="http://www.bhg.com/" target="_blank">Better Homes & Gardens magazine</a> that his best garden tip is: "<em>Add fragrant plants, such as rosemary, scented geranium, sage and mint. Scents enhance the pleasure of a garden</em>."<br /><br />I long ago decided that scents, too, enhance the flavor of any holiday dish as well as the atmosphere of any holiday home as the dishes are cooking. Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves are nice, but old hat. Salmeri's comment made a lightbulb go on in my head that I would add scented ingredients, like some of those he mentioned, to my holiday dishes. Whether on their own or combined with some of those always welcome traditional holiday spices, they turn a house into a holiday home. All ingredients are to taste.<br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br />
<ul>
<li><strong>EVERYTHING'S ROSY WITH THIS APPLE PIE</strong><br />Grind some rosemary and bake within your favorite apple pie recipe. Save some of the ground rosemary and gently mix it into vanilla ice cream you will place on top of each warm serving.</li>
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<li><strong>SAGE ROLLS ARE FULL OF WISDOM</strong><br />Bake a small amount of dried sage within your favorite dinner roll recipe, and also add to your mashed potatoes while they are cooking and any type of winter soup.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>MINTY FRESH</strong><br />Serve fresh mint hot tea. Steam fresh mint along with green beans or include in a green bean casserole. Heat some fresh mint along with caramel sauce and drizzle atop a dessert of baked pears that had mint sprinkled in it before baking.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>TAKING LEMON TO NEW LEVELS</strong><br />Combine pine nuts, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon verbena and lemongrass to make a memorable pesto to serve as an appetizer on slices of fresh zucchini or crostini.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>LOVIN' LAVENDER</strong><br />Brew a pot that's a mixture of lavender, jasmine and chamomile teas. Serve with store-bought or homemade shortbread cookies that are meant to be dipped halfway into the tea to soak it up.</li>
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<li><strong>THYME FOR FUN</strong><br />If you've never baked a semi-savory bundt cake, you are missing out. Include small amounts of thyme, curry powder and freshly ground black pepper in your favorite recipe as well as even tinier amounts in a vanilla-based frosting.</li>
</ul>
<br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>My favorite holiday cookbook just gets started during the winter holidays. It is Diane Phillips' "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Holidays-Diva-Do-Ahead-Celebrate/dp/155832321X" target="_blank">Happy Holidays from the Diva of Do-Ahead: A Year of Feasts to Celebrate with Family and Friends</a></em>", which after 10 years on the market, emerged as a cost-conscious Kindle edition in 2015. Innovative recipes and party themes - with very doable do-ahead options - play out all year round from the creative San Diego-based caterer and cooking instructor. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br />Staff2016-12-20T22:10:00Z10-Second Recipes: Have a Slimmer Season with Flavor FusionsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Have-a-Slimmer-Season-with-Flavor-Fusions/-425667538162938026.html2016-12-06T21:49:00Z2016-12-06T21:49:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br /></a></p>
Indulging in favorite foods often may mean replacing favorite clothes that have grown too small. If you crave pizza and milkshakes more than you do carrots and celery, you may notice the difference not only on your dinner plate, but on your scale. During the holiday season, when there are so many other chances to indulge, it can be even more of a daily challenge if your everyday favorites are also heavy, comfort foods.<br /><br />Flavor infusions are a wise way to up your odds of staying slimmer. I came up with this concept when daydreaming of my lifelong favorite dish of veal parmesan. The breaded fried cutlets smothered in marinara sauce, served with melting mozzarella cheese on top is a treat that's hard to resist.<br /><br />However, as nutritionists often note, sometimes you just need a bite of a favorite food or a combination of some of the same ingredients in order to be satisfied and cut the craving. I instead made ground veal meatballs (immediately a good alternative since they can be baked rather than fried) combined with some bread crumbs, Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese and light mozzarella (a great choice for those trying to cut back since mozzarella is already one of the lower fat cheeses). I served the meatballs swimming in my favorite store-bought marinara sauce and I almost thought I was eating veal parmesan.<br /><br />Following are a few other flavor infusions I've since created. All ingredients are to taste.<br /><br />Fun fare like this proves that food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive and fast. The dishes are delicious evidence that everyone --- including you and your kidlets --- has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook since there are no right or wrong amounts. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the table.
<ul>
<li><em><strong>BANANA SPLIT SMOOTHIE</strong></em><br />In a blender container that is strong enough to crush ice, add soymilk, coconut milk or almond milk, chunks of banana, sugar-free chocolate syrup, chopped peanuts and strawberry or raspberry fruit spread (these are refined-sugar-free products found in the jam aisle of most supermarkets). Blend until smooth and then carefully add ice cubes one at a time through hole at top of blender container lid until it reaches the desired consistency.</li>
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<li><strong><em>MACARONI 'N' CHEESE-INSPIRED OMELETS</em></strong><br />From a mix or from scratch, prepare the same sauce you would for macaroni and cheese. Meanwhile, make omelets filled with fresh, cut, fully steamed vegetables. Spoon a small amount of the hot sauce over each folded finished omelet just before serving.</li>
<br />
<li><em><strong>CHICKEN POT PIE SOUP</strong></em><br />To store-bought or homemade chicken broth, add shredded cooked chicken breast, cooked carrots and peas and heat thoroughly. Just before serving, top each portion with half a biscuit that has been cut into bite-sized pieces. INSIDE-OUT APPLE PIECore an apple, put it on a plate, fill the space with shortbread cookie crumbs, drizzle with pure maple syrup and a very small dollop of whipped cream.</li>
</ul>
<br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SkinnyBritchesInc/" target="_blank">Milan Ross</a> and <a href="http://drscottstoll.com/about-dr-stoll/" target="_blank">Scott Stoll, M.D.</a> are a two-for-one deal in your quest for weight loss. Both the successful reducer (Ross) and a respected physician (Stoll) are part of the package when reading "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Change-Transforming-Yourself-Your-Person/dp/0757004326/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481177458&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Change%3A+Transforming+Yourself+and+Your+Body+into+the+Person+You+Want+to+Be" target="_blank">The Change: Transforming Yourself and Your Body into the Person You Want to Be</a></em>". Past Olympian Stoll created an immersion program embodied in week-long intensive health retreats. In alternating chapters by the authors, the program is revealed as well as Ross' experience going through it. Ross, who, as an employee in need, attended the program as a benefit of working at Whole Foods Markets, eventually lost 225 pounds, and describes finding joy in his life again. "<em>The Change Cookbook</em>", which includes more than 150 plant-based recipes, is due to be published in January.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br />Staff2016-12-06T21:49:00Z10-Second Recipes: Community Service Can Be the Centerpiece of Family Thanksgiving DinnerStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Community-Service-Can-Be-the-Centerpiece-of-Family-Thanksgiving-Dinner/892998984490105228.html2016-11-23T03:16:00Z2016-11-23T03:16:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
A cornucopia doesn't have to only service your Thanksgiving table as a centerpiece, it can service the community and your family members as well. Traditional cornucopias-which have been mentioned in mythology since 5 B.C.-are symbols of abundance. During modern times, they often are centerpieces in horn-shaped baskets that are overflowing with autumn fruits and vegetables.<br /><br />If you would prefer to turn your Thanksgiving into an offering of service to your local or the global community, as well as your dinner guests, start with a large horn-shaped cornucopia basket from a craft or party store, which are often only a few dollars each.<br /><br />Get some autumn-colored construction paper or fall-themed stationary and cut it into medium-sized squares. As they arrive, have each guest take two squares and a marking pen. On one they would write an act of community service they would like to perform before the next Thanksgiving and on the other a deed they would like to perform for a close family member or friend to ease their load. The colorful papers would then be folded in half and decoratively arranged in the cornucopia table centerpiece. After feasting, they could be read aloud.<br /><br />Following are just a few seeds for ideas. Fun crafts like these also prove projects can be easy, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative concoctions are proof that everyone has time for perfecting homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />
<ul>
<li><strong>DISTINCTIVE DISHWASHER</strong><br />A teen son decides his service to the community will be offering to wash dishes at soup kitchens during the holiday season and his service at home will be washing the family dishes during that same festive feasting time period.</li>
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<li><strong>A SUPER SUPERMARKET GESTURE</strong><br />A mom donates the same amount she pays for her Thanksgiving dinner ingredients to three charities. Similarly, she buys a friend she knows whose budget is stretched a supermarket gift card and places it in a seasonal card telling her how much her friendship means to her and all the happiness she wishes for her and her family.</li>
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<li><strong>CHEERY CHARITABLE CHILDREN</strong><br />Children who receive a plentiful amount of gifts each holiday season could offer to wrap charitable gifts their parents buy for needy children and bring them with their parents to charitable organizations and distribute them. For their close-to-home service they could offer to make their siblings' lunches so they can sleep later on school mornings.</li>
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<li><strong>WARM AND TOASTY</strong><br />Grandparents might decide to gather up all good condition, but little used coats from family members and friends and give them to a clothes donation center. On the home front, they could provide their own grandchildren with colorful thermal underwear and clothing marking pens for them to draw their own custom designs on the thermals on a table protected by plastic or newspaper.</li>
</ul>
<br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>If you want to serve old family Thanksgiving or other holiday recipes, but don't have such a repertoire in your clan, consider scouring antique shops and used book stores (in person or online) for dusty, dog-eared treasures that might fit the bill. Often these cost just cents or a few dollars and can also serve as interesting bookshelf decor. One favorite find of mine (even though my family also has plenty of in-house delightful dishes) is "<em><a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Feeding_the_Family.html?id=71-edTJueCYC" target="_blank">Feeding the Family</a>" </em>by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Swartz_Rose" target="_blank">Mary Swartz Rose, PhD</a>, assistant professor of the department of nutrition at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teachers_College,_Columbia_University" target="_blank">Teachers College at Columbia University</a> in New York City. It was published by the Macmillan Company in 1917. For holiday ideas, I especially like the chapter<em> Food for the Family Group: Winter Menus</em>, with listings such as stewed fig pudding with creamy sauce, graham muffins and orange and date salad. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br />Staff2016-11-23T03:16:00Z10-Second Recipes: Spotlight One Special Seasonal IngredientStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Spotlight-One-Special-Seasonal-Ingredient/720605683885364852.html2016-11-17T03:16:00Z2016-11-17T03:16:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
Food writers often want to encourage you to become a master of every seasonal ingredient under the sun or snow clouds, depending on the time of year. That makes for a fairly long shopping list and lots of energy spent on various techniques. In order to use your time wisely both in and out of the kitchen, why not instead focus inventively on just one quality seasonal ingredient at a time in order to reach both its and your potential.<br /><br />For me, this season one of those is pure maple syrup. Just drizzles of the sweet, rich condiment contributes to a fall flavor fest. The most important trick: Don't use it where it's expected, like on pancakes or French toast, and do insert it in the unexpected, like the tea that follows. All ingredients are to taste.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br />
<ul>
<li><strong>STEEPED IN FLAVOR</strong><br />A tiny note with my new teapot clued me in to something I've been doing to great effect ever since. Boil ingredients with the water, then steep the tea in it for a much richer experience than if you just stirred in condiments, like sugar or syrups, afterward. A new favorite I created: Boil together water, maple syrup, fresh tangerine juice and allspice. Steep cinnamon apple teabags in it. Carefully remove teabags before serving.</li>
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<li><strong>CEREAL GONE BANANAS</strong><br />Melt butter in pan in low-medium heat and saute slices of banana. Turn off heat, drizzle with maple syrup and gently mix. Use as a warm topping for raisin bran and milk, soy milk or almond milk.</li>
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<li><strong>PUMPED UP PUMPERNICKEL</strong><br />Into whipped cream cheese, gently mix maple syrup, ground cinnamon, curry powder and chopped walnuts. Spread onto pumpernickel bread and top with arugula and another piece of pumpernickel.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>MORE VIBRANT VEGETABLES</strong><br />Steam carrots cut into coin shapes, chopped green beans and chunks of unpeeled apple. After cooking and just before serving, carefully glaze with a mixture of maple syrup, fresh chopped rosemary and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle on dried cherries.</li>
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<li><strong>PEPPY POPCORN</strong><br />Gently mix popped popcorn with maple syrup, unsweetened cocoa powder, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries.</li>
</ul>
<br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>If you hadn't thought before that a delicious Coconut-Banana Soft Serve might be a way to keep your blood sugar in check, authors <a href="http://jillhillhouse.com/" target="_blank">Jill Hillhouse </a>and <a href="https://lisacantkier.com/" target="_blank">Lisa Cantkier</a> write, "<em>You won't be going back to commercial ice cream once you taste this!</em>" The nutritionists, who focus on whole foods, include a slew of innovative recipes in "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Paleo-Diabetes-Diet-Solution-Manage/dp/0778805484" target="_blank">The Paleo Diabetes Solution</a></em>," with tasty recipes an entire health-focused family might crave. Seasonal specialties, such as Balsamic Roasted Vegetables or Pumpkin Seed-Crusted Rainbow Trout, may turn into favorites without anyone realizing good nutrition was the goal. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br />Staff2016-11-17T03:16:00Z10-Second Recipes: Meal Delivery Delivers Cooking PointersStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Meal-Delivery-Delivers-Cooking-Pointers/-896862820485509551.html2016-11-09T15:10:00Z2016-11-09T15:10:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
Meal prep services that send you a box of ingredients and cooking instructions of course can improve your skills and expand your recipe repertoire. However, I was surprised recently to note just how much a less time-consuming option did the same.<span> <br /><br /></span>Full-fledged finished meal delivery is the easy way out. Often bought by the week as part of a weight loss plan or eating style, like veganism, the chef-created dishes require you to do no more than heat and eat (or freeze and later eat if you want them to last for more than a few days).<span> <br /><br /></span>However, if the ingredients are on the packages, arrive in a list with the meals (as ours did) or you print it off the internet, while you're happily feasting, you may be effortlessly expanding your culinary horizons as well. If you compare and bargain hunt, because of recent growth and competition, this may all come for less of a price (and certainly a time savings) than had you done it all yourself through your local supermarket.<span> <br /><br /></span>I didn't expect to learn anything. However, as I ate and determined which dishes I preferred (having picked a menu to begin with that was stacked with choices that appealed to me), I kept referring back to the ingredient list. <span> <br /><br /></span>The kale salad I liked not only included pecans, dried cranberries, and cabbage, but slivers of fennel and cooked wheat berries. Split-second lesson 1: I would definitely include mild, slightly sweet fennel in dishes, which was a great sponge for the maple vinaigrette. This, too, was an ingredient combination I would quickly emulate for my own homemade meals, perhaps simply by stirring some pure maple syrup into a light store-bought vinaigrette.<span> <br /><br /></span>I liked the nutty flavor of soft cooked wheat berries and immediately clicked some search engines to research it. This is whole grains at its best: a whole wheat kernel, still including the bran, germ and endosperm, that is easy to cook on the stovetop. I was thrilled to learn that a 1 cup serving of cooked wheat berries has about 200 calories and, impressively, 7 grams of protein and 9 grams of dietary fiber.<br /><br />Following are some of my ideas that were springboards from my sabbatical. All ingredients are to taste.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br />
<ul>
<li><strong>WHEAT BERRY WHOLE FOODS SOUP</strong><br />Prepare a vegetable broth soup with added chunks of carrots, celery, yams, zucchini and spinach and freshly ground black pepper. Add cooked wheat berries just before serving.</li>
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<li><strong>FUN WITH FENNEL</strong><br />Wash fennel bulb, cut off tops and discard or save for another use. Shave fennel bulb extremely thin and marinate in a mixture of very small amounts of balsamic vinegar, olive oil and curry powder. Use as a topping on a salad of arugula, cucumbers, tomatoes and red onions.</li>
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<li><strong>PARSNIP MASQUERADING AS FRENCH FRY</strong><br />Cut parsnips into french fry shapes. Gently mix with small amounts of olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder and chopped rosemary. Roast in a 450 F preheated oven for 10 minutes, carefully turning over with a spatula and roasting for about 10 minutes longer, until tender and slightly browned, being careful not to overcook.</li>
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<li><strong>PRESENTING PISTACHIO PASTA</strong><br />Gently mix cooked hot linguine with finely chopped shelled pistachios, pesto, cooked shredded spinach, chives, crushed garlic, olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>MAPLE VINAIGRETTE WITH MASS APPEAL</strong><br />To homemade or store-bought vinaigrette, stir in a small amount of pure maple syrup, mix with canned albacore tuna, minced black olives, and minced carrots. Serve as a sandwich filling on rosemary-olive sourdough bread or plain sourdough bread that's been lined with fresh spinach.</li>
</ul>
<br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Did you picture praised moderator <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Wallace" target="_blank">Chris Wallace </a>sipping soup during the third and final presidential debate or asking the sparring candidates what their favorite soup is? His wife, Lorraine Wallace, might have gotten a chuckle from pondering that topic. Because Chris loved her hearty soups so much, Lorraine wrote "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Sundays-Soups-Lorraine-Wallace/dp/0470640227" target="_blank">Mr. Sunday's Soups</a></em>", which became a bestselling cookbook in 2010, for which "<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/fox-news-sunday-chris-wallace/" target="_blank">Fox News Sunday</a>" host Chris wrote the foreword and appears on the cover with Lorraine. The distinctive collection also spawned 2012's '<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Sundays-Saturday-Night-Chicken/dp/1118175301" target="_blank">Mr. Sunday's Saturday Night Chicken</a></em>' and 2015's '<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Mrs-Sundays-Suppers-Delicious/dp/1118175298/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478921348&sr=1-1&keywords=Mr.+and+Mrs.+Sunday%27s+Suppers" target="_blank">Mr. and Mrs. Sunday's Suppers</a></em>'. The couple has been married since 1997, each family member had a favorite soup, including her late father-in-law, "<a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/60-minutes/" target="_blank">60 Minutes</a>" star <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Wallace" target="_blank">Mike Wallace</a>, and Chris featured Lorraine on his Sunday show cooking soup as a "<a href="http://video.foxnews.com/playlist/fox-news-sunday-power-player-of-the-week/" target="_blank">Power Player of the Week</a>." <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br />Staff2016-11-09T15:10:00Z10-Second Recipes: Have a Homemade Halloween Every DayStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Have-a-Homemade-Halloween-Every-Day/-666224459142581441.html2016-10-24T16:59:00Z2016-10-24T16:59:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
Formal Halloween parties are full of orange-and-black-colored treats and tempters. One day a year, though, just isn't enough. Like all of the coffeehouses and bakeries in our neighborhoods that advertise spook day goodies well ahead of the holiday, why not make every day in your house that is prior to Halloween an homage to orange and black and spookiness.<br /><br />Such an everyday theme equals a casual and easy effort with just a trace of Halloween colors thrown in to set the mood. There is no mistaking, though, the ghostly meaning lurking behind such goodies, which is likely to bring a grin to your kidlets' faces.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "<em>wows</em>" from family members and guests. All ingredients are to taste.<br /><br />
<ul>
<li><strong>SOUP FROM THE DARK SIDE</strong><br />For each finished serving: Melt cheddar cheese and swirl atop your favorite cooked homemade or store-bought black bean soup or chili. Top with a few pieces of candy corn and shavings of dark chocolate (which is a la the chocolate often found in Mexican mole sauces).</li>
<br />
<li><strong>A TOAST TO HALLOWEEN</strong><br />Spread homemade or store-bought tapenade (pureed black olive mixture) atop thick peasant bread-type toast and add a slight swirl of orange marmalade.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>BLEEDING ORANGE</strong><br />Slightly slice off tops and bottoms of oranges, so that when cut in half they will sit flat on serving plate. Cut them in half, place on serving plates and top each half with black raisins, sweetened coconut flakes and a red "<em>blood</em>" sauce you've achieved from pureeing fresh raspberries in the blender.</li>
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<li><strong>MONSTER OF A BEVERAGE</strong><br />Make ice cubes from dark grape juice. Gently mix together unsweetened soy milk, blood orange juice (or orange or tangerine juice) and stevia or other sweetener. Add dark juice ice cubes before serving.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>EDIBLE EYEBALLS</strong><br />Place balls of mozzarella cheese in pools of cooked marinara sauce "blood" and place pitted black olive thin slices as "<em>pupils</em>" in middle of mozzarella "<em>eyeballs</em>."</li>
</ul>
<br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If you want recipes for lots of Halloweens to come, the "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crocker-Halloween-Cookbook/dp/1118388941" target="_blank">Betty Crocker Halloween Cookbook</a>"</em> fits the bill. There are more than 100 themed recipes designed with nothing but fun and fright in mind. There are treats galore (including those you can give as gifts), and also chapters on appetizers and main dishes. Touches, like how to plan a party or what to make with leftover Halloween candy, leave little for you to get spooked over.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br /><br /><img src="/images/blog/halloween.jpg" alt="" /> Staff2016-10-24T16:59:00Z10-Second Recipes: Slice Up Some Time-Saving IdeasStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Slice-Up-Some-Time-Saving-Ideas/348451644056871032.html2016-10-10T16:59:00Z2016-10-10T16:59:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
Using a food processor and cleaning its parts afterward is often more work than it's worth for quick, convenience meals. I found, though, that my everyday easy dishes multiplied when I switched to an inexpensive plastic and blade food slicer that's also simple to clean and usually available for sale from multiple brands for close to $10.<br /><br />After being served a restaurant salad topped with multiple julienned vegetables and realizing it upped the flavor and crunch appeal, I sought out a slicer to emulate it without having to pull out and clean my food processor or do the chop work by hand. Following manufacturer instructions and carefully sliding a chunk of vegetable under a provided food gripper/hand protector through the blades does the trick. Adults only, though-as with any appliance with blades, kids should not use it.<br /><br />I routinely prepare a bowl of julienned vegetables with lunch and then use it throughout the day for healthy meals and snacks. Following are examples of how much variety can come from one mixture, thereby saving time all day. All ingredients are to taste. I start with julienned cucumbers, carrots, celery and red onion.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "<em>wows</em>" from family members and guests.<br /><br />
<ul>
<li><strong>TOSS A TERRIFIC MEAL</strong><br /><br />Toss the julienned vegetable mixture with torn romaine lettuce, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, grated Parmesan cheese, cooked peeled shrimp and a dressing that's made by whisking orange marmalade with light soy sauce and curry powder.
<ul>
<br />
</ul>
</li>
<br />
<li><strong>STIR-FRY WILL EQUAL SMILES</strong><br /><br />Heat a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil and cashews in a wok or skillet. Carefully add the julienned vegetable mixture, which has been seasoned with freshly ground black pepper and drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette. Cook until vegetables are hot and nuts have turned light brown.
<ul>
<br />
</ul>
</li>
<br />
<li><strong>WRAP UP SOME PRAISE</strong><br /><br />Warm flavored flour tortillas, such as red bell pepper or spinach, and spread with a small amount of store-bought pesto. Toss the julienned vegetables with strips of fat-free or vegan-style cheese, Italian seasoning blend, chopped, pitted black olives, diced cooked skinless chicken breast and roll up before serving.
<ul>
<br />
</ul>
</li>
<br />
<li><strong>BOWLED OVER BY SNACK BOWL</strong><br /><br />Toss the julienned vegetables with fresh seedless red grapes, honey-roasted nut mixture, sweetened shredded coconut and poppy seeds.</li>
</ul>
<br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphne_Oz" target="_blank">Daphne Oz</a>, co-host of TV's "<em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chew" target="_blank">The Chew</a></em>," knows that sometimes just a simple touch is all it takes to hit a homerun with an everyday meal. That's why she adds truffle salt to her roast chicken, coconut and mango to her pancakes and makes her quesadillas taste like Philly cheesesteaks in "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Cook-Recipes-Eating-Weekend/dp/0062426907/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1476465425&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Happy+Cook%3A++125+Recipes+for+Eating+Every+Day+Like+It%27s+the+Weekend" target="_blank">The Happy Cook: 125 Recipes for Eating Every Day Like It's the Weekend</a>"</em>. The key is that every one of the handful of ingredients in each easy recipe is irreplaceable and balances expertly with the others. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2016-10-10T16:59:00Z10-Second Recipes: Your Own Healthy Take on Take-Out FoodStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Your-Own-Healthy-Take-on-Take-Out-Food/-472707150027769086.html2016-10-03T19:49:00Z2016-10-03T19:49:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<br />It's a quick trick to experiment with ingredients and spices for split-second copies of fast foods you can make at home. Often, just a few tweaks like that are all it takes to create a dish reminiscent of the original, like gourmet pizzas that are prepared with chicken breast, cilantro and a sweet and spicy sauce or burgers stuffed with low-fat pepperjack cheese and olives that get part of their bounce from pinto beans and Mexican spices.<br /><br />Homemade touches also can mean healthy ones. When you are in charge of selecting your own ingredients, rather than a restaurant chef, you can substitute low-fat, fat-free, sugar-free or other options.<br /><br />Fun fare like this proves that food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive and fast, as the following savvy substitutions prove. The dishes are delicious evidence that everyone --- including you and your kidlets --- has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook since there are no right or wrong amounts. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "<em>wows</em>" at the table.<br /><br /><strong>FRIENDLY, RATHER THAN FRIED, CHICKEN</strong><br />Dredge chicken pieces in a mixture of egg and low-fat buttermilk and then in whole-wheat bread crumbs that's been seasoned with curry powder and ground ginger. Bake at 425 F for about 20 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 F.<br /><br /><strong>PIZZA WITH PIZZAZZ</strong><br />Turn on broiler. Top whole-wheat English muffins with low-sugar ketchup that's been mixed with sugar-free apricot jam. Top with shredded, drained canned chicken breast, shredded fresh spinach, fresh cilantro, ground cumin and cardamom and white cheddar cheese and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling. <br /><br /><strong>BETTER BURGERS</strong><br />To lean ground beef or lean ground chicken breast or lean ground turkey breast, add drained, ground pinto beans and jarred Mexican or Italian seasoning blend, to taste (these tend to have no salt, compared to packets, which tend to have a lot of it). Create a well in the middle of each burger and stuff with small pieces of low-fat pepperjack cheese and finely diced black olives before cooking to an internal temperature of 160 F.<br /><br /><strong>CHINESE FOOD WITH EASE</strong><br />Get prepackaged wonton wrappers in supermarket refrigerator case and fill with the cabbage mix in a packaged coleslaw mix. Sprinkle with cooked diced baby shrimp, freshly ground black pepper and peach chutney before sealing according to package instructions. Brush skins all over lightly with olive oil and bake at 425 F for about 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned.<br /><br /><strong>TOSTADA THAT'S THE TOTAL PACKAGE</strong><br />Brush whole-wheat tortilla on one side with olive oil and place that side down in a skillet and heat until it gets a bit crispy and puffy. Carefully remove with a utensil and place on a paper towel to absorb oil. Top with chunks of tofu you've sauteed (in olive oil that's been seasoned with cumin, cilantro, garlic and onion powders), shredded soy cheese, cooked pinto beans, cooked brown rice, salsa and chopped black olives. Top with guacamole and vegan sour cream.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>Trying "<em>cleansing</em>" recipes even when you are not on a cleanse can be a healthy touch to a regular, everyday diet. The concoctions generally rely on energizing, antioxidant-filled ingredients. One of my favorite books for such cherry-picking is, "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Super-Cleanse-Revised-Long-Lasting-Health/dp/0062113364" target="_blank"><em>Super Cleanse: Detox Your Body for Long-Lasting Health</em> <em>and</em> <em>Beauty</em></a>" by Adina Niemerow. It's a good way to check into the raw food trend, which comprises one of the cleanses, by trying everything from a green juice including celery, rainbow chard or beet greens and an apple for sweetening, to a green apple porridge, to a red bell pepper, collard greens and raw macadamia nut wrap. If you do want to check out a full cleanse, instructions are well covered.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2016-10-03T19:49:00Z10-Second Recipes: Cream Cheese - Sometimes the Simpler the BetterStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Cream-Cheese---Sometimes-the-Simpler-the-Better/-278691221952950591.html2016-09-12T21:49:00Z2016-09-12T21:49:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<br />If you have been to a cheese tasting, chances are it didn't include cream cheese, but maybe it should have. The differences between various brands of cream cheese are no less important to bagel or cheesecake lovers than the nuances between hoity-toity aged cheeses from around the globe are to gourmands.<br /><br />Easily spreadable cream cheese is an American creation from the late 1800's. The butterfat and moisture ratios are regulated in the cow's milk unripened cheese. Blandness is often the most noticeable quality, unless it's a specialty mixture including herbs, spices, vegetables, fruit or bits of lox.<br /><br />The flavor of cream cheese, though, can be measured similarly to the world's most prized foodstuffs. Freshness and simplicity can matter, like in the cuisines of Italy or Spain. Homemade recipes often call for nothing more than cream, whole milk, salt and vinegar, but are ruled out by most since cheese-making via heating and cheesecloth straining is lengthy and messy.<br /><br />Fortunately, store-bought products are usually economical compared to many other cheeses. However, scouring the ingredient lists can be interesting. Some products have added ingredients to make them firmer or last longer in market refrigerator cases. <br /><br />Depending on your palate, a taste test may provide a clear winner. A large bagel chain, for instance, sells cream cheese with a fairly short shelf life of a few weeks and only cultured pasteurized milk and cream, water, salt and vegetable gum as the ingredients. Perhaps partially because of the ingredients and partially due to technique, on all of five purchases, it was lighter and fresher than any cream cheese I had ever tasted; something to crave and highly desire as an ingredient in other dishes. However, another large bagel chain's cream cheese has a longer shelf life, includes 12 ingredients, including multiple gums, a gel and stabilizers and the difference in flavor was immediately noticeable to me over five purchases, as it was in supermarket brands with long ingredient lists and long shelf lives bought five times each.<br /><br />If the result of your own comparison shopping is a brand you love, here are a few tasty ideas to use it up. All ingredients below are to taste.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br />
<ul>
<li><strong>HOT IDEA FOR HOT DIP</strong><br />In a microwave-safe container, mix cream cheese with French salad dressing, spicy mustard, maple syrup, freshly ground black pepper and heat in microwave oven, covered, for 25 seconds. Stir and serve immediately as a warm dip for corn chips and fresh vegetables.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>CELERY THAT SELLS ITSELF</strong><br />Mix cream cheese with chopped fresh dill, mint and chutney, fold in finely diced cooked chilled skinless turkey breast. Spread into washed and trimmed celery stalks. Serve immediately or store tightly covered in refrigerator for up to 2 hours.</li>
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<li><strong>EXCITING EGGS</strong><br />When scrambled eggs are almost completely cooked, add a dollop or two of cream cheese, chopped fresh basil, oregano, thyme and a dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Good as is served immediately, or, if desired, prebake some potato skins and serve cool enough to hold with hot cooked warm mixture as a topping.</li>
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<li><strong>BERRY GOOD</strong><br />With an electric hand mixer, gently mix cream cheese, finely diced fresh, hulled strawberries, stevia or sugar and melted dark chocolate that has cooled, but not hardened. Place granola in bowls and spoon mixture over it. Serve immediately.</li>
</ul>
<br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em><a href="http://www.pantryconfidential.com/features/yossy-arefi-food-photographer" target="_blank">Yossy Arefi</a> isn't Mother Nature, but she plays a close second. The award-winning food blogger, photographer and stylist is expert at enhancing the flavors of fruit once they are off the vine or the tree. "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sweeter-off-Vine-Desserts-Season/dp/1607748584" target="_blank">In Sweeter Off the Vine</a>"</em>, she pulls from her Iranian heritage and other cultures to enhance the sweetness with ingredients such as rose and orange flower waters. Pink peppercorns jazz up a raspberry sorbet, saffron is mixed with sugar in fruit tarts and blood orange juice and doughnuts comingle for innovative results. The seasonal division of recipes helps the year speed by deliciously. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p><br /><br /></p>Staff2016-09-12T21:49:00Z10-Second Recipes: Spice Up Your SandwichesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Spice-Up-Your-Sandwiches/779555804618380663.html2016-09-06T06:23:00Z2016-09-06T06:23:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
It's back-to-school time and, if you're already bored with all of the lunch sandwiches you're preparing for your kids, maybe it's time to spice up your own! Seasoning (whether through fresh or dried herbs) is a split-second way to improve your offerings. Steal the special sandwiches for yourself or, if you have a kidlet with an adventurous palate, let him in on the treats as well.<span> <br /><br /></span>Italian hero or submarine sandwiches often incorporate spices and flavorful condiments, such as oil and vinegar, as do other ethnic sandwiches. Popular national sandwich chain shops, where customers pick their own accompaniments, also have jumped on the bandwagon. However, there's no reason plain old homemade standbys, such as turkey, ham, chicken, tuna --- or even peanut butter and jelly --- can't benefit from the same philosophy.<span> <br /><br /></span>Researchers, for instance, have often named turmeric (an Indian herb in the ginger family) as one of the world's healthiest foods. I recently paired the dried spice in a turkey breast sandwich with garlic, citrus and cumin, as suggested in "<em><a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/8_of_the_worlds_healthiest_spices" target="_blank">8 of the World's Healthiest Spices</a></em>," a roundup in <a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/" target="_blank">Eating Well magazine</a>. Although spices can go directly onto your sandwich's protein source, I like to secure them even further and increase the richness of the sandwich by using them as a topping for a base I've slathered on my bread, like reduced-fat mayonnaise, Dijon mustard or fat-free French dressing. All ingredients below are to taste.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "<em>wows</em>" from family members and guests.<span> <br /></span><br />
<ul>
<li><strong>TALKIN' TURKEY<br /></strong>Spread 2 slices of sourdough bread with reduced-fat mayonnaise, sprinkle generously with dried turmeric, cumin and minced garlic. To 1 slice of bread, add thinly sliced cooked turkey breast, a spritz of fresh lemon juice and arugula and top with second prepared slice of bread.<strong><br /><br /></strong></li>
<li><strong>HAM IT UP</strong><br />Toast 2 slices of pumpernickel bread. Spread with Dijon mustard and sprinkle with dried dill. Top 1 slice of bread with thin slices of cooked ham, diced sweet gherkin pickles and minced red onion and top with second prepared slice of bread.</li>
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<li><strong>DON'T CHICKEN OUT</strong><br />Split a croissant almost in half, spread with fat-free French dressing, and sprinkle with a dash of cayenne pepper, ground ginger, ground cloves and freshly ground black pepper. Add thinly sliced cooked chicken breast and thinly sliced Roma tomatoes.</li>
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<li><strong>REEL IN SOME TUNA</strong><br />In a bowl, prepare drained, flaked tuna fish from a can with a dash of extra-virgin olive oil, dried tarragon and a dash of chili powder. Split a pita pocket and line with spinach leaves, add diced red bell pepper and tuna mixture.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>PEANUT BUTTER, JELLY...AND PIZZAZZ<br /></strong>In a bowl, mix well peanut butter (or other nut butter) with curry powder and minced crystallized ginger. Toast 2 slices of rye bread. Spread 1 slice of bread with a thin layer of the peanut butter and preferably orange marmalade (or jam or jelly of choice) and top with second prepared slice of bread.</li>
</ul>
<br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Vegans sometimes are not only healthier inside, but outside as well. Skin, hair and other body parts might not just get a boost from a nutritious diet, but from treatments that are prepared without any animal products. That's the good news from vegan beauty blogger Sunny Subramanian and Chrystle Fiedler in <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Compassionate-Chicks-Guide-DIY-Beauty/dp/0778805476" target="_blank">The Compassionate Chick's Guide to DIY Beauty</a></em>. And there's no reason guys who like DIY projects (and glowing skin) might not flock to some of these <em>125 Recipes for Vegan, Gluten-Free, Cruelty-Free Makeup, Skin and Hair Products</em> (the book's subtitle) as well. The fun here can range from anything from Flaxseed Hair-Styling Goop, to Rosemary-Mint Anti-Frizz Serum, to Just-Glow-With-It Spinach Smoothie Facial Mask. Bonuses: A number of the recipes, as is, if noted by the authors, or with a few added ingredients they recommend, are delicious and nutritious taste treats, too. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p><br /><img src="/images/blog/Throwing-a-great-party-requires-only-good-food,-good-drink-&-nice-people.jpg" alt="" /></p>Staff2016-09-06T06:23:00Z10-Second Recipes: Not All Desserts Need to Be SweetStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Not-All-Desserts-Need-to-Be-Sweet/-835078123652166144.html2016-08-29T22:10:00Z2016-08-29T22:10:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<br />Not only did Los Angeles' High Tea Cottage serve cake as part of a 90th birthday high tea celebration in honor of the Queen of England earlier this year, but their everyday tea services rival the world's best. That's because they've instituted an innovative serving technique that immediately highlights and adds interest to whatever they are featuring, and it's so simple you can easily emulate it yourself.<br /><br />They use tiered dessert servers that many home cooks have tucked away and are available at most houseware shops (made of metal for use with insertion of your own plates or with pretty permanent glass levels). A signature of the popular teahouse is serving small single-serving desserts that ascend on the tower in sweetness.<br /><br />This can be an inspiration for any type of party. Savory desserts or cheeses might begin the climb, followed by mini muffins and then more sugary sensations, like chunks of frosted layer cakes or glazed tiny doughnuts.<br /><br />Below are some favorites I've created for a three-tiered server. All amounts are to taste.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>SAVORY SENSATIONS</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>Chop dried apricots and fold with dried cranberries or dried cherries and honey inside store-bought puff pastry dough. Brush with egg wash (mixture of egg and water), sprinkle with curry powder and black pepper and bake according to puff pastry package instructions.</li>
<br />
<li>With a melon baller or a rounded teaspoon measure, scoop out a ball of brie cheese (without any rind). Mix together strawberry jam, dried rosemary and dried mint. Lightly roll the brie balls in the strawberry jam mixture and then in poppy seeds. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, covered, up to two hours before use, letting return to room temperature just before serving.</li>
</ul>
<br /><strong>MILD MANNERED, BUT MAGNIFICENT</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>Mix one batch of whipped cream cheese with chopped walnuts, chopped dates and molasses and another batch of cream cheese with unsweetened cocoa powder, stevia and mini chocolate chips. Halve store-bought mini bran muffins and mini chocolate muffins and serve the bran muffin halves spread with the walnut cream cheese and the chocolate muffin halves with the chocolate cream cheese. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, covered, up to two hours before use, letting return to room temperature just before serving.</li>
</ul>
<span> </span><strong>FOR THE SWEET TOOTH</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>Cut large slices of three different colored frosted layer cakes (such as chocolate, vanilla and strawberry) into mini chunks. Break a variety of cookies into crumbs, sprinkle coordinated crumbs on top of each of the three types of cakes. Mix three batches of store-bought whipped topping with dashes of almond extract, sweetened coconut and pure maple syrup and top each miniature cake slice with a dollop.</li>
</ul>
<br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Wondering what to do with sweet summer corn? Consider shucking it and adding, as she directs, to <a href="http://yvettevanboven.com/" target="_blank">Yvette van Boven</a>'s <a href="http://communitytable.parade.com/64581/smccook/a-buttery-sweet-summer-corn-risotto/" target="_blank">Buttery Corn Risotto</a> from her "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Home-Made-Summer-Yvette-Boven/dp/1617690155" target="_blank">Home Made Summer</a></em>". The corn, along with ingredients like leeks, shallots, bouquet garni, vermouth and Parmesan cheese, create a memorable seasonal specialty. The book is a few summers old, but remains a go-to for many admirers because of distinguished treats like that. Paris- and Amsterdam-based van Boven has a talent for bringing out the best of ingredients like summer lettuces, berries and fresh herbs. If you master her warm-weather masterpieces and haven't tried her "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Home-Made-Winter-Yvette-Boven/dp/161769004X/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=DY5HSFRZ7GFD1FKVK4TE" target="_blank">Home Made Winter</a></em>", get ready to bundle up and enjoy that classic in the months to come. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2016-08-29T22:10:00Z10-Second Recipes: Medical Studies as Culinary TeachersStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Medical-Studies-as-Culinary-Teachers/-191536174681380075.html2016-08-15T22:10:00Z2016-08-15T22:10:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
Fashion experts may advise that red and orange clash in an outfit, but, when it comes to helping regulate your blood sugar, their future pairing may be ideal. A study conducted by the <a href="http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/med/" target="_blank">University of Warwick Medical School</a> in the UK found that 32 overweight and obese people who took capsules made from compounds of the fruits for eight weeks showed enhancements.<br /><br />Improvement in insulin resistance was shown to rival bariatric surgery, but at three times the pace and the treatment was better than a widely used diabetes drug in lowering blood sugar in obese participants. Vascular function also increased, showing promise for possible handling of heart disease.<br /><br />The research was published in the journal <em>Diabetes</em>. Pharmaceutical doses at higher levels that can be found in fruit are needed for results of that caliber, noted researchers, who are seeking pharmaceutical manufacturers to invest. <br /><br />Although the eventual dose required for such possible stellar healing effects may have to come in capsule form, both red grapes and oranges are already promoted to the public as high-antioxidant "<em>super foods</em>." Since I love the flavor of both of these foods, I was intrigued that their possible combination might have moderate positive results from moderate, everyday dietary intake.<br /><br />I soon blended them in a smoothie with some other often-recommended ingredients, such as greens, and, simply from a gourmet's palate, created some additional quick and easy dishes. I appreciate the researchers and the future promise of their work. Lead researcher <a href="https://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/med/staff/thornalley/" target="_blank">Professor Paul Thornalley</a> said that, "<em>As well as helping to treat diabetes and heart disease, it could diffuse the obesity time bomb.</em>" However, I also am glad for the culinary inspirations. Below, simply add ingredients to taste.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "<em>wows</em>" from family members and guests.<br /><br />
<ul>
<li><strong>GREAT GRAPE SMOOTHIE</strong><br />In the container of a blender strong enough to crush ice, combine unsweetened or vanilla soymilk, peeled orange slices, red seedless grapes, peeled mini carrots, romaine lettuce, almonds and stevia until smooth. Carefully, through opening in blender lid, add one ice cube at a time until of desired consistency.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>GIVE A TOAST TO THIS BREAKFAST</strong><br />In a blender container, blend peeled orange slices, red seedless grapes and silken tofu. Mix into store-bought orange marmalade. Spread on whole-grain toast.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>FRUIT SALAD WITH ADDED FUN</strong><br />In a salad bowl, toss peeled orange slices, red seedless grapes, hulled, raspberries, chunks of peeled kiwi and avocado and sunflower seeds. Drizzle with raspberry vinaigrette, a few drops of chili oil and a dollop of plain Greek yogurt.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>CHEERY CHICKEN</strong><br />In a blender container, blend peeled orange slices, red seedless grapes, and hulled, sliced strawberries. Place mixture in a saucepan, along with a few teaspoons of chicken broth and a dash of basil, and over low-medium heat, warm it and reduce slightly. Spoon over cooked skinless chicken breasts just before serving.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>A DIPPY DESSERT</strong><br />Freeze red seedless grapes and individual segments of a peeled orange. To serve, dip into mixtures of honey with curry powder and melted dark chocolate with cinnamon.</li>
</ul>
<br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> <a href="http://www.virginiawillis.com/" target="_blank">Virginia Willis</a> will probably lighten your load when it comes to eating Southern food with her "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lighten-Up-Yall-Southern-Wholesome/dp/1607745739" target="_blank">Lighten Up Y'all: Classic Southern Recipes Made Healthy and Wholesome</a></em>." However, she's serious about keeping time-honored traditions and techniques and won a prestigious James Beard Award for her efforts, as well as being nominated for cookbook of the year by the <a href="http://www.iacp.com/" target="_blank">International Association of Culinary Professionals</a>. Most impressive is that she achieves her results while still serving up favorites, such as seven-layer dip and chicken 'n' gravy. Strategies even include desserts, like strawberry shortcake. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2016-08-15T22:10:00Z10-Second Recipes: Does Your Olive Oil Have a Stamp of Approval?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Does-Your-Olive-Oil-Have-a-Stamp-of-Approval/16079134071803348.html2016-08-01T22:55:00Z2016-08-01T22:55:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
I had just finished drizzling two teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil into a decaf coffee-dark chocolate stevia-flavored smoothie I had created to replace a sugar- and caffeinated one I loved from a juice chain. Nutritionists have urged adding healthy fats, especially olive oil, to our diets for decades. I'd been practicing as they preached for at least 20 years, since attending and writing about an olive oil tasting that mimicked a wine tasting.<br /><br />When I placed the smoothie in the freezer to chill slightly before drinking, I was surprised at the first words that jumped off the page of what I was reading: "<em>olive oil</em>." Author <a href="http://www.realfoodfakefood.com/about-the-author-larry-omsted.html" target="_blank">Larry Olmsted</a>, though, wasn't adding more laudatory news. I hadn't expected olive oil to be a major player in "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Real-Food-Fake-Youre-Eating/dp/1616204214/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">Real Food Fake Food: Why You Don't Know What You're Eating & What You Can Do About It</a></em>."<br /><br />However, the lucrative product joins sushi-grade fish, kobe and grass-fed beef and lobster as a category that is at risk for fraud. What may or may not appear on olive oil labels is that producers sometimes add soybean and peanut oils. They can be older stocks and greatly affect the flavor and pose allergy risks. The words "<em>extra-virgin</em>" or "<em>virgin</em>" on labels, Olmsted alerts, may mean nothing more than a price markup. In addition, packages marked "<em>pure olive oil</em>" can refer to the lowest allowable grade.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome" target="_blank">USDA</a> and <a href="http://www.fda.gov/" target="_blank">FDA</a> have cited staff and cost cuts as challenges they face. As in the case of other possible frauds, Olmsted suggests awareness regarding finding the real thing when it comes to olive oil. Look for markers on labels, like those from international trade groups such as <a href="http://www.extravirginalliance.org/" target="_blank">EVA</a> and <a href="http://www.unaprol.it/" target="_blank">UNAPROL</a> or "<em>COOC --- Certified Extra Virgin</em>" from the <a href="https://www.cooc.com/" target="_blank">California Olive Oil Council</a>, a stamp that was formed to help.<br /><br />Because my level of trust had always been high regarding olive oil and its stellar health reputation, I had never scoured labels before. Before my first smoothie sip just minutes later, though, I got past "<em><a href="http://epochproducts.com/blog/first-pressed-olive-oil/" target="_blank">first cold pressing</a></em>" (a good sign regarding freshness and flavor) and bragging about the brand's international popularity on the front of the label.<br /><br />On the back, it did note that extra-virgin olive oil was the only ingredient. However, per Olmsted's warnings, I was even more relieved to see a small red circle along with words about the size of a pinhead reading: "<em>This seal designates that (this brand) meets the exacting standards of the International Olive Council, worldwide governing body that sets the quality standards for the olive oil industry.</em>"<br /><br />Well-produced olive oil tastes superior, notes Olmsted and those who have experienced the difference. The California Olive Oil Council avocado salad below is a showcase for olive oil. My easy coffee-dark chocolate smoothie uses it as one of its healthful additions.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "<em>wows</em>" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><br /><strong>OLIVE OIL-COFFEE-DARK CHOCOLATE SMOOTHIE </strong> <br />
<blockquote>1/2 cup decaffeinated coffee beans <br />4 squares dark chocolate (70 percent cacao) <br />1 cup unsweetened soymilk <br />4 tablespoons stevia <br />2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa <br />1/2 cup soy strawberry-flavored yogurt-style product <br />2 tablespoons strawberry fruit-only spread/jam <br />1 / 4 cup blueberries <br />2 teaspoons certified extra-virgin olive oil <br />7 ice cubes</blockquote>
Yields 1 large serving.<br /><br />Place coffee beans in strong blender (or coffee grinder) set to "<em>grate</em>" until ground. Add dark chocolate squares and grate.<br /><br />Add all other ingredients, except ice cubes, set to "<em>smoothie</em>" and blend. Through small hole in top of blender lid, carefully add one ice cube at a time set to "<em>crush ice</em>" or to "<em>grind</em>" and grind; then set at "<em>smoothie</em>" until smooth. Serve immediately.<br /><br /><br /><strong>AVOCADO-OLIVE OIL SALAD</strong><span> <br /></span>
<blockquote>2 slices thick-cut bacon <br />2 to 3 heirloom tomatoes, quartered <br />1 avocado, peeled and sliced <br />2 tablespoons certified extra-virgin olive oil <br />1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar <br />Salt, to taste</blockquote>
Yields 2 servings.<br /><br />Cook bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat. Let cool. Roughly crumble. Toss with tomatoes and avocado.<br /><br />In a small bowl, place olive oil. Whisk rice vinegar and salt into olive oil to emulsify. Pour over salad before serving.<br /><br />-COOC (California Olive Oil Council)<br /><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If your idea of a snack isn't a raw flapjack created from nuts, dates, seeds, oats and fruit, <a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/" target="_blank">Chef Jamie Oliver</a> would like a word with you. After trying to help clean up Britain's and the United States' school lunch programs, TV chef and cookbook author Oliver has turned his attention to super foods in "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Super-Food-Jamie-Oliver/dp/0062305646" target="_blank">Everyday Super Food: Recipes for a Healthier, Happier You</a></em>." He's written bestsellers on comfort food, but here tells how directing his own and his family's diet to super food ingredients made them feel much more energetic. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p><br /><img src="/images/blog/yourlife.jpg" alt="" /></p>Staff2016-08-01T22:55:00Z10-Second Recipes: Cheers for Creative ChipsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Cheers-for-Creative-Chips/-457366379607967461.html2016-07-11T22:55:00Z2016-07-11T22:55:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<br />Sometimes, when we've grown up without the benefit of tasting homemade versions of processed foods we don't realize how easy they are to prepare ourselves. That's often the case with chips.<br /><br />Potato chips? Corn chips? Tortilla chips? Bags bought in the supermarket are usually the norm for such snack foods. But fresh, warm, innovative home versions are usually no further away than a quick slice, season and bake. That's right, no frying required.<br /><br />Such preparation can be a healthful step during summer, which is a popular time for chips and dips during gatherings.<br /><br />For warm crispy tortilla chips, for instance, simply brush each side of corn tortillas lightly with oil, sprinkle with salt and cut into four to six triangles each, place on a baking sheet in a 350 F oven until crispy and slightly browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. Follow the same process to create pita chips.<br /><br />They are each excellent as is, or, to spice things up a little, sprinkle on, along with salt or salt substitute seasonings, anything from pumpkin pie spice, to cinnamon, to curry powder.<br /><br />In addition to the healthfulness of baking versus frying, you can also up the nutrition quotient by creating your winning snacks from fruits or vegetables, like apple, sweet potato, carrots or the tasty kale chips that follow.<br /><br />If you are watching your carbohydrate intake or are a meat lover, you can even think further outside the chip package when it comes to a fun snack, like the following salami chips with a grainy mustard dip from "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Salty-Snacks-Crisps-Crackers-Pretzels/dp/1607741814/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">Salty Snacks</a></em>" by <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/instructors/cynthia-nims" target="_blank">Cynthia Nims</a>, of which she writes:<br />
<blockquote><em>"This recipe is so easy, I'm almost embarrassed to include it in a cookbook. But it just goes to prove how much transformation can come from a simple act of crisping something in the oven for a bit.</em>"<br /> </blockquote>
<strong>SALAMI CHIPS WITH GRAINY MUSTARD DIP</strong>
<blockquote><em>Mustard dip: </em><br />1/4 cup sour cream <br />1/4 cup mayonnaise <br />2 tablespoons Dijon mustard <br />2 tablespoons grainy mustard <br /><br /><em>Chips: </em>8 ounces thinly sliced salami (see Note)</blockquote>
Yields 6 to 8 servings. <br /><br />To prepare dip: Stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and grainy mustard in a small serving bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to serve, ideally at least 2 hours.<br /><br />To prepare chips: Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set 2 oven racks at the centermost positions.<br /><br />Lay the salami slices out in a single layer on the baking sheets. Bake until they are evenly browned and rigid, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool. The salami will crisp further as it cools.<br /><br />Arrange the salami chips in a bowl or on a plate, with the dip alongside it.<br /><br />Note: "<em>Try to find a salami that's 1 & 1/2 to 2 & 1/2 inches in diameter, for easy snacking size,</em>" writes Nims. "<em>If it's not presliced and there's a deli slicer in the store, ask to have it thinly sliced for you. Otherwise do your best to cut very thin, even slices with your sharpest knife.</em>"<br /><br /><br /><strong>LEMON-PEPPER KALE CHIPS </strong> <br />
<blockquote>8 (preferably dinosaur) kale leaves, stemmed <br />1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil <br />(Preferably sea) salt, to taste <br />Freshly ground pepper, to taste <br />1 lemon, for zesting </blockquote>
Yields 8 servings.<br /><br />Preheat the oven to 375 F. Rub the kale with the oil, evenly coating both sides; cut into 2-inch pieces.<br /><br />Spread out the pieces evenly on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets; season with salt and pepper. Bake, rotating and switching the pans halfway through cooking, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Zest the lemon over the hot chips. <br /><br /><em>Variations:</em> <br />
<ul>
<li><strong>BBQ:</strong> Omit salt and pepper. Sprinkle barbecue rub over hot chips.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>Spicy Thai:</strong> Stir a couple dashes of sriracha into olive oil before coating leaves.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>Ranch: </strong>Omit salt and pepper. Sprinkle ranch dip mix over hot chips.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>Toasted Sesame:</strong> Sprinkle seasoned chips with sesame seeds before baking.</li>
</ul>
-<a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/" target="_blank">RachaelRayMag.com</a><span><a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/" target="_blank"> </a><br /><br /><br /></span><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>If you don't have time to hit the highway this summer for a foodie road trip let food festival founder <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/24/food-informants-lee-schrager_n_1989586.html" target="_blank">Lee Brian Schrager</a> and writer <a href="http://adeenasussman.com/" target="_blank">Adeena Sussman</a> provide your compass. Their book, "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Americas-Best-Breakfasts-Favorite-Recipes/dp/0553447211" target="_blank">America's Best Breakfasts</a></em>" can leave you pretending you've stumbled upon a delicious diner every day of the week. Regional specialties and local favorites are the focus. This translates to mouthwatering treats like <a href="http://www.foodspotting.com/places/31398-cafe-lift-philadelphia/items/257236-cannoli-french-toast" target="_blank">Cannoli French Toast from Philadelphia</a> and <a href="http://www.today.com/recipes/fruit-tart-pop-tarts-t81816" target="_blank">Fruit Tart "Pop Tarts" from San Francisco</a>. <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2016-07-11T22:55:00Z10-Second Recipes: Celebrate Cheddar in Apple Pie This July 4thStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Celebrate-Cheddar-in-Apple-Pie-This-July-4th/-395157936421115180.html2016-06-28T06:06:00Z2016-06-28T06:06:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<a href="http://www.judithfertig.com/" target="_blank"> Judith Fertig</a> spent years creating and compiling the greatest the United States had to offer when writing her outstanding cookbook, "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/All-American-Desserts-Star-Spangled-Razzle-Dazzle-Americas-ebook/dp/B007CMM3VI" target="_blank">All-American Desserts: 400 Star-Spangled, Razzle-Dazzle Recipes for America's Best Loved Desserts</a></em>". However, one of her favorites is an old English twist on an American favorite: cheddar cheese accenting apple pie.<br /><br />Even though the tradition is imported, it's been a favorite in New England and the Midwest for centuries. As Fertig notes, it stems from England, which is known for both its apples and its cheddar. Fertig prefers Wisconsin-aged cheese atop her patriotic version. In the very easy dessert that follows, she crumbles it in a topping along with flour, butter and sugar.<br /><br />Another cheesy idea that could cause culinary fireworks if you serve it this Fourth of July: Like the following recipe from the classic "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Cooking-Irma-S-Rombauer/dp/0743246268/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467614448&sr=8-1&keywords=the+joy+of+cooking" target="_blank">Joy of Cooking</a></em>", consider adding extra-sharp cheddar cheese to your pie crust. Does that extra excitement mean you should go bland on the filling? Not at all, theirs is full of dark raisins and walnuts or pecans in addition to the apples.<br /><br /><br /><strong>DEEP-DISH APPLE PIE WITH CHEDDAR CRUST</strong><span> <br /></span>3/4 cup lightly packed grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese<span> <br /></span>2/3 cup all-purpose flour<span> <br /></span>6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces, plus an additional 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature<span> <br /></span>2 pounds Golden Delicious, Gala, Fuji or Newton Pippin apples (about 4 medium-large) peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick<span> <br /></span>1 cup dark raisins (optional)<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup sugar<span> <br /></span>Grated zest of 1 large lemon<span> <br /></span>Strained juice of 1 large lemon<br />1/4 cup brandy (optional)<span> <br /></span>1/2 teaspoon salt<span> <br /></span>1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg<span> <br /></span>1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon<span> <br /></span>1/4 teaspoon ground cloves<span> <br /></span>Vanilla ice cream, for serving<br /> <br />Yields 1 (9-inch) pie; 8 servings.<br /><br />Combine cheddar cheese, flour and the cold butter. Chop mixture with a pastry blender to the consistency of coarse crumbs, then press together with your fingers and knead in the bowl until a cohesive dough forms. Flatten the dough into a 4-inch disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm but malleable, 30 to 60 minutes. Flour the dough lightly, then roll into a 9-inch round between sheets of wax paper. Slip a rimless cookie sheet beneath the dough and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.<br /><br />Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Heat the room temperature butter over high heat in a very wide skillet (not cast iron) until sizzling and fragrant. Add apples. Toss with a wooden spoon until the apples release their juice and are tender, 5 to 7 minutes; reduce heat if the apples begin to color.<br /><br />Stir in raisins, nuts, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, brandy, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves.<br /><br />Boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the juices thicken to the consistency of maple syrup. Pour the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Peel the top sheet of wax paper off the dough, then flip the dough onto the filling and peel off the bottom sheet. Let the dough soften slightly, then tuck the edges inside the rim of the pan and cut two (2-inch) steam vents. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. The pie can be made up to 12 hours ahead and warmed in a 350 F oven to 10 to 15 minutes. Good served with vanilla ice cream.<br /><br />-<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Cooking-About-Pies-Tarts/dp/074322518X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467613465&sr=8-1&keywords=Joy+of+Cooking%3A+All+About+Pies+%26+Tarts" target="_blank">Joy of Cooking: All About Pies & Tarts</a></em>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>CHEDDAR-TOPPED APPLE PIE </strong> <br /><em>Filling: </em> <br />4 Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled, and sliced <br />1/2 cup sugar <br />1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon <br /><br /><em>Topping: </em> <br />3/4 cup all-purpose flour <br />1/2 cup sugar <br />1/2 cup finely grated medium-sharp cheddar cheese, preferably aged Wisconsin cheddar <br />1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature <br />Vanilla ice cream, for serving<br /><br />Yields 1 (9-inch) pie; 8 servings.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 400 F.<br /><br />To prepare filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine apples, sugar and cinnamon. Put the filling into a 9-inch pie pan.<br /><br />To prepare topping: Mix flour, sugar, grated cheese and butter together with your fingers in a medium-size bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the apple filling. Bake until browned and bubbling, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool, then slice and serve with vanilla ice cream.<br /><br />-<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/All-American-Desserts-Star-Spangled-Razzle-Dazzle-Americas-ebook/dp/B007CMM3VI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467613525&sr=8-1&keywords=All+American+Desserts%3A+400+Star-Spangled%2C+Razzle-Dazzle+Recipes+for+America%27s+Best+Loved+Desserts#navbar" target="_blank">All American Desserts: 400 Star-Spangled, Razzle-Dazzle Recipes for America's Best Loved Desserts</a></em>.<br /><br /><em><strong><br />QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Perhaps you might assume if you would be "going back" anywhere having to do with <a href="http://www.freddieprinzejr.com/" target="_blank">Freddie Prinze, Jr.</a>, it might be to a movie theater. After all, the actor was one of the stars of the popular "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Know_What_You_Did_Last_Summer" target="_blank">I Know What You Did Last Summer</a>" films. However, the cookbook author instead wants you Back to the Kitchen, the title of his new book. In it, he promises "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Back-Kitchen-Delicious-Recipes-Food-Obsessed/dp/1623366925" target="_blank">75 real recipes (and true stories) from a food-obsessed actor</a></em>." Since he's also been obsessed with his long-time wife, actress <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Michelle_Gellar" target="_blank">Sarah Michelle Gellar </a>(an equally accomplished cook, who is involved with food-themed companies), she and their two kids are entertainingly featured in a number of the tasty tales. If you follow Prinze's lead, while enjoying the good-natured gossip, you could also be munching treats like biscuits with green chile sausage gravy from his New Mexico upbringing or Puerto Rican fried chicken, also from his background, since his late father was the stand-up comedian and "<em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chico_and_the_Man" target="_blank">Chico and the Man</a></em>" sitcom star <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Prinze" target="_blank">Freddie Prinze</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2016-06-28T06:06:00Z10-Second Recipes: Grilled Dips Are Great IdeasStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Grilled-Dips-Are-Great-Ideas/-840989943913988688.html2016-06-13T20:10:00Z2016-06-13T20:10:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<p>Dive into warm-weather barbecuing season with unforgettable grilled dips sure to make a splash. These remain my favorite easy entertaining solutions.<span> <br /><br /></span>Dips, of course, are often non-gourmet affairs that involve no more than mixing together a couple of cold and dry ingredients. That's fine most of the time, but if you're having a special gathering, consider adding the smoky, rich distinctive flavor that comes from grilling either some of the key ingredients-or the entire dip.<br /><br />Can you imagine, for instance, the improvement to your favorite easy "plain" onion dip recipe if you simply grill your onions (which can then deliciously caramelize)? Better yet, for even more flavor, barbecue a variety of onions and relatives of onions, such as white onions, green onions, red onions, yellow onions, Vidalia onions, Walla Walla sweet onions, chives, leeks and shallots.<br /><br />Leftover grilled meat or vegetables (like the brisket and corn-on-the-cob in the two recipes that follow can be if you want to have the ingredients on hand ahead of time) also make for easy elements. And, in fact, the creamy, two layer BBQ brisket dip below uses not only the sweet and savory meat but, like the aforementioned suggestion, both grilled white and green onions as well.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</p>
<blockquote><strong>BBQ BRISKET DIP </strong> <br />3 cups shredded and coarsely chopped cooked barbecued beef brisket <br />4 green onions, sliced <br />1 cup chopped grilled white onions<br />1 tablespoon mixed chopped fresh herbs of choice (see Note)<br />1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce <br />1/2 cup barbecue sauce <br />1/2 cup ranch dressing <br />1/2 cup sour cream <br />1 (8-ounce) package softened cream cheese <br />1 large egg <br />1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese <br />1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese <br />Grilled garlic bread, for serving </blockquote>
Yields 4 to 6 servings.<br /><br /><br />In a large bowl, combine brisket, green onions, grilled onions and fresh herbs. Add hot sauce and barbecue sauce; mix and set aside.<br /><br />In a separate bowl, combine ranch dressing, sour cream, cream cheese and egg. Whisk together until smooth. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and all the mozzarella; whisk until well incorporated.<br /><br />Preheat grill to medium (about 350 F). Place brisket mixture in an oven or grill-proof pan or casserole dish. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over top. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Transfer brisket dip to grill, close lid and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until brisket is hot and cheese topping is golden brown and bubbling. Serve immediately with grilled garlic bread.<br /><br />Note: Use whatever chopped herbs you prefer. This cookbook author especially likes a mix of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme with dishes like this that include meat.<br /><br />-<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/King-Qs-Blue-Plate-BBQ/dp/B008SM6IJE?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">King of the Q's Blue Plate<br /></a></em>
<blockquote><strong>BBQ GRILLED CORN DIP </strong><br />6 medium ears (preferably sweet) corn, husks removed <br />1 large onion, chopped <br />1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (see Note) <br />2 tablespoons butter <br />2 garlic cloves, minced <br />1 cup mayonnaise <br />1/2 cup sour cream <br />1/2 teaspoon chili powder <br />2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese <br />1 can (2 & 1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained <br />2 tablespoons sliced green onions <br />Tortilla chips, for serving </blockquote>
Yields about 25 servings; about 5 cups.<br /><br /><br />Grill corn, covered, over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until tender, turning occasionally.<br /><br />Cut corn from cobs. In a large skillet, saute the onion and jalapeno in butter for 2 to 3 minutes, or until almost tender. Add corn and garlic; saute 1 to 2 minutes longer, or until vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat. <br /><br />In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream and chili powder. Stir in cheese and corn mixture. Transfer to a greased 2-quart baking dish. <br /><br />Bake, uncovered, at 400 F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. Sprinkle with olives and green onions; serve with tortilla chips. <br /><br />Note: When handling peppers, experts recommend wearing latex gloves and not touching your eyes during or afterward. <br /><br />-<em><a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/" target="_blank">TasteOfHome.com<br /></a></em><br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>If you would like meals every day to seem like a picnic, follow the sage (and rosemary, and thyme) advice in "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Picnic-Recipes-Inspiration-Basket-Blanket/dp/1579656080?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">The Picnic: Recipes and Inspiration from Basket to Blanket</a>"</em>. You can definitely pack up fun feasts from this IACP award-winning book by <a href="http://marniehanel.com/" target="_blank">Marnie Hanel</a>, <a href="http://andreaslonecker.com/" target="_blank">Andrea Slonecker</a> and <a href="http://underthetablewithjen.com/" target="_blank">Jen Stevenson</a>, however, it may be just as refreshing to serve up their light and innovative ideas at your kitchen table or in your backyard. That's because ease is the issue, like raiding a Greek market for a perfect blend of treats like dolmades, olives, baba gahnoush, tabbouleh and baklava.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2016-06-13T20:10:00Z10-Second Recipes: Secure Some Snazzy New Skewer RecipesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Secure-Some-Snazzy-New-Skewer-Recipes/612072675161134182.html2016-06-06T22:21:00Z2016-06-06T22:21:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<p>Stick it to run-of-the-mill skewer recipes and instead pile on unexpected ingredients. Kabobs remain one of my all-time favorites because all it takes is imagination or a peek into cultures outside your own. Light, easy, quick-cooking (due to the small cubes involved) dishes that are perfect for warm-weather nights are the results.<br /><br /><a href="http://tedallen.net/" target="_blank">Ted Allen</a>, host of Food Network's hit series "<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/chopped.html" target="_blank">Chopped</a>" and author of "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/My-Kitchen-Recipes-Discoveries-Passionate/dp/0307951863?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">In My Kitchen: 100 Recipes and Discoveries for Passionate Cooks</a>"</em> pinpoints new arenas in which to take a stab. One of his favorite dishes is scampi. Give Allen a few minutes in the kitchen and that will instead emerge as scampi skewers.<br /><br />Imagine foods and flavors that make traditional pairs and line them up on metal or pre-soaked bamboo skewers instead, like the specialty that follows of balsamic pork and apple chunks with red onions.<br /><br />Sometimes ethnic specialties we're used to eating on a plate surprise as outstanding skewer stars. Los Angeles Thai longtime restaurant <a href="http://www.siamcabinshermanoaks.com/" target="_blank">Siam Cabin</a> served up a memorable special of crispy orange chicken skewers (battered spiced chicken meatballs) draped in tangerine sauce over curry rice, proving imaginative sticks can inspire unique sides as well.<br /><br />Dessert isn't even out of bounds. <br /><br />The <a href="http://www.pbs.org/" target="_blank">PBS</a> series "<em><a href="http://www.pilotguides.com/tv-shows/globe-trekker/" target="_blank">Globe Trekker</a></em>" took on Moroccan-style simmering apples with butter and cinnamon and bananas with thyme, olive oil, almond extract and honey. Alternating these on skewers, wrapping in foil and lightly grilling would put a twist on all the ordinary fruit skewers that may have come before.<br /><br />Or simply take <a href="http://www.pillsbury.com/" target="_blank">Pillsbury</a>'s suggestion of skewering chunks of cinnamon rolls, wrapping in foil, lightly grilling and then drizzling with chocolate and caramel sauces before serving.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</p>
<blockquote><strong>BALSAMIC PORK AND APPLE SKEWERS </strong> <br />2/3 cup balsamic vinegar <br />1/3 cup brown sugar <br />1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 medium orange) <br />3 garlic cloves, smashed <br />2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil <br />Salt, to taste <br />Pepper, to taste <br />1 green apple, cut into 1-inch chunks <br />1 red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks</blockquote>
4 servings of cooked rice <br /><br />Yields 4 servings.<br /><br />Measure vinegar, brown sugar, orange juice, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper into a large zip-top bag. Seal and shake to combine. Cut pork chops into 1&1/2 inch cubes and add to the bag, seal and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to one day.<br /><br />Soak bamboo skewers (if using) in water for 30 minutes or use metal skewers. Remove pork from the marinade, and place the marinade, minus the garlic, in a small saucepan. Heat the marinade to boiling and boil until slightly thickened and reduced by half, about 5 to 7 minutes. Reserve.<br /><br />Skewer the pork, along with the apples and onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle grill pan with a little oil to prevent skewers from sticking. Heat grill pan (or broiler) to medium high. With a utensil, carefully place the skewers on the pan and grill for 4 minutes. Turn them a quarter of the way around and grill another 4 minutes. Finish grilling the remaining two sides for 4 minutes each, grilling the skewers for a total of 16 minutes. If using your broiler, broil for about 10 minutes total, carefully flipping once. Do not overcook the pork, or it will become tough. Remove hot skewers with a utensil.<br /><br />Serve over rice and drizzle with the reserved reduced fully cooked marinade.<br /><br /> -<a href="http://family.disney.com/" target="_blank">DisneyFamily.com</a><br /> <br />
<blockquote><strong>SCAMPI SKEWERS </strong> <br />1/2 cup panko or dried coarse baguette bread crumbs <br />8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature <br />1 large egg yolk <br />2 garlic cloves, minced <br />1 teaspoon grated lemon zest <br />1 & 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice <br />1 & 1/2 tablespoons dry white wine <br />1 tablespoon finely chopped basil leaves <br />1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves <br />3/4 teaspoon kosher salt <br />1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on </blockquote>
<br />Yields 4 appetizer servings or 2 to 3 entree servings.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 425 F.<br /><br />In a small bowl, combine the panko, butter, egg, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, wine, basil, parsley and salt.<br /><br />Place 2 shrimp on a cutting board, nestled tail to body, forming a yin-yang design, and thread onto a skewer. Repeat with two more pairs of shrimp, 6 shrimp per skewer. Trim the skewers with scissors if necessary and if wooden to fit on the serving plates.<br /><br />Put the shrimp in a baking dish. Cover with the butter mixture, dotting it on top. Bake until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Good served atop zucchini dishes, which absorb the butter and go well with the lemon flavor.<br /><br />-<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/My-Kitchen-Recipes-Discoveries-Passionate/dp/0307951863?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">In My Kitchen: 100 Recipes and Discoveries for Passionate Cooks</a></em><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>If you didn't master science in school, <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/" target="_blank">SeriousEats.com</a> managing culinary director<a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/user/profile/Goodeaterkenji" target="_blank"> J. Kenji Lopez-Alt</a> wants to give you another chance in your own kitchen. Have you ever wondered why ingredients interact as they do or why one cooking process is superior to another? In the James Beard award-winning book, "<em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Food-Lab-Cooking-Through-Science/dp/0393081087?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science</a></em>", Lopez-Alt entertainingly and informatively explains it all. Hundreds of recipes are dissected for your benefit, such as how to perfectly char a steak on the outside while its inside remains juicy or flip only fluffy pancakes rather than rubbery ones.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2016-06-06T22:21:00Z10-Second Recipes: Slide into Grilling Season with Gourmet SlidersStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Slide-into-Grilling-Season-with-Gourmet-Sliders/-252416072706693786.html2016-05-23T17:45:00Z2016-05-23T17:45:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<p>Sliders, perhaps draped in caramelized onions and exotic cheeses atop artisan rolls, are not just for chic nights out at bistros anymore. The tiny treat burgers are, of course, even quicker than bigger thinner patties to grill up at home and a memorable way to slide into grilling season. <br /><br />Just buy preformed similarly sized patties or ground meat and form your own. Like in cafes, feel free to make them not only from good cuts of beef, like Angus, but ground turkey, pork, veal, lamb, chicken, turkey or seafood or a mixture.<br /><br />Like everywhere from the new crop of gourmet "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastropub" target="_blank">gastropubs</a>" to casual neighborhood chains like <a href="http://www.applebees.com" target="_blank">Applebee's</a>, you can serve them up as bottomless appetizers or the more recent move to full-meal, multi-burger, single-serving platters --- perhaps with a mix-and-match of accompaniments.<br /><br />With one larger burger it can get boring, however, with a platter of small sliders per diner, the crowning touches can seem endless.<br /><br />Creative toppings are a signature of sliders. Food Network star <a href="http://bobbyflay.com/" target="_blank">Chef Bobby Flay</a> introduced a triple threat of toppings on his competitive "<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/throwdown-with-bobby-flay.html" target="_blank">Throwdown</a>" series that you can easily make at home with powerful and compatible flavor punches: creamy queso cheese sauce to drape the burger, followed by dabs of green chile relish and pickled red onions.<br /><br />The better the meat you use the less adornment you even need. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Santos" target="_blank">Chef Chris Santos</a>, who has been chef/owner of New York City hotspots <a href="http://thestantonsocial.com/" target="_blank">The Stanton Social</a> and <a href="http://beautyandessex.com/" target="_blank">Beauty & Essex</a>, tries to use the Wagyu type of exclusive Kobe beef, gives it a zip with Worcestershire sauce and then only needs a basic drizzle: barbecue sauce combined with ketchup and mustard.<br /><br />For the diminutive buns? Small potato rolls are always good, as are multigrain dinner rolls.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</p>
<blockquote><strong>Wagyu Wow Sliders </strong> <br /><em>For slider burgers:</em> <br />3 pounds ground beef (preferably Wagyu; see Note) <br />2 ounce Worcestershire sauce <br />8 ounces butter, softened <br />8 ounces finely grated cheddar cheese, plus additional small slices for topping, if desired <br />Salt, to taste <br />Pepper, to taste <br />16 potato rolls <br /><em><br />For sauce:</em> <br />2 cups store-bought or homemade barbecue sauce <br />1 cup ketchup <br />3/4 cup mustard<br />Serve on potato rolls.<br /></blockquote>
Yields 6 to 8 servings.<br /><br /><br />Mix all of the slider burger ingredients together and then mold into 3-ounce patties.<br /><br />Stir sauce ingredients together and put aside.<br /><br />Grill burgers on each side until thoroughly cooked, reaching at least an internal temperature of 160 F.<br /><br />Top with sauce and additional small cheddar slices, if desired.<br />
<p>Serve on potato rolls.</p>
Note: Wagyu can be bought at some supermarkets, butcher shops and from high-quality meat sellers online. <br /><br />-<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Santos" target="_blank">Chef Chris Santos</a>, <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/" target="_blank">FoodNetwork.com<br /></a><br />
<blockquote><strong>Triple Threat Slider Toppings </strong><em> <br /><em>Queso sauce: </em> <br />1 tablespoon unsalted butter <br />1 tablespoon all-purpose flour <br />1 cup whole milk <br />12 ounces Chihuahua or Monterey jack cheese, coarsely grated <br />1/4 cup grated Parmesan <br />Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper <br /><br />Green chile relish: </em> <br />1 medium poblano chile, roasted, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced <br />2 (preferably Hatch) chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced (see Note) <br />1 (preferably Serrano) chile, roasted, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced (see Note) <br />1/4 cup red wine vinegar <br />1 tablespoon honey <br />2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil <br />3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves <br />Kosher salt, to taste <br />Freshly ground black pepper, to taste <br /><br /><em>Pickled red onions:</em> <br />1 & 1/2 cups red wine vinegar<br />1/4 cup water <br />2 tablespoons sugar <br />1 tablespoon kosher salt <br />1 medium red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced <br /></blockquote>
Yields enough toppings for about 8 sliders.<br /><br /><br />For the queso sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk, increase the heat to high and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheese until melted; add the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm. <br /><br />For the relish: Combine all relish ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. <br /><br />For the pickled red onions: Bring vinegar, water, sugar and salt to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Put the onions in a medium bowl, pour the vinegar over, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 48 hours before serving. <br /><br />Drape sliders in sauce and then add a little of each additional topping.<br /><br />Note: When handling chilies, experts recommend wearing rubber gloves and not touching your eyes during or afterward.<br /><br />-<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Flay" target="_blank">Chef Bobby Flay</a>, <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/" target="_blank">FoodNetwork.com</a><br /><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>What could be easier than tossing a few items into a blender and pressing a button? <a href="http://www.healthyblenderrecipes.com/" target="_blank">Tess Masters</a> contends she can make things even simpler in <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blender-Girl-Super-Healthy-Drinks-100-Gluten-Free/dp/1607746433" target="_blank">The Blender Girl: Super-Easy, Super-Healthy Meals, Snacks, Desserts and Drinks</a></em>. It's the scope of Masters' tome that's the real draw. Who knew one-pot meals could instead become one-blender meals. If you have only been using your blender to prepare beverages, get ready for innovative, gluten-free, vegan meals, like raw lasagna stacks and spring rolls with orange-almond sauce from life-long "blendaholic" Masters, who teaches you to "soak, not choke" your blender.<span> </span> <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2016-05-23T17:45:00Z10-Second Recipes: Tea Cocktails Tempt at Spring ShowersStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Tea-Cocktails-Tempt-at-Spring-Showers/-914447970131332772.html2016-05-16T17:48:00Z2016-05-16T17:48:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></a></p>
<p>The best kind of spring showers are wet, not from sprinkles of rain, but the pouring of innovative cocktails at bridal and baby showers. Tea infused into cool cocktails is a refreshing, delicious treat and a healthful addition.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.womanaroundtown.com/sections/dining-around/women-around-town-lauren-haley-fox-alices-tea-cup" target="_blank">Haley and Lauren Fox</a>, the sisters who dreamed up <a href="http://alicesteacup.com/" target="_blank">Alice's Tea Cup</a>, New York City's hottest tea emporium, when they discovered their second location came with a liquor license, let their imaginations soar. Their recipes are easy to emulate at home.<br /><br />A usually mint-filled white rum mojito gets a jolt from a Moroccan mint tea simple sugar. A berry martini, transforms into a "mar-tea-ni,," as they've renamed it, boldly flavored with berry tea along with white cranberry juice and vodka.<br /><br />Bellinis, juleps, brandy chais and other cocktails also get the treatment. <br /><br />Be creative, the sisters advise, too, in inventing your own combinations, as tea only intensifies the other flavors it touches.<br /><br />Here are some of their additional ideas to get you started. All of the adult beverages would be served on the rocks to have the iced tea effect. As you can see from the recipes that follow, both the amount of tea you use and the amount of water you use for brewing make a difference in the nuances of the gourmet outcomes.<br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li>Brewed rose tea leaf concentrate in vodka cocktails</li>
<br />
<li>Brewed mango tea leaf concentrate in orange juice-champagne mimosas</li>
<br />
<li>Brewed ginger tea reduced simple syrup in grapefruit vodka cocktails</li>
<br />
<li>Brewed peach tea reduced simple syrup in a champagne bellinis</li>
<br />
<li>Brewed lavender tea within gin cocktails</li>
<br />
<li>Brewed fruit tea with tequila</li>
</ul>
<p><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>ALICE'S "TEA-JITO"</strong><span> </span></p>
<blockquote><em>Moroccan mint simple syrup:</em><span> <br /></span>3 heaping tablespoons Moroccan mint tea leaves<span> <br /></span>1 cup boiling water<span> <br /></span>1 cup sugar<span> <br /><br /></span><em>Cocktail:</em><span> <br /></span>Ice, to fill a cocktail shaker and to fill a tall glass<span> <br /></span>2 ounces white rum<span> <br /></span>2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice<span> <br /></span>1 fresh mint sprig, for garnish<span> <br /></span>1 splash seltzer<span> <br /></span>1 lime wedge, for garnish</blockquote>
Yields 1 cocktail; simple syrup yields enough for 4 cocktails.<br /><br />To prepare simple syrup: Steep the tea leaves in the 1 cup boiling water for 3 minutes. Then strain the tea into a small bowl, discarding the leaves.<br /><br />Add the sugar and stir until it has completely dissolved.<br /><br />Refrigerate until cool. (Do not use the simple syrup in a cocktail until it has cooled completely.)<br /><br />To prepare cocktail: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the rum, lime juice and 2 ounces of the mint simple syrup, cover, and shake vigorously.<br /><br />Fill a tall glass with ice and add the mint sprig. Strain the liquid from the shaker into the glass and top off with a splash of seltzer. Garnish with the lime wedge on the rim of the glass.<br /><br /><strong>BERRY "MAR-TEA-NI"</strong>
<blockquote>2 heaping teaspoons mixed berry or single berry tea<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup boiling water<span> <br /></span>1 teaspoon hibiscus tea (or use one additional teaspoon berry tea instead)<span> <br /></span>Ice to fill a cocktail shaker<span> <br />2 ounces (preferably premium) vodka <br />2 ounces white cranberry juice <br />1 lime or orange wedge, for garnish</span></blockquote>
Yields 1 cocktail.<br /><br />Chill a martini glass.<br /><br />Steep all tea in the 1/4 cup boiling water for 7 minutes. Then strain the tea, discarding the fruit. Cover the tea and refrigerate until cool. (Do not use in cocktail until it has cooled completely.)<br /><br />Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the vodka, tea and cranberry juice. Cover, and shake vigorously. Strain the liquid from the shaker into the chilled martini glass. Garnish with the citrus wedge on the rim of the glass.<span> <br /></span><br />-Recipes from "<em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alices-Tea-Cup-Delectable-Sandwiches/dp/0061964921" target="_blank">Alice's Tea Cup: Delectable Recipes for Scones, Cakes, Sandwiches, and More from New York's Most Whimsical Tea Spot</a>"</em>. <br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> <a href="http://hotchocolatechicago.com/pages/mindy" target="_blank">Mindy Segal</a> wants you to turn your cookies from ordinary to extraordinary. In "<em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cookie-Love-Techniques-Ordinary-Extraordinary/dp/1607746816" target="_blank">Cookie Love</a>"</em>, Segal, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Beard" target="_blank">James Beard</a> Award-winning chef and owner of <a href="http://hotchocolatechicago.com/" target="_blank">Chicago's Hot Chocolate dessert bar</a>, twists recipes and techniques for a true standout in a sea of decades of cookie contender cookbooks. For instance, you are not just making peanut butter cookies, but crunchy, delectable peanut brittle cookies. Infused sugars are a tasty trick used in other recipes, such as lavender or citrus sugar.<br />
<p> </p>
<strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2016-05-16T17:48:00ZThe True Benefits of Organic FoodsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/The-True-Benefits-of-Organic-Foods/110658416074975371.html2016-05-09T16:30:00Z2016-05-09T16:30:00Z<p><br />By George Mateljan<br /><a href="http://www.whfoods.org" target="_blank">www.whfoods.org</a></p>
<p><br />I always recommend purchasing organically grown foods whenever possible. However, many people often wonder if buying organically grown foods is truly worth it... What is the real difference? Consumption of organically grown food is a great way to reduce your exposure to contaminants commonly found in foods that have been grown using conventional agricultural practices. It's important to remember that conventionally grown foods often have a "hidden" cost - the cost of environmental harm and the cost of long-term health risks from contaminants. These "hidden" costs do not show up on the grocery store shopping receipt, but they exist nevertheless.<br /><br />These contaminants may include not only pesticides - many of which have been classified as potential cancer-causing agents - but also heavy metals. These can include metals such as lead and mercury, and solvents like benzene and toluene. Minimizing exposure to these potential toxins is an important benefit for your health. Heavy metals can damage nerve function, contributing to diseases such as multiple sclerosis, and interfere with hemoglobin production in a way that increases risk of anemia. Solvents can damage white blood cell function and lower the immune system's ability to resist infections. In addition to lessening your exposure to these potentially harmful substances, organically grown foods, on average, contain higher levels of many nutrients, including vitamins and minerals.<br /><br />These two aspects of the organic food consumption ­ decreased intake of contaminants and increased intake of nutrients - have both been topics of controversy in research. While I understand the reasons for this controversy, I am also firmly convinced that organically grown foods contain significantly fewer contaminants than their conventionally grown counterparts, as well as significantly richer nutrient content.<br /><br />Let's take a look at the contamination aspect. One of the largest scale studies, conducted by the <a href="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Agriculture</a> on more than 94,000 food samples, found at least one pesticide residue on approximately 75% of conventionally grown fruits and vegetables, in comparison to approximately 25% of organically grown vegetables. Almost half of the pesticide residues found on organically grown vegetables involved DDT or its metabolites. <br /><br /><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDT" target="_blank">What is DDT</a>? It is a pesticide that has been banned for 40 years for use on food, but because it can be very persistent in the environment, it often shows up in foods decades later. When DDT and related pesticides were excluded from the results, the percentage of organically grown foods with pesticide residues dropped to about 13%. <br /><br />These contaminants and pesticides are extremely harmful to us, but a large amount of the population still hasn't made the switch to eating organically grown foods. It's not a trend or fad, it is something we should all be mindful of when we buy our food. If the contaminants were visible on the outside you wouldn't buy it, so why should it be any different if we know they're on the inside? I believe organic foods are absolutely worth purchasing, and once you've made the switch - you'll believe it too.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>George Mateljan</strong> is an expert on health-promoting foods and healthy cooking. The author of eight best-selling books and founder of <a href="http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=biosketch&dbid=3" target="_blank">Health Valley Foods</a>, one of the largest health food companies in the world, George was a pioneer in the organic food movement, encouraging and supporting the development of organic farming. After 26 years with Health Valley, he turned his energies and resources to the <a href="http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=movie&dbid=8" target="_blank">George Mateljan Foundation</a>. The Foundation helps individuals learn about The World's Healthiest Foods Way of Eating through its the creation and operation of the number one website on healthiest foods, <a href="http://www.whfoods.org/" target="_blank">www.whfoods.org</a> and the publication of health-promoting books. Whfoods.org provides information on how to include nutrient-rich foods as part of your every day life. <span>Learn more in George's book, "<em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_20?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=the+world%27s+healthiest+foods+mateljan+2nd+edition&sprefix=the+world%27s+healthie%2Cstripbooks%2C182" target="_blank">The World's Healthiest Foods</a></em>". </span>Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2016-05-09T16:30:00Z10-Second Recipes: Sweet Potato Tots Teeter on GreatnessStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Sweet-Potato-Tots-Teeter-on-Greatness/-82261844423609610.html2016-05-02T22:30:00Z2016-05-02T22:30:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a></p>
<p><br />One of my favorite foods is sweet potato tots. Is this surprising, since plain tater tots (without the infusion of sweet potato antioxidants and fiber) are so decadent and diet busting? Not at all, the slight sweet flavor that comes along with the sweet potato makes it perfect for the addition of innovative sauces, like the honey-mustard one below.<br /><br />The little darlings are fairly simple to prepare at home, too. When that's the case, you can add your own favorite flavors, not just as a sauce, but right to the heart of the tot as well, like the bacon, garlic, oregano and curry powder featured in the recipes below.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><br /><strong>SWEET POTATO AND BACON TOTS WITH CREAMY MUSTARD DIPPING SAUCE </strong> <br /><br /><em>Sweet potato tots: </em> </p>
<blockquote>Salt, to taste <br />2 large sweet potatoes, unpeeled <br />2 strips bacon <br />3 cups vegetable oil <br />3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour</blockquote>
<em>Mustard dipping sauce: </em> <br />
<blockquote>2 tablespoons mayonnaise <br />1 tablespoon honey <br />1 tablespoon Dijon mustard <br />Salt, to taste <br />Freshly ground black pepper, to taste </blockquote>
Yields 4 servings.<br /><br />To prepare tots: Boil a pot of salted water. Add the potatoes and partially cook, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside.<br /><br />Meanwhile, add the bacon to a small skillet over medium heat and cook until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Finely chop the bacon when cooled.Carefully heat the oil to 300 F in a straight-sided skillet.<br /><br />When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, shred the potatoes using either a box grater or shredding attachment on a food processor. <br /><br />Place 4 sheets of paper towels on a countertop. Dump the potatoes on top of the paper towels and fold the towels over the potatoes. Squeeze as much moisture out of the potatoes as possible. (This is the trick to make perfect tater tots; too much moisture will result in little pieces of potato all around your skillet when frying.) Combine the potatoes with the bacon, flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well to combine.<br /><br />Form the potato mixture into small logs using a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon. Working in batches, carefully fry the tots in the skillet until golden brown, 2 & 1/2 to 3 minutes. Adjust the heat, as needed, to keep the oil at 300 F. Carefully transfer the tots to a paper-towel-lined plate to strain excess fat. Sprinkle the tots with salt while still warm.<br /><br />To prepare dipping sauce: Combine the mayo, honey and mustard in a small bowl. Sprinkle the sauce with salt and pepper.<br /><br />Serve the sweet potato and bacon tots hot with the creamy mustard dipping sauce. <br /><br />-<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/" target="_blank">FoodNetwork.com</a><br /><br /><br /><strong>BAKED GARLIC SWEET POTATO TOTS </strong> <br />
<blockquote>2 small sweet potatoes, unpeeled <br />1 egg <br />1 teaspoon salt <br />1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs <br />Dried oregano, to taste <br />Curry powder, to taste <br />Garlic powder, to taste </blockquote>
Yields 8 servings.<br /><br />Grate sweet potato and par-boil for 2 minutes in a pot of salted boiling water. After par-boiling, place potatoes in a bowl of ice water to stop it cooking further. Drain thoroughly, carefully squeezing out moisture.<br /><br />Shred potatoes. In a large bowl, mix together potatoes, egg, salt, oregano and curry powder. In a separate bowl, mix panko bread crumbs and garlic powder. Roll potato into approximately 2-inch pieces and coat with panko crumbs.<br /><br />Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 425 F for 20 minutes, carefully turning with a utensil halfway through.<br /><br />-<a href="http://www.sparkpeople.com/index2-5.asp" target="_blank">SparkPeople.com</a><br /><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>Did Hungry Girl used to only be hungry? Bestselling cookbook author <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Lillien" target="_blank">Lisa Lillien</a>'s cartoon caricature doppelganger always ate deliciously and with calories in mind. In her latest cookbook, though, where the cartoon Hungry Girl Lillien is embracing the real Lillien on the cover, Lillien brags of also eating cleanly. "<em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312676778/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0312676778&linkCode=as2&tag=hungir-20&linkId=EW37Y2S2WTXESWTE" target="_blank">Hungry Girl Clean & Hungry</a>" </em>promises<em>,</em> "Easy all-natural recipes for eating in the real world." For those used to creating diet recipes relying on a lot of processed products, this should be a snazzy change of pace, because of which an increase of energy or other benefits may be noticed.<br /> <br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2016-05-02T22:30:00Z10-Second Recipes: Steaming Vegetables Seems to Stimulate HealthStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Steaming-Vegetables-Seems-to-Stimulate-Health/85560852819538836.html2016-04-28T05:14:00Z2016-04-28T05:14:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a></p>
<p>During spring, lots of eager eaters fill shopping baskets with loads of fresh vegetables to enjoy raw for their crunchy textures. It might be a steamer basket, though, that would be more in order, according to studies about how to lower your cholesterol.<br />Researchers from the USDA and elsewhere have shown that, when lightly steamed, in vitro bile acid binding is significantly improved. This means that the liver needs to exhaust more LDL (often referred to as the "bad" type of cholesterol) in order to produce bile. That, in turn, usually equals less of this substance circulating in your bloodstream.<br />Vegetables that have been proven best in various studies include cauliflower, carrots, green beans, asparagus, eggplant, broccoli, green bell pepper, cabbage and mustard and collard greens.<br />The problem is cooks sometimes look at steaming as a one-way route to boring, bland --- and sometimes mushy --- results. The following recipes, which are some of my perennial spring favorites, highlight that that doesn't have to be the result.<br />The most interesting and delicious steamed vegetable dishes don't just involve you throwing everything willy-nilly into a steamer basket. The vegetables can be layered for the most effective resulting textures and flavors. <br />The carrots in the pesto dish that follows are topped with anise-flavored fennel and then potatoes. Ginger is included with the steaming cauliflower and squash in the other example.<br />Timing also matters. "Tough" customers such as cauliflower steam for a long period, whereas thinner fare, like snow peas, are steamed for only a few minutes.<br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br />STEAMED VEGETABLES WITH BASIL-PECAN PESTO 6 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1 / 8-inch-thick slices 2 fennel bulbs (sometimes called anise), stalks trimmed flush with bulb and bulb cut lengthwise into 1 / 8-inch-thick slices 1& 1 / 2 pounds small red potatoes, cut into 1/ 4-inch-thick slices 1& 1 / 2 pounds green beans, trimmed 3 to 4 tablespoons hot water1& 1 / 4 cups basil pecan pestoPesto: 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, washed well and spun dry 2 / 3 cup olive oil 1 / 2 cup pecans, toasted golden brown and cooled 1 / 3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 large garlic cloves, chopped and mashed to a paste with 1 / 2 teaspoon salt Additional salt, to taste Pepper, to taste Yields 6 servings.<br />To prepare vegetables: On a large steamer rack layer carrots, then fennel, and then potatoes and steam over boiling water, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer steamed vegetables to a platter. Steam beans, covered, until just tender, about 10 minutes, and transfer to a platter.<br />In a food processor blend pesto ingredients with 3 tablespoons hot water, adding additional hot water if necessary to reach desired consistency.<br />Serve vegetables warm or at room temperature with as much pesto as desired. Recipe yields about 1&1 / 4 cups pesto. Pesto keeps, surface covered with plastic wrap, chilled, 1 week. -Epicurious.com<br />STEAMED CHILE-LIME VEGETABLES<span> </span>2 tablespoons butter or margarine<span> </span>1 small clove garlic, finely chopped<span> </span>1 teaspoon grated lime peel<span> </span>1 teaspoon finely chopped serrano or jalapeno pepper (see Note)<span> </span>1 / 2 teaspoon salt<span> </span>1 tablespoon fresh lime juice<span> </span>3 cups cut-up fresh vegetables, such as broccoli florets, cauliflower florets and/or carrots<br />Yields 6 servings.<br />In a 1-quart saucepan, melt butter or margarine over low heat. Add garlic; cook and stir about 20 seconds. Add lime peel, chile, salt and lime juice; mix well. Set aside.<br />In a 4-quart saucepan, add steamer basket. Add 1 cup water; heat to boiling.<br />Add cut-up vegetables to basket; cover and cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender.<br />To serve: Carefully place vegetables in serving bowl. Add butter mixture; toss gently to coat.Note: Experts recommend wearing latex gloves when handling peppers and not touching your eyes during or afterward.<br />-BettyCrocker.com<br />QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: If you not only wished that every meal would start with dessert, but every day, too, Shelly Jaronsky wants to call you her "best friend," and she often does in her The Cookies and Cups Cookbook. She writes that she's improving your life by teaching you to bake and eat sweets for breakfast. When "the fudgiest" brownies and vanilla bean snickerdoodles are on the menu, how could you go wrong? There are healthy and hearty choices as well, nicely rounding out the menu.</p>
<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2016-04-28T05:14:00Z10-Second Recipes: There Is No Mystery to Homemade MatzoStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-There-Is-No-Mystery-to-Homemade-Matzo/-158849782884227040.html2016-04-19T05:14:00Z2016-04-19T05:14:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a></p>
<p>Often families play "find the matzo" during the Passover Seder dinner and children search the house for the hidden treasure. However, a hidden treasure you may have been overlooking is the preparation of your own homemade matzo.<br /><br />With the convenience and quality of store-bought matzo, it is little wonder few people make their own, but it's a fun and easy project to try yourself or with your kids that yields delicious results. Supermarket trade group surveys show it is a cracker enjoyed by people of all faiths. Every store-bought matzo is uniformly square and has perfectly proportioned lines of pinpricked holes. Homemade matzo looks much more rustic and usually turns out oval with rough edges. The flavor will charmingly vary slightly from batch to batch since it's not being commercially produced.<br /><br />The crackers are perhaps the perfect Seder potluck offering from busy people: They take just 8 minutes to prepare and 3 minutes to bake. In fact, in accordance with the Israelite slaves' quick exodus from Egypt, traditional matzo recipes require that no more than 18 minutes pass after the flour and water are mixed because natural leavening by fermentation could occur at longer intervals. Led by Moses, the slaves fled so quickly the bread they were making had no time to rise and was eaten unleavened to nourish them on their journey to Mt. Sinai. The 18 minutes represents the time estimated to walk a Roman mile. Eighteen also represents "chai," the Hebrew for "life."<br /><br />Matzo "should be very crisp, dark around the edges, hard and very flavorful," notes Robert Sternberg, a rabbi and author of "<em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Yiddish-Cuisine-Gourmet-Approach-Cooking/dp/1568217099/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461219938&sr=1-1&keywords=Yiddish+Cuisine%3A+A+Gourmet%27s+Approach+to+Jewish+Cooking" target="_blank">Yiddish Cuisine: A Gourmet's Approach to Jewish Cooking</a>"</em>. He thinks homemade matzo has a major flavor advantage since it does not have the preservatives that can sometimes be included in commercial preparations. "The result (of preservatives can be) matzo that lacks proper crispness, is vapid and uninteresting in flavor and crumbles instead of cracks when you break it apart."<br /><br />If you do make your own, once you do break it apart, in addition to eating it as a topped cracker, you can use it in countless Passover recipes, like stuffed meats or poultry. One of the most loved recipes is matzo brei, a milk- or water-soaked, egg-coated fried dish that can be sweet or savory. The slight variations among all the ingredients between families --- including the use or not of homemade matzo --- mark the recipe as uniquely their own.<br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>MATZO BREI</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<blockquote>4 pieces homemade or store-bought matzo<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup water<span> <br /></span>4 eggs<span> <br /></span>Salt, to taste<span> <br /></span>Pepper, to taste<span> <br /></span>2 tablespoons butter<span> <br /></span>2 tablespoons kosher for Passover vegetable oil</blockquote>
Yields 4 servings.<br /><br />In mixing bowl, break matzo into 1-inch pieces. Bring the water to a boil and carefully pour over matzos. Quickly toss the matzo and drain off any excess. <br /><br />In a bowl, beat the eggs with a fork. Mix the eggs, salt and pepper into the matzo.<br /><br />Over high heat, heat the butter and oil in a saute pan. Add the matzo and fry until crisp. Flip over to fry the other side, breaking into pieces as it cooks. Serve with maple syrup or preserves.<br /><br />-<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/" target="_blank">FoodNetwork.com</a><br /><br /><strong><br />HOMEMADE MATZO</strong>
<blockquote>2 cups all-purpose flour<span> <br /></span>1 cup whole-wheat flour </blockquote>
Yields about 8 servings.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 450 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.<br /><br />In a large bowl, mix the 2 flours and add water until you have a soft, kneadable dough. Knead for about 5 minutes. Let the dough rest for a couple of minutes.<br /><br />Break off egg-shaped portions of dough. Stretch each portion as thin as you can before rolling it into even thinner, oval slabs. Prick each slab with a fork.<br /><br />Place them on the baking sheets and then immediately into the oven. Bake until the matzo is crisp and buckled, about 3 minutes. Cool before serving.<br /><br />-<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Treasury-Jewish-Holiday-Baking/dp/1770500030" target="_blank">A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking</a>.<br /><br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>While living as an American married to an Italian in Naples, newlywed Katherine Wilson learned many lessons the hard way, like being scolded for eating her pizza crust before the rest of her slice was devoured. She tells many funny stories in her "<em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Only+in+Naples+memoir" target="_blank">Only in Naples</a>"</em> memoir. The themes are food and family, with much of the culinary advice coming from her Italian mother-in-law, such as how to school butchers to achieve the perfect thinness of prosciutto or how to test the freshness of eggs one-by-one by holding in front of a light bulb before purchasing.
<p> </p>
<br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2016-04-19T05:14:00Z10-Second Recipes: Deliciously Punch Up the ProteinStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Deliciously-Punch-Up-the-Protein/-909614177922158895.html2016-04-11T23:04:00Z2016-04-11T23:04:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a></p>
<p>My favorite vegetarian food is bread. That's because it's Food for Life's cinnamon-raisin sprouted loaf that punches up the protein with lentils. Recently, I ordered by mail from their Web site the best ginger cookies I have ever tasted from <a href="http://sansbakery-nyc.com/" target="_blank">Sans Bakery</a> in New York City. They increased the protein quotient with garbanzo bean flour. <a href="http://www.eatwithhope.com/" target="_blank">HOPE</a> vegan restaurant in Los Angeles serves chewy, rich chocolate brownies in which black beans are undetectable. <br /><br />Recently, frozen vegetable pioneer Birds Eye began touting in commercials their vegetable Protein Blends featuring vegetables accompanied by protein sources such as lentils, edamame, black beans and white beans.<br /><br />You can accomplish similar feats at home. The roasted chickpeas below, for instance, are an excellent accompaniment to steamed squash and cauliflower. The black bean brownies that follow are complete from preparation to finish in about 30 minutes.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><br /><strong>STEAMED VEGETABLES WITH ROASTED CHICKPEAS </strong> </p>
<blockquote>1 small squash (about 2 pounds), of your choice, seeded and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges <br />1/2 head cauliflower, sliced into florets <br />1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced <br />Kosher salt, to taste <br />4 cups snow peas (about 8 ounces) <br />1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed <br />2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil <br />1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed <br />3 tablespoons unsalted butter <br />4 scallions, thinly sliced <br />Freshly ground pepper, to taste <br />Cooked brown rice, for serving (optional) <br />1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mint<br />Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish </blockquote>
Yields 4 servings.<br /><br />Place the squash, cauliflower and ginger in a large steamer basket over a saucepan of simmering water and season with salt. Cover and steam until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Add the snow peas, remove the pan from the heat and keep covered until the peas are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.<br /><br />Meanwhile, toast the coriander seeds in a skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sesame oil and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the chickpeas and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and scallions; remove from the heat. <br /><br />Divide the vegetables among plates, over rice if desired. Spoon the chickpea mixture on top and garnish with the mint and sesame seeds.<br /><br />-<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/" target="_blank">FoodNetwork.com</a><br /><br /><br /><strong>CHOCOLATE-BLACK BEAN BROWNIES</strong><span> <br /></span>
<blockquote>1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided<span> <br /></span>3 tablespoons canola oil<span> <br /></span>3 eggs<span> <br /></span>2/3 cup packed brown sugar<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder<span> <br /></span>1/8 teaspoon salt</blockquote>
Yields 12 brownies.<br /><br />Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.<br /><br />Place the beans, 1/4 cup chocolate chips and oil in a food processor, cover and process until smooth. <br /><br />Transfer to the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Bake at 350 F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into 12 bars.<br /><br />-<a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/" target="_blank">TasteOfHome.com</a><br /><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>Fresh sage leaves fried for a few seconds in oil and drained are a good accompaniment with a pinch of dried hot chili flakes to breakfast eggs, notes <a href="https://blanchevaughan.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Blanche Vaughan</a>, author of <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Egg-Recipes-Blanche-Vaughan/dp/0062441450/ref=la_B00GSJ1FRY_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1460590787&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Egg: Recipes</a></em>, which also includes other innovative recipes, such as Thai-Spiced Scotch Eggs and Beet Salad with Herbs and Soft-Boiled Eggs.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2016-04-11T23:04:00Z10-Second Recipes: Easter Leftovers Liven Up SpringStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Easter-Leftovers-Liven-Up-Spring/-280182538922940050.html2016-03-29T21:47:00Z2016-03-29T21:47:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate</a></p>
<p>Advice abounds for Thanksgiving and Christmas leftovers. Easter, though, is just as delicious an opportunity for lively leftovers. The ham and lamb that linger overnight make the foundations of next-day stupendous sandwiches, casseroles and even innovative choices like the potpie that follows.<br /><br />Condiments also can be reused with success, such as mint jelly spread with butter onto toasted breakfast rolls. Easter eggs are excellent recruits. Prepare extra hard-boiled eggs when making those for holiday decorating, and create custom egg salad incorporating spring spices, such as dill and culinary lavender.<br /><br />Don't forget dessert the second time around. Chocolate from Easter baskets is an economical way to stretch chocolate and enhance dessert presentation with interesting shapes, like rabbits and eggs. Place on top of iced cupcakes or bowls of vanilla ice cream or cut into quarters and use as part of a gourmet trail mix, including granola, shelled pistachios, dried cranberries and cookie crumbs.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>Leftover Easter Lamb Potpie</strong><br /> 1 package refrigerated pie crusts, softened<br /> 1 tablespoon oil<br /> 3/4 pound leftover boneless cooked lamb, cut into 1/2-inch chunks<br /> 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)<br /> 1 (12-ounce) jar beef gravy<br /> 1 tablespoon cornstarch<br /> 2 teaspoons sugar<br /> 1/8 teaspoon pepper<br /> 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables<br /> 2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes (Southern style, if available)<br /> Sesame seeds, optional<br /><br />Yields 6 servings.<br /><br />Heat oven to 400 F. Prepare refrigerated pie crusts as directed on package for two-crust pie using a 9-inch glass pie pan.<br /><br />Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Carefully add lamb and onion. Stir until lamb and onion are heated. Carefully drain any excess oil.<br /><br />In a small bowl, combine gravy, cornstarch, sugar and pepper; mix well. Add to lamb and onion in skillet. Stir in vegetables and potatoes. Cook about 5 minutes, or until vegetables are thawed, stirring occasionally.<br /><br />Spoon mixture into pie-crust lined pan. Top with second crust; seal edges and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust; sprinkle with sesame seed, if desired. <br /><br />Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.<br /><br />-Adapted from <a href="http://www.pillsbury.com/" target="_blank">Pillsbury.com</a><br /><br /><strong><strong>Leftover Easter </strong>Ham, Spinach And Italian Cheese Omelet</strong><br /> 2 eggs<br /> 2 tablespoons water<br /> 1 teaspoon butter<br /> Salt, to taste<br /> Pepper, to taste<br /> 1/4 cup shredded Italian cheese blend<br /> 1/4 cup baby spinach<br /> 1/4 cup finely chopped leftover cooked ham<br /><br />Yields 1 to 2 servings.<br /><br />Beat eggs and water in small bowl until blended.<br /><br />Heat butter in 6- to 8-inch nonstick omelet pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Carefully tilt pan to cover bottom. Pour in egg mixture. Egg mixture should set immediately at edges.<br /><br />Gently push cooked portions from edges toward the center with inverted turner so that uncooked eggs can reach the hot pan surface. Continue cooking, tilting pan and gently moving cooked portions as needed. <br /><br />When top portion of eggs is thickened and no visible liquid egg remains, season with salt and pepper. Place cheese on one side of omelet, top with spinach and ham. Fold omelet in half with turner. With a quick flip of the wrist, turn pan and invert or slide omelet onto plate. Serve immediately. <br /><br />-<a href="http://www.incredibleegg.org/" target="_blank">IncredibleEgg.org</a><br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> <a href="http://www.michelespies.com/" target="_blank">Michele Stuart</a>, who has won scores of first place National Pie Championships awards and is the author of "<em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Pies-More-Americas-Pie-Baking/dp/0345544196" target="_blank">Perfect Pies & More</a>"</em>, occasionally likes to use a pretzel pie crust. She writes, "I've found that this salty crust is a perfect complement to otherwise sweet pies." A starter suggestion: For a 9-inch crust, use 2 cups of pretzel sticks, chopped into fine pieces in place of flour and also include 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar and 1 stick of unsalted butter that's been melted.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong> at Creators Syndicate is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2016-03-29T21:47:00Z10-Second Recipes: Grilling Turns Good Sandwiches GreatStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Grilling-Turns-Good-Sandwiches-Great/731810989397348195.html2016-03-14T18:38:00Z2016-03-14T18:38:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br />The perfect sandwich, <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=bon+appetit+magazine&rlz=1C1CHMO_enUS551US551&oq=Bon+Appetit+magazine&aqs=chrome.0.0l6.527j0j8&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">Bon Appetit magazine</a> once declared, is a BLT. The way to improve upon that, they then noted? Grilling. <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/publication/taste-of-home-magazine-recipes" target="_blank">Taste of Home magazine</a> chimed in that submarines, too, of course, are super. What's more stupendous? Grilling.</p>
<p>Take such comments as part of a short course on creating snazzier sandwiches. Grilling turns good results into great ones.<br /><br />The grilled turkey in the submarine that follows is accented by grilled vegetables. Alternately, you need no specific recipe for further beautifying a classic BLT. Bon Appetit just advised to take TLC with your BLT. <br /><br />First, leave lettuce out of the equation. It's better chilled. In addition to the bacon, tomatoes, should be grilled for a juicy, smoky touch. More gusto: Add flavorful minced grilled vegetables to the mayonnaise, such as scallions.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<strong><br /></strong> </p>
<strong>GRILLED TURKEY SUBMARINE SANDWICH </strong>
<blockquote>
<p>1 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced<br />1 small onion, thinly sliced and divided into rings<br />1/2 teaspoon olive oil, plus additional for garnish<br />1 loaf (1 pound) unsliced Italian bread<br />1/3 cup store-bought Italian dressing, divided<br />2 ounces sliced turkey breast<br />4 slices low-fat Swiss cheese<br />2 ounces sliced ham<br />3 slices low-fat cheddar cheese<br />1/2 cup sliced dill pickles<br />1 large tomato, thinly sliced</p>
</blockquote>
<strong>
<p>Yields 4 servings.</p>
</strong><br /> In a large bowl, toss green pepper and onion with oil. Place on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 12 inch square). Fold foil around vegetables and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender; carefully set aside.<br />Cut loaf in half horizontally; remove bread from top half, leaving a 1/2-inch shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). Brush cut sides of loaf with one-third of the salad dressing; place cut side down on grill. Grill, uncovered, over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown. <br /><br />Place bottom of loaf on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 inches-by-12 inches). Layer with turkey, two Swiss cheese slices, ham, cheddar cheese and remaining Swiss cheese. Top with green pepper mixture, pickles and tomato. <br /><br />Drizzle remaining dressing over cut side of bread top; place over filling. Brush bread with additional oil. Fold foil around sandwich and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 4 to 8 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let cool enough to handle with an oven mitt and carefully cut into slices with a serrated knife. <br /><br />-<a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/" target="_blank">TasteOfHome.com</a><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em><a href="http://www.chefdeborahschneider.com/" target="_blank">Deborah Schneider</a>, author of <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Salsas-Moles-Authentic-Chimichurri-Guacamole/dp/1607746859/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1457984976&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Salsas and Moles: Fresh and Authentic Recipes for Pico de Gallo, Mole Poblano, Chimichurri, Guacamole, and More</a></em>, advises that homemade salsas thicken as they sit and you should retain some of the cooking water to thin them.
<p><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2016-03-14T18:38:00Z10-Second Recipes: Hot Chocolate Is a Red-Hot IngredientStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Hot-Chocolate-Is-a-Red-Hot-Ingredient/-247241850495568316.html2016-02-29T20:06:00Z2016-02-29T20:06:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p><br />Thinking outside the mug when it comes to hot chocolate can be a toasty seasonal treat. Hot chocolate "melts" are created in seconds to mimic gourmet chocolates, including familiar toppers like marshmallows. When wrapped in sachets, they become signature hostess gifts or party favors. When guests later unwrap them and drop them into heated milk, homemade hot chocolate appears.<span> </span>Another idea worth making a toast to: Hot chocolate mix is a tasty addition to brownies that are then crowned with mini marshmallows.<br /><br />More ways to mix it up with hot chocolate mix:</p>
<ul>
<li>Sprinkle into your pancake, waffle or crepe batter</li>
<br />
<li>Add to chili, mimicking Latin recipes</li>
<br />
<li>Include in your favorite smoothies, along with peppermint extract and marshmallow creme</li>
</ul>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>HOT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES</strong></p>
<blockquote><span>2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled<br />1 cup sugar <br /></span>3 large eggs<span> <br /></span>1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract<span> <br /></span>1 cup all-purpose flour<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup hot chocolate mix or cocoa mix (see Note)<span> <br /></span>1 teaspoon fine salt<span> <br /></span>1/2 teaspoon baking powder<span> <br /></span>1 (12-ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips<span> <br /></span>72 mini marshmallows
<p>Yields 24 brownies.</p>
</blockquote>
<br />Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.<br /><br />Stir together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking powder; stir until just combined. Stir in half the chocolate chips. Spread the mixture in the prepared baking pan. <br /><br />Bake until brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and are set in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven, immediately sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips, and let stand until they are very soft, about 5 minutes. Spread the melted chips evenly with a spatula, and let cool. When completely cooled, cut into 24 squares and top each with 3 mini marshmallows.<br /><br />Note: For best results, don't use hot chocolate or cocoa mixes that contain powdered milk or other dairy products, which can change the structure and texture of the brownies.<br /><br />-<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/" target="_blank">FoodNetwork.com <br /></a><br /> <strong>HOT CHOCOLATE "MELTS" <br /></strong>
<blockquote>1 (12-ounce) bag chocolate chips<span> <br /></span>Toppings, to taste, such as mini marshmallows, chopped chocolate-covered mint patties, white chocolate chips or shavings<span> <br /></span>Parchment paper, for wrapping<span> <br /></span>Ribbon or string, for wrapping<br /><br />Yields 12 to 16 melts.</blockquote>
<br />Place chocolate chips in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds on medium heat. Carefully remove from microwave and stir. Repeat steps until completely melted.<br />Transfer melted chocolate into a squeeze bottle and use it to fill peanut butter cup candy molds or the bottoms of muffin tins. Sprinkle with toppings. Lightly tap mold or muffin tin onto flat surface to release any air bubbles. Refrigerate approximately 20 minutes, or until chocolate is hardened.<br /><br />Meanwhile, cut parchment paper into 4-inch square pieces (you'll need 12 to 16). When chocolate is hardened, turn mold or muffin tin upside down on a flat surface and tap to remove finished chocolate pieces. Wrap in parchment paper and tie with a string or ribbon.<br /><br />When serving: Unwrap and drop each one into a mug of heated milk for homemade hot chocolate.<br /><br />-<a href="https://www.ralphs.com/" target="_blank">Ralphs.com</a><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/ITS-ALL-GOOD-Delicious-Recipes/dp/1455522716" target="_blank">In It's All Good: Delicious, Easy Recipes That Will Make You Look Good and Feel Great</a></em>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwyneth_Paltrow" target="_blank">Gwyneth Paltrow</a> suggests making your favorite chicken vegetable soup that simmers for a few hours. Afterward, discard the cooked vegetables, dice the white meat cooked chicken and add back into the soup along with two peeled and diced carrots and a bunch of kale, leaves stripped off the stem, in bite-sized pieces. Simmer for an additional 20 minutes and season to taste with salt and pepper.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com..</span>
<p> </p>Staff2016-02-29T20:06:00Z10-Second Recipes: Sean Kanan's Valentine's Day Recipes Keep on GivingStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Sean-Kanans-Valentines-Day-Recipes-Keep-on-Giving/-39326175481047948.html2016-02-08T18:06:00Z2016-02-08T18:06:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p><br />How much does <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OfficialSeanKananFanPage" target="_blank">Sean Kanan</a> love you? He loves you so much that he might not only prepare you gourmet pork chops atop braised red cabbage for Valentine's Day, but he'll leave a bonus gift of a papaya and arugula salad ingeniously crafted from the leftovers for your lunch the next day.<br /><br />Kanan plays the deviously sexy Deacon Sharpe on the popular daytime drama <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/the_bold_and_the_beautiful/?ftag=AAMaaba4f6&vndid=yahoo$null$null$bold+and+beautiful" target="_blank">The Bold and the Beautiful</a>, a role he also made famous on <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/?ftag=AAMaaba4f6&vndid=yahoo$null$null$young+and+the+restless" target="_blank">The Young and the Restless</a>. He made hearts beat quick on <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/general-hospital" target="_blank">General Hospital</a> as <a href="http://ussoapoperas.wikia.com/wiki/A.J._Quartermaine" target="_blank">A.J. Quartermaine</a> from 2006-2014. However, his ultimate Valentine's Day gift is even more thoughtful than double-duty recipes, like the aforementioned cinnamon-and-spice-kissed ones above. Kanan's goal is to inspire a whole generation of new-fangled gentlemen.<br /><br />The Pork Chops Bada Bing, Braised Red Cabbage and Bada Bing Leftover Salad are just a few of scores of innovative choices he includes in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Modern-Gentleman-Cooking-Entertaining-ebook/dp/B005Y0OHM8/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">The Modern Gentleman: Cooking and Entertaining with Sean Kanan</a>. Plenty of sophisticated menus, as well as tips on everything from music to stocking your bar, appear in the book by Kanan, an excellent cook who speaks fluent Italian and lived in Italy while competing as a celebrity contestant on that country's version of "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_with_the_Stars" target="_blank">Dancing with the Stars</a>."<br /><br />However, Kanan sensed a broader gap to be filled. "As an actor, I thought it only appropriate to use the analogy of the theater to help me explain as I teach you how to create a real connection with women using food and entertaining as the vehicle. We have all heard the old adage, 'the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.' I believe that the same thing can be said of a woman," he notes. Kanan proved his point many times over during college dates when he taught himself to cook in order to compete during dates with those who had bigger budgets to wine and dine their companions at expensive restaurants.<br /><br />Although in order to be better dining companions Kanan encourages his proteges to read more to enhance their education and further distinguish themselves by learning a foreign language, their expertise at preparing some of his specialties, like Sauteed Zucchini with Parmigiana and Balsamic Reduction, Whitefish with Dijon Artichoke Remoulade or Seared Pears and Candied Walnuts Over Vanilla Ice Cream, certainly won't hurt.<br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from your Valentine - all year long.<br /><br /><strong>Pork Chops "Bada Bing"</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<blockquote>4 boneless pork chops<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup ketchup<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon chopped garlic<span> <br /></span>2 tablespoons soy sauce<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon cinnamon<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon (preferably Chinese) chili paste<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup olive oil<span> <br /></span>1 shallot<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup brown sugar<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon orange marmalade<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup pineapple (bite-sized pieces)<span> <br /></span>Paprika, for garnish<span> <br /></span><br />Braised red cabbage:<span> <br /></span>1 red cabbage<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup olive oil<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon minced garlic <br />1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar <br />1 tablespoon nutmeg<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon cinnamon<span> <br /></span><span> </span>1/4 cup balsamic vinegar <br />1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth<span> <br /></span>Salt, to taste<span> </span>Pepper, to taste</blockquote>
Yields 4 servings.<br /><br />To prepare pork chops: Combine all ingredients together, except for pineapple and paprika, in a quart-sized re-sealable bag. Place in the refrigerator until ready to cook. They can be marinated overnight if desired. Preheat the grill or the broiler in your oven. Remove pork loins from the bag and place on grill or broiler. Discard marinade. Cook for about 7 minutes on each side, slice into one to make sure it's done and use a meat thermometer. (The <a href="http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/meat-preparation/fresh-pork-from-farm-to-table/CT_Index" target="_blank">USDA</a> suggests a minimum of 145 F for pork chops.) Garnish with pineapple and paprika. Serve over braised red cabbage. (If making the next-day leftover Bada Bing Salad that serves 2, reserve 1 cooked pork chop and 1 / 4 cup braised red cabbage.)<br />To prepare braised red cabbage: Carefully chop cabbage into 2-inch long strands. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add cabbage and saute until the cabbage is slightly softened. Add garlic, apple cider vinegar, nutmeg, cinnamon and balsamic vinegar. Stir together. Add chicken stock, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer for approximately 7 to 10 minutes, until liquid reduces. Season with salt and pepper.<br /><br /><br /><strong>"Bada Bing" Next-Day Leftover Salad<br /></strong>
<blockquote>2 cups arugula<br />1/4 cup leftover braised red cabbage <br />1 papaya, peeled, seeded and chopped<span> <br /></span>1 red onion, chopped<span> <br />1/4 cup vinaigrette dressing <br />1 leftover Pork Chop "Bada Bing" <br />1 strawberry, sliced</span></blockquote>
Yields 2 servings.<br /><br />Toss arugula with braised red cabbage, papaya, red onions and dressing. On a serving plate, make a bed of the arugula mixture. Slice the pork (which can be served either warm or cold) thinly. If the pork chop is warm, wait until you are ready to serve to add it to the arugula. Assemble the pork chop on top of the arugula. Garnish the edges of the plate with the sliced strawberry.<span> <br /><br /><br /></span><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>Stars who want to shape up for the Oscars might take a page out of "Extra" host/red carpet interviewer <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/mario-lopez-20972939" target="_blank">Mario Lopez</a>'s book, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Extra-Lean-Fat-Burning-Plan-Changes/dp/0451233069" target="_blank">Extra Lean</a>." He gives the keys to his ripped physique. "Probably the most crucial of all steps, balancing a combination of healthy carbs, protein, and fats throughout each day," he writes, "ensures that you'll have plenty of energy to constantly burn fat and stay lean for life. To reach this state, you need to have the following total daily intake of each nutrient: 1/2 (more or less) of carbs; 1/4 (more or less) of protein; 1/4 (more or less) of fat." He gives lots of tips on avoiding traps like sugary carbohydrates and increasing consumption of healthful fats.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2016-02-08T18:06:00Z10-Second Recipes: Spice Up the Oscar Race with Spicy PopcornStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Spice-Up-the-Oscar-Race-with-Spicy-Popcorn/-729191957232810255.html2016-01-26T01:14:00Z2016-01-26T01:14:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p><br />"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" may not have gotten a best picture Oscar nod in the recently announced nominations for the February 28 event. However, the film vying to become the highest-grossing movie of all time, is certainly a popcorn-worthy flick that has fans vying for how many times they can view it. One Austin, Texas, enthusiast saw it nine times in the first weekend alone.<br /><br />If you are in such a viewership race, or just in a sprint to see as many nominated films as possible before the big night, why not spice things up a bit and bag your own zesty popcorn blends. Snack on them as you complete your own ballots, bring along as hostess gifts to an Oscar party or serve at your own bash.<br /><br />The cheddar cheese popcorn that follows gets a further perk from cayenne pepper and mustard powder. Sweet caramel corn-peanut clusters enhance their performance with curry powder.<br /><br />Other seasonings from your supermarket's spice aisle for your consideration to make popcorn award worthy in seconds:</p>
<ul>
<li>Chinese five-spice blend</li>
<br />
<li>Italian spice blend</li>
<br />
<li>Mexican spice blend</li>
<br />
<li>Pumpkin pie spice blend</li>
</ul>
<p><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</p>
<strong>Cheddar Cheese-Cayenne Popcorn<br /></strong>
<blockquote>3 tablespoons melted butter <br />1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon, cheddar cheese powder (see Note)1/4 teaspoon mustard powder<br />1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper <br />4 cups popped popcorn<br />Salt, to taste<br />Freshly ground pepper, to taste</blockquote>
Yields 4 servings.<br /><br />In a large bowl, combine the butter, cheddar cheese powder, mustard powder, cayenne pepper and the popcorn. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Serve immediately.Note: Cheese powders are sold in many supermarkets as popcorn toppings and are available online from companies like <a href="http://www.thespicehouse.com/" target="_blank">The Spice House</a> and <a href="https://www.americanspice.com/" target="_blank">The Great American Spice Company</a>.<br /><br />-<a href="http://www.FoodNetwork.com" target="_blank">FoodNetwork.com</a><br /><br /><br /><strong>Spicy Caramel Corn-Peanut Clusters</strong>
<blockquote>2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for oiling aluminum foil in baking pan<br />1/3 cup popcorn kernels<br />1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter<br />1 & 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar<br />1/2 cup light corn syrup<br />3/4 teaspoon salt<br />1/2 teaspoon curry powder<br />1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper<br />1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />1 cup salted peanuts (5 ounces)</blockquote>
Yields about 12 cups.<br /><br />Heat oil with 3 kernels in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, covered, over moderate heat until 1 or 2 kernels pop. Remove lid and carefully and quickly add remaining kernels, then cook, covered, shaking pan frequently, until kernels stop popping, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and uncover.<br /><br />Line bottom of a large shallow baking pan with foil. Lightly oil foil. Melt butter in a 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat. Add brown sugar and corn syrup and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring, then boil, without stirring, until syrup registers 300 F on a candy thermometer, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat.<br /><br />Using a wooden spoon or a heatproof spatula, stir salt, curry powder, black pepper and baking soda into syrup, then quickly stir in peanuts and popcorn to coat. Immediately spread mixture in baking pan as thinly and evenly as possible. Cool completely, then break into bite-size pieces.<br /><br />-Adapted from <a href="http://www.Epicurious.com" target="_blank">Epicurious.com<br /></a><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong><a href="http://dailyburn.com/blackfire" target="_blank">Bob Harper</a> recently moved from trainer to host of NBC's long-running "<a href="http://www.biggestloser.com/" target="_blank">The Biggest Loser</a>" weight loss series. He followed up his New York Times number-one selling "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Skinny-Rules-Nonnegotiable-Principles/dp/0345533127" target="_blank">The Skinny Rules</a>" with "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Skinny-Habits-Secrets-People-Rules/dp/0804178909/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453968162&sr=1-1&keywords=Skinny+Habits%3A+The+6+Secrets+of+Thin+People" target="_blank">Skinny Habits: The 6 Secrets of Thin People</a>." Habit 3 is "reengineer your environment" and it meshes with how Harper says he has revamped the television show this season. Contestants' homes, he told People magazine, will be treated "like what it really is, a rehab center." In "Skinny Habits" Harper writes: "<em>Walk around your home and try to identify every possible cue or 'fat trap'...in the place, [like] the massive coffee mugs that more often than not are filled with hot cocoa and <strong>not</strong> coffee, the collapsible trays that make it easy to eat in front of the TV, the really disorganized workout-clothes drawer</em>."<br /><br /><br /> <br /> <strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>
<p> </p>Staff2016-01-26T01:14:00Z10-Second Recipes: Start New Year With Stress-Free ResolutionsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Start-New-Year-With-Stress-Free-Resolutions/-427390067993536344.html2016-01-11T22:11:00Z2016-01-11T22:11:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<br />I'm glad to see that I'm not alone in my New Year's philosophy. As far as resolutions go, determine what you won't give up rather than rigidly planning what you will abandon.<br /><br />As we move into the New Year, <a href="http://saradickerman.com/" target="_blank">Sara Dickerman</a> is getting a lot of attention for her angle. In<em> <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/cleanse" target="_blank">Bon Appetit: The Food Lover's Cleanse</a></em>, she has written a non-diet book to get you to your nutritional goals. In the 140-recipe cookbook, she teaches you to "cleanse," not in the usual drink only water or juice way, but by feasting on delicious foods that, as her subtitle promises, "will tempt you back into healthful eating." <br /><br />The key, Dickerman promotes, is to eat flavorful, comfort foods that are filling and fiber-filled and, therefore, help cut cravings for empty-calorie junk food.<br /><br />On board for making resolutions of abundance rather than scarcity, as part of a <a href="http://www.kathieleegifford.com/" target="_blank">Kathie Lee Gifford</a> and <a href="http://www.today.com/klgandhoda" target="_blank">Hoda Kotb Today Show special on New Year's Eve</a>, actress <a href="http://www.kheigl.com/" target="_blank">Katherine Heigl</a> promised not to give up cheese this year.<br /><br />My New Year's non-resolution --- that would jibe with Heigl's --- stemmed from breakfast one morning recently at <a href="http://www.jinkys.com/" target="_blank">Jinky's Cafe</a>: Why not eat macaroni 'n' cheese for breakfast? Jinky's is a gourmet restaurant chain that often gets voted as having the best breakfasts in Los Angeles. Among their dozens of innovative selections, breakfast mac 'n' cheese popped right out. The macaroni 'n' cheese is scrambled with eggs, smoked bacon, crumbled sausage, diced ham and - with a nod toward fiber and nutrients - broccoli florets. Another, both of which you could easily emulate at home by tweaking your favorite mac 'n' cheese recipe, gets a fried sunny side-up egg on top, which echoes a suggestion by chefs <a href="http://www.beyondtheplate.net/profiles/homeroom/" target="_blank">Allison Arevalo and Erin Wade</a> in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Mac-Cheese-Cookbook-Restaurant/dp/160774466X" target="_blank">The Mac 'n' Cheese Cookbook</a>.<br /><br />Reading Arevalo and Wade's mac 'n' cheese 2013 manifesto again, also encouraged me to expand my non-resolutions even further: Mac 'n' cheese for dessert, as in Arevalo and Wade's gooey Dessert Mac 'n' Cheese. Fortunately, it also includes one of the most nutrient-packed super foods of all: strawberries. That only adds to its deliciousness, proving that balance is often the best resolution of all.<br /><br />Fun fare like this proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>STRAWBERRY-FILLED DESSERT MAC 'N" CHEESE</strong><span> <br /></span>1 pound dried wide egg noodles<span> <br /></span>6 large eggs, lightly beaten<span> <br /></span>2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup packed light brown sugar<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup granulated sugar<span> <br /></span>2 cups sliced strawberries<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup strawberry or raspberry jam<span> <br /></span>8 ounces mascarpone cheese<span> <br /></span>2 cups sour cream<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted<span> <br /><br /></span>Topping<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup all-purpose flour<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup packed light brown sugar<span> <br /></span>3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted<br /><br />Yields 6 servings.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 F.<br /><br />Cook the egg noodles in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.<br /><br />In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, vanilla extract, brown sugar, granulated sugar, strawberries, jam, mascarpone, sour cream and melted butter. Add the noodles and stir to fully combine.<br /><br />In a separate bowl, mix together all of the topping ingredients.<br /><br />Spoon the noodle mixture into 6 (5-inch-by-5-inch) ovenproof dishes and completely cover with a thin layer of topping.<br /><br />Bake until the mixture is bubbly and the topping turns golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve hot.<span> <br /><br /></span><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> <a href="http://drmasley.com/" target="_blank">Steven Masley, M.D.</a>, and <a href="http://jonnybowden.com/" target="_blank">Jonny Bowden, Ph.D.</a>, authors of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Fat-More-Weight-Healthy/dp/0062392298" target="_blank">Smart Fat: Eat More Fat. Lose More Weight. Get Healthy Now</a>, have some advice about restaurant bread baskets. "Unless something special is being celebrated, just about everyone should give up the bread basket. You don't need empty flour calories sending your blood sugar levels sky-rocketing and disrupting your hormones and metabolism. Think of bread like birthday cake - it's something you should save for special occasions." <br /> <br /><br /><br /> <strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>
<p> </p>Staff2016-01-11T22:11:00Z10-Second Recipes: Transform Kids Holiday Eating into Holiday CookingStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Transform-Kids-Holiday-Eating-into-Holiday-Cooking/374814597920728533.html2015-12-21T23:23:00Z2015-12-21T23:23:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/yvettegarfield" target="_blank">Yvette Garfield</a> looked at kids and said she thought they can do more than just eat, they can cook-and learn. That's how her <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Handstand+Kids" target="_blank">Handstand Kids international cookbook series</a> sparked almost a decade ago. It teaches kids foreign words and cultures through cooking, as well as associated gear like placemats. This year, Garfield, a law school grad, who initially was working in international children's rights, looked at kids patterns of enjoying sweets'-filled holidays and surmised it would be interactive for them to gain pride from making treats themselves.<br /><br />Her <a href="http://www.handstandkids.com/category_s/1825.htm" target="_blank">Handstand Kids Cooking Company Chocolate Shoppe products</a> are hands on, as are classes and parties she plans for her proteges. The holiday sets from the Chocolate Shoppe include recipe cards and molds for making nutrition-conscious portions of small-sized chocolates in the shape of candy canes, <a href="http://www.handstandkids.com/product_p/28841378577.htm" target="_blank">gingerbread men</a>, <a href="http://www.handstandkids.com/product_p/28841378560.htm" target="_blank">Santa Claus</a>, stockings, presents, snowmen and Christmas trees.<br /><br />"DIY-do it yourself-is so popular with adults," Garfield said. "But for kids, it's not only fun and delicious, but a competence builder."<br /><br />Emmy Award-winning actress <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Michelle_Gellar" target="_blank">Sarah Michelle Gellar</a> ("<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118276/" target="_blank">Buffy the Vampire Slayer</a>," "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065272/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_10" target="_blank">All My Children</a>") was saddened by the fact that when her two children tried to accomplish DIY culinary projects the ingredients included in traditional baking mixes often were not up to the standards of those in her and her actor-husband <a href="http://www.freddieprinzejr.com/" target="_blank">Freddie Prinze, Jr.</a>'s home. She and two friends started <a href="https://foodstirs.com/bakers-club?gclid=CJ6S4bmZ88kCFZBhfgodHFkG3Q" target="_blank">Foodstirs</a>, a baking kit company that includes holiday <a href="https://foodstirs.com/gifts" target="_blank">gift sets</a>. <br /><br />The holiday sets can be given to kids for future fun projects or made by kids to give as gifts. Don't be surprised if the skills learned mean recipients think the treats are from pros: Often included are stencils for creating leaves and other eye-catching details atop cakes.<br /><br />The candy recipe below can be made in Handstand Kids Cooking Company Chocolate Shoppe molds (which are made of BPA-, Phthalates-, lead- and PVC-free silicone) or those of your choice. Both recipes that follow should include adult supervision.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You-and your kidlets-effortlessly become better cooks, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><br /><strong>PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE </strong> </p>
<blockquote>1 cup dark, milk or white chocolate <br />1/4 cup finely diced chocolate-covered peppermint patties candies</blockquote>
Yields about 12 small chocolates. <br /><br /><br />Place molds in refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes before using. <br /><br />In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate and the finely diced chocolate-covered peppermint patties in 10 second intervals, until melted. (Watch carefully, as it may melt quickly.)<br /><br />Carefully gently stir melted chocolate mixture.<br /><br />Carefully pour into a piping bag and pipe into molds or carefully pour into molds without a piping bag. <br /><br />Place mold into refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes, or until set. Carefully pop out of molds.<br /><br />-Adapted from <a href="http://www.handstandkids.com/" target="_blank">Handstand Kids Cooking Company</a>.<br /><br /><br /> <strong>APPLE SPICE COOKIES</strong><span> <br /></span>
<blockquote>1/2 stick cold unsalted butter<span> </span>1 egg white<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup applesauce<span> <br /></span> 1 package <a href="https://foodstirs.com/shop/mixes/sugar-cookie-mix" target="_blank">Foodstirs Sugar Cookie Mix</a> or a dry sugar cookie mix of your choice <br /> 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour<span> <br /></span>3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/4 ground teaspoon ginger)</blockquote>
Yields about 12 cookies.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, beat butter with hand mixer until creamy. Add egg white and applesauce and continue blending. Add dry sugar cookie mix, flour and pumpkin pie spice and mix with clean hands or mixer until combined.<br /><br />Cover dough in bowl with plastic wrap, and freeze for 20 minutes, or until dough is firm. <br /><br />Remove dough from freezer. Use a spoon to drop 1 & 1/2-inch balls of dough on parchment-lined cookie sheet and press lightly with fingers to flatten. <br /><br />Carefully place in oven and bake for 14 to 18 minutes, or until edges are brown.<br /><br />-<a href="https://foodstirs.com/" target="_blank">Foodstirs.com<br /></a><br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> For a poultry option, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheila_Ellison" target="_blank">Sheila Ellison</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1?ie=UTF8&text=Judith+Gray&search-alias=books&field-author=Judith+Gray&sort=relevancerank" target="_blank">Judith Gray</a>, authors of, <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/365-Foods-Kids-Love-Eat/dp/1402205856/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450914208&sr=1-2" target="_blank">365 Foods Kids Love to Eat: Fun, Nutritious and Kid-Tested</a></em>, recommend considering sometimes substituting ground lean turkey for ground pork in won ton recipes. Then, instead of fried rice, serve with white or brown rice mixed with stir-fried vegetables.<br />
<p> </p>
<strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>
<p> </p>Staff2015-12-21T23:23:00Z10-Second Recipes: Leftovers Liven Up SmoothiesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Leftovers-Liven-Up-Smoothies/7013479341843152.html2015-12-07T23:01:00Z2015-12-07T23:01:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>The best cooks are often wizards with leftovers. Partially opened products in their pantries and refrigerators may be all they need for masterpieces. Bestselling cookbook author <a href="http://www.rozannegold.com/" target="_blank">Rozanne Gold</a> and four-time winner of the James Beard Award, who for many years was co-owner of <a href="https://www.rainbowroom.com/" target="_blank">New York City's famed Rainbow Room</a>, once told me in an interview that a favorite pastime was challenges with others at her home on Sunday afternoons. They would compete to see who could make the most delightful dish from leftovers and whatever else might be lying around. <br /><br />I thought of that conversation recently when I concocted a smoothie from bits and pieces in my kitchen. Smoothies have been missing from the leftover literature, but make delicious sense as a catchall. I had decided I needed an alternative to the one filled with unsweetened cocoa powder that had been keeping me up at night or my other favorite that was overfilled with too much bottled orange juice.<br /><br />For a less sugary choice, I started with a base of a leftover half apple including the skin and the leftover pulp of a half orange that I had in the refrigerator, plus the last few strawberries from their plastic container all dumped into the container of my strong blender along with a half cup of unsweetened soymilk. I then spied some opened packages, cylinders and jars I hadn't used in a while and, due to all I knew of their nutritional prowess, stole a teaspoon of each: ground flaxseeds, chopped pecans, old-fashioned rolled oats, molasses and ground cinnamon. I added a dash of stevia no-calorie natural sweetener and ice cubes, blended until smooth, and enjoyed one of the best smoothies I'd ever had, which had a hint of the flavor and texture of a delicious homemade applesauce.<br /><br />Soon my nostalgia had me flipping through my kitchen's copy of Gold's classic <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Recipes-1-2-3-Fabulous-Using-Ingredients/dp/0670865842" target="_blank">Recipes 1-2-3: Fabulous Food Using Only Three Ingredients</a></em>, which had stemmed from her kitchen competitions and was one of the first quick-prep cookbooks that spawned many competitors. I turned the delicious cardamom-infused Turkish iced coffee she featured (and now including my open jar of cardamom) into the addictive morning smoothie below.<br />Fun fare like the above also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>ICED TURKISH COFFEE SMOOTHIE </strong> </p>
<blockquote>1/4 pound French roast coffee beans <br />1/2 tablespoon green cardamom pods <br />Sugar, to taste (optional) <br />1 & 1/2 cups 2 percent milk, almond milk or soymilk <br />Ice, as needed</blockquote>
Yields 6 servings.<br /><br />Grind the coffee beans and cardamom together until very finely ground, almost powdery. Or buy Turkish coffee at a specialty coffee store or Middle Eastern food store. In a medium-sized saucepan, preferably one with a pouring spout, bring 1 quart water to a boil. Add 1/2 cup ground coffee and stir quickly with the handle of a wooden spoon. Lower the heat and let the coffee come to a boil. As the foam starts to form and come to the top of the pot, carefully yank the pot from the heat. Add sugar, if desired, and let cool. Strain coffee through a fine-mesh strainer and refrigerate until cold.<br /><br />For iced coffee, serve over ice. For each of six smoothies: Pour 1 / 6 of the cold coffee into container of strong blender with 1/4 cup of the milk and ice, blending until desired texture.<br /><br />-Adapted from <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Recipes-1-2-3-Fabulous-Using-Ingredients/dp/0670865842" target="_blank">Recipes 1-2-3: Fabulous Food Using Only 3 Ingredients</a>.</em><span> <br /><br /></span><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Baker <a href="https://gatherjournal.com/notebook/meet-claire-ptak-violet-cakes/" target="_blank">Claire Ptak</a>, author of <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Violet-Bakery-Cookbook-Claire-Ptak/dp/1607746719" target="_blank">The Violet Bakery Cookbook</a></em>, suggests not only using broken pieces of dark chocolate in your favorite recipe for chocolate bread pudding, but torn pieces of chocolate croissants (day-old are best) as the base.
<p> </p>
<br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>
<p> </p>Staff2015-12-07T23:01:00Z10-Second Recipes: Cinnamon and Sugar Goes GourmetStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Cinnamon-and-Sugar-Goes-Gourmet/-151938239835025407.html2015-11-30T23:01:00Z2015-11-30T23:01:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The multimillions-selling cookbook author and TV cooking series host known as The Pioneer Woman (aka Ree Drummond) might just circle the wagons around me for the quick and surprisingly healthful way I make the winter childhood staple comfort food of cinnamon-sugar toast. In 2010, Drummond declared on her popular blog that started her empire, "Did you know there's a right way and a wrong way to make cinnamon toast?"</p>
<p>In addition to comparing and contrasting step-by-step four ways to prepare cinnamon-sugar toast, Drummond declared one a winner. It involves making a spread of softened butter, cinnamon, sugar and pure vanilla extract, swiping it onto bread and baking it in the oven at 350 F. </p>
<p>It is closest to a fifth contrast that somewhat matches one (her husband's) that Drummond calls "absolutely, positively wrong...wrongalongadingdong" that my cinnamon-sugar toast fits in. However, mine is so healthful, so quick and still so comfort-food delightful that I have it as a non-guilt-inducing snack and/or mini-meal about once a week.</p>
<p>Unlike Drummond's choice of an everyday brand of supermarket wheat bread, I use a protein-packed, live sprouted grain bread (often the raisin version) available at health food stores and some supermarkets that gets a significant amount of its protein from additions of lentil and soybeans in the ingredient list that contribute no discernible flavor and makes this my go-to bread for everything. I then commit the Drummond-declared sin of toasting the bread first. I follow this by spreading on a vegan buttery spread that sits alongside butter in most supermarket chains, let it melt in for a second and sprinkle with ground cinnamon and natural no-calorie sugar substitute stevia and mush it all together with a knife while the bread is still warm.</p>
<p>In fact, I've become so enamored of the sweet cinnamon concoction, I've extended it throughout my cooking-and still with Drummond non-sanctioned healthful results (e.g., she freely admits to the questionable use of sugar and butter, but declares them essential to her process). Following is a super soup including a cinnamon stick, brown sugar and the health powerhouses of fresh ginger root and both winter and acorn squash that melds in a slow cooker. After that is a dynamic rub that I spread onto firm tofu steaks before pan-grilling, but would be equally good if you (or Drummond) slathered on strip steaks.</p>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>SLOW COOKER CINNAMON-SUGAR WINTER SQUASH SOUP</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<blockquote>5 & 1/4 cups chicken broth<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup packed brown sugar<span> <br /></span>2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root<span> <br /></span>1 cinnamon stick<span> <br /></span>1 & 3/4 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)<span> <br /></span>1 large acorn squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 & 1/2 cups)<span> </span>1 large sweet onion, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)<br /><br />Yields 8 servings.</blockquote>
<p>Stir broth, brown sugar, ginger root, cinnamon stick, butternut squash, acorn squash and onion in a 6-quart slow cooker.</p>
<p>Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or until the squash is tender.</p>
<p>With a utensil, carefully remove the cinnamon stick. Carefully place 1/3 of the squash mixture into a blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a 4-quart saucepan. Repeat the blending process twice more with the remaining squash mixture. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is hot.<span> <br /></span></p>
<p><span> </span>-<a href="http://www.campbellskitchen.com/" target="_blank">CampbellsKitchen.com</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>SOUTHWESTERN CINNAMON-SUGAR BEEF OR TOFU RUB </strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>1 & 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed <br />1 tablespoon brown sugar <br />1 & 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon <br />1 teaspoon oregano leaves <br />1 teaspoon paprika <br />1/2 teaspoon garlic powder <br />1/2 teaspoon (preferably sea) salt <br /> 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Yields 8 servings.<br /><br />Toast cumin seeds in a small, dry skillet on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until aromatic. Carefully remove from skillet. Crush seeds using mortar and pestle, spice mill, clean coffee grinder or rolling pin.<br /><br />Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and then cumin and remaining spices. Good rubbed evenly on both sides of 2 pounds of beef strip steaks or firm tofu steaks and refrigerated for 15 minutes before grilling or broiling until fully cooked and at internal temperature recommended by USDA (for instance, 155 F for beef steaks).<br /><br />-<a href="http://www.mccormick.com/" target="_blank">McCormick.com</a><span><a href="http://www.mccormick.com/" target="_blank"> </a><br /><br /></span><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> I don't have a Vitamix, but I've been poaching some of the easy and tasty recipes anyway from President and CEO of <a href="https://www.vitamix.com/Home?cid=07-0063&coupon=07-0063&gclid=Cj0KEQiAyvqyBRChq_iG38PgvLgBEiQAJbasdzRZwCJdGaXyBqNqHp_K7PjQytzaDKuK-IBX4QymFTYaApKy8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds" target="_blank">Vitamix</a> Jodi Berg's new 375-page <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vitamix-Cookbook-Delicious-Recipes-Blender/dp/0062407201/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449089411&sr=8-1&keywords=vitamix+cook+book" target="_blank">The Vitamix Cookbook</a></em>. After all, the subhead is <em>250 Delicious Whole Food Recipes to Make in Your Blender</em>. My blender is surprisingly strong, but was bought on special in the kitchen utensil section of my local supermarket. Some of my favorites so far are Strawberry Dressing that's just 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1/2 cup hulled, halved strawberries for 6 servings, and Pecan Peanut Butter that's 1 & 1/2 cups lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts, 1 & 1/2 cups unsalted roasted pecans and 1 tablespoon honey to yield 1 & 1/2 cups.</p>
<br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>
<p> </p>Staff2015-11-30T23:01:00Z10-Second Recipes: Let Thanksgiving Centerpieces Inspire Holiday MealsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Let-Thanksgiving-Centerpieces-Inspire-Holiday-Meals/211917593372171936.html2015-11-16T23:01:00Z2015-11-16T23:01:00Z<p><em><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>As Thanksgiving nears, the only place many busy people may find "plenty" is in a horn of plenty, the cornucopia - which emanates from Greek mythology and serves as a fruit-filled holiday centerpiece by many modern cooks. "Plenty," on the other hand, would not often be used during holiday season when describing time: Rushed moments caught on the fly are more like it.<br /><br />However, when it comes to impressive Thanksgiving centerpieces, those who quickly put together a horn of plenty, overflowing with the vibrant ingredients of the season, are barking up the right tree regarding saving time and money. They are letting ingredients do double-duty by serving them in their splashy meal and including them in their dining table centerpiece. This continues to be my favorite and most clever holiday tradition and is worth repeating year after year. It saves thought, time and money in shopping and preparation. It also creates a planned, coordinated, impressive flow throughout the meal, giving it even more of a gourmet feel - although in reality it's a timesaving maneuver.<br /><br />Classic cornucopias, though, are just the beginning of many easy ideas. The first offshoot can be a nontraditional horn of plenty. The horns stemmed from Zeus accidentally breaking off the horn of goat Amalthea, and then atoning by promising the horn would always be full of her favorite fruits. Instead, consider filling your horn - often available at crafts stores and party supply stores - with other colorful, tasty ingredients you will be using in your distinct recipes. <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/" target="_blank">Taste of Home Magazine</a>, the country's largest-circulation cooking magazine, featured a wonderful butterscotch dessert coffee that would be perfect for Thanksgiving. You could have your horn bursting with the tan butterscotch chips and lots of wrapped golden hard butterscotch candies, which would take the place of after-dinner mints as guests grab them up.<br /><br /><a href="/http://www.womansday.com/" target="_blank">Woman's Day Magazine</a>, in a "Last-Minute Decorating" section, once showed off a striking centerpiece of varying-sized canisters filled with wrapped butterscotches, white-jelled beaded candies and candy corn; scoops were included for guests to partake. Tall, medium and short black candles placed in front of them completed the impressive look. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.georgeduran.com/" target="_blank">Chef George Duran</a>, Food Network TV host and cookbook author (<em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Take-this-Dish-Twist-It/dp/0696239434" target="_blank">Take This Dish and Twist It</a></em>), once displayed a candy corn dessert shake parfait that would also be perfect with such a Thanksgiving party theme. To imitate the look of a piece of candy corn, pour some vanilla shakes in the bottom of glasses that are narrow on the bottom and flare out (beer pints are good). Puree more of the vanilla shakes with some mango puree to create a yellow color. Then take some of the yellow mixture and add raspberry puree so that part becomes orange. Pour some of the orange shake atop of the vanilla shake base in the glasses topped off by spoonfuls of the yellow. Have guests accompany it with spoonfuls of the candy corn from the centerpiece canisters.<br /><br />Pumpkins are always delightful as part of Thanksgiving meals and decorations, but there are much more distinct presentations than sticking with traditional orange pumpkins. Once a fall issue of <a href="http://www.sunset.com/" target="_blank">Sunset Magazine</a> showed, miniature and large white pumpkins grouped with walnuts in the shell and dark-brown dried leaves and flowers make a dashing display.Grapefruits or lemons with green leaves still attached and striped yellow pumpkins created a peppy, "lighthearted twist." And "miniature striped green-and-yellow pumpkins join a trio of copper vases and a casual arrangement of red, orange and yellow flowers. It's all about fall color - without a maple leaf or corncob in sight." Create a show-stopping pumpkin-based recipe, conveniently prepared from extra of the pumpkins you used in your centerpiece, to start off your Thanksgiving meal.<br /><br />The late Chicago-based <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Trotter" target="_blank">Charlie Trotter</a>, who had often been named the top chef in the country, included the following ginger-braised leek and chicken-filled gem of a pumpkin soup in his cookbook, <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Charlie-Trotter-Gourmet-Selection/dp/1580089348" target="_blank">Home Cooking with Charlie Trotter</a></em>.<br /><br />Fun fare like the above also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><br /><strong>PUMPKIN SOUP WITH CHICKEN AND GINGER-BRAISED LEEKS </strong><strong><br /></strong></p>
<blockquote>Preserved ginger (see Note 1): <br />6 tablespoons peeled and julienned fresh ginger <br />1 & 1/2 cups sugar <br />1 & 1/2 cups water <br /><br />Soup: <br />1 small pumpkin, halved and seeded <br />Salt, to taste <br /> Freshly ground black pepper, to taste <br />3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling <br />8 sprigs thyme <br />2 leeks (white part only), cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (see Note 2) <br />5 tablespoons unsalted butter <br />3 cups homemade or store-bought chicken stock <br />2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts<br />1 tablespoon canola oil <br />2 teaspoons fresh tiny sage leaves</blockquote>
Yields 4 servings.<br /><br />To prepare preserved ginger: Place ginger, 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water in small saucepan. Simmer 10 minutes, strain liquid and repeat process two more times, reserving final cooking liquid for this recipe. Yields 1/4 cup. (If you are making extra, per Note 1 below, some of final cooking liquid is used to store the ginger.)<br /><br />To prepare pumpkin: Preheat oven to 350 F. Season flesh of pumpkin with salt and pepper and rub with olive oil. Place pumpkin halves, cut side down, on baking sheet and put 4 thyme sprigs under each half. Add 1/4 inch water to pan; roast for 45 to 60 minutes, or until tender. Scrape pulp into bowl; discard skin.<br /><br />Meanwhile prepare leeks: Cook leeks with 2 tablespoons of butter in saucepan over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until translucent. Add 1 cup of stock and 1 tablespoon Preserved Ginger; cook over medium-low heat for 25 minutes, or until leeks are soft and most of liquid has been absorbed. Keep warm.<br /><br />To prepare chicken: Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat canola oil in saute pan over medium heat, add chicken breasts; cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until thoroughly and completely cooked, but not overcooked. Thinly slice chicken; reserve.<br /><br />To prepare soup: Puree rest of batch of 1/4 cup Preserved Ginger and any residual ginger juice, remaining 2 cups stock and pumpkin soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cook soup in saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until warm. Whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons butter and season with salt and pepper.<br /><br />Spoon some leeks into center of each bowl and ladle the soup around leeks. Arrange some of sliced chicken in center of each bowl and sprinkle with tiny sage leaves. Drizzle with olive oil; serve immediately.<br /><ol>
<li>Note: If you prefer slightly stronger ginger flavor, like Trotter does, prepare a double batch of Preserved Ginger. To emulate Trotter, use 1 tablespoon when preparing leeks, 1/4 cup in soup and save rest of Preserved Ginger, tightly covered, in refrigerator for other uses for up to 1 week.</li>
<br />
<li>Note: Trotter notes that this "is a perfect dish for entertaining, as the soup and leeks can be prepared several hours ahead."</li>
</ol>-<em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Charlie-Trotter-Gourmet-Selection/dp/1580089348" target="_blank">Home Cooking with Charlie Trotter</a></em><br /><br /><br /><strong>BUTTERSCOTCH DESSERT COFFEE </strong> <br />
<blockquote>1 cup butterscotch chips <br />8 cups hot brewed coffee <br />1/2 cup half-and-half cream <br />5 to 8 tablespoons sugar <br />Whipped cream in a can, for garnish</blockquote>
Yields 8 servings.<br /><br />In small microwave-safe bowl, heat 1/2 cup of butterscotch chips at 70 percent power until melted, stirring occasionally.<br /><br />Cut small hole in corner of pastry bag or plastic bag, insert a No. 4 round tip. Carefully fill with melted chips. Pipe eight garnishes onto waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes.<br /><br />In large pitcher, stir coffee and remaining butterscotch chips until chips are melted. Stir in cream and sugar.<br /><br />Pour into mugs, topping each serving with whipped cream and a reserved butterscotch garnish.<br /><br />-<em><a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/" target="_blank">TasteOfHome.com</a></em><span><a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/" target="_blank"> </a><br /><br /></span><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> To salt eggplant or not? Maria Speck, author of<em> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N6PFDGC/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1" target="_blank">Simply Ancient Grains</a></em>, writes: "I'm a fierce proponent of salting because it alters the texture of the fruit to make the flesh more supple and mouthwatering." She also notes that often, "Eggplant can be roasted one day ahead. Allow to cool and chill covered" until you use it in your recipe.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Your-Supermarket-Health-Store/dp/0886876206" target="_blank">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</a> </em><span>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>
<p> </p>Staff2015-11-16T23:01:00Z10-Second Recipes: Let Holiday 'Trial Runs' Liven Up Your Autumn MealsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Let-Holiday-Trial-Runs-Liven-Up-Your-Autumn-Meals/215452817702426428.html2015-11-02T17:56:00Z2015-11-02T17:56:00Z<p><em><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Do you throw surprise parties for the winter holidays each year? Perhaps you do without knowing it if you ever serve first-time dishes at Thanksgiving or Christmas. As exciting as it is to jazz up meals with new recipes, results may instead emerge as hit-or-miss revelations.<br /><br /><em>Practice runs with delicious dividends are a better idea and serve double-duty by livening up your autumn meals.</em> Another advantage: You are just perfecting one potential holiday dish at a time, rather than when under the pressure of trying to get an entire special-occasion feast on the table. An additional silver tinsel lining is that, even if an attempt doesn't meet your holiday expectations, you just might find a new weekday favorite.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br />These two innovative variations of holiday traditional loved dishes are currently having auditions in my autumn recipe rotation:<br /><br /><strong>LEMON SWEET POTATOES WITH MERINGUE TOPPING</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<blockquote>Puree: <em><br /></em>2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the baking dish<span> <br /></span>4 large, elongated orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds), scrubbed, pierced all over with a fork<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup heavy cream<span> <br /></span>2 tablespoons light brown sugar<span> <br /></span>Finely grated zest of 1 lemon<span> </span>2 tablespoons <br />fresh lemon juice<span> </span>1/2 teaspoon <br />freshly grated nutmeg<span> <br /></span>4 large egg yolks (reserve the whites for the meringue)<span> <br /><br /></span>Meringue:<span> <br /></span>4 large egg whites, at room temperature<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup granulated sugar</blockquote>
Yields 8 servings.<br /><br />To prepare the puree: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly butter a 9-inch ceramic quiche dish or glass pie plate.<br /><br />Put the sweet potatoes on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast until they are tender when pierced with the tip of a small, sharp knife, about 50 minutes. Let them cool until easy to handle, about 15 minutes.<br /><br />Peel the sweet potatoes and put the flesh in a medium bowl. Add the heavy cream, brown sugar, butter, lemon zest and juice, and nutmeg. Using a handheld electric mixer on medium speed, whip the mixture until smooth. Beat in the yolks. Spread the puree in the baking dish.<br /><br />Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F. Bake the puree until it is set and barely beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. (The sweet potato base can be cooled, covered with aluminum foil, and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Reheat, covered, in a preheated 350 F oven until heated through, about 20 minutes. Uncover the puree.)<br /><br />To prepare the meringue: Using the mixer with clean beaters, beat the egg whites in a medium bowl until soft peaks form (see Note). Gradually beat in the granulated sugar until the mixture forms stiff, shiny peaks. Using a spoon, spread and swirl the meringue over the puree.<br /><br />Bake until the meringue is touched with golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately. <br /><br />Note: The dish is easiest to make with an electric handheld mixer. I ("<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Big-Book-Sides-Recipes-Vegetables/dp/0345548183/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">The Big Book of Sides</a>" author <a href="http://www.rickrodgers.com/" target="_blank">Rick Rodgers</a>) love my standing mixer, but it is too large for some jobs. For example the amount of egg whites for the meringue is too small to beat efficiently with the mixer's large bowl, and a hand mixer works much better.<br /><br />- <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Big-Book-Sides-Recipes-Vegetables/dp/0345548183/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">The Big Book of Sides<br /></a></em>
<blockquote><strong>KALE SALAD WITH CRANBERRIES AND CASHEWS</strong> <br />1 good-size bunch kale, washed and dried Olive oil, as needed<br />2/3 cup dried cranberries<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup crushed, toasted cashews, or pumpkin seeds<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup (preferably vegan) mayonnaise<span> <br />1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste</span></blockquote>
Yields 6 to 8 servings.<br /><br />Strip the kale leaves off the stems. Cut into ribbons and place in a large bowl. With a little olive oil rubbed into your palms, massage the kale for a minute or so, until it becomes bright green and softens a bit.<br /><br />Stir in the remaining ingredients and serve at room temperature.<br /><br />Optional additions and variations:<br />
<ul>
<li>Tiny orange sections</li>
<br />
<li>Diced apple</li>
<br />
<li>Diced pear</li>
<br />
<li>Dried cherries or golden raisins in place of the dried cranberries</li>
<br />
<li>Toasted walnut or pecans in place of cashews</li>
</ul>
- <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Holiday-Kitchen-Delicious-Occasions/dp/1402780052" target="_blank">Vegan Holiday Kitchen</a></em><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Holiday-Kitchen-Delicious-Occasions/dp/1402780052" target="_blank"> </a><br /><br /></span><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Fans of the award-winning <em><a href="http://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones" target="_blank">Game of Thrones</a></em> HBO series, should find a lot to chew on in <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Game-Scones-Must-Dine-Parody/dp/0062445545/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">Game of Scones: All Men Must Dine</a></em>, a parody cookbook by <a href="https://twitter.com/gameofscones_" target="_blank">Jammy Lannister</a>. Some of the featured fare includes a red velvet wedding or special occasion cake with swords and arrows protruding from it, "<a href="http://www.konbini.com/en/files/2015/10/scone-765x1024.jpg" target="_blank">The Iron Scone</a>," which looks like it has thick metal screws sticking out, and "<a href="http://forthe.watch/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/oberyncake1.jpg" target="_blank">Oberyn's Smashing Head Surprise</a>," which is fashioned from a large chocolate egg to look like a blood-curdling mess when the "eyes" are poked.
<p><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2015-11-02T17:56:00Z10-Second Recipes: Scare Up Halloween Fun at an Edible Monster PartyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Scare-Up-Halloween-Fun-at-an-Edible-Monster-Party/-753142212262007963.html2015-10-26T17:58:00Z2015-10-26T17:58:00Z<p><em><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>If you have smiled with joy upon eating s'mores around campfires in the summertime, you just might shriek with terror if you instead broil them for a Halloween party. That's because, if you follow <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Candy-Aisle-Crafts-Projects-Supermarket/dp/0804137919" target="_blank">Candy Aisle Crafts</a></em> author <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/contributor/1097738/jodi-levine" target="_blank">Jodi Levine</a>'s lead, you'll play a mad dentist and fashion them with spooky browned marshmallow "teeth."<br /><br />That's just one item on the menu at an edible monster Halloween party. If you thought Betty Crocker was an innocent, there's a spooky side lurking as well. The baking giant turned sugar cookies into Frankenstein's green "toes" with eerie bright-red curved "toenails" made of delicious blanched almonds.<br /><br />Here are some other temptingly terrifying ideas. Consider choosing sugar-free versions of ingredients whenever possible. If your kidlets help, be sure to supervise:</p>
<ul>
<li>Roll out cookie dough flat and shape with culinary scissors or a knife into giant animal heads, like a cat or panda bear. Cut holes where the eyes would be. After baking frost and decorate colorfully with scary expressions. Kids can have fun holding up in front of face as a mask before eating.</li>
<br />
<li>Spread honey and chocolate type graham crackers with peanut butter or chocolate hazelnut spread. Fashion noses and mouths with fresh raspberries, eyes with chocolate chips and details like eyebrows and hair with sunflower seed kernels to make garish monster faces.</li>
<br />
<li>Bake a cake in the shape of a large heart and frost it white. Cut a circle in the middle and fill with jiggling red gelatin and strands of black licorice strings like veins. Serve pieces in small serving bowls topped with whipped cream and drizzled with blood-red fruit punch.</li>
<br />
<li>Fun fare like the above also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</li>
</ul>
<p>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>MONSTER S'MORES </strong> </p>
<blockquote>Assorted flat cookies (such as honey or chocolate graham crackers, chocolate wafers and tea biscuits) <br />Thin flat chocolate bars <br />Regular and mini marshmallows <br />Regular and mini chocolate chips</blockquote>
Preheat the broiler.<br /><br />Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the cookies on the baking sheet and put a piece of the chocolate bar on top of each one.<br />To make the eyes, cut mini or regular marshmallows in half horizontally. Arrange the halves on top of the chocolate, sticky side down. Poke holes in the marshmallows with a toothpick and dig around to enlarge the holes. Push a mini or regular chocolate chip into each hole, pointy side down.<br /><br />To make the teeth, cut angled pieces off the remaining mini or regular marshmallows and press the cut sides into the chocolate.<br /><br />Put the baking sheet in the oven and watch carefully. Remove as soon as the s'mores turn golden, about 45 seconds. (They turn brown very quickly and can burn before you know it, so stay nearby with your oven mitt on.)<br /><br />Let them cool until they're just warm before handling or eating.<br /><span> </span><br />- <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Candy-Aisle-Crafts-Projects-Supermarket/dp/0804137919" target="_blank">Candy Aisle Crafts</a></em><br /><br /> <strong>FRANKENSTEIN'S TOES</strong><span> <br /></span>
<blockquote>Approximately 1-pound package sugar cookie mix<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup all-purpose flour<span> <br /></span>1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted<span> <br />1 egg <br />1/2 teaspoon almond extract <br />7 drops green food color (see Note) <br />36 whole blanched almonds <br />1/2 teaspoon red food color (see Note)</span></blockquote>
Yields 36 cookies.<br /><br />In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, melted butter, egg, almond extract and green food coloring until soft dough forms. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour.<br /><br />Meanwhile, place almonds and red food coloring in a resealable food-storage plastic bag; shake bag until almonds are evenly coated with food coloring. Place on paper plate or wax paper to dry. Set aside.<br /><br />Heat oven to 375 F. For each cookie, roll heaping teaspoonful of dough into 2-1 / 2-inch finger shape. (This shape results in monster "toe" cookies.) On ungreased cookie sheets, place shapes 2 inches apart. <br /><br />Press almond, colored side up, into one end of each "toe" to look like a toenail. About one inch from each end of each "toe," squeeze dough slightly; with knife, gently make lines in dough to look like knuckles.<br /><br />Bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until set. (Cookies should not brown around edges.) Cool 1 minute; carefully remove with a utensil from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.<br /><br />Note: For more vibrantly colored "toes," use paste food color instead of liquid food color.<br /><br />-<em><a href="http://www.bettycrocker.com/" target="_blank">BettyCrocker.com</a></em><span> <br /><br /></span><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> If you've never thought of trying sea urchin roe, <a href="http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/chefs/ben-sargent.html" target="_blank">Ben Sargent</a>, author of <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Catch-Sea-Table-Recipes/dp/0307985520" target="_blank">The Catch: Sea-to-Table Recipes, Stories & Secrets</a></em>, recommends it. "Sea urchin roe is like a creamy butter of the sea, so it naturally takes to being married with butter and cream..." he writes. "Next time you are thinking of serving a novel appetizer, instead of having oysters or clams on the half shell, try sea urchin roe on toast. You will thank me."<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br />Staff2015-10-26T17:58:00Z10-Second Recipes: Pairing Apple Cider Perks It UpStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:--Pairing-Apple-Cider-Perks-It-Up/80374673631740534.html2015-10-19T14:28:00Z2015-10-19T14:28:00Z<p><em><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>If you think nothing beats hot or iced apple cider during early autumn months, try pairing the beverages with food. Since sweet, spicy, and savory all go equally as well, you are in for some fun menu planning.<br /><br />Even before you get to the food, cider creativity can rule:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Jazz up your ice cubes.</strong> Make a puree from a foundation, like the peeled, cored and sliced ripe pear in the autumn-spiced ice cubes recipe below, seasonal spices and a natural sugar substitute, like stevia, and freeze in an ice cube tray. Serve in iced cider.</li>
<br />
<li><strong>Get creative with your cider.</strong> Think of it as a brew in which to whisk everything from flavor fests (such as peppermint extract or vanilla beans) to nutrient-packed antioxidants (chunks of exotic fall fruits for a Sangria-like effect or fresh herbs, liked chopped basil or rosemary).</li>
<br />
<li><strong>Substitute or combine other fall fruits with apples in homemade cider</strong>, like pears or quinces. Or even add a sweet vegetable, like juiced carrots and a dash of juiced fresh ginger, both of which complement apples beautifully.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.EdenIceCider.com" target="_blank">Eden Ice Cider</a> is a sweet dessert wine made in Vermont from a mixture of local apples in which the pressed juice is frozen outdoors before the most intensely flavored part is extracted, a la icewines, where the grapes freeze on the vine. The company recruited a number of local chefs to create pairings, which would also go well with iced or hot apple cider.<br /><br />Pastry Chef Lara Atkins, from <a href="http://kitchentablebistro.com/" target="_blank">The Kitchen Table Bistro</a> in Richmond, Vt., noted that a Granny Apple cake with toffee sauce and served with caramelized apples goes well. Best-selling cookbook author <a href="http://www.bobblumer.com/" target="_blank">Bob Blumer</a>'s spicy cheese-filled walnut shells below are an excellent accompaniment.<br /><br />Following are some of award-winning Eden Ice Cider's ideas.</p>
<ul>
<li>Apple cake with caramel sauce </li>
<li>Bread puddings</li>
<li>Apple pie with a slice of cheddar</li>
<li>Maple creme brule</li>
<li>Sticky toffee pudding</li>
<li>Or as a dessert itself, with a few butter cookies</li>
</ul>
<p>Fun fare like the above also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>SPICY STUFFED WALNUTS</strong> </p>
<blockquote>10 walnuts in the shell (nuts for eating; shells for serving only), see Note <br />1 teaspoon granulated sugar <br />1/4 teaspoon salt <br />1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper <br />6 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, at room temperature <br />1 tablespoon canola oil <br />3 tablespoons honey</blockquote>
<p>Yields 6 servings of 2 pieces each.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 F.</p>
Insert a paring knife into the small opening at the top of each walnut shell and twist it to split the shell in half. (Some may break into several pieces in the wrong places. This is an inexact science and some walnuts are much more difficult to split evenly than others --- hence the spare shells in that you will need just 12 cosmetically perfect walnut halves culled from these 10 whole walnuts for the final recipe for serving only, not for eating.) Clean out the nut casings, reserve the shells and grind in a blender or food processor 1/8 of the nuts and save the rest for another use. Reserve the empty shells.<br /><br />In a small bowl, combine well the granulated sugar, salt, cayenne, ground walnuts and cheese and set aside for no longer than the amount of time it takes to roast the walnut shells.In a medium bowl, toss walnut halves with oil. Transfer nuts to a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes, or until toasted. Let cool to room temperature.<br /><br />To assemble: Set cooled walnut shells on a tray. Fill walnut halves with 1 teaspoon of cheese mixture. Transfer to serving tray and drizzle with honey overtop just before serving. Discard nut shells after eating the filling.<br /><br />Note: You will want to yield just 12 cosmetically perfect walnut halves from these 10 whole walnuts. Please see recipe instructions.<br /><br />-Adapted from "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Glutton-For-Pleasure-Signature-Etiquette/dp/1770500154" target="_blank">Glutton for Pleasure</a>" by Bob Blumer.<br /><br /><strong>AUTUMN-SPICED ICE CUBES </strong>
<blockquote>1 cup water <br />1 ripe pear (peeled, cored and thinly sliced) <br />1 teaspoon total freshly ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves <br />1/2 teaspoon stevia or other sugar-free sweetener</blockquote>
Yields about 12 to 16 flavored ice cubes.<br /><br />Combine water, pear, spices and stevia in a blender until it's pureed; freeze in an ice cube tray. Use as the ice for iced apple cider (either store-bought or homemade).<span> <br /><br /></span><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong> Maria Speck, author of "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Simply-Ancient-Grains-Flavorful-Recipes-ebook/dp/B00N6PFDGC/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1445320261&sr=1-1&keywords=Simply+Ancient+Grains" target="_blank">Simply Ancient Grains</a>," encourages you to consider making your favorite paella recipe vegetarian. Keep the signature seasonings of such recipes as is (including saffron threads), but consider using choices like hers, such as wild rice, sweet potatoes, carrots, red onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, tart, dried cherries and crumbled gorgonzola.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2015-10-19T14:28:00Z10-Second Recipes: Collecting Paper Can Pay OffStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Collecting-Paper-Can-Pay-Off/-907590358357024018.html2015-10-12T16:56:00Z2015-10-12T16:56:00Z<p><em><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Do you have a collection of recycled paper bags or empty juice cartons alongside your spice or wine collections? <a href="http://supermakeit.com/" target="_blank">Jodi Levine</a> considers it a valuable addition. The "lifelong crafter," who spent 19 years on Martha Stewart's staff as craft editor at <em><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/customer-service" target="_blank">Martha Stewart Living magazine</a></em>, editorial director at <em>Martha Stewart Kids</em> magazine and product designer for Stewart's popular line of crafts, notes in her book <em><a href="http://marthamoments.blogspot.com/2015/07/paper-goods-projects-new-book-by-jodi.html" target="_blank">Paper Goods Projects</a></em> that "collecting paper goods, like bags, plates, and doilies, and searching the aisles of supermarkets and hardware and variety stores for supplies to use for craft projects have been lifelong passions of mine."<br /><br />Levine shows both kidlets and adults how to create masterpieces out of coffee filters, doilies, cupcake wrappers, bags and other paper products. Exotic masks are fashioned, for instance, out of paper plates, cone-shaped hand-painted party hats out of supermarket paper bags and fancy gift wrap toppers cut and pasted from doilies.<br /><br />If "cut and paste" is a term you know related only to computer software programs for the last years, like Levine, you just may revel in this more old-fashioned hands-on hobby.<br /><br />Whenever I look up from my own giftwrap and ribbon scrap collection hidden in my kitchen pantry that has creatively saved such expenses many times, I've since noticed other signs of the recycled paper craft retro revolution. I dare you not to choke up at two recent television commercials.<br /><br />The first has a neighbor narrating, showing a small boy throwing paper airplanes in his backyard with notes to his soldier father shown to be stationed in battle. The neighbor then through paper magic (and contacting the father) makes it appear to the son that paper airplanes with notes from the father are coming back to him over the fence. Undoubtedly sensing recycled paper needed a push in these computerized antiseptic times, the tearjerker was courtesy of a trade group for paper goods and wrapping.<br /><br />Next in a series of commercials, Georgia-Pacific's Dixie paper goods brand, which interestingly on its website now has a link to their "sustainability" site as well, introduced their slogan, shown in the middle of a paper plate, "Dixie: Be More Here." A memorable one features a family eating what appears to be a hearty Italian meal from paper plates, bowls and cups, possibly around a Sunday dinner table, laughing and talking while the text on screen notes, "Focus on what matters, not the dishes. Dixie. Be More Here."<br /><br />In addition, perhaps as an aid to families who have been busy texting during dinnertime, the 90-year-old Dixie brand, which notes it gained prominence with the emergence of the Baby Boom generation, even has meal "<a href="http://www.dixie.com/experience-dixie/family-meals/conversation-starters" target="_blank">conversation starters</a>" below the sample video of its commercial on its website. A sweet seasonal one: "Would you rather get lost at an apple orchard or a pumpkin patch?"<br /><br />Kids, on the other hand, may find themselves lost in preparing a few of the old-fashioned paper crafts Dixie.com also features, like the colorful multiple jellyfish streamer mobile one below. Its instructive introduction reveals that jellyfish can be sizes "smaller than a pinhead to larger than a human being."<br /><br />Fun projects like these also prove that food-related crafts can be easy, inexpensive - and fast. They are evidence that everyone has time for creating homemade joy as well as the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br /><strong>PAPER BOWL JELLYFISH</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<blockquote>Multiple colors of paper streamers<span> <br /></span>Paper soup bowls<span> <br /></span>Adhesive, such as white glue, stapler or tape<span> <br /></span>Construction paper<span> <br /></span>Wire or string</blockquote>
Use adult supervision for each step. <br /><br />To create the jellyfish's head, scrunch paper streamers and wind around the outside of a paper soup bowl. Attach with adhesive, such as glue, stapler or tape. Create "googly" eyes out of construction paper and attach to streamer-wrapped bowl with adhesive.<br /><br />To create the jellyfish's tentacles, cut strips of streamers of varying lengths. Adhere the tentacle strips to the inside of the bowl, being sure to distribute evenly. Scrunch and crumble the tentacle strips to create a rippling texture. Gently shake the tentacle streamers free from one another so that they hang loosely (if you pull too hard it will rip.)<br /><br />Using a pushpin, carefully poke a hole through the center of the bowl. Cut wire or string. Tie a knot at one end, and thread unknotted side through the hole.<br /><br />If creating multiple jellyfish, hang at varying lengths to create an under the ocean feeling.<br /><br />-<a href="http://www.dixie.com/" target="_blank">Dixie.com</a><br /><br /><strong>RECYCLED BOX HEART GARLAND 3-D GREETING CARD</strong><span> <br /></span>
<blockquote>1 cardboard or cardstock card (plus 1 more for baking, optional)<span> <br /></span>Twine or thin string<br />Waxed or scrap paper<br />White glue Scraps of cardboard packaging, cut into heart shapes (see Note)<br />Markers or sticker letters for message in card<br />Cut a short slit in the top two corners of one of the cards. </blockquote>
Cut a piece of string to your desired garland length, plus 2 inches extra. Lay your string down on top of the waxed paper, and glue the cut heart shapes onto the string, leaving 1 inch on each side of the string uncovered. Let dry.<br /><br />Thread each end of the string into each slit. Glue or knot the ends of the string behind the card.Glue the second card onto the back to cover the strings, if desired, using a very thin layer of white glue.<br />Add a handwritten or sticker-letter greeting.<br /><br /><strong>Note:</strong> Choose colorful cardboard packaging, like from empty, washed milk or juice cartons.<br /><br />- <a href="http://supermakeit.com/blog/2015/7/16/our-new-book" target="_blank">Paper Goods Projects</a> by Jodi Levine<br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> In <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Citrus-Sweet-Savory-Sun-Kissed-Recipes-ebook/dp/B00QP3SAS0" target="_blank">Citrus: Sweet & Savory Sun-Kissed Recipes</a></em>, <a href="http://www.valerieaikman-smith.com/" target="_blank">Valerie Aikman-Smith</a> and <a href="http://victoriapearson.com/" target="_blank">Victoria Pearson</a> share a not-often noted thirst-quenching tip. "You can freeze the juice [of fresh citrus fruit] for up to six months," they write. They also advise that when juicing, "first, roll the citrus fruit firmly on a work surface or squeeze it between your palms. This will bruise the interior cells that hold the juice so that it will release more easily."<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2015-10-12T16:56:00Z10-Second Recipes: Fall Into Some Easy Autumn SoupsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Fall-Into-Some-Easy-Autumn-Soups/768635306897713136.html2015-10-05T17:59:00Z2015-10-05T17:59:00Z<p><em><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>As another busy fall begins to fall into place, once again, hearty soup is one of the most economical, easy and tasty treats of the season. The contents of soup pots, however, don't have to be either homemade or store-bought.<br /><br />"Halfway homemade" can equal some super spoonfuls that start with a foundation of canned soup, like low-sodium chicken and rice, that gets a kick from quick-cook brown rice, a variety of diced mushrooms, minced scallions and fresh-pressed garlic, and corn chowder to which you add fresh corn kernels, diced red bell pepper, jalapenos and Cajun seasoning blend before topping with crumbles of cornbread.<br /><br /><strong>Chicken and Rice that Rises to the Occasion:</strong> To store-bought, preferably low-sodium, chicken and rice soup before heating add quick-cook brown rice, a variety of diced mushrooms, diced celery, diced carrots, minced scallions, freshly ground black pepper and fresh-pressed garlic.<br /><br /><strong>Butternut Squash That's Even Better: </strong>Before heating, add canned pumpkin puree to store-bought butternut squash soup, as well as freshly ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Just before serving, top with croutons prepared by cutting cubes of well-toasted cinnamon-raisin bread.<br /><br /><strong>Making Room for Mushroom Barley:</strong> Barley is one of the healthiest whole grains, therefore ensuring this popular type of store-bought soup is always a good choice. Improve it even more by adding before heating minced tomatoes, chopped fresh cilantro and dill, from both of which stems have been removed, toasted garlic and a dash of cayenne pepper.<br /><br /><strong>Tomatoes that Will Tickle You: </strong>The lycopene that's best released in processed tomato products, like paste, ketchup and canned soups, is an added nutritional bonus to the wonderful flavor of tomatoes. To store-bought tomato soup before heating, add chopped fresh basil and oregano, onions that have been caramelized and vanilla soymilk for a creamy effect.<br /><br /><strong>Turn Up the Heat on Tempting Tortellini: </strong>Even some "healthy" brands features tortellini or ravioli in a variety of their soups. To that before heating add small torn pieces of fresh spinach, the leaves of celery, diced mushrooms and chopped sauteed garlic.<br /><br /><strong>Beef Up Vegetable Beef Soup with More Vegetables:</strong> Store-bought vegetable beef soup, preferably the low-sodium variety, can be made more vibrant. Before heating, add small chunks of unpeeled sweet potato, zucchini, broccoli, onion, quinoa (the grain-like seed, high in protein that's now widely available at major supermarkets) and a few dashes of powdered barbecue rub spice.<br /><br /><strong>Creative Corn Chowder: </strong>Before heating store-bought corn chowder, add fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels, diced red bell pepper, diced, seeded jalapeno that you wear latex gloves to chop and don't touch your eyes during or afterward and Cajun seasoning blend. Just before serving, crumble pieces of store-bought or homemade cornbread on top and drizzle with freshly chopped parsley.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>SLOW COOKER CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP</strong></p>
<blockquote>1 cup store-bought picante sauce <br />2 cans (10 & 3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup <br />1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces <br />2 cups frozen whole kernel corn <br />1 can (about 15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained <br />1 soup can water <br />1 teaspoon ground cumin <br />4 corn tortillas (6-inch), cut into strips <br />1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces) <br />1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves</blockquote>
Yields 6 servings.<br /><br />Stir the picante sauce, soup, chicken, corn, beans, water and cumin in a 4-quart slow cooker.<br /><br />Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until the chicken is cooked through.Stir the tortillas, cheese and cilantro into the cooker. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Serve with additional cheese, if desired. <br /><br />-<a href="http://www.campbellskitchen.com/" target="_blank">CampbellsKitchen.com</a><br /><br /><strong>AFTER-WORK CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP </strong> <br />
<blockquote>2 cups cut-up rotisserie or other cooked chicken <br />2 medium stalks celery, chopped <br />2 medium carrots, sliced 1 medium onion, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon parsley flakes <br />1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped <br />7 cups store-bought chicken broth <br />1 cup uncooked wide egg noodles</blockquote>
Yields 4 servings.<br /><br />In 3-quart saucepan, heat all ingredients, except noodles, to boiling. Stir in noodles. Heat to boiling; reduce heat.<br /><br />Simmer uncovered 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles and vegetables are tender.<br /><br />-<a href="http://www.progresso.com/" target="_blank">Progresso.com</a><br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Sometimes simple tricks can solve age-old problems. In <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gluten-Free-Lizard-Lick-Recipes-Finger-Licking/dp/0062383981" target="_blank">Gluten-Free in Lizard Lock: 100 Gluten-Free Recipes for Finger-Licking Food for Your Soul</a></em>, author <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LLTR.Amy" target="_blank">Amy Shirley</a> (of <a href="http://www.trutv.com/shows/lizard-lick-towing/index.html" target="_blank">TruTV's "Lizard Lick Towing"</a>) writes, "Okay, is there anyone else out there that feels like they need to wear goggles when they cut or grate onions? They make my eyes run like faucets! One trick I've learned to stave off the waterworks show is to put the onion in the freezer for about 10 minutes just before slicing it up."<br /><strong><br /><br /><br />Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2015-10-05T17:59:00Z10-Second Recipes: Wowed by a WhiskStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Wowed-by-a-Whisk/-973473310292072606.html2015-09-21T19:39:00Z2015-09-21T19:39:00Z<p><em><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>I saw my whisks a lot more than I used them. That's because long ago, in an act of rare arts-and-crafts around the house, I made a sculpture of sorts of my collection of my unused whisks that ranged in size from about two inches high to a foot, and from flat, to thin, to fat. I repurposed a slatted silverware holder from one of those chic wooden dish racks that are still all I use even though they fall apart after a few years and placed all of the whisks inside. It is almost like a wire and wood flower arrangement and sits atop my kitchen breakfast nook bar as decoration.<br /><br />That is, except for one standard whisk. I kept that out in a bin with our other kitchen utensils and my husband and I use it each time we make scrambled eggs or omelets. I now see that in a horribly wrong move, for other dishes, I lazily mixed or beat any other by-hand ingredients with a tablespoon or large wooden spoon. The results were fine, but now I can see they could have been much better had I used a whisk as directed. <br /><br />I found out this accidentally by preparing two recipes in one day that called for whisking in the instructions and actually whisking rather than just stirring furiously with a spoon. I could have asked Valerie Bertinelli, though. The actress and longtime avid chef has a new series on Food Network called "Valerie's Home Cooking" filled with comfort food. After my day of whisking when I saw Bertinelli making her "Secret Homemade Chocolate Sauce" in which honey is a special touch, I could relate to her other acknowledged special touch: whisking the ingredients until "thick but smooth." I also knowingly nodded as I saw a promo for the new TV series "<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/rachael-rays-kids-cook-off.html" target="_blank">Rachael Ray's Kids Cook-Off</a>" and one of the winning tots held up a whisk and declared it was her favorite cooking tool.<br /><br />I'd been pooh-poohing whisks for decades. Just before the Internet became part of everyday life, I remember receiving a slim hardcover cookbook titled "Whisk." I thought, "That's silly. Maybe that's hype. Why would recipes be distinguished just because you use a whisk? No wonder that book is so skinny!" I wish now I could find it.<br /><br />My day of enlightenment began with craving fettuccine Alfredo and wanting to have a first-time try at making a smooth and creamy rendition at home with the unsweetened soymilk I use for everything. While slightly adapting a recipe from AllRecipes.com, after adding cream cheese, garlic powder and black pepper, I did as advised: "Stir with a wire whisk until smooth. Add milk a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps." After my years of laziness, I was amazed at how beautifully the whisk quickly smoothed out the lumps. My sauce ended up perfect.<br /><br />Later that day, cravings were continuing to be met. I desired rich chocolate sorbet, but wanted something virtually sugar-free. I found a recipe adapted from ice cream pro David Lebovitz on "<a href="https://cookin5m2.wordpress.com/tag/cook/" target="_blank">Cook in Five Square Meters Blog</a>" that, like Bertinelli's chocolate sauce recipe below, utilized a small amount of honey (instead of Lebovitz's granulated sugar) to great effect. For me, this was a mother lode when it came to whisking. First, I "whisked together" water, honey, unsweetened cocoa powder and salt and brought to a boil, "whisking frequently," and then let it boil, "continuing to whisk" before stirring in chopped dark chocolate. Again, for the second time that day, I was amazed at how smooth and thick the concoction was, which resulted in a tantalizing final product.<br /><br />Like the wire whisk sculpture I made for my kitchen, also for cute effect, for years I have had a tiny two-inch wire whisk someone gave me in the pen- and pencil-filled mug on the desk in my home office. Lately I've been tempted to dismantle those artworks for more delicious usage.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>QUICK AND EASY ALFREDO SAUCE</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<blockquote>1/4 cup butter (or 1 tablespoon butter and the rest vegan butter spread)<span> <br /></span>4 ounces whipped cream cheese<span> <br /></span>1 teaspoon garlic powder<span> <br /></span>1 cup unsweetened soymilk<span> <br /></span>1/2 teaspoon black pepper <br />3 ounces combination of finely grated white cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese or just Parmesan cheese<br />3 servings cooked fettuccine or spaghetti, kept hot</blockquote>
Yields 3 servings.<br /><br />Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with a wire whisk until smooth. Add soymilk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in pepper and cheese.<br /><br />Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly. Thin with more soymilk if cooked too long or otherwise necessary. Toss with hot pasta. Serve immediately.<br /><br />-Adapted from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/" target="_blank">AllRecipes.com<br /></a><br /> <strong>VALERIE BERTINELLI'S CREME DE MENTHE SUNDAES WITH SECRET HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE SAUCE</strong><span> <br /></span>
<blockquote><strong>Chocolate sauce:</strong><span> <br /></span>3 tablespoons honey<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder<span> <br /></span>Pinch (preferably kosher) salt<span> <br /></span>1 teaspoon vanilla<span> <br /><br /></span><strong>Sundaes:</strong><span> <br /></span>8 scoops vanilla ice cream<span> <br /></span>Creme de menthe syrup (or other syrup), for drizzling<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup raspberries</blockquote>
Yields 4 servings.<br /><br />To prepare chocolate sauce: Put 3/4 cup water and the honey in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring so that the honey dissolves; with an oven mitt if needed carefully remove from the heat.<br /><br />Add cocoa powder and salt to a heatproof bowl. Add a few tablespoons of the honey-water mixture to the cocoa powder. Whisk to create a thick but smooth liquid. Add the cocoa mixture back to the remaining honey-water mixture in the pan. Bring the whole mixture up to a simmer and let cook until slightly thickened, about 3 more minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Let cool completely, then refrigerate. (The sauce thickens as it cools and chills.)<br />To prepare sundaes: Add 2 scoops of ice cream to 4 bowls. Drizzle each with some of the chocolate sauce and creme de menthe syrup. Top with a few of the raspberries. Serve immediately.<br /><br />-<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/valeries-home-cooking.html" target="_blank">"Valerie's Home Cooking"/FoodNetwork.com</a><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> In Candice Kumai's new<em> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Clean-Green-Eats-Clean-Eating-Recipes/dp/0062388738" target="_blank">Clean Green Eats</a></em>, the chef prepares a mix for chickpea burgers that also includes oats, chopped nuts, diced vegetables and spices (all of which could be your choice based on taste). When pulsing in a food processor, Kumai advises: "Be sure to pulse just until a fine meal appears; if you blend too much, you'll make hummus!"<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2015-09-21T19:39:00Z10-Second Recipes: Call to a Culinary Current Events ChallengeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Call-to-a-Culinary-Current-Events-Challenge/849494883528249028.html2015-09-14T17:10:00Z2015-09-14T17:10:00Z<p><em><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>What could be more fun to discuss at the dinner table than dinner? For many families with young students who have just begun the school year that often means stimulating family meal conversations peppered with current events. This remains my favorite fall food event year after year.<br /><br />Why not stir that up with a bit of delicious food history as well. Something that those with curious palates soon find out is that one can learn the history, culture, politics and other issues regarding a place through its food, whether that destination is as close as another part of your own state or as far away as a distant country.<br /><br />A good way for you and your kids to start and stay up on the news at the same time is to think about the location of an event in the news, discuss that event and then the foods and recipes that are famous there. Plan quick meals based on them as well.<br /><br />Helpful dishes like these also prove cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun-and fast. They take just 10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it.<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since there are no right or wrong amounts. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you-or your kidlet helpers-choose to use can't help but draw "wows." <br /><br />Here are a few location-based ideas:</p>
<ul>
<li>Feast "Floribbean" Style: Delve into the history with your kids of how Caribbean, Latin American and Cuban cuisine have had major influence over what is now dubbed the "Floribbean" cooking style of Florida.</li>
</ul>
<p>For a fun and easy taste, marinate your favorite cut of lean pork (often used in such recipes) in a combination of fresh lime and orange juices, oregano, garlic and freshly ground pepper. Cook it on both sides, per the USDA, to an internal temperature of 145 F (or 160 F if ground) and serve in a thick roll topped with pickle spears and mustard.</p>
<ul>
<li>Carolina Barbecue Is a Good Bet: To emulate those in North Carolina, where barbecue is king, why not experiment with making your own barbecue sauce.</li>
</ul>
<p>In those particular parts, vinegar is often a hallmark. You can combine apple cider vinegar, dark brown sugar, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, ketchup and hot sauce and, in a flash, have a taste that's gone back centuries.<br /><br />To further get a feel --- and scent --- of the area, purchase packages of hickory chips to burn when you grill in a charcoal grill or smoker outdoors.</p>
<ul>
<li>Passionate about Politics: If you want to give your kids a feel for what it was like for the very first First Family, check out from the library, purchase (current paperbacks are about $30) or read excerpts and recipes online from <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Martha-Washingtons-Booke-Cookery-Sweetmeats/dp/0231049315" target="_blank">Martha Washington's Booke of Cookery</a></em>.</li>
</ul>
<p>In the book, there are more than 500 family recipes handed down from Elizabethan times. At dinnertime, discuss the ingredients that differ from and/or are the same as today and what this means regarding history and culture. Consider planning a Martha Washington cooking contest.<br /><br /><strong>FLORIBBEAN-FLAVORED PORK CHOPS WITH GARLIC-LIME SAUCE</strong> </p>
<blockquote>1/4 cup fresh lime juice <br />1/8 cup fresh orange juice <br />1 garlic clove, minced <br />1 teaspoon dried oregano <br />1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper <br />1/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes <br />1/4 teaspoon salt <br />1/3 cup olive oil <br />2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro <br />6 (1/2-inch-thick) boneless pork chops</blockquote>
Yields 4 servings.<br /><br />Whisk together lime juice, orange juice, garlic, oregano, black pepper, red-pepper flakes, and salt, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking well. Whisk in cilantro.<br /><br />Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-high heat. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper. Oil grill rack, then grill pork chops, covered, turning over once, until just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes total, until reaches an internal temperature of 145 F. Serve drizzled with some vinaigrette, and with remainder on the side.<br /><br />-Adapted from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/" target="_blank">Epicurious.com</a><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>Joy Cho intermingles culinary and craft ideas in <em><a href="http://www.ohjoy.com/books.html" target="_blank">Oh Joy! 60 Ways to Create & Give Joy</a></em>. She suggests being creative with skewering, such as gummies and other candies or melon chunks for a dessert offering. For me, it inspired a skewer that featured both and each bite was uniquely sweet, juicy and chewy. They make a nice presentation for a party and taste great, too.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2015-09-14T17:10:00Z10-Second Recipes: Slow Cooking Can Mean Fast PrepStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Slow-Cooking-Can-Mean-Fast-Prep/967565677402560188.html2015-09-08T15:10:00Z2015-09-08T15:10:00Z<p><em>(originally published 09.08.2014)<br /><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>When can restricted diets be a delicious thing? When they are the subjects of healthy, innovative cookbooks by Judith Finlayson.</p>
<p>Finlayson, a million-selling cookbook author, uses the slow cooker almost as medicine, and has in the second edition of her "The Healthy Slow Cooker," with its gluten-free fare, come up with gems that rival her earlier "The Best Diabetes Slow Cooker Recipes."</p>
<p>If you've been looking for dishes to make your life easier, look no further than Finlayson's (also author of the "175 Essential Slow Cooker Classics" and a slew of additional slow cooker books) health-themed helpers. If your family doesn't know the titles of the books, chances are they won't realize you are sneaking high-fiber, fruit-and-vegetable-packed, lean protein-rich dishes into their diets.</p>
<p>In both, Finlayson first fills you up with plenty of slow cooker tips, such as finding dishes and pans that fit right into your stoneware or cooking a recipe overnight and then refrigerating until ready to serve.</p>
<p>The recipes are the stars, though. They are innovative concoctions, many of which you may have never dreamed could be made in a slow cooker. From the diabetes book, black bean-salsa dip is creamy with light sour cream and light cream cheese, spicy with jalapeno pepper, cracked black peppercorns, green onions and cilantro. A pumpkin date loaf emerges moist, dense and brimming with nutrients. Gingery pears poached in green tea is among the distinctive desserts. Plenty of old favorites for slow cookers, like stews, ragouts, goulashes, stroganoffs and casseroles also fill the pages.</p>
<p>Gluten-free specialties include leafy greens soup, miso mushroom with Chinese cabbage and coconut rice pudding with flambéed bananas.</p>
<p>What's to be most appreciated, though, is how Finlayson and her registered dietitian consultants have created proportions and ingredient mixes that create heavy lifting only for your fork, not for your body.</p>
<p>That includes ease of preparation as well. Slow cooking is the only thing slow about this type of food preparation, like these recipes from "The Healthy Slow Cooker."</p>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Breakfast Rice </strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li>1 cup brown rice</li>
<li>4 cups vanilla-flavored fortified rice milk</li>
<li>1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries</li>
<li>Toasted nuts, for serving, to taste (optional</li>
</ul>
<div>Yields 4 servings.</div>
<p>In the lightly greased slow cooker stoneware of a small to medium (1 & 1/2- to 3 & 1/2-quart) slow cooker, combine rice, rice milk and cherries. Consider purchasing dried fruits unsweetened or sweetened with fruit juice if possible. Made with this quantity of liquid, the rice will be a bit crunchy around the edges. If you prefer a softer version, or will be cooking longer than 8 hours, add 1/2 cup water or additional rice milk.</p>
<p>Place a clean tea towel folded in half (so you will have two layers) over top of stoneware to absorb moisture. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for up to 8 hours or overnight.</p>
<p>Stir well and serve garnished with nuts, if desired. Nuts add a bit of protein and fat, which helps control how quickly the carbohydrates are digested and absorbed.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Almonds with Thyme</strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li>2 cups (preferably unblanched) almonds</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon pepper</li>
<li>1 tablespoon fine sea salt (optional), or more to taste</li>
<li>2 tablespoons (preferably extra virgin) olive oil</li>
<li>2 tablespoons (preferably fresh) thyme leaves</li>
</ul>
<p> Yields about 2 cups.</p>
<p> In stoneware of a small (maximum 3 & 1/2-quart) slow cooker, combine almonds and pepper. Cover and cook on high for 1 & 1/2 hours, carefully stirring every 30 minutes, until nuts are nicely toasted.</p>
<p>In a bowl, combine salt if using (see Note below), olive oil and thyme. Carefully add to hot almonds in stoneware and stir thoroughly to combine. Spoon mixture into a small serving bowl and serve hot or let cool.</p>
<p><strong>Note:</strong> Sea salt, available in most supermarkets, is sweeter than table salt. Use it or no salt, as the flavor of table salt may not work well in this recipe.</p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong> "Don't pass on sprinkling your cereal with nuts because you're counting calories," Finlayson writes. "About one-third of the calories in nuts (and seeds) are provided by resistant starch, which means they are not absorbed into your bloodstream."</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>
<p> </p>Staff2015-09-08T15:10:00Z10-Second Recipes: Carrots Are Sweet Treats in More Than CakesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Carrots-Are-Sweet-Treats-in-More-Than-Cakes/951202028131003514.html2015-08-31T15:29:00Z2015-08-31T15:29:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />The next time you are in the mood for dessert, consider sauteing that bunch of carrots in your vegetable bin in butter and then giving them a long luxurious hot bath in coconut milk. The silky result, when crowned with spices, golden raisins and crushed pistachios, is a rich pudding that just may make you forget there is any dessert ingredient beyond surprising carrots.<br /><br />If the furthest you've ventured into such terrain is trying carrot cake, you are in for some treats, as just such an Indian-style, sweet-spicy pudding will immediately alert you. Simply making crisp oat-whole wheat cookies, brimming with thin carrot "coins" nestled next to dark chocolate chips, dark chocolate-covered raisins and chopped walnuts may mean you never settle for plain chocolate chip or oatmeal-raisin varieties again.<br /><br />Here are a few other dessert ideas for the just-sweet-enough vegetable:</p>
<ul>
<li>Add shredded carrots, finely chopped dates, and well-drained minced pineapple to a brownie recipe and finish with cream cheese frosting.</li>
<br />
<li>Saute shredded carrots in butter and maple syrup; use as a thin glaze/topping spread over ready-to-eat or freshly homemade cheesecake. Chill for 30 minutes before serving. </li>
<br />
<li>Place shredded carrots and unsweetened cocoa powder in a dessert sweetened crepe recipe and, once the crepes are cooked and cooled, fill with whipped cream that's been prepared with dashes of ground cinnamon and ground cloves.</li>
</ul>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The food tips take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>CARROT-OAT COOKIES</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<blockquote>1/2 cup whole-wheat flour<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats<span> <br /></span>3/4 teaspoon baking powder<span> <br /></span>1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg<span> <br /></span>1/8 teaspoon ground allspice<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup pure maple syrup<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup canola oil<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup mashed soft tofu (see Note)<span> <br /></span>6 peeled baby carrots, cut into thin "coins"<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup chopped walnuts<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup (preferably dark) chocolate raisins<br />1/4 cup small broken pieces of (preferably 70 percent cacao) dark chocolate </blockquote>
Yields about 14 cookies.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly spray two baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.<br /><br />Combine flour, oats, baking powder, nutmeg and allspice in a large bowl.<br /><br />Add maple syrup, canola oil and mashed tofu and stir until just combined. Add rest of ingredients and combine well.<br /><br />Place the cookie dough by very heaping teaspoons onto the prepared cookie sheets, leaving about an inch between cookies. Carefully place in the oven and bake until the cookies begin to turn brown around the edges. Check at 12 minutes; may take about 25 minutes. Leave cookies on baking sheet until completely cool and firm to the touch. Serve immediately or store in airtight container in refrigerator.<br /><br />Note: Tofu, which adds no flavor, works in place of eggs; do not leave it out.<br /><br />-Adapted from Ralphs Supermarkets "My Magazine."<br /><br /> <strong>CARROT-SPICE PUDDING</strong><span> <br /></span>
<blockquote>1/2 cup regular or vegan butter<span> <br /></span>6 medium carrots, shredded<span> <br /></span>2 cups coconut milk<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup packed brown sugar<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup golden raisins<span> <br /></span>4 cardamom pods, bruised<span> <br /></span>1/4 teaspoon salt<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup unsalted shelled pistachio nuts, crushed (for garnish)</blockquote>
Yields 6 servings.<br /><br />Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and then add carrots. Reduce heat to medium-low and coat carrots in butter.<br /><br />Carefully stir in coconut milk; simmer on low heat, uncovered, for 45 minutes; stirring occasionally.<br /><br />Stir in rest of ingredients, except for pistachios. Stir frequently, until sugar is dissolved into a pudding-like consistency, about 15 minutes.<br /><br />Cool slightly and carefully transfer into small dessert bowls. Store in refrigerator to set and, after that, when ready to serve invert onto dessert plates and garnish with crushed pistachios. <br /><br />-<a href="http://www.epicurious.com/" target="_blank">Epicurious.com</a><br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>"If you have a little leftover wine in the bottle, don't pour it down the drain," writes Melissa d'Arabian in "Ten Dollar Dinners." Instead, "fill an ice cube tray half-full with wine and then freeze (if you fill all the way, the alcohol won't freeze). Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a resealable freezer bag. The next time you need to deglaze a pan or make a quick pan sauce, toss in a few cubes for an extra layer of flavor that didn't cost you a dime."<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2015-08-31T15:29:00Z10-Second Recipes: Roasted Marshmallows? Why Not Summer Fruit Instead?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Roasted-Marshmallows-Why-Not-Summer-Fruit-Instead/-759184606481403301.html2015-08-24T16:14:00Z2015-08-24T16:14:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />Temperatures rise in summer. Let the temp climb, too, for just a few minutes in your kitchen when it comes to preparing summer fruit and you are in for an unrivaled treat.<br /><br />"Preparing" warm weather fruit? Aren't they juicy and perfect, just chilled and by the handful? No doubt about that. On the outdoor grill, too. When you heat that way, you get a wonderful smoky effect.<br /><br />Less known, and the most intensely flavored of all, though, is a quick roast. Summer fruit is my favorite food and revisiting roasting is my most-loved technique. Roasting occurs at high temperatures --- usually 400 F and above --- and as far as delicate summer fruit goes, does its trick in just a few minutes.<br /><br />Wonderful as is, like the roasted cherries that follow that are made with a touch of sugar, butter and kirsch (the cherry-flavored brandy), they also make terrific and easy adornments. The cherries also can drape ice cream or pound cake for a super simple, yet extremely memorable dessert.<br /><br />Roasted fruit also can become part and parcel of an imaginative recipe, like the peach bruschetta (topped Italian roasted bread) below.<br /><br />Here are some additional refreshing fruits that are outstanding for roasting and flavors to include brushed and dotted atop them that are especially compatible. Pit the stone fruit first and slice. Bananas can be roasted with peel until slightly blackened or, roasted for less time if peeled. Roast all of the fruit at 400 F.</p>
<ul>
<li>Plums: Grape juice, butter, honey, thyme</li>
<li>Nectarines: White wine, butter, sugar, rosemary</li>
<li>Pineapples: Lemon juice, butter, molasses, candied orange peel</li>
<li>Raspberries: Red wine, butter, sugar, dark chocolate</li>
<li>Bananas: Caramel sauce, butter, finely chopped macadamia nuts</li>
</ul>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The food tips take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>ROASTED CHERRIES</strong><span> </span></p>
<blockquote>1 pound fresh cherries, pitted (see Note)<span> <br /></span>1/3 cup sugar, or more to taste<span> <br /></span>3 tablespoons unsalted butter<span> <br /></span>1/3 cup kirsch<br /></blockquote>
Yields 4 servings.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 400 F. Butter a large shallow baking pan.<br /><br />Spread the cherries in a single layer in the pan, sprinkle with the sugar and dot with the butter. Roast for 15 minutes.<br /><br />Remove the pan from the oven, add the kirsch and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan with a spoon. Carefully transfer the cherries and cooking liquid to a serving bowl and let cool. Serve at room temperature.<br /><br />Good as is, or as a topping for slightly softened ice cream or over toasted pound cake.<br /><br />Note: Pitting the cherries goes much faster with a cherry pitter, available in most kitchenware stores.<br /><br /> <strong>ROASTED PEACH BRUSCHETTA</strong><span> <br /></span>
<blockquote>4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices day-old firm bread<span> <br /></span>2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened<span> <br /></span> 4 medium fresh peaches, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (see Note) <span> <br /></span>1/4 cup sugar or honey, or to taste<span> </span>Ground cinnamon, to taste (see Note)</blockquote>
Yields 4 servings.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 450 F.<br /><br />Spread each bread slice with 1/2 tablespoon of the butter and top with the fruit and sugar or honey. Sprinkle with cinnamon to taste. Carefully transfer to a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.<br /><br />Preheat the broiler. Place the baking sheet under the broiler and broil until the fruit is nicely glazed.<br /><br />Note: Fresh nectarines or plums may be substituted for peaches. Freshly grated nutmeg may be substituted for cinnamon.<br /><br />-Recipes from <em>Reasons to Roast: More than 100 Simple and Intensely Flavored Recipes. </em><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>Michael Gibney's <em>Sous Chef</em> had been named one of the 10 best nonfiction books of the year by TIME Magazine and recently was published in paperback. Uniquely, it covers just 24 hours in an elegant New York City restaurant with the tension of a novel and the excitement of a thriller. In the end, there is even a helpful food glossary. These tasty topics all came up within that one day:
<ul>
<li>Boquerones: Mild white anchovies marinated in vinegar and olive oil with garlic and parsley; a common Spanish tapa.</li>
<br />
<li>Boudin blanc: A pork-based "pudding"-style sausage common in French, Belgian, and Cajun cuisine, which typically contains liver, heart, milk, and sometimes eggs and other ingredients.</li>
<br />
<li>Cervelle de veau: Veal brains.</li>
<br />
<li>Evasee: A saucepan whose circumference at its top is greater than that at its base, used primarily for evaporating liquids.</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2015-08-24T16:14:00ZThe Grown Up Dinner Party: Your First Dinner Party In 3 Easy CoursesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/The-Grown-Up-Dinner-Party:-Your-First-Dinner-Party-In-3-Easy-Courses/354516302797868166.html2015-08-17T17:20:00Z2015-08-17T17:20:00Z<em> </em>
<p><strong>By <strong>Justine Santaniello</strong></strong><br /><a href="http://www.justhaves.com/" target="_blank">www.JustHaves.com</a><br /><br />Throwing your very first dinner party can be intimidating - particularly if any invitees are talented cooks- but a meal in three courses is an excellent and manageable place to begin. (You can graduate to five later.) <br /><br /><strong>Course 1: Cranberry and Bleu Cheese Spinach Salad</strong> <br />Get a big salad bowl and salad tongs. Buy two bags of fresh spinach leaves and toss with roasted honey walnuts, crumbled bleu cheese and dried cranberries. You can buy the walnuts pre-roasted or roast them yourself by tossing honey and sugar-coated raw nuts onto a foiled cookie sheet covered in cooking spray and roasting in a 350F oven for 8 minutes. <br /><br />For the dressing, pour a store-bought balsamic vinaigrette into a fancy salad dressing bottle server. They're inexpensive and if you mash up a few fresh strawberries and combine into the vessel, you'll have a strawberry balsamic that's to die for. <br /><br /><strong>Course 2: Roasted Balsamic Vegetable and Fennel Sausage Pizza with Fig<br /></strong>Yes, I said pizza - but it's a fancy grown up pizza. <br /><br />Here's what you'll need: a pre-made pizza crust, a pound of ground sweet Italian sausage (the kind with lots of fennel), a red onion, a head of garlic, a bag of frozen broccoli florets, olive oil, grated parmesan and a bottle of fig-flavored balsamic vinegar (you may have to get this at a specialty shop or online; it's not very pricey and is so worth it).<br /><br />Line a large baking dish with foil. Pre-heat the oven to 425F. Dump in the whole bag of broccoli. Cut up and add the red onion (thin, crescent-moon shapes are perfect). Mince and add two garlic cloves. Crumble in half-inch rounds of sausage and then drizzle everything generously with both the fig balsamic and the olive oil. Give it a toss with a slotted spoon and roast uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the sausage is browned through and the tips of the onion and broccoli start to brown. You can make this a full day ahead - it keeps beautifully. <br /><br />When you're ready to top the pizza, drizzle a bit of olive oil directly onto the crust, top generously with the roasted mixture (it can be hot or cold) and sprinkle on a few tablespoons of grated parmesan. Then, follow the baking instructions for the pizza crust and you're done! Be sure to purchase a pizza cutter too - it's easier and looks fancier than a plain old knife. <br /><br />Oh, and did you notice how we've used the balsamic flavoring again? That's another great way to make a dinner party seem well thought-out - by turning one or two flavor profiles into a theme. Speaking of a theme, that brings me to dessert.<br /><br /><strong>Course 3: Angel Food Cake with Balsamic Strawberries and Whipped Cream<br /></strong>Now that you've stuffed your guests, dessert should be light but still a little indulgent. <br /><br />The night before, dump a large bag of frozen strawberries into a bowl. Add roughly a cup of balsamic vinegar and a half-cup of granulated sugar. Let this sit to thaw and marinate overnight. Right before the party, spray an entire can of whipped cream into a serving dish and add a spoon. Slice up a store-bought angel food cake into individual portions and set out on a platter with a serving fork. <br /><br />When it's time for dessert, transfer the elements directly to the dinner table and assemble each person's portion right in front of them. All you have to do is plunk a piece of cake into a bowl, top with strawberries and cream and ladle a little extra strawberry "syrup" on top. Top with a sprig of fresh mint if you want to be extra fancy. <br /><br /><strong>Beverages: </strong>For this meal, I'd recommend a chilled bottle of dry white wine (like a Sauvignon Blanc) with frozen strawberries as "ice cubes". Serve in your prettiest stemware. <br /><br /><strong>Final Tip: Enjoy Yourself!</strong> Your guests are coming to spend time with you, not merely to eat a meal. By making many of the elements ahead and keeping the courses manageable, you'll be able to mingle and accept compliments on your beautiful and delicious spread. <br /><br /><strong>Justine Santaniello, </strong>Multimedia lifestyle contributor, shares her tips and top product suggestions - otherwise known as her 'Just Haves' - regularly on <em>The Wendy Williams Show</em>, <em>Good Day New York</em>, <em>Wake Up With Al</em>,<em> Yahoo!</em>, <em>FOX Business</em>, <em>PIX Morning News</em>, <em>Home and Family</em> and more. As the founder and creative director of <a href="http://www.justhaves.com/" target="_blank">JustHaves.com</a>, Justine is fast becoming a go-to media and consumer resource for anything and everything lifestyle related. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2015-08-17T17:20:00Z10-Second Recipes: Don't Skip the ScallopsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Dont-Skip-the-Scallops/-458409747567307407.html2015-08-10T17:20:00Z2015-08-10T17:20:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />It isn't fishy why you may not be preparing scallops at home. After all, even though the actual process is usually easy, studies often have shown that seafood is the ingredient most home cooks feel the least competent preparing. That would even include the most familiar types, like shrimp or salmon. <br /><br />Therefore, scallops, those edible bivalve mollusks that come from the ribbed fan-type shells many of us covet finding while walking on the beach, may cause even more trepidation. A staple on upscale restaurant menus, home use is only recently blossoming, according to the U.S. government's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, which promotes National Seafood Month every October to bring attention to sustainable fishing (regarding which the U.S. is the global leader, according to the U.S. Commerce Department).<br /><br />So easy to prepare and so sustainable are scallops that, for National Seafood Month in 2014, Oceana, a nonprofit organization that is the world's largest ocean conservation and advocacy organization, chose a recipe for scallops to promote. It was from Chef Nora Pouillon of Restaurant Nora in Washington, D.C. and the suggestion was to cover the scallops in a black sesame crust and drizzle with orange ginger sauce. Sauteing until brown and slightly crispy takes just 3 minutes per side.<br /><br />Even simpler are the two recipes that follow, also promoted in order to further the use of scallops at home. The National Watermelon Promotion Board developed a refreshing summer kebab for which scallops are cooked in boiling water for 5 minutes and then grilled for 90 seconds while paired with watermelon on skewers. <br /><br />The State of New Jersey Department of Agriculture, which includes the famed Jersey Shore communities, promoted the ceviche bruschetta recipe of restaurant chef Fred Madonna. Ceviche is a world-renowned dish originating in Latin countries where raw seafood is cured in citrus juices including spices. Therefore, Madonna, who in addition uses balsamic vinegar for the curing, shows off the easiest use of scallops of all: no cooking involved.<br /><br />In 2013, New York Times food columnist and bestselling cookbook author Mark Bittman (who wrote, "creamy, sweet, briny and meaty at the same time, scallops are the most user-friendly of mollusks") showed off a dozen ways to "serve the perfect scallop." Coinciding with their ease of preparation (of which he includes raw versions), his main overall advice if you do cook: "Err on the side of undercooking. Take the scallops off the grill before they're opaque all the way through. If you undercook a scallop, it will still be delicious. If you overcook a scallop, it will get rubbery."<br /><br />Following are a few pairing tips adapted from Bittman's recipes:<br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li>Raw scallops that have been tossed with lemon juice, salt and freshly ground black pepper are good atop cooked bacon.</li>
<br />
<li>Gently mix chunks of raw scallops in a fresh tomato salsa to which you've also added balsamic vinegar.</li>
<br />
<li>Serve grilled scallops atop a salad of kale, red onions and pitted black olives with a light vinaigrette dressing.</li>
<br />
<li>Serve grilled scallops gently mixed with fresh corn kernels, diced fresh peaches and chopped tomatoes sprinkled with chopped fresh basil, salt and freshly ground black pepper.</li>
</ul>
<p><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>SCALLOP AND WATERMELON KEBABS</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<blockquote>12 sea scallops<span> <br /></span>4 cups boiling vegetable or chicken broth<span> <br /></span>24 (1-inch-by-1-inch) watermelon cubes<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup soy sauce<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon sesame oil<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon minced garlic<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger</blockquote>
Yields 12 servings.<br /><br />Cut the scallops into halves across the diameter to create half-moon shapes. Place them in a heatproof casserole dish in a single layer. Carefully pour the boiling clear broth over the scallops and let them cook for 5 minutes. Carefully drain and cool the scallops.<br /><br />On each skewer alternate 1 cooled half-moon scallop, then 2 watermelon cubes, then another half-moon scallop. Mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger and brush the kebabs as they are grilled over a medium hot grill for about 90 seconds per side turning once, just until warmed. Serve warm.<br /><br />-<a href="http://www.watermelon.org/" target="_blank">National Watermelon Promotion Board</a><br /><br /><strong>SCALLOP CEVICHE BRUSCHETTA </strong> <br />
<blockquote>10 sea scallops, cut into 1 / 4-inch pieces <br />3 tomatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces <br />1/2 bunch basil, chopped <br />4 cloves garlic, chopped fine <br />10 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped coarsely Juice of 1 lime 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar <br />1/4 cup olive oil, plus a small amount for drizzling <br />1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus a small amount for garnish <br />Freshly ground black pepper, to taste<br />1 baguette of French or Italian bread, cut into 1-inch slices</blockquote>
Yields 6 servings.<br /><br />In a large steel mixing bowl, combine the scallops, tomatoes, basil, garlic and olives. Add the lime juice, vinegar, oil and cheese. Add pepper and let sit in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Let the acid from the lime and vinegar marinate the scallops.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 F. <br /><br />Drizzle oil and a dash of cheese on bread slices. Bake for about 1 minute, until golden brown. Do not burn.<br /><br />Spoon the scallop mixture on the toast and serve immediately.<br /><br />-<a href="http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/" target="_blank">State of New Jersey Department of Agriculture</a><br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>Megan Kimble wrote "<em>Unprocessed: My City-Dwelling Year of Reclaiming Real Food</em>." Here's one of her many discoveries that resulted in her stopping weighing herself: "I'd learned that the foods of this year filled me differently. After expending so much mental energy differentiating processed from unprocessed, I have no more resolve to spend on serving size, so I eat by the measure of satiety rather than size. I still slipped up, sometimes still ate more unprocessed food than my stomach really wanted...but I was learning. As it seemed, so was my body. Without conscious intervention, it was maintaining itself, its weight and its strength."<br /><br /><strong><br />Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2015-08-10T17:20:00Z10-Second Recipes: Count on Kasha to Kick Up NutritionStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Count-on-Kasha-to-Kick-Up-Nutrition/814119301322465772.html2015-08-03T20:28:00Z2015-08-03T20:28:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br />Kishka or kasha? Let my confusion lead you to a possibly new-found, yet old-fashioned, delicious family meal. I was trying to remember the difference between the two. I hadn't heard either of those words in a while, not since my Hungarian grandmother used to whip up some Eastern European specialties decades ago.<br /><br />I misremembered "kasha" being the greasy innards of a sausage casing, seasoned to the hilt. When I saw a "kasha knish" advertised at my local deli counter, I was in a devilish mood and very hungry and, therefore, wanted that childhood oil-fueled memory inside the pastry of the knish. I definitely wanted it more than my usual plain potato knish and even more than the slightly greasy meat in knishes that virtually every deli sells.<br /><br />When I got home and heated up the kasha knish as an appetizer to my solo meal while my husband worked, I was not quite disappointed in its flavor, but knew there was something off about my memory. Where was that lovely grease? Why did this look like ground beef, but not quite taste like it? Why was it so mild? Suddenly, the word "kishka" popped into my mind.<br /><br />I then remembered there are two words: "kasha" and "kishka." I quizzed myself, vaguely remembering both from years ago. I zoomed to my computer to look them up. Buckwheat? Kasha is buckwheat?<br /><br />That's the elusive grain (well technically an Asian plant that many refer to as a grain) I've been reading about that is a health powerhouse and wanting to find in the health food store to include in my usual "superfoods/whole foods" diet. I was all set to cheat with the innards of a sausage casing (that is indeed part of the definition of kishka, a beef casing stuffed with matzo meal, onions and other ingredients, and, which translated from Russian, stems from the word "intestine"), but somehow ended up chowing down on a whole grain within my otherwise rich deli meal. <br /><br />Suddenly, I was double-plastic bagging the leftover mound of kasha like the remains of a science experiment. I'd save it and add a bit in the next day or so to some of my other "superfoods." I even improved the wildly less-than-superfood deli cold macaroni salad (made with just about the hugest elbows I'd ever seen) by immediately sprinkling some of the now room temperature kasha on top of it.<span> <br /><br /></span>It turns out kasha, which I'd had as a kid but never knew was buckwheat, is generally defined in the United States as buckwheat groats, however can be made from any grain, and in Slavic countries loosely means any porridge. In the United States, it's mainly, once seasoned or buttered, a tasty side dish or vegetarian entree that's also as easy to prepare as rice and other more common grains. And its stats, as the health food nuts have been long raving over buckwheat, are quite impressive:<br /><br />Roasted and cooked, a cup of kasha buckwheat has about: 150 calories; 30 grams of carbohydrates, just 2 grams of sugar and 7 milligrams of sodium, and, like most grains, virtually no fat and cholesterol.<span> </span>The big story, though (in addition to having less calories and carbs than rice) is the cup of buckwheat kasha has about 6 grams protein, putting it in the league of super-hyped "super-grain" quinoa, which at more calories, carbs and fat per cup, has about 8 grams of protein and is known as the one grain that's got all the amino acids of complete proteins like meat. Kasha also has 5 grams of fiber slamming rice and in an equal amount to quinoa. The buckwheat also has 148 milligrams of potassium, compared to zero in quinoa or the 450 milligrams found in a high-potassium food like a banana.<span> <br /><br /></span>All that good news, as well as the tasty slightly nutty flavor and meat-like texture and appearance (especially when combined with beef or vegetable broth), has had me whipping up old-fashioned easy specialties like the ones below and putting --- on purpose this time --- the kasha knish at the top of my next deli shopping list.<br /><br />If you feel like tasting kasha without cooking it yourself or going to a delicatessen, there are supermarket products, like Manischewitz brand frozen kasha with bowtie noodle product.<br /><br />Interesting fare like that below proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>ROASTED BUCKWHEAT KASHA WITH ROAST BEEF</strong> </p>
<blockquote>8 ounces uncooked buckwheat <br />1/2 teaspoon salt<br />2 cups boiling water<br />Sauteed or fried onions and/or mushrooms, to taste (optional)<br />1/2 can cream of mushroom soup<br />1 pound cooked roast beef, cut into chunks</blockquote>
Yields 2 servings.<br /><br />Place cookware with buckwheat over medium heat. Stir for 5 to 10 minutes.<br /><br />Add salt and boiling water, cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about fifteen to twenty minutes or until buckwheat is ready (grains are tender). Carefully drain the excess water (if not all absorbed).<br /><br />Add sauteed or fried onions and/or mushrooms. Add cream of mushroom soup; stir. Add chunked roast beef, cover, and let to cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.<span> <br /><br /></span>-<a href="http://www.AboutKasha.com" target="_blank">www.AboutKasha.com</a><br /><br /><strong>SAUTEED ONION BUCKWHEAT KASHA AND BOWTIES</strong>
<blockquote>2 tablespoons vegetable oil <br />2 medium onions, chopped <br />1 cup bowties, cooked (farfalle) <br />Reserve 1 cup pasta water, for tossing <br />Cooked buckwheat kasha (instructions follow) <br />Salt, to taste <br />Freshly ground black pepper, to taste <br />1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish </blockquote>
Yields 4 to 6 servings.<br /><br />In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat and cook onions until tender and golden, about 10 minutes. Toss with bowties, reserved pasta water, the cooked kasha and salt and pepper. Toss in parsley.<br /><br />To prepare kasha: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup uncooked buckwheat kasha and 2 cups water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.<br /><br />-<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/" target="_blank">FoodNetwork.com</a><br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong> David B. Agus, M.D., who also wrote the bestseller <em>The End of Illness</em>, gives lots of important, yet easy to follow, tips in <em>A Short Guide to a Long Life</em>. The entries are brief. In the introduction to his essay<em> Maintain a Dietary Protocol That Works for You</em>, Agus writes: "Should you eat gluten free? Low carb? Vegan? Raw? Low fat? Follow Weight Watchers? In truth, it doesn't really matter as long as you enjoy what you're eating, your body seems to love it, and you're not forcing yourself to adhere to an impossibly strict protocol that probably lacks certain nutrients by virtue of its restrictions.<br /><br />"I love how Michael Pollan put it... "Eat more like the French. Or the Japanese. Or the Italians. Or the Greeks." Any traditional diet will beat out our processed food culture, and traditional eating habits have worked for centuries among different peoples (with vastly different diets) around the world. These habits include moderating portions, sharing food at a communal table, not going back for seconds and letting hunger build up in between meals (no snacking)." <br /><br /><strong><br />Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2015-08-03T20:28:00Z10-Second Recipes: Virtual Camp Can Be DeliciousStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Virtual-Camp-Can-Be-Delicious/371245936459931716.html2015-07-27T21:02:00Z2015-07-27T21:02:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />No matter how much you love your kidlet, if you're in the middle of a long school summer break, do you sometimes wish he or she could go and explore space for a while?<br /><br />Google, the non-profit educational organization the Khan Academy, and NASA made that wish come true for children and parents everywhere. Google Camp each summer day is no further than the huge search engine's Internet <a href="https://www.google.com" target="_blank">home page</a>. Just below the familiar logo and search bar is a link. Recently a blue moving rocket illustration was there alongside text: "It's Space Week at Camp Google. Learn how to defy gravity and make space food at NASA."<br /><br />Varying subject matter is offered weekly, including videos and how-to projects. Lists of supplies are offered and colorful virtual badges (a la the Boy and Girl Scouts) are earned. For the space food project, kids receive a Google Camp Space Chef Badge.<br /><br />During Space Week (available archived at Google Camp as well), kids who like building and crafting can learn to put together a constellation for their bedroom ceiling (which parents or other adults can help to hang up). The text introduction to the space food part of the camp tells kids: "Blast off to NASA's Johnson Space Center and participate in a cook off between two junior chefs competing to create a signature dish for astronauts in space. You'll get a front row seat for all the fun and learn about how space food is made and what's needed to survive in space."<br /><br />A 17-minute video tells kids that space food has come a long way from squeezing "meat out of tubes like toothpaste" and that virtually anything eaten on Earth can be adapted for space meals. They then go on to show and explain some of "the unique challenges of eating in [the weightlessness of] Zero-G."<br /><br />NASA astronaut Don Pettit is along for the ride, as are the two competing child chefs, one of whose winning dishes will actually eventually blast off with astronauts into space.<br /><br />Of course, your own explorer needs sustenance on hot summer days. Laura Fuentes, founder of Momables.com, recently gave summer camp lunch ideas in an article at the Huffington Post that "will help you get out of the PB&J rut." A few tips inspired by and adapted from Fuentes' suggestions:</p>
<ul>
<li>Wrap turkey bacon (that's fully cooked, but not too crisp) around fresh, crunchy vegetables. "It's easy to sneak in some veggies when that meaty flavor is shining through," notes Fuentes.</li>
<br />
<li>Use round apple slices instead of bread for "sandwiches." Stuff baked ham and cheddar cheese between them with a drizzle of honey mustard.</li>
<br />
<li>Revamp that PB&J sandwich: Make a sandwich with leftover multigrain pancakes stuffed with almond or cashew butter and one hundred percent fruit spread.</li>
</ul>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br />Here are a few camp-inspired lunch ingredients to enjoy in between learning, crafting or playing.<br /><br /><br /><strong>VEGETABLE SQUARES</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<blockquote>1 cup carrots, washed, peeled and grated<span> <br /></span>1 cup zucchini, washed, peeled and grated<span> <br /></span>8 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese<span> <br /></span>2 eggs, beaten<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup olive oil<span> <br /></span>2 tablespoons chopped parsley<span> <br /></span>1 teaspoon oregano<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon soy sauce</blockquote>
Yields 10 servings.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 F. Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and stir well.<br /><br />Grease a 9-inch square pan. Spread the mixture into the pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cut when cool.<br /><br /><br /> <strong>FRUITY WHOLE-GRAIN BAGEL SANDWICH</strong><span> <br /></span>
<blockquote>2 whole-grain bagels, split and toasted<span> <br /></span> 3 ounces softened cream cheese<span> <br /></span>1/4 teaspoon cinnamon <br />1/2 peach, thinly sliced<span> <br /></span>1 banana, thinly sliced<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup lemon juice<span> <br /></span>2 strawberries, hulled and sliced</blockquote>
<span> </span>Yields 4 servings.<br /><br />Spread bagels with cream cheese and sprinkle with cinnamon. Dip the peach and banana slices in lemon juice. Layer the peaches, bananas and strawberries on the bagels.<br /><span> </span><br />-Recipes from <em>365 Foods Kids Love to Eat.</em><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> A way to lighten up your favorite stroganoff recipe, suggests Rose Murray in her classic cookbook, <em>125 Best Chicken Recipes</em>, is to use chicken breast. Chicken goes just as well as beef does with the creamy sauce and mushrooms in stroganoff. Murray, who has written about 50 cookbooks, advises to save time to look for chicken pre-cut for stir-fry strips and prepackaged sliced mushrooms.<br /><br /><br /> <span><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>Staff2015-07-27T21:02:00Z10-Second Recipes: Signature Tea Blends Are Simple to PrepareStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Signature-Tea-Blends-Are-Simple-to-Prepare/59592355479553828.html2015-07-20T20:05:00Z2015-07-20T20:05:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br />What takes just seconds to prepare and yields about 100 servings? Your own tea blend. No longer just an expensive gourmet buy at a special shop, gourmet blends you create at home have only your imagination to limit them. <br /><br />Whatever you have in your pantry even might make a memorable cup to serve to family and friends. The 100-cup yield black tea-almond extract-ground almond recipe that follows is a good example. Serving on ice once brewed is the perfect easy summer touch for your beautiful blends.<br /><br />They also make quick hostess or other occasion gifts. Tracy Stern, tea boutique owner, party planner and author of<em> Tea Party</em>, considers them the gifts that keep on giving. Most of the enticing blends in her <em>Tea for You: Blending Custom Teas to Savor and Share</em> fit that bill. <br /><br />Here are a few ideas:</p>
<ul>
<li>For the chocolate craver, Assam tea leaves are combined with cacao nibs, cardamom, cloves and orange peel.</li>
<br />
<li>For chamomile tea lovers, consider a mix including that as well as fresh mint, grated peeled ginger and honey.</li>
</ul>
<p><br />Fresh herb blends and spice blends are just as simple and spectacular.<br /><br />"A basic green salad can be given many faces by changing the selection of fresh herbs," recommends Rosalind Creasy, an award-winning garden writer who penned <em>Recipes from the Garden, Edible Herb Gardens</em> and<em> Edible Flower Gardens</em>.<br /><br />Jennifer McLagan, international chef and cookbook author, loves the classic French seasoning mix quatre epices, a combination of white pepper, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and at times cinnamon and allspice. She points out that the blend "varies according to the whim of the producer" and that's why you are just as likely to create your own fun blend as any of the world's most seasoned manufacturers.<span> <br /><br /></span>In fact, as expert Fabienne Gambrelle, author of <em>Spices</em>, likes to remind those shy about stirring up their own concoctions, spice merchants themselves are always experimenting.<br /><br />Borrow some ideas from them. Gambrelle recommends:<br /><br />"The 1990s saw pepper mixes, followed by salts flavored with vanilla, pink peppers, juniper or ginger, sometimes even with a touch of citrus or tea and teas flavored with various spices."<br /><br />"Spice dealers are constantly finding new uses for existing blends. The fine grocer Eric Bur sells Chica Pica, a piquant mix developed from a recipe by the Rodel canners who use it for sardines. The Quai Sud brand has revised the recipe for Chinese five-spice mix, substituting aniseed for star anise and adding ginger and cilantro leaves. It has also revisited a traditional recipe from Mali, combining cinnamon, cumin, aniseed and strong chili. The Saravane spice dealers have created a harmony of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and vanilla in their 'snow mixture' for mulled wine."<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. <br /><br /><strong>ALMOND BLACK TEA MIX</strong></p>
<blockquote>8 ounces black tea leaves<br />1/2 teaspoon almond extract<br />2 tablespoons ground toasted almonds</blockquote>
Yields enough for 100 (6- to 8-ounce) cups.<br /><br />Combine the tea leaves almond extract and ground almonds in a 16-ounce jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and shake gently to combine, then set aside in a dark, cool place overnight.<br /><br />To prepare tea: Use boiling water to brew cups of the tea, letting it steep for 4 to 5 minutes.<br /><br />-Adapted from <em>Tea for You: Blending Custom Teas to Savor and Share</em>.<br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> What wine books do sommeliers recommend and read themselves? One of my favorite compilations comes from Secrets of the Sommeliers by Rajat Parr and Jordan Mackay. An especially rollicking read is The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson, of which Parr and Mackay write, "A crucial part of understanding wine is understanding geography. That makes a good wine atlas essential, and this is one of the best (Oz Clarke's is also good). Outstanding maps of all the world's important wine regions clearly show how land, sea, and wine are related. A wealth of information about wine styles, viticulture, and history is impressively smuggled into the long, thorough text accompanying the maps."
<p> </p>
<span><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>Staff2015-07-20T20:05:00Z10-Second Recipes: Turn Your Vegetables into Secret CompartmentsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Turn-Your-Vegetables-into-Secret-Compartments/314262925794481079.html2015-07-13T20:44:00Z2015-07-13T20:44:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />Rick Rodgers may be one of the only people to have compared red bell peppers to Matryoshka dolls, the famed sets of wooden Russian "nesting" dolls, each with smaller dolls placed inside each other. That's a good reference, though, for <em>The Big Book of Sides </em>author's recipe for tomato- and olive-stuffed bell peppers. Hollowed red bell pepper halves are the secret compartment for plum tomato halves and chopped Kalamata olives, which are all baked together after being drizzled with an extra-virgin olive oil and fresh garlic mixture.<br /><br />Innovative, fun and nutritious, such vegetable within vegetable fare makes for wonderful light summer dishes. Rodgers' side dish recipe, which he noted was inspired by one that had anchovies rather than olives by famed late food writer Elizabeth David, encouraged me to create the upside-down veggie burger main course that follows.<br /><br />Usually, a slice of tomato might be served as garnish atop a veggie or meat burger. This time the large hollow, dressing-painted and seasoned tomato is the foundation of a stuffed, crumbled, cooked veggie burger. They are then broiled together to melt the cheese atop and crowned with dill pickle chips and rounds of romaine lettuce leaves before serving.<br /><br />Here are a few other favorites for vegetables with secret compartments for additional vegetables:</p>
<ul>
<li>Stuff washed, trimmed celery stalks with a mixture of whipped cream cheese, finely chopped pimientos, shredded arugula and chopped dill.</li>
.<br />
<li>Before baking, fill hollowed eggplant with diced, pitted green olives, cubed carrots, sliced zucchini and corn kernels and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil that's been whisked with curry powder.</li>
.<br />
<li>Before reheating mostly hollowed baked potato skins, fill with sauteed onions and mushrooms, minced black, pitted olives, chopped chives and top with Muenster cheese. Heat until cheese melts.</li>
</ul>
Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The idea tips take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. <br /><br /><strong>TOMATO- AND OLIVE-STUFFED BELL PEPPERS</strong><span> <br /></span>
<blockquote>2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling the baking dish2 red bell peppers<span> <br /></span>2 small plum tomatoes<span> <br /></span>1/2 teaspoon (preferably kosher) salt<span> <br /></span>1/4 teaspoon (preferably freshly ground) black pepper<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives<span> <br /></span>1 garlic clove, minced<span> <br /></span>2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary or thyme</blockquote>
Yields 4 servings.<br /><br />Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 F. Generously oil a shallow baking dish (preferably earthenware) just large enough to hold the bell pepper halves.<br /><br />Cut each bell pepper in half through the stem and use a paring knife to cut out the ribs and seeds. Cut each tomato in half through the stem and poke out the gel and seeds with your fingertip. Season the pepper and tomato halves with salt and pepper.<br /><br />Divide the olives among the pepper halves. Insert a tomato half into each bell pepper half. Place the stuffed pepper in the baking dish. Mix the 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and garlic together in a small bowl. Drizzle the oil mixture over the peppers.<br /><br />Bake until the peppers are tender, about 50 minutes. Let them stand for 5 minutes, or cool to room temperature. Sprinkle with the basil and serve.<br /><br /><em>-The Big Book of Sides.<br /></em><br /> <strong>UPSIDE-DOWN VEGGIE BURGER</strong><span><br /></span>
<blockquote>4 large tomatoes, tops cut off and seeds and gel removed <span> <br /></span>Store-bought or homemade Thousand Island dressing, to taste <br />Salt, to taste<span> <br /></span>Black pepper, to taste <br />Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)<span> <br /></span>4 store-bought or homemade vegetable burgers, cooked and crumbled<span> <br /></span>Cheddar cheese, to taste<span> <br /></span>Dill pickle chips, to taste<span> <br /></span>Romaine lettuce, to taste</blockquote>
Yields 4 servings. Preheat oven to 350 F.<br /><br />Lightly spray a 9-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place tomatoes in dish. With a culinary brush, "paint" inside of tomatoes with Thousand Island dressing. Very lightly season inside of dressing-painted tomatoes with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper, if using. Pack inside of tomatoes three-quarters full with crumbled cooked vegetable burgers. Bake, covered with aluminum foil, for 15 minutes, or slightly shorter or longer, just until heated through.<br /><br />Carefully remove from oven. After removing from oven, turn up oven temperature to broil. While dish is out of oven, top the quarter of each tomato that is unfilled with a small amount of cheddar cheese, still leaving space to fill before serving. Broil, uncovered, until cheese melts, about 30 seconds, watching that tomato skins do not burn.<br /><br />Carefully remove from oven. Let cool to room temperature so can be eaten by hand. Just before serving, top with dill pickle chips and handfuls of romaine lettuce leaves that have been cut to fit inside or atop the veggie burger-stuffed tomatoes.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Dee McCaffrey writes in <em>The Science of Skinny Cookbook</em> that "the most valuable thing I've learned from cooking processed-free food is that there is almost always a healthy ingredient that can replace a processed one." Following are a few of the examples she gives in an extensive chart: Instead of melting butter, try melting virgin coconut oil. Instead of nondairy coffee creamers, try coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk; instead of refined sugar, try date sugar, raw honey or pure maple syrup.<br /><br /> <span><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>Staff2015-07-13T20:44:00Z10-Second Recipes: Sweeten Your Grill with Summer FruitsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Sweeten-Your-Grill-with-Summer-Fruits/549683635896442592.html2015-07-06T21:51:00Z2015-07-06T21:51:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />If you and your grill have been “friends” for years, you might think you know everything there is about each other. Perhaps you’ve barbecued virtually every meat and vegetable imaginable.<br /><br />Expand your imagination to include seasonal fruit and you and your family or guests are in for summer treats. As in the grilled strawberry salad that follows, it can take just seconds to make your mark (grill marks that is, while accentuating both the juiciness and flavor of fruits even more than when they are served chilled or at room temperature).<br /><br />Following are some additional split-second ideas. Fruit should be ripe, but not soft. All fruits should be pitted or hulled, cut in half and grilled with cut sides down, for 30 to 40 seconds (unless otherwise directed in a recipe), or until grill marks appear:</p>
<ul>
<li>Once at room temperature, dice grilled nectarines and sprinkle over cooked, skinless chicken breasts along with curry powder, golden raisins, cooked fresh corn kernels and fresh or dried tarragon.</li>
<br />
<li>Add grilled peaches to cooked oatmeal, along with honey, candied pecans, chopped dried apricots and shredded unsweetened coconut.</li>
<br />
<li>Use grilled plums to top vanilla frozen yogurt along with splashes of dark chocolate sauce and pomegranate or cherry juice, pomegranate molasses or pomegranate or raspberry syrup.</li>
</ul>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. The idea tips take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you – or your kidlet helpers – choose to use can’t help but draw “wows” from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>THAI PAPAYA SALAD WITH GRILLED STRAWBERRIES</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<blockquote>1/2 clove garlic<span> <br /></span>1 teaspoon chopped shallot<span> <br /></span>8 cherry tomatoes<span> <br /></span>1 cup (preferably Chinese) long beans, cut into 1 / 4-inch pieces<span> <br /></span>3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice<span> <br /></span>2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce<span> <br /></span>2 tablespoons palm sugar or light brown sugar, or to taste<span> <br /></span>2 cups shredded green papaya<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup fresh strawberries, stemmed and cut into wedges, plus 6 large fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half (see Note)<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon crushed roasted cashews<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon chopped dried shrimp (optional)<span> <br /></span>Red chili flakes, to taste<span> <br /></span>Salt, to taste<span> <br /></span>1 teaspoon finely slivered Thai basil leaves<span> <br /></span>1 teaspoon finely slivered mint leaves<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup shredded carrots</blockquote>
Yields 3 servings.<br /><br />In a large mortar and pestle, or in a bowl with a metal meat mallet, mash garlic and shallot to a paste. Add tomatoes and beans; pound a few times to release juices. Add lime juice, fish sauce and sugar; stir gently to dissolve sugar. Add papaya; pound lightly.<br /><br />Mix in the 1/2 cup of strawberry wedges, cashews, shrimp and chili flakes. Season with salt.<br /><br />With a utensil, carefully place strawberry halves on a hot grill, cut side down, for 30 to 40 seconds, or until grill marks form. <br /><br />Mound salad on a platter or 3 salad plates. Top with the grilled strawberries, Thai basil leaves, mint leaves and carrots.<br /><br />Note: Fruit should be ripe, but not soft<br /><br />-<a href="http://www.californiastrawberries.com/" target="_blank">www.CaliforniaStrawberries.com</a><br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Sometimes pie recipes call for a double crust. “If you are using store-bought commercial crusts, which come frozen and only as bottom crusts, be aware that you can use a bottom crust as a top,” writes Robert L. Blakeslee in <em>Your Time to Bake: A First Cookbook for the Novice Baker</em>. He continues: “Just let it thaw out until the dough becomes workable, then place it over the filling as a top crust or cut it into strips to create a lattice top.”<br /><br /><br /> <span><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>Staff2015-07-06T21:51:00Z10-Second Recipes: Three Cheers for July Fourth Cheddar Apple PieStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Three-Cheers-for-July-Fourth-Cheddar-Apple-Pie/-359532834296429323.html2015-06-22T21:10:00Z2015-06-22T21:10:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br />Judith Fertig spent years creating and compiling the greatest the United States had to offer when writing her what is now already classic cookbook, <em>All-American Desserts: 400 Star-Spangled, Razzle-Dazzle Recipes for America's Best Loved Desserts</em>. However, one of her favorites is an old English twist on an American favorite: cheddar cheese accenting apple pie.<br /><br />It's been a favorite in New England and the Midwest for centuries, but as Fertig notes, stems from England, which is known for both its apples and its cheddar. Fertig prefers Wisconsin-aged cheese atop her patriotic version. In the very easy dessert that follows, she crumbles it in a topping along with flour, butter and sugar. There is no bottom crust.<br /><br />Thanks to Fertig's research and special touches, her cheddar-topped apple pie has become my favorite Independence Day dessert.<br /><br />Somewhat similarly, and also an idea that could cause culinary fireworks if you serve it this Fourth of July, Chile Pies & Ice Cream, a Northern California restaurant group Yahoo named among the top pie shops in the country, makes a signature pie. It includes diced chile peppers in the filling. If emulating at home, you could add to either a store-bought pie or a homemade one, but be careful not to touch your eyes during or afterward.<br /><br />Their next step is either adding shredded cheddar to melt atop within a traditional streusel or right in the crust --- a similar crust is in the tasty recipe below from <em>Joy of Cooking: All About Pies & Tarts.</em><br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br /><strong>DEEP-DISH APPLE PIE WITH CHEDDAR CRUST</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<blockquote>3/4 cup lightly packed grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese<span> <br /></span>2/3 cup all-purpose flour<span> <br /></span>6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces, plus an additional 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature<span> <br /></span>2 pounds Golden Delicious, Gala, Fuji or Newton Pippin apples (about 4 medium-large) peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick<span> <br /></span>1 cup dark raisins (optional)<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup sugar<span> <br /></span>Grated zest of 1 large lemon<span> <br /></span>Strained juice of 1 large lemon<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup brandy (optional)<span> <br /></span>1/2 teaspoon salt<span> <br /></span>1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg<span> <br /></span>1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon<span> <br /></span>1/4 teaspoon ground cloves <br />Vanilla ice cream, for serving</blockquote>
Yields 1 (9-inch) pie; 8 servings.<br /><br />Combine cheddar cheese, flour and the cold butter. Chop mixture with a pastry blender to the consistency of coarse crumbs, then press together with your fingers and knead in the bowl until a cohesive dough forms. Flatten the dough into a 4-inch disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm but malleable, 30 to 60 minutes. Flour the dough lightly, then roll into a 9-inch round between sheets of wax paper. Slip a rimless cookie sheet beneath the dough and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.<br /><br />Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 F. <br /><br />Heat the room temperature butter over high heat in a very wide skillet (not cast iron) until sizzling and fragrant. Add apples. Toss with a wooden spoon until the apples release their juice and are tender, 5 to 7 minutes; reduce heat if the apples begin to color. Stir in raisins, nuts, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, brandy, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves.<br /><br />Boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the juices thicken to the consistency of maple syrup. Pour the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Peel the top sheet of wax paper off the dough, then flip the dough onto the filling and peel off the bottom sheet. Let the dough soften slightly, then tuck the edges inside the rim of the pan and cut two (2-inch) steam vents. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. The pie can be made up to 12 hours ahead and warmed in a 350 F oven to 10 to 15 minutes. Good served with vanilla ice cream.<br /><br /><em>- Joy of Cooking: All About Pies & Tarts</em><br /><br /><strong>CHEDDAR-TOPPED APPLE PIE </strong>
<blockquote><strong>Filling:</strong> <br />4 Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled, and sliced <br />1/2 cup sugar <br />1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon <br /><strong>Topping:</strong> <br />3/4 cup all-purpose flour <br />1/2 cup sugar <br />1/2 cup finely grated medium-sharp cheddar cheese, preferably aged Wisconsin cheddar <br />1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature <br />Vanilla ice cream, for serving </blockquote>
Yields 1 (9-inch) pie; 8 servings.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 400 F.<br /><br />To prepare filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine apples, sugar and cinnamon. Put the filling into a 9-inch pie pan.<br /><br />To prepare topping: Mix flour, sugar, grated cheese and butter together with your fingers in a medium-size bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the apple filling. Bake until browned and bubbling, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool, then slice and serve with vanilla ice cream.<br /><br /><em>- All American Desserts: 400 Star-Spangled, Razzle-Dazzle Recipes for America's Best Loved Desserts.</em><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Did you munch through your home-cooked taco recipe repertoire long ago? Would you even dream that there might be 300 various types of easy tacos you could prepare? Kelley Coffeen's <em>300 Best Taco Recipes</em> is a favorite of mine due to the unending innovation. It's a good go-to if choices like gingered short rib tacos, green chili stew tacos and pulled pork tacos with honey mustard glaze whet your appetite.<br /> <br /><br /><span><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>Staff2015-06-22T21:10:00Z10-Second Recipes: Gourmet Tricks that Still Leave Time to Spend with DadStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Gourmet-Tricks-that-Still-Leave-Time-to-Spend-with-Dad/-172463012872562028.html2015-06-09T04:25:00Z2015-06-09T04:25:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />Father's Day sometimes provides a challenge. Perhaps you want to challenge Dad to tennis, or basketball, or checkers - just spend cherished time with him - but you also want to provide those gourmet touches that make holidays so special. Don't worry that you have to give up one for the other. <br /><br />It's all in the details - and why not make those fine points gourmet tricks? Grilled corn-on-the-cob, for instance, is a basic summer staple. The recipe below, though, shows how easy it is to spruce it up in seconds with a brush of fresh thyme aioli. <br /><br />Burgers, too, are often an easy, bland choice. But what if you stuff the summer favorite with Dad's favorites? Don't just follow a stuffed burger recipe. Take the one below as a springboard and use Dad's favorite cheese, his favorite crumbled sausage and his favorite diced vegetable for a custom-made Father's Day treat.<br /><br />All of the recipes and food ideas here are meant for adult preparation, though kidlets and adults will most likely enjoy the results.<br /><br />Following are some other quick ideas that pay off dividends with time left over for fun activities with Dad:</p>
<ul>
<li>Serve sandwiches on store-bought muffins, such as egg salad with a sprinkle of fresh tarragon on corn muffins or ham and Swiss cheese with honey mustard on bran muffins.</li>
<br />
<li>Shape ready-to-bake refrigerated breadstick or roll dough into Dad's initial, bake and serve to the guest of honor and dining guests with a dipping sauce of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and grated Parmesan cheese.</li>
<br />
<li>Pump up iced tea by going half and half with root beer or ginger beer.</li>
<br />
<li>Make a slit in store-bought croissants, sprinkle in chocolate and caramel sauces and chopped peanuts before heating slightly in microwave or oven. Serve with Dad's favorite ice cream or frozen yogurt.</li>
</ul>
<p><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since, for many, <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><br /><strong>CORN-ON-THE-COB WITH FRESH THYME AIOLI</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<blockquote>6 ears corn, husked<span> <br /></span>2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese<span> <br /></span>1/3 cup mayonnaise<br />2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme<span> <br /></span>2 garlic cloves, crushed through a press<span> <br /></span>Freshly ground black pepper, to taste<span> <br /></span>Lemon wedges, for serving</blockquote>
<p>Yields 6 servings.</p>
Prepare an outdoor grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350 F to 450 F). <br />With a long tong, carefully place the corn on the grill grate, brush all over with the butter and cover the grill. Grill, turning occasionally, until the corn is hot and a few kernels are toasted dark brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.<br /><br />In a small bowl, mix together the cheese, mayonnaise, thyme, garlic and pepper.<br /><br />Using a heatproof spatula, spread top of the corn ears with some of the mayonnaise mixture. Cover the cooker again and grill until mayonnaise is partially melted and set, about 30 seconds. With the utensil, give the corn a quarter turn and spread the exposed top with more mayonnaise. Cover and continue grilling, turning, and spreading the mayonnaise on the corn, until the corn is coated and the mayonnaise mixture is half-melted, about 2 minutes more. With long tongs, carefully transfer the corn to a platter and serve hot with lemon wedges on the side.<br /><br /><em>-The Big Book of Sides.<br /><br /></em><br /> <strong>DAD'S CUSTOM-MADE STUFFED BURGERS</strong><span> <br /></span>
<blockquote>1 & 1/2 pounds ground beef<span> <br /></span>1 clove garlic minced<span> <br /></span>1 teaspoon hot sauce<span> <br /></span>Salt, to taste<span> <br /></span>Freshly ground black pepper, to taste<span> <br /></span>1/2 onion, chopped (see Note)<span> <br /></span>4 strips cooked crispy bacon, cooled and diced (see Note)1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese (see Note)<span> <br /></span>4 burger buns<span> <br /><br /></span>Garnish:<span> <br /></span>Lettuce<span> <br /></span>Tomato<span> <br /></span>Pickles</blockquote>
Yields 4 servings.<br />In a bowl, combine beef, garlic, hot sauce, salt and pepper, being careful not to overmix. Form 8 even thin patties, about 1 / 2-inch thick each. Set aside.<br /><br />In a skillet, saute onions until tender, about 5 minutes. Let onions cool. Place onions and cooked bacon in a bowl with cheese. Form a spoonful of bacon-onion-cheese mixture in a ball and then place in the center of 4 patties. Top each with another patty and seal the edges. <br /><br />Grill burgers over medium-high heat, carefully flipping once until desired doneness is reached, approximately 4 minutes each side for medium. The USDA recommends that ground meat reach an internal temperature on an oven thermometer of 160 F. (Burgers instead could be seared on medium-high in a skillet for about 4 minutes on each side until reach desired doneness.) Serve in buns with garnishes.<br /><br />Note: You can make this tasty Food Network recipe as is. If you want to customize it for your dad (or yourself!), use the measures for the diced bacon, chopped onions and grated Cheddar cheese, but instead substitute his favorite cooked meat (like sausage or ham), vegetable and cheese.<br /><br />-FoodNetwork.com <br /><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> In addition to sophisticated recipes, Jacquy Pfeiffer's <em>The Art of French Pastry</em> bubbles with simple takeaway tips. For instance, if you've ever been told to let dough "rest," here is famed pastry chef Pfeiffer's lesson: "What it means is that some of the gluten was activated during the mixing, so the dough needs to rest to allow the gluten to relax and get weaker. The resting will also allow the starch in the flour to act like a dry sponge. It has the power to absorb and retain moisture so that dough can come together and hold its shape. But it needs time. Let any dough made with flour rest for even an hour after mixing and, even if it's a sticky whole wheat dough, you will see that it comes together."<br /><br /><br /><span><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>Staff2015-06-09T04:25:00Z10-Second Recipes: Sneak Healthful Ingredients into Fun Kid Mug MealsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Sneak-Healthful-Ingredients-into-Fun-Kid-Mug-Meals/-998223714632338657.html2015-06-02T03:31:00Z2015-06-02T03:31:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />Many kids may be off from school soon, but kidlets are never off from eating. Why not, then, during school breaks make eating not only fun, but sneakily nutritious and parts of easy cooking lessons?<br /><br />Mug meals fit everything on the aforementioned checklist. A bored kid, while supervised, can prepare a single-serving meal in seconds. Powdered hot chocolate or canned soup? No, the fare is much more advanced than that.<br /><br />Camila V. Saulsbury packs healthful ingredients into simple preparations in "250 Best Meals in a Mug." Her quinoa chili is a prime example. Quinoa is the high-protein seeds of an ancient grain that is now popular in mainstream supermarkets. It's quick to cook and versatile. Brown rice can be substituted in her chili recipe, which also features canned diced tomatoes with green chilies and seasoned chili beans.<br /><br />Vegetables can be fun, too, when in tiny doses are added to a mug omelet that kids can see transform from liquid to solid in seconds, like the following one. Vegetarian crumbled sausage also gets stowed away in the fold of the omelet.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br /><br /><strong>VEGGIE OMELET IN A MUG</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<blockquote>1 egg, beaten<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon milk<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon fully cooked vegetarian sausage, crumbled<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon finely chopped mushrooms<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon finely chopped bell pepper<span> <br /></span>2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese</blockquote>
Yields 1 serving.<br /><br />Beat egg and milk in a 16-ounce mug until blended. Add crumbled cooked vegetarian sausage, mushrooms and bell pepper. <br /><br />Microwave on high 30 seconds; pushed cooked egg toward center. Microwave until egg is almost set, about 15 to 45 seconds longer. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the cheese. With a fork, carefully fold omelet in half; slide onto plate. Top with remaining cheese. Serve immediately.<br /><br />- Adapted from IncredibleEgg.org<br /><br /><br /><strong>QUINOA CHILI MUG MEAL</strong><span> <br /></span>
<blockquote>3 tablespoons quinoa, rinsed (see Note)<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup water<span> <br /></span>2/3 cup canned diced tomatoes with green chilies, with juice<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup canned seasoned chili beans, with juice<span> <br /></span>1/4 teaspoon ground cumin<br />Salt, to taste<span> <br /></span>Ground black pepper, to taste</blockquote>
<span>Optional garnishes:<span> </span>Nonfat plain Greek yogurt<span> </span>Fresh cilantro leaves<span> </span>Chopped green onions<span> </span>Chopped radishes<span> </span>Shredded Cheddar cheese<span> </span>Fresh lime juice<br /><br />Yields 1 serving.<span> <br /><br /></span>In a 16-ounce mug, combine quinoa and water. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Carefully stir. Microwave on high for 3 to 5 minutes (checking at 3), or until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender.<br /><br />Stir in tomatoes, beans and cumin. Microwave on high for 1 & 1/2 to 2 & 1/2 minutes (checking at 1 & 1/2), or until heated through. Cover mug with a small plate or saucer and let stand for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with any of the optional garnishes. Note: Brown rice can be substituted for quinoa, if desired.<br /><br />- From “250 Best Meals in a Mug.”<br /><br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Meringue cookies or toppings don’t have to just be white. In “The Sweetapolita Bakebook,” Rosie Alyea gives some fun alternatives. A few:
<ul>
<li>For cotton candy meringues: Replace sugar with cotton candy sugar.</li>
<br />
<li>For sprinkle meringues: Fold 1/2 cup of your favorite sprinkles into meringue.</li>
</ul>
<br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span>Staff2015-06-02T03:31:00Z10-Second Recipes: Don't Give Up Slow Cooking During Warm WeatherStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Dont-Give-Up-Slow-Cooking-During-Warm-Weather/-242532558397171879.html2015-05-26T18:22:00Z2015-05-26T18:22:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />During warm-weather months, many families are more on the go than ever with jam-packed, activity-filled days. Quick, thrown-together, undistinguished meals often can be the solution. Sometimes, nutrition suffers, too.<br /><br />If you think that the nutrient-filled, hearty dishes whose flavors meld for hours in quick-prep, low time-commitment slow cookers are only for winter, think again. Lighter, warm-weather fare is also an option that can cook to perfection for hours while you’re on the go.<br /><br />Bestselling cookbook writer Judith Finlayson is the author of a number of nutrition-themed slow cooker books, such as ones on diabetes and the Paleo diet. In her second edition of <em>The Healthy Slow Cooker</em>, she incorporates nutritious ingredients, such as nuts and seeds, fresh leafy greens (like the watercress and walnuts in the following chilled soup), warm-weather seasonal fruits, like fresh apricots, barbecued foods, like grilled chicken, and lots of light seafood recipes, such as the following Mediterranean-style mahi-mahi.<br /><br />Finalyson has given this healthful, seasonal slow cooker recipe concept a lot of thought and testing. Here are a few other ingredients she suggests you consider adding to your favorite slow cooker recipes:<br /><br /><em>Bell peppers (sliced; seeds removed)</em><br /><em>Cherries (pitted)</em><br /><em>Eggplant (sliced)</em><br /><em>Green tea leaves</em><br /><em>Kale</em><br /><em>Lemongrass</em><br /><em>Lime</em><br /><em>Oranges</em><br /><em>Pumpkin seeds</em><br /><em>Salmon</em><br /><em>Shrimp (shelled)</em><br /><em>Sorrel</em><br /><em>Spinach</em><br /><em>Sprouts</em><br /><em>Swiss chard</em><br /><em>Sunflower seeds</em><br /><em>Zucchini</em><br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since, for many, <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you – or your kidlet helpers – choose to use can’t help but draw “wows” from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>SLOW COOKER MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE MAHI-MAHI</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<ul>
<li>2 pounds mahi-mahi steaks </li>
<li>1 teaspoon dried oregano </li>
<li>1 lemon, thinly sliced </li>
<li>1 (28-ounce) can no-salt added tomatoes, including juice, coarsely chopped </li>
<li>1/2 cup dry white wine </li>
<li>1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil </li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon (preferably sea) salt, optional </li>
<li>Freshly ground black pepper, to taste</li>
</ul>
Gremolata garnish, optional:<span> <br />
<ul>
<li>1/2 cup finely chopped parsley leaves </li>
<li>3 tablespoons drained capers, minced </li>
<li>2 whole anchovies, rinsed and finely chopped </li>
<li>Chopped black olives, to taste</li>
</ul>
</span>Yields 4 servings. (See Note.)<br /><br />Use a medium to large (3 & 1/2- to 5-quart) oval slow cooker.<br /><br />Place fish in slow cooker stoneware. Sprinkle with oregano and lay lemon slices evenly over top. In a bowl, combine tomatoes and juice, wine, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Pour over fish. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour, until fish flakes easily when pierced with a fork. (It is difficult to be specific about the timing because of the fish, but you should begin checking for doneness after 1 hour. Be aware it may take up to 1 & 1/2 hours.)<br /><br />To prepare optional gremolata garnish: Meanwhile in a bowl, combine parsley, capers, anchovies, remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Mix well and set aside in refrigerator until fish is cooked.<br /><br />To serve: Transfer fish and tomato sauce to a warm platter. Spoon gremolata evenly over top and garnish with olives.<br /><br />Note: This recipe can be halved. If halving, be sure to use a small (1 & 1/2- to 3-quart) slow cooker.<br /><strong><br /><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Lou Di Palo owns his family’s more-than-100-year-old food shop in the heart of Little Italy. His <em>Di Palo’s Guide to the Essential Foods of Italy</em> is packed with recipes and helpful tips, like this one. “The first thing I tell people when they ask for good prosciutto --- and good prosciutto means sliced and sold by the pound, not prepackaged --- is to taste it…..The flavor and quality of prosciutto…can vary dramatically….[It] has to be aged a minimum of 13 months for San Daniele and 400 days for Parma….But you can age prosciutto much longer. The older it gets, the more concentrated, the more intense the flavor….The younger it is, the weaker the flavor, and to me 13 months is just not enough for full flavor and aroma. I think it is at its best aged between 18 and 20 months, with a minimum of 16.”<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2015-05-26T18:22:00Z10-Second Recipes: Give Your Garnishes a Spring FlingStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Give-Your-Garnishes-a-Spring-Fling/-157101974296548570.html2015-05-18T18:46:00Z2015-05-18T18:46:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />The burst of flavor from the edible garnish I ate almost overtook my entire spring meal. Technically, the pretty truffle with the piped white lines welcoming me to my place at the table should have been an after-meal treat, but I popped it ahead of time. It was a spring blueberry truffle from the See’s candy chain and was juicier and fruitier tasting than any truffle I’d ever had. It was so flavorful, I called the chain and happily found out, though part of the spring collection, it’s sold year round and also part of a summer mixed berry chocolates box that will be available beginning in June in stores and online.<br /><br />That flavor fest got me on a jag of creating seasonal garnishes for as many meals as possible. Soon, I learned about “47 Unexpected Things to Do with Cookie Cutters” from BuzzFeed. I used a flower-shaped cookie cutter on peeled cucumber slices and then, as I saw on <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/culinarykaren/edible-garnishes/" target="_blank">this excellent pinterest page about seasonal garnishes</a>, I dotted it with cream cheese and a cut-half-up of a cherry tomato in a refreshing bite that looked even more like a flower.<br /><br />Heart-shaped cookie cutters were excellent for cantaloupe and watermelon, which can then be dotted around a dining plate or grouped together in a small bowl on the side.<br /><br />Not all seasonal flourishes need to be homemade. Teavana, which has stores and is online, has lots of fruit and herb blends geared to the seasons. For an upcoming summer soiree, Tea Forte has a gorgeous ribbon-wrapped Garden Harvest White Tea collection “with the summer taste of fresh fruit and herbs” (that, ever since I discovered, I drink all year), which includes flavors like tangerine-rosemary and peach-rhubarb preserve. Boxes can be given as placemat party gifts, or individual teabags --- which are attractive loose-leaf-filled 3-D triangles with green wire leafs that hang on teacups --- can be left aside plates as meal accompaniment flairs. Lipton, too, now has attractive “pyramid” white teabags in supermarkets or online at www.LiptonTea.com in peach-mango and blueberry-pomegranate.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since, for many, <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you – or your kidlet helpers – choose to use can’t help but draw “wows” from family members and guests.<br /><br />Here are a few additional ideas to let spring blossom alongside your meals:<br /><br /></p>
<blockquote><strong>SPRING FLOWERS COOKIE GARNISH</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>M&M candies, to taste</li>
<li>Vanilla icing, as needed</li>
<li>Pink food coloring, as needed (optional)</li>
<li>Store-bought or homemade vanilla wafers, shortbread cookies or sugar cookies, to taste</li>
<li>Green sour belt candies, to taste</li>
</ul>
“Glue” an M&M candy in the center of each cookie with a dot of vanilla icing. Vanilla icing can have been tinted pink, if desired.<br /><br />Cut “leaves” and “stems” with clean culinary scissors from the green sour belt candies.Arrange on small white paper or glass plates if using as an edible place setting or dessert garnish. They also are a nice touch pressed into white frosting as edible decorations on a store-bought or homemade cake.<br /><em><br />- Candy Aisle Crafts.</em><br /><br /><br /><strong>POTATO BASKETS FOR SPRING VEGETABLES</strong><span> <br />
<ul>
<li>3 large russet potatoes, peeled </li>
<li>1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted </li>
<li>Salt (preferably kosher), to taste </li>
<li>Freshly ground black pepper, to taste </li>
</ul>
</span>Preheat oven to 350 F.<br />Yields 6 or 12 servings, depending on muffin tin that is used. In a food processor, fitted with grater attachment, push chunks of the potato through the chute to grate. Once all the potatoes are grated, put them into a piece of cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel and squeeze to remove moisture.<br /><br />Add potatoes to a large bowl, stir in the melted butter, and season well with salt and pepper.Spray preferably a jumbo size 6-cup muffin tin or a regular size 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Press the grated potatoes evenly into the muffin cups, being sure the potatoes go up the sides and that a thin layer covers the bottom. Bake until the top edges turn light golden brown and the potatoes are cooked through, about 35 to 40 minutes.<br /><br />Let cool. Remove from muffin tins, being careful not to break. Good served filled with your favorite mix of steamed spring vegetables. Fill while potato “baskets” are already on individual meal plates since bottom of potato “baskets” will get deliciously moist from the vegetables.<br /><br />- FoodNetwork.com<br /><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/" target="_blank"><br /></a></blockquote>
<em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Mimi Kirk fills her The Ultimate Book of Modern Juicing with more than 200 recipes and lots of interesting, easy tips. Here are a few:<br />
<ul>
<li>For a quick cleanup, use a recycled plastic bag to line your pulp catcher.</li>
<li>If juicing wheatgrass, wrap it in a lettuce leaf as it will juice easier.</li>
<li>Add a dash of cinnamon to fresh apple juice or a few mint sprigs to fresh watermelon juice.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<ul>
</ul>
<div><strong><br />Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </div>
</div>Staff2015-05-18T18:46:00Z10-Second Recipes: Speak a New Language and New RecipesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Speak-a-New-Language-and-New-Recipes/550429629207097316.html2015-05-11T22:47:00Z2015-05-11T22:47:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />Why not go to Nice this spring for lunch? Although visiting the capital of the French Riviera would be nice, you can avoid the crowds - except for the foot traffic of your own family in your own kitchen - and still reap some of the benefits.<br /><br />Looking up foreign culinary words you or your kids might not be familiar with and then preparing the recipes is a delicious diversion, whatever geographical region of the world you choose. The French Riviera's Nice is a spirited spring recipe retreat in which you can start with light ingredients, like seafood and vegetables that are stars in much of the cuisine.<br /><br />Salade Nicoise is one of their famed contributions to the world and you can find it on many U.S. restaurant menus (especially at French-themed cafes) and try one on for size as a sit-down or takeout treat if that's easiest. To prepare at home, you just need trimmed green beans, cooked mini red potatoes, drained canned artichoke hearts, Boston lettuce, cucumbers, bell pepper, red onion, tuna (preferably in olive oil), capers, hard-cooked eggs, tomatoes, anchovy fillets, homemade or store-bought vinaigrette and, of course, Nicoise (or small black) pitted olives (all to taste).<br /><br />What's a fun variation is that the salad can be used to fill another Nice specialty that fits the bill for practicing the language: a pan bagnat (which fittingly means "bathed bread.") You crater a baguette and spoon in the salad. Depending on the size of the baguette (round wheat breads, that resemble U.S. sourdough rounds, are also often used in Nice), you can feed just lucky you or even the guests at an entire party.<br /><br />Using a leftover salade Nicoise to fill a pan bagnat is a shortcut. Below is a quick recipe specifically for pan bagnat, including a thick olive dressing that also includes olive oil in which the tuna was packed.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. A description, like the aforementioned salade Nicoise, takes just <em>10 seconds each to read and is only slightly longer to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, with a toss-together like the salade Nicoise, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. It's a virtually-can't-go-wrong combination, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>PAN BAGNAT</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>1 (approximately 12-ounce) baguette (see Note)</li>
<li>Olive dressing (recipe follows) or vinaigrette of your choice</li>
<li>2 (3-ounce each) cans tuna (preferably in olive oil), drained (oil reserved if making salad dressing), and broken into flakes</li>
<li>2 or 3 cocktail (or cherry or plum) tomatoes, thinly sliced</li>
<li>Salt, to taste</li>
<li>1 (about 2-inch) piece English cucumber, peeled, thinly sliced and patted dry</li>
<li>2 large eggs, hard-cooked and sliced</li>
<li>1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion</li>
<li>2 canned or thawed frozen artichoke hearts, patted dry and thinly sliced</li>
<li>1/4 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced</li>
<li>6 small Boston lettuce leaves</li>
</ul>
Yields 4 to 6 servings.<br /><br />Cut baguette in half lengthwise. Remove enough bread from the center of each half to make room for the filling. Lay bottom half, cut side up, on a long sheet of plastic wrap.<br /><br />Smear half of whatever dressing you are using over cut side of bottom layer. Add tuna and tomatoes and sprinkle lightly with salt. Layer on cucumber, eggs, onion, artichokes, red pepper and lettuce. Smear remaining dressing over cut side of top portion. Place on top of filled baguette and press down lightly.<br /><br />Pull up the plastic around the loaf and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. To serve, cut on the diagonal into 4 to 6 servings.<br /><br /><strong>Note:</strong> Use a wider baguette, sometimes labeled "Parisian loaf," rather than "French stick."<br /><br /><strong>OLIVE DRESSING</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>Reserved olive oil from tuna, plus enough extra-virgin olive oil to make 1/4 cup, or just </li>
<li>1 / 4 cup extra-virgin olive oil if not using olive oil from tuna </li>
<li>12 pitted black olives </li>
<li>1 tablespoon rinsed, drained capers </li>
<li>1 tablespoon white wine vinegar</li>
<li>1 teaspoon anchovy paste </li>
<li>1 teaspoon parsley leaves </li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper</li>
</ul>
<div>Yields 4 to 6 servings.<br /><br />In a mini blender, combine all ingredients. Or, if you don't have a small blender, chop or mash the ingredients finely and then whisk them together.<br />
<ul>
<li>-Recipes from "200 Best Canned Fish & Seafood Recipes."</li>
</ul>
<strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>"Oh, the dreaded buffet --- whether it's the all-you-can-eat one at your favorite restaurant or the office party, we're all kind of afraid of it," writes "Biggest Loser" TV trainer and bestselling author Bob Harper in his "Skinny Habits: The 6 Secrets of Thin People." He continues, "....Brian Wansink has studied how <em>thin</em> people behave around buffets....Here is what his research shows:<br />
<ul>
<li>Thin people tend to sit about sixteen feet farther from food than heavy people.</li>
<li>Thin people are three times as likely to face away from food.</li>
<li>Seventy-one percent of thin people scout the food, walking around before picking up a plate. Photo courtesy of "200 Best Canned Fish & Seafood Recipes."</li>
</ul>
<div><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </div>
</div>Staff2015-05-11T22:47:00ZAwesome AlmondsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Awesome-Almonds/-57493969963835226.html2015-05-04T23:47:00Z2015-05-04T23:47:00Z<strong><br /><br />By Cheryl Tallman</strong><br /><a href="http://www.FreshBaby.com" target="_blank">www.FreshBaby.com</a><br />
<p>Almonds have been around for a long time. They are mentioned in the Bible, and were a prized ingredient in breads served to Egyptian pharaohs. It is believed that almonds originated China and Central Asia. Early explorers traveling the Silk Road between Asia and the Mediterranean snacked on almonds. Before long, almond trees flourished in the Mediterranean, especially in Spain and Italy. <br /><br />In the mid-1700's, the almond tree arrived in the California from Spain, compliments of the Franciscan Friars. Today, California is the only place in North America where almonds are grown commercially. <br /><br />The almond is one of the most versatile nuts in the world. We eat many varieties in many diverse forms. Almonds are delicious alone as a nutritious snack and a great addition to many dishes. Almonds have the highest protein content of any nut. They (along with all nuts) are placed in the meat group of the Food Guide Pyramid because of their protein content. Ounce for ounce, they are one of the best plant sources of protein and contain no cholesterol.<br /><br />Almonds are rich in minerals, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous and especially high in calcium. Almonds are high in mono-unsaturated fat which helps to lower cholesterol, especially the bad cholesterol (LDL). Almonds contain a high degree of oleic acid, which is believed to be the ingredient in olive oil that protects against heart disease.<br /><br /><strong>Age to introduce: </strong>over 12 months (finely ground).<br /><br /><strong>Note:</strong> All nuts, whole and chopped, are a choking hazard and should be introduced between 2- 3 years old. The nut allergy is becoming more common, and in some cases is fatal. Children with asthma or a family history of asthma, eczema, and hay fever are at a higher risk. In these situations, we suggest that you consult your family physician before you introduce any nuts or seeds into your child's diets.<br /><br /><strong>At the market:</strong> Almonds are sold in the shell, but are also available in many different shelled forms - whole, slivered, blanched, chopped, flavored, etc. You can also buy almond butter (a delicious substitute to peanut butter) and almond flour, often used by pastry chefs.<br /><br /><strong>Storage and ripening: </strong>Refrigerate or freeze. Shelled nuts should be stored in an airtight container. They stay fresh for 3-4 months in the refrigerator and up to one year in the freezer.<br /><br /><strong>Here are a few easy ideas to add almonds in your meals: </strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Combine an assortment of whole almonds and other nuts with fresh-cut fruits and cheese slices for festive appetizer or dessert platter. </li>
<br />
<li>For the flavor of fall, sprinkle baked squash, sweet potatoes or apples with chopped almonds. </li>
<br />
<li>Sprinkle slivered almonds and mandarin oranges on a summer green salad. </li>
<br />
<li>Sprinkle hot cereal with chopped almonds or add them to pancake, waffle, cookie, cake, quick bread and muffin batters. </li>
<br />
<li>Stuff pita bread with a mixture of cream cheese, chopped almonds, apple, banana and pineapple chunks and raisins. This makes a great lunch or after school snack. </li>
<br />
<li>For a Middle Eastern spin on plain rice pilaf toss a 1/2 cup chopped dates and a 1/2 cup of chopped almonds to the rice pilaf just before serving. It's a perfect taste with BBQ pork, chicken or Tofu. </li>
</ul>
<p><br /><strong>Nectarine and Almond Gratin</strong> <br /><br /><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>1 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces, plus an additional teaspoon </li>
<li>5 Tbsp sugar </li>
<li>1 Egg </li>
<li>1/4 cup milk </li>
<li>1/4 cup flour </li>
<li>1/8 tsp. salt </li>
<li>2 cups thinly-sliced nectarines** </li>
<li>2 Tbsp finely chopped or ground almonds </li>
<li>**If nectarines are not available, you can substitute 2 cups thinly-sliced, peeled, baking apples (Golden Delicious, Ida Red, Honeycrisp) </li>
</ul>
<p><br /><strong>Directions: </strong>Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F. Using 1 teaspoon of the butter, grease an 8- or 9-inch shallow baking dish, then sprinkle it with 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Arrange the apples evenly in the dish. In a bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, and the salt. When well mixed, gradually whisk in the flour. The batter will be very thin. Pour it over the fruit. Sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons of the sugar and the almonds over the top. Scatter the small pieces of butter around the top.<br /><br />Bake until the batter is set, the butter melted, and the fruit cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes. Let stand about 10 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.<br /><br /><strong>Storage:</strong> Refrigerate leftovers for 3 days. Can be frozen into pieces as individual servings (great for breakfasts during the week.) </p>
<br /><br /><strong>Cheryl Tallman</strong> is the co-founder and CEO of <a href="http://www.FreshBaby.com" target="_blank">Fresh Baby</a>. Since Starting Fresh Baby in 2002, Cheryl Tallman has been honored with many prestigious awards, and is a US Department of Agriculture National Nutrition Education Strategic Partner. As the head of product and content development for her company, Cheryl develops innovative products and authors materials that inspire parents to raise healthier children. She serves as both a parenting and cooking expert for many high-profile online communities. Cheryl's ultimate vision is to make the task of raising a healthy eater easier for all parents. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2015-05-04T23:47:00Z10-Second Recipes: Toast Mom with Family Friendly Mimosa TreatsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Toast-Mom-with-Family-Friendly-Mimosa-Treats/314604038341298748.html2015-04-28T20:56:00Z2015-04-28T20:56:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />Mother's Day brunch at many a restaurant begins with toasting Mom with a refreshing mimosa. On this, the busiest restaurant day of the year according to the National Restaurant Association, the orange juice-champagne flavored cocktail is the most popular beverage and often included on prix fixe menus.<br /><br />That, unfortunately, leaves out the kidlets of the tribe wanting to toast Mommy, too. If, however, you instead choose to cherish Mom at home, you can call the shots and the kids can become sous chefs. Mimosa cocktails (named for tropical flowering trees, shrubs and herbs and first dreamed up at the Ritz Hotel in Paris in 1925) can inspire flavorings for all kinds of family-friendly treats.<br /><br />Rick Rodgers, author of <em>The Big Book of Sides</em>, created a fun, wobbling gelatin salad filled with orange, orange zest, berries and lemon-lime soda (as an alternative for family gatherings; for adult-only soirees, he uses Prosecco). The tasty treat has not only the flavors, but the "bubbles of a mimosa cocktail."<br /><br />Katherine Kallinis and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne, owners of Georgetown Cupcakes and stars of a TLC cable network cupcake series, created mini cupcake parfaits served in champagne flutes. You can even make a copy with store-bought mini cupcakes. Place one in bottom of a champagne flute, top with ginger ale-soaked mandarin orange segments, dark chocolate chips and repeat, ending with a third mini cupcake. Eat with long iced tea teaspoons. <br /><br /><em>Here are a few other ideas to celebrate with your mom mimosa style:<br /></em><br /><strong>Fancy French Toast:</strong> Add a small amount of fresh orange juice to French toast batter. Serve with flutes of white grape juice with a few seedless tangerine segments on the bottom.<br /><br /><strong>One Merry Marinade:</strong> Create a seafood or poultry marinade with lemon-lime soda and freshly squeezed tangelo or orange juice.<br /><br /><strong>Serve Mom Coffeecake in Bed:</strong> "Frost" store-bought or homemade coffeecake with orange marmalade and drizzle with ginger ale. <br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>MIMOSA-STYLE SALAD</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<blockquote>3 envelopes unflavored powdered gelatin (about 6&3 / 4 teaspoons)<br /><span> </span>3/4 cup sugar<span> <br /></span>3 & 1/4 cups lemon-lime soda or ginger ale <span> <br /></span>1 large navel orange, zest finely grated, rind cut off with a serrated knife and flesh cut out from membrane<span> <br /></span>1 (6-ounce) half pint container fresh raspberries, blueberries or blackberries (about 1 & 1/3 cups)<span> <br /></span>Vegetable oil, for the mold<br />Yields 12 servings.</blockquote>
Pour 2 cups cold water in a medium saucepan and sprinkle in the gelatin. Let it stand to soften the gelatin, about 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture constantly over medium-low heat until the gelatin is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Do not simmer. Add the sugar and stir just until it is dissolved, about 1 minute more. Pour the gelatin mixture into a large bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water. Let it stand, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is partially set and the semi-firm consistency of raw egg whites, about 10 minutes.<br /><br />Gradually stir the lemon-lime soda into the partially set gelatin. The mixture will bubble up, but that's what you want. Let it stand, stirring occasionally, until the mixture sets again to the egg-white consistency, about 10 minutes more. Stir in the orange zest and segments with the raspberries, which will be suspended in the soda mixture.<br /><br />Lightly oil a 6-cup gelatin salad mold, ring mold or fluted cake pan. Pour in the soda mixture. (Pour leftover gelatin into a ramekin as the cook's treat.) Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until the salad is chilled and set, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.<br /><br />To unmold the salad, fill a large bowl with hot tap water. Run a dull dinner knife around the inside of the mold, reaching down to the bottom of the salad to help break the air seal. Dip the mold, up to its lip, in the hot water for 5 seconds. Dry the outside of the pan with a kitchen towel. Put a serving platter over the mold. Holding the mold and platter together, invert them to unmold the salad onto the platter. Serve chilled.<br /><em>-The Big Book of Sides</em><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>"Let your kids use a shaker!" That's the advice of Catherine McCord, author of <em>Weelicious Lunches: Think Outside the Lunch Box with More than 160 Happier Meals.</em> She continues, "I keep shakers of sesame seeds and Gamasio and various salt-free seasonings, such as Spike, in my spice drawer to transform ho-hum steamed broccoli into something really special. I find the easy action of allowing kids to 'personalize' their food and become an active participant in the preparation of their meal gets them to buy in and eat it....Let your kids decide. Take them to the grocery store of farmers' market, let them choose any three vegetables they want, and put them into the mealtime rotation. Sometimes their choice may surprise you."Staff2015-04-28T20:56:00Z10-Second Recipes: Sides That Switch IdentitiesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Sides-That-Switch-Identities/737882241315513809.html2015-04-20T20:56:00Z2015-04-20T20:56:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />Don't shove your sides aside if you have leftovers. Usually entrees are not only the stars of meals, but of leftovers the next day, too. Don't shun your sides, though. In fact, they often can do double-duty and easily transform into the centerpiece of an entirely new meal.<br /><br />When you are dealing with vegetable-based side dishes, the news gets even better. You can energize a main dish with the effortless inclusion of an array of already prepped, nutritious produce. For the broccolini, cherry tomato and kale super skillet below, I took "Best Green Eats Ever" author Katrine van Wyk's advice for its second outing: I heated it lightly and then gently tossed it with cooked, hot pasta for a savory main dish.<br /><br />Here's another type of situation you could emulate. I took a mushroom, sweet pepper and onion side dish, and the next day I lightly pureed it (still leaving somewhat of a chunky texture) and folded it into ground beef and formed it into three-quarter veggie burgers that I grilled. Add a bit of egg or whole-wheat bread crumbs if it's not fully holding together on its own. Ground poultry could also be used.<br /><br /><em>Following are a few other save-the-sides ideas:</em><br /><br /><strong>Make it Soup the Second Time Around: </strong>Puree a carrot-ginger dish and serve as a hot soup with shredded rotisserie chicken breast in it.<br /><br /><strong>Salad is a Slam Dunk:</strong> Gently reheat sauteed spinach and serve as a warm "wilted" entree salad topped with grilled shrimp, toasted walnuts, crumbles of feta cheese, diced pear and honey mustard dressing.<br /><br /><strong>Stuffing Fills the Bill: </strong>To roasted sweet potato or russet potatoes, add diced onion, garlic, freshly ground black pepper, golden raisins and pistachios. Heat stuffing. After chicken breasts are fully cooked, carefully slit to make a pocket. Add a bit of stuffing. Drizzle entirety with warmed store-bought chutney as a sauce.<br /><br /><strong>BROCCOLINI, CHERRY TOMATO AND KALE SKILLET</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<blockquote>4 to 5 broccolini<span> <br /></span>2 tablespoons olive oil<span> <br /></span>3 cloves garlic<span> <br /></span>1/2 red onion, sliced<span> <br /></span>4 cups chopped Lacinato kale<span> <br /></span>1 cup halved cherry tomatoes<span> <br /></span>1 cup halved and sliced zucchini<span> <br /></span>(Preferably sea) salt, to taste<span> <br /></span>Freshly ground black pepper, to taste<span> <br /></span>Yields 4 to 6 servings.<br /></blockquote>
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a steam basket. Place broccolini in the basked and steam for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove broccolini from heat and set aside.<br /><br />Carefully add the olive oil to a medium-hot skillet and stir in the garlic, continuing to stir as the garlic flavors the oil. Take care not to burn the garlic. Add in the red onion and saute for 3 minutes; then add the kale. Saute for 1 more minute, or until the kale has wilted. Add the cherry tomatoes, zucchini and steamed broccolini. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the dish.<span> </span><br /><br />-"Best Green Eats Ever"<br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Dee McCaffrey, author of "The Science of Skinny Cookbook," has an idea for you for a quick and nutritious lickety-split "banana split." She advises to, "Switch up your morning routine by having dessert for breakfast...Organic Greek yogurt is thick and creamy like ice cream." To emulate McCaffrey's results, split a banana and top, to taste, with preferably organic plain Greek-style yogurt, 100 percent fruit preserves, unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut and a sprinkling of chopped raw almonds, pecans or other nuts.<br /><br /> <br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Staff2015-04-20T20:56:00Z10-Second Recipes: Nutritious Nachos!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Nutritious-Nachos!/-373425893061422027.html2015-04-13T07:10:00Z2015-04-13T07:10:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />When you think of nachos, if you focus on large platters of chips topped with heaps of meat, cheese and sour cream, think again. The appetizer, snack or meal that's always been a decadent restaurant favorite is a quick-prep treat at home, too. The even better news is that choosing your own foundations and toppings mean not only good flavor can be at your fingertips, but good nutrition as well.<br /><br />Consider some of my favorite options:<br /><br /><strong>Foundations:</strong> <br />Stone-ground organic tortilla chips; whole-wheat crackers; toasted whole-grain pita pieces; rice crackers; whole-grain rye crackers.<br /><br /><strong>Toppings: </strong>Kale; spinach; basil; corn; mushrooms; grated carrots; pinto beans; black beans; humus; pesto.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br />Creative vegan cook Nava Atlas gives her nachos tasty and healthful twists that probably will have <em>any</em> nacho lover giving thanks. Give them a try:<br /><br /><strong>VEGAN NACHOS</strong><span> <br /></span></p>
<blockquote>About 5 ounces natural, stone-ground, organic tortilla chips<span> <br /></span>1 cup grated cheddar- or nacho-style nondairy cheese<span> <br /></span>1 to 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and thinly sliced, or 1 (4-ounce) can diced mild green chilies (see Note)<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup lightly cooked fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels<span> <br /></span>1/2 cup cooked or canned (drained and rinsed) black, red or pinto beans<span> <br /></span>1 medium ripe fresh tomato, finely chopped<span> <br /></span>About 3 big handfuls baby spinach, rinsed well <br /><br />Optional toppings, to taste:<br />Lightly cooked sliced mushrooms<br />Salsa<span> </span>Guacamole<span> </span>Vegan sour cream</blockquote>
Yields 4 to 6 servings.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 F unless you plan to use the microwave.<br /><br />Arrange the tortilla chips on a large platter or a shallow round casserole dish about 14 inches in diameter. Sprinkle evenly with the cheese, followed by the chili peppers, corn, beans and tomato.<br /><br />Bake for about 8 minutes, until the cheese is well melted, or microwave for 3 minutes on high or less (making sure it is not burning or getting too well done).<br /><br />Scatter the spinach over the top and return to the oven for about 2 minutes, just until it wilts (or to the microwave for another one minute or less, just until it wilts, and checking that it is not getting too well done).<br /><br />Serve immediately, letting diners add their own optional toppings.<br />Note: Experts recommend wearing latex gloves when handling fresh peppers and not touching your eyes during or afterward.<br /><br /><em>-Plant Power by Nava Atlas</em><br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>"Jicama is a sweet potato relative," writes Katrine van Wyk in <em>Best Green Eats Ever</em>. "It has a bright white flesh and brown skin. Eaten raw, it's crispy and refreshing and perfect in slaws, salads, or just sliced. It also has a high water content, making it perfect for juicing. Nutritionally, it contains plenty of fiber and vitamin C, yet is low in calories."<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Staff2015-04-13T07:10:00Z10-Second Recipes: Pasta is a Pick-Me-Up to Kids' SoupsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Pasta-is-a-Pick-Me-Up-to-Kids-Soups/999960354419970845.html2015-04-06T21:08:00Z2015-04-06T21:08:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />There are plenty of books that advise how to trick kids into eating vegetables by hiding them in brownies or pureeing them into sweet shakes. Usually no deceptions are necessary, though, when you add pasta to a soup also containing vegetables.<br /><br />Unlike other combinations, kids and pasta do mix. Soup is fun to eat and prepare, so it makes it even more appealing. Seasonal ingredients also add pizzazz no matter what time of year.<br /><br />That attraction doesn't only extend to children. Soup cooks get a real break from the drudgery of longer, more involved meals. Double or even triple duty is possible when preparing soup. In the soup that follows, for instance, both the garlic-sauteed broccoli and pasta cook right in the same pot. <br /><br />The inclusion of pasta is also a way to make scrumptious, sophisticated heirloom recipes more accessible to children. Cookbook author Giuliano Hazan did that with three-generation specialties of his famed family (his mother is TV cooking star and best-selling cookbook author Marcella Hazan). His soup chapter in <em>Giuliano Hazan's Thirty Minute Pasta </em>is filled with kid-friendly recipes that even "minus the pasta" had been drawing raves in his family for generations.<br /><br /><strong>Here are a few more ways to keep kids' attention when it comes to pasta in soup:</strong><br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li>Consider shape: Fun shapes, like alphabet letters, corkscrews or the tubular ones in the broccoli recipe below are almost sure to be welcomed.</li>
<br />
<li>Consider texture: You might consider al dente pasta with a little firmness to it a gourmet delight, but your children are probably more drawn to the mushier varieties, like the ones included in canned products. Cook longer to please pintsized palates.</li>
<br />
<li>Consider the fun factor: Long, thin, winding pastas, like spaghetti, are apt to hold a kid's attention be amusing for a bit of slurping once cool enough.</li>
</ul>
<p><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>Broccoli Soup With Pasta</strong> </p>
<blockquote>2 medium cloves garlic <br /><br />Salt, to taste <br /><br />3/4 pound broccoli florets <br /><br />2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil<span><br /> <br /></span>Freshly ground black pepper, to taste <br /><br />1 large beef bouillon cube<span><br /> <br /></span>6 ounces short tubular pasta, or other dried small pasta shape for soup, such as ditalini or small shells</blockquote>
Yields 4 servings.<br /><br /><br />Fill a pot with water that will accommodate the broccoli and place over high heat. Peel and finely chop the garlic.<br /><br />When the water is boiling, add 1 teaspoon salt and put in the broccoli. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes after the water comes back to a boil. Drain broccoli and set aside.<br /><br />Put the garlic and olive oil in a 4- to 6-quart soup pot and place over medium-high heat. After the garlic begins to sizzle, add the cooked broccoli. Season with pepper and lightly with salt and saute for about 5 minutes after the water comes back to a boil. Drain the broccoli and set aside.Put the garlic and olive oil in a 4- to 6-quart soup pot and place over medium-high heat. After the garlic begins to sizzle, add the cooked broccoli. Season with pepper and lightly with salt and saute for about 5 minutes. Stir periodically with a wooden spoon, suing it to mash the broccoli into small pieces.<br /><br />When the broccoli has finished sauteing, add 4 cups water and the bouillon cube and raise the heat to high. When the water begins boiling, add the pasta and cook over medium heat until the pasta is al dente. Serve hot.<br /><br />-"Giuliano Hazan's Thirty Minute Pasta: 100 Quick and Easy Recipes" by Giuliano Hazan.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If you want a way to pep up, yet trim down, your kidlets' snack portions, consider playing games. Set up a small array of bite-sized healthful snacks, like mini peeled carrots, chopped walnuts, dried cranberries and sliced kiwi. This can even be done in the empty cups of a mini or regular-sized muffin tin. Have kids be taste testers closing their eyes or with blindfolds to see if, by flavor, texture and scent, they can decipher what the components of the small snack are.<br /><br /><br /> <strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Staff2015-04-06T21:08:00Z10-Second Recipes: Bite into Some Chocolate Bark This EasterStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Bite-into-Some-Chocolate-Bark-This-Easter/899412233267950716.html2015-03-30T07:02:00Z2015-03-30T07:02:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br />Is your Easter basket half empty or half full of nutrition when it comes to homemade holiday chocolates? If you create some bark, you'll go back to "nature" in a tasty, innovative way. <br /><br />You can go green when you eat bark. This is true even if you don't deliciously decide to include mint or spinach in the mix. However, those are just some of the trendy, nutritious ways you can increase the bite of your bark.<br /><br />Traditionally a confection, bark these days can even be slightly spicy and savory. It is a chocolate-covered delight that mimics looking like the bark of a tree, but, again, you are completely "green" when creating it, since no actual trees are harmed in your preparation.<br /><br />What is equally as positive is that bark looks and tastes impressive, but it is simple to make. For most recipes, melting chocolate, mixing with additional flavorful add-ins, followed by freezing is all it takes. The toasted quinoa (healthful, protein-filled grain-like seed) is an added touch to the dark chocolate specialty that follows. <br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Here are a few other creative substitution add-ins you could use by following the basic instructions in the recipe below:<br /><strong><em> </em></strong></p>
<strong><em>For the dark chocolate chips:</em></strong><br /><br /><span> </span>
<blockquote><strong>Mini peanut butter cups <br />White chocolate chips <br />Chocolate-covered mint patties</strong></blockquote>
<span> <br /></span><strong><em>For the dried cranberries:</em></strong><span> <br /><br /></span><span> </span>
<blockquote><strong>Dried cherries <br />Golden raisins <br />Dried pineapple</strong></blockquote>
<br /><strong><em>For the quinoa:</em></strong><br /><br /><span> </span>
<blockquote><strong>Raisin bran <br />Puffed rice <br />Popcorn</strong><span> <br /></span></blockquote>
<br /><strong>DARK CHOCOLATE BARK WITH TOASTED QUINOA</strong><span> <br /></span>1/4 cup uncooked red quinoa (or color of your choice)<span> <br /></span>1 & 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips<span> <br /></span>1/2 tablespoon coconut oil<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup chopped almonds<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup chopped cashews<span> <br /></span>1/4 cup dried cranberries<span> <br /></span>2 tablespoons peanut butter chips<span> <br /></span>Yields about 20 pieces.<span> <br /><br /></span>Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper; set aside. Thoroughly rinse quinoa to remove saponin (bitter taste) by adding uncooked quinoa to bowl, fill with clean water and soak for a few minutes. Use a wire whisk to move the quinoa around in the water, then strain the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and rinse with fresh water.<br /><br />Add wet quinoa to saute pan and cook on stovetop over medium-low heat, using a whisk or spoon to move the quinoa around in the pan.<br /><br />Once it gets hot, the water will be absorbed and the quinoa will start to pop; this means it's drying out. Keep carefully moving it around with the whisk until the grains of quinoa start to brown. You should see it transform and it will smell nutty. If using the darker color of red, be sure to watch closely so it does not burn. The toasting may take 5 to 6 minutes, but watch closely. When quinoa is sufficiently done, carefully place in a bowl to cool. <br /><br />Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips and add coconut oil in a double boiler, or, if no double boiler is available, melt in a small pot on low, stirring constantly and watching to make sure chocolate does not burn.<br /><br />Once chocolate has fully melted, stir in toasted quinoa and mix well.<br /><br />Carefully pour chocolate mixture onto prepared wax-covered baking sheet and spread into thin layer. <br /><br />Add almonds, cashews, cranberries and peanut butter chips (which will likely melt due to hot chocolate), press down lightly with a spatula to press toppings into chocolate.<br /><br />Put into freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chocolate has fully hardened. Break into pieces. Store in freezer.<br /><br />-LemonsAndBasil.com via SideChef app<br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Dark chocolate labeled that it is at least 70 percent cacao is what nutritionists recommend to get a good amount of antioxidants. Besides eating it plain or melting it as an ingredient, you can use it as the base of tasty confections. Spread a square with nut butter (such as almond or cashew) or all-fruit spread and, if desired, dot the spread with dried cranberries or diced fresh apples or banana.
<p> </p>
<strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Staff2015-03-30T07:02:00Z10-Second Recipes: Ritzy Ingredients for LessStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Ritzy-Ingredients-for-Less/-423336292879123019.html2015-03-16T18:48:00Z2015-03-16T18:48:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />Whether it's your guests at a dinner party or your family during a weekday supper, they'll probably be impressed if the steaming dish that awaits them is lobster bisque, lemon-pepper shrimp pasta with fresh thyme, crab etouffe or salmon risotto.<br /><br />Canned seafood proves ritzy ingredients don't need to have ritzy price tags. Thanks to the once-in-awhile treats of butter, milk, cream and sherry, bisques and chowders can be as rich as the meal starters at fine restaurants. <br /><br />Similarly, former Toronto Star Food Editor Susan Sampson's <em>200 Best Canned Fish & Seafood Recipes</em> is teeming with great ideas and also adds posh oysters to the aforementioned list.<br /><br />"When I told people I was writing a cookbook starring canned seafood," Sampson notes, "I heard a lot of jokes about slaving over a hot can opener and stocking up for civil emergencies. There is a certain snobbery surrounding tinned fish, but it also has fans in the millions. Trouble is, even devotees don't always know what to do with a can of fish or seafood, beyond mashing it up with mayo or tossing it into a casserole with condensed soup."<br /><br />Sampson advises to relish the differences between canned and fresh seafood (such as texture) and use them to your advantage. This comes to life in bisque and chowder recipes where the liquid from the can also become an advantageous ingredient.<br /><br />Besides saving money, canned seafood can save time: It's already been cooked as part of the canning process. It's especially good when it becomes part of an overall ensemble, like in the following spicy, creamy, freshly grated Parmesan cheesy-sauced pasta with shrimp.<br /><br />Here are a few other ingredients that may give you inspiration.<br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong><em>For canned crab: Thyme, black pepper, hot pepper sauce, ginger, garlic, onion, shallot, bell pepper, lime juice</em></strong></li>
<br />
<li><strong><em>For canned clams: Dill, white pepper, Cajun seasoning blend, Worcestershire sauce, chives, green onions, bacon, tomatoes</em></strong></li>
<br />
<li><em><strong>For canned salmon: Tarragon, basil, oregano, hot pepper flakes, sesame seeds or oil, lemon zest, honey, light soy sauce, shredded coconut, zucchini, red onion</strong></em></li>
</ul>
<p><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><strong> </strong></p>
<blockquote><strong>LEMON-PEPPER SHRIMP PASTA WITH FRESH THYME</strong><span> <br /></span>12 ounces tricolor rotini (see Note)<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon unsalted butter<span> <br /></span>2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil<span> <br /></span>6 slender green onions (white and green parts), cut diagonally into 1-inch segments<span> <br /></span>1 clove garlic, minced<span> <br /></span>2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest<span> <br /></span>3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided<span> <br /></span>1/2 teaspoon salt<span> <br /></span>1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper<span> <br /></span>1/3 cup heavy cream<span> <br /></span>1 (4 ounce) can small shrimp, rinsed and drained<span> </span> <br />1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese<span> <br /></span>Leaves stripped from 4 small sprigs thyme<br /><br /></blockquote>
Yields 4 servings.<br /><br />In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook rotini over high heat for about 12 minutes, until tender to the bite (al dente). Scoop out about 1/2 cup cooking water and set aside. Carefully drain pasta.<br /><br />Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, melt butter with oil. Add green onions and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, until softened. Remove from heat.<br /><br />Stir in garlic for 20 seconds. Stir in lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir in cream, then shrimp. Return skillet to medium-low heat and bring just to a simmer.<br /><br />Add rotini and toss to coat. If pasta seems dry or difficult to toss evenly with sauce, add enough reserved cooking water to loosen it. Taste and, if desired, add remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice and more salt to taste, if necessary.<br /><br />Carefully transfer the pasta to warmed serving bowls. Sprinkle Parmesan overtop and then thyme leaves.<br /><br />Note: Tricolor rotini is a mixture of white, spinach and tomato pastas. If you prefer, use plain or whole-wheat rotini.<br /><br />- <em>200 Best Canned Fish & Seafood Recipes</em> by Susan Sampson.<br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Think about using easy recipes you see as springboards to healthier options for your family. A few that fit the bill: A 10- to 14-minute (400 F) baked packaged stuffed crescent roll recipe called for pepperoni, cheese and pizza sauce. Instead, match the pizza sauce with chopped vegetables and/or vegan ground sausage you've sauteed before the quick bake; canned vegetable soups suggested milk or cream to make them creamier, but almond or coconut milk can be substituted.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Staff2015-03-16T18:48:00Z10-Second Recipes: Maple Syrup - Think Outside of the BottleStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Maple-Syrup---Think-Outside-of-the-Bottle/-758638105225740522.html2015-03-09T18:33:00Z2015-03-09T18:33:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br />Like blogger and cookbook author Cassie Johnston, perhaps you're making coffee ice cream at home one night because you prefer to use decaf beans that won't keep you awake and it hits you that almost a cup of pure maple syrup would be a good addition.<br /><br />Even if you don't have as much time as Johnston, an Indiana farmer and author of <em>Chia, Quinoa, Kale, Oh My: Recipes for 40+ Delicious, Super-Nutritious Superfoods</em>, you can easily create a flavor sensation.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><em>For a shortcut, drizzle maple syrup atop store-bought coffee ice cream, sugar-free vanilla frozen yogurt or into a cup of decaf or regular coffee. </em></strong></li>
</ul>
There are a lot of rewards when it comes to thinking outside of the bottle regarding maple syrup, an especially perfect cool-weather ingredient. Although best not to eat large amounts because of its sugar content, it is a natural, unprocessed sweetener with a distinctive, smooth flavor.<br /><br />Pears, for instance, definitely get perked up when roasted with a balsamic maple dressing in Terry Walters' <em>Eat Clean Live Well</em>, which the cook serves both as a dessert mingling with non-dairy coconut ice cream and as a breakfast topping over steel-cut oats. <br />
<ul>
<li><strong><em>For a shortcut, poach or warm pears and drizzle with a mixture of balsamic vinegar and maple syrup.</em></strong></li>
</ul>
Splashing around the creativity even further is author Rick Rodgers (<em>The Big Book of Sides</em>) when he includes the silky nectar in a Pear and Sweet Potato Casserole with Bacon. <br />
<ul>
<li><em><strong>For a shortcut, buy a supermarket or takeout sweet potato casserole and add sauteed chopped pears and maple syrup before heating or reheating.</strong></em></li>
</ul>
Rodgers goes for the pairing with bacon again in a tempting Brussels sprouts mixture. <br />
<ul>
<li><strong><em>For a shortcut, prepare Brussels sprouts as you usually would and top with chopped crisp bacon and drizzle of maple syrup before serving.</em></strong></li>
</ul>
<br />An award-winning author who has written more than 40 cookbooks, Rodgers has this advice for you about the luscious liquid: "American maple syrup is graded according to its color and depth of flavor," he writes. "Recently, the names of the grades have changed. Grade A (formerly called Grade B), which has a robust flavor and mahogany hue, is my choice for all-purpose syrup for both cooking and pouring over pancakes. In Canada, which supplies about 80 percent of the world's maple syrup, this syrup is graded Number 2. If I use the lighter, more delicate Amber, I add a few drops of pure maple extract to boost the flavor."<br /><br />Fun shortcuts like the aforementioned also prove food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, <em>since there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> St. Patrick's Day is the perfect time to have some fun introducing your kidlets to healthful green foods. How about a handful of finely chopped fresh mint in a salad or even over some sugar-free chocolate ice cream? Have a green "mustache" contest (where "selfies" can be sent to friends) for kids willing to sip frothy green juices (spinach, celery, cucumber). They can experience how tasty the green vegetable juices are when they also include fresh apple or pineapple juice. When the leafy green kale is sauteed, it becomes an even brighter shade of green, which kids probably will get a kick out of observing as you cook. You might also talk briefly about how healthful leafy greens are in general and have kids try to pair name cards with the greens for small prizes.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Staff2015-03-09T18:33:00Z10-Second Recipes: All Roads Should Lead to Street-Inspired FoodStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-All-Roads-Should-Lead-to-Street-Inspired-Food/-67289204903520163.html2015-03-02T23:28:00Z2015-03-02T23:28:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />Whether it's a pretzel or hot dog vendor in New York City, a taco truck in Los Angeles or cart in the Mexican state of Baja California, or their counterparts dotting the thoroughfares of Thailand or Vietnam, street food provides its own unique roadmap of the culinary, cultural and historical sides of a country, a region, a city, or even just a specific block.<br /><br />This is not a modern trend, but one that's been going on for centuries that's only gathered more steam and popularity in recent decades. When food trucks circle in the hundreds together for a festival in spots like the Rose Bowl stadium in California, are followed feverishly on Twitter or inspire their own Food Network television series, like "The Great Food Truck Race," or road trip films, like last year's "Chef," it's a reflection of the long tradition of street food elevating itself well above the pavement.<br /><br />Carts or trucks aren't even necessary. Some have brought the streets to tables or even inside. The famous open-air Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles has been thriving across the street from CBS since 1934 and features dozens of stalls of international and regional street specialties, like the acclaimed longtime Gumbo Pot with its authentic New Orleans noshes. <br /><br />TV Food Network "Too Hot Tamales" star, Chef Susan Feniger, who for decades has scoured the dusty byways of Mexico for her Santa Monica Border Grill restaurant, until recently had a Los Angeles cafe called Street that featured the street food of hundreds of countries. It inspired her cookbook, <em>Susan Feniger's Street Food</em>.<br /><br />CNN food and travel star, and bestselling food book author Anthony Bourdain has announced that he and a partner are planning to open an international street food hall in New York City this year. It may have about 50 single stalls and additional areas featuring international and regional spotlights. Bourdain has kept most of the details under wraps, but recently told the <em>Wall Street Journal</em>, "It will be fast and accessible foods, with hundreds of options. You can have roast goose; I can have beef rendang."<br /><br />Getting street food rolling in your own kitchen is uniquely rewarding and also a good introduction to the ethnic aisles of your supermarket or local ethnic markets. Cookbooks, like Feniger's or longtime staple<em> New York Cookbook</em> by Molly O'Neill, are delicious and easy-to-follow starting points.<br /><br />Below, are a few street-inspired easy treats that recently set my kitchen afire, including the wrap filled with hummus and quinoa (an ancient protein-filled grain-like seed that's experiencing modern popularity) from international vegetarian author Nava Atlas' <em>Plant Power</em> that's simple to prepare and full of Middle Eastern flavors and nutrition.<br /><br /><em>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</em></p>
<blockquote><br /><strong>HUMMUS WRAPS WITH GRAINS AND GREENS</strong> <br />
<ul>
<li>2 (10-inch) wraps, at room temperature </li>
<br />
<li>1/2 cup store-bought or homemade hummus, or to taste </li>
<br />
<li>2 tablespoons hemp seeds or 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional) </li>
<br />
<li>1/2 cup cooked quinoa, brown rice or black rice 1 to 2 large handfuls mixed baby greens, shredded lettuce, baby arugula or baby spinach </li>
<br />
<li>1 medium ripe tomato, thinly sliced </li>
<br />
<li>1/2 medium firm ripe avocado, peeled and sliced </li>
<br />
<li>Strips of sun-dried tomato, to taste (optional) </li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
Yields 2 wraps.<span> <br /><br /></span>Place one wrap on a plate. Spread with half of the hummus and sprinkle with half of the hemp seeds.<br /><br />Arrange half the quinoa down the center of the wrap. Put a large handful of leafy greens next to it on one side and half the tomato slices on the other. Sprinkle half the avocado slices over everything, followed by a few strips of sun-dried tomatoes.<br /><br />Tuck two ends over the fillings; then, starting from one end, roll tightly, making sure that the ends are kept tucked in and that everything remains snugly inside. Repeat with the second wrap. Cut each wrap in half before serving.<br /><br />-"Plant Power" by Nava Atlas.<br /><br />
<blockquote><strong>MEXICAN GRILLED CORN ON THE COB</strong>
<ul>
<li>4 ears fresh corn, husks and silks removed </li>
<br />
<li>1/4 cup mayonnaise </li>
<br />
<li>1/2 tablespoon (preferably Mexican-style) chili powder </li>
<br />
<li>1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest </li>
<br />
<li>1/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese (or ricotta salata) </li>
<br />
<li>Kosher salt, to taste </li>
<br />
<li>Lime wedges, for serving</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
Yields 4 servings.<br /><br />Grill the corn, turning frequently with tongs, until charred in spots, 6 to 8 minutes.<br /><br />In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, chili powder and lime zest. Put the cheese on a small plate. Spread each ear of corn with 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise mixture and then roll in the cheese to coat. Sprinkle with salt and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the corn.<br /><br />-FineCooking.com ("Street Food from Around the World")<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> When preparing homemade iced tea, carefully add boiling water to pitcher or glass first and then the tea or else it can become foamy. Let the tea cool to room temperature before adding ice or placing pitcher or glass in the refrigerator, or the liquid can become cloudy.<br /><br /> <br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2015-03-02T23:28:00Z10-Second Recipes: Vegan Soups - Cream of the No-Cream CropStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Vegan-Soups---Cream-of-the-No-Cream-Crop/-772758900587420388.html2015-02-17T21:11:00Z2015-02-17T21:11:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br />Winter is often the chilly time of year when a hearty, rich bowl of cream of vegetable soup is much appreciated. What might not be as welcome is the saturated fat in that cream or the whole milk that is sometimes used to generate similar scrumptious soup results.<br /><br />If you've never tried to prepare a vegan soup before, this might be the time of year to give it a shot. Cooks in that specialty have come up with delicious ways to richen your soups without adding to your possible health concerns.<br /><br />Nava Atlas, for instance, author of many vegan and vegetarian books, including the current <em>Plant Power: Transform Your Kitchen, Plate and Life with More than 150 Fresh and Flavorful Vegan Recipes</em>, is expert at creating cream of vegetable soups without any cream at all.<br /><br />Her cream of broccoli soup gets its texture and flavor from pureed northern or cannellini beans or tofu, peas, and unsweetened rice milk. <br /><br />Atlas' innovative cream of sweet potato, butternut squash or carrot soup (or a blend of all three) is pumped up by light coconut milk.<br /><br />Fortunately, many of these formerly health food store-only products are now reasonably priced staples in mainstream supermarkets, like coconut milk, almond milk and tofu.<br /><br />In addition to those good ideas as inspiration, following are some of my strategies for shortcuts. They are based on dreamy, creamy techniques like that, as well as other favorites of vegan chefs, such as using pureed raw nuts as a rich base.<br /><br />Fun fare this like also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</p>
<p>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><strong> </strong></p>
<blockquote><strong>Cashing in on Cashews:</strong> In a strong blender, blend together raw, unsalted cashews with enough store-bought or homemade vegetable broth to create desired creaminess. Add sliced steamed carrots, chopped steamed cauliflower, minced sauteed garlic and onion, curry powder and freshly ground black pepper, and heat, stirring often.<br /><br /><strong>Sweet on Sweet Potatoes:</strong> Bake sweet potatoes, cool and mash well. In a blender, blend sweet potatoes and store-bought or homemade vegetable broth to create desired creaminess. Add pureed cooked carrots and fruit-only applesauce, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and ground allspice, and heat, stirring often.<br /><br /><strong>Almond Milk Has Power to Amaze:</strong> Combine almond milk with a puree of mixed steamed vegetables until reaches desired creaminess. Add a pinch of chili powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, ground cloves and freshly ground black pepper, and heat, stirring often.<br /><br /><strong>Tofu is Tough to Beat: </strong>Heat store-bought or homemade vegetable broth, steamed and pureed broccoli, lemon-pepper salt substitute and Italian seasoning blend, stirring often. Puree firm tofu in a blender and carefully drizzle into soup while stirring until soup reaches desired creaminess. Heat, stirring often.</blockquote>
<br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>University studies have shown white tea (which is lower in caffeine than black and green teas) to be even higher in antioxidants and more of a possible disease preventer than green and black teas have been reported to be. However, white tea (which is made from immature tea leaves and buds that have undergone less oxidation before drying) is more rare, less in supply and, therefore, often more expensive. One strategy is to include less expensive, more widely available white tea blends in your tasty tea repertoire. Retail (from some supermarkets, to coffeehouse/teahouse chains, to online stores) options abound, including white tea blends that include additional antioxidants, like tiny pieces of berries, apples, ginger and spices.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2015-02-17T21:11:00Z10-Second Recipes: Surprise Your Valentine with a Chocolate Main DishStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Surprise-Your-Valentine-with-a-Chocolate-Main-Dish/-77725150082866624.html2015-02-09T21:11:00Z2015-02-09T21:11:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />Chocolate for dinner? That might be something your kidlets have asked for, but it can be a romantic adult meal, especially for Valentine's Day. After all, chocolate, or cacao (the beanlike seeds from which chocolate and cocoa are made) have been featured in some of the world's tastiest cuisines for centuries. Famed chef Emeril Lagasse's rendition of Mexican chicken mole, for instance, features a full two ounces of chocolate in the famous rich sauce that also features four types of chilies, peanuts, sesame seeds, garlic, onions, cloves and cinnamon sticks.<br /><br />When might a free app be almost as valuable a gift to your Valentine as jewels? If your sweetie likes to cook and you like to eat or vice versa, the SideChef app (at iTunes, Google Play or at SideChef.com) is a standout, a la the prettiest roses, the finest wines or the richest chocolates.<br /><br />In fact, my review of savory chocolate recipes is what, to me, made the app rush near the head of the pack. Culinary creativity, sure to impress a dinner date, is on display with the ancient aphrodisiac ingredient at center stage. <br /><br />SideChef is succulent because it is a mingling of more than 100 food bloggers worldwide, all of whom are expert at showing their dishes prepared step-by-step in photography. More than 1,000 recipes are featured and SideChef has been a top-ten app in iTunes food and drink category and named one of the best apps of 2014 by USA Today.<br /><br />In the tasty recipe featured on SideChef from the blog WellWornFork.com that follows, prosciutto and gruyere cheese become one with chocolate, cream cheese and diced basil in risotto (creamy rice) balls.<br /><br />There are even simpler ways to stash some romantic chocolate in your sweetie's meal. Some of those tips of mine also follow.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, <em>since there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>Scones That Won't Be Skipped: </strong>Dinner rolls take on a deeper meaning when you include in your scone or roll batter chocolate chips (semisweet or dark), cooked, crumbled bacon and freshly ground black pepper.<br /><br /><strong>Choose Chocolate for Chili: </strong>Consider melting any type of chocolate within your chili when cooking. It adds depth of flavor and richness and is equally good whether your chili is made with beans, beef, pork or poultry.<br /><br /><strong>Nothing Fishy About This Idea: </strong>A blend of two-thirds melted white chocolate with one-third melted semisweet or dark chocolate, white wine and compatible seasonings, like dill, tarragon and thyme, and freshly ground black pepper make an excellent sauce for white fish fillets, like tilapia or Alaskan Pollock.<br /><strong> </strong></p>
<blockquote><strong>CHOCOLATE-PROSCIUTTO RISOTTO BALLS</strong><span> <br /></span>2 tablespoons butter<span> <br /></span>3 cups chicken stock <br />1 cup Arborio rice, dry<span> <br /></span><span> </span>3/4 cup grated gruyere cheese<span> <br /></span>6 slices prosciutto, finely diced<span> <br /></span>1 tablespoon finely diced basil<span> <br /></span>Salt, to taste<span> <br /></span>Pepper, to taste <br />Vegetable oil, for frying <br />Breadcrumbs, for breading <br />2 & 1/2 teaspoons cream cheese, at room temperature <br />1 egg <br />1/2 ounce semisweet chocolate, finely chopped<span> </span> <span> <br /></span>Yields 20 rice balls.<span> <br /><br /></span>Melt butter in a large saute pan. <br /><br />In a separate pot, heat chicken stock to a boil. <br /><br />Toast the rice in the butter. Carefully ladle some chicken stock on top of the rice and start to stir almost constantly until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat until the rice is cooked through. <br />Add the cheese, prosciutto and basil to the rice. Add salt and pepper, if needed.<br /> <br />Line a tray with wax paper. Carefully spread out the risotto on the tray; cool in the refrigerator. <br /> Meanwhile, in a pan, carefully heat vegetable oil to 350 F. Put the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl for breading. Cut the cream cheese into about 1 / 8-inch cubes. <br /><br />Take risotto out of refrigerator and mix in a bowl with egg and chocolate. <br /><br />Scoop out a small amount of risotto mixture and flatten with hands. Put the cream cheese into the center and roll into a ball. Bread with breadcrumbs and set aside. <br /><br />Carefully gently with a utensil put a few of the rice balls in the oil and gently and carefully stir consistently. Take out once golden brown and salt immediately, if desired. Repeat with remaining rice balls. <br /><br />-WellWornFork.com featured on SideChef app<br /><br /></blockquote>
<strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> You no longer have to stuff your luggage with gourmet gifts for loved ones. If you enjoyed specialties while on the road, many of the world's top spots have Internet ordering. Among scores of other less perishable foods that New York City's Zabar's sells, even the lox, cream cheese and bagels for which Zabar's is famous, are available for overnight delivery at Zabars.com. Harrods in London is another distinguished location whose famed "food halls" sells online at Harrods.com. San Francisco's Boudin Bakery, at BoudinBakery.com, ships lots of gifts, including the city's legendary sourdough bread bowls. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2015-02-09T21:11:00Z10-Second Recipes: Seasoned Cheese is a Slice of FlavorStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Seasoned-Cheese-is-a-Slice-of-Flavor/-977903318051126781.html2015-02-02T21:01:00Z2015-02-02T21:01:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br />Spices are common accompaniments to meat and poultry, so much so that many a "spice rub" or other blend has been devised just for that delicious purpose. When it comes to your protein of choice mingling with seasonings, though, if you are leaving calcium-rich, low-fat cheeses out of the spice equation, there's no reason for that.<br /><br />If you are used to having slabs of Monterey Jack, Muenster or Swiss cheese solo, for instance, why not instead spice up the ante with cumin, chilies, garlic and onions. That's what Southern Living magazine did and inspires the dip idea below. <br /><br />Rick Rodgers' voluminous <em>The Big Book of Sides</em> bears lots of fruit on the subject with fresh chives blanketing farmer's cheese atop spaetzle (small simple seasoned dumplings that originated in southern Germany), fresh mozzarella balls getting covered with a garlicky olivada, Cotija (a Mexican cheese, that is crumbly when fresh and dry for grating when aged) improved by minced jalapeno. It is also enhanced by freshly ground black pepper, which is an incredibly simple trick on its own to step up the flavor of many cheeses.<br /><br />In fact, ground black pepper is part of the mix, along with oregano and garlic, inspired by Rodgers that spruces up Romano cheese in the tip that follows.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, <em>since there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Cheese Dip with a Bite:</strong> Mix minced onions and garlic cloves, ground cumin, ground black pepper, canned diced tomatoes with green chilies, Monterey Jack, Muenster or Swiss cheese (or a combination) with a small amount of low-fat (but not nonfat) milk or reduced-fat mayonnaise. Heat, stirring often, until melted and hot, but being careful not to burn. Serve with store-bought baked tortilla chips.<br /><br /><strong>Roam toward Romano:</strong> Toss store-bought jarred drained artichoke hearts with freshly grated Romano cheese, olive oil, dried oregano, minced garlic cloves, freshly ground black pepper, salt substitute (if desired) and fresh lemon juice. Eat as is, or as a topping on seasoned or seeded crackers.<br /><br /><strong>Cheers to Cheddar:</strong> Lightly toast multigrain bread and top with almond butter (available in most supermarket peanut butter aisles), apple slices, ground cinnamon and nutmeg and low-fat Cheddar cheese. Broil until cheese just begins to melt.<br />Ham 'n' Cheese Surprise: Melt Swiss cheese, stirring with finely chopped walnuts, ground black pepper, curry powder and mustard and spoon as a sauce over thick slices of warm or room temperature ham.<br /><br /><strong>Parmesan Pep-Me-Ups:</strong> Mix together dried basil, thyme and oregano and sprinkle some lightly over triangles of Parmesan cheese and raw dipping vegetables, like carrots, celery and jicama. Add the rest of the spice mix to a blend of olive oil and red wine vinegar and use as a dip for the seasoned Parmesan triangles and vegetables.<br /><br /><br /><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong>Sliders, the popular restaurant appetizer, don't have to be mini burgers. Busy Los Angeles Art's Deli (operating since 1957) serves vegetarian sliders of avocado and tomato slices between mini potato pancakes. You could try the same with mini zucchini, onion or mushroom pancakes as well.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>Staff2015-02-02T21:01:00ZSo Easy SoupStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/So-Easy-Soup/-454673274653827935.html2015-01-26T18:43:00Z2015-01-26T18:43:00Z<strong><br /><br />By Cheryl Tallman</strong><br /><a href="http://www.FreshBaby.com" target="_blank">www.FreshBaby.com</a><br />
<p>With the frost temps of winter upon us, there's nothing more comforting than a tasty bowl of warm soup. To celebrate National Soup Month we've simplified homemade soup to make it "so easy". All you have to do is start with store-bought chicken stock, add fresh veggies and cooked chicken and in less than 15 minutes you'll have a great bowl soup seven delicious ways and have leftovers to enjoy all over again. Take advantage of National Soup Month, because there is nothing so soothing as soup!<br /><br /><strong>Chicken and Rice Soup</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>1/2 cup each carrots, celery and onion, diced</li>
<li>2 Tbsp. olive oil</li>
<li>8 cups low-sodium chicken stock </li>
<li>1/2 cup green peas, frozen</li>
<li>2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded</li>
<li>1 cup cooked rice</li>
<li>Salt and Pepper to taste</li>
</ul>
<p>Directions: In a large soup pot, add diced vegetables and olive oil. Sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and cook for 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the peas, chicken and cooked rice and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Enjoy. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Asian Noodle Bowl</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>8 cups low-sodium chicken stock </li>
<li>2-inch piece ginger, 1/4' inch slices</li>
<li>2-3 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce</li>
<li>4oz pad Thai rice noodles</li>
<li>2 cups napa cabbage, shredded</li>
<li>1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced</li>
<li>1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced</li>
</ul>
<p>Directions: In a large soup pot, bring the stock, ginger and soy to a boil. Add rice noodles, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add cabbage, mushrooms and green onions and cook another 5 minutes. Remove and discard the ginger slices before serving.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Thai Coconut Soup</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>1 tsp. red curry paste</li>
<li>1 tbs. Olive Oil</li>
<li>5 cups low-sodium chicken stock</li>
<li>1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk</li>
<li>3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice</li>
<li>2 Tbsp. fish sauce (optional)</li>
<li>1/2 cup each, mushrooms and red peppers, thinly sliced</li>
<li>2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded</li>
</ul>
<p>Garnishes: Lime wedges, Chopped cilantro, Chopped green onions<br /><br />Directions: In a large soup pot, add curry paste and olive oil. Sauté over medium heat for 1 minute. Add chicken stock, coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and red pepper cook for another 5 minutes. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Southwestern Tortilla Soup<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></strong></p>
<ul>
<li>5 cups low-sodium chicken stock</li>
<li>1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes, southwestern flavored</li>
<li>1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies</li>
<li>1 can (14 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed</li>
<li>1/2 cup frozen corn</li>
<li>2 Tbsp. lime juice</li>
<li>2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded</li>
</ul>
Garnishes: Tortilla chip crumbles, Diced avocado, Chopped cilantro and lime wedges<br /><br />Directions: In a large soup pot add all of the ingredients. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Lemony Tortellini Soup</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>8 cups low-sodium chicken stock</li>
<li>16-ounce tortellini (fresh of dried)</li>
<li>2 cups baby spinach, shredded or chopped</li>
<li>2 green onions, thin sliced</li>
<li>1 Tbsp. lemon Juice</li>
</ul>
Garnishes : Lemon wedges, chopped parsley<br /><br />Directions: In a large soup pot bring the chicken stock to a boil. Drop the tortellini into the pot and cook according to package directions. In the last 30 seconds of cooking, add the spinach, green onions, and lemon juice. <br /><br /><br /><strong>A-Z Vegetable Soup</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>8 cups low-sodium chicken stock</li>
<li>3 cups chopped or diced vegetables (any variety of vegetables will do. Use up what's in the fridge, chopped greens are awesome in soup)</li>
<li>1/2 cup alphabet pasta (or other small pasta such as ditalini)* 2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded</li>
</ul>
Directions: In a large soup pot bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the vegetables and pasta and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the chicken cook for another 5 minutes. Enjoy. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Chinese Vegetable Soup</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>8 cups low-sodium chicken stock</li>
<li>2" fresh ginger, thinly sliced</li>
<li>2 Tbsp. soy sauce</li>
<li>2 tsp. sesame oil</li>
<li>8 ounces sliced mushrooms</li>
<li>1 cup napa cabbage or bok choy, shredded</li>
<li>1 cup snow peas, sliced in half</li>
<li>12 ounces, firm tofu, cubed</li>
</ul>
Directions: In a large soup pot bring the chicken stock, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, cabbage, and snow peas and simmer for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add tofu. Warm gently for 5 minutes. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Simple Meatball Soup</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>2 tbsp. olive oil</li>
<li>1/2 cup onions, minced</li>
<li>1 Tbsp. garlic, minced</li>
<li>1 bunch kale, chopped</li>
<li>1/2 cup quinoa</li>
<li>8 cups low-sodium chicken stock</li>
<li>1 pound frozen meatballs</li>
</ul>
Garnish: Grated Parmesan cheese, Chopped Parsley, Garlic-seasoned croutons<br /><br />Directions: In a large soup pot, add diced onions, garlic and olive oil. Sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes; add the kale and cook for 3 more minutes. Add the quinoa and the chicken stock turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the meatballs and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Enjoy. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Cheryl Tallman</strong> is the co-founder and CEO of <a href="http://www.FreshBaby.com" target="_blank">Fresh Baby</a>. Since Starting Fresh Baby in 2002, Cheryl Tallman has been honored with many prestigious awards, and is a US Department of Agriculture National Nutrition Education Strategic Partner. As the head of product and content development for her company, Cheryl develops innovative products and authors materials that inspire parents to raise healthier children. She serves as both a parenting and cooking expert for many high-profile online communities. Cheryl's ultimate vision is to make the task of raising a healthy eater easier for all parents. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2015-01-26T18:43:00Z10-Second Recipes: Easy Dressings That Truly Dress Up TunaStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Easy-Dressings-That-Truly-Dress-Up-Tuna/-783467401263783002.html2015-01-05T23:22:00Z2015-01-05T23:22:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br />After cooking and baking during the busy holiday season, you may be tempted by tuna in the new year. The simplicity of canned tuna is a go-to dish. Dressings that skip the usual route of being mixed up with the tuna and instead make their appearance under, over or on the side add easy gourmet touches. <br /><br />A few fresh, light ingredients emerge repeatedly when acclaimed chefs dress up tuna salads. TV star and cookbook author Jamie Oliver likes to serve his tuna salad warm draped with fresh basil/olive oil/fresh lemon juice and more basil and yogurt in the dressing that is served at room temperature. <br /><br />The Food Network Kitchen Italian-influenced dressing that follows also stresses the good companionship of fresh basil, olive oil and fresh lemon juice, as well as the punch of finely grated lemon zest. It is drizzled lightly atop the flaked tuna salad. <br /><br />The tuna tacos below take a cue from popular Baja fish tacos. The tuna sits atop a creamy fresh chopped cilantro and chile dressing and is then crowned with shredded green cabbage and salsa. <br /><br /><strong>A few other fresh ideas for dressing up out-of-the-ordinary tuna salads: </strong> <br /><br /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Tomatoes are Treasure Troves:</strong> Spoon a small amount of store-bought or homemade French salad dressing in the bottom of medium to large raw tomatoes that have been hollowed out. Top with finely chopped celery and walnuts, dried blueberries or dried cranberries and canned tuna that has been flaked.</li>
<li><strong>Multigrain Tuna Mates:</strong> Puree canned mandarin oranges (preferably those canned with fruit juice and not syrup) and their juice and small amounts of ground cinnamon and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle orange mixture atop canned flaked tuna, chopped cashews and shredded arugula that are atop multigrain tortillas. </li>
<li><strong>Leaves You Can't Leave Alone:</strong> Place flaked canned tuna inside the crease of hearts of romaine. Top with shelled sunflower seeds, diced strawberries and chopped jicama or chopped raw cauliflower. Drizzle with store-bought Thai peanut dressing (often available in the ethnic aisle of major supermarkets). </li>
</ul>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! <br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since<em> there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. <br /><br /><strong>TUNA FISH TACOS</strong><br /><em>Dressing: </em> <br />1/2 cup sour cream <br />1/2 cup mayonnaise <br />2 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves <br />1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce <br />Salt, to taste <br /><br /><em>Tacos: </em> <br />12 small corn tortillas (about 5 & 1/2 inches in diameter) <br />1 & 1/2 cups finely shredded green cabbage (about 3 ounces) <br />2 (6-ounce each) cans tuna in water, drained, excess moisture removed and broken into flakes <br />About 1 & 1/2 cups store-bought or homemade salsa <br />Yields 12 tacos. <br /> Preheat oven to 350 F. <br /><br /><em>To prepare dressing: </em><br />In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro, chipotle pepper and salt. <br />There will be about 1 cup dressing. <br /><br /><em>To prepare tacos:</em> <br />Divide tortillas into two batches and wrap each in foil. Place in oven and heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until warm. <br />Carefully place warm tortillas on a work surface. <br />Smear each with about 1 & 1/2 tablespoons dressing and top with about 2 tablespoons cabbage. <br />Add about 2 tablespoons tuna, and about 2 tablespoons salsa. <br />Serve open-face for diners to roll themselves. Serve immediately. <br />-"200 Best Canned Fish & Seafood Recipes." <br /><br /><strong>ITALIAN TUNA SALAD DRESSING</strong><br />2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil <br />1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest <br />Juice of 1/2 lemon <br />2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves <br />Kosher or regular salt, to taste <br />Freshly ground black pepper, to taste <br />Yields 2 servings. <br /><br />In a small bowl, add olive oil, lemon zest and juice and basil, and combine well.<br /> Season with salt and pepper. <br />Good drizzled on top of drained, flaked canned tuna fish that is atop mixed greens. <br /> -Adapted from FoodNetwork.com<br /> <br />QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: Teaching your kids to cook can take all kinds of fun paths. If your kidlet's pal's birthday is coming up, for instance, consider having him or her find out what are the friend's favorite baked items, such as cookies, cakes, pies or brownies, flavors, icings and toppings, such as cookie crumbs or fresh strawberries. Then have your child research online, in cookbooks or by interviewing you or other relatives, recipes that might fit the bill and then, with your supervision, bake a custom birthday treat for the friend. Along the way, you could give helpful information about possible whole-grain or sugar-free ingredients as well.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>Staff2015-01-05T23:22:00Z10-Second Recipes: Make It a Memorable White Christmas with White ChocolateStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Make-It-a-Memorable-White-Christmas-with-White-Chocolate/-561215869959017183.html2014-12-22T08:01:00Z2014-12-22T08:01:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><em>(originally published December 2012)</em><br /><br />Giving your family a white holiday season they won't soon forget doesn't necessarily mean going skiing or sledding. In fact, it can be just as easily accomplished in kitchens in warm locales like Los Angeles or Miami. Just perform the simple trick of substituting white chocolate for dark in your holiday desserts, and you'll be serving up winter wonders that won't be soon forgotten, although they are deceptively simple to prepare. <br /><br />White chocolate is originally a European term and, technically, not a true chocolate because there is no chocolate liquor. However, it gets its name from the cocoa butter (32 percent in extremely fine versions) in the product, which often gives it a light chocolate flavor. It also contains milk, sugar and vanilla, and it's made in the same manner as chocolate. Less expensive versions often use vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter and still usually taste rich and creamy. These days, white chocolate is just as readily available as dark chocolate in bars, morsels and frostings in the baking aisles of most major supermarkets, yet it's still often perceived as exotic and gourmet. And, just as a home's living room looks dramatic when done in all white fabrics, carpets and furnishings, so does a holiday dessert that's engulfed in bright white.<br /><br />Food preparation, from cooking to creating innovative gifts or charitable donations, can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to get into motion.</em> These creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows."<br /><br /><strong>Fudge Worthy of a First Place Ribbon</strong><br />In your favorite fudge recipe, substitute white chocolate and include dried cranberries, crystallized ginger and melted marshmallows.<br /><br /><strong>Icing That's Red Hot</strong><br />White chocolate can be a wonderful accent. In "Mocha" by Michael Turback, he mixes melted white chocolate, espresso and coffee liquor into his frosting before piping it onto devil's food cake cupcakes.<br /><br /><strong>Delicious "Snowball" from Your Freezer</strong><br />To yield a quart of rich white chocolate ice cream, substitute 10 ounces white chocolate, broken into small pieces, into your favorite ice cream maker recipe (calls for melting first with 3 / 4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 cups heavy cream at room temperature). The richness that results is a far more indulgent treat than even many of the best vanilla ice creams.<br /><br /><strong>An Easy Add for Cookies</strong><br />Substitute white chocolate chips in your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and frost with vanilla icing into which you've mixed ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.<br /><br /><strong>Sweet Holiday Mini "Sandwiches"</strong><br />Break off bite-sized squares of white chocolate and top half with berry all-fruit spread (available in the jam aisle of many supermarkets) and sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts and minced fresh mint before topping with a plain square of white chocolate to complete the "sandwich."<br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> XO sauce is a spicy condiment created hundreds of years ago in Hong Kong, then and now one of the world's culinary hotspots. Most famed restaurant chefs there today create their own versions and the recipes are secret. If a chef bestows a bottle on you, it's considered an honor. Consider creating your own homemade sauces, a la XO sauces. As a foundation, start with the sauces from your favorite recipes, follow bottling procedure in a good canning cookbook (usually just a few easy steps), keep refrigerated if needed, and give to friends and family as holiday gifts or favors.<br /><br /><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>Staff2014-12-22T08:01:00Z10-Second Recipes: Reenergize with Speedy New Menus for the New YearStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Reenergize-with-Speedy-New-Menus-for-the-New-Year/-327291167102262783.html2014-12-22T08:00:00Z2014-12-22T08:00:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>(originally published January 2012)</em><br /><br />Taking a deep breath after the busyness of the winter holidays doesn't necessarily mean you need to rely on weeks of (and the expense of) take-out food to restore your culinary energy. The following three-course economic weeknight menus (appetizers, entrees, and healthy desserts) are filled with gourmet touches that take just seconds each. Sometimes, for instance, it's just a key flavor that superbly anchors an entire dish, like the heated marinara sauce in a raw stuffed mushroom healthful appetizer or the warmed apple cider in an innovative soup also featuring grilled cheddar cheese croutons.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Everyone can use a little help planning weeknight meals, especially as an entire new year looms ahead - <em>and if that only takes seconds, that's even better</em>. The three nights of menus that follow offer a lifeline during a busy week and prove cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these menus of family-friendly sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The meals are delicious proof everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>QUICK MENU 1</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Appetizer</em><br /><strong>Excitement Boils with Apple Cider Soup</strong><br />Heat apple cider, minced peeled apple, vanilla extract and ground: cinnamon, cumin, turmeric and coriander. Just before serving, top with "croutons" made from bite-sized squares of whole-wheat well-done grilled cheddar cheese sandwiches.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Entree</em><br /><strong>Sandwiches Aren't Just for Lunch</strong><br />Prepare mini healthful sub sandwiches in whole-wheat buns with thinly sliced honey ham and various thinly sliced vegetables (or only vegetables for a vegetarian version) and pepperjack cheese (which has the antioxidant plus of fresh peppers). Make a dipping sauce of peach fruit-only spread (usually available in the jam aisle of many supermarkets), spicy brown mustard, chopped pecans, curry powder and freshly ground black pepper.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Healthy Dessert</em><br /><strong>Pairing Pears and Prickly Pears</strong><br />For a taste treat that's an easy addition, consider finding cactus prickly pear syrup or juice at your supermarket or ordering from large multi-source online retailers, like amazon.com or shopzilla.com, which offers wares from 300 retailers. Heat syrup or juice lightly (substitute heated sugar-free butterscotch or caramel sundae sauce if necessary) and pour atop fresh unpeeled diced pears that have been sprinkled on sugar-free vanilla ice cream, frozen yogurt, or sorbet.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>QUICK MENU 2</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Appetizer</em><br /><strong>Sophisticated Stuffed Mushrooms are Easy</strong><br />Heat your favorite (extremely flavorful) leftover homemade or store-bought marinara sauce. Meanwhile, wash, stem and dry large store-bought white mushrooms. Spoon in a dash of sauce, add a thin slice of Parmesan cheese (this has more protein and less fat than most cheeses) and a thin slice of fresh unpeeled zucchini. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning mix and serve at room temperature.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Entree</em><br /><strong>A Big Broccoli Idea</strong><br />Place cooked penne pasta in bottom of casserole dish. Top with fresh or frozen broccoli that's been lightly steamed, walnut pieces, drained garbanzo beans, cooked shredded chicken, an amount of bottled Italian dressing that's 2-to-1 to bottled ranch dressing you will also add and mix well. Heat at 300 F until hot. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Healthy Dessert</em><br /><strong>These Dates Have a Date with Spicy Dessert Sauce</strong><br />Blend sugar-free chocolate syrup with creamy peanut butter and a dash of curry powder. Use as a dipping sauce for dried figs, dates and sugar-free sandwich cookies.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>QUICK MENU 3</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Appetizer</em><br /><strong>Salad in a Smoothie</strong><br />Add a dab of water, some spinach leaves, small carrot pieces, fresh lime and lemon juices, orange juice, pineapple juice and a small amount of sugar-free natural sweetener (like stevia) to a blender. Blend until smooth and serve over ice.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Entree</em><br /><strong>Adding Love to Meatloaf</strong><br />To deliciously "super fruit-ize" your meal, whirl a dab of water and fresh or frozen blackberries and flesh of kiwi in a blender until liquefied. Stir into bottled barbecue sauce, heat and spoon over meatloaf made from lean meats. Serve with whole-wheat rolls topped with a dab of blackberry jam.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Healthy Dessert</em><br /><strong>Creative Couscous Begins Great End to Meal</strong><br />Prepare couscous according to package directions (it's easy to make, like rice). While hot, carefully add raisins, diced dried apricots and almond slivers. Stir in vanilla-flavored low-fat or fat-free refrigerated yogurt and a few drops of vanilla extract.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em> If you are in a time pinch and notice a recipe calls for cake flour, but you don't have any on hand, baking experts like Robert L. Blakeslee, author of <em>"Your Time to Bake: A First Cookbook for the Novice Baker,"</em> advise, that for every cup called for you easily and economically can substitute 1 cup less 2 tablespoons of sifted all-purpose flour.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2014-12-22T08:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Colorful Foods Cheer Up Stormy DaysStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Colorful-Foods-Cheer-Up-Stormy-Days/738240937456731564.html2014-12-16T00:00:00Z2014-12-16T00:00:00Z<p><em><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /><br />As the weather cools and storms brew, has your own indoor forecast been one of frowns? If the kidlets in your realm (or you!) could use a rainbow instead, think about energizing both your food and smile supply with colorful offerings. Even psychologists say that color, whether you wear it through your clothes choices or stare at it on your dining room table in the form of food before you eat it, is sometimes all you need to do the trick for a slight pick-me-up. <span> <br /><br /></span>Of course, sweets can be an easy fix to the dilemma. Lemon bars would be like a ray of sunlight; lollipops from the health food store can be bright without the use of artificial ingredients and you could dip them quickly in some melted dark chocolate, which is full of antioxidants. Pure extracts, like adding peppermint extract to sugar-free dark hot chocolate, can even give the perk (by making imbibers think of colorful peppermint due to the scent and flavor) without even having the color of a peppermint drop or candy cane present. <br /> <br />If you bake your own colorful treats, consider using a natural no-calorie sweetener, like the plant extract stevia. If you are not using pure liquid extract, look at the ingredients of packaged stevia to make sure there are no fillers. Even if you make candy, there are wholesome ways to go, like looking for products like lime oil or lemon oil to do the natural flavoring. <br /><br /><span> </span>Fortunately, good nutrition, only gets better if you follow the rainbow when it comes to fresh produce. The brightest colors (like red, blue and the darkest greens) have the highest levels of antioxidants. Bell peppers are a particularly cheery choice because they are often sold in multipacks with red, green, orange and yellow. Mix-and-match for slightly varying sweetness levels and a visual feast. For easy fun, consider the puff pastry produce prize of a suggestion below.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties - or making the most of holiday leftovers - and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! <br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since<em> there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. <br /><br /><strong>Puff Pastry Produce Prizes:</strong> Follow thawing and baking instructions on packaged puff pastry. Using bite-sized pieces, make tartlets by first topping them with halves of cherry or grape tomatoes and ringlets cut from multipacks of green, red, yellow and orange "mini" or "baby" bell peppers that are available in many supermarkets. Any finely diced colorful bell pepper can be substituted. <br /><br /><strong>Rainbow Soup:</strong> With a pastry bag, a frosting piper or plastic squirt containers (like bought mustard, ketchup or salad dressings), use pureed raw red bell pepper or pureed cooked beets to pipe designs onto cooked bright green pea soup. Sprinkle with a dice of raw yellow bell pepper or cooked butternut squash before serving. <br /><br /><strong>Do Some Catching Up with Ketchup and Mustard:</strong> Colorful mustard and ketchup are actually health foods (especially if you use sugar-free ketchup). Mustard is a zero-calorie addition from mustard seed and the lycopene that health researchers tout from tomato products is activated fully only when tomatoes are heated to a certain temperature, as in products like ketchup and tomato paste. Consider cutting in half soft pretzels and topping with cooked sliced soy hotdogs drizzled with sugar-free ketchup and an exotic mustard. <br /><strong>Licorice Love Notes:</strong> Have kids use rods of sugar-free red licorice dipped like a fountain pen in sugar-free chocolate frosting to write their initials on homemade of store-bought sugar-free cookies. <br /><br /><strong>Terrific Tea:</strong> Serve deep purple pomegranate or berry tea (there are lots of major brands of each now, which are not only colorful but full of antioxidants) with a plate of pomegranate seeds, blueberries and raspberries atop pound cake (which is one of the sweets that ranks lowest on the glycemic index of how our bodies react to sugars; oatmeal cookies are also a moderate choice on the glycemic index.)<br /> <br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>If you're looking for a treat this holiday season that might just be a slight alteration from what you are used to, consider a pumpkin custard pie. Search for recipes with that title or check your local bakeries and pie restaurants. Its filling is lighter and fluffier than the denser, more traditional pumpkin puree-only-filled pies. The custard versions usually include eggs and cream or milk (or both). The richer ingredients fit with the special-occasion theme of holidays. </p>
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>
<p> </p>Staff2014-12-16T00:00:00ZPizza the Healthy WayStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Pizza-the-Healthy-Way/-873177747659233153.html2014-12-08T21:01:00Z2014-12-08T21:01:00Z<strong><br /><br />By Cheryl Tallman</strong><br /><a href="http://www.FreshBaby.com" target="_blank">www.FreshBaby.com<br /></a>
<p><strong><br /></strong>Baking a pizza at home with the family is a fun way to spend an evening, and it can be healthy, too, when prepared the right way.<br /><br /><strong>Use whole grain crusts</strong><br />Make your own dough or buy whole wheat or whole grain pizza dough. Personal-size pizzas can also be made with tortillas, English muffins or pita bread.<br /><br /><strong>Sauces</strong><br />Go light on the sauce because too much makes a soggy pizza.</p>
<ul>
<li>Tomato sauce</li>
<li>Pesto</li>
<li>Salsa</li>
<li>Hummus</li>
<li>Refried beans</li>
<li>BBQ Sauce</li>
<li>Alfredo sauce</li>
<li>Ranch dressing</li>
<li>Hoisin sauce</li>
<li>Thai peanut sauce</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><strong>Choose lean proteins</strong><br />Proteins should be pre-cooked, drained and cooled before adding to pizza. Try:</p>
<ul>
<li>Grilled chicken</li>
<li>Lean ground beef or Italian sausage(cooked)</li>
<li>Ham</li>
<li>White or black beans</li>
<li>Turkey pepperoni, bacon or sausage</li>
<li>Baby shrimp (cooked)</li>
<li>Canned tuna or salmon</li>
<li>Firm tofu cubes</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><strong>Fruits and vegetables</strong><br />Drain well and pat dry before adding to pizza. <br /><br />Add these before pizza is cooked: </p>
<ul>
<li>Artichoke hearts</li>
<li>Banana peppers</li>
<li>Diced or cherry tomatoes</li>
<li>Grilled eggplant</li>
<li>Olives</li>
<li>Onions (red, white or green)</li>
<li>Red and green bell peppers</li>
<li>Shredded carrots</li>
<li>Spinach</li>
<li>Sun-dried tomatoes (diced)</li>
<li>Apples</li>
<li>Pears</li>
<li>Pineapple</li>
</ul>
<p><br />Add these after pizza is cooked:</p>
<ul>
<li>Arugula</li>
<li>Avocado</li>
<li>Chopped cilantro or basil</li>
<li>Cucumbers</li>
<li>Shredded lettuce</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><strong>Low-fat dairy</strong><br />Use cold cheese to prevent cheese from over cooking and possibly burning.</p>
<ul>
<li>Mozzarella</li>
<li>Cheddar jack</li>
<li>Feta Cheese</li>
<li>Swiss</li>
<li>Gouda</li>
</ul>
<p><br />Try these awesome pizzas (These meet the <a href="http://www.choosemyplate.gov/dietary-guidelines.html" target="_blank">US Department of Agriculture MyPlate guidelines</a>)</p>
<ul>
<li>Tomato sauce, turkey pepperoni, peppers and mozzarella</li>
<li>Shredded chicken, Hoisin sauce, cucumbers and green onions</li>
<li>Tofu, shredded carrots, mushrooms, bean sprouts and Thai peanut sauce.</li>
<li>Sliced apples, cherry tomatoes and cheddar jack cheese.</li>
<li>Spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, baby shrimp and Feta cheese.</li>
<li>Grilled chicken, pineapple, mozzarella and BBQ saucePesto sauce, olives, diced tomato, Feta cheese and arugula</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><strong>Cooking tips</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Keep the oven HOT. Preheat and cook pizza at 450-500 degrees for about 15 minutes.</li>
<li>Don't overload on the toppings. It can make the pizza slice too heavy to pickup or soggy.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><br /><br />Cheryl Tallman</strong> is the co-founder of <a href="http://www.FreshBaby.com" target="_blank">Fresh Baby</a>. creators of the award-winning <em>So Easy Baby</em> Food Kit, and author of <em>So Easy Baby Food </em>and the new book <em>So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years</em>. Visit Cheryl online at <a href="http://www.freshbaby.com/">www.FreshBaby.com</a> for more delicious tips. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-12-08T21:01:00Z10-Second Recipes: Leftover Stuffing is Stuffed with IdeasStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Leftover-Stuffing-is-Stuffed-with-Ideas/252100144722431032.html2014-12-01T16:59:00Z2014-12-01T16:59:00Z<p><em><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p><br />Hope you and your loved ones had a Happy Thanksgiving! When it came to stuffing, did you get stuffed or just pleasantly satisfied? If you're luxuriating in leftover stuffing, you are one lucky diner. Just a reheat to an internal temperature of 165 F does the trick. However, stuffing is also one versatile delight. Try a few of the following quick suggestions.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties - or making the most of holiday leftovers - and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong>Stuffing Sandwiches:</strong> Even though holiday decadence may continue, if you go this carb plus carb route, it's a nice treat. Plenty of upscale restaurants are now regularly serving hot sandwiches that include bread, meat, like turkey, stuffing and condiments, like cranberry sauce.<br /><br /><strong>Stuffing "Cookies":</strong> Sprinkle a bit of ground cinnamon, grated nutmeg and stevia, or another natural no-calorie sweetener, into leftover stuffing and pat into cookie shapes on a nonstick cookie sheet. Bake at a preheated 425 F, checking every 5 minutes for desired crispiness for these slightly sweet-somewhat savory crisp "cookies."<br /><br /><strong>Stuffing Oatmeal:</strong> Stir a few tablespoons of leftover stuffing and an optional few teaspoons of leftover pumpkin pie filling or cooked pumpkin puree into cooked oatmeal and then reheat until desired temperature. <br /><br /><strong>Stuffing Meatloaf:</strong> However much breadcrumbs your favorite meatloaf recipe might call for, use instead one half that amount of leftover stuffing for an extra flavor and moisture boost to whatever else is featured in the recipe.<br /><br /><strong>Stuffing Dessert Topping:</strong> Sprinkle a few small mounds of leftover stuffing on a nonstick baking sheet and bake at a preheated 425 F to dry it out and make it crunchy. Sprinkle atop leftover pumpkin or apple pie, or over vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.<br /><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Even if you don't make homemade pizza, consider adding your own gourmet toppings to plain cheese store-bought or delivered ones. Some fun choices: caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes soaked in vinaigrette or mushrooms sauteed in a heart-healthy spread and alongside fresh garlic and mixed with chopped fresh herbs.</p>
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>
<p> </p>Staff2014-12-01T16:59:00Z10-Second Recipes: Thanksgiving Stuffings Overflowing with SuperfoodsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Thanksgiving-Stuffings-Overflowing-with-Superfoods/1502601725890139.html2014-11-17T23:49:00Z2014-11-17T23:49:00Z<p><em><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p><br />You can accomplish more than just getting filled up when you indulge in eating Thanksgiving stuffing. You can instead pack yourself with superfoods. Butterball is not only a longtime turkey expert extraordinaire, their home economists came up with the following standout stuffing that just may give you enough nutritional "extra credit" (along with turkey, of course, of which the breast meat especially is a lean protein powerhouse) to make up for most other overindulgence in the traditional feast. <br /><br />The dressing is, in fact, well dressed with a multitude of top superfoods recommended by nutritionists: seven-grain bread, fresh kale, butternut squash and almonds. Not only does it taste great, but the fiber and nutrients in the multigrain bread means your blood sugar doesn't spike (and then crash) as it might with a white bread-based dressing. The vegetables and almonds also have that effect, as well as all being energizing, as opposed to some other rich holiday foods that can make you sluggish. <br /><br />The additional stuffing below is from "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Holiday-Kitchen-Delicious-Occasions/dp/1402780052/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416272695&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=Vegan+Holiday+Kitchen%3A+More+Than+200+Delicious%2C+Festive+Recipes+for+Special+Occasions%22+by+Nava+Atla" target="_blank">Vegan Holiday Kitchen: More Than 200 Delicious, Festive Recipes for Special Occasions</a>" by bestselling author Nava Atlas, who has penned 10 vegan and vegetarian cookbooks. It is also a dietitian's dream for Thanksgiving and a way to safeguard your good nutrition without giving up flavor. <br /><br />The superfoods lined up to stuff you in Atlas' recipe? Whole-grain bread, olive oil, an entire large onion, apples and apple juice, walnuts or pecans and plenty of herbs, like thyme and tarragon. <br /><br />If you are making your own split-second mixture of ingredients, keep these additional nutritional powerhouses in mind: </p>
<ul>
<li>Whole, multigrain or bran cereals </li>
<li>Brown rice </li>
<li>Quinoa </li>
<li>Barley </li>
<li>Rye </li>
<li>Pistachios </li>
<li>Hazelnuts </li>
<li>Chile peppers </li>
<li>Diced prunes </li>
<li>Dried blueberries </li>
<li>Chopped kale </li>
<li>Chopped spinach </li>
<li>Chopped broccoli </li>
<li>Chopped cauliflower </li>
<li>Chopped beets </li>
<li>Chopped pears </li>
<li>Brewed green tea, black tea or herbal tea instead of one-quarter of your broth or water </li>
</ul>
<p>With super-charged stuffings, the good nutrition news just keeps coming: Have them for leftovers, too, and you will continue not breaking your diet while still enjoying a delicious post-holiday delight. <br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! <br /><br />Another benefit: You almost effortlessly become a better cook. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to do can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. <br /><br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Seven-Grain Bread Thanksgiving Stuffing </strong></span> <br /><span> </span>10 (7-grain) bread slices (15 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 8 cups) <br /><span> </span>1/3 cup butter or margarine <br /><span> </span>1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup) <br /><span> </span>1 cup chopped celery <br /><span> </span>4 cups moderately packed chopped fresh kale <br /><span> </span>1 medium butternut squash, about 1& 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded and cubed <br /><span> </span>2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage, or 2 teaspoons rubbed dried <br /><span> </span>3/4 teaspoon salt <br /><span> </span>1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper <br /><span> </span>1/2 cup smoke-flavor almonds (from 6-ounce can), chopped <br /><span> </span>1 (14.5-ounce) can chicken broth <br /> <br /><span> </span>Yields 16 servings stuffing of 1/2 cup each; enough to stuff a thawed (if was frozen) 16-pound turkey. <span> </span> <br /><span> </span>Preheat oven to 350 F. Spread bread cubes onto bottom of large, shallow baking pan. Bake 30 minutes, or until lightly browned and dried, stirring occasionally. Leave oven on, or preheat again before baking again below. <br /><br /><span> </span>Melt butter or margarine in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook and stir 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Add kale and squash; stir to combine. Cover; cook 6 minutes, or until kale wilts, stirring occasionally. Stir in chopped sage, salt and pepper. <br /><br /><span> </span>Place browned bread crumbs in large bowl. Add vegetable mixture, almonds and broth. <br /><br /><span> </span>Place mixture in a large shallow baking pan that's been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. As also directed by Nava Atlas, in her following recipe, bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until the mixture is lightly browned and still slightly moist. Stir once during the baking time. <br /><br /><span> </span>-Adapted from <a href="http://www.butterball.com/" target="_blank">www.Butterball.com</a> <br /><br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Walnut-Apple Stuffing</strong></span> <br /><span> </span>6 cups firmly packed diced whole-grain bread <br /><span> </span>1 & 1/2 tablespoons olive oil <br /><span> </span>1 large sweet white onion, such as Vidalia <br /><span> </span>2 peeled, diced tart apples, such as Granny Smith <br />1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley <br /><span> </span>1/2 teaspoon dried thyme <br /><span> </span>1 teaspoon dried tarragon <br /><span> </span>1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning blend <br /><span> </span>1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans <br /> <span> </span>Salt, to taste <br /><span> </span>Freshly ground black pepper, to taste <br /><span> </span>1 cup apple juice, or as needed <br /> <br /><span> </span>Yields 8 to 10 servings. <br /><br /><span> </span>Preheat oven to 350 F. <br /><br /><span> </span>Place the diced bread on a baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until dry and lightly browned. <br /><br /> <span> </span>Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until golden. Add the apple and saute for 5 minutes longer. <br /> <br /><span> </span>In a mixing bowl, combine the bread cubes with the onion and apple mixture. Add all the remaining ingredients except the apple juice and toss together. Drizzle in the apple juice slowly, stirring at the same time to moisten the ingredients evenly. <br /><span> </span>Transfer the mixture to an oiled shallow 1 & 1/2-quart baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minute, or until the mixture is lightly browned and still slightly moist. Stir once during the baking time. <br /><br />-"Vegan Holiday Kitchen: More Than 200 Delicious, Festive Recipes for Special Occasions" by Nava Atlas.<br /><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em> An innovative, quick gourmet touch is to slightly warm up store-bought or homemade vinaigrette or other salad dressing as a sauce for vegetables, poultry or fish, or as a mildly heated salad dressing that will gently wilt your salad greens.</p>
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>
<p> </p>Staff2014-11-17T23:49:00Z10-Second Recipes: Autumn Holidays Are Irreplaceable, But Some Recipe Ingredients Are NotStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Autumn-Holidays-Are-Irreplaceable,-But-Some-Recipe-Ingredients-Are-Not/-652145510290529632.html2014-11-10T18:30:00Z2014-11-10T18:30:00Z<p><em><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p><br />As the holiday season is about to get underway, what could you use more than a food substitutions bible? I've found season after season that David Joachim's "The Food Substitutions Bible: More than 6,500 Substitutions for Ingredients, Equipment and Techniques" has gotten me out of more jams than a helpful elf ever could have. <br /><br />It's the best substitutions-savvy tome I've come across. There really is no replacement for this 700-page helper that concisely describes more than 6,500 stand-ins for ingredients as well as equipment and techniques. <br /><br />Joachim has weathered his own scrapes in the kitchen while authoring 30-plus cookbooks, including the first edition of this book, which won the prestigious International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) award. <br /><br />He and his fans felt a fatter edition was needed. He added more than 1,500 additional substitutions. His substitutions are usually one-on-one direct and as easy as pie. For instance, if you don't have the heavy metal pellets that are used to weigh down a pie crust while blind baking (baking the crust without a filling), replace with dried beans. <br /><br />If you don't have a pie pan, his size chart clues you in to what to use instead. No jar of pumpkin pie spice (the convenience many of us have come to rely upon)? No problem. Joachim will tell you the individual spices to emulate. In fact, if you want to customize that spice helper, add, to taste, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. <br /><br />And it goes on, such as the fresh pumpkin substitutes that will kick off a list of Joachim's examples below. Helpful, too, are his many back-of-the-book ingredient lists, which compare large varieties of everything from rice, to potatoes, to oils, to coffee, to crabs, to olives.</p>
<ul>
<li> - If you don't have fresh pumpkin, substitute with: canned pumpkin puree (to replace mashed pumpkin), chopped butternut squash, chopped buttercup squash, chopped sweet dumpling squash, chopped Hubbard squash, chopped calabaza or chopped sweet potato. </li>
</ul>
<p>For further reference: 1 pound of fresh pumpkin equals 1 cup cooked and mashed; 1 (15-ounce) can of pumpkin equals 1&3 / 4 cups mashed; and 1 (29-ounce) can of pumpkin equals 3&1 / 2 cups mashed. </p>
<ul>
<li> - If you don't have mozzarella cheese, substitute with: Scamorza, Caciocavallo, provolone, string cheese, queso blanco, Bel Paese, muenster, Gouda or fontina. </li>
</ul>
<p>For further reference: 1 pound of low-moisture mozzarella equals 4 cups shredded. </p>
<ul>
<li>- If you don't have 1 tablespoon chopped fresh lemon balm, substitute with 2&1 / 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint plus 1 / 2 teaspoon chopped fresh lemon verbena; 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh lemon basil or holy basil; or 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon zest. </li>
</ul>
<p>For further reference: 1 ounce of fresh lemon balm (a minty lemon herb often used to season salads, poultry and meats) equals 2 cups chopped or 1 cup of fresh chopped equals 1 / 4 cup dried. </p>
<ul>
<li>- If you don't have a spatula, substitute a pancake turner (for turning and gentle scraping or stirring) or a clean flexible spackling knife or dough scraper (for spreading for stirring). </li>
<li>- If you don't have a fondue pot, substitute a heavy earthenware or stoneware pot set over a low flame or on a warming tray; a heavy-bottomed saucepan (enameled cast-iron works particularly well) set over a low flame or on a warming tray; or a chafing dish set over a low flame. </li>
</ul>
<p><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Pumpkin pie spice (the store-bought mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice) as an autumn toast topper that's often enjoyed by kidlets, too, is tasty mixed with stevia, or another natural zero-calorie sugar replacement. It's an excellent variation for the old-fashioned favorite cinnamon-sugar toast topping. Another bonus: Not only is cinnamon considered a super spice that health researchers have studied for its medical benefits, but so is ginger. </p>
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>
<p> </p>Staff2014-11-10T18:30:00ZLeftover Halloween Candy TipsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Leftover-Halloween-Candy-Tips/633705233319078227.html2014-10-27T14:00:00Z2014-10-27T14:00:00Z<p><strong>by Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam</strong><br /><strong><a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">LivingOnADime.com</a></strong></p>
<p>Here are some tips for using all of that extra Halloween Candy!</p>
<p>* To prevent sugar shock, have a big bag of popcorn waiting when everyone comes back from Trick or Treating. It's easy to fix and will counteract some of the sweet stuff.</p>
<p>* You can freeze candy up to a year in the freezer.</p>
<p>* Don't forget to buy discounted Halloween candy for Christmas stockings and parties. Most kids don't care if their Christmas candy is orange and black or if it has silver and gold wrappers instead of red and green.</p>
<p>* Use leftover Halloween candy in Christmas baking and for making gingerbread houses.</p>
<p>* Use grated or chopped chocolate in place of chocolate chips in cookies.</p>
<p>* It is easier to cut candy into pieces if you freeze it first.</p>
<p>* Break Butterfinger candy bars into peanut butter cookie dough.</p>
<p>* Sprinkle chopped chocolates on a white or chocolate frosted cake or use them to top ice cream and cheesecake.</p>
<p>* Mix leftover chopped chocolates into cake mixes.<br /> <br />* When making cupcakes, decorate the tops with one Hershey's kiss or a mini candy bar.<br /> <br />* Pour some leftover candy into a basket or pretty bowl to give to someone for a special gift.<br /> <br />* Even a Christmas bag full of an assortment of candies would be a gift that would delight anyone - kids, adults, co-workers or neighbors.</p>
<p>* When making apple butter, instead of your usual spices use 1/2 cup red cinnamon candies and 1 Tbsp. cinnamon for every 10 cups apples and your regular amount of sugar.</p>
<p> <br /><strong>Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the authors of the <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/store/dining-dime-cookbook/" target="_blank">Dining On A Dime Cookbook</a></strong>. Dining On A Dime will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips & recipes visit <a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">http://www.LivingOnADime.com</a> , sign up for our free <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/newsletter-signups/" target="_blank">Living On A Dime Newsletter </a>and learn to save more! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com</p>Staff2014-10-27T14:00:00ZFrighteningly Frugal Fun!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Frighteningly-Frugal-Fun!/909949705450477675.html2014-10-27T14:00:00Z2014-10-27T14:00:00Z<p><strong>By Tawra Kellam</strong><br /><a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">http://www.LivingOnADime.com</a></p>
<p>The average American family spends over $100 per year on Halloween goodies. As your kids drag you through aisles full of ghosts and goblins, the scariest thing about Halloween is that all this stuff is going to leave bite marks in your pocketbook. No wonder so many moms flee screaming from the store.</p>
<p>It can be much less expensive and a lot more fun to devise your own chilling creations. Here are a few tips that you can use to stave off the greenback gremlins and exercise your creative muscle. It won't hurt a bit! These and other free frugal tips are available at <a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">http://www.LivingOnADime.com</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Face Paint</strong><br />1 tsp corn starch<br />1/2 tsp water<br />1/2 tsp cold cream<br />Food coloring<br />Mix all ingredients together in an old muffin pan and you are ready to paint. This amount makes one color.</p>
<p><strong>Fake Wound</strong><br />1 Tbsp Vaseline<br />Tissue<br />Cocoa powder<br />2-3 drops red food coloring</p>
<p>Place Vaseline in a bowl. Add food coloring. Blend with a toothpick. Stir in a pinch of cocoa to make a darker blood color. Separate tissue. Using 1 layer, tear a 2x3 inch piece and place at wound site. Cover with petroleum jelly and mold into the shape of a wound. The center should be lower than the sides. Fill the center with the red petroleum jelly mixture. Sprinkle center with some cocoa. Sprinkle a little around the edges of the wound to make darker.</p>
<p><strong>Fake Blood</strong> - Mix 2/3 cup white corn syrup, 1 tsp red food coloring, 2-3 drops blue food coloring to darken, and 1 squirt dish soap (helps blood to run well).</p>
<p><strong>Abrasions</strong> - Dab brown, red and black eye shadow on area. Apply blood over area with cotton balls. Use comb to gently scratch area in one direction. Apply cocoa or dirt over wound with cotton balls.<strong><br /></strong></p>
<p><strong>Black Eye</strong> - Apply red and blue eye shadow to depressions around eyes.</p>
<p><strong>Bruises</strong> - Rub red and blue shadow over bony area to simulate recent bruises.<br />Apply blue and yellow eye shadow to create older-looking bruises.</p>
<p><strong>Look Old </strong>- Cover face with baby powder. Draw dark lines on your skin for wrinkles. Smooth edges to blend. Cover again with baby powder. Add baby powder to your hair to create gray hair.</p>
<p><strong>Food Ideas:</strong></p>
<p><strong>Deviled Eyeballs</strong> - Make deviled eggs. Add a green olive with a pimento in the center for an "eyeball".</p>
<p><strong>Radioactive Juice</strong> - Mix equal parts Mountain Dew and blue Kool-Aid.</p>
<p><strong>Toxic Juice</strong> - Add some green food coloring to lemonade for a spooky color!</p>
<p><strong>Brains</strong> - Scramble eggs with some green, yellow and blue food coloring.</p>
<p><strong>Bloody Eyeballs</strong> - Boil cherry tomatoes for 30 seconds. Allow to cool, then peel skin.</p>
<p><strong>Goblin Hand</strong> - Freeze green Kool-Aid in a rubber or latex glove. Float in punch.<strong><br /></strong></p>
<p><strong>Edible Slime</strong> - Pour lime gelatin into a glass bowl. After it is partially set, add gummy worms. Chill until lightly set. Then serve slopped all over the plate.</p>
<p><strong>Bloody Popcorn</strong> - Add red food coloring to melted butter and pour over popcorn.</p>
<p><strong>Gummy Worm Ice Cubes</strong> - Freeze gummy worms in ice cubes and add them to drinks. Cut gummy worms in half if needed.<strong><br /></strong></p>
<p><strong>Decorating Ideas:</strong></p>
<p><strong>Spider Webs - </strong>Use the tape from old cassettes or black yarn to make spider webs. Use cotton balls stretched out for small spider webs.</p>
<p><strong>Glass Jack-o'-Lantern </strong>- Outline a pumpkin face on a spaghetti or pickle jar with black paint. Then paint around the outside of it with orange paint. Place a candle inside for a jack-o'-lantern.</p>
<p><strong>Halloween Guess-It Game:</strong><br />In this game, you challenge the participants to reach into mystery boxes filled with creepy things and have them try to guess what each item is. The person with the most correct answers wins the game. For example, if you want them to guess "grapes," you might try to confuse them by saying, "I think it's eyeballs..."</p>
<p>Cut a hole in the top of a shoe box or laundry box for each item to be used. Cover the box with black spray paint. Decorate each box with pumpkins or spiders for a more festive flavor.</p>
<p>Place the following items inside, one per box. Be sure to place enough of each item so the guests can adequately "feel the guts".</p>
<p><strong>Eyeballs</strong> - grapes or peeled cherry tomatoes<br /><strong>Intestines</strong> - cooked spaghetti<br /><strong>Skin</strong> - oil a piece of plastic bag<br /><strong>Brains</strong>- scrambled eggs<br /><strong>Hair</strong> - an old clown wig<br /><strong>Bones</strong> - thoroughly washed chicken bones placed in some sand<br /><strong>Vomit</strong> - chunky salsa<br /><strong>Fingers</strong> - hot dogs cut into finger sized pieces<br /><strong>Teeth</strong> - corn nuts, pine nuts or popcorn</p>
<p><strong>Have a Pumpkin Hunt</strong>:<br />Hide mini pumpkins like you would Easter eggs. Let the kids find and decorate them. For small children, use glue sticks with construction paper cutouts for decorations.</p>
<p>In five years, <strong>Tawra Kellam</strong> and her husband paid off $20,000 in personal debt on an average income of $22,000 per year. Tawra is the author of the frugal cookbook <em>Dining On A Dime</em>. <em>Dining On A Dime</em> has over 1,200 recipes and tips to help you eat better and spend less. For more free tips and recipes, visit her website at <a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">http://www.LivingOnADime.com</a> Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-10-27T14:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Let Cereal Be Your Trick This HalloweenStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Let-Cereal-Be-Your-Trick-This-Halloween/862721317320867860.html2014-10-20T20:00:00Z2014-10-20T20:00:00Z<p><em><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p><br />Not to spoil the fun, but aren't you spooked that Halloween goodie bags are often filled with empty calories and fat? A trick you can use to combat that is to prepare homemade treats with cereal. <br /><br />Halloween parties overflowing with crafty tricks like this mean less filling up on more ghoulish snacks. And you can take "crafty" literally and make it a "DIY" craft adventure for you and your favorite costumed kidlets. <br /><br />Crispy rice and puffed cereals often have no fat and a slim amount of calories. And they are versatile and easy to mix in and mold - good reason they've been the foundation of gooey marshmallow treats for all these decades. <br /><br />Jodi Levine, former craft editor at Martha Stewart Living, knows well the benefits of using cereal as a craft ingredient. In "Candy Aisle Crafts: Create Fun Projects with Supermarket Sweets" she devotes a whole chapter to it. <br /><br />Her cereal houses are mini masterpieces that can be wrapped in cellophane as takeaway party gifts, eaten at the party or grouped together on a serving plate or a cake platter as a centerpiece. <br /><br />They are surprisingly simple to prepare, but even easier is a creative gooey spider web-like concoction adapted from a classic recipe from longtime TV fitness pro Denise Austin, when her now-adult daughters were children. <br /><br />It's a web-like fudge (made with unsweetened cocoa powder that's naturally filled with antioxidants) that, once cooled, kids at Halloween parties will love to eat with their hands - if you have them give their hands a good wash first. They probably won't ever notice that the fat monster is trick-or-treating elsewhere. <br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! <br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. These mug versions make convenient 1-serving meals. If you want to share the tasty treasures, fill a few mugs at once and microwave each separately. <br /> <br /><br /><strong>SPIDER WEB-LIKE GOOEY CRISPY FUDGE </strong> </p>
<ul>
<li>5 ounces (about 20) regular marshmallows </li>
<li>2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder </li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract </li>
<li>3 cups crispy rice cereal (like Rice Krispies) </li>
<li>Yields 6 to 8 servings. </li>
</ul>
<p>Use a nonstick 13-by-9-inch baking pan or, if using a regular pan, spray it with nonstick cooking spray. <br />Place marshmallows in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave on 100 percent power for 1 minute. Carefully stir in cocoa powder and microwave 30 seconds longer if marshmallows have not melted. Stir in cereal and vanilla. <br /><br />Spoon into the prepared pan. Pat down (it may not fill the entire pan.) Good and gooey when eaten when completely cooled or wrap tightly, refrigerate and keep up to two days and it will be firmer and crunchier. <br />-Adapted from "JumpStart" by Denise Austin (DeniseAustin.com). <br /> <br /><br /><strong>CEREAL HOUSES </strong> </p>
<ul>
<li>3 tablespoons butter </li>
<li>1 (10-ounce) bag mini or regular marshmallows </li>
<li>1/2 cup green berries from Cap'n Crunch's Crunch Berries cereal, optional </li>
<li>6 cups crispy rice cereal (like Rice Krispies) or 8 cups corn puff cereal (like Kix) </li>
<li>Pretzel sticks, for garnish, optional </li>
<li>Gumdrops, for garnish, optional </li>
<li>Toothpick, for garnish, optional </li>
<li>Red berries from Cap'n Crunch's Crunch Berries cereal, for garnish, optional </li>
</ul>
<p>Yields vary, depending on types of containers used. <br /><br />Use assorted empty containers (such as milk, cream, half-and-half or orange juice cartons), washed and dried. Open the tops of the cartons and cut out the prefolded triangles on the two sides of the carton top. Close the carton back up and tape closed with masking tape. Cut the bottoms off and cut the heights down, if desired. Spray the inside of the carton with nonstick cooking spray. <br /><br />Melt the butter in a large saucepan set over medium-low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until melted. If you are making trees (with the optional ingredients), put 1 tablespoon of the melted marshmallows into a bowl and stir in the green cereal. Stir in the crisp rice cereal. <br /><br />Spoon the cereal mixture into a prepared and carton, making sure to fill the pointy "roof." Let cool. <br /><br />To unmold the house, squeeze the sides of the carton to loosen, and then press on the top and push and shake it out. Repeat with the remaining cartons. Reheat the mixture on very low heat, if needed, to soften. <br />To make a tree, grease your hands with nonstick cooking spray and mold tree tops out of the green cereal mixture. Gently push a pretzel stick into the mixture as a trunk. To stand the trees up, cut a thin slice off the bottom of a gumdrop and place the sticky bottom onto the cake stand or serving plate. Use the toothpick to poke a hole in the top of the gumdrop and stick the pretzel stick inside. <br /><br />Use leftover green cereal to make "bushes" with red cereal "flowers," if desired. <br /><br />-"Candy Aisle Crafts: Create Fun Projects with Supermarket Sweets" by Jodi Levine<span> </span> <br /><em><strong><br />QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If a recipe calls for cilantro, it's generally best to try to add it near the end of cooking time because it doesn't hold up as well as other herbs and spices under high heat. This is why it is often used as a garnish, rather than a cooked ingredient. </p>
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>
<p> </p>Staff2014-10-20T20:00:00ZSandwiches: Make Them Interesting!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Sandwiches:-Make-Them-Interesting!/-884658682547533088.html2014-10-13T19:23:00Z2014-10-13T19:23:00Z<strong><br /><br />By Cheryl Tallman</strong><br /><a href="http://www.FreshBaby.com" target="_blank">www.FreshBaby.com</a><br />
<p>Let's face it- kids get bored with sandwiches fast. We have some awesome tips to make school lunches a little more exciting.<br /><br /><strong>Build a Healthy Sandwich</strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">GRAINS</span></strong><br /><br />Select whole grain bread, pita, English muffin or tortilla. The fiber in whole grain bread will keep you full longer. The first ingredient on the bread label must say "whole grain".<br /><br /><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">PROTEINS</span></strong><br /><br /><strong>Choose lean proteins.</strong> A serving of protein is about the size of a deck of cards (adult) or half a deck of cards (child).</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Meats:</strong> turkey, chicken, ham, pork, roast beef </li>
<li><strong>Vegetarian:</strong> hummus, peanut butter, cream cheese</li>
<li><strong>Salads:</strong> tuna salad, salmon salad, chicken salad, egg salad.Leftover cooked meats make tasty sandwiches and contain less salt than deli meats.</li>
</ul>
<p><br /><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">VEGETABLES & FRUITS</span></strong><br /><br />Fruits and veggies add texture, flavor and nutrition. Apples, bananas, bean sprouts, coleslaw, cucumbers, dried fruits, lettuce, mangoes, onions, pears, peppers and tomatoes can be added to a variety of sandwiches.<br /><br /><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">DAIRY</span></strong><br /><br />Choose low-fat cheeses. When adding cheese to a sandwich that already has protein, use half the amount of protein for the serving. Try spreadable cheese instead of mayo. <br /><br /><strong>Simple Sandwich Ideas (made on whole grain bread)</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Cheddar Cheese and Sliced Apples</li>
<li>Salami, Mozzarella, Roasted Peppers with Italian Dressing</li>
<li>Peanut Butter, Cream Cheese, Banana & Honey</li>
<li>Turkey and Coleslaw</li>
<li>Hummus, Chicken and Cucumbers</li>
<li>Pork Tenderloin, Swiss Cheese, Grated Carrot and Mustard</li>
<li>Tuna Salad with Raisins and Sliced Tomato</li>
<li>Chicken Salad with Celery and Sliced Mango</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Cheryl Tallman</strong> is the co-founder of <a href="http://www.FreshBaby.com" target="_blank">Fresh Baby</a>. creators of the award-winning <em>So Easy Baby</em> Food Kit, and author of <em>So Easy Baby Food </em>and the new book <em>So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years</em>. Visit Cheryl online at <a href="http://www.freshbaby.com/">www.FreshBaby.com</a> for more delicious tips. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-10-13T19:23:00Z10-Second Recipes: Beans Bring Out the Best in Your Budget and BodyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Beans-Bring-Out-the-Best-in-Your-Budget-and-Body/378045417512003258.html2014-10-06T20:00:00Z2014-10-06T20:00:00Z<p><em><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p><br />Don't let beans get the better of you this fall. The only thing that should spook you in the autumn is Halloween. Hearty cool-weather foods like beans and other legumes, though, have frightened more than a few cooks. <br /><br />Canned versions, though, mean that the daunting soaking process and cooking time can be things of the past. Filling, fiber-filled meals can be made in minutes - or even as single servings in kitchen mugs in the microwave - as Camilla Saulsbury proves in her ingenious "250 Best Meals in a Mug." <br /><br />From spiced lentils with fresh mint, to a succulent white bean and bacon soup, to a burrito-themed mug with pinto beans and rice, to a warm garlic bean spread, this winner on Food Network's "$25,000 Ultimate Recipe Showdown" is expert at showing how to pair and prepare beans. <br /><br />She makes it clear, too, why there's a lot to love about legumes if you want to nutritiously and economically watch out for your family. <br /><br />"With their high protein content, wide availability, low cost and convenience," she gushes. "Canned beans and lentils are ideal for a wide variety of hearty mug meals." <br /><br />Try these quick microwave mug versions from Saulsbury to give you courage to move on to slightly more advanced bean and legume recipes you might come across. <br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! <br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since these are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations. They can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. These mug versions make convenient 1-serving meals. If you want to share the tasty treasures, fill a few mugs at once and microwave each separately. <br /><br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>SPICED LENTILS WITH MINT</strong></span><br /><br />1 cup rinsed drained canned lentils (or black beans or pinto beans)<br />3/4 cup canned diced tomatoes (preferably with green chiles), with juice<br />1/2 teaspoon ground cumin<br />1/4 teaspoon ground ginger<br />1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce<br />1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt<br />1 tablespoon chopped roasted salted almonds<br />2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint (or parsley, cilantro or chives)<br /><br />Yields 1 serving. <br />In a 16-ounce mug, combine lentils, tomatoes, cumin, ginger and hot pepper sauce. <br />Microwave on high for 1& 1 / 2 to 2 & 1 / 2 minutes, or until hot. <br />Top with yogurt and sprinkle with almonds and mint.<br /><br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>BEAN AND BACON SOUP<br /><br /></strong></span>3/4 cup drained rinsed canned white beans (such as great Northern, cannellini or navy), divided<br />3 / 4 cup store-bought chicken broth<br />1 teaspoon packed dark brown sugar<br />1/4 teaspoon Dijon, coarse-grain or brown mustard<br />1 & 1/2 tablespoon store-bought bacon bits (preferably made with real bacon)<br />Salt, to taste<br />Freshly ground black pepper, to taste<br /> <br />Yields 1 serving. <br />In a 16-ounce mug, use a fork to coarsely mash 1 / 2 cup of the beans. <br />Stir in remaining beans, broth, brown sugar, mustard and bacon. <br />Microwave on high for 1& 1 / 2 to 2 & 1 / 2 minutes, or until hot. Let stand for 1 minute. <br />Season with salt and pepper. <br /><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> When a recipe calls for crumbled or crushed dried rosemary, don't attempt it between your fingers. The leaves can be too sharp. Do it instead in an herb grinder, with a mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon. If you don't have dried rosemary, dried thyme, sage or oregano usually are fine substitutes. </p>
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>
<p> </p>Staff2014-10-06T20:00:00ZStraight Talk from Al Jacobs: How to Spend Your MoneyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Straight-Talk-from-Al-Jacobs:--How-to-Spend-Your-Money/-769152069165052661.html2014-09-29T22:29:00Z2014-09-29T22:29:00Z<strong><br />By Al Jacobs</strong><br /><a href="http://www.onthemoneytrail.com/" target="_blank">OnTheMoneyTrail.com</a>
<p><br /><strong>"The wise use of money is the only advantage to having it." <br />Ben Franklin</strong><br /><br />In an earlier time, under the influence of the traditional <em>Christian ethic</em>, virtue assumed a divine quality. Among these principles was thrift, honored for its own sake. I recall a popular tale about the wife of a man of extremely modest means whose food shopping consisted of selecting the lowest priced items from numerous markets. Naturally she walked from store to store or perhaps "trudged," to add a touch of pathos. In any event, the story served its purpose. It illustrated a frugality next to godliness, with no limit to the exaltation experienced in such behavior. <br /><br />Things are no longer as they were. A recent report reveals over half a group surveyed refuses to pick up a penny on the ground. Speaking for myself, I'll never pass one by. Perhaps it relates to my recollections as a teen-aged bowling alley pin setter earning a dime a line. A penny represents resetting of ten wooden pins and returning two 16-pound balls. To this day one cent signifies a reward for services rendered. Are my experiences unique? It's hard to say whether this attitude is generational or personal. <br /><br />There's a term taught in first year Economics known as <em>marginal utility of money</em>. The principle is easily illustrated. Consider the case of Bea Reft, annual salary $30,000, who receives a $5,000 increase. Her life is measurably improved. She can now eat out a little more often, join the neighborhood health club and buy that pair of unaffordable black Amalfi pumps. Contrast this with Greta Gotrocks, earning $180,000 per year, who likewise receives a $5,000 pay increase. Compared with her standard of living before, that relatively small additional amount is meaningless. The likelihood is Greta will never notice the difference. <br /><br />The more prosperous a person becomes, the less meaningful the benefit from a cost-conscious economic decision. If the 9-month old car radio of Elizabeth F. Rugle, a housekeeper earning $500 per week, malfunctions, she should invoke her warranty despite the fact she must do without for the four weeks it will take for the radio to be reinstalled. However, if the same misfortune befalls Edward P. Rosperous, a $210,000 per year title company executive, he may ignore the warranty, buy a new car radio for $200 and install it at once. The pleasure of listening to the radio for those four weeks provides a greater marginal benefit to him than the price he pays. <br /><br />Finally, consider another principle, that of <em>diminishing returns</em>. As an illustration, a pair of stereo speakers faithfully reproducing sound over the frequency range 30 to 16,000 hertz (cycles per second) costs $250. By employing the ultimate in design and manufacturing techniques, this expands to the range of the human ear, 20 to 20,000 hertz, but the sales price increases to $2,500. As the difference in listening quality is slight at best, the extra price paid for the more expensive pair is clearly an example of <em>diminishing returns</em>. <br /><br />In short, your conduct as a consumer relates to what you find important in life. With limited resources, but aspirations for the future, base your choices on thrift and discipline. As the years pass and net worth increases, modify your conduct accordingly, but keep in mind that these must be deliberate choices. Don't let advertising pressures or market manipulators preempt these decisions.<br /><br /><br />To receive Al Jacobs' free monthly newsletter, <strong><em>On the Money Trail</em></strong>, visit his <strong><a href="http://www.onthemoneytrail.com/" target="_blank">website</a></strong> and sign in. To view his new book, <strong><em>The Road to Prosperity</em></strong>, <strong><a href="http://www.prosperitybk.com/" target="_blank">click here</a></strong>. <span>Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>Staff2014-09-29T22:29:00Z10-Second Recipes: Time-Saving Tacos to Tickle the Taste BudsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Time-Saving-Tacos-to-Tickle-the-Taste-Buds/255006846160674431.html2014-09-29T22:10:00Z2014-09-29T22:10:00Z<p><em><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p><br />Tacolicious is a chain of restaurants in San Francisco, as well as the title of the owner Sara Deseran's recent cookbook. It could also be the refrain of busy families on school nights. The only thing that might be better than tacos for families on the go would be slightly more innovative fillings than usual to break the boredom. <br /><br />Those are some of Tacolicious' specialties. Think about stuffing your tortillas with butternut squash, kale and crunchy pepitas (pumpkin seeds). They will then be both attention grabbing and nutritious. An egg, potato, onion and cilantro taco can be either an innovative breakfast, lunch or dinner. <br /><br />Here are a few other filling ideas from a fun section Deseran calls "Twenty 20-Minute (Max) Tacos del Dia (of the Day)." Like the rest noted in this article, they are meant to be served fully cooked and hot. </p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Salmon with corn and tomato salsa </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Roughly chopped fried chicken that's been removed from the bone with cabbage, pickled jalapenos and fresh lime juice. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Fresh-cooked flaked crabmeat with chopped cilantro, onions and celery. </span></li>
</ul>
<p><br />Tacolicious is part of a larger trend. Let these innovations inspire you as well: </p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Mix together heated refried beans and guacamole. Spread in taco shell and sprinkle with chopped pine nuts. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Chop leftover meatloaf and include in taco shells with diced cooked green beans and ketchup spiked with salsa. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Cook quinoa (the popular high-protein seed that's cooked like a grain) according to package directions, substituting mango salsa for as much of the water as you desire. Use as taco filling, along with steamed tofu topped with chopped peanuts. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">Bake apples and use as filling in flour tortillas with ground cinnamon, vanilla and maple syrup. </span></li>
</ul>
<p><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! <br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. <br /><br /><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong> Ever disappointed that your cheese doesn't melt evenly atop a recipe? It might be the depth of your pan. Since it increases the surface area, a more shallow casserole dish is more likely to mean more balanced melting.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>
<p> </p>Staff2014-09-29T22:10:00Z10-Second Recipes: Crafts Spring from Supermarket Candy AislesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Crafts-Spring-from-Supermarket-Candy-Aisles/-510687822638698668.html2014-09-22T22:26:00Z2014-09-22T22:26:00Z<p><em><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p><br />If you've ever been at the mercy of your sweet tooth, you have to love a cookbook whose only chapters are "Hard Candy," "Gummy Candy," "Marshmallows" and "Cookies." Well, "Candy Aisle Crafts: Create Fun Projects with Supermarket Sweets" is not so much a cookbook, as a craft book, published by the craft division of the elegant cookbook publisher Clarkson Potter of the huge Penguin Random House company.</p>
<p>If you prefer handfuls of hard candies, gummies and marshmallows to making them from scratch, this innovative book is for you. You also can substitute sugar-free candies of your choosing. Although you can make the cookies, cakes and cupcakes that are foundations for the designs (and you can just as easily buy them; and either way, they can be sugar-free, whole-grain, or gluten-free, too), the candies are add-ons from the aisles of your supermarket that you can happily munch as you and/or your kidlet assistants put together impressive crafts. This includes everything from tiny gumdrop panda bears to huge castles fashioned from ice cream cones.</p>
<p>Former Martha Stewart craft editor Jodi Levine has devised a tome of treats that should get you practicing early for unique Halloween parties.</p>
<p>You probably will find, though, edible party centerpieces and favors that you will want to serve all year. A good way to navigate is whether you are aiming to please kids or adults.</p>
<p><br /><strong>A few child delights:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Gummy fish that look like they are swimming atop a cake</li>
<li>Piggy cupcakes that are made with marshmallows as snouts</li>
<li>Gumdrop frogs with lusciously long tongues</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Adult arena:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>A virtual town of "buildings" constructed from puffed rice and other cereals</li>
<li>Monograms cut from marshmallows floating in each guest's hot chocolate or coffee</li>
<li>Gumdrops that resemble buzzing bees sitting atop iced teas</li>
</ul>
<p>And there are plenty that are appropriate for <strong>both under-4 and over-40 age groups</strong>:</p>
<ul>
<li>Cookies "painted" like various planets</li>
<li>Edible charm necklaces made from licorice and gummies</li>
</ul>
<p><br />Here are some shortcut ideas that spring from Levine's lengthier crafts:</p>
<p><strong>Plan Some Planets:</strong> Bring up some photos of the planets on your computer screen. Using round store-bought cookies, paint what you see with frosting and cake-decorating dye.</p>
<p><strong>Snouts are In Not Out:</strong> Buy pink-frosted strawberry-flavored cupcakes, place a marshmallow on top as a "snout" and include tiny black candies as "nostrils" and two more as "eyes."</p>
<p><strong>Charmed by These Necklaces:</strong> Thread gummy letters as monograms along with other candies on baker's twine for delicious jewelry party favors.</p>
<p><strong>Cereal Skyline:</strong> Cut store-bought or homemade Rice Krispies squares into the shapes of houses and skyscrapers and configure on a tray into a "skyline." Use filled tray as a table centerpiece.</p>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</p>
<p>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</p>
<p><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Keep track of those small plastic ties that wrap the end of bread packages and the plastic pulls that keep orange juice, milk and other containers closed tight before the initial opening. If left on a kitchen counter instead of immediately thrown away, they easily can find their way into a mixing bowl, casserole dish or soup bowl. If accidentally swallowed, they can create gastrointestinal distress. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>
<p> </p>Staff2014-09-22T22:26:00ZRapid Recipe: Mediterranean-Style Baked Potato BarStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Rapid-Recipe:-Mediterranean-Style-Baked-Potato-Bar/-79777448047889333.html2014-09-22T22:19:00Z2014-09-22T22:19:00Z<p> </p>
<p><strong>By Cheryl Tallman</strong><br /><a href="http://www.FreshBaby.com" target="_blank">www.FreshBaby.com</a></p>
<p>The potato often gets a bad rap because they are commonly fried or loaded with fat and calories from butter and sour cream. It turns out, potatoes are fat-free and cholesterol-free, a good source of fiber and Vitamin C, plus they contain less than 10% of your daily value of carbohydrates. That’s a pretty healthy food!</p>
<p>Baked potatoes can be the foundation for a great family dinner by creating a baked potato bar! Similar to a taco bar, a baked potato bar offers every family member a chance to make their own meal. Instead of copying the Mexican Taco bar flavors, we decided to change up the flavor and go with Mediterranean-inspired flavors.</p>
<p><strong>Baked Potato</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.</li>
<li>Rinse and scrub medium-sized potatoes under cold water to remove dirt.</li>
<li>Poke holes in the potatoes several times with the tines of a fork.</li>
<li>Wrap the potato in foil to produce a softer skin, or place directly on oven rack for a crispy skin.</li>
<li>Bake for 45-60 minutes.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Setting up the baked potato bar:</strong></p>
<p>Place a baked potato on each person’s plate. Remove the foil (if needed) and slice and “x” in the skin and push the opening to expose the fluffy white potato goodness.</p>
<p>Set the table or a buffet area with a variety of healthy toppings from all the food groups. Let each family member make their own creation. Encourage everyone to choose at least one item from each food group. Sit down at the table and enjoy a delicious meal and family togetherness.</p>
<p><strong><br />Mediterranean Potato Bar</strong></p>
<p>Vegetables: </p>
<ul>
<li>Green and Black Olives</li>
<li>Diced fresh tomatoes</li>
<li>Chopped sun dried tomatoes</li>
<li>Dice, cooked zucchini or eggplant</li>
<li>Pesto or Chopped fresh basil</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Proteins:</p>
<ul>
<li>Tuna (canned or grilled)</li>
<li>Chopped grilled chicken</li>
<li>Hummus or white bean dip</li>
<li>Chopped hard boiled eggs</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Dairy:</p>
<ul>
<li>Feta cheese crumbles</li>
<li>Goat Cheese</li>
<li>Parmesan cheese</li>
<li>Cottage cheese with fresh chopped herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice</li>
<li> </li>
</ul>
<p>Grains:</p>
<ul>
<li>The potato is a fiber-rich vegetable. However, they are starchy, so they can replace a grain on your plate at a meal. Our potato bar idea considers the baked potato the grain serving.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><br />Cheryl Tallman</strong> is the co-founder of <a href="http://www.FreshBaby.com" target="_blank">Fresh Baby</a>. creators of the award-winning <em>So Easy Baby</em> Food Kit, and author of the <em>So Easy Baby Food Basics: Homemade Baby Food in Less Than 30 Minutes Per Week</em> and <em>So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years</em>. Visit Cheryl online at: <a href="http://www.freshbaby.com/">www.FreshBaby.com</a> for more delicious tips. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-09-22T22:19:00Z10-Second Recipes: Be a Birthday Cake 'Builder' to Save Time and MoneyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Be-a-Birthday-Cake-Builder-to-Save-Time-and-Money/-54619696217821396.html2014-09-02T19:30:00Z2014-09-02T19:30:00Z<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>If you are busy with back-to-school and family activities, the last thing you probably have time for is baking an elaborate cake or other goodies – even if you would love to – for your child’s, spouse’s or friend’s birthday parties.</p>
<p>Although your own childhood memories might conjure up a house filled with the scent of just-baked treats, sometimes shortcuts can be the best priority so you actually have time to enjoy with your loved ones.</p>
<p>Homemade touches that take seconds show you care and are sure to draw oohs and ahhs from merrymakers. Kidlets, who are not the recipients, can feel special by easily lending a hand.</p>
<p>Think about building your creation rather than starting from scratch. A “no-bake” birthday cake, for instance, is something you will probably get asked for the “recipe” for repeatedly.</p>
<p><strong>Half Sheets Make a Whole Lot of Impact: </strong>A bakery-bought frosted half-sheet cake can be topped with a bakery-bought layer cake on dowels that’s been frosted and bordered in the same colors as the sheet cake. The guest of honor’s favorite colors are, of course, an inspired place to start! Then – cupcake lovers rejoice – frosted store-bought ones top the layer cake and a cookie is inserted into the frosting of each of those. Decorated store-bought cookies also dot the top of the cake.</p>
<p>Themes know no boundaries. Either you or the bakery can top your cakes or cookies with decorative touches reflecting the recipient’s favorite sports or hobbies.</p>
<p>Innovative approaches work with virtually any store-bought cake.</p>
<p><strong>Angel on Your Shoulder: </strong>Angel food cakes are perfect canvasses. Fill the open center with custom touches, like berries marinated in champagne for an adult bash or a “trail mix” of chocolate candies, toffee peanuts, jelly beans and bits of various broken cookies for a kiddy party.</p>
<p>Top with whipped cream you have tinted with a few drops of food coloring to be the guest-of-honor’s favorite color.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Say Cheese: </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">Plain frozen cheesecake is another delightful option. Your own personal toppings that rival a fine restaurant’s are endless. After defrosting cake, mascarpone cheese, chocolate chips, cocoa powder and powdered sugar are all it takes to mimic the best tiramisu cheesecakes. A mixture of fresh fruits or bits of the guest’s favorite cookies sprinkled on top do the same.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Your Cupcake Runneth Over: </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">Cake’s not the only choice. Trays of cupcakes spelling out special messages also make a splash. Top each store-bought frosted cupcake with candy letters found in the cake-decorating aisle of the supermarket. Spell out a personalized phrase and present with a candle lit in each cupcake. Alternatively, use writing-type frosting and “monogram” each cupcake with the birthday guest’s initials.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Beautiful Bugs: </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">Additional party goodies can be made quickly, too, almost in an assembly-line fashion, lining up simple ingredients you will use to build your masterpiece. Partying “caterpillars,” for instance, can be prepared with segments of banana “glued together” with dabs of creamy peanut butter topped with food-colored enhanced shredded coconut. Thin pretzel sticks can be stuck in as multiple legs and raisins as eyes.</span></li>
</ul>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</p>
<p>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you – or your kidlet helpers – choose to use can’t help but draw “wows” from family members and guests.</p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong> If you’ve thrown out leftover tempura vegetables before because they are soggy the next day after refrigeration, eHow.com has a tip that worked well. Preheat oven to 425 F, place tempura vegetables on baking sheet, heat 3 minutes, carefully turn over with spatula or tongs and heat for 3 additional minutes (taking care that it does not get too browned). Carefully remove, drain on paper towels and serve immediately.</p>
<p><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Lisa Messinger</strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><a style="font-size: 12px;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em style="font-size: 12px;"> </em><span style="font-size: 12px;">(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em style="font-size: 12px;">Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span style="font-size: 12px;"> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></p>
<p> </p>Staff2014-09-02T19:30:00Z10-Second Recipes: It's Easy to Beat Back-to-School Hunger PangsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Its-Easy-to-Beat-Back-to-School-Hunger-Pangs/10085.html2014-08-25T07:10:00Z2014-08-25T07:10:00Z<p><em>(originally published 09.12.2011)<br /><br /><br />(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p> </p>
Hearty back-to-school meals can be quick and simple, as these split-second specialties prove. Sweet potatoes stuffed with soy cheese and pinto beans will pep up even the most hesitant student to finish homework. Cucumbers filled with goodie-enhanced whipped cream cheese probably will delight picky eaters of all ages. Those tuckered from after-school workouts, like football or basketball, will be well rejuvenated with healthful desserts, such as fresh raspberries and sugar-free whipped cream topped with warmed chocolate bran muffin and raisin crumbles. <br /> <br /> Everyone can use a little help planning weeknight meals - and if that only takes seconds, that's even better. The three nights of menus that follow offer a lifeline during a busy week and prove that cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these menus of family-friendly sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The meals are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.<br /> <br /> <strong>QUICK MENU 1</strong><br /> <br /> <em>Appetizer</em><br /> <strong>Smart Salmon Starters </strong><br /> Mix canned salmon with low-fat plain yogurt, chopped fresh dill, mint, celery and lemon pepper and serve on multigrain crackers topped with a half of a pear tomato and sprinkled with paprika. <br /> <br /> <em>Entree</em><br /> <strong>Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes is Twice as Sweet a Meal </strong><br /> Microwave covered sweet potatoes or yams until fully cooked, carefully split open, fluff insides and mix in shredded soy cheese, mashed cooked pinto beans, diced mango and sprinkle with cayenne pepper and diced cilantro. Reheat, covered, in microwave until hot.<br /> <br /> <em>Healthy Dessert</em><br /> <strong>One A+ Autumn Ice Cream Sauce</strong> <br /> Dice unpeeled apples and pears and toss with lemon juice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and pomegranate juice. Heat until gets a bit syrupy and serve over sugar-free vanilla ice cream.<br /> <br /> <strong>QUICK MENU 2</strong><br /> <br /> <em>Appetizer</em><br /> <strong>Citrus Starts You Off Right </strong><br /> Toss orange slices with dried cranberries, sliced almonds and cubed jicama and serve over mixed greens drizzled with fresh orange and lime juices that have been mixed with stevia natural zero-calorie sweetener and freshly ground black pepper.<br /> <br /> <em>Entree</em><br /> <strong>Dress Up Ham for Fashionable Results</strong> <br /> Brush slices of cooked ham with a mixture of maple syrup, ground cloves, cinnamon and curry powder and broil until just bubbling and beginning to caramelize. Serve with fresh store-bought salsa into which you've mixed diced pineapple and a small amount of shredded coconut.<br /> <br /> <em>Healthy Dessert</em><br /> <strong>No Waffling About These Wafers</strong> <br /> Make sandwich cookies by filling two store-bought vanilla wafers with a mixture of nonfat ricotta cheese, shavings of dark chocolate, almond extract and raspberry all-fruit spread (usually available in the jam aisles of supermarkets).<br /> <br /> <strong>QUICK MENU 3</strong><br /> <br /> <em>Appetizer</em><br /> <strong>Cuckoo for Revved Up Cucumbers</strong> <br /> Cut unpeeled cucumbers in half lengthwise, scoop out insides and mix with low-fat whipped cream cheese, finely diced red pepper, red wine vinegar and freshly ground black pepper before refilling into cucumber shell. Serve in quarter-length pieces.<br /> <br /> <em>Entree</em><br /> <strong>Shells Stuffed with Simplicity </strong><br /> Cook large whole-wheat or multigrain pasta shells in boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Let cool and preheat oven to 350 F. Stuff shells with shreds of cooked turkey or chicken breasts that have been mixed with undiluted cream of tomato soup, soy cheese and cooked frozen carrots and broccoli. Top with more of the cream of tomato soup and sprinkle with fresh shredded basil and oregano. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. <br /> <br /> <em>Healthy Dessert</em><br /> <strong>Bran Muffins Served a Brand-New Way</strong> <br /> Crumble store-bought bran muffins and mix with sugar-free chocolate chips or carob chips, golden raisins and heat in microwave until chocolate or carob softens. Serve over fresh raspberries that have been topped by sugar-free whipped cream.<br /> <br /> <strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Lots of home cooks stock just two flours in their kitchens: All-purpose and whole-wheat. But did you know that there is white whole-wheat flour, too? It is lighter in texture and color than whole-wheat flour and has a mild taste. It is as similar in nutrients, though, as denser whole-wheat flour, and that includes the fiber count that comes from whole grains. It can be substituted in any recipe that calls for all-purpose flour. If a recipe includes whole-wheat flour, but the final result doesn't rely on whole wheat's texture or color, white whole-wheat flour can be substituted there, too, either fully or in part.<br /> <br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2014-08-25T07:10:00ZSave Money on School SuppliesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Save-Money-on-School-Supplies/10049.html2014-08-25T07:08:00Z2014-08-25T07:08:00Z<p><em>(originally published 08.30.2011)</em><br /><br /><br />by Jill Cooper<br /> <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/" target="_blank">LivingOnADime.com</a><br /> <br /><br /> <strong>I walked into Wal-Mart today and saw her standing there:</strong> a mom. She had two children sitting in her shopping cart, one walking beside it and another clinging to her leg. She had the look of a battle weary soldier, with her feet dragging and her shoulders slumped. Child #1 was punching child #3. Child #2 was begging for a toy and child #4 was doing the "potty dance".<br /> <br /> <strong>As she approached the main aisle of the store she looked up and saw the display there.</strong> Her face lit up. She smiled and straightened her shoulders. There was joy and hope shining from her like I had never seen before.<br /> <br /> <strong>You may ask "What was on that display that caused this mom to break forth in song singing, "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning?"</strong> Was it spectacular jewelry or the latest in designer dresses? Oh, no no no! It was school supplies! For decades, moms everywhere have eagerly awaited the day when that first box of crayons and pack of notebook paper make their appearance.<br /> <br /> <strong>For many, though, the first reaction of joy is quickly followed by a second reaction of pure dread.</strong> "How am I going to pay for all of this?" I sat last year and watched as a TV news reporter asked person after person at one store how much they had just spent for school supplies. I was shocked at the amounts people were spending. I couldn't figure out what was going on. How could it cost $1000 for school supplies? Yes, you heard it right -- $1000.<br /> <br /> <strong>Basic supplies like crayons, pencils and notebook paper cost only about half the price of what they cost 20 years ago.</strong> In our school district, the basic items only costs around $15 and that includes an inexpensive backpack.<br /> <br /> <strong>So what was the problem with the people on the news?</strong> Suddenly I noticed something interesting. Each person's shopping cart wasn't full of school supplies, it was full of clothes, shoes, and the latest in aerodynamic backpacks, some of which cost nearly as much as the first car my husband and I bought.<br /> <br /> <strong>If you find back to school preparation throws your finances out of balance, try these tips to help bring back to school costs back within your budget:</strong><br /> <br /> <strong>1. Make sure what you are buying is only what your children absolutely need and not simply what they want to make them "cool".</strong> Expensive clothes, shoes, purses and lunch pails are not needs but wants. You don't need to buy the best and most expensive backpacks in the world. One woman said that she paid $100 for her child's backpack because she felt it would last longer. She was sure she got the better deal. She was proud it lasted 3 years. Financially speaking, she could have bought two less expensive backpacks each year for three years and it still would have been cheaper than the one $100 backpack. More expensive isn't always better.<br /> <br /> <strong>If the school's required supply list calls for a 24 count box of crayons, don't buy a 96 count box.</strong> One teacher begged her parents to send only the 24 count box because the 24 box gives children some choice without overwhelming them. A five to eight year old can spend ages agonizing over what color to color something and too much choice slows things down in class.<br /> <br /> <strong>2. Don't buy everything at once.</strong> I have yet to understand how it could be that, the week before school starts, every child in the United States no longer has a stitch of clothing to wear and needs to have a whole new wardrobe. I think it is one of those traditions that we have followed for decades just because, as far as we can remember, it has always been done that way.<br /> <br /> <strong>You have probably heard the story of the woman who always cut the ends off her ham before she baked it.</strong> When asked why she did that she said because her mom did it that way. When the mom was asked why she did it that way she said because her mom had done it that way, too. When grandma was asked the same question, she said "because I didn't have a big enough pan and I had to cut it to make it fit".<br /> <br /> <strong>Years ago, most kids only had one or two outfits and those were generally work clothes.</strong> When they started school, they often got new school clothes because their clothes were actually worn out. They needed something a little better and something that wasn't too small. Since they had gone barefoot all summer and winter was coming, many would get a new pair of shoes. So started a tradition. Most children now have reasonable clothes they have been wearing all summer and can probably wear to school. If your children really need new jeans, get them one or two pairs now and then, in a month or so, buy them another pair.<br /> <br /> <strong>So often we have an all or nothing mentality.</strong> I need gas, so instead of just putting in the $15 cash that I have in my pocket right now that would last a couple of days, I think I need to fill the tank and put it on my almost overloaded credit card. (Then later when I get the urge to buy a soda at a convenience store, I'll rationalize "I've got the cash in my pocket, so I can afford it.")<br /> <br /> <strong>You don't need to buy your children a year's worth of clothes the week before school. </strong>I know there are a lot of good buys just before school, but if you have to charge them on a high interest credit card, they are no longer good buys.<br /> <br /> <strong>3. Try to make do with what you already have.</strong> If the kids still have scissors from last year, reuse them. That goes for rulers, pencil boxes and other supplies, too. Go ahead and buy new crayons (they cost 20 cents a box here in back to school sales), folders and pencils. That way your children feel like they are getting something new.<br /> <br /> If last year's backpack is still good then reuse it. If your child wants something different, then use glue or fusible web and applique it with some fun trims and decorations. If they still insist that they need a new backpack, let them take their own money and buy one.<br /> <br /> <strong>From A Reader<br /> </strong><br /> <strong>"Thank you for your article about back to school & buying school clothes.</strong> I had already purchased perfectly good clothes for my daughter this summer at garage sales, but like many others, was planning on buying "school clothes". Why? I don't know, because it's just been one of those things people do without even considering why."<br /> <br /> "When I read that article, it was like a lightning bolt - of course, if the clothes she's been wearing are in good condition, why go & buy more just because school is starting? You saved us a good deal of money, I'm sure, as well as many others who read that article. It's all about changing the way we think about things - that's the real key to saving money. Thanks again!"<br /> <br /> -Chantelle H.<br /> <br /> Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/" target="_blank">frugal living</a> experts and the authors of the <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/store/dining-dime-cookbook/" target="_blank">Dining On A Dime Cookbook</a>. Dining On A Dime will help you <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/" target="_blank">save money on groceries</a> and get out of debt by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips and recipes visit <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/" target="_blank">LivingOnADime.com</a> Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2014-08-25T07:08:00Z10-Second Recipes: It Takes Just Cents to Give Summer Sundaes Some SizzleStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-It-Takes-Just-Cents-to-Give-Summer-Sundaes-Some-Sizzle/-159964927230344954.html2014-08-18T20:23:00Z2014-08-18T20:23:00Z<em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Is your pantry due for a summer cleaning? Your refrigerator ready to bust? If so, consider creatively recycling some of your extras into scintillating – and simple – summer sundaes.</p>
<p>Too often the once-special sundae has become something so mundane it might as well be called a “Thursday”: vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, chopped peanuts and whipped cream with a lonely maraschino cherry on top. There’s no reason, though, the sundae can’t be a showcase for foodies and gourmets – and, since preparation can be so easy, for lazy-day poolside loafers as well.</p>
<p>Gia Giasullo and Peter Freeman, sister-and-brother owners of New York’s Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain, did just that when they found themselves with bags of broken pretzel rods that are usually served full-size with egg creams.</p>
<p>Instead they tossed the petite pieces into sundaes, decided caramel sauce would be the best pair with the salty intruder and their “Sundae of Broken Dreams” was born. It’s been a staple on the menu since then and the contrast of salty and sweet has gotten it named to some of New York City’s best summer dessert lists. It’s also included in “The Soda Fountain,” their first cookbook.</p>
<p>Depending on what you choose to add (such as fruit or sugar-free toppings), your special treat might just qualify as a health food item as well. Since the add-ons are a last, moderate touch, they also usually only ending up costing cents per serving.</p>
<p>Other than Giasullo and Freeman’s pretzel brainstorm, following are a few other ideas for “everything-but-the-kitchen-sink” sundaes:</p>
<ul>
<li>Sugar-free frozen yogurt or sorbet, homemade or store-bought preserved lemons, orange marmalade, chopped pistachios and whipped cream tinged with tangerine zest.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Sugar-free coffee ice cream, caramel corn (or try kettle corn, for a still sweet, but less sugary treat), butterscotch sauce, chopped pecans and whipped cream tinged with ground cinnamon.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Sugar-free vanilla frozen yogurt, chunks of cheesecake (or for possibly lower calories use chunks of diet or tofu-based ice cream sandwiches), golden raisins, raspberry syrup, chopped macadamia nuts and whipped cream with halved fresh raspberries mixed in.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Sugar-free cherry ice, dried cherries, sugar-free chocolate sauce, roasted pumpkin seeds and whipped cream tinged with pomegranate juice.</li>
</ul>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</p>
<p>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you – or your kidlet helpers – choose to use can’t help but draw “wows” from family members and guests.</p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong> If you have soup delivered as part of a takeout meal, or if you are heating up your own homemade soup as a leftover, be sure to heat it to the boiling point before then cooling it enough to eat. You can’t know how long soup may have been sitting in a pot at a restaurant – and at what temperature -- or in a delivery vehicle. If you are going to consume such an item, bringing it to a boil is one way to have a chance of warding off potential problems. </p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-08-18T20:23:00Z10-Second Recipes: Meals in a Mug are Innovative - and Economical -- TreatsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Meals-in-a-Mug-are-Innovative---and-Economical----Treats/-130518849208899756.html2014-08-11T19:52:00Z2014-08-11T19:52:00Z<em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Among the best days of my life may have been about a year ago when I was facing an almost empty refrigerator and pantry, and heard someone on a TV talk show quickly describe how to make a single-serving microwave chocolate cake from scratch in a mug.</p>
<p>Where had I been before this? I had never heard of microwave mug cooking. Less than seven minutes later, I had mixed the egg (thereby giving me even a good seven grams of protein for a light breakfast), unsweetened cocoa powder, stevia (my natural, no-calorie sweetener of choice), vanilla extract, almond and whole-wheat flours and baking powder, and was happily enjoying a warm homemade chocolate cake that, to boot, was automatically portioned so that I didn’t “accidentally” overindulge.</p>
<p>Therefore, when I soon learned of the publication of Camilla V. Saulsbury’s <em>250 Best Meals in a Mug</em>, I felt like I was meeting an old friend. Make that a pal with unlimited creativity.</p>
<p>Of course, first I turned to the cake chapter and found one like my chocolate favorite, as well as many others, even as sophisticated as Banana Toffee and Brown Sugar Sweet Potato. But that was only the beginning. There were also scores of pies, muffins, cookies, as well as crumbles, breads, puddings and other treats.</p>
<p>Those, though, would have to wait. First fill up on dips, soups, stews, chili and pasta.</p>
<p>Saulsbury, a food writer, recipe developer and cooking instructor who has authored seven additional cookbooks, and who won one of TV Food Network’s “$25,000 Ultimate Recipe Showdowns,” is expert at creating a mix of simple as well as more energetic fare, like a Moroccan Date and Chickpea Tagine followed by a less complicated basic quiche. She also provides about 50 recipes that include only four ingredients or less. Like in her other cookbooks, she’s crack at concise explanation, including lots of variations and tips.</p>
<p>Recipes are generally for one lucky recipient: and that can be your kidlet, as long as you supervise, who will pick up cooking and ingredient combination tips along the way. However, if you want to make more, just spread out a few mugs and sprinkle and mix ingredients at the same time and then cook each quickly separately.</p>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food and beverage preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</p>
<p>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>these beautifully brief recipes are so easy, yet still teach which ingredients combine well with each other and how to work with those ingredients.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you – or your kidlet helpers – choose to use can't help but draw “wows” from family members and guests.</p>
<p>Following are some of the four-ingredients-or-less gems, which also were created with household economics in mind:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>GRANOLA “PUCK”</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>1& 1/2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (see Note)</li>
<li>1 tablespoon honey</li>
<li>1/3 cup large-flake (old-fashioned) or quick-cooking rolled oats</li>
<li>1 tablespoon chopped dried fruit</li>
</ul>
<p>Yields 1 serving.</p>
<p>Spray a 12- to 16-ounce mug with nonstick cooking spray. In the mug, combine peanut butter and honey.</p>
<p>Stir in oats and dried fruit until thoroughly blended. Using the back of a spoon, firmly press and compact mixture into the mug. Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, or in the freezer for 10 minutes, until firm. Remove “puck” using the tip of the spoon. If you leave it in the freezer for more than 10 minutes, it will become difficult to remove from the mug. If that happens, allow it to thaw at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before removing.</p>
<p><strong>Variation: </strong>For a punch of protein, decrease the oats to 1 / 4 cup and add 1 tablespoon vanilla whey protein powder, vanilla vegan protein powder or nonfat instant milk powder with the oats.</p>
<p>Note: Any other type of creamy nut or seed butter (such as cashew, almond, sesame seed or sunflower seed) can be used in place of peanut butter.</p>
<p><strong><br />WARM PARMESAN SPINACH DIP</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>3/4 cup frozen chopped spinach</li>
<li>3 tablespoons brick-style or soft tub-style cream cheese (1 & 1/2 ounces)</li>
<li>2 tablespoons mayonnaise (see Note)</li>
<li>1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese</li>
</ul>
<p>Yields 1 serving.</p>
<p>Spray a 12- to 16-ounce mug with nonstick cooking spray. In the mug, microwave spinach on high for 1 to 2 minutes, or until thawed and warm. Using the tines of a fork, carefully press down on the spinach and drain off excess liquid.</p>
<p>Add cream cheese to the mug. Microwave on high for 15 to 20 seconds, or until softened. Carefully stir until blended. Stir in mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese. Microwave on high for 30 to 45 seconds, or until warmed through. Season to taste with ground black pepper. Serve with chunks of bread or raw or cooked vegetables.</p>
<p><strong>Variation: </strong>For an artichoke-spinach dip, add 3 tablespoons drained chopped marinated artichoke hearts (from a jar) with the mayonnaise.</p>
<p>Note: You can use either regular or light mayonnaise. For best results, do not use nonfat mayonnaise.</p>
<p><strong><br />COCOA BANANA PUDDING CAKE</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder</li>
<li>2 teaspoons granulated sugar</li>
<li>1 large egg</li>
<li>1/2 cup mashed very ripe banana (see Note)</li>
</ul>
<p>Yields 1 serving.</p>
<p>Spray a 12- to 16-ounce mug with nonstick cooking spray. In the mug, use a fork to combine cocoa powder, sugar, a pinch of salt, egg and banana until blended and smooth.</p>
<p> Microwave on high for 60 to 90 seconds (carefully checking at 60), or until puffed and center is just set. Let cool slightly or entirely in mug. Eat directly from mug when cool enough.</p>
<p><strong>Variation: </strong>For a Mocha Pudding Cake, replace banana with an equal amount of applesauce and increase the sugar to 3 & 1/2 teaspoons. Add 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee powder in step 1.</p>
<p>Note: Mash banana until it is almost a liquid before measuring. One medium-large banana will yield about 1/2 cup mashed. Make sure it is a very soft, squishy banana; the peel should covered partly or entirely with brown spots.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong><em><br />QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong> For a refreshing and healthful summer twist, consider adding fresh fruit puree to homemade or store-bought lemonade. The flavors of peeled peaches, nectarines, plums or seedless watermelon are among the best to burst forth when first pureed in a blender and then stirred well into the lemonade, which is – on a smaller scale – similar to the processes used by many manufacturers of these types of products.</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-08-11T19:52:00Z10-Second Recipes: Whole Foods Market's Hefty Free Newsletter Has a Whole Lot to Add to Your KitchenStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Whole-Foods-Markets-Hefty-Free-Newsletter-Has-a-Whole-Lot-to-Add-to-Your-Kitchen/-500064753819497265.html2014-08-04T17:15:00Z2014-08-04T17:15:00Z<em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></p>
<p>How did you enjoy your last grilled homemade burger? Probably not as much as those who had been reading a recent edition of The Whole Deal, the free newsletter available in stores and online by the Whole Foods Market chain. If you followed its handy chart, you could have relished nine burgers from around the world, each with unique toppings and sauce.</p>
<p>This 20-page bimonthly guide has many sources for inspiration that take only seconds to read, such as:</p>
<p>--- The Greek burger: a mixture of ground beef and/or lamb with minced fresh dill, topped with feta cheese, roasted red peppers and arugula and sauced with plain Greek yogurt.</p>
<p>--- The Caribbean choice: ground chicken with jerk seasoning, topped with romaine lettuce and sauced with fresh mango salsa. </p>
<p>--- The Chinese selection: ground pork with chopped scallions, crowned with sliced cucumber and spread with store-bought hoisin sauce that’s been mixed with a small amount of mayonnaise.</p>
<p>Since we're talking about Whole Foods Market, that might mean their organic hoisin sauce or brand of vegan mayonnaise or any other healthful item in their eight pages of $55-“plus” worth of coupons. I was so engrossed in their original, helpful content that I barely noticed the products being touted until the end. And then I wrote shopping list reminder notes by many of them because they seemed unique. The “plus” is that the coupons are online, too, and though they may have expiration dates, they often can be printed multiple times for various shopping trips. </p>
<p>Creativity runs rampant through the pages. Not only are there innovative recipes for melons (like a boldly flavored easy pickled one) but a sidebar of tips for what to do with them. Run of the mill? Definitely not. Read on their site about uses for the seeds.</p>
<p>I was entertained and informed for close to two hours reading every word of the copy I picked up at the store as I ate a solo meal between errands. This rivaled many cookbooks I've read lately and trumped almost all of the many supermarket freebie magazines through which I have flipped.</p>
<p>There was the “Daily Meal Planner” that gave invaluable ideas for every day of the week, including a Cook’s Night Off on Wednesday and a weekend brunch, features like a do-it-yourself spa day with homemade scrubs and masks and a slew of recipes, food preparation tips and a delicious bonus: where to find lots more related recipes online.</p>
<p>In the meantime, here are a few more of their quick summer suggestions that all appeared in that one jam-packed issue:</p>
<p><strong>Tango with Some Mango: </strong>Combine diced mango, shredded kale, diced avocado, black beans and lime juice for a dynamic salad.</p>
<p><strong>The Flavor of Coffee Cubed: </strong>“Coffee cubes don’t dilute your iced coffee drinks as they melt, like those made from water. Use ‘em for smoothies and shakes too,” notes “The Whole Deal.”</p>
<p><strong>A Gift that Grows: </strong>As a loving present, offer to let your recipient pick a small plot on their land for you to turn into a culinary garden for them. “Maybe a ‘salsa garden’ with tomatoes, onions, peppers and cilantro or a ‘pizza garden’ with tomato, basil and oregano,” suggests “The Whole Deal.”</p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong> Consider having water – either in store-bought bottles or your own reusable canister – be your constant companion, so that you don’t end up dry-mouthed and tongue tied. Besides the obvious and important hydration value when you are out and about, this means you are never without the most perfect beverage for your health at social gatherings. Many a party, barbecue or picnic has been known to have been stocked with soda, juice and beer without a drop of bottled, purified or filtered water in sight. Even if the soda offered is diet that usually means artificial sweeteners and/or chemicals are part of the mix. It’s chic to travel with your own water canister, and then you end up in charge of quenching your own thirst rather than having to rely on others.</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-08-04T17:15:00Z10-Second Recipes: Heat Up the Grill for Hot-Weather SalsasStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Heat-Up-the-Grill-for-Hot-Weather-Salsas/976539346088727429.html2014-07-28T07:02:00Z2014-07-28T07:02:00Z<em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><br /></p>
<p>Salsa: Your summer solution. There doesn't have to be a jar or container in sight when you fire up the grill for homemade salsa, bursting with freshness. It's an easy way to take a meal, or even just a poolside chip 'n' dip hour, to a whole other innovative level. <br /><br />It can be as simple as tossing a mixture of vegetables into a grill basket and waiting for the quick smoky results. Instead, some vegetables - and fruits - are fantastic charred or blackened right on the grill. <br /><br />These differing methods then lend themselves to varying preparation techniques. After peeling, the blistered vegetables are excellent pureed. Grill basket gems are good chopped for a salsa of an entirely different texture. <br /><br />The shared attribute of any salsa you grill? The sublime signature smoky flavor. As experts recommend, consider wearing latex gloves when handling chilies and not touching your eyes during or afterward. <br /><br /><strong>Here is an idea to fill your grill basket:</strong> <br /><br />--- Sliced: zucchini, bell pepper, onion and chiles as well as fresh corn kernels. Once grilled, let cool. Chop the slices, leaving chunky, and combine with grilled corn kernels, fresh lime juice, cumin, chopped fresh basil and cilantro and dash cayenne pepper. <br /><br /><strong>These lend themselves to blistering on the grill:</strong> <br /><br /> --- Whole chiles. Halved: tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, eggplant, peaches or nectarines. <br /><br />Place everything skin side down. Let grill until all just begins to blister and the insides just begin to soften. Let cool. Remove blistered skins. Puree. Stir in minced garlic, rosemary, salt, dash of red pepper flakes and sprinkle of balsamic vinegar. <br /><br /><strong>Dippers matter, too:</strong> <br /><br />--- Sweet potato and root vegetable chips; baked blue tortilla chips; unpeeled sliced cucumbers and celery sticks that have been marinated in red wine vinegar.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <strong>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</strong>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! <br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <strong>there are no right or wrong amounts</strong>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. <br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Let your spice rack clue kids in on flavors from around the world. Cover the name of seasoning blends (such as Mexican, Italian and Chinese five spice) and let children sprinkle a dash on fresh vegetables and taste. Have them guess the locations and then try to identify the individual spices that comprise the mixes.</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-07-28T07:02:00Z10-Second Recipes: Second-Time Around Recipes Make Sweet Summer SoupsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Second-Time-Around-Recipes-Make-Sweet-Summer-Soups/614353888053955943.html2014-07-14T17:45:00Z2014-07-14T17:45:00Z<em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Sometimes, flipping through an older well-loved cookbook is a way to save time and money – and discover previously hidden gems.</p>
<p>I’ve found this kind of “recycling” to work well many times, and this summer the one that made the sweetest impression is <em>Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons</em> by vegan/vegetarian cookbook author extraordinaire Nava Atlas, who has penned close to a dozen acclaimed plant-based titles.</p>
<p>I’d enjoyed the 2009 book the first time around, specifically for its especially hearty fare and, even though it did cover all seasons scrumptiously, I relied on it then more for its traditional autumn and winter soups and stews.</p>
<p>Coming across it recently on a hot summer day, when my own temperature felt like it was rising, sent my imagination soaring. As I flipped to the <em>Summer</em> chapter in the book, I couldn’t help wanting to try almost all of Atlas’ cold soups that I had skipped over the first time.</p>
<p>The book has the full-fledged recipes for when you have time. To quickly soothe my thirst I whipped up some inspirations from her flavor combinations for shortcuts that were delightful. <em>For mine that follow, just use ingredients to taste, puree and then chill before serving.</em> Cold summer soups are also a clever way to introduce children, who might otherwise be picky, to produce.</p>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food and beverage preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</p>
<p>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you – or your kidlet helpers – choose to use can’t help but draw “wows” from family members and guests.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Pea is for Perfect:</strong><span style="font-size: 12px;"> Cooked cooled potatoes, cooked cooled peas, cucumber, fresh dill, lime juice, milk type of your choice (e.g., dairy, soy, almond, coconut, etc.), garlic powder, onion powder, salt and freshly ground pepper.</span></li>
<li><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Foreign Feast: </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">Tomatoes, mango, cucumber, red bell pepper, scallions (green part only), lime juice, curry powder, salt, light coconut milk and store-bought Thai-style peanut satay sauce or creamy peanut butter thinned slightly with light soy sauce or agave nectar.</span></li>
<li><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Avocadoes Equal Excellence: </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">Avocadoes, regular or vegan sour cream, milk type of your choice (e.g., dairy, soy, almond, coconut, etc.), red bell pepper, scallions (green part only), fresh dill, ground cumin, curry powder, salt and freshly ground pepper.</span></li>
<li><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Minty freshness: </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">Strawberries, light coconut milk, sweetener (like natural stevia or agave nectar), cinnamon and mint leaves.</span></li>
<li><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Mad for Melons: </strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">Watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, orange juice (preferably fresh), blueberries, vanilla frozen yogurt.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong> Consider tempting your family into trying vegetarian burgers, such as those made with black beans, by including store-bought steak sauce in the mix. That may give a sense of the flavor and scent of the meat-based burgers many people are used to eating. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which includes many vegan recipes at its website (PCRM.org), did just that by including 2 tablespoons of steak sauce per every 4 of its black bean/bread crumb/oat burgers.</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-07-14T17:45:00Z10-Second Recipes: Tea is the Secret to Scrumptious Summer SmoothiesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Tea-is-the-Secret-to-Scrumptious-Summer-Smoothies/-951946031046430874.html2014-07-07T17:58:00Z2014-07-07T17:58:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Fruit has always been a first choice for fantastic smoothies. Lately, greens - like kale, spinach, cucumber and celery - have become a "go-to" solution. Those are all so last season, though.<br /> <br />If you're looking to liven up a summer breakfast, snack or dessert smoothie, take tea along for the ride. Fresh brewed tea, then iced or pureed with frozen fruit, adds both flavor and refreshment. So much flavor, in fact - along with the goodness of fruit, vegetables and sweet Greek yogurt - that the bold beverages usually pass the taste tests not only of adults, but choosier kidlets as well. <br /><br />Greek yogurt, a centuries'-old food that has become popular in supermarkets, is creamier than traditional yogurt and packed with protein.<br /> <br />Different teas provide various taste palates: White is mild and cool; black is peppery; green is earthy; red is pungent. All also include a hefty dose of antioxidants.<br /> <br />Herbal teas, whether fruity (like peach, blueberry or mango) or spicy (like peppermint or ginger) make the choices virtually unlimited.<br /> <br />Following are some additional innovations. After brewed teas are cooled or iced, add ingredients to your own taste to a blender container and puree until desired consistency. The frozen fruit should make the smoothies thick enough, but, if thicker texture is desired, add a few ice cubes one at a time through the hole in the blender lid.<br />
<ul>
<li> Passion fruit tea, frozen blueberries, blueberry-flavored Greek yogurt.</li>
<li> Ginger tea, frozen bananas, lemon-flavored Greek yogurt.</li>
<li> Peppermint tea, frozen limes, vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt.</li>
<li> Green tea, frozen pineapple, cherry-flavored Greek yogurt</li>
<li> Orange tea, frozen tangerines, lemon-flavored Greek yogurt</li>
</ul>
<span> </span>Thinking about dessert? Consider these toppings:<br />
<ul>
<li>Whipped cream that's been mixed with sweetened flaked coconut.</li>
<li>Drizzles of melted dark chocolate and minced dried cherries.</li>
<li>Chopped chocolate mints and sugar-free cookie crumbs. </li>
</ul>
<br />Fun fare like this also proves food and beverage preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! <br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<span> </span> <br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> In restaurants, cushy booths seem to almost call out to customers to be the most comfortable spot in which to sit. But think twice when comparing that to a table or even a counter stool. The seats may be plush, but the leg room is often cramped, which has meant, a number of surveys have shown, that after leisurely meals, more people report leg cramps within 24 hours when having sat without getting up at a booth than at a table or a counter where space is usually more free to move the legs.<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-07-07T17:58:00Z10-Second Recipes: Set Off Fourth of July with Easy One-Pot MealsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Set-Off-Fourth-of-July-with-Easy-One-Pot-Meals/762880860277601291.html2014-06-30T07:00:00Z2014-06-30T07:00:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><em>(originally published July 2012)</em> </p>
There is a way this July Fourth for you to have lots more fun and simplicity than just by preparing cute dishes that happen to feature red-white-and-blue ingredients.<br /><br />July Fourth spreads often consist of large buffets of homemade items that take lots of effort and cost, as well as the obligatory red-white-and-blue themed recipes. However, what if you could combine lots of your favorite July Fourth ingredients in a single, easy one-pot meal that's much more dazzling than those individual time robbers?<br /><br />A "low-country boil," which shot to prominence in the low country (the coast between Georgia's Savannah River north to Pawleys Island, S.C.) is just such a meal. It was served for the first time publicly in South Carolina in the 1960s by National Guardsman (and later seafood company owner) Richard Gay, who was throwing together a quick dish of leftovers for 100 of his fellow guardsmen. The dish (also at that time referred to as Frogmore Stew - where Gay was from in South Carolina and where his family had made it at home for years - or Beaufort Stew - where he was stationed in South Carolina) has become a legend enjoyed at millions of outings every summer.<br /><br />There's good reason. The dish is often a mélange of fresh shrimp, potatoes, corn on the cob, smoked sausage and plenty of Old Bay seasoning. Through the years, cooks at the beach where the stew is often prepared also have added lobster, oysters, crab and crawfish. The recipe easily adapts from a yield for a small family to that of a large group, since every ingredient is measured per person. "The rule of thumb here is the bigger the crowd, the bigger the pot," noted <em>Coastal Living</em> magazine, which covers that part of the country.<br /><br />Even better than this being a one-pot recipe is that it also can be a no-dish recipe. It is often cooked outdoors over an open flame (where allowed and well supervised if children are around). Cooks often turn out the finished meal onto a table covered with a paper tablecloth and then, when done, just roll it up and throw it away. <br /><br />Special fare like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. Such recipes take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br />Here are some common ingredients you might consider including in your low-country boil (each would be measured per person):<br /><br />--- Fully cooked smoked sausage<br /><br />--- Fresh shrimp<br /><br />--- Oysters (debearded and scrubbed)<br /><br />--- Mussels<br /><br />--- Crab<br /><br />--- Old Bay seasoning<br /><br />--- Small new potatoes<br /><br />--- Small onions<br /><br />--- Ears of corn<br /><br />--- Fresh fennel<br /><br />--- Fresh thyme<br /><br />--- Enough water to cover before boiling (and/or a mixture of pale ale, if the party is all adults)<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> At the start of the low-carb craze years ago, companies began to sell "diet" breads that were ultra-thin and often fairly flavorless. Although cutting out carbohydrates completely, nutritionists agree, is ill-advised, not over-indulging is a good plan. What may be overlooked, though - and a more flavorful and nutritious option - is simply asking your bakery or supermarket bakery section to slice thinly your family's favorite breads, such as rye, sourdough, whole-grain or pumpernickel. What you save nutritionally with that step can mean a little more room for treats later, such as with cheese bread. Spread with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder and Parmesan, quickly broil, and the thin slices become perfect, crispy - but not overly-indulgent - garlic bread.<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-06-30T07:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Apples Will Help You Ace July Fourth DishesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Apples-Will-Help-You-Ace-July-Fourth-Dishes/-748385368396707139.html2014-06-30T07:00:00Z2014-06-30T07:00:00Z<em> </em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /><em>(originally published July 2013)</em> </p>
"As American as apple pie" could be an unofficial slogan for the culinary part of the July Fourth holiday. But why limit it to pie? In recent years, there has been scientific proof attached to another fruity phrase, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away," so why not sprinkle patriotically colored red apples throughout your Independence Day celebration? Try the quick renditions that follow of a slaw that will knock your sandals off, apple-smoked sausage on the grill, apple-soaked iced tea and, when it comes to that pie, an English tradition that's stuck here too: the accessory of cheddar cheese. To boot, apples are usually priced with good old American value in mind, and therefore, almost always make an economical choice.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy all-American family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and summer holiday guests. <br /><br /><strong>All-American Apple Slaw</strong><br />Grate unpeeled apple into a store-bought bag of slaw mix you've placed in a large bowl, as well as fresh blueberries, a splash of apple cider vinegar, chunks of reduced-fat cheddar cheese, low-fat mayonnaise and freshly ground black pepper.<br /><br /><strong>Star-Spangled Sausage</strong><br />Grill apple-smoked sausage until fully cooked (the USDA recommends an internal temperature of 160 °F). Serve in a whole-wheat hot dog bun with store-bought pickle relish into which you've mixed spicy brown mustard, a dash of cayenne pepper, diced unpeeled apple and kidney beans.<br /><br /><strong>Fourth of July Tempting Tea Cooler</strong><br />Brew two types of apple-based tea (like apple-cinnamon and apple-cranberry). Discard tea bags and add apple juice, grape juice, finely chopped fresh mint, basil and ice.<br /><br /><strong>Proud to be an Apple Pie</strong><br />Cheddar cheese served melting atop or in apple pie, popular in New England and the Midwest, is an old English tradition that continues to impress Americans with good taste as well. Emulate a popular San Francisco restaurant with this version: Stir some finely diced green chilies into a store-bought or homemade apple pie (being careful not to touch eyes during or afterward), and let shredded cheddar cheese melt within streusel you add atop the pie.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Sometimes pie recipes call for a double crust. "If you are using store-bought commercial crusts, which come frozen and only as bottom crusts, be aware that you can use a bottom crust as a top," writes Robert L. Blakeslee in <em>Your Time to Bake: A First Cookbook for the Novice Baker</em>. "Just let it thaw out until the dough becomes workable, then place it over the filling as a top crust or cut it into strips to create a lattice top."
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>Staff2014-06-30T07:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Spicy Independence Day Treats Can Pop Like FireworksStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Spicy-Independence-Day-Treats-Can-Pop-Like-Fireworks/749094284503723700.html2014-06-23T22:25:00Z2014-06-23T22:25:00Z<strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a><span> at Creators Syndicate<br />
<p>Fireworks are a Fourth of July tradition, but what about explosive menus as well? Many of us prepare red-white-and-blue-themed foods for Independence Day parties year after year. Why not instead rocket yourself to a coveted notoriety for instead having some prized dishes mimic the essence of fireworks?</p>
<p>All distinctive dishes like the following call for are some snazzy change-ups from the usual. The expected gets replaced by some easy, inexpensive fiery works by you:</p>
<p><strong>Pot Pie that Really Pops: </strong>Summer pot pies should be lighter than winter delights (meaning, among other ingredient changes, you may want to skip the bottom crust), but that doesn’t mean they can’t be more charged up. The surprise will be what’s inside. Fill individual ramekin (baking/serving) dishes with a cooked chicken breast and white bean chili flavored with chopped jalapenos (being careful, as experts advise, to wear latex gloves when chopping and not to touch your eyes during or afterward), rosemary, dill and ginger. Before serving, crumble store-bought or homemade cornbread on top as the crust, sprinkle with cinnamon and cilantro and heat until hot.</p>
<p><strong>Salsa-Fused Burgers: </strong>In the center of burgers of your choice (like Angus beef, turkey, seafood or vegetable) make a hole that goes about three quarters through and stuff with a mixture of a small amount of salsa (so that it’s not watery), pepper jack or other spicy cheese and finely crushed tortilla chips. Place the meat you scooped out tightly atop the hole to close it and cook as usual.</p>
<p><strong>Crafty Corn Cobs: </strong>After grilling corn-on-the-cob, spread with butter or margarine that you’ve combined with dashes of cayenne pepper, freshly ground black pepper, cumin and garlic powder. Serve some of this compound on the table, too, to accompany rolls or bread.</p>
<p><strong>Mighty Mashed Potatoes: </strong>Cook chorizo (spicy Spanish sausage available in many supermarkets), crumble with fork and stir as an accent into cooked mashed potatoes, along with nonfat sour cream, salsa verde (green salsa widely available in jars in supermarkets) and finely minced garlic.</p>
<p><strong>Kaboom Cheesecake: </strong>Carefully scoop out filling of store-bought or homemade cheesecake and place in large mixing bowl, reserving crust. To filling, mix in small amounts of fresh lime juice and vanilla extract, and dashes of chopped cilantro, cinnamon and espresso powder. Carefully scoop back into crust and smooth over. Chill for at least 90 minutes before serving. </p>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</p>
<p>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you – or your kidlet helpers – choose to use can’t help but draw “wows” from family members and Fourth of July guests.</p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>As well as the staining that might come from coffee and tea, the acids in sodas, diet sodas and juices have long been shown in studies to possibly damage the enamel of the teeth. One potential protector recommended by dentists is to use straws so that you bypass the front of the teeth. Reasonably priced glass straws are also available at some kitchen product retailers and online in case you want to use them in hot beverages. That’s because some people avoid exposing plastic, as in straws, to high temperatures and would prefer glass.</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>
</span>Staff2014-06-23T22:25:00ZSummertime Fresh Veggie GrillingStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Summertime-Fresh-Veggie-Grilling/-937049410684260619.html2014-06-23T22:00:00Z2014-06-23T22:00:00Z<strong>By Cheryl Tallman</strong><br /><a href="http://www.FreshBaby.com" target="_blank">www.FreshBaby.com</a><br />
<p>Vegetables taste delicious plus they're a great source of vitamins and nutrients; and low in fat and salt. The US Department of Agriculture recommends half your plate be filled with vegetables and fruits. Summertime is a terrific opportunity to cook up a nice variety of vegetables. Take advantage of this time of the year to introduce your family to some great new flavors.</p>
<p><strong>Vary your veggies</strong><br /> Vegetables of different colors and textures have different tastes, vitamins and nutrients. To get the biggest healthy benefit from vegetables, it’s best to eat a good variety. As a general rule, vegetables of different colors contain different vitamins – serve a rainbow of colors at meals to take advantage of all the nutrition that vegetables have to offer.</p>
<p><strong>Set a good example</strong></p>
<p>Your children learn from you and aspire to be just like you. One of the best ways you can influence your child’s eating habits is to have good ones yourself. Make eating a variety of vegetables a family experience that everyone can enjoy.</p>
<p><strong>How many vegetables does your child need?</strong><br /> Children 2-8 years old should have at least ¼ cup of vegetables 4 to 6 times per day.</p>
<p><strong>How many vegetables are in a cup?</strong><br /> Here are some examples of 1/4 cup portion of vegetables:</p>
<p>3 asparagus spears<br />1/3 ear of corn on the cob<br />1/2 a medium carrot or a 4 baby carrots<br />1/4 large sweet potato<br />1/4 medium white potato<br />1/2 cup raw leafy green vegetables</p>
<p><strong>Grilled vegetables</strong></p>
<p>Turn off the stove and use your BBQ grill to give your vegetables summer fresh flavor! Grilled vegetables have great flavor and are SUPER EASY to cook. Here are a few tips for veggie grilling success:</p>
<p><strong>Invest in a BBQ grill basket</strong></p>
<p>You’ll find this item in the BBQ accessory section at home improvement stores for about $15-$20. A grill basket is specially designed for the BBQ. It will save time and make grilling vegetables foolproof. It will eliminate the need for skewers and your veggies won’t fall through the cracks of the grill. Simply add your vegetables to the basket and grill away. To grill evenly and prevent charring, use BBQ tongs to move the vegetables around in the basket while they’re cooking.<br /><br /><strong>Choosing your vegetables to grill</strong></p>
<p>Asparagus to zucchini…nearly all vegetables taste great of the BBQ. Here are a few of our favorites along with the recommended prep for a grill basket:</p>
<ul>
<li>Asparagus: Prep - whole</li>
<li>Corn on the cob: Prep - cut into 1-2 inch pieces</li>
<li>Eggplant: Prep - sliced into ¼- ½ inch rounds</li>
<li>Green beans: Prep - whole</li>
<li>Mushrooms, button, portabellas, and shitakes: Prep - whole</li>
<li>Onions, red or Vidalia: Prep - cut into wedges</li>
<li>Potatoes: Prep - 1-2-inch chunks or small whole potatoes, parboiled for 10 minutes</li>
<li>Red or green Bell peppers: Prep - sliced in 1 inch pieces</li>
<li>Sweet potatoes : Prep - sliced into ¼ - ½ inch circles</li>
<li>Tomatoes: Prep - cut large ones in or chunks, leave grape or cherry tomatoes whole</li>
<li>Zucchini: Prep - cut into ½ - 1 inch circles</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Basic cooking instructions</strong></p>
<p>In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Place the vegetables in a grill basket of over a hot BBQ. To cook evenly and prevent charring, use BBQ tongs to move the vegetables around in the basket while they’re cooking. Most vegetables will cook in less than 10 minutes. When they have a grilled look and softer texture, remove them from the grill – they are done.</p>
<p><strong>For the baby:</strong> Grilled vegetables can be pureed in a blender or food processor after they are taken off the grill.</p>
<p><strong>Adding flavor</strong></p>
<p>Grilled vegetables are great served simply with olive oil, salt and pepper. But if you’d like to add an extra zip of flavor, toss in some of these with your grilled vegetables after cooking. Here are a few flavor splash ideas:</p>
<ul>
<li>Lime Juice, fresh chopped cilantro and sugar</li>
<li>Lemon juice and fresh chopped dill</li>
<li>Balsamic vinegar and fresh chopped basil</li>
<li>Hoisin sauce and fresh chopped green onions</li>
<li>Italian salad dressing (oil-based)</li>
</ul>
<p>To make the flavor splash: Combine about 1 Tablespoon of each ingredient in a bowl. Drizzle over the grilled vegetables.</p>
<p><strong>Cheryl Tallman</strong> is the co-founder of <a href="http://www.FreshBaby.com" target="_blank">Fresh Baby</a>. creators of the award-winning <em>So Easy Baby</em> Food Kit, and author of the <em>So Easy Baby Food Basics: Homemade Baby Food in Less Than 30 Minutes Per Week</em> and <em>So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years</em>. Visit Cheryl online at: <a href="http://www.freshbaby.com/">www.FreshBaby.com</a>. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-06-23T22:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Terrific Themes Make Summer Picnics PopStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Terrific-Themes-Make-Summer-Picnics-Pop/354398518568177759.html2014-06-16T20:37:00Z2014-06-16T20:37:00Z<strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a><span> at Creators Syndicate<br />
<p>Good weather is often enough to make your summer picnics pop, but focusing on a theme may be just what you need for an extra jolt of excitement. Hosts of home parties often create food based on theme, but it’s an easy add when you are out and about “on location,” too. Such simple – and economical – care to detail makes an immediate impression.<br /><br /><strong>Beach Blanket Bounty:</strong> Prepare tuna, mock crab and canned wild salmon tiny tea sandwiches. All are usually available in the canned meat aisle of the supermarket, often also in vacuum packs that remove the mess of much of the water that’s in cans. To create the seafood sandwich fillings, use one-quarter low-fat mayonnaise and the rest as fresh lemon juice, vinaigrette dressing and spicy mustard.<br /><br /><strong>Zoo-licious: </strong>Take whole-wheat hamburger buns and have kids paint with food coloring like the coats of zebras, giraffes, leopards and tigers. Fill with vegetable burgers and “jungle vegetation,” such as washed beet, celery and carrot tops. Use cold cuts that are made without preservatives if you want to go with cold fare as the filling.<br /><br /><strong>Treasure Chests of “Jewels”:</strong> Cut oranges in half and shave off bottoms slightly so halves sit flat. Scoop out insides so shell is clean and dry. Press in thin layer of dried cherries, dried cranberries an golden raisins. Mix orange chunks with chopped peaches and plums, nonfat sour cream and mini marshmallows and scoop into orange halves. Alongside, serve chicken salad you’ve mixed with mandarin orange sections and their juice and a small amount of plain Greek yogurt spread across thin seedless watermelon slices.<br /><br /><strong>Ballpark Bistro Dessert Bar:</strong> In a large bowl, combine bite-sized pieces of soft pretzels, roasted peanuts, kettle corn (the whole-grain food that is somewhat sweet but usually has much less sugar than caramel corn) and very small dashes of freshly ground black pepper and prepared mustard powder. Use as topping for sugar-free chocolate and vanilla frozen yogurts. <br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you – or your kidlet helpers – choose to use can’t help but draw “wows” from family members, guests and Dad.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Give each child a bowl and allow them to mix their favorite fresh fruit and/or vegetable juices and diet sodas or flavored sparkling waters. Help them pour into their own designated ice cube trays and later let them liven up cups of water or sparkling water – and mix and match or trade custom cubes with their siblings. </p>
<strong>Lisa Messinger </strong><span>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em><span>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and </span><em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em><span> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</span></span>Staff2014-06-16T20:37:00Z10-Second Recipes: Surprise Your Pop This Father's Day with Some Classic Diet Soda Pop RecipesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Surprise-Your-Pop-This-Fathers-Day-with-Some-Classic-Diet-Soda-Pop-Recipes/-277004685560583712.html2014-06-09T19:48:00Z2014-06-09T19:48:00Z<em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Your own pop doesn’t have to be the only one invited to your Father’s Day bash. Soda pop, in fact, can be an impressive accomplice at the grill and in other dishes when it comes to easily and economically infusing flavor.</p>
<p>First, even if Dad is trim as can be, consider sticking only to diet soda in your recipe repertoire. Usually, the taste difference is negligible, but the distinction in empty calories from sweeteners is major. This gives even a fit father (and other partiers) more room for healthy desserts and other treats later.</p>
<p>Think all diet sodas are flat-flavored, anything-but-gourmet last resorts? Think again. You’ve probably heard of wine tasting or even the comparisons of other upscale products like olive oils or sushi. You can do the same with diet sodas before choosing which ones to either serve or use as the foundations of some of your recipes.</p>
<p>Have a blind-taste test of categories like lemon-lime, cola, root beer and fruit diet sodas. Chances are you will find some variations when it comes to depth of flavor and quality of ingredients.</p>
<p>Next it’s on to using the sodas as marinades and other clever, economic ingredients for summer meals.</p>
<p>Nutritionists for major weight loss programs have already jumped on the bandwagon regarding saving time and calories with diet soda and often make such recommendations, like Lindora, the nation’s largest medically based program.</p>
<p>At the free recipe part of their website, <a href="/Lindora.com/weight-loss-recipes.aspx" target="_blank">Lindora.com/weight-loss-recipes.aspx</a>, they have simple suggestions, including, marinating skinless, boneless chicken breast in Diet 7UP, along with chopped onion, basil, rosemary, sage and thyme before grilling (or covering and baking at 350 F for about 1 hour, either way until thickest part of breast reaches an internal temperature of 165 F); and soaking small cored apples in diet raspberry soda before baking in deep dish at 350 F for about 45 minutes.</p>
<p><strong>Here are some of my ideas for a Father’s Day meal that really pops:<br /></strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Include diet root beer, as well as a dash of red pepper flakes, in the marinade for your ribs before grilling.</li>
<li>Add a can of diet cola, or better yet, one of the spicier-tasting colas, like Diet Dr. Pepper or Mr. Pibb Zero, to your chili.</li>
<li>Marinate shrimp before grilling in diet peach iced tea, along with curry powder. Peach tends to be the most strongly flavored of all diet iced teas across product lines, including more than other fruit-flavored teas, like raspberry or mango.</li>
<li>Cut fresh carrots into coin shapes and marinate in and then cook in ginger ale. Consider a stronger ginger beer, like Reed’s. You might be surprised at how much of a gourmet touch the good amount of ginger in ginger beer (which is nonalcoholic) adds when enjoying either as a cold beverage or a marinade. </li>
<li>In a saucepan, add a can of diet cherry soda to sugar-free chocolate syrup and cook down until thick. At end of cooking time, stir in some dried cherries or maraschino cherries. Use to top roasted marshmallows that are on top of chunks of antioxidant-filled dark chocolate or sugar-free chocolate or vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt. </li>
</ul>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food and beverage preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</p>
<p><strong>Another benefit: </strong>You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you – or your kidlet helpers – choose to use can’t help but draw “wows” from family members, guests and Dad.</p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>With vitamins often stored in the bathroom and meals held in the kitchen, perhaps sometimes the pills are forgotten. If you have decorative vases or baskets in your kitchen, consider stowing vitamin bottles there, as long as the areas are those that remains at room temperature. If not, perhaps think about a kitchen spice rack just for vitamin bottles or a designated spot in your pantry.</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-06-09T19:48:00Z10-Second Recipes: These Creative Cubes Won't Receive an Icy ReceptionStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-These-Creative-Cubes-Wont-Receive-an-Icy-Reception/-717645266612729010.html2014-06-02T20:30:00Z2014-06-02T20:30:00Z<em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>What could be less labor-intensive than making ice? Just about nothing, so why not chill out as the weather begins to heat up and do just that?</p>
<p>If you haven't experimented with flavored ice cubes, you're missing an easy accent that creates a memorable touch for thirsty guests. When it comes to your meal, bring in the take-out or serve up prepared foods, but top off beverages with these slippery saviors; you will have homemade excellence with virtually no effort.</p>
<p>In these cost-conscious times, not only is ice the way to go for low-labor recipes, but low-cost ones as well. You can even make lots extra and bag them for future use.</p>
<p>If you are serving liquor when entertaining, you can save money there, too. Instead of having an unlimited flowing bar, freeze up cubes of sangria or other wines and spirits to infuse flavor into lemon-lime clear sodas or ginger ale for adult guests.</p>
<p>Grab a few ice cube trays. Plain ones are fine, or you can even find specialty ice trays, which freeze liquid in the shape of letters, hearts or circles, at gourmet and home stores.</p>
<p>Start with either water as a base or a puree of ingredients. To water, consider adding edible lavender, lemon slices, mint leaves or fresh berries before freezing, as “Tea Party” author/event planner Tracy Stern does for her top clients.</p>
<p>Alternately, you can blend a batch of ice cubes. Watermelon-Mint ones were featured in Relish Magazine from a camp that serves them at events every summer. Seeded, diced watermelon, water, honey, sugar and fresh lemon juice (use all to taste) are pureed until smooth. Place fresh mint leaves in ice trays, pour the mixture over them and freeze.</p>
<p>Flavored ice cubes give you the opportunity to double your beverage flavor. Make one quick favorite summer beverage for the cubes and then plop them in another compatible beverage. This is a much better trick, too, than just having plain water ice cubes melting in your party drinks and diluting them. Consider mixing iced tea and apple juice like they do in “The Cowgirl’s Cookbook: Recipes for Your Home on the Range.” It’s a great topper for lemonade.</p>
<p>You don't even have to go to the trouble of making a beverage yourself, though. Get take-out iced coffee or Thai iced tea — highly flavorful and creamy due to sugar and the combination of both condensed milk and evaporated or whole milk that is usually used. Toss in some ice cubes you’ve made that include cinnamon, cardamom and vanilla extract.</p>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food and beverage preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</p>
<p><strong>Another benefit: </strong>You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you – or your kidlet helpers – choose to use can't help but draw “wows” from family members and guests.</p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>It’s dark chocolate with a cacao content of 70 percent or more (usually advertised on the front label of the product) that many nutritionists recommend for its antioxidants. Why not then consider using this as a hot fudge sauce over sugar-free frozen yogurt or sugar-free ice cream for sundaes rather than sauces including less desirable types of chocolate and possibly artificial ingredients? Gently melt the chocolate and stir. Even if some bumps still remain, it then usually creates a slightly crunchy texture that’s also a treat.</p>
<strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2014-06-02T20:30:00ZGo Low on SaltStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Go-Low-on-Salt/100405511292579817.html2014-05-19T15:25:00Z2014-05-19T15:25:00Z<span style="font-family: arial,verdana; font-size: small;"><br />
<p>By Cheryl Tallman<br /> <a href="http://www.FreshBaby.com">www.FreshBaby.com</a></p>
<p>Salt content is listed on food Nutrition Fact labels as sodium. The words “salt” and “sodium” do not mean the same thing, but they are often used interchangeably. In addition to salt, sodium is also found in monosodium glutamate, sodium nitrite, sodium saccharin, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), and sodium benzoate.</p>
<p>The human body needs a small amount of sodium to maintain a balance of body fluids, keep muscles and nerves running smoothly and help certain organs work properly. Consuming too much salt can raise blood pressure – which can have serious health consequences if not treated. <strong>According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, about 90% of Americans consume too much sodium.</strong></p>
<p>Americans eat on average about 3,300 mg of sodium a day. The USDA recommends consuming no more than one teaspoon, or 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium each day. People at risk for high blood pressure should consume no more than 1500 mg daily.</p>
<p>Decreasing salty foods at mealtimes and in the snack cabinet when children are young gives taste buds a chance to learn to enjoy the natural flavor of foods. Eating more fresh foods and less processed foods will decrease your child’s risk of health problems into adulthood and helps keep parents healthier too.</p>
<p>Here are some tips to help you reduce sodium in your daily meals:</p>
<p><strong>The top 10 offenders</strong></p>
<p>If you are like most families, you could probably use a salt makeover. More than 40% of the sodium consumed by Americans comes from the following 10 types of foods:</p>
<ul>
<li>Breads and rolls</li>
<li>Cold cuts and cured meats (such as deli or packaged ham or turkey</li>
<li>Pizza</li>
<li>Fresh and processed poultry</li>
<li>Soups</li>
<li>Sandwiches (such as hot dogs, hamburgers and submarine sandwiches)</li>
<li>Cheese (natural and processed)</li>
<li>Mixed pasta dishes (such as lasagna, spaghetti with meat sauce and pasta salad)</li>
<li>Mixed meat dishes (such as meat loaf with tomato sauce, beef stew and chili)</li>
<li>Snacks (such as chips, pretzels, popcorn and crackers)</li>
<li>Eating smaller amounts of these food items will likely reduce your overall sodium consumption.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p><strong>Read labels</strong></p>
<p>Nutrition Fact labels provide the most accurate information about whether the food is healthy or not. Use the Percent Daily Value (%DV) to Compare Products - The %DV tells you whether a food contributes a little or a lot to your total daily diet.</p>
<p>5%DV (120 mg) or less of sodium per serving is low</p>
<p>20%DV (480 mg) or more of sodium per serving is high</p>
<p><strong>Product claims</strong></p>
<p>You can also check the front of the food package to quickly identify foods that may contain less sodium. But beware, labeling can often be misleading. Here is an explanation of some Salt/Sodium claims:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Salt/Sodium-Free →</strong> Less than 5 mg of sodium per serving<strong> </strong></li>
<li><strong>Very Low Sodium →</strong> 35 mg of sodium or less per serving (less than 1.5% Daily Value)</li>
<li><strong>Low Sodium →</strong> 140 mg of sodium or less per serving (Less than 6% Daily Value)</li>
<li><strong>Reduced Sodium →</strong> At least 25% less sodium than in the original product<strong> </strong> </li>
<li><strong>Light in Sodium or Lightly Salted →</strong> At least 50% less sodium than the regular product</li>
<li><strong>No-Salt-Added or Unsalted →</strong> No salt is added during processing, but not necessarily sodium-free. Check the Nutrition Facts Label to be sure!</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Limit the number of fast food meals eaten each week</strong></p>
<p>It is estimated that 75% of dietary sodium comes from eating packaged and restaurant foods. If a hectic schedule has you going through the drive-through more than once each week, choose salads and fruit offerings over French fries, hamburgers and chicken tenders.</p>
<p><strong>Use herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor homemade food</strong></p>
<p>Once taste buds get used to the flavor for homemade soups, and side dishes flavored with fresh herbs, the canned and boxed varieties will never taste as good.</p>
<p><strong>Buy unflavored rice and pasta instead of boxed pre-seasoned varieties</strong></p>
<p>Bulk bags of dry pasta and rice is not only healthier for your body, they are healthier for your pocketbook too.</p>
<p><strong>Keep salty snack foods like potato chips, tortilla chips, and salted pretzels to a minimum</strong></p>
<p>Spend more time in the fruit and vegetable aisles of the grocery store and fill your cart with fresh food for snacking first. Baby carrots, pre-cut containers of fruit, and apples with yogurt dip make great snacks.</p>
<p><strong>Choose “low sodium” or "reduced sodium" canned food items</strong></p>
<p>To remove additional sodium, rinse canned foods, such as tuna, vegetables, and beans with water before cooking or eating them.</p>
<p><strong>About the author:</strong> Cheryl Tallman is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the <em>So Easy Baby Food</em> <em>Basics:</em> <em>Homemade Baby Food in Less Than 30 Minutes Per Week </em>and <em>So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years</em>. Visit Cheryl online at <a href="http://www.FreshBaby.com">www.FreshBaby.com</a>. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com</p>
</span>Staff2014-05-19T15:25:00Z10-Second Recipes: Roasted Fruit is a Memorable Memorial Day DishStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Roasted-Fruit-is-a-Memorable-Memorial-Day-Dish/649841474723793617.html2014-05-12T23:07:00Z2014-05-12T23:07:00Z<em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>It’s an honor to remember those who have fought for our country on Memorial Day. Taking time for community gatherings that do is a privilege, too. The less time and cost that cooking utilizes on important days like these, the better.</p>
<p>We should look for quick ideas that have memorable results for our get-togethers so we can put our energies toward the true meaning of the sacred day.</p>
<p>Temperatures usually begin to rise this time of year. After extremely quick prep, make the temp climb, too, in your oven for a bit as you let your special dish cook while you spend time marking the meaning of the holiday.</p>
<p>Roasted fruit fits this bill. Though fruit is always wonderful at room temperature or chilled; and grilling can add a smokiness, less known, simple and the most intensely flavored of all is a roast. Roasting occurs at high temperatures --- usually 400 F and above with memorable results.</p>
<p>Roasting makes almost all fruit even sweeter. The flavor deepens and the fruit often caramelizes.</p>
<p>These are economical ways to be memorable with your cooking, since fruit is often among the most inexpensive choices we can make at the supermarket, as well as farmers’ markets.</p>
<p>Here are some guidelines:<strong><br /></strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>Avoid pitfalls: </strong>Pit stone fruit first and slice. Roast any fruit at 400 F. Roast for about 30 minutes, basting occasionally; do not overcook, as volume and texture of fruit can make cooking times vary. Fruit should soften, but not fall apart. It should not burn or blacken (unless roasted with its peel, like bananas, which can be slightly blackened and cooked longer).</p>
<strong>Strong Flavor Equals a Strong Choice: </strong>Fruit with a strong flavor, like cherries, is good as is, roasted with a touch of honey. It can then top sugar-free ice cream, pound cake or sponge cake (both of which are lower on the glycemic index – which measures sugar reactions in your body – than many other types of cake). <br /><br /><strong>Include Tamer Fruits as Recipe Ingredients:</strong> Roasted fruit also can become part and parcel of an imaginative recipe, like peaches roasted with your favorite heartily flavored fresh herbs or spices and used to top bruschetta (Italian toasted bread).</blockquote>
<p>Here are some additional refreshing fruits that are outstanding for roasting, as well as suggested ingredients to top them with while roasting.</p>
<ul>
<li>Plums: Grape juice, butter, honey, thyme.</li>
<li>Nectarines: White wine, butter, sugar, rosemary</li>
<li>Pineapples: Lemon juice, butter, molasses, candied orange peel</li>
<li>Raspberries: Cranberry juice, butter, sugar, dark chocolate</li>
<li>Bananas: Caramel sauce, butter, finely chopped macadamia nuts</li>
</ul>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves food and beverage preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun – and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</p>
<p><strong>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you – or your kidlet helpers – choose to use can't help but draw “wows” from family members and guests.</strong></p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>Sometimes kitchen products can come in handy and save money in other parts of the house. Bar mop towels, for instance, are usually slightly bigger than washcloths, white, cotton and absorbent. They are often sold in home stores in packs that sometimes equal less than a dollar per towel. At such an economical price, you might be able to treat your skin as a good spa would. For usually less money than investing in washcloths, and more sanitary than reusing the same face towel for days, you could use a fresh bar mop towel (consider washing them a few times first to fully soften) morning and night each day for drying your just-cleansed face. If you sometimes exfoliate or put on a cleansing or healing mask at the same time that you wash your face, you could have enough of a supply on hand to use one fresh towel after another in the same session.</p>
<strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2014-05-12T23:07:00Z10-Second Recipes: Serve Up Savings on Mother's Day When You Mix Up Multiple MealsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Serve-Up-Savings-on-Mothers-Day-When-You-Mix-Up-Multiple-Meals/838701049039977325.html2014-05-05T17:20:00Z2014-05-05T17:20:00Z<em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Having trouble deciding whether to give your mom breakfast, brunch, dinner or dessert for Mother's Day? When you step into the kitchen to prepare that scrumptious homemade feast, take the heat off of yourself by presenting Mom with a memorable combination of multiple meals.</p>
<p>This means exceptional egg ideas may pop up among dinner ingredients and breakfast specialties as part of dessert.</p>
<p>Not only will this probably trump anything anyone in your family could imagine, but it also could possibly even outshine most meals you might have treated Mom to in a restaurant, had you gone that route.</p>
<p>Another plus: Since breakfast ingredients are often among the least expensive of any meal, using them to pepper everything from dinner to desserts can both make sense and save cents.</p>
<p>Here are a few ideas to give you some inspiration. Experiment by combining flavors to match your own taste – as well as the possibly picky palates of Mom and any other relatives who may be joining you:</p>
<ul>
<li>Globetrotting Cooking Channel series star Jeffrey Saad suggests an Asian-inspired touch that combines breakfast and dinner favorites that could have Mom raving right through next year. The author of “Jeffrey Saad's Global Kitchen,” created a super-spiced (sweet and spicy) hoisin-glazed steak served alongside fried eggs with yolks still runny enough to further sauce the meat. Further savings accrue since smaller steaks can be served alongside the filling eggs.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Award-winning London and New York City chef April Bloomfield, who penned “A Girl and Her Pig: Recipes and Stories,” has a similar adventurousness when it comes to mixing up meals for Mother's Day brunch. Follow her famous lead and serve not only bacon but also pancakes that either have dried chilies (she often uses pequin chilies) or red pepper flakes baked right into the batter or sprinkled on top of the stack. Be sure, as experts advise, to wear latex gloves and not touch your eyes if handling fresh chilies.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Haley Fox and Lauren Fox, the sisters who helm the famous Alice’s Tea Cup in New York City and wrote a cookbook by the same name, note: Breakfast? Dessert? Who cares about labels when you taste the results? They add diced cheddar cheese and cooked crispy bacon crumbles right into their scone dough.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In addition, they include French toast in their bread pudding dessert, as well as flavored tea as a small part of the liquid with milk in their pudding.</li>
</ul>
<p>If you include any of the aforementioned treats in Mom’s Mother’s Day menu, chances are she’ll be sweet on you much longer than just during her special day.</p>
<p>Fun fare like this proves that food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. These versions of such dishes are delicious evidence that everyone – including you and your kidlet helpers – has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it!</p>
<p>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em> when you create menus this way. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw “wows” from Mom and everyone else at the table.<strong><em> </em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>Smoothies, especially if they contain protein powder, have become a healthful, quick-to-prepare breakfast favorite of many. As much as the field has been growing to include not only fruits, but also vegetables, some staples have remained, like oranges and strawberries. To easily liven things up with simple changes that will dramatically tweak the flavor, consider another fruit in the same family, such as tangelos, tangerines, pink grapefruits or limes for oranges and raspberries, blackberries or blueberries for strawberries.</p>
<strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2014-05-05T17:20:00Z10-Second Recipes: Economical Gourmet Teas That Fit You to a 'T'Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Economical-Gourmet-Teas-That-Fit-You-to-a-T/347944659826342596.html2014-04-21T19:04:00Z2014-04-21T19:04:00Z<em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
If you spring into action during spring, what you are probably often doing is entertaining. Whether it's bridal or baby showers, weddings, graduations, picnics, potlucks or tea parties, both the weather and sensational seasonal fare lend themselves to outdoor or indoor memorable springtime soirees.<br /> <br />One economical and easy homemade gourmet touch <em>that's usually much more cost-effective than using similar amounts of prepared store-bought goods</em> is concocting your own custom iced or hot teas.<br /> <br />Making a splash doesn't involve more than adding some fresh produce, herbs or spices to either plain tea or one of the hundreds of flavors on the market. An added bonus: Most teas are full of antioxidants and among the most healthful foods on the planet.<br /> <br />An easy step for a sophisticated flavor base is to combine equal parts of a plain tea (like black, green or white) with a flavored herbal tea (like peppermint, citrus or apple-cinnamon) before adding fresh ingredients.<br /> <br />Your imagination can run wild or try a few of the following ideas. Either tea bags or loose leaf tea is fine. These can be served over ice or hot. For flavorful iced tea, use one and a half times the tea bags you would for hot tea. Serve sweeteners, like honey and natural stevia, on the side.<br /> <br />Fun fare like this also proves food and beverage preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just<em> 10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for creating homemade specialties and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /> <br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. <br /> <br /><strong>Citrus Soother: </strong>Combine brewed white tea and lemon tea with finely diced lemongrass, shaved fresh ginger and fresh tangerine juice.<br /> <br /><strong>Happily Singing the Blues: </strong>Combine brewed green tea and blueberry tea with blueberry pancake syrup into which you've fully mashed fresh blueberries and finely chopped basil.<br /> <br /><strong>Pep Squad in a Pitcher:</strong> Combine brewed black tea and peppermint tea with finely minced fresh mint and pomegranate or cherry juice.<br /> <br /><strong>Apple Elixir:</strong> Combine green tea and apple cinnamon tea with apple cider, allspice and almond extract (usually widely available in supermarket spice aisles where vanilla extract is sold).<br /> <br /><strong>Special Spring "Sangria":</strong> Combine brewed hibiscus tea with chunks of strawberries, plums, nectarines, peaches, pineapples and finely chopped rosemary.<br /> <br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If your child (or you!) is craving caramel corn or chocolate-covered, nut-infused popcorn - which usually have much more sugar than plain air-popped popcorn - consider this strategy. To get a good dose of the flavor without much added sugar or calories, sprinkle just about a quarter of a serving into a slightly less than full serving of the air-popped popcorn and gently mix. An extra benefit: This kind of technique, repeated in ways throughout the diet, can tame the taste buds, making less sugary items seem the norm.<br />
<p><strong><br />Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-04-21T19:04:00Z10-Second Recipes: Waldorf-Style Salads are Rich Easter Touches for Pennies a ServingStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Waldorf-Style-Salads-are-Rich-Easter-Touches-for-Pennies-a-Serving/412946713726789956.html2014-04-07T18:25:00Z2014-04-07T18:25:00Z<em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
It took more than 120 years for the classic salad of the famed Waldorf-Astoria luxury hotel in New York City to make its way to the buzzing gourmet cafe On the Thirty in Los Angeles. "The Waldorphian" on the menu at On the Thirty transformed during its journey and shows that tweaking the Waldorf may be a tasty and economical strategy as an Easter selection for brunch, lunch or dinner.<br /><br />The original, usually served on a bed of lettuce, was first created in 1890 at the hotel and at that time, although it tasted ritzy and was served at the exclusive hotel, included only apples, celery and mayonnaise. Over the years, chopped walnuts were included. As time passed, imitators usually didn't go further than adding golden raisins or substituting yogurt or plain sour cream instead of the mayonnaise.<br /><br />Mimic the aforementioned original versions, with ingredients to taste, and you'll have a lovely Easter addition. Recently, too, interesting takes have cropped up; and many of those are perfect ideas for the Easter meal. Use these as inspirations, with ingredients to taste:<br /><br />"The Waldorphian" at On the Thirty includes grilled chicken (though grilled lamb could be substituted), celery, herbed goat cheese, apples and dried cranberries. It's tossed with honey-Dijon vinaigrette. You can just whisk some honey and Dijon mustard into a store-bought vinaigrette to enjoy the flavors.<br /><br />AllRecipes.com features a wonderful tuna Waldorf. Mix your drained water- or oil-packed canned tuna with chopped shallots, diced Granny Smith apples, chopped celery, chopped walnuts, sweet pickle relish, salt and pepper, curry powder and mayonnaise. <br /><br />When accomplished chefs jump into the mix, seasonal ingredients often become part of the package and are easy steps to make the original version even more appealing as part of Easter festivities. <br /><br />For instance, to mimic TV chef Rachael Ray's interesting take, just add some fresh dill. For results like those of award-winning chef and cookbook author Gale Gand, make your choice fresh mint.<br /><br />Dishes like these prove innovative food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just 10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare. The combinations are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better cooks, since there are no right or wrong amounts. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows." <br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Sometimes when enjoying a buffet at a restaurant or at a party kids, and often adults, too, overload their plate with just a grouping of indulgent favorites, like French toast, muffins, potatoes or cakes. For a nutritious and fun change of pace, challenge your kids (or maybe even yourself!) to bring back a helping that includes a balanced meal, representing all the vital food groups. It's a contest that can be fun and reinforces nutritional knowledge.
<p><strong><br />Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-04-07T18:25:00Z10-Second Recipes: Steaming Results in Savings and a Stream of Additional BenefitsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Steaming-Results-in-Savings-and-a-Stream-of-Additional-Benefits/-304744220643775815.html2014-03-31T14:05:00Z2014-03-31T14:05:00Z<em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>When spring swings along, lots of eager eaters fill shopping baskets with loads of fresh vegetables to enjoy raw and crunchy. It might be a steamer basket that would be more in order, according to studies about how to lower your cholesterol.</p>
<p>Researchers from the USDA and elsewhere have shown that, when lightly steamed, in vitro bile acid binding is significantly improved. This means that the liver needs to exhaust more LDL (often referred to as the "bad" type of cholesterol) in order to produce bile. That, in turn, usually equals less of this substance circulating in your bloodstream.<br /> <br />Vegetables that have been proven best in various studies: cauliflower, carrots, green beans, asparagus, eggplant, broccoli, green bell pepper, cabbage and mustard and collard greens.<br /> <br />The problem is cooks sometimes look at steaming as a one-way route to boring, bland --- and sometimes mushy --- results. The following ideas highlight that that doesn't have to be your own culinary "research" results.</p>
<ul>
<li>The most interesting and delicious steamed vegetable dishes don't just involve you throwing everything willy-nilly into a steamer basket. The vegetables can be layered for the most effective resulting textures and flavors. <br /> <br />Steam carrots layered with fennel, which is naturally anise flavored, and then a layer of quartered red potatoes.<br /><br />When steaming cauliflower, layer with small amounts of fresh ginger, and cubes of squash.</li>
<br /><br />
<li>Timing also matters. "Tough" customers like cauliflower steam for a long period, whereas thinner fare, like the snow peas, could be steamed following that for only a few minutes.</li>
<br /><br />
<li>Boring also comes into play when cooks serve only steamed vegetables. As easy specialties can highlight, though, a mix-and-match of vegetables and/or legumes becomes a spring extravaganza. <br /><br />Chickpeas, for instance, that are roasted along with coriander seeds and sesame oil create an innovative taste treat along with steamed cauliflower, snow peas and cubes of squash.</li>
<br /><br />
<li>When serving, easy accompaniments can make a big difference, like:
<ul>
<li>Store-bought pestos (the Italian condiment, usually prepared from crushed basil, garlic and pine nuts)</li>
<li>Chutneys</li>
<li>Spice blends, like Italian, Mexican, Indian or Cajun</li>
<li>A variety of mustards, from mild to hot, plain to honey-flavored or Dijon</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Fun fare like this also shows innovative food and beverage preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The combinations are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty "home cooking" and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become gourmets, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."
<p><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Even if you have the desire, sometimes it's daunting to give up beef hamburgers altogether for legume burgers, which have no saturated fat. Going half and half can be a delicious solution, which also adds fiber. Use only half the lean ground beef you usually would and mix in an equal amount of mashed garbanzo, pinto, black or other beans as well as the seasonings you usually would. Some picky eaters at your dining table may not even notice the difference.</p>
<p><strong><br />Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-03-31T14:05:00Z10-Second Recipes: Save on Menus with Spring in Their StepStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Save-on-Menus-with-Spring-in-Their-Step/786677414445276384.html2014-03-24T14:05:00Z2014-03-24T14:05:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>(first published April 23, 2012)</em><br />Spring ingredients usually save you money just by being fresh and plentiful. Employing strategies that help them cook in a snap is an additional step toward success. That's another benefit of freshness, it doesn't take much prep - <em>if any at all</em> - to make the flavor pop. Bite-sized pieces of asparagus, shelled peas, corn and spinach leaves just get a quick toss into store-bought antioxidant-filled tomato soup that's been flavored by curry powder. Pureed olives are a nutritious spread atop ground turkey breast or ground chicken breast burgers that also get a dab of peach chutney and a sprinkling of cilantro before being served on toasted whole-grain buns. Healthful high-protein Greek yogurt, which recently has had an economical surge in the dairy aisles of many major supermarkets, when stirred with unsweetened cocoa powder and no-calorie natural sweetener makes a dynamic - and super speedy - creamy-without-the-cream filling for a freshly ground quick almond crust.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Everyone can use a little help planning weeknight meals - and if that only takes seconds, that's even better. The three nights of menus that follow offer a lifeline during a busy week and prove cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these menus of family-friendly sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The meals are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>QUICK MENU 1</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Appetizer</em><br /><strong>Celery Makes for an Easy Sell</strong><br />Mix nonfat cream cheese with finely diced economical mock crab or drained, flaked canned salmon, finely diced red bell pepper and finely diced green olives and lemon-pepper seasoning blend (or freshly ground black pepper and a few drops of lemon juice) and stuff into celery stalks. Cut into bite-sized pieces.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Entree<br /><strong>Cereal for Dinner</strong><br />Economically - and healthfully - extend your meat dishes further by strategically and tastily using cereal. Toss a combination of ground oats and barley into meatloaf or meatballs. Make oven-baked chicken pieces more filling by first dipping them in beaten eggs and coating in crushed whole-grain corn flakes or bran flakes that have been topped with a touch of honey.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Healthy Dessert<br /><strong>Marshmallows Multiplied</strong><br />Drain and chop canned apricots, peaches and pineapple (the kind of fruits that have been packed with juice only and not syrup), combine with unsweetened flaked coconut, chopped pecans and mini marshmallows and add back in a little of each of the fruit juices. Heat in microwave or in saucepan until marshmallows begin melting. Stir well and spread atop slices of store-bought angel food cake (which is a soft, fat-free, fairly low-calorie option).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>QUICK MENU 2</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Appetizer</em><br /><strong>Spring Garden in a Soup Pot</strong><br />You don't have to become an expert at individual cooking methods of seasonal vegetables; just toss them into a convenient soup and let the heating do the work. To store-bought tomato soup (which becomes an even more excellent antioxidant due to the lycopene that emerges from the tomatoes during the canning process), add bite-sized pieces of asparagus, shelled peas, fresh corn, spinach and curry powder. Shred pepperjack or Monterey Jack cheese on top to begin melting just before serving.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Entree</em><br /><strong>Making Room for Portobello Mushrooms</strong><br />Slice strips of large portobello mushrooms, red onions and green bell peppers and marinate, covered and refrigerated, in store-bought low-fat balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Remove from marinade and serve in baguettes topped with jarred toasted sesame seeds and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, placing under broiler just until bread begins to toast and cheese melts.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Healthy Dessert</em><br /><strong>Creamy Chocolate Cream-Free Pie</strong><br />In a blender or food processor turn almonds into crumbs, remove, add slight amounts of both almond extract and grapeseed oil. Push into and up sides of pie tin. Toast in oven until crispy. In a bowl, combine nonfat Greek yogurt (a high-protein healthful option recently sold economically under multiple brands in yogurt aisles of major supermarkets), unsweetened cocoa powder and a natural no-calorie sweetener, like stevia. Spoon into crust and optionally, if desired, top with mini marshmallows and shavings of dark chocolate.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>QUICK MENU 3</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Appetizer</em><br /><strong>Spice Rack Spontaneity</strong> <br />Into nonfat sour cream, mix ground cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and ginger, as well as small amounts of freshly ground black pepper and cayenne pepper. Mix well and serve with a combination of fresh vegetables and whole-grain crackers for dipping.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Entree</em><br /><strong>All in for Olive-Topped Poultry Burgers</strong><br />Puree black and green pitted olives with curry powder. Grill ground turkey breast or ground chicken breast burgers. Spread olive puree on top of burgers before further topping with a dab of store-bought peach or mango chutney, fresh spinach leaves and chopped fresh cilantro on toasted whole-grain burger rolls.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Healthy Dessert</em><br /><strong>Nutty Idea in - and on - a Snap</strong><br />Melt sugar-free caramels until just soft and stir in ground cinnamon and unsweetened flaked coconut. While still malleable, with a wide knife carefully spread on top of (the bottom flat, smooth side of) sugar-free gingersnaps and top the caramel spread with chopped pecans.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If you are planning on performing the quick - yet elegant - trick of baking a dish wrapped inside thawed sheets of flaky phyllo dough or puff pastry, be sure to first brown any poultry, fish or meat that you will be using. When you do this, there is a better chance that the meat's juices will be sealed in and the dough will have a lesser chance of becoming soggy as it cooks. Along those same lines, if using fresh vegetables that you've just washed, beforehand be sure to let them fully air dry or pat dry with a paper towel.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2014-03-24T14:05:00Z10-Second Recipes: Late-Night TV Talk Show Wars - Sources of Laughs and Simple Low-Cents SnacksStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Late-Night-TV-Talk-Show-Wars---Sources-of-Laughs-and-Simple-Low-Cents-Snacks/-453197608718419413.html2014-03-17T14:10:00Z2014-03-17T14:10:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Although you may want to avoid "midnight snacks" since it gives you very little time to digest or burn off the goodies, nutritionists say you can efficiently divide up your usual amount of daily calories any way that is appealing to you. This would include an evening snack, as long as it's at least two to three hours before you go to bed.<br /> <br />The recent late-night talk show "wars" prove that just about anything can be fodder for creating split-second noshes or healthy desserts.<br /> <br />Scores of reviewers, including Allesandra Stanley of the <em>New York Times</em>, deemed their first bite of Jimmy Fallon, the new "Tonight Show" host, as "sweet."<br /> <br />"Mr. Fallon's debut was more sweet than sassy," wrote Stanley of the "Saturday Night Live" and "Late Night" alum, who thanked his visiting parents, predecessor Jay Leno and everyone else in earshot for his stab at the coveted spot.<br /> <br />If ultra-nice guy Fallon wasn't wielding a sharp chef's knife at political, celebrity and personal targets, critics mostly raved that Seth Meyers, fellow former "Saturday Night Live" cast member and new "Late Night" host, didn't shy away from such spicy inclinations.<br /> <br />"Snark," in fact, was a main ingredient on a list of "superlatives" one writer attributed to the saucy Meyers' recipe for success.<br /> <br />The pantry of fresh-picked late-night choices is stocked with these extremes and everything in between, from the fun and feisty Jimmy Kimmel, traditional and classic David Letterman, irreverent and inventive Craig Ferguson and sometimes downright gooey Arsenio Hall.<br /> <br />Let this be a lesson to all of us --- a cooking lesson. Evening snacking has been around since, if not the beginning of time, at least since the advent of when TV programs rather than test patterns started populating the late-night landscape. The smorgasbord of hilarious hosts --- and their tasty tics --- can be your inspiration for some notable nighttime nibbles:<br /> <br /><strong>--- Jimmy Fallon-Style Super Sweet Sundae Sauce:</strong> Mix diced fresh pineapple (or canned that is packed only in juice) with fruit spread-only-style jam and finely chopped honey-roasted peanuts. Warm slightly before drizzling over sugar-free vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt and topping with a few chocolate-covered raisins (preferably dark chocolate-covered raisins, since the darker the chocolate the more antioxidants it provides).<br /> <br /><strong>--- Seth Meyers-Style Spicy Southwestern Popcorn:</strong> Combine no more than dashes only of chili powder, black and cayenne peppers, crushed red pepper flakes, onion and garlic powders and dried cumin, coriander and oregano before sprinkling on warm popped popcorn (a good whole-grain source) that you've lightly spritzed with nonstick cooking spray so that the seasonings will stay put.<br /> <br /><strong>--- David Letterman-Style Classic Apple Pie:</strong> If you can't score a recipe from "Dave's Mom" (92-year-old Dorothy), who has served many a pie in her Indiana kitchen while the late-night veteran's cameras rolled, gussy up a sugar-free store-bought, or homemade one with the simple brown sugar and walnut crumb toppings that <em>Midwest Living</em> and other magazines note are a signature of the state.<br /> <br /><strong>--- Craig Ferguson-Style Irreverent Pigs in a Blanket:</strong> Lightly paint the top of wonton skins (available in the refrigerator section of most supermarkets) with bottled lite soy sauce and jarred sweet-'n'-sour sauce, add a few shavings of fresh ginger, one half tofu or vegetarian "hot dog" or same amount of low-fat, all-beef hot dog and wrap inside wonton pressing together seams.<br /> <br />Brush wonton pouches lightly with a well-beaten egg. Place on baking sheet that, when still cool, has been lightly spritzed with nonstick cooking spray and bake at 375 F for about 12 minutes, until slightly browned, crispy and hot dog reaches a USDA-recommended internal temperature of 140 F. Do not let wonton skins burn; carefully cover with aluminum foil, if necessary.<br /> <br /><strong>--- Jimmy Kimmel-Style Fun on a Bun: </strong> Cut croissants in half, lightly toast in oven, carefully spread with sugar-free hot fudge sauce and preferably natural peanut butter, add a dollop of whipped cream and drizzle with fruit spread-only-style jam.<br /> <br /><strong>--- Arsenio Hall-Style Gooey Grilled Cheese Bites:</strong> Spread whole-grain cinnamon-raisin bread with a light coating of butter or margarine, sprinkle on small amount of curry powder and top with one slice each extra-sharp Cheddar cheese and Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese and carefully broil until bread is crispy, but not burned, and cheeses are bubbling and gooey. Cut into quarters and serve immediately.<br /> <br />Fun fare like this also proves innovative food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty "home cooking" and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /> <br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows." <br /> <br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Most of us, even if we often avoid it, know where to get "traditional" fast food on the run (like from the drive-thrus that dot most street corners). Fueling ourselves with "super foods" when we're out and about can also be fairly simple. Of course, the most economic route is to have the foods stocked at home and bring them along in a plastic bag or, when necessary, a cooler. Sometimes time doesn't allow for that.<br /> <br />You can stop at virtually any supermarket or mini-mart, though, go directly to the fresh produce section and take a precut, single-serving of fruit or vegetables, often sold with low-fat dressing, and move quickly through the express line.<br /> <br />Many fast food chains now serve side salads prepared with mixed greens (much more nutrient packed than ones that feature just iceberg lettuce) and low-fat dressing. Get to know additional "super foods" included on other types of large grab-and-go chain menus. Most Starbucks, for instance, have single-serving packs of fresh blueberries for sale that originated as toppings for their plain oatmeal (which also can be a quick whole-grain snack) and lots of Mexican fast-food chains recently have begun offering freshly made guacamole, which of course is prepared from "super food"/good fat avocadoes as well as usually spices that are considered "super foods."<br /><strong><br /><br />Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-03-17T14:10:00ZDig In! Garden with Your KidsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Dig-In!-Garden-with-Your-Kids/-777647235582552621.html2014-03-10T14:05:00Z2014-03-10T14:05:00Z<p><strong>By Cheryl Tallman </strong><br /><a title="FreshBaby.com" href="http://www.freshbaby.com/" target="_blank">FreshBaby.com</a></p>
<p>The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates more than 60 percent of our children do not eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables they need. Gardening is an excellent way to encourage and increase your child's consumption of these vitamin-rich foods.</p>
<p>Gardening is fun, plain and simple. The process involves dirt and water and digging, and it yields hours of fun, a lifetime of memories and most importantly, fresh and tasty treats that nourish growing bodies -- so much more than plants are grown in a garden. </p>
<p>Families bond and grow together working toward a common goal; children grow and strengthen gross and fine motor skills while exercising and staying active outside; the love of learning grows through this hands-on science experiment; a healthy appetite grows by watching, understanding and appreciating the process behind the food on their plate; a sense of pride, ownership and responsibility grows inside the child who is learning to appreciate nature; and most importantly, a healthy body is grown through increased activity and access to fresh, local, healthy foods.</p>
<p>So, how do you start a garden with your family?</p>
<p><strong><em>Start small by planting simple seeds.</em></strong> Seeds can be started in small pots or you can get creative and use lemon rinds, egg cartons or toilet paper rolls. Planting seeds allows children to see the very beginning of a plant and get to the root of their food, literally.</p>
<p><em><strong>Create an herb garden and experiment with flavors.</strong></em> A gateway to trying new foods is often experimenting with the flavors and cooking techniques of old favorites. You can plant some basics like parsley, cilantro and basil or get creative with fun tastes like stevia and mint, which are yummy to enjoy right off the stem. Involve your child in choosing which herbs to use with your meal.</p>
<p><em><strong>Use fun containers for your plants. </strong></em> Anything with drainage (you can always drill holes in the bottom) can be a planter. Old work boots, rain boots, toy boxes, wading pools, sand buckets, coffee cans, old sinks, watering cans, tires and ice cream containers are some idea of fun containers to use for your garden. Let your children get involved and get creative.</p>
<p><em><strong>Let your child wear the overalls in the family. </strong></em> Allow him to choose the plants that will be grown, harvested and eaten by your family. Encourage a variety of old favorites, new things to try and of course, a rainbow of flavors</p>
<p>A rainbow garden plan includes:</p>
<ul>
<li>Red - Grape Tomatoes and Strawberries</li>
<li>Orange - Sweet Orange Peppers</li>
<li>Yellow - Crookneck Squash</li>
<li>Green - Sugar Snap Peas, Lettuce, Chard and Cucumbers</li>
<li>Blue - Blueberries</li>
<li>Purple - Eggplant</li>
</ul>
<p><em><strong>Facilitate the fun.</strong></em> Give your child ownership in their garden by allowing them to lead the way. Standing back may mean you have to sneak out and help with some garden maintenance, but the pride they'll take in the ownership of their garden is worth it. Encourage fun in the process by allowing them to dig in the dirt, water the plants, push their own wheel barrow, pull the weeds and even (pretend) to mow the lawn. Older children may delight in keeping a scrapbook or journal to make their progress and success. The process of gardening is just as much fun as reaping its harvest.</p>
<p><em><strong>Celebrate the work.</strong></em> Cook your harvests with simple preparations to bring out the fresh flavors and encourage your child to be a part of that process as well.</p>
<p><strong>Cheryl Tallman</strong> is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the <em>So Easy Baby Food Basics: Homemade Baby Food in Less Than 30 Minutes Per Week</em> and So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years. Visit Cheryl online at <a title="FreshBaby.com" href="http://www.freshbaby.com/" target="_blank">FreshBaby.com</a>. for more delicious tips. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2014-03-10T14:05:00Z10-Second Recipes: Turn Your Kitchen into a Sensational - and Healthful - Sandwich ShopStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Turn-Your-Kitchen-into-a-Sensational---and-Healthful---Sandwich-Shop/-455102495551338047.html2014-03-03T15:12:00Z2014-03-03T15:12:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Subway has surpassed McDonald's as the world's top restaurant chain in terms of units. However, what's really important is not deciding if you will go to one of the more than 33,000 Subways or more than 32,000 McDonald's, but how you can prepare nutritious, more delicious and quicker sandwiches at your own busy, hopefully healthy, fast food enterprise: home.</p>
<p>Subway seems to be on to something. Starting with Jared Fogle - the real-life obese dieter who ate Subway's sandwiches every day to lose weight and became their longtime commercial spokesman - the chain then continued to introduce healthy options, from fresh, baked whole-grain breads, to a multitude of vegetable toppings, to packages of apple slices promoted as side dishes for kids. The fun, of course, has always been walking down their sandwich fixings line and saying "yay" or "nay" to lots of appealing choices.</p>
<p>Why not make the same type of buffet in your own kitchen? It can be used as a fast way for kids to select and toss on their own toppings before leaving for school or as a quick, economical dinner solution. Besides using whole-grain breads as a staple, for variety, here's a look at some popular sub sandwich-style choices you may not have yet thought about for at home:</p>
<p><strong>- Pepperoncini: </strong>Most often pickled and used in antipasto, these long, thin bright red chiles are also flavorful as sandwich toppers, especially when pickled. They can be bought bottled at most supermarkets. <em>As with any of the somewhat slightly "exotic" choices that follow, presenting it to kids as an option is a great way to possibly expand their impressionable palates.</em></p>
<p><strong>- Banana peppers: </strong>Yellow, long and banana-shaped, these peppers are popular at sub shops because they are sweet. Used raw in salads and sandwiches, they are also excellent cooked. They are good sources of vitamin C and vitamin A as well as having a small amount of calcium.</p>
<p><strong>- Spinach:</strong> Nutritionists point out that iceberg lettuce is mostly water and void of most nutrients as well as having virtually no fiber. As Subway offers, substitute raw spinach leaves (or a mix of colors of lettuces) to increase your nutritional investment considerably. Spinach includes a good amount of iron and vitamins A and C.</p>
<p><strong>- Olives:</strong> Black and green olives are nutritional powerhouses packed with beneficial monounsaturated fat, vitamin E and iron.</p>
<p><strong>- Red onions: </strong>Though the less pungent white onions often get more play, red onions - in addition to having a delectable slightly sweet and bold flavor -have been shown (along with other strong-flavored varieties of onions) to have many more precious antioxidants.</p>
<p><strong>- Jicama:</strong> This root vegetable that originated in Mexico (sometimes called a Mexican potato) and South America adds a sweet and juicy touch when peeled and eaten raw. It is a good source of potassium and vitamin C.</p>
<p><strong>- Zucchini:</strong> Served unpeeled, sliced and raw on sandwiches, zucchini trumps the more-relied-upon cucumber. Zucchini absorbs accompanying sauces rather than being sometimes too juicy like cucumber slices. The squash is a good source of potassium, vitamin A and antioxidants.</p>
<p><strong>- Quick, virtually no-calorie sprinklings and spritzes, </strong>a la good sandwich shops, can make a big flavor difference, too: red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, light soy sauce, freshly ground pepper and fat-free dressings.<br /> <br />Fun fare like this proves meal preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /> <br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows." <br /> <br /> <br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Often, preparing a fresh vegetable pureed soup that can cost big bucks in restaurants is almost as easy as a few pulses of the blender or food processor at home. It's also a wonderful way to introduce your kids to some of the many varied, delicious ways produce can be included in every meal.<br /> <br />Place a few teaspoons of water or broth in blender (or go without that liquid if you are using a food processor) and then add your favorite vegetable, like grape tomatoes, zucchini or carrots and puree until smooth. Place in soup pot. Add your favorite compatible fresh or dried herbs and seasonings, like freshly ground black pepper, rosemary, thyme, mint or blends, like Italian, Mexican, Cajun or curry. For a rich, creamy effect, and so soup is not too watery, stir in unsweetened almond milk to taste. Cook, on low-medium heat until heated through, stirring, and not letting it boil.</p>
<p><strong><br />Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-03-03T15:12:00ZIntroduction to Russian FoodStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Introduction-to-Russian-Food/-139738277560538212.html2014-02-24T15:04:00Z2014-02-24T15:04:00Z<p><strong>By Cheryl Tallman </strong><br /><a title="FreshBaby.com" href="http://www.freshbaby.com/" target="_blank">FreshBaby.com</a></p>
<p>Old World Russian meals traditionally consisted of three dishes; a soup, a hearty protein with a grain or potato and a drink. And of course, bread - lots and lots of bread. Though this may sound delicious, this type of diet has contributed to an obesity problem in Russia. Like in many cold weather countries, meals were meant to keep you warm. But like the United States, many Russians are eating more and moving less. Modern Russian cuisine is changing to include more fresh fruits and vegetables and less salt and fats.</p>
<p>Though traditional flavor is still preferred, health-conscious Russian families are eating these meals in lesser quantities and working to create a more balanced diet. This doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy the flavors of the 2014 Olympic host country's cuisine, just keep portion sizes in mind.</p>
<p>Preparing a Russian-themed meal for your family is a great way to teach your children about meal traditions in other countries. Russian families typically all sit down together to share meals. Saying a word of thanks before the meal is standard practice for many families. In the old days, guests were welcome at meals. Carry on this tradition by asking a neighbor or friend to join in on your Russian-inspired meal.</p>
<p><strong>Popular Russian Dishes</strong></p>
<p><strong>Oliver -</strong> Potatoes and other hearty vegetables that store well during long winters are staples in the Russian diet because they are locally available. The Oliver, named after the chef who created it, is a salad made with potatoes, peas, carrots, cucumbers, slat and mayonnaise. The Oliver is one of the most popular dishes in Russian.</p>
<p><strong>Borscht - </strong>This popular soup originated in the Ukraine and is enjoyed in various forms throughout Eastern and Central European countries. Beets are the main ingredients in Borscht, which is also spelled as Borsch. The Russian recipe for Borscht includes beets, potatoes, cabbage and beef or pork.</p>
<p><strong>Blini - </strong>A blini is a pancake make with buckwheat flour. They may be served with a variety of toppings. Smoked salmon, chopped eggs, sour cream and caviar are the popular toppings. If you want to try this topping but do not have caviar in your budget, capers are a good substitute. Fruit toppings are also a great way to go with blini.</p>
<p><strong>Pirohzki - </strong>A pirohzki just may have been the original idea behind a "Hot Pocket." They are made using dough of flour and eggs that is stuffed with meat, onion, mushrooms and cabbage. Sweet versions are stuffed with fruit and cottage cheese.</p>
<p><strong>Rye Bread -</strong> Also known as Black Bread, dark rye bread is found on the table at almost every Russian meal. Rye bread is higher in fiber than white bread. It also has a lower glycemic index, which makes it a good choice for people managing diabetes.</p>
<p><br /><strong>Baby Borscht Puree</strong></p>
<p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>3 beets, peeled</li>
<li>1 apple, peeled</li>
<li>1 potato, peeled</li>
<li>11/2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Directions:</strong><br />Chop beets, apple and potato into 1-inch cubes and place in medium sauce pan. Add water or chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minute, until vegetables are fork tender. Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes. Pour the mixture into a blender or food processor and puree to a smooth texture. Pour the Baby Borscht into So Easy Baby Food Trays or ice cube trays, cover and freeze until ready to use.</p>
<p><strong>Serving:</strong><br />Defrosted Borscht cubes, stir in a little plain yogurt for a creamier texture. Serve warm or cool.</p>
<p><br /><strong>Beef Stroganoff</strong></p>
<p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin steak, sliced thin</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. each, salt, pepper and garlic powder</li>
<li>8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced</li>
<li>1 medium onion, thinly sliced</li>
<li>2 Tbsp. butter or margarine</li>
<li>1 can (14.5 oz.) Low-sodium beef broth</li>
<li>2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce</li>
<li>1/4 cup flour</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups sour cream</li>
<li>3 cups hot cooked egg noodles (cooked according to package directions)</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Directions:</strong><br />Slice beef across grain into about 1 1/2x1/2-inch strips. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Set aside.</p>
<p>Cook mushrooms and onions in butter in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender; remove from skillet.</p>
<p>Cook beef in the same skillet until brown. Stir in 1 cup of the beef broth and the Worcestershire sauce. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.</p>
<p>In a small bowl, whisk the remaining beef broth into flour; and pour into the beef mixture. Add onion and mushroom mixture; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in sour cream; heat until hot (do not boil). Serve over noodles.</p>
<p><strong>Cheryl Tallman</strong> is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the So Easy Baby Food and the new book So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years. Visit Cheryl online at <a title="FreshBaby.com" href="http://www.freshbaby.com/" target="_blank">FreshBaby.com</a>. for more delicious tips. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-02-24T15:04:00Z10-Second Recipes: Slip Into Sliders to Decrease Costs and Increase FunStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Slip-Into-Sliders-to-Decrease-Costs-and-Increase-Fun/-805369062848382453.html2014-02-18T14:43:00Z2014-02-18T14:43:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>What's a dish that's economical and so adorable that every member of your family, from choosy children to selective seniors, probably will never want to pass it up? Sliders.</p>
<p>Those are, of course, the mini burgers that have been the rage at pubs and chic restaurants for the last few years for premium prices. At home, they are cost savers because you are choosing your own meat and using less of it than for traditional burgers.</p>
<p>An added bonus: Those watching their weight or with smaller appetites, like kids, find it easier to control portions with the cute creations that are just a few bites each.</p>
<p>They're not just for chic nights out anymore, made the way some glitzy restaurant chefs do, draped in caramelized onions, exotic cheeses and artisan rolls. Adjust all of that to your budget and tastes.</p>
<p>Like in cafes, feel free to make them (using about two or three ounces each of meat before cooking) not only from lean ground beef, but ground turkey, pork, veal, lamb, chicken, turkey or seafood or a mixture.</p>
<p>Vegetable or vegetarian (such as tofu or tempeh that you mix with vegetables, and spices) petite patties also work well, as do ground nuts as part of the blend. You could even take commercial vegetarian versions from the grocer freezer and carefully use cookie cutters on them after cooking to make each patty into multiple slider servings. You could do the same if you prefer purchasing preformed meat burgers at the market.</p>
<p>Also a benefit: The tiny treats are, of course, even quicker than bigger thinner patties to cook up at home. As with any ground meat, though cooking will be quick, per USDA guidelines, patties should still reach an internal temperature of at least 160 F.</p>
<p>Like everywhere from the new crop of gourmet "gastropubs" to casual neighborhood restaurant chains, you can serve them up as appetizers or the more recent move to full-meal, multi-burger, single-serving platters - perhaps with a mix-and-match of accompaniments.</p>
<p>Creative toppings are a signature of sliders. Food Network star chef Bobby Flay introduced interesting condiments on his competitive "Throwdown" series. To emulate the flavors without much work:</p>
<p>Get queso cheese from the ethnic section of supermarket (or another exotic cheese) and melt just before serving so that it is a creamy sauce.</p>
<p>Finely chop red onions and gently mix into pickle relish. </p>
<p>Chef Chris Santos, chef/owner of New York City hotspots The Stanton Social and Beauty gives his sliders an easy zip with Worcestershire sauce mixed into the ground meat. When they are cooked and ready to be served, he gives them a drizzle of barbecue sauce combined with ketchup and mustard.</p>
<p>For the diminutive buns? Small potato rolls are always good, as are multigrain dinner rolls.</p>
<p>Dishes like these prove innovative food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The combinations are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</p>
<p>Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better cooks, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."</p>
<p><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Some people use their refrigerator door as a bulletin board for photos of family or friends or to post notices about upcoming events they will be attending. If you have young children or grandchildren, consider occasionally using yours as a fun teaching tool by posting things like photos and information about endangered species, exotic foods or historical figures.</p>
<p><strong><br />Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-02-18T14:43:00ZValentine's on a DimeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Valentines-on-a-Dime/9017.html2014-02-10T15:00:00Z2014-02-10T15:00:00Z<p><strong>by Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam</strong><br /><a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">LivingOnADime.com <br /></a>(previously published)<br /><br />Using a little imagination, you can make your Valentine's Day a little more fun and a lot less expensive. If you want to add a little personalized romance or if you don't have the time or money to buy all the pre-made things in the store, here are some ideas from <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/" target="_blank">livingonadime.com/</a> to help you make the day special.</p>
<p><br /><strong>For The Kids:</strong></p>
<p>* My mom always made a great but inexpensive Valentine's Day treat for us. She would take construction paper and cut a big heart out of it. (About 8x10 inches) then she would staple the edges together and write our names and an "I love you" on the outside. Then she would fill the heart with candy, purchased on clearance after Christmas. It was very inexpensive but we loved it!</p>
<p>* Have a Valentine's Day treasure hunt. Leave little notes around with the last one leading back to the kitchen table with a heart full of candy.</p>
<p>* Make heart shaped Valentine cookies and cut the kids (or hubby's) sandwiches with a heart shaped cookie cutter to make heart sandwiches. Add a few Valentine's chocolates and put a note in red with big hearts on their napkins.</p>
<p>* Serve anything red for the day. Serve red Jello, red pudding, red apples, toast with strawberry jelly, tomato soup, red applesauce, red Kool-aid, strawberry milk, or red frosted cookies. Use powered food coloring from the cake store to get the deepest shade of red. Leave sticks of red gum in their Valentine's Day cards.</p>
<p>* Make hearts out of chocolate chips in each of your pancakes.</p>
<p><br /><strong>Things To Do With Or For Your Honey:</strong></p>
<p>* Make a treasure hunt for your spouse. Start by mailing or e-mailing him the first clue. Then leave clues all over the house, yard, car or his office telling him where to find the next clue. End the hunt by making a picnic in the back yard or going to a park for a picnic. Use your imagination and have fun. The simple things are the ones people remember.</p>
<p>* Go to a bookstore together, enjoy the silence and browse. Get a cup of coffee and make a date of it.</p>
<p>* Celebrate Valentine's Day AFTER Valentine's Day when everything is half off.</p>
<p>* Mail a love letter to your hubby's work.</p>
<p>* Send your spouse a sexy email message.</p>
<p>* Leave "Why I love you" message all over the house. Buy a package of the cheap Valentines. Leave a message on each one and hide them all over the house for your honey. They will get to enjoy the gift for months!</p>
<p>* Use lipstick to make hearts and love notes on the rear view mirror, car windows, bathroom mirror or windows of the house. Leave a kiss on his napkin for lunch or dinner.</p>
<p>* Make a bunch of hearts out of construction paper. Put a love note on each one. Paste them all over the front door or car before your hubby or kids come home from work.</p>
<p>* If you don't have money to go out, have a picnic on the floor. Use some candles and lay a soft blanket on the floor. Put on some soft music and have a romantic Valentine's dinner on the floor. Use some white Christmas lights for additional romantic lighting!</p>
<p><br /><strong>Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam</strong> are frugal living experts and the authors of the Dining On A Dime Cookbook. Dining On A Dime will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips & recipes visit <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/">http://www.LivingOnADime.com</a> Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com</p>Staff2014-02-10T15:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Perfect for Valentine's Day - Write Your Culinary Acceptance SpeechStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:--Perfect-for-Valentines-Day---Write-Your-Culinary-Acceptance-Speech/-108405852473805206.html2014-02-03T16:21:00Z2014-02-03T16:21:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>With the Oscars coming up, thoughts turn to grateful acceptance speeches. But such loving accolades also happen to be a perfect - and economical - addition to Valentine's Day. If you were to win a culinary statuette, whom would you tearfully thank?</p>
<p>Would it be your loving spouse, who is always willing to taste a new, sometimes highly experimental dish? Or perhaps your grandma, who gave you your first cooking lesson when you were a tot, the banquet chef at your wedding or maybe just portly old Chef Boyardee, whose empty cans may have littered the kitchen of your first apartment.</p>
<p>Besides being a fun food-themed game, writing such a culinary acceptance speech - or just standing up at the dinner table and giving one, and having family members do the same - can be an activity linked not only to blowing kisses for Valentine's Day or commemorating the Oscars, but to good emotional health. <strong>Psychologists and medical researchers tell us that gratitude in any form, given every day silently or vocalized, and reflected upon, is a powerful tool toward a healthy and happy life.</strong></p>
<p>I recently gave it some thought. Perhaps my list of loving thank-you notes will inspire some of your own. Serve up the thoughtfulness with affectionate recipes that match the theme.<br /><br /><br /><br />Bobby Flay. A shout out goes to the Food Network star, restaurateur and best-selling cookbook author for being the New York-accented role model to get my city slicker husband to start a conversation about a kitchen appliance.</p>
<p>"Hey, do you think a Belgian waffle maker would be difficult to use?" he asked me in the first-ever cooking conversation in our 30-year relationship after happening to catch "guy's guy" Flay on a television episode.</p>
<p>Flay was preparing a "Chef on a Shoestring" recipe, but that was only part of what caught my husband's attention. What especially drew him in were the fluffy pastries and special whipped cream, a Flay coconut-infused treat based on my husband's favorite piece of produce.</p>
<p>"I'm going to whip you up some waffles with that coconut whipped cream," he cooed, motivated for the first time to cook for me.</p>
<p>I immediately bought him a Belgian waffle maker and he became quickly flour-stained and even more romantic than usual. There's also a meatloaf with my name on it promised soon from the newly minted Flay-inspired chef in my home.</p>
<p><strong>Dish matching the speech:</strong> Whole-wheat Belgian waffles made according to manufacturer's instructions or whole-wheat or oat pancakes made stove top. Served with a dash of sweetened flaked coconut folded into whipped cream.<br /><br /><br /><br />Speaking of my husband, in addition to thanking Chef Bobby Flay, I would also like to thank him for his unflagging support. He's continually helpful in my trying to eat nutritiously. Usually, after trips to the supermarket, his arms are full of the low-carb yogurts, fruits and vegetables that sustain me - and he lovingly and proudly brags that he knows all my favorites.</p>
<p>On my request, he doesn't keep brownies, chocolate chip cookies and other treats that would draw my attention in the house. The gratitude hit me even harder when I realized not all waist watchers have it so cushy. I read in an entertainment magazine article about stars that go off their diets, or even prescribed diet medications, when their spouses or family members regularly whip up foods that tempt them.</p>
<p><strong>Dish matching speech:</strong> Layers of vanilla-flavored low-carb and/or low-fat yogurt interspersed with fresh produce layer, including finely grated carrots, unpeeled apple and unpeeled pear chunks, julienned peeled cucumber, dash of orange juice and shavings of fresh or crystallized ginger.<br /><br /><br /><br />There are many new whole-grains and dark chocolates (labeled 60 percent cacao or higher) that now fill shelves in mainstream supermarkets. In increasing numbers of major studies showed these products to be excellent for our health, but didn't populate markets yet. In one week recently, top manufacturers introduced five-grain crackers and extra dark chocolate filled with with pomegranate pieces. Most of the new offerings are delicious and nutritious.</p>
<p><strong>Dish matching speech:</strong> Break multi-grain crackers into bite-sized pieces and combine with bite-sized pieces of fruit-infused dark chocolate (preferably labeled 60 percent cacao or higher, which have been shown to be loaded with antioxidants), dried cranberries or raisins and raw almonds.<br /><br /><br /><br />Mocha Almond Blended Latte. Thanked for being a favorite easy, nutritious beverage in a featured role. No matter what the proportions, turns out tasty, energizing and light. Why sip only mocha when you can enjoy the flavor of almond blended in, too? A perfect beverage, too, to serve to your sweetie for Valentine's Day dessert.</p>
<p><strong>Dish matching speech:</strong> In a blender, mix to taste regular or decaf instant coffee crystals, unsweetened cocoa powder, unsweetened almond milk, raw almonds (which will become pulverized), almond extract, chocolate or vanilla whey protein powder, all-natural no-calorie sweetener, like stevia, and ice, until smooth and creamy.<br /><br /><br /><br />Fun fare and projects like these also prove food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</p>
<p>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw wows from everyone.</p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> "Everything bagels" have become popular recently in bagel shops and in packs sold in supermarkets. There's no mystery, though, to their tasty (and healthful) ingredients, and you easily can stir up a spice blend at home that you can sprinkle over plain bagels, bread or in dishes, like soups, over vegetables or as a rub over poultry or meat. Keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to a week a mix, to taste, of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, optional salt (preferably sea salt) or salt substitute, caraway seeds, onion flakes and preferably granulated onion and garlic (or onion and garlic powder as a secondary choice instead of the flakes and granules).</p>
<p><strong><br />Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-02-03T16:21:00Z10-Second Recipes: Popcorn Adds Impromptu Whole-Grain PizzazzStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Popcorn-Adds-Impromptu-Whole-Grain-Pizzazz/770414832966441958.html2014-01-20T08:02:00Z2014-01-20T08:02:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>There is an excellent classic cookbook from almost 20 years ago called "While the Pasta Cooks," which shows how to prepare everything quickly for a wonderful dish in the time the pasta was bubbling on the stovetop. There could just as easily be a cookbook titled "While the Popcorn Pops." There are all kinds of delicacies we can prepare as the popcorn bag inflates for a few minutes in the microwave or as a pan of corn is popped on the stovetop.</p>
<p>If you're only relegating popcorn to an occasional snack, you're missing out on a fast, whole-grain secret weapon that can be a gourmet addition to your meals.</p>
<p>Look no further than a stunning idea to emulate: a buttery curried popcorn that sits atop a squash bisque. Just season your popcorn first with curry powder.</p>
<p>The inspiration is the brainchild of veteran cookbook author Lorna Sass in her "Whole Grains for Busy People." To show you just how versatile a few seconds with popcorn can be Sass, who also wrote the James Beard Award-winning "Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way," in addition includes the same curried popcorn in a delicious ginger-carrot soup with wild rice and cranberries as well as in the cayenne- and smoked paprika-accented finely ground crust for turkey cutlets.</p>
<p>Plenty of others in the know also recommend popcorn as the savvy cook's shortcut to adding whole grains and a gourmet touch to meals. In "Encyclopedia Popcornica" - an online guide from the popcorn industry trade group's collaborative <a href="http://www.popcorn.org" target="_blank">www.popcorn.org</a> - peanuts, hot pepper sauce, soy sauce and garlic combine with ground popcorn for a Thai-influenced quick crust for chicken. Prepared mustard mixed with black sesame seeds was another of their split-second gourmet suggestions.</p>
<p>Creativity reigns when it comes to their cheesy popcorn corn bread, which adds ground popcorn to yellow cornmeal, shredded jack or pepper jack cheese and diced green chilies in an outstanding side dish.</p>
<p>If it's not a full meal you're in the mood for, while the popcorn's doing its dance in the microwave or on the stovetop, another quick solution is to stir up gourmet spice mixes. Use your favorite flavors and foods as inspirations: tacos, nachos, potato skins, chili and pizza.</p>
<p>Another excellent choice: copying the flavor of pesto by combining crushed, dried parsley, garlic powder, parmesan cheese and finely chopped, ground or whole pine nuts. You can toss that onto popped corn, or blend the mixture with melted butter or margarine and combine with the popcorn. These spiced popcorns are great as snacks or flavored additions as quick "croutons" for salads and soups.</p>
<p>Dishes like these prove innovative food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The combinations are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</p>
<p>Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better cooks, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."</p>
<p>As new as it might be to experiment like this in your kitchen, using popcorn as a meal enhancer is old news. Popping was the first known use of corn; the oldest popped ears ever found were 4,000 years old. Popcorn continued its creative culinary timeline in the meals of everyone from Christopher Columbus, to 16th century Aztec Indians, to the inventors of the microwave oven who used popcorn as their first ingredient in the 1940s.<br /><strong><br /><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> When you replace your microwave oven, don't overlook a useful part that can be recycled: the separate, removable round glass plate that's inside. Just as you removed it along the way to wash it, you can retrieve it before you dispose of the oven. It makes a wonderful clear serving tray for appetizers.<br /><strong><br /><br />Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-01-20T08:02:00Z10-Second Recipes: Pulled Meats are Easy Economical Meals to Pull TogetherStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Pulled-Meats-are-Easy-Economical-Meals-to-Pull-Together/21706920014556038.html2014-01-13T15:03:00Z2014-01-13T15:03:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Perhaps your family clamors to go out to barbecue joints due to a hankering for the kind of high-flavor pulled poultry and meats that are often the specialties. There's no need to spend the extra cash, though, since it's easy to replicate results at home.</p>
<p>Many of us only have been treated to the saucy delicacy, served between soft thick sandwich buns at restaurants. However, it takes just a few minutes at home to shred meat and cook it up with barbecue sauce and seasonings in a pot.</p>
<p>You can season and prepare your own meat. But, it's even more convenient to purchase an already cooked product inexpensively at the supermarket, like a rotisserie chicken.</p>
<p>Whatever type of already seasoned and fully cooked poultry (remove skin before shredding) or fully cooked meat you are starting with, simply let it cool and, as the title implies, with clean or latex gloved hands pull it apart and it will be shredded.</p>
<p>Then place the meat in a pot and combine with barbecue sauce (store-bought jars can save time here, too), and dashes of water, spicy brown mustard and vinegar variety of your choice. Heat thoroughly and serve over whole-grain hamburger buns or other thick round rolls.</p>
<p>Following are some equally quick sides to round out the saucy meal.</p>
<p>Fun fare like all of this proves innovative food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. The ideas take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>.</p>
<p>The combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty "home cooking" and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become gourmets, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."</p>
<p><strong>A Honey of a Potato Salad</strong><br />Carefully quarter cooked and cooled golden potatoes (smoother tasting and lower in carbohydrates than many varieties) and gently combine with honey, orange zest, black pepper, salt substitute and a dash of cayenne.</p>
<p><strong>Sling this Tangy Slaw</strong><br />Julienne unpeeled green and red apples and gently mix with halved red seedless grapes, raisins, a drizzle of fresh lemon juice, curry powder and low-fat mayonnaise.</p>
<p><strong>More than a Hill of Beans</strong><br />Thoroughly heat and drain canned black beans and gently mix with molasses, Worcestershire sauce, finely minced fresh ginger and a dash of red pepper flakes.</p>
<p><strong>Not a Corny Ending</strong><br />Mix two parts sugar-free or regular ketchup with one part hot sauce and one part spicy brown mustard. Brush onto cooked corn-on-the-cob just before serving.</p>
<p><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Usually, take-out delivery food comes with plastic silverware. When eating at home, use your own silverware instead. Put shoeboxes or other containers in your pantry, marked "forks," "spoons," "knives" and "combo" (meaning the wrapped ones that include the trio all in one) and make a habit of tossing the unused utensils in there. You can then use them for picnics, potlucks, long car trips and other such occasions and may find you never have to purchase - often expensive - plastic silverware again.</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-01-13T15:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Birthday Cookie Glazes for Economical Gourmet TipsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Birthday-Cookie-Glazes-for-Economical-Gourmet-Tips/-25392594073018847.html2014-01-06T15:02:00Z2014-01-06T15:02:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>For many of us a New Year means a calendar full of birthday parties that we're responsible for throwing or attending. The best gift we can give to ourselves? That would be quick, economical tips that equal easy gourmet touches.</p>
<p>Munching on some delicious store-bought crunchy iced oatmeal cookies recently gave me an idea. It had been a long time, perhaps since childhood, that I'd feasted on an iced cookie and had no memory of how much instant pizzazz the thin glaze - just simple vanilla - added to the overall effect. The pop in flavor was marvelously measurable.</p>
<p>I had been wracking my brain for an easy, yet dazzling, treat to serve at or bring to birthday parties. This was it: A quick glaze I could whip up to top simple homemade cookies, or an undetectable shortcut in the form of that same glaze instead spread on supermarket cookies like crispy gingersnaps.</p>
<p>Many cookies, like gingersnaps, can be found in sugar-free versions, too. That means just the small addition of glaze has sugar, but the main part of the dessert does not.</p>
<p>Icing or glazing a cookie is simple: Virtually all you have to remember is to lightly drizzle it or gently and sparingly spoon it on completely cooled cookies. No dollops or putting it on thick as you might with frosting.</p>
<p>Other than that, remember to pair flavors well - a fairly nondescript cookie (such as vanilla wafer or sugar cookie, or, again, their easy-to-find sugar-free counterparts) with a spicier, splashier glaze or vice versa.</p>
<p>Spice cookies, for instance, are good coupled with sweet drizzled icing that's nothing more than confectioners' sugar, vanilla and either whipping cream, rum or orange juice, all added to taste and the mixture reaches your desired consistency.</p>
<p>Cream cheese is a good foundation for a glaze, too. Mix it with a juice of your choice, even fruit punch or lemonade and confectioner's sugar and consider including some citrus zest. Again, this is all to taste and the mixture reaches your desired consistency.</p>
<p>Fun fare like this proves innovative food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. The ideas take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty "home cooking" and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become gourmets, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw birthday "wows."</p>
<p><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>Always carry a few zip-close plastic sandwich bags with you. Then if you or your kidlets end up getting a snack on the go, like nuts or whole-grain chips, you feel less compelled to eat the entire (often large or multiple) serving and can secure the rest for enjoyment later.</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2014-01-06T15:02:00Z10-Second Recipes: Cost-Effective Condiments Can Make or Break Your Christmas MealStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Cost-Effective-Condiments-Can-Make-or-Break-Your-Christmas-Meal/-264363709419243109.html2013-12-16T21:56:00Z2013-12-16T21:56:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Can better butter mean an even more beautiful Christmas meal? Believe it or not, quick gourmet, <em>economical</em> enhancements to <em>inexpensive</em> condiments can be all it takes to draw raves at the holiday table.</p>
<p>Add great glazes, bodacious bastes, magnificent mustards, rousing relishes and dazzling salad dressings to the list, and you've got split-second solutions to holiday dilemmas.</p>
<p><em>Many multitask, as well:</em></p>
<p>The juniper butter below can be rubbed under turkey skin, melted on potatoes or other vegetables or spread onto holiday rolls, bread or biscuits.</p>
<p>The sparkling apple cider glaze below can decorate either a ham or a dessert tart.</p>
<p>The wedge salad-inspired salad dressing can make a salad sing or be converted into a snazzy appetizer dip in a snap. Here is a guideline for preparing the dazzling dollop:</p>
<p><br /><strong>Salad Dressing that Sings</strong></p>
<p>--- Wedge salads are famous at steakhouses. The ingredients that are usually strewn out all over the plate can be turned into an interesting multipurpose dressing.</p>
<p>Combine blue cheese salad dressing with finely chopped tomatoes, red onions, pine nuts and real bacon bits as well as freshly ground black pepper. Serve over salads or as a dipping sauce for chicken tenders or chicken wings.</p>
<p>Fold in some softened cream cheese, and it's an appetizer dip you can serve with mini chunks of iceberg lettuce and rye crackers as dippers.</p>
<p><br /><strong>Better Butters</strong></p>
<p>--- Your own easy homemade-enhanced butters can be used for endless entrees. Or they can even be given as a holiday gift or hostess present in a covered tub (kept refrigerated) surrounded by homemade baked goods or store-bought artisan bread loaves. This juniper one is particularly good at this time of year:</p>
<p>At least a day before to let flavors gel, mix seasonal herbs and spices - chopped fresh rosemary, store-bought ground juniper, fresh thyme, fresh sage, minced shallots, minced garlic, minced fresh ginger and freshly ground black pepper - with unsalted softened butter and store, covered, in the refrigerator. Serve melting over potatoes or other vegetables, spread on rolls, or rub it under the turkey's skin before roasting.</p>
<p><br /><strong>There's Magic in These Mustards</strong></p>
<p>--- Do-it-yourself home-improved mustards can be a boon to serve alongside ham or beef dishes.</p>
<p>For instance, use store-bought Dijon mustard and then fold in minced sauteed onions, drizzles of dry white wine (if desired), honey, Tabasco sauce, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator. Serve on the side of your ham, poultry or beef entrees. It's also good on leftover sandwiches, as well as drizzled into ham and cheese or vegetable omelets.</p>
<p><br /><strong>Glamorous Glazes</strong></p>
<p>--- Buy store-bought ham glaze and drizzle in a few drops of sparkling cider, cranberry sauce, molasses and dried cherries. Use as a glaze for ham, turkey or chicken.</p>
<p>To use for a dessert tart, spread on top of pastry during last 15 minutes of baking tented with aluminum foil, or do the same if heating a store-bought pastry.</p>
<p><br /><strong>Fully Realized Relishes</strong></p>
<p>--- For an interesting relish, to refrigerated fresh-style store-bought cranberry sauce or compote, add finely chopped apple, red onion, fresh lemon juice, dash cayenne pepper, honey and ground cinnamon.</p>
<p><br />Fun fare like this proves that food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun and fast. The dishes are delicious evidence that everyone - including you and your kidlet helpers - has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it!</p>
<p>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook since there are no right or wrong amounts. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the holiday table and all year long.</p>
<p><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Dried fruit can be a healthful foundation for memorable holiday appetizers - or nutritious snacks anytime. Simply make a slit in dried dates, figs or prunes. Stuff with a whipped cream cheese mixture (whipped cream cheese has more air, which lowers the fat content versus regular cream cheese) of spices that have been judged full of the most potential concentrated antioxidants, like turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, oregano, red pepper, rosemary and thyme. These larger dried fruits (called some of the most antioxidant filled foods of all), plus the stuffings, are filling, so keep the portions low as, in larger quantities, their calories and natural sugar (fructose) contents multiply.</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-12-16T21:56:00Z10-Second Recipes: Let Baking Time Saved Be Your Holiday GiftStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Let-Baking-Time-Saved-Be-Your-Holiday-Gift/-719824254940003547.html2013-12-09T14:55:00Z2013-12-09T14:55:00Z<p>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare) <br />By Lisa Messinger <br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate <br /><br /><em>(originally published 11/20/2010)</em><br /><br />There are other shortcuts this cookie season beyond the sound of screeching brakes in the parking lot of the supermarket from other less organized folks' and their sprinting in five minutes before a party to buy a tray of store-bought baked goods.</p>
<p>When potlucks, cookie-recipe exchange get-togethers, holiday parties - or simply your hungry kidlets - come calling throughout the season, consider refrigerated cookie dough and cake mix as your kick starts.</p>
<p>Camilla Saulsbury did, and that's probably why she was able to create almost 750 recipes rather than just the usual fraction of that for her now-classic <em>"The Ultimate Shortcut Cookie Book."</em> The winner of Food Networks's Ultimate Recipe Showdown with her grand-prize exotic spice cookies with ginger, cardamom and rose water - like Sandra Lee, best-selling author of the "Semi-Homemade" series of cookbooks, and "Cake Mix Doctor" series author Anne Byrn - optimistically promotes that half homemade is a measuring cup half full, rather than half empty.</p>
<p>Just scanning through Saulsbury's easy innovations is probably enough to give you ideas to create your own treats from convenience ingredients:</p>
<p>- Adding raisins and cinnamon to refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough takes only a few seconds and yet gives the resulting cookies the homemade advantage.</p>
<p>- Gingerbread men don't have to start from scratch. A package of spice cake mix with some added ground ginger, cinnamon and molasses is all it takes.</p>
<p>- "Stained glass" cookie cutouts begin with refrigerated sugar cookie dough. Before baking, get an easy addition of crushed colored fruit hard candies to make the "panes."</p>
<p>- Other seasonal favorites are just a few bright ideas away, like spiced pecan balls that begin with ground vanilla wafers, eggnog cookies jump-started with yellow cake mix before the addition of nutmeg and some optional brandy and pumpkin pie bars formed on a crust of refrigerated sugar cookie dough.</p>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, jazzy - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and holiday season guests.<br /> <br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Fusion cuisine - food prepared by blending the ingredients or techniques of two or more regional or ethnic styles of cooking - has played a role in the development of many restaurant dishes since the 1970s. It is also something you can personalize at home for delicacies and to further teach children about their heritage. A Greek father, for instance, and Italian mother might create meatballs that have been spiced with marjoram, rosemary and mint (seasonings often used in Greek cooking) to serve over imported Italian pasta. My Norwegian relatives might stuff the Hungarian side of our family's cabbage with rice prepared with a bit of gjetost (a Norwegian cheese sold at many U.S. supermarkets) and top it with a traditional Norwegian cream sauce. <br /><strong><br />Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes </a> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.</p>Staff2013-12-09T14:55:00Z10-Second Recipes: A Thrifty Thanksgiving with Savings in Time, Money --- And LeftoversStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-A-Thrifty-Thanksgiving-with-Savings-in-Time,-Money-----And-Leftovers/9028.html2013-11-25T15:01:00Z2013-11-25T15:01:00Z(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare) <br />By Lisa Messinger <br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate <br /><br /><em>(originally published 11/20/2010)</em><br /><br />Have you ever surprised your Thanksgiving guests with a carrot casserole that's been candied with a dreamy light white chocolate sauce or stuffing that's been puffed up with apricot nectar and dollops of melting seasoned cream cheese? Sound gourmet? That's what they'll rave, but only you will know these are not much more than 10-second fixes to already easy dishes. It doesn't take longer than a moment to jazz up holiday fare, as the snazzy selections for appetizers, entrees, side dishes and desserts that follow prove. You can be just as lazy about leftovers with dazzling results. How does turkey quesadillas with pine nuts and tomato pesto cream sauce or pumpkin pie-topped fudge brownies sound? <br /><br />Cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these split-second family-friendly sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em> . The dishes are delicious proof everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since there are <em>no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table. <br /><br /><br /><strong>APPETIZERS </strong><br /><br /><em>Berry Good Cranberry Sauce Dip</em> <br />Add orange zest, finely minced fresh rosemary and thyme, mashed fresh blueberries, nonfat sour cream and pistachios that have been ground in a food processor or blender to prepared cranberry sauce. Serve with slices of pumpkin bread as dippers. <br /><br /><em>Devilishly Delicious </em><br />Prepare mashed potatoes with garlic and a hint of maple syrup, combine well with deviled egg filling and freshly ground black pepper, stuff into deviled eggs and serve warm enough (cover while gently heating) that filling is hot but egg white texture has not changed. <br /><br /><em>Pumpkin Puffs </em><br />Press store-bought phyllo dough into mini muffin tray that has been well covered with nonstick cooking spray, spoon in pumpkin pie filling only from a store-bought pie, top with paprika, ground cinnamon and dash of curry powder. Bake, covered, according to phyllo dough instructions and serve warm. <br /><br /><br /><strong>ENTREES </strong> <br /><br /><em>A Side of Cider's Best</em> <br />Baste Peel and core McIntosh or other sweet apples, pulverize in food processor or blender until juicy, but not fully a liquid (consistency of applesauce) and combine with small amount of apple cider, as well as melted butter, dried thyme, sage, basil and poultry seasoning. Baste on turkey every 45 minutes after first hour of cooking. <br /><br /><em>Rubbed the Right Way</em> <br />Combine real bacon bits, plum jam or grape jelly, tomato paste, freshly ground black pepper and seasoned salt until it is a thick paste. Use the wet rub under the skin of poultry before cooking and baste with a melted butter-based baste as usual after the first hour of cooking. <br /><br /><em>Stunning Southwest Stuffed Turkey| </em><br />Use a store-bought Southwestern-spiced dry rub on turkey and during last hour of cooking carefully stuff with already cooked ground turkey chili that, just before stuffing, has had bite-sized chunks of McIntosh or other sweet apple and orange lightly folded in. <br /><br /><br /><strong>SIDE DISHES</strong> <br /><br /><em>Candied Carrot Casserole</em> <br />Mix cooked coin-shaped carrots with cooked parsnip, sliced almonds, freshly ground black pepper, salt substitute and ground cardamom, marjoram, fennel and parsley. Microwave until almost completely heated, and then carefully top with enough white chocolate pieces to cover only about one half surface area of vegetable casserole (or else dish will be too sweet), drizzle lightly with maple syrup and microwave for a few seconds more until chocolate melts into a light sauce. Gently stir. <br /><br /><em>Stuffing with Seasoned Cream Cheese Surprise</em><br />Substitute one-quarter of the liquid called for on package of seasoned stuffing mix with canned peach or apricot nectar and add diced onion, diced dried apricots and diced dates. During last five minutes of cooking according to package instructions, add a few dollops of whipped cream cheese that?s been mixed with ground cinnamon and coriander. Gently stir melted whipped cream cheese mixture to blend into stuffing before serving. <br /><br /><em>Bread Dough that Saves Dough </em><br />Wrap into the individual rolls of refrigerated crescent roll dough, a small amount of candied fruit that would usually go in a holiday fruitcake or a mixture of finely chopped dried fruits, like raisins, cranberries, cherries and blueberries. Drizzle with a dash of honey, cinnamon and allspice before rolling up and baking according to package directions. <br /><br /><br /><strong>DESSERTS </strong> <br /><br /><em>Pumped Up Pumpkin Pie</em> <br />When preparing pumpkin pie, for one half of the pumpkin, substitute baked peeled sweet potatoes that have been mashed with sugar substitute suitable for baking, ground cinnamon, cloves and packaged dried banana chips that have been ground to a powder in a blender or food processor. <br /><br /><em>Macho Muffin</em> <br />Scoop out the insides of large pumpkin or apple muffins; set aside. Fill with a mixture of vanilla-flavored yogurt, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and orange marmalade. Top with crumbles of reserved muffin and finely chopped pecans and microwave for 15 seconds, or until slightly warm. Drizzle with sugar-free chocolate syrup. <br /><br /><em>Kryptonite Chocolate-Cranberry Cocktail</em> <br />Place no-sugar-added cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, prepared sugar-free hot chocolate and dark chocolate candy bar pieces in a saucepan. Heat until hot, but not boiling, stirring often. Top with no-sugar-added whipped cream and a dash of orange zest. <br /><br /><br /><strong>LEFTOVERS</strong> <br /><br /><em>The Creamy Case of the Turkey Quesadillas</em> <br />In a saucepan, combine canned tomato bisque soup, half and half and sundried tomatoes and heat according to soup instructions. On flour tortilla, spread store-bought pesto, place slices of leftover cooked turkey and top with pine nuts and pepper jack or mozzarella cheese and another flour tortilla. Broil evenly on both sides until cheese melts. Top with heated bisque mixture as a sauce. <br /><br /><em>One Smooth Move </em><br />In a blender container, place a few teaspoons each of water, orange juice and soy milk or any type of milk, the flesh of a peeled seedless orange and that of a cored, unpeeled sweet apple, such as McIntosh, a heaping serving of leftover green bean casserole (especially if it includes nuts; if not, toss in some sliced almonds or chopped walnuts) and sugar-free sweetener, to taste. Blend until just creamy and add ice while it's blending to reach desired thickness. (This is the type of "green" smoothie in which many health enthusiasts "hide" vegetables.) <br /><br /><em>There is a Pumpkin Pie on Top of Your Fudge Brownie</em> <br />Buy a tray of fudge brownies at bakery or supermarket. "Frost" with the leftover filling of pumpkin pie topped with crumbled pieces of the pie's emptied crust. Crown with whipped topping that's been enhanced by gently whisking in ground cinnamon and sugar-free hot chocolate powder. <br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Pumpkin pie spice is not just a convenience product for baking the famous pie. The prepared spice mixture, that usually includes ground cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger, can be a staple that makes many dishes special throughout the holiday season. Sprinkle on top of toast that's been spread with margarine or orange marmalade or plum jam. Include with sugar substitute in pancake batters or egg dips for French toast. Along with a dash of cayenne, sprinkle atop green beans or other vegetable side dishes. Include in stuffings, or in meat, poultry or seafood rubs. <br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes </a> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.Staff2013-11-25T15:01:00Z10-Second Recipes: Strategic Steps Help Takeout Thanksgiving Meals Economically Step Up to the PlateStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Strategic-Steps-Help-Takeout-Thanksgiving-Meals-Economically-Step-Up-to-the-Plate/-18401343685498270.html2013-11-18T15:26:00Z2013-11-18T15:26:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>One way to spend more time with family on Thanksgiving is to cleverly make use of the many high-quality takeout feasts that are available - <em>often even more economically than buying individual ingredients to prepare the meal totally from scratch</em>.</p>
<p>Though such a strategy may mean the bulk of the meal, including the well-loved staples, are ordered all together as a menu, that doesn't mean there isn't room for a few distinctive "add-ons," so memorable that they'll be talked about for weeks. You'll undoubtedly get asked for the recipes, too.</p>
<p>If you give this idea a try with homemade items that can be pre-meal and post-meal, the impact is likely to be greatest.</p>
<p><strong>Pick-Me-Up Punch</strong></p>
<p>A meal starter might be with a cider-ginger punch, an interesting change from hot apple cider. Just shave fresh ginger (a little goes a long way flavor-wise) into cold apple cider, add honey and tiny pinches of ground cinnamon, ground cloves and even cayenne for a real punch. Serve over small amounts of crushed ice.</p>
<p><strong>Your Dessert Cup Runneth Over with Caramel Cashews</strong></p>
<p>After a Thanksgiving take-out feast, sneakily and easily make your mark again with caramel-filled cashew cups. Use them as an accompaniment to pumpkin or apple pie. They are drizzled with chocolate and are a delicious departure from cookies.</p>
<p>The innovative dessert cups can be made following these easy directions from PamperedChef.com, the largest direct seller of high-quality kitchen tools:</p>
<p>"Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly spray 24 cups of a mini-muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Finely chop 1 & 3 / 4 cups cashews using a food chopper. Combine cashews, 2 tablespoons of melted butter and 1 / 4 cup corn syrup in a bowl; mix well using a scraper. Using a large measuring spoon (about 1 tablespoon), divide the cashew mixture evenly among the cups in the pan. Gently press tops of cashew mixture with lightly floured rolling pin to flatten tops; bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until edges are golden brown."</p>
<p>Then, once the cashew cups have cooled, fill them with melted caramel that's been cooled to almost room temperature, and drizzle with melted chocolate.</p>
<p><strong>Takeout Ideas with "Terrific" Written All Over Them</strong></p>
<p>To save time and energy to spend on your family, here are a few choice spots to consider ordering a homemade-style, often economical takeout Thanksgiving meal:</p>
<p>- Your favorite supermarket chain. Usually, the deli counter is in charge. Meals can be ordered a few weeks ahead and picked up just hours before for heating.</p>
<p>- Award-winning, quick-serve (considered in the restaurant industry as somewhere between fast food and family dinner chains) spots that specialize in holiday-style food and offer inexpensive holiday menus. Boston Market is a chain that serves single-serving turkey dinners with all the trimmings, all year round. They amp it up this time of year by offering a number of mix-and-match whole turkey and whole-ham meals. Same with the Honeybaked Ham shops and cafes. The Marie Callender's restaurant chain also does a bang-up business with reasonably priced multicourse meals.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">- Stop by a buffet chain, such as Hometown Buffet, with your kidlet helpers in tow, even if it might be the night before. (Refrigerate the food, all of it tightly covered, until you reheat it the next day.) Fill plates high with entrees and all the fixings.</p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> There are a lot of potential culinary holiday gifts out there that include a memorable surprise without your ever having to do a minute of cooking. Look for items that are classics of the season, but instead substitute an unusual ingredient. Some examples: brands of milk chocolate bars that are flavored with the spices of gingerbread; Cheddar cheese that includes ripples of cranberries; dessert brittle that's flavored with pumpkin puree, pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and pumpkin pie seasonings; caramel apple filling in candy bars; frozen yogurt reflective of the season, such as those featuring the flavors of apple cider or peppermint.</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-11-18T15:26:00Z10-Second Recipes: Economical Ingredients Help Your Thanksgiving Centerpiece Do Double-DutyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Economical-Ingredients-Help-Your-Thanksgiving-Centerpiece-Do-Double-Duty/-361554478395940364.html2013-11-11T15:30:00Z2013-11-11T15:30:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>As Thanksgiving nears, the only place many busy people may find "plenty" is in a horn of plenty, the cornucopia - which emanates from Greek mythology and serves as a fruit-filled holiday centerpiece by many modern cooks. "Plenty," on the other hand, would not often be used during holiday season when describing time or money: Rushed moments and overstuffed budgets usually are more like it.</p>
<p>However, when it comes to impressive Thanksgiving centerpieces, those who quickly put together a horn of plenty, overflowing with the often sale-priced vibrant ingredients of the season, are barking up the right tree regarding saving time and money. These clever home cooks are letting ingredients do double-duty by serving them in their splashy meal and including them in their dining table centerpiece.</p>
<p>This saves thought and time, both in shopping and preparation. It also creates a planned, coordinated, impressive flow throughout the meal, giving it even more of a gourmet feel - although in reality it's a timesaving maneuver.</p>
<p><strong>Toot Your Own Horn</strong><br />Classic cornucopias, though, are just the beginning of many easy ideas. An offshoot can be a nontraditional horn of plenty. The horns stemmed from Zeus accidentally breaking off the horn of goat Amalthea, and then atoning by promising the horn would always be full of her favorite fruits.</p>
<p><em>Instead, consider filling your horn - often available at crafts stores and party supply stores - with other colorful, tasty ingredients you will be using in your distinct recipes.</em></p>
<p><strong>Ingredients for Innovation</strong><br />Taste of Home Magazine, the country's largest-circulation cooking magazine, once featured a butterscotch dessert coffee that would be perfect for Thanksgiving. You could have your horn bursting with the tan butterscotch chips for guests to grab up, as well as having them melt in their delicious dessert beverage.</p>
<p>A fall issue of Woman's Day Magazine, in its "Last-Minute Decorating" section, showed off a striking centerpiece of varying-sized canisters filled with wrapped butterscotches, white-jelled beaded candies and candy corn; scoops were included for adult guests to partake. Tall, medium and short black candles placed in front of them completed the impressive look. A variety of nuts in canisters also do the trick.</p>
<p><strong>Shake Up Your Surroundings</strong><br />Chef George Duran, who has been a Food Network and TLC cable network host and cookbook author, displayed on TV his Candy Corn Dessert Shake Parfait that would also be perfect with such a Thanksgiving party theme.</p>
<p>To imitate the look of a piece of candy corn, pour some vanilla shakes (sugar-free is a fine choice) in the bottom of glasses that are narrow on the bottom and flare out. Puree more of the vanilla shakes with some mango puree to create a yellow color. Then take some of the yellow mixture and add raspberry puree so that part becomes orange. Pour some of the orange shake atop of the vanilla shake base in the glasses topped off by spoonfuls of the yellow. Have guests accompany it with spoonfuls of the candy corn from the centerpiece canisters.</p>
<p><strong>Pumpkins are Perfect</strong><br />Pumpkins are always delightful as part of Thanksgiving meals and decorations, but there are much more distinct presentations than sticking with traditional orange pumpkins. As a fall issue of Sunset Magazine showed, miniature and large white pumpkins grouped with walnuts in the shell and dark-brown dried leaves and flowers make a dashing display.</p>
<p>Grapefruits or lemons with green leaves still attached and striped yellow pumpkins created a peppy, "lighthearted twist." And "miniature striped green-and-yellow pumpkins join a trio of copper vases and a casual arrangement of red, orange and yellow flowers. It's all about fall color - without a maple leaf or corncob in sight."</p>
<p>As part of the economical affair, create a show-stopping pumpkin-based recipe - <em>conveniently prepared from the extra of the pumpkins you used in your centerpiece</em> - to add pizzazz to your Thanksgiving meal.</p>
<p>Fun ideas like these also show how food ingredients can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. The suggestions here take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The combinations are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty creativity and, more importantly, the family togetherness that goes along with it!</p>
<p><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Essential oils, the pure essences that are the backbone of aromatherapy, aren't only effective at wafting through the air to hopefully induce peace and serenity (or perhaps with a different formulation, more energy or sleepiness if that's what you're looking to achieve). While doing such tasks, some choices may ignite culinary curiosity and knowledge. Peppermint, rosemary, aniseed, basil, cardamom, caraway, celery seed, coriander, clove, cinnamon, ginger, grapefruit, lemon, orange, tangerine, marjoram, spearmint, thyme and vanilla are just some of the essential oils available often fairly inexpensively online and at retailers, along with economical diffusers. They are not for ingesting or food preparation, but, not only may they make your surroundings smell good and you feel uplifted, they could be a clever way to get <em>through their sense of smell </em>your kids interested in eventually tasting more foods and spices.</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-11-11T15:30:00Z10-Second Recipes: Muffin Tins Make Excellent 'Pots' for Pot PiesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Muffin-Tins-Make-Excellent-Pots-for-Pot-Pies/79149959365681241.html2013-11-04T15:28:00Z2013-11-04T15:28:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Move over, blueberry and bran muffins, pot pie muffins are a force with which to be reckoned. Pie pans have traditionally been the "pot" for American pot pies, a foodstuff that actually goes back centuries to the Roman Empire and used to draw bragging rights for whichever pie had the most live birds fly from its "filling."</p>
<p>Muffin tins, though, are a neat modern way to conveniently improve on the old process. Whether it's your own homemade crust or an easy refrigerated biscuit dough or thawed puff pastry one, it's as simple as greasing the muffin tin and pressing the dough into it and up its sides with a slight hangover.</p>
<p>You can then pull up the hangover and push the pieces together for a top crust. Best of all, you've also got a miniature flaky bottom crust --- a comfort food element some of us feel gypped about when restaurants or recipes decide to go bottomless.</p>
<p>Tasty food like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better cooks, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw wows.</p>
<p>Following are a few filling suggestions that can be paired with the aforementioned muffin pan crust suggestions. Liquids should only be in about a 1:4 ratio with the other ingredients. Preheat oven to 375 F and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until edges of crust are deep golden brown.</p>
<ul>
<li>Cubed, <em>cooked</em> chicken or turkey; thawed frozen broccoli; low-fat cheddar cheese; soy milk; poultry seasoning.</li>
<li>Cubed <em>firm</em> tofu; thawed frozen Asian-style vegetables; almond milk; ponzu sauce (a flavored sauce, lower in sodium than soy sauce found in the soy sauce aisle of many major supermarkets) or light soy sauce.</li>
<li>Cubed <em>cooked</em> browned ground turkey; thawed frozen corn, low-fat Swiss cheese; soy milk; pumpkin pie spice (or individual dashes of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice).</li>
<li>Cubed, <em>cooked</em> lamb; diced cooked red potatoes with skin left on; low-fat milk; minced fresh mint and rosemary.</li>
<li>Cubed <em>baked</em> apples, pears and sweet potatoes; almond milk; ground cloves and allspice; stevia or another natural calorie-free sweetener.</li>
<strong></strong>
</ul>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Sweet potatoes are nutritional powerhouses featuring vitamins A and C, calcium and potassium. However, although they do have a somewhat sweet flavor, sometimes it's still difficult to get kids to eat them - even if you've transformed them into fries. Consider making them even more desirable - and crunchy - by taking the peeled sticks you've cut for fries and dipping them into a mixture of almond milk and olive oil, then lightly into a combination of whole-grain flour, well-crushed whole-grain flake cereal and dashes of black pepper and ground cinnamon. Bake on an ungreased (if you've used oil in the aforementioned mixture) cookie sheet in a preheated 450 F oven for 15 minutes, carefully turn with a spatula and bake for 5 or 10 minutes longer, or until crisp. Be careful not to burn them.</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-11-04T15:28:00Z10-Second Recipes: Kettle Corn and Candied Nuts May Be Kind Treats for Your Health This HalloweenStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Kettle-Corn-and-Candied-Nuts-May-Be-Kind-Treats-for-Your-Health-This-Halloween/627288509661759702.html2013-10-28T14:45:00Z2013-10-28T14:45:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Kettle corn should not only be a Halloween partier's friend, but a dieter's pal as well. The fiber-filled whole-grain popcorn specialty that's both salty and slightly sweet trumps both regular popcorn (in flavor) and candied popcorn (in nutritional prowess).</p>
<p>Its addictive candy-like flavor weighs in for store-bought brands approximately the same calories, fat and carbohydrates (for 2 cups: 120 calories, 4 grams of unsaturated fat, 20 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber) as boring plain popcorn while tipping the scales much lower than popular brands of caramel candied popcorn (for 2 cups: 360 calories, 12 grams of partially saturated fat, 66 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber).</p>
<p>All year long, not just during Halloween season, kettle corn should be a must for accompanying any weight watcher to the movies, since it can satisfyingly replace the oil- and butter-flavored-filled versions often popped on the premises.</p>
<p>The wonderful product makes a great addition to Halloween party recipes. It's even got a back story worthy of inspiring a clever costume to go along with it. Kettle corn's history goes way back to Colonial America. It was a favorite of American colonists in the 1700s cooked in iron kettles. Just like today, it was prepared with a little salt, sugar and oil.</p>
<p>During Halloween parties kettle corn can be enjoyed by hand or used in party recipes, like mixed with marshmallows for popcorn balls or to brighten up a mix of licorice bites and candy corn.</p>
<p>Candied nuts can be another beneficial guest at your Halloween gathering: imitating candy, while providing lots of nutrients and fiber. In fact, why not consider using them in innovative ways throughout a Halloween dinner party.</p>
<p>Start with a nut-filled orange sachet that is marked with each guest's name in black at each place setting.</p>
<p>An iceberg baby salad, inspired by one of the signature dishes of Chef Blythe Beck when she helmed Dallas' Central 214 restaurant in the Hotel Palomar, is a great start to the festivities. Sprinkle candied pecans, tomatoes and onions over halves of baby icebergs and top with a spicy bleu cheese dressing.</p>
<p>Giving your side dishes some spark is as easy as steaming or roasting your favorite fall vegetables and sprinkling your favorite candied nuts on top.</p>
<p>For the entree, add a surprise sweet crust to meat, poultry or fish by grinding one or a mixture of candied or butter toffee nuts into the coating.</p>
<p>Dessert can be as simple as selecting a high-quality convenience product and using it to the hilt. The praline almonds burst forth in Dreyer's Slow Churned Rich & Creamy Yogurt Blends Caramel Praline Crunch (known as Edy's brand east of the Rockies). It can be stuffed in between slices of store-bought pound cake or scooped atop shortcakes.</p>
<p>The Carrows chain of family restaurants sometimes serves an item called Dream Crepe Combos. To easily emulate, scoop praline frozen yogurt, like the aforementioned, into the center of a room-temperature buttermilk pancake and roll closed (these can even be thawed store-bought frozen hotcakes). For any of these types of treats, drizzle with hot fudge sauce, top with a dollop of whipped cream and a handful of chopped candied nuts.</p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Check out the nutrition pamphlets or websites of your favorite coffeehouses. You may be surprised that the whipped cream you might splurge on with an otherwise sugar-free iced blended beverage may add 100 calories or more. Consider skipping that when out or at home. And, on the home front, possibly have canned whipped cream on hand: often it only contains only about 15 calories per serving and still satisfies the craving for creaminess.</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-10-28T14:45:00ZHealthier HalloweenStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Healthier-Halloween/951716512988433330.html2013-10-28T14:03:00Z2013-10-28T14:03:00Z<strong>By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers </strong><br /><a href="http://www.FreshBaby.com" target="_blank">www.FreshBaby.com</a> <br /><br />Halloween is truly a kid's holiday. Good friends, creative costumes, event-filled parties all with a cool spooky theme - who could ask for more? Oh yes, and of course one more thing: the treats, lots of sugary candy treats! <br /><br />All the fun of this holiday also ushers in a parent's worst fears. Halloween is synonymous with too many sugary treats in your kid's possession and the arguments that ensue over this treasured trove. If you don't feel like contributing to the neighborhood children's tooth decay, consider giving out treats that are healthier. <br /><br /><em>Here are some suggestions: </em><br />
<ul>
<li>Cheese and cracker packages </li>
<li>Naturally flavored and sweetened gun or sugar-free gum </li>
<li>Small bags of pretzels </li>
<li>Small packages of nuts or raisins </li>
<li>Peanuts in the shell </li>
<li>Fruit-Roll Ups </li>
<li>Granola bars </li>
</ul>
If you are not opposed to sugar, but would prefer your treats to be natural or vegan, we suggest you visit your local natural food store. There are many natural candy companies that offer a big variety of candies. The one drawback is that you can expect to pay more for these items. Natural products come with a higher price tag. <br /><br />You could also make a homemade treat. Unless you are in a neighborhood with close friends, though, we don't suggest this approach. Most parents are trained to go through the Halloween candy and throw out unopened, unwrapped or homemade treats. If you decide to make your treats, wrap your homemade item up well, and add your name and phone number to the bag with the treat. If the parent recognizes your name, it will make them feel that the treat is safe. <br /><br />Not all Halloween treats have to be edible. An alternative to avoiding the junk food challenges is to hand out a non-food treat. Today, many families are opting for this choice. With a little bit of thought and some clever shopping, you can find some really nice items for a few cents per item. <br /><br /><em>Here are few ideas:</em> <br />
<ul>
<li>Cool stickers or temporary tattoos </li>
<li>Halloween balloons (You can even rent a helium tank and fill them up on the spot)</li>
<li>Crayons, pencils, colored chalk or fun-shaped erasers </li>
<li>Whistles or noisemakers </li>
<li>Rubber spiders, worms, or other equally creepy figures </li>
<li>Spider, skull, or pumpkin plastic rings </li>
</ul>
Check your local dollar store for fun items. There is also plenty of time to shop online and have items shipped to you. <a href="http://www.dollardays.com/" target="_blank">DollarDays.com</a> and <a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/" target="_blank">OrientalTradingCompany.com</a> are just two sites that offer a good selection. A quick search on Google will give you plenty more online shopping choices. <br /><br /><em>Halloween Day: </em><br />Start the day off right with a festive breakfast of bagels, pumpkin cream cheese (recipe follows) and fresh apples. This meal also works as a great treat for a morning Halloween party at your child's school. <br /><br /><em>Pumpkin cream cheese:</em> <br />Beat in a bowl: <br />
<ul>
<li>8 ounces softened cream cheese </li>
<li>2 tablespoons brown sugar </li>
<li>1/2 cup of canned pumpkin </li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice </li>
<li>Serve with toasted bagels and fresh apple slices </li>
</ul>
Before your children go out trick-or-treating, make sure they eat a meal. Try the Incredible White Bean Pizza recipe below. It is fast and simple. With full tummies, they won't be so tempted to dig into their bag of goodies before they get back home. Ask your kids not to eat candy while they are out. <br /><br /><em>Incredible Bean Pizza </em><br />
<ul>
<li>1 can white beans, drained and rinsed </li>
<li>1 clove garlic </li>
<li>2 tablespoons water</li>
<li>1 teaspoon oregano </li>
<li>1 pizza crust (like Boboli)</li>
<li>Shredded mozzarella cheese </li>
<li>Fresh diced tomatoes </li>
<li>Chopped basil </li>
</ul>
<em>Directions:</em> <br />
<ul>
<li>Puree first five ingredients in a blender and spread mixture over the pizza crust.</li>
<li>Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese, fresh, diced tomatoes and chopped basil. </li>
<li>Bake in a 425 <span class="st">°</span>F oven until cheese is bubbly (about 10-12 minutes). </li>
</ul>
When your children arrive back at home, don't let them take control of their bag or bucket of candy. Working with them, check the treats and keep only the ones that are unopened. Be sure to inspect fruits and homemade goods for anything suspicious. While you are going through their candy, let them pick two or three treats that they can eat on this special night. Store the rest of the candy out of reach and out of sight. Over the next few days or weeks, rationing the treats is the best approach. Allow your children to make their own selections, but tell them they can pick one large piece or two small pieces. If your children have trouble with this, do it for them (in advance). Just place small amounts of candy in bags, and let them select one of the bags. If there is just too much candy, consider donating some of it to a shelter. It will bring smiles to others. <br /><br />About the authors: <strong>Cheryl Tallman</strong> and <strong>Joan Ahlers</strong> are sisters, mothers of five children, and the founders of <a href="http://www.FreshBaby.com" target="_blank">Fresh Baby</a>. They are the creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats, available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target and Whole Foods Markets. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2013-10-28T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words When Inspiring Easy MealsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-A-Picture-is-Worth-a-Thousand-Words-When-Inspiring-Easy-Meals/-412388896929018928.html2013-10-01T23:35:00Z2013-10-01T23:35:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Kids use picture books as an easy way to follow a story. Exact words and details don't matter as much as getting the gist of what's going on. Surprisingly, food photographs can serve as similarly simple guideposts.</p>
<p>For instance, I don't know Food Network star Bobby Flay's recipe for Grilled Shrimp on Tortillas with Avocado Relish, but have made the delicious dish many times. I was flipping through a magazine and saw the mouthwatering catch swimming in a large golden serving tray; I knew I could easily emulate it with my own ingredients on hand and convenience products.</p>
<p><strong>To imitate:</strong> Brush corn tortillas with a little olive oil, heat them until slightly crisp and carefully cut them into triangles. Top with store-bought guacamole swirled with a tiny amount of sweet pickle relish or green tomatillo salsa, and then crown with shrimp that has been quickly grilled and dusted with a dash of packaged taco or burrito seasoning, or Mexican seasoning blend.</p>
<p>Sometimes, it's just getting the idea for innovative ingredient combinations from food photos that can inspire while saving many steps. <em>Fine Cooking </em>magazine published its 100th issue with a dazzling photo of a colorful corn and blueberry compote topping a sweet corn cake.</p>
<p><strong>To emulate:</strong> Toss together some fresh corn kernels and blueberries (or thawed and drained frozen corn kernels and blueberries) with a dash of maple syrup and use it as a crown on store-bought or homemade versions of corn bread, rice pudding, plain yogurt and even cooked chicken breast.</p>
<p><strong>Creative copies:</strong> I also would not have thought to use a dressed olive oil/balsamic vinegar romaine salad as a topping for bruschetta if I hadn't seen it in the cookbook, "The New American Olive Oil: Profiles of Artisan Producers and 75 Recipes" by Fran Gage. That recipe isn't even in the book - it's just shown in an instructive photograph. There was also a photo of a caramelized onion bruschetta that could easily be copied simply topping bruscetta with onions prepared that way.</p>
<p><strong>Imitate this inspiration:</strong> Our favorite markets and restaurants also can do the trick. I often see appealing cooked cashew-covered chicken breasts under glass at the deli section of a local supermarket. It inspired me to paint some cooked skinless breasts with store-bought pesto and roll them in finely chopped cashews.</p>
<p>Serendipity is a New York City institution famous for its ice cream concoctions and other confections. The most known is its "Original Outrageously Divine 'Frrrozen' Hot Chocolate," of which owner Stephen Bruce once wrote, "It's famous, it's infamous, it's notorious. Marriages have been proposed over it, couples have been wed in it, princes have been made from it. People have traveled from all over the world for just one sip of our creamy, dreamy, icy blend of chocolatey goodness. It'll make you want to blow bubbles through your straw. It makes everyone a child again."</p>
<p>Even before Bruce and his partners started selling mixes and finally published an at-home convenience rendition of the once top-secret blend, an easy version emerged, just from looking at it as one sipped it in their parlor or saw a photo of it online.</p>
<p><strong>Duplicate this delicacy:</strong> Chop some of your favorite fine chocolates, melt them (being careful not to burn) and combine with your favorite hot chocolate mix and sugar (or sugar substitute), to taste. When heated, stir in whole milk (or almond milk is a creamy lower-calorie, lower-fat alternative), to taste. Whir in a blender with ice until smooth.</p>
<p>Fun fare like this also shows how innovative food and beverage preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The combinations are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty "home cooking" and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become gourmets, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."</p>
<p><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em> Spicy fresh peppers are filled with phytonutrients - <em>so much so that they are often called "superfoods."</em> Experts remind us, though, that when handling them or chopping them to wear latex gloves and not to touch our eyes during or afterward since the same properties that give them their sassy flavor and health benefits can be irritants.</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-10-01T23:35:00Z10-Second Recipes: Don't Count Out Store-Bought Cold Cereal as a Kick-Start to Creative Hot BreakfastsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Dont-Count-Out-Store-Bought-Cold-Cereal-as-a-Kick-Start-to-Creative-Hot-Breakfasts/771675705133917769.html2013-09-25T14:00:00Z2013-09-25T14:00:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Packaged cereals always have been convenience products. Open, pour in a bowl, top with milk (whether that is dairy, soy, nut or other) and eat. However, with only slightly more effort, store-bought cereals also can provide the spark for unique hot breakfasts that will power you with whole grains.<br /><br />--- Barley-based cereals, when eaten cold, are often crunchy little nuggets. However, warmed up, with a small amount of any milk or juice of your choice, they soften and deepen in flavor. That's enough for a change of pace, but even better, and what may draw in even more picky kidlet diners, is, while warming, to add some quick-cooking oats, a swirl of peanut butter and all-fruit spread (available in the jam aisle of most supermarkets). <br /><br />--- Cold oat circle cereals are a good way to get some heart-healthy oats into your diet. The cheering will most likely continue if you try a cereal-based apple cinnamon crisp (yes, a lot like the kind we often enjoy for dessert) as an extremely memorable topping over hot oatmeal. Just substitute the flour in your favorite apple crisp recipe for cold oat cereal and use sugar-free sweetener suitable for baking instead of sugar and top your oatmeal with it. To change the flavor of the treat on another day, use pears instead of apples.<br /> <br />--- Whole-grain flake cereals: Slice bananas, roll in the cereal and use as a topping on cooked hot brown rice. Top with a slight amount of almond milk, soy milk or low-fat milk.<br /><br />--- Bite-Sized shredded wheat cereals: Heat for a few seconds in microwave with small amount of your choice of milk. Top with layers of applesauce, fruit-flavored yogurt, dried cherries or cranberries and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.<br /><br />--- Quinoa is an ancient seed, that's often treated as a grain-like cereal, enjoying current popularity as a salad ingredient or hot side dish because it's a whole food and has a higher amount of protein than most grains do. It's also easy to prepare. Cook according to package directions, making sure you don't stop short and that it becomes soft in texture. After it's cooked, mix in golden (or other) raisins and bran cereal flakes you've stirred into honey and sprinkled with allspice.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at breakfast that will reverberate all day long. <br /> <br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Consider creating a mini submarine bar for your kids to prepare their own school-day or weekend lunches. To keep portions in check, use whole-grain hot dog buns (which are smaller than sub sandwich rolls) and ask them to fill a third full with their choice of protein and two-thirds full with vegetable choices that are often available at sub shops. Those might include sweet bell pepper, greens, like spinach or arugula, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and herbs, like fresh cilantro or basil. Adventurous kids might also expand their palates and healthful choices with freshly ground black pepper and drizzles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar.</p>
<br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2013-09-25T14:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Summer Fruit is an Economical Addition to Early Autumn RecipesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Summer-Fruit-is-an-Economical-Addition-to-Early-Autumn-Recipes/43489752992618223.html2013-09-16T20:53:00Z2013-09-16T20:53:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>In the autumn, the apple never falls far from the tree - or from most of our recipe boxes. Whether it's regarding desserts, side dishes, salads or entrees, apples and other seasonal fruits quickly start populating dishes.<br /><br />For the last warm breezes of summer, however, a fun idea is to seasonally update sweet juicy summer fruits. Grab a fresh batch if they are still in the market. Or, if you don't find it, visit your supermarket's freezer or canned foods section. Packaged at the peak of freshness, frozen and canned fruits are often overlooked as nutritious flavor enhancers for occasional use.<br /><br />Another great part of this innovative, easy and economical move (since the fresh fruits are still in season, often they are on sale, or at least priced low) is the accompanying ingredients. They are what make a recipe shout "autumn," while at the same time maintaining that special late-summer flair.<br /><br />Following are some tasty ideas. Fun food like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. <br /><br />The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better cooks, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw wows - <em>even though technically they are leftovers!</em><br /><br />--- Bravo TV's "Top Chef" judge Gail Simmons' peach bread pudding fits the bill. To chunks of challah or brioche, she creatively adds peaches and maple syrup. Make the same additions to your favorite bread pudding recipe.<br /><br />--- Fruit expert Olwen Woodier makes similar strategic magic with apricots. The author of "Peaches and Other Juicy Fruits: From Sweet to Savory: 150 Recipes for Peaches, Plums, Nectarines and Apricots" (as well as a cookbook on apples) incorporates them and peach yogurt into memorable muffins. The inclusion of ground ginger and honey helps give it the autumn touch. Consider the same kind of steps with your favorite muffin recipe.<br /><br />--- Create a mixture of chopped nectarines, plums and cherries, stuff inside hollowed pears and then bake. Or mix the same combination with cooked wild rice and stuff inside Cornish game hens or chicken breasts before cooking.<br /><br />Here are some other spices, often used in the fall, that match well with summer fruits, all of which, while they are still available fresh, you also can freeze yourself for future delicious autumn meals: <br /><br />--- Cinnamon: Try ground cinnamon in a pureed peeled plum and sweet potato hot soup.<br /><br />--- Cloves: Season a mixed cherry and fall autumn cobbler with ground cloves.<br /><br />--- Nutmeg: Finely dice nectarines. Sprinkle them in a hot spinach side dish seasoned with dashes of curry powder and cayenne.<br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Dollar stores are familiar chains now. Consider buying inexpensive toys of the type that are often given out with fast-food meals and occasionally surprising your kids with them as an accompaniment to a healthful homemade meal. For instance, make a sugar-free ice cream sundae, place it in a small cup and put that in an upside-down plastic baseball cap, or surround a plate of cooked breaded soy strips or nuggets with some of your children's favorite plastic action figures, always, of course, making sure any toys are, according to the manufacturer, age-appropriate and large enough not to pose a choking hazard to small children.</p>
<br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2013-09-16T20:53:00Z10-Second Recipes: Simple Summer Additions Make Chili Less ChillyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Simple-Summer-Additions-Make-Chili-Less-Chilly/149904741606919534.html2013-09-03T18:00:00Z2013-09-03T18:00:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Consider refitting chili with a lighter wardrobe of ingredients for summer.<br /><br />A big pot of chili is the perfect poolside patio meal after a long day of warm-weather activities. Favorite summer ingredients lend themselves well to the no-fuss dish. Give these some thought:<br /><br />--- Vegetarian hot dogs: You could grill them first over aromatic wood for a smoky flavor before slicing them to add to chili.<br /><br />--- Grilled corn-on-the-cob: After it cools, shuck it right into the chili for a memorable vegetarian version. <br /><br />--- Accompany the corn with other summer chili-compatible produce, like tomatoes, zucchini and spinach (greens like this pack the dish with nutrients). <br /><br />--- For an additional seasonal twist that just deepens the flavor and texture even more, consider tossing in a few hearty-flavored seasonal fruits, such as a fistful of blueberries or a few segments of orange or grapefruit.<br /><br />--- Beer or non alcoholic beer or sugar-free root beer: They are all refreshing on a summer day, but are also invigorating adds to your chili. Dark beers, like stout, make extra lean ground beef taste even beefier. Light beers add more of a sparkling flavor.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /><br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. <br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Those who run the <a href="http://www.watermelon.org/" target="_blank">National Watermelon Promotion Board</a> want you to know that, although it has many qualities of a fruit, watermelon is technically a vegetable and it's a good seasonal ingredient to cool down fiery foods while adding extra nutrients. For instance, just before serving either homemade or takeout chile-filled Chinese kung pao shrimp, they say, try lightly stirring in some small cubes of watermelon.<br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2013-09-03T18:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: It's No Mystery That Secret Sauce Is an Easy, Economical Way to Jazz Up Your Summer BurgersStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Its-No-Mystery-That-Secret-Sauce-Is-an-Easy,-Economical-Way-to-Jazz-Up-Your-Summer-Burgers/-731919232186446930.html2013-08-26T22:29:00Z2013-08-26T22:29:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
It's no secret that barbecuing is a big part of the summer. What often is more of a mystery, though, is the simple strategy that can give you signature grilled dishes in minutes: secret sauce.<br /><br />A dollop here and a dollop there equal delight with virtually no work. Hamburger chains have long trumpeted their mystery recipes and with good reason. They usually feature distinctive flavor from just a few key ingredients. When you add a sauce onto cooked burgers, other meat, poultry, fish burgers and bean or other vegetarian patties just before serving – as opposed to, or in addition to, a separate marinade, baste or glaze – you get flavor that really pops rather than being subtle.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun – and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! The kidlets will not only enjoy eating it, but being front-and-center with you as you all prepare it together.<br /><br />--- For an easy start, think of a basic grill item you always prepare and the condiment you usually serve with it. Do an epicurean expansion from there - not much could be easier than hot dogs with mustard or hamburgers with ketchup. <em>Cooking Light Complete Cookbook</em> based on the popular magazine, shows how to easily improve it from there:<br /><br />--- For 8 servings, combine 1 / 2 cup prepared mustard, 1 /4 cup honey and 1 / 2 teaspoon grated, peeled fresh ginger.<br /><br />--- For 4 servings, combine 1 / 4 cup ketchup, 1 / 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 / 4 teaspoon chili powder and 1 / 4 teaspoon hot sauce.<br /><br />--- Other condiments also provide fantastic foundations. Homemade or store-bought salad dressings are great bases. Popular restaurant chain Chili's, for instance, has served mini beef burgers boosted by a jalapeno ranch dressing and mini chicken sandwiches with an ancho chili version. You can do the same using bottled versions of similar condiments as foundations.<br /><br />--- With this being barbecue season, barbecue sauce also has an edge. Zip it up with add-ins, such as <em>Cooking Light's</em> suggestion of fresh blueberries, balsamic vinegar, sugar, ketchup, garlic powder and salt all to taste. Or, as the Cattlemen's Beef Board does, use the simple addition of fruit preserves to make a splash.<br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Dark raisins are an everyday snack with which many kids are familiar. Golden raisins from white grapes, though, sweeter and often used in baking, are not as well known. If you keep a box in the refrigerator, which makes the dried fruit chewier, and dole out small handfuls as treats, chances are your kids will consider them akin to bites of candy. <strong><br /><br />Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2013-08-26T22:29:00Z10-Second Recipes: Being Mindful Is a Wise and Economical Way to Stay FullStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Being-Mindful-Is-a-Wise-and-Economical-Way-to-Stay-Full/312954166980767638.html2013-08-19T14:00:00Z2013-08-19T14:00:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Julia Child, famed TV chef and cooking teacher, knew that not all routes to becoming a gourmet involved time-consuming wine tastings, lengthy trips abroad or even costly excursions to acclaimed restaurants. The late gourmet - who <a href="http://starchefs.com" target="_blank">StarChefs.com</a>, a Web magazine for professional chefs, called the person that "single-handedly changed the way we think about food in this country" - loudly and repeatedly heralded a mindful approach to eating that stressed slowly savoring every bite, a practice that she felt had slipped away in recent years.<br /><br />Most experts agree that the initial essential steps to becoming a gourmet are, in fact, that simple. We must first slow down, break down and examine components of food as we eat them in order to truly taste them for what might be perhaps the first time. This kind of mindful eating performs double duty as a relaxation technique in today's busy world.<br /><br />"Mindful eating draws substantially on the use of mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness helps focus our attention and awareness on the present moment, which in turn, helps us disengage from habitual, unsatisfying and unskillful habits and behaviors," notes Megrette Fletcher, executive director of <a href="http://www.tcme.org" target="_blank">The Center for Mindful Eating</a>, a national information clearinghouse.<br /><br />"Engaging in mindful eating meditation practices on a regular basis can help us discover a far more satisfying relationship to food and eating than we ever imagined or experienced before. A different kind of nourishment often emerges, the kind that offers satisfaction on a very deep emotional level.<br /><br />Such techniques prove that food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. The following fun exercise, for instance, take just <em>10 seconds each to read and not much longer to perform. Do them with your kidlets to enjoy family bonding time and to help develop mindfulness in each member.</em><br /><br />While preparing dishes with the following everyday ingredients use the same time you've set aside to cook to try these easy techniques from "Dr. Andrew Weil's <a href="http://www.soundstrue.com" target="_blank">Mind-Body Tool Kit</a>" ($24.95). It is a multimedia package that includes a workbook, mind-training flashcards and audio CDs covering breathing work, meditation, guided imagery and sound therapy.<br /><br />--- Raisin: "To understand what mindful eating is all about, try this simple exercise," writes Weil. "Eat a raisin. Don't just toss a handful into your mouth, but take the time to enjoy just one raisin. Hold it in your fingers, feeling its plump, wrinkly shape, admiring its dark brown hue. Ponder the raisin's journey from the vine to your plate. Finally, chew the raisin very slowly, focusing on its sweet, juicy flavor. This exercise should take about five minutes to complete."<br /><br />--- Lemon: "Close your eyes and relax. Imagine a lemon - consider the color, smell and feel of it. Picture yourself holding a knife and cutting into the fruit. Bring the slice of freshly cut lemon near your lips. Sink your teeth into it and feel the lemon's juice and pulp flowing through your mouth. Chances are, simply imagining that you are eating the lemon will make you start to salivate."<br /><br />In that guided imagery exercise your mind does all the work, however, mindfully paying attention to foods while you cook with them can spur intense gourmet results.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Consider turning extra culinary tools into useful modern art to decorate your kitchen. A "quilt" of potholders can be clipped together and hung up as wall art. Your various sizes of whisks can be decoratively displayed in a vase. Place varying sizes, colors and shapes of measuring spoons (for instance, heart shaped metal ones with sayings on them are sold in some gift shops and online and remain correctly sized and usable as measuring tools) on the area around a kitchen window.<br /><br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-08-19T14:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Turn Cupcakes into Easy, Economical Frozen Treats for SummerStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Turn-Cupcakes-into-Easy,-Economical-Frozen-Treats-for-Summer/609252390534761752.html2013-08-05T14:03:00Z2013-08-05T14:03:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Remember the glee of pulling apart a cupcake and being surprised by what's inside? Whether it was the cloud of fluffy white soft cream filling appearing in the middle of childhood favorites, cupcakes surely can double as tasty treasure chests.<br /><br />Ice cream can be an unexpected frozen twist inside cupcakes, delivering that same bundle of joy to adults and kids alike, and a perfect cool choice for the hot summer months. Such treats are also an ideal frosty choice for seasonal events, like bridal and baby showers, tea parties, picnics and potlucks.<br /><br />The cozy cakes, whether homemade or store-bought (in either case, sugar-free is a healthy choice), make perfect houses to soak up innovative combinations of ice creams and toppings like frostings, syrups or whipped cream (also all sugar-free). The blend of wet and dry, crumbs and creamy in every bite, is an easy way to make sure guests remember your dessert well after the party is over.<br /><br />Popular ice cream chains known for unusual "mix-ins" in everyday scoops, also serve ice cream cupcakes. However, in addition, they can be tasty templates of inspiration if you'd like ideas of how simple it is to spruce up summer cupcakes. <br /><br />--- Use a red velvet, devil's food or chocolate cupcake. Make an indentation while still warm. After having cooled for 5 minutes in pan and 15 minutes out of pan, fill with a thin layer of fudge sauce and ice cream of your choice. Freeze. Before serving, top with thick pink cake frosting and sprinkles.<br /><br />--- Use a red velvet, devil's food or chocolate cupcake. Make an indentation while still warm. After having cooled for 5 minutes in pan and 15 minutes out of pan, fill with a thin layer of fudge sauce and chocolate ice cream. Freeze. Before serving, top with thick vanilla cake frosting and a sandwich cookie.<br /><br />--- Use a white cake cupcake. Make an indentation while still warm. After having cooled for 5 minutes in pan and 15 minutes out of pan, fill with a thin layer of butterscotch or caramel sauce and pistachio ice cream. Freeze. Before serving, top with thick chocolate cake frosting and shelled, roasted pistachio nuts. <br /><br />--- Easiest of all may be to just buy store-bought mini white and dark cupcakes and, using a small ice cream scoop, top them with various colorful flavors of your favorite sugar-free gelato, frozen yogurt or sorbet. <br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just<em> 10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. <br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>Many hotels offer kids' cooking classes with the chefs. Consider this tasty option when on vacation, as well as having your children study up on the local cuisine and customs in anticipation of the family trip. When home, have a trip reunion dinner that the kids help cook from the recipes they received, and pore over family photos and videos.<br /><br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-08-05T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Tasty Reasons to Get Up Close and Personal with Personal WatermelonsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Tasty-Reasons-to-Get-Up-Close-and-Personal-with-Personal-Watermelons/134912116186786285.html2013-07-29T14:03:00Z2013-07-29T14:03:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
It's no wonder that watermelon doesn't often make top-10 lists of the most popular fruits put out by trivia organizations and produce growers. It's often a chore to have around. Did you work out with weights before lugging what's, on average, a 15- to 35-pound giant back home? And, once you cut into it, exactly how do you find the space to store the melon in your refrigerator? Oh, and don't forget to wipe up those pools of juice that undoubtedly leaked on your kitchen counter as you served up some thick slices.<br /><br />As succulent as seasonal watermelon is during warm-weather months, many busy cooks avoid the hassle - or pay big bucks for tiny containers of pre-sliced fruit. Erasing the idyllic notion of the huge melons of one's childhood, however, and instead, implanting in the mind a newer convenient version may be just what time-crunched cooks need to make watermelon a quick and versatile seasonal staple rather than a once-in-a-while messy treat.<br /><br />Personal seedless watermelons have been steadily rolling out into supermarkets over the last 10 years. On average 2 to 5 pounds in range, they often fit in your hand, yielding about 3 to 4 servings each. They have a thinner rind and are sweeter, juicier, crunchier and more of the traditional deep red color than the larger varieties. As one grower has accurately described, they contain the "heart of the melon" in every bite.<br /><br />"Icebox watermelons," as they had been previously called (since they fit easily into home refrigerators), had populated roadside stands and farmers' markets for years under the names of sugar baby, minilee and mickilee, but they didn't begin to go mainstream until about a decade ago with the added convenient benefit of being seedless - a pollination-altered, sterile hybrid that also has just been fully developed in recent years. Seeds that do appear in "seedless" varieties are not fully developed; they are most often soft and edible.<br /><br />Newly convenient means you'll probably find many innovative ways to use watermelon, which is high in vitamins C and A, and has the most concentration of lycopene - a cancer fighter often associated with processed tomato products - when it comes to fresh produce.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /> <br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br />-- Watermelon chunks can be added, along with sliced bell peppers, pineapples, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, to chilled kebabs.<br /><br />-- Swirl watermelon into dips made in the blender using sour cream or plain or vanilla yogurt as a base and adding spices, like ground cinnamon or allspice. Smoothies are also good. Try sliced fresh peaches blended with watermelon chunks and vanilla-flavored whey protein powder for an energy-filled, naturally sweet breakfast or snack.<br /><br />-- Marinate chunks of melon in other flavors for an hour, such as a mixture to taste of lemon grass sticks (or fresh lemon juice), fresh ginger, honey, curry powder and ground black pepper.<br /><br />-- Employing a water glass to cut, use watermelon flat rounds placed atop round plain crackers as the foundations for fun appetizers and snacks. Mix sour cream with vanilla extract, nutmeg and sugar to taste, then spread over the rounds and sprinkle with slivered almonds.<br /><br />-- Use cookie cutters and letter molds to cut shapes from watermelon slices. Freeze them and then use as "ice cubes" in refreshing spritzers made from two parts chilled fruit juice and one part chilled sparkling water, notes Steve Petusevsky, author of <em>The Whole Foods Market Cookbook.</em><br /><br />-- Finely-diced watermelon can be a sweet alternative to pimento or red bell peppers. Mix into whipped cream cheese (a lower-calorie alternative that's usually in the cream cheese aisle of most supermarkets) for a unique bagel or toast spread. <br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Summertime is often the time of year for tea parties for bridal or baby showers, or just plain fun. Do you know the difference between high tea and afternoon tea? It isn't necessarily an issue of one being more casual than the other. Afternoon tea is generally earlier in the day with lighter foods, including tea sandwiches and some sweets. High tea can be as late as early evening, almost always features clotted cream and also would be more likely to feature some entrees, like fish or meat.<br /><br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-07-29T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Spice Up Your Barbecue Sauces for Some Economical Summer FunStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Spice-Up-Your-Barbecue-Sauces-for-Some-Economical-Summer-Fun/-629044969008030846.html2013-07-22T14:03:00Z2013-07-22T14:03:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Some of the best elements of summer: beach balls, bathing suits...and barbecue sauce? Sure, would say most warm-weather foodies. Because there are so many fun things to do, though, time is also one of those seasonal elements at a premium. Therefore, the majority of revelers purchase store-bought sauce rather than stirring up their own from scratch.<br /><br />With virtually no work, a few economical stir-ins can make all the difference between just a good jarred product and a gourmet experience. Since some spices and other ingredients - like fruits, vegetables and herbs - are almost pure antioxidants, they can be nutritional bonuses, too.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!<br /> <br />Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /> <br />To bases of store-bought bargain-brand original-style barbecue sauces, consider stirring in the following and, for an extra treat, also think about serving the sauces slightly heated, even if for use with a sandwich or a salad:<br /> <br /><strong>Hurry Up and Curry</strong><br />Curry powder, finely diced mango and finely chopped cilantro and shallots.<br /> <br /><strong>Ginger Goodness</strong><br />Finely shaved fresh ginger, diced lemongrass (or finely grated lemon zest), lite soy sauce and plum sauce (available in jars in the ethnic aisles of most major supermarkets).<br /> <br /><strong>Mustard Is a Must</strong><br />Spicy or Dijon mustard, dried tarragon, ground black pepper and cooked black beans that you've ground into a paste in a blender or food processor.<br /> <br /><strong>Vigor from Vinaigrette</strong><br />Olive oil-based vinaigrette, finely chopped red onions, button mushrooms, chives, and pumpkin seeds or sunflowers seeds that you've ground into a paste in a blender or food processor.<br /> <br /><strong>Sweet Sensations</strong><br />Honey, finely grated orange zest, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg.<br /> <br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>It's not considered environmentally "green" today to say "double bag it" at the grocery store, but at home, that might be just the tip for portion control for those watching their weight. For freshness, double bags (whether sandwich bags or plastic grocery bags you are recycling) in the refrigerator or pantry are excellent: That little, perhaps half-cent step of doubling almost always keeps food "first-day" fresh. However, with calorie-laden goodies, it also serves as a good idea. If you have leftover pizza or part of a batch of sugar-free dessert, remove half of the portion you or your child might want and secure the rest in a double bag with the understanding that if you or the kidlet wants a bit more that's fine, but you'll have to reopen the packaging. This helps in determining if you are really still hungry or just mindlessly munching. Psychologists also have found that just that slight effort and time increase are enough to make the majority of people decide the second helping of the treat is just a little too much trouble.<br /><br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-07-22T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Skill with Skewers Pays Off DeliciouslyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Skill-with-Skewers-Pays-Off-Deliciously/5158217470869903.html2013-07-08T14:03:00Z2013-07-08T14:03:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Stick it to run-of-the-mill skewer recipes and instead pile on unexpected ingredients. All it takes is imagination or a peek into cultures outside your own.<br /><br />Ted Allen, host of the <em>Food Network</em>'s top-rated <em>Chopped</em> series and author of <em>In My Kitchen: 100 Recipes and Discoveries for Passionate Cooks</em>, pinpoints new arenas at which to take a stab. <br /><br />You can easily emulate those or the other skewer specialties that follow. Use either wood skewers you've soaked or metal skewers:<br /><br /><strong>Surprising Scampi</strong><br /><br />One of Allen's favorite dishes is scampi. Give Allen a few minutes in the kitchen and the scampi will instead emerge on skewers. Why not try the same for a super summer dish? To achieve some of the same flavor, alternate the cooked scampi (which you've let drain of excess butter) on the skewer with fresh basil leaves. Serve the scampi remains from the pan as an accompanying dipping sauce for the dish.<br /><br /><strong>An Apple a Day</strong><br /><br />Imagine foods and flavors that make traditional pairs anyway and line them up on skewers, like a Disney Resorts specialty of balsamic pork and apple chunks with red onions.<br /><br /><strong>Asian Menu Favorites</strong><br /><br />Sometimes ethnic specialties we're used to eating on a plate surprise as outstanding skewer stars.<br /><br />The longtime popular Los Angeles Thai restaurant Siam Cabin serves up a memorable rendition of the universally popular dish crispy orange chicken as skewers. Chefs use battered spiced chicken meatballs and then drape it in tangerine sauce over curry rice, proving imaginative sticks can inspire unique sides as well.<br /><br /><strong>Dynamic Desserts</strong><br /><br />Dessert isn't out of bounds.<br /><br />The PBS series <em>Globe Trekker</em> showed off Moroccan takes on simmering apples with butter and cinnamon, and bananas with thyme, olive oil, almond extract and honey. Alternating these on skewers, wrapping them in foil and then lightly grilling them puts a twist on any ordinary fruit skewers that may have come before.<br /><br />Or simply take Pillsbury's imaginative suggestion of skewering chunks of cinnamon rolls, wrapping them in foil, lightly grilling and then drizzling them with chocolate and caramel sauces before serving. <br /> <br />Fun fare like the aforementioned proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Yukon Gold potatoes, available commercially since the 1980s, are more buttery, creamy and light than the more-often used Russet potatoes. They are a good choice for mashing or baking. They are smaller, so they bake in less time than Russets and may be a better choice for your family since servings can be kept smaller, but still satisfying. The skin is also thinner and smoother and, therefore, better-tasting than the skin of Russets. This is important, too, since your family is then more likely to eat the skin, which contains most of the fiber and nutrients.<br /><br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-07-08T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Shorter, Easier Recipes May Help Achieve Study's Suggested 9-Pound Weight LossStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Shorter,-Easier-Recipes-May-Help-Achieve-Studys-Suggested-9-Pound-Weight-Loss/701925994408798546.html2013-06-18T07:03:00Z2013-06-18T07:03:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Kaiser Permanente conducted a study that made headlines: Keeping a food journal doubles weight loss. Those of the 1,700 who kept track lost an average of 13 pounds in six months.</p>
<p>That's an easy tip for those of us who are so busy we can't even schedule time for dieting. However, there was another kernel buried within the study literature that didn't make it to many headlines, but is also welcome news for busy bodies.</p>
<p>More than two-thirds lost at least 9 pounds. This was deemed enough to make significant dents in health risks. It prompted study co-author Victor Stevens, Ph.D., to recommend, "If we all lost just 9 pounds, our nation would see vast decreases in hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and stroke."</p>
<p>In fact, previously Stevens found that losing 5 pounds can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure by 20 percent.</p>
<p>Journaling can be, but doesn’t have to be, old-fashioned. Pull out your cell phone and text yourself a shorthand version of what you just ate, or jot it down on a Post-it note (even brief scribbling was shown to work). Chronicle how 5 pounds drifts away, and know that you've made major strides without the time commitment.</p>
<p>Quick-cook guides help. Try "speed-read dieting" by following recipes condensed to a paragraph or less. The excellent <em>Cooking Light Complete Cookbook</em> is full of them. For example, the recipe for Italian Broccoli: "Steam 1 pound broccoli spears, covered, 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Toss with 3 tablespoons fat-free Italian dressing; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for a yield of 4 servings."</p>
<p>Harley Pasternak, nutritionist/physical trainer to the stars as well as creator of the best-selling <em>Five Factor Diet</em>, also has losing 5 pounds down to an easy science thanks to his five meal-a-day plan. The meals feature five ingredients per recipe with just five minute prep times, which has helped tone ultra-busy folks, from celebrities to moms with action-packed schedules.</p>
<p>Pasternak also proves "dieting" doesn’t have to be drab. Here’s a condensed version of his fun "pink pizza":</p>
<p>Heat large, whole-multigrain or whole-wheat tortillas in a 375 F oven for no more than 2 minutes. When carefully removed from the oven, spread with tomato sauce and nonfat ricotta cheese, and then sprinkle with sun-dried tomatoes and shredded preferably nonfat mozzarella cheese. Heat until cheese is melted, making sure tortillas don’t begin to burn.</p>
<p>Special fare like this proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun – and fast. Such recipes take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you – or your kidlet helpers – choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Take-out portions (even filled with healthful foods) can seem deceivingly smaller when served in single-serving deep Styrofoam or other containers. To get a real handle on the amount of food you and your family are consuming, consider the simple act of ladling out the food onto a plate (or a few plates if it’s a combination meal). It just may surprise you to see the goods in front of you – enough even to do what nutritionists often suggest for those watching their weight: Eat half of restaurant portions and save the rest for another meal.</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-06-18T07:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Plow These Ideas for an Economical and Easy 'Ploughman's Lunch' for Father's DayStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Plow-These-Ideas-for-an-Economical-and-Easy-Ploughmans-Lunch-for-Fathers-Day/-32611430633400397.html2013-06-10T14:15:00Z2013-06-10T14:15:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Though most dads probably don't still plow fields to feed their families as they did centuries ago, interesting takes on the traditional "ploughman's lunch" are an innovative, economical and memorable way to celebrate a modern Father's Day.<br /><br />Still a staple in England, the popular meal - usually served as an open-faced sandwich - began as a hearty, bare-bones basic sandwich to satisfy hungry men who had spent their energy on plowing and other farm and field chores.<br /><br />The staples were buttered bread, cheese and raw onion accompanied by a mug of cider.<br /><br />Later, the meal evolved into a platter of more delicious treats, such as thick meats, greens, cucumbers, pickled onions, and Branston pickle, which is a relish still used throughout England on the sandwich. It's named for the town of Branston, a few miles southeast of London where it originated, and can include mixtures such as carrots, cauliflower, rutabaga, zucchini, apples, sweet gherkins, onions, garlic, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, mustard seeds, allspice, cayenne pepper, and malt vinegar (which, in the day, sat in sealed sterile jars for three weeks or more before use).<br /><br />Gourmet markets and online sources sell imported commercial varieties of Branston pickle that would make a tasty surprise touch to a Father's Day ploughman's lunch platter.<br /><br />Some chefs have added their own slight twists, like the Food Network's <em>Barefoot Contessa</em> star, Ina Garten. She adds thick slices of baked Virginia ham and hard-boiled eggs, and makes the easy substitution of jarred chutney for Branston pickle.<br /><br />A more traditional platter might contain cheddar cheese (English, if possible), thick slices of white bread, sweet gherkin pickles, lettuce leaves, cucumber slices, and onion slices (preferably pickled onions).<br /><br />If you'd like to emulate Branston pickle, mix chopped dates, raw carrots, raw cauliflower, apples, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice. After the simple Father's Day meal fix, all that will be left to do is toast dad with a mug of cider like the ploughmen of days past.<br /><br />Meals like these prove innovative food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The combinations are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better cooks, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong ideas, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."<br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Many dads do the grilling during warm weather - even when celebrating Father's Day. If you want to turn the tables, though, consider grilling dad his breakfast (with any participating kids under supervision, of course). Breakfast burgers are fun. Make mini burgers out of ground turkey mixed with ground Italian sausage and Italian seasoning blend, grill (until an internal temperature reaches USDA recommended 165 F), and serve on grilled English muffins. Spread with bottled chili sauce or ketchup, and top with a fried egg (also prepared on the grill).<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-06-10T14:15:00Z10-Second Recipes: Split-Second Seasoned Tortilla Chips - Save Money by Skipping the DipsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Split-Second-Seasoned-Tortilla-Chips---Save-Money-by-Skipping-the-Dips/704455526357670798.html2013-05-28T14:03:00Z2013-05-28T14:03:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Backyard entertaining season is often called chips 'n' dips season. But there's an easy and economical way to shorten that even more: chips.</p>
<p>Warm-weather entertaining can be as simple as chips minus the (often fat- and calorie-laden) dips when you spice up whole-grain tortilla chips with a few of the seasonings that the no-longer-needed dips would have sported.</p>
<p>Marcela Valladolid, host of the Food Network's <em>Mexican Made Easy</em>, who is both a Baja, Mexico and Ritz Escoffier Parisian Cooking School-trained chef, spilled the beans on a technique that will draw rave reviews though it only takes minutes.</p>
<p>She takes a bag of store-bought tortilla chips, sprays them with nonstick cooking spray, and then sprinkles them with her favorite spices, like fresh rosemary and ground chipotle pepper. Next, she bakes them at 250 F until the spices no longer fall off.</p>
<p>It's almost as easy to start the chips from scratch by using either corn or flour tortillas. You brush each side of the tortilla with a "good-fat" vegetable oil, like canola or olive. Then, cut into strips and drizzle with your favorite spices before baking at 350 F, just until crisp, about five minutes.</p>
<p>Cheese can also be used as a seasoning, when a small amount is sprinkled on the oil-sprayed chips and warmed rather than layered thickly and fully melted for nachos. La Serenata de Garibaldi - consistently ranked one of the best and most authentic Mexican restaurants in Los Angeles by places like <em>The New York Times, Zagat</em> and the Food Network - serves their chips that way. Pick up a few Mexican cheeses from a Hispanic market, finely grate, mix together into your own blend, and warm slightly on the chips before serving. This is also a great way to expose your kidlets' palates to new and interesting flavors.</p>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your little helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</p>
<p>Here are some additional homemade spice blends that you can use:</p>
<p>- Garlic powder, onion powder (garlic and onion powders, which don't have salt, are better health choices for your family than garlic salt or onion salt) and pistachios you've turned to a dust in a grinder, food processor or blender.</p>
<p>- Cajun seasoning, lemon-pepper and mesquite-flavored barbecue blends.</p>
<p>- Ground cumin, chili powder and unsweetened cocoa powder.</p>
<p>- Cinnamon, brown sugar and peanuts you've turned to a dust in a grinder, food processor or blender.</p>
<p>- Cocoa powder, stevia (or another natural sugar-free sweetener) and banana chips you've turned to a dust in a grinder, food processor or blender.</p>
<p><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> You might want to take a cue from your kidlets when it comes to how to consume your store-bought juice. Even the new healthful vegetable and fruit juice blends contain concentrated calories, carbohydrates and sugars from the produce. Large servings are best to be avoided. However, lots of brands of the vegetable-fruit juices come in juice boxes with cartoons on them to appeal to kids. Those sizes (often complete with their own mini straws) are perfect for adults watching their weight as well. Most are about 6.75 ounces with 70 calories and 15 grams of carbohydrates and sugars (fructose). Another bonus, the palate-pleasing nutritious mixtures often come in fun flavors, like "fruit punch."</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-05-28T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Teaching Your Kids the Real Message of Memorial Day Through Fun Baking IdeasStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Teaching-Your-Kids-the-Real-Message-of-Memorial-Day-Through-Fun-Baking-Ideas/398905671586673772.html2013-05-20T14:02:00Z2013-05-20T14:02:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Bravery, strength, courage, conviction: These are just a few of the adjectives conjured up when thinking about the origin of Memorial Day. However, with its current celebration as a three-day holiday weekend and the media marking it as the unofficial beginning of summer grilling season, some military and veterans' groups have noted that the real meaning of Memorial Day often seems to be lost. <br /><br />Memorial Day is the day in which we remember those who have died in active military service. If your kidlets like to bake, there are a number of ways they can learn the meaning behind the holiday - and deliciously spread the word to others. Fun baking, as seen in the recipes below, is just more proof that preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical - and fast. They take just<em> 10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The combinations are tasty proof that everyone has time for good "home cooking" and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You and the kids, as you supervise them, effortlessly become better chefs, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts. </em><br /><br /><strong>Cupcakes of Honor</strong><br />When the kids are baking their favorite cupcakes, simply show them how to write in icing on top of the frosting some of the strong adjectives that describe military heroes, such as "Brave," "Strong," "Courageous," "Noble," "Selfless," "Generous," "Gallant," "Valiant," and "Heroic."<br /><br /><strong>Quick Quotes with Lots of Meaning</strong><br /><em>Have the kids research history quotes that convey the meaning of the deeds of those who fought for their country, and then include all or part of the quotes:</em><br /><br />--- In homemade fortune cookies<br />--- On the inside lid of cookie tins, which show as the tins (filled with red, white and blue homemade cookies) are opened<br />--- In red, white and blue icing on top of frosted homemade or store-bought sheet cakes. For effect, consider baking a white sheet cake and including red candies, white marshmallows and fresh blueberries (or similarly colored sprinkles) in the batter.<br /><br /><strong>Feasting with Flags</strong><br />Decorate the top of a sheet of brownies or a sheet cake like a flag, leaving the center open for kids to write with icing one of the meaningful quotes they found during their research.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>For further history lessons, as they eat one day, have your kids jot down a few of the major foods they enjoyed, such as "cereal," "bread," "banana" and "chicken," and later look up their origin, first introduction, and importance to the food supply.<br /><br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-05-20T14:02:00Z10-Second Recipes: Tweak Mom's Own Comfort Food Classics for Fun Mother's Day DessertsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Tweak-Moms-Own-Comfort-Food-Classics-for-Fun-Mothers-Day-Desserts/-580859765432891371.html2013-05-06T14:03:00Z2013-05-06T14:03:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
You probably wouldn't have Mom pick out her own Mother's Day gift, but when it comes to easy desserts you can prepare at home on her special day, take your cue right from her. Easy twists on comfort food classics for which moms are famous create simple Mother's Day treats that will surprise her with your ingenuity.<br /><br />A few tasty examples: Chocolate chip cookies get super-charged with the delicious - and healthful - addition of chopped dried cherries and dried mint; Neapolitan ice cream sandwiches get custom-filled with Mom's favorite flavors and frosted with her name or initial.<br /><br />Tasty food, like the aforementioned and what follows, proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better cooks, since these are just guidelines and <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw wows.<br /><br /><strong>Super-Charged Chocolate Chip Cookies</strong><br /><br />Add finely chopped dried cherries or dried cranberries and dried mint to your mom's favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, for which you also have substituted white chocolate chips for the traditional dark. To up the health quotient even higher, try using a no-calorie sweetener suitable for baking.<br /><br /><strong>Improved Pudding</strong><br /><br />Instead of chocolate pudding, make it cafe latte pudding by stirring in espresso powder and some rich homemade whipped cream. Or pep up sugar-free chocolate pudding by blending in finely diced pistachios and minced fresh spearmint, and topping with a spearmint leaf.<br /><br /><strong>A Neon Neapolitan</strong><br /><br />Prepare a custom Neapolitan ice cream sandwich for Mom. Instead of the traditional chocolate, vanilla and strawberry fillings, use a trio of Mom's favorite sugar-free ice creams, gelatos, sorbets or frozen yogurts. Fill it between two large sugar cookies. Then, when frosting in your mother's favorite color, write either the word "Mom" or the initial of her first name on top.<br /><br /><strong>Everyone Will Want More of these S'more Brownies</strong><br /><br />Bake sugar-free brownies over a store-bought or homemade graham cracker crust, include mini marshmallows in the batter, and when brownies are baked and completely cooled, spread with store-bought or homemade marshmallow crème. <br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> To give your kids (or you!) cool, two-tone no-sugar-added sorbet-like ice cubes, juice some fruit. It can be apples in a juicer, or as simple as slicing an orange and squeezing out the juice by hand. In a bowl, mix that with a lesser amount of healthful bottled juice, like 100 percent cherry or pomegranate juice, some fresh lemon juice and a natural sugar-free sweetener, like stevia, and pour into ice cube trays and freeze. The varying weights of the fresh, frothy juice and the clearer bottled juice leads to them usually separating while freezing, resulting in two-tone, colored cubes. The texture of the fresh, frothy juice also makes them creamy and sorbet-like. These are snacks or desserts to be eaten held in a paper napkin, but they are also good as ice cubes in sparkling water or iced tea beverages.<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-05-06T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Chilling Your Grilled Food Is One Cool IdeaStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Chilling-Your-Grilled-Food-Is-One-Cool-Idea/-431877058208362576.html2013-04-29T07:04:00Z2013-04-29T07:04:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>No question about it, food hot off the outdoor grill is a spring treat. Although, sometimes it's more convenient to quickly prepare food ahead of time in order to serve it in a flash when the right moment strikes. In that case, chilling your grilling is a timesaving solution with tasty benefits.</p>
<p>That smoky grilled flavor doesn't dissipate once a dish is stowed in the refrigerator. Often, it intensifies. The grilled chutney potato salad idea that follows has all the allure of any chilled potato salad, plus the added bonus of that char-grilled taste.</p>
<p>Fun fare like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun – and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it!</p>
<p>Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you – or your kidlet helpers – choose to use can't help but draw “wows” from family members and guests.</p>
<p>Here is that peppy potato salad and some more ideas with which you can chill out:</p>
<p><strong>Praiseworthy Potato Salad:</strong></p>
<p>Microwave unpeeled red potatoes until tender and, when cool enough to handle, quarter them, coat lightly with olive oil, place in barbecue grill pan, and grill for a few minutes. Cool, place in a bowl and mix in well freshly ground black pepper, minced garlic, finely minced fresh basil and store-bought peach chutney. Chill.</p>
<p><strong>Great Grilled Canned Salmon Sandwiches:</strong></p>
<p>Grill marks on salmon patties made from inexpensive canned salmon add instant appeal, as does the way the little bits of olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper you’ve mixed into the patties sear flavorfully into the seafood on the hot grill. Chill the grilled salmon burgers and, just before serving, chop into chunks and mix in a bowl with small amounts of light mayonnaise, diced red onions and Chinese five-spice powder (found in most supermarket spice aisles, but if not, then use ground fennel, cloves and cinnamon). Stuff inside croissants that have been layered with arugula or another lettuce of your choice.</p>
<p><strong>Vibrant Vegetables:</strong></p>
<p>You can barbecue mixed vegetables of your choice – such as eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and onions – ahead of time. When cooled enough, brush the vegetables with olive oil and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. For intense flavor that only enhances with chilling, place the grilled produce in a glass bowl and, before covering and storing in the refrigerator, gently mix with small amounts (so vegetables don't get mushy) of convenient <em>store-bought condiments</em> like these:</p>
<p>--- Argentinian chimichurri (a mix of garlic, olive oil, parsley, oregano and hot pepper flakes)</p>
<p>--- French tapenade (ripe olive, caper, anchovy paste)</p>
<p>--- Chinese plum sauce</p>
<p>--- Indian mango chutney</p>
<p>--- All-American honey mustard</p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong>Although matzo – crisp unleavened bread – is usually associated with the Jewish holiday of Passover, the cracker-like sheets are often sold year-round in the ethnic aisles of major supermarkets. Many shoppers are not only unaware of that, but of the fact that top matzo makers also often sell a whole-wheat or whole-grain version. Some have 4 grams of fiber in one large 100-calorie sheet, making it a hearty, saltine cracker-like treat for you to serve to kidlets – or adults – with toppings like peanut or almond butter, low-fat whipped cream cheese (which has less fat and calories than regular cream cheese), or all-fruit spread (available in most supermarket jam aisles). This fiber count is more than saltine crackers, which have almost no fiber, and higher than many wheat breads.</p>
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-04-29T07:04:00Z10-Second Recipes: Mix-and-Match Ingredients for Excellent and Economical ResultsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Mix-and-Match-Ingredients-for-Excellent-and-Economical-Results/-948646295208868306.html2013-04-22T14:03:00Z2013-04-22T14:03:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Mixing-and-matching is more likely something you would probably do with your wardrobe than your recipes, but maybe you should rethink that strategy. Sometimes when we're busy, we don't have all the ingredients we'd like on hand for a meal, but that's no reason to give up.<br /><br />Look at your favorite cookbook's suggestions with an open mind. Think not about what you don't have handy, but what you do.<br /> <br />This recently hit home with me when I was gazing at a glorious color photograph of juicy, pink sliced pan-seared sirloin steak in Dijon mustard sauce in <em>Atkins for Life Low-Carb Cookbook</em> by Veronica Atkins. This is a standout book because the wife of the late famed Dr. Robert Atkins puts seemingly gourmet specialties on the table in minutes. <br /> <br />However, I didn't have the sirloin steak, low-sodium beef broth or bacon for which the recipe called. Fortunately, a quick glance in my refrigerator reminded me I did have store-bought rotisserie chicken breasts (a less expensive choice than steak) and some leftover low-sodium chicken broth. In a snap (especially because I pan-seared slices of the precooked chicken for only a moment), I was relishing the author's inspired mustard-butter sauce, which I had pepped up with a little pure raspberry fruit spread I had. I also heated the precooked chicken in olive oil I had on hand, rather than in the canola that the author had originally recommended.<br /> <br />The dish, with my last-minute variations, has since become one of my in-a-snap favorites. Here are some additional tips for the savvy substituter:<br /><br /> --- Replace like with like. For instance, don't take a pasta with gorgonzola and walnut recipe and try to whip up nut-crusted salmon with a like sauce instead. Perhaps substitute rice (especially quick-cook varieties) for the pasta, Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino for the gorgonzola, and pecans for the walnuts.<br /><br /> --- Look for ways to shorten cooking times and skip steps. Precooked meat from the convenience food aisle is often a blessing. Items from your pantry, like canned soups, such as minestrone or gumbo, can quickly pinch-hit for recipe sauces with somewhat similar flavors.<br /><br /> --- For easiest results, mix-and-match within the same cookbook, and then next time try another one. As I found with Atkins', you are dealing with one author's consistent style and directions, methods of quick or slow cooking, etc., and it makes the transition go smoothly and deliciously.<br /> <br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Be sure to look carefully at your receipts before filing them away or discarding them. Hundreds of chains have offers and bonuses that give bigger rewards than coupons. When you call fresh-ingredient chain Panda Express and answer a few guest survey questions, for instance, you are given a code for a free entree item; supermarkets like Ralphs and Kroger offer large sums off future shopping trips.<br /> <br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-04-22T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Old-Fashioned Media Makes for New, Economical Food IdeasStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Old-Fashioned-Media-Makes-for-New,-Economical-Food-Ideas/-555634029490616615.html2013-04-08T14:03:00Z2013-04-08T14:03:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<br />With all the bells, whistles and detours to information overload at every click of the Internet, it's no wonder that so many of us have consciously decided to ignore the excesses on our screens. Whether you’re on a computer, laptop, phone or tablet, making it through the day with enough time to accomplish our work and personal responsibilities can be tough. <br /><br />Recently, I realized that even old-fashioned products that deliver sensory "underload" can still be valuable and best. Rather than to distract, they were designed to fit right into your random spare moments.<br /><br />While I was at the dentist's office, I saw on a counter a pile of those old-fashioned (in fact, they were created in 1993, with their most recent update in 2006, according to their copyright pages) illustrated promotional pamphlets.<br /><br />One of them was <em>A Guide for Busy Parents: Making Meals Matter for Your Young Child</em>. Since I wondered exactly what the long-secret trick to that might be, I grabbed the document from the Dairy Council of California. Within the eight-page guide, I found lots of specifics about what kids should eat based on age (for example, 2- to 3-year-olds do best eating two-thirds of adult portions), and that kids often need snacks with the right nutrition since their stomachs are so small they fill up quickly at mealtimes.<br /><br />This was all from a professor-filled, nutritional panel with members from Stanford University. It also led me to their site, filled with meal-planning tips and easy recipes: <a href="/www.healthyeating.org" target="_blank">www.healthyeating.org</a>. There I found simple recipes, like Lickety Split Lasagna Soup that is filled with the antioxidants of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. More surprisingly, it most likely would, in fact, wow the kidlet set.<br /><br />Later that day, I checked out Sprouts Farmers Market, a chain of economically priced health food supermarkets. I planned to speed through and just pick up snacks for later. I even took a compact cart. But soon, I was stalled at their book section, which was exactly like the health food store ones I used to hang out in circa 1987. There was lots of interesting, tried-and-true stuff (juicing, smoothies, etc.), much of it first published in the 1980s, and then republished.<br /><br />Almost as an afterthought, to continue my research on the chain, I grabbed their fat in-store bimonthly magazine. I was floored by how Sprouts still was going the old-fashioned route in their custom-published magazine with a variety of full-length articles, like "25 Foods that Fight Disease" and a bunch of color-photographed recipe spreads. The fresh herb cucumber-melon salad, as well as the spiced chickpea and feta sandwiches have already become favorites.<br /><br />Lastly, in my own home office, an old title recently jumped out to me from the bookshelves: <em>Cleansing the Body, Mind and Spirit </em>by Carolyn Reuben, 1998. From the table of contents where it noted "Cleansing Feasts and Fasts," I picked up on something I had never realized: cleansing feasts? Feasts?! Sure, I had heard of all the stars who deny themselves food and find inner peace and glowing skin afterward, but feasts? I had forgotten there were certain foods and food combinations one can eat to possibly release toxins and feel great.<br /><br />Soon, I made Reuben's paperback my find-a-spare-moment reading.<br /><br />Reuben was one of those old-time health journalists like I had been, who rather than being a superstar herself, reported the facts of groundbreaking studies that could help all of us live better.<br /><br />I'd found out subsequently checking on Amazon.com that she'd written a whole bunch of such books for major publishersm, and she also became an expert in using acupuncture, diet and other natural means to help fight addiction. Soon, I was reading her sporadic tweets (see them @carolynreuben).<br /><br />Even more interesting, though, in just a few of her tweets and corresponding recommendations, I've found:<br /><br />• <a href="/www.weelicious.com" target="_blank">www.weelicious.com</a>, a natural food recipe site geared toward the toddler set.<br /><br />• A study noted an apple a day (as well as oats, nuts, strawberries, citrus and carrots) as being especially good at helping inflamed cells turn into healthful ones.<br /><br />• I want to add to my reading list Natalie Savona's <em>The Kitchen Shrink: Foods & Recipes for a Healthy Mind</em> (a well-worn title) and Trudy Scott's <em>The Antianxiety Food Solution</em> (a newer one).<br /><br /><br />Following are a few inspirations picked up on the aforementioned adventures. Fun fare like this also shows how innovative food and beverage preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining – and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The combinations are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty "home cooking" and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You – and your kidlet helpers – effortlessly become gourmets, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."<br /><br /><strong>Loveable Lasagna Soup</strong><br /><br />Prepare a health-food brand frozen, single-serving lasagna and, when cooked, carefully cut it into bite-sized squares and add to a heated store-bought, low-sodium tomato soup. Serve with a small amount of "croutons" you create from cutting garlic bread into small bite-sized pieces.<br /><br /><strong>Chic Chickpea Pitas</strong><br /><br />Mash canned, drained chickpeas and season with curry powder and mix well. Spread onto whole-grain pita bread and top with crumbles of feta cheese, chopped tomatoes, sprouts and diced fresh mint.<br /><br /><strong>Fall into Amore with this Italian Melon Salad</strong><br /><br />Shake mixed Italian seasoning over a mixture of chunks of unpeeled cucumber, and peeled cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon. Top with shreds of fresh basil, a drizzle of fresh lemon juice, a sprinkling of dried tarragon and olive oil vinaigrette.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Nutritionists often recommend mashing cauliflower instead of potatoes to save calories and add nutrients. That’s great advice, but what’s also wise is to use mashed cauliflower in other recipes as well. It can economically and nutritiously replace a third of the meat in meatloaves or burgers, fill-in in condiments, like pesto and dips, and secretly add vegetable power by replacing a third of the fat in baked goods, like cakes, muffins and brownies.<br /> <br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-04-08T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Beans Are One of the Only Foods That Don't Bust Food BudgetsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Beans-Are-One-of-the-Only-Foods-That-Dont-Bust-Food-Budgets/-107089383372702339.html2013-04-01T07:01:00Z2013-04-01T07:01:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<br />Most curious family cooks who peruse <em>Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine</em>'s list of the nine foods expected to have the highest price increases in 2013 probably would hope to hit upon an entire popular classification not affected and then plan menus around those less expensive options.<br /><br />Good luck.<br /><br />As the list goes on, one quickly realizes that virtually every major food group is among the nine: beef, pork, poultry, seafood, milk/cheese, fruit, vegetables, sugar, and bread/cereal.<br /><br />Other than no-nutritive-value sugar, consumption of the rest is how most of us sustain ourselves. A bright spot not on this list seemed to be soybeans, the ingredient for vegan protein meal alternatives tofu and tempeh, as well as soymilk and many other selections. However, research shows that soy is one of the hardest hit crops of all, and it will have some of the most major price increases, including for its oil, which is a component of many additional products.<br /><br />Like the other foods above, such as fruits, vegetables and grains, soy is drought impacted and in short supply.<br /><br />Experts note that the one relief seems to be legumes, and home cooks should be relieved since they are such a nutritious, versatile foodstuff. Legumes and beans, which are their edible seeds, are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. They have been the best friends of vegetarians and vegans because of these excellent attributes.<br /><br />Dried beans provide the best of everything and are soaked before use. Canned are convenient and only slightly more expensive and less nutritious. <em>Use either (dried beans that you've soaked and readied, or canned beans) in any of the suggestions that follow.</em><br /><br />Choices are vast. Just a few examples include black, white (cannellini), navy, pinto, kidney, and garbanzos. Lentils, peas and peanuts are also legumes.<br /><br />Since beans and legumes range from flavorful to barely any flavor, they often can be pureed and used to "beef up" other dishes, like including them in meat burgers or meatloaf, thick soups or small dollops in smoothies also flavored by fruits.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.<br /> <br /><strong>Three-Bean Salad Lettuce Cups</strong><br />Mix garbanzo, kidney and black beans with champagne vinegar and sesame oil, and marinate (covered) in the refrigerator overnight. Drain and reserve marinade for immediate use only. Place mounds of the bean mixture in pairs of butter lettuce leaves that first have been sprinkled lightly with Chinese five-spice seasoning (usually available in the spice aisles of supermarkets) and drizzle with the marinade.<br /> <br /><strong>Lentil Soup with Spicy Bean "Meatballs"</strong><br />Puree pinto beans with black pepper, salt substitute and curry powder. In a bowl, mix puree well with egg or egg substitute and a small amount of whole-grain breadcrumbs. Roll into mini "meatballs" and lightly sauté carefully in a skillet in small amount of canola or olive oil until crispy. Heat store-bought or homemade lentil soup and add a few heated "meatballs" just before serving.<br /> <br /><strong>Cheers for this Peppy Peanut Chicken</strong><br />Stir well into creamy peanut butter, finely minced garlic, red onions, red bell pepper, black pepper, and a tiny bit of cayenne pepper. Before baking skinless chicken breasts, brush the peanut sauce over them and brush carefully again halfway through baking, saving some of the unused glaze to serve on the side as a dipping sauce.<br /> <br /><strong>Yes, Those Are Beans in Your Brownies</strong><br />Replace half of the fat in your brownie batter with a puree of black beans. Replace one-eighth of the chocolate with unsweetened cocoa powder, which is the type that stabilizes blood sugar and has antioxidants. Puree white beans (cannellini) with additional unsweetened cocoa powder and a natural sugar-free sweetener, like stevia, and pipe through the cut end of a plastic bag as a decorative frosting (e.g. making a spot decoration or border, not frosting over the entire brownie).<br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Enjoy calcium-rich cheese - like the trim French do - as a dessert alternative on a platter where unusual, distinctive choices are featured. Pose a challenge to your family to see if they can notice when cheese, which has fat and cholesterol, is missing from their everyday sandwiches, burgers or other dishes when you instead have loaded up those items with vegetables and healthful spreads, like hummus, mustard, aioli, pesto or olive tapenade.<br /> <br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-04-01T07:01:00Z10-Second Recipes: Liven Up Easter LeftoversStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Liven-Up-Easter-Leftovers/9002.html2013-04-01T07:00:00Z2013-04-01T07:00:00Z <a></a><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em><em><br /></em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br /> </p>
Have you ever thought of extending Easter Sunday all week long? Thanksgiving is the holiday that gets all the attention when it comes to leftovers, however, <em>Easter, with its traditional selections of ham, lamb, fresh spring vegetable sides, and luscious desserts - or perhaps a bountiful buffet brunch</em> - should be a major contender, too. There are split-second transformations you can make to holiday fare to make it even fairer, like a minty lamb stir-fry pepped up by pesto, sweetly stuffed hot cross buns that won't leave anyone cross and waffle cones doubling as an Easter basket for leftover holiday candy layered with ice cream and hot caramel sauce.<br /><br />Food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The dishes are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at your next livened-up leftover get together. <br /><br /><strong>HAM</strong><br /><br /><strong>Hamming It Up </strong><br />Ham salad is not eaten as often as chicken, tuna or egg salad, but the meat's zip makes it a delicious choice over those blander options. Cut leftover cooked ham into bite-sized pieces and combine with light mayonnaise, spicy mustard, finely diced drained pineapple, finely diced green bell pepper, golden raisins and slivered almonds. Serve as mini sandwiches on leftover dinner rolls.<br /><br /><strong>LAMB</strong><br /><br /><strong>Leftover Lamb Legacy </strong><br />Stir finely chopped fresh mint into store-bought pesto, place in a wok or skillet and heat. Carefully stir in cooked leftover lamb that's been cut into bite-sized chunks and coat with mint-pesto mixture. Keep stir-frying until heated through. Serve over wild rice that includes finely chopped peanuts and cashews. <br /><br /><strong>FRESH SPRING VEGETABLES</strong><br /><br /><strong>Even More Vibrant Veggies </strong><br />Take your leftover spring vegetable solo dish or medley and mix it with nonfat sour cream, freshly chopped dill, parsley and curry powder, drained flaked canned tuna and chopped dried cherries and wrap in a whole-grain tortilla.<br /> <br /><strong>HOT CROSS BUNS</strong><br /><br /><strong>Bundles of Sweetness and Light </strong><br />Hot cross buns - sweet, spiced rolls studded with raisins or candied fruit and a white cross along the top - are often eaten worldwide on Good Friday, but now are being sold year-round in the UK and other locales. Slice leftovers in half, spread with a mixture of almond butter and apple butter, sprinkle with ground cinnamon, and place in microwave wrapped in paper towels for 10 seconds, or until just slightly warmed.<br /><br /><strong>BRUNCH</strong><br /><br /><strong>Croutons That Capitalize on Breakfast Baked Goods</strong><br />Sprinkle leftover French toast, pancakes or waffles with ground cinnamon, freshly ground black pepper and dried basil. Toast in a toaster oven or a broiler, being careful not to burn. Once cool, chop into bite-sized squares and use as croutons in slightly sweet salads or soups, like salads containing greens, dried and fresh fruit like strawberries and drizzled with raspberry vinaigrette, or sweet potato or tomato soup. Whether soup or salad, finish the dish with a tiny drizzle of pure maple syrup.<br /><br /><strong>EASTER CANDY</strong><br /><br /><strong>Waffle Cone as Easter Basket for Luscious Leftovers</strong><br />Create an Easter candy ice cream parfait. In a large waffle cone, place a few pieces of Easter candy, top with ice cream, whipped cream, hot caramel and repeat layers, finishing with a piece of Easter candy and a sprinkling of dried pineapple on top.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Lots of people are surprised to learn that their favorite lemon-lime or orange regular or diet sodas don't have any lemon, lime or orange juices in them and also often contain caffeine. A deliciously refreshing way to stack things in your favor is to squeeze in your own citrus juices. Mexican fast food chain Taco Bell has an excellent assortment of soft drinks that include fresh fruit, like the Frutista line that blends real strawberries with sparkling beverages and traditional limeade that they note is prepared from Sierra Mist soda with some squirts of real lime juice. You can easily emulate that limeade at home, even their cherry limeade, too, by stirring in some of a healthful juice, like Trop50 Pomegranate-Blueberry with no added sugar and half the calories and carbohydrates of maker Tropicana's regular juices. For a real homemade splash, pour two cans of no-caffeine diet lemon-lime soda into a large glass, followed by squeezes of fresh lime, lemon, Minneola (a super-sweet widely available tangerine-grapefruit hybrid) or tangelo (just as sweet similar hybrid between a tangerine and a mandarin orange) and a quarter cup of a juice like the Trop50 Pomegranate-Blueberry.<br /><br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2013-04-01T07:00:00ZEaster Egg-stravaganza!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Easter-Egg-stravaganza!/316548299976455872.html2013-03-25T16:43:00Z2013-03-25T16:43:00Z<p><strong>By Tawra Kellam</strong><br /><a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">LivingOnADime.com</a></p>
<br />The kids have noticed on the calendar that Easter is approaching and they want to make a huge production of dyeing eggs. In the past, the little stickers you bought at the store sufficed, but now they want the real thing. Below are some old standards with a few new ideas for you. <br /><br />One important note: When the kids get really excited about egg dyeing, don't feel sorry for them and pour the left over egg dye in their bath water so they can have more fun (no matter how much they beg and plead)! This is especially true if it's food coloring. Someone might panic and declare a citywide medical quarantine if they see your kids dyed all sorts of strange colors in their Easter finery.<br /><br /><strong>Before you decorate Easter eggs</strong>, cover the entire table with newspaper. Keep a huge roll of paper towels or rags handy for messes. Have each kid wear one of dad's old (now disposable) tee shirts.<br /><br /><strong>Making Easter Egg Stands:</strong> Cut toilet paper roll cores into one inch cylinders and use for egg stands. Decorate with stickers or paint.<br /><br /><strong>DECORATING EGGS:</strong> <br /><br /><strong>1) Traditional method</strong><br />
<blockquote>Hard boil eggs. Fill several mugs with boiling water and add 1-2 tsp. vinegar. Place a few drops of desired food coloring in each mug. Place eggs in mugs for several minutes until eggs reach desired shades.<br /><br />Remove with a spoon. Place on paper towel to dry. When dry, polish with a small amount of shortening on a paper towel. Buff until glossy.<br /><br />You can draw or write on the eggs with a light colored or white crayon before dipping. The drawing will remain white after the egg is dipped.<br /><br />To clean out mugs, put a little bleach water in the cups and soak for a few minutes.</blockquote>
<br /><strong>2) Natural Easter Egg Dyes</strong> <br /><br />If you would like to try dyeing eggs naturally, try the following: <br /><br />
<blockquote><strong>Yellow</strong>-- yellow onion skins, turmeric (frac12; tsp. per cup water) celery leaves<br /><strong>Orange</strong>--any yellow dye plus beet juice<strong><br />Red</strong>--beets, paprika, red onion skins<br /><strong>Pink</strong>--cranberry juice<strong><br />Blue</strong>--blackberries, grape juice concentrate, red cabbage<strong><br />Brown</strong>--black tea, white oak, juniper berry, coffee, barberry<br /><strong>Light purple</strong>--blackberries, grapes, violets<strong><br />Green</strong>--alfalfa, spinach, kale, violet blossom plus1/4 tsp. baking soda, tansy, nettle, chervil, sorrel, parsley, carrot tops, beet tops or dip yellow egg in blue dye</blockquote>
<br />Hard boil eggs with 1 tsp. vinegar in the water. Place dyeing ingredients in non-aluminum pans, cover with water and boil 5 minutes to 1 hour until desired color is achieved. Use enough material to make at least 1 cup dye. Crush ingredients as they boil to extract as much dye as possible. Strain the dye. Most dyes should be used hot. Let each egg sit in the dye until it reaches the desired color. Some dyes will take longer than others to make the desired colored on the egg. Remove the egg and let dry.<br /><br /><strong>3) Glitter Eggs</strong>- Place 1 tablespoon each of glue and water in a cup. Stir the mixture and then paint the eggs with it. Sprinkle with glitter. This can also add sparkle to already dyed eggs!<br /><br /><strong>4) Crepe Paper Eggs</strong>- Wet a white or dyed egg. Dab torn pieces of colored tissue paper or pieces of pretty colored napkins on the eggs. When the paper dries, the paper falls off and leaves the color behind on the egg.<br /><br /><strong>5) Decoupage Eggs</strong>- Tear small pieces of wrapping paper, napkins, stickers, or clip art. Mix equal amounts of glue and water. Paint egg with glue mixture. Place paper on top and then cover with more glue mixture. Let dry.<br /><br /><strong>6) Spotted Eggs</strong>- Place 1 tsp. of cooking oil in dye. Dip the egg. The oil will cause the dye to make an irregular pattern on the egg.<br /><br /><strong>7) Waxed Eggs</strong>- Dip a portion of the eggs in melted paraffin or candle wax. Then dip them in the dye. Remove from dye. Dry and peel off the wax. The egg will be white on one half and colored on the other half. You can also dip in dye before waxing to get two colors.<br /><br /><strong>8) Hollow Eggs</strong>- Poke a hole in one end of an egg with a very small needle. Poke another slightly larger hole in the other end. Then blow on the small end and the egg will come out the other side. Decorate as desired. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Tawra Kellam</strong> is the author of the frugal cookbook <em>Dining On A Dime: Eat Better, Spend Less</em>. For more free tips and recipes visit her web site at <a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">LivingOnADime.com</a>. Get your own FREE copy of Tawra's Quick Dinner e-book here. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.<br />Staff2013-03-25T16:43:00Z10-Second Recipes: Mix It Up for Easter with Innovative Uses of Economical Spring MixStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Mix-It-Up-for-Easter-with-Innovative-Uses-of-Economical-Spring-Mix/350087299444625013.html2013-03-18T07:14:00Z2013-03-18T07:14:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<br />Though the meaning behind the holiday itself is serious, the trappings, such as Easter bonnets, baskets and painted eggs, are all about fun and flair. Easter brunch, of course, is often no different. <br /><br />Even when tight budgets are followed, ho-hum dishes won't find a place at the table. But if you've been the designated cook year after year, sometimes it's difficult to come up with one home run after another.<br /><br />Look no further than a convenient pre-mixed product in your supermarket's produce aisle. Though you can get it in a pre-packed bag, "spring mix" (mesclun or field greens, as it's often called) is that delightful blend of greens, fresh herbs and sometimes edible flowers that's often available for you to grab right from the loose fresh-greens section. Usually, it's more economical to scoop your own fresh mix like that rather than pay the "middle man" manufacturer with overhead that packages it and sells it refrigerated.<br /><br />Though available in some forms all year long, spring mix is best in spring with the baby lettuces and herbs of the season. It also most matches the light and fragrant recipes of the Easter season.<br /><br />Some of the popular greens found in mixes are arugula, frisée, radicchio, mache, sorrel, oak leaf and endive. Excellent herbs to add include tarragon, chervil and parsley. <br /><br />Once you've got your mix in your Easter shopping basket, consider delving beyond the usual delicious salad. Greens in general (such as arugula or spinach) and especially spring mix are outstanding (and a surprise touch) in lots of cooked dishes.<br /><br />Generally added at the end for a slight wilt, they make a highly memorable impression in recipes, such as the following pear, Gorgonzola and spring-mix omelet or toasted ciabatta with shrimp and spring mix. Dishes like these are a favorite in the home of Food Network series star and best-selling cookbook author Giada De Laurentiis with everyone from her young daughter to her grandparents.<br /><br />Meals like these prove innovative food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The combinations are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better cooks, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong Easter ideas, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."<br /> <br /><strong>Spring Mix Ciabatta Easter Appetizer:</strong> Rub small, thin slices of ciabatta bread or other Italian bread with garlic cloves and toast until golden brown. Marinate cooked baby shrimp in olive oil and freshly ground black pepper (shrimp are highly economical and can even be bought canned; drain and rinse before using). Remove shrimp from marinade and place on bread. Top with the drained shrimp, and thinly sliced shallots and diced tomatoes that have been slightly warmed in an oiled skillet. For last few seconds, slightly warm (wilt) spring mix in the skillet and add to bread toppings.<br /> <br /><strong>Spring Mix Easter Brunch Omelet:</strong> Marinate diced pear in olive oil and lemon pepper seasoning. Drain well and use as an omelet filling with Gorgonzola or blue cheese of choice. A few seconds before omelet is done, add spring mix as the final filling (just so it slightly warms and wilts) and fold omelet closed.<br /> <br /><strong>"Ivy"-Filled Easter Lamb Towers:</strong> On serving plates, <em>between each layer</em> of towers of five medium slices of juicy, cooked, hot lamb insert a mixture you've prepared of spring mix, dried cherries or dried cranberries, diced cooked asparagus or green beans, diced red onions, minced garlic, small amount of store-bought raspberry vinaigrette, and freshly ground black pepper.<br /> <br /><strong>Spring-in-Your-Step Fresh Easter Dessert:</strong> Sprinkle dessert plates with a base of spring mix. Top with a scoop of mixed fruit salad, a scoop of store-bought or homemade rice pudding, ground cinnamon and sweetened flaked coconut.<br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Some diners routinely discard the hot mustard that often comes with their Chinese restaurant or takeout meals. However, they might change their tunes if they follow the research of Dr. Jaya Henry of England's Oxford Polytechnic Institute. Dr. Henry found that 1 teaspoon of very spicy mustard may be a weight loss tool as it may speed up the body's metabolism by almost 25 percent. It's similar to the metabolic boost one gets from the caffeine in coffee.<br /> <br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2013-03-18T07:14:00Z10-Second Recipes: Mint Is as Lucky as a Four-Leaf Clover for Economical St. Patrick's Day Spring MealsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Mint-Is-as-Lucky-as-a-Four-Leaf-Clover-for-Economical-St.-Patricks-Day-Spring-Meals/372671376667850933.html2013-03-11T07:00:00Z2013-03-11T07:00:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Fresh mint is often associated with spring, and its green color and unique flavor stirs some fun into St. Patrick's Day dishes. Besides how economical and easy it is to find in most supermarket produce aisles, the best part about mint is how simple it is to use to up the taste quotient of meals. Just chop and sprinkle in or, for even less of an effort, use whole sprigs atop a dish.<br /><br />What's often overlooked, though, is how versatile mint is and how well it blends with other flavors. The famed TV chef/restaurateur Mario Batali food processes it with other seasonings and rubs it on lamb chops he grills. Mint spices international stews and casseroles and can get whipped into Italian pesto. It can also be sprinkled with chopped chilies atop grilled or roasted vegetables. Try some of the "10-Second" ideas that follow.<br /><br />The tasty recipes that follow prove cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better cooks, since these are just guidelines and<em> there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw wows.<br />
<blockquote>--- In a blender, prepare a smoothie with soy milk or almond milk, unpeeled, cored Granny Smith apple chunks, a small handful of romaine lettuce, chopped fresh mint, ice cubes, and an all-natural sugar-free sweetener, like stevia.<br /><br />--- Food process fresh mint with freshly ground black pepper, curry powder, dried ginger, and tamarind, and rub over lamb chops before cooking.<br /><br />--- Stir freshly chopped mint into store-bought pesto, spread that onto Italian bread and make sandwiches using thinly sliced ham, provolone cheese, chopped sautéed mushrooms, finely chopped gherkin pickles, and a drizzle of spicy mustard.<br /><br />--- Before cooking, toss fresh asparagus with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, thinly sliced garlic cloves, sliced chili peppers, and chopped fresh mint. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts before serving.<br /><br />--- Before baking, mix into sugar-free brownie batter chopped fresh mint, butterscotch or peanut butter chips, chopped pecans, mini marshmallows, and dried cranberries. Serve each brownie with a sprig of fresh mint.</blockquote>
<br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em> Economical cork coasters - often just pennies each - blend in with any decor and are perfect for absorbing drips of liquid and protecting your tabletops. However, they also prove versatile elsewhere:<br />
<blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Vibrating cell phones (put on that setting to be "silent") often still make some noise, especially when they vibrate against a surface on which they may be placed. The cork coaster quiets it much more, though, when the phone is placed atop that.</li>
<li>They make a good decoy cover for a scratch on a wood table.</li>
<li>Glue or tape to a wall and use as a cute tiny bulletin board on which to pin mini sticky notes. </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
</blockquote>
<div><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</div>Staff2013-03-11T07:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Turn Your Winter Kitchen into an Economical Tropical Vacation SpotStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Turn-Your-Winter-Kitchen-into-an-Economical-Tropical-Vacation-Spot/-645635492017719932.html2013-02-25T08:05:00Z2013-02-25T08:05:00Z<em> </em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>This winter, receiving emails or postcards from faraway tropical paradises while you plow through snow or zip up your jacket tight might invoke envy. Instead, let it inspire quick, easy dinner menus that may have you believing trade winds are gently blowing through your dining room.</p>
<p>Lots of people take winter vacations to warm spots. Many others are still at the home front and nonstop busy with chores and obligations. You can bring the tropics to your dinner table, though, and feel some of the same calm and peacefulness as those staring out at a multi-hued sunset after a day on the beach. Use some of the tips that follow.</p>
<p>Fun fare and projects like these also prove food and beverage preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from everyone.</p>
<p><strong>The Food: </strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>--- There are many ingredients available year-round that immediately lighten up and brighten up meals and bring to mind the tropics, like lemon, lime, pineapple, cantaloupe and honeydew melons, and the imported papayas and mangoes that populate many supermarket produce sections. Frozen fresh fruit, too, is excellent, like peaches and a variety of berries. Many brands of canned tropical fruit mixes are sold in fruit juice only, without any added sugar. Some come in passion fruit juice, a great choice to conjure up the tropics.</p>
<p>--- Fresh or frozen fish is also outstanding for a winter tropical menu. Try varieties you may have only sampled before while visiting paradise, like mahi mahi from Hawaii or fish that's popular in the Caribbean, like red snapper and swordfish. A just-published large study from the activist group Oceana finds much of the nation's fish mislabeled, but the good news is that, unlike some types of restaurants, supermarkets had by far the best track record of being accurate.</p>
<p>--- Spices are a final important step to make a mini meal virtual vacation complete. For the most part, these are easy-to-find spices we use every day, just put in new combinations for flavor sensations. The Caribbean's Grenada, for instance, grows more spices per square mile than any place else on Earth, including cinnamon, clove, ginger, vanilla, turmeric, allspice and bay leaf. To get a taste of warm Grenada in a traditional cool-weather drink, add a cinnamon stick and 2 to 3 fresh bay leaves to homemade hot chocolate like they do on the West Indies Island.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>The Decor: </strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>--- Pull out those bamboo placemats or dusty tiki lamps. How about the fun plastic, colorful dishware that many of us reserve for summer patio meals? Mix and match with boldly colored napkins and tablecloths.</p>
<p>--- Make a quick centerpiece bowl from fruits and spices or by carving out a halved pineapple and filling it with tropical flowers.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>The Atmosphere: </strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>--- Eat your light meal as early as possible, potentially watching the sunset through your dining room or kitchen window.</p>
<p>--- Shed layers of heavy clothing and throw on something that's lighter, brighter and more comfortable, along with that puka shell necklace or coral bracelet you picked up on your last trip.</p>
<p>--- Let native music spice the cool winter air. Besides CDs you might have, the World Wide Web has plenty of free music streaming directly from stations in paradise. Check out, for instance, the world and international sections free under Media Guide in the Internet Radio portion of Windows Media Player, or do a search on Google, and you'll not only be munching on delicious delights, but also swaying to beats live from the Greek Isles, Hawaii or Tahiti.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> To avoid splatter and cleaning, sometimes it's tempting - or just seems like common sense - to cover surfaces with aluminum foil. However, even many foil manufacturers warn, to avoid heat damage to your oven, don't cover its floor or an entire rack with foil.</p>
<p> </p>
<div><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</div>Staff2013-02-25T08:05:00Z10-Second Recipes: A Paragraph a Day Is Good for Your Recipe BoxStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-A-Paragraph-a-Day-Is-Good-for-Your-Recipe-Box/-51645292865373561.html2013-02-18T08:01:00Z2013-02-18T08:01:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Peppy paragraphs may be all it takes to make you peppy too, by saving time and energy in the kitchen. Even if English wasn't your best subject in school, shaping your meal ideas into a perfect paragraph is a good culinary strategy.</p>
<p>Think of what you'd like to prepare, how you'd like it to turn out, and commit it to a piece of paper or the notepad feature on your computer or mobile device (as even smartphones now make the perfect recipe box for treats like this). This is so quick and easy you could even do it in between returning phone calls and emails at work or shuttle stops during your kids' after-school activities.</p>
<p>It's convenient because you just need to think in generalities, rather than specific amounts of ingredients. It becomes even more convenient when you mix and match homemade touches with store-bought products.</p>
<p>For me, it's often been helpful just before an important event when I haven't had time to plan, such as when I came up with this Chocolate-Pumpkin Layer Cake for a potluck later the same evening:</p>
<p>“Bake 2 layers of sugar-free chocolate cake, according to packaged mix instructions. Scoop out filling of a store-bought, sugar-free pumpkin pie or prepare homemade pumpkin pie filling and spread it thickly and generously atop one of the cake layers and place other layer atop it. Frost with store-bought, sugar-free vanilla frosting into which you have blended ground cinnamon, ground cloves and ground ginger. Drizzle cake with pure maple syrup.”</p>
<p>No one knew the cake was such a quick fix and almost everyone asked for the “recipe.”</p>
<p>Other times, a helping hand toward inspiration is welcome. Here are some of my favorite sources:</p>
<p>-- <em>How to Cook Without a Book: Recipes and Techniques Every Cook Should Know by Heart </em>by Pam Anderson. The former executive editor of <em>Cook's Illustrated </em>magazine bubbles over in her helpful cheat sheet.</p>
<p>-- <em>Cooking Without Recipes: Unleash Your Creativity and Prepare Meals Your Friends and Family Will Love</em> by Cheryl Sindell. This 1997 paperback gem is worth seeking out from sellers on Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, eBay and other sources. Besides tips, plenty of the talented author’s meals appear as easily reproducible blurbs.</p>
<p>-- <em>Cooking Light Complete Cookbook: A Fresh New Way to Cook</em>, Mary Kay Culpepper, editor-in-chief. Save the thousands of recipes in this book for when you've got time. Instead, flip to the hundreds of meals conveyed in just a paragraph or less.</p>
<p>-- Your newspaper food section or its accompanying website. These are often filled with quick ideas as well as full recipes. For example, an article in the<em> Los Angeles Times </em>featured 40 gourmet, yet easy, adult brown-bag lunch ideas: “Make simple spring rolls by rolling up in rice paper romaine lettuce, julienned carrot and daikon, grilled tofu (or cooked shrimp if you have the option to refrigerate your lunch) and some fresh mint and basil. Pack a container of peanut sauce for dipping.”</p>
<p>-- Public relations websites for products, such as <a href="http://www.meals.com" target="_blank">www.meals.com</a> from Nestle Kitchens, are often full not only of recipes, but also feature quick paragraphs you can virtually commit to memory, such as this one for Butterscotch Haystacks:</p>
<p>“Line trays with wax paper. Microwave 1 (11-ounce) package of butterscotch morsels or sugar-free chocolate morsels in large, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on medium-high (70 percent) power for 1 minute; stir. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, carefully stirring just until morsels are melted. Stir in 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter until well blended. Add 1 (8.5-ounce can) of chow mein noodles and miniature marshmallows (as always, marshmallows are sugar-free and moderate in calories); toss until all ingredients are coated. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared trays. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Yields about 70 candies.”</p>
<p>Tasty food like all of the aforementioned proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining – and fast. They take <em>just 10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You – and your kidlet helpers – effortlessly become better cooks, since these are just guidelines and <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw wows.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em> Some studies have shown that tricks and reminders may be as effective weight-loss tools as anything else for adults. People who slipped on a ring of theirs that was loose and thought, “I want to keep this loose,” were shown to eat less while wearing it, as well as those who wore pants they owned that were slightly loose and concentrated a few times an hour on similar thoughts.<br /><br /></p>
<div><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</div>Staff2013-02-18T08:01:00Z10-Second Recipes: Get 'Kissed' in the Kitchen this Valentine's DayStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Get-Kissed-in-the-Kitchen-this-Valentines-Day/947111160257284595.html2013-02-04T08:20:00Z2013-02-04T08:20:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Chances are, you will get kissed in the kitchen if you give your Valentine a copy of <em>The New Food Lover's Companion: More Than 6,700 A-to-Z Entries Describe Foods, Cooking Techniques, Herbs, Spices, Desserts, Wines, and the Ingredients for Pleasurable Dining.</em> This isn't just a book about food - it's <em>the</em> book. <em>The Los Angeles Times</em> called it "the foodies' bible" when describing the 2007 death of its author Sharon Tyler Herbst.<br /><br />The definitions grew by leaps and bounds as over about 20 years four editions (the last one published in 2007) emerged of the comprehensive paperback guide (which now also includes a deluxe 2009 hardcover edition prepared by coauthor/husband Ron Herbst with slightly different organization).<br /><br />The tome is a quick cook's dream. Entries are alphabetical, concise, and definitive. Sometimes it's fun to just flip through and learn in a split second about recipes, flavors, and techniques you never may have heard of before.<br /><br />For instance, this Valentine's Day I'll be making <em>kissel</em>, a popular and easy potato starch-based Russian home-style fresh fruit gelatin-like custard, that turns out appropriately red for Valentine's Day when prepared with the traditional strawberries or cranberries. Although lots of recipes come up for it in an online search, I became aware of it from <em>The New Food Lover's Companion's</em> listing. I was just as intrigued to learn that a <em>kiss </em>is "a small, mound-shape, baked meringue, which often contains chopped nuts, cherries or coconut...[and is] light and chewy."<br /><br />Sharon Tyler Herbst's secondary definition for <em>kiss </em>may hit closer to home: "The term also applies to small one-bite candies, usually commercially produced." However, the perfect time to translate the kiss concept in your home kitchen is Valentine's Day. What follows are easy economical ideas, the first based on <em>baci</em>, the Italian word for <em>kiss</em>, which chefs often apply to bite-size pastries.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows." <br /><br /><strong>Coliseum-Sized Flavor in Tiny Italian Kisses</strong><br />Spray mini muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray, press in thawed puff pastry dough and bake at temperature according to package instructions just until golden brown. When out of oven and cool, spray the pastries lightly with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle with ground cinnamon, a natural no-calorie sweetener like stevia, ground nutmeg, and red sprinkles.<br /><br /><strong>Meringue Kisses to Make You Merry</strong><br />Split your favorite meringue recipe into quarters, and before baking, gently fold one of these into each part: dark chocolate-covered raisins; finely chopped candied pecans; broken up pieces of dark chocolate-covered coconut candy; dried cherries or cranberries. <br /><br /><strong>Nutritionally-Charged Kisses</strong><br />Spread store-bought cereal bars with whipped cream cheese you have mixed with a no-calorie sweetener like stevia, top with red and chocolate sprinkles and cut into bite-sized pieces.<br /><br /><strong>Blow a Kiss to Your Beverages</strong><br />Fill either mini ice cube trays or regular ones with a mixture of pomegranate (or Concord grape) juice, cranberry juice, sugar-free lemon-lime soda and fresh lime juice, and flavor your drinks - like iced tea or sparkling water - with them. <br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Upside-down foods are fairly common, like pineapple upside-down cake and <em>tarte tatin</em>, the French upside-down apple tart also popular in the United States. But what about giving "inside-out" food a try? Recently, inside-out s'mores brownies won a cooking contest in <em>Better Homes and Gardens</em> magazine. The graham crackers and marshmallows are baked inside the brownies. Some other ideas for inside-out innovations include: chicken potpie with crust "dumplings" inside instead of an outer crust; open-faced peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (or perhaps switched out with interesting choices, like almond butter and apple pie filling); and cake with the frosting baked inside (a la how pudding is often used in cakes to moisten and add flavor).</p>
<div><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</div>Staff2013-02-04T08:20:00Z10-Second Recipes: Beautify Breakfast with Brown Rice, Beans and VegetablesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Beautify-Breakfast-with-Brown-Rice,-Beans-and-Vegetables/-500809572117426319.html2013-01-28T17:44:00Z2013-01-28T17:44:00Z<em></em><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<div><br />The Good Earth, a small group of natural food restaurants begun in the 1970s that the trade journal <em>Nation's Restaurant News</em> called, "probably the most prominent chain example of a health-food concept," serves up innovative ideas that you can easily and economically replicate at home, such as starting the day with whole grains, vegetables and legumes. Among the choices of side dishes, their breakfasts not only include grilled potatoes, but a brown rice pilaf prepared with celery, mushrooms and scallions, or creations featuring pinto, azuki or black beans. Not only do these dishes add highly nutritious unexpected flavors to breakfast, but they do so economically, since beans and rice are among the most inexpensive ingredients. Try some of my easy ideas inspired by this concept below.</div>
<div><br />Dishes like these prove innovative food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The combinations are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better cooks, since<em> there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."</div>
<div><strong> </strong><strong><br />Be a Pilaf Perfectionist</strong><br />
<p>Quickly sauté uncooked brown rice in a small amount of butter with minced onions. Complete cooking of rice in tomato juice that has been seasoned with freshly ground black pepper and curry powder. When rice is cooked, stir in a mixture of finely minced cooked spinach and kale.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p><strong>Potato-Style Pancakes Without the Potatoes</strong></p>
</div>
<div>Take cooked brown rice that you've prepared with low-sodium vegetable broth, finely minced onions, celery and zucchini, and Italian seasoning mix, and form into flat pancakes. Heat a skillet with a small amount of olive oil. Lightly fry pancakes on each side until they get somewhat crispy.
<p><strong>An Apple a Day with Your Beans</strong></p>
</div>
<div>Bake red apples until soft, let cool enough to handle, cut into small chunks, sprinkle with ground cinnamon and freshly ground pepper. Reheat slightly and toss into cooked warm black beans.<br />
<p><strong>"Egg-stra" Spicy Touch </strong></p>
</div>
Puree cooked pinto beans and then stir in salsa and minced fresh cilantro. Serve warm in a whole-grain tortilla wrap with scrambled eggs.
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> The Good Earth whole-food restaurants found that when they substituted green Granny Smith apples for the usual red apples in their fresh-squeezed juice, the customer inquiries and rave reviews skyrocketed. Although Granny Smith apples are tart when eaten by hand, there is an immediate extremely sweet tang to the juice that is much more pronounced and memorable than when milder red varieties are used, bringing to mind the fresh blends of apple juice that are famed in England. If trying juice like this at home, attempt to purchase small-to-medium-sized Granny Smith apples by the bag (usually about 3 pounds per sack), instead of individually to save on your grocery bill.</p>
<strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2013-01-28T17:44:00Z10-Second Recipes: Cruise on These Affordable Submarines Toward Good NutritionStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Cruise-on-These-Affordable-Submarines-Toward-Good-Nutrition/507281532811781913.html2013-01-21T08:04:00Z2013-01-21T08:04:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<br />Popular national submarine sandwich shops often show off in their ads which subs are lower in fat and calories compared to the more tubby ones they offer. Almost always, this also involves selecting a smaller roll than the longest choice. You can make the same wise decisions at home while replicating the fun of going out.<br /><br />In addition to choosing moderately sized rolls (preferably whole wheat and multigrain, like the chains bake), you should have lots of appealing vegetables on hand to make the sandwich a fresh produce to protein ratio of three to one. These might include: spinach, bell pepper, olives, sprouts, cucumber, zucchini and herbs, like basil and cilantro. Use low-fat cheese and low-fat mayonnaise, if any at all. Select lower fat proteins, such as turkey and chicken breasts, ham, tofu and tuna. Then top it off with some pizzazz, like they do, with drizzles of olive oil and red wine vinegar and a grinding of black pepper. Your fertile imagination will surely do the trick, but some creative combinations are also included below. The good news: Just like at the restaurants, this is an economical and fun way to fill up your family.<br /><br />Selections like these prove innovative food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The combinations are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better in the kitchen, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."<br /><br /><em>Consider using moderately sized whole-wheat or multigrain rolls for all of these (or tortillas made with similar ingredients to prepare wraps instead):</em><br /><br /><strong>Spinach Makes This Sandwich Stronger</strong><br />Layer of spinach, layer of turkey breast, layer of sliced fresh zucchini, sprinkling of sunflower seeds, layer of thinly sliced kiwi and thinly sliced sweet apple, like Gala or Fuji, drizzling of light soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. <br /><br /><strong>Swim Toward This Tuna</strong><br />Layer of pepper jack cheese (or Monterey Jack cheese sprinkled lightly with red pepper flakes), layer of cilantro, chunks of tuna, sprinkling of sliced almonds, sliced red bell pepper, splashes of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.<br /><br /><strong>"Tofu" and "Terrific" Go Together</strong><br />Marinate slices of firm tofu for only a few minutes in fresh lime juice, ponzu sauce (a less salty sauce than soy sauce that's also slightly sweet located in the soy sauce aisle of supermarkets) or light soy sauce, freshly ground black pepper and curry powder. Layer sandwich roll with mixed greens, then tofu, then sliced black olives, pea pods and shavings of fresh ginger.<br /><br /><strong>You May Melt Over This Ham Combo</strong><br />Spread roll with Dijon mustard, then add layer of fresh basil, layer of thinly sliced honey ham, and layer of sliced cucumber and sliced sweet gherkins. Sprinkle with chopped candied pecans. Top with Swiss cheese. Toast just until bread gets slightly crispy and cheese begins to melt.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Are there any picky kidlet eaters in your household who may think they don't like salads? Since this same crowd often does like fruit, consider salads that combine both fruits and vegetables. Some well-loved combinations (all served on a mixed greens base): tomatoes - yes, officially a fruit, but generally used as and with as many nutrients as a vegetable - and watermelon; apple and celery (a la in tasty Waldorf salads; use low-fat mayonnaise or, better, nonfat plain Greek or regular yogurt); and carrots and raisins, as in those popular slaws that populate many restaurant buffet lines.<br /><br /><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2013-01-21T08:04:00Z10-Second Recipes: Economical 'Filler' Foods Add to the Sticking Power of New Year's Nutrition ResolutionsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Economical-Filler-Foods-Add-to-the-Sticking-Power-of-New-Years-Nutrition-Resolutions/-946385683215437963.html2013-01-07T15:03:00Z2013-01-07T15:03:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Making New Year's resolutions this month is easy. Keeping them is more difficult. But, if your family's goal is to lose weight, what if you succeed? Congratulations, but maintaining that achievement has been shown to be hardest of all. Studies indicate that 95 percent of dieters gain back all the lost weight, plus at least 10 percent more. This can set up a pattern of yo-yo dieting, which doctors warn is often more dangerous to the body than simply staying consistently at a higher weight. Therefore, the most important resolution may be to figure out how not to regain the pounds you lost. <br /><br />Nutritionists have long recommended tips such as having soup or salad before a meal to fill up first. Pete Thomas won the $100,000 prize on the second season of <em>The Biggest Loser</em> (after shedding most of his 185 pounds in nine months on his own at home after being voted off the show). He's an athlete, physical and motivational trainer, online weight-loss program founder, and diet book author who has kept the weight off for seven years partially through an innovative method that expands upon the "fill up first" philosophy. He calls it: "Fluid. Fill. Feast." For a meal, first, he and his followers drink a healthful fluid, then fill up on a nutritious soup, salad, or other high-volume, low-calorie food, like a plate of fresh broccoli, and finally "feast" on portion-controlled, healthfully prepared comfort foods that they crave, such as oven-baked crusted chicken that tastes like it's fried or macaroni and cheese prepared with low-fat milk and cheeses. Outstanding, too, is that many of these filler foods, like fresh vegetables, are the most economical the supermarket has to offer. To get the hang of eating in a way that loosely follows these tenets, try some of my quick ideas below. <br /><br />Strategic food choices like this prove that preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty "home cooking" and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better chefs, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."<br /><br /><strong>Fluid:</strong> Three ounces tomato juice mixed with 3 ounces water, freshly ground black pepper and a dash of curry powder.<br /><strong>Fill:</strong> Plate of fresh spinach topped with sliced fresh store-bought mushrooms and drizzled with dashes of olive oil and red wine vinegar.<br /><strong>Feast:</strong> Cooked ground turkey breast, vegetable or soy burger (made with your favorite seasonings) on toasted whole-wheat hamburger bun, spread with fat-free bleu cheese dressing and topped with romaine lettuce, tomato slices and grilled onions.<br /><br /><strong>Fluid:</strong> Six ounces diet soda that includes a natural sweetener, such as stevia.<br /><strong>Fill: </strong>Store-bought or homemade butternut squash soup mixed with almond milk (provides creamy results for only about 20 calories per half cup) and sprinkled with ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, black pepper and salt substitute, if desired.<br /><strong>Feast:</strong> Cook store-bought, whole-grain ravioli (usually sold in the refrigerated or freezer section of major supermarkets) according to package directions. Carefully drain. Place in a microwave-safe container or a baking dish, cover with preheated pasta sauce that contains no sugar and top with mozzarella and low-fat cheddar cheese. Drizzle with chopped cilantro and scallions, and microwave or bake just until cheese begins to melt, being careful not to overcook ravioli.<br /><br /><strong>Fluid:</strong> Mix 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons (or to taste) of a natural sweetener like stevia, and 8 ounces boiling water. Let cool enough to sip. (Besides this beverage being filling and tasting good, unsweetened cocoa is high in antioxidants and has also been shown to help improve blood sugar levels.)<br /><strong>Fill:</strong> Plate of mixed salad greens, topped with watermelon and cantaloupe slices, drizzled with a dressing you've mixed from low-carbohydrate fruit yogurt and olive oil and topped with finely chopped fresh basil.<br /><strong>Feast:</strong> Scoop out filling of baked potatoes and mash with minced garlic, nonfat sour cream and chopped chives. Remove skin and breasts of store-bought rotisserie chicken and make a slice in center of breasts to create a pocket. Fill with mashed potatoes and drizzle with a heated sauce that is a mixture of light soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and red pepper flakes. Save additional parts of the chicken for leftovers.<br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Wedge salads are a fun way to add more nutrition to your meals. Popular at upscale steakhouses and other fine restaurants, a wedge salad that you eat with a fork and knife is usually simply iceberg lettuce (about a quarter of a head) served as a chunk with goodies, such as cooked bacon bits and chopped tomatoes, sprinkled on top and draped in bleu cheese dressing. However, some restaurant chains, like Buca di Beppo, sometimes feature an "Italian Wedge Salad" filled with olives and other vegetables, which up the health quotient. Follow suit and drizzle your chunk of lettuce - <em>or better yet, use a chunk of cabbage </em>- with a variety of finely chopped raw vegetables. In addition to tomatoes and olives, you might include carrots, celery, zucchini and green beans. Crumble with bits of cooked turkey bacon or soy bacon and top with a creamy vinaigrette dressing that includes the "super food" ingredient, olive oil.<br /><br /><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2013-01-07T15:03:00ZBaby's First HanukkahStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Babys-First-Hanukkah/-418658270140468082.html2012-12-17T15:53:00Z2012-12-17T15:53:00Z<p><strong>Cheryl Tallman</strong><br /><a href="http://www.freshbaby.com/" target="_blank">FreshBaby.com</a><br /><br />Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a celebration of the rededication of the Holy Temple after it was reclaimed from the Syrian-Greeks more than 21 centuries ago. Fried foods are traditional fare during Hanukkah, commemorating the miracle of the Hanukkah oil that lasted eight days when it should have only last one.</p>
<p>Here are some ideas and recipes on how to include your little ones in the flavors of Hanukkah.</p>
<p><em><strong>Baby's Age: about 6 months</strong></em></p>
<p>Common first food purees that have a Hanukkah flavor include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Applesauce</li>
<li>Green Beans</li>
<li>Broccoli</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Broccoli Puree:<br /></strong>Prep 1 1/2 pounds of fresh broccoli by washing and cutting off the stalk ends. Cut the broccoli into one inch chunks. If fresh broccoli is not available, use 20 ounces of frozen, already cut, broccoli instead.</p>
<p>There are two ways to cook the broccoli before pureeing.</p>
<p><em>Microwave:</em> Place the broccoli in a microwave-safe dish with 2 Tablespoons of water. Cover with a lid. Cook on HIGH for 8-10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. The broccoli is done if a fork slides easily into them or they can be mashed easily. Place the broccoli, cooking juice, and 2 Tablespoons of water into a blender or food processor.</p>
<p><em>Stove:</em> Pour 11/2 cups of water in a large saucepan. Put a steamer basket in the saucepan. Place broccoli pieces in the steamer basket. Cover the saucepan and place it on a stove burner. Set the burner temperature to HIGH and bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for the suggested cooking time in the table. Don't let the water boil away. Check the water level during cooking and add more water if needed. Let stand for 5 minutes. The broccoli is done if a fork slides easily into it or it can be mashed easily. Place the vegetables and 4 Tablespoons of cooking juice into a blender or food processor.</p>
<p>Once your broccoli is cooked and cooled you can puree it. Puree broccoli in the blender or food processor to a smooth texture. You may need to add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of additional water to get a smooth texture. At least once during the puree process, stop the appliance and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.<br /> <br />Spoon the pureed broccoli into ice cube trays and cover them. Put them in the freezer for 8 to 10 hours or overnight.</p>
<p><em><strong>Baby's Age: 7-12 Months:</strong></em></p>
<p>Instead of Latkes, one of the most common Hanukkah foods, try this delicious puree for baby.</p>
<p><strong>Kohlrabi-Potato Puree<br /></strong>Kohlrabi tastes similar to the stems of broccoli. When choosing kohlrabi at the market, look for kohlrabi bulbs that are about 21/2 inches in diameter. Any larger and the skin may be tough and the insides can be woody.</p>
<ul>
<li>2 medium russet potatoes</li>
<li>2 kohlrabi bulbs (about 2-1/2 inch wide each)</li>
<li>1/4 medium onion, chopped</li>
<li>6 medium button mushrooms, sliced</li>
<li>1 Tbsp. olive oil</li>
<li>Pinch of salt and pepper</li>
<li>1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock</li>
</ul>
<p>Wash, peel and cut potatoes into 1-inch chunks. Remove leaves and stems from Kohlrabi bulbs, wash, peel and cut them into 1-inch chunks.<br /> <br />Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add potato and kohlrabi chunks. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes. To check if they are done, a fork should slide through the pieces easily. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet. Add onion, mushrooms and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté over medium-low heat until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.<br /> <br />Drain potato and kohlrabi and place in a food processor or blender. Add soup stock and puree until smooth, adding more or less liquid to achieve desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste.<br /> <br />Spoon the mixture into So Easy Storage Trays, Cover and Freeze.<br /> <br />To serve: Defrost cubes and warm slightly.</p>
<p><em>Older babies who are already enjoying finger foods and toddlers will enjoy a hearty applesauce and these delicious potato pancakes</em>.</p>
<p><strong>Toddler Treat: Potato Pancakes</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>2 medium Russet potatoes</li>
<li>2-3 scallions, thinly sliced</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>2 Tbsp. flour</li>
<li>4 Tbsp. vegetable oil</li>
<li>1/4 tsp of each salt and pepper</li>
<li>Dash of nutmeg</li>
<li>Perfect Applesauce (see below for recipe)</li>
</ul>
<p>Wash, peel and grate potatoes (for grating use a box grater or a food processor). In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the egg, scallions, flour, salt, pepper, nutmeg and egg. Add potatoes and mix thoroughly.?</p>
<p>Pour oil into a large, frying pan. The oil should cover the bottom of the pan about 1/8-inch deep. Heat oil on medium high heat. Using about 1/3 cup, drop the potato mixture into hot oil and flatten with the back of a spoon. Fry 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in low oven until serving time. Repeat until all potato mixture is used.?</p>
<p>Makes about 8 potato pancakes. Serve warm with applesauce</p>
<p><br /><strong>Perfect Applesauce</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>4 cooking apples (such as Golden Delicious or McIntosh)</li>
<li>2 Tbsp. butter or margarine</li>
<li>1/3 cup water</li>
<li>1/4 cup sugar</li>
<li>1/4 tsp. cinnamon</li>
</ul>
<p>Wash, peel, and remove the core from the apples<br />Place apples, butter, sugar, water and cinnamon in a heavy pan.<br />Cook on low heat until apples are soft and mushy, about 25-30 minutes.</p>
<p>Make about 3 cups, 6 servings</p>
<p><strong>About the author:</strong> Cheryl Tallman is the co-founder of <a href="http://www.freshbaby.com/" target="_blank">FreshBaby.com</a>, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the <em>So Easy Baby Food </em>and the new book <em>So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years</em>. Visit Cheryl online at <a href="http://www.freshbaby.com/" target="_blank">FreshBaby.com</a> for more delicious tips.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2012-12-17T15:53:00Z10-Second Recipes: Make It a Memorable White Christmas with White ChocolateStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Make-It-a-Memorable-White-Christmas-with-White-Chocolate/-317468547460836555.html2012-12-10T15:03:00Z2012-12-10T15:03:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Giving your family a white holiday season they won't soon forget doesn't necessarily mean going skiing or sledding. In fact, it can be just as easily accomplished in kitchens in warm locales like Los Angeles or Miami. Just perform the simple trick of substituting white chocolate for dark in your holiday desserts, and you'll be serving up winter wonders that won't be soon forgotten, although they are deceptively simple to prepare. <br /><br />White chocolate is originally a European term and, technically, not a true chocolate because there is no chocolate liquor. However, it gets its name from the cocoa butter (32 percent in extremely fine versions) in the product, which often gives it a light chocolate flavor. It also contains milk, sugar and vanilla, and it's made in the same manner as chocolate. Less expensive versions often use vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter and still usually taste rich and creamy. These days, white chocolate is just as readily available as dark chocolate in bars, morsels and frostings in the baking aisles of most major supermarkets, yet it's still often perceived as exotic and gourmet. And, just as a home's living room looks dramatic when done in all white fabrics, carpets and furnishings, so does a holiday dessert that's engulfed in bright white.<br /><br />Food preparation, from cooking to creating innovative gifts or charitable donations, can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to get into motion.</em> These creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows."<br /><br /><strong>Fudge Worthy of a First Place Ribbon</strong><br />In your favorite fudge recipe, substitute white chocolate and include dried cranberries, crystallized ginger and melted marshmallows.<br /><br /><strong>Icing That's Red Hot</strong><br />White chocolate can be a wonderful accent. In "Mocha" by Michael Turback, he mixes melted white chocolate, espresso and coffee liquor into his frosting before piping it onto devil's food cake cupcakes.<br /><br /><strong>Delicious "Snowball" from Your Freezer</strong><br />To yield a quart of rich white chocolate ice cream, substitute 10 ounces white chocolate, broken into small pieces, into your favorite ice cream maker recipe (calls for melting first with 3 / 4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 cups heavy cream at room temperature). The richness that results is a far more indulgent treat than even many of the best vanilla ice creams.<br /><br /><strong>An Easy Add for Cookies</strong><br />Substitute white chocolate chips in your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and frost with vanilla icing into which you've mixed ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.<br /><br /><strong>Sweet Holiday Mini "Sandwiches"</strong><br />Break off bite-sized squares of white chocolate and top half with berry all-fruit spread (available in the jam aisle of many supermarkets) and sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts and minced fresh mint before topping with a plain square of white chocolate to complete the "sandwich."<br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> XO sauce is a spicy condiment created hundreds of years ago in Hong Kong, then and now one of the world's culinary hotspots. Most famed restaurant chefs there today create their own versions and the recipes are secret. If a chef bestows a bottle on you, it's considered an honor. Consider creating your own homemade sauces, a la XO sauces. As a foundation, start with the sauces from your favorite recipes, follow bottling procedure in a good canning cookbook (usually just a few easy steps), keep refrigerated if needed, and give to friends and family as holiday gifts or favors.<br /><br /><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-12-10T15:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Cookbook Shortcuts Save Time and MoneyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Cookbook-Shortcuts-Save-Time-and-Money/-675293384260363489.html2012-12-03T15:03:00Z2012-12-03T15:03:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
If you have time to read cookbooks, the results can be delicious. If you don't, your takeout and restaurant food bills may be higher than if you were reaping the benefits of cooking at home. Speed-reading can be a worthwhile habit when it comes to cookbooks. Skim them, let flavors and combinations jump out at you, and make much more simplistic dishes than those listed. You still end up with highly delicious choices, like the mozzarella panini sandwiches with mushroom pesto and raspberry-vanilla bread pudding that follow. Better yet, when following this philosophy, the dishes get branded with your own individual stamp.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy all-American family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, <em>since there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests. <br /><br /><strong>Roasted Red Pepper Soup</strong><br />Roast red bell peppers, cool until safe to handle, slice and puree in strong blender or food processor with chunks of cooked butternut or other squash and finely chopped shallots. Add Mexican seasoning blend, vegetable broth, almond milk and heat in saucepan until hot. <br /><em>(Inspired by "The Epicurious Cookbook" edited by Tanya Steel and the editors of Epicurious.)</em><br /><br /><strong>Mozzarella Panini Sandwiches with Mushroom Pesto</strong><br />Lightly butter each side of slices of Italian bread, place slices of mozzarella on top of half of the slices of bread as well as a dollop of store-bought pesto into which you've stirred small pieces of grilled Portobello or other supermarket-bought mushrooms. Top with another piece of the lightly buttered bread and grill sandwiches on both sides in a grill pan or skillet until cheese is melting and bread is golden brown.<br /><em>(Inspired by "Mike Isabella's Crazy Good Italian" by Mike Isabella and Carol Blymire.)</em><br /><br /><strong>Couscous with Chickpeas and Almonds</strong><br />Prepare couscous according to package instructions, using vegetable broth for at least half of the liquid. When done cooking, stir in toasted sliced almonds, cooked chickpeas, raisins, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, coriander and cilantro.<br /><em>(Inspired by "Joy of Cooking All About Vegetarian Cooking" by Irma Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker.)</em><br /><br /><strong>Raspberry-Vanilla Bread Pudding</strong><br />Gently mix fresh raspberries or thawed and drained frozen ones with store-bought, sugar-free vanilla pudding. Gently stir in one-inch squares of toasted cinnamon-raisin bread, and drizzle on a tiny amount of fresh lemon juice and a dash of unsweetened cocoa powder.<br /><em>(Inspired by "Ten Dollar Dinners" by Melissa d'Arabian.)</em><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Utilities are at a premium. Consider getting informal second opinions to help hold down costs. A landscaper, for instance, may say to set electric automatic sprinklers for 10 minutes, five times a week. Then, as in a recent case, a plumber at the same location fixing kitchen pipes, when queried, might say five minutes every other day is more than enough. A neighbor on the same street may give another suggestion. Weigh all advice for issues like these and you may see a pleasant drop in your bills.<br /><br /><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-12-03T15:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Add Vegetable Vitality to Your Thanksgiving LeftoversStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Add-Vegetable-Vitality-to-Your-Thanksgiving-Leftovers/839715351580843554.html2012-11-26T15:03:00Z2012-11-26T15:03:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Even if you didn't hide scores of extra vegetables in your Thanksgiving dishes, there's no reason you can't up your family's after-feast nutrition profile by stuffing leftovers full of compatible, seasonal vegetables. This will fill up your diners innovatively, deliciously and memorably so that, without even trying, sweets and other treats will take up less of their thoughts. Though nutritious, these, too, are delights, like the sweet potato puff appetizer and carrot cream cheese icing pumpkin pie dessert that follow.<br /><br />Tasty food like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better cooks, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw wows - <em>even though technically they are leftovers!</em><br /><br /><strong>Sweet Potato Hors D'oeuvres that Sweeten the Appetite</strong><br />Mince broccoli and sauté in olive oil with minced onions and garlic. Gently mix with leftover sweet potato casserole and place in thawed puff pastry sheets cut to fit in the compartments of a mini muffin tin that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake according to puff pastry package instructions and serve warm.<br /><br /><strong>Super Soup Stuffed with Vegetables</strong><br />If you have a leftover potato dish from your holiday feast, add roast seasoned root vegetables. When done cooking, puree the extra vegetables, along with the leftover potatoes, in a strong blender or food processor along with a small amount of almond milk (which tastes like cream without almost all of the fat and calories), taste to adjust seasoning if needed, reheat briefly in a soup pot and serve hot.<br /><br /><strong>Creative Cornbread</strong><br />Cornbread is an indulgent treat that you may have enjoyed for Thanksgiving. It's often made just with cornmeal. Increase the fiber, nutrients and flavor by placing in a skillet over medium-low heat olive oil, fresh corn, or thawed, drained frozen corn, small amounts of diced garlic and diced onions. Sauté until cooked, but not overdone, and spoon on top of the cornbread that was covered while reheating.<br /><br /><strong>Carrot Coup for Pies </strong><br />Puree cooked or raw carrots and blend, along with ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and an all-natural sugar-free sweetener, like stevia, into low-fat cream cheese. Use this as a frosting for leftover pumpkin pie. <br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Some seasons seem packed with a large variety of produce choices, and others not so many. But what if one selection can produce many choices? If you frequent farmers' markets, health food stores, online outlets or even just large supermarkets, you can often find multiple types - or purchase seeds to grow your own. Pears, for instance, come in more than 30 varieties, like tarusa crimson, duchesse, Asian, comice and twists on more common types, like red Bartlett and red Anjou. Eggplants, too, sport more than 30 kinds, like jade sweet, white sword, purple Rosita, striped toga and tasty offshoots, like eggplant blossoms.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-11-26T15:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Thankful for Many Economic Thanksgiving OptionsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Thankful-for-Many-Economic-Thanksgiving-Options/-935948562750173053.html2012-11-19T16:02:00Z2012-11-19T16:02:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Holidays, like Thanksgiving, are often stuffed with our favorite foods of all time. However, when you rely on old standbys just because they are familiar, it lessens the potential pizzazz. The ideas that follow - they take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare </em>- prove that virtually any Thanksgiving staple (like sweet potatoes, stuffing or pumpkin) can be twisted and turned into a new holiday masterpiece on demand. Better yet, rather than starting from scratch, they can improve the meal for just pennies per serving. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Food preparation - <em>even for holiday guests </em>- can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun and fast, as the following split-second sensations prove. The dishes are delicious evidence that everyone - including you and your kidlet helpers - has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, even when preparing holiday specialties, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the table.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>TURKEY<br /></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Glad for New Glaze</strong><br />Give your glaze a fresh outlook and create an innovative meal theme at the same time. A bird with Hawaiian flair, for instance, might get glazed with a syrup you've created as it reduces while you are stirring on the stovetop from coconut milk, pineapple juice, freshly ground black pepper and cayenne pepper. Turn it into a theme by adding chopped macadamia nuts and fresh pineapple chunks to your stuffing and a drizzle of bottled guava, papaya or mango nectar to your pumpkin pie before baking and then topping it with sprinkles of sweetened coconut flakes just before serving.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Gravitate Toward These Gravies</strong><br />As good as it is, gravy is often bland. Why not perk it up a bit as it heats. Consider adding just a dash of strategic flavor, like cayenne and chopped jalapenos (experts recommend wearing latex gloves and not touching your eyes during or after handling peppers); finely diced garlic and pumpkin pie spice; or peach jam or all-fruit, no-sugar spread (also available in the jam aisles of most supermarkets) and curry powder.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>STUFFING<br /></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>The Shape of Things to Come</strong><br />Stuffing doesn't always need to be stuffed into something. It can make quite a statement on its own. Fill either regular-sized or mini-muffin trays with cooked stuffing and bake or form it into loaves. Or stuff the stuffing, by placing a surprise, like a prune or a green olive, in the middle of a stuffing muffin.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>More than a Side Dish</strong><br />Stuffing can function as a surprising course, rather than its usual side dish status. Substitute seasoned, dry stuffing mix for the bread, or along with it, in your favorite bread pudding recipe for a kick.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>SWEET POTATOES</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Baked Beauties</strong><br />Instead of a casserole, consider baking sweet potatoes to serve to guests individually, along with a buffet of toppings, such as honey, pure maple syrup, mini marshmallows, composed butters (like those to which you've added freshly chopped herbs or spices) or a mixture of diced dried fruit, such as cranberries, golden raisins, apricots and figs.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Even Sweeter Sweet Potatoes</strong><br />Mix in or substitute sweet potatoes for pumpkin in a pie for dessert or in muffins. Sweeten a sweet potato puree (made from the flesh of peeled sweet potatoes) with honey or brown sugar, warm it and use as a dessert topping for vanilla ice cream that you then top with browned, melting mini marshmallows and toasted walnuts.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>PUMPKIN<br /></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>One Cozy Cocktail</strong><br />Consider a toast with mini pumpkin smoothies during appetizer time or to start off the meal. In a blender, to vanilla soymilk, add a dash of canned pumpkin pie filling (or canned pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and a natural no-calorie sweetener, such as stevia), banana, pumpkin seeds, candied pecans and ice and blend until smooth.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>"Pumpkin Pie" Where You'd Least Expect It</strong><br />Add minced chopped unpeeled pumpkin to your stuffing or green bean casserole before cooking as well as a sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice and crushed graham cracker crumbs. The same additions can be made to a mixed green or spinach salad if you cube and roast the pumpkin first. You can serve it on top of the salad warm for a wilted effect or let it cool first. Drizzle with pepitas (lightly salted roasted pumpkin seeds) and poppy seed-based salad dressing or raspberry vinaigrette.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Preparing ethnic food is often seen as a complicated departure from everyday cooking. Not only are ethnic cuisines that are based on fresh, seasonal ingredients often simple to prepare, sometimes it's as uncomplicated as keeping a minimally stocked pantry of staples ready to go. For Chinese cuisine, for example, Taiwanese-born food product company owner and Cooking Channel host Ching-He Huang in her first U.S.-published cookbook, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/006207749X/noxsolutions-20/ref=nosim" target="_blank">Ching's Everyday Easy Chinese: More than 100 Quick & Healthy Chinese Recipes</a>," recommends her top-ten choices. They are economic options - many of which are available in the ethnic aisle of major supermarkets, or, if not, at Asian markets: light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, shaohsing rice wine, toasted sesame oil, five-spice powder, Sichuan peppercorns, chinkiang black rice vinegar, clear rice vinegar, chili bean sauce and chili sauce.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-11-19T16:02:00Z10-Second Recipes: Cleverly Gobble Up More Vegetables This ThanksgivingStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Cleverly-Gobble-Up-More-Vegetables-This-Thanksgiving/863613153570620541.html2012-11-12T15:06:00Z2012-11-12T15:06:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
A cornucopia that's overflowing with produce is a symbol of Thanksgiving and <em>often the perfect centerpiece for the holiday table.</em> Why not take a cue from that abundance and the blessings that are part of the seasonal fall harvest and innovatively sneak even more nutritious vegetables than ever into your holiday feast? This will fill up your family and friends innovatively, deliciously and memorably so that, without even trying, sweets and other treats will make up less of the meal. Though nutritious, these too are delights, like the pumpkin puff appetizer and carrot pie dessert that follow.<br /><br />Tasty food like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better cooks, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw wows and many a "thank you" this Thanksgiving.<br /><br /><strong>Pumpkin Pastries to Pump Up the Palate</strong><br />Appetizers sometimes get dubbed the junk food portion of the meal since they may be greasy "fun" foods. Pleasure is possible without all that. Pumpkin is one of the most nutritious and delicious ingredients. Take canned pumpkin and puree it, season with cinnamon, a natural sugar-free sweetener like stevia, and a dash of curry powder, and place in thawed puff pastry sheets cut to fit in the compartments of a mini muffin tin that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake according to puff pastry package instructions and serve warm.<br /><br /><strong>Soup from Vegetables that Perform Double Duty</strong><br />Eating soup first has been shown to drastically cut appetites that might otherwise overeat. Roast a load of extra seasoned root vegetables with your turkey. When done cooking, puree the extra vegetables in a strong blender or food processor along with a small amount of almond milk (which tastes like cream without almost all of the fat and calories), taste to adjust seasoning if needed, reheat briefly in a soup pot and serve hot.<br /><br /><strong>A Corny Idea</strong><br />Cornbread is an indulgent treat, but often it's made just with cornmeal. Increase the fiber, nutrients and flavor by including a bit of fresh corn in the batter, and to make it even more gourmet and filled with antioxidants, add small amounts of diced garlic, diced onions and mashed, cooked sweet potatoes instead of a small portion of the liquid called for in most recipes.<br /><br /><strong>Creative Carrots</strong><br />Though not as well known, carrot pie is almost as old of a fall recipe as pumpkin pie. Just like carrot cake is a delicious treat, so is carrot pie. Shred carrots and substitute them for a third of the pumpkin in your next pie.<br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Spices are some of the world's most powerful and concentrated sources of antioxidants. If you or your spouse work in an office, consider keeping a mini assortment in a desk drawer in either tightly closed double plastic sandwich bags or closed clean tiny makeup foundation sample jars that can be bought at beauty supply stores. Then the spices can be sprinkled anytime on takeout sandwiches, salads, fruits or other meals eaten on breaks. Some of those that usually make researchers' lists include cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, oregano, rosemary, thyme and turmeric.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-11-12T15:06:00Z10-Second Recipes: Creative Fixes for Candy CravingsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Creative-Fixes-for-Candy-Cravings/-566636649802609526.html2012-11-05T15:01:00Z2012-11-05T15:01:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Halloween is done, but sometimes the inclination of kidlets - and some adults - afterward <em>and any time of year confronted with candy </em>is to eat as much and as frequently as they can. The saying, though, that a little goes a long way couldn't be more true. If you think of candy as an accent rather than a main focus, cravings will be busted, smiles will ensue and the nutrition action plan you have in place for your family won't be rocked. In fact, the sweet flavor of the slight addition may just be enough to get kids to taste other foods that are good for them, like the buckwheat pancakes and terrific trail mix that follow.</p>
<p>Fun fare like this also shows innovative food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The combinations are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty "home cooking" and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become gourmets, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."</p>
<p><strong>Beautifying Buckwheat</strong><br />Buckwheat is a seed of an herb that's eaten like a grain. It is a good source of fiber and protein. Add some to whole-wheat pancakes and just before cooking stir into the batter a small amount of finely chopped pieces of chocolate-nut candy bars. Serve topped with fruit-only spread (available in the jam aisle of supermarkets) and a small dollop of whipped cream.</p>
<p><strong>Hit the Healthy Trail with This Mix</strong><br />Combine raisins, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, whole-grain rice cereal, bran cereal and one-quarter-inch squares you've chopped from chocolate-nut candy bars and that you've first rolled just slightly in instant nonfat dry milk powder (which will add some protein).</p>
<p><strong>Frozen Assets</strong><br />Top sugar-free frozen yogurt with a variety of small soft candies or chocolate shaved from bars. Add unsweetened coconut flakes. Make a sauce by slightly heating and stirring together well creamy peanut butter and melted marshmallows or marshmallow cream.</p>
<p><strong>Sweeter Sweet Potatoes</strong><br />During the last five minutes of cooking a plain sweet potato casserole, add a topping of minced chocolate-nut candy bar, mini marshmallows, minced candy corn, finely chopped pecans and finely chopped peanuts. Drizzle slightly with molasses and place under broiler for a few seconds.</p>
<p><strong>Chili for Chilly Nights</strong><br />Similar to ingredients in some moles, as spicy chili cooks, stir chopped chocolate-nut candy bar into it and add a small amount of root beer, as well as ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.</p>
<p><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> An economical small gift when you'd like to give slightly more than a greeting card would be to include a fat stack of manufacturer's coupons (no expiration dates) for much-used products. In fact, possibly make it a point to collect extras during the year to have on hand for such occasions by visiting food and household product manufacturers' websites, writing to them or calling the customer service phone number on product packages.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-11-05T15:01:00Z10-Second Recipes: Healthfully Trick Usually Sugar-Filled Goblins with Super Simple Sugar-Free Truffle TreatsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Healthfully-Trick-Usually-Sugar-Filled-Goblins-with-Super-Simple-Sugar-Free-Truffle-Treats/-565328001096208682.html2012-10-15T14:09:00Z2012-10-15T14:09:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
To compete with the wall-to-wall sugary foods that fill most neighborhoods at Halloween, why not have some delicious and nutritious counter subterfuge on trays on your kitchen counter? Keep the kidlets - and adults, too - satisfied so they are less tempted. Sugar-free truffles that will ruffle the feathers of even the best versions are no-cook and take just minutes to "get rolling." You'll do just that - roll - the ingredients together with cocoa powder, coconut, chopped nuts, fun spices, and licorice-flavored anise to get the sweet 'n' easy results that follow. <br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves even gourmet food preparation can be simple, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home "cooking" and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better chef since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from everyone - even usually sugar-filled Halloween party guests.<br /><br /><em>Combine equal parts powdered milk and creamy peanut butter (which can have a slight amount of sugar included in its ingredients, if desired), with one-quarter part agave syrup sweetener (a natural product, now available in the sweetener section of most supermarkets and health food stores) or honey, shape into one-inch balls, and roll into any of the following before refrigerating, loosely covered, for at least two hours:</em><br /><br /><strong>--- Unsweetened cocoa powder</strong><br /><br /><strong>--- Unsweetened coconut flakes</strong><br /><br /><strong>--- Puffed rice cereal</strong><br /><br /><strong>--- A mix of whole oats and cinnamon that have been pulverized to a powder in blender or food processor</strong><br /><br /><strong>--- Finely chopped walnuts or pecans</strong><br /><br /><strong>--- Finely chopped pine nuts</strong><br /><br /><strong>--- A mix of pumpkin and sunflower seeds that have been pulverized to a powder in blender or food processor</strong><br /><br /><strong>--- A mix of sesame and poppy seeds</strong><br /><br /><strong>--- Very small amount of cayenne pepper</strong><br /><br /><strong>--- Very small amount of curry powder</strong><br /><br /><strong>--- Very small amount of anise (also known as aniseed, anise seed, and star anise, which is the strongest version). Anise is a member of the parsley family, which has a licorice flavor.</strong><br /><br /><strong>--- Very small amount of Chinese five-spice powder. It is a jarred spice combination available in most supermarkets of five of the most popular Chinese spices, which are sweet and pungent: star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel and black pepper.</strong><br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong><em>Handstand Kids</em> is a series of books started by a law school graduate who specialized in children's rights. The cookbooks, available at specialty stores nationwide and online, each come with a tool (like a chef's hat) and teach children about the culture and history of other countries through cuisine. A section of the website (<a href="http://www.handstandkids.com/stiritup.html" target="_blank">www.handstandkids.com/stiritup.html</a>) shows how each of the fictional <em>Handstand Kids'</em> characters has contributed to children's and other causes worldwide through their cooking, like sending cookies to the troops, working at soup kitchens with their families, visiting local children's hospitals, and donating money from bake sales to an organization that provides bug nets to prevent African children from contracting malaria. The webpage also has a list of ideas, organizations and a place for kids to send in news of their own similar culinary contributions.<br /><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-10-15T14:09:00Z10-Second Recipes: Pair Flu Shots with Fun Nutrition LessonsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Pair-Flu-Shots-with-Fun-Nutrition-Lessons/140510405008462910.html2012-10-08T14:03:00Z2012-10-08T14:03:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
It's flu shot season. If and when you take your kidlets to get flu shots (or along with you when you get one), consider a quick lesson that day either at home or at a restaurant about how good nutrition can help keep immunity up. The first thing to think about is eating regularly. Always make it a variety and don't eat too much or too little. Just as important, too, is what you eat. Vegetables and fruits (especially deep red and orange varieties of both, as well as leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower) are filled with phytonutrients and antioxidants, as are certain products like honey and tea, and many spices like cinnamon and turmeric. The 10-second options that follow are delicious examples.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlets - effortlessly become better cooks, since<em> there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows." <br /><br /><strong>A Smoothie to Smooth the Way</strong><br />In a blender container, blend small amounts of almond milk, almond extract, natural sugar-free sweetener like stevia, decaffeinated instant coffee crystals, unsweetened cocoa powder (like coffee, this particular choice when it comes to chocolate products is very high in antioxidants), a few seedless red grapes (one of the foods highest of all in antioxidants) and ice cubes until thick and creamy.<br /><br /><strong>An Apple a Day Is No Myth</strong><br />Thinly slice an unpeeled apple and sprinkle with lemon juice and ground cinnamon. Atop lightly toasted multigrain bread, place low-fat cheddar cheese, top with seasoned apples and broil until cheese is bubbling but apples are not too brown or well done. <br /><br /><strong>Pick a Pepper, Stuff a Pepper</strong><br />Wash a red bell pepper, cut its top off, and remove and discard seeds. Stuff with canned light tuna that you've mixed with turmeric, curry powder, a small amount of olive oil, minced carrots and celery. Top with a dollop of nonfat sour cream that you have gently mixed with paprika and finely chopped cilantro.<br /><br /><strong>Honey of a Dessert</strong><br />Place honey in a saucepan and heat on low, stirring in dashes of fresh lemon, lime and orange juices, unsweetened coconut flakes, dried cherries and finely chopped walnuts. Shape thawed puff pastry into shape of a cup and bake according to package directions. Fill with sugar-free vanilla frozen yogurt and top with warm (not hot) honey-citrus sauce. <br /><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Don't deprive yourself or your family when you go to a live sporting event or watch one on TV. Consider skipping a snack earlier in the day and eating it at the game. Since a few nutritious options are usually part of the mix, think about allowing your kidlets to choose among them. They'll be glad for the selection and probably won't notice that you've kept it to the more healthful choices, like peanuts (usually sold roasted in the shells, which many kids love crumbling), unbuttered popcorn (which is a whole grain), fruit juice, and frozen yogurt topped with fresh fruit (a number of stadiums now have yogurt stands since it is so popular). <br /><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-10-08T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: With a Will - and a Clever Way - You Can Waste LessStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-With-a-Will---and-a-Clever-Way---You-Can-Waste-Less/-344835177219465840.html2012-10-01T14:03:00Z2012-10-01T14:03:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Always - <em>but especially during these times that are rough economic ones for many</em> - wasting is a no-no. In fact, in a study published in August, the National Resources Defense Council reported that $165 billion of food is wasted in the United States each year, with the average family of four wasting $2,275 annually. They estimated that, if just 15 percent less food were wasted, 25 million more people could be fed. The financial arm of <em>Yahoo! Shine</em> found that some foods are wasted much more often than others, such as produce and bread. Check out the top four wasted foods and some 10-second ideas to reverse that trend below.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food and beverage preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from everyone. <br /><br /><strong>Make Your Produce Produce More</strong><br />Produce is No. 1 when it comes to waste. <em>EatingWell</em> magazine analyzed this as well and found, in addition to celery in general, one prime area to be "fronds," those leafy parts at the top of vegetables (like celery, beets, radishes and fennel) that are often chopped off and discarded. Nutrition and flavor await you if you use them. Wash, chop and add to store-bought low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth, season a chicken with them before cooking, or sprinkle in tuna or chicken salad and wrap up in whole-grain tortillas.<br /><br /><strong>Fresh Herbs: In Fashion, Not in the Trash Bag</strong><br />Have you found fresh herbs soggy and forgotten at the bottom of your refrigerator's produce drawer? Or maybe you've thrown out those chives for the third time in a row after using them just once in a recipe. Instead, <em>EatingWell </em>advises that you mash them up in cream cheese for a fast spread or dip.<br /><br /><strong>Beat the Odds with Bread</strong><br />It's a no-brainer: Freeze bread in a double bag as soon as you buy it to preserve freshness and defrost single slices when needed. If it's too late and bread is slightly stale, make croutons by seasoning with spices, <em>like curry powder, cayenne pepper and/or red pepper flakes, or ethnic blends, such as Cajun, Mexican, Italian or Chinese five-spice blend,</em> and toasting.<br /><br /><strong>Give Direction to Your Dairy Products</strong><br />When it comes to certain dairy products, like the often-wasted sour cream, since recipes only call for a dollop or two, first buy smaller containers. Secondly, use leftovers immediately in a dynamically seasoned dip, such as one with fresh lime juice, freshly ground black pepper and finely diced black olives. It goes without saying, we hope you're purchasing fat-free varieties to begin with (except for children, who need fuller fat choices), since they have virtually no flavor difference.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> For a quick, easy-to-fit-into-your-busy-day fitness routine, consider pushing your filled cart around the supermarket's parking lot a few times when you are done shopping. If you don't have enough to fill a cart, carry whatever amount of bags you can comfortably and walk with those. You'll be getting an aerobic workout that is virtually invisible within your regular shopping time. If the kidlets - or your spouse - can tag along (bag free!), they too will reap the benefits.<br /><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-10-01T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Get Set to Be Amazed by Economical, Creamy Almond MilkStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Get-Set-to-Be-Amazed-by-Economical,-Creamy-Almond-Milk/-676330947079382211.html2012-09-24T14:03:00Z2012-09-24T14:03:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Almond milk is a standout in the "milk" category that you might be missing out on if you think it's just another replacement for animal or legume milks. Its sales are soaring for good reason: It's economical (store brands are often a good choice) and, at 40 calories per cup, it's only about half the calories of nonfat milk or soymilk. What surprises many, however, upon first sampling unsweetened almond milk is how thick, creamy, rich and sweet it tastes. For those reasons, simply pouring it on cereal may not be a good choice; it's overpowering. What the milk serves better as is a guilt-free treat. Its flavor and function rivals cream in coffee. It shines in hot chocolate, smoothies and other items.<br /><br />Dishes like these prove innovative food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The combinations are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better cooks, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."<br /><br /><strong>International Coffee Comforter</strong><br />To a cup of very hot coffee, stir in almond milk, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground cumin and ground coriander. Make sure it's cool enough to drink before sampling.<br /><br /><strong>Surprisingly Simple Hot Chocolate</strong><br />Boil water and in a large mug, pour the water over two-and-a-half tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (filled with antioxidants and a good blood sugar regulator) and one-and-three-quarters teaspoons of a natural sugar-free sweetener like stevia. Stir to combine and then stir in almond milk as a better-flavor-than replacement for whipped cream. Good as is, or add a dash of freshly ground nutmeg or allspice. Make sure it's cool enough to drink before sampling.<br /><br /><strong>Scintillating Smoothie</strong><br />Blend almond milk, low-fat (and preferably low-carb) fruit yogurt, a natural sugar-free sweetener like stevia, few chunks banana, few chunks unpeeled apple, fresh lemon juice and ice until smooth, but still somewhat thick.<br /><br /><strong>Outstanding Oatmeal</strong><br />Prepare quick (but not instant) rolled oats according to package directions, but include almond milk as the option instead of regular milk. When oatmeal is cooked, stir and add natural sugar-free sweetener like stevia, unsweetened cocoa powder, trail mix including dried fruit and nuts and minced banana. Combine well. Reheat on either stove or in microwave oven until hot.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Ice cream parlors sometimes blend together flavors and toppings for gourmet results. You can do the same at home and keep it even more healthful at the same time. Here are a few examples. Prepare each in a blender cup. Add sugar-free, low-fat frozen vanilla yogurt and sugar-free, low-fat frozen coffee or mocha yogurt, unsweetened cocoa powder, instant decaffeinated coffee granules and a slight boost of a natural sugar-free sweetener like stevia, and blend just until fully combined, but still very thick and creamy. To sugar-free, low-fat strawberry frozen yogurt, add sliced fresh strawberries and raspberries, sliced almonds, almond extract and the sugar-free sweetener boost and blend as suggested above.<br /><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-09-24T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: The Cuts of Meat You Choose Can Cut Your Grocery BillStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-The-Cuts-of-Meat-You-Choose-Can-Cut-Your-Grocery-Bill/-727924163226817699.html2012-09-17T14:03:00Z2012-09-17T14:03:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Sometimes the least expensive cuts of meat are those that your local supermarket has featured on weekly special. However, there are other cuts that perennially tend to cost less, like chicken thighs and legs versus breasts, or pork chops versus pork shoulder and loin roasts. As autumn begins and heartier dishes fill more home menus, the spices and accompanying ingredients you choose can help blur the difference between pricey and lower-cost cuts, leaving you only with memorable flavor, as in the following chicken thighs with triple mustard sauce, or slow-cooker white wine-garlic pork shoulder that can be used in everything from pulled pork sandwiches on multigrain rolls to flavor-filled pasta sauce.<br /><br />Dishes like these prove innovative food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The combinations are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become better cooks, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."<br /> <br /><strong>Magic Meatloaf</strong><br />Replace one half of the ground meat in your favorite meatloaf recipe with equal parts packaged soy crumbles and finely ground rolled oats, which will add fiber. Liven up the flavor with international flare by adding ground cinnamon, cumin and cayenne, finely chopped fresh ginger, finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and fresh lemon juice for a Moroccan accent, or dried chervil, tarragon, savory, sage and lavender (or simply an herbes de Provence mixture) for a French twist.<br /><br /><strong>No Need to Chicken Out When It Comes to Flavor</strong><br />Often the most bold flavors are added to recipes as a final flourish. Cook your favorite chicken thigh recipe in chicken broth, accented by dried dill and onion and garlic that have been sauteéd in olive oil. Carefully remove cooked chicken and stir three types of mustard (spicy, Dijon and yellow) and nonfat sour cream into the broth. Add cooked chicken back in and spoon sauce over it before heating for a few more minutes so all flavors will blend.<br /><br /><strong>Slow Cooker/Smart Cooker</strong><br />Cook pork shoulder on low for eight hours or high for four hours in a slow cooker with salt, freshly ground black pepper, minced garlic, chopped onions and white wine (about one-half cup per three pounds of pork shoulder) or vegetable broth. If not using right away, let cool and then promptly store, tightly covered, for up to two days. Can be used in any way your imagination chooses, such as slathered in barbecue sauce for pulled pork sandwiches on whole-grain buns or as small pieces added to a pasta sauce.<br /><br /><strong>Don't Chuck the Chuck Eye Steak</strong><br />Chuck eye steak is usually less expensive than other cuts (including the nearby cut of rib eye) and sometimes slightly less tender. It benefits from a marinade - <em>and so do you since often that can be a highly flavor-filled option.</em> Marinate chuck eye steaks in a pan in the refrigerator tightly covered. An easy marinade can be put together by taking a store-bought or homemade vinaigrette made with a healthful olive oil foundation and combining it with red wine vinegar, chopped fresh chives and scallions, minced garlic and freshly ground black pepper. Discard marinade before cooking.<br /> <br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Substituting equal servings of crackers and dry cereal (especially if both are made from whole grains) for chips can be a wise snack or sandwich accompaniment for you and your kidlets. They are usually much lower in fat than chips, especially cereal because many cereal varieties contain none. The competition for shelf space at supermarkets means there are lots of dynamic flavor combinations vying for your attention that will undoubtedly whet your appetite. <br /><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-09-17T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Slip into Economical Meals with SlidersStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Slip-into-Economical-Meals-with-Sliders/-579196731796876412.html2012-09-10T14:03:00Z2012-09-10T14:03:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Sliders used to be just mini burgers that were appetizers at trendy cafes. Now they've taken center stage as full-fledged entrees that encompass all kinds of proteins on lots of fun foundations, like the Caesar salad bites on rye crackers, curry shrimp on unpeeled cucumber slices topped with tiny pita triangles, and mini muffin fruit pies that follow. Their smaller stature automatically makes them more economical than big, bloated platters of food.<br /><br />Fun fare like this proves innovative food preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty "home cooking" and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become gourmets, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."<br /><br /><em>Since these are all variations of sliders, serve a few each to every diner:</em><br /><br /><strong>Slippery Slider Lime Cocktails</strong><br />Cut limes in half and completely remove pulp, leaving a shell as thick-skinned as possible. Combine lime juice and pit-free pulp with no-sugar-added cranberry juice and no-sugar-added lemonade. Pour the beverage into the lime shells for serving.<br /><br /><strong>Hail to Caesar Salad Sliders</strong><br />Serve bites of store-bought or homemade crouton-less Caesar salad atop a rye cracker "crouton" topped with an extra grating of Parmesan cheese and grindings of black pepper.<br /><br /><strong>Mix It Up with Mushrooms</strong><br />Remove stems from fresh button mushrooms. Fill with a mixture of finely chopped red bell pepper, red onions and scallions combined with store-bought or homemade reduced-fat vinaigrette. Wrap in thawed puff pastry and heat, according to package directions, until golden and crispy.<br /><br /><strong>Little Shrimp with Big Flavor</strong><br />Combine drained can of cooked baby shrimp with low-fat mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, finely chopped yellow onion, chopped chives and curry powder and serve atop unpeeled cucumber slices topped with a tiny triangle cut from toasted whole-wheat pita bread.<br /><br /><strong>Dig This Dreamy Dessert</strong><br />Purchase or prepare your favorite flavor of mini muffin. Cut in half and dab with a dollop of store-bought or homemade fruit pie filling, and top with whipped cream and chopped pecans.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> There are steps that can make deep-frying a lighter technique rather than a heavier one. This is an excellent tip from Chef Amanda Cohen in her new <em>Dirt Candy: A Cookbook - Flavor-Forward Food from the Upstart New York City Vegetarian Restaurant</em>: "Food that's deep-fried properly barely touches the oil. Air is trapped between the batter shell and the food, and the food is cooked by steaming as its water content evaporates. The bubbles you see in the oil are the steam escaping the batter shell. You want to [very carefully with a utensil] pull your food out right before the bubbles stop. Once they stop, your food is going to start drying out."<br /><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-09-10T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Current Events Can Have Culinary Impact at Your Dinner TableStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Current-Events-Can-Have-Culinary-Impact-at-Your-Dinner-Table/-927892924126651436.html2012-09-04T14:03:00Z2012-09-04T14:03:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
What could be more fun to discuss at the dinner table than dinner? Currently, for many it's back-to-school season and that often means stimulating family meal conversations peppered with current events. Why not stir that up with a bit of delicious food history as well. One thing that those with curious palates soon find out is that one can learn the history, culture, politics and other issues regarding a place through its food, whether that destination is as close as another part of your own state or as far away as a distant country. A good way for you and your kidlets to start and stay up on the news at the same time is to think about the location of an event in the news, discuss that event and then the foods and recipes that are famous there. Plan quick meals based on them as well, like the Florida and North Carolina tinged ones below, inspired from the locales of the recent political conventions.<br /><br />Helpful dishes like these also prove cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows." <br /><br /><strong>Feast "Floribbean" Style</strong><br />Delve into the history with your kids of how Caribbean, Latin American and Cuban cuisine have had major influence over what is now dubbed the "Floribbean" cooking style of Florida. For a fun and easy taste, marinate your favorite cut of lean pork (often used in such recipes) in a combination of fresh lime and orange juices, oregano, garlic and freshly ground pepper. Cook it on both sides, per the USDA, to an internal temperature of 145 ºF (or 160 ºF if ground) and serve in a thick roll topped with pickle spears and mustard.<br /><br /><strong>Everyone Will Carry On About Carolina Barbecue</strong><br />To emulate those in North Carolina, where barbecue is king, why not experiment with making your own barbecue sauce. In those particular parts, vinegar is often a hallmark. You can combine apple cider vinegar, dark brown sugar, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, ketchup and hot sauce and, in a flash, have a taste that's gone back centuries. To further get a feel - and scent - of the area, purchase packages of hickory chips to burn when you grill in a charcoal grill or smoker outdoors.<br /><br /><strong>Election Night Can Bring Back Delicious Memories of Martha Washington</strong><br />When the presidential election hits in November, if you want to give your kids a feel for what it was like for the very first First Family, check out from the library, purchase (current paperbacks are about $30) or read excerpts and recipes online from <em>Martha Washington's Booke of Cookery</em>. There are more than 500 family recipes handed down from Elizabethan times. At dinnertime, discuss the ingredients that differ from and/or are the same as today and what this means regarding history and culture. Have a Martha Washington cooking contest for election night dinner.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> There are tricks to increasing or lessening the heat of your homemade salsa and other recipes that include peppers. The veins and seeds of peppers contain most of the heat. Include them (or varying amounts) depending on how hot you want your final product to be. Remember, though, that experts recommend wearing latex gloves when handling peppers and not touching your eyes during or afterward.<br /><br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-09-04T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Labor Day Entertaining - Stick It to High Prices with Simple SkewersStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Labor-Day-Entertaining---Stick-It-to-High-Prices-with-Simple-Skewers/521289849732645604.html2012-08-20T14:07:00Z2012-08-20T14:07:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
What spruces up your Labor Day party in split seconds? Skewers. Whether with cooked or raw ingredients (check out the suggested selections that follow), or using wooden or metal sticks, they make the perfect presenter for splashy, healthful - <em>and economical</em> - summer ingredients. They can satisfy appetites for everything from brunch, to appetizers, to dinner, and even dessert.<br /><br />Fun fare like this is proof that meal preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The dishes are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.<br /><br /><em>Here are some suggested combinations for you to skewer. Do not heat any of them in a microwave oven because of the metal or wooden skewers.</em><br /><br /><strong>Brunch Buffet on a Stick</strong><br />Prepare whole-grain toaster waffles according to package instructions, let cool, and cut into bite-sized squares. Skewer, alternating with bite-sized pieces of cooked turkey sausage, and cooked tater tots or chunks of cooked home-fried potatoes. Wrap in aluminum foil and heat on low in oven until hot. Serve with sugar-free maple syrup for dipping.<br /><br /><strong>"Shrimpy" Appetizers That Are Large Temptations</strong><br />Alternate cooked shrimp with pineapple chunks, slices of banana (that have been sprinkled with lemon juice to avoid browning), and red bell pepper squares. Chill covered. Serve with orange marmalade, thinned slightly with some juice of a fresh orange for dipping.<br /><br /><strong>Puncture Pork with Your Skewer</strong><br />Alternate chunks of your favorite lean pork cut with chunks of red and green apples and red and white onions, and then squares of rye bread in the furthest spot on the skewer from the pork. Grill or cook in oven until pork is cooked thoroughly (the USDA recommends a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F). Serve with a dipping sauce prepared from sugar-free applesauce combined with chopped fresh mint and curry powder.<br /><br /><strong>Invite Angels for Dessert</strong><br />Alternate chunks of store-bought or homemade angel food cake or sponge cake (though tasty, both are defined by the fact that they have no fat) with red seedless grapes, mini marshmallows (which are also fat free), and raspberries. Serve with sugar-free chocolate syrup for dipping.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK</strong></em>: Granita is a quick way to make a delicious, economical and fresh produce-based ice cream-like dessert if you don't have an ice cream maker. Granita is the Italian word for "fruit ice." Often, the dessert uses only nutritious fruit, water and sugar (though some sugar substitutes, like the natural stevia, work well, too). Just blend about three parts peeled, seedless fruit (or a mixture, like watermelon and lime, or cantaloupe and strawberries) to one part each water and sugar. Freeze, scraping after about 30 minutes. Freeze again until it is about three-quarters frozen, then scrape again and enjoy.<br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-08-20T14:07:00Z10-Second Recipes: Let Summer Catch the 'Spring Cleaning' Wave in Your PantryStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Let-Summer-Catch-the-Spring-Cleaning-Wave-in-Your-Pantry/-559095953958539037.html2012-08-13T14:02:00Z2012-08-13T14:02:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Why should spring be the only time your pantry gets a thorough cleaning? Let every season prompt an evaluation of your goods. Using up stray products before their expiration dates is one of the key ways to keep your pantry peppy. Instead of having excess pounds of products taking up space, your cooking becomes more efficient and streamlined, and you save time and money at the supermarket not duplicating items. Plus, as you tidy up, immediate quick-cook ideas may pop into your mind from the remaining goods, like the ketchup-inspired gourmet sandwich melt and warm honey-drizzled cereal-topped dessert below. <br /><br />Fun fare like this is proof that cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The dishes are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.<br /><br /><strong>Catch Up with Your Ketchup</strong><br />Unlike fresh tomatoes, the processed tomatoes in products like ketchup are singled out for containing the highly nutritious phytochemical lycopene. Spread ketchup on rye bread, sprinkle with Italian seasoning blend, and top with black forest or honey ham, diced black olives and a piece of low-fat provolone or similar cheese. Broil open face until cheese begins to melt.<br /><br /><strong>Versatile Vinaigrette</strong><br />Often store-bought vinaigrette dressings include olive oil or other heart-healthy oils, along with vinegar, which is also beneficial for you. Shred or chunk store-bought rotisserie chicken and marinate, covered, in vinaigrette dressing in refrigerator for at least 5 minutes. Remove chicken, discard marinade, combine chicken with low-fat mayonnaise, chopped, unpeeled Granny Smith apple, diced celery and freshly ground black pepper, and serve on French bread or over romaine lettuce.<br /><br /><strong>Come Up with Ideas for Coffee</strong><br />Add a small amount of instant coffee with Worcestershire sauce and finely diced red bell pepper to meatloaf or burgers before cooking.<br /><br /><strong>Freshen Up Your Soup</strong><br />Before heating according to product directions, add diced fresh mushrooms and green bell pepper and curry powder to canned cream of mushroom soup. Serve topped with croutons you've made by toasting chunks of rosemary or olive bread.<br /><br /><strong>Cereal Creates Sweet Memories</strong><br />Drizzle granola or other whole-grain cereal lightly with honey and heat for a few seconds. Top sugar-free vanilla ice cream with a mixture of chopped, unpeeled fresh pears and peaches, and then the warm honey-granola.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Consider turning extra kitchen utensils into unique culinary art for your kitchen. Some that have fit the bill: An oversupply of metal whisks of various sizes were corralled together in a stray wooden silverware container that had been part of a dish rack and displayed on a counter; a small worn antique frying pan was partially filled with small black light and dark garden stones, and featured a painted vase with daisies sprouting from the center of the pebble-filled pan; leftover small decorative plates from dish sets that are no longer in use became eye-catching plates for decorative candles.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-08-13T14:02:00Z10-Second Recipes: 'Summer' Can Be Code for 'See More of Family'Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Summer-Can-Be-Code-for-See-More-of-Family/745928063939113675.html2012-08-06T14:03:00Z2012-08-06T14:03:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Fortunately, lots of people happily agree that summer time is family time. Therefore, if there's any time you don't want one parent stuck in the kitchen preparing meals while the rest of the gang is off gallivanting, it's during these fun, warm weather months. Even quick cooking doesn't cut it: you need super-fast solutions. The following are the keys to a couple of nights off: multicourse, imaginative, healthful dinners that require split-second preparation, like a spicy melon appetizer or cold-cut pizza that's pepped up with pesto.<br /><br />Fun fare like this is proof that cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. <em>They take just 10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The meals are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts.</em> These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.<br /><br /><strong>TIME-SAVER MEAL 1</strong><br /><br /><em>Appetizer</em><br /><strong>Fruit Gone Wild</strong><br />Toss together chunks of watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew with a little cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes, unsweetened flaked coconut, and your favorite low-fat vinaigrette dressing.<br /><br /><em>Entree</em><br /><strong>Tacos of Another Type</strong><br />For every one part ground turkey, include one-half part crumbled firm tofu while browning, and then combine with taco flavoring mix and any ingredients the mix calls for. In addition to being healthful, this will add some needed moisture that can be lacking with ground turkey compared to ground beef. Follow taco flavoring mix cooking instructions. Include shavings of raw unpeeled zucchini and shredded cabbage among your toppings.<br /><br /><em>Healthy Dessert</em><br /><strong>Conquer These Cones</strong><br />Fill the bottoms of ice cream cones with small amounts of dark chocolate-covered raisins and candied walnuts and top with sugar-free frozen yogurt and sprinkles.<br /><br /><strong>TIME-SAVER MEAL 2</strong><br /><br /><em>Appetizer</em><br /><strong>Green with Envy over These Green Beans</strong><br />Twist the ends off fresh green beans, cut green beans into bite-sized pieces, discard ends, and dip green beans into honey before quickly sautéing and topping with sunflower seeds, finely chopped red bell pepper, and freshly ground black pepper. <br /><br /><em>Entree</em><br /><strong>Chill with this Cold Cut Pizza</strong><br /> Heat a store-bought pizza shell, and afterward, top with a light layer of store-bought pesto and layers of low-fat cooked deli ham, strips of provolone cheese, fresh spinach, fresh mushroom slices and chopped olives.<br /><br /><em>Healthy Dessert</em><br /><strong>Simple Ice Cream-Free Strawberry "Sundae"</strong><br />Chill strawberries that you've dusted with a no-calorie natural sweetener like stevia. When very cold, drizzle with melted dark chocolate that's preferably at least 70 percent cacao (noted on label), because the health benefits go up along with the percentage of cacao. Let harden for a few moments and top with chopped peanuts, dried cherries and whipped cream.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Stealing, of course, is usually not a good thing. However, when it comes to saving time in the kitchen, it just might be the right thing to do. Sometimes recipes are long and layered. You probably skip right over those. But often these "gourmet" choices can help you end up with much simpler, sophisticated results if they have a part for you to "steal." Quickly scan through such recipes, and if they have a sauce, stuffing, salad dressing or other part that is separate in terms of both its ingredient list and instructions, consider those easy parts only and think about how you might incorporate them alone into a quick homemade or store-bought convenience meal.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-08-06T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Just One Summer Ingredient a Week Can Make a Savings SplashStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Just-One-Summer-Ingredient-a-Week-Can-Make-a-Savings-Splash/-424628770413285987.html2012-07-30T14:03:00Z2012-07-30T14:03:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Certain products are known to help stretch a food budget, like day-old bread crumbled into meatloaf, wine mixed with fruit for a sangria, and mock crab used in salads instead of the real thing. Planning around seasonal ingredients can be even more delicious and effective, since they are bursting with freshness and often on sale. Watermelon is a juicy summer case in point, as the following diverse split-second ideas prove, like a spicy salad, scrumptious main dish skewer and perfect parfait. Many varieties of the luscious fruit are now seedless. Buy one on sale, often for pennies per pound on special, and watch it work its wonders all week long.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also shows innovative food and beverage preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The combinations are delicious evidence that everyone has time for tasty "home cooking" and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become gourmets, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."<br /><br /><strong>This Spicy Salad Sizzles</strong><br />Gently mix seedless or seeded watermelon cubes with fresh orange juice, hot sauce, peanut oil, salt and freshly ground pepper. Just before serving, toss with torn fresh mint and basil leaves, and sunflower seeds.<br /><br /><strong>"Melon-Cauli" Summer Soup - or Sauce</strong><br />Steam cauliflower, let cool, and puree with a larger amount of seedless or seeded watermelon. Stir in fresh lime juice and curry powder. Chill well and serve as a cold soup, or heat, add freshly ground black pepper, and serve as a sauce over grilled shrimp or chicken.<br /><br /><strong>Skewer This Delicious Dish</strong><br />Thread on skewers chunks of seedless or seeded watermelon, blocks of feta cheese, folded whole basil leaves, chunks of cooked store-bought or homemade skinless rotisserie chicken, and cherry tomatoes, and repeat. Serve at room temperature.<br />Seed of an Idea for a Smoothie<br />In a blender container, blend seedless or seeded watermelon chunks, peeled pear chunks, peeled cucumber slices, fresh ginger and lime juice and, once mixed, add ice cubes and continue blending until smooth.<br /><br /><strong>One Perfect Parfait</strong><br />In a bowl, muddle (gently pound) seedless or seeded watermelon chunks until there is juice and pieces. Add a no-calorie, natural sweetener, like stevia, unsweetened shredded coconut and white chocolate chips, and gently mix. Place a layer of sugar-free frozen vanilla-flavored yogurt in an individual serving dish and alternate layers of the frozen yogurt and watermelon mixture, ending with the watermelon mixture on top.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Cut a large peeled white onion in half and secure it on a long barbecuing fork. Dip the outward smooth side of the cut onion half in cooking oil and swipe the greased onion along your outdoor grill just before heating (re-dipping it in the oil if necessary). This should make it less likely that foods will stick to your grill and often leaves a slight, pleasant scent and flavor of onion on the cooked food.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-07-30T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Pitch in to Savings by Stretching Pitchers of Refreshing Green TeaStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Pitch-in-to-Savings-by-Stretching-Pitchers-of-Refreshing-Green-Tea/211614265168025404.html2012-07-23T14:03:00Z2012-07-23T14:03:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Bottled tea drinks are overflowing market refrigerator cases. Profits are as high as waterfalls, too, since these are some of the most marked-up "disposable income" products available. Stretch your summer budget by stirring up pitchers of antioxidant-filled green tea at home since using tea bags is much more economical than purchasing by the premixed bottle. Markets and bulk stores also often have large containers of plain green tea on sale at much lower prices than trendy flavor-added, individual-serving bottles. What's better is that the mild taste of green tea makes it not only the ideal beverage for everyone from kids to seniors, but also the perfect foundation for nutritious flavor fests you can create at home, such as the split-second stirs below that include touches with even more antioxidants, like the herb lemon verbena, sugar-free hazelnut syrup, and fresh ginger.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves innovative food and beverage preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty "home cooking" and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlet helpers - effortlessly become gourmets, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong mixtures, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" and healthfully quench summer thirsts.<br /><br /><em>To pitchers of green tea, consider adding a no-calorie, natural sweetener like stevia, to taste, and:</em><br /><br /><strong>-- Fresh squeezed orange juice, tangerine juice and lime juice, and diced fresh mint.</strong><br /><br /><strong>-- Pomegranate juice, ice cubes frozen from fresh strawberry and blueberry purees, and vanilla extract.</strong><br /><br /><strong>-- Shavings of fresh ginger, very thinly sliced cucumbers, and maraschino cherry juice.</strong><br /><br /><strong>-- Almond extract or coconut extract, pineapple juice, and sugar-free ginger ale.</strong><br /><br /><strong>-- Sugar-free hazelnut syrup, freshly ground cinnamon, and ice cubes frozen from sugar-free lemon-lime soda, and either dried or finely minced fresh lemon verbena.</strong><br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Chilling sliced fruit first causes drizzled chocolate to almost immediately harden for refreshing summer treats - instead of the longer and less reliable wait with unchilled fruit. Place sliced fruit (bananas and strawberries are good with whole raspberries included, too) on a plate. Sprinkle with a no-calorie, natural sweetener, like stevia. Chill, uncovered, for about 45 minutes. Drizzle with melted dark chocolate. Ones that are at least 70 percent cacao are best, by being lower in sugar, dairy free and high in antioxidants, yet still fairly sweet tasting. Because of the chilling of the fruit, the chocolate will harden almost immediately.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-07-23T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Economic Kid-Friendly Ingredients Bring Whole Family TogetherStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Economic-Kid-Friendly-Ingredients-Bring-Whole-Family-Together/-346332005243711758.html2012-07-16T14:02:00Z2012-07-16T14:02:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Years ago, I started a kids' cooking column with a talented 7-year-old that was published for 7 years. Though she reviewed children's recipes made with kid-friendly ingredients, much of the mail revealed families often replaced usual recipes with them because it made it fun, easy and economical to prepare food together and the whole family looked forward to meals based on the "fun," kid-style ingredients. Even already "10-second" recipes can be aided by such boosts, and also show that "kid-friendly" can still mean healthful, like soy hot dogs atop multilayered colorful stuffed buns and a frozen fruit-filled "gazpacho." <em>And summer is the perfect, leisurely, activity-seeking time to embark on such adventures.</em><br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, entertaining - and fast. <em>They take just 10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - and your kidlets - effortlessly become better cooks, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows." <br /><strong><br />Frozen Fruit "Gazpacho"</strong><br />In ice cube containers, freeze various fresh fruit purees, such as strawberry, peach and pineapple. Place the ice cubes in apple juice as an appetizer cocktail that will become a fruit "gazpacho" as the ice cubes melt and blend colors.<br /><br /><strong>Nut Butter and Jelly Tea Sandwiches</strong><br />Use shaped cookie cutters, like stars and hearts, to cut shaped tea sandwiches from larger whole-grain sandwiches you've made with nut butters, like almond and cashew, and pure fruit-only spreads (available in the jam aisle of supermarkets). For a fun, "teachable" gourmet touch, have a few fresh chopped herbs available, give kids a taste test and have them sprinkle a little of their favorite one atop the sandwich spread before topping and cutting.<br /><br /><strong>Stuffed Bun Soy Dogs</strong><br />Toast whole-grain hot dog buns and make light layers of toppings "painted" all over the inside of the buns so that at least a little of each layer shows under the one on top of it, such as honey mustard, ketchup relish, thin strings of string cheese and grilled corn kernels cut off the cob (with help of parent). Top with cooked soy hot dog.<br /><br /><strong>Don't Squash This Healthful "Spaghetti" Idea</strong><br />After baking spaghetti squash (available year-round), serve the stringy inside (the healthful ingredient which gets its name because it looks just like spaghetti and tastes like it, too, when topped). Let kids help prepare a topping buffet by adding additional chopped vegetables to sugar-free store-bought or homemade pasta sauce, carefully grating fresh Parmesan cheese (using a little of this is better than a lot of processed filler-added convenience brands) and perhaps being taught to take a fun turn at pressing their own garlic cloves for the first time.<br /><br /><strong>Hide 'n' Seek Desserts</strong><br />Let kids pick a few of their favorite sugar-free candies and hide them in desserts for the family, such as placing in bottom of sundae bowl and topping with sugar-free ice cream and toppings, pressing inside of store-bought or homemade sugar-free brownies or muffins, or, with supervision, melting in a pot on stove-top into a syrup and mixing into a sugar-free shake or sugar-free hot chocolate.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> For bargains, many of us rely on supermarket mailers, discount stores or bulk outlets. Sometimes, though, the steepest bargains of all can be found at large office supply chains. Don't overlook a quick stop there (or a search online or in mailers for weekly specials) even if you are a stay-at-home mom. Products often include a large stock of well-known brands that might be used at home or the office, such as bottled water, coffee, teas and accompaniments, paper plates, cups and utensils, snack foods, air fresheners, and cleaning and bathroom supplies.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-07-16T14:02:00Z10-Second Recipes: Cool Food That Helps Your Kitchen Cool DownStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Cool-Food-That-Helps-Your-Kitchen-Cool-Down/-793677033541677174.html2012-07-09T21:01:00Z2012-07-09T21:01:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
Whether it's for "the environment" or your own personal environment, one of the best solutions this summer is to keep things cool by operating your oven as little as possible. Running your air conditioning and your oven at the same time is a competition that sees your energy bill come out the loser without even the satisfaction of a kitchen that is as pleasant a temperature as the rest of the house. Studies show that lingering heat from the oven does just that: lingers. If you don't have air conditioning, then you probably need no convincing to give the oven a day off. That doesn't mean you should just settle for recycled cold lunch fare for dinner. Easy perks can be both distinct and economical, such as a flavorful salmon pate made from economical, but usually very high quality, canned pink salmon, or a chilled summer soup with a fruity green tea and fresh herb foundation.<br /><br />Helpful dishes like these also prove cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and summer guests. <br /><br /><strong>Summer Soup with Ancient Ties</strong><br />To avoid any heat from brewing, chill bottled fruit-flavored green tea, add fresh whole raspberries and blackberries and finely chopped fresh mint and fresh thyme. Serve as a chilled soup accompanied by thick cucumber slices lightly spread with mint jelly.<br /><br /><strong>Sum it Up with Salmon</strong><br />Canned pink salmon is usually high quality and economical. Drain it and place chunks in a blender with thinly sliced carrots and celery, a dash of champagne vinegar, freshly ground black pepper, and curry powder, and blend until pate-like. Spread onto whole wheat tortillas, top with spicy mustard and a mixture of minced mushrooms and gherkins, and then wrap.<br /><br /><strong>Super Food Side Dish</strong><br />Gently mix a crunchy nugget whole-grain barley cereal (like Grape-Nuts or its generic versions) with sliced green and black olives and a dash of tahini (the highly nutritious ground sesame seed paste usually available canned and inexpensive in most supermarket ethnic aisles).<br /><br /><strong>Frozen Fun</strong><br />Press dried cherries and bits of fresh banana into store-bought macaroons, drizzle with sugar-free chocolate sauce and freeze.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Packaged vegetable chips, though often slightly more expensive than most empty calorie chips, can pack up to a serving of vegetables into every serving while being every bit as delectable. Alternatively, you can very thinly slice your own vegetables, like carrots and sweet potatoes, season with spices, like cinnamon, curry powder or garlic, and bake until crisp.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-07-09T21:01:00ZPreparing for Your Own Old AgeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Preparing-for-Your-Own-Old-Age/836274860218238158.html2012-07-02T14:02:00Z2012-07-02T14:02:00Z<strong>By Cliff Ennico</strong><br /><a href="http://www.succeedinginyourbusiness.com" target="_blank">www.succeedinginyourbusiness.com</a><br /><br />It's no secret that the elder support system in the United States leaves a lot to be desired. But it really hits home when you and/or someone you love has to deal with it.<br /><br />My 83-year-old mom suffered a massive stroke in March of this year, and after extensive consultation with her doctors and other experts, we decided that it was time for her to go to a skilled nursing facility (formerly known as a "nursing home").<br /> <br />You would think this would be an awful experience. It really wasn't. After visiting several facilities, we decided on one that was owned by a "friend of a friend of a friend" of ours. We later learned that the facility was one of the highest ranked in the entire state.<br /> <br />I have to say that the care my mom is being given is nothing short of fabulous. Even she doesn't talk as much about wanting to "go home" and live an independent life - we all suspect she's having too much fun. The people at this facility are extremely helpful and responsive, and are completely "on top" of their game. When Mom developed a minor eye infection, the facility's staff called in a local eye doctor and had the matter taken care of before I even knew about it. Now that's service.<br /> <br />We have been lucky so far, but it hasn't all been beer and skittles. Shortly after Mom was admitted, we learned that the Power of Attorney we were relying on to handle her financial affairs wasn't properly prepared. That required a new Power of Attorney, which had to be paid for out of our own funds as Mom's accounts had already been pledged to Medicaid under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act.<br /> <br />We also discovered that Mom had made no plans for her funeral. For the same reason, that will have to come out of our pockets as well.<br /> <br />The whole experience with Mom has been an eye-opener. With people in America living longer and healthier ("age 90 and over" is the fastest growing segment of the American population right now), there's a good chance most of us Baby Boomers will run out of money before we die. Forget about leaving a legacy to our children and grandchildren - we'll be lucky if we have anything to pay for nursing home care before we "spend down" and Medicaid kicks in. In Mom's case, it took only three months to wipe out her life's savings.<br /> <br />Most of us are woefully unprepared for the business and financial challenges of an extended old age. Based on my experience with Mom, here are six things I plan to do differently before it's my turn - things that all of us need to do NOW to make things as easy as possible for the next generation:<br /> <br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>(1) Keep Updating Your Will. </strong></span> An out-of-date will is as good as no will at all. When cleaning out Mom's apartment we found an old (but still current) will from 1997, one we knew did not reflect how Mom would want to dispose of her assets today. You should update your will at least every five years, and more often if you have "life changes" (such as divorce, a new marriage, new job, new kids or grandkids).<br /> <br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>(2) Get a PERFECT Power of Attorney.</strong></span> Do NOT use online forms. Get an attorney to prepare this for you, and pay the going rate to make sure this document is "letter perfect." Know exactly where the original Power of Attorney can be found, as many banks and other financial institutions will want to review the original (not a copy) before they will let you close out bank or brokerage accounts.<br /> <br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>(3) Pick Your Nursing Home Now.</strong></span> Visit several local facilities, and give your kids a document letting them know your preferences, as well as any facilities you want them NOT to consider.<br /> <br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>(4) Buy Long-Term Care Insurance.</strong></span> Many nursing facilities will not take patients who have no funds to spend down before Medicaid kicks in. Having long-term care insurance (sometimes called Medigap coverage) helps you hold on to more of your assets longer, and slows down the "spending down" process, so that you have a better chance to pick the facility you want.<br /> <br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>(5) Prepay Your Funeral Expenses. </strong></span> You can't pay for these once you apply for Medicaid. Most funeral homes will allow you to prepay your burial or cremation expenses. Do it now. You are not only making things easier for your kids: you may be "locking in" funeral costs at today's rates.<br /> <br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>(6) Consolidate Your Bank Accounts.</strong></span> Medicaid requires copies of all bank account statements going back five years, and it takes bloody forever to pull all of that paperwork together. Keep the number of accounts to an absolute minimum. Consider closing down traditional IRAs and other retirement accounts if the remaining balances are small. Make sure your kids know exactly where your accounts are, and the names of bank managers you know personally.<br /> <br /><strong>Cliff Ennico</strong> (<a href="http://www.succeedinginyourbusiness.com" target="_blank">www.succeedinginyourbusiness.com</a>), a leading expert on small business law and taxes, is the author of <em>Small Business Survival Guide</em>, <em>The eBay Seller's Tax and Legal Answer Book</em> and 15 other books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-07-02T14:02:00Z10-Second Recipes: Sophisticated Sips for Just CentsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Sophisticated-Sips-for-Just-Cents/-575549817950715309.html2012-06-18T14:03:00Z2012-06-18T14:03:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
When one is said to have ice in their veins, it's not always meant as a compliment. However, during summer, it's a different story. Refreshment is key and the cooler your choices the better. Beverages, though - even when they are accompanied by health-themed product labels about fruit juices or teas - are often loaded with calories from added sweeteners. Sure, you could just brew up some iced tea (research shows it's loaded with antioxidants) and leave it at that, but will taste buds (including those of household kidlets) used to more pronounced flavor take the bait? Actually, easy homemade variations are packed with flavor and often cost less to prepare than the pricey competition. Some simply super sips that follow include a vitamin C-packed fresh citrus juice soda, a green tea-fresh herb cooler and a sugar-free root beer float with a surprise straw. Consider topping off some of the beverages with a fresh fruit swivel stick made from choices like seedless grapes and chunks of pineapple, peaches and cantaloupe, or ice cubes frozen from pure fruit juices or flavored teas.<br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves food and beverage preparation can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use, you can't help but draw "wows" from everyone - no matter how thirsty (or choosy!) they are this summer. <br /><br /><strong>Creative Cranberries</strong><br />To sugar-free, caffeine-free cola, add cooled, brewed apple-flavored tea (like apple-cranberry or apple-cinnamon) and no-sugar-added 100 percent cranberry juice or juice blend.<br /><br /><strong>See Some Vitamin C</strong><br />Squeeze into sugar-free, caffeine-free lemon-lime soda, fresh lemon, lime, grapefruit and tangerine or tangelo juices. Mix in finely chopped lemongrass and fresh ginger. Add crushed ice for slushy effect.<br /><br /><strong>Go Green</strong><br />To cooled brewed green tea, add sugar-free blueberry syrup or sugar-free maple-style syrup, finely chopped fresh mint and finely chopped thyme.<br /><br /><strong>Berry Blast</strong><br />In blender, pulverize strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, and add sugar-free natural sweetener like stevia. Put in freezer, stirring slightly occasionally until somewhat icy. Stir into ginger ale or flavored sparkling water.<br /><br /><strong>Floating on Flavor</strong><br />To sugar-free root beer, add a scoop of sugar-free vanilla ice cream for a root beer float. Cut the top and bottom off a stick of sugar-free licorice and use as a "straw."<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Specialty convenience products often cost more than homemade and may be filled with ingredients you wouldn't have added. Lots of us are so used to them that we may never have attempted to create our own. However, taking products that many of us have on hand and combining them can result in economical, flavorful treats, like a "sweet 'n' sour" salad dressing, dipping or cooking sauce mixed together from pure fruit apricot or berry spread (next to sugar-free jams usually in the jam aisles of supermarkets), light (lower-sodium) soy sauce, and bottled French, Russian or "Catalina"-style salad dressing.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-06-18T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: Sizzle as Dad's 'Sous Chef' This Father's DayStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Sizzle-as-Dads-Sous-Chef-This-Fathers-Day/918111775475691550.html2012-06-04T15:20:00Z2012-06-04T15:20:00Z<em></em>
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><strong>By Lisa Messinger</strong><br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
When grilling is on the menu for Father's Day, many families report that Dad still prefers to be king of the cooks rather than get waited on hand and foot. If your father is such a nice guy that he still wants to grill the grub for the whole group, consider taking some of the heat off of him by offering to be his sous chef (second in command in the culinary world) and assemble some sassy sides. The best part is that, <em>even when accompaniments are innovative, they are still usually simple and economical</em>, like the fruity sugar-free soda pop-packed baked beans or daring chili-filled double-baked potatoes that follow. At the end of the gala, finish your sous chef shift by further helping out Dad by thoroughly cleaning the completely cool grill and washing barbecue utensils. Hopefully, not much dish duty will be needed, since, if you ate outdoors, you may have turned to paper or plasticware for ease and safety. <br /><br />Fun fare like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read, and they are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use, you can't help but draw "wows" from everyone - especially Dad. <br /><br /><strong>Better Beans</strong><br />Add sugar-free cherry or sugar-free orange soda to a bubbling pot of store-bought or homemade baked beans, as well as ground cinnamon, thick bite-sized chunks of cooked ham and quickly grilled or broiled pieces of red onion.<br /><br /><strong>Potatoes for Pop</strong><br />Bake potatoes, carefully scoop out insides and combine with cooked store-bought or homemade chili, nonfat sour cream, shredded pepper jack cheese and diced red bell pepper. Refill potato skins and reheat until bubbling.<br /><br /><strong>Creative Corn Salad</strong><br />Cook corn, let cool, and combine with sliced fresh mushrooms, peeled and sliced jicama (a delicious, economical choice in most produce sections), drained mandarin orange slices that were canned in no-sugar-added fruit juice that you reserve, chopped walnuts or hazelnuts (usually found in the baking aisle of most supermarkets). Top with a dressing that's a mixture of champagne vinegar, olive oil, the reserved fruit juice from the mandarin oranges and freshly ground black pepper.<br /><br /><strong>Get Rolling</strong><br />Halve whole-grain dinner rolls and toast cut side-down on grill. Top with honey you've combined with a small amount of cayenne pepper and curry powder and then sprinkle with extremely finely diced garlic that you've toasted.<br /><br /><strong>Clever Condiment</strong><br />These textures and flavor combinations are inspired by moves super chef/TV star and best-selling cookbook author Jamie Oliver has made to improve the nutrition and to pep up the flavor of the hamburgers he and restaurateurs he has influenced prepare. I tasted it at a drive-thru Oliver convinced to sell them in Los Angeles. Bake sweet potatoes, carefully remove insides or used canned plain pumpkin that you've cooked and combine with cooked pinto beans, a small amount of ketchup or barbecue sauce, spicy mustard and freshly ground black pepper. Reheat until hot. Spread on bottom of a whole-grain hamburger bun before adding a cooked lean hamburger and topping with mixed greens, tomato slice and the top of the bun.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Unlike yesteryears, not as many fathers make their living by plowing fields, however in England, takes on the traditional "Ploughman's lunch" are still popular. Today's platters often include crusty bread, vegetables, aged cheese, thickly carved meats, like baked ham or turkey, and relish or chutney, all put together by each diner for an open-faced sandwich. You can use store-bought or homemade chutney, or for an especially authentic touch, get "Branston Pickle" at gourmet markets or reasonably priced as a jarred import online. It's named for an English town and is a relish often filled with dates, apples, carrots, cauliflower, gherkins, malt vinegar, garlic and onions.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-06-04T15:20:00Z10-Second Recipes: Simple Seasonal Brunches Make Good 'Cents'Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Simple-Seasonal-Brunches-Make-Good-Cents/460325853570862305.html2012-05-29T19:56:00Z2012-05-29T19:56:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Plan brunch and you are apt to be dubbed "brilliant." Just calling the meal between breakfast and lunch a "brunch" seems to bestow an air of specialness and sophistication upon it. <em>Late spring, with its warm weather months, picnics, potlucks, bridal and wedding showers and graduation celebrations is the perfect time to highlight light and healthy seasonal specialties that you can enjoy indoors or outdoors.</em> Inexpensive ingredients, imaginatively paired, are all it takes to make great impressions, like the ham and spiced cheese waffles, green olive baguette French bread pizzas and peanut butter and jelly fresh fruit oatmeal that follow.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Fun fare like this also proves cooking can be easy, nutritious, economical, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from family members and guests.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>A Softy for Hard-Boiled Eggs</strong><br />Quarter hard-boiled eggs and very gently mix them with bite-sized chunks of cooked red potatoes, pieces of fresh French green beans, chopped tarragon and dill, freshly ground black pepper and a small amount of low-fat or fat-free Thousand Island dressing.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Pizza Baguettes with Pizzazz</strong><br />Slice a French bread baguette in half and toast each half about halfway in order to be able to get the rest of the toasting done during the quick heating process that follows. Carefully spread each half with ketchup mixed with Worcestershire sauce and spicy brown mustard and top with minced green pitted olives, chopped cooked chicken breast, chopped thyme and basil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Broil until hot and bread is toasty.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Tempting Tortellini Salad</strong><br />Place store-bought cooked and cooled cheese tortellini atop a tossed salad of fresh spinach, chopped celery, spring peapods, grated carrots with low-fat or fat-free creamy Italian dressing on the side. Top with shredded provolone cheese and freshly ground black pepper.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Meaty Waffle Wonders</strong><br />Top toasted store-bought whole-grain toaster waffles with thinly sliced low-sodium black forest or smoked ham (often sold under "healthy" brand labels in supermarket cold-cut sections) and drizzle with melted cheddar cheese mixed with curry powder. Garnish top with grated unpeeled red apple.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Awesome Peanut Butter 'N' Jelly Oatmeal</strong><br />Cook quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal according to package instructions and gently mix in chopped strawberries, blueberries, sugar-free grape jelly and sugar-free peanut butter and reheat slightly if necessary. Before serving, garnish top with ground cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> It's the beginning of roasted marshmallow season and smart s'mores are simple. Make them open-faced with the bottom "sandwich bread" being a sugar-free graham cracker or sugar-free whole-grain crispy oatmeal cookie. In the middle is your roasted marshmallow. Some supermarkets and health food stores sell sugar-free marshmallows - and even the regular variety has always been fat free. As the top layer, use dark chocolate (which is filled with antioxidants and lower in sugar and higher in fiber than much less antioxidant-containing milk chocolate). The higher cacao your dark chocolate label advertises the better (such as from 70 to 85 percent).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-05-29T19:56:00Z10-Second Recipes: Memorable Memorial Day Involves Deliciously Helping OthersStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Memorable-Memorial-Day-Involves-Deliciously-Helping-Others/-755246208739631468.html2012-05-15T23:22:00Z2012-05-15T23:22:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Remembering those who lost their lives in active duty is amplified even more on Memorial Day. Even after many years, however, those who are not removed for even a moment from those emotions are the impacted families. Many are not only self-sufficient but helping others; some rely on assistance. Helping one of the many organizations created to support the families of the fallen may be a memorable activity of closeness for your own family. Monetary donations, of course, are usually highly appreciated. But if you're an avid cook, you might also consider donating your time in that way. Following are some ideas, <em>from red-white-and-blue fudge to supermarket gift cards attached to one of your favorite recipes and a shopping bag of ingredients to prepare it.</em> Much of what's involved comes straight from the heart and therefore is a budget-conscious way to give as well.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Food preparation, from cooking to creating innovative gifts or donations, can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to get into motion</em>. Those involving creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows." If they are instead coming up with means to deliciously donate then that's just another way it can be an all-hands-on-deck rewarding family endeavor.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Supermarket Savvy</strong><br />Pick a supermarket gift card in the denomination you'd like to donate and affix it to the front of an ecology-friendly reusable shopping bag. In the bag include a printout of your family's favorite recipe as well as the nonperishable ingredients that are a part of the recipe.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Volunteer for Kitchen Duty</strong><br />If cooking is your passion and talent, offer to volunteer as a menu planner, cook or meal server at future local events and fundraisers. Those who don't cook can still help with table clearing and dishwashing.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Baking for a Purpose</strong><br />For those local organizations that have bake sales, create unique patriotic-themed dishes. Red-white-and-blue fudge, for instance, might feature atop the chocolate dried cherries, mini marshmallows and dried blueberries. The dried fruit, if also using antioxidant-filled dark chocolate, makes for a nutrient- and fiber-filled treat.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Kitchen Solutions</strong><br />Investigate whether the organization's kitchen is in need of new appliances or repair. Approach local businesses to make those donations</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Rallying Restaurants </strong><br />Run a local restaurant drive, collecting gift cards the organization can give to families in need. Identify restaurants willing to donate the use of their banquet room for fundraisers.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> When grilling potatoes, consider boiling them first. That way, you are assured that they are fully cooked and, after slicing (leaving on the skin, drizzling with olive oil and sprinkling with salt and pepper), all you need to think about achieving on the grill is a nice char. This should leave your potato wedges crisp and brown on the outside and fluffy on the inside.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-05-15T23:22:00Z10-Second Recipes: Comfort Mom with New Takes on Comfort FoodStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Comfort-Mom-with-New-Takes-on-Comfort-Food/-78135666944931812.html2012-05-01T13:48:00Z2012-05-01T13:48:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Mom is often the comforter behind many of the dishes we consider our own longtime personal comfort foods. Wouldn’t it be fun then to target some of those all-time, hearty favorites, add our own special touches and give them to Mom as treats in the days leading up to Mother’s Day or for a memorable brunch or supper on the holiday itself? Just think back to what you enjoyed most growing up and give it a slight twist. For a little inspiration, the following are some popular “topics” that gave many of us a lot of happiness, like French toast, fried chicken, meatloaf and brownies. Each one, though, has been tweaked, like a few fiery additions to the chicken or a bagels ‘n’ cream cheese rendition of the French toast. Another comforting perk: for these dishes to have earned their status as favorites, they usually, too, relied on trusted, highly economical ingredients. <em>That’s a bonus not just for yesteryear, but for today’s often cost-conscious times as well.</em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun and fast, as the following savvy substitutions prove. The dishes are delicious evidence that everyone – including you and your kidlet helpers – has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the table, whether it’s at a time like Mother’s Day or as a way to make any day more special.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Omelet Worth Ovation</strong><br />While the omelet is cooking, in another skillet saute olive oil with dashes of basil, oregano and garlic, add some thin strips of zucchini and carrots until tender. When omelet is set, carefully brush half with store-bought pesto and fill that half with the sauteed vegetables before folding other half over it.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Bagels ‘n’ Cream Cheese French Toast</strong><br />Saturate well entire halves of raisin bagels in well beaten eggs and cook until well done on both sides, flipping once in a skillet that is well heated with half butter and half olive oil. (Besides providing some antioxidants, this tends to make the French toast more light and fluffy than when cooked in margarine or nonstick pan spray.) Serve warm topped with whipped cream cheese into which you’ve stirred dashes of maple syrup and ground cinnamon.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Fried Chicken Made More Fiery</strong><br />To your fried chicken batter, add cayenne pepper and use only three-quarters of the egg wash or buttermilk you might usually, replacing the other quarter with spicy salsa you’ve mixed in.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Meatloaf Stuffed with Love</strong><br />Stuff the meatloaf made from Mom’s best recipe with her favorite cheese, like bleu cheese, gruyere or parmesan, as well as some of her favorite vegetables finely diced and fresh herbs, such as: a mix of mushrooms, broccoli, cilantro and chervil.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Brownies with a White Topcoat </strong><br />After brownies cool (or to store-bought brownies), spread a layer of marshmallow cream and drizzle with white chocolate chips. Sprinkle vanilla wafer crumbs over the top.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Pulled pork, beef and poultry are popular offerings at barbecue restaurants. The process is easy to emulate at home – especially using shortcuts like store-bought rotisserie chicken and jarred barbecue sauce. Let the chicken or other meat you are using cool. As the name implies, after removing and discarding any skin, simply pull apart the poultry or meat and it will be shredded. Place the pieces of poultry or meat in a pot, stir in the barbecue sauce and a dash each of water, spicy brown mustard and any type of vinegar of your choice. Cook on medium heat until hot, stirring frequently. Serve over whole-grain hamburger buns.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-05-01T13:48:00Z10-Second Recipes: No Need to 'Stew' Any Longer About Spring Stew IngredientsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-No-Need-to-Stew-Any-Longer-About-Spring-Stew-Ingredients/-316899724384679569.html2012-04-09T14:37:00Z2012-04-09T14:37:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Our stew pots often get put away with our winter coats. However, stew is a wonderful way to highlight and deliciously combine the flavors of spring as well. Lamb, for instance, is a flavorful base with just enough natural fat to enrich the final results. Vegetables, like asparagus, add distinctive appeal and soften up much more than from other preparations while absorbing added seasonings, such as the spring herb tarragon.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Cooking can be delicious, yet simple, nutritious and inexpensive, too, as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. They are tasty proof that everyone has time for cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness - including prepping with your kidlets - that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong spring stew combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Crazy for Carrots</strong><br />True baby carrots (as opposed to packaged bags of larger carrots that are milled down into a mini shape) are in season from spring through summer. They are known for being more tender than their larger counterparts and, therefore, perfect for spring stews. Use a vegetable or poultry broth. After removing stems, add seasoning that will complement, such as tarragon and sorrel. Consider stewing lighter meats, like chicken or poultry.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Minty Fresh</strong><br />Using a meat broth, combine chunks of lamb, pieces of new potatoes, shelled spring peas, generous handfuls of minced fresh mint, a bit of mint jelly, salt substitute and freshly ground pepper.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Asparagus as an Accent</strong><br />In a vegetable broth, accompany asparagus with chunks of ham, celery and spinach. Stir in some prepared ham glaze, Dijon mustard, as well as a bit of cayenne pepper.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Eager for Edamame</strong><br />To a vegetable broth, add handfuls of spinach or kale, finely minced garlic and red onion, shelled edamame (fresh soybeans that are high in protein and low in fat found in most supermarkets), a few dollops of plain, nonfat Greek-style yogurt and Chinese five-spice powder (a blend found in most supermarket spice aisles).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Chocolate Lovers Unite</strong><br />Who says stew can't be for dessert, too? To a broth of water, add unsweetened cocoa powder (considered by nutritionists not only as delicious, but a powerful antioxidant), a sugar-free nonartificial sweetener, like stevia, diced apples and pears (which will soften, but keep their shape and texture) and a combination of fresh berries (which may eventually break apart and flavor the broth by somewhat liquefying.) Swirl in a small amount of whipped cream just before serving.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> During winter, to increase heartiness, perhaps you enjoy your favorite whole-grain cereals warm. A nice, slightly lighter, touch during spring is to turn them into puddings. Add soy or almond milk, dried fruit, like cherries, sliced nuts, such as almonds, and a sugar-free nonartificial sweetener, like stevia, or a touch of honey. Heat for a wholesome dessert.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-04-09T14:37:00Z10-Second Recipes: Homemade Easter Baskets are Best BetsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Homemade-Easter-Baskets-are-Best-Bets/-662853537682827125.html2012-03-26T20:54:00Z2012-03-26T20:54:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Easter baskets aren't just for kids. Those that include even just a single homemade touch make wonderful hostess gifts for a holiday brunch or dinner. Additions that are homey, from the heart and much appreciated, but they also help the Easter bunny keep his finances in order by usually costing much less than purchased filled baskets. Time can be saved, too, when you concentrate on strategic shortcut strategies, like those that produce treats, such as a variety of quick-to-prepare ham glazes or jelly beans that release fun flavors when "brewing" with fruity loose-leaf teas.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Food preparation can be delicious, yet simple, nutritious and inexpensive, too, as the following sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The gift foods are tasty proof everyone has time for cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness - including prepping with your kidlets - that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows," as well as making your Easter easier.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Sassy Spring Mix</strong><br />The combinations of "spring mixes" in markets often contain just blends of greens. Sometimes they are conveniently packaged and other times you pick them from the bins yourself, also under the titles of mesclun or field greens. Originally, though, spring mixes often had a bit more spring in their step, such as including fresh herbs and edible flowers, especially dandelions that are grown for sale as culinary products. Consider an economical large wood salad bowl as your "basket" and fill it with a spring mix jazzed up with your inclusion of just such items, like chopped seasonal herbs such as mint, tarragon, chervil and parsley. Wrap it up tightly along with a dry spice mix you create to be mixed with miniature bottles of oil and vinegar you include for a custom dressing. Get greens just before needed and have your host refrigerate them promptly.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Mint Medley</strong><br />Fill a basket with everything mint: tea, bouquets of the fresh herb, jelly --- even exotic mints, gums and herbal pillow or room sprays.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Ham it Up</strong><br />Prepare and tightly bottle a variety of glazes that can be used on ham, such as one featuring cloves, another pineapple, others Asian- or Mediterranean-themed. Make them the same day as you will give them, refrigerate and have your host do the same.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Artistic Egg Masterpieces</strong><br />Get creative and vividly paint hardboiled eggs your host can serve with the meal or snack on the next day. You don't even have to cook yourself, as they are available inexpensively in most supermarkets' ready-made aisles. Perhaps personalize with host and hostess' initials or kids' names.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Jelly Beans that Fit to a "T"</strong><br />Jelly beans solo are fine, but using the Easter staple as an innovative added ingredient is even more memorable. Employ them as a drizzle on top of frosting on homemade cookies, cupcakes and brownies and you won't help but draw smiles. Mix them into a compatibly flavored canister of loose-leaf tea (such as a fruity lemon-, orange- or berry-based one) and when they are included with the tea in a strainer ball while brewing, they will melt a bit and release fun flavors into the finished cup. Best: Include a steal strainer ball or two in the gift basket. These look impressive, but often sell for even under $3 at supermarkets and national tea and gourmet chains.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> When recipes call for a final mix-in ingredient at the end of the cooking process - like the sour cream often stirred into beef stroganoff - be sure to first carefully remove the pan from the heat for about a minute. This is enough time for the pan to cool slightly, but for it to still be hot enough to dissolve the addition. That's your goal, that amount of heat, but without your ingredients still cooking.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-03-26T20:54:00ZIs Extreme Couponing Worth It?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Is-Extreme-Couponing-Worth-It/501772658209620597.html2012-03-19T14:03:00Z2012-03-19T14:03:00Z<p><strong>by Jill Cooper</strong><br /><a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">www.LivingOnADime.com</a></p>
<p>Jaime writes: <em>"I recently saw a special on the TLC cable channel called "Extreme Couponing" where people use coupons to stockpile grocery items, which they get nearly for free. I would love to hear your thoughts about it."</em></p>
<p>I have seen that show. I have no problem with <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/stop-cutting-coupons-start-saving/" target="_blank">using coupons </a>even though I sometimes sound like I don't like them. As a matter of fact I used to be an "extreme" couponer. I would go the to store armed with my coupons and would often get my groceries for free or for very very little money. I loved it. I would even get a "high" from it and be so excited. I could hardly wait until the next time I went to the store so I could do it again.</p>
<p>It wasn't until years later when I couldn't get coupons anymore and lived in a town where I couldn't use them that I realized the stress I had been under while I was using coupons and the effect it all had on me while I was doing it.</p>
<p>I don't have a problem with couponing but <em><strong>extreme</strong></em> couponing has me concerned.</p>
<p>Let me pause right here and say please don't e-mail me and say, "You don't know my situation. I don't have a problem with anything you mentioned and I coupon all the time." That's fine. There are exceptions to my rule and you might have circumstances in your life that make it easier for you to engage in extreme couponing so, if this describes you, I am not talking about you.</p>
<p>I am talking to the thousands who feel guilty, like they are failures in some way because they don't jump on the bandwagon and start clipping every coupon in sight. When riding on a bandwagon you can run into lots of potholes, which advocates of something don't always tell you about.</p>
<p>Most things, when done in the extreme, are not good. You have to have balance in life. What happens to a set of scales when you add way to much to one side? It can cause the scale to topple over, creating a chaotic mess.</p>
<p><strong>Here are some things I found out about extreme couponing in my own life and from watching others:</strong></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>* Even when I was well organized, it still caused me a lot of stress when I went to the store.</strong> I had to keep track of so much - Did I get the right size milk so I can get the free cereal? Was it the right brand? Was it sugar free or regular? Do I have the coupon for the milk? Was it the 14.5 oz. size and not the 15.4 oz. package?</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>* Do they even have the item in stock?</strong> Many times, when an "extreme" deal comes on the scene, it is gone before you can get it. I'm sick and I don't have the energy to go back to the store several times to get a deal. Doing this with so many of the items I shopped for was stressful.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>* Then, when I got to the checkout, I had to watch every item like a hawk </strong>- Did I get the two cans of beans to get this bacon free? Did this item not have a coupon? Am I a coupon short? ...and on and on.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>* Half the time I had to convince the store clerk that, yes, this coupon can be used with that item.</strong> When you have 50 items you are doing all of this for, it gets tiring.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>* To add to the stress, there were always people in line behind me making it known that they weren't happy with the holdup I always caused.</strong></p>
<p>These were just a couple of the little things that made extreme couponing stressful at the grocery store itself.</p>
<p>At home, before I left, I would spend ages clipping and sorting my coupons, putting them in order to make the shopping easier. Then, when I came home and found I had bought something without a coupon or had forgotten to give them a coupon, I would be so upset at myself.</p>
<p>I didn't realize until after I stopped doing extreme couponing how much it controlled me emotionally. It was like an addiction.</p>
<p><strong>On the show you don't always get all of the real information. They don't add all of the expenses to give a true amount of the savings.</strong> For example:</p>
<p><strong>I paid almost $100 a year for a newspaper subscription to get my coupons.</strong> (Yes, I know you can get the coupons free off of the Internet now but I am talking about adding up the expenses and the newspaper happened to be one of mine).</p>
<p><strong>On one extreme couponing show, two people took a day off of work just to go shopping.</strong> If they make say $20 an hour that was $320 they lost from not working. If they saved $920 on groceries you have to subtract the $320 and that meant they only saved $600.</p>
<p><strong>A lot of those people buy coupons off the Internet.</strong> If you do this, you should subtract that cost from your savings.</p>
<p><strong>You should also add in the hours you spent organizing, clipping, searching for or printing the coupons.</strong> At different times, I have made $25 an hour on my business so if I spent 4 hours couponing instead it would cost me $100 from my business. You have to take that off of the amount saved or you're fooling yourself about the savings. Yes, I know a lot of people clip coupons in their spare time and if you truly have so much spare time that it's worth it then that's ok. In that case, it's like working another job.</p>
<p>It may sound exciting but, like so many things, it can get out of control.</p>
<p>One couple had enough deodorant for more than 100 years. I know some people give it away but it still took lots of time, energy and thought to deal with all of that deodorant. Then the people had to pay for shelving to store it (another expense), they had to insure it (more expense), sort it, stack it, put the newer things toward the back, etc. They went to all of that effort for deodorant they probably won't even use.</p>
<p>There is an old saying- Beware of things that sound too good to be true. At the risk of sounding negative, there really are very few "free" things in life. There usually is a certain amount of work involved.</p>
<p>Lastly, I hate to have all of my eggs in one basket. I learned how to <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/save-after-christmas-sales/" target="_blank">shop on clearance</a>, how to <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/save-money-shopping-aldi/" target="_blank">shop at Aldi </a>and how to <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/leftovers-roast/" target="_blank">stretch the food </a>I did buy and not waste it. That way, if I couldn't use coupons, I had other means of saving.</p>
<p><strong>Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam </strong>are frugal living experts and the authors of the <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/store/dining-dime-cookbook/" target="_blank">Dining On A Dime Cookbook</a>. Dining On A Dime will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips & recipes visit <a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">http://www.LivingOnADime.com</a> , sign up for our free <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/newsletter-signups/" target="_blank">Living On A Dime Newsletter </a>and learn to save more! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com</p>Staff2012-03-19T14:03:00Z10-Second Recipes: High-Quality Concoctions from Canned GoodsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-High-Quality-Concoctions-from-Canned-Goods/-702042906726434986.html2012-03-12T18:05:00Z2012-03-12T18:05:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It's uncanny how economical, flavorful and fast preparing dishes with canned proteins can be. For just pennies on the pound compared to fresh, choices like salmon, shrimp, tuna, chicken and ham, when mixed with other ingredients, taste virtually identical to their fresh counterparts, and, in fact, can be the foundation of truly gourmet fare. There's good reason for that. Generally, high quality is the name of the game with chicken breast, pink or wild salmon and lean pork being selected. Vegetarian? Consider keeping a few cans of beans, Portobello mushrooms or yams in the pantry for quick dishes that you can decide upon just a split second prior to enjoying them. Family or friends will probably never be able to detect the difference when you serve scrumptious specialties, like large pasta shells stuffed with a salmon-ricotta-Parmesan mixture before baking in a low-fat, but creamily indulgent sauce, or warm just-baked mini wonton cups filled with a ham and spicy mustard melange.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Food preparation can be delicious, yet simple, nutritious and inexpensive, too, as the following sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to pre</em>pare. The dishes are tasty proof everyone has time for good home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness - including cooking with your kidtlets - that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>This Pasta's in the Pink</strong><br />Gently mix drained canned pink salmon you've flaked with low-fat ricotta cheese, garlic powder, freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Fill cooked jumbo pasta shells with mixture and bake according to package instructions in a glass pan that's been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, top with store-bought or homemade marinara sauce that's been well blended with nonfat cream cheese. Cook until heated through and bubbling.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>"Cheat Sheet" Chicken</strong><br />To individual microwave-safe ramekins or single-serving bowls, add a small layer of store-bought or homemade artichoke or spinach dip, a layer of drained canned chicken breast you've flaked, freshly grated Pepperjack cheese, minced fresh cilantro and a small amount of cayenne. Cook in microwave oven until heated through. Top with finely chopped toasted pecans before serving.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Ham it Up</strong><br />Gently mix cooked drained canned ham you've flaked (the kind in small containers, such as 5-ounce size, often used for ham salad, rather than large uncooked hams) with spicy brown mustard, finely diced sweet pickles and bleu cheese dressing. Press wonton skins in mini-muffin containers you've lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray so skins hang slightly over tops and then lightly spray the wonton skins, too. Cook until wonton skins are browned and do not burn. After carefully removing from oven, fill with ham mixture while wonton skin "cups" are still hot so it heats the mixture a bit. Serve while still warm.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Popcorn Shrimp with a Twist</strong><br />Place popped popcorn in a blender until it grinds to a powder and mix in cayenne pepper, dried basil, oregano and rosemary. Grind in tortilla chips and press mixture, along with a tiny amount of tomato juice to slightly moisten it into bottom and up sides of microwave-safe pie pan that's been sprayed slightly with nonstick cooking spray. Fill with a mixture of drained canned small shrimp, ricotta cheese, diced jalapenos (wear latex gloves while cutting and don't touch eyes during or afterward), diced black olives, salt substitute and freshly ground black pepper. Heat in microwave until heated through and drizzle low-fat Cheddar cheese or soy cheese on top for last minute of cooking.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Mushrooms Worth Getting Mushy Over</strong><br />Mix drained canned Portobello or other mushrooms with drained canned garbanzo beans, feta cheese or crumbles of bleu cheese, sunflower seeds and low-fat vinaigrette. Make into a paste in blender and spread on mini toast squares and heat slightly in microwave oven. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em> When adding fresh berries to a batter - whether blueberries to muffins or strawberries to pancakes - they can fall apart. It's best to freeze them slightly first to stiffen them up a bit.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-03-12T18:05:00Z10-Second Recipes: Tackling Take-OutStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Tackling-Take-Out/-742764992365251246.html2012-02-21T21:32:00Z2012-02-21T21:32:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Take-out, delivery and drive-thru foods are often economical timesavers. However, unfortunately, there is something that may be even faster: how quickly some of those nutritiously questionable foods may start playing havoc with your health. It’s wiser to experiment with ingredients and spices for split-second copies you can make at home. Often, just a few tweaks are all it takes to create a dish reminiscent of the original, like gourmet pizzas prepared with chicken breast, cilantro and a sweet spicy sauce or burgers stuffed with low-fat pepper jack cheese and olives that get part of their bounce from pinto beans and Mexican spices.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun and fast, as the following savvy substitutions prove. The dishes are delicious evidence that everyone - including you and your kidlet helpers - has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook since there are no right or wrong amounts. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the table.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Friendly, Rather than Fried, Chicken</strong><br />Dredge chicken pieces in a mixture of egg and low-fat buttermilk and then in whole-wheat bread crumbs seasoned with curry powder and ground ginger. Bake at 425 F for about 20 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 F.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Pizza with Pizzazz</strong><br />Turn on broiler. Top whole-wheat English muffins with low-sugar ketchup mixed with sugar-free apricot jam. Top with shredded, drained canned chicken breast, shredded fresh spinach, fresh cilantro, ground cumin and cardamom and white cheddar cheese and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Burgers that Beat the Rest</strong><br />To lean ground beef or lean ground chicken breast or lean ground turkey breast, add drained, ground pinto beans and jarred Mexican or Italian seasoning blend, to taste (these tend to have no salt, compared to packets, which tend to have a lot of it). Create a well in the middle of each burger and stuff with small pieces of low-fat pepper jack cheese and finely diced black olives before cooking to an internal temperature of 160 F.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Chinese with Ease</strong><br />Get prepackaged wonton wrappers in supermarket refrigerator case and fill with the cabbage mix in a packaged coleslaw mix. Sprinkle with cooked diced baby shrimp, freshly ground black pepper and peach chutney before sealing according to package instructions. Brush skins all over lightly with olive oil and bake at 425 F for about 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Tostada that's the Total Package</strong><br />Brush whole-wheat tortilla on one side with olive oil and place that side down in a skillet and heat until it gets a bit crispy and puffy. Carefully remove with a utensil and place on a paper towel to absorb oil. Top with chunks of tofu you've sauteed (in olive oil that's been seasoned with cumin, cilantro, garlic and onion powders), shredded soy cheese, cooked pinto beans, cooked brown rice, salsa and chopped black olives. Top with guacamole and vegan sour cream.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Years ago, it was difficult to find high-fiber whole-grain breads, crackers, bars and other products in supermarkets. Fortunately, that's no longer the case. However, if you're looking for a quick way to add just a dollop of whole grain even to snacks, think about having a bottle of wheat germ or canister of whole-wheat bread crumbs on hand. Take a single-serving chunk of cheese and make individual "cheese balls" dipping each side in the fine whole grains. Wash celery and don't pat it completely dry. Sprinkle the fine whole grains on the celery and it should stick from the slight dampness, and then fill with low-fat cream cheese or peanut butter. Sprinkle the fine grains atop a cup of tomato or other nutritious soup and follow with a grating of Parmesan cheese and a dash of freshly ground black pepper.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-02-21T21:32:00Z10-Second Recipes: Valentine's Menus with Real ValueStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Valentines-Menus-with-Real-Value/780668150116830601.html2012-01-30T20:55:00Z2012-01-30T20:55:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">You can get in the pink this Valentine's Day by serving your family a menu of red specialties. Some do that just to be in fashion for the holiday - and the theme does make for a fun day - but there is even more reason to color-code your heartfelt recipes. Research shows the deeper red (or any dark color, like purple) produce is, such as red bell peppers, chiles, tomatoes, cherries, pomegranates and apples, the more protective antioxidants it provides. Round out meals with further tickle-me-pink choices, like nutrient-packed pink salmon, which is delicious and economical when bought canned, and you are in for a day when love is not only in the air, but on the plate.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since there are <em>no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from all the sweethearts in your family.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Appetizer</em><br /><strong>Shake a Pom-Pom and Cheer for Pomegranates</strong><br />Place pomegranate juice or purple grape juice in a saucepan, season with ground cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg and heat until reduced and syrupy. Section segments of pink or other grapefruit and place on salad plates. Drizzle sauce over pieces and top with pomegranate seeds.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Entree</em><br /><strong>Pink Salmon for Your Sweethearts</strong><br />Flake canned pink salmon and combine with a small amount of low-fat mayonnaise, ground pink or black peppercorns, dash of red cayenne pepper, rosemary, dill, finely diced red bell pepper and grape tomatoes. Spread into red-colored red pepper-flavored or other flour tortillas, wrap in paper towels and warm slightly in microwave oven or wrap in aluminum foil and warm slightly in oven.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Side Dish</em><br /><strong>Couscous to Leave You Cooing</strong><br />Prepare couscous according to package directions and, when done, stir in diced dried cherries and cranberries, tomatoes, carrots and celery as well as canned curry sauce. Reheat and serve drizzled with chopped fresh mint.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Healthy Dessert</em><br /><strong>An Apple a Day the Fun Way</strong><br />In blender, puree seedless red grapes, add vanilla and almond extracts and season with freshly ground black pepper and anise. Heat until warm and drizzle over heated sugar-free store-bought apple pie that's been topped with sugar-free vanilla ice cream.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> More economical than buying blended cream cheese is to prepare creative concoctions of your own. Choose softer whipped cream cheese - which also has less calories than regular varieties - and use healthful finely diced add-ins, such as well-drained olives, jalapeno chiles (wear latex gloves when chopping and don't touch your eyes during or afterward), dates or bell pepper. Stay away from add-ins which might be too watery, like celery or cucumbers.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-01-30T20:55:00ZSave Money On Paper Towels - How To Cut Up RagsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Save-Money-On-Paper-Towels---How-To-Cut-Up-Rags/136141827785627688.html2012-01-23T23:49:00Z2012-01-23T23:49:00Z<p>by Jill Cooper<br /><a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">www.LivingOnADime.com</a></p>
<p><strong>One great way to save money on paper towels is to use rags more frequently</strong>. In this article, I'll briefly describe how to cut rags to get the most efficient use out of them.</p>
<p><strong>When cutting a rag, you want to consider what you are going to use it for.</strong> For example, if I am going to use a rag as a dust rag I will cut it big enough so I can fold it in fourths and still have a 5-6 inch square (about). This way I can keep refolding as I dust which give me 8 sides to clean with instead of just 2. This is a good professional cleaner's tip on using any of your cleaning rags. Fold in fourths and keep refolding as you clean.</p>
<p><strong>Cutting rags is great "watching TV" work</strong> and you can get the kids to do it too.</p>
<p><strong>Here are some examples of how to do it:</strong></p>
<p><strong>T shirts</strong></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">1. <strong>I cut off the sleeves.</strong> If it is a long sleeve, I'll cut each sleeve in half. For dusting, I'd leave them as-is. If you are going to use them for small jobs, you might want to cut them in half again.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px;">- <strong>When using a sleeve</strong>, be sure to use each side and turn inside out. Use each side like you do when cleaning with a sock rag.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">2. <strong>Next I cut the sides and shoulder seams</strong> open and then cut the neck band off.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">3. <strong>Last, I cut them into the size of squares or rectangles I want.</strong> This isn't rocket science. I just eyeball it. It's only a rag. If you ruin it you can toss it, so relax.</p>
<p><strong>Towels</strong></p>
<p><strong>Don't cut towels.</strong> Terry cloth frays very badly so it is best to just leave these and use wash rags for small jobs and the towels for big ones.</p>
<p><strong>Note from Tawra:</strong> I keep a stack of old towels in my car and in my emergency shelter. Then if we are in an accident or tornado, someone gets hurt and there is a lot of blood we can clean it up easier.</p>
<p><strong>Cloth diapers and tea towels</strong></p>
<p><strong>Even though you can cut these,</strong> I usually don't. For example when I am washing windows, I use a corner to dry or shine and then move to another dry corner or the middle. By moving from one dry spot on the rag to the next, I can get a whole job done with one rag.</p>
<p><strong>Pajamas</strong></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">1. Like the T shirts, I cut the sleeves first, long sleeves in half.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">2. Then cut side and shoulder seams.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">3. Cut off buttons to save.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">4. Cut the front band and collar off. Often the collar is big enough to save and use for a small wipe up job.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">5. Cut into squares or rectangles.</p>
<p><strong>If I am going to use these for something like my Swiffer</strong>, I will measure and cut one for a pattern and use it as a guideline to cut more. Even these don't have to be perfect. It is just to give you a general idea.</p>
<p><strong>Relax, you're just working with rags.</strong> If I have a drawer full of rags that are too big for the job at hand, I grab a pair of scissors and cut one down to the size I need. It is not big deal and it doesn't have to be perfect.</p>
<p><strong>Don't feel guilty about throwing away rags. </strong> I do it all the time and I do it guilt free. No wonder so many people are so stressed and uptight all the time. We can't even throw out a paper cup or use a piece of aluminum without being badgered or made to feel guilty. Rags are one thing you can throw out guilt free because, if you are like me, you have used it well in the form of clothing or linens and re-used it as a rag until it's pretty much worn out. Not only that, since I bought most of the things I wear used, my things have really been used by the time they hit the trash.<br /> <br /><br /><strong>Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam </strong>are frugal living experts and the authors of the <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/store/dining-dime-cookbook/" target="_blank">Dining On A Dime Cookbook</a>. Dining On A Dime will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips & recipes visit <a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">http://www.LivingOnADime.com</a> , sign up for our free <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/newsletter-signups/" target="_blank">Living On A Dime Newsletter </a>and learn to save more! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com</p>Staff2012-01-23T23:49:00Z10-Second Recipes: Juice Blends Stretch Meals and NutritionStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Juice-Blends-Stretch-Meals-and-Nutrition/-132101521536046653.html2012-01-16T08:10:00Z2012-01-16T08:10:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The new wave of store-bought fruit and vegetable juice blends cleverly hide mixtures of vegetable extracts, <em>like tomato, celery, carrot, sweet potato and beet</em>, behind the more prominent, sweeter flavor of fruits, <em>such as apple, orange, grape, blueberry, strawberry and banana</em>. They are excellent to use over ice as a pre-meal healthful cocktail for both adults and kidlets (especially the light versions available of many brands), but also are a nutrient-dense way to deliciously stretch your meals. Everything from breakfast or dessert smoothies, to innovative salad dressings, sauces and other meal elements show off the innovative ingredient that would be a shame to just get to know as a plain juice.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun and fast, as the following split-second sensations prove. The dishes are delicious evidence that everyone - including you and your kidlet helpers - has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the table.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Tea Tempter</strong><br />Thought tea couldn't get much more nutritious? Try this blend as a breakfast juice booster, snack or pre-meal cocktail. Using teabags, brew a mixture including caffeine-free versions of black, green and cinnamon- and orange-based teas. Let cool. Sweeten lightly with a calorie-free natural sweetener, like stevia, squeeze in the juice of part of a lemon, and about one half cup fruit-vegetable juice blend and one quarter cup orange juice for each serving, gently mix and serve over ice.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Fruit Salad Soup</strong><br />Slice bananas, strawberries, apples and pears and place in bowl. Cover with fruit-vegetable juice blend, small amount of grapefruit juice and the juice of part of a lime and gently stir. Serve chilled and eat with spoon as a cold soup.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Dressing Dripping with Goodness</strong><br />Combine fruit-vegetable juice blend with store-bought or homemade light balsamic vinaigrette and spicy brown mustard. Grind in freshly ground black pepper.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Saucy Dinner Solution</strong><br />Combine fruit-vegetable juice blend with no sugar-added pure berry fruit spread (sold in jam section of most supermarkets), cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and heat in saucepan over low heat until reduces. Use half as baste for roasted chicken and re-warm other half mixed with finely diced onions and shallots just before serving as a sauce.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Pounds of fun for pound cake recipe</strong><br />Combine fruit-vegetable juice blend with sweetened coconut milk and bottled caramel ice-cream topping and heat in saucepan over low heat until creamy. Serve warm over sugar-free vanilla ice cream that's atop pound cake or angel food cake.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Homemade garlic bread and grilled cheese don't have to be one dimensional. If you mix-and-match your favorite spices, they can be comfort food foundations for even healthier meals. Bonus: Because of the added flavors, the results are more delicious than the originals. Try this for a hybrid that is the best of both garlic bread and grilled cheese: Toast one side of whole-grain bread in broiler, carefully remove, turn over, spread on vegan or other margarine or butter and sprinkle with garlic and onion powders, curry powder, turmeric, cayenne and freshly ground black pepper and top with a single layer of pepperjack cheese or, if not, Monterey Jack. Broil until cheese is bubbly, making sure exposed parts of bread don't burn.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-01-16T08:10:00Z10-Second Recipes: Reenergize with Speedy New Menus for the New YearStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Reenergize-with-Speedy-New-Menus-for-the-New-Year/-986090237978586822.html2012-01-03T15:45:00Z2012-01-03T15:45:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Taking a deep breath after the busyness of the winter holidays doesn't necessarily mean you need to rely on weeks of (and the expense of) take-out food to restore your culinary energy. The following three-course economic weeknight menus (appetizers, entrees, and healthy desserts) are filled with gourmet touches that take just seconds each. Sometimes, for instance, it's just a key flavor that superbly anchors an entire dish, like the heated marinara sauce in a raw stuffed mushroom healthful appetizer or the warmed apple cider in an innovative soup also featuring grilled cheddar cheese croutons.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Everyone can use a little help planning weeknight meals, especially as an entire new year looms ahead - <em>and if that only takes seconds, that's even better</em>. The three nights of menus that follow offer a lifeline during a busy week and prove cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these menus of family-friendly sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The meals are delicious proof everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>QUICK MENU 1</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Appetizer</em><br /><strong>Excitement Boils with Apple Cider Soup</strong><br />Heat apple cider, minced peeled apple, vanilla extract and ground: cinnamon, cumin, turmeric and coriander. Just before serving, top with "croutons" made from bite-sized squares of whole-wheat well-done grilled cheddar cheese sandwiches.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Entree</em><br /><strong>Sandwiches Aren't Just for Lunch</strong><br />Prepare mini healthful sub sandwiches in whole-wheat buns with thinly sliced honey ham and various thinly sliced vegetables (or only vegetables for a vegetarian version) and pepperjack cheese (which has the antioxidant plus of fresh peppers). Make a dipping sauce of peach fruit-only spread (usually available in the jam aisle of many supermarkets), spicy brown mustard, chopped pecans, curry powder and freshly ground black pepper.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Healthy Dessert</em><br /><strong>Pairing Pears and Prickly Pears</strong><br />For a taste treat that's an easy addition, consider finding cactus prickly pear syrup or juice at your supermarket or ordering from large multi-source online retailers, like amazon.com or shopzilla.com, which offers wares from 300 retailers. Heat syrup or juice lightly (substitute heated sugar-free butterscotch or caramel sundae sauce if necessary) and pour atop fresh unpeeled diced pears that have been sprinkled on sugar-free vanilla ice cream, frozen yogurt, or sorbet.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>QUICK MENU 2</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Appetizer</em><br /><strong>Sophisticated Stuffed Mushrooms are Easy</strong><br />Heat your favorite (extremely flavorful) leftover homemade or store-bought marinara sauce. Meanwhile, wash, stem and dry large store-bought white mushrooms. Spoon in a dash of sauce, add a thin slice of Parmesan cheese (this has more protein and less fat than most cheeses) and a thin slice of fresh unpeeled zucchini. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning mix and serve at room temperature.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Entree</em><br /><strong>A Big Broccoli Idea</strong><br />Place cooked penne pasta in bottom of casserole dish. Top with fresh or frozen broccoli that's been lightly steamed, walnut pieces, drained garbanzo beans, cooked shredded chicken, an amount of bottled Italian dressing that's 2-to-1 to bottled ranch dressing you will also add and mix well. Heat at 300 F until hot. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Healthy Dessert</em><br /><strong>These Dates Have a Date with Spicy Dessert Sauce</strong><br />Blend sugar-free chocolate syrup with creamy peanut butter and a dash of curry powder. Use as a dipping sauce for dried figs, dates and sugar-free sandwich cookies.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>QUICK MENU 3</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Appetizer</em><br /><strong>Salad in a Smoothie</strong><br />Add a dab of water, some spinach leaves, small carrot pieces, fresh lime and lemon juices, orange juice, pineapple juice and a small amount of sugar-free natural sweetener (like stevia) to a blender. Blend until smooth and serve over ice.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Entree</em><br /><strong>Adding Love to Meatloaf</strong><br />To deliciously "super fruit-ize" your meal, whirl a dab of water and fresh or frozen blackberries and flesh of kiwi in a blender until liquefied. Stir into bottled barbecue sauce, heat and spoon over meatloaf made from lean meats. Serve with whole-wheat rolls topped with a dab of blackberry jam.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em>Healthy Dessert</em><br /><strong>Creative Couscous Begins Great End to Meal</strong><br />Prepare couscous according to package directions (it's easy to make, like rice). While hot, carefully add raisins, diced dried apricots and almond slivers. Stir in vanilla-flavored low-fat or fat-free refrigerated yogurt and a few drops of vanilla extract.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em> If you are in a time pinch and notice a recipe calls for cake flour, but you don't have any on hand, baking experts like Robert L. Blakeslee, author of <em>"Your Time to Bake: A First Cookbook for the Novice Baker,"</em> advise, that for every cup called for you easily and economically can substitute 1 cup less 2 tablespoons of sifted all-purpose flour.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2012-01-03T15:45:00Z10-Second Recipes: Hang Out in Front of the 'Fridge for Healthy New Year's SnacksStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Hang-Out-in-Front-of-the-Fridge-for-Healthy-New-Years-Snacks/210419528027786460.html2011-12-20T00:00:00Z2011-12-20T00:00:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Often, we're told to stop staring when we linger in front of the refrigerator blindly staring into space pondering our next snack. That kind of loitering, we're usually advised, leads to mindless eating that can pack on the pounds. However, as we close out one year and make our healthful resolutions for the next, if you keep your kitchen stocked with nutritious ingredients, if you piece together a quick nosh while standing in front of the 'fridge or pantry, the opposite can be true. Such split-second snacks can propel your health goals rather than detract from them.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Food preparation - <em>including when you are just nibbling </em>- can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun and fast, as the following ideas illustrate. The dishes are delicious evidence that everyone - including you and your kidlet helpers - has time for healthy family time in the kitchen. Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, for easy implementations like this or more involved feasts down the line, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Everything But the Kitchen Sink</strong><br />Just like full meals, the best snacks are balanced. Grab a little each of a lot of healthful choices, like: a prune, a few peanuts, one-third of a cup of yogurt (double wrapping the rest of the container and refrigerating for enjoyment later the same day), a few sips of juice, a small handful of whole-grain cereal, a couple of sugar-snap peapods and a few blueberries.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Going Green </strong><br />Nutritionists suggest greens be included in the diet every day. Each time you are staring into the refrigerator deciding what to eat, grab a handful of freshly washed greens, like romaine, kale, spinach, or mixed greens salad mix, and munch while you decide.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Clean-Out-Your-Pantry Creative Kabobs</strong><br />Refresh your pantry and refrigerator for the New Year and decide anything healthful and still within its expiration date you'll combine into a creative snacking concoction. An example: kabobs sporting pitted black olives, chunks of drained canned pineapple, string cheese you've cut into bite-sized bits and whole-grain packaged croutons you've first slightly soaked in the natural juice-only (no sugar added) from your canned pineapple.<br /> <br /><strong>Condiments Worth Compliments</strong><br />Exotic dipping sauces for snacks can be a quick result of staring at the door shelf in your refrigerator. A few ideas (all should be mixed well): lite soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and sugar-free bottled French, Russian or Thousand Island salad dressing; Dijon mustard, salsa and a dab of low-fat mayonnaise; ketchup, maple syrup and strawberry jam.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>An Anything-But-Nutty Nut-Filled Idea</strong><br />Nuts, in moderation due to their high calorie and (healthful) fat counts, are nutrition powerhouses. Mix bits of any nuts and seeds you find in your pantry with whatever whole-grain cereals are hanging around in there. Add this to some popcorn (which is another whole-grain addition) and sprinkle with some spices that are concentrated sources of natural antioxidants, like cinnamon, ginger, rosemary, thyme, turmeric and cayenne. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Potato Potluck</strong><br />Often, we'll choose just one potato at a time from our refrigerator's vegetable bins. A "potpourri" can be more nutritious and delicious. Bake up (the microwave oven can often produce the same results and save three-quarters of the time) a batch of everything you've got on hand, from russet, to sweet potatoes, to red and purple varieties, varying time based on size. Mash all together, including the healthful skins, season with freshly ground black pepper, nutmeg and a small amount of honey. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Turbo-Charged Toppings</strong><br />Consider these unusual, but tasty, toppings for the vanilla variety of fresh yogurt, frozen yogurt of sugar-free ice cream: grated carrots or zucchini, minced canned beets or cooked mashed sweet potatoes that are still warm or reheated.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If you are preparing a long-simmering soup, be sure to keep it covered for at least half the cooking time or a large proportion of your broth may boil away. That will be more reason your house will have the scent of a wonderful home-cooked meal, but leave you with a bulkier soup and smaller portions for your family!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2011-12-20T00:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Economical Ingredients Energize Holiday DishesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Economical-Ingredients-Energize-Holiday-Dishes/-918010653387559976.html2011-12-12T14:49:00Z2011-12-12T14:49:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Christmas and other holidays often boil down to just a few ingredients that give them their trademark flavor, like peppermint and pumpkin. Therefore, when you are in a pinch for time or funds, it's fun to think of ways such signature add-ins can, in fact, make the meal. When last, for instance, did the water at your place settings ring in the festivities? Add a few drops of peppermint extract, along with a drizzle of fresh orange juice, and serve garnished with an orange slice for a memorable first sip to the meal. Double-bake your potatoes with the addition of pumpkin pie filling - or use the versatile canned good as the base of a filling for Cornish game hens - and you get the ingenuous idea even more.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Food preparation - <em>even for holiday guests</em> - can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun and fast, as the following split-second sensations prove. The dishes are delicious evidence that everyone - including you and your kidlet helpers - has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, even when preparing holiday specialties, <em>since there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the table.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />DRIED CRANBERRIES</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />Sensational Salad</strong><br />Drizzle the dried fruit atop a mixed greens balsamic vinaigrette-dressed salad that also includes diced unpeeled pears, pecans and minced roasted chestnuts.<br /> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong>More Sweetness - and Nutrition - in Dessert</strong><br />Instead of chocolate chips, add dried cranberries to cookies, as well as along with nuts in brownies. Drizzle them atop the whipped cream that crowns pumpkin pie or the sugar-free vanilla ice cream that might top warm apple pie.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />PEPPERMINT</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />Wonderful Water</strong><br />To the glass of water at each table setting, add a few drops of peppermint extract and a few drops of fresh-squeezed orange juice before garnishing with an orange slice.<br /> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong>Pepping Up this Condiment</strong><br />Mix a few drops of peppermint extract into prepared canned cranberry sauce and top with crispy fresh mint that you've very lightly "fried" in olive oil blended with a few dashes of ground cinnamon.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />CANDIED PECANS</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />Wild Rice Gets Wilder</strong><br />Add chopped candied pecans to cooked wild rice and crumble some fruitcake into the mixture as well as adding an egg. Mold into balls, place in muffin tins that have been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and bake at 350 F until as crispy as you would like. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />One Nutty Eggnog Smoothie</strong><br />Add candied pecans, ground cinnamon and maraschino cherries without stems to eggnog in a blender container and blend well with ice until smooth and creamy for a holiday smoothie appetizer cocktail or beverage that is a dessert accompaniment.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />PUMPKIN PIE FILLING</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />Double-the-Fun Double-Baked Potatoes</strong><br />Bake russet potatoes, remove filling and mash with pumpkin pie filling and maple syrup. Re-stuff into potato shells and heat until hot.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />These Cornish Hens Aren't Corny</strong><br />Combine pumpkin pie filling, golden raisins, diced red unpeeled apples and a few dashes of jarred poultry seasoning. Stuff lightly, being careful not to overfill, into cleaned Cornish hens before cooking.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em><strong><br />QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> It can get boring preparing the same healthful breakfast foods all the time. That's why leftovers can be a tasty alternative. Take nutritious meal elements from dinner and turn them into morning favorites, like brown rice to which you add a little soymilk, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, dried fruit and natural no-calorie sweetener to heat and morph into a delicious breakfast porridge, lean glazed ham and its vegetable sides that you mince and add as an omelet filling, or whole-grain dinner rolls that you cut in half, dip in egg wash, season with pumpkin pie spice and cook in a skillet as mini French toasts and serve with sugar-free syrup.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2011-12-12T14:49:00Z10-Second Recipes: Don't Rest 'Til You Borrow a Few Ideas from Restaurant MenusStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Dont-Rest-Til-You-Borrow-a-Few-Ideas-from-Restaurant-Menus/-115664607195268553.html2011-12-05T21:47:00Z2011-12-05T21:47:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Menus can be much more than the inspiration for just that one restaurant meal you might be pondering. Taking a peek online ahead of time or just perusing before ordering can be a lightning fast way to snatch a few meal ideas. Most menus give dish descriptions, including ingredient combinations. Let that be your invitation to try ones that catch your fancy at home. I recently looked up a famed New York City Italian restaurant we'd be visiting. The walnut salad caught my eye: a simple combination of the nuts, raisins, romaine, freshly shaved Parmesan cheese in a mustard vinaigrette. Without ever having tasted the real thing, I enjoyed just that within minutes with dinner at home that night, economically and quickly preparing the dressing by just whisking a few dashes of spicy mustard into a bottled light balsamic vinaigrette I had tossed with the rest of the ingredients, all of which I had on hand. Try some of the other split second menu mainstays that follow. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun and fast, as the following simple sensations prove. The dishes are delicious evidence that everyone - including you and your kidlet helpers - has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the table.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong>APPETIZERS</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong>One Great Guacamole</strong><br />Like a favorite family restaurant chain, to homemade or store-bought guacamole, add freshly chopped cilantro, salsa, grilled corn and chopped jalapenos. (Be careful not to touch your eyes during or after handling peppers.) Stuff your great "guac" into chunks of celery.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong>Leftovers are Layered into this Soup</strong><br />A fast food outlet makes good use of its leftover rotisserie chicken by tossing it into a spicy tomato broth and adding "croutons" made from bite-sized toasted pita pieces. Sprinkle with shredded Monterey Jack cheese before serving.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>ENTREES</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong>Exciting Enchiladas</strong><br />In the popular tourist town of Sedona, AZ, spicy Southwestern food is king. Like a top spot there, create enchiladas with blue corn tortillas, a mixture of meats and authentic Mexican cheeses available at most major supermarkets.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Shrimp Dish with Giant Flavor</strong><br />Like an acclaimed dinner house, saute medium shrimp with garlic, tomatoes and mushrooms and add it with parmesan and Romano cheese to a creamy sauce over penne pasta. Then top each serving with a few large breaded shrimp you've baked rather than fried.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>DESSERTS</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>A Cheesecake that Does Anything but Loaf</strong><br />Like a major banquet hotel describes on its roster, "spread" bread pudding on top of store-bought or homemade cheesecake and splash with a drizzle of orange juice.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Love that Lemon</strong><br />Emulate this gourmet chain's refreshing dessert by topping crust-less lemon pie filling with shortbread crumbs and chunks of lemon pulp you've lightly broiled.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> For the health conscious among us, the well-balanced breakfasts we eat at home (perhaps including nuts, whole grains, high-quality, low-fat proteins and fresh fruit) often become only distant memories when we meet up with others to eat breakfast out. Although it's gotten more prevalent, at many restaurants, there is still not a whole grain in sight, or to order fresh fruit would be a hefty added on expense. In such cases, you might consider a quick "booster" breakfast so you maintain balance. Think about leaving a few extra minutes early and, as you park your car or are otherwise approaching the restaurant, mindfully munch a few nuts, a handful of low-fat, whole-grain granola or other dry cereal, and a few fresh berries from home. Then, when you are in the restaurant concentrate most on having a low-fat protein from the menu, or even consider importing some of that yourself as well, such as stirring a scoop of vanilla or chocolate whey protein powder you've brought from home in a plastic sandwich bag into the restaurant's whole-grain - but usually protein-lacking - oatmeal.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2011-12-05T21:47:00Z10-Second Recipes: Warm Your Heart with Innovative, Inexpensive Hot BeveragesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Warm-Your-Heart-with-Innovative,-Inexpensive-Hot-Beverages/385621799793046792.html2011-11-07T15:50:00Z2011-11-07T15:50:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Cooler weather often brings on cravings for warm beverages. Old, good habits die hard, though, and that may mean never venturing beyond a cup of coffee or plain hot chocolate. It's easy, though, to prepare both innovative and inexpensive treats, like a dessert beverage of sugar-free hot chocolate, blended with pumpkin pie spice and a few dollops of prepared cheesecake filling before reheating; a fiery breakfast wake-up call of heated tomato juice, hot sauce, chili sauce (the bottled kind adds a dash of sweetness), cayenne and black pepper; or a peppy party punch featuring warmed pineapple juice, honey, fresh tangy ginger and seasonal spices.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Food preparation at any time of year can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from both family and guests.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em><br />Breakfast</em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />One Red Hot Morning</strong><br />Warm a mixture of tomato juice, hot sauce, chili sauce, cayenne, black pepper and carrot juice.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />Triple Tasty Tea</strong><br />Brew apple-cinnamon teabags, carefully remove bags with a utensil and warm tea with finely diced raspberries and strawberries and freshly chopped mint, stirring, until finely diced fruit becomes like liquid. <br /><br /><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em>Parties</em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />This Punch is a Real Hit</strong><br />Warm pineapple juice, along with honey, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper, advises Reader's Digest health newsletters, for a dynamite punch.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />Side with Fresh Pears in this Cider</strong><br />Substitute a mixture of diced, ripe pears in your favorite hot apple cider recipe, along with vanilla beans and cinnamon sticks that you'll carefully remove with a utensil just before serving.<br /><br /> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em>Dessert</em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />Express Yourself with this Espresso</strong><br />Stir in dollops of caramel sauce and butterscotch sauce (both usually found in the ice cream aisles of supermarkets), almond extract and whipped cream to hot espresso, topping with dark chocolate shavings.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />A Very Chipper Hot Chocolate</strong><br />To prepared sugar-free hot chocolate, add pumpkin pie spice, a few spoonfuls of the filling of prepared cheesecake, blend well and reheat until hot. <br /><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><em><br />QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Sauce doesn't just have to be for dinner. Why not give your breakfast some easy pizzazz with an innovative draping. A few rich sauces, like Hollandaise, have always held a place in breakfast-lovers' hearts, but even everyday fare can be fun. In a microwave-safe container or small saucepot on low flame, heat pure maple syrup, orange juice, lime juice, freshly ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and chopped fresh mint for French toast or pancakes. In the same types of pots, heat raspberry jam, molasses, finely diced fresh pears and blueberries and sauce your oatmeal with it.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2011-11-07T15:50:00Z10-Second Recipes: Let Autumn Shine Through at Every Economical MealStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Let-Autumn-Shine-Through-at-Every-Economical-Meal/312422365750617867.html2011-10-31T20:56:00Z2011-10-31T20:56:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Sometimes seasonal specialties are saved for noteworthy occasions, like hearty dinners or festive suppers that entertain a crowd of friends and family. <em>You deserve the treats, which can be fresh or products associated with this type of year, at every meal.</em> When they are strategically used, they take just seconds and are among the most economical choices you can make since they are abundant and, therefore, often reflect seasonal discounts. Fresh apples and pears, for instance, punch up a warm breakfast chutney that deliciously drapes multigrain pancakes, waffles or toast. Carrots, parsnips, barley and fresh ginger contribute to a lovely lunchtime soup. Barley, seasonal vegetables and spices are all it takes to turn hamburger patties into a more healthful and flavorful dinner.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Food preparation at any time of year can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The creative combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from both family and guests.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em><br />Breakfast<br /></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />Seasonal Smoothie</strong><br />To a blender container add pomegranate juice, soft or firm tofu, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, a no-calorie natural sweetener, like stevia, ripe unpeeled pear slices and ice and blend until smooth.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />A Chutney that Really Clicks</strong><br />To cranberry or raspberry jam, add chunks of unpeeled apple and quince or pear, strained golden raisins that you've soaked in the refrigerator in water overnight for plumping and ground allspice, boil briefly, and use instead of syrup on multigrain pancakes, waffles, French toast or instead of jam on multigrain English muffins or toast.<br /> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em>Lunch<br /></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />Wild About Carrot-Parsnip Wild Rice Soup</strong><br />Steam carrots and parsnips, carefully slice and add to a soup pot of low-sodium vegetable broth along with wild rice, thin slices of fresh ginger, freshly ground black pepper and a cinnamon stick and vanilla bean you'll remove with a utensil before stirring well and serving.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />One Vibrant Vegetable Melt</strong><br />In a broiler, toast one side of multigrain bread and carefully remove from oven. Top with peach jam and slices of celery root, curley endive, mushrooms, fennel, figs, pumpkin seeds and pepperjack cheese and broil until cheese is bubbling and melted, while being careful not to burn bread.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em><br />Dinner<br /></em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />Cheery Chicken</strong> <br />Purchase a no-sugar-added, whole-grain cereal that reflects the season by being flavored, for example, with cinnamon and dried cranberries. Crush it in a strong plastic bag with a rolling pin, dip thin slices of cooked rotisserie chicken from which you've removed the skin into whisked egg and then the crushed cereal to coat. Cook in a small amount of olive oil, turning once, and serve with sugar-free maple-style syrup as a dipping sauce.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><br />Hamburgers that Ham it Up with Barley</strong><br />Extend a small amount of hamburger meat for each patty with cooked barley, minced cooked parsnips and broccoli, minced red onion, minced garlic and cayenne pepper. Cook patties thoroughly and serve with a condiment that's made by thoroughly combining low-sugar ketchup and apple butter.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em><strong><br />QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Fried rice-style dishes don't have to be fried at all. You can trick your taste buds without all that oil by including ingredients that often are housed within restaurant fried rice dishes. To cooked whole-grain rice (which can be some of the many quick-cook varieties now available), add diced carrots, peas, strips of cooked scrambled egg, small chunks of cooked skinless breast meat cut from a rotisserie chicken, Chinese five-spice powder and reheat just until hot.<br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2011-10-31T20:56:00Z10-Second Recipes: Shortcut Soups Trim Time and Money This FallStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Shortcut-Soups-Trim-Time-and-Money-This-Fall/367561896793511209.html2011-10-17T07:30:00Z2011-10-17T07:30:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Hearty soup is one of the most economical, easy and tasty treats of autumn. The contents of soup pots, however, don't have to be either homemade or store-bought. Halfway homemade can equal some super spoonfuls that start with a foundation of canned soup, like low-sodium chicken and rice, that gets a kick from quick-cook brown rice, a variety of diced mushrooms, minced scallions and fresh-pressed garlic, and corn chowder to which you add fresh corn kernels, diced red bell pepper, jalapenos and Cajun seasoning blend before topping with crumbles of cornbread.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />Food preparation at any time of year can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The souped-up combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from both family and guests.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Chicken and Rice that Rises to the Occasion</strong><br />To store-bought, preferably low-sodium, chicken and rice soup before heating add quick-cook brown rice, a variety of diced mushrooms, diced celery, diced carrots, minced scallions, freshly ground black pepper and fresh-pressed garlic.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Butternut Squash That's Even Better</strong><br />Before heating, add canned pumpkin puree to store-bought butternut squash soup, as well as freshly ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Just before serving, top with croutons prepared by cutting cubes of well-toasted cinnamon-raisin bread.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Making Room for Mushroom Barley</strong><br />Barley is one of the healthiest whole grains, therefore ensuring this popular type of store-bought soup is always a good choice. Improve it even more by adding before heating minced tomatoes, chopped fresh cilantro and dill, from both of which stems have been removed, toasted garlic and a dash of cayenne pepper.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Tomatoes that Will Tickle You</strong><br />The lycopene that's best released in processed tomato products, like paste, ketchup and canned soups, is an added nutritional bonus to the wonderful flavor of tomatoes. To store-bought tomato soup before heating, add chopped fresh basil and oregano, onions that have been caramelized and vanilla soymilk for a creamy effect.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Turn Up the Heat on Tempting Tortellini</strong> <br />Even some "healthy" brands features tortellini or ravioli in a variety of their soups. To that before heating add small torn pieces of fresh spinach, the leaves of celery, diced mushrooms and chopped sauteed garlic.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Beef Up Vegetable Beef Soup with More Vegetables</strong><br />Store-bought vegetable beef soup, preferably the low-sodium variety, can be made more vibrant. Before heating, add small chunks of unpeeled sweet potato, zucchini, broccoli, onion, quinoa (the whole grain often referred to as a super food that's now widely available at major supermarkets) and a few dashes of powdered barbecue rub spice</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Creative Corn Chowder</strong><br />Before heating store-bought corn chowder, add fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels, diced red bell pepper, diced, seeded jalapeno that you wear latex gloves to chop and don't touch your eyes during or afterward and Cajun seasoning blend. Just before serving, crumble pieces of store-bought or homemade cornbread on top and drizzle with freshly chopped parsley.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> The date stamped on many supermarket products is often the one best sold by as long as it is unopened and can be months ahead in the future. Once opened, resealed and refrigerated, though, many products - like milk and soymilk, cream cheese, pasta sauces and nondairy whipped toppings - should be used within seven to ten days. Think about taping your own paper on the product noting the date you opened it in order to keep track of the multiple products in your refrigerator.<br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2011-10-17T07:30:00Z10-Second Recipes: Pick Pumpkins to Increase Savings and NutritionStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Pick-Pumpkins-to-Increase-Savings-and-Nutrition/643547885299534211.html2011-10-10T07:00:00Z2011-10-10T07:00:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The pumpkin is well deserving of its title as ambassador of Halloween season. Besides creating attractive decor, it's one of the healthiest foods available. A member of the gourd family, like watermelon and squash, it's high in vitamin A, as well as lots of antioxidants, phytonutrients and fiber. It's a shame just to carve it for display or think of it only as an ingredient in sugary pies. Pumpkin, with its mildly sweet flavor that's perfect for seasoning and its crunchy seeds, is excellent as an ingredient in everything from appetizers, to salads, to soups, to side dishes, to entrees, as well as wholesome sugar-free, whole-grain treats, like cookies and muffins. Popular on this continent well before the United States was born, it also has been highlighted in cuisines worldwide for centuries. Though some are intimidated by the contents inside that hard shell, it really takes no more than quick peeling, seeding, cutting, seasoning and heating or tossing in soups or stews before cooking to achieve a great result. <em>Often sold at just pennies a pound during this season, or on sale in its healthful canned varieties, it's also extremely economical.</em> Try some of the 10-second ideas that follow sprinkled throughout pumpkin season.<br /></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br />Food preparation at any time of year can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The dishes are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from both family and guests.<br /> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Appetizer</em><br /><strong>Perfectly Polished Pumpkin Puffs</strong><br />Place thawed puff pastry dough in mini muffin tin slots that had been sprayed lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Add either a heaping teaspoonful of pumpkin pie filling that you've scooped out of a store-bought or homemade sugar-free pumpkin pie or canned pumpkin pie filling that you've already baked according to manufacturer's instructions. Sprinkle with a few sliced almonds and paprika and bake according to puff pastry manufacturer's instructions, as though you were baking the puff pastry alone.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /><em>Salad</em><br /><strong>One Honey of a Pepita Salad Topping</strong><br />Place store-bought or homemade pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds) on baking sheet and drizzle lightly with honey and a dash of ground cinnamon. Heat in oven on low. Create a salad of mixed greens, dried cranberries, fresh raspberries and finely chopped pecans. Drizzle with low-fat balsamic vinaigrette, toss and top with warmed pepita-honey combination for a wilted salad effect. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /><em>Soup</em><br /><strong>Simple Soup Gets a Pumpkin Push</strong><br />Into store-bought or homemade tomato soup, puree peeled and seeded pumpkin or canned pumpkin, freshly ground black pepper and curry powder. Heat until very hot and serve with store-bought or homemade pumpkin bread. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /><em>Side Dish</em><br /><strong>Sweet and Savory Flavors Reap a Rollicking Roast</strong><br />Cut bite-sized chunks of peeled and seeded pumpkin and place in a roasting pan. Drizzle very lightly with molasses, lemon-pepper and cayenne pepper. Roast until fully cooked. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /><em>Entree</em><br /><strong>Don't Stew Over Preparing this Delicacy</strong><br />Traditional Catalan and Italian seasonal home cooking often highlights pumpkin in pork stews. To a mixture of chunks of pork meat, such as sausage or shoulder, from which you've trimmed fat, add white beans, chunks of peeled and seeded pumpkin, chopped onions, fresh thyme and salt substitute to taste. Simmer for at least an hour, adding uncooked rice for and additional 20 minutes at end. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /><em>Healthy Dessert</em><br /><strong>Pump Up Whole-Grain Toaster Waffles with Pumpkin Spread</strong><br />Spread whole-grain frozen toaster waffles that you have toasted with filling from a store-bought or homemade sugar-free pumpkin pie. Top with finely chopped walnuts, diced fresh pears, whipped cream and heated sugar-free maple syrup. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> You might want to take a cue from home cooks in the Mediterranean - whose residents medical researchers often deem among the world's most healthy. In that region, meat is used just sparingly in autumn and winter soups and stews. Seasonal vegetables make up the greatest proportion of the recipes with sprinklings of meat added for protein and flavor - almost like a condiment. That's why inhabitants of many of those areas often refer even to such meals that include meat as "vegetable soup" or "vegetable stew." <br /></span></span><strong><br />Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2011-10-10T07:00:00ZFeeding a Family for $400 a Month?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Feeding-a-Family-for-$400-a-Month/-375182326604339351.html2011-10-03T07:00:00Z2011-10-03T07:00:00Z<p>by Tawra Kellam<br /><a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">www.LivingOnADime.com</a></p>
<p>Tawra Kellam, editor of <a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">LivingOnADime.com</a> , does something that most people think they can't do today. <strong>She feeds her family of 6 for $400 a month.</strong> Most people say that's an impossible feat but what's even more impressive is that <strong>she does it without using coupons.</strong></p>
<p>How does she do it? First, Tawra says, "<strong>I use what I have.</strong> If I don't have milk in the house, I don't make a special trip to the store for it. The kids won't die from malnutrition if they miss drinking milk for a day or two. If I'm out of bread, I'll make some cornbread or muffins. If I'm out of fresh veggies, I will use canned or frozen instead. Stop going to the store for one or two things. I shop for food 2-3 times a month and that's it."</p>
<p><strong>Shop the clearance sections.</strong> "I regularly find milk on clearance for $1.75 a gallon. My store marks the milk down a few days before the "sell by" date. The great part is that milk stays fresh for 1 week after it's opened. I just throw several in the freezer and then I don't have to make a special trip for milk. Just thaw, shake and serve."</p>
<p><strong>Purchase meat only on sale or on clearance.</strong> Again, butchers mark down their meat a day or two before the "sell by" date. Generally, meat is good for 3-4 days after the "sell by" date in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer. Tawra says "I never buy meat unless it's on sale for $1.99 or less a pound. If it's not on sale, we don't eat it. You can get some great unadvertised deals just by watching the meat counter's clearance items. I found 5 lb. rolls of hamburger for $2.95 each after New Year's Day. Of course we stocked up and will have enough hamburger to last 6 months. I can get "soup bones" with enough meat on them to make a great vegetable stew for under $2.00 for the entire family! Add some rolls and you have a complete meal for 6 for less than $3.00. When chicken is on sale for under $2.00 per pound, I stock up. I do this with all my meats. This way we can always have a variety of meats."</p>
<p><strong>Ask.</strong> Most people are intimidated by asking, but Tawra regularly asks when things will go on sale or be marked down. By asking, she found out bananas, milk and meat are marked down each morning. She tries to shop in the mornings to get the best deals. She says, "When we lived in another state, they marked things down in the evening so that's when we went shopping. Adjust your shopping times to find the best deals."</p>
<p><strong>Serve your family proper portions of food.</strong> "Most parents give their kids way too much milk, juice and soda. My kids get soda on special occasions only. They eat milk with their cereal. For snacks, they eat a piece of string cheese, fruit or one or two cookies. The kids don't sip on milk or juice all day long. They drink water and are just fine with it. As a general rule, I try to give them one vegetable and one fruit for lunch and dinner and then a piece of fruit with cookies or cheese as a snack. This gets their "five a day" in very easily. Stop letting kids just "graze" on chips and other snack food all day. My kids get one small "bowl" of chips a day and that's it."</p>
<p><strong>So what do the Kellams eat? Tawra shares some of their menus with us:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Slow cooked roast</strong>, brown gravy, onions, carrots, potatoes, buttermilk muffins and a fruit plate</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">(<strong>The next day, the leftovers from the roast are used as BBQ beef </strong>along with potato salad, green beans and strawberries or grapes.)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Pizza (homemade)</strong>, tossed salad and fruit</li>
<li><strong>Maple glazed chicken</strong>, scalloped potatoes, glazed carrots, applesauce and dinner rolls</li>
<li><strong>Sloppy Joes</strong>, cucumbers and tomatoes</li>
<li><strong>Tacos</strong>, refried beans, green beans, sliced apples and tortilla chips w/ honey</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>With savvy shopping, you too can cut your grocery bill even when prices are going up!</strong><br /> <br /><strong>Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the authors of the <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/store/dining-dime-cookbook/" target="_blank">Dining On A Dime Cookbook</a></strong>. Dining On A Dime will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips & recipes visit <a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">http://www.LivingOnADime.com</a> , sign up for our free <a href="http://www.livingonadime.com/newsletter-signups/" target="_blank">Living On A Dime Newsletter </a>and learn to save more! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com</p>Staff2011-10-03T07:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Stuff Yourself with Healthy and Economical Stuffed MealsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Stuff-Yourself-with-Healthy-and-Economical-Stuffed-Meals/-617723183094421356.html2011-10-03T07:00:00Z2011-10-03T07:00:00Z(<em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Stuffed food is often seen as an elegant and sophisticated treat, but it actually <em>can be a surprisingly easy and economical way to perk up just about anything:</em> a spicy bran muffin, for instance, filled with gourmet oatmeal or meatloaf brimming with jazzed up chili. Like using the oatmeal or a bean-filled chili, it can also be a way to up the health quotient of your meal, such as garden vegetables tucked into a baby shrimp filled chicken breast. Even nutritious desserts get the fun treatment.</p>
<p>Food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The dishes are delicious evidence that everyone - including you and your kidlet helpers - has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the table.</p>
<p><strong>BREAKFASTS</strong></p>
<p><strong>Upping the Excitement with Oatmeal</strong><br />Scoop out a small hole in the middle of a bran muffin while still retaining thick "walls" of the muffin. Add dashes of ground cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Fill with a dollop of dried fruit-filled, just-cooked hot oatmeal.</p>
<p><strong>Memorable Extras for Eggs</strong><br />Just before completing cooking omelets, fill with finely minced bits of cooked garlic bread that have been mixed with sauteed green onions, sauteed mushrooms and a dash of store-bought Italian seasoning.</p>
<p><strong>ENTREES</strong></p>
<p><strong>Chicken with Lots of Charm</strong><br />Carefully saute baby shrimp in a small amount of olive oil with fresh spinach, finely chopped baby carrots, minced garlic and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle skinless chicken breasts with minced fresh thyme and rosemary. Slit chicken breasts in middle to form a pocket and fill lightly with shrimp-vegetable mixture before baking until chicken is fully cooked. Serve with a light drizzle of melted gorgonzola cheese.</p>
<p><strong>Giving Meatloaf Even More Muscle</strong><br />Divide meatloaf mixture in half and turn one half into a rectangle leaving a canyon open in its middle. Halfway stuff the canyon with canned or homemade bean-filled chili and top with finely crumbled cornbread muffins. Shape and use the other half of the meat to fully seamlessly cover the filled half and bake until meatloaf is fully cooked.</p>
<p><strong>DESSERTS</strong></p>
<p><strong>Pump it up with Pumpkin</strong><br />From a mix or recipe, bake two layers of chocolate cake. Spread bottom layer with the filling of a store-bought pumpkin pie that you've scooped out of the pie and mixed with sugar-free chocolate fudge topping (available in the ice cream aisle of most supermarkets) and freshly ground cinnamon. Top with second cake layer and frost cake with store-bought or homemade vanilla icing that's been mixed with freshly ground cinnamon and vanilla extract.</p>
<p><strong>Kooky Cookies Filled with Flavor</strong><br />Spread large oatmeal-raisin cookies with a thin layer any type of nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew, etc.), top with a scoop of sugar-free ice cream that's been mixed with sugar-free chocolate chips and cover with another plain oatmeal-raisin cookie. Freeze, tightly wrapped, until ice cream is hard.<br /><br /><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </strong></em>Squeezing lemon juice onto a fresh fish meal is about as delicious and healthful as it gets. However, if you want to easily jazz that up just a notch, it's as simple as whisking the fruit's fresh juice or zest into your favorite condiments. Add it along with finely diced dill pickle to tartar sauce, along with finely diced green onion to cocktail sauce, along with minced fresh herbs and nonfat sour cream to Dijon mustard or along with minced garlic and chopped fresh dill to whipped margarine or butter.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>
<div id="_mcePaste" class="mcePaste" style="position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; top: 0px; left: -10000px;"></div>Staff2011-10-03T07:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Autumn is Just a Recipe Tweak AwayStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Autumn-is-Just-a-Recipe-Tweak-Away/10048.html2011-08-30T07:00:00Z2011-08-30T07:00:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
</p>
Summer cooking - whether it's a quick grill or just tossing together fresh cold ingredients - is marked by ease and speed. That alone, is enough to make some folks dread the transition to more complex autumn dishes, no matter how tasty they are. During these next weeks of seasonal transition, though, it's a wonderful time to synergistically blend the best of both times of year. Just tweaking warm-weather specialties is all it takes to shift the tone of a meal and keep it a tempter. This can be done lots of easy ways, like through seasoning (such as the addition of nutmeg and cloves to a cold summer tomato soup that's made creamier and warm for fall), inclusion of key ingredients (like summer fruit salads that get spruced up by a few chunks of persimmons and quinces) or through a culinary technique (such as making your grilled summer meats the stars of the autumn stewpot).<br />
<br />
Cooking can be delicious, yet simple, nutritious and inexpensive, too, as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The dishes are tasty proof that everyone has time for good home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness (including meal preparation with your children) that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from both family and guests, from "kidlets" to seasoned seniors.<br />
<br />
<strong>SPICES</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Nutty for Nutmeg</strong><br />
A summer soup might be a puree of fresh tomatoes, seasoned and served cold. <em>To tweak for autumn:</em> Puree the tomatoes and add to the puree, cooked peeled potatoes of your choice, soymilk, freshly ground black pepper, salt substitute, as well as ground cloves and nutmeg. Heat after pureeing. <br />
<br />
<strong>Turkey Burgers that Do More than Sizzle</strong><br />
Perhaps you've grilled ground turkey burgers all summer. <em>To tweak for autumn:</em> Season the patties with ground cinnamon and curry powder before grilling until completely cooked. Puree a bit of peeled red apple, too, to whisk well into your ketchup as a simple seasonal condiment. <br />
<br />
<strong>INGREDIENTS</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Egg Yourself on with Autumn Add-Ins</strong><br />
Vegetable frittatas or filled omelets may have been part of your summer breakfast repertoire. <em>To tweak for autumn:</em> Make a fine dice of cooked carrots, Brussels sprouts, beets, Belgian endive and leeks to include in your egg dish. <br />
<br />
<strong>Fruit that Becomes Even More Festive</strong><br />
Fruit salads are a staple of summer. <em>To tweak for autumn:</em> Use the same fresh base you have throughout the warm weather, like strawberries, cantaloupe and pineapple, but toss in a few chunks of exotic fall choices when they become available, like persimmons and quinces. <br />
<br />
<strong>TECHNIQUES</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Super Stews</strong><br />
Bring summer to the cool-weather stewpot. <em>To tweak for autumn:</em> Grill chicken and all-beef or soy hot dogs and corn-on-the-cob the same easy way you would for a summer barbecue. Place chunks of the chicken and hot dogs in a stewpot with corn you've carefully scraped off the cob, along with canned butternut squash soup, chunks of yams or sweet potatoes you've quickly cooked in the microwave oven, add cayenne pepper and Creole seasoning. Simmer until hot, stirring often.<br />
<br />
<strong>Summer Burgers Morph into Hearty Pot Pies</strong><br />
Pot-style pies popular during the fall don't have to include long-cooked roasts or poultry. <em>To tweak for autumn:</em> Until completely cooked, grill lean beef, turkey or chicken burgers that have been seasoned with lemon-pepper salt substitute. After carefully removing from the grill, top with a mixture of grated cooked vegetables, such as carrots, celery and turnips, and drizzle with Worcestershire sauce. Drape with thawed puff pastry dough, brush lightly with beaten egg and bake briefly according to puff pastry package directions.<br />
<br />
<em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Many of us have heard the advice to go vegetarian for just one recipe a week to begin reaping health benefits. However, it can be almost as easy to commit to entire vegetarian menus and then you're even more likely to get hooked. Make it simple by devoting yourself to one ingredient and threading it through your meal's dishes, like asparagus, potatoes or barley or thickening the broth of your first-course soup to additionally turn it into a sauce for a main course. You could use fruit among greens in an appetizer salad and then feature that fruit in a dessert. Authoritative books on vegetarian cooking often feature full synergistic menus, like "Joy of Cooking All About Vegetarian Cooking," which is part of a series from the original "Joy of Cooking" classic cookbook. It features menus for everything from a Middle Eastern Cocktail Party, to an Italian Garden Lunch, to a Soup and Salad Buffet, to an Easy Weeknight Supper that includes smoked tofu burgers, Peruvian potato salad and berry salad with roasted pepper dressing.<br />
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-08-30T07:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Quick Kebabs Keep Breakfast FreshStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Quick-Kebabs-Keep-Breakfast-Fresh/10026.html2011-08-22T07:00:00Z2011-08-22T07:00:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
</p>
Some of the best discoveries in the kitchen are accidents. When they are time-savers that's even more for the better. Recently, I decided to up the protein content of frozen multigrain waffles (which already had a respectable 5 grams of protein per serving) by coating them in a ground cinnamon-stevia (the natural plant-based no-calorie sweetener) egg wash to create an innovative French toast that I planned to serve topped with slices of banana and strawberry and drizzled with sugar-free maple-style syrup. After toasting the frozen waffles, I dipped them in the egg mixture and sizzled them in a skillet that when cold I had first sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Though nicely browned, they never really firmed up as I'd thought they might, and instead, upon first bite, surprised me by tasting like really good - shortcut - whole-grain pancakes. Coincidentally, I'd been craving a stack just like that for days and here I had hit upon it without having to make them from scratch or purchase a mix. I soon noticed, too, that the new concoction tasted best when a chunk of the "pancake" was speared with slices of the fruit, drizzled with the sugar-free maple-style syrup and quickly grilled in the skillet. That's when the second accident of the day became breakfast kebabs. Keep your eyes open for your own gems/shortcuts masquerading as accidents. In the meantime, following are a few of the breakfast kebabs I've since whipped up. <br />
<br />
Food preparation can be delicious, yet simple, nutritious and inexpensive, too, as the following split-second sensations prove. They take <em>just 10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The dishes are tasty proof that everyone has time for good home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness (including cooking with your children) that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from both family and guests, from "kidlets" to seasoned seniors.<br />
<br />
<strong><em>Alternately thread on a skewer the following bite-sized pieces:</em></strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Strike Gold with Golden Raisins</strong><br />
Squares of whole-wheat pita bread; whole pitted black olives; dried figs; whole green olives; and large golden raisins. Brush with balsamic vinaigrette and grill, turning as necessary. Blend feta cheese and balsamic vinaigrette into plain Greek yogurt and serve as a dipping sauce.<br />
<br />
<strong>You Don't Have to Cross Borders for this Canadian Bacon Concoction</strong><br />
Cubes of toasted frozen waffles; bananas; cooked sausage patty; whole small hulled strawberries; and cooked Canadian bacon. Brush with sugar-free maple syrup-style syrup that's been mixed with ground allspice, reserving some to serve with finished skewers, and grill, turning as necessary. Drizzle with berry all-fruit spread (found in the jam aisle of most supermarkets) and top with whipped cream before serving.<br />
<br />
<strong>Hard-Cooked Eggs for an Easy Breakfast</strong><br />
Cubes of sourdough bread; chunks of egg whites from hard-cooked eggs; pieces of dried apricot and cooked miniature ground turkey meatballs seasoned with freshly ground black pepper and ground cloves. Brush with olive oil and grill, turning as necessary. <br />
<br />
<strong>Yes, You Can with Cantaloupe</strong><br />
Packaged large seasoned croutons; cantaloupe; dried pitted dates; and honeydew. Brush with nonfat sour cream that's been mixed with berry all-fruit spread (found in the jam aisle of most supermarkets), reserving some to serve with finished skewers, and grill, turning as necessary.<br />
<br />
<strong>Good Luck Lox</strong><br />
Chunks of cinnamon-raisin bagels; zucchini; lox; and thick slices of kiwi. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with chopped fresh rosemary, and grill turning as necessary.<br />
<br />
<strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK: </em></strong> You've heard of cooks so challenged, they even burn toast? Well, what about those who burn tea? Yes, it can be done. Robert L. Blakeslee warns in "Your Time to Cook" (Square One, $29.95), his filled-with-tips basics cookbook: "Pay attention to the steeping times and water temperature. If tea is not prepared properly, you can actually burn it, especially green and white varieties." His recommendations: black, rolling boil, steeped 3 to 4 minutes; green, simmering, steeped 1 to 3 minutes; white, simmering, steeped 2 to 3 minutes; herbal, rolling boil, steeped 3 to 4 minutes; oolong, gentle boil, steeped 2 to 3 minutes.<br />
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-08-22T07:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Mystery Ingredients Add Magic to Your MealsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Mystery-Ingredients-Add-Magic-to-Your-Meals/9976.html2011-07-27T07:00:00Z2011-07-27T07:00:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
<br />
</p>
Perking up your cooking is easy, fast - and fun. Including a mystery ingredient can be responsible for all three of those desirable results. Currently, a major sugar-free gum company even has joined the escapades and has a mystery flavor on the market. The scent and flavor is tropical and it's keeping samplers guessing. You can do the same with family meals. Decide on a secret ingredient to weave through the courses of a meal (like the appetizer skewers, poultry stuffing and ice cream sauce prepared from tropical passion fruit in the menu below) and award a small prize or privilege to the first satisfied eater to get it right. <br />
<br />
Food preparation can be delicious, yet simple, nutritious and inexpensive, too, as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The dishes are tasty proof that everyone has time for good home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from both family and guests, from "kidlets" to seasoned seniors. <br />
<br />
<strong>MYSTERY INGREDIENT MENU 1: Passion fruit</strong><br />
Available fresh in Latin markets and some supermarkets from March through September (and in canned nectar in many such spots year-round), the fruit has a tropical scent and the flavor is like a semi-tart tropical fruit. When ripe, its skin is dimpled and its flesh is a deep purple color.<br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>Skewered with Flavor </strong><br />
On skewers, thread large chunks of passion fruit, grape tomatoes, pineapple, cooked cold small shrimp and chunks of coconut flesh. For dipping sauce, combine a small amount of sweetened coconut milk or coconut cream with bottled shrimp cocktail sauce. <br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Stuffing that's Anything but Stuffy </strong><br />
Mash passion fruit flesh with cooked sweet potatoes (can be from a frozen convenience package), freshly ground black pepper and curry powder. Stuff into Cornish game hens before grilling. <br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Stir up One Stunning Sauce</strong> <br />
Place passion fruit flesh, fresh or frozen raspberries, no-calorie natural sweetener, like stevia, and a small amount of sugar-free chocolate syrup into saucepan on low heat and stir until fruit reduces by half and is sauce-like. Let cool until only slightly warm and spoon over sugar-free vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt and sprinkle with packaged tropical trail mix. <br />
<br />
<strong>MYSTERY INGREDIENT MENU 2: Chinese Five-Spice Powder</strong><br />
A staple of Chinese cooking, the seasoning blend, that's available at most supermarkets and Asian markets, usually is made of equal ratios of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns.<br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>Time for Terrific Tomato Soup</strong><br />
Puree fresh grape tomatoes, add to canned cream of tomato soup, sprinkle with five-spice powder and heat. Serve topped with store-bought Chinese crispy noodles. <br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Fish that's Frisky with Flavor </strong><br />
Slit fresh fish and place a cinnamon stick and a few whole cloves inside. Glaze fish with teriyaki sauce and sprinkle on five-spice powder before grilling. Carefully remove cinnamon stick and whole cloves before serving. <br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Spiced Fruit is Berry Good </strong><br />
Sprinkle fresh sliced strawberries with five-spice powder and top with store-bought whipped cream that you've accented with shavings of dark chocolate and the dust of almonds that you've pulverized in the blender or food processor. <br />
<br />
<strong>MYSTERY INGREDIENT MENU 3: Pistachio Ice Cream</strong><br />
The nut with the highest amount of protein also stars in a popular ice cream that, when it's natural and/or organic, is usually closer to white in color, and, when artificial colorings are used, may be a much less desirable dark green color.<br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>Smoothie Cocktails are Soothers</strong><br />
In a blender, combine pistachio ice cream, chunks of fresh cantaloupe, fresh mint and shelled pistachio nuts and ice until smooth. <br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Pistachios Pep Up Poultry Sauce</strong> <br />
Heat pistachio ice cream in saucepan over low heat, with a small amount of cornstarch and freshly ground black pepper. Top cooked turkey breast slices with dried cranberries and spoon the sauce over top. <br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Frosted Ice Cream Sandwiches Equal Fun </strong><br />
Pulverize shelled pistachio nuts in a blender or food processor until a fine powder. Stir into store-bought chocolate frosting and spread over gingersnap. Top with small dollop of pistachio ice cream and a plain gingersnap as the top of the mini frosted ice cream sandwich.<br />
<br />
<strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> When baking cookies, such as favorites like the chocolate chip variety, don't take extra time to melt butter or margarine for inclusion in the batter. Softened butter or margarine is the easier option (and you don't have to lift a finger to make that occur!) that's called for in such recipes. The texture and consistency matters and melted butter would have a negative difference on your finished product. <br />
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-07-27T07:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Easy, Time-Saving Tips for Eliminating Mindless EatingStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Easy,-Time-Saving-Tips-for-Eliminating-Mindless-Eating/9947.html2011-07-18T07:00:00Z2011-07-18T07:00:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
<br />
</p>
It used to be that when many of us engaged in "mindless eating" perhaps we were plunked down in front of the TV, snacking on handful after handful of chips or popcorn or so caught up in gabbing with our friends over dinner that we lost track of what we were feasting upon long before that last huge hunk of cake. These days, time has caught up with most of us in that we have little of it for fun and relaxing events. Work is often full-time-plus and just chauffering the kids around to fulfill their busy schedules takes more than a sizable bite out of our own. Our new spots for "mindless eating" might be while driving with sandwich in hand while chatting with the kids about their day, or in the stands with hot dogs and other goodies for a rushed "family meal" while cheering on their latest sporting event. <br />
<br />
However, in order to achieve all-important balance in life - for both health and peace of mind - never mindlessly eat. Be keenly aware of what, when and why you are eating. There are even whole branches of academics devoted to this, like studies by Brian Wansick, Ph.D., former executive director of the USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion and a professor at Cornell University, who also wrote the mass-market book "Mindless Eating," as well as helpful organizations, like The Center for Mindful Eating (www.tcme.org). The good news: Mindful eating is efficient. It can even take less time than feasting mindlessly on the run. Try some of the following 10-second solutions.<br />
<br />
<strong>Give Your Car, SUV or Van Some Real Vavoom</strong> <br />
Many family vehicles now have built-in coolers or mini refrigerators. Even if yours doesn't, there are plenty of no-cooling-necessary foods, like granola and fruit leather, to keep you fueled. Try not to eat while driving. Besides often being "mindless," many accidents have been reported. Instead, use the time for instant mini picnics. Pull over at the nearest park, and even if you remain in the vehicle, take in the pretty view. Eat while paying attention to nature and your companions. Then hit the road again in a more relaxed and nourished state of mind - and body!<br />
<br />
<strong>Sport This Trick at Your Next Sporting Event</strong> <br />
Whether you are cheering for your child from the stands or a professional team in a stadium, chomping while cheering is common. Next time, make yourself a deal. You will only take a bite of your healthy, yet enjoyable planned meal or snack every time a measurable amount of time goes by, like an inning or an out in baseball, or a quarter in other sports, or perhaps every time a goal is scored in soccer. As mindful eating experts recommend, this makes you much more in touch and connected with every morsel you ingest. <br />
<br />
<strong>Exercise as a Healthy Food Additive</strong> <br />
To raise awareness of what and when you are eating, plan meals or snacks around exercise. The physical movement immediately puts you more in touch with your body and nutritionists recommend small meals or snacks packed with lean protein and carbohydrates both before and after exercise. <br />
<br />
<strong>Jazz It Up with Journals</strong><br />
Studies show that those who keep food journals, especially those who track how they feel when they eat, are much more conscientious eaters than those who don't. Provide your kids with blank pads, too, and encourage them to either write down what they eat or to draw or color it.<br />
<br />
<strong>Tell Your TV to Tone it Down</strong> <br />
Lots of cable and satellite TV systems feature many music stations that are great background for mindful eating, like easy listening genre or New Age music that's composed to be calming. Instead of eating in front of the TV while watching, eat your meal with the soothing musical backdrop while trying to chew to the beat of the slow music. Techniques like that make you much more aware of what you are eating.<br />
<br />
<strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> During the summer, to save time, consider side dishes you can cook on the grill right along with your main dish. Vegetables benefit greatly from that smoky flavor. Disposable aluminum tins can work wonders for heating up treats like baked beans, or even housing a warmed potato salad from a mixture of chunks of russet, red and gold varieties as well as your favorite herbs and spices.<br />
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-07-18T07:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Easy Red-White-and-Blue Improvements to Your July Fourth-Themed MealsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Easy-Red-White-and-Blue-Improvements-to-Your-July-Fourth-Themed-Meals/9900.html2011-06-28T07:00:00Z2011-06-28T07:00:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
</p>
<br />
July Fourth is often a time for festivities and fireworks to celebrate our nation's birthday. If we want to up the chances of enjoying more and more of our own birthdays and those of members of our families, however, we might want to turn the parties into health-improving ones. Long known in nutritionists' circles as "S.A.D." - the Standard American Diet - is infamous for being long on sugar in many forms, processed carbohydrates and empty calories. Joel Fuhrman, M.D., author of "Eat to Live" and currently on PBS with a similarly themed recurring special, like many, says that "typical" American food is high in fat and low in fiber. Why not take time around the Fourth of July to break the cycle? Instead of just having red-white-and-blue-themed food (like a sugary iced cake the way many do), why not put those colors to work by eating some of the healthiest foods on the planet, like red bell pepper, white onions and blueberries? It's easy, fresh and economical - <em>in-season foods are usually much more affordable than highly processed packaged ones</em>. <br />
<br />
Food preparation at any time of year can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The dishes are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from both family and guests whether inside your kitchen or outside on your patio for the Fourth of July. <br />
<br />
<strong>RED-WHITE-AND-BLUE POWER MENU 1:</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>Cocktail Onions without the Cocktails</strong><br />
Thread white cocktail onions, black pitted olives and chunks of Italian bread that have been lightly dipped in olive-oil based vinaigrette onto skewers.<br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Let Health Ring with Red Bell Peppers</strong><br />
Before grilling, stuff Cornish game hens (available in the freezer section of most supermarkets) with strips of red and green bell peppers that have been mixed into store-bought mango chutney.<br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Nothing to be Blue About with this Dessert Sauce</strong><br />
Pulverize blueberries, blackberries, sugar-free sweetener to taste and a small amount of apple juice in a blender. Heat until sauce reduces by half and, when it becomes just warm rather than hot, pour over sugar-free sorbet or frozen yogurt. Crumble graham crackers on top.<br />
<br />
<strong>RED-WHITE-AND-BLUE-POWER MENU 2:</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>Tofu Takes Summer Soup up a Notch</strong><br />
Cut drained firm white tofu into one quarter-inch squares and set aside. Heat a mixture of canned apricot and pear nectar in a soup pot, add freshly ground black pepper, ground ginger, tofu squares and store-bought whole-grain croutons for a refreshing summer soup. <br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Grapes are Great for Health</strong><br />
Mix sugar-free grape jam with curry powder and cumin. Brush it onto large shrimp as a glaze before grilling and save some to serve at table as a dip for finished dish. Serve with a salsa of halved dark grapes mixed with chopped fresh mint and crushed red pepper.<br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Strawberries Make Berry Good Sandwich Cookies</strong><br />
Chop fresh strawberries and mix with finely chopped pistachios and shavings of dark chocolate and set aside. To a gingersnap add a thin layer of store-bought chocolate icing and "paste" on some of strawberry mixture before closing "sandwich" with another gingersnap.<br />
<br />
<strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Larger cuts of meat sometimes get an uneven char and are more difficult to cook evenly when grilling. To help avoid problems, take this advice from Jamie Deen and Bobby Deen, authors of "The Deen Bros. Get Fired Up: Grilling, Tailgating, Picknicking, and More" (Ballantine, $25). "If you want to be sure a big piece of meat like a pork tenderloin is perfectly cooked through and nice and juicy - and you don't much care about the char - try this fail-safe method," they write. "Wrap the meat in aluminum foil and prick the foil all over to let the heat in and some of the steam out. Then grill as usual. This way, you can get a little of that smoky taste, all the convenience and easy cleanup of grilling, but less of the super-dark, unpredictable char that can make grilling a larger cut tricky."<br />
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-06-28T07:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Triple-Duty Ingredients Save Time and MoneyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Triple-Duty-Ingredients-Save-Time-and-Money/9865.html2011-06-15T07:00:00Z2011-06-15T07:00:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
<br />
Often we buy ingredients for a specific recipe and the leftover items don't get used in a timely manner and get trashed. That's both wasted shopping time and money going out with the garbage. The easy three-course feasts below (appetizers, entrees and healthy desserts) show how simple it is to thread one or a few ingredients through every dish in the meal while still offering a tempting variety of choices. Red seedless grapes, for instance, show up in seasoned multi-item hors d'oeuvres skewers, then stuffed with its skewer companions into a delicious main course, sweet-sauced chicken and as a topping on spicy pound cake dessert toasts.</p>
Everyone can use a little help planning weeknight meals - and if that only takes seconds, that's even better. The three nights of menus that follow offer a lifeline during a busy week and prove that cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these menus of family-friendly sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The meals are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.<br />
<br />
<strong>QUICK MENU 1</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>Scrumptuous Skewers</strong><br />
On skewers alternate grape tomatoes, chunks of low-fat cheddar cheese, seedless red grapes and cooked baby shrimp that have been marinated in light soy sauce, ground cloves, ground allspice and ground ginger, all of which you have also saved extra for the entree. <br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Chic Chicken</strong><br />
Make a slit in cooked store- or restaurant-bought or homemade chicken breasts and stuff with leftover ingredients from appetizers (first cutting pear tomatoes and seedless red grapes in half). Heat in microwave until warmed and cheese melts. Heat in microwave a sauce combination of raspberry 100 percent fruit spread (sold in jam aisles of supermarkets), light soy sauce, espresso powder and freshly squeezed orange juice.<br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Delightful Dessert Toasts</strong><br />
Toast slices of pound cake and top with a microwave-warmed mixture of halved seedless red grapes, red grape juice, ground cloves, ground allspice, ground ginger and ground nutmeg. <br />
<br />
<strong>QUICK MENU 2</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>Pssst...this Pasta Soup is Ripe with Fresh Tomato Flavor</strong><br />
Prepare whole-wheat bowtie pasta, according to package instructions and making enough for use in entree and dessert recipes as well. Stir into piping hot store-bought or homemade creamy tomato soup that also has stirred in finely chopped ripe multicolored heirloom tomatoes, shredded honey ham and chunks of pepperjack cheese, which should begin to melt.<br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Chilled Chicken Peps Up Pasta Salad</strong><br />
With cooled whole-wheat bowtie pasta gently mix chopped chicken breast, sliced green onions, diced chopped ripe multicolored heirloom tomatoes, red bell pepper, snow peas, freshly ground black pepper, curry powder and low-fat or tofu-based mayonnaise and chill for a cold entree salad.<br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Honeyed Whole-Wheat Pasta for Dessert Equals a Wholesome Sweet Treat</strong><br />
To cooled whole-wheat pasta, add honey, chopped walnuts, ground cloves, ground allspice, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, golden raisins and finely chopped prunes before heating until warm in microwave oven and stirring well.<br />
<br />
<strong>QUICK MENU 3</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>Potato Skins that Make One Sweet Appetizer</strong><br />
Substitute low-fat, unsweetened soymilk for buttermilk in packaged ranch buttermilk dressing and use as a dip for baked sweet potato skins you've topped with soy bacon bits, chili powder, chopped green onions and chopped chives.<br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Mighty Mushroom Turkey</strong><br />
Fully brown and drain ground turkey breast. Stir in low-fat, unsweetened soymilk, undiluted condensed cream of mushroom soup, small chunks of sweet potatoes, chopped green bell pepper, curry powder and cayenne pepper and cook in skillet until creamy, stirring occasionally.<br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Spicy Summer Smoothie</strong><br />
In blender, combine low-fat, unsweetened soymilk, flesh of cooked sweet potato, banana, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground allspice, ground nutmeg and sugar-free chocolate milk powder and carefully add ice cubes one by one through opening in top of blender lid while blending.<br />
<br />
<strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Often we place cooked drained pasta in a colander under cold water to cool it or rinse it before using in salads. Be sure to gently stir it, though, too, while the water is running or it can stick together and then drain again before using it in your recipe.<br />
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-06-15T07:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Power Pudding for Pop and Other Secrets of a Makes "Cents" Dad's Day MenuStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Power-Pudding-for-Pop-and-Other-Secrets-of-a-Makes-Cents-Dads-Day-Menu/8994.html2011-06-06T13:00:00Z2011-06-06T13:00:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
<br />
</p>
Thinking of sewing Dad something for Father's Day? Why not sew him a festive menu instead. By "threading" one ingredient through a plan for everything from appetizers to dessert, you'll not only be making an impressive cohesive spread, but saving money on your grocery bill (especially when choosing on-sale seasonal ingredients like watermelons that were recently selling for as low as 10 cents a pound or always reasonably priced eggs) as well as time when preparing the feast. <em>That's what's most important on Father's Day, isn't it, not being confined to the kitchen or backyard grill, but being able to participate in activities with Dad.</em> That's the result when, for example, your batch of watermelons shows up in the form of a seafood salad, steak kebabs, marinated green beans and a dessert ice with the kick of cayenne pepper.<br />
<br />
Food preparation at any time of year can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> The dishes are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from Dad whether inside your kitchen or outside on your patio.<br />
<br />
<strong>QUICK MENU 1: WATERMELON</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>One Wicked Watermelon Salad</strong><br />
Gently combine chunks of watermelon, tangerine, cooked shrimp, cooked scallops, goat cheese, fresh cilantro and low-fat vinaigrette dressing. <br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Can-Do Watermelon-Steak Kebabs</strong> <br />
Marinate one-fourth the number of steaks as diners for at least one hour in a combination of watermelon juice, fresh lime juice and freshly ground black pepper. Grill steaks until completely cooked. Carefully cut into bite-sized chunks and thread unto skewers with chunks of watermelon, green bell pepper, pineapple and cocktail onions and serve immediately at room temperature.<br />
<br />
<em>Side Dish</em><br />
<strong>Go Green with a Touch of Red</strong><br />
Drizzle sliced fresh green beans and slivered almonds with watermelon and grapefruit juice and season with cumin, freshly ground black pepper and salt substitute.<br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Win at this Watermelon Shell Game</strong><br />
Cut seedless small "personal size" watermelons (as supermarkets often call them) in half, scoop out pulp and reserve shells wrapped in refrigerator. Place in a nonreactive bowl, mash and gently combine the watermelon mush and its juice with a dash of fresh lime juice, dash of fresh orange juice and cayenne pepper. Freeze, stirring occasionally, until icy and slushy, which is a Sicilian granita. Serve in the reserved shells topped with sweetened coconut and finely chopped pistachios.<br />
<br />
<strong>QUICK MENU 2: EGGS</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>Dad's Truly Devilish Eggs</strong><br />
When mashing the filling for deviled eggs for adults include a drizzle of spicy ale, cayenne pepper and a dash of cooked refried beans. Serve accompanied by a bowl of beer nuts. <br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Real Men's Quiche</strong><br />
Top a store-bought quiche Lorraine with chopped "candied" bacon (bacon that's been coated lightly in maple syrup and caramelized in the pan while frying), finely diced jalapeno peppers (wearing latex gloves while handling and not touching your eyes during or afterward) and chopped pecans. Place in oven until quiche is thoroughly heated, with the last minute or two in broiler to best heat the topping, watching that it doesn't burn. <br />
<br />
<em>Side Dish</em><br />
<strong>Tiny Scrambled Brown Rice Balls Good Enough for the Big Boys</strong><br />
Prepare quick-cook brown rice according to package instructions and combine with small amount of non-trans fat margarine, freshly ground black pepper and thinly shredded scrambled eggs that have been seasoned with salt substitute and a dash of curry powder. Use a melon baller or teaspoon to shape into small balls and serve three with each entree.<br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Power Pudding for Pop</strong><br />
The best chocolate and other puddings, when cooked, are made with multiple fresh egg yolks. To your homemade recipe or store-bought version, add crushed toffee peanuts, dried cranberries, chunks of raspberry-filled dark chocolate and a dash of almond extract. <br />
<br />
<strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Reading the nutrition counts on restaurant menus, when available, can be valuable - and lead to surprises. What, for example, would you think is more caloric, a citrus-filled, leafy green salad or a large baked potato stuffed with a variety of cheeses and grilled chicken? At one major family dining chain, the potato came out to significantly less than the salad, which is loaded with dressing and packed with nuts and avocados. Straight calories, though, of course are never the only decision makers. Nuts and avocados are "good fats" when it comes to avoiding the saturated ones. Perhaps ordering dressing on the side would be a solution or eating half and bringing half home for another meal - and at least you won't have fooled yourself that you ordered a low-calorie salad, when it was surprisingly more than 1,000 calories per serving. Surveys have been showing that, even when nutrition counts are posted, like they've been required to recently in New York, that many diners are ignoring them. Unfortunately, it's a valuable tool to bypass.<br />
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-06-06T13:00:00Z10-Second Recipes: Dreamy Summer Desserts for Very Few DollarsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Dreamy-Summer-Desserts-for-Very-Few-Dollars/8995.html2011-06-02T00:12:00Z2011-06-02T00:12:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
<br />
</p>
Fresh fruit at the peak of ripeness is one of the biggest bargains in the supermarket during the summer. Exotic fruits that just months ago might have broken the bank by being flown in from faraway locales are much better for you and your family - and the environment - when in season from nearby local growers. Fruit is so sweet it's the perfect summer dessert ingredient, along with choices like whole-grain cookies and sugar-free ice creams. The selections are even better when overlapping, such as one-of-a-kind frozen sandwiches made from special bakery cookies, fresh berries and fancy ice cream flavors or grilled peaches filled with lemon sorbet and lemon ice and topped with granola. <br />
<br />
Food preparation at any time of year can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The dishes are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from both family and guests whether inside your kitchen or outside on your patio. <br />
<br />
<strong>SUMMER DESSERTS: FRUIT</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Much More Than Just an Empty Shell</strong><br />
Make a splash by having more than just one fruit as a serving shell and filling it with more exotic treats than just the cut-up fruit. On a buffet line, fill not only a watermelon, but cantaloupes, grapefruits, pineapples and even kiwis. (Slice off the bottoms to make flat, scoop out pulp and use to blend into a dressing for the fruit salad and fill with a refreshing either homemade or store-bought cherry ice topped with sweetened coconut.) <br />
<br />
<strong>Hypnotizing Icy-Hot Choices</strong><br />
Grill apples, pears, peaches or nectarines and, while hot just before serving, carefully fill with a combination of both creamy lemon sorbet and lemon ice and top with granola.<br />
<br />
<strong>SUMMER DESSERTS: FROZEN</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Great Grapes</strong><br />
Freeze a blend of green and red seedless grapes. Use as exotic ice cubes in ice teas, made from super blends, like Republic of Tea's pomegranate-green or a custom mix from tea chains, like Teavana. Or let the grapes defrost a bit and mash into a slushy dessert "salsa" into which you dip treats like graham crackers, gingersnaps or chocolate sandwich cookies. <br />
<br />
<strong>Scintillating Sandwiches</strong><br />
Often, plain cookies and ice cream flavors make up ice cream sandwiches. Switch that up with special bakery cookies and exotic ice creams for rousing results. Bottega Louie, for instance, a popular restaurant/bakery in Downtown Los Angeles, serves flat large flavored macaroons stuffed with vanilla bean ice cream and studded with fresh raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.<br />
<br />
<strong>SUMMER DESSERTS: LIQUID</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Smooth as Silk Smoothie Buffet</strong><br />
At juice bars, smoothies are often served up without the custom choices of the recipient. For your next family meal or shindig, set out a smoothie buffet: various fruits, grains and nuts (the aforementioned become powders in the blender just creating more flavor and adding additional nutrients and fiber) and sweet treats, like whole-grain cookie crumbs and no-sugar-added chocolate chips. <br />
<br />
<strong>Fun Foundations</strong><br />
Use 100 percent juice kid-friendly blend flavors as the bases for tantalizing combinations with fresh fruit. Juicy Juice brand kiwi-strawberry, for instance, blended with banana and coconut milk becomes a tropical delight. Welch's Essentials white grape-peach-mango is a nutritional powerhouse and only becomes more so when choices like fresh nectarine and plum slices are blended in. It's a fun way to introduce new flavors to kids, too, like Welch's guava-pineapple. If available in you region, use the opportunity to show off a real guava and blend it into a fun after-meal treat with the juice.<br />
<br />
<strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK</em></strong>: Healthful 100 percent fruit leather products don't just have to sit there as solo treats. Roll out flat and slather them with thin layers of exotic spreads, like vegan cream cheese mixed with sliced green onions and basil or sugar-free whipped cream blended with sugar-free whole-grain cookie crumbs before rolling up again into custom gems.<br />
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-06-02T00:12:00Z10-Second Recipes: Save Time Grilling, Spend More Time on Family FunStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Save-Time-Grilling,-Spend-More-Time-on-Family-Fun/8996.html2011-05-23T22:23:00Z2011-05-23T22:23:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
<br />
</p>
All growls and scowls concerning food preparation usually fade away during warm-weather grilling season. Barbecuing cuts time and ups health benefits (as fat drips away when meats cook). Of course, it's fun, too, frolicking outside with friends and family. Often that distraction takes away the incentive for healthful side dishes that are instead replaced with bowls of potato chips and store-bought fatty salads, like potato and coleslaw. Ten-second solutions abound, though. It takes just moments from sunning and funning to grow your grilling menu repertoire with tempters, like angus-veal burgers stuffed with a treasure chest of surprises, a grilled salad whose dressing is even warmed, too, and toasty barbecued pound cake outfitted with melting lemon sorbet and fresh strawberry sauce.<br />
<br />
Food preparation at any time of year can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The dishes are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family togetherness that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" whether inside your kitchen or outside on your patio. <br />
<br />
<strong>APPETIZERS</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Mini Pizzas with Maxi Pizzazz</strong> <br />
Place store-bought appetizer-size frozen pizzas on grill and grill a mixture of sliced fresh vegetables in aluminum foil at the same time. Carefully add the vegetables for last minute of grilling atop the pizzas and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and crushed dried red pepper. <br />
<br />
<strong>Sassy Salad </strong><br />
Prepare and toss a multi-vegetable salad, place in a grill basket, sprinkle lightly with barbecue rub for seasoning and heat on grill for 2 minutes, or until vegetables are warm. Also slightly warm vinaigrette dressing on the grill, either in a small grill-safe container or in a sturdy "bowl" you prepare from aluminum foil. <br />
<br />
<strong>SIDE DISHES</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Cobble This Creative Corn</strong> <br />
Grill corn on the cob and roll in a mixture of room temperature honey butter that will become warmed by the corn. Sprinkle the rolled corn lightly with cayenne pepper and curry powder. .<br />
<br />
<strong>Potato Salad to Warm Your Soul</strong> <br />
Cut red potatoes into quarters and wrap in aluminum foil along with sliced red onion, green bell pepper, celery and fresh cilantro. Mix with low-fat mayonnaise, lemon-pepper salt substitute, and dried rosemary and grill until potatoes are cooked.<br />
<br />
<strong>GRILLED MEALS</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Better Burgers </strong><br />
Prepare patties with a combination of ground angus beef and ground veal. Make a well in the middle and fill with feta cheese, diced red onions, diced mushrooms, freshly ground black pepper and cover well with ground meat on top. Brush burgers with Worcestershire sauce before grilling.<br />
<br />
<strong>Graffiti Chicken</strong> <br />
Before grilling brush chicken with a mixture of honey mustard, chili sauce, maple syrup and apple cider. At end of grilling top with thinly sliced ham, muenster cheese and a drizzle of maple syrup until cheese melts. <br />
<br />
<strong>DESSERTS</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Toasted Marshmallow Fruit Tempters</strong> <br />
On a grill-safe tray or aluminum foil, grill peeled slices of oranges, kiwi and grapefruit. Toast marshmallows until blackened (or just heat if there are not flames) and serve gooey warm marshmallows over fruit. <br />
<br />
<strong>Pounds of Icy-Hot Perfection</strong> <br />
Grill slices of pound cake on both sides until toasty. On plates, top the warm cake with lemon sorbet and strawberries you have pureed into a sauce in the blender. <br />
<br />
<strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Keeping a food journal that tracks what you eat and chronicles calories and nutrients is highly prized by nutritionists as one of the best ways to lose weight and keep it off. Four registered dietitian authors go over the benefits in detail in introductory chapters and provide you with a convenient 10-week log in "Bite It & Write It: A Guide to Keeping Track of What You Eat & Drink" (Square One, $7.95). An additional benefit I've developed: Turning my food journal into an easy and time-saving cookbook of sorts. Since each morsel is tracked, when I create a split-second recipe it's all there in black-and-white and calorie counts. I then mark it with a highlighter and place a post-it stickie atop the page with a shorthand name for the recipe to find it easily again.<br />
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-05-23T22:23:00Z10-Second Recipes: Processing Costs Lots More than Pennies; Stick to Fresh FoodsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Processing-Costs-Lots-More-than-Pennies;-Stick-to-Fresh-Foods/8997.html2011-05-17T03:06:00Z2011-05-17T03:06:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
</p>
Fresh foods are often the most economical. After all, processing - even though it's not the best for our health - takes time and money. Save both of yours by instead following innovative advice about vibrant foods like these: grilling thick portabella mushrooms brushed with olive oil and garnished with a soy ketchup; topping rich carrot coins with a paste of ground almonds, dates and curry powder; or turning store-bought vanilla pudding into a masterpiece of spices and flavors.<br />
<br />
Everyone can use a little help planning weeknight meals - and if that only takes seconds, that's even better. The three nights of menus that follow offer a lifeline during a busy week and prove that cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these menus of family-friendly sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The meals are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.<br />
<br />
<strong>QUICK MENU 1</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>Olives Make Soup Sing</strong><br />
Puree broccoli and cauliflower, blend in vegetable broth and soymilk, season with freshly ground black pepper, salt substitute and chili powder and heat thoroughly. Top with garnish of finely chopped black and green olives. <br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Nifty Nacho Chili</strong><br />
Top your favorite chili with multigrain tortilla chips, melting pepper jack cheese, finely chopped tomatillos, red onions and cilantro, nonfat sour cream and guacamole.<br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Pudding with Pep to Spare</strong><br />
Stir ground cinnamon, a dash of both cumin and mole sauce into store-bought vanilla pudding. Top with finely chopped dried cherries and crushed dried banana chips. <br />
<br />
<strong>QUICK MENU 2</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>Dip to Get Choked Up Over</strong><br />
Microwave red potatoes and sweet potatoes until cooked and tender. Mash, including skin, sprinkle in ranch dressing mix and combine well. Reheat in microwave until warm. Use cooked artichoke leaves for dipping. <br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>This Shrimp is a Giant of a Meal</strong><br />
Marinate shrimp in a mixture of honey, diet root beer and diet ginger ale. Grill and serve over wild rice drizzled with a warm honey and Worcestershire sauce mixture. <br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Mushy but Magnificent</strong><br />
Marshmallows have no fat and are relatively low in sugar and calories. To make your own confections, break dark chocolate into small pieces and push them and finely chopped peanuts into the center of marshmallows.<br />
<br />
<strong>QUICK MENU 3</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>Rich with Carrot Coins</strong><br />
Cut carrots into coins and top with a paste of ground almonds, dates and curry powder prepared in a food processor or a strong blender. <br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Rush to these Mushrooms</strong><br />
Brush large portobella mushroom halves with olive oil and grill until hot. Top with freshly ground black pepper, diced onions and shredded low-fat cheddar cheese. Serve with toasted whole-grain hamburger buns spread with ketchup that's been mixed with a small amount of light soy sauce. <br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Fresh Fruit Feast</strong><br />
Create a fruit plate with slices of watermelon, honeydew melon, strawberries and orange. Drizzle with fresh lime juice, a dash of red wine vinegar and finely chopped pistachios.<br />
<br />
<strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Most of us have heard of fusion cuisine - where two or more distinct methods of ethnic cooking are melded into a unique new flavor fest. There are shortcuts, too, to these types of treats. One route is through your spice cabinet. Maybe you usually stick to Italian spices when cooking Italian food and Spanish when preparing the foods of Spain. Next time, shake it up a little, perhaps sprinkling some Italian favorites, like basil and oregano, along with French ones, such as herbes de Provence, when seasoning a roast chicken or before baking fish. Asian five-spice powder would blend well with curry powder on ribs, hamburgers or even in omelets. Stir some cinnamon, saffron and mace, often used in English foods, into a Mexican mole sauce. Kicks of fusion spices show there is no need for borders in the kitchen!<br />
<br />
<br />
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-05-17T03:06:00Z10-Second Recipes: Take-Out Doesn't Have to Mean You've Taken Away Good NutritionStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Take-Out-Doesnt-Have-to-Mean-Youve-Taken-Away-Good-Nutrition/8998.html2011-05-03T06:18:00Z2011-05-03T06:18:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
</p>
No matter how much we love to cook and treasure the togetherness and excellent nutrition that it brings to our families, sometimes take-out chow is a reality of modern life. It doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing proposition, though. In the time you are waiting for the delivery to arrive, or in just seconds before you or a loved one goes out to pick it up, there are lots of healthful accompaniments you - and your kidlet helpers - can prepare that will add both homemade and healthful touches. Soda, for instance, has been named the greatest source of empty calories in American diets and diet soda, too, is often full of artificial ingredients and caffeine. Homemade "lemonade," though, adds the zing of fresh lemon juice that's full of vitamin C and helps cleanse the body and aids in digestion. Prepare it with now widely available packets of stevia, the zero-calorie sweetener that's derived from an herb. Easy "recipes" like this take your take-out to new levels.<br />
<br />
Food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The dishes are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the otherwise take-out strewn family dinner table. <br />
<br />
<strong>APPETIZERS</strong><br />
<br />
<em>A poor choice for an appetizer order at a take-out restaurant could nutritionally destroy an otherwise acceptable meal. Gobs of chicken wings, loads of cheese-filled breadsticks and the like are saboteurs, but it's easy to turn the tables. </em><br />
<br />
<strong>"Anti"pasti to be Very Pro About </strong><br />
Chop romaine lettuce and on top add turkey pepperoni, diced ham, either mozzarella- or provolone-style soy cheese or low-fat cheese, black olives, jarred pickled peppers, red bell pepper, carrots and celery and toss with low-fat Italian dressing as well as a splash of the liquid in the pickled pepper jar.<br />
<br />
<strong>Better Bruschetta </strong><br />
Top Rye Krisp or other rectangular whole-grain crackers with olive oil, finely diced red onion, finely diced garlic and freshly ground black pepper and broil for a moment until hot, being careful not to burn.<br />
<br />
<strong>BEVERAGES</strong><br />
<br />
<em>"Empty Calories" could instead be the name of the beverage section of the menu at many quick-serve establishments. Caffeine, too, is often a hanger on! Prepare wholesome - but still tempting - choices at home and you'll be well ahead of the game. </em><br />
<br />
<strong>Lemonade that Aids You </strong><br />
Mix water with lots of the juice of fresh lemons, to taste, and add stevia natural no-calorie sweetener, to taste. For flavored lemonade, add a small amount of bottled no-sugar-added pomegranate, berry or cherry juice. Serve over ice.<br />
<br />
<strong>Ice Blended Mochas that Blend with a Good Diet </strong><br />
In a blender container, combine chocolate soy milk (or regular soymilk and a no-sugar-added chocolate milk powder, like Nestle), decaffeinated instant coffee crystals, almond extract, sliced almonds, stevia natural no-calorie sweetener and ice and blend until creamy. <br />
<br />
<strong>SIDE DISHES</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Skip the fat-laden, empty-calorie side dish selections that often take up much of the menu at take-out spots even though many of the main dishes - like rotisserie chicken - may, in fact, be healthful.</em><br />
<br />
<strong>A More Chipper Macaroni 'n' Cheese </strong><br />
Keep extra multigrain penne, elbow or macaroni pasta cooked and stored in the refrigerator. Mix together a quick sauce of packaged shredded low-fat cheese, soy milk, cayenne pepper, freshly ground black pepper and garlic powder in saucepan or in microwave-safe container, heat just until hot (don't overcook) and toss with heated pasta.<br />
<br />
<strong>Mash Out Poor Potato Choices </strong><br />
Microwave small red potatoes until tender. Mash (including the fiber- and vitamin-filled skin) and continue mashing while adding soy milk, freshly ground black pepper, lemon-pepper salt substitute and a very small amount of butter. Reheat in microwave oven for a moment if necessary after mashing.<br />
<br />
<strong>DESSERTS</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Possibly wise to mostly skip the often carbohydrate- and fat-packed desserts on drive-thru menus, but don't feel you need to forego desserts altogether. When it is part of your daily recommended calorie count and filled with health-promoting ingredients, dessert becomes a plus rather than a minus.</em><br />
<br />
<strong>Healthy Angle for Upside-Down Apple Pie </strong><br />
Sometimes popular fast-food apple pies are prepared with high-carbohydrate pastry and deep-fried. Instead, heat store-bought apple pie filling in microwave-safe dish in microwave oven and top sugar-free vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt with it and crown with crumbled whole-wheat graham crackers or crumbled sugar-free gingersnaps. <br />
<br />
<strong>Party with These Parfaits </strong><br />
Layer parfait glasses with store-bought sugar-free pudding, low-fat yogurt, chocolate-covered raisins (preferably dark chocolate), fresh blackberries, slices of fresh kiwis and repeat. <br />
<br />
<em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> When you enter teashops that have become popular in shopping malls, you'll find lots of samples of delicious combinations brewing for you to try. Whether buying solo or in combinations to match those tasty samples, when paying by the pound, it gets pricey: up to $20 for just a few ounces. Don't think you can't easily prepare your own custom combinations at quite a savings. Instead, buy an herbal tea sampler of a commercially popular brand in the supermarket. Tie together compatibly flavored teabags before brewing (like cranberry-apple, lemon, orange, cinnamon, mint, green and decaffeinated black - the last two are good "foundations," of which you may want to have individual boxes from the supermarket on hand.) The water doesn't need to match the number of teabags: Though you could use more water if preparing multiple servings for family or friends, selections like the aforementioned seven teas can be brewed in just three cups of water, which would match a large one-serving tea from a coffeehouse/teahouse chain. Combinations like these, especially starting with the mixed black tea/green tea base, are packed full of potent antioxidants - and the aroma alone while they brew probably will draw you to this economical method.<br />
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-05-03T06:18:00Z10-Second Recipes: Kids, Whip up Mom Day Meals in MinutesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Kids,-Whip-up-Mom-Day-Meals-in-Minutes/9000.html2011-04-26T06:07:00Z2011-04-26T06:07:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
</p>
Psssst, kids! Want an easy idea for what to give Mom for Mother's Day? Just hand her this printout with an "XOXO" written on it or a kiss mark from you in lipstick. Make these split-second meals during the week (with Dad's or other adult supervision if needed) and you'll be giving Mom a needed break,<em> or, better yet, try to prepare 10-second meals like this every week</em>. Or, psssst, Mom, if it's you here, you pass these off to your kids for a Mother's Day break! These three-course economic weeknight menus (appetizers, entrees, and healthy desserts) include everything from chicken stuffed with exotic citrus fruits, to salmon rolled up into tidy brown rice balls, to asparagus-filled ravioli. Some of the entrees, like the easy ravioli made from supermarket-bought wonton wrappers, are vegetarian. The main dishes that aren't, like the lime- and tangelo-filled roasted chicken, also feature produce seamlessly blended in to amp up the nutrition quotient. Even decadent desserts are created with your family's health in mind, although they probably will never realize that when they are feasting on custom-made treats, like sugar-free pistachio ice cream topped with a warm honey pistachio nut sauce or a warmed dark chocolate bar painted with raspberry jam and sweetened coconut. Some of these ingredients, like the honey or dark chocolate, are true blue "superfoods," but all the recipients usually know is that they taste super.<br />
<br />
Everyone can use a little help planning weeknight meals - and if that only takes seconds, that's even better. Whether they are a gift for Mother's Day from your kids, or just a present of extra time you give to yourself, the three nights of menus that follow offer a lifeline during a busy week and prove that cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The meals are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You - or your kids - effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlets - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.<br />
<br />
<strong>QUICK MENU 1</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>Tempting Tomato Salad </strong><br />
Scoop out pulp of ripe, tasty tomatoes and place in a mixing bowl, reserving tomato shells as "salad bowls." Combine finely chopped nectarines, pears, French green beans, freshly ground black pepper, olive oil and red wine vinegar with tomato pulp, spoon back into tomato shells and serve topped with a drizzle of grated gruyere or other flavorful cheese and store-bought small whole-grain croutons.<br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Wow 'Em With Wonton Ravioli</strong><br />
Supermarket-bought wonton skins make fabulous ravioli wrappers. For a spring treat, fill them with cooked asparagus pieces, ricotta cheese, freshly ground black pepper, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, almond slices and lemon zest. Brush edges with water and "glue" a top wonton wrapper to it and boil very shortly until they rise to the surface.<br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Great Grapefruits </strong><br />
Section grapefruits, place it and the juice from the fruits, in a nonreactive bowl and combine well, slightly mashing grapefruit pieces, with sugar-free sweetener, dark chocolate shavings and finely diced dried cherries. Place in freezer and stir well every 30 minutes, until gravely, which means it's turned into granita, an icy Sicilian treat.<br />
<br />
<strong>QUICK MENU 2</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>A Spring Salad that Simply Sings </strong><br />
Shave cooked asparagus and toss with shaved aged gouda cheese, toasted hazelnuts and store-bought or homemade vinaigrette that's had some flavored honey added to it.<br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Brown Rice Salmon Balls with Real Bounce </strong><br />
Prepare quick-cook brown rice according to package instructions, add no-trans fat margarine, finely chopped spinach, freshly ground black pepper, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and drained, flaked canned salmon. Roll into balls and carefully lightly fry in olive oil.<br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Pistachio Pizzazz </strong><br />
Gently melt honey in microwave for a few seconds until runny. Stir in finely chopped pistachio nuts and finely diced golden raisins. Pour the warm mixture over sugar-free pistachio or sugar-free vanilla ice cream. <br />
<br />
<strong>QUICK MENU 3</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>One Slick Slaw</strong> <br />
For a Brazilian-style nutrition-packed treat, combine grated carrots, grated beets, chopped celery, chopped red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, raisins, olive oil, freshly squeezed orange juice, freshly ground black pepper, dried oregano and cumin seeds.<br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Citrus Tree Chicken </strong><br />
Before roasting, stuff the cleaned inside of a chicken you've seasoned with lemon-pepper salt substitute and cayenne pepper with the most exotic peeled whole citrus fruits you can find, such as limes, grapefruits, tangerines, tangelos and minneolas, as well as kiwis and nectarines. Carefully remove fruit and discard before serving the chicken over wild rice to which you've added chopped pecans and that you've also enhanced with fresh squeezes of those same citrus fruits.<br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Dark Chocolate That's in a Jam </strong><br />
Paint the top of a flat dark chocolate bar with raspberry pure fruit spread (available in the jam aisle of supermarkets) and sprinkle with ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper and shredded sweetened coconut. Place in microwave for about 7 seconds, or until jam and coconut warms but chocolate has not yet begun to melt.<br />
<br />
<em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> As grilling season heats up - or anytime you cook this family favorite - better burgers can be just an easy step away. Taking <em>all</em> of the following sumptuous steps with just one burger, for instance, caused "Chopped" TV star and New York City chef Marc Murphy to win at the ultra-competitive South Beach Wine & Food Festival's Burger Bash. <em>Consider following any one of the tips to receive great ratings from your own judges:</em> Prepare homemade cheddar and black pepper rolls; brush rolls all over with melted butter and toast on both sides on grill or in skillet; before grilling, season your half-inch hamburger patties with salt and black pepper and coat with canola oil; grind black pepper onto cheddar cheese when it's been put on top of rolls and before melting; cover bottom roll with bread-and-butter pickle chips; prepare your own special sauce with a combination of mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, roasted garlic, and ketchup, and - if you want to "spike" it for adults like Murphy did - vodka - but ask your parents first before you do this!<br />
<br />
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-04-26T06:07:00ZStop Eating Your Way Into Debt!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Stop-Eating-Your-Way-Into-Debt!/9001.html2011-04-26T05:38:00Z2011-04-26T05:38:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em></em></p>
by Jill Cooper<br />
<a target="_parent" href="http://drlaura.com/LinkClick.aspx?link=http%3a%2f%2flivingonadime.com%2f&tabid=123&mid=474">LivingOnADime.com</a><br />
<br />
Hopefully most of you realize you can get into deep debt if you buy a house or a car you can't afford. That seems to be pretty obvious, although a lot of people do it anyway. But that is not what I want to deal with today. The Bible talks about the little foxes that spoil the vine. What that is talking about is the little things which sneak into our lives without us realizing it. They start picking away at the vines in our lives until it destroys us. One of those "little foxes" is eating out.<br />
<br />
Eating out is among the top causes of personal debt. Most of us hunt for the best interest rates on our mortgages and we complain about the terrible price of gas the entire time we are pumping it.<br />
<br />
Interestingly enough though, I have yet to hear one person groan about the awful prices they had to pay for lunch today or tell how they were "duped" into having to pay such high prices at their favorite restaurant. I mean really, the government should step in and make all restaurants take steak off of their menus so I won't be tempted to order it. Then there are those fast food places. They shouldn't be allowed to build so close to the road and make it so convenient for me to drive in there each day. They have a lot of nerve expecting me to be a responsible adult who knows what I can or can't afford and should or shouldn't do.<br />
<br />
(I had better behave, But I do feel so much better for getting that off of my chest.)<br />
<br />
Anyway where was I? Oh, yes -- saving money and eating out. I know most of the excuses we use to justify eating out when it doesn't really fit in the budget: "I don't have time", "I'm too busy", "I don't know how to cook", and last but not least, "it's so much easier to eat out".<br />
<br />
I totally understand. I too don't have time to do things. I don't have time to take care of my yard, so I will hire a crew of gardeners to do it. I too don't have time to clean my house so I will have a housekeeper come in every day and do it for me. I don't know how to cook so I need a chef (the best French one, of course) and it is so much easier to hit my garage sales if I am chauffeur driven.<br />
<br />
Obviously my examples are tongue in cheek but, as ridiculous as that all sounds, that really is what a lot of us are doing. In the same way that I can't afford a gardener, housekeeper or chauffeur and I would be pretty foolish to go hire them, many of us can't afford to go out to eat but do it anyway. I don't think most people really realize how much they spend eating out each month and would be shocked to find that they could probably hire a housekeeper or a gardener for that same amount.<br />
<br />
Take one week and write down how much you spend eating out. That includes all those coffees, soft drinks, things from the vending machines and snacks you buy throughout the day. Be sure to write down the amount of anything that goes into you and your family's mouths for an average week. I'm afraid you may be unpleasantly surprised. Multiply it by 4 to get a monthly estimate and I think you would be just plain shocked.<br />
<br />
I'm beginning to wonder if another reason we eat out so much is that it has just become a habit. Like many bad habits, we get so comfortable with them that we don't want to change them. Even when we know that a habit is destructive to us (physically, financially and even emotionally), we still do it.<br />
<br />
Some of us look down our noses at other people with "bad habits" like drug addicts and alcoholics and can't understand why they don't just kick their habits. "Don't they see what they are doing to their families????"<br />
<br />
What is the difference between other people's destructive habits and our repeatedly going out to eat and charging it? We know the food isn't as good for our families, we know we don't have the money to pay for it, and we know on bill paying day we will be so stressed that we will take it out on everyone around us. We so proudly display our bumper stickers that say "Say no to drugs." but how many of us could proudly display a bumper sticker that says "Say no to debt, I'm debt free".<br />
<br />
(Please do not e-mail me about drug addicts and alcoholics. If you do, you are missing the point of the article and are only making it more clear to me you are not willing to own up to or face the real issue --your debt.)<br />
<br />
I know those words may sound harsh to some, but if you have seen and dealt with as many families as I have, whose homes have been or are being destroyed because of financial irresponsibility, you would understand why I can't always sugar coat things. We sink into a fog of apathy, hopelessness and discouragement and just give up trying. I really want you to understand you can fix your finances, but it will take a little bit of work and effort on your part. Don't just throw up your hands and give up.<br />
<br />
There is a story in the Bible (John 5) that tells about a man who couldn't walk. He had laid by a healing pool for 38 years. If he could dip in the pool when the water stirred, he would be healed. Jesus asks him what he is doing there and he says "Well, I just don't have anyone who will carry me and put me in the pool" (Poor little old me.) Jesus then asks him, "Do you really want to get healed?" This might seem to us a strange question but, as I once heard a woman speaker point out, if he really wanted to get healed wouldn't he have tried some way to inch his way over to that pool even if he could only make it a half an inch a day no matter how hard it was?<br />
<br />
Maybe Jesus asked this question because He too thought here is a man, like so many do these days, making excuses, being a victim and waiting for someone else to fix his problem for him. What did Jesus tell him to do? GET UP! (stand on your own two feet), TAKE UP YOUR BED (start being responsible for your own things), and WALK (become active in solving your own problems which may mean physical labor, or doing without somethings).<br />
<br />
You need to be like the lame man and GET UP, TAKE UP YOUR BED and WALK. If you know you are going out to eat too much then stop saying you're a victim of "these hard economic times". Be responsible for the "bed" (or the debts that you have now) and actively start doing something about it today. It isn't as hard as you think. I can take every excuse for eating out that I mentioned above and prove that they're not really valid.<br />
<br />
"I don't have time." For the amount of time it takes you to drive to some place, wait for them to take your order and then wait for them to prepare your order, I can give you 10 menus or more that would take less time for you to prepare at home.<br />
<br />
"I'm too busy." If you are too busy to take time to feed your family, something that is a necessity of life, then you are too busy. I have very rarely heard anyone say that they are too busy to get their hair done, go shopping, go to sports activities, talk on the phone or spend time on the computer. You really can find the time.<br />
<br />
If I sound like I don't have patience with that excuse, it's because I don't. I was a single mom with 2 teens, working 60 -70 hours a week, doing all my own yard work, home repairs, and on and on and guess what? Except when I was ill, I always found time to make breakfast and dinner.<br />
<br />
"I don't know how to cook." So learn. Start simple. Even my 9 year old grandson can boil himself a hot dog. You don't have to produce a gourmet meal to make your family happy and in most cases they would prefer you didn't. There are simple enough instructions on the back of a package of spaghetti noodles that, once again, even a child can read and follow. Warm up a jar of sauce and dinner is served. You now have two main dishes that take less than 10 minutes to prepare.<br />
<br />
I understand man can't live on hot dogs alone (although I think kids can), but don't worry -- after a week or two of simple dishes, you can move on to more complicated things like frozen French fries and frying hamburgers ;-) Plus if you really get stuck, I just happen to know of this really good cookbook called Dining on A Dime that can help you. ;-)<br />
<br />
"It's so much easier." I guess that depends on your definition of easy. To me, going to a restaurant, sitting and listening to loud music for 30 minutes with fussy, hungry, complaining kids is not my idea of fun. Going to a drive-thru is, at times, not much better. Lately it seems as if the line of cars wraps around the whole building at every fast food joint that I drive by. I was amazed to see every restaurant's parking lot jam packed two days after Christmas. (Must be that all those people who couldn't afford Christmas had gotten a windfall.) Sorry, once again I digress.<br />
<br />
You may say "The restaurant where I go isn't that bad." but my point is everything has it's drawbacks, whether you stay at home to eat or go out to eat. It's just a matter of what you make up your mind to put up with. Do you want the pain of cooking or the pain of not knowing how to pay your bills.<br />
<br />
If you are in debt, it would be wise to start putting up with a few of the drawbacks that come with eating at home. Besides, if you are really serious about saving money, there are ways to make cooking at home much easier.<br />
<br />
1. <strong>You can use convenience foods.</strong> There is nothing wrong with buying things like French bread, canned biscuits or bagged salad. Line the pans you use with foil, or use disposable pans. It's cheaper in the long run to use these than going out to eat.<br />
<br />
2. <strong>Clean up as you cook. </strong>This is very important because I notice a lot of people make a bigger mess than necessary when they cook.<br />
<br />
* Instead of messing up the whole stove by repeatedly laying a sticky spoon on it, use a spoon holder or cup. It is a simple thing that makes clean up so much easier.<br />
<br />
* Keep some hot soapy water in the sink while you are cooking and wash things as you finish with them.<br />
<br />
* Don't set that carton of milk down on the counter after you pour it. While it's still in your hand, put it back in the fridge.<br />
<br />
* Keep the number of utensils you use to a minimum. You don't need to put a lid on a pot every time you cook something.<br />
<br />
<br />
3. <strong>Don't always think gourmet.</strong> Most families are so excited to get a homemade meal that they don't care what you serve them. Besides, almost any meal can be made to look "gourmet". Fruit sliced and arranged nicely on a plate, muffins keeping warm and nestled in a napkin inside a basket or mashed potatoes piled high with a chunk of golden butter melting down the sides all have eye appeal. All right -- I made myself hungry! Maybe it's time to quit for lunch.<br />
<br />
4. <strong>Clean up</strong> is one of the main reasons people hate to eat at home, but if you clean as you go like I mentioned earlier and everyone pitches in to help clean up after dinner, it should only take about 15 minutes to get it all put away.* It would take longer than that to drive to a fast food place and return home.<br />
<br />
<br />
5. <strong>Pull out those crockpots.</strong> It takes about 5 minutes to throw in a roast, potatoes and carrots. It takes the same amount of time to throw in the ingredients for chili, stew or vegetable soup.<br />
<br />
6. <strong>Think alternatives.</strong> If you are dragging the kids to an after school game: Instead of going to a fast food drive in, throw some hot dogs in a thermos and cover with boiling water. They will be cooked and ready to eat by the time you get there. How long does it really take to grab a few pieces of fruit, a bag of cleaned veggies and some chips to go with them? Maybe 2 minutes? How hard is that to cook?<br />
<br />
You could also have sloppy joes simmering in a crockpot and pour those into the thermos for an on the run meal. To make it even easier, heat it up from a jar and then pour it in the thermos.<br />
<br />
I don't know who set the standard that cooking a meal in 30 minutes is fast. If I took that long to cook a meal every night I would never get anything done. There are tons of meals out there that require 15 minutes or less prep time.<br />
<br />
If you don't know where to start, then drag out your Dining On A Dime cookbook or check out the Grocery Shopping On A Budget e-books. We share lots of ideas there to get you started. Sometimes we like to make things more complicated than they really are because that gives us a good excuse not to do them. Where there is a will there is a way.<br />
<br />
Do you really want to get out of debt? Then GET UP, STOP CHARGING, and GET COOKING!<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam</strong> are frugal living experts and the authors of the Dining On A Dime Cookbook. Dining On A Dime will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt, by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips & recipes, including gardening tips, visit <a target="_blank" href="http://drlaura.com/LinkClick.aspx?link=http%3a%2f%2flivingonadime.com%2f&tabid=123&mid=474">LivingOnADime.com</a> Permission granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2011-04-26T05:38:00ZMenu Planning Tips And Suggested Ham MenusStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Menu-Planning-Tips-And-Suggested-Ham-Menus/9003.html2011-04-19T06:11:00Z2011-04-19T06:11:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em></em></p>
by Jill Cooper<br />
<a target="_parent" href="http://drlaura.com/LinkClick.aspx?link=http%3a%2f%2flivingonadime.com%2f&tabid=123&mid=474">LivingOnADime.com</a><br />
<br />
<em><strong>Why is it so hard to prepare meals?</strong></em><br />
<br />
1. We try too hard and make it more complicated than it needs to be. <br />
We think we need to use new gourmet recipes for every meal. We think that our families want something different when the reality is most of the time our families are happy with just the good old comfort foods they love.<br />
<br />
2. We are just too tired to think about what to cook. <br />
One thing I did that helped me was to keep a notebook for three weeks and, at the end of each meal, write down what we had for dinner that night.<br />
<br />
I know this is the opposite of what we are normally told when getting menu ideas. People usually advise us to write our menus before and not after the meal. I agree, but writing things down after a meal worked for me at that time and was a great way to figure out what kinds of menus we actually ate. If you are having trouble making menus ahead of time, you might try doing it this way.<br />
<br />
Even if you go out to eat, write down everything that was served. This takes all of one to two minutes to do, especially if you keep your notebook handy. In three weeks you will have almost 21 menu ideas to choose from. I used my 21 menus for years on the days I was stumped about what to have for dinner.<br />
<br />
3. Make things easy for yourself and keep your meals simple.<br />
Here are a few quick and easy menus to give you some ideas for this week. You can use them now or when you need to use up some of your leftover Easter or Christmas ham. You can serve the ham warmed, cold, fried or cubed. It is your choice. Here are some dishes to go with it:<br />
<br />
• Ham, Sweet Potatoes, Spinach Salad<br />
• Ham, Rice, Fried Pineapple Rings, Tossed Salad<br />
• Ham, Potato Salad, Relish Dish with Dill Pickles<br />
• Ham, Baked Beans, Baked Potatoes, Carrot Sticks <br />
• Ham, Fried Eggs, Hash Browns, Orange Juice<br />
• Ham, Boiled Potatoes, Applesauce, Green Beans, Corn Bread or Muffins<br />
<br />
You can add and take away from all of these menus or mix and match items. Here are some things you might try:<br />
<br />
• Replace ham with chicken or other meat.<br />
• Add a salad or dinner roll<br />
• Add a dessert<br />
<br />
You could easily stretch this to 10-15 menus by just switching things around.<br />
<br />
I would look at my notebook and think, "I don't have ham but I do have chicken. I could boil some rice and make green beans, corn bread and applesauce. This would give me a totally different menu just by using these basics.<br />
<br />
These menus should be a jumping off point to help get you started thinking. I hope this gives you new cooks and not so new cooks some ideas for dinner this week!<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam</strong> are frugal living experts and the authors of the Dining On A Dime Cookbook. Dining On A Dime will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt, by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips & recipes, including gardening tips, visit <a target="_blank" href="http://drlaura.com/LinkClick.aspx?link=http%3a%2f%2flivingonadime.com%2f&tabid=123&mid=474">LivingOnADime.com</a> Permission granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2011-04-19T06:11:00Z10 Uses for Plastic Milk JugsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Uses-for-Plastic-Milk-Jugs/9004.html2011-04-12T04:59:00Z2011-04-12T04:59:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em></em></p>
by Tawra Kellam<br />
<a href="http://drlaura.com/LinkClick.aspx?link=http%3a%2f%2flivingonadime.com%2f&tabid=123&mid=474" target="_parent">LivingOnADime.com</a><br />
<br />
* <strong>Cut the tops off of plastic milk jugs</strong>, poke holes in the bottom and use them to start seeds.<br />
<br />
* <strong>Cut the bottom off and use as mini-greenhouses to cover plants.</strong> Remove the cap on warm days to let heat out and remove altogether when it gets hot in there so you don't fry your plants.<br />
<br />
* <strong>Cut the top off, fill with sand and pour some used oil over the sand. </strong>Keep it where you can put your hand tools in there to clean and oil them all at once.<br />
<br />
* <strong>Cut the bottom off of a 1/2 gallon jug of milk or juice and make it into a scoop. </strong>These work great to scoop out bird seed, fertilizer, grass seed, sand and many other things like that.<br />
<br />
* <strong>You can also use old milk jugs as weights.</strong> Fill them with dirt, sand or even water. These work well if you need to tarp something like a pile of firewood or if you need to hold bird netting or row covering down on the sides. Just tie a cord to the jug handle and then tie the other end to a corner or grommet in the tarp and let them hang.<br />
<br />
* <strong>Cut milk jugs into long strips</strong> and mark them with Sharpies to use as plant tags.<br />
<br />
* <strong>Fill plastic milk jugs with sand or rocks about 1-2 inches deep</strong>. Then poke 2 or 3 very small holes in the side at the bottom. Fill it with water and it makes a great drip irrigation system for your plants. Just refill with water and a scoop of liquid fertilizer (as needed) and water. The plants do better with a slow trickle than a huge dump of water.<br />
<br />
* <strong>Cut the bottom off </strong>about 2 inches from the bottom and use as plant saucers.<br />
<br />
* <strong>Cut a section out of the front of a milk jug on the side</strong> opposite the handle and then use it to harvest berries and cherry tomatoes.<br />
<br />
* <strong>A full sized milk jug is one gallon,</strong> so use it as an easy measure when watering with liquid fertilizer.<br />
<br />
.<strong>..and here's a bonus tip I thought was too important not to use!</strong><br />
<br />
* <strong>Cut the bottoms off of plastic milk jugs and put them over plants </strong>you don't want to hit when spraying weed killer.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam</strong> are frugal living experts and the authors of the Dining On A Dime Cookbook. Dining On A Dime will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt, by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips & recipes, including gardening tips, visit <a href="http://drlaura.com/LinkClick.aspx?link=http%3a%2f%2flivingonadime.com%2f&tabid=123&mid=474" target="_blank">LivingOnADime.com</a> Permission granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.
<p> </p>Staff2011-04-12T04:59:00Z10-Second Recipes: Pantry Spring Cleaning Should Turn Up Money-Saving IngredientsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Pantry-Spring-Cleaning-Should-Turn-Up-Money-Saving-Ingredients/9005.html2011-04-12T04:48:00Z2011-04-12T04:48:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
</p>
We've all heard about doing a thorough spring cleaning of our home to leave room for plenty of exciting new items. There's no reason to stop after you purge that closet, straighten that drawer or scour that bathtub. Set your sights on your pantry and refrigerator. Buildup there can usually rival any other spot in the house and you could find much more tasty items than lost change in a couch or a stray sock under a bed. Many of us mindlessly purchase and don't realize the buildup we're creating. I'll never forget helping a relative, who is a mother of three young children, move into a new home and unpacking her boxes marked "pantry." There were doubles and triples of identical pastas, sauces, soups, cereals, salad dressings and condiments that she was shocked to see. Lesson One is, of course, keep track of what you have and only buy more as products are running out, or at most have only one backup around at a time. <em>But if that lesson is long overdue, every season do a thorough inventory and make quick meals from the extras you find. </em>Below are some of the most common items many of us forget we've got piling up as well as some speedy ideas to put them to good use, such as an exotic cooked grain salad that utilizes leftover vinaigrette salad dressing, a double-the-fun pasta that also includes all the best parts of pizza and fruit smoothies that get pumped up by grinding up scraps of your cereals.<br />
<br />
Food preparation can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The dishes are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since there <em>are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at your next family meal. <br />
<br />
<strong>SALAD DRESSING</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Vavavavoom Vinaigrette Grain Salad </strong><br />
Prepare a grain like wild rice, high-protein crunchy quinoa or buckwheat and let cool. Toss with chunks of gouda or feta cheese, chopped red onion, sliced celery, chunks of Fuji or other apples, chopped pecans, freshly ground black pepper, freshly chopped basil and mint and bottled vinaigrette dressing. Serve at room temperature (but refrigerate at all other times).<br />
<br />
<strong>Needs-No-Translation French Dressed Chicken</strong><br />
Mix bottled French dressing with cayenne pepper, dried oregano and fresh lime juice. Toss chunks of cooked chicken into a wok that was first sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and then heated. Carefully cover with the French dressing mixture and stir often until sauce starts to caramelize, but does not burn or get overly sticky. Serve over beds of cooked spinach.<br />
<br />
<strong>PASTA</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Double Fun Pizza-Flavored Pasta </strong><br />
Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain. Toss with bottled pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella and provolone cheeses, diced cooked turkey pepperoni, diced cooked turkey sausage, sliced black olives, sliced green bell pepper and sliced sauteed mushrooms. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper. Serve hot.<br />
<br />
<strong>Super Spaghetti Tacos</strong><br />
Where have you been if you haven't heard of the spaghetti tacos made famous on the kids' hit TV series "iCarly" and then gone viral on the Internet? They are quite literally just sauced spaghetti stuffed in crispy taco shells. <em>You can make more innovative, healthful - yet just as fun - versions with the multiple boxes of spaghetti you may come across when tidying up your pantry. </em>For instance, cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain. Toss with olive oil, finely crushed peanuts (a good substitution for pine nuts, whose prices have gone through the roof), diced figs or dried apricots, Italian seasoning blend, freshly ground black pepper and browned fully cooked ground chicken breast crumbles. Spoon onto whole-grain tortillas that you've spread very lightly with store-bought pesto and wrap up.<br />
<br />
<strong>CANNED FOOD</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Fiery Fish Stew </strong><br />
Combine canned vegetable broth, canned beans, canned chilies, and flaked canned tuna and/or salmon in a saucepan. Flavor with bottled Cajun seasoning blend. Heat until very hot. Serve with store-bought cornbread that you've topped lightly with additional canned chilies and low-fat shredded Cheddar cheese before heating in oven or microwave for a few seconds, until cheese begins to melt. <br />
<br />
<strong>Inside-Out Soup 'n' Sandwich</strong><br />
Prepare grilled cheese sandwiches on rye bread with flavorful cheeses, like Gorgonzola and Gruyere. Heat one or a mixture of canned soups according to can directions and flavor with freshly ground black pepper and cayenne pepper. Cut the grilled cheese sandwiches into bite-sized squares and toss into the hot soup as innovative croutons.<br />
<br />
<strong>CEREAL</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Sweet 'n' Sour Cereal </strong><br />
In a sturdy plastic bag, with a rolling pin crush a mixture of all of your almost-used-up cereals and season with garlic and onion powders. Toss into a skillet with honey, fresh lemon juice, vinegar and cooked chicken breast bite-sized chunks and coat and stir continuously until mixed well and hot. This tastes like mee krob, a popular crunchy, sweet-and-sour Thai appetizer.<br />
<br />
<strong>Cereal Smoothies</strong><br />
Place the remains of your favorite whole-grain cereals, like bran, rolled oats or granola in the blender after you've added your smoothies ingredients, like fresh fruit, juice, soymilk and whey protein powder. <em>The grain addition - which gets pulverized during blending - will add important fiber and nutrients to the meal replacement beverage.</em> It's often used by trainers and chefs in the know, like those at the exclusive W Hotel chain, which serves travelers granola within its soy-blueberry-banana smoothie on its acclaimed specialized power breakfast menu. <br />
<br />
<em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Teavana, the national chain full of unique tea service gifts and exotic antioxidant-filled loose tea blends, is quick to school us in the glossy literature they give out with every purchase how variable caffeine is in tea and that you don't need to follow the popular myth that a tea must be purposely chemically decaffeinated to tone down your caffeine ingestion. Though black tea and black tea blends have 100 percent the caffeine of coffee, popular white teas and many of the blends that can be made from them with herbal add-ins have just 1 percent the caffeine of coffee. Most eye-opening: "Caffeine is very water soluble," they write, "making it easy to get rid of quickly! You can naturally decaffeinate any leaf tea by steeping it for 20 to 30 seconds and discarding the resulting liquid. Steep the leaves again for a super-low caffeine brew."<br />
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-04-12T04:48:00Z10-Second Recipes: Luscious Love Letters from Greece, Lebanon and MexicoStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Luscious-Love-Letters-from-Greece,-Lebanon-and-Mexico/9006.html2011-03-28T21:20:00Z2011-03-28T21:20:00Z<img class="blog-icon-large" alt="Icon" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
</p>
These three-course economic weeknight menus (appetizers, entrees, and healthy desserts) include everything from falafel and white bean "meatballs" that are missing the meat, to salsa-topped canned salmon burgers, to a store-bought rotisserie chicken that gets a lift from gourmet homemade fruit sauce. Some of the entrees, like the easy "meatballs" lightly fried in healthful olive oil, are vegetarian. The main dishes that aren't, like the raisin, potato and pearl onion-enhanced chicken, also feature produce, seamlessly blended in to amp up the nutrition quotient. Even decadent desserts are created with your family's health in mind, although they probably will never realize that when they are feasting on custom-made treats, like peanut butter-coconut truffles or sugar-free ice cream hugged by fresh fruit and a warmed spicy honey sauce. Honey, like the grapes it's draping atop the ice cream, is a true blue "superfood," but all the recipients usually know is that it tastes super.<br />
<br />
Everyone can use a little help planning weeknight meals - and if that only takes seconds, that's even better. The three nights of menus that follow offer a lifeline during a busy week and prove that cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these menus of family-friendly sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The meals are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.<br />
<br />
<strong>QUICK MENU 1</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>Bloody Good Bloody Mary Soup</strong><br />
Processed tomato products are higher in lycopene, the important antioxidant, than fresh tomatoes. Combine a can of condensed tomato soup, a soup can-full of spicy tomato juice and a can of stewed tomatoes in a large pot. Add chopped celery, fresh lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper and Bloody Mary mix. Stir well and often until very hot.<br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Say Si to Salsa-Topped Salmon Burgers</strong><br />
In a bowl, combine an egg with a can of salmon and shape into burgers, grill or broil until egg is completely cooked and served topped with a salsa made from cooked fresh or frozen corn, diced pear tomatoes, diced mangoes, cayenne pepper and freshly ground black pepper.<br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Tortilla Toppers That Can't Be Topped</strong><br />
Top corn tortillas (better than flour ones, since they are whole grain) with a thin layer of trans fat-free margarine, sprinkle with ground cinnamon, sugar substitute and shaved dark chocolate (which is full of antioxidants). Broil until chocolate melts, watching that tortillas don't burn. Slice with a pizza cutter before serving.<br />
<br />
<strong>QUICK MENU 2</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>How-To for Gourmet Hummus</strong><br />
Mix fresh lime juice and curry powder into store-bought or homemade red pepper hummus. Top with sprinklings of canned mini shrimp and toasted sesame seeds (sold pre-toasted in jars in the ethnic aisles of most supermarkets and considered ounce-for-ounce one of the healthiest foods on the planet.) Serve with whole-grain crackers.<br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>One Sweetheart of a Raisin Chicken</strong><br />
Place a mixture of dark and golden raisins and a small amount of water in microwave container and microwave briefly until raisins are moist. Puree in food processor or blender with maple syrup and freshly ground black pepper. Heat in saucepan until a syrup. At end, stir in fresh chopped dill, rosemary and mint and serve over hot store-bought rotisserie chicken pieces and cooked pearl onions and small red potatoes.<br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Pairing Broiled Pears with Homemade Truffles</strong><br />
Roll small balls of peanut butter in a mixture of dark chocolate shavings and unsweetened coconut flakes. Serve with broiled pear slices that have first been drizzled with fresh lemon juice.<br />
<br />
<strong>QUICK MENU 3</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Appetizer</em><br />
<strong>Quick 'n' Slick Salad</strong><br />
Create a salad of a romaine base topped with whole white beans, sliced green and red bell peppers and pitted black olives. Drizzle with olive oil, white wine vinegar, freshly ground black pepper and fresh lemon juice.<br />
<br />
<em>Entree</em><br />
<strong>Meatballs that are Missing the Meat</strong><br />
Prepare falafel mix according to package instructions, as well as incorporating in very small amount of white beans that you've pureed in food processor or blender along with curry powder. Make small "meatballs" out of the falafel/white bean mixture and lightly fry in olive oil (one of the heart healthiest ingredients) until fully cooked and serve over brown rice that's been dusted with freshly chopped cilantro and garlic.<br />
<br />
<em>Healthy Dessert</em><br />
<strong>Spiced Warmed Honey Warms the Heart</strong><br />
Top sugar-free vanilla ice cream, frozen yogurt or sorbet with halves of dark and green grapes, cinnamon, chopped walnuts and a drizzling honey mixed with cardamom that had been briefly warmed in microwave.<br />
<br />
<em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Time can even be lost in the simple act of using a knife, especially when chopping something sticky like dried fruit. Though you may have only tried it before on pots and pans, don't hesitate to lightly coat your knife with nonstick cooking spray. That should make tasks like these smoother and quicker.<br />
<br />
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-03-28T21:20:00ZPoo Free - Homemade Shampoo RecipeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Poo-Free---Homemade-Shampoo-Recipe/9007.html2011-03-28T21:19:00Z2011-03-28T21:19:00Z<img class="blog-icon-large" alt="Icon" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" />by Jill Cooper<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://drlaura.com/LinkClick.aspx?link=http%3a%2f%2fwww.livingonadime.com%2f&tabid=123&mid=474">LivingOnADime.com</a><br />
<br />
<strong>Poo Free... Ahhh... I know that sounds strange doesn't it?</strong> This really isn't an article on what to do when constipated and I don't feel the <em>urge</em> to write on that subject at all. No, this has to do with shampoo.<br />
<br />
<strong>Years ago, I mentioned in a post about how I had a great aunt who was about 90 years old and had never shampooed her hair and everyone was horrified at such a thought.</strong> Even when I mentioned I only wash my hair twice a week they thought that was awful.<br />
<br />
<strong>Well guess what? The latest new buzz phrase is "poo less hair".</strong> The people who talk about it think they have invented a new thing. They have "discovered" what my aunt knew almost 100 years ago - You don't need to use shampoo or soap to clean your hair.<br />
<br />
<strong>Actually I have thought about trying it myself for quite a while</strong> and I'm not sure why I didn't just jump in and do it a long time ago. But I finally did and I love it.<br />
<br />
<strong>No more shampoo or conditioner for me.</strong> I have been "poo free" for a couple of weeks and still can't get over how great my hair looks.<br />
<br />
<strong>Now I can hear some of you saying, "No way. I have oily hair</strong> and have to wash it every day and need the shampoo to get rid of the oil." Please read on and consider what I am explaining.<br />
<br />
<strong>I have very oily, fine, limp long hair.</strong> At times I have to deal with fuzzing and all kinds of weird things. To comb my hair out is a pain because of tangles. That is why I am so in awe.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>How it Works</strong><br />
<strong>It works on the principle that the more oil is stripped from your hair the more oil your body will produce to replace it.</strong> It is a cycle. It works something like nursing a baby. The more you nurse the more milk you produce and when you stop all your milk goes away.<br />
<br />
We have gotten into a shampooing frenzy, shampooing our hair every day to clean it, so we have started an awful "not good for our scalp" cycle with our bodies. Most shampoos are really bad about stripping the oils out of your hair, causing your body to produce more.<br />
<br />
<strong>Guess what the number one selling hair product is on QVC (or home shopping network)?</strong> Wen. It is a "no shampoo" treatment for your hair. <strong>The price? Almost $35 for 16 oz. (about 2 cups) and for long hair you have to use 48 pumps of it.</strong> Do you know how expensive that is?<br />
<br />
The treatment I'll share below does the same thing at a cost of about 3 cents for the same amount and you use significantly less of it. <br />
<br />
<strong>What's The Worst that can Happen? </strong><br />
I asked myself, "Why did I put this off so long? What is the worst that can happen?" I might have oily hair for a week or so and have to wear my hair in a pony tail. It won't cost me a thing.<br />
<br />
<strong>What do I have to Gain?<br />
I will have healthier hair and save, in some cases, lots of money</strong> on shampoo, conditioner and hair products for the whole family. I am finding that I don't have to use any products like mousse or gel because my hair is holding its curl better. This means I will save by not having to use or buy other products and I'll also save time. Usually, within an hour, my hair would have lost all it's curl and if I was going someplace later I would have to curl it again, damaging my hair more. <br />
<br />
<strong>I Did It. <br />
I jumped in and did it. The only thing I regret is that I didn't do it years ago.</strong> Some people say their hair needed a 2-6 week adjustment period but I didn't need one, even with my oily hair. The first time I didn't use shampoo my hair looked even better than before. It combed out more easily with almost no tangles at all and it looked unbelievable. As I said, an added side bonus I hadn't expected is that it keeps the curl and style better than it did before, so I don't have to mess with it as much.<br />
<br />
I am also going a little longer in between washing it and this is only after two weeks of doing this. I can't wait to see what it will be like after a couple of months. This has been one of those things that has changed my life. I know that it may sound silly but you know how having a bad hair day makes us ladies feel. I don't think I can ever have a bad hair day again! <br />
<br />
<strong>What Do You Do? <br />
There are different ways of doing this but I like to keep things simple so this is what I do.</strong> I also brush my hair before I start.<br />
<br />
1. <strong>Mix 1 Tbsp. baking soda with 8 oz. hot water and stir or shake until well dissolved.</strong> You can use a funnel and put this in a container like a squirt bottle.<br />
<br />
2. <strong>Mix 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar in 8 oz. water.</strong> Again mix and store in a squirt bottle.<br />
<br />
<strong>Essentially, you just replace the baking soda mix for shampoo and vinegar for conditioner. </strong>Wet hair well, rub in some of the baking soda and mix into your scalp well. Rinse. Then squirt it with the vinegar mix, rub it in and rinse.<br />
<br />
<strong>I have long hair and the 8 oz. lasted me about 4-5 washings.</strong> If you use the same proportions, you can mix a larger amount and keep in a larger bottle if you want. <br />
<br />
<strong>Questions Answered</strong><br />
<strong>If your hair seems a little oily,</strong> only add the vinegar rinse to the ends of your hair. You could also use lemon juice instead of vinegar.<br />
<br />
<strong>If you see a white residue, you may be using too much baking soda. </strong>The proportions I listed seem to be just right. Some people place the baking soda in their hand and make a paste to rub into the scalp but it is hard to get the right consistency and I think it is harder to distribute evenly on your scalp.<br />
<br />
<strong>Some people have found after using this method for a while that they only have to rinse their hair with water</strong> because the ph and oil becomes so perfectly balanced. I haven't been using it long enough yet to know about that.<br />
<br />
<strong>I know some of you have used regular or apple cider vinegar for a rinse and liked it,</strong> and I have too, but adding the soda for shampoo is wonderful.<br />
<br />
<strong>In Closing<br />
Try it and see.</strong> If you are still too afraid to do it, try it on your children or husband for a week or two and see what happens with their hair. <br />
<br />
<strong>It isn't like you are investing large amounts of money or time into something.</strong> It is very simple. All I can say is I can never go back myself. My hair is so much more manageable and looks so good now that I don't want shampoo near my hair.<br />
<br />
I hope you give it a try!<br />
<br />
-Jill<br />
<br />
<strong>Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam</strong> are frugal living experts and the authors of the <a target="_blank" href="http://drlaura.com/LinkClick.aspx?link=http%3a%2f%2fwww.livingonadime.com%2fstore%2fdining-dime-cookbook%2f&tabid=123&mid=474">Dining On A Dime Cookbook</a>. For more bath and beauty recipes, check out the Pretty for Pennies chapter in the <a target="_blank" href="http://drlaura.com/LinkClick.aspx?link=http%3a%2f%2fwww.livingonadime.com%2fstore%2fdining-dime-cookbook%2f&tabid=123&mid=474">Dining On A Dime Cookbook</a>. Dining On A Dime will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt, by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips & recipes visit <a target="_blank" href="http://drlaura.com/LinkClick.aspx?link=http%3a%2f%2fwww.livingonadime.com%2f&tabid=123&mid=474">LivingOnADime.com</a>. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com<br />
<br />
<a href="http://drlaura.com/LinkClick.aspx?link=http%3a%2f%2fwww.livingonadime.com%2f&tabid=123&mid=474" target="_blank"></a>Staff2011-03-28T21:19:00Z10-Second Recipes: Cheapskate Chicken Leftovers Help Save Time and MoneyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Cheapskate-Chicken-Leftovers-Help-Save-Time-and-Money/9008.html2011-03-22T06:39:00Z2011-03-22T06:39:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
</p>
Most of us are experts at preparing budget-priced chicken, whether we boil, bake, grill, poach or lightly fry. Coming up with easy ways to utilize the mild-flavored poultry is about as versatile as a home cook can get. Leftovers are often eaten as is. That's fine, but why not take a cue from innovative restaurant chefs for quick toss-together meals that become memorable favorites in minutes, like a peppy pizza quickly concocted from barbecued chicken or sumptuous fruit-, vegetable- and chicken nugget skewers.<br />
<br />
Food preparation - whether for every day or a great gala - can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The dishes are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at your next family meal. Keep this leftover chicken "cheat sheet" on hand so you don't have to wing it again:<br />
<br />
<strong>BARBECUED CHICKEN</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Pizza with Some Real Pizzazz </strong><br />
Spread halves of slightly toasted whole-grain English muffins with leftover barbecue sauce. Top with diced leftover barbecue chicken, sliced red onions, diced pineapple, cilantro and grated mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheeses. Broil until cheese melts and edges of slightly toasted English muffins become slightly crispier, but do not burn. <br />
<br />
<strong>CHINESE CHICKEN</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Turning Takeout Even More Tempting </strong><br />
Got some leftover Chicken with Cashews, Kung Pao Chicken or Sweet 'n' Sour Chicken from your Chinese takeout dinner? This will really make a memorable Chinese Chicken Salad, unlike the restaurant ones that have become commonplace. Heat the leftovers until they reach a temperature of 165 F and serve as a warm salad atop spinach greens that will wilt and sprinkled with roasted peanuts, chopped lemongrass and chunks of crystallized ginger. Drizzle lightly with a small amount of Chinese hot mustard that's been whisked with bottled plum sauce that's usually available in the ethnic aisles of the supermarket.<br />
<br />
<strong>MOLE CHICKEN</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Say Si to a Fiery Chicken Salad </strong><br />
Often chicken salad is bland or, at the most, gets a tiny amount of flavor from salt and pepper. Pep it up instead with diced leftover Mexican mole chicken (including its leftover sauce) that you combine with diced celery, diced jicama, diced mango and pepitas (store-bought roasted pumpkin seeds) before combing with a mixture of light mayonnaise and light sour cream. <br />
<br />
<strong>FRIED CHICKEN</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Fixin' Up Fried Chicken </strong><br />
Slice into bread-size boneless pieces and place on a Kaiser roll. Top with shredded red cabbage that has been tossed with small amounts of balsamic vinegar and red wine vinegar. <br />
<br />
<strong>CHICKEN NUGGETS</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Sewing Up a Second Meal </strong><br />
Thread a chicken nugget onto a metal skewer, followed by a cherry tomato, slice of green bell pepper, a second chicken nugget and a pineapple chunk. Heat until chicken is 165 F and fruit and vegetables are hot. Place foil over if needed to avoid burning or overcooking fruit and vegetables. <br />
<br />
<strong>CHICKEN POT PIE</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>All the Flavor of Pot Pie in a Savory Soup</strong><br />
Remove leftover crust and set aside. Heat filling in a soup pot, adding oregano, freshly ground black pepper, salt substitute and thyme. Grind walnuts into a powder. Add a slight bit of water to reserved pot pie crust and roll into balls and then in the walnut powder. Add atop the pot pie soup just before serving, but with enough time to heat the walnut-covered balls. <br />
<br />
<strong>CHICKEN SOUP</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Rye, Rye, Birdie </strong><br />
Strained chicken soup makes a great base for an easy, flexible sauce. Whisk it with an equal amount of Dijon or spicy mustard and heat in a nonreactive saucepan until just hot, notes award-winning restaurant chef Andrea Reusing in her new cookbook, "Cooking in the Moment: A Year of Seasonal Recipes" (Clarkson Potter). It's a great topper for chicken you boiled with the soup, then dredge in flour and dip in egg, cover with stale rye bread crumbs, sea salt and freshly ground pepper and lightly pan-fry in expeller-pressed vegetable oil. <br />
<br />
<em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Add healthy homemade flavor to water or store-bought juices. For instance, to a single-serving bottle of water, squeeze in the juice of one lemon and sprinkle in stevia sugar-free sweetener to taste before shaking bottle for a quick lemonade. In a blender container, to no-sugar-added pomegranate juice, add a bit of water and a handful of fresh blueberries before blending until blueberries are liquefied. In a blender container, to Bloody Mary mix, add a handful of grape tomatoes, a dash of freshly ground pepper and curry powder before blending until tomatoes are liquefied.<br />
<br />
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-03-22T06:39:00Z10-Second Recipes: Party Hearty Without Inviting High Costs or Time CommitmentsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Party-Hearty-Without-Inviting-High-Costs-or-Time-Commitments/9009.html2011-03-15T07:15:00Z2011-03-15T07:15:00Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
<br />
</p>
<p></p>
Public speaking, moving, starting a new job: These are often listed in polls among the most stressful things in life. Usually, not far behind is throwing a party. However, that anxiety is mostly misplaced. There are lots of quick and easy tricks you can tuck inside the sleeve of your party outfit, like mixing a dynamic liqueur into chili the way ordinary ale often is or creating an ice cream flavor for your guest of honor. <br />
<br />
Food preparation - whether for every day or a great gala - can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these split-second sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The dishes are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at your next fiesta!<br />
<br />
<strong>APPETIZERS</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Cheers for Homemade Chips </strong><br />
The trend in the supermarket chip aisle is gourmet chips. Choices like a spicy and sophisticated Garden Salsa variety from whole-grain Sun Chips and "Artisan Recipes" Fire-Roasted Chipotle Tostitos abound. Those are excellent, but it's also easy to prepare your own creations.<br />
<br />
Some ideas (for each, preheat oven to 300 F and place tortilla chips on a baking sheet that's been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and then also lightly spray the chips with the nonstick cooking spray before topping and placing in oven for 5 minutes, or until warmed):<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>A la Sun Chips' other new flavor, sprinkle your tortilla chips with cayenne and then top with very finely diced small amounts of jalapeno (wearing latex gloves when chopping and not touching your eyes during or afterward) and Monterey Jack cheese.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>
Top with dashes of dried oregano, cumin, curry powder and freshly ground black pepper.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>
For a sweet treat, top with sugar substitute, ground cinnamon and cocoa powder.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<strong>FUN FEASTS</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Customized Chili </strong><br />
Pep up store-bought or homemade chili with any of the following appealing add-ins: <br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>
Broken pieces of dark chocolate, root beer, ground cinnamon and a small amount of plump golden and dark raisins.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>
A bowl of albondigas (meatball and vegetable) soup or tortilla soup from your favorite Mexican take-out restaurant.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>
Often folks add ale or beer to chili; it's a wonderful addition. For something more unique, before heating chili, mix in a few dashes of your favorite liqueur, like framboise, the French raspberry brandy, or amaretto, the famous almond liqueur.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<strong>DESSERTS</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>A Personalized Prized Dessert </strong><br />
Recently, like for singers Elton John and Jerry Garcia, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream named a flavor after comic talk show host Jimmy Fallon. "Late Night Snack" is vanilla ice cream with salty caramel and fudge-covered potato chips. Consider serving a concoction you title after your party's guest of honor based on their taste buds. <br />
<br />
Some ideas: <br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>
<em>Berry lovers</em> might enjoy sugar-free strawberry ice cream and raspberry sorbet mixed with small chocolate covered strawberries and dried blueberries.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>
<em>Baseball fans </em>may like sugar-free vanilla ice cream mixed with roasted peanuts with a dash of honey mustard dressing swirled in. Or, for adults, a beer float, a la those of some recent famous restaurant chefs; just drop a scoop of compatibly flavored ice cream into your favorite flavored ale (like imported Samuel Smith's handcrafted organic strawberry from England). </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>
<em>Candy admirers </em>should appreciate mint chip sugar-free ice cream blended with chopped candy bars and mini jelly beans and topped with swirls of cotton candy instead of whipped cream.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Take into consideration the texture of foods in order to prepare split-second snacks. A packaged chewy granola bar filled with oats, nuts and dried fruit, for instance, is malleable. Just push it into the bottom and up the sides slightly of a coffee cup --- or even a Styrofoam cup if you're on the go --- and you've got a healthful "pie crust" that tastes better than many from even the "best" pie shops. Fill with sugar-free chocolate pudding and top with sugar-free whipped topping for a delectable and nutritious chocolate cream pie. On the other hand, if it's a crispy granola bar or cookie, crumble it and use as a topping for sugar-free ice cream, sorbet or oatmeal. This "texture test" can be applied to lots of products and ingredients that are secretly willing and able to do extra credit for you.<br />
<br />
<p></p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-03-15T07:15:00ZCooking Tips To Save You Money!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Cooking-Tips-To-Save-You-Money!/9010.html2011-03-15T05:51:00Z2011-03-15T05:51:00Z<img src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" class="blog-icon-large" alt="Icon" />by Tawra Kellam<br />
<a href="http://drlaura.com/LinkClick.aspx?link=http%3a%2f%2fwww.livingonadime.com%2f&tabid=123&mid=474" target="_blank">LivingOnADime.com</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Put flour in an old spice bottle to use when flouring cake pans. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Unsure what a Dutch oven is? It's just a 6-8 quart saucepan or large pot. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Having leftovers again? Serve them by candlelight with tablecloths or place mats. A tablecloth and candles make even plain meals look special. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>This is an unexpected canape and a handy little finger food. Take your favorite cream cheese dip and roll about 1 teaspoon full into a ball. Press it between two walnut halves. Lay on a platter to serve</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Save dry cereal odds and ends to add to your Chex mix when you make it. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting it in the fridge. It will keep much longer. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>When you have one hot dog, hamburger, sausage patty, or slice of ham left over, throw it in a container in the freezer. Use these leftovers to make a meat lovers pizza or to add a little more zip to a regular frozen pizza. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Don't forget to add a few of your favorite spices to a frozen pizza or add extra cheese and toppings. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<strong>Mix and match any of these:</strong><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Bread and honey butter. This is an old fashioned easy stand by. Place some soft, fresh bread on a plate and honey butter in a bowl for something that is good and couldn't be easier. (Make honey butter by mixing a little bit of honey into regular butter.) </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Sliced fruit of any kind. Cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberries, kiwi and others work well. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Sliced veggies of any kind. Try tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots or celery. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Sandwiches of every kind. You aren't committing a sin by serving your family easy sandwiches on a hot summer day. Combine them with fresh fruits or veggies and you've got a meal.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Salads - Jello, fruit, veggie, pasta or potato salads make great summer fare. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Desserts - Ice cream, ice cream and more ice cream. Make it into floats, banana splits, brownie sundaes or regular sundaes, milk shakes, ice cream pie or ice cream sandwiches. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>If you have leftover brownies or cake, add a few pieces to the bottom of a dish and then top with pudding and whipped cream. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Keep a bag or container in your freezer to store that 1 or 2 pieces of coffee cake, donuts or other baked goods that are sometimes left over (which doesn't happen often in my house. Then when you get enough for your favorite bread pudding recipe (hopefully one that is in Dining on a Dime, use them instead of bread. )</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the authors of the Dining On A Dime Cookbook. Dining On A Dime will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt, by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips & recipes visit <a href="http://drlaura.com/LinkClick.aspx?link=http%3a%2f%2fwww.livingonadime.com%2f&tabid=123&mid=474" target="_blank">LivingOnADime.com</a>Staff2011-03-15T05:51:00Z10-Second Recipes: Breakfasts that Don't Break the Bank - or the BrainStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Breakfasts-that-Dont-Break-the-Bank---or-the-Brain/9011.html2011-03-08T08:08:00Z2011-03-08T08:08:00Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
<br />
</p>
<p></p>
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Have the nutritionists yelled that loudly enough for you and from high enough mountaintops? If stacked, the studies keep proving that are about as tall as a steep hill themselves --- <em>including the many that show kids who eat breakfast, especially featuring protein and whole grains perform better in school</em>. The good news is adult research provided identical results. So, you can sit in your breakfast nook boning up on the latest studies (all since the 1950s have pointed to the same conclusions), like a New York City School District's 2010 one on breakfast biters being better learners or you and your kids can share a little pre-school chitchat and split-second breakfasts you'll all love, like a honey-sweetened breakfast pudding made from quinoa (which is the highest-protein whole grain) or cinnamon pancakes brimming with grated zucchini and carrots.<br />
<br />
Food preparation and cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second family-friendly sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare.</em> They are delicious proof everyone has time for tasty home food prep and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows." Here's a breakfast menu that should help make any week more productive: <br />
<br />
<strong>MONDAY</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>High-Powered Pancakes</strong> <br />
Grate zucchini and carrots into your whole-grain pancake batter and also add cinnamon and golden raisins. Serve with a glass of milk (kids should have some milk, of course, with every meal, but we'll list it in spots like this where it - 2 percent or skim are best choices for adults - accounts for some of the protein that you'll want to be sure to get for yourself as well!) <br />
<br />
<strong>TUESDAY</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Wrap Up Extra Energy</strong><br />
Place no-sugar-added peanut butter and all-fruit spread in a whole-wheat tortilla, top with banana slices and cinnamon and broil until peanut butter and fruit spread are just beginning to melt. Serve with milk.<br />
<br />
<strong>WEDNESDAY</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Quick, Pass the Quinoa </strong><br />
Mild-flavored quinoa is the highest-protein whole grain. Prepare according to package instructions and make a breakfast "pudding" by combining cooked quinoa with honey, almond slivers, finely chopped apples and pears, dried cherries, cinnamon and a speck of butter or no-trans-fat margarine for additional creaminess.<br />
<br />
<strong>THURSDAY</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>"Eggciting" Stuff</strong><br />
Prepare an egg sunny-side-up. Meanwhile, toast a slice of multi-grain bread. Spread a speck of butter or no-trans-fat margarine on toasted bread, tear it into squares and place in a bowl. Add cooked sunny-side-up egg and mash it slightly so egg yolk runs and egg white gets chopped among bread pieces. Sprinkle lightly with black pepper, bottled toasted sesame seeds and curry powder.<br />
<br />
<strong> FRIDAY</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Granola with a Twist</strong><br />
In a parfait glass or tall glass layer no-sugar-added granola with no-sugar-added vanilla yogurt, whole or ground flax seeds, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, finely chopped strawberries and a dollop of no-sugar-added strawberry all-fruit spread; repeat layers.<br />
<br />
<strong>SATURDAY</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Macho Muffin</strong><br />
Scoop out the inside of a medium-sized raisin-bran muffin, leaving about a one-quarter inch wall. Combine no-sugar-added berry-flavored yogurt, cinnamon, fresh blueberries and a few peanut halves. On a microwave-safe plate, microwave on high for 10 seconds. Drizzle very lightly with sugar-free chocolate sauce and all-fruit berry spread.<br />
<br />
<strong>SUNDAY</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>French Toast with a Latin Accent</strong><br />
Set aside whole-grain bread. Prepare French toast egg wash as usual and add a few dashes of packaged taco seasoning - or, better yet, a salt-free Mexican seasoning blend. Add a few finely diced chili peppers to egg mixture, if desired, which when handling experts recommend wearing latex gloves and not touching your eyes during or afterward. Cook French toast as usual and serve with thoroughly cooked soy-based "chorizo."<br />
<br />
<em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> Ramen-style noodles are some of the least expensive and fast-cooking foods on the planet. They are also fun and almost addictive - to which many a hungry college student who whips them up daily can attest. If you thought of them as less than nutritionally stellar, you might consider leaving out altogether the high-sodium flavor packet that often comes with them - or perhaps just using half or a third instead. Supplement with choices from your own salt-free spice rack, including curry powder or Italian seasoning blend. Add packaged pre-cut fresh vegetables and shreds from a store-bought pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and you've got a satisfying, family-friendly meal. <br />
<p></p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-03-08T08:08:00Z10-Second Recipes: Scintillating Snacks and Desserts You Don't Need to SneakStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Scintillating-Snacks-and-Desserts-You-Dont-Need-to-Sneak/9012.html2011-03-01T07:11:00Z2011-03-01T07:11:00Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg" />
<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
<br />
</p>
<p>Do you sometimes not only feel like an old junkyard dog - but like a junkyard itself? The <em>Journal of Food Composition and Analysis</em> notes, unfortunately, there's often good reason for that: almost one-third of the food the average person eats is junk. Instead of the healthy food groups we're encouraged to choose from, the study found that two groups (desserts/sweets and salty snacks) are often the culprits. You don't have to get rid of the goodies: Other studies have in fact shown healthful snacks and desserts to be tempting ways to stick to nutritious meal plans when the overall daily calorie count meets your needs. The best part is that, even delicacies (like homemade tortilla chips "frosted" with guacamole, salsa and nonfat sour cream, buttery honey-filled sprouted brown rice pudding and hot chocolate bubbling with a kick of cayenne) can be prepared in a snap.<br />
<br />
</p>
<p>Food preparation and cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second family-friendly sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. They are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home food prep and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows." <br />
<br />
</p>
<p><strong>SNACKS</strong></p>
<p><strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><strong>See the Light with Seeds</strong> <br />
For centuries seeds have been called the food of the gods for their awesome nutritional profile. Toss pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds with pure maple syrup, salt substitute and cayenne pepper, place on a baking sheet and roast until aromatic and brown but not burned. When cooled, drizzle with melted dark chocolate and toasted sesame seeds, which are both powerful antioxidants.<br />
<br />
</p>
<p><strong>Nachos a New Way </strong><br />
Cut corn tortillas (which are whole-grain, beating flour tortillas every time) into bite-sized triangles and bake in a slightly warm oven until crisp, but not burned. Let cool. "Frost" the chips with guacamole (its avocado base is full of some of the most nutritional fats on earth), drizzle with salsa and add a dollop of nonfat sour cream.<br />
<br />
</p>
<p><strong>On-the-Go Goodness</strong><br />
Snacks are often synonymous with eating on the run. Don't think you have to delete all that. Just be choosy. The new "Women's Health Diet" (Rodale) recently named Starbucks as having the best muffin and pastry in the country in terms of flavor and nutrition. The apple-bran muffin as 7 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein within its 350 calories and is made from whole-wheat flour, oats, apples, cherries and cranberries. The 8-grain roll pastry has 5 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein.<br />
<br />
</p>
<p><strong>DESSERTS</strong></p>
<p><strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><strong>Double-Duty Delicacy</strong><br />
Brown rice doesn't only add fiber and nutrients as a part of your entree, it also quickly can be made into a tempting rice pudding-style dessert. The new microwavable brands in supermarkets are perfect. Some, like Annie Chun's, are even <em>sprouted</em> - an even healthier option, that naturally contains GABA, a stress-reducing amino acid, lysine, vitamin E and niacin. For a quick meal, after microwaving the rice, add cooked shredded chicken breast, freshly ground black pepper, toasted sesame seeds and a touch of margarine. For the scrumptious split-second dessert, to the rest of the plain microwaved rice, add margarine and honey (which is another "superfood").<br />
<br />
</p>
<p><strong>Hip, Cool Desserts that are Red Hot</strong> <br />
The word "chocolate" originated in the Aztec cuisine of Mexico and has often been intermingled with chili peppers. That's a good thing since the compounds in chilies make them among the word's top antioxidant-filled ingredients as well as a metabolism booster. Say ole to adding a few dashes of hot sauce to either your sugar-free chocolate or fruit sorbets or sprinkle some cayenne into your sugar-free hot chocolate, as well as a few shavings of dark chocolate - another of the best sources of antioxidants.<br />
<br />
</p>
<p><strong>Oh, My, Please Pass the Omegas</strong><br />
Omega-3 is a nutritional powerhouse. Fish is a great way to get it, but don't skimp on dessert. Ground flax seed, which has a mild nutty flavor (grinding is the best way to release the health benefits), and walnuts are great sources. Add ground flax seeds and chopped walnuts as a topping for sugar-free ice cream, or, along with a dollop of nonfat sour cream, to crown sugar-free pie.<br />
<br />
</p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em></strong> Steel-cut oatmeal (made from the steel cuts to the inner portion of the oat kernel and left in bigger pieces than rolled oats) has been shown to release twice as many white blood cells (which are immunity improvers) as quick-cooking rolled oats. In the past, steel-cut oatmeal took quite a bit longer to cook than instant. Now microwave versions are available that are complete in just a few minutes.<br />
<br />
</p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em>(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.</p>
<p> </p>Staff2011-03-01T07:11:00ZBreakfast for DinnerStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Breakfast-for-Dinner/9013.html2011-02-22T00:37:11Z2011-02-22T00:37:11Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>By Cheryl Tallman
www.FreshBaby.com
Breakfast foods are comforting and delicious. It's too bad that most of time we are eating them in a mad-dash to get the day started. So why not turn your day upside down and enjoy some fine breakfast fare in the evening?
Eleanor Roosevelt used to make scrambled eggs on Sunday night for anyone who was a guest in the White House. In a lifetime packed with servants, this was the only meal she regularly cooked. You can't go wrong with Eleanor's tradition of scrambled eggs, but you could also try these interesting recipes:
Orange French Toast
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup orange juice
5 slices of whole-wheat or raisin bread
1 cup crushed Graham Crackers
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
Directions:
Melt 2 Tbsp. of butter in large skillet or griddle pan at medium heat. Move the butter around the pan to coat the bottom evenly.
Combine the egg and orange juice in a flat bowl or shallow dish.
Place graham cracker crumbs in another flat bowl or shallow dish
Dip each slice of bread on both sides in the egg mixture and then in the graham cracker crumbs.
Place in large skillet, cook on one side until light brown. Flip over and cook the other side until light brown.
Serve with maple syrup and ham.
Banana Breakfast Pizza
2 bananas, peeled
4 whole wheat frozen waffles
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
4 tsp. maple syrup
Directions:
Slice bananas into 1/4 inch circles.
Prepare waffles according to package directions.
Spread waffles with cream cheese.
Arrange banana slices on top of waffles.
Drizzle with maple syrup and bacon.
Spinach Quiche
3/4 cup of shredded Swiss cheese
3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of finely chopped onion
1 (10oz.) package of frozen chopped spinach, squeezed dry
4 eggs
1 cup of half & half or milk
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 prepared 9 inch pie crust
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Sprinkle spinach and onion in prepared pie crust. Toss cheese with flour and sprinkle in the pie crust. In a large bowl gently whisk together eggs, half & half (or milk), salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over all of the other ingredients in the pie crust. Bake 50-60 minutes, or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean. Let stand 10 to 12 minutes before serving. If you are cutting it into single servings and freezing it, let the quiche cool completely.
About the author:
Cheryl Tallman is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the So Easy Baby Food and the new book So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years. Visit Cheryl online at
http://www.freshbaby.com/
for more delicious tips. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2011-02-22T00:37:11Z10-Second Recipes: Better Beverages Boost Savings and HealthStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Better-Beverages-Boost-Savings-and-Health/9014.html2011-02-21T23:43:00Z2011-02-21T23:43:00Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/><p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p><em><br />
</em> </p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate<br />
<br />
</p>
<p>Unfortunately, drinking too much isn't a habit that only adults have. When it comes to all beverages - <em>from seemingly healthful juices to sugar-filled soda pop</em> - nutritionists say everyone from infants to seniors is overdosing. The American Dietetic Association, among other heavyweights, has dubbed empty calories from imbibing one of the top reasons for the obesity epidemic among both children and adults. There are 10-second solutions to this crisis that improve flavor, nutrition and savings (by often stretching the use of the primary ingredients). Whether it is an omission of one ingredient, addition of another less expensive and healthful one or simply trimming portion sizes, there is a fountain of quick, imaginative fixes both you and your kids probably will love.<br />
<br />
</p>
<p>Homemade oat milk, for instance, is quick and economical, as well as thick and creamy. Pomegranate seeds are a nutrition-packed innovative way to replace bulkier juice in sensational smoothies. Soda can morph into ice cubes to flavor iced green or herbal teas. Quick store-bought enhanced products are also at your fingertips: The Trop50 brand from Tropicana began with a water-infused orange juice that's calorie-controlled and has since expanded to the "superfood" antioxidant-filled group, including Pomegranate-Blueberry. The new V-8 Fusion line packs a wallop by including fruit and vegetable juice as well as green tea in every serving.<br />
<br />
</p>
<p>Food preparation and cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as the following split-second family-friendly sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em> . The beverage boosts are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home food prep and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em> . These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows." <br />
<br />
</p>
<p><strong>JUICES</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Seeds as Substitutes </strong><br />
Pomegranate is considered one of the healthiest foods on the planet. Some of the calories and excess sugar (fructose in juice is calorie-laden, too) will be eliminated from a blend if you replace part of the juice with pomegranate seeds. Place them in a blender with your choice of juices and water (another good strategy for replacing straight juice) and swirl. Strain before serving.<br />
<br />
</p>
<p><strong>Dazzle with Swizzle Sticks</strong> <br />
Make your juice serving smaller than usual and supplement it with calorie-free flavored fruit seltzer as well as a fresh fruit-heavy swizzle stick. Pierce a variety of chunks of fresh fruit with the stick and use it to stir the beverage, thereby adding even more flavor to both the fresh fruit and the drink!</p>
<p><strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><strong>Add Vigor with Vegetables</strong> <br />
Most vegetables are much lower in sugar, carbohydrates and calories than fruit, as well as lots higher in fiber. Consider investing in an inexpensive juicer and juicing carrots to blend into fruit juices. Even if you don't have a juicer, blenders are terrific for greens smoothies, like swirling handfuls of romaine lettuce or fresh spinach, cucumbers or celery along with equal handfuls of chunks of fresh apples, oranges or pineapples.. A lemon or lime's worth of fresh juice squirted into the mixture makes the vitamin C soar at the cost of only about 10 calories.<br />
<br />
<strong>SODAS</strong></p>
<p><strong><br />
</strong> </p>
<p><strong>Defusing Diet Sodas</strong> <br />
Diet sodas are void of both calories and nutrients and some studies have shown them to lead to high-calorie cravings and possibly play a role in a variety of health problems. However, when you or your kids do drink them, consider "seasoning" them with complementary antioxidant-packed herbs and seasonings. Ground cinnamon and ginger, for instance, goes well with the flavors of cola. Squeeze your own lemon, lime, tangerine and grapefruit juices right into a base of lemon-lime diet soda and then add fresh chopped mint, lemongrass or rosemary.<br />
<br />
</p>
<p><strong>Easy Icy Fun </strong><br />
To add the flavor of regular sodas without much of the calories, pour it into ice trays and make ice cubes. Then add a few to iced green or herbal tea, flavored seltzers or fruit juices.</p>
<p><strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><strong>Do-It-Yourself Drinking</strong> <br />
Search for homemade soda recipes on the Internet and make it a crafts project with your kids. Learn the long American history, too, like for root beer for which it stretches back almost 150 years. They'll marvel at the fresh, creamy taste of homemade vs. store-bought sodas. You also can have control in taste-testing and adding less sugar or sweetener (like honey or molasses), as your own taste buds see fit.</p>
<p><strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><strong>MILK-BASED</strong> </p>
<p><strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><strong>Nutty for Milk </strong><br />
Nuts are nutritional powerhouses that are high in the right fats so they have been shown to help with weight loss and cholesterol management as well as with other health ailments. Homemade nut milk is highly economical. You soak nuts in water overnight, blend and strain and have a nut-flavored alternative to cow's milk.</p>
<p><strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><strong>Oh, My! Outstanding Oats</strong> <br />
Have you ever thought of using your leftover breakfast oatmeal to make milk? Oat milk is a great choice that's mild in flavor, but thick and rich in texture. It's wonderful in cream soups, sauces and salad dressings - <em>and it's easy and inexpensive to prepare!</em> Add cooked oatmeal, cornstarch (1 to 2 teaspoons for every cup of cooked oatmeal), sugar substitute, nutmeg, vanilla and salt to a blender container. Add hot water and blend, adding more or less hot water until it's the consistency you'd like.</p>
<p><strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><strong>Creamy Credibility</strong> <br />
Kids need all the milk that nutritionists recommend for their growth and development. However, adults who like creamy milk often make due with skim or low-fat to try and watch their weight. Soft silken tofu, though, mimics that missed creaminess. Just try this Ambrosia Breakfast Smoothie (based on the classic dessert) adapted from "Vegan Planet" by Robin Robertson. In a blender combine drained soft silken tofu, ground flaxseeds, cold unsweetened coconut milk, cold orange juice and frozen bananas.</p>
<p><strong><em><br />
</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</em> </strong> Pickles are often considered a nutritional zero, since they have virtually no nutrients, except often unwanted sodium. Popular nevertheless, you can easily pep up your condiment. Serve cut as chips and use as a palette for additional gourmet flavors in the form of antioxidant-filled super seasonings. Sweet bread-and-butter and gherkins, especially, benefit, but the snap of dill works, too, with sprinklings of cayenne pepper, oregano, black pepper, cumin and ginger.</p>
<p><strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><strong>Lisa Messinger</strong> is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a> <em> </em> (Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.</p>Staff2011-02-21T23:43:00ZHeart Healthy - Be Your Own ValentineStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Heart-Healthy---Be-Your-Own-Valentine/9015.html2011-02-15T00:57:45Z2011-02-15T00:57:45Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>By Cheryl Tallman
www.FreshBaby.com
Give the heart closest to you a special gift on Valentine's Day by treating yourself to heart healthy foods. It's been proven that exercise and eating right are two steps can be reduce your risk of heart-related illnesses and diseases.
Here are 3 Simple Heart Healthy Eating Habits
Limit high fat foods such as red meats, cheeses, fried foods and baked goods.
Eat more fruits & vegetables. Raw, baked or steamed are best.
Avoid salt (aka sodium in processed foods) by eating less canned, prepared and fast foods. Stay away from salty snacks too.
When it comes to lowering your risk of heart-related illnesses and diseases some foods do it better than others. These heart healthy foods are often called SUPER foods because they contain high amounts of the special nutrients that have been proven to be beneficial to the heart:
Antioxidants
are nutrients that help to fight off cancers
Fiber
which can lower cholesterol and reduce buildup of plaque in arteries
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
reduce risks of irregular heartbeats which cause heart attacks
The SUPER Foods of Heart Healthy Eating include:
Blueberries
Avocado
Spinach
Oatmeal
Salmon
Tuna
Nuts
Legumes (Dried Beans)
Create a Heart Healthy Valentine's Dinner with these recipes. Both your taste buds and your heart are sure to love them!
Heart Healthy Valentine's Dinner Menu:
Sliced Avocado with Balsamic Cilantro Dressing
Salmon with ginger and scallions over noodles
Sautéed Spinach
Blueberries with Lemon Cream
Sliced Avocado with Balsamic Cilantro Dressing
1-2 Avocados, pitted and skinned
Cut avocado lengthwise. Place slices in a heart shaped pattern on a plate.
Balsamic Cilantro Dressing
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. Sugar
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp. Minced garlic
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Whisk all ingredients together. Drizzle over avocado slices and serve.
Salmon with ginger and scallions over noodles
1/4 cup sake or white wine
1/4 cup mirin or dry sherry
1/4 cup soy sauce
2" piece of ginger grated
2 cloves of garlic crushed
6-8 scallions chopped
4 - 1/2 lb. salmon fillets
Whole-Wheat Linguine or Spaghetti
Place salmon skin side down in a skillet. In a small bowl combine sake, mirin, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Pour over salmon and sprinkle the scallions over top of the salmon. Place skillet on stove and bring to boil at medium-high heat. Turn heat down and simmer 3-4 minutes. Turn salmon over and continue simmering until salmon is cooked 3-4 minutes.
Cook linguine according to package directions. Remove salmon from stove. Break salmon into pieces and discard skin. Serve salmon and sauce over linguine.
Sautéed Spinach
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and thin sliced
1 bag (9 -10 oz.) baby spinach
Heat olive in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant about 30 seconds. Add spinach leaves and toss gently as the spinach wilts about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Blueberries with Lemon Banana Cream
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 banana, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp. milk
2 Tbsp. honey
11/2 cups blueberries, rinsed and drained
In a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients except the blueberries. Puree until very smooth (about 2 minutes). Pour into a medium-sized mixing bowl and fold in the blueberries gently. Serve in bowls with a big spoon!
Happy Valentine's Day from all your friends at Fresh Baby!
About the author: Cheryl Tallman is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the
So Easy Baby Food
and the new book
So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years
. Visit Cheryl online at
http://www.freshbaby.com/
for more delicious tips.Staff2011-02-15T00:57:45Z10-Second Recipes: Inexpensive Indoor Grills Cook Up Health Year RoundStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Inexpensive-Indoor-Grills-Cook-Up-Health-Year-Round/9016.html2011-02-14T22:01:46Z2011-02-14T22:01:46Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)
By Lisa Messinger
Food and Cooking
at Creators Syndicate
Grilling isn't only a fun outdoor warm-weather activity - because of the way fat drips from meat while cooking in dry heat -
it's been named the most healthful cooking method of all time
by most nutritionists. It would increase your health benefits to grill year round. That's where
inexpensive countertop grills that are meant for indoors
come into play. Often available for just $20-$30 (George Foreman, of course, and his Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine has, for instance, sold multimillions), they are powerhouses that create kitchen convenience, too, by swiftly grilling foods on both sides at once, meaning a half-pound lean hamburger or turkey burger may cook in about just 8 minutes total with most of its grease dripping away. The possibilities - like seafood, veggie burgers, fruits and vegetables - are virtually endless (
including cleanup of the nonstick parts which is a snap!
) With just a little imagination that take just seconds of preparation each, full-blown gourmet dishes emerge, like grilled Cajun mushrooms and pesto atop crispy multigrain crackers and a super stuffed burger oozing with feta and blue cheeses nestled on a honey-Dijon drizzled toasted whole-wheat pita.
Cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these menus of split-second family-friendly sensations prove. They take just
10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare, especially since you can perform other tasks nearby in the kitchen while your food is grilling on the countertop
. The meals are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since
there are no right or wrong amounts
. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family table!
APPETIZERS
Glow-in-the-Dark Green Beans
Pluck off ends of fresh French green beans and marinate in orange juice. Dust with curry powder. Grill drained green beans according to your indoor grill's manufacturer's instructions. Serve with a dipping sauce of store-bought lite Thousand Island dressing that's been combined with a dash of fresh lime juice.
Grilled Mushroom Bruschetta
Season sliced white button mushrooms with store-bought Cajun seasoning blend. Grill according to your indoor grill's manufacturer's instructions. Spread multigrain crackers with store-bought pesto, top with grilled mushrooms as well as a sun-dried tomato.
SIDE DISHES
Trailblazing Tortillas
Lightly spread a mixture of corn and whole-wheat flour tortillas on both sides with olive oil. Cut into bite-sized triangles. Top with crumbled oregano leaves, chili powder, salt substitute and ground black pepper. Grill according to your indoor grill's manufacturer's instructions.
Easy Potato Patch
Wash and dry baking potatoes. Cut into 1 / 4-inch slices. Season both sides with garlic powder, onion powder and salt substitute and drizzle with Worcestershire sauce and lite soy sauce. Grill according to your indoor grill's manufacturer's instructions.
ENTREES
Super Stuffed Lean 'n' Mean Burgers
Make a well in center of a thick, lean hamburger patty. In a bowl, combine, feta cheese, blue cheese crumbles, fresh chopped cilantro and basil. Stuff into well and cover with additional beef. Grill according to your indoor grill's manufacturer's instructions. Serve open-faced on toasted whole-grained pitas that have been spread with honey-Dijon mustard and sugar-free ketchup. Top with leaves of romaine lettuce.
Slingin' the Slaw on Some Scintillating Shrimp Tacos
Marinate shrimp in olive oil, garlic, cinnamon, cumin and chopped fresh cilantro. Grill drained shrimp and slices of turkey bacon according to your indoor grill's manufacturer's instructions. Prepare a package of cabbage slaw, using low-fat Green Goddess store-bought dressing instead of mayonnaise. Tuck shrimp, bacon and slaw into warmed corn tortillas.
DESSERTS
Strawberry Sorbet Stunner
Soak fresh thick strawberry slices in sparkling white grape juice. Grill drained slices according to your indoor grill's manufacturer's instructions. Serve atop lemon sorbet with graham cracker crumbles on top.
Angelic Dessert Idea
Slice store-bought angel-food cake (a good choice since it's nonfat and low-calorie) into 1 / 2-inch slices. Grill according to your indoor grill's manufacturer's instructions. Spread with almond butter and raspberry fruit spread (available in the jam aisle of most supermarkets) and top with a few fresh raspberries.
QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:
You want to make your, your spouses' or your kid's lunch bag a lot lighter yet full of healthful energy? Substitute plastic bags filled with herbs and spices for some of the usual less nutritious staples. Many of these (such as black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, thyme, oregano and rosemary) have been named "super foods" by nutritionists because of their high levels of antioxidants and phytonutrients (compounds, even higher in antioxidants, that may fight inflammation). Either swap them into your lunch recipes or quickly add to either homemade, takeout (or maybe even school cafeteria!) soups, salads, sandwiches, even pizza, pasta or desserts, such as cinnamon sprinkled over a yogurt parfait or ground black pepper lightly dusted over slices of cantaloupe or honeydew - which have been dubbed super foods themselves.
Lisa Messinger
is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling
The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes
(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and
Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet
(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.Staff2011-02-14T22:01:46Z10-Second Recipes: Family-Style Valentine's Day Says 'I Love You'Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Family-Style-Valentines-Day-Says-I-Love-You/9018.html2011-02-03T08:57:00Z2011-02-03T08:57:00Z<p><em>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)</em></p>
<p>By Lisa Messinger<br /><a href="http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/food-and-cooking.html" target="_blank">Food and Cooking</a> at Creators Syndicate</p>
<p>Valentine's Day is most often celebrated as a romantic holiday for two. That's fun, but what can be even more pleasurable and unexpected is to bring your whole family into the act. When you designate your entire troop as your one true love, you provide even more love and support than usual. If time is often short due to hectic regular schedules, Valentine's Day can become a family "date night" to ensure an appreciated bit of togetherness. Look up websites like FamilyFinds.com, designed around fun family events that are featured at 50 to 90 percent discounts, for new things to do. Go attend a cooking class together, make each other homemade cards, slip those little boxes of heart candies or a heart-shaped cookie into your kids' lunch bags each day the week before the holiday. And, for the big night, each take a role in preparing special meals like the ones below.</p>
<p>Cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these menus of split-second family-friendly sensations prove. They take just <em>10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare</em>. The meals are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since <em>there are no right or wrong amounts</em>. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family love fest!</p>
<p><strong>APPETIZERS</strong></p>
<p><strong>Symphonic Strawberry Patch Salad</strong><br />Top mixed greens with sliced strawberries that have been lightly dipped in pink decorator sugar crystals, freshly ground pink peppercorns (can be bought at supermarkets, but which are actually dried berries from the rose plant), store-bought raspberry vinaigrette and sprinklings of trail mix and red M&M-type candies or Red Hot candies.</p>
<p><strong>Love Potion No. 9 Soup</strong><br />Add to store-bought or takeout-ordered hot onion soup, chunks of sourdough bread you've cut out with heart-shaped cookie cutters and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese before placing under the broiler to have cheese melt.<br /> <br /><strong>SIDE DISHES</strong></p>
<p><strong>Date with Alfredo Pink Ribbon Pasta</strong><br />Cook angel hair or other straight thin pasta according to package instructions. To store-bought Alfredo sauce, add three drops red food coloring and stir until turns pink, adding a few more drops if necessary. Just before serving, mix in diced cherry tomatoes and diced dried cranberries.</p>
<p><strong>Tempting Tomatoes</strong> <br />Scoop out pulp of beefsteak tomatoes, leaving at least one-half inch boarder and stuff with pureed onions and broccoli that have been mixed with store-bought pesto and topped with candied pecans before broiling.</p>
<p><strong>ENTREES</strong></p>
<p><strong>Rose Petal Roast</strong><br />Before cooking, season roast with salt substitute and freshly ground pink peppercorns. Roast along with chopped red onions and chunks of small red potatoes. When done (USDA recommends an internal temperature taken with meat thermometer of 160 F), just before serving, sprinkle with edible rose petals that you've purchased at the supermarket.</p>
<p><strong>Mom Loves Me, She Loves Me Not Burger Beauties</strong><br />To ground beef, for large juicy burgers add strawberry jam, shredded unpeeled Fuji apples and edible flower leaves you've purchased at the supermarket, grill or broil and serve on toasted whole-wheat hamburger buns that you've dabbed with strawberry jam, ketchup and sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper.</p>
<p><strong>DESSERTS</strong></p>
<p><strong>Cutie-Pie "Pink Champagne" Cupcakes</strong><br />Prepare cupcakes (using white cake mix) according to package directions, also adding a cup of "pink champagne" to the mix (ginger ale with three drops of red food coloring). Also include three drops of red food coloring in store-bought frosting and garnish with pink decorator sugar crystals and edible pink or white pearls.</p>
<p><strong>DIY Extreme Makeover Charming Chocolates</strong> <br />Have each member of the family hand "paint" pieces of dark chocolate in a pound box that you've bought. This can be with food coloring or colored frosting. Also include inspirational hand-written "love notes" of encouragement and support to each other in the box and read them aloud like fortunes.</p>
<p><em><strong>QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:</strong></em> If you have leftover peppermint candy canes from the holiday season, don't waste them by throwing them out. Unwrap them and place them in a double freezer plastic bag. Moving back and forth atop the closed bag, crush them with a rolling pin until they are in a powder or very small pieces. Keep them frozen and over the next several months, sprinkle them like a seasoning atop oatmeal, cereal, frozen waffles, steamed vegetables, lamb dishes before cooking and bowls of ice cream for dessert.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /><strong>Lisa Messinger </strong>is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Book-New-American-Cuisine/dp/0895294095/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289321029&sr=8-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes</a><em> </em>(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and <em>Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet</em> (Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. </p>Staff2011-02-03T08:57:00Z10-Second Recipes: Winning Winter WaysStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Winning-Winter-Ways/9019.html2011-01-24T05:40:44Z2011-01-24T05:40:44Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)
By Lisa Messinger
Food and Cooking
at Creators Syndicate
If you use a winning strategy, even if you turn your kitchen into a winter wonderland of tempting treats, you can still have plenty of time leftover to play with your family in a real snowy one outside. That's because it's nothing more than a myth that cold-weather, hearty meals -
like soups, stews and casseroles
- need either long preparation or cook times. When compatible, bold flavors are combined they meld quickly, and the many pre-sliced, pre-packaged fresh vegetable options available as ingredients today also mean that getting the dish ready is a high-speed joy rather than a long chore. Potato patch soup is a perfect example. It is a blend of packaged mashed russet and sweet potatoes deliciously seasoned with onions, garlic, thyme, curry powder and Cajun seasoning blend and thickened with half-and-half. An innovative Italian stew is swimming with luscious store-bought ravioli. Pick a pear and add it to a one-of-a-kind casserole that's hearty with Italian turkey sausage and sweet from, not only the pears, but golden raisins as well.
Cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these menus of split-second family-friendly sensations prove. They take just
10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare
. The meals are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook,
since there are no right or wrong amounts.
These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.
SOUPS
A Perfect Potato Patch
In a saucepan, combine packaged mashed potatoes, packaged mashed sweet potatoes, olive oil, chopped onions, pressed garlic, chicken broth, half-and-half, thyme, salt and pepper, curry powder and Cajun seasoning blend. Cook, covered, until hot, stirring occasionally.
Sip an Italian Turkey Meatloaf
Brown and then drain Italian turkey sausages that have been removed from casings until fully cooked. Add the cooked sausage to a saucepan with canned diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, finely chopped onion, fresh parsley, Parmesan cheese and store-bought spaghetti sauce. Cook, covered, until hot, stirring occasionally.
Potpie by the Bowlful
Prepare chicken pot pies according to package directions. Carefully shave off top pastry and reserve, covered, in oven on low temperature. Pour contents of pies into saucepan. Add a package of thawed frozen vegetables, chicken broth, half-and-half and diced cooked ham. Cook, covered, until hot, stirring occasionally. Place in serving bowls, topped with pieces of the warm pot pie pastry.
STEWS
Ravioli for the Ravenous
In a saucepan, combine a can of drained corn, can of diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning blend, bite-sized chunks of garlic bread, salt and pepper. Cook, covered, until hot, stirring occasionally. Add store-bought ravioli and gently fold in, heating until fully cooked and gently stirring occasionally.
Gourmet Peanut Butter and Jelly
In a saucepan, combine small cooked pieces of boneless leg of lamb or shoulder of lamb, chopped lemongrass, cilantro, mint jelly, smooth peanut butter, sliced zucchini and carrot, dark grape juice, salt, pepper and pressed garlic. Cook, covered, until hot, stirring occasionally.
Superb Super Bowl Stew
Cook knockwurst or hot dogs according to package directions and carefully slice into coins. In a saucepan, combine knockwurst or hot dogs, chunks of cheddar cheese, bite-sized pieces of thawed frozen broccoli, thawed thick-cut packaged French fries cut into thirds, store-bought spaghetti sauce and ale. Cook, covered, until hot, stirring occasionally. Serve topped with lightly buttered popcorn (instead of crackers or croutons).
CASSEROLES
Getting to the Root of It
Roast turnips, carrots, sweet potatoes and leeks. Place in a casserole dish. In a bowl, combine half-and-half and flour, stirring until it somewhat thickens and then adding some apple cider, pressed garlic, salt and pepper and melted cheddar cheese. Pour over vegetables and gently combine. Bake, covered, at 375 F until hot and bubbling, checking so as not to overbake.
Baked Pasta Perfecto
Cook whole-wheat penne pasta in a pot just slightly less than package directions note. Drain and place in a casserole dish. In a bowl, combine canned pumpkin puree, ricotta cheese, spaghetti sauce, bite-sized pieces of thawed packaged cauliflower, ground sage, ginger, nutmeg, pressed garlic and chopped candied pecans. Pour over pasta and gently combine. Bake, covered, at 375 F until hot and bubbling, checking so as not to overbake.
Pare Down with Pear Casserole
Coat a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Layer with soft pears (like Bartlett or Anjou) that have been cored and sliced, golden raisins, chopped walnuts, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, Italian turkey sausage that you've removed from its casing cooked in a skillet and drained, mascarpone and ricotta cheese and freshly ground black pepper. Bake, covered, at 375 F until hot and bubbling, checking so as not to overbake.
QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:
Mindless eating can be good. Although world-renowned food researcher Brian Wansink, Ph.D., director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab, has found that most of us make more than 200 decisions regarding food a day and that many of them are mindless and can lead to obesity, he notes that switching from the wrong type of mindless eating to the right type can be even more beneficial than being too strict and making too many nutrition decisions per day. The author of "Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think," recently out in paperback from Bantam ($7.99), suggests making just three decisions that could save 100 calories each and repeating them daily until they become rote. Some examples: Measuring 1 tablespoon of salad dressing each time rather than pouring from the bottle, substituting water for soda and replacing granola or sweet cereal with oatmeal.
Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling
The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes
(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and
Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet
(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.Staff2011-01-24T05:40:44Z10-Second Recipes: Use a Slow Cooker to Gain Time and MoneyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Use-a-Slow-Cooker-to-Gain-Time-and-Money/9020.html2011-01-18T05:32:32Z2011-01-18T05:32:32Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)
By Lisa Messinger
Food and Cooking
at Creators Syndicate
Slow cooking is a misnomer. Using the inexpensive appliance as a home to tempting economical ingredients that meld their flavors over hours without any work from you means that time is your own to achieve lots of other accomplishments done fast and to still have prepared a delicious family meal. Old-fashioned, plain recipes are no longer the norm when it comes to slow cookers. Hip fusion dishes, exciting ethnic fare and everything from appetizers, to side dishes, to entrees, and even healthy desserts, emerge perfectly cooked, like creamy, yet sugar-free, corn pudding; sweet 'n' spicy veggie meatballs; a whole turkey breast succulently surrounded by onions, garlic and warmed orange and apple slices; and an out-of-this-world devil's food cherry and apple cobbler. Best of all, the preparation time really is only seconds. Your main cooking instruction is usually, "Toss" - toss all ingredients into the slow cooker!
This type of cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these menus of split-second family-friendly sensations prove. They take
just 10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare
. The meals are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since, for the most part,
there are no right or wrong amounts
. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.
SLOW COOKER APPETIZERS
Sure-to-be-Gobbled-Up Ground Turkey Nacho Dip
After browning and draining ground turkey, place it and cubed American and Monterey Jack cheeses, store-bought pineapple salsa, Worcestershire sauce and chopped cilantro in slow cooker, cover, and cook on high for 1 hour. Serve with baked tortilla chips.
Mini Pita Pizzas
After browning and draining ground chicken breast and veggie Italian-style sausage, place it and cubed cheddar and Mozzarella cheeses and store-bought Italian seasoning blend into slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 1 hour. Spread toasted whole-wheat pitas with pizza topping, carefully cut into sixths and serve.
Sweet 'n' Spicy "Meatballs"
Shape mini "meatballs" from thawed frozen veggie burger patties combined with whole-wheat breadcrumbs and a little egg white and place in slow cooker with chili sauce, grape (or berry) all-fruit spread (available in the jam aisle of most supermarkets) and curry powder, stir gently, cover, and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours.
SLOW COOKER SIDE DISHES
Corny but True Sugar-Free Pudding
In slow cooker, combine 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 slightly beaten eggs, a can of cream-style corn, a can of evaporated milk and sugar substitute, cover, and cook on low for 4 hours. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Creative Creole Broccoli
Saute red onions and garlic cloves in olive oil in a skillet and combine in a slow cooker with chopped fresh broccoli, chopped red bell pepper and store-bought Cajun seasoning blend and, cover, and cook on low for 4 hours, or until broccoli is firm-tender, but not mushy.
Going Green with Your Barbecued Baked Beans
In a slow cooker, combine fresh-cut green beans, diced red onion, chopped veggie bacon, freshly ground black pepper, salt substitute and ketchup, cover, and cook on low for 5 hours, or until beans are tender and heated through.
SLOW COOKER ENTREES
Tantalizing Turkey Breast
Rinse a whole turkey breast, pat dry, rub with olive oil, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and salt substitute and place meaty side up in slow cooker with sliced onions, sliced garlic cloves, peeled orange slices and unpeeled apple slices around it. Cover and cook on low 10 hours (depending on size of turkey breast could be shorter or longer), or until a meat thermometer stuck in meaty part of breast reads 180 F. Let stand 10 minutes before carving.
Nothing Fishy About It Lentil Stew
In a slow cooker, combine dry lentils, drained and flaked canned tuna, canned diced tomatoes, canned chicken or vegetable broth, freshly ground black pepper and salt substitute, cover, and cook on low 5 hours, or until lentils are tender, but not mushy.
Heart-Racing Risotto
In a slow cooker, combine chopped shallots, chopped mushrooms, freshly ground black pepper, salt substitute, grape juice, vegetable broth and short-grain rice, such as Arborio, cover, and cook on low 90 minutes, or until rice is tender when stirred and liquid is absorbed. If rice seems dry, add a little warm water. Serve topped with shrimp you've sauteed in a skillet and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
SLOW COOKER HEALTHY DESSERTS
Perfect Pears
In a slow cooker, place upright whole firm ripe pears, like Anjou or Bosc. In a bowl, combine molasses, sugar substitute, white grape juice, orange juice, grated nutmeg and ground cinnamon and spoon over pears. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours, or until pears are tender when carefully tested with a fork. Cool in the cooker, occasionally basting with the sauce and pouring the sauce over the pears once they are removed from cooker. Chill before serving. Good served with Gorgonzola cheese.
Simmered Smoothies
In a slow cooker, place seedless red grape halves, ground cinnamon, grape juice, fresh lemon juice and honey, cover, and cook on low 2 hours, or until grapes are slightly mushy. Transfer to a blender, add small amount of soy milk, blend until smooth and serve (adding sugar substitute or more honey, to taste, if needed) slightly warm, at room temperature or chilled accompanied by sugar-free vanilla wafers and pieces of dark chocolate.
Cheery Chocolate Cherry Cobbler
Lightly spray a cold slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place a mixture of cherry pie filling and apple pie filling in slow cooker and cook on high for 30 minutes. In a bowl, mix together packaged devil's food dry cake mix, 1 egg, 3 tablespoons evaporated milk and a dash of allspice and ground cloves and pour over hot pie filling. Cover, and cook on low 3 hours, or until a fork inserted into center comes out dry. Serve warm or cooled.
QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:
A way to quickly and easily cut calories and carbohydrates from pizza is to go St. Louis style. The Midwestern city, known for its arch and its ribs, is also renowned for it cracker-style, crispy, flat crusts, which still let the topping flavors shine through. Imo's, one of the town's most famous parlor brands, can be ordered frozen and half baked online at websites like
http://stlouisstylepizza.stores.yahoo.net/
. Frozen brands, like Kashi, Freschetta and DiGiorno, sell crispy flatbread styles in supermarkets. You also can make versions at home in seconds. Take regular or whole-wheat matzo (now sold in the ethnic aisles of most supermarkets year round) or whole-wheat pitas or lavosh (Armenian unleavened flatbread) and top as you would any pizza. Broil until toppings are cooked, making sure crust does not burn.
Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling
The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes
(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and
Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet
(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.Staff2011-01-18T05:32:32Z10-Second Recipes: New Year Weight Loss in a WhizStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-New-Year-Weight-Loss-in-a-Whiz/9021.html2011-01-06T09:03:11Z2011-01-06T09:03:11Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)
By Lisa Messinger
Food and Cooking
at Creators Syndicate
After the busy holiday season, many of us say, "Ho, ho, ho" not only since we were jolly during the festivities, but because we feel as permanently rotund as Santa from all that feasting. Even though it may seem like a Herculean task, weight loss does not have to be a time-consuming affair filled with sophisticated homemade or packaged food. In fact, the fresher and simpler the better, most nutritionists say.
Ten seconds, in fact, is all it takes to read each of the healthful recipes below that are almost that quick to prepare.
Full of antioxidants and fiber from fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains, low on both fat and non-lean red meats, you and your family should feel full but far from bloated. Groundbreaking studies from experts like George Washington University School of Medicine Professor/President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Neal Barnard, M.D., have shown that just switching to ingredients like this - without even counting calories or changing fitness routines - has significant effects on weight and levels of blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure.
Cooking can be not only nutritious, but easy, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these split-second family-friendly sensations prove. Since they take just 10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare, the dishes are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since
there are no right or wrong amounts
. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.
APPETIZERS
Very Likeable Lettuce Cups
Thai is considered one of the healthiest cuisines on the planet. I both traveled Thailand with and cooked with famed PBS television series host Chef Tommy Tang. Exotically filled lettuce cups are a incredibly low-calorie, yet filling, staple in some regions there that even many inexpensive U.S. quick-serve chains sell (like a dynamite version from Pick Up Stix). Consider filling your own (use the plush leaves of butter lettuce) with a mixture of finely diced cooked chicken breast, minced lemongrass, minced shallot, minced scallions, chopped fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice, dash of red pepper flakes, brown sugar, red wine vinegar and olive oil.
Angelic Deviled Eggs
Overall, experts call eggs one of the all-around most healthful foods, and part of that is because they are, of course, low calorie, low fat and good sources of protein. Hard-boil eggs. Let cool. Roll (which makes them easier to peel) and then peel. Cut in half, reserve intact egg whites, and mash yolks in a bowl with diced cooked ham, Gruyere or Swiss cheese, honey, spicy mustard, finely diced black olives, freshly ground black pepper and minced fresh thyme and add back into the reserved egg white "cups."
ENTREES
Yummy Umami
Umami is the word the Japanese use to refer to vegetarian ingredients with such full flavor that they can make non-meat dishes taste meaty. Every ingredient in this fast entree sandwich filling, as well as the bread spread, fits the bill and, therefore, should elicit rave reviews. Saute very thin slices of eggplant and mushrooms and caramelize very thin slices of onions, and stuff along with sun-dried tomatoes between two slices of toasted multigrain bread that have been spread with a paste you made from miso powder (available in the ethnic aisle of most supermarkets), very finely chopped walnuts, garlic powder and freshly ground black pepper.
Artful Artichoke Bottoms
Cook artichokes trimmed down to bottoms and add diced cooked shrimp and diced cooked mahimahi or cod (after cooking, seafood should have been marinated briefly in red wine vinegar, freshly ground black pepper, lite soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce). Sprinkle with whole wheat bread crumbs that have been mixed with chopped fresh or ground dry thyme. Heat, covered with aluminum foil, in oven set at low until fully heated through.
SIDE DISHES
Whimsical Winter Wheat Berries
Winter wheat berries may be a fantastic grain (they're whole unprocessed kernels, and are excellent cooked as cereal, or in pilafs or breads) you've never tried that, if not at the supermarket, can be found at most natural foods markets. Mix cooked wheat berries with diced green beans, artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, freshly ground black pepper, Dijon mustard and bottled low-fat vinaigrette dressing, and cook in microwave until completely heated through.
Spinach with the Strength of a Thousand Men - or Women!
Canned white beans (also known as navy, cannellini or Yankee) are nutritional powerhouses packed with fiber and protein. Add them to pine nuts, thinly sliced clove of garlic, fresh lime juice, olive oil, dash of salt, freshly ground black pepper and sautee, stirring frequently, until heated through. During about last 2 minutes of cooking, toss in fresh spinach and thinly sliced fresh basil and continue stirring frequently until spinach has wilted.
DESSERTS
Very Cool Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate
Sugar-free hot chocolate mix can make a useful base for healthful desserts. For this one, prepare it according to package directions, add vanilla extract and a few shavings of dark chocolate (that is full of antioxidants), which will melt. Let cool. Place cooled hot chocolate, chunks of fresh banana and ice cubes in blender container and blend until creamy and like a milk shake.
Multipurpose Multigrain Dessert Waffles
Multigrain frozen waffles are low in calories and fat and a good source of whole-grain fiber. Prepare them according to package directions (usually takes just 5 minutes in a preheated oven!) Let cool. Leaving at least a quarter of an inch border, spread one waffle with peanut butter and no-sugar added all-fruit spread (available in the jam aisles of most supermarkets) and sprinkle with chopped peanuts and thinly sliced strawberries and top with a plain cooked waffle to make a "sandwich." Warm in microwave for a few seconds until heated through
QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:
To save time when it really counts, why not take advantage as the New Year begins of your calendar, Day Planner, iPhone menu organizing apps and the myriad other helpers at your fingertips: Plan the year's holiday meals now. Think about what will be your appetizer, entrees, sides and desserts for fun times ahead like Valentine's Day, Passover, Easter, even July Fourth and next fall's and winter's holiday feasts. Start preliminary shopping lists and guest lists as well as table decoration notes. Even take some spare time now to begin those related craft projects, like place cards and centerpieces. An inspiring new book on the subject: "Perfect Table Settings: Hundreds of Easy and Elegant Ideas for Napkin Folds and Table Arrangements" by Denise Vivaldo (Robert Rose, $29.95). An excellent one with recipes for events year-round: "Happy Holidays from the Diva of Do-Ahead" by Diane Phillips (Harvard Common Press, $14.95).
Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling
The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes
(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and
Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet
(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.Staff2011-01-06T09:03:11Z10-Second Recipes: Resolutions Rich in NutrientsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Resolutions-Rich-in-Nutrients/9022.html2011-01-01T09:14:40Z2011-01-01T09:14:40Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)
By Lisa Messinger
Food and Cooking
at Creators Syndicate
Have some of your past dietary New Year's resolutions seemed to almost have swirled away and gotten crunched in the garbage disposal? "Superfoods" have gotten that moniker for a reason after much study and testing, and deserve a fate better than that. The ingredient you were probably missing, though, is time. The following solutions that cover nutrient-filled choices - like seafood, soy, fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole-grains -
take just 10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare
. That may seem surprising, since the gourmet results include such treats as a white bean spread filled with mixed nuts, curry powder and ground ginger; a Thai-influenced soup packed with whitefish (which can come conveniently frozen, just like the inexpensive salmon that follows is canned), lemongrass, shallots and lime juice; and chocolate soymilk stuffed with sugar-free chocolate sandwich cookies, whipped cream, granola and diced dried cherries.
Cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these menus of split-second family-friendly sensations prove. Since they take just 10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare, the dishes are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since
there are no right or wrong amounts
. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.
RESOLUTION: EAT MORE FISH
Pull a Fast One with Fish
Got some fish foes in your family? If so, consider hiding the protein-packed, low-fat powerhouse in some soup. Whitefish has no flavor and is also available conveniently frozen. Bake, poach or broil it and add to a soup with bold flavors, like a Thai-influenced one with vegetable broth, freshly ground black pepper, peeled and thinly sliced shallots, trimmed and outer layer discarded minced lemongrass, minced fresh ginger, chopped shiitake mushrooms, chopped basil, cayenne pepper, lime juice, soy sauce and udon noodles.
Don't Can These Simple Salmon Sandwiches
Canned salmon is a reasonably priced wonderful staple to have on hand. Salmon and walnuts are two of the best sources of the highly touted omega-3 fatty acids. In a strong blender or a food processor, make a paste with drained canned salmon, walnuts, freshly ground black pepper and packaged Italian seasoning blend. In a bowl, mix with low-fat mayonnaise, diced celery and diced black olives and serve as a sandwich spread on toasted whole-grain bread.
RESOLUTION: EAT MORE FRUITS, VEGETABLES & LEGUMES
White Bean Spread in a Whiz
A one-half cup serving of easy-to-use canned white beans (also known as cannellini or navy beans, after its use as a staple by the U.S. Navy since the mid-1800s) has 110 calories, 0.5 grams of unsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fiber, 7 grams of protein and 440 milligrams of sodium, and, due to its mild flavor, the inexpensive ingredient has been used often by gourmet chefs in recent years. Besides being wonderful in soups and salads and often put in Boston baked beans, it makes a super-quick base for a sandwich spread or dip for whole-grain crackers. In a strong blender or a food processor, blend the drained canned beans with mixed nuts, freshly ground black pepper, curry powder and ground ginger until it becomes a paste of medium thickness.
Shake Up the New Year Salad
In a salad shaker or plastic beverage container or small pitcher with a lid, add mixed greens (iceberg lettuce has the least nutrition, greens like romaine and those that are red in color have much more), sliced French green beans, halved grape tomatoes, golden raisins, sunflower seeds, whole blackberries or sliced strawberries, store-bought low-fat raspberry vinaigrette, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, freshly ground black pepper and diced fresh rosemary leaves. Shake until well mixed and everything is lightly coated with the dressing.
RESOLUTION: EAT MORE SOY
Tamed Tofu
As the co-author of the 1990 book, "The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes" (Avery/Penguin Putnam, $15), that's still going strong, I know that tofu is the ultimate magician. It's like all-purpose flour in that it has no flavor of its own, but the inexpensive ingredient takes on those of what it's cooked or blended with. Substitute drained silken tofu for ricotta cheese in your favorite lasagna recipe or mix it half and half with cream cheese in a classic cheesecake and most likely no one - including you - will know the difference.
Chocolate with Nothing to Hide
Crush sugar-free chocolate sandwich cookies, gently stir into store-bought chocolate soymilk, top with whipped cream, granola and diced dried cherries.
RESOLUTION: EAT MORE WHOLE GRAINS
These Chips are Up, Not Down
Replace chips with a mixture of whole-grain cereals (such as Cinnamon Life, mini-wheats and raisin bran) you've very lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and drizzled with packaged Cajun seasoning blend before gently mixing.
Quinoa equals Quality
Quinoa is an edible-seed grain-like crop that is the most complete protein of all grains and, along with soy, one of the only non-meats that meets that criteria. Cook it, add a little soymilk, sugar-free sweetener, maple syrup, raisins you've plumped in water and diced peeled kiwi (widely available at supermarkets and often referred to as one of the superfoods).
QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:
Busy folks are often notorious for barely shopping for themselves - even for items they need. Next time you are getting a gift for another, whether online or in person, make it at a home supplies store (like Pier 1 Imports, Williams-Sonoma or Bed, Bath & Beyond, where for example you could pick up a neat self-slicing brownie tray for about $20 for your gift recipient) and be sure to bring along your own list and do double duty by getting the culinary items you need.
Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling
The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes
(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and
Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet
(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.Staff2011-01-01T09:14:40Z10-Second Recipes: "Double Dip" for both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day Time SaversStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Double-Dip-for-both-New-Years-Eve-and-New-Years-Day-Time-Savers/9023.html2011-01-01T09:06:50Z2011-01-01T09:06:50Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)
By Lisa Messinger
Food and Cooking
at Creators Syndicate
Most of us have been taught not to "double dip" at parties. Once you've stuck that chip in the dip bowl, don't try to later steal a second bite using the same chip! However, when it comes to best utilizing your prep time for the gatherings on both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day that many busy party throwers' give (like an elegant adults' evening soiree to ring in the New Year and a casual family football-watching brunch the next day), it's precisely a double dip that'll do you good. You can prepare one super-quick dish for the first party and then just as fast transform many of the same ingredients for the second celebration, such as clam chowder cocktails enhanced with brandy turned into souped-up bread bowls the next day. Or a sophisticated (yet simple!) champagne granita (an icy Sicilian treat) that morphs into a cookie-flanked fruit salad for the following event. Refrigerate well (or freeze in the case of the granita), tightly covered, all New Year's Eve leftovers to be used on New Year's Day.
Cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - even during the holidays, as these split-second family-friendly sensations prove. They take just
10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare
. The dishes are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since
there are no right or wrong amounts
. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at holiday bashes.
APPETIZERS
Mini Cheery Chowders
For New Year's Eve,
after heating store-bought clam chowder, stir in a dash of brandy and freshly ground pink peppercorns. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and serve in champagne flutes with mini spoons, such as those used for caviar.
For New Year's Day,
scoop out the centers of sourdough bread rolls leaving at least a one-quarter inch border. Fill with the leftover store-bought clam chowder to which you've added a dash of Dijon mustard and a dash of cayenne pepper. Garnish with paprika and more of the cilantro, finely chopped.
Potent Potato Skins
For New Year's Eve,
order some plain and some topped potato skins from your favorite takeout restaurant, refrigerate, tightly covered the plain ones and additionally garnish the restaurant topped ones with finely chopped pine nuts, finely chopped black and green olives and a sprinkling of curry powder.
For New Year's Day,
saute in a small amount of olive oil minced Italian sausage until fully cooked with finely minced red onions, diced mushrooms and a sprinkling of bottled Italian seasoning blend. Spread atop reserved plain potato skins that have been warmed covered with foil in oven and serve with a dollop of nonfat sour cream and some of the leftover olives, finely chopped.
Spread it on Thick
For New Year's Eve,
in a food processor or a strong blender with a small amount of water, to make a spread: pulverize a mixture of nuts, like cashews, almonds, walnuts, pistachios and macadamia nuts, along with freshly ground pepper and store-bought Cajun spice blend. Serve atop crackers with a tiny dollop of real or mock caviar.
For New Year's Day,
prepare bruschetta by toasting small slices of Italian baguette rubbed with olive oil and garlic. When out of oven, spread with leftover seasoned nut spread and top with slices of hard Italian salami.
ENTREES
Winter Chilliness Be Gone
For New Year's Eve,
spread store-bought chili, to which you've added sauteed minced onions and mushrooms, gruyere cheese and champagne, on heated garlic bread.
For New Year's Day,
add cooked corn kernels to leftover chili before reheating and serve with large chunks of store-bought jalapeno cornbread on top.
Peppy Double-Duty Pizza
For New Year's Eve,
after baking store-bought cheese pizza (reserve some unbaked and frozen for next day), carefully spread on a thin layer of mascarpone and sprinkle with finely chopped pine nuts and store-bought Italian seasoning blend.
For New Year's Day,
after baking reserved store-bought cheese pizza, sprinkle with a dash of cayenne, top with slices of prosciutto and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Broil for a moment until prosciutto is heated and Parmesan melts.
Wings that Take Flight
For New Year's Eve,
prepare the following dip for cooked and heated store-bought chicken wings (some of which you reserve for the next day, along with some of the chicken wings): softened cream cheese, nonfat sour cream, orange marmalade, freshly ground black pepper, spicy mustard and champagne.
For New Year's Day,
pull meat off of reserved wings and chop. Mix with reserved dip. Roll up in won ton wrappers. Paint with beaten egg. Bake at 350 F for about 8 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Serve with bottled Chinese plum sauce as a dip.
DESSERTS
This Beer's the Bomb
For New Year's Eve,
to a strawberry or other fruit-flavored ale (like imported versions from England), add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to emulate the easy beer floats made by top chefs. Garnish with chopped apples and berries you've marinated in the ale. Marinate extra for the next day.
For New Year's Day,
top warm apple pie slices with the reserved berry ale-marinated fruit, vanilla ice cream, ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
Peppermint Patties Worth Patting on the Back
For New Year's Eve,
melt after-dinner chocolate peppermints in a saucepan or in microwave, spoon over slices of peeled kiwi and peeled oranges and serve atop Neapolitan ice cream with biscotti crumbled on top.
For New Year's Day,
alternate layers of leftover peppermint chocolate-covered kiwi and oranges in parfait glasses along with vanilla yogurt and the leftover biscotti, crumbled. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkling of allspice.
Sensational Champagne Slushies
For New Year's Eve,
pour champagne into a nonreactive bowl and place in freezer, stir gently as gets grainy and icy, every 30 minutes, until it turns into granita (a semi-frozen, slightly slushy dessert that originated in Sicily). Serve garnished with chopped dried cherries and chocolate shavings. Store leftover granita in the freezer.
For New Year's Day,
use a melon baller to create balls of cantaloupe and honeydew, which you marinate, along with chunks of orange and strawberries in the leftover champagne granita, which now becomes the fruit salad marinade and dressing. Serve with store-bought vanilla- and strawberry-filled flavored wafers.
QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:
Ring in the New Year by losing weight and getting fit quickly and efficiently through one of the multitasking smart phone apps or websites set up for such enthusiastic endeavors. The phone apps Lose It, Livestrong-Daily Plate, SparkPeople and My Fitness Pal (all have website formats as well) help you figure out what calorie and exercise levels you should follow to lose or maintain weight, track your amounts, and contain nutrient encyclopedias and food and exercise journals. Even Dallas Morning News restaurant critic Leslie Brenner recently wrote about how she went from a size 10 to a size 2, while still eating out many times a week, by following a plan she devised with the Lose It phone app.
Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling
The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes
(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and
Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet
(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.Staff2011-01-01T09:06:50Z10-Second Recipes: Get Crafty to Create a Quick Christmas MealStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Get-Crafty-to-Create-a-Quick-Christmas-Meal/9024.html2010-12-14T01:28:53Z2010-12-14T01:28:53Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)
By Lisa Messinger
Food and Cooking at Creators Syndicate
Have you ever surprised your Christmas guests with a sweet gingerbread man waving from atop their rosemary-, thyme- and brown sugar-enhanced butternut squash soup or a broiled stuffed fig side dish that’s brimming with Granny Smith apples, real bacon bits and brown sugar? Sound gourmet? That's what they'll rave, but only you will know that these are not much more than 10-second fixes to already easy dishes. It doesn’t take longer than a moment to jazz up holiday fare, as the snazzy selections for appetizers, first courses, entrees, side dishes and desserts that follow prove.
Cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast – even during the holidays, as these split-second family-friendly sensations prove. They take just
10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare
. The dishes are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook,
since there are no right or wrong amounts
. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the holiday dinner table.
APPETIZERS
Wild Wedge Salad Dip
Wedge salads are famous at steakhouses. You can make them into hand-held festive holiday appetizers. Serve both mini wedges you've cut from iceberg lettuce and rye crackers as dippers for a blend you’ve created from mixing equal parts of blue cheese dressing and softened low-fat cream cheese, as well as finely diced tomatoes, real bacon bits, finely chopped red onions and chopped pine nuts.
Mini Meatloaves
Bake your favorite meatloaf recipe in mini muffin trays that have been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray until fully cooked through. Spread with bottled chili sauce that's been mixed with pumpkin pie spice to get all the flavors of the season in one easy touch. Top with crumbles of store-bought warmed cornbread.
FIRST COURSES
Sourdough Bread Bowl Salad
Prepare a mixed greens salad and also include thinly sliced pear, crumbled blue cheese and candied walnuts. Dress with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place in a gutted sourdough bread bowl in which you've left at least a three-quarter inch thickness along the sides. As guests are served the salad, also tear off part of the dressing-soaked bread to serve with it.
Gregarious Gingerbread Soup
To store-bought butternut squash soup, add freshly ground black pepper, chopped fresh rosemary and thyme, a dash of brown sugar and melted butter. Just before serving, float a thin gingerbread man cookie on top, which will absorb the flavors and break up as diners are enjoying the soup.
ENTREES
Better Holiday Butter
Prepare a simple seasonal butter that can do everything from improve a turkey main course, to crown potatoes and vegetables or perk up bread, buns or biscuits. At least a day before to let flavors gel, mix seasonal herbs and spices --- like chopped fresh rosemary, ground juniper, fresh thyme, fresh sage, minced shallots, minced garlic, minced fresh ginger and freshly ground black pepper --- with unsalted softened butter and store, covered, in the refrigerator. Serve melting over potatoes or other vegetables, spread on rolls or, for turkey, rub it under the skin before roasting.
Hamming it Up with Some Sparkle
Combine sparkling cider with cranberry sauce and allspice and heat, stirring frequently. Spread glaze on ham during last 30 minutes of baking. Tent ham with foil during last 15 minutes of baking after applying glaze again. Serve ham with leftover glaze.
SIDE DISHES
Tempting Tomato Stocking Stuffers
Serve your stuffing in healthful and delicious broiled tomatoes. Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions and also include sauteed onions in it. Top with toasted chopped pecans. Scoop into the thick shells of tomatoes for which you’ve scooped out the pulp. Broil until very hot, being careful not to burn tomato skin (cover with aluminum foil, if necessary).
Fabulous Figs
Make a mixture of very finely chopped: Granny Smith apples, real bacon bits, parsley as well as brown sugar. Cut a slit in dried figs. Insert a bit of apple mixture and broil.
DESSERTS
Infallible Fudge
Prepare a seasonal healthful granola and press it into the top of store-bought fudge. Granola can include rolled oats, dried cranberries, dried cherries, finely minced fresh mint and candied pecans.
Brilliant Broiled Oranges
Cut thick round slices of fresh oranges and broil. When out of oven and still very hot, top with orange marmalade, sweetened coconut, dried cranberries and sugar-free chocolate syrup.
QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:
During holiday season or anytime you'd like to whip up a fast impromptu appetizer, keep on hand a package of won ton skins (also known as wrappers) in your refrigerator. Available in the ethnic aisles of most major supermarkets, they are an inexpensive versatile ingredient for all kinds of cuisine. It's amazing how quickly they can turn into the crispy craters for hors d’oeuvres you may have only tasted from caterers. Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat mini-muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray. Press one won ton skin in each against bottom and up sides. Coat the skins moderately with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 8 minutes, or until won tons are crisp and golden. Let cool completely in pans. Spoon in your favorite filling, like a citrus- and cranberry sauce-filled holiday chicken salad.
Lisa Messinger
is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling
The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes
(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and
Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet
(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.Staff2010-12-14T01:28:53ZDinner Advice for the Hectic Holiday SeasonStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Dinner-Advice-for-the-Hectic-Holiday-Season/9025.html2010-12-14T00:33:53Z2010-12-14T00:33:53Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>By Cheryl Tallman,
www.FreshBaby.com
Homemade foods have always been healthier than processed, prepared, or restaurant meals which are generally much higher in fat, salt and calories than home cooked foods. Eating too much of these unhealthy foods can pack on the Holiday pounds and slow your kids down at school.
But let's face it, the days leading up to the holidays are hectic. Getting a home cooked dinner on the table during the holidays may seem to be an impossible feat, but here are few tips to ease the burden of getting dinner on the table during the hectic holiday season:
The holidays are a great time to entertain with friends. Make dinner at home a reason to get together. Team up with a friend and have a family dinner at their house one night and switch to your house on another. Divide up the menu between families and have each family bring a dish.
The Holidays are a great time to make family memories. Get closer to your kids. Invite them into the kitchen and teach them a few things about cooking. It's a life skill that they will certainly thank you for some day. Some of the meals you make together can become family traditions for Holidays to come!
Invest in a slow cooker. This is fabulous machine for busy families on-the-go. A slow cooker allows you to make simple, one-dish meals in a snap. Simply prep the ingredients in the morning, turn the slow cooker on and come home to a delicious ready-to- eat dinner.
Make foods in advance and freeze them in family sizes and individual servings too. Have some fun and cook with a friend, double each other's recipes, and split up the meals for both families.
The clean and prep is often the most time consuming part of cooking. Buy pre-washed veggies in the produce section of stores. The "open and steam" convenience of these pre-washed products is great.
Serve "no cook" side dishes with your dinners. Apples, pears, avocadoes, tomatoes are just few foods that don't need to be cooked and taste great all by themselves. A fruit or veggie plate makes a terrific side dish.
Plan on Holiday leftovers. Don't spend all your time in the kitchen cooking just one big feast. Make enough food to make several "leftover meals". Happy cooking…and Happy Holidays!
About the author:
Cheryl Tallman
is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the
So Easy Baby Food
and the new book
So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years
. Visit Cheryl online at
www.FreshBaby.com
for more delicious tips. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.Staff2010-12-14T00:33:53Z10-Second Recipes: Shortcut Holiday Cookie ExchangeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Shortcut-Holiday-Cookie-Exchange/9026.html2010-12-04T08:51:59Z2010-12-04T08:51:59Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)
By Lisa Messinger
Food and Cooking
at Creators Syndicate
If you love the socializing and stories that serve as side dishes to a holiday cookie exchange, but don't have the time to whip up the homemade delicacies yourself, you don't have to sit cookie-less on the sidelines.
Store-bought
cookies, brownies and bars make the perfect palettes for quick, simple and inexpensive touches that should have recipients clamoring for the "recipes." They are unique, flavorful gifts that won't be found in any bakery, like vanilla wafers that have been frosted with vanilla caramel and crowned with a layer of orange marmalade; peanut butter sandwich cookies that have been stuffed with a chunky peanut butter-espresso filling before being half dipped in a melted chocolate-coconut mixture and lemon bars that get a rum-cream cheese icing and then a topping of lemon zest and a dusting of allspice.
Food preparation can be easy, nutritious (try to buy sugar-free or low-fat versions of cookies, brownies and bars when available and the fillings and toppings suggested are fruit-filled and healthful), inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these split-second sensations prove. They take just
10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare
. The treats are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home "cooking" and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since
there are no right or wrong amounts.
These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at holiday gatherings.
COOKIES
Peppermint Pals
Crush candy canes and gently stir into vanilla or chocolate frosting. Use as sandwich filling between dark and white chocolate chip cookies. Add a dollop of the peppermint frosting on top.
Bow-Tied Candy Care Packages
Take long, very thin licorice string pieces and bow-tie small stacks of oatmeal raisin cookies. As the "to and from" gift tag, attach small denomination gift cards, like to a coffeehouse chain or healthful fast food location, such as a flame-broiled chicken restaurant.
Crystal Clear Ginger Gifts
Spread melted chocolate that's been mixed with cinnamon and dried cranberries in between gingerbread cookies. Top with a dollop of chocolate frosting that's got a small piece of crystallized ginger showing atop its middle.
Marmalade-Caramel Bites
Top the flat usually bottom parts of vanilla wafers (which will now be the tops) with vanilla frosting into which you’ve stirred melted caramel. Crown with a layer of orange marmalade.
Peanut-Espresso Powerhouses
Mix both espresso and hot chocolate powders with chunky peanut butter and use as a filling between peanut butter cookies. Dip half of sandwich cookies in melted chocolate that's meant for coating and that's been mixed with shredded sweetened coconut and let set.
BROWNIES & BARS
Good Luck Edible Gift Card
Buy a tray of uncut fudge brownies, cake decorating frostings and a decorating tip. Decorate the rectangular tray to look like a colorful $100 gift card for "good cheer, good luck and good times for 2011.".
Terrific Toffee Topping
Crush toffee-almond candies and candy canes and mix. Use as a topping over butterscotch brownies. Warm slightly before serving.
Brownie Bites with a Mouthful of Flavor
Pulverize malted milk balls and pretzels and mix. Roll brownie bites in the mixture to coat as much as possible. Press both a golden raisin and a dark raisin into the top of each brownie bite.
Tipsy Lemon Zest Bars
Mix rum and brown sugar into cream cheese and use as a frosting for lemon bars. Top with lemon zest and a dusting of allspice.
Cheery Cheesecake Brandy Blondies
"Frost" blondies with the filling of a strawberry cheesecake. Top with crumbles of the cheesecake crust, multicolored sprinkles and a drizzling of brandy.
QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:
For a homemade touch, add your favorite bottled pasta sauce to an already-sauced takeout pasta dish and heat it for about 5 minutes on stovetop or in microwave, stirring frequently. Then, instead of it just tasting like the cookie-cutter version that every family in the neighborhood is eating, it will have its own distinct flavor that’s better than either the takeout version or the bottled version alone. This stands out even more when the bottled version has some special features, like added wine, a variety of chunky vegetables or a medley of cheeses.
Lisa Messinger
is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling
The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes
(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and
Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet
(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.Staff2010-12-04T08:51:59Z10-Second Recipes: Holiday Gift Goodies to GoStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Holiday-Gift-Goodies-to-Go/9027.html2010-11-30T04:45:18Z2010-11-30T04:45:18Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)
By Lisa Messinger
Food and Cooking
at Creators Syndicate
Purchasing popular holiday culinary gifts in specialty stores or online often ends up not only with exotic fare, but exotic prices. Crafting homemade delicacies not only can drop the price tag significantly, but also ensures custom presents straight from the heart. When you strategize,
as guided below
, often even such thoughtful and mouthwatering items - like gourmet hot chocolate mixes, an expert pie-making set or one-of-a-kind fruity centerpieces that Spaniards swear promise a New Year of good luck - can be put together quicker than it would require you to sort between choices at the store in the seasonal rush.
They take just
10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare
. The presents are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home food preparation and, more importantly, the healthy family time in the kitchen that goes along with it! Another benefit:
There are no right or incorrect amounts.
These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" from the loved ones lucky enough to receive them as gifts.
Tea for Under the Christmas Tree
Take a cue from famous teashops - like Alice's Tea Cup in New York City - and create your own custom
holiday blend
featuring the flavors and scents of the season. Their popular concoction includes Indian black tea, hibiscus, raisins, rose hips, almonds, cinnamon and clove. Wrap tightly and festively and give as is, or perhaps include in a gift basket with inexpensive antique tea cups from eBay or a child's tea set from a 99-cents-type store, as well as a boxed stainless steel tea infuser strainer to prepare the loose tea, currently selling at large chains like Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for just about $2.50.
Olive Oil Worth Ogling
Buy inexpensive glass corked bottles in a crafts store and fill three-quarters with olive oil (doesn't have to be the more expensive extra-virgin type because you'll be increasing its flavor yourself). Make your own decorative and tasty infusion by adding ingredients with impact, such as stems of fresh rosemary or dill, whole red thin chili peppers (wear latex gloves while handling and don't touch your eyes during or afterward), mixture of colored peppercorns, cinnamon sticks or vanilla beans. Accompany the tightly corked gift with homemade compatible sides, such as crackers prepared with fennel seeds and saffron, sun-dried tomato quick bread, or a calligraphy insert you create that guides through olive oil tastings and food pairings.
Create a Pie Pro
Surprisingly, pie pans come in a number of shapes, sizes and materials and are usually extremely inexpensive, especially when bought at supermarkets, discount stores and restaurant supply outlets. Put together a clever mix-and-match gift that will create an instant pie pro of your loved one: 8-, 9- and 10-inch pans, including dark steel, glass, aluminum and stoneware. Make at least one a deep-dish selection, which is from 9 to 11 inches in diameter and 1-1 / 2 to 2 inches deep. Include a general pie cookbook, too, if desired, from a 99-cents-type store.
Loving Latkes for a Happy Hanukkah
Seal up in small Tupperware containers (which also become part of the useful gift) all the ingredients - beyond the oil and shredded plain potato foundations - for innovative Hanukkah latkes (potato pancakes, one of the fried foods that commemorate the miracle of the tiny bit of oil that stayed lit for not one, but eight days, when it was needed). Use shredded zucchini, thinly sliced sweet potatoes, fresh pineapple bits, mixtures of currants and homemade spice blends, like curry, cardamom and ginger. Freeze the fresh ingredients and bring them in a gift-wrapped inexpensive cooler to the latke-making party.
One Meaty Gift
Order an instructive retail cuts of meat poster, often hanging in butcher shops, from an online food or restaurant supply company. Roll it and tie with a ribbon and include in a basket with a gift certificate to a butcher shop, supermarket or steakhouse, as well as jars of hearty meat condiments, such as flavored mustards, barbecue sauces and packaged spice rubs.
Caribbean Calypso Kwanzaa Celebration in a Basket
Copy Better Homes and Gardens magazine's Caribbean Calypso Carnival party theme for Kwanzaa (the African and African-American cultural celebration between the day after Christmas and New Year's, in which the first fruit harvest plays a role and a feast is central to activities) in the form of a lovely gift basket. Fill with exotic tropical fruits, jars of Jamaican jerk seasoning and Scotch bonnet peppers, bottles of hot pepper sauce, tropical punch mix with a wrapped crystal of ginger attached, festive, Caribbean-themed paper or cloth napkins and tablecloth and Calypso music CDs.
Great Grapes for Luck
Look up one of many recipes for sugared green grapes (and keep refrigerated when complete), which make lovely hostess and holiday gifts as decorative centerpieces. Write in your card that this is meant to mark the tradition in Spain that green grapes are thought to bring luck for the New Year. Many Spaniards eat 12 green (non-sugared, fresh) grapes at midnight - at each stroke of the clock - in the hopes of good health during the year. You can include a bottle of sparkling white grape juice - a proven antioxidant - with your present.
Cheery Custom Hot Chocolate
Prepare two or four homemade hot chocolate mixes (a doctoring up of your favorite store-bought products), wrap them tightly in gift cellophane bags tied with ribbon and stuff them into oversized mugs. Consider adding combinations such as these to the inexpensive mixes you've bought: butterscotch chips, dark and white chocolate chips; dried mint, very finely crushed candy canes (like a powder) and very finely crushed vanilla beans (like a powder); orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit zests; jarred Chinese five-spice powder (star anise, fennel, pepper, cinnamon and cloves), curry powder and ground ginger.
Festive Flours
Perfect for your baking chums and an inexpensive way not to break the bank: Give a set of "exotic" flours. Other than all-purpose or whole-wheat, many home cooks never have tried the lighter, nuttier and more textured flavors of the multitude of additional flours available in supermarkets, health food stores and specialty markets. Cake and bread flours are good starts and can be accompanied by choices like stone ground (a more natural, nutritious take on the usual), graham, barley, corn, oat, rice, rye, and - with perhaps a little splurge compared to those - tipo "OO"/Caputo, an imported Italian flour whose full name "farina di grano tenero" literally translates to "flour of soft grain." It creates a noticeably soft dough for what have been called the world's best pizzas and other dishes, like crackers. Available at many Italian markets and usually online at
www.fornobravo.com
.
QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:
Like some gourmets have wine cellars, why not have a tea cellar - or at least a tea shelf comparable to your useful spice rack? Here, in tightly closed labeled canisters, you can keep your own custom tea blends. Often much less expensive than purchasing fancy flavored teas, you can specially suit your own tastes with combinations - like the best teashops - including dry ingredients such as, loose teas, spices, dried fruits, slivered nuts, fruit zests and store-bought dried edible flowers.
Lisa Messinger
is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling
The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes
(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and
Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet
(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.Staff2010-11-30T04:45:18Z10-Second Recipes: Save with All-in-One Soup 'n' Sandwich SensationStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-Save-with-All-in-One-Soup-n-Sandwich-Sensation/9029.html2010-11-16T01:18:29Z2010-11-16T01:18:29Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)
By Lisa Messinger
Food and Cooking
at Creators Syndicate
Eat like a royal family on the at-home budget, not of the emperor, but his cooking staff. It's easy with these three-course weeknight menus (appetizers, entrees, and healthy desserts) that include everything from an all-in-one soup 'n' sandwich in a snap creatively prepared with fresh herb-added tomato soup and grilled cheese "croutons," or cost-conscious veggie burgers that "Mama Mia" would be proud of with their tasty additions of fresh Italian herbs, vegetables, low-fat cheese and antioxidant-filled tomato dipping sauce.
Some of the entrees, like those, are vegetarian. Most of the main dishes that aren't, like a coconut-chicken pizza, also feature produce, seamlessly blended with the meat, poultry, or seafood, to amp up the nutrition quotient. Even decadent desserts are created with your family's health in mind, although they probably will never realize that when they are feasting on custom-made treats, like graham cracker sugar-free vanilla ice cream sandwiches coated with store-bought apple pie filling and cinnamon.
Cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these menus of split-second family-friendly sensations prove. They take just
10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare
. The meals are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since
there are no right or wrong amounts.
These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.
MONDAY
Appetizer
Yes, We Can Tantalizing Cinnamon Cantaloupe
Cut one half of a small cantaloupe for each diner and remove seeds. With a spoon, blend together cottage cheese, honey, ground cinnamon and ground cloves and serve in center hole of cantaloupe.
Entree
Coconut-Chicken Pizza Pizzazz
Shred cooked chicken breast; place in basil-tomato store-bought spaghetti sauce to marinate in refrigerator. Spread additional tomato-basil spaghetti sauce over whole-wheat tortillas; top with finely diced bell pepper, red onion, pineapple and flaked unsweetened coconut and chicken pieces. Discard marinade. Sprinkle with torn pieces of Muenster cheese and freshly shredded Parmesan; place in preheated broiler for 1 minute, or until cheese melts, sauce bubbles, but rims of whole-wheat tortillas haven't burned.
Healthy Dessert
Picture-Perfect Peanut Dark Chocolate Bars
With a spoon, mix creamy peanut butter with sugar-free caramel sauce and sugar-free pancake syrup. Spread on squares of dark chocolate and top with sliced almonds.
TUESDAY
Appetizer
Shortcut Chili Cup Cuties
Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Press two packaged wonton wrappers into each muffin tin with flaps overhanging a bit. Spray wonton wrappers with nonstick cooking spray; cook for 8 minutes, until golden and crispy. Let cool. Meanwhile, heat your favorite canned bean/meat chili. Fill mini wonton cups three-quarters full with heated chili and top with a dab of nonfat sour cream, salsa and freshly chopped cilantro.
Entree
All-in-One Soup 'n' Sandwich in a Snap
Bake sweet potatoes for 8 minutes covered in microwave oven, or until soft. Mash, including skin, in a bowl, adding margarine, dash of salt, brown sugar and freshly ground black pepper. Chop cooked turkey breast, pecans and dried apricots or dates and stir into sweet potato mixture. Place in microwave-safe dish, top evenly with grated carrots and drizzle with honey and freshly grated ginger. Microwave until hot.
Healthy Dessert
Rock 'n' Roll Ricotta
Gently blend low-fat ricotta cheese with sugar-free chocolate pudding, freshly chopped mint and finely chopped white chocolate. Sprinkle lightly with pine nuts.
WEDNESDAY
Appetizer
Three-Cheer Cheese Balls
Roll 1 tablespoon of port wine cheese into a ball and push 1 / 4 of a prune into the center of it. Roll in coarsely chopped pecans. Repeat for additional mini cheese balls.
Entree
Cajun Catfish in a Flash
In a food processor or blender, prepare a paste with tomato paste, minced onions, celery, garlic clove, butter, all-purpose flour, egg, salt, freshly ground pepper and a dash of cayenne. Pat onto top and bottom of skinless catfish fillets. Spray a cold skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat on medium-low and cook fish on both sides until flaky, about 15 to 20 minutes total. Serve over cooked brown rice and sliced tomatoes that have been sprinkled lightly with dash of cayenne and freshly ground black pepper.
Healthy Dessert
Split-Second Apple Pie Sugar-Free Ice Cream Sandwiches
Lightly spread a thin layer of canned apple pie filling over graham crackers. Add a few small dollops of sugar-free vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt and a sprinkling of ground cinnamon before topping with another graham cracker.
THURSDAY
Appetizer
Miso Masterpiece
To store-bought miso soup mix, after adding directed amount of liquid, while heating, stir in minced scallions, chopped garlic clove, diced firm tofu, and shredded fresh spinach. Top with crumbled store-bought pork rinds (which are a no-carbohydrate food and good replacement for crispy noodles in soups).
Entree
Fill-Up-Your-Tank Fast Fried Rice
In a wok or skillet, in a small amount of hot peanut or canola oil, carefully add bite-sized chunks of already cooked pork, minced scallions, finely chopped peanuts, golden raisins, freshly ground black pepper, light soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Stir-fry until thoroughly heated.
Healthy Dessert
Good Fortune Peach Crumble
Crumble pieces of fortune cookies over peach or mango sorbet and top with chopped thawed frozen fresh peaches and shavings of fresh ginger.
FRIDAY
Appetizer
Easy Eggplant Italiano Wilted Spinach Salad
Saute chopped eggplant in olive oil, garlic powder and freshly ground pepper until fully cooked. Serve over fresh spinach leaves for a wilted salad effect. Top with crumbled whole-grain herb crackers and a drizzling of red wine vinegar.
Entree
Mama Mia Veggie Burgers
Pat minced dried basil and oregano on top of store-bought veggie burgers. Cook according to package directions, carefully adding on top in last 2 minutes of cooking red onion rings, thin slices of green bell pepper and a slice of mozzarella cheese. Serve on toasted foccacia bread or toasted whole grain white bread and with fully heated store-bought marinara sauce on the side for dipping.
Healthy Dessert
Espresso Ice Cream Express
Crumble store-bought biscotti over small scoops of pistachio or Neapolitan ice cream. Top with finely chopped pistachios and a drizzling of hot espresso, cappuccino or coffee that’s had sugar-free sweetener and skim milk added.
QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:
The beauty of fine artisan breads doesn’t have to lie in you taking a lot of time to bake them yourself. Either at your favorite corner bakery or supermarket fresh bakery, pick up a variety of the latest flavor trends, like sun-dried tomato/basil, olive-parmesan, honey/pecan, Asiago cheese or onion/herb and freeze them. Keep up to six weeks. They will almost instantly perk up any meal, whether served sliced on the side or in creative ways, such as croutons, breadcrumbs or ingredients in recipes, like sweet or savory bread puddings.
Lisa Messinger
is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling
The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes
(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and
Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet
(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.Staff2010-11-16T01:18:29Z10-Second Recipes: A Chili Soup for Chilly NightsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-A-Chili-Soup-for-Chilly-Nights/9030.html2010-11-09T00:33:38Z2010-11-09T00:33:38Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)
By Lisa Messinger
Food and Cooking
at Creators Syndicate
The three-course weeknight menus (appetizers, entrees, and healthy desserts) include everything from Middle-Eastern-inspired favorites to a cranberry-juice-sweetened pureed chili soup perfect for chilly nights! Some of the entrees, like easy “burgers” prepared from store-bought falafel mix, are vegetarian. Most of the main dishes that aren’t, like a turkey and mashed sweet potato-carrot casserole, also feature produce, seamlessly blended with the meat, poultry, or seafood, to amp up the nutrition quotient. Even decadent desserts are created with your family’s health in mind, although they probably will never realize that when they are feasting on custom-made treats, like sugar-free chocolate sandwich cookies topped with store-bought pumpkin butter, whipped cream and walnuts.
Cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these menus of split-second family-friendly sensations prove. They take just
10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare
. The meals are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it! Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since
there are no right or wrong amounts.
These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.
MONDAY
Appetizer
Cheery Chutney
Over a large dollop of store-bought mango chutney on each appetizer plate, grate fresh ginger and drizzle finely chopped pistachios followed by a grind of black pepper. Serve with whole-grain crackers.
Entree
An Apple a Day Ham ‘n’ Cider Beans
Cook a ham according to package instructions. Cut into bite-sized chunks. In a saucepan, pour canned baked beans and add ham, chunks of red and green apple, apple cider, molasses and dry mustard. Heat until hot and apples are of texture you’d like.
Healthy Dessert
Lightening Fast Fruit Crumble
Warm store-bought apple pie filling, covered in a microwave-safe container, in the microwave oven. Top with crumbled vanilla wafers and a drizzling of sugar-free chocolate syrup.
TUESDAY
Appetizer
Chili Soup for Chilly Nights
In a blender container, add equal parts unsweetened cranberry juice and chicken broth to canned no-meat-added chili, as well as a dash cayenne pepper and chopped jicama or onion. Puree until still slightly chunky. Heat in a saucepan. Serve with store-bought or homemade cornbread.
Entree
Sweet and Savory Shortcut Casserole
Bake sweet potatoes for 8 minutes covered in microwave oven, or until soft. Mash, including skin, in a bowl, adding margarine, dash of salt, brown sugar and freshly ground black pepper. Chop cooked turkey breast, pecans and dried apricots or dates and stir into sweet potato mixture. Place in microwave-safe dish, top evenly with grated carrots and drizzle with honey and freshly grated ginger. Microwave until hot.
Healthy Dessert
Pumpkin Butter Beauties
Spread store-bought pumpkin butter atop sugar-free chocolate sandwich cookies. Top each with a dollop of sugar-free whipped topping and chopped pecans.
WEDNESDAY
Appetizer
Foreign Intrigue Sassy Salad
In a bowl, whisk store-bought ranch dressing with sesame seeds and finely diced black olives. Pour over salad of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, cucumbers, tomatoes and green bell pepper.
Entree
Fantastic Falafel Burgers
Following package instructions regarding adding liquid, form burger patties from store-bought falafel mix and grill or broil on each side until browned, slightly crispy and fully cooked through. Serve open-faced on top of warmed whole-wheat pitas topped with romaine lettuce, red onion slices, dill pickles and a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
Healthy Dessert
"Open Sesame" Sweet Sensation
Chop halvah (a Middle Eastern sesame candy bar sold in most supermarkets and delis) and sprinkle over sugar-free vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, along with golden raisins. Drizzle with flavored or plain honey.
THURSDAY
Appetizer
Bread Stick Bonanza
Roll refrigerated bread stick dough in finely diced red bell pepper, onions and sesame seeds, pushing hard so accompaniments stick to dough. Bake according to package directions, covered, so accompaniments don’t burn. Serve with tomato salsa for dipping.
Entree
Chicken Patties Worth Applause
Grind chicken breast meat with a small amount of water in a strong blender or food processor along with a dash of chili powder, freshly chopped onions, garlic and lemon-pepper salt substitute. Form into patties. Grill or broil on both sides until cooked through and an internal temperature of 165 F, usually about 4 to 5 minutes on the first side and 3 to 4 minutes on the second. Top with fat-free pepper jack cheese or soy "veggie" pepper jack cheese until melted. Serve over heated spicy canned corn (like Mexican blends found in supermarket canned food sections).
Healthy Dessert
One Honey of a Honeydew Dessert
Serve slices of honeydew melon crowned with sugar-free whipped topping you’ve blended gently with cinnamon and honey.
FRIDAY
Appetizer
Powerful Pomegranate-Pear Fruit Cocktail
Combine fresh unpeeled pear chunks with pomegranate seeds and crumbles of blue cheese. Drizzle with two parts balsamic vinaigrette to one-quarter part pomegranate juice and a dash of freshly ground black pepper.
Entree
Fun "Fishwich" 'n' Chips
Combine melted butter, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce and brush over both sides of one-half-inch-thick cod fillets. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice. Grill or broil about 5 minutes, turn over and cook briefly, until fish flakes with a fork, is opaque and slightly firm. Toast olive sourdough bread and spread with store-bought aioli (garlic mayonnaise) and then top with fish and shredded cabbage. Serve with store-bought or homemade sweet potato chips.
Healthy Dessert
Lovable Lemon Sorbet Surprise
During meal, soak golden raisins in pomegranate juice until slightly plump. Place scoops of lemon sorbet over slices of angel food cake and top with raisins and a slight amount of the pomegranate soaking juice.
QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:
Do you ever wish you could have your favorite restaurant's chef tucked away in your own kitchen to make your life easier? Many chains and one-of-a-kind spots provide the next best thing: their signature products. Next time, when at the cash register or browsing the menu or the restaurant's website, take a look. From dressings and sauces, spice rubs, tea blends, to cookie mixes, the National Restaurant Association reports that signature products sold only through the restaurant and not in supermarkets is a growing category. Nothing more than a dash here and there will give your everyday dishes distinction.
Lisa Messinger
is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling
The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes
(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and
Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet
(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.Staff2010-11-09T00:33:38Z10-Second Recipes: From Italy to the Tropics in No-Time FlatStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Second-Recipes:-From-Italy-to-the-Tropics-in-No-Time-Flat/9031.html2010-11-02T07:37:33Z2010-11-02T07:37:33Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>(10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare)
By Lisa Messinger
Food and Cooking
at Creators Syndicate
Cooking can be easy, nutritious, inexpensive, fun - and fast - as these menus of split-second family-friendly sensations prove. They take just
10 seconds each to read and are almost that quick to prepare
. The meals are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking and, more importantly, the healthy family time around the kitchen table that goes along with it!
Another benefit: You effortlessly become a better cook, since
there are no right or wrong amounts.
These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you - or your kidlet helpers - choose to use can't help but draw "wows" at the family dinner table.
The three-course weeknight menus (appetizers, entrees, and healthy desserts) include everything from Italian-inspired favorites to tropical treats that will keep your loved ones in love with your quick-cooking talents! Some of the entrees are vegetarian, and most of the main dishes that aren't also feature produce, seamlessly blended with the meat, poultry, or seafood, to amp up the nutrition quotient.
MONDAY
Appetizer
Mozzarella Marinara Magnifico
Heat store-bought or homemade marinara pasta sauce in loosely covered microwave-safe container for 2 minutes. Set aside. Crumble honey-flavored whole-grain flake cereal in another microwave-safe container; place slices of low-fat mozzarella cheese and halved cherry tomatoes on top of it; heat for 2 minutes, or until cheese is beginning to melt. Pour pasta sauce over top.
Entree
Pickpocket-Worthy Chicken Pockets
In microwave, cook Italian-seasoned low-fat turkey sausage patties according to package directions. In medium bowl, crumble turkey sausage with fork; combine with both finely diced fresh mushrooms and steamed broccoli. Cut pieces from store-bought cooked rotisserie chicken. Slice pockets into breasts and thighs. Fill with cooked turkey sausage-vegetable mixture. Heat all of chicken 30 seconds in microwave, just until warm. Flank serving tray with legs and wings.
Healthy Dessert
Luscious Lemon-Punch Ices
Cut lemons in half and slice off one-quarter inch of bottoms or tops so that lemons will sit flat on a baking sheet. Scoop out pulp into a medium bowl; combine with both sugar-free punch drink powder and finely chopped maraschino cherries, to taste. Scoop back into lemon halves and place baking sheet, covered, in freezer until pulp is frozen.
TUESDAY
Appetizer
Tropical Shrimp Salad Cup Treats
Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Press two packaged wonton wrappers into each muffin tin with flaps overhanging a bit. Spray wonton wrappers with nonstick cooking spray; cook for 8 minutes, until golden and crispy. Let cool. In a medium bowl, combine chopped cooked shrimp, diced canned mandarin oranges and a dash of its juice, diced fresh mango, a dash of low-fat mayonnaise, dash of honey and a dash of curry powder. Fill wonton cups three quarters full, remove from muffin pan and serve.
Entree
Coconut Cutie Burgers
In a medium bowl, combine lean ground turkey, unsweetened coconut flakes, a dash of coconut milk, a dash of almond extract and freshly ground black pepper. Grill or broil for a few minutes on each side, until an internal temperature of 160 F is reached. Serve atop toasted whole-wheat hamburger buns topped with a dab of store-bought peach chutney and a side of raw, sliced zucchini drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with bottled store-bought lemon-pepper seasoning.
Healthy Dessert
Frozen Banana Boats
Peel bananas and slice in half lengthwise; scoop out three quarters of the pulp; sprinkle a dash of lemon juice over pulp and the banana "boats." In a medium bowl, mash pulp and combine with chocolate sprinkles, finely chopped dates, finely chopped peanuts and cinnamon. Spread pulp mixture into banana "boats," wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until hard.
WEDNESDAY
Appetizer
Green Tea Super Soup
Brew a pot of decaffeinated green tea. Place in freezer for a few minutes to quickly cool off. Place in blender container with freshly steamed carrots and broccoli, store-bought lemon-pepper seasoning and store-bought Cajun seasoning mixture; blend well until smooth. Place in stockpot and heat over low-medium heat.
Entree
In-a-Snap Gingersnap Fish Sticks
Preheat oven to 450 F. Place gingersnaps in heavy-duty plastic bag; crush with rolling pin until become very fine crumbs. Add freshly shaved Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper to bag; shake well. Cut center-cut skinned salmon fillets into long wide strips. Roll in all-purpose flour and pat dry, then dip in frothy egg whites and roll well in Parmesan-cookie crumb mixture. Place on baking sheet that's been well sprayed with nonstick cooking spray; drizzle fish sticks with a few drops of olive oil. Put in oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with a dipping sauce made from nonfat sour cream blended with bottled chili sauce.
Healthy Dessert
Dazzling Diet Root Beer Floats
Pour diet root beer into tall wide glasses, filling up halfway. Carefully add a scoop of sugar-free vanilla ice cream. Top with a small mixture of blueberries, finely diced pineapple and freshly grated ginger. Serve with straws and long spoons.
THURSDAY
Appetizer
Mushroom Magic Trick
Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions, adding chopped dried apricots, dates, ground cinnamon and curry powder, to taste, prior to cooking. Wash large button mushrooms, remove stems; fill with cooked stuffing mixture. Place in large shallow nonstick-cooking sprayed baking pan with water to cover bottom of pan; bake uncovered in preheated 350 F oven for 20 minutes, until tops lightly brown.
Entree
Tweet-Worthy Turkey Salad Potpie
In a large bowl, mix chunks of cooked turkey breast, chopped walnuts, dried cherries, diced celery, diced carrots, diced unpeeled Macintosh apples, low-fat mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Bake store-bought pie shell according to package instructions. Fill with turkey mixture, top with grated Monterey Jack cheese and place in oven until thoroughly heated.
Healthy Dessert
Pumpkin Patch Harvest Layer Cake
Bake 2 layers of chocolate cake, according to packaged mix instructions substituting sugar-free sweetener suitable for baking for sugar. Scoop out filling of a store-bought pumpkin pie or prepare homemade pumpkin pie filling and spread it generously atop one of the cake layers and place other layer atop it. Frost with store-bought vanilla frosting into which you have blended ground cinnamon, ground cloves and ground ginger. Drizzle cake with sugar-free maple syrup and sprinkle with a few pumpkin seeds.
FRIDAY
Appetizer
Wizardly White Bean Wilted Salad with Wonderful Cheese Toasts
Slightly steam some packaged spinach salad leaves so they are a bit warm and wilted. Place in a large salad serving bowl. Top with canned white beans (cannellini or Great Northern) that have been drained, but not rinsed, pine nuts, finely chopped tomatoes, freshly ground black pepper and store-bought or homemade sweet balsamic dressing and gently toss. Top crostini (small, thin toasts) with spreadable goat cheese and serve atop salad.
Entree
Marvelous Marmalade Green Beans with Cranberry Tofu Sauce
Steam frozen green beans in microwave; carefully empty beans into a baking dish, drizzle with sugar-free orange marmalade and chopped pecans. Repeat all layers twice, cover with plastic wrap; heat in microwave on high until heated through. In a blender container, add soft tofu, fresh or thawed frozen cranberries, and sugar-free sweetener (tasting to determine it's sweet enough). Blend until creamy. Warm in microwave for a few seconds until just heated through. Spoon generously over green bean casserole.
Healthy Dessert
Mesmerizing Maple Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate with Gingersnaps
In a saucepan, combine low-fat milk, brewed coffee or espresso, sugar-free maple-flavored syrup, sugar-free hot chocolate mix, broken pieces dark chocolate. Heat, stirring often, until chocolate has melted and hot chocolate is heated through. Top each serving with mini marshmallows and a lucky gingersnap that will deliciously absorb some of the flavorful beverage.
QUICK TIP OF THE WEEK:
When you and your family next visit a popular frozen yogurt parlor, consider buying a couple of large extra containers of plain yogurt. Keep them in your freezer along with bags of frozen blueberries and strawberries and a can of mixed nuts in your pantry. Any tasty high-fiber cereal you have on hand also works well. Then, anytime you get the craving, you can set up a healthy frozen yogurt dessert buffet complete with tempting toppings.
Lisa Messinger
is a first-place winner in food and nutrition writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Council Against Health Fraud and author of seven food books, including the best-selling
The Tofu Book: The New American Cuisine with 150 Recipes
(Avery/Penguin Putnam) and
Turn Your Supermarket into a Health Food Store: The Brand-Name Guide to Shopping for a Better Diet
(Pharos/Scripps Howard). She writes two nationally syndicated food and nutrition columns for Creators Syndicate and had been a longtime newspaper food and health section managing editor, as well as managing editor of Gayot/Gault Millau dining review company. Lisa traveled the globe writing about top chefs for Pulitzer Prize-winning Copley News Service and has written about health and nutrition for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Reader's Digest, Woman's World and Prevention Magazine Health Books. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.Staff2010-11-02T07:37:33ZRoasted Pumpkin SeedsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Roasted-Pumpkin-Seeds/9032.html2010-10-23T06:44:45Z2010-10-23T06:44:45Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>by Cheryl Tallman,
www.FreshBaby.com
1 quart water
1 Tbsp salt
2 cups pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp vegetable oil or melted, unsalted butter (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 250°F.
2. Pick through seeds and remove any cut seeds. Remove as much of the stringy fibers as possible.
3. Bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the seeds and boil for 10 minutes. Drain, spread on kitchen towel or paper towel and pat dry.
4. Place the seeds in a bowl and toss with oil or melted butter.
5. Spread evenly on a large cookie sheet or roasting pan (cover pan with aluminum foil for easy clean- up).
6. Place pan in a preheated oven and roast the seeds for 30 to 40 minutes. Stir about every 10 minutes, until crisp and golden brown.
7. Cool the seeds, then eat or pack in air-tight containers or zip closure bags and refrigerate until ready to eat.
About the author:
Cheryl Tallman
is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the
So Easy Baby Food
and the new book
So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years
. Visit Cheryl online at
www.FreshBaby.com
for more delicious tips. Permission granted for use on
DrLaura.com
.Staff2010-10-23T06:44:45ZFrighteningly Frugal Fun!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Frighteningly-Frugal-Fun!/9083.html2010-10-20T07:00:00Z2010-10-20T07:00:00Z<p>By Tawra Kellam<br /><a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">http://www.LivingOnADime.com</a></p>
<p>The average American family spends over $100 per year on Halloween goodies. As your kids drag you through aisles full of ghosts and goblins, the scariest thing about Halloween is threatening to leave bite marks in your pocketbook. No wonder so many moms flee screaming from the store... It can be much less expensive and a lot more fun to devise your own chilling creations. Here are a few tips that you can use to stave off the greenback gremlins and exercise your creative muscle. It won't hurt a bit! These and other free frugal tips are available at <a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">http://www.LivingOnADime.com</a></p>
<p><strong>Face Paint</strong><br />1 tsp. corn starch<br />1/2 tsp. water<br />1/2 tsp. cold cream<br />food coloring<br />Mix all ingredients together in an old muffin pan and you are ready to paint. This amount makes one color.</p>
<p> <strong>Fake Wound</strong><br />1 Tbsp Vaseline<br />tissue<br />cocoa powder<br />2-3 drops red food coloring</p>
<p> Place Vaseline in a bowl. Add food coloring. Blend with a toothpick. Stir in a pinch of cocoa to make a darker blood color. Separate tissue. Using 1 layer, tear a 2x3 inch piece and place at wound site. Cover with petroleum jelly and mold into the shape of a wound. The center should be lower than the sides. Fill the center with the red petroleum jelly mixture. Sprinkle center with some cocoa. Sprinkle a little around the edges of the wound to make darker.</p>
<p> <strong>Fake Blood</strong> - Mix 2/3 cup white corn syrup, 1 tsp. red food coloring, 2-3 drops blue food coloring to darken and 1 squirt dish soap (helps blood to run well).</p>
<p> <strong>Abrasions</strong> - Dab brown, red and black eye shadow on area. Apply blood over area with cotton balls. Use comb to gently scratch area in one direction. Apply cocoa or dirt over wound with cotton balls.</p>
<p><strong> Black Eye</strong> - Apply red and blue eye shadow to depressions around eyes.</p>
<p> <strong>Bruises</strong> - Rub red and blue shadow over bony area to simulate recent bruises.<br />Blue and yellow eye shadow to create older bruises.</p>
<p> <strong>Look Old </strong>- Cover face with baby powder. Draw dark lines on your skin for wrinkles. Smooth edges to blend. Cover again with baby powder. Add baby powder to your hair to create gray hair.</p>
<p><strong>Food Ideas:</strong></p>
<p><strong>Deviled Eyeballs</strong> - Make deviled eggs. Add a green olive with pimento in the center for an "eyeball".</p>
<p><strong>Radioactive Juice</strong> - Mix equal parts Mountain Dew and blue Kool-Aid</p>
<p><strong> Toxic Juice</strong> - Add some green food coloring to lemonade for a spooky color!</p>
<p> <strong>Brains</strong> - Scramble eggs with some green, yellow and blue food coloring</p>
<p><strong> Bloody Eyeballs</strong> - Boil cherry tomatoes 30 seconds. Allow to cool; then peel skin.</p>
<p> <strong>Goblin Hand</strong> - Freeze green Kool-Aid in a rubber or latex glove, float in punch.</p>
<p><strong>Edible Slime</strong> - Pour lime gelatin into a glass bowl. After it is partially set, add gummy worms. Chill until lightly set. Then serve slopped all over the plate.</p>
<p><strong> Bloody Popcorn</strong> - Add red food color to melted butter and pour over popcorn.</p>
<p> Freeze gummy worms in ice cubes and add them to drinks. Cut gummy worms in half if needed.</p>
<p><strong>Decorating Ideas:</strong></p>
<p><strong>Spider Webs:</strong> Use the tape from old cassettes or black yarn to make spider webs. Use cotton balls stretched out for small spider webs.</p>
<p> <strong>Glass Jack-o-Lantern </strong>- Outline a pumpkin face on a spaghetti or pickle jar with black paint. The paint around the outside of it with orange paint. Place a candle inside for a jack-o-lantern.</p>
<p><strong>Halloween Guess It Game:</strong><br />In this game, you challenge the participants to reach into mystery boxes filled with creepy things and try to guess what each item is. The person with the most correct answers wins the game. An example is if you want them to guess "grapes", you might try to confuse them by saying, "I think it's eyeballs..."</p>
<p>Cut a hole in the top of a shoe box or laundry box for each item to be used. Cover the box with black spray paint. Decorate each box with pumpkins or spiders for a more festive flavor.</p>
<p>Place the following items inside, one per box. Be sure to place enough of each item so the guests can adequately "feel" the guts.</p>
<p> Eyeballs - grapes or peeled cherry tomatoes<br />Intestines - Cooked Spaghetti<br />Skin - oil a piece of plastic bag<br />Brains- scrambled eggs<br />Hair - an old clown wig<br />Bones - thoroughly washed chicken bones placed in some sand<br />Vomit - chunky salsa<br />Fingers - hot dogs cut into finger sized pieces<br />Teeth - corn nuts, pine nuts or popcorn</p>
<p><strong>Have a Pumpkin Hunt</strong><br />Hide mini pumpkins like you would Easter Eggs. Let the kids find and decorate them. For small children use glue sticks with construction paper cut-outs for decorations.</p>
<p>In 5 years, Tawra Kellam and her husband paid off $20,000 personal debt on an average income of $22,000 per year. Tawra is the author of the frugal cookbook Dining On A Dime. Dining On A Dime has over 1200 recipes and tips to help you eat better and spend less. For more free tips and recipes visit her web site at <a href="http://www.LivingOnADime.com" target="_blank">http://www.LivingOnADime.com</a> Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.</p>Staff2010-10-20T07:00:00ZKid-Friendly BreakfastsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Kid-Friendly-Breakfasts/9033.html2010-10-12T06:41:42Z2010-10-12T06:41:42Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>By Cheryl Tallman,
www.FreshBaby.com
Healthy Breakfast = protein + fruits or vegetables + whole grains + calcium
• Peanut butter and fruit spread on whole wheat toast, ½ an orange and a glass of milk
• Peanut butter spread on apple slices and a bowl of whole grain cereal with milk
• Toasted whole wheat bagel spread with peanut butter and honey, topped with slices of bananas and a glass of milk
• Bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar, peanut butter and milk and a glass of orange juice
• Breakfast burrito: scrambled egg, black beans, and salsa wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla and a glass of orange juice
• Breakfast Pizza: Toasted English muffin spread with marinara sauce, topped with a scrambled egg, sprinkled with cheese and toasted. Served with a glass of fruit juice
• Toasted English muffin, a hardboiled egg, a glass of milk and a bowl of strawberries
• Morning Classic: Scrambled egg, a slice of American cheese on a toasted bagel with fresh apple slices
• Yogurt, whole wheat toast, buttered, a handful of raisins and a glass of water
• Fruit smoothie with toasted whole wheat bagel with butter
• Toasted whole wheat bagel with cream cheese, topped with sliced mango and a glass of milk
• Slice of cheese melted on whole-wheat toast with orange slices and a glass of milk
• A bowl of whole-grain cereal with milk, a banana and a glass of water
• Buckwheat pancakes with maple syrup, a bowl of melon and a glass of milk
• Carrot Cake Muffin, a handful of cashews, grapes and a glass of milk
• French Toast with maple syrup, cinnamon apples and a glass of milk.
• Grilled ham with fresh pineapple, toast and a glass of milk
• Melt a slice of cheese on top of White Bean dip (or refried beans) spread on a toasted English Muffin. Serve with a glass of fruit juice
• Smoked salmon, tomato slice and cream cheese on a toasted bagel with a glass of orange juice
• Breakfast BLT: Turkey Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and cream cheese on toast, with a glass of apple juice
French Toast with Cinnamon Apples
French toast does not have to be a weekend treat. Make 8-10 pieces and freeze the slices (separate the slices with wax paper) in a freezer storage bag. When a French Toast morning arrives, take the French Toast slices out of the freezer, pop them into the toaster oven and get the syrup and apples ready!
Ingredients:
3-4 eggs
1/4 cup milk
8-10 pieces whole wheat bread
Cooking spray or 1 tsp butter
Maple Syrup
Cinnamon Apples (recipe below)
Directions:
Heat a flat, non-stick pan over medium heat. Spray the pan with cooking spray or melt the butter and swirl around to cost the bottom of the pan. In a flat-bottomed bowl or rimmed dish whisk together egg, milk and cinnamon. Working one slice at a time, dip both sides of the bread slice in the egg mixture and place in the warm pan. Brown both sides of the bread using a spatula to flip the bread slice over (about 2 minutes on each side). Place on plate. Serve with cinnamon apples and maple syrup.
Cinnamon Apples
Ingredients:
2 Golden Delicious apples
Dash of cinnamon
Directions:
Wash, peel, and core the apples. Cut the apples into ½ inch pieces. Place the apple pieces in a plastic bag and sprinkle a dash of cinnamon over them. Close the bag and shake it so the cinnamon is distributed evenly over all of the slices. Place the apples in a microwave-safe dish and cook them in the microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes. Let them stand for 5 minutes. They are done if a fork slides into them easily. Can be frozen.
Carrot Cake Muffins
A store-bought cake mix makes this recipe a snap! Freezing these delicious muffins can make breakfast better (and easier) than ever! Simply defrost and eat.
Ingredients:
1 Package Spice Cake Mix (plus the ingredients listed on the box to make it)
2 cups carrots shredded
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
¾ cup pecans, chopped
Paper Baking Cups for the muffin pan
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the muffin pans with baking cups. Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Stir in the carrots, pineapple and pecans. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 30 minutes. Check for doneness by sliding a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, they are done. If not, bake another 5 minutes and check again. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans.
Spinach Quiche
Quiche is quick to make, and makes a healthy breakfast for children and adults. Make it ahead of time, cut it into single serving pieces, wrap the individual pieces in foil or plastic wrap and freeze them. In the morning just defrost and reheat in the microwave. Simple and very tasty.
Ingredients:
¾ cup of shredded Swiss cheese
¾ cup of shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup of finely chopped onion
1 (10oz.) package of frozen chopped spinach, squeezed dry
4 eggs
1 cup of half & half or milk
1 Tbsp flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 prepared 9 inch pie crust
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Sprinkle spinach and onion in prepared pie crust. Toss cheese with flour and sprinkle in the pie crust. In a large bowl gently whisk together eggs, half & half (or milk), salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over all of the other ingredients in the pie crust. Bake 50-60 minutes, or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean. Let stand 10 to 12 minutes before serving. If you are cutting it into single servings and freezing it, let the quiche cool completely.
Cheryl Tallman
is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the
So Easy Baby Food
Basics:
Homemade Baby Food in Less Than 30 Minutes Per Wee
k and
So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years
. Visit Cheryl online at
www.FreshBaby.com
to sign up for her newsletter and her blog feed.Staff2010-10-12T06:41:42ZCollege-Bound Students are Vulnerable Targets for Identity TheftStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/College-Bound-Students-are-Vulnerable-Targets-for-Identity-Theft/9034.html2010-10-02T04:37:56Z2010-10-02T04:37:56Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>By John Sileo,
www.Sileo.com
Students heading to college and young adults living away from their parents' home for the first time are particularly vulnerable to Identity Theft. In a 2010 survey, Javelin Strategy and Research found that young adults, aged 18-24, take the longest to detect identity theft - 132 days on average - when compared to other age groups.
College-bound students should take the following steps to fight identity theft:
1. School mailboxes can be easily tampered with and are not always safe. Instead of having sensitive (bank, legal, personal) documents sent to your apartment or dorm room, have them sent to a permanent address (your parents' home or the post office) or sent requiring your signature.
2. Invest in a fire-proof lock box to store all your important documents. This can be vital when you are sharing a living space and can't control everyone that comes and goes. You should lock up your Social Security card, passport and bank and credit card statements. Shred any important financial documents that come in the mail and never leave any sensitive mail lying out.
3. Never answer a friend-in-distress message on email or Facebook. Most likely if a friend is desperate for money, they'll call you directly rather than contact you online – 99% of the time these are Nigerian scams. Also, never click on an unidentified link that a friend has posted. Check to be sure what you are clicking on is not a virus. Learn more on
Facebook and Online Safety
.
4. Always check your credit or debit card statements closely for any suspicious activity. The sooner you identify any potential fraud, the less you'll suffer in the long run. Also, always say NO to loaning anyone your credit or debit card. You never know if it will end up in the hands of an Identity Thief.
5. Make sure your computer has up-to-date anti-virus and spyware software. Always install any updates and patches to your computer's operating system or browser software. They will help keep your computer safe from any new advances by on-line identity thieves.
6. When shopping on unfamiliar websites, always check out the company first. Click on their trust seals to confirm they are legitimate. Make sure they are a secure site encrypted using SSL.
7. Check your credit report three times a year with all three reporting bureaus for any suspicious activity or inaccuracies. You can do this at no expense by visiting the website
www.annualcreditreport.com
. Order your report from just one Credit Bureau the first time and then 4 months later from the second bureau and 4 months after that from the third bureau. Learn more on
Reading Credit Reports
.
Although no one is completely immune to identity theft, college-bound students are significantly more vulnerable. Following these steps will lower the likeliness that Identity Theft will happen to you or your child.
John Sileo
is the award-winning author of
Stolen Lives,
Privacy Means Profit
(Wiley, August 2010) and the
Facebook Safety Survival Guide
, a professional Financial Speaker and America's leading identity theft expert. His clients include the Department of Defense, FTC, FDIC and Pfizer; his recent media appearances include 60 Minutes. Learn more about him at
www.Sileo.com
and
www.ThinkLikeaSpy.com
to read his blog or book him at your next event. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.Staff2010-10-02T04:37:56ZSave on Groceries When You're SickStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Save-on-Groceries-When-Youre-Sick/9035.html2010-09-25T07:49:19Z2010-09-25T07:49:19Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>by Tawra Kellam
http://www.livingonadime.com/
I have been disabled with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia for 22 years. One of the hardest parts of living with this illness is dealing with food; buying it and making it. Because of the nausea, I don't feel like fixing food in the first place and then because of the brain fog I can't think of what to make. Because of the sheer exhaustion, I simply don't have the energy to shop or prepare food. This can lead to a LOT of meals of cereal and toast. Because I have a husband and four kids who also have to eat, here are some ways I've come up with that can help you to cope and save while you're sick:
These suggestions are useful if you just have the flu or a bad cold or if you are chronically ill like I am.
Keep meals very simple. Write a list of 10 meals your family loves that you can make in 15 minutes or less. Here are examples of ours:
Fried Ham Slices, Baked Potatoes, Apple Salad, Peas
Lemon chicken, dinner rolls (pre-baked), broccoli and cheese, orange slices
Tacos, apple/orange slices and sliced cucumbers, peppers and carrots
Stir fry, sliced peaches
Use frozen foods. Frozen foods are very nutritionally sound so don't be afraid to use them. You can buy bags of already chopped onions, peppers and broccoli and there is no prep work on your part aside from dumping them in your pan or steamer.
Go shopping early in the morning or late in the evening. When there are no crowds you get in and out quicker and you also get parking spot closer to the door.
Time your shopping trip for about 1-2 hours after you take your medication. This way you won't be in as much pain and will be able to think more clearly while at the store.
Ask your husband to do the shopping. This may not work in all families but now my husband does the big Aldi shopping trip for me. It is just a few blocks from his work and he can be in and out in 20 minutes with a huge shopping cart full of groceries. It is much easier for him to do this than to deal with a wife who is dead on the couch from one shopping trip. Now, I just make short trips to the store to catch sales during the month.
Don't feel guilty if you can't use coupons. I've tried and, let me tell you, dealing with them expends more energy than just figuring out how to make our meals cheaper with other products. Because of the brain fog, I literally can't think most days. If you're like this, don't feel bad if you aren't able to shop with coupons every time (or at all).
Have kids clean up. My kids as young as three years old have always helped clean up. Each child takes his own place settings plus a certain number of items off the table (usually 4-5 additional items depending on how much is on the table). Then one child finishes clearing the last of the items on the table, one wipes the table and one loads the dishwasher. We rotate responsibilities each week. When clearing, they are required to put the things that go in the fridge or pantry back where they belong. Then all I have to do is clean the pots and pans.
Tawra Kellam
is the author of
Dining on a Dime Cookbook
. In five years, Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 of personal debt on an average income of $22,000 per year. You can visit her at
www.LivingOnADime.com
. Permission Granted for use on Dr.Laura.com.Staff2010-09-25T07:49:19ZReading Your Credit ReportStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Reading-Your-Credit-Report/9036.html2010-09-04T03:26:35Z2010-09-04T03:26:35Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>By John Sileo
www.Sileo.com
A credit report is a history of how you or your company borrow and then pay off your credit, including delinquency and bankruptcy. There are currently three main credit bureaus in the United States--Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. If you own a home, have a credit card, lease a car, or apply for or use credit of any sort, this information is reported to one, two or all three of these credit bureaus. In addition, they collect information on how timely you pay your bills, how often you are tardy, how frequently your credit is checked by companies and any changes of address, employment, or personal information.
By monitoring these reports closely, you will know when someone else is using your credit rating to their benefit. If an identity thief opens a new credit card or takes out a loan using your Social Security number, you will see it on your report. The quicker you spot the problem, the less trouble it will cause. Monitoring your credit report is the single most effective monitoring tool available to keep minor identity theft from turning into full-scale identity fraud.
Ordering Your Credit Report
Order your credit report from the first of three agencies (listed below). By law, you are entitled to one free report from each agency once a year. The easiest way to get a report is to visit
www.AnnualCreditReport.com
or call 1-877-322-8228. Make sure that you request your free annual credit report from one credit agency only, as you will order the other two reports throughout the remainder of the year. By spreading the reports out over time, you will be monitoring your files consistently and frequently.
Be prepared to have your account information handy. Even when applying for your free credit report online, you will reach a screen that instructs you to call in to ‘Confirm your Identity’. The representative will ask you a series of questions that range from your current and past addresses, bank and credit card account numbers, the date the accounts were opened/closed, mother’s maiden name, and date of birth. They may also ask you the amounts that you have taken out in loans. Don’t get discouraged by the process. This is just another way they are protecting your identity by ensuring they give this information out to the right person. And since you have initiated the call, you are in control of the flow of information.
Skip ahead 4 months from today on your calendar, and mark down the following information:
Request & Review Next Credit Report—
Return to
www.AnnualCreditReport.com
or call 1-877-322-8228. The second time you request your report, choose a credit agency that you didn’t chose the first time (e.g., if you chose Equifax first, choose Experian second, TransUnion third and back to Equifax one year from today).
Skip forward 8 and 12 months on your calendar and mark down which credit bureau you should request a credit report from. On month 12, you will be requesting the report from the same credit bureau that you requested it from the first time. If you use an electronic calendar, schedule this as a recurring event for every four months—that way you will be automatically reminded every time you should review your credit. While ordering your credit report may not be the easiest or most hassle-free process, it is the MOST effective way to monitor identity theft and worth your time.
Equifax
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, Georgia 30348
Toll Free: 1-800-685-1111
TransUnion
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92834
Toll Free: 1-800-888-4213
Experian
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
Toll Free: 1-888-397-3742
Reading Credit Reports
When you receive your first credit report, follow these steps:
Completely read through the entire report and the definitions that the credit reporting agency gives you so you understand how to interpret the information. While reviewing your report a second time, use a highlighter to mark any accounts that you don’t recognize or that appear to contain inaccurate information (e.g., negative credit feedback where there should be none), and a different colored highlighter for any accounts that you no longer need or use.
Contact the credit bureau about any accounts that you have highlighted because you don’t recognize them or because of erroneous information. Be aware that some companies give you a credit card with their name on it (like Sears) that is issued by another company (GE Capital). You may need to do some research on your credit card statements to understand who actually issued the card. The credit bureau should help you work through the questionable information. To get through more quickly to a human being at the credit bureau, get in contact with the fraud department, which has more reason to take your call.
Call and cancel all of the accounts on your credit report that you no longer need or use.
Please be aware that canceling credit accounts can affect your credit score (sometimes it will lower the amount of credit you have available), so only do this in conjunction with your accountant or financial counselor.
If done over time, and in the right way, it won’t adversely affect your credit score. Make sure that you call the company that issued the card or loan, not the credit bureau. For example, if you have five credit cards that you no longer need (and probably have forgotten you even had), call each credit card company, settle any balances and cancel the account. This is another means of
Eliminating the Source
. It minimizes the number of places that a thief can take advantage of your credit. If you do not wish to lose the credit value from those accounts, simply monitor them to make sure that no money is ever spent on them.
The next time you review your report, you should look for any changes as compared to the previous report. If there are changes, make sure that it is credit that you applied for, and not a new account set up by an identity thief. You will probably have very little work to do on future versions of your credit report as most of the hard work is done on the first round. Use this first time to educate yourself about credit reports and to clean up the years of neglect and identity creep.
Make sure to have your spouse or partner order and monitor their credit reports, as they are mostly independent of yours. If your children are older than 16, I recommend that they monitor their credit reports as well, with your help.
Understanding Credit Reports
Once you have obtained access to the report, look for accounts you don’t have, inquiries you didn’t make, credit cards you didn’t open, residences you never lived at, court actions in other states, or unexpected changes to your credit rating.
Sections of a credit report:
Personal Information—A personal profile
Names
Residences (Current and Previous)
Social Security Number
Date of Birth
Driver’s License Number
Telephone Numbers
Spouse’s Name
Employer’s Name and Address
Any discrepancies with the information in your credit report could be a sign of fraud. You should file a dispute with the credit bureau for all your personal information discrepancies.
Credit Summary—History of all opened and closed accounts under your name:
Source (i.e., Bank Name/Address)
Date Opened/Reported Since
Type/Terms/Monthly Payment
Responsibility
Credit Limit/Original Amount/High Balance
Recent Balance/Recent Payment
Status Details
Lenders are not required to send your information to all three bureaus, so loans are sometimes only reported to one bureau, which can create discrepancies between different credit reports. In addition, some reports provide a history of balances for each of the lenders while others do not. It is important to review all three credit reports throughout the year to see if any fraudulent accounts have been opened under your name. Any accounts you didn’t open or any loans that are not yours should be disputed.
Public Records—Court actions coming from federal, state, and county court records:
Bankruptcy
Tax Liens
Monetary Judgments
Overdue Child Support Payments
If you find any discrepancies such as court actions from states you have not lived in, file a dispute with the bureau.
Credit Inquiries—There are two types of inquiries, Hard and Soft:
Hard Inquiries—You initiate the inquiry by filling out a credit application. These inquiries influence your credit rating and should be kept to a minimum.
Soft Inquiries—These inquiries include pre-approved credit cards or pre-employment screenings and can only be seen by you. They do not affect your credit rating.
If you did not apply for a loan or credit card that appears in this section, file a dispute with the bureau.
Credit Rating/Credit Score—Provides an indication to lenders of your credit risk:
All three credit bureaus use their own rating system (Equifax— BEACON, Experian—Fair Isaac Risk Model, TransUnion— EMPIRICA)
The higher your score, the better your credit rating
Your credit rating is affected positively and negatively by many factors, for example:
Remember, the quicker you spot the problem, the less trouble it will cause. Monitoring your credit report is the single most effective tool available to keep minor identity theft from turning into full-scale identity fraud.
Freezing your credit
is like locking your credit file with a password.
John Sileo
is the award-winning author of
Stolen Lives,
Privacy Means Profit
(Wiley, August 2010) and the
Facebook Safety Survival Guide
, a professional Financial Speaker and America’s leading identity theft expert. His clients include the Department of Defense, FTC, FDIC and Pfizer; his recent media appearances include 60 Minutes. Learn more about him at
www.Sileo.com
and
www.ThinkLikeaSpy.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com. Staff2010-09-04T03:26:35ZDebt Free Living - Dealing With A Tight BudgetStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Debt-Free-Living---Dealing-With-A-Tight-Budget/9037.html2010-08-15T07:13:01Z2010-08-15T07:13:01Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>As a divorced mother of two, I started my own home business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. I am often asked what are the top lessons I would give a family or even a single person who is dealing with a tight budget. Here are my top tips for living on a small income.
Stop spending.
Don’t think that using a credit card or getting a loan will make it better. Going into more debt will not help you get out of debt.
Get rid of your pride. You may have to shop at garage sales for a while. You may not be able to have your kids in sports and you might have to say no to friends when they want you to go to an expensive restaurant. Pride is a sin. God didn’t kick the angels out of heaven because they murdered someone or were doing drugs, drinking or smoking but for pride.
Stop worrying about what others think or whether or not you are making a good impression. We constantly tell our kids not to give in to peer pressure but we do it all the time. We Christians can be especially bad about worrying what other Christians are going to think of us. That is the same as when your kids worrying about their peers.
Cut back on everything. You can save 50% on your grocery bill before you even go to the grocery store by simply exercising good portion control with your food. It is better for you, too. Go from a 30 minute shower to a 5 minute shower. Not only will you save on utilities, but your skin will thank you.
This should be number one: tithe. Right now when others are panicking about their 401k's or about what their stocks are doing, I don't have a worry in the world. I have invested my money in Someone who has promised that no matter what happens in the world, including with finances, I and my children will be fed and taken care of. He has demonstrated His faithfulness over and over. To me, my tithe is the best savings a person can have.
The real test of a person's character occurs during hard times. Keep your integrity, be responsible and be trustworthy and honorable whether your situation is your fault or not, whether it is fair or unfair. Proverbs 22:1 says "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold."
I once received a notice of foreclosure on my house. I had 2 weeks to come up with $35,000 and I couldn't sell my house. I didn't have $35. I wasn't sure what to do. If I lost my house, my kids and I would literally be out on the streets. After a few moments of panic, I prayed and God told me what to do. One of the first things I did was to call the banker and tell him I wanted to start up our old business, which I knew nothing about and had no money for supplies, no customers and a limited market.
What loan officer do you think would say, "That's great- forget the foreclosure and you don't even need to make a payment until your business is up and running well"? None that I know of, but that is exactly what he said. We had banked there for a while and, because of that, he knew I always paid my bills (the foreclosure was because of my husband's debts he incurred when we were separated). The loan officer said "Jill, I know you and trust you to pay so I'm not worried."
Everything God tells us to do is for a good reason and it is usually for our good. He wants us to have a good name because He knows at times when things hang in the balance, a person's good name can tip the scale in the right direction.
Don't decide you are going to change your ways and then expect God to suddenly produce a miracle and make all of your debt go away. God loves you, but He is also a just God. He expects you to pull your weight and if you spent 5 years carelessly spending, you may have to work extra long and hard for 5 years to get yourself out of your mess.
It would be like telling my teenage son to clean his room. After a month goes by, he is out of clean clothes, can't find anything and has been grounded by me for failing to do what I told him to do. He tells me how sorry he is, insists he'll never do it again and repents all over the place, but he still has to clean his room, which is such a big mess it is going to take twice as much work.
I forgive, but he is perfectly capable of cleaning it himself, so he has to clean up his own mess.
Here's something to think about:
In Matthew 6:24, the Bible says "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." We always think that this verse relates to having lots or money, that it only concerns the wealthy or those seeking wealth, but it can pertain to the poor and those in debt, too.
Be careful. What controls your waking thoughts? God or money? What do you seek after more? God or a way to pay your debts? What do you talk about more with your family? God or how the bills are piling up "in these hard economic times"? Do you spend all of your money eating out, playing a game of golf, buying your kids sports uniforms and dance lessons and having your nails done or do you first tithe?
I have found most people give their money to whoever or whatever has their heart and soul. I don't say these things to condemn you but to get you thinking, "Do I have things mixed up? Can I do something differently? Do I need to change something, even if it is something small?"
We guard our families in so many areas. Don't let Satan sneak in the back door with this and destroy you, your family and your testimony.
As a divorced mother of two,
Jill Cooper
started her own home business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Jill and her daughter Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
http://www.LivingOnADime.com/
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-08-15T07:13:01ZHow To Make Homemade BreadStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/How-To-Make-Homemade-Bread/9038.html2010-07-24T02:49:23Z2010-07-24T02:49:23Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>We get so many questions about how to make homemade bread, so I thought I would try to answer just a few of them today. Don't let all this information make it seem too involved and scare you away from making bread. Once you get used to it, it really isn't a whole lot harder than baking a cake. Just read the information and then follow the recipe step by step.
I once read a book by an older woman on how to bake a pie. She said bake one everyday for 2 weeks and at the end of that time you will know how to bake a pie. That rule applies for many things, including bread baking. Things may seem a little awkward or difficult at first, but after you have made it 14 times you will have learned what not to do and will get comfortable with it. There really was a lot of wisdom in what that older woman said.
We didn't put my favorite recipe for homemade bread in Dining on a Dime because it isn't quite as frugal as others, but I thought some of you might like it now. Also, I will give you my grandmother-in-law's very frugal recipe.
Before I share the recipe, here are some useful tips on baking bread:
*Unless the recipe states otherwise in the recipe, heat about 1/4-1/2 cup of the water to 120-130° or until it is hot when you put your finger in it but not so hot to burn. It can't be too hot or too cold. This is one of the most important parts of making the bread. With practice and time, you will start being able to tell when you have the correct temperature.
When the water is hot enough, add part of the sugar (about 2 Tbsp.) to the water and then the yeast. You add sugar because yeast feeds on sugar. This process is called proofing. The yeast should start foaming, which tells you it's good and also that you haven't gotten the water too hot. If nothing happens, your yeast is dead for one reason or another so you need to get some new yeast or try it again with a different water temperature.
It is also good to do this because proofing the yeast gives the bread a better start. So you don't get confused, there are some recipes where you add the yeast with the flour and other ingredients and can't proof. That's OK because those recipes make up for it by calling for you to mix the ingredients with a mixer.
*You don't always have to use as much yeast as the recipe calls for. For example, my original bread recipe called for 2 packages of yeast and it made 2 loaves. I have used just one package for years and it works fine. Grandma's original recipe was doubled and made 4 loaves but still only used 1 package of yeast.
If a recipe calls for 2 packages of yeast and it makes 2 loaves of regular bread, you can usually just use 1 package to save a little. If you plan on making bread on a regular basis, you might want to buy yeast in bulk or in the jars because it is much less expensive.
*When you can, add a 1/2-1 cup of mashed potatoes to your bread recipe or, in place of regular water, use water you have used to cook your potatoes. Yeast loves potatoes and the more it eats, the bigger it grows, making the bread lighter and fluffier.
*Never add salt with your yeast and water because the salt will kill it.
*Have all ingredients at room temperature. Don't forget to take the eggs out and let them warm up.
*If the recipe says to add enough flour to make a stiff dough, just add the flour until it is slightly sticky, taking that last 1/2 cup or so of flour and putting it on your kneading surface. Then knead the last of the flour into the bread. If you get to much flour in the recipe, it makes the bread tough. Beginners sometimes put in all the flour that the recipe calls for and then add more flour on the board to knead, it causing the dough to get too stiff.
*You can't knead bread too much. Knead until it is very smooth and elastic, usually about 10-15 minutes. I know that is a long time. That is why I don't make bread as often since I have had CFS. I made my best bread on the days my husband would come into the kitchen, spy my dough and start pounding on it. He had more strength than I and always did a better job of kneading.
*I always roll my dough into a 14x9 rectangle then roll it jelly roll style and put it in the pan. This helps to get rid of any large air bubbles you might have in the dough that can leave large pockets and holes in your bread.
*I have tried many methods to raise bread, from putting it in a covered bowl on the stove to putting it in the car on a warm day. What I found works best for me is to heat my oven on the lowest temperature while I am mixing my dough. After about 5 minutes of heating, I turn the oven off, turn my oven light on and place the dough in my oven (not covering). It works great every time. The heat from the light seems to give it the right amount of warmth.
I also do this when I put the bread in the pans to rise. I place the dough in the oven to rise using the method I described above (reheating the oven and turning it off). Then, when it is almost double in size, I leave it where it is and turn the oven on to the temperature that the bread is supposed to bake and bake it.
*Most recipes say to let bread double in size and, to see if it is ready, press your finger into it. If the dent stays, it is ready. After you have made several loaves, you can pretty much tell when it is ready. When I use the method for raising dough I describe above, I skip this test because my bread finishes rising the last little bit while the oven is preheating.
*Most bread doughs can be frozen. Mix and knead. Shape into loaves, mini loaves or rolls, not letting it rise. Wrap very well and freeze. When you want to use it, thaw and let it rise. It will keep in the freezer about 4 weeks, but after that the yeast starts going bad.
When you freeze or in store home baked breads, be sure to wrap them well. Bread can lose its moisture. If you don't think you will use it quickly, freeze part of the already baked bread, because it can dry out and get moldy faster than store bought bread. This is the reason our great-grandmothers came up with recipes like bread pudding and French toast.
*If your bread isn't quite done but is getting too brown, you can tent with foil. To test whether or not it is done, thump it with your fingers and it should sound hollow.
Here's my favorite bread recipe. It is a cinnamon bread but when I want to make regular bread, I just make it into loaves without spreading the cinnamon and sugar on it. This makes 2 loaves of bread.
Jill's Homemade Bread
6 1/2 - 7 cups unsifted flour or 1/2 wheat 1/2 white flour
6 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 pkg. yeast
1 cup milk
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup margarine
3 eggs (room temp.)
Filling for cinnamon bread:
margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
Mix 2 cups flour with sugar, salt and yeast. Put the milk, water and margarine in a large mixing cup and heat in the microwave to 120° or until it feels really hot when you put your finger in it. (The margarine doesn't need to be melted.) Gradually add to the dry ingredients. Add the eggs and 1/2 cup more of flour. Stir in enough additional flour to make a stiff dough. Turn on to a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic (or you can knead it in the bowl). Place in a greased bowl (It sounds strange, but I use bacon grease), turning to grease the top. Put in warm place (like I mentioned above) and let rise until double; about 35 minutes.
Punch down and divide into 2 halves. Roll into a 14x9 rectangle. If you are making regular bread then, beginning at the 9 inch end, roll as you would a jelly roll, gently making it into a loaf. Divide and place in 2 greased 9x5 bread pans. Let rise again for about 35 minutes until double. Bake for 45-50 minutes. To see if it's done, thump with your fingers. If it sounds hollow, it is done.
For Cinnamon Bread:
After you have rolled the dough out, spread it with a thick layer of margarine. Then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and roll as above. Be sure to tuck the ends under so the goodies won't ooze out.
Inexpensive Homemade Bread
This is a great frugal recipe or one to use when you are short on ingredients because it doesn't call for things like milk or eggs.
This recipe was written the way we did it years ago, with just the ingredients and minimal instructions, so I hope you can figure it out OK. As you will see this, recipe breaks most of the rules I explained above, but her bread was always great.
You might also notice she did most of her kneading and working the bread in her bowl instead of dirtying a counter. Tawra does her bread this way and it works great every time.
1 pkg. yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. shortening or margarine
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups water, very warm
Flour (about 6-7 cups)
Shift flour into the above mixture, stirring until it is too thick to stir. Then work with hands, adding flour as needed until it becomes a very stiff dough and won't stick to your hands. Place in a greased bowl, turning to coat top and set in a warm, draft free place about 1 1/2 hours. (This is why I like my oven method for rising.)
Punch down and let rise 1/2 hour more. Make into loaves or rolls. Makes 2 loaves. Bake at 325° for 1 hour for loaves and 35 minutes for rolls. (I found 375° for 25 minutes also works for the rolls.)
Jill Cooper
and
Tawra Kellam
are frugal living experts and the authors of the Dining On A Dime Cookbook. Dining On A Dime will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt, by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips & recipes visit
http://www.LivingOnADime.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-07-24T02:49:23ZSave Money Being PoliteStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Save-Money-Being-Polite/9039.html2010-07-17T07:27:52Z2010-07-17T07:27:52Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>People often ask how I always get such good deals, like the excellent deal I got on my washer and dryer. One of the ways I am able to get better prices on things is just by being nice. A lot of times, if I have a problem and have to talk to customer service, I will get extra items on top of my original purchase just because when I called I was nice about my complaint (like additional formula coupons on top of free formula when I got a bad container).
Because we sell products, we also have to deal with customers who have problems with their orders. Even after 10 years I am always amazed at how just plain rude some people are when they have a problem. What's funny is that most of the time with rude people, the problem is their fault for not following directions.
It is amazing how many people immediately assume you are trying to rip them off and don't even give you the benefit of the doubt to ask nicely and try to get help first before being nasty. This is a big problem with a lot of people.
If you are a person who immediately jumps to negative conclusions when you buy something, it could be costing you money, time and your health. People who immediately respond out of anger cause themselves stress when a problem is minor and easily solved and many customer service people will not try as hard to help if someone comes at them with guns blazing.
So how do you get the best customer service from a company? (i.e. problem resolved, money back, discount on items)
When dealing with companies start by asking nicely. Assume that the company will help you and that the problem you are having is just a simple mistake before getting nasty.
Give the full details of the problem you are experiencing. When you contact customer service online or by phone, don't simply say, "It doesn't work". Explain what happens when it doesn't work. If the customer service person can't see your computer or the item in your hand, she won't understand what you are talking about. State how does it doesn't work:
Did the page on the computer give you an error message when it didn't work?
If it's something like a flashlight, did it not work when you turned on the switch? If it has more than one component, does part of it not work? "The flashlight part works, but the laser pointer doesn''t..."
Did you put in batteries?
Give details of the problem and explain anything you might have tried to solve it before you contacted customer service. ("I changed the batteries", "It flashes on intermittently when I turn on the switch", etc.
Always keep your receipt. If it's easy for the support person to look up the details of your order, you'll get faster service. If you order things on-line keep a special email box to put all your purchase receipts in so you know where to find them. I would even go so far as to print out a copy of your receipt and keep it in a file folder in case your computer crashes.
Be patient. When receiving tech support on-line it will take some time. In cases like ours we are a family run business and do not have the time or energy to sit at the computer 24/7 to answer questions immediately as they come in. Most companies, even large companies, will give you a response in 24-48 hours and that is very reasonable. Many online companies have an FAQ (Frequently asked questions page) or a support page with answers to the most common problems. You can often overcome the problem quickly by looking through it. That way, if you have a problem at 2 AM on a holiday you may still be able to get an answer even before the company is able to respond.
If you don't get help with the first person, then politely ask for a manager. Explain the situation to the manager in a nice tone first and wait for the response before getting mad.
After you have nicely talked to several people without getting help, you may need to be a little more forceful. It's fine to be upset but don't yell, scream, curse or call people names. That just makes you look like a buffoon and, most likely, you will not get any help at all once you descend to that level.
95% of time when I ask for something I get what I want because I do it nicely and politely. (Not only that, I don't get high blood pressure or stomach problems.)
Don't Be lazy.
We try to have frequent sales so people are able to afford our products. That means putting e-books on sale so we can give a greater discount by not having to sell a print a book. Every time we have an e-book sale we get messages like this:
"I do not want to buy or pay for e books as you have to print them and thats a lot of ink." or
"I'm on a low salt, low sugar diet, why don't you have recipes for me, you're missing a huge market?" or
"I have (obscure food allergy)-- Why don't you have recipes for people with my allergy?"
If you are offered a product by a company and it isn't something you want there is no reason to even respond. If you have special needs, there are plenty of sites on the Internet for you to find what you are looking for. Stop being lazy and look it up or use a substitute chart and substitute it yourself.
Face it-- People make mistakes, computers don't always work perfectly, the post office doesn't always deliver packages in one piece and sometimes a product you buy might not work. Most companies are willing to correct the problem for you if you're polite. Often, companies offer you something else free, so you might even benefit from having had the problem.
When you're contacting customer service, remember that you're dealing with a person on the other end of the phone/computer. When you have the urge to get nasty, ask yourself -- If you were face to face with that clerk and your pastor at church was shopping with you, would you act that way?
There really is something to the saying, "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar". So JUST BE NICE and start saving some money!!
Tawra Kellam
is the editor of
http://www.LivingOnADime.com/
. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-07-17T07:27:52ZStuffed French ToastStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Stuffed-French-Toast/9040.html2010-06-19T07:28:02Z2010-06-19T07:28:02Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Sunday brunch is always good family-fun. This Stuffed French toast is a treat the whole family will enjoy and they can all help make it too. Younger children can use their little fingers to pinch the edges around the bread, and older kids can mix and spread the filling.
Ingredients:
8 slices of whole wheat bread
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
Dash of cinnamon
1/8 tsp. vanilla
8 oz cream cheese softened
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 Tbsp butter
Maple syrup for serving
Directions: In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese, brown sugar and nuts. Spread the cream cheese mixture onto 4 slices of bread, keeping most of the mixture in the center of the slice of bread. Place a plain piece of bread on top of each dressed slice to make a "sandwich". Trim the crust off of the sandwiches. Using your fingers, pinch all around the edges of the crust-less sandwiches to seal the filling in.
At medium-low heat, melt butter in a large non-stick skillet or griddle and spread it over the bottom of the pan. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla with a fork until combined. Dip each sandwich into the egg mixture turning over to coat both sides. Place each sandwich in the skillet. Cook until lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Flip over to cook the other side about 2 minutes. Serve with maple syrup or powdered sugar.
Makes 4 adult/big kid servings or 8 toddler servings.
Per Adult/Big Kid Serving: 634 Cal (61% from Fat, 10% from Protein, 30% from Carb); 15 g Protein; 43 g Tot Fat; 48 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; 12 g Sugar; 136 mg Calcium; 4 mg Iron; 371 mg Potassium; 1100 IU Vit A; 297 mg ATE Vit E; 0 mg Vit C
Per Toddler Serving: 317 Cal (61% from Fat, 10% from Protein, 30% from Carb); 8 g Protein; 22 g Tot Fat; 24 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; 6 g Sugar; 68 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 186 mg Potassium; 550 IU Vit A; 149 mg ATE Vit E; 0 mg Vit C
About the author:
Cheryl Tallman
is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the So Easy Baby Food Basics: Homemade Baby Food in Less Than 30 Minutes Per Week and So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years. Visit Cheryl online at for more delicious tips. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-06-19T07:28:02ZAwesome AvocadoStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Awesome-Avocado/9041.html2010-06-02T07:15:57Z2010-06-02T07:15:57Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Awesome Avocado
By Cheryl Tallman
www.FreshBaby.com
Avocados are the most practical "go anywhere, eat anywhere" food. They do not need to be cooked, require no refrigeration, they come with their own carrying case and even have a built-in serving bowl! So next time you and your baby are on the go, drop an avocado and a spoon in your diaper bag and you are all set!
Directions:
The handiest method for preparing an avocado is to cut the pear-shaped fruit in half length-wise with a sharp knife so that you cut in to and all around the pit; then rotate and pull the two halves apart. Remove the pit. With the knife, gently make a cross-hatch pattern throughout the halved fruit while the skin is attached, then use a spoon to separate the flesh from the shell by scooping the soft, ripe fruit gently. The skin becomes the serving bowl.
Yummy, Quick, Sweet treat:
Spread some avocado right on a graham cracker. For an older toddler, add a few raisins and make "Ants on the grass"!
Age to introduce:
About 9 months
Here are few quick tips for adding more avocados into your family meals.
1. Avocado pizza:
Top a pizza crust with pizza sauce, avocados, tomatoes, red bell peppers, red onions and feta cheese. Broil it.
2. Homemade salsa:
Dice tomatoes, mangos, avocados, red onions, cilantro, and lime juice. Serve with chips for an after school snack or use it as a garnish with any meat, fish or eggs.
3. Spread avocado on sandwiches
or hamburgers instead of mayo.
4. Add sliced or diced avocados
to any salads or soups (when ready to serve).
5. Start the day with mashed avocado and fresh herbs
(cilantro, garlic, or basil) on a bagel instead of cream cheese.
6. New twist on deviled eggs:
Fill egg white halves with mashed avocados and spices instead of egg yolks and mayo.
7. Avocado milkshake:
1 avocado, 1/3 quart whole or soy milk, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 scoops of vanilla frozen yogurt - Blend and Drink!
About the author:
Cheryl Tallman
is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning
So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the So Easy Baby Food Basics: Homemade Baby Food in Less Than 30 Minutes Per Week
and
So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years
. Visit Cheryl online at for more delicious tips. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-06-02T07:15:57ZFrugal Ethics: When Frugal Becomes Just Plain CheapStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Frugal-Ethics:-When-Frugal-Becomes-Just-Plain-Cheap
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- /9042.html2010-05-07T08:38:03Z2010-05-07T08:38:03ZStaff2010-05-07T08:38:03ZSweet & Salty: Sticky Chicken and Shitake RiceStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Sweet--Salty:-Sticky-Chicken-and-Shitake-Rice
-
- /9043.html2010-05-07T08:38:03Z2010-05-07T08:38:03ZStaff2010-05-07T08:38:03ZDiscover - and Recover from Identity Theft in 2010Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Discover---and-Recover-from-Identity-Theft-in-2010
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- /9044.html2010-05-07T08:38:02Z2010-05-07T08:38:02ZStaff2010-05-07T08:38:02ZA Catastrophe Coming: One Year to GoStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/A-Catastrophe-Coming:-One-Year-to-Go
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- /9045.html2010-05-07T08:38:02Z2010-05-07T08:38:02ZStaff2010-05-07T08:38:02ZRecipes and Tips for a Fun Frugal Snow DayStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Recipes-and-Tips-for-a-Fun-Frugal-Snow-Day
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- /9046.html2010-05-07T08:38:02Z2010-05-07T08:38:02ZStaff2010-05-07T08:38:02ZGreat Green BeansStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Great-Green-Beans
-
- /9047.html2010-05-07T08:38:02Z2010-05-07T08:38:02ZStaff2010-05-07T08:38:02ZKid-Friendly Treat: Maple Apple Graham CrispStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Kid-Friendly-Treat:-Maple-Apple-Graham-Crisp
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- /9048.html2010-05-07T08:38:01Z2010-05-07T08:38:01ZStaff2010-05-07T08:38:01ZBroccoli Puree for BabyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Broccoli-Puree-for-Baby
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- /9049.html2010-05-07T08:38:01Z2010-05-07T08:38:01ZStaff2010-05-07T08:38:01ZTerrific TofuStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Terrific-Tofu
-
- /9050.html2010-05-07T08:38:01Z2010-05-07T08:38:01ZStaff2010-05-07T08:38:01ZSimplify Your BudgetStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Simplify-Your-Budget
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- /9051.html2010-05-07T08:38:00Z2010-05-07T08:38:00ZStaff2010-05-07T08:38:00ZHow To Make A Candy Christmas WreathStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/How-To-Make-A-Candy-Christmas-Wreath
-
- /9052.html2010-05-07T08:38:00Z2010-05-07T08:38:00ZStaff2010-05-07T08:38:00ZFive Reasons to be Skeptical About Your FinancesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Five-Reasons-to-be-Skeptical-About-Your-Finances
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- /9053.html2010-05-07T08:37:58Z2010-05-07T08:37:58ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:58ZTen Ways to Save Big on Baby GearStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Ten-Ways-to-Save-Big-on-Baby-Gear
-
- /9054.html2010-05-07T08:37:58Z2010-05-07T08:37:58Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Ten Ways to Save Big on Baby Gear
By Sandra Gordon
author of
Consumer Reports Best Baby Products
Baby products are an 8.9 billion dollar industry in this country. There's a lot to choose from-and a lot of stuff you can live without. A typical middle-income family with one child in the U.S. will spend an average of $13,590 on baby's first year alone. But you get better value, and still buy high-quality, safe products without spending a bundle.
The trick is to do your homework and research products before you shop online or step foot in the baby products super store. Also:
Get more mileage out of your baby registry. Friends and relatives want to give you gifts, so take advantage. But before you add a product to your registry, make sure it's right for you and your lifestyle. Test-drive products in the store and take your baby registry as seriously as if you were paying the tab yourself. Register for big-ticket items like a stroller, car seat and crib. Who knows? Friends and relatives may go in as a group and buy them for you. And register for everyday items like diapers in all sizes except for newborn, and baby wipes. You'll need those items for years to come. Babies will outgrow newborn diapers in a flash, so it doesn't pay to register for that size. And don't register for clothes. You'll get those anyway as baby gifts.
Take advantage of freebies and coupons. One of the best ways to save is to shop with coupons when products go on sale, then stock up. That's a good way to save money on baby food, diapers and baby wipes, for example. On another note, hold onto those 20 percent Bed Bath and Beyond (BBB) coupons. BBB recently bought BuyBuy Baby so you can now use BBB coupons at Buybaby Baby, too. On a $250 stroller, you'll save $50.
Compare prices online. Once you know what you want, you can go online and try to find the best price. But watch shipping charges. For heavier items, it might make sense to go to the store instead.
Buy used. Garage sales make sense for buying clothes and items that often aren't used every day such as backpack carrier, a bicycle trailer or bicycle-mounted seat. But, in general, a used product should either be new or look like new to you. Don't give your baby or dress your baby in something that doesn't look safe. But some products, like a car seat, crib and play yard you should always buy new because their safety standards are constantly being updated, so you want to make sure you're buying the latest version. And whether it's new or used, check the CPSC's Website to make sure it hasn't been recalled.
Buy as your baby grows. Except for the basics such as a crib, car seat, and stroller, you don't need to buy many baby products until you're sure you'll need them. The wait-and-see approach gives you time to check with friends about their experiences with specific baby products and ultimately can save you money. You may be able to borrow some items. Others might not seem necessary once you understand what your baby's needs are.
Stock up in the fall. Fall is prime baby bargain time, since retailers tend to clear their inventory to make room for next year's products, which arrive between November and January.
Shop around. Prices can vary from one shopping venue to another, sometimes dramatically. Mega stores and discount chains such as Babies "R" Us, BuyBuyBaby, Kmart, Sears, Target, and Wal-Mart often have the lowest prices. For personal attention and informed sales help, smaller stores may be a better bet. Another plus: Mom-and-pop stores have more leeway to offer on-the-spot discounts, especially if you're a regular customer. Just be sure to ask, "Is that your best price?"
Keep in mind that salespeople everywhere may have an incentive to push their most expensive wares. And beware of the emotional pull of lines like: "But it's for your baby" and "It's not every day that you have a baby." Unless you're on your guard, it's easy to be persuaded to spend, spend, spend.
Watch for sales. Toys "R" Us, Babies "R" Us, and BuyBuyBaby stores routinely put out newspaper inserts and in-store fliers with big savings on brand-name baby items.
Keep infant formula costs down. If you use formula, buy the store brand in the powdered version. That's the least expensive option. And stock up on sale. All infant formula sold in the U.S. must meet the same basic safety requirements, so if your baby likes store-brand formula, there's no reason not to buy it.
Sandra Gordon is the author of
Consumer Reports Best Baby Products
. She also frequently writes about health, nutrition, parenting, and baby products for leading consumer magazines and Web sites including
Parents, American Baby, BabyTalk, ShopSmart, Prevention, Family Circle,
and
Kaboose.com
. Got a baby product question? Contact Sandra at
www.babyproductsmom.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:58ZBack To School, Or Back To The Poor House?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Back-To-School,-Or-Back-To-The-Poor-House
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- /9055.html2010-05-07T08:37:56Z2010-05-07T08:37:56ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:56ZSchool DaysStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/School-Days
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- /9056.html2010-05-07T08:37:56Z2010-05-07T08:37:56ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:56ZWhen An Artist Faces The "Dying of the Light"Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/When-An-Artist-Faces-The-Dying-of-the-Light
-
- /9057.html2010-05-07T08:37:56Z2010-05-07T08:37:56Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>When An Artist Faces The "Dying of the Light"
By Cliff Ennico
www.creators.com
"My Mom was a prominent artist in her day. She created hundreds of original paintings, most of which she still keeps in the home where we grew up. Some were sold through galleries, and a few were given to friends and relatives, but most of them she still has. Sadly, Mom is in a hospice right now, and is not given much longer to live. She and I were working on a book together, featuring reproductions of her paintings as well as some photographs I've taken over the years. I'm hoping to complete the book before she dies, but how should we handle copyright in a situation like this?
I have two siblings, and while I don't want to cut them out of their fair share of Mom's estate I want to be sure I receive the lion's share of the profits for all the hard work I've done on this project. What's the best way to do that?"
First, some copyright basics. When an artist creates any work of art - a painting, a photograph, a sculpture, or anything else - her copyright attaches to the work the moment it's finished. You do not actually have to register the copyright with the Copyright Office as long as there is some documentation as to when the work was created. Unless your Mom assigned her copyright to her paintings to someone else, she still owns the copyright to all her paintings, and you own the copyright to all of the photographs you took. When your Mom dies, the copyright to her paintings will pass to her estate and then to whomever she designates in her will.
Even though your Mom sold and gave away some of her paintings, she still owns the copyright in those paintings. Ownership of a work of art does not give the owner the copyright. If I buy an original painting from a local artist at a crafts fair, I can hang it anywhere I like (or not at all) and can resell the painting to anyone whenever I want. What I can't do is (1) make any changes or alterations to the painting, (2) copyright the painting in my own name, or (3) make reproductions of the painting for profit, without the permission of the artist (or his estate if he's passed on).
What someone is going to have to do in your case is to put together a catalogue or inventory of all your Mom's paintings - the ones she has as well as the ones she sold - and appraise them for estate taxes. Your estate attorney should be able to recommend a gallery owner or art appraiser in your area who can do this sort of work.
Next, assuming your Mom still has her mental faculties and is aware of what's happening, have your attorney draw up a short document by which your Mom gives you permission to make reproductions of her paintings and include them in your book, and grants you a "nonexclusive, limited, perpetual license" to do so. Each of those words has legal meaning, and your attorney can explain them to you. Basically it means you can put reproductions of any of your Mom's paintings in the book and no one (not even your siblings) can do anything about it. To be enforceable in a court of law, it's probably a good idea for you to pay to your Mom (or her estate) a percentage of any royalties and other income you earn from the book. That will make a legal challenge from your siblings (or anyone else) much less likely.
Finally, it may be time for your Mom to update her will. Now is the time to do that, assuming she's still mentally lucid. Here are some specific will provisions you may want to consider, depending on how co-operative your siblings are:
a clause specifying that the copyright to all her paintings is to be held in trust for all three of her children, with you as sole trustee;
a clause appointing you sole caretaker of all her paintings (as opposed to the executor of her estate, who can be someone else), and making you solely responsible for preparing a catalogue and inventory of her work (at the estate's expense);
a clause giving you sole authority to make decisions regarding the sale, lease and license of her paintings for the benefit of you and your siblings (assuming you're the one who has a "head for business"); and
"specific bequest" clauses transferring possession of certain individual works of art to you and your siblings (but not the copyright, which will be shared by all of you equally).
Most important, sit down with Mom right now and make a list of every gallery owner, friend and relative she remembers giving her paintings to over the years. That's information your Mom probably has "in her head" and it will disappear forever once she passes.
Cliff Ennico (
cennico@legalcareer.com
)is a syndicated columnist, author and former host of the PBS televisionseries 'Money Hunt'. This column is no substitute for legal, tax orfinancial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualifiedprofessional licensed in your state. To find out more about CliffEnnico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit ourWeb page at
www.creators.com
or visit
succeedinginyourbusiness.com
.COPYRIGHT 2009 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE,INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:56ZWedding Budgets Keep You In The Black (And White!)Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Wedding-Budgets-Keep-You-In-The-Black-And-White!
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- /9058.html2010-05-07T08:37:55Z2010-05-07T08:37:55ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:55ZFamily Financial Strategies: Credit Card UseStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Family-Financial-Strategies:-Credit-Card-Use
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- /9059.html2010-05-07T08:37:54Z2010-05-07T08:37:54Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Family Financial Strategies: Credit Card Use
By Al Jacobs
www.onthemoneytrail.com
A running debate continues over the use of credit cards. Much of the controversy involves matters like annual fees, interest rates on the unpaid balance, and the use of an account to establish credit. Articles abound on charge strategies to secure tax deductions for otherwise nondeductible interest payments. There are even dissertations explaining how balances due on one card can be financed for prolonged periods through borrowings on another. Much of the information is of marginal value, and some is preposterous.
Here's the straight word: The lower the annual fees and charges, the less you pay each year. Some banks and other organizations offer a card without a fee. If so, grab it. In case you cannot find a free one, shop around for the lowest price. In this regard, let me offer the philosophy of "Cheap Charlie," a one-time Huntington Beach, California, shopkeeper who operated on the stated principal: "You can't beat cheap"? certainly words to live by. As an aside, Charlie closed up shop during an economic downturn; perhaps his prices rose too high. Nonetheless, make certain it's not merely the
first year's
fee which is waived. Also give thought as to whether the card is sufficiently usable. MasterCard and Visa are universally accepted; American Express, Diners Club, and others are of less value because fewer businesses accept them.
Does it surprise you interest rates charged on credit card balances generate dissention, resulting in litigation and legislation? This is understandable when comparing interest paid on bank savings accounts, currently at or below 2 percent, to the interest that credit cards
incur
, often running to 21 percent and higher. It's true some issuers around the country offer credit card rates more in the 10 percent range, but these are the exceptions. Worst of all is what happens to those unfortunates who get tagged at the
default rate
, which can be triggered by any sort of contrived infraction such as exceeding an arbitrary credit limit or a single late payment. Default rates as high as 31.99% are not uncommon.
To add a second whammy, the federal Tax Reform Act of 1986 phased out tax deductibility on personal interest payments. Consider the ramifications of credit card debt at a 30% default rate on a taxpayer in the 28% federal income tax bracket, forking out an additional 7.65% in FICA withholdings as well as state income taxes (at 9.3%, if a Californian like me). This poor devil must earn $1,817 to retain $1000 after taxes to pay on the credit card. This calculates out to an effective annual interest rate of 54.5%. Such thievery would have caused Al Capone to blush.
In passing, be aware of other wrinkles. Many credit card issuers impose charges on users who avoid paying interest. They also collect fees, often retroactively, on a variety of pretexts. They rationalize these practices as necessary costs of maintaining the account, as if a reason to charge a fee is needed. Perhaps some relief is in sight. In an April 23rd radio address, President Obama called for legislation from Congress to reign in the credit card industry. He declared: "Rate hikes and late-fee traps have to end. No more fine print, no more confusing terms and conditions. We can't tolerate profits that depend upon misleading working families. Those days are over." What will come from all of this is uncertain. The bank and credit card lobbyists constitute a powerful interest group.
This finally gets us to the bare bones of the matter. My belief is a credit card serves a single purpose?a convenience when neither check nor cash is handy. Most importantly, when the monthly statement arrives, pay the full cash balance before the date interest is charged. Follow this rule and the interest rate means nothing. If for any reason you cannot regulate your credit card use in this manner, destroy your cards, swear off cold turkey, and fashion your life accordingly.
Al Jacobs has been a professional investor for nearly four decades and a nationally syndicated columnist. He is the author of
Nobody's Fool: A Skeptic's Guide to Prosperity
. Subscribe to his financial column, "On the Money Trail," at
www.onthemoneytrail.com
. Receive your free Life Stages report at
www.onthemoneytrail.com/lifestages.html. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:54ZBaby Food on a BudgetStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Baby-Food-on-a-Budget
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- /9060.html2010-05-07T08:37:54Z2010-05-07T08:37:54ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:54ZBunnies and Ham and Eggs, Oh My!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Bunnies-and-Ham-and-Eggs,-Oh-My!
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- /9061.html2010-05-07T08:37:53Z2010-05-07T08:37:53ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:53ZSimple, Thrifty MealsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Simple,-Thrifty-Meals
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- /9062.html2010-05-07T08:37:53Z2010-05-07T08:37:53ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:53ZSoups are Souper!: A Great Introduction for ToddlersStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Soups-are-Souper!:-A-Great-Introduction-for-Toddlers
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- /9063.html2010-05-07T08:37:53Z2010-05-07T08:37:53ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:53ZBread Baking BasicsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Bread-Baking-Basics
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- /9064.html2010-05-07T08:37:52Z2010-05-07T08:37:52ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:52ZThree Things to Do Right Now to Protect Your AssetsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Three-Things-to-Do-Right-Now-to-Protect-Your-Assets
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- /9065.html2010-05-07T08:37:52Z2010-05-07T08:37:52ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:52ZGardening On a DimeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Gardening-On-a-Dime
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- /9066.html2010-05-07T08:37:52Z2010-05-07T08:37:52ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:52Z6 Steps to Avoid a Laptop Identity CrisisStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/6-Steps-to-Avoid-a-Laptop-Identity-Crisis
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- /9067.html2010-05-07T08:37:52Z2010-05-07T08:37:52ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:52ZSurvival In Tough Times: Smart ShoppingStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Survival-In-Tough-Times:-Smart-Shopping
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- /9068.html2010-05-07T08:37:51Z2010-05-07T08:37:51ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:51ZThese Hard Economic TimesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/These-Hard-Economic-Times
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- /9069.html2010-05-07T08:37:51Z2010-05-07T08:37:51ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:51ZThe Art of AsparagusStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/The-Art-of-Asparagus
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- /9070.html2010-05-07T08:37:51Z2010-05-07T08:37:51ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:51ZHow To Hang Clothes On The LineStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/How-To-Hang-Clothes-On-The-Line
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- /9071.html2010-05-07T08:37:48Z2010-05-07T08:37:48Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>How To Hang Clothes OnThe Line
By Jill Cooper
LivingOnADime.com
Many people want to learn how to hang clothes on the line - whether itis to save money, protect the environment, or just because line-driedclothes smell so nice. An often overlooked benefit is how much linedrying will save on wear and tear on clothing. Unfortunately, due tolack of knowledge, after the first try or two of hanging things on theline, people usually get frustrated and quit.
It seems like hanging clothes on the line should be simple, right? Howhard can it be to stick a clothespin on the fabric and put it on aline? But, as many have discovered, the results can be stiff andwrinkled clothes.
Like so many other homemaking skills, there is an art to hangingclothes on the line. Like other skills, it will take practice. Don'tgive up if it takes time or is hard the first time around. Withpractice, you will be able to hang an average load of laundry in about5 minutes and take them down in that amount of time. They'll be aswrinkle-free and soft as if you did them in the dryer.
Here are a few things you will need to know before you start.
This is what I do to keep mylaundry dryer soft. You can do one or all of these if you want. First,when I have a dryer, I always fluff my clothes in it for about 5minutes. This uses almost no electricity and makes the clothes just assoft as if you had run them full cycle in the dryer.
When I don't have a dryer, I try to hang my clothes on a windy day. Itdoes the same thing as a dryer. In Kansas, a windy day can be almosteveryday, but for those of you who live where a 5-mile an hour breezeis considered a gale-force wind, don't despair! There are other thingsyou can do.
As I begin to hang each piece of clothing, I give it a sharpsnap, or shake, holding from the bottom of a shirt or pant legs. Thisdoesn't take long. I just do it as I am going from the clothesbasket tothe line, making it done and ready to hang when I get it up to theline. You don't need to do this with everything; for example, you don'tneed to do it with socks or undies. I do it to items I don't wantwrinkled or things I want soft, like towels.
I always use fabric softener; if you prefer, you can use vinegar.
Fading is not a problem for me here in Kansas. It is hazy anddefusesthe sun's rays slightly. When we lived in the northwest, though, it wasa real problem. If you find fading to be an issue, just turn thingslike jeans or dark t-shirts inside out.
It also helps to slow fading if you bring items in as soon as they aredry. In the opposite way, I leave my whites out as long as I canbecause it bleaches and brightens them.
You will need clothespins and a clothespin bag or apron. You cangetclothes pins and bags at Wal-Mart or Dollar stores. They are usuallywith the things like ironing board covers. I prefer a clothespin apron.I made mine; it is about 10 inches long with just 2 large pockets onthe front for the clothes pins. It ties around my waist like an apron.Either a bag or an apron is just fine.
Before You Start
Hanging out the clothes properly starts before you even leave thehouse. The next few steps may make me sound like Martha, but there is areason for the method. Most of these steps not only speed the hangingof the clothes, but they also make taking them in quicker. The stepseven help in folding and putting away.
If you are brand new to hanging clothes on a line, you may want to justpractice hanging things the way I will show you. After you get thatdown, you#146;ll want to speed things along by practicing the next steps.
Before I put the clothes in the basket to take outside, I sort themquickly on top of the washer or dryer. This doesn't need to be doneperfectly and will get easier the more you do it. I pull out the bigitems like the sheets or tablecloths. I fold the sheets in half andgently lay them in the basket. This way, when I am ready to hang them,I just pick them up out of the basket by their four corners and quicklyhang them because they are already folded and ready to go.
Next I do pants and jeans. The legs get folded with the seams together(see a picture below) and then folded in half and laid on top of thesheets.
Any large towels go next. I just lay them in the basket.
On the washeror dryer I lay piles of t-shirts all together, shirts together, handtowels together and all like things together in their own piles. I thenstack them into the basket beginning with largest items and working myway to the smallest. The next items in the basket are washrags,dishrags, and underwear. I lay them in flat piles, corners together,like laying a stack of papers. I do this because I can pick up thewhole pile (or half, depending how big it is), and take it to the line.Because the corners are together, I can pin one corner after the othervery quickly without having to go back and forth to the basket eachtime to get another item and I don't have to stop to straighten eachone.
Last in the basket are the socks. I straighten them out and flattenthem, laying one on top of the other, toes together. Again, I can pickup a stack of them and quickly go along the line, hanging them withouthaving to return to the basket each time.
Pinning Clothes on the Line
Jeans
Hang by the legs. Water wicks down to the heaviest part of the jean(the waistband). The weight of that water combines with the weight ofthe waistband, pulling on the pant legs and so pulling out thewrinkles. The same idea applies when steaming a garment. Gently pullingon it will remove wrinkles.
You can pull the pockets out if you want. I don't usually do thatbecause they seem to dry fine, even here in humid Kansas.
Shirts and Blouses
Hang upside down by the side seams. This puts the heaviest part of thegarment at the bottom, as explained before. It also prevents puckersfrom the clothespins (as you would have if you hung them by theshoulders).
T-shirts
If you don't straighten out t-shirts, the corners at the seams can havepoints from the clothespins. To prevent this, bring the side seamstogether then the center of it and gently pull, then hang by thebottom. You don't need to pull all your t-shirts. I have a couple thatdon#146;t seem to hang right, so in order to prevent the pointy sides youcan get on some t-shirts, I do this. I normally don't pull the kid'sitems because they aren#146;t as much of a problem.
Sheets
To hang a fitted sheet, I tuck one corner into another, fold it in halfand hang by each end with the pockets (or corners) hanging down.For a flat sheet, I just fold it in half.
Towels
Towels are simply hung by one edge.
You will want to note that for items like towels, dishrags, underwearand t-shirts that you can pin the corner of one item with the corner ofthe next item. This will cut down the number of clothespins that youneed to use.
Undies and Socks
If you don't want the whole world to see your undies (or "smalls" asour English friends call them), then you can hang them on the back lineor the 2 lines in the middle. Socks are hung by the toes and I usuallyhang a pair together. This saves on pins and time.
Stands
It is nice to have a stand on which to set your basket. It saves youfrom bending over each time you pull an item from the basket. Even asmall table or chair would help. Tawra has a metal table she uses (seepicture below). It has metal legs from an old TV tray. Legs like thiswork better if there is a board attached across the top.
Years ago I got a shopping cart from a grocery store auction and it wasjust perfect as my "laundry cart." It was the right height and I couldroll it to where I needed it. I made the mistake of getting rid of itwhen I moved. Now I use a thing from the 50's I found at a garage sale.It has TV-tray type legs with a canvas bag across the top. It is theperfect height and has a place for the clothespins on the side.
Taking Things Down
I fold my clothes as I take them off the line and most everything isfolded by the time I take it into the house. It takes so little timethat I was folding faster than Tawra could take the pictures. Less than30 seconds.
A couple of last tips:
See which way the wind is blowing and hang your clothes so that thesmaller things are in the front. That way the wind can pass through tothe large things at the back. If you put the large things in front itblocks the wind from getting to the smaller items behind them. Unlessyou need to hide your undies like I mentioned above.
Always bring your clothes pins in at the end of the day. It helps themto last longer and prevents black marks on your clothes that can happenwhen the clothespins are left out.
It you haven't used your clothesline in a while run a rag along it toclean it off before hanging the clothes. This doesn't have to be doneoften only like in the spring if you haven't used it all winter or havegone a couple of weeks without using it.
Don't let yourself get overwhelmed. This is a lot of information. Takeit slow. Maybe start with just hanging sheets out for a while and drythe rest of your things in the dryer. Before you go outside look at thepicture of the jeans and how I hung them and practice putting the legstogether by the seams. Maybe one day you could practice with justsocks.
Do baby steps so you don't get frustrated and give up.
Jill Cooper is a frugal living expert and the co-editorof
LivingOnADime.com
.As a divorced mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own businesswithout any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 amonth income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:48ZHomemade CleanersStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Homemade-Cleaners
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- /9072.html2010-05-07T08:37:45Z2010-05-07T08:37:45Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Homemade Cleaners
by Tawra Kellam
LivingOnADime.com
Here are some tips for using and making your own household cleanersfrom Dining On A Dime Cookbook. Most are simple and only take a fewminutes to mix.
NEVER MIX AMMONIA AND BLEACH! Mixing these chemicals creates a harmfulgas that can be fatal!
If you don't want to make your own cleaning supplies either purchasethe store brands at your dollar store at bulk at a janitor supply.
Buy 1 gallon of bubble bath and use instead of liquid hand soap. It ismuch cheaper and smells better than regular hand soap.
Read the labels on any cleaning product you buy, even on commonproducts that you, your mom and grandmother have used for years. Forexample for generations women have used ammonia to disinfect theirkitchens, but ammonia is not a disinfectant, it is a de-greaser. Itworks great for that greasy grimy build-up on floors, but it isn'tactually disinfecting anything.
Mark your cleaning pail with fingernail polish to indicate the levelsof water you usually use for your jobs (i.e. 1/2 gal., 1 gal.) That wayyou don't waste water.
When using cleansers, tear the tab back only part way. Then you onlyget half as much cleanser so that you don't wash as much unusedcleanser down the drain.
Save on spray cleaners. Spray the solution on a rag and then wipe. Thisway the extra spray cleaner is not wasted and you save time by nothaving to rinse off the over spray.
Use fabric softener sheets to dust furniture and television screens.The sheets make your furniture smell good, but more importantly,eliminate static so dust won't be attracted to these surfaces.
All purpose/Window Cleaner
1/2 cup ammonia
2 cups rubbing alcohol
water
1 tsp. dishwashing liquid
In a one-gallon container, mix ammonia and rubbing alcohol. Fill almostto the top with water. Add dishwashing liquid and mix. Top off withwater. Rated by Consumer Reports Magazine to work much better (and muchcheaper) than most commercial window and kitchen sprays. Alcohol is thesecret ingredient - it's what commercial window washers use.
*Safe on most, but not all, household surfaces.
I use this to clean almost everything from the bathroom to the window.This the main cleaner I use in my house.
Ready Mop Cleaner Refill
1 gallon water
1 cup ammonia
1/2 cup vinegar
water
Mix ingredients and pour use in your mops instead of buying commercialcleaner. Tip: Use a piece of scrap fleece, scrap flannel or micro-fibertowels (purchased at automotive stores) to replace your SwiferTM orClorox Ready MopTM disposable pads. Cut several to size to have onhand. When soiled throw in the wash and launder as usual. Note: Don'tuse ammonia on wood floors. Just use vinegar and water or water andMurphy's oil soap.
Daily Shower Cleaner
1/4 cup concentrated cleaner (Lysol is a good brand)
1/2 cup isopropyl alcohol
water
Pour cleaner and alcohol into quart spray bottle. Add enough water tofill. Thoroughly clean shower before using. Spray on shower daily. Usedaily to prevent water deposits and soap scum.
Homemade Cleaning Wipes
1 round baby wipe container*
1 roll of paper towels**
2-4 cups cleaning solution (homemade is fine)
Recycle a used round baby wipe container. Cut a roll of paper towel inhalf, (an electric or serrated knife works best for this.) Remove thecenter cardboard. Place 1/2 of the paper towels in the baby wipecontainer. Pour cleaning solution into the container. (The amount willdepend of the absorbency of your paper towels.) This can be used forwindow cleaner, all purpose cleaner, or disinfectant cleaner. Pull thefirst paper towel out of the center of the roll, through the hole inthe container lid. If the paper towels dry out before they are all usedadd more solution or some water.
*If you don't have a baby wipe container, you can use a round plasticcontainer and just drill or punch a large hole in the center of the lid.
**It is best to use expensive, thick paper towels. The cheap ones won'thold up to scrubbing.
Face/Hand Wipes
2 tablespoons liquid baby bath
2 cups water
Bathroom Wipes
1/2 cup pine cleaner
2 cups water
Window Wipes
1 cup glass cleaner
1 1/2 cups water
Outdoor Window Washer
3 Tbsp. liquid dishwashing soap
1 Tbsp. anti-spotting agent (Jet DryTM)
Put soap and anti-spotting agent into a spray bottle attachment foryour garden hose. Spray upper windows and let them dry. This is forcleaning the higher windows on your house that you can't reach exceptwith a ladder.
Tough Hand Cleaner
1/4 cup Fels Naptha*, grated
2 Tbsp. mason#146;s sand or pumice
1 cup water
2 cup plastic container (16 oz. cottage cheese container works great)
Place soap and water in a saucepan. Place over low heat; stir untilsoap is melted. After mixture cools, add mason's sand or pumice. Storein a cottage cheese container or margarine tub. Dip fingers into soapmixture and lather hands. Rinse well.
*Any grated bar of soap will work but Fels Naptha removes the stainsbetter.
Skunk Smell Remover
1 qt. hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tsp. dish detergent
Sponge on and let dry. Safe for use on cats and dogs.
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living expertsand the editorsof
LivingOnADime.com
.As a divorced mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own businesswithout any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 amonth income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on$22,000 a year income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:45ZThe Cost of ClutterStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/The-Cost-of-Clutter
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- /9073.html2010-05-07T08:37:43Z2010-05-07T08:37:43Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>The Cost of Clutter
by Jill Cooper
LivingOnADime.com
We live in a society of extremes. People seem to be extremely in debt, extremely overweight and extremely disorganized. people everywhere are trying to come up with new and better solutions to solve these problems but not many of their ideas are working.
It's because they are focusing on the wrong problem. For example, if your child comes to you and says "I have a drug problem." You don't sit them down and say, "Well let's work on a way to get your grades up and then we'll work on your drug problem." How foolish that would be. The real problem is not the grades but the drugs. You take care of the drugs and the chances are pretty good that the grades will come up.
For some of us, instead of focusing on getting out of debt or losing weight, we need to first give more serious thought to becoming organized. Does that sound crazy, almost laughable? Before you start laughing too hard, look at these examples and see if you can relate.
How often do you go out to eat because your kitchen is a mess? If your kitchen is clean, chances are you would not only be more willing to fix dinner at home but in the morning you would fix breakfast and pack yourself a lunch too.
Here are some benefits of getting your kitchen organized:
You would save at least $5,000 a year for one person, $10,000 for two, and so on if you ate at home.
When you are organized you know what you have in your pantry, so don't buy ingredients that you already have and you don't throw out food you forgot you have.
You would be using your leftovers instead of tossing them.
You will start losing weight because you are preparing regular well balanced meals instead of eating fast food all the time. Besides the fact that homemade food generally has fewer calories than fast food, balanced meals create fewer cravings and this helps eliminate grazing.
Organizing can reduce your wardrobe and laundry costs.
Do you keep buying more clothes because you are gaining weight from fast food or from the stress of your clutter?
How big is your wardrobe? Do you or your children own 30 pairs of jeans at $60 a pop because you don't keep up with the laundry or because your closet is so stuffed you can't find anything? That adds up to $1,800 worth of jeans. If you cut it down to even 10 pairs you would save $1,200. How many tops do you own? How about those shoes? Before you say, "There is no way I have that many jeans, shoes, or tops!" go count you clothes. You may be surprised...
How often do you toss a suit jacket on the floor or on the furniture and then later have to have it dry cleaned because it's wrinkled? Just think what you could save on your dry cleaning bill if you keep a little more organized.
Organizing saves you money!
Organizing can save you money in every aspect of your life.
Do you buy new items because you can't find something? The cost of things like tools, glue, tape, ropes, garden tools, kitchen items, light bulbs, batteries, office supplies and other things really adds up.
How much do you pay each month in late fees on your bills because you can't find them, your checkbook or even a stamp to mail them?
Try something different!
So often we think that the solution to our debt problem is for both spouses to work outside the home when there are no children. At times we even compound the problem when one or both spouses takes a second job.
When both spouses work out of the home, who takes care of the house? Frequently, there is a constant battle between them about whose job it is to take care of some element of the housework. After all, the husband has been out working all day, so he doesn't feel like it. Oh, but the wife has been working, too so why can't she take a break?
Imagine if your boss at work decided to work a second full time job. How would this impact your work place? Who would you ask if you couldn't find products for your customers? What if there was no change because your boss was at his other job until after the bank closed? What if you needed help or advice from your boss, but he said, "Not now... I'm too tired from my other job?" How long would that company last? The same thing happens in many homes every day.
Would your marriage be better served if one spouse stayed home? Someone needs to be responsible for the bulk of the care and maintenance of the home. Ideally, everyone will share the work, but like in any other business there has to be one person in charge. Otherwise, everyone will avoid the work and everything will descend into chaos.
If this sounds like your home, you might sit down with your spouse and seriously consider whether one of you might take off of work to try to get your home in order. Instead of thinking of staying at home as a prison sentence, think of it as another job to help save you money, reduce family stress and add more family comfort.
If you're considering staying home, get rid of the emotions and, with pen and paper (hopefully you can find one) in hand, write down the ways that being disorganized is costing you money. Be honest and try to cover even the small things. You might find that the money you are spending dealing with disorganization is equal to or more then one spouse's take home pay.
Organization has nothing to do with what is politically correct or what the media or other people tell you you need to do. It is a practical choice that you can make. I am NOT saying that you can't work doing something that you love. I am saying that regardless of how your family handles it, the work of keeping the home has to get done.
If you feel that you and your spouse have to or both want to work, then try to come up with other ideas.
Would spending your vacation organizing things and deep cleaning give you enough of a jump start to help keep things organized? Maybe once you organized everything you could consider hiring someone to clean your house once a week. Before you say you can't afford it, think about this-- Which would cost less? -- Paying someone $50 a week to clean your house or paying for all the things that cost you money because you are not organized?
Consider whether it would be worth one spouse working part time instead of full time.
Try one simple thing like hanging up your clothes so you don't have cleaners expense or getting the whole family to pitch in with cleaning the kitchen at the end of each meal.
Maybe you do have the time, but you just don't know how to get organized. If that is the case, then learn. Check out books at the library or search for help on the Internet. Better yet, find someone you know who is organized and ask them to teach you. Don't be embarrassed to do this. Most people are more than willing to show you how to do things. Remember, those older women (and men) that seem to have it all together now didn't start out that way. They've had 20 years or more practice and they remember what it was like to not have a clue where to start. Just ask.
Instead of wasting your time and energy on trying to bail the water out of your sinking boat by bailing faster or using a bigger bucket, fix the hole. CLEAN UP THE CLUTTER AND SAVE.
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
LivingOnADime.com
. As a divorced mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:43Z10 Easy Ways to Get OrganizedStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Easy-Ways-to-Get-Organized
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- /9074.html2010-05-07T08:37:41Z2010-05-07T08:37:41Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>10 Easy Ways to Get Organized
by Jill Cooper
LivingOnADime.com
Hang up your keys. (Preferably by the door.)
Find a place for your purse, coat, gloves and other frequently used items and always keep them there.
Make your bed each day as soon as you crawl out of it.
Get dressed. Even if you are a stay at home mom or your job is at home, get dressed. Clothes really do make the man or woman. You'll be just as productive as you are dressed which means if you are dressed for sleep (pajamas, sweats or a robe) then you will get about as much work done as you would when you are sleeping. That may be stretching it, but you get my point.
Wash the dishes and wipe the counters after each meal. No matter how large or small the meal or how tired and in a hurry you are, do the dishes. Even if you are hurried or late in the morning you wouldn't dream of leaving the house half dressed. Make leaving your kitchen clean as important a priority as getting dressed for work. This may seem impossible at first but once you are on top of things it should only take five or ten minutes to clean your kitchen.
Get rid of trash. About 50% of what unorganized people have in their homes is trash or stuff they will never use again. Stop wasting time taking care of it, moving it or stepping over it. As you walk through the house, pick up garbage and toss it.
Control your laundry. Don't let it control you. Follow these simple steps to help keep your laundry from taking over your home and you.
Place a hamper or basket for dirty clothes in each bedroom and/or bath. Make sure that everyone's dirty clothes are put in the hamper before bed and in the morning.
The laundry isn't done until it is put away. Get out of the mind set that if it is washed and dried it is done. Folding and putting it away is equally as important.
Some of us think that if we get the laundry washed and dried that's all we need to do and it's okay for the family to just pull stuff out of a pile. That makes as much sense as cooking a meal and expecting everyone to stand at the stove and take turns scooping the food out of the pan and eating it one spoonful at a time. You wouldn't dream of doing that. Yes the food is cooked, but the meal is not complete until the table is set and the food is put on plates. Do the same for your laundry. Put it away.
Pick up continually. This may seem like a pain to do at first but if you stick with it, it will become a habit. I didn't realize how much of a habit it had become for me until I was visiting my daughter's the other day. As I was walking into the kitchen, I picked up empty glasses and odds and ends on my way. Then when I walked from the kitchen to the bedroom I picked up toys as I went in there. It wasn't even my house but I had seen something out of place and out of habit picked it up. Every sock or glass that you walk past is a spore waiting to flourish into a vortex of debris. Catch it while it is small!
Read and dispose of newspapers and magazines. There are usually two reasons people have stacks of newspapers and magazines piled around:
They want to save an article in it. If that is the case then cut the article out as you are reading the magazine and file it. Trust me, you not only won't cut that article out at a later time, but you probably won't remember what or where it is.
They don't have time to read them. If you aren't going to read them the why are you subscribing to them? Stop your subscriptions. This doesn't have to be an all or nothing thing. If you can't keep up with the daily newspaper then just get the Sunday paper. Most people usually have more leisure time Sunday to read it. Pick out one or two of your favorite magazines and stop subscribing to the rest.
With any item, if it is broken or you don't use it anymore get rid of it. That includes clothes, toys, furniture, decorations, dishes and exercise equipment. If it's not important enough to fix right now, you don't need it!
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
LivingOnADime.com
. As a divorced mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:41ZAir Drying Clothes Without A ClotheslineStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Air-Drying-Clothes-Without-A-Clothesline
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- /9075.html2010-05-07T08:37:39Z2010-05-07T08:37:39Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Air Drying Clothes Without A Clothesline
By Jill Cooper
LivingOnADime.com
We all know that if we don't dry our clothes in the dryer we save on electricity, but many of us don't think about how the dryer reduces the life of our clothes. For a long time I couldn't understand why so many people were buying scads of socks and underwear for their families every few months. When my children were growing up, they almost never wore out their underwear and socks and we owned only about a quarter as many pair as most people. No I didn't buy some name brand known for its child proof quality. I usually bought the least expensive ones I could find.
Fast forward a couple decades. One day after folding my grandson's new underwear, I noticed that the waistband was terribly rippled. After doing some research, I discovered the answer: The dryer was destroying the rubber elastic in the socks and underwear. I rarely dried my family's clothes in the dryer, so the elastic never broke down. It doesn't just happen with underwear - Have you ever noticed pilling (those little fabric balls) on your clothes and linens and the resulting lint in the dryer? That is the result of the fibers being rubbed thin. The dryer also shrinks clothes and sets in stains.
The two reasons I think most people don't line dry their clothes are that they think it is inconvenient or they're just not sure how to do it. Here are some of the best tips I have found to air dry clothes without a clothes line.
Though I don't use the dryer to dry my clothes, I do use it for five minutes or so with some loads (just long enough to fluff the clothes). I put one load in the dryer and only leave them there as long as it takes me to load the washer with the next load.
If you have no clothesline, you live in an apartment or your homeowners association won't allow clotheslines, here are a few ways to dry without a clothesline. Using a clothesline to dry your clothes can save lots of money!
You need at least one drying rack and some type of clothes rod. You can buy drying racks at most discount stores or hardware stores. You might locate a clothes rod in your laundry room above the dryer, use a sturdy shower curtain rod in the bathroom or get a metal clothes racks that hooks over the back of a door. You don't need much. I can hang two loads of laundry on one drying rack and 2 feet of clothes rod.
Hanging on a Clothes Rod
Hang as many items as you can on clothes hangers, beginning with the obvious things like dresses, dress shirts and blouses and hang the hangers on a clothes rod to dry. Be sure not to put the hangers too close together or the clothes will not dry. You can also hang things like pajama tops, t-shirts, small kids shirts and one piece outfits. Lightweight pants, pajama bottoms, skirts and sweats can be pinned on clothes hangers and even sheets can be folded and hung on them. If you are really short of drying rack space, you can hang socks, underwear, wash rags, hand towels and towels on hangers and add them to your clothes rod, too.
Hanging on a Clothes Rack
When hanging clothes on a drying rack, I start at the bottom with socks and underwear, wash rags and baby clothes. Young children's clothes and hand towels go on the middle layer and the top rack is for towels, jeans, pillow cases, sweaters, sweats, pajama bottoms and t-shirts. I try to use every inch of space, so if I put a pillow case on the rack and there are a couple of inches left next to it I put a sock there. I even hook bras on the corners of the rack.
Drying racks are handy because they can be moved to speed up the drying process. Place them outside on a sunny (but not windy) day. Inside the house, try putting them over a vent and the heat or air conditioner will dry them faster. If you don't have central heat or air then you can place them in front of your heater or a fan. Don't place clothes close enough to heaters to be a fire hazard.
If you are short on space and don't want to look at a drying rack in the middle of the room, do the laundry before bed, hang it and in most cases it will be dry by morning (especially if you set it above an air vent).
Try hanging large king sized sheets or blankets over your shower rod, over the rail of your deck, between two lawn chairs or folded in half or quarters over your clothes rack. When you fold large items, you must flip and turn them every 5-10 hours so that each side gets dry.
Sometimes it is useful to hang a clothesline in the basement or attic. Be sure to check out your department stores and hardware stores for other ideas. They have many clever items like retractable clotheslines, things to hang over doors and some not so new ideas like extra large drying racks that can hold two loads of laundry each.
Even though this may sound complicated at first, once you do it a few times it becomes second nature to you. Pretty quickly, you will discover the most efficient way to hang your clothes on the rack. I know automatically that three wash rags fit across the bottom bar of my rack and the two socks will fit next the that particular t-shirt. It's like putting a puzzle together- the first time takes you longer than the times after that because you know where the pieces fit.
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of http://www.LivingOnADime.com/. Jill Cooper started her own business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:39ZYour Toddler and NuVal: Keeping (FOOD) ScoreStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Your-Toddler-and-NuVal:-Keeping-FOOD-Score
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- /9076.html2010-05-07T08:37:38Z2010-05-07T08:37:38ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:38ZFive Money Traps To Avoid This Holiday SeasonStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Five-Money-Traps-To-Avoid-This-Holiday-Season
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- /9077.html2010-05-07T08:37:38Z2010-05-07T08:37:38ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:38ZIs the Price of Relaxation Stressing You Out?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Is-the-Price-of-Relaxation-Stressing-You-Out
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- /9078.html2010-05-07T08:37:37Z2010-05-07T08:37:37Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Is the Price ofRelaxation Stressing You Out?
By Tawra Kellam
http://www.LivingOnADime.com/
Do you usually find yourself stressed during the holiday season? Istrying to find inexpensive but nice gifts making you ache all over?Save your hard earned money and don't spend it trying to pamperyourself for the holidays. Instead, use these ideas from my frugal bathand beauty guide Pretty for Pennies to ease your holiday stress.
Before your bath, make a batch of Hot Oil Treatment and take it to thebathroom with you. Lock yourself in the bathroom, put on some soothingmusic and light a candle. Put the Hot Oil on your hair and wrap.
For a milk bath, mix 3 cups dry milk and 5-6 drops essential orfragrance oil. Mix ingredients and add frac12; cup to your bath water.If you don't have dry milk try adding 2-3 tablespoons baby oil for arelaxing bath!
Eyes looking a little rough around the edges? Try cucumberslices or tea bags on the eyes to help reduce puffiness. Try it forhalf an hour while soaking in the tub.
To save money on manicures, don't get them so often. Instead, use anail buffer to shine nails between manicures.
An easy way to remove cuticles is to rub them with oil. Then gently push back the cuticles.
For aching feet, make yourself an Herbal Foot Bath or rub a peppermint lotion or salve on your feet. Wrap a warm towel around your feet and enjoy.
Go to the local beauty school to have manicures, pedicures and facials. You can feel pampered without spending a fortune. Five bucks is a great deal for a facial!
After Christmas sales can offer many great deals on bath and beauty products. Purchase nail care kits after Christmas at half price. You can get several polishes and tools for $2-$4. If you family loves to receive perfume, cologne or aftershave, stock up after Christmas when gift sets are on clearance. Give for Mother's Day, Father's day, Birthday's, etc.
Hot Oil Treatment
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Heat ingredients just until warm. Spread on wet hair, especially the ends. (Place only on the ends if you have oily hair.) Wrap a warm, wet towel around hair for 30 minutes to one hour. Shampoo and rinse.
Alternatively, put this on before a shower and then put on a shower cap. Let the hot water from the shower run on your head to warm the oil.
You may also use a blow dryer instead of the shower. Be careful not to make it too hot.
Herbal Foot Bath
Use any of the following dried herbs*:
lavender
rosemary
sage
Mix herbs and place in a small cheesecloth. Fill a bucket full with warm water for your feet and add herbs. Soak away all the pains of the day! Make several at a time and keep on hand after a long day.
*A few drops of scented oil may be used instead.
Tawra Kellam is the editor of
http://www.LivingOnADime.com/
. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:37ZMilk Alternative Does a Body Good Too!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Milk-Alternative-Does-a-Body-Good-Too!
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- /9079.html2010-05-07T08:37:36Z2010-05-07T08:37:36Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Milk Alternative Does a Body Good Too!
by Kymythy R. Schultze
www.Kymythy.com
Question: I have a child who is allergic to milk and dairy products. Do you have a recipe for a good substitute?
Answer: The following recipe is a healthy alternative to dairy milk - you can use it in recipes calling for milk or drink it by the glass. You can also add spices and flavorings to it if you like.
Your child is not alone with their intolerance; many animals, including some humans, don't tolerate milk after weaning. In fact, humans are the only species that purposely drinks another animal's milk. Milk is a hormonal fluid produced to nourish a baby animal of a particular species until weaning. So it's not really that unusual that a child cannot utilize a fluid produced to grow cows! Fortunately, there are other foods rich in calcium. I hope your youngster enjoys the recipe below. If you let them take part in making it and experimenting with flavors, it will help encourage a desire to drink it.
Ami's Almond "Milk"
1 cup raw shelled almonds (organically-grown is best)
5 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla
Soak almonds overnight in 2 cups of water; afterward, drain the water from the nuts, rinse, and pat dry. Put the almonds in a food processor or blender and process until smooth, adding enough water to reach the desired consistency. Strain through a cheesecloth if you wish (you'll loose some nutrients, but the texture will be much smoother). Makes about 4 cups.
And always check with your pediatrician regarding your child's nutritional needs.
About the author: Kymythy R. Schultze is a clinical nutritionist and has been a trailblazer in the field of nutrition for almost two decades. Kymythy is the author of "Natural Nutrition for Cats", and "The Natural Nutrition No-Cook Book: Delicious Food for You...and Your Pets!" She is also author of the best-selling book "Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats: The Ultimate Diet." For more information go to
www.Kymythy.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:36ZBreaking Away from Your AC and HeaterStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Breaking-Away-from-Your-AC-and-Heater
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- /9080.html2010-05-07T08:37:35Z2010-05-07T08:37:35ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:35ZTo Roast or Not to Roast!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/To-Roast-or-Not-to-Roast!
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- /9081.html2010-05-07T08:37:34Z2010-05-07T08:37:34Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>To Roast or Not to Roast!
By Tawra Kellam
http://www.LivingOnADime.com/
Peter Piper Picked a Profoundly Plump Pumpkin -- Now What does he do with it?
Every fall I get many questions about what to do with pumpkins. Many people find curious fascination in imagining what it would be like to grow these versatile little gems, as if growing something that produces a large fruit is somehow more respectable than growing, say, a serrano pepper. Many people eventually venture into pumpkin experimentation. Some succeed and many fail. Much like a dog that chases a car, many people never give thought to what they would do if they actually succeeded in successfully raising a patch of these fall favorites. Whether you have found yourself with more pumpkins than you know what to do with or you are one of the people who had to buy pumpkins and duct tape them to the vine, these tips for roasting and using pumpkins are sure to help you make the most out of them (no matter how you acquired them)!
How to Roast a Pumpkin
You can only do this with a freshly carved pumpkin! Do not use on a pumpkin that has been carved and sitting out for several days.
To bake a fresh 6 to 7 pound pumpkin, halve the pumpkin crosswise and scoop out the seeds and strings. Place halves, hollow side down, in a large baking pan covered with aluminum foil and add a little water. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 1 frac12; to 2 hours or until fork tender. Remove. When cool, scrape pulp from shells and puree, a little at time, in food processor or blender. Mix with a little salt.
To freeze pumpkin puree. Put 1 2 cups in freezer bags along with spices and use in pies.
To use pumpkin puree for recipes: Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth or a flour sack dish towel and let the pumpkin sit to drain out the extra moisture BEFORE cooking with it. Pumpkin is very moist, so in order for your recipe to come out correctly, you MUST strain it.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Boil seeds in water for 5 minutes. Drain well. Sprinkle with salt or seasoned salt. Place a thin layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 250 . Stir after 30 minutes. Bake frac12; 1 hour more or until crunchy.
*Squash seeds may also be used.
Pumpkin Smoothies
1/2 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup milk or vanilla yogurt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. brown sugar
4 ice cubes
whipped cream (optional)
sprinkles (optional)
Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into 2-3 glasses. Serve with a small amount of whipped cream on top. You may also add orange sprinkles if you like. Serves 2-3.
Pumpkin Pancakes
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 frac14; tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
frac12; cup nuts, chopped (optional)
frac12; cup pumpkin
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cups milk
Combine ingredients. Stir just until moistened; batter may be lumpy. Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat; brush lightly with vegetable oil. Pour frac14; cup batter onto hot griddle; cook until bubbles begin to burst. Turn and continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with Pumpkin Maple Sauce and nuts.
Pumpkin Maple Sauce
1 cup maple syrup
frac14; tsp. ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1 frac14; cups pumpkin
Mix together until well blended.
In 5 years, Tawra Kellam and her husband paid off $20,000 personal debt on an average income of $22,000 per year. Tawra is the author of the frugal cookbook Dining On A Dime. Dining On A Dime has over 1200 recipes and tips to help you eat better and spend less. For more free tips and recipes visit her web site at
http://www.LivingOnADime.com/
. Through Oct. 31st. get their
Halloween On A Dime
for FREE! It has a lot of money saving ideas for Halloween, costumes and of course candy leftover recipes, (like moms let children have leftover candy!). Click
here
to download. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:34ZHalloween Tricks and Treats for Savvy MomsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Halloween-Tricks-and-Treats-for-Savvy-Moms
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- /9082.html2010-05-07T08:37:33Z2010-05-07T08:37:33ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:33ZBe Creative With Halloween Decorations!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Be-Creative-With-Halloween-Decorations!
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- /9084.html2010-05-07T08:37:29Z2010-05-07T08:37:29Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Be Creative With Halloween Decorations!
By Jill Cooper
http://www.LivingOnADime.com
I just stepped outside and took a deep breath and then another one and another one. No I don't have a breathing problem or anything. It's just that for the first time in months, I don't feel like I'm breathing in an aquarium. The air is crisp and cool and that means fall is here and the humidity is gone!
At one point in our lives, that would have been the signal for us to haul out boxes and sacks full of Halloween decorations and go to work. It would usually take us at least a month to put everything out. We were one of those families who would put out a "monstrous" (Ha!Ha! No pun intended) display. We literally had hundreds of people drive by our home just to see our decorations. It really was a lot of work, especially because back then you couldn't really buy much to use for outside Halloween decorations. We had to use our imagination and make our own.
We like to have fun at Halloween and not scare the wits out of everyone, so we try to keep our decorations cute and funny looking. To us, Halloween is a time for children to dress up and for one night a year be what they always dreamed of being, whether it's a fairy princess, a ballerina, Superman or even a robot. They get to be on the "stage" for one night to show everyone how beautiful, strong or funny they look. And to end a perfect night they get tons of candy, bags of candy and did I mention, a whole bunch of candy??
Here are some ideas of things we did to have a whole lot of fun for very little money. You can use these same basic principles for any holiday decorating.
You don't have to have a lot of decorations for your display to look nice. I drive by one home every year and each season the owners put out one simple something. For example, in the summer they have one beautiful pot of flowers sitting on their porch. In the fall a pot of mums, for Halloween, one pumpkin with a smiley face and at Christmas one pretty lit up wreath on the door. It's never a lot, but I always get pleasure when I drive by the place and see their one simple decoration.
We work all year buying things at garage sales or thrift stores for our decorations. We started out with about 25 plastic pumpkins to set out for a pumpkin patch. The next year we added another 50 and drilled holes in the bottoms so we could put lights in them. After a few years we had 200-300 of them that we had collected. We never paid more then 5-10 cents for them. If you want to have a big display, start small and just add a little bit more to your decorations each year.
Cute homemade decorations make Halloween fun! If you see something in a magazine or somewhere that you think is cute but too expensive, try to copy it and make it yourself:
I saw a cute rake in a magazine that I loved. It was an old rake that had a few silk flowers tied on it and a sign that said "Free leaves, rake all you want." I just happened to have a dead 50 year old rake in my shed I was going to throw away, so I pulled it out, found an old board and some paint (I could have used a marker too), painted on the words and tied on a couple of stray silk flowers that I had and voila! I had a cute rake and saved about $25.
It takes nothing to stuff some old clothes with plastic bags and make a scarecrow family.
If you are a little handy, put your talent to good use. My husband took and old metal trash can and motorized it so that the lid moved up and down and when it opened it popped out a Sylvester the cat.
We found decorations in unusual places. Once we went to the grocery store where they had a gigantic pumpkin. The thing was about 8-10 feet across. We asked the manager it they threw it out at the end of the season and he said no. We told him what we needed it for and discovered that he had seen our display and liked it. He said "Come by on Halloween morning and you can take it to use and then bring it back." It doesn't ever hurt to ask about anything. Most people aren't mean and hateful, but are usually kind and helpful.
Get more bang for your buck. Buy things that have a big impact but cost little. A couple of bags of spider webs and plastic spiders can cover a lot of area and look "cool" but cost very little. I use spider webs for everything. They're great to use to cover throw pillows for a party, put in your hair, hang on the lights or wrap around the handles of silverware. You just can't have too much.
Use what you already have around the house.
We were having a Halloween party and to add to the effect, we dug out some black sheets and covered all the furniture. It changed the whole look of the room.
Another year, my husband found some 10 foot long, thin metal rods. We stuck them in the ground, added styrofoam wig heads to each one and hung some large pieces of sheer fabric I had gotten for free from a friend over the tops of the heads. Everyone loved them. The sheer material had a much more realistic see through look then just a sheet. At night, you couldn't see the rod so it looked like these ghosts were floating 10 feet up in the air.
Start the day after Halloween to prepare for next year. If your kids get a bunch of plastic spiders when they go trick or treating, save them and add them to the decoration box. If your child dressed as a pumpkin this year, save the costume, stuff it next year and set it out with the decorations. Try to think of ways to incorporate any old costumes into your decorations.
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
http://www.LivingOnADime.com/
. As a single mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own home business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. They have helped thousands of people all over the world to save money and get out of debt. Through Oct. 31st. get their
Halloween On A Dime
for FREE! It has a lot of money saving ideas for Halloween, costumes and of course candy leftover recipes, (like moms let children have leftover candy!). Click
here
to download. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:29ZAcres of Apples, Frugal to the CoreStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Acres-of-Apples,-Frugal-to-the-Core
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- /9085.html2010-05-07T08:37:29Z2010-05-07T08:37:29ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:29ZSurviving and Saving When Your SickStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Surviving-and-Saving-When-Your-Sick
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- /9086.html2010-05-07T08:37:27Z2010-05-07T08:37:27Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Surviving and Saving When Your Sick
by Tawra Kellam
LivingOnADime.com
My husband and I paid off $20,000 in debt and medical bills in five years on $22,000 per year averaged income, and I am disabled with Fibromyalgia and ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Here are some of the ways we lived frugally and made it work:
Keep meals simple. Try any of these simple meals:
Chicken, with a bottle of hot and sour sauce dumped over the top and served with rice.
Taco salad made with bagged lettuce, hamburger browned with taco seasoning, sour cream, salsa and olives.
Baked chicken with freezer rolls and sliced cucumbers, peppers, carrots, tomatoes and ranch dressing.
Most of our meals take under 20 minutes to prepare. Write down 10 quick meals that are family favorites. Keep the "quick favorites" list in a specific spot and always keep the ingredients for these favorite meals on hand. Then, when you are sick and can#146;t spend a lot of time cooking, you can make something quick and easy.
Also, make as much of dinner as you can when you are feeling your best. Then if you aren't feeling well come dinner time it will be almost all done and you won't be tempted to send for take out.
Get the kids to help with daily cleanup. Kids can help pick up most of the house with proper direction. Mine are 10, 9, and 5 and have been helping since they were 3. I ask each of them to pick up toys. Then I ask each of them to pick up four more things. Later, I might ask them to empty all the trash cans and the dishwasher. Let the kids help as much as possible. Mine spend about 10 minutes a day helping and it makes a world of difference!
Use paper plates. They are cheap, come from a renewable resource and can be composted - use them! They cost about one cent each, so spending five cents for our family of five is way cheaper than the $40 take out!
Give each person his own color of drinking glass. This way, you can prevent family members from getting confused about whose glass is whose and constantly getting out new glasses.
Try to do at least one load of laundry a day. That way you won't get overwhelmed or behind.
Let non-critical things go! Ignore the dust, the dirty windows, and other things like that. If you are lying sick on the couch where you look right out a dirty window, then ask your kids or hubby to clean it, but otherwise forget it until later!
By doing just these few things, you can keep yourself from going insane and save some money, even when your sick.
Tawra and her mother, Jill Cooper (who also has ME/CFS) are frugal living experts and the editors of
http://www.LivingOnADime.com/
, a website filled with tips on how to save time, money, and energy #150; all of which are often in short supply for most of us! They have helped thousands of people all over the world to save money and get out of debt. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:27ZMagnificent Muskmelons: CantaloupeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Magnificent-Muskmelons:-Cantaloupe
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- /9087.html2010-05-07T08:37:25Z2010-05-07T08:37:25Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Magnificent Muskmelons: Cantaloupe
By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
www.freshbaby.com
Cantaloupes, also called muskmelons, have a distinct netted or webbed rind. Dating back beyond 2400 B.C., it is likely the cantaloupe originated in Persia or possibly Afghanistan. In that time, cantaloupes were cultivated over quite a wide span -- from Egypt and across to Northwest India. These sweet and juicy melons were the food of royalty for many cultures.
The cantaloupe is 95 percent water, and all that sweetness comes from the other 5 percent of the fruit. Cantaloupes are a low-calorie, highly-nutritious, nearly no-fat treat. One-fourth of a medium-sized cantaloupe provides 80 percent of the recommended daily allowance for both vitamins A and C. Cantaloupes also contain some iron, calcium, fiber and protein.
In earlier cultures, cantaloupes were thought to have great medicinal properties that included cleansing the body and the skin. These early herbalist were on the right track. Today we know cantaloupes may be helpful to people with heart disease because they contain an anticoagulant called adenosine. They also contain a high level of beta carotene, an antioxidant that's associated with cancer prevention. Abundant in potassium, cantaloupes may also be beneficial to people with high blood pressure.
Age to introduce: 10-12 months (pureed or in small bite-sizes pieces)
Toddler Treat: Out of This Galaxy Cantaloupe Treat
With just a couple minutes of preparation, you can turn a simple cantaloupe into a fantastic galactic treat. Add a piece of whole wheat toast and this recipe becomes a terrific meal to start the day. This recipe is for toddlers and older.
Ingredients:
1 medium sized cantaloupe
1 2/3 cups of large curd cottage cheese
1 Tbsp ground almonds, shredded coconut or raisins (or a mixture)
Drizzle of honey (for those over the age of 1 only)
Directions:
Using a large, sharp knife, cut the cantaloupe crosswise into rings. Trim off the rind and scoop out the seeds. Place each ring on a plate and carefully cut the ring into bite-sized pieces while keeping the ring shape. Using an ice cream scoop, fill the center with a scoop of cottage cheese (about 1/3 cup). Sprinkle a planetary dusting of ground almonds, raisins and coconut over the cottage cheese and drizzle a solar spray of honey on top. Serve.
Makes 5 servings.
Cantaloupe for the Family
At the market: Press gently on the blossom end of the melon. It should be slightly soft. At room temperature, the blossom end should also have a subtle melon fragrance. It is sometimes hard to smell a melon in the store, because they are kept cool. Avoid a melon with a stem, because it was picked too early and will not be sweet.
Storage: Once picked, cantaloupes don#146;t get any sweeter. However, they do "ripen" or soften. For best results, "ripen" cantaloupes at a room temperature for two to four days. After this time, they can be stored in the refrigerator where they'll keep another 10 to 14 days.
Preparation: Using a long, sharp knife, cut the cantaloupe in half. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard them. To remove the fruit from the rind, you can use a melon baller which will make little round-shaped melon pieces. Or you can make melon chunks by slicing the melon half into one-inch crescent moon shapes, then slide the knife around the rind edge to remove the rind. Cut the melon into bite-sized chunks.
Here are some quick ideas to add cantaloupe into your family meals:
Add a dash of flavor: To always have cantaloupe on hand, cut a whole one into chunks, place the pieces in a covered container and keep the container in the refrigerator. Of course plain cantaloupe is delicious, but some people sprinkle their cantaloupe with salt and pepper, others add a dash of powdered ginger or cinnamon. Citrus lovers feel that a sprinkle of lemon or lime juice adds a flavor boost to the cantaloupe. Try them all and you decide which is best.
A tisket, a tasket, a colorful cantaloupe basket: Make a cantaloupe basket with a few cuts into the rind. First scoop out the seeds and discard them. Next, scoop out the fruit using a melon baller. To get nice round melon balls, twist the melon baller 2-3 times before removing the fruit ball. To your basket, add a mixture of the melon balls, watermelon chunks, blueberries and kiwi slices.
Dress for success -- the edible garnish: Impress your family by dressing up an everyday meal. Place a bamboo skewer of cantaloupe chunks alternated with strawberries and fresh mint leaves. Top the skewer with a lime wedge and place at the edge of the each person#146;s dinner plate or across the center.
Awesome Fruit Salsa: This salsa is terrific with tortilla chips, but also fabulous on cheese quesadillas or anything grilled. To whip up a batch of Cantaloupe Salsa simply add the following ingredients to a bowl and toss gently:
1 cup of diced cantaloupe
1 cup of diced fresh tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
frac12; diced jalapentilde;o pepper (ribbed and seeded), optional
Salt and pepper, to taste
About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby (
www.FreshBaby.com
). They are the creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats, available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target and Whole Foods Markets. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:25ZFive Ways to Stretch Your DollarStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Five-Ways-to-Stretch-Your-Dollar
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- /9088.html2010-05-07T08:37:23Z2010-05-07T08:37:23Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Five Ways to Stretch Your Dollar
By Al Jacobs
www.onthemoneytrail.com
A provocative headline appeared in a recent edition of USA Today: "The incredible shrinking nest egg." The accompanying article described the plight of many middle-age, middle-income Americans as they assess their financial predicament in an economy beset with rising inflation, uncertain investments, and falling returns on savings. A common theme is the fear that retirement may never become a reality. One particular couple, singled out in an interview, illustrated the dilemma. The 49-year-old wife said that both she and her husband enjoy good jobs, but that with the mutual funds in her 401(k) down 4% since the first of the year, continually rising costs of living, and their home value off 25% in the past two years, things look bleak. She added that they're now "focusing on paying off their auto loans and other debt as fast as possible."
It's true! The retirees' dollar is not stretching as it once did. The pensions, social security income, and return on savings that previous generations enjoyed can no longer be counted upon. For many persons, a radical change in spending and saving habits during the earning years must be the answer. I'd like to offer the following five suggestions to help make it possible.
Beware of interest. The single greatest economic threat to most Americans is payment of interest. The credit card, successfully foisted upon us by our financial institutions, now has this nation by its collective neck, with interest rates exceeding 20% not uncommon. You must break this hold if you are ever to enjoy financial independence. The solution is simple; pay your monthly credit card bill in full, before any interest is charged. In this way, the rate on your card, however high, is meaningless. If you cannot bring yourself to do this, then cut up the card with a scissors and adjust your life accordingly.
Harness the horseless carriage. The motor vehicle constitutes the average American's single most important fixation. Far more than transportation, it is for many the embodiment of beauty, pride, status, and individuality. Why that's so is no mystery, as it is our most forcefully marketed product. Unfortunately the need to sport a fashionable vehicle can be an obsession that overrides good sense, and many persons stay locked into auto debt for a lifetime. Resolving this problem is easily accomplished. Whatever your vehicle, it should be paid for in full. If this means that you must drive a 1984 Toyota Corolla, so be it. Later, when your fortune and future are secure, you may enjoy a brand new convertible Rolls Royce if you choose#151;but only as an all-cash acquisition.
Buy wisely. The products we acquire and use over a lifetime define what is important to us. Unfortunately, many of the choices we make are based more on illusion than sound reality. Whether your choice of lipstick is the $25 Chanel selection from Macy's, the $7.50 Max Factor brand from Rite Aid Drug, or the $1.39 Wet 'n Wild tube from Target, recognize that the essential ingredients are the same. The difference is packaging, promotion, and mystique, which is what many businesses are all about. If the market manipulators create your preferences, you may expect to pay a premium for everything you buy. There is one good rule to follow if you want to stretch your dollars: The more aggressively a product is advertised and promoted, the greater your resolve to avoid it.
Higher education need not break you. It takes no great insight to be aware that the cost of attending the nation's educational institutions is rising rapidly. If either you or your progeny aspire to a university degree, you may already be contemplating massive expense. It's no longer unusual for a graduate to amass a six figure debt burden by the time the diploma is attained. From the information publications issued and the standard advice proffered, it seems inevitable that a fortune must be spent to obtain a first rate diploma. I'll propose an alternative. The first two years are spent at a local community college while living at home. In my state, California, at a $20 per unit cost, tuition for a full 30-unit year comes to $600. The last two years attending a state university, again commuting from home, completes the degree requirement. The tuition structure at the California State University system (referred to as a "fee") is not backbreaking; the annual fee at Cal State Long Beach, for example, is $3,116. In this way, including textbooks#151;used, of course#151;and other campus charges, a sheepskin can be earned for less than $10,000. And don't think the education received is somehow inferior, simply because it's cheap. I can attest that four years spent as I suggest can result in an educational experience equal to four years at Harvard University.
Arrange to make your money grow. The adage that time is money is accurate; it depicts the earning power of money astutely invested. Let me suggest a method. Open a self-directed brokerage IRA account#151;preferably a Roth if you're eligible#151;in which you accumulate certificates of deposit, treasury notes, and high grade corporate bonds. Begin at an early age and pursue this program systematically through your working years. An annual contribution of only $4,000 invested at 7frac12; percent, compounded semiannually over the 40-year period from ages 25 to 65, results in more than a million dollars. It's the compound interest that brings this about, a phenomenon as close to magic as you'll ever encounter.
You now possess a set of guidelines that, if followed, will put dollars in your pocket and help keep them there. The nicest part of all is that a lifetime of prosperity doesn't demand profound abilities or superhuman effort. It simply requires that you don't do a lot of dumb things.
Al Jacobs has been a professional investor for nearly four decades. He is a nationally syndicated columnist and appears regularly on ProducersWeb.com, DrLaura.com and SheKnows.com. He draws on his extensive expertise in real estate, mortgage, and securities investments to counsel millions on how to invest wisely and spend prudently. He is the author of
Nobody's Fool: A Skeptic's Guide to Prosperity
. Subscribe to his financial column, "On the Money Trail," at no cost or obligation, by visiting
www.onthemoneytrail.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:23ZSave $400 On School Lunches This Year!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Save-$400-On-School-Lunches-This-Year!
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- /9089.html2010-05-07T08:37:22Z2010-05-07T08:37:22Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Save $400 On School Lunches This Year!
by Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam
LivingOnADime.com
These days in America, it seems that everyone is so busy that preparing school lunches is liable to push a typical mom right over the edge. When you have to choose between making school lunches or spending that extra 15 minutes in bed, it seems like buying ready made lunches at the store is a no-brainer, but your budget doesn't agree
The average mom packs $2.00 worth of pre-packaged goodies into each lunch she sends to school with her kids. (That works out to $720 for 2 kids.) What mother hasn't wondered if those lunches are even getting eaten?
Try these tips for things you can do in 30 minutes or less on the weekend to make those school lunches a snap!
School Lunches don't have to cost a lot!
Those snack bags of munchies cost a lot! Make your own by pre-packaging chips, pretzels, animal crackers and other snack items into sandwich bags on the weekends. (Have the kids help!) Store them in a big container or basket and just throw them in the lunch box in the morning.
Let the kids create their own Pizza lunch kits- Toast bread and cut out little circles with a biscuit cutter. Add small containers of pizza sauce, cheese, and other toppings.
Make fruit gelatin and pudding and put in small plastic containers for the week. Make a large batch of granola bars, cookies, pumpkin bread, banana bread or muffins. Divide them into zip top sandwich bags and freeze so that you can grab one or two when needed.
Brownie bites are simple to make. Bake brownie mix in mini-muffin pans and put three "brownie bites" in a sandwich bag for each child's lunch. They freeze well too!
Fill thermos (not glass) half full with juice the night before and freeze. In the morning, remove from freezer and fill the rest of the way. The juice will be cold when the kids are ready to drink it and it keeps their food cold too.
Clean vegetables, slice into pieces and bag. Preparing a weeks worth of veggies at a time for lunches and snacks saves money and time.
Purchase cheese in blocks, cut into pieces and put in sandwich bags.
Save napkins, catsup and mustard packets you get from take-out. Use in lunches.
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
http://www.LivingOnADime.com/
. As a divorced mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own home business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. They have helped thousands of people all over the world to save money and get out of debt. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:22ZA Woman's World of MoneyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/A-Womans-World-of-Money
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- /9090.html2010-05-07T08:37:20Z2010-05-07T08:37:20Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>A Woman's World of Money
By Al Jacobs
Over the years that I've dispensed financial advice, I've never distinguished much between the genders.nbsp; It's always been my attitude that an investment approach which suits a man should equally suit a woman.nbsp; I've reasoned that a dollar in the hands of Jack is no different than in the hands of Jill, inasmuch as they both tumble down the hill together.
It appears, however, that I've been overlooking something.nbsp; A provocative book by Lois P. Frankel, PhD, a business consultant and psychotherapist, titled
Nice Girls Don't Get Rich: 75 Avoidable Mistakes Women Make with Money
, points out numerous factors that my male chauvinist focus fails to consider.nbsp; She explains that quot;Our [women's] real roles revolve less around money and more around relationships,quot; adding that quot;throughout our lives we're given multiple, often conflicting, messages.nbsp; This double bind causes little girls to limit their interest in acquiring wealth.quot;nbsp; She further stresses that quot;if you don't
think
rich, you certainly don't consciously engage in behaviors that will contribute to
getting
rich.quot;
Dr. Frankel's book - of which I've now completed its entire 283 pages - demonstrates her sound understanding of both economics and the feminine approach to wealth.nbsp; Perhaps it's time I altered a few of my previous financial recommendations.nbsp; There are four specific areas of advice I want to direct in ways to better address my women readers.
1.
Generosity
. If, as suggested, you are more sensitive than men by nature, then channel your caring attitude in ways less financially detrimental.nbsp; Don't loan or give money or possessions to friends or relatives.nbsp; Instead, express your generosity in ways that donrsquo;t cost anything.nbsp; Personal letters expressing condolence, congratulations, or regrets in lieu of loans of money or gifts will give you satisfaction without the sting.nbsp; You may be equally generous with smiles, compliments, and expressions of understanding without an inclination to dip into your handbag.
2.
Knowledge
. Once you've made an effort to objectively investigate a matter, don't presume that others - particularly men - know more about the subject than you.nbsp; This is especially true of stock brokers, insurance representatives, real estate agents, and financial advisers of all varieties.nbsp; It's probably equally so in dealings with assorted clerks, vendors, and shopkeepers.nbsp; Most importantly, there is no one with a greater interest in your own well-being than you. Your actions should reflect that reality.nbsp; Rely upon your judgment and remember always that if something does not make sense to you, presume it to be senseless.
3.
Expenditures
. Evidently social pressures that bear heavily on the female community can lead to unwise spending.nbsp; Dr. Frankel describes the lack of sales resistance many women exhibit and recommends that impulse buying can be better controlled by making a list before you shop and always sleep on purchases that exceed $250.nbsp; I have an additional suggestion that may prove even more failsafe. nbsp;We cannot deny that much unwarranted spending is the result of a universal proliferation of credit cards - one of the more insidious devices that ever tempted the unwary.nbsp; For this reason, if you cannot control your purchases, you'll do well to destroy your credit cards and conduct your life on a cash basis.nbsp; The inconvenience it will cause will be preferable to a lifetime in the plastic jungle.
4.
Assets
. No one should arrive at the later years of life without an assured stash of assets.nbsp; This is in keeping with the shrewd advice of that skeptical heroine Lorelei Lee, portrayed by Carol Channing in Styne and Robin's Broadway musical
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
, where she offers these delightful lyrics:
Time goes on and youth is gone,
and you can't straighten up when you bend.nbsp;
But stiff back or stiff knees, you stand straight at Tiffany's.
Diamonds are a girl's best friend.
Lorelei's opinion as to reliance on we males of the species is also well presented.
He's your guy when stocks are high,
but beware when they start to descend.
Itrsquo;s then that those louses go back to their spouses.
Diamonds are a girl's best friend.
This requires that you get to work early so to amass what you'll need.nbsp; An individual IRA account (Roth, if you can swing it) into which you systematically accumulate suitable securities over your productive lifetime is a reasonable way to go about it.nbsp; Although I prefer interest-bearing investments such as CDs, treasuries, or corporate bonds, the acquisition of no-load index funds through low-fee institutions such as Fidelity, Vanguard, or T. Rowe Price, is an acceptable substitute.
I'll say no more, except to apologize for my past omissions.nbsp; In the future I will endeavor to give greater consideration to the proclivities of the fairer sex.
AL JACOBS has been a professional investor for nearly four decades.nbsp;He is a nationally syndicated columnist and appears regularly on
ProducersWeb.com, DrLaura.com
and
SheKnows.com.
He draws on his extensive expertise innbsp;real estate, mortgage, and securities investments to counsel millions on how to invest wisely and spend prudently. He is the author of
Nobodyrsquo;s Fool: A Skepticrsquo;s Guide to Prosperity.
Subscribe to his financial column, quot;On the Money Trail,quot; at no cost or obligation, by visiting
www.onthemoneytrail.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:20ZAre Rising Prices Scaring You?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Are-Rising-Prices-Scaring-You
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- /9091.html2010-05-07T08:37:18Z2010-05-07T08:37:18Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Are Rising Prices Scaring You?
By Jill Cooper
LivingOnADime.com
We are getting e-mails and it has been all over the news - quot;What do we do? They are rationing rice!!quot;
I haven't decided if I should just laugh or start tearing my hair out. First everyone panicked over the price of gas... then it was the price of apples, then milk and now rice. What I find so amusing about the whole thing is a lot of those same people who are in a panic are still using their gas to go to the movies, to go on vacations, to travel for sports activities, to go shopping and to go most any place they want to go.
So many people complain about the price of gas when it costs $4.00 a gallon but don't bat an eye when going to Starbucks to pay $4.00 for one cup (8 oz. or 1/8 of a gallon) of coffee that they could have made at home for pennies. Despite all the fuss, most Americans have not substantially changed their lives because of gas prices.
Then there is another whole group who complain about how they quot;aren't like other peoplequot;. They don't spend a penny on anything and they still have nothing and, because their lot in life is so miserable, they have a right to be afraid of what is happening in the world and in their lives. They have a quot;What about me?quot; attitude all of the time.
The Bible says that God does not give us the spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind. Even if you aren't a Christian, I want you to really think about those words because they apply to human nature in general.
We are living in a world that is crazed with fear and because of that we have lost power over ourselves, our lives and our circumstances. Because of that fear we have very little love for anyone. When you love someone or something your main thoughts are focused on that person or thing that you love. What do you think about all the time? --Your spouse, your children, joyful things and happy things or do you focus on yourself and on how these terrible prices are going to affect you?
Do you know how powerless you become when you give way to fear? When you're constantly afraid, you can't function properly at work which leads to not getting a pay raise or worse yet, getting fired. You can't get your mind off of that which you fear and it filters into every area of your life.
You become short and angry with your family when they try to talk to you, ask you something or want to spend time with you because they are interrupting your focus on your fear. quot;How am I going to get some rice (or gas, or milk or apples)quot;, quot;If there's a shortage of rice now, I'm sure that is going to lead to a shortage on ALL foodquot;, quot;If there is a shortage of food, that will mean I can't go on vacation this summer or buy that new car.quot;
You say but that's silly and doesn't even make sense. No it doesn't and that is where the sound mind comes in. Where there is fear there is total loss of rational reasoning or what I call quot;common sensequot;.
When someone isn't of sound mind (not using common sense), they think there is going to be a shortage on rice and they panic. They tell everyone they know. The word spreads and then everyone panics and runs out to hoard rice. All that fear has a snowball effect which then creates a shortage of rice where there wasn't one.
If people had not given over to fear and had been of sound mind (using common sense) they would have thought, quot;No big deal, we'll have pasta instead or just do without rice for now.quot; They would go about their daily business without giving it another thought and focus on more important things like how to be a kinder more loving spouse or parent.
When people aren't consumed with fear they can think more rationally, which helps them make wiser and more practical decisions. When fear is gone they have peace and joy and patience and most of all they are more loving.
Think about it. How much of your life is ruled by fear? If you filter back through most negative emotions, most of them begin with fear of something. Do you buy things you can't afford because you are afraid of what people will think of you? Do you spend more on gifts for your friends and your children's friends because you fear that people won't love you?
Take a serious look at the things you obsess about. Do you obsess about them because of some kind of fear? I don't know how to tactfully and gently say this but lately I have seen quiet (and sometimes loud) fear in a new thing called quot;becoming green and saving the environmentquot;. This is really just another form of fear. When people become obsessed and overcome, it is usually out of fear and not out of rational thinking.
I'm not saying you shouldn't try to save the environment if you think that it needs saving. I'm simply saying don't let things that stem from fear of something control your life in such a way that you lose all of your life's joy and your capacity for reasonable and rational thinking.
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
LivingOnADime.com
. As a single mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own home business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. They have helped thousands of people all over the world to save money and get out of debt. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:18ZPacking Food for Road TripsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Packing-Food-for-Road-Trips
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- /9092.html2010-05-07T08:37:16Z2010-05-07T08:37:16Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Packing Food For Road Trips
By Jill Cooper
LivingOnADime.com
If you have some money saved for a trip but you know that the gas cost is going to eat most of your funds, try cutting your budget in another area, like your food. Consider taking your food with you. Going out to eat on a trip does not hold the excitement that it once did. Most families go out to eat so often at home that the novelty of it has worn off. The next time you travel try packing your own food.
Don't forget breakfast -- Sometimes getting on the road the first thing in the morning is such a rush that it might be easier to wait and eat breakfast after you have driven an hour or two. This works especially well if you have to start out in the wee hours of the morning.
Breakfast
Muffins, banana or apple bread
Don't forget the butter or cream cheese.
Donuts, honey buns
If you think it will be easier for you, buy them individually packaged. I'm not sure why, but kids seem to love individually packaged things and it makes everything more fun.
Bagels with cream cheese and jam
Mix the jam and cream cheese together and place in a small container before you leave.
Individual boxes of cereal with milk
When I was young I always thought that it was so neat to be able to cut the sides of the boxes open and use the cereal box for a bowl. My mom thought it was neat because she didn't have to bring extra bowls and could toss the boxes.
Hard boiled eggs
Little smoky sausages (the pre-cooked kind)
These can be eaten out of the package, but if you like them hot, place them in a small thermos and pour very hot to boiling water over them. Put on the lid and by the time you are ready to eat them, the water will have heated them through.
Lunch and Dinner
Sandwiches
Sandwiches are always great for a trip. Use hoagie buns instead of regular sandwich bread. It makes them a little more special and they don't crush as easily.
Good old peanut butter is great for the kids. Pay just a few more pennies and get the peanut butter in the tube. No messy knives and it's smaller than a jar. If you have spare packets of jelly from eating out, use those or buy jelly in the tube, too.
If you put lettuce or tomato on your sandwiches, bag them separately and put them on just before you are ready to eat.
Chicken or slices of ham
Fried chicken is always a good picnic stand by. See later tips on keeping it cold.
Hot dogs
As with the little sausages, put the hot dogs in a thermos and cover with boiling water. They will be perfectly cooked when ready to eat. To me these are so much easier than sandwiches and everyone loves them.
Potato salad or pasta salad
Keep them in a small cooler.
Chips, crackers and cheeses
Buy chips in the cans. Slice or cut cheeses into cubes before you leave. Cheese sticks are perfect.
Baked beans
Once again, they keep great in a thermos.
Fruits and veggies
Apples, Oranges (already peeled) and firmer fruits.
Clean and bag carrot sticks, celery, broccoli, cauliflower or other vegetables.
Cookies, brownies, quick breads and muffins
These are the best desserts.
Drinks
Of course pop works great, but I like to freeze bottles of lemonade. Lemonade seems more refreshing. You can also have juice or iced tea in bottles and coffee in a thermos for coffee drinkers. Be sure to freeze all your drinks to help keep your other foods cool in place of ice.
Don't forget the water!
General Tips
Kids usually whine and fuss for one of two reasons. They are hungry or tired. This is especially true on trips, so bring plenty of snacks and a pillow for everyone.
If you have room, box each family member's meal in his own box like the box lunches they give out at activities. This is really handy if you have to eat while driving. When finished eating, each person can put his empty wrappers in his own box for easy clean up.
Be sure to bring those extra ketchup, mustard, salt, and pepper packets you get from fast food. Don't forget the plastic knives, forks and spoons along with napkins and a paring knife. Make sure just about everything is disposable.
If money is tight, you don't have to have elaborate meals. I still fondly remember the trips when we stopped and bought a bag of chips, a loaf of bread, a package of bologna and cheese. We washed it down with an icy cold Pepsi and nothing tasted better.
If you can, buy the gadget that you plug into the lighter plug in your car to heat water. It works well for instant coffee, oatmeal and hot chocolate.
In this day and age with so many convenience foods available, it isn't hard to pack a lunch for the road. Even using those convenience foods, it is usually cheaper than buying food for the whole family at a fast food place.
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
LivingOnADime.com
. They have helped thousands save money and get out of debt by starting with just their grocery bill. To get their free mini e-course on Grocery Savings visit
LivingOnADime.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:16ZSeven Best Decisions You Can Make About MoneyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Seven-Best-Decisions-You-Can-Make-About-Money
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- /9093.html2010-05-07T08:37:14Z2010-05-07T08:37:14Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Seven Best Decisions You Can Make About Money
By Al Jacobs
When this title was first suggested to me, I instinctively blurted out: "I can think of only one best decision . . . acquire as much of it is you can!" I've since reconsidered; there are others.
1. Don't spend what you don't have. First and foremost, regularly spend less than you make. Consider a local mattress dealer that advertises on radio and TV. His madcap skits, offering "no deposit, no interest, and no payments until . . . whenever," are hilarious. However, I shudder at the thought that someone actually purchases an unaffordable product, gambling that in a year or so the full purchase price can be paid so to avoid scheduled fees and retroactive interest. It's a recipe for disaster.
2. You'll find your financial helping hand at the end of your arm. A half-century ago, the average American anticipated retirement through an employee pension fund, supplemented by social security. Much has since changed since. Many employers, for sheer survival, are under-funding their pension programs and ridding themselves of employees. And with Social Security rapidly evolving into a welfare system, there is little outside assistance to count on. The significance is clear: Fund your own retirement through regular savings and sound investments. Fashion your life so that part of your income is not consumed, but available for the future. You must do this yourself; don't expect help elsewhere.
3. Arrange to make your money grow. The adage that time is money is accurate; it depicts the earning power of money astutely invested. Let me suggest a method. Open a self-directed brokerage IRA account-preferably a Roth if you're eligible-in which you accumulate certificates of deposit, treasury notes, and high grade corporate bonds. Begin at an early age and pursue this program systematically through your working years. An annual contribution of $4,000 invested at 7frac12; percent, compounded semiannually over the 40-year period from ages 25 to 65, results in more than a million dollars. It's the compound interest that brings this about, a phenomenon as close to magic as you'll ever encounter.
4. Don't be taken advantage of. There is no limit to the ways your money can be misspent or the persons who will take it from you. Don't let this happen. Delete spam e-mails unopened. Recognize that all advertisements qualify for the admonition: Ninety-five percent of everything is nonsense. Purchase nothing from uninvited salesmen. Ignore random solicitations for charitable contributions.
5. Plan for the changes that must surely come. Life is a constantly evolving process, with significance at each stage. In your twenties it's acceptable to live on a shoestring while dreaming and scheming for the future. By your thirties, as family or professional obligations take precedence, closely control your spending and savings habits. During your forties assiduously concentrate on asset accumulation. I recommend that by age fifty you are able to subsist on passive investment income if necessary. By your sixtieth birthday, you qualify as wealthy, meaning that you can live in a style you choose with no employment required. Be aware that things will work out this way only by your early decision to make it happen
6. Don't expect money to make you happy. You've heard the old saying: "Money isn't everything." That's true. Like it or not, wealth brings with it certain demands and responsibilities, and if you ignore them you'll regret it. As you become wealthy - recognizably wealthy - certain aspects of your life change, and not all for the better. Although the problems of meeting the mortgage and financing the children's schooling may no longer exist, other problems move in to take their place. Your relationship with friends and relatives begin to change as you are viewed as something apart. It seems that admiration and envy are opposite sides of the same coin, and as your perceived fortune grows, you will be the recipient of both emotions. Merely possessing money doesn't ensure happiness. Only its prudent use results in satisfaction.
7. Give away what you don't need. In the final analysis, there is a practical limit on personal consumption, beyond which satisfaction is marginal. At some point in our lives there must be more than mere acquisition. In this hostile world are deserving people, and the opportunity to share your bounty in a meaningful way is exactly that - an opportunity. There is satisfaction in giving back a portion of your good fortune. Establish a private non-profit educational foundation into which you contribute sums of money. These funds become available for scholarships to students chosen by the foundation directors whom you select, perhaps faculty members of a nearby college. The student chosen receive payments as long as they perform satisfactorily, and it's your task to monitor their performance. Not only do deserving students benefit directly to the extent of nearly 100 percent of your contributions, but also your donations qualify as tax deductions. This is a fine way to fund a philanthropic enterprise in which the value to the actual recipients can be seen and appreciated. What finer way might you spend money?
AL JACOBS has been a professional investor for more than four decades. His business experience ranges from real estate, mortgage, and securities investment to appraisal, civil engineering, and the operation of a private trust company. In addition to managing his investments on a day-to-day basis, he is a featured financial columnist for both online and print publications. He is the author of Nobody's Fool: A Skeptic's Guide to Prosperity. You may subscribe to his financial Newsletter, "On the Money Trail," at no cost or obligation, by visiting
www.onthemoneytrail.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:14ZTips for Inexpensive Graduation PartiesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Tips-for-Inexpensive-Graduation-Parties
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- /9094.html2010-05-07T08:37:12Z2010-05-07T08:37:12Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Tips for Inexpensive Graduation Parties
By Jill Cooper
LivingOnADime.com
Bobbi asks:
Our daughter graduates this spring and wants to have a graduation party afterwards for family and friends. We have very little money for that. Do you have any ideas for finger foods, salads, and decorating ideas that would fit our budget? Thank you, Bobbi
First of all, keep it simple.
Decorate using anything that your daughter has collected over the years that has her high school colors or mascot on it. For a tablecloth, go to the dollar store and get a plastic tablecloth in her school colors or go to Wal-Mart and get an inexpensive twin sheet (for about $3) in her colors. Hang school pictures or scrapbook items around the room or lay them on the table. Also, balloons and streamers from the dollar store can add a lot to the decorations for a small price. For my daughters graduation I didn't decorate much, but I did lay out a very nice food table.
As far as food goes, it's really more about the presentation than the food. Even the most inexpensive food looks expensive when served on a silver platter or glass tray. Do things like cut the sandwiches into triangles and cut off the crusts. Use foods like egg salad, ground up chicken or ham sandwiches. When you grind your meat, it can go much farther.
Punch can be a less expensive alternative to trying to serve pop. I make punch all the time by mixing 3-4 different flavors of Kool-Aid and then freezing it long enough to make it slushy. Use less water than what the directions indicate. If the package calls for 2 quarts of water, I use 1 and 3/4 quarts. People frequently ask me for my recipe and are often surprised to learn that it is just plain old Kool-Aid.
Look through your cookbooks and find salads that call for less expensive ingredients. For example, adding a few veggies to a pasta salad is less expensive then making a veggie salad with lots of cauliflower and broccoli in it. Here's a strawberry salad that I used at my daughter's graduation that is great because it freezes well, allowing me to make it long before the party. If you have a cake, too, this dessert can be used as a fruit salad instead.
Strawberry Dessert
This is probably one of my favorite desserts, partly because it is not too rich. It is a very light dessert. It is an especially good one to keep made up in the freezer for when unexpected company comes by.
I like to use it not only for graduation parties, but also for baby showers or any other get-together because I can make it a week ahead of time and that means one less thing to have to deal with the day of the special event!
Crust:
1 cup flour
frac14; cup brown sugar
frac12; cup nuts
frac12; cup butter, softened
Mix and slightly press or crumble into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 350deg; for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally while baking to make crumbly. When cooled, remove 1/3 of it to save to sprinkle on top of the dessert. Evenly spread out the remaining portion in the pan.
Topping:
2 egg whites (pasteurized)
2/3 cup sugar
1 10oz. package of strawberries
2 Tbsp. lemon juice (must use)
1 small container whipped topping
Place first 4 ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat at high speed for 10 minutes or until it forms stiff peaks. Be sure to use a large mixing bowl because this really increases in volume. Fold in whipped topping and spread over crust, Sprinkle with the 1/3 cup of crumbs you saved back. Freeze for 3-6 hours or overnight.
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
LivingOnADime.com
. They have helped thousands save money and get out of debt by starting with just their grocery bill. To get their free mini e-course on Grocery Savings visit
LivingOnADime.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:12ZFeeding a Family for $300 a Month?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Feeding-a-Family-for-$300-a-Month
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- /9095.html2010-05-07T08:37:10Z2010-05-07T08:37:10Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Feeding a Family for $300 a Month?
By Tawra Kellam
LivingOnADime.com
I do something that most people think they can't do today. I feed my family of 5 for $300 a month. Most people say that's an impossible feat, but what boggles minds even more is that I do it without using coupons.
How do I do it? First,
I use what I have
. If I don't have milk in the house, I don't make a special trip to the store for it. The kids won't die from malnutrition if they miss drinking milk for a day or two. If I'm out of bread, I'll make some cornbread or muffins. If I'm out of fresh veggies, I will use canned or frozen instead. Stop going to the store for one or two things. I shop for food 2-3 times a month and that's it. You'd be amazed how much this saves on the cost of gas.
Shopping the clearance sections, I regularly find milk on clearance for $1.20 a gallon. My store marks the milk down a few days before the "sell by" date. The great part is that milk stays fresh for 1 week after it's opened. I generally only buy the milk when it's marked down and I buy enough to last until the next time I find a great deal on it. I throw several in the freezer and then I don't have to make a special trip for milk (or pay the premium price). Just thaw, shake and serve.
Purchase meat only on sale or on clearance. Again, butchers mark down their meat a day or two before the "sell by" date. Generally, meat is good for 3-4 days after the "sell by" date in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer.
I never buy meat unless it's on sale for $1.99 or less a pound. If it's not on sale, we don't eat it. (Even so, we never have a shortage of meat in our house.) You can get some great unadvertised deals just by watching the meat counter's clearance items. I found 5 lb. rolls of hamburger for $2.95 each just the other day. Of course, I stocked up and will have enough hamburger to last the next 6 months.
I can get "soup bones" with enough meat on them to make a great vegetable stew for under $2.00 for the entire family! Add some rolls and you have a complete meal for 5 for less than $3.00. When chicken is on sale for $1.66 per pound, I stock up. I do this with all my meats. This way we can always have a variety of meats."
Another important tip: Ask. Most people are intimidated by asking, but I regularly ask when things will go on sale or be marked down. By asking, I've found out that bananas, milk and meat are marked down each morning. I try to shop in the mornings to get the best deals. When we lived in Texas, the stores marked things down in the evening, so we made it a point to go shopping in the evening. Adjust your shopping times to find the best deals.
Serve your family proper portions of food. Most parents give their kids way too much milk, juice and soda. My kids get soda on special occasions only. They eat milk with their cereal. For snacks, they eat a piece of string cheese, fruit or one or two cookies. The kids don't sip on milk or juice all day long. They drink water and are just fine with it.
As a general rule, I try to give them one vegetable and one fruit for lunch and dinner and then a piece of fruit with cookies or cheese as a snack. This way, they get their "five a day" in very easily. Stop letting kids just "graze" on chips and other snack food all day. My kids get one small "bowl" of chips (1/2 cup to 1 cup depending on the size of the chips) a day and that's it.
So what do we eat? Here are some of our menus:
Slow cooked roast, brown gravy, onions, carrots, potatoes, buttermilk muffins and a fruit plate(The next day, the leftovers from the roast are used as barbecue beef along with potato salad, green beans and strawberries or grapes.)
Pizza (homemade), tossed salad and fruit
Maple glazed chicken, scalloped potatoes, glazed carrots, applesauce and dinner rolls
Sloppy Joes, cucumbers and tomatoes
Tacos, refried beans, green beans, sliced apples and tortilla chips w/ honey
With savvy shopping, you to can cut your grocery bill even when prices are going up! Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
LivingOnADime.com
. As a single mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Tawra and Jill teach thousands of readers each month how to save money on their grocery bill and get out of debt. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:10ZDon't Bury Your Head in the Sand!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Dont-Bury-Your-Head-in-the-Sand!
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- /9096.html2010-05-07T08:37:08Z2010-05-07T08:37:08Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Don't Bury Your Head in the Sand!
by Jill Cooper
LivingOnADime.com
I had a dog once, who when I would scold him, would run and hide under the bed. He knew he had done something wrong and thought that by hiding he wouldn't get into trouble as much. I think he figured if he couldn't see me, I couldn't see him and he wouldn't get scolded.
There was just one slight problem. He couldn't fit under the bed. Only his head and front paws were hidden but his back half was in full view. He had put himself in the worst possible position but since he had buried himself under the bed he didn't know that.
It's human (and critter) nature to think that if I don't acknowledge something that it won't come to pass or it will go away and I won't have to deal with it. We are often like the two year old who thinks there's a monster in his room. He will cover his head up with a pillow thinking "If I can't see the monster then the monster can't see me and it will go away."
We as adults laugh and think how silly this is. We know that if there really WAS a monster, hiding our head under a pillow would not help us. If anything hiding our heads would make it worse because we can't see what the monster is doing and so we are unable to come up with a plan of attack to protect ourselves. Meanwhile, the monster takes a bite out of our britches.
Even though we find the dog or the two year old's actions foolish and amusing, many of us do the very same thing when we don't deal with our financial situation and our debt. Have you ever decided not to open a bill or look at a credit card statement because you don't want to know what the balance is? Clicking your heels and saying "There's no place like home" is not going to help.
How about your bank statement? Do you balance it every month or just throw it in with the pile of unopened bills because you don't want to know how much is in your account? I hear someone saying "But I don't know how to balance it." Then learn. There isn't a bank in the world that isn't willing to show you how to balance a checkbook if you ask.
My grandson in the third grade has enough math skills to balance a checkbook but I often hear from college graduates, full of pride with their degrees, that they can't balance a bank statement. It is just another excuse that helps them keep their heads buried in the sand. Learning to balance your checkbook is much easier, much less time consuming and much less stressful than hiding from the monster.
Another excuse many people use is refusing to use cash. Often when helping people get their credit card debt under control, I suggest that they get rid of the credit cards and just carry a small amount of cash in their wallet. The first thing that I always hear (and I have honestly never had anyone yet say anything different) is "I can't carry cash because I will spend it". This statement makes no sense to me. What do they think they are doing when they pull out their credit cards to buy something? Lack of self control is lack of self control no matter how you package it. (If your financial situation is fully under control, but you use a credit card for convenience or for reward points or some other reason and pay it off every month, this is not referring to you.)
If you allow yourself $20 cash, don't keep credit cards in your wallet and you are shopping you MAY spend the full $20, but when it is gone there just "ain't no more" to spend. On the other hand, when you use a credit card, once you spend $20, you can pull it out again and spend another $20 and another and then maybe even $100. You don't even have to keep track of how much you spend for the day. Just stuff the receipt away and put your head under the bed!
If you have a credit card problem, you will end up spending 2-4 times as much more with the credit card than if you just use cash... But this is why people in financial denial love credit cards... They don't have to acknowledge or see how much they have spent. "If I don't see it it won't hurt me."
The Bible says "When I was a child I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man I put away childish things." (1 Corinthians 13:11) We need to put away childish or foolish actions where our money is concerned and start using adult reasoning concerning it.
If this is you, stop burying your head in the sand! Stop being afraid and start taking an honest look at your finances. Open those bills, balance those bank statements and acknowledge how much you spend! Then figure out how to get it under control.
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
LivingOnADime.com
. As a single mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:08ZSave on Groceries Before You Leave HomeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Save-on-Groceries-Before-You-Leave-Home
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- /9097.html2010-05-07T08:37:07Z2010-05-07T08:37:07Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Save on Groceries Before You Leave Home
By Jill Cooper
LivingOnADime.com
One of the easiest ways to save money on your grocery bill starts before you even leave the house. It's no extra work, you don't have to deprive yourself of anything and you don't have to clip any coupons. What is it? Stop wasting food.
On average most families throw away 50% of the food they buy. If you have trouble believing that then watch your family's eating habits for the next few days. How many times did your child eat only half of his lunch or dinner or drink only half of his glass of milk or juice? How much food gets thrown away when you wash dishes? How many fruits and vegetables have rotted and been tossed? How much meat have you thrown away because it is freezer burned? And what about those leftovers in the fridge or the cartons of sour milk?
If this is you, do you realize if you spend $400 a month on groceries you are literally throwing $200 of it into the trash? What would you think if someone you knew took two $100 bills and threw them away?!? That would make dumpster divers out of the most genteel among us.
Better planning keeps you from throwing away so much food, saving you money!
Here are some ideas on how to help you to stop the waste:
Only fill a child's (or adult's) glass half full if they normally don't drink it all. You can always give them more when that is gone. If they do have left over milk or juice at the end of the meal put it in the fridge for them to finish at another time.
When you get ready to cook a piece of meat like a roast or chicken, plan ahead. For example, when I take a roast out to thaw I don't think, "Ok, we'll have roast and mashed potatoes tonight." But I think "I will have roast and mashed potatoes tonight, Bar-B-Q beef tomorrow and beef and noodles the next night." That way you won't find yourself three days later gazing guiltily at that dying leftover roast thinking, "I really should do something with this but what?" and then end up throwing it out a week later.
Check your fridge the night before you go to the grocery store. That way you can plan your menus and choose what to buy based on the leftovers you have.
If all else fails, make one night a week as leftover night. That's when you set out all your odds and ends of leftovers for everyone to polish off. This is especially good if you do it the night before you buy groceries because this leaves your fridge empty for the new things you are buying tomorrow.
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
LivingOnADime.com
. As a single mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:07ZWhen Daughters' Financial Emergencies Cause Financial StrainStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/When-Daughters-Financial-Emergencies-Cause-Financial-Strain
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- /9098.html2010-05-07T08:37:06Z2010-05-07T08:37:06Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>When Daughters' Financial Emergencies Cause Financial Strain
Tawra Kellam
LivingOnADime.com
Susan from Texas asks: "As a single mother of two grown daughters, scratching and clawing my way out of substantial credit card and other debt, please give me some ideas about dealing with daughters' emergencies, specifically health issues, not life-threatening but urgent never the less. My daughters work full time and dabble in college. Both have health insurance but the one who needed assistance (I volunteered) did not think that it was in effect at the time of the incident. I was going to have the cost of the dental problem put on a credit card but her Dad intervened and paid for it so I was off the hook."
I think the bigger question here is one that I have dealt with for many years and that is, living very sparingly, never having enough to cover unexpected expenses and then putting those unexpected and sometimes living above my means expenses on credit. Now that I live alone I am trying to remedy that as quickly as possible. Guilt as a single parent ends up being very expensive.
Tawra: You said "Guilt as a single parent ends up being very expensive." -- I would say that sounds like it right there to me.
You don't need to worry about your daughters' expenses. I understand being a parent you want to help out but if they are working adults it's not your responsibility. They need to be responsible with their money and save back money each month to cover what their insurance won't . If that means cutting the cell phone, eating out or whatever then that's their responsibility to do it. If you are paying for your own stuff then start living below your means ASAP and try and get that debt paid off. It's not always easy or fun but it sounds like you need to worry about your expenses and not theirs right now.
I'm not saying to be unreasonable. If they get $50,000 in medical expenses and need to live with you or whatever to pay it off, of course help them out if you can. But if it's minor stuff then let them take care of it.
Susan: Thanks so much. Sometimes we answer our own problems when we put pen to paper and it jumps right back at us! I will always be there for my kids; however, I want them to grow up and become accountable and learn from their mistakes and life, etc.
Tawra Kellam is an expert in frugal living and the editor of
LivingOnADime.com
. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Visit us for money saving tips and free recipes!Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:06ZHow to Avoid MisfortuneStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/How-to-Avoid-Misfortune
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- /9099.html2010-05-07T08:37:05Z2010-05-07T08:37:05ZStaff2010-05-07T08:37:05ZWhat to Cook When You're ExhaustedStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/What-to-Cook-When-Youre-Exhausted
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- /9100.html2010-05-07T08:37:04Z2010-05-07T08:37:04Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>What to Cook When You're Exhausted
By Ruth Haag
www.manageliving.com
You've had a long, hard day at work only to get home to discover it is your turn to cook dinner. You really want something nice, but have only about 15 minutes of energy left.
Here is what my husband, Bob would do:
Bob's quick dinner solution # 1
Look in your refrigerator and freezer. Find some of these things (it's ok to not find all of them):
Onion
Garlic
Sausage
Chicken
Green beans
Broccoli
Zucchini
Cauliflower
Peas
Green pepper
Paprika and Cumin or
Sage, Basil and Oregano
Tomatoes
Cut up what you have, and keep in piles on the counter.
Get out the frying pan, add a pat of butter and a dollop of olive oil.
Put the ingredients into the pan and cook them in the order listed.
Turn off the heat and add the tomatoes last, so that they just get warm, but don't get overcooked.
Scrounge around for some bread and serve.
Bob's quick dinner solution #2
Start some rice cooking
Find a steak in the freezer
Start the charcoal grill outside (in any weather)
Make a tossed salad
Grill the steak
Serve
Set a nice table
No matter how tired you are, take a brief moment to set a nice table. Your busy work world will melt away when you sit in the luxury of a good meal and a nice environment. Use a serving bowl, not the skillet, to serve the meal. Make sure that you have all of the proper utensils. This is not a time for sporks; think about adding a cloth napkin. In the winter, candles really make the meal special.
About the author: Ruth Haag's "Useable Cookbooks Series" was designed to help her family learn to cook, so that Ruth would have time free to run her company, and to write other books. Listen to Ruth and Bob Haag weekly on their Internet Radio Show, Manage Living, at
www.modavox.com/VoiceAmericaBusiness
. They will help you manage the work world; and will tell you how to take those solutions home, to better manage your home life. Visit their website,
www.manageliving.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:04ZEaster Egg-stravaganza!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Easter-Egg-stravaganza!
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- /9101.html2010-05-07T08:37:02Z2010-05-07T08:37:02Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Easter Egg-stravaganza!
By Tawra Kellam
LivingOnADime.com
OK, so the kids noticed on the calendar that Easter is approaching and they want to make a huge production of dying eggs. In the past, the little stickers you bought at the store sufficed, but now they want the real thing. Here are some old standards with a few new ideas for you.
One important note: When the kids get really excited about egg dying, don't feel sorry for them and pour the left over egg dye in their bath water so they can have more fun (no matter how much they beg and plead! Especially if it's food coloring). Someone might panic and declare a citywide medical quarantine if they see your kids dyed all sorts of strange colors in their Easter finery.
Before you decorate Easter eggs, cover the entire table with newspaper. Keep a huge roll of paper towels or rags handy for messes. Have each kid wear one of dad's old (now disposable) tee shirts.
Making Easter Egg Stands: Cut toilet paper roll cores into one inch cylinders and use for egg stands. Decorate with stickers or paint.
Decorating Eggs:
Traditional method
Hard boil eggs. Fill several mugs with boiling water and add 1-2 tsp. vinegar. Place a few drops of desired food coloring in each mug. Place eggs in mugs for several minutes until eggs reach desired shades.
Remove with a spoon. Place on paper towel to dry. When dry, polish with a small amount of shortening on a paper towel. Buff until glossy.
You can draw or write on the eggs with a light colored or white crayon before dipping. The drawing will remain white after the egg is dipped.
To clean out mugs, put a little bleach water in the cups and soak for a few minutes.
Natural Easter Egg Dyes
If you would like to try dying eggs naturally, try the following:
Yellow-- yellow onion skins, turmeric (frac12; tsp. per cup water) celery leaves
Orange--any yellow dye plus beet juice
Red--beets, paprika, red onion skins
Pink--cranberry juice
Blue--blackberries, grape juice concentrate, red cabbage
Brown--black tea, white oak, juniper berry, coffee, barberry
Light purple--blackberries, grapes, violets
Green--alfalfa, spinach, kale, violet blossom plus frac14; tsp. baking soda, tansy, nettle, chervil, sorrel, parsley, carrot tops, beet tops or dip yellow egg in blue dye
Hard boil eggs with 1 tsp. vinegar in the water. Place dying ingredients in non-aluminum pans, cover with water and boil 5 minutes to 1 hour until desired color is achieved. Use enough material to make at least 1 cup dye. Crush ingredients as they boil to extract as much dye as possible. Strain the dye. Most dyes should be used hot. Let each egg sit in the dye until it reaches the desired color. Some dyes will take longer than others to make the desired colored on the egg. Remove the egg and let dry.
Glitter Eggs- Place 1 tablespoon each of glue and water in a cup. Stir the mixture and then paint the eggs with it. Sprinkle with glitter. This can also add sparkle to already dyed eggs!
Crepe Paper Eggs- Wet a white or dyed egg. Dab torn pieces of colored tissue paper or pieces of pretty colored napkins on the eggs. When the paper dries, the paper falls off and leaves the color behind on the egg.
Decoupaged eggs - Tear small pieces of wrapping paper, napkins, stickers, or clip art. Mix equal amounts of glue and water. Paint egg with glue mixture. Place paper on top and then cover with more glue mixture. Let dry.
Spotted Eggs- Place 1 tsp. of cooking oil in dye. Dip the egg. The oil will cause the dye to make an irregular pattern on the egg.
Waxed Eggs- Dip a portion of the eggs in melted paraffin or candle wax. Then dip them in the dye. Remove from dye. Dry and peel off the wax. The egg will be white on one half and colored on the other half. You can also dip in dye before waxing to get two colors.
Hollow Eggs- Poke a hole in one end of an egg with a very small needle. Poke another slightly larger hole in the other end. Then blow on the small end and the egg will come out the other side. Decorate as desired.
Tawra Kellam is the author of the frugal cookbook Dining On A Dime: Eat Better, Spend Less. For more free tips and recipes visit her web site at
LivingOnADime.com
. Get your own FREE copy of Tawra's Quick Dinner e-book
here
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:02ZKid-Friendly Treat: Best Ever GranolaStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Kid-Friendly-Treat:-Best-Ever-Granola
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- /9102.html2010-05-07T08:37:01Z2010-05-07T08:37:01Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Kid-Friendly Treat: Best Ever Granola
By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
www.FreshBaby.com
Granola can be great tasting hippie food, but buyer beware. On one side, some of the packaged brands cram a lot of unfamiliar flavors in the mix. While these ingredients are often healthy, the flavors can be tough to swallow for kids. On the flip side, the more mainstream brands cram a lot sugar and artificial ingredients into their products which put them on par with the nutritional value of a candy bar. Sticking to basic ingredients is the trick.
Simple flavors - oatmeal, pecans and cranberries baked with natural goodness. This recipe is so simple, that homemade granola may soon become a staple in your house for breakfasts and snacks! Best Granola Ever is perfect for family members 3-99 years old.
Ingredients:
4 cups of old-fashioned oats
1 frac12; cups chopped pecans
frac12; cup packed brown sugar
frac12; tsp salt
frac12; tsp cinnamon
frac14; cup cooking oil
frac14; cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup dried cranberries
Directions:
Preheat over to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the oats, pecans, salt and cinnamon. In a saucepan warm the oil and honey and stir in the vanilla. Carefully pour the liquid over the oat mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon until the mixture is evenly coated.
Spread the granola onto a large cookie sheet (15X10X1 inch). Bake 40 minutes, stirring carefully every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Stir in dried cranberries.
Storage: Store granola in an air-tight container at room temperature for one week or in the freezer for 3 months.
Makes 9-10 servings.
About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby (
www.FreshBaby.com
). They are the creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats, available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target and Whole Foods Markets. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:01ZToo Many Oranges?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Too-Many-Oranges
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- /9103.html2010-05-07T08:37:00Z2010-05-07T08:37:00Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Too Many Oranges?
by Tawra Kellam
LivingOnADime.com
It's that time of year. You found a really good deal on oranges but you purchased a few more than you can eat. Now what do you do with them. Here are a few suggestions from
LivingOnADime.com
to get you started.
1. Make juice out of the oranges and then use the peels for Candied Orange Peels.
2. Use the leftover syrup from Candied Orange Peels on pancakes or French Toast. The syrup can also be used to make popsicles.
3. Wash peels thoroughly. Grate the peel before using and freeze the zest for later use.
4. Cut up orange segments and use as a garnish for salads. Use in fruit salad or sliced as a side dish.
5. Cut up slices and use a garnish for meat or relish dishes.
6. Cut up peels. In a saucepan add peels, 1 cinnamon stick, a few cloves and fill to the top with water. Simmer for a nice potpourri or dry peels and use in dry potpourri.
Easy Orange Marmalade
1 orange*
1 Tbsp. water
frac12; cup sugar
Cut the un-peeled orange and place into a blender or food processor with the water. Pour mixture into a saucepan with the sugar and boil for 15 minutes.
*If a non-organic orange is used wash peels thoroughly before peeling.
Candied Orange Peel
Peels from 3 large oranges, grapefruits or lemons*
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups sugar
water
Cut the peel on each fruit into quarters. Pull the peel off in these quarter sections. Slice peel into frac14; inch-wide strips. In a saucepan add salt and cover with cold water. Boil 15 minutes, pour off water and add fresh water. Boil 20 minutes. Change water again and boil another 20 minutes. Drain and cover with 2 frac12; cups sugar and 1 cup water. Simmer, stirring constantly, until all the syrup has boiled away. Do not let the peels scorch. Spread on wax paper. Roll peels in remaining sugar. Let dry. Store in an airtight container. Keeps one week or can be frozen. *If non-organic fruit is used wash peels thoroughly before peeling.
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
LivingOnADime.com
. As a single mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:37:00ZKymythy's Kitchen Nutrition: Summer in a GlassStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Kymythys-Kitchen-Nutrition:-Summer-in-a-Glass
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- /9104.html2010-05-07T08:36:59Z2010-05-07T08:36:59Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Kymythy's Kitchen Nutrition: Summer in a Glass
By Kymythy R. Schultze, CN
www.Kymythy.com
Question: The sky is gray and the air is cold. I can't afford a cruise to Bahamas; so how about a recipe to lift my spirits and remind me that summer will return!
Answer: Okay, but that cruise sounds pretty good too - can I come? In addition to the following recipe, you might consider using full-spectrum lighting in your home and workplace. These bulbs produce light waves that more closely resemble those of the sun. Without the sun's light, some people can become unhappy or depressed. So, screw in some full-spectrum lighting, sip on the following smoothie, and imagine yourself basking on the cruise ship's sun deck!
Tropical Treat
1 banana
1 cup pineapple
1 cup peeled papaya
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger
Coconut milk to taste
Cut fruit into chunks (use fruit from the freezer section if fresh isn't available). Put the first four ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree; add coconut milk to desired consistency. Garnish with a sprinkle of shredded coconut.
Coconut milk is made from the expressed juice of grated coconut and water. One cup contains more than 5 grams of protein, along with important minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and zinc. The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut are easily digested and absorbed. They provide cells with a direct, efficient source of energy and may improve the body's absorption of other nutrients. They also increase metabolism and may help with weight loss.
Coconut is also rich in lauric acid, a fatty acid that's antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial, and good for the immune system. Coconut has also been used successfully in the treatment of skin and digestive disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome, and hypothyroidism.
Kymythy R. Schultze is a Clinical Nutritionist (C.N.) and has been a trailblazer in the field of nutrition for nearly two decades. For healthy delicious recipes, check out her book
"The Natural Nutrition No-Cook Book"
and for your pet's health
"Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats"
both published by Hay House, Inc. Please visit Kymythy's website at
www.Kymythy.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:59Z20 Foolish Ways to Spend MoneyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/20-Foolish-Ways-to-Spend-Money
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- /9105.html2010-05-07T08:36:57Z2010-05-07T08:36:57Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>20 Foolish Ways to Spend Money
By Al Jacobs
With the passing of 2007 and a fresh new year upon us, it's appropriate that we renew our past financial resolutions and vow, once again, to spend our money wisely. Of course simply making the pledge is no guarantee that our dollars will work diligently. Wasteful ways to use resources are easily adopted, and these habits become a way of life. In the hope of dissuading you from blowing your often hard-earned dollars in a fashion you'll later regret, I've listed twenty not uncommon expenditures that are often ill-advised. Pay close attention. If you see yourself in any of the following scenarios, perhaps you should give a second thought to what you're doing.
You've just handed the clerk at Rite Aid Pharmacy $4.34 for a package of Marlboro cigarettes. You will repeat this procedure tomorrow. By year's end you'll be $1,584 poorer, while wheezing just a little more.
To safeguard your wife and children, you purchase a $250,000 life insurance policy. At the urging of the agent, it is a universal policy with a $3,000 per year premium instead of a term policy at only $350.
During a week-end visit to Palm Desert, California, you book accommodations at the Marriott Resort and Spa at $350 per night, despite the fact that an equally suitable room is available two miles away at Residence Inn by Marriott for $120.
On the recommendation of your auto Owner's Manual, you regularly fill your tank with 91 octane premium gasoline, even though it performs equally well on less expensive 87 octane fuel.
With your insurance representative's assurance of it's suitability as a short-term investment, allowing early withdrawal of your money if necessary, you just purchased a variable annuity.
You periodically permit the balance on your bank checking account to drop below the $2,500 minimum required to forestall a $15 monthly service charge.
Although the tube of Wet 'n Wild lipstick, available at Target for $1.39, contains the same ingredients found in the Chanel brand sold at Macy's for $25, you prefer to patronize the latter establishment for this product.
You make a generous annual contribution to your local branch of United Way, despite the fact that you have no idea how the money is used or in what activities the organization actually engages.
To enable your daughter to enroll at Columbia University, an institution with annual tuition and fees of $25,922, plus $7,966 room board, where she will major in Earth Environmental Engineering, you have just placed a $150,000 mortgage loan on your home.
To demonstrate your apparent prosperity to friends and relatives, you have assumed the lease on a 2007 Cadillac Escalade Sport Utility Vehicle, at $785.91 per month, with 34 months remaining on the lease. You are not certain what your liability may be at the end of that period.
You enthusiastically purchase lottery tickets each week in the hope that you will become a winner. Whenever the advertised jackpot becomes exceptionally large, you increase the number of tickets you buy.
Though the effective annual interest rate on your credit card balance is currently 18.24%, you consistently make only the minimum monthly payment required.
The hedge fund in which you hold significant investments charges a 2% annual management fee together with retaining 20% of all profits generated.
At the local supermarket you can purchase a dozen rolls of Angel Soft, 450-sheet, 2-ply, toilet paper, manufactured by Georgia-Pacific, for $11.85. The same 12 rolls are available at a nearby Wal-Mart for $5.25, but you won't buy them there because you're certain the lower price means they're inferior.
The sports jacket you purchased fifteen years ago continues to fit well and look good, but at the urging of your wife you will donate it to the Salvation Army, because it simply isn't acceptable to be seen in
old clothes
.
You cannot resist subscribing to the newspaper advertisement offering a half-pound silver commemorative medallion from
The Perfidious Mint
, at the "special advance price of only 139 dollars."
To deal with the fear and anxiety engendered in you by the widely publicized threat of global warming, you will attend an 8-hour therapy session offered by a noted eco-therapist who will, for $1,750, "sooth your heart and reinvigorate your soul."
To realize a lifetime of dream vacations while avoiding the inconvenience and expense of searching for a hotel year after year, you have purchased a
timeshare
property.
The envelope you've just sealed, and which seems to weigh several ounces, must be mailed. As a scale is not handy, you'll affix two dollars in postage on it just to be safe.
Unaware of a funeral home's typical 300 to 500 percent markup on casket prices, you authorize the funeral director to provide that item at the forthcoming ceremony for which you are responsible.
AL JACOBS has been a professional investor for more than four decades. His business experience ranges from real estate, mortgage, and securities investment to appraisal, civil engineering, and the operation of a private trust company. In addition to managing his investments on a day-to-day basis, he is a featured financial columnist for both online and print publications. He is the author of
Nobody's Fool: A Skeptic's Guide to Prosperity
. You may subscribe to his financial Newsletter, "On the Money Trail," at no cost or obligation, by visiting
www.onthemoneytrail.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:57ZPoetry on a Plate!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Poetry-on-a-Plate!
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- /9106.html2010-05-07T08:36:56Z2010-05-07T08:36:56ZStaff2010-05-07T08:36:56ZDutch Oven 101Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Dutch-Oven-101
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- /9107.html2010-05-07T08:36:55Z2010-05-07T08:36:55Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Dutch Oven 101
By Elizabeth Yarnell
www.GloriousOnePotMeals.com
If you think all cookware is the same, then you've never used a cast iron Dutch oven. Traditionally loved for long, slow cooking of roasts and stews, Dutch ovens are flexible enough to bake cakes and breads, boil sauces, braise meats and even flash-cook entire meals in record time.
Humans have a long history of cooking in Dutch oven-type vessels as cast metal pots have been used for cooking in Europe since at least as early as the late eighth century.
The term "Dutch oven" may originate from a Dutch casting process brought to England, and from there to the British colonies, in 1704 by Abraham Darby. Or, it could have been a nickname given to the Dutch immigrant traders who sold the pots in the new world, or possibly it referred to early Dutch immigrants in the Pennsylvania area who used the heavy, lidded pots.
However the name arose, the practical, versatile and durable vessels were the staple of the American pioneers and explorers, including Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition. The Dutch oven was popular because it could cook a wide variety of foods: plants and animals as well as staples such as flour, corn, and sugar. It could be used for boiling, baking, stews, frying, roasting, and just about any other use.
Older Dutch ovens often sported three legs and a hinged bail handle for hanging the pot over a fire; more modern styles are legless with side handles for easier lifting. Some have flanged lids for holding hot coals in a campfire, while others have flat or rounded lids. Some even have dimples on the insides of their lids.
Called a French oven or a casserole by some modern companies, Dutch ovens can be enamel-coated cast iron for a rust-proof, non-stick, dishwasher-safe surface, or simply raw, uncoated cast iron. You may even find Dutch oven-shaped pots made of stainless steel, aluminum, or non-stick materials with a glass lids. While these may be familiar in shape, they lack the cooking powers of cast iron and may not function as well in Dutch oven cooking methods.
Regardless, all Dutch ovens share some basic characteristics: a flat bottom (not conical or otherwise sloped), vertical sides (not convex or concave), and an inner lip around the lid that allows the lid to provide a closed seal when seated correctly.
Dutch ovens are making resurgence and appearing on cooking shows, in department stores and in kitchens everywhere.
Elizabeth Yarnell is a Certified Nutritional Consultant, inventor, and author of
Glorious One-Pot Meals: A new quick healthy approach to Dutch oven cooking
. Glorious One-Pot Meal recipes are protected under US and Canadian patents. Visit
www.GloriousOnePotMeals.com
to learn more about this unique cooking method and
www.EffortlessEating.com
for Elizabeth's philosophy and recipes for living naturally. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:55ZStop Eating Your Way Into Debt!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Stop-Eating-Your-Way-Into-Debt!
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- /9108.html2010-05-07T08:36:51Z2010-05-07T08:36:51Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Stop Eating Your Way Into Debt!
by Jill Cooper
www.LivingOnADime.com
At this time of year, there are usually 3 things people are panicking about: how to lose weight, how to save money, and how to get organized. We have already touched on losing weight so this week I would like to touch on saving money.
Hopefully most of you realize that you can get into deep debt if you buy a house or a car you can't afford. That seems to be pretty obvious, although a lot of people do it anyway. But that is not what I want to deal with today. The Bible talks about the little foxes that spoil the vine. What that is talking about is the little things that sneak into our lives without us realizing it. They start picking away at the vines in our lives until it destroys us. One of those "little foxes" is eating out.
Eating out is among the of the top causes of personal debt. Most of us hunt for the best interest rates on our mortgages and we complain about the awful price of gas the whole time we are pumping it.
Interestingly enough though, I have yet to hear one person groan about the awful prices they had to pay for lunch today or tell how they were "duped" into having to pay such high prices at their favorite restaurant. I mean really, the government should step in and make all restaurants take steak off of their menus so I won't be tempted to order it. Of course then there are those fast food places. They shouldn't be allowed to build so close to the road and make it so convenient for me to drive in there each day. They have a lot of nerve expecting me to be a responsible adult who knows what I can or can't afford and should or shouldn't do.
Tut, tut. I had better behave or I will have to fire myself. HA! HA! But I do feel so much better for getting that off of my chest.
Anyway where was I? Oh, yes -- saving money and eating out. I know most of the excuses we use to justify eating out when it doesn't really fit in the budget: "I don't have time", "I'm too busy", "I don't know how to cook", and last but not least, "it's so much easier to eat out".
I totally understand. I too don't have time to do things. I don't have time to take care of my yard, so I will hire a crew of gardeners to do it. I too don't have time to clean my house so I will have a housekeeper come in every day and do it for me. I don't know how to cook so I need a chef (the best French one, of course) and it is so much easier to hit my garage sales if I am chauffeur driven.
Obviously my examples are tongue in cheek but, as ridiculous as that all sounds, that really is what a lot of us are doing. In the same way that I can't afford a gardener, housekeeper or chauffeur and I would be pretty foolish to go hire them, many of us can't afford to go out to eat but do it anyway. I don't think most people really realize how much they spend eating out each month and would be shocked to find that they could probably hire a housekeeper or a gardener for that same amount.
Take one week and write down how much you spend eating out. That includes all those coffees, soft drinks, things from the vending machines and snacks you buy throughout the day. Be sure to write down the amount of anything that goes into you and your family's mouths for an average week. I'm afraid you may be unpleasantly surprised. Multiply it by 4 to get a monthly estimate and I think you would be just plain shocked.
I'm beginning to wonder if another reason we eat out so much is that it has just become a habit. Like many bad habits, we get so comfortable with them that we don't want to change them. Even when we know that a habit is destructive to us (physically, financially and even emotionally), we still do it.
Some of us look down our noses at other people with "bad habits" like drug addicts and alcoholics and can't understand why they don't just kick their habits. "Don't they see what they are doing to their families????"
What is the difference between other people's destructive habits and our repeatedly going out to eat and charging it? We know the food isn't as good for our families, we know we don't have the money to pay for it, and we know on bill paying day we will be so stressed that we will take it out on everyone around us. We so proudly display our bumper stickers that say "Say no to drugs." but how many of us could proudly display a bumper sticker that says "Say no to debt, I'm debt free".
(Please do not e-mail me about drug addicts and alcoholics. If you do, you are missing the point of the article and are only making it more clear to me that you are not willing to own up to or face the real issue --your debt.)
I know those words may sound harsh to some, but if you have seen and dealt with as many families as I have, whose homes have been or are being destroyed because of financial irresponsibility, you would understand why I can't always sugar coat things. We sink into a fog of apathy, hopelessness and discouragement and just give up trying. I really want you to understand you can fix your finances, but it will take a little bit of work and effort on your part. Don't just throw up your hands and give up.
There is a story in the Bible (John 5) that tells about a man who couldn't walk. He had laid by a healing pool for 38 years. If he could dip in the pool when the water stirred, he would be healed. Jesus asks him what he is doing there and he says "Well, I just don't have anyone who will carry me and put me in the pool" (Poor little old me.) Jesus then asks him, "Do you really want to get healed?" This might seem to us a strange question but, as I once heard a woman speaker point out, if he really wanted to get healed wouldn't he have tried some way to inch his way over to that pool even if he could only make it a half an inch a day no matter how hard it was?
Maybe Jesus asked this question because He too thought here was is a man, like so many do these days, making excuses, being a victim and waiting for someone else to fix his problem for him. What did Jesus tell him to do? GET UP! (stand on your own two feet), TAKE UP YOUR BED (start being responsible for your own things), and WALK (become active in solving your own problems which may mean physical labor, or doing without somethings).
You need to be like the lame man and GET UP, TAKE UP YOUR BED and WALK. If you know you are going out to eat too much then stop saying you're a victim of these "hard economic times". Be responsible for the "bed" (or the debts that you have now) and actively start doing something about it today. It isn't as hard as you think. I can take every excuse for eating out that I mentioned above and prove that they're not really valid.
"I don't have time." For the amount of time it takes you to drive to some place, wait for them to take your order and then wait for them to prepare your order, I can give you 10 menus or more that would take less time for you to fix at home."I'm too busy." If you are too busy to take time to feed your family, something that is a necessity of life, then you are too busy. I have very rarely heard anyone say that they are too busy to get their hair done, go shopping, go to sports activities, talk on the phone or spend time on the computer. You really can find the time.
If I sound like I don't have patience with that excuse, it's because I don't. I was a single mom with 2 teens, working 60 -70 hours a week, doing all my own yard work, home repairs, and on and on and guess what? Except when I was ill, I always found time to make breakfast and dinner.
"I don't know how to cook." So learn. Start simple. Even my 9 year old grandson could boil himself a hot dog. You don't have to produce a gourmet meal to make your family happy and, in most cases, they would prefer you didn't. There are simple enough instructions on the back of a package of spaghetti noodles that, once again, even a child can read and do. Warm up a jar of sauce and dinner is served. You now have 2 main dishes that take less than 10 minutes to prepare.
I understand that man can't live on hot dogs alone (although I think kids can), but don't worry -- after a week or two of simple dishes, you can move on to more complicated things like frozen French fries and frying hamburgers ;-) Plus if you really get stuck, I just happen to know of this really good cookbook called Dining on A Dime that can help you. ;-)
"It's so much easier." I guess that depends on your definition of easy. To me, going to a restaurant, sitting and listening to loud music for 30 minutes with fussy, hungry, complaining kids is not my idea of fun. Going to a drive-thru is, at times, not much better. Lately it seems as if the line of cars wraps around the whole building at every fast food joint that I drive by. I was amazed to see every restaurant's parking lot jam packed two days after Christmas. (Must be that all those people who couldn't afford Christmas had gotten a wind fall.) Sorry, once again I digress.
You may say "The restaurant where I go isn't that bad." but my point is that everything has it's drawbacks whether you stay at home to eat or go out to eat. It's just a matter of what you make up your mind to put up with. Do you want the pain of cooking or the pain of not knowing how to pay your bills.
If you are in debt, it would be wise to start putting up with a few of the drawbacks that come with eating at home. Besides, if you are really serious about saving money, there are ways to make cooking at home much easier.
You can use convenience foods. There is nothing wrong with buying things like French bread, canned biscuits or bagged salad. Line the pans you use with foil, or use disposable pans. It's cheaper in the long run to use these than going out to eat.
Clean up as you cook. This is very important because I notice a lot of people make a bigger mess than necessary when they cook.
Instead of messing up the whole stove by repeatedly laying a sticky spoon on it, use a spoon holder or cup. It is a simple thing that makes clean up so much easier.
Keep some hot soapy water in the sink while you are cooking and wash things as you finish with them.
Don't set that carton of milk down on the counter after you pour it. While it is still in your hand put it back in the fridge.
Keep the amount of utensils you use to a minimum. You don't need to put a lid on a pot every time you cook something.
Don't always think gourmet. Most families are so excited to get a homemade meal that they don't care what you serve them. Besides, almost any meal can be made to look "gourmet". Fruit sliced and arranged nicely on a plate, muffins keeping warm and nestled in a napkin inside a basket or mashed potatoes mounded high with a chunk of golden butter melting down the sides all have eye appeal. All right -- I made myself hungry! Maybe it's time to quit for lunch.
Clean up is one of the main reasons people hate to eat at home, but if you clean as you go like I mentioned earlier and everyone pitches in to help clean up after dinner, it should only take about 15 minutes to get it all put away.* It would take longer than that to drive to a fast food place and return home.
Pull out those crock pots. It takes about 5 minutes to throw in a roast, potatoes and carrots. It takes the same amount of time to throw in the ingredients for chili, stew or veggie soup.
If you are dragging the kids to an after school game: Instead of going to a fast food drive in, throw some hot dogs in a thermos and cover with boiling water. They will be cooked and ready to eat by the time you get there. How long does it really take to grab a few pieces of fruit, a bag of cleaned veggies and some chips to go with them? Maybe 2 minutes? How hard is that to cook?
You could also have sloppy joes simmering in a crock pot and pour those in the thermos for an on the run meal. To make it even easier, heat it up from a jar and then pour it in the thermos.
I don't know who set the standard that cooking a meal in 30 minutes is fast. If I took that long to cook a meal every night I would never get anything done. There are tons of meals out there that require 15 minutes or less prep time.
If you don't know where to start, then drag out our cookbook or go to our website. We have lots of ideas there to get you started. Sometimes we like to make things more complicated than they really are because that gives us a good excuse not to do them. Where there is a will there is a way.
Do you really want to get out of debt? Then GET UP, STOP CHARGING, and GET COOKING!
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
www.LivingOnADime.com
. As a single mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:51ZTantalizing TilapiaStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Tantalizing-Tilapia
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- /9109.html2010-05-07T08:36:49Z2010-05-07T08:36:49Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Tantalizing Tilapia
By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
www.FreshBaby.com
Tilapia is a fresh water fish with origins in the Nile River. Its culinary potential was appreciated by the ancient Egyptians and the epicurean Greeks. Aristotle is believed to have given the fish its name Tilapia niloticus (fish of the Nile) in 300 BC.
Today, nearly all tilapia is farm-raised, in ponds or tanks. Tilapia farming is considered ecologically friendly. Fish is an important part of a healthy, balanced diet. Dietary guidelines call for eating fish twice a week. This guideline is intended to boost intake of an important nutrient, omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce the risk of heart disease. But eating more fish has also be shown to lower risk of stroke, particularly in women and reduce risk of Alzheimer's by as much as 60%. Tilapia is also low in mercury which makes it a great choice for women and small children.
Tilapia has a light, sweet flavor and semi-firm texture making it the perfect fish for children and others who don't care for the flavor of stronger fish. Tilapia is less expensive than most fish. Being farm-raised there is an unlimited supply which keeps prices down. Taste and affordability make tilapia a great choice for the family table.
At the market: Tilapia is sold fresh or frozen. Tilapia is most commonly sold in fillets (4-7 ounces each). Choose tilapia fillets that appear moist and resilient; avoid cuts that have a musky odor.
Tilapia is sold under many names including: St. Peter's fish, Cherry snapper or Hawaiian sun fish, Nile perch, and Sunshine snapper.
Storage:
Frozen: Tilapia will stay fresh for up to four months if it is wrapped tightly in the freezer. Thaw frozen tilapia in the refrigerator or under cold running water. Discard tilapia that is mushy when thawed.
Fresh: Thawed or fresh tilapia should be refrigerated and used within two days. Do not refreeze.
Preparation: Tilapia can be prepared broiled, fried, grilled, baked, poached, sauteacute;ed, or steamed. Tilapia can be marinated but for less than 30 minutes. Over-marinating can change the texture of the fish.
Here are some creative and simple ideas to include Tilapia into your family meals:
Awesome Fish Tacos: Whether they are crunchy or soft shells, tacos are a fun family meal. Tilapia is the perfect fish for fish tacos. Follow the recipe for Real Fish Sticks below and add 1 Tablespoon of taco seasoning to the flour mixture. Serve with crunchy or soft tortillas and your favorite fixin#146;s, such as refried beans, shredded lettuce, salsa, pico de gallo, avocado or guacamole.
Fruit Salsa and Tilapia: Broiled Tilapia (recipe below) is a great dinner entreacute;e served with fruit salsa, a tossed salad and fresh bread. Broiling is a quick way to prepare this fish. And for added simplicity, purchase fruit salsa at the market or if you have the time, make your own with the recipe below:
Broiled Tilapia: Rinse tilapia and pat dry. Place tilapia in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil 6 inches from heat until fish is opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve while hot.
Fresh Fruit Salsa:
1 cup of diced fruit (pineapple, grapes, mango, papaya, or peaches)
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp chopped jalapentilde;o or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Serve fruit salsa on the side or spoon over the fish fillets.
Make a Bed: The Lemon Tilapia Sauteacute; (recipe below) will look restaurant chic by serving a side dish underneath the fillet - like a bed. Of course, you can use plain rice or pasta for the bed, but here are a few more interesting "beds" that will jazz up the flavor of this dish:
Couscous tossed with shredded spinach and raisins
Brown rice with chopped pecans and craisins
Angel hair pasta tossed with olive oil, olives, capers and garlic powder
Steamed vegetables (any kind) with fresh herbs
Lemon Tilapia Saute: Heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Rinse tilapia and pat dry. Season tilapia fillets with salt and pepper and place them in the hot skillet. Cook for approximately 2 to 4 minutes on each side until fish flakes easily. Remove from pan. Turn off the stove heat. While the pan is still warm, melt 2 Tablespoons butter and one tablespoon lemon juice in it. Stir, scraping up the little browned bits.
To Serve: On each dinner plate, spoon the bed ingredients, lay 1-2 tilapia fillets on top and drizzle the lemon butter pan juices over the top. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Tilapia Pouches: Baking tilapia in foil pouches is a hassle-free method to cook veggies and fish. Plus clean up for this dish is a breeze. Simply choose your veggies, top with fish fillets, season, fold up the pouches and pop them in the oven!
Choose the veggies (1/4 - 1/2 cup per pouch):
Julienne carrots and zucchini
Sliced tomatoes, and onions
Fresh corn cut off the cob and green peas
Julienne green beans and sliced mushrooms
Fish:
Tilapia fillets (1-2 per pouch)
Salt and pepper
Seasoning (per pouch):
1 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoons lime juice
1 Tablespoons white wine
1 Tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs (basil, ginger, cilantro or parsley)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut four 10" sheets of foil. Place equal amounts of mixed vegetables in center of foil sheets and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Rinse tilapia, pat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place a fillet on top of each vegetable mixture. Whisk seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl and spoon over top the fish.
Bring together long sides of foil, crimp together to form a tight seal. Fold over remaining edges and form a tight seal. Place pouches on a baking sheet with the foil seamside up. Bake until fish is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Open the "pouch" and serve.
If you don't want to heat up your kitchen, try this same recipe on the grill.
Note: Be careful opening cooked pouches, the escaping steam can cause burns.
Real Fish Sticks
Fish sticks can be a kid staple, but most of the "boxed frozen" brands have lots of breading, very little fish and a long unappetizing list of ingredients. This healthy recipe for fish sticks is faster to make than cooking the other kind in the oven. Plus they are so tasty; the whole family will enjoy them.
For a change of pace, make little fish sandwiches by buying small dinner rolls and cutting the fish pieces in squares instead of strips. The cute sandwiches are fun and easy to manage for little hands too!
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Flour
2 Tbsp Corn Meal
1 egg
3-4 Tilapia fillets
2-3 Tbsp peanut oil
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Crack egg into a wide bowl and beat with a fork. On a shallow plate mix the corn meal and flour together. Cut the tilapia into long strips; season the strips with salt and pepper. Dip the fish pieces in egg and then coat both side with the flour mixture.
Heat peanut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place fish in skillet and sauteacute; until they are nicely browned on both sides and cooked all the way through (about 2- 3 minutes per side). When done transfer tilapia to a paper towel.
Serve fish sticks warm with tartar sauce, ketchup, lemon butter or low fat Ranch dressing for dipping. Makes 9-12 fish sticks.
Makes 5-8 servings.
About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby (
www.FreshBaby.com
). They are the creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats, available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target and Whole Foods Markets. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:49ZAfter Christmas Sales! (The most wonderful time of the year!)Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/After-Christmas-Sales!--The-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year!
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- /9110.html2010-05-07T08:36:46Z2010-05-07T08:36:46Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>After Christmas Sales!
(The most wonderful time of the year!)
By Tawra Kellam
www.LivingOnADime.com
Now that Christmas is almost here, I've been thinking about ways you can use after Christmas sales to help make next Christmas and occasions throughout the year financially easier.
After Christmas sales can be a great way to save money on things you would buy anyway, without paying full price. As you see the things that are on sale, try to predict which of those things you are likely to need during the next year.
Don't limit your thinking to Christmas! Consider how you may use after Christmas items for other occasions in the coming year. Be creative!
Don't go crazy and buy everything they have just because it is marked down. If you buy 20 of something you don't need and eventually just get rid of it, you didn't really save by getting it on clearance.
If you want to get some great deals but you also want a lot of selection, you'll want to show up in the store pretty early on December 26th. You can get deeper discounts if you wait several days or a week for the stores to mark items all the way down to 75% off. The down side of waiting is that the item you want may be gone if you wait too long. If you really have to have it, you probably want to get it sooner rather than wait.
If there's something that you want at Wal-Mart, you will definitely want to get there the first thing on December 26th because Wal-Mart attracts the die hard after Christmas shoppers who buy like hungry locusts. ;-)
You can often find good buys at grocery and drug stores a week or two after Christmas because there's not as much demand for after Christmas items in those stores.
Here are some of the things to consider as you visit after Christmas sales:
Buy new Christmas decorations for next year. This seems obvious to some of us, but if you've never thought about it, you can usually get lights, lawn decorations, indoor decorations and other holiday-specific items for 50-75% off right after Christmas. We like to add to our display every year and it is much less expensive to buy after Christmas this year rather than before Christmas next year. Even our Christmas tree was a 50% off after Christmas buy. (Don't try this with live trees! They don't keep well! ;-)
Buy "Baby's First Christmas" items (pajamas, bibs, ornaments, etc.) for those friends and relatives expecting babies in the next year.
Purchase holiday craft items. Christmas ribbons, needlework, and other craft supplies are often marked down to 75% off. Get started on those projects and get them done early. Don't forget to get enough red ribbon and craft supplies for Valentines day.
Buy your red Valentine's Day and green St. Patrick's Day candy on clearance after Christmas. You can also freeze Christmas chocolate for year-round baking.
Christmas isn't just red and green any more. You can get every color under the rainbow now. If you are decorating a room or having a special party, such as an anniversary you can purchase your supplies for 75% off. I've also purchased things like specialty lights for my son who collects anything that will light up.
Purchase gifts for next Christmas, birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day and teachers' gifts. You can often find wonderful gift bath sets that make great gifts for teachers at 50% off. There are also bath sets for kids, make up sets for girls and cologne and perfume for men and women that you can give for any occasion. I purchase several extra girls and boys gifts sets for the kids to take to birthday parties. I buy hubby's cologne for the year (again, as a gift set) and give it to him on Father's Day. My sister in law liked a particular large red candle that I happened to notice was on sale after Christmas. I purchased it for $2 instead of the $10 regular price.
If you have a wedding coming up, look for decorations with your wedding colors after Christmas. You can also get tablecloths and napkins for your household on clearance after Christmas. I have burgundy and hunter green for the colors in my house. You can buy these at up to 75% off and use them every day.
Look for wrapping paper for other occasions. Stores have colored and white tissue paper and wrapping paper that isn't necessarily just for Christmas. You can also buy Christmas paper for next to nothing after Christmas and save it for next Christmas or use it white side out for other holidays.
I buy the pre-packaged gingerbread kits that are now available for my kids. For $2 each, it is much easier to have the house already baked and rolled out. I save them for the kids to decorate next year. Of course we don't eat them.
I buy about 3/4 of my gift items for the year the days and weeks after Christmas. By doing this, I save hundreds of dollars on gifts over the year.
Tawra Kellam is the editor of
www.LivingOnADime.com
. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:46Z12 Great Homemade Presents to Make With Your KidsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/12-Great-Homemade-Presents-to-Make-With-Your-Kids
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- /9111.html2010-05-07T08:36:45Z2010-05-07T08:36:45Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>12 Great Homemade Presents to Make With Your Kids
By Dr. Laura Markham
www.yourparentingsolutions.com
It's the thought that counts, and the love that goes into it. No need to spend a fortune on gifts, your kids will love making them for grandparents, cousins and teachers, and the recipients will treasure them. Remember that your goal is to have fun with your child and give a token of affection, not to exhaust yourself. Hopefully this list will get your creativity fired up; more explicit directions are easily available online.
1. Anything from your kitchen: Cookies, jams, fudge, quick breads, your famous spaghetti or barbecue sauce, your special trail mix, or a kit with the makings for something yummy, tied with a ribbon: your perfect pancakes or scrumptious seven bean soup.
2. Booklet of favorite memories: Have your child draw illustrations and write or type up his or her favorite memories of/with the recipient and put it into a binder to make a book.
3: Personalized cookbook: Your recipes, your child's comments and drawings, in a binder.
4. Personalized Mousepad: Let your child draw with markers on a white mousepad. Or use flexible adhesive with any fabric. Or choose a photo and use iron-on transfer paper. Instructions at:
http://desktoppub.about.com/od/transfers/l/aa_mousepad.htm
Or just do it at a copy shop or cafepress.com.
5. Handmade bath salts:Mix Epsom salts with essential oils, fragrance, and food coloring in a decorative jar.
6. Candles:Add crayon chips to plain paraffin wax and dip wicks in to make hand-dipped. Or just decorate store bought candles.
7. Canvas bags with iron-on designs
8. Homemade calendars with photos of the kids
7. Painted picture frames
8. Tie-dyed teeshirts, sheets, etc.
9. Christmas ornaments with kids' photos
10. Art: For grandparents, a framed picture drawn by a grandchild is the perfect present.
11. For friends and cousins: homemade clay, fingerpaints, bubbles, puppets, a kit of dress-up items, a kit of cool art supplies.
12. Certificates for your services: A massage, babysitting, dog walking, painting a room, flying a kite together.
Dr. Laura Markham is a clinical psychologist and the founding editor of the parenting web site
www.yourparentingsolutions.com
, featuring a popular advice column and parent-tested solutions you can use every day to connect with your kids and create a richer family life. Her work appears regularly on a dozen parenting sites and in print. She lives in New York with her husband and two children. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:45ZFresh Baby Food On-the-GoStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Fresh-Baby-Food-On-the-Go
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- /9112.html2010-05-07T08:36:44Z2010-05-07T08:36:44Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Fresh Baby Food On-the-Go
By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
www.FreshBaby.com
These days, families are always on the go, whether it's off to daycare everyday or to visit friends and family once in a while. Here are some strategies to help you prepare for your baby's meals on the go. Start with six golden rules for serving Fresh Baby food away from home:
Frozen food cubes take 3-4 hours to thaw in the refrigerator and 1-2 hours to thaw at room temperature.
Frozen food cubes stay cold in an insulated bag with a freezer pack for about 8-12 hours.
To thaw frozen food cubes, microwave for 30-40 seconds.
To warm thawed food cubes, microwave 5-15 seconds.
Never store frozen food cubes without refrigeration for over 4 hours.
Always stir and test the temperature of microwaved or warmed food on your skin before serving to your baby.
Once you've got the basics, you're on your way!
A travel tote bag is an essential item for any family on the go. Buy an insulated lunch bag and a set of plastic containers with lids that will fit nicely into the bag. The best type of lunch bag to purchase is a sturdy canvas tote that comes with a reusable ice pack-the type you can place in the freezer overnight. Also consider the size of the tote so that it will fit easily into your diaper bag.
Planning to get away for a day or going on an airplane, train, car or bus and need to pack up your baby's meals? First before you are ready to leave on your trip, select the food cubes for your baby's meal(s) and place them in the plastic containers of your travel tote. If you pack more than one meal or snack, label the lids of the containers with "Lunch", "Snack", "Dinner" with a permanent marker, sticker or a piece of paper and scotch tape. Pack them all into the travel tote with the freezer pack to keep them cold. Additionally, you may want to pack a bottle of water, since baby's tummies are especially sensitive to components of unfamiliar tap water. The frozen food cubes will slowly defrost inside the tote, and will stay cold for 8-12 hours, plenty of time to reach your destination. Most convenient stores and/or truck stops have a microwave and airlines will usually give you a bag of very hot water to warm baby food with (just be careful with this bag the water is usually VERY hot).
Tips for going to a restaurant:
Make reservations so you do not have to wait to be seated.
Plan the time to have dinner or lunch according to your baby's feeding schedule.
Call ahead to find out if the restaurant has a high chair.
Make sure the table you sit at has adequate room for everyone, including your baby.
Remove everything within reach of your baby-unless you want to see it on the floor!
About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby (
www.FreshBaby.com
). They are the creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats, available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target and Whole Foods Markets. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:44ZLeftover Guilt?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Leftover-Guilt
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- /9113.html2010-05-07T08:36:43Z2010-05-07T08:36:43ZStaff2010-05-07T08:36:43ZHolidays with Ease: A One-Pot Turkey Dinner with All the TrimmingsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Holidays-with-Ease:-A-One-Pot-Turkey-Dinner-with-All-the-Trimmings
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- /9114.html2010-05-07T08:36:42Z2010-05-07T08:36:42Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Holidays with Ease: A One-Pot Turkey Dinner with All the Trimmings
By Elizabeth Yarnell
www.gloriousonepotmeals.com
A holiday meal is typically an occasion for breaking bread and sharing the hearth with our family, friends and community.
While not everyone wants to cook for an army during the holidays, there is still something about having a traditional holiday meal that evokes a feeling of celebration and custom. It's not only the combination of foods particular to that holiday ritual that feeds the senses, but also the likelihood that the event offered an opportunity to share the workload increases the bonds of kinship and friendship.
For those passing a holiday alone or with one other rather than a crowd, there can be a sense of deprivation with the loss of the opportunity to partake in the traditional feast of the season of turkey, cranberries and sweet potatoes.
Here is a great solution to getting the meal with all the trimmings without spending hours and hours in the kitchen or facing a week of leftovers. Because it is an "infused one-pot meal," each ingredient maintains its integrity during the cooking process and emerges separate, intact and infused with flavor, rather than merged into a stew or slab as with more familiar types of one-pot meals.
Best yet, you can spend a pleasant half hour or less in the kitchen with your dining companion while you wash, chop and layer the ingredients into the pot. Preparing food offers a great opportunity to chat across the cutting board and gives you each ownership for the holiday dinner success.
Just 45 minutes later, when sitting down to eat together, toast each other, toast the holiday and toast the easy answer to holiday dining: an infused one-pot meal.
One-Pot Thanksgiving Dinner
2 servings
Ingredients
1/2-3/4 lb. turkey tenderloin or boneless breast filets
1/3 cup whole cranberries, fresh or frozen
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 dash white pepper
1/3 cup shelled walnuts
8-10 pearl onions, peeled, halved
1 med. sweet potato or yam, scrubbed, 1/4" slices
2 cups broccoli florets
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray inside of 2-quart cast iron Dutch oven and lid with canola oil.
Set turkey pieces into base in a single layer, trying not to overlap pieces as much as possible. Lightly sprinkle with salt.
In a food processor or blender, pulse cranberries using chopping blade (shaped like a backwards "S") until berries are in large chunks. Add marmalade, lemon juice and white pepper and pulse two or three times to mix together. Pour in walnuts and continue to pulse until walnuts are roughly chopped and you have a thick, rocky paste.
Drop spoonfuls of cranberry paste onto turkey pieces until only about half is left. Toss in onions and layer in sweet potato slices. Again, lightly salt. Cover with rest of cranberry paste. Top with broccoli florets.
Cover and bake for about 40 minutes. You'll know it's ready 3 minutes after the aroma of a finished meal escapes your oven.
Notes
In a pinch, substitute pulpy orange juice for the orange marmalade. You'll just end up with more "gravy" at the bottom of the pot to spoon over the food when serving. 1/4 cup broth added to the cranberry-walnut paste will also increase the amount of gravy.
The turkey, cranberries and broccoli can all be used fresh or frozen (without thawing) and it won't change your cooking time or most things about your meal, though realize that frozen broccoli tends to emerge softer than fresh. The larger the broccoli pieces the crisper they will turn out at the end.
Add a kick to your meal with 1 fresh or roasted jalapentilde;o pepper, destemmed, seeded and chopped.
About the author: Elizabeth Yarnell is a Certified Nutritional Consultant, inventor and author of
Glorious One-Pot Meals: A new quick healthy approach to Dutch oven cooking
. The Glorious One-Pot Meal cooking technique is unique and patented (US patent 6,846,504). A Multiple Sclerosis patient and mother of two pre-schoolers, the habit of cooking together with her husband was formed early in their marriage and is one they still enjoy. Visit Elizabeth at
www.gloriousonepotmeals.com
to sign up for her free newsletter. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:42ZThanksgiving FeastStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Thanksgiving-Feast
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- /9115.html2010-05-07T08:36:40Z2010-05-07T08:36:40Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Thanksgiving Feast
by Jill Cooper
LivingOnADime.com
It's really hard to find ways to save on your Thanksgiving dinner because, let's face it -- It doesn't get a whole lot cheaper than a turkey dinner! Still, I have found some ways that you can save and today I'll pass them on to you! ;-)
For starters, the larger turkeys are usually cheaper, so buy the largest one you can. I hear some of you groaning now about what to do with all those leftovers because you really don't need a 22 lb. turkey for 6 people. Not to worry -- just don't bake the whole thing.
I discovered one year by accident that my butcher (at a regular national chain grocery store) would cut it in half for me. Even if it is frozen he can still do it. This discovery really changed my life. (That sounds dramatic, but I was really having a problem becoming "one" with my turkeys.)
I suddenly had the revelation that I didn't have to deal with mounds of leftover turkey that haunted my post Thanksgiving menu for years. I had just enough for a good old turkey sandwich and some soup. I mean Thanksgiving really isn't Thanksgiving without a few leftovers, is it?
It was so much easier to handle and prepare an 11 lb. turkey rather than to man handle a 22 lb. one. Getting it cleaned and into the pan was a breeze and in and out of the oven was just plain simple.
Just wrap the other half and freeze it to use for Christmas. I've often made ham for Christmas just because by Christmas we are so sick of turkey that we don't want to think of preparing another one -- ever! By not creating so many leftovers, your family might not mind having turkey again. That's also potentially one less thing to buy for Christmas dinner.
Inexpensive Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner!
If you still don't want to have turkey for Christmas, save it for some cold day in January. If you have a large enough crock pot, cook the turkey it the crock pot. If not, cook it on very low in the oven so that it slow cooks all day. Do you know how delightful it is to come home to the yummy smell of slow cooked turkey?
Save by making your own pies and instead of buying the expensive pre-made ones. If you are daunted by the thought of making pie crust, just buy a ready made one. They are usually on sale for very little around Thanksgiving.
It really isn't that hard to make the filling for most pies. Often they are easier to make than a cake or cookies. If you like the traditional pumpkin pie, most cans have the recipe on the back. I also know a real good book you can find the recipe in called Dining on a Dime. HA!HA!
If your family and friends aren't fussy about having the traditional, then you can make banana cream, chocolate, or butterscotch pie. Just take a box of banana pudding, mix it up and pour it into a baked pie crust. Cover with sliced bananas and whipped topping. For the chocolate pie use chocolate pudding with chocolate chips in it and cover it with whipped topping. For the butterscotch use butterscotch pudding, whipped topping and sprinkle with butterscotch chips. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
You don't have to make so many pies that you could open a bakery. I have found that most kids are just as happy with a platter of cookies. Don't overdo it. You'll just wear yourself out! If you have time, make the cookies in the shapes of pumpkins and turkeys.
Save on your relish dish. Buying ingredients for a relish dish can get expensive, especially where we live. One year I paid more for my relish dish items than my turkey. If you're having this problem, only use 3-4 veggies on it instead of 10 and cut out on the more expensive veggies. For example broccoli and cauliflower are very high priced for us so I would probably use carrots and celery. I fill the celery with cheese or peanut butter or cut them into fancy shapes. On this occasion, the turkey is the star and most people won't even notice that you cut back on the relish dish.
Don't make so many side dishes-- Like I said the turkey, gravy and mashed potatoes are above all else. By the time everyone stuffs themselves on those, they only eat a token amount of the side dishes. Why? ---Because of course everyone wants to save room for dessert!!!!!
Jill Cooper raised two teenagers alone on $500 a month income after becoming disabled withChronic Fatigue Syndrome. To read more of Jill's articles and for free tips and recipes visit
LivingOnADime.com
.Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:40ZHealthier HalloweenStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Healthier-Halloween
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- /9116.html2010-05-07T08:36:38Z2010-05-07T08:36:38Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Healthier Halloween
By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
www.FreshBaby.com
Halloween is truly a kid's holiday -- good friends, creative costumes, event-filled parties -- all with a cool spooky theme -- who could ask for more? Oh yes, one more thing, the treats -- lots of sugary candy treats!
With all the fun of this holiday come a parent's worst fears -- too many sugary treats in your kid's possession and the arguments that ensue over this treasured trove. If you don't feel like to contributing to the neighborhood children's tooth decay, consider giving treats that are healthier. Here are some suggestions:
Cheese and cracker packages
Naturally flavored and sweetened gun or sugar-free gum
Small bags of pretzels
Small packages of nuts or raisins
Peanuts in the shell
Fruit-Roll Ups
Granola bars
If you are not opposed to sugar, but would prefer your treats to be natural or vegan, we suggest you visit your local natural food store. There are many natural candy companies that offer a big variety of candies. The one drawback, expect to pay more for these items. Natural products come at a higher price tag.
You could make a homemade treat. Unless you are in a neighborhood with close friends, we don't suggest this approach. Most parents are trained to go through the Halloween candy and throw out unopened, unwrapped or homemade treats. If you decide to make your treats, wrap your homemade item up well, and add your name and phone number to the bag with the treat. If the parent recognizes your name, it will make them feel the treat is safe.
Halloween treats do not have to be edible
An alternative to avoiding the junk food challenges is to hand out a non-food treat. Today, many families are opting for this choice. With a little bit of thought and some clever shopping, you can find some really nice items for a few cents per item. Here are few ideas:
Cool stickers or temporary tattoos
Halloween balloons, you can even rent a helium tanks and fill them on the spot
Crayons, pencils, colored chalk or fun-shaped erasers
Whistles or noise makers
Rubber spiders, worms, or other equally creepy figure
Spider, skull, or pumpkin plastic rings
Check your local dollar store for fun items. There is also plenty of time to shop online, and have items shipped to you. DollarDays.com and OrientalTradingCompany.com are just two sites that offer a good selection. A quick search on Google will give you plenty more online sopping choices.
Halloween Day:
Star the day off right, with a festive breakfast of bagels, pumpkin cream cheese (recipe follows) and fresh apples. This meal also works as a great treat for a morning Halloween party at your child's school.
Pumpkin cream cheese
Beat in a bowl:
8 ounces softened cream cheese
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup of canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Serve with toasted bagels and fresh apple slices.
Before your children venture out in their costumes, make sure they eat a meal before going trick-or-treating. Try the Incredible White Bean Pizza recipe below. It is fast and simple. With full tummies, they won't be so tempted to dig into their bag of goodies before they get back home. Ask your kids not to eat candy while they are out.
Incredible Bean Pizza
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons water
frac12; teaspoon oregano
1 pizza crust (like Boboli)
Shredded Mozzarella cheese
Fresh diced tomatoes
Chopped basil
Directions:
Puree first five ingredients in a blender and spread mixture over the pizza crust. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese, fresh, diced tomatoes and chopped basil. Bake in a 425 degree F oven until cheese is bubbly, about 10-12 minutes.
When your children arrive back at home, don't let them take control over their bag or bucket of candy. Working with them, check the treats and keep only treats which are unopened. Be sure to inspect fruits and homemade goods for anything suspicious. While you are going through their candy, let them pick two or three treats that they can eat on this special night. Store the rest of the candy out of reach and out of sight.
Over the next few days or weeks, rationing the treats is the best approach. Allow your children to make their own selections, but tell them they can pick one large piece or two small pieces. If your children have trouble with this, do it for them (in advance). Just place small amounts of candy in bags, and let them select one of the bags. If there is just too much candy, consider donating some of it to a shelter. It will bring smiles to others.
About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby (
www.FreshBaby.com
). They are the creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats, available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target and Whole Foods Markets. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:38ZPumpkin Recycling: To Roast or Not to Roast!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Pumpkin-Recycling:-To-Roast-or-Not-to-Roast!
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- /9117.html2010-05-07T08:36:36Z2010-05-07T08:36:36Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Pumpkin Recycling
To Roast or Not to Roast!
By Tawra Kellam
LivingOnADime.com/
Peter Piper Picked a Profoundly Plump Pumpkin -- Now What does he do with it?
Every fall I get many questions about what to do with pumpkins. Many people find curious fascination in imagining what it would be like to grow these versatile little gems, as if growing something that produces a large fruit is somehow more respectable than growing, say, a serrano pepper. Many people eventually venture into pumpkin experimentation. Some succeed and many fail. Much like a dog that chases a car, many people never give thought to what they would do if they actually succeeded in successfully raising a patch of these fall favorites. Whether you have found yourself with more pumpkins than you know what to do with or you are one of the people who had to buy pumpkins and duct tape them to the vine, these tips for roasting and using pumpkins are sure to help you make the most out of them (no matter how you acquired them)!
How to Roast a Pumpkin
You can only do this with a freshly carved pumpkin! Do not use on a pumpkin that has beencarved and sitting out for several days.
To bake a fresh 6 to 7 pound pumpkin, halve the pumpkin crosswise and scoop out the seeds and strings. Place halves, hollow side down, in a large baking pan covered with aluminum foil and add a little water. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 1 frac12; to 2 hours or until fork-tender. Remove. When cool, scrape pulp from shells and puree, a little at time, in food processor or blender. Mix with a little salt.
To freeze pumpkin puree. Put 1-2 cups in freezer bags along with spices and use in pies.
To use pumpkin puree for recipes: Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth or a flour sack dish towel and let the pumpkin sit to drain out the extra moisture BEFORE cooking with it. Pumpkin is very moist, so in order for your recipe to come out correctly, you MUST strain it.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Boil seeds in water for 5 minutes. Drain well. Sprinkle with salt or seasoned salt. Place a thin layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 250 . Stir after 30 minutes. Bake frac12;-1 hour more or until crunchy.
*Squash seeds may also be used.
Pumpkin Smoothies
frac12; cup pumpkin
frac34;cup milk or vanilla yogurt
frac14; tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. brown sugar
4 ice cubes
whipped cream (optional)
sprinkles (optional)
Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into 2-3 glasses. Serve with a small amount of whipped cream on top. You may also add orange sprinkles if you like. Serves 2-3.
Pumpkin Pancakes
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 frac14; tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
frac12;cup nuts, chopped (optional)
frac12;cup pumpkin
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cups milk
Combine ingredients. Stir just until moistened; batter may be lumpy. Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat; brush lightly with vegetable oil. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle; cook until bubbles begin to burst. Turn and continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with Pumpkin Maple Sauce and nuts.
Pumpkin Maple Sauce
1 cup maple syrup
frac14; tsp. ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1 frac14; cups pumpkin
Mix together until well blended.
In 5 years, Tawra Kellam and her husband paid off $20,000 personal debt on an average income of $22,000 per year. Tawra is the author of the frugal cookbook Dining On A Dime. Dining On A Dime has over 1200 recipes and tips to help you eat better and spend less. For more free tips and recipes visit her web site at
LivingOnADime.com/
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:36ZTeaching Kids about Money - Part IIStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Teaching-Kids-about-Money---Part-II
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- /9118.html2010-05-07T08:36:34Z2010-05-07T08:36:34Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Teaching Kids about Money
by Jill Cooper
www.LivingOnADime.com
(
See Part I for the Steps One and Two
.)
Step three is to be sure and teach your child about savings and tithing. I will never forget the first allowance I ever received. I was about 7 years old and my allowance was a quarter. I remember two things about that day. The first was that my mom said that out of any money we earned, we were to give 10% to God. I didn't know about percents at the time and had to ask how much 10% of 25 cents was. She said it was 2 1/2 cents. I remember being confused and asking how I was to give half a cent. Then she said the second thing I will always remember from that day. I couldn't give half a cent, so I should give 3 cents because that extra half cent would show our thankfulness for all of the many other things that God had given us as gifts that weren't in the form of money.
To this day I have always given my tithe without hesitation and I round it up to an even number. Because there are so many extras that God has blessed me with other than money; the sack of tomatoes from the neighbors garden, the used car someone sold me at a discount, the meal that was brought to me by a friend when I was sick and so on. Do you see what a big influence my mom's words and actions had on me? She was my best example as you are the example for your child.
As far as savings goes, I always tried to teach my kids to tithe, save a little and spend a little. I have found though that the best way for a child to learn about saving is through the "hard knocks" of life. Maybe for a child, I should change that to the "soft knocks" of life. ;-) There is no better way for a child to learn to save than for that child to quickly spend all of his money at a bubble gum machine and on candy bars and then see a sibling, who has carefully saved, be able to buy a really cool toy the next time they go shopping.Another way for kids to learn about saving is, when they desire something very much, to have mom or dad tell them to save their money for it. You can't break down and buy it for them because you will defeat the purpose. It's hard I know. It's even worse being a grandmother and not breaking down and buying them everything they want, but after a while you will come to realize how exciting it is for a child to save and save and then finally reach their goal's end.
How much should you pay a child for allowance? My first quarter was enough for me to buy four Hershey's bars with almonds, to tithe and to save a couple of cents. I thought I had died and gone to heaven -- four whole candy bars! For this reason, I have always regulated my children's allowance to make sure that they have enough money to buy four or five candy bars. I wouldn't want to say, since some think I'm an expert in finances, that my whole belief system revolves around the price of candy bars but hey, if the shoe fits, I must proudly wear it. Of course, as the children grow and take on more responsibilities they should get gradual "pay raises" in their allowances.
Just a couple of closing thoughts: With more money comes more responsibility. Keep the amount of money you give your children in proportion to how responsible they are. This will help them to learn to use their money wisely rather than to waste it because they have more than they know what to do with. In the same way that you wouldn't give a ten year old a new car to drive because he isn't responsible enough yet and doesn't know how to use it properly, don't give your children more money and things than they can responsibly handle.
Teach your children to use their own money to buy those things that they want so badly, rather than buying lots of things that you can't afford. This will this teach them how to save, how to be more discerning when presented with an opportunity to buy something and how to care for things better and appreciate the things they have more.
Lastly, but possibly the most important: teach your children to use a small part of their money to buy gifts and to give to others. This could include anything from buying a family member something little at a garage sale to giving 50 cents to the humane society or to that special offering for missions at church. Remember, the whole object is to learn to be wise stewards of their money and to be givers not takers.
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
www.LivingOnADime.com
. As a single mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:34ZTeaching Kids about Money - Part IStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Teaching-Kids-about-Money---Part-I
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- /9119.html2010-05-07T08:36:32Z2010-05-07T08:36:32Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Teaching Kids about Money - Part I
by Jill Cooper
www.LivingOnADime.com
So many people ask how to teach their kids about money, hoping we can give them a 1-2-3 formula to use that will help their child become a wise caretaker of his money and maybe even a future Bill Gates or Oprah Winfrey. Many parents ask this question because they are terrified that their children will turn out just like themselves when it comes to spending money. They hope that the "Do as I say, not as I do" method might actually work in this case.
The bad news is it won't. Children usually become "chips off of the old block". It really is a monkey see, monkey do world. They almost always learn by example - your example, dad and mom.
The good news is that you (parents) can change. That is the first step in the formula. Put into practice the things that you want your children to learn. I know a lot of you don't want to hear that but I'm afraid that is the way it is. The good news is that it really isn't as hard as you think. If you expect a 5, 6, or 7 year old to learn to handle money wisely, surely you as a grown adult will be capable of doing it too.
I read a lot of novels. You can learn quite a bit about human nature from novels. In almost every novel I read, the hero works as hard as his men and expects no more out of them than what he expects of himself and the men love and admire him for it. Now I know I'm talking about a novel but think about it with regard to these everyday life examples. How do you feel at your job if your boss places strict demands on you to do certain things that he is not willing to do himself? Resentful, angry and frustrated? Your children feel the same way if you expect them to be wise in money matters when you are not.
The second step in the formula is to teach children how to earn money before they learn how to handle it. This should seem logical and you may say "Well of course everyone knows that!" but do they? The people we deal with on a daily basis don't seem to know that. How many people do you know (maybe even you are guilty of this yourself), who spend money they haven't even earned. Do you instantly say not me! Hmmm... How many dollars worth of credit card debt do you have? Isn't that spending money you haven't earned yet? We need to keep our eyes open to how we handle money, before and after we earn it.
The best way to help children learn positive work ethics and give them a chance to earn money is through chores. There is nothing wrong with age appropriate chores and jobs. Chores help to teach children the weights and balances of earning and spending - Earn $10 and you can spend $10. A lot of parents live with the idea that one can spend $10 and then frantically try to work to get $10 to pay for it. Another alternative that seems to be gaining popularity is to mooch off of someone like their parents or to become indebted to a credit card company.
Is it surprising why children are getting confused? It is because they are receiving mixed messages from dad and mom. This is why it is so important for parents to get their acts together first.
I believe in giving allowances for chores that are done. This is a great way to teach our children the earning - spending concept. It teaches them another life skill to prepare them for when they enter into the work world. It's simple. Do your job, do it well, do it on time and you will get paid.
Whatever you do, don't give your children allowances when they haven't earned them. You are doing your children a great injustice when you do this. They learn early on that they don't have to do a thing because mom and dad will pay for it. Twenty years later, parents find themselves with a 28 year old man sitting on their couch, watching their TV and munching on pizza and chips that their hard earned money paid for. They can't figure out how to get rid of him or what went wrong. By giving kids money and "stuff" without having to earn it, they learn to be takers and not givers. Then we wonder why, as adults, they have the attitude that the world owes them something for nothing. They have learned that they have no reason to bother to lift a finger to contribute to society.
Some people refuse to give allowances because they say that children should do things because they are members of the family. They need to learn to do things without expecting a reward. I agree with this to a certain extent so what I did was divide the jobs up into certain categories. For example, feeding the cat, walking the dog or raking grandma's yard could be done just to teach the care and responsibility for someone else because we love them. This teaches responsibility towards those we love, expecting no reward.
Things like keeping their rooms clean and beds made could be included under the allowance category. There were also times when we would have extra large projects like painting a fence or cleaning a very messy garage. In these cases, I would give the kids a little extra because they were such big jobs and the kids had worked so hard doing them.
Like everything else there is a happy medium. Everyone likes a reward for a job well done. Even God rewards us for jobs well done. If we never give our children an allowance, they could become resentful.
You may ask, "What do I do if I really don't have any extra to give my children at this time in my life?" First, you don't need to give children a lot. Even a small amount can seem huge to them. You can also pay them in other ways. For example, if you do this job, I will let you watch TV or play video games for an extra hour. Sometimes these things are more important to a child than money. My grandson mows my yard for me. He would do it for nothing, but I like to pay him a little for it. One day when he was done mowing we walked to a convenience store by my house and I bought him a slushy. He was more excited about that than about all the money I had paid him before.
If you really have nothing to pay them at this time, that's OK too. Children have a very keen sense of justice. They usually know when mom and dad are not paying them because things are in "crisis" mode. If you have been fair with them in the past, they know you will be fair with them in the future when things aren't so tight.
See Part II next week...
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
www.LivingOnADime.com
. As a single mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:32ZThe Great Milk CrisisStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/The-Great-Milk-Crisis
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- /9120.html2010-05-07T08:36:30Z2010-05-07T08:36:30Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>The Great Milk Crisis
by Jill Cooper
LivingOnADime.com
I rushed to my computer to write this when I heard the news. I knew there would be a great panic over it and thought I could hopefully calm some fears. What was the news? Was it something earth shattering like flood, epidemic, or war? No! But it made the headlines - "The price of milk is going up!" I could hear the panic in the newscaster's voice and the trembling in "Mrs. Woman-on-the-street's" voice as she answered his question, "What will you do now?"
"I guess I will have to just start watering down my children's milk because they just love it so much." Then she took a deep heart wrenching sigh...
Of course, I'm telling you this with tongue in cheek. We live in a world of panic and fear. I try to put these things in perspective. I mean compared to the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl (for those of you who aren't up on your history, that's not a new football game ;-), the flu epidemic of 1917, and World Wars I and II, the fact that the price of milk is going up 50 cents ranks pretty low on my list of things to panic about.
No, I don't have lots of money to throw away. At this time in my life I am pretty much living off the same amount or less than most people on welfare or some elderly people on social security so any price increase is hard on me too.
What I found most interesting was the next item of news after the earth shattering milk scare. It was about a new "apple" that is coming out on Friday and everyone can hardly wait to buy one for $500. I mean to me, paying $2.50 for three pounds of apples is outrageous, let alone spending $500 for one apple! OK, I've got my tongue in my cheek once again! Even though my children think I am completely computer illiterate, I do realize that the new "Apple" they were talking about was some sort of fancy hand held computer/phone (I think ;-).
Here's my point: We sometimes have our priorities goofy. These people were horrified at having to pay an extra 50 cents for milk -- food that they really needed for their children, but they thought nothing of having to pay $500 for what basically amounts to a new electrical toy.
Having milk prices go up is irritating yes, but it is not the end of the world. (Having my Hershey's candy bar double in price over night -- now that is something to panic over. HA! HA! Talk about priorities! ;-) Before you come unglued each time you hear that the price of bread, milk or gas is raised, try putting it into perspective.
I don't want you to think I am taking this whole thing too lightly. I do want to help make things a little easier for you, so here are some tips to help you save if the price of milk is getting out of control in your area. Most of these basic principles can be used with any food item whose price is getting higher than you would like.
One of the main ways to save on milk is portion control. You have heard me say again and again that we need to start seriously controlling the amount and portion size of the food we give our children. The woman in the news interview above said she would just have to dilute the milk for her children. That really isn't the best solution and usually all that does is to make the milk taste nasty. Now that I think about it, I guess that would be one way to keep the kids from drinking more of it but it's not really the best idea.
A better solution is to have the children drink water more often. Use milk (and juice) only as part of the nutritional value of the meal, not as a primary way to quench thirst. When you plan your menu, if you have cheese or yogurt for your meal, you don't have to serve milk because you already have your dairy. Let everyone drink water. If there is no dairy in the meal, give them a proper serving of milk (6-8 oz. not 16 oz. which is the size of a lot of glasses used at meals).
Waste not want not. This good old fashioned saying really is true. Stop wasting milk. How much milk is left in that half eaten bowl of cereal and poured down the drain each morning? What about that large glass of milk that you poured for your child who drank only half of it? The average American family could cut the amount of milk they buy by 50% just by controlling portion sizes and waste. (That includes that sour milk in the fridge that always gets thrown out).
Stop your children from using the "dump" method with their cereal. You know what I mean, they pour out the cereal, not paying attention to what they are doing, until there is a huge mound in their bowl. Then they pour in enough milk to equal the portion of cereal they have dumped in. You may have to take the time and effort to pour the kids' milk in their cereal bowls for a while to help cut back until they learn to use the right amount themselves. Sometimes something as simple as pouring the milk into a pitcher that is smaller and easier for a child to handle can help. I find a gallon of milk hard to pour so I can't imagine how a young child can handle it properly. I use a small pitcher for my kids and grandkids and they have always loved getting to use the cute little pitcher. I think it is one of those "little things" that helps make their lives easier and they appreciate that.
Make foods that don't use as much milk. Instead of having cereal every morning, make oatmeal, eggs and toast, or pancakes. I like to use milk even if my pancake mix calls for water but you can change that to half milk and half water and it will still taste good. Instead of making pudding for dessert, make a pan of brownies or cupcakes from a box that calls for no milk. Having company this summer? Think watermelon instead of homemade ice cream.
Watch for milk that is marked down and buy all that you can. Most people don't realize that you can freeze milk. All you have to do is be sure you shake it well after you thaw it. Find out when your store stocks the milk or mark it down. I was at a store just yesterday and there was a man putting some cheese on the shelves. I simply asked him when they stocked their dairy products and what time. He didn't mind telling me at all.
As much as I hate to admit how old I am, I have lived many years now and one thing I have found is the price of food always changes - up and down, this way and that - but it is nothing to panic over. Everything usually balances out in the end. Just adjust your eating habits accordingly and you will do fine. Besides, over time most incomes usually end up adjusting to the price of things, so it all balances out.
Hopefully, you can now enjoy your next glass of milk... but watch out for those terribly expensive "apples"!
Jill Cooper is the editor of
LivingOnADime.com
. As a single mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:30Z$40 Bedroom MakeoverStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/$40-Bedroom-Makeover
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- /9121.html2010-05-07T08:36:28Z2010-05-07T08:36:28Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>$40 Bedroom Makeover
By Tawra Kellam
www.LivingOnADime.com
By shopping at thrift stores and making do with what I had, I spent under $40 redecorating my daughter's room.
Elly's new room took me two days work, 15-30 minutes at a time, resting about 1-2 hours in between. It took me about one day to put the paint on the walls. (That's with the help of a 3 year old.) I was sick or I would have been able to complete it in one day.
To redecorate, we designed the room around a comforter that Elly had received from her grandmother as a gift. We purchased everything from the thrift store over 2 weeks. We had to go about 3-4 times, but it was well worth the savings.
For color on the wall behind the bed, I found a twin sheet that I had on hand that I had purchased for $1 at the thrift store. I ironed the sheet and then used the staple gun to staple it up on the wall. I hung the canopy with a hook we already had and then tied it by gathering it and stapling the gather. Then we stapled a tassel on the gather. We found the tassels for $.12 each on clearance after Christmas.
Elly wanted a tall princess bed, so we took identical sized boxes of books from the garage and put one under each leg. (We self-publish so we had a ton of books.) We removed the wheels from the bed frame. Then we put a board on top of the boxes for stability. Elly's bed frame is now about 15 inches feet off the ground so use the space under the bed for storing toys.
My mom made some pillows to go with Elly's comforter from material she already had. The long pink bolster was the one thing we bought retail. That was some new "extra fluffy soft" material that she purchased for about $5 for one extra special pillow.
I found a picture at the store to put on the wall behind her bed instead of a headboard. We didn't have any night stands that would work, so we stacked three boxes of books in the corner and one box in front to make a staggered "L" shaped night stand. We covered the boxes by layering a white sheet and then lace on top. She now has a nice place for her drinking cup, clock and stuffed animals.
I couldn't find curtains to match and didn't have any material to make any so I had to come up with something else. I found a white round tablecloth that I had. I ironed it, folded it in half and then draped it over her curtain rod. Then I took some fake flowers that I already had and put them on top. It turned out pretty nice for a free curtain!
We found a free standing mirror for $5 at the thrift store. There were two things wrong with it. It didn't have a base and the person had painted it black, inadvertently getting spray paint on the glass. Polish remover took off the paint in a just a couple of seconds and we simply leaned the mirror against the wall in the corner.
We made a craft table from one that the neighbors had left on the curb. It was pretty ugly, so we covered it with a tablecloth that looked nice but wouldn't be too big of a loss if she spilled something on it. Mom had a chair that was the right size, but it looked bad, too. She took some lace and tied the corners. Then she put a cluster of flowers on the back.
We also thought she needed something to hang all her art projects on. I found a corkboard that was in good shape, but had been marked up with markers, pens and crayons. I tried painting it with latex paint but the marker marks kept bleeding through. I took the blow dryer and dried the paint. I took the glue gun and hot glued some lace over the top of the cork material to cover up the marks. The paint showed through the lace but the lace covered up the marker marks.
She wanted to decorate with hearts and stars, so I took a large car washing sponge ($.75 each at Dollar General) and cut stencils out of them. I found heart and star coloring pages on the Internet and I printed them. I traced the heart and star on two sponges and then took a razor blade and cut out the edges. I only went down about 1/2 inch with the cut to remove the excess sponge. Then I put paint on the sponge and pressed it onto the wall. The sponge didn't stamp the image as well as I would have liked, so I painted over the top of the mark my stencil had made with a paintbrush.
We were able to keep Elly out of the room while I did it so she didn't really know what was going on in there. On the day of her birthday, I put a large sheet of wrapping paper over her doorframe and wrote Happy Birthday with a marker and bows. That way she could open her "present" from mom and dad. She was very excited about it!
Tawra Kellam is the editor of
www.LivingOnADime.com
.Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:28ZAre You Preparing Your Child for Financial Trouble?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Are-You-Preparing-Your-Child-for-Financial-Trouble
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- /9122.html2010-05-07T08:36:27Z2010-05-07T08:36:27Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Are You Preparing Your Child for Financial Trouble?
By Al Jacobs
In the world we live, no one grows up to become financially knowledgeable without guidance along the way. The number of young adults struggling to make ends meet bears witness to the fact that many persons reach maturity without an ability to look after themselves. Unfortunately, there is nothing that most young people encounter in life that prepares them to survive financially in this world. Whatever Americans know about handling their dollars did not come from school. This is understandable, of course, if only because the typical classroom teacher is equally mystified by the world of money. Nor is there any information to be gleaned from the media and its supporting advertising. Those formative years, in which the average child spends 28 hours per week in front of a television screen, does little more than inculcate a taste for Pop-Tarts, Cocoa Puffs, Hip-Hop music, designer jeans, and the emulation of celebrities.
I'm convinced that financial counseling must come from the parent. If you're not indoctrinating your offspring into sound habits of thrift and discernment, there is a likelihood they will blunder through life with no sense of monetary values. That's a recipe for personal disaster. I'd like to offer the following suggestions on how to instill a sense of fiscal responsibility in your children.
1. First and foremost, start early. There is no more accurate truth than the ancient adage: As the twig is bent, so grows the tree. As soon as your progeny develop an awareness of what is going on around them, they're entitled to instruction and guidance on the realities of the financial world. Admittedly, the approach to your 4-year-old will be far different than to your teen-ager. Nonetheless, if properly presented, both will acquire skills that will accompany them over a lifetime.
Mean what you say. Whether or not you believe it, your children really pay attention to what you say and do. As the first authority that normally appears, a parent becomes a model on which the child fixates. It's important to realize, however, that your counsel must be consistent for the lessons to be learned. If messages are contradictory, they will be received as mixed signals. If, for example, parents proclaim the importance of living within their financial means while simultaneously indebting themselves through purchases they cannot afford, it will not go undetected by the children nor induce them to pursue habits of thrift. The only way that sound financial values can be transmitted from one generation to the next is by a systematic and continuous program that reinforces these values. Only through precept and example will sound habits be engrained.
Don't encourage unattainable goals. Well-meaning parents, who urge their children to aim for the stars while ignoring reality, do them no service. One typical example is the encouragement given to attend a prestigious university when family funds are unavailable. Over the past several years I've fielded many a letter from these children, themselves well into parenthood and overburdened with tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid student loans. In most cases, the grandiose plans envisioned never came to pass. Whatever added luster a high-priced school is designed to impart often proves to be illusory. Reasonably priced educational institutions are available and every bit as suitable. The point I want to stress is that realistic and attainable goals, taking into consideration the inherent abilities and limitations of each offspring, must be the basis on which guidance is given. Despite the prevalent attitude in modern society that everyone is endowed to achieve at any level, the wise parent will recognize reality and seek to counsel the child accordingly.
Don't try to direct your child's discretionary spending. If a child is to learn about money, he or she must sense some meaningful connection to it. Though it's the parents' responsibility to advise their offspring on sensible spending and saving, they must not dictate how the youths handle their earnings. The decision on how money received is to be spent-or horded, if that's the choice-is that of the recipient. Most importantly, don't habitually come to the rescue. When mistakes are made, the repercussions are the most valuable part of the learning process. Managing finances is a lifelong challenge, and the sooner experienced, the better.
Don't fight against human nature. Over time I've seen a lot of strange behavior that ignored human nature. One of the more bizarre instances concerned an indolent young woman, who over many years repeatedly received instruction from her wealthy father on how to balance her checkbook. She habitually issued checks whenever she chose. When the account balance fell below zero, the bank phoned her father who deposited more money in the account. Somehow her father never understood that his instruction sessions ignored human nature; the checkbook balance held no significance for her. What's the purpose of this observation? It's to stress the importance of parents' awareness of what is important to their offspring. Human nature dictates that all actions actually have meaning.
AL JACOBS has been a professional investor for more than four decades. His business experience ranges from real estate, mortgage, and securities investment to appraisal, civil engineering, and the operation of a private trust company. In addition to managing his investments on a day-to-day basis, he is a featured financial columnist for both online and print publications. He is the author of
Nobody's Fool: A Skeptic's Guide to Prosperity
. You may subscribe to his financial Newsletter, "On the Money Trail," at no cost or obligation, by visiting
www.onthemoneytrail.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:27ZNo Veggie Left BehindStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/No-Veggie-Left-Behind
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- /9123.html2010-05-07T08:36:25Z2010-05-07T08:36:25Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>No Veggie Left Behind
By Missy Chase Lapine
www.thesneakychef.com
A grateful reader recently wrote to me and said she had a better chance of getting Brad Pitt to call her for a date than to get her kids to eat their vegetables. And her name was not Angelina.
Well, fear no more. The days of the picky eater are over, and there's a new life for those super healthy foods we could only wish our kids would eat. How is this possible? Haven't we tried every trick in the book to get our kids to stop demanding white and start eating green food? We've made log cabins out of asparagus and forests out of broccoli stalks. We've promised trips to Disneyland if they'll just take one more bite, and we've turned every food on earth into a mini version of itself hoping they would think it was cute enough to eat. And yet there our kids always sit, staring defiantly back at us with their lips pinched shut.
Every single green bean and leaf of spinach has still been meticulously separated from the buttery mashed potatoes with surgical precision. In the end our garbage disposals are better nourished than our families.So get smarter. Get sneaky! Most of us know perfectly well what our kids should be eating; the trick is simply how to get them to eat it... hmmmmm.... Hide it! Get out that cute mini food processor and puree the super veggies with a little water. Make yourself a smooth and creamy puree that will hide perfectly in all kinds of meals kids already like to eat.
Do your kids like mac n' cheese? Most kids love it and it has a kid-friendly cheesy taste that covers up the "White Puree," which has almost no taste of its own. Throw some white beans, zucchini and steamed cauliflower into blender, then mix the puree in with their favorite boxed macaroni and cheese. Set it on the table and keep your little secret to yourself. They'll eat it right up without a peep of protest. Try steaming and pureeing orange and white veggies like yams, carrots, peeled zucchini and cauliflower and mixing it into pizza and pasta sauce. With this method, you'll smile all the way to the dishwasher after you watched the kids gobble up previously rejected healthy foods. The whole world opens up to you with the sneaky method.
In addition to healthy meals, there will now be peaceful meals, and you can start teaching good nutrition in a much less pressured environment. Because you're confident that your kids are already getting the nutrition they need in the sneaky recipes, you don't have to fight with the same edge in your voice over the plain broccoli stalks that aren't hidden. And all those veggies you used to walk right past in the grocery store? There's now a recipe for every one of them. Your new motto will be: No vegetable left behind.
copy; Missy Chase Lapine
Missy Chase Lapine is the author of
The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals
(Running Press, March 2007). She is the former publisher of
Eating Well
magazine and the founder of a natural baby product line Baby Spareg;. Missy is currently on the Culinary Arts faculty of The New School, in New York City, and operates
The Sneaky Chef
workshops. She is available to individuals, groups and businesses for private cooking instruction, workshops and personal coaching in
The Sneaky Chef
methods and recipes. Missy lives with her family in Westchester, New York. For more information, visit
www.TheSneakyChef.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:25ZWonderful WatermelonStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Wonderful-Watermelon
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- /9124.html2010-05-07T08:36:23Z2010-05-07T08:36:23Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Wonderful Watermelon
By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
www.FreshBaby.com
Eating watermelon is not just fun, it is healthy too! Watermelon is chock full of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals which are highly reactive molecules that damage cell membranes, attack DNA and cause disease. Tomatoes are often associated with lycopene, but watermelon contains higher levels than fresh tomatoes.
Watermelon can also help maintain cardiovascular health. Watermelon has amino acids, citrulline and arginine, that help maintain the arteries and blood flow. A 2-cup serving of watermelon is also an excellent source of Vitamins A, B6 and C. These vitamins provide optimal eye health, help the body cope with anxiety and panic, and bolster your immune system's defenses.
At the market: Check the watermelon out. Look for a firm, symmetrical watermelon with no bruises, cuts or dents. Lift it. The watermelon should be heavy for it's size. The underside of the watermelon will have a creamy yellow spot from where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun.
Pre-cut watermelon: Available in many markets, this is a nice option for a small family or when a whole watermelon is too much. Keep the cut surface of a melon covered with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Stays fresh for 3-4 days.
Storage: A whole watermelon can be stored at room temperature until ready to cut up.
Cubes of watermelon: Place in covered container and refrigerate immediately. Stays fresh for 3-4 days.
Preparation: Wash, slice or cube and enjoy.
Here are some quick ideas to add watermelon into your family meals:
Terrific Breakfast Treat: Cut up watermelon into bite-size chunks and place them in a cereal bowl, top with a fruit-flavored yogurt, sprinkle with a healthy helping of granola. Dig in!
Watermelon Dippin' Stix: Here's a simple creamy snack or dessert. Cut watermelon pieces into 3-inch long sticks. Stack the sticks on a plate and serve them with a bowl of vanilla yogurt flavored with a touch of lime juice and chopped fresh mint or Ranch dressing for dipping.
Shrimp and watermelon skewers: Shrimp and watermelon are a wonderful flavor combination. This simple dish is great as an appetizer or light lunch. Start with a few wooden skewers, thread cooked shrimp and watermelon cubes on the skewer. Place on a serving plate and drizzle with thai peanut sauce or ginger vinaigrette.
Multi-Melon Salad: A perfect side dish with grilled fish, pork or chicken. Mix equal parts, cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon cubes in a bowl. Toss with raspberry vinaigrette. Sprinkle with blanched almonds, shredded coconut and dried cherries.
Wow Watermelon Soda: Exotic soda flavors are soaring in popularity, but many of them are filled with unhealthy artificial ingredients and high fructose corn syrup. Why not try making a homemade watermelon soda that the whole family will love?
This recipe will take a few minutes to make, but it's quite simple and the fresh watermelon flavor is totally worth it. To make the soda, you'll make watermelon syrup and add sparkling water or club soda to it. Enjoy quick access to watermelon soda all summer by making a batch of the watermelon syrup and freezing it in So Easy Baby Food Trays (or ice cube trays). When thirst heats up, simply drop a cube into soda water. It's an instant refresher!
Ingredients:
5 cups of seeded chopped watermelon
5-6 Tablespoons superfine sugar
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups of sparkling water or club soda
Directions:
Puree the watermelon in a blender or a food processor. Pour the watermelon puree into a fine strainer set over a bowl. Let it stand for 20 minutes until the juice has drained through. Stir the watermelon gently one or twice, but do not press the puree or the syrup will be cloudy. This will yield about 2 cups of watermelon juice.
Stir the superfine sugar, lime juice and salt into the watermelon juice until dissolved.
To serve, pour frac14;- frac12;cup watermelon syrup with 1/2 cup sparkling water in a glass. Top with ice and enjoy!
Makes 5-8 servings.
About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby, which includes products such as the So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats. Visit them online at
www.FreshBaby.com
to check out their newsletter. Fresh Baby products are available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target, Wild Oats, and Whole Foods Markets. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:23ZChill Out This SummerStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Chill-Out-This-Summer
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- /9125.html2010-05-07T08:36:22Z2010-05-07T08:36:22Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Chill Out This Summer
By Tawra Kellam
www.LivingOnADime.com
The day moms dread all year long has arrived: the last day of school and the first day of summer vacation. To help moms keep their cool by helping their kids chill out, here are some recipes from
www.LivingOnADime.com
Snow Cones
Crushed Ice
1 pkg. flavored drink mix (flavor of your choice)
Mix drink mix half strength according to directions. Chill 1 hour. Just before serving, crush some ice. You can use either a snow cone maker or put some ice cubes in a plastic bag and pound with hammer. Pack ice chips into cups, pour chilled drink mix over the ice and serve. You can also use fruit juice boiled down to half with food coloring added.
Apple juice: green or red food coloring
Grape juice: purple food coloring
Frozen Bananas
bananas
skewers (optional)
Cut bananas in half crosswise. Insert skewer in the thicker end. Place bananas on a tray and place in freezer. When frozen, move to a plastic bag and keep frozen until ready to use.
Toppings
yogurtnuts, finely chopped
peanut butter
applesauce
melted chocolate
coconut
wheat germ
Allow bananas to thaw slightly. Put toppings in small bowls. Dip banana before each bite. Eat plain or roll or dip into any of the toppings. Use the wet topping first so the others will stick.
Play Dough
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 tsp. cream of tartar
2 Tbsp. oil
2 cups water
food coloring
Mix together all ingredients except food coloring in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture gathers on the spoon and forms dough (about 6 minutes). Dump onto waxed paper until cool enough to handle and knead until pliable. Store in a covered container or plastic bag. Add food coloring for different colors. Makes about 2 pounds.
Let them have some creative in the pool out back with these finger paint recipes.
Finger Paints
1 pkg. unflavored gelatin
frac12; cup cold water
frac12; cup cornstarch
1 frac12; cups water
liquid dish detergent
food coloring
Dissolve gelatin in frac12; cup water. Set aside. In a saucepan add cornstarch then slowly stir in 1 frac12; cups water until well blended over medium heat. Cook until it boils, becomes smooth, thickens and turns clear. Add gelatin mixture and stir well. Pour into containers and add a drop of liquid dish detergent. Add food coloring until you get the desired shade. Store covered in the refrigerator 4-6 weeks.
Easy Finger Paints
frac14; cup cornstarch
2 cups water
Mix in saucepan and boil until thick. Then pour into a jar and add food coloring until the desired shade is achieved. Store covered in the refrigerator.
Tawra Kellam is a frugal living expert and is the author of Dining On A Dime Cookbook. For more free tips and recipes visit her web site at
www.LivingOnADime.com
. In 5 years, Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 personal debt on an average income of $22,000 per year. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:22ZPopsicle Paradise!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Popsicle-Paradise!
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- /9126.html2010-05-07T08:36:20Z2010-05-07T08:36:20Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Popsicle Paradise!
By Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam
LivingOnADime.com
Remember when you used to sit on your front steps on a hot summer day eating a popsicle? It was usually red or purple and on special occasions you got a fudgesicle. Remember how you tried to lick the drips faster than the sun could melt them? Sometimes the drips would roll down your fingers, forcing you to make the mind numbing decision whether to lick your fingers or the new drips forming on your popsicle.
Every once in a while a few drips would get out of control and fall on your bare toes. Remember how your dog's tongue felt like sandpaper when he licked the sweet gooeyness off of them?
It's funny how we try to make drama and expensive memories for our children when it's the simple everyday things we remember the most.
Try some of these ideas to keep the kids entertained this summer:
To find popsicle molds, look at discount and mail order stores or garage sales. If you don't have any molds, use small paper or plastic cups. Put a wooden stick or plastic spoon in the center.
For mini popsicles, pour orange, apple or grape juice or flavored drink mix into ice cube trays. Partially freeze and then place toothpicks in the center of each cube (or place plastic wrap over the top, secure and insert toothpicks through plastic wrap).
Making your own popsicles can give great variety and keep your kids cool this summer!
For non-traditional popsicles:
Freeze applesauce in popsicle molds.
Mix fruit or jam into yogurt. Freeze in small, snack sized Ziploc bags for frozen yogurt on the go. Cut a hole in the end of the bag for easy access/eating.
Mix gelatin and freeze. Add gummie fish or worms before freezing for added fun.
Freeze syrup from canned fruit.
Add food coloring or sprinkles to yogurt or softened ice cream for added pizzazz. Then freeze in popsicle molds.
When you have leftover jam or jelly, put 1/4 cup of hot water in the jar and shake well. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze.
If jelly or jam doesn't set up well, use for popsicles or add more water, boil and make syrup.
Make a batch of pudding. Add coconut, nuts, marshmallows, crushed cookies or sprinkles if desired. Pour into molds. Freeze several hours until firm.
Stick a toothpick in the center of blackberries, strawberries, raspberries or sliced bananas.
Dip in chocolate if desired. Freeze on a tray. Once frozen, store in freezer bags.
For easy snow cones, freeze orange juice (or any other flavored juice) in ice cube trays. Store frozen juice cubes in a plastic bag. Blend 5 cubes in the blender until they have a shaved ice consistency. The shaved ice will keep its consistency if kept frozen in a container.
For watermelon popsicles, blend one cup each watermelon chunks (seeds removed), orange juice and water. Blend well. Then pour and freeze into molds.
For strawberry popsicles, blend 2 cups strawberries, 1 cup vanilla ice cream or yogurt, 4 cups orange juice and 2 tablespoons sugar. Blend smooth. Pour into molds and freeze.
For banana popsicles, dissolve one 3 oz. package strawberry gelatin with one cup boiling water. In a blender, mix gelatin, 1 banana and 1 cup yogurt or ice cream. Blend well and pour into molds.
These can be eaten out of the package, but if you like them hot, place them in a small thermos and pour very hot to boiling water over them. Put on the lid and by the time you are ready to eat them, the water will have heated them through.
Pudding Pops
1 pkg. pudding (not instant*)
3 cups milk
Combine 1 large package of pudding with 3 cups of milk. Mix only enough to blend well. Quickly pour into popsicle molds and freeze. Chocolate and vanilla pudding may be layered for a fun treat. Makes 8-10 popsicles.
*Regular homemade pudding may be used instead of store-bought pudding mix.
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
LivingOnADime.com
. As a single mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own home business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. They have helped thousands of people all over the world to save money and get out of debt. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:20ZThe Carb ConundrumStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/The-Carb-Conundrum
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- /9127.html2010-05-07T08:36:18Z2010-05-07T08:36:18Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>The Carb Conundrum
By Elizabeth Yarnell
www.GloriousOnePotMeals.com
As Americans we have mixed feelings about carbohydrates. On the one hand, we blindly jump on the low-carb bandwagon and follow unhealthy, low-carb or no-carb diets in our pursuit to lose weight quickly. On the other, we love our white bread, enriched pasta and potatoes in any form. Our expanding waistlines witness our confusion.
While protein is the building block of muscle mass, carbohydrates are what give us the energy not only to lead active lifestyles, but also to complete autonomic functions such as breathing, blinking and heartbeats.
A body denied carbohydrates enters ketosis, an unbalanced, acidic state, and then begins to cannibalize itself in the pursuit of fuel for energy. Talk about an unhealthy state!
The key is in knowing which kinds of carbs help us and which we'd be better off without.
Processed and refined carbs, like those found in white and wheat breads, white crackers, pastas, etc., and white rice, come from grains where the bran and the germ have been removed. That amounts to lost dietary fiber, protein, and a host of other nutrients. What are left are calories that the body can't completely access without the missing elements.
Complex carbohydrates- like those found in whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds. seaweeds and vegetables and fruits- provide exactly what our bodies need in just the right proportions and amounts to be most fully utilized.
While the healthfulness of oats made headlines for a while, all whole grains offer similar benefits. They're low in fat and good sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein.
A recent Tufts University study showed that consuming at least three servings of whole-grain foods daily can lower risks for abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), high blood pressure and poor blood sugar control. Eating any whole grains- not just oats - can put you in better shape for treating or avoiding diabetes, cholesterol issues, heart disease and even cancer.
Even though diabetics are often advised to restrict carbohydrate intake, the American Diabetes Association encourages even diabetics to include three daily servings of whole grains. Though refined carbs can cause a spike in blood sugar levels because they move through the body so quickly, whole grains are digested slowly, maintaining a glycemic balance while providing a satiated feeling.
Whole-grain diets also promote bowel health through maintaining regular movements and promoting growth of healthy bacteria in the colon.
Look for labels that read "whole wheat" or "whole grain" rather than simply "wheat" or "multi-grain". Here are some whole grains to help expand our healthy carb repertoire:
Whole-grain corn (grits/polenta/popcorn)
Whole oats/oatmeal
Brown rice
Whole rye
Whole-grain barley
Wild rice
Buckwheat
Bulgur (cracked wheat)
Millet
Quinoa (the only grain that is a complete protein)
Sorghum (a gluten-free grain)
Try this light and easy quinoa meal as a tasty alternative to rice, pasta or potatoes. Feel free to build it ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you're ready to cook it in a fully-preheated oven. When doing this, remember to reserve the liquid and then add it right before cooking or you'll end up with a quinoa patty!
Southwestern Quinoa
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 frac12; cup quinoa
2 cups broth or water
1 tsp. cumin
1- 1 frac34; lb. beef or turkey tenderloin
1frac14; tsp sea salt
2 scallions, sliced into thin rounds
2 fresh green chiles, stemmed, seeded, chopped (Anaheim for milder palates; pasilla, poblano or jalapeno for a spicier meal)
2 small yellow summer squashes, halved, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
6-8 leaves kale or chard, destemmed, roughly chopped(about 4 cups chopped)
Directions
Preheat oven to 450F. Spray inside of 3 3/2- or 4-quart cast iron Dutch oven and lid with olive oil. Pour in quinoa. Add liquid and cumin and stir to dissolve and evenly coat grains.
Set trimmed tenderloin in next and sprinkle with sea salt, scallions and green chiles. Layer in squash, followed by red bell pepper. Fill to the top with greens, making certain none hang over the edge.
Cover and bake for about 35 minutes, or until about 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully-cooked meal wafts from the oven.
My husband prefers this meal with a sauce such as salsa or gravy, while I appreciate the unadorned elements as presented here and the satisfied-but-not-stuffed way I feel after eating.
Notes
Quinoa is the only whole grain that is a complete protein as it provides all the essential amino acids in a balanced pattern. With more high quality protein than any other whole grain and wheat and gluten-free, quinoa (pronounced "keen-wa") is also light and delicate with a delicious nutty flavor that is perfect for summer weather.
Once the staple food of the Incas, the ancient Andean civilization respectfully referred to quinoa as the "Mother Grain".
Nutritional Analysis per serving
(based on using organic chicken broth and skinless turkey meat)
Calories 408
Protein 14g
Carbs 56
Fat 11g
Chol 86mg
Sod 553mg (268 if made with water instead of broth)
Fiber 7g
Elizabeth Yarnell is the inventor and author of Glorious One-Pot Meals: A new quick healthy approach to Dutch oven cooking. Her recipes are protected under US patent no. 6,846,504. Learn more about Glorious One-Pot Meals at
www.GloriousOnePotMeals.com
. Reprinted with Permission on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:18ZBudget Stretching Advice for Organic FoodsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Budget-Stretching-Advice-for-Organic-Foods
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- /9128.html2010-05-07T08:36:16Z2010-05-07T08:36:16Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Budget Stretching Advice for Organic Foods
By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
www.FreshBaby.com
By weight, a baby will eat more, drink more, and even breathe more air than an adult. This means what you feed your baby (or child) has a much greater impact than it would have on you.
Most people would love to go "all organic" with their food choices. Who really wants the pesticides, hormones and preservatives in their food anyway? But going organic can be a pricey proposition. If your family is like most, your budget cannot afford 100% organic, so why not consider buying organic for some foods. Here is some simple advice on prioritizing your organic food purchases:
1. Eat organic at the top of the food chain: Purchasing organic dairy, egg and meat products is a great place to begin organic food purchases. Livestock eat pesticide-laden feed, are often dosed with antibiotics and hormones, and all of this ends up in the package at the super market. Even though produce is often associated with organic food, many of the residues on these foods can be eliminated or greatly reduced by properly cleaning and peeling them. There is no way to remove or reduce the contaminants in the meat, dairy and egg products.
2. Buying organic for produce with the highest levels of pesticides: Pesticides levels vary in produce. Foods that take a long time to grow have higher pesticides levels and foods that are high in sugar content tend to attract bugs and insects, and as result are sprayed more frequently.
The Environmental Workers Union analyzed a large number of foods and found that you can reduce risks of pesticide exposure by as much as 90 percent by avoiding the dirty dozen, or the top 12 produce items with the highest pesticide residues. Here is the list:
Apples
Bell peppers
Celery
Cherries
Grapes (imported)
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Potatoes
Red Raspberries
Spinach
Strawberries
On the flip side, these fruits and veggies have the lowest levels of pesticide residues:
Asparagus
Avocados
Bananas
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Corn (sweet)
Kiwi
Mangos
Onions
Papayas
Pineapples
Peas (sweet)
3. Buying organic for children's favorite foods: Babies and toddlers are notorious for having some strange eating habits. One of them is eating the same foods day in and day out. This is a perfectly normal development step for your child. Buy organic foods for what your little one is eating the most of at meals.
4. Be flexible. Buy what is on sale: Organic foods are like all other foods products, there are always specials on foods that are in season and there are always coupons. Keep your menu-planning flexible to take advantage of supermarket deals and remember the savings from one coupon can often equal the price difference between organic and conventional.
5. Buy private label: If you think your family budget can't afford the prices at the fancy natural products stores, think again. Wild Oats, Whole Foods and Trader Joe's all offer a private-label brands of juices, soups, sauces and other processed edibles.
6. Explore the bulk aisles: If you thought the bulk bins were only for hard-core hippies, think again. Many common kitchen staples like pastas, cereals, nuts, and spices are offered in the bulk section. The foods are in large containers and are priced at a per pound rate. Bulk foods are more affordable than the pre-packaged foods. If you are intimidated by the bulk food aisle, ask for help. The people who work in the bulk food section are extremely helpful and very willing to support new customers.
About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby. Creators of products that include the So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats; Fresh Baby offers parents convenient and practical support in raising healthy children. Visit them online at
www.FreshBaby.com
and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits! Fresh Baby products are available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target, Wild Oats, and Whole Foods Markets. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:16ZSaving the Soul of A NationStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Saving-the-Soul-of-A-Nation
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- /9129.html2010-05-07T08:36:14Z2010-05-07T08:36:14Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Saving the Soul of A Nation
By Dan Solomon
Nations have come and gone down through the years. Some nations or tribes have stayed in existence for thousands of years, while others have become extinct before the year 200. So many nations have left a mark in our history. One must entertain the thought, is it fate or a pattern that keeps a nation from fading away? Out of love, one must be willing to sacrifice in order to keep the nation vibrant.
If we can look at a nation as a membership, each member plays an important role in determining the longevity of that nation. All members contribute in a positive or negative way, which in turn causes a positive or negative reaction.A nation can have a soul of love, war, hate, caring, peace, domination, controversy, consumption, conservation, exploration, contamination, conquering, knowledge, good, evil, and or expression. A nation can be known for many things, the thing that dominates normally determines its impact and or longevity.As you ponder the condition of the soul of your nation, you can make a difference in a positive or negative way. Positive things may lead to harmony, negative things may lead to dysfunction, however in the short term you may not see the results.
Leadership: All levels of leadership play an important role in the state of the soul of that nation. The masses sometimes follow the temperaments of leaders. Leaders don't have to be perfect, but should have integrity, sincerity, and a love and concern for all of the people that come under that position. Leaders should maintain a vision or goal that will keep the people inspired and reaching for higher heights. The power of influence should be used to promote a quest for beneficial achievements.
The protection of children: The protection of the children is vital in maintaining a healthy soul of a nation. In protecting the children, that nation is saying it cares about its future. By not sacrificing the children, the nation can live for another day. Loving and caring for the young produces life for the nation. Keeping a certain focus on the children brings a certain level of unity.
Education: Knowledge is a very powerful tool, which can lead to creativity. Education can lead to creativity, innovations, and self-sufficiency., which provides for a sense of hope. Gaining more knowledge can lead to hope. People maintaining knowledge of the past, present, and future promotes a mind set that all things are possible. Drawing from the knowledge of the past provides track records on failures and successes.
Caring for the poor: In caring for the poor, it may not be as important as to how they got there, but will help be available if someone happens to find themselves in that state. Protecting the poor is vital for a nation to have a healthy soul. Providing the poor with fair prices for goods, services, and interest rates helps prevents hopelessness. Keeping the poor out of a state of hopelessness lowers the crime rates. Lower crime rates help the economy and make it a pleasure to live in that nation. The poor will sense love and concern when treated fairly, knowing that it would be difficult to repay the deeds in the same respect.
Reducing violence: People who have not been victimized by crime can maintain a glass of innocence. Maintaining wholesomeness may be more of a challenge for those who were victims of crimes. Less violence says that the nation's soul is healthy. Providing people with a sense of justice and equality can lead to less violence. Providing positive outlets and opportunities can be a deterrent for boredom and hopelessness. Boredom, hopelessness, poor morals, anger, and or scarcity are key factors for most violence, becoming creative to remove these factors is key.
The strength of a belief in God: The strength of that nation's God or higher power plays a key role in the health of the soul of that nation. What people believe causes them to act and react in positive or negative ways. Nations with strong beliefs in God are likely to achieve healthy souls due to a reverential fear of their God. Having a Higher Authority to give an account to tends to lead to caution in those nations actions. Strong belief in a God leads people to love, which promotes healthy souls. The nations that follow the positive characteristics of their God will normally promote harmony, growth, and prosperity.
Good moral standards: With members of that nation doing the right things, it leads to a healthy soul. Good moral standards will not allow members to hurt and use one another, which lead to conditions of peace for that nation. Treating others fairly and respectfully promotes environments of trust and hope, which leads to having a healthy nation.
Following these key factors consistently and continually will save the soul of a nation. We do have the power to change the things that don't promote a healthy soul. There is power in the unity of the majority as well as the minority. Promoting a healthy soul is each member's responsibility to each other.
Dan Solomon is the author of The Price of Favor WWWJS. Dan has served as deacon, church trustee, Bible study and adult Sunday school teacher for his church in addition to director of a ministry for boys, missionary president, and head of prayer warrior's group. He and his wife Shirley are the parents of two sons and live in Warner Robins, GA. For more information visit
www.thepriceoffavorwwwjs.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:14ZTime with the Kids vs a Home-Cooked Meal? You can have both!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Time-with-the-Kids-vs-a-Home-Cooked-Meal-You-can-have-both!
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- /9130.html2010-05-07T08:36:12Z2010-05-07T08:36:12Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Time with the Kids vs a Home-Cooked Meal? You can have both!
By Elizabeth Yarnell
www.GloriousOnePotMeals.com
Believe it or not, today's mothers spend more hours focused on their children than the mothers of the 1960s did. While we like to hark back to the
Leave It To Beaver
halcyon days of mothers greeting kids after school with milk and cookies as an ideal for raising happy children, the reality, according to a University of Maryland study, actually looks better these days.
Based on detailed time diaries kept by thousands of Americans, mothers in 1965 spent 10.2 hours a week focused on their children in activities such as reading with them, feeding them or playing games. While the number of hours dropped in the 1970s and 80s, it began rising in the 90s and is now higher than ever at almost 14.1 hours each week.
But ask those same moms how they feel about it, and at least half will say they don't have enough time with their kids.
The study shows how these extra hours spent with kids have been stolen from time spent on housework, cooking, meal cleanup and laundry. Oh, and sleep!
What I found most interesting was that moms almost halved the time they spent in cooking and meal cleanup. Unfortunately, this might suggest that we're relying more on take-out, fast food or prepackaged frozen meals. Along with the cost of convenience, we're also paying for undesirable amounts of sodium, additives, fats and calories.
I firmly believe that meals don't have to be time-consuming to be healthy; that you don't have to face an hour of cleanup after dinner in order to serve delicious, home-cooked food.
Here is a quick and easy kid-friendly recipe that can be easily adjusted for using fresh or frozen foods, depending on your rush level and how recently you've been to the grocery store. Regardless, you can feel good about serving it, and it won't eat up important time better spent with your kids!
Garlic Fish and Potatoes
Serves 4
16 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
1 - 1 1/2 lb. filets of white fish, such as flounder, tilapia or sole fresh or frozen
2 russet potatoes or 16 oz. frozen hash browns (loose, not in patties)
4 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
4 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
2 cups sliced carrots, fresh or frozen
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray inside of 3 1/2- or 4-quart cast iron Dutch oven and lid with olive oil.
Drop whole, peeled garlic cloves into Dutch oven. Scrub and cube potatoes and place in pot; or shake frozen hash browns in (break apart hash browns so that they are not frozen in a single mound). Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and pepper, if desired. Set fish filets in next, in a single layer as much as possible. With thinner filets, it is ok to have multiple layers as long as the filets are not frozen to each other. I find it easy to separate frozen fish filets using the tip of a knife as a lever and applying a little pressure.
Tuck carrots into the crevices and follow with corn and broccoli until pot is full. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and pepper.
Cover and bake for 40-53 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the fish. Note: using frozen foods WON'T necessarily increase cooking time! You'll know its ready 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal wafts from the oven.
Notes
Your kids won't eat fish? Although the fish species suggested here are very mild flavored and a great way to introduce more fish to non-fish-eaters, try substituting 4 pieces of chicken for a different meal.
Don't be nervous about the amount of garlic! Although it may seem like a lot, when the cloves are left whole they impart a milder, nutty flavor.
Nutritional Analysis per serving, based on 2 servings and using flounder, fresh potato and carrots and frozen corn and broccoli.
Calories 326
Protein 33g
Carbs 53g
Fat 2.8g
Cholesterol 54mg
Sodium 150mg
Fiber 11g
Elizabeth Yarnell is the inventor and author of
Glorious One-Pot Meals: A new quick healthy approach to Dutch oven cooking
. Visit
www.GloriousOnePotMeals.com
for more information on this unique, patented cooking method and to sign up for Elizabeth's newsletter. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:12ZHome Cooking -- Mmmm Good!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Home-Cooking----Mmmm-Good!
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- /9131.html2010-05-07T08:36:10Z2010-05-07T08:36:10Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Home Cooking -- Mmmm Good!
(easy ways to make fixing meals at home doable)
by Jill Cooper
www.LivingOnADime.com
OK -- There's no way around it. Just accept the fact that tomorrow your family will eat three meals -- again. People have been doing it since Adam and Eve started munching fruit in the garden of Eden. Burying your head in the sand and not thinking about it will not make it go away.
I know that even the thought of making a meal at home strikes terror in some of your hearts and the only reason the rest of you aren't feeling terror is because you are probably so tired you can't feel terror or any other emotion. But with going out to eat being one of the top 3 causes of credit card debt and child obesity and diabetes on the rise, I think we need to start reconsidering cooking at home.
Here are a few suggestions to help you get started:
One of the biggest reasons people hate cooking at home is their kitchen is such a disaster area. Take the time to clean and organize that one room. If you need to get some help, then do, even if that help means hiring someone to help you get it organized. In the long run, it will pay for itself (probably after the first one or two weeks cooking at home).
Once your kitchen is clean and organized, keep it that way. When your kitchen is clean it should only take you about 15-20 minutes to clean up after each meal. For the $40 or more you would have paid plus all of the time you would have spent going out to eat, keeping it clean and organized is time well spent.
The evening or day before you go shopping for groceries, clean out the fridge and check your pantry. Remember that once it has been organized, if you do minor cleaning and organizing weekly, it won't take much time. Plan a a leftover night that evening, too. This will help reveal what you have too much or too little of, what you need to use or buy and empty the fridge so you have room for the new groceries.
Make a week's worth of menus. Sit down with grocery ads, your recipe file and your favorite cookbook (hopefully that is Dining On A Dime ;-). This is a good time to throw in one or two of those new recipes from magazines that you have wanted to try. If you get stumped or you need help to get you started, flip through your cookbooks or recipe files. You will be surprised how much this will help motivate you.
Planning Menus
In a notebook, write a weeks worth of menus. You only have to do this for 3 weeks, because at the end of that time you will have 21 menus. You now have almost months worth of menus (since most people will go out at least once a week to eat and have a leftover night once a week this helps to fill in the days for the rest of the month). You can then just use these same menus over and over.
Don't restrict yourself by saying that you have to have fried chicken on Monday, roast on Tuesday, etc. Instead, list the menus in categories like elaborate (for the days you have more time) and quick (for those "nothing has gone right today, so what can I fix when I am blurry eyed and have only 5 minutes" days). I usually make about 3-4 menus in each category.
Be flexible. If you get to the grocery store and they have some thing unbelievable on sale then adapt your menus accordingly.
Plan what you are going to have for dinner the night before or first thing in the morning.
Make sure you have all the ingredients on hand and take out anything that needs to be defrosted.
Prepare as much as you can the night before or first thing in the morning. Clean carrot sticks and veggies and make Jello, pudding or desserts. Fry hamburger for a recipe or even make a whole casserole so all you have to do is pop it into the oven.
It is much easier and less stressful to do as much as possible ahead of time than to try and do it at 5 o'clock -- the busiest time of day (when everyone is tired, fussy and needs your attention). Besides, it is easier to concentrate on fixing 2 or 3 items ahead of time instead of trying to take care of 5 or 6 things all at the last minute.
Give yourself a break. You will be saving a great deal by eating at home, so use some convenience foods like bagged lettuce or sliced and buttered French bread. Line your pans with aluminum foil and don't feel guilty about using disposable pans or paper plates. We are funny creatures. We don't feel guilty spending money to go out to eat (where people throw away the trash for you), but feel awful about buying much less expensive disposable pans and paper plates. Go figure.
Don't forget the meal is not finished until the kitchen is clean and left ready for the next meal.
Jill Cooper raised two teenagers alone on $500 a month income after becoming disabled withChronic Fatigue Syndrome. She is the co-author of Dining On A Dime Cookbook with her daughter Tawra. To read more of Jill's articles and for free tips and recipes visit
www.LivingOnADime.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:10ZWhat Do I Do With My Tax Refund?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/What-Do-I-Do-With-My-Tax-Refund
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- /9132.html2010-05-07T08:36:09Z2010-05-07T08:36:09Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>What Do I Do With My Tax Refund?
by Jill Cooper
www.LivingOnADime.com
It's that time of year when all that "free" money starts rolling in. I'm talking about the bonus money, you know -- the fun money (otherwise known as our tax refund)! That is the way so many of us think of a tax refund and five minutes after we spend this year's refund we are already thinking about what we are going to do with next years money.
Many of us look at it almost as if we have won the lottery. We are going to do so much with it and it seems to have such amazing powers. I mean a $1000 tax return can buy a car, furniture, big screen TV, or a family vacation all in one fell swoop. There is almost nothing it can't do; no problem it can't solve. It's our mad money, our fun money.
Not!!!!!!!!!
It you have debt, it is none of the above. It is not mad money. It is an opportunity to move closer to getting out of the debt you have already committed to pay. If you have credit card debt, use your tax return to pay off that debt rather than to buy that big screen TV or the couch you have wanted. Ouch!!
Use common sense and wise thinking when it comes to spending that tax return. It is no different than a regular paycheck. In fact, when you look at the fact that you make so much money a year, the tax refund is actually part of the salary that you say you make.
It is not a bonus, but because it has been protected from your usual spending habits, it is more income available to pay your debts. Once you pay off those debts, a tax refund can be a great opportunity to start a savings account.
We get so many questions from people who are panicking and asking what we do for an emergency fund. Instead of throwing away that tax return money on something that gives you instant pleasure, set aside that tax return for an emergency (keeping in mind that even most "emergencies" are not true emergencies).
Once your debts are paid and you have enough savings, then use your refund for fun. We live in a society where we always put the cart before the horse. People used to get married and then have children but now it is common to have children and then get married. We used to carefully save our money and buy what we wanted from our stockpile but now we charge what we want and later try to figure out how to get the money to pay for it.
Because of how we think about credit, many of us don't give any serious thought to paying for something until it is worn out and we want to buy the next one. Once the item is worn out, how do most of us feel about still paying for it? "It's not fair that I have to pay for this and I don't even have it anymore..." Avoid the stress later -- Pay off what you owe now and stop buying things on credit.
If you are behind on your credit payments or not making the payments at all, use your tax refund as an opportunity to get current. When we buy an item on credit or with our credit card we are saying "If you let me have this product now I promise (vow) to give you money for it later". When we don't pay our credit card bills it is no different than walking into a store, filling a basket with whatever we want and walking out with it. To my knowledge that is still called stealing. (I'll have to check because they change the meaning of words so often to make them more politically correct. I mean who knows, maybe it's not stealing anymore but just "temporarily using it until it is repossessed").
When you literally put the cart before the horse, (kids before marriage, buying and then trying to save money to pay for something, etc.) it will cause extra stress in your life and will make it much harder to get where you are going. So re-think not only how to use your tax refunds more wisely but give the same consideration to any other "extra" money that comes into your life.
Once you get a handle on your debt and your spending habits, you will be surprised how far your money will go. Start by making a wise decision about your tax refund.
Jill Cooper raised two teenagers alone on $500 a month income after becoming disabled withChronic Fatigue Syndrome. She is the co-author of Dining On A Dime Cookbook with her daughter Tawra. To read more of Jill's articles and for free tips and recipes visit
www.LivingOnADime.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:36:09ZBuying Eggs: Carton ConfusionStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Buying-Eggs:-Carton-Confusion
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- /9133.html2010-05-07T08:36:06Z2010-05-07T08:36:06Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Buying Eggs: Carton Confusion
By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
www.FreshBaby.com
Egg cartons used to be so simple - an off-white carton printed with the egg size and possibly a farm name. Today, walking past the egg section in the dairy case is quite a different picture - new fangled plastic containers with brightly-colored imagery packed with claims and commentary fill most of the shelves. While the updated packaging is nice to look at, all of the jargon and phrases on this packaging is downright confusing. What does it all mean?
In the past few years, the egg industry has come under consumer scrutiny. Most eggs come from hens that are raised in crowded, caged habitats which many people consider inhumane. In addition, more and more consumers are learning that the quality of feed a hen eats has a direct relationship to the nutritional value of the egg it lays. These two concerns have led egg producers to add many labels and phrases on their cartons of eggs. These labels refer to two primary subjects:
The humane treatment of the hens
The type of feed that hens are fed
An Organic label on eggs is the only statement that refers to both subjects:
Treatment: Access to outside, walk around inside barns
Feed: organic, all-vegetarian diet free of antibiotics and pesticides
Certification/Audit: USDA Certified Organic Program
Labels related to treatment of the hens:
Certified Humane: Walk around inside barns with certification by Humane Farm Animal Care Certification
Cage-free: Walk around inside barns. No outside certification or audit system.
Free-Range or Free-Roaming: Walk around inside barns and access to outside. No outside certification or audit system.
Labels related to the type of feed that hens are fed:
Omega-3 Enriched: High Omega-3 ingredients, such as flaxseed, in the hen feed.
Vegetarian-Fed: Feed that is free of animal products which reflects a more natural diet for a hen.
One final note - Don't be fooled. The claim "natural" simply means not artificial. It implies nothing about the hen treatment or feed - or the quality of the egg inside the carton.
Now you know the facts, we hope you will enjoy your eggs in a different way.
Eggs for the Family
At the market: Always buy eggs from a refrigerated case. Eggs age more in one day at room temperature than in one week in the refrigerator.
Brown or white - which is best? There is no difference. The color of an egg does not indicate health benefits, flavor or naturalness. It simply tells us what kind of hen it came from. Hens with white feathers lay white eggs; hens with red feathers lay brown eggs.
Storage: Store eggs in their carton on a shelf in the refrigerator.
Freeze leftover egg whites: If you make a recipe that calls for egg yolks, don't throw the whites out. You can freeze them.
Preparation: Eggs should be cooked - boiled, fried, baked, poached, scrambled, etc. Eating raw egg is not recommended. They can contain salmonella, which can cause illness. When handling raw eggs, it is wise to:
Be careful not to splash egg onto other foods, worktops or dishes.
Always wash and dry your hands thoroughly after touching eggs or working with them.
Clean surfaces, dishes and utensils thoroughly, using warm soapy water, after working with eggs.
Here are some quick ideas to add eggs into your family meals:
Basic hard boiled eggs: If you can boil water, you can make hard boiled eggs. There is a trick to making the hard boiled eggs so the shells don't stick to the eggs. Here's how:
Start with cold water in a pan and add the eggs, make sure that there is enough water to cover the eggs. Place pan over high heat until the water starts to boil. Once water has boiled cover the pan and turn off heat. Let the eggs rest for 15 minutes. Then drain off hot water and fill pan with ice water (chilling the eggs in cold water will also prevent the greenish "ring" from forming on the surface of the yolk). Allow eggs to cool (about 20 minutes). Using a marker or a pencil mark each egg with the date and place them in the refrigerator or simply peel and eat!
Snack-time stuffed eggs: 8 hard boiled eggs, peeled. Slice lengthwise, remove yolks and place them in a small mixing bowl. Mash yolks with 1/4 cup mayonnaise and 2 Tbsp. milk. Mix in one of the following flavor combinations:
2 Tbsp. garlic herb cheese and 1 tsp. fresh basil
1 Tbsp. chopped green chile and 3 Tbsp. Colby jack shredded cheese
2 Tbsp. crumbled bacon and 1 tsp. chopped green onion
2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese, 1 Tbsp chopped black olives and 1/4 tsp. fresh rosemary
2 tbsp grated apple and 1 tsp chopped onion
Using a teaspoon, fill each white half with filling. Place on a plate and serve.
Breakfast burritos: Start your day with a little Tex-Mex punch! A breakfast burrito is made with a flour tortilla, a scrambled egg and a little cha-cha-cha - sprinkle 1 Tbsp of each black beans, shredded jack cheese and salsa over the scrambled eggs. Fold in two sides of the tortilla and roll it up. Ole!
A Simple Niccedil;oise Salad: This delicious and simple tuna salad is great for a girlfriend lunch or a light family dinner. On a large platter, spread salad leaves, and top with boiled, sliced red potatoes, lightly steamed green beans, thin-sliced red onion, black olives, chopped hard boiled eggs and canned tuna (pack in water). Dress with Red Wine Vinaigrette.
Eggs are not just for breakfast: Serving eggs for dinner is terrifically healthy, affordable, and will likely win applause from the kids! Here are some simple dinner combos with eggs as the main attraction:
Scrambled eggs, baked beans and steamed cauliflower
Scrambled eggs with refried beans, sliced avocado and salsa
Scrambled eggs with baked potatoes, crumbled bacon and steamed green beans
Homemade fried rice: This recipe will brighten up your meal. Fried rice goes great with a stir- fry, but it also perfect with grilled meats too.
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked brown rice
3 eggs
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1 cup frozen peas
3 Tbsp. sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
Directions:
Make 2 cups of Brown Rice according to package directions, set aside. In a large skillet or wok, melt butter over medium heat. Break eggs into the butter and stir fry until dry and slightly browned. Add onion, peas and oil. Stir fry until moisture is gone, about 3-4 minutes. Add rice, soy sauce and sesame seeds, stir fry until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
Makes 8 1/2 cup servings.
About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby. Creators of products that include the So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats; Fresh Baby offers parents convenient and practical support in raising healthy children. Visit them online at
www.FreshBaby.com
and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits! Fresh Baby products are available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target, Wild Oats, and Whole Foods Markets. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:06ZInexpensive Easter BasketsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Inexpensive-Easter-Baskets
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- /9134.html2010-05-07T08:36:05Z2010-05-07T08:36:05ZStaff2010-05-07T08:36:05Z7 Ways to Tell If You Are on the Trail to SuccessStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/7-Ways-to-Tell-If-You-Are-on-the-Trail-to-Success
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- /9135.html2010-05-07T08:36:03Z2010-05-07T08:36:03Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>7 Ways to Tell If You Are on the Trail to Success
By A. B. Jacobs
www.onthemoneytrail.com
At some point in most people's lives comes a realization that the dreams of youth and more sober aspirations of early adulthood may never come to pass. A childhood fantasy to become a famous movie star, a teenage obsession to excel on the athletic field, or a young worker's aspiration to be a millionaire, are among the hopes that remain a distant vision. But as years pass and illusions fade, each of us must come to terms with the success we achieve-or fail to achieve. Success may be defined in different ways, such as gaining the respect of friends and relatives, attaining proficiency in the arts and sciences, or living a satisfying domestic life. However, in our culture the very word success denotes financial achievement. It is in this context that we shall evaluate whether you're headed in the right direction.
You regularly take in more than you spend. As a first step toward success, you must embrace a fundamental concept: income exceeds outgo. This is the most important principal to which you must adhere. It goes without saying that there are times, such as medical emergencies or personal mishap, when unanticipated expenditure is incurred. In these instances you'll vary from our rule of frugality. But, at other times, you will consistently live below your means. Persons who fail to comply may expect a series of misfortunes with no relief.
You honor your financial commitments. Persons who promptly fulfill their financial obligations will find all involvement more profitable. Conduct your affairs in this manner and success will court you.
You owe no debt. One important factor separating winners from losers is debt. Although mortgage financing to acquire real estate, as well as wisely arranged business loans, can prove beneficial, personal borrowing is normally a mistake. This means that the clothes on your back, the furniture in your home, and the vehicle you drive, are owned without obligation. I'll concede that you may appear prosperous behind the wheel of a newly financed Mercedes Benz, but your actual prosperity is vastly enhanced if your auto is fully paid for, even if you must drive a 1984 Toyota Corolla. And concerning debt, credit card use is particularly insidious. It's my belief that a credit card serves a single purpose: a convenience when neither check nor cash is handy. Most importantly, when the monthly statement arrives, pay the full cash balance due before the date that interest is charged. Follow this rule and success will follow. If you cannot regulate your credit card use in this manner, destroy your cards and fashion your life accordingly.
You control the present. As we journey through life, there are three principal objects upon which we may fixate: the past, the present, and the future. All three serve a function. It's important to reflect upon the past, for by evaluating earlier performances we fashion a guide for handling new demands. It's equally vital to keep an eye on the future, as how a course is steered determines its outcome. But it's neither the past nor the future over which we exercise control. It is only the present that affords an opportunity to grapple with events and arrange favorable results. If you regularly conduct your affairs so to resolve situations in ways that satisfy you, you are exhibiting qualities that lead to success.
You are a skeptic. In navigating the perilous waters that lead to prosperity, you'll encounter shoals. Avoid them by demonstrating skepticism, defined as the recognition that ninety-five percent of everything is nonsense. Your thoughts then run in the following manner. You find it baffling why anyone buys a lottery ticket. You understand that the variable annuity your neighbor just invested in is a sad mistake. You entertain no illusions that a financial advisor will provide sound counsel merely because of the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation held. You're not tempted to invest in something because of a hot tip from a friend or relative. It's beyond your comprehension why anyone not certifiably insane purchases a timeshare property. Such is the mindset of one who is successful.
You are able to retire at 50. Admittedly, this is arbitrary, but there is something significant about reaching this particular age. Perhaps it's the undeniable realization that there are fewer years ahead than behind. If the first half of your life is spent working for your assets, is it unreasonable that during the second half your assets work for you? This doesn't mean you must actually retire at this age, and indeed most successful people pursue gainful-and usually enjoyable-endeavors as long as they are able. Nonetheless, the option should be yours.
You have a reputation for honesty. It's my firm conviction that a reputation for impeccable honesty is among the most valuable assets you can possess. There are no limits to the doors that open and the opportunities afforded a man or woman whose words and actions can be trusted. Whether you are of truly high moral character, or possess the personal values of an eighteenth century London pickpocket, is not the issue. From a purely pragmatic frame of reference, conduct your affairs in a way that your reliability can never be questioned, even if it goes against the grain. This quality is truly a mark of success.
I'd like to share a final thought on the matter of success. Wealth, at least a certain amount of it, is a necessary criterion for success. However, the possession of wealth is not in itself sufficient, and I know persons with net worths of seven and eight figures that are abject failures in every respect. It is the combination of assets, lifestyle, and attitude that engenders success . . . but this is a subject for another time.
AL JACOBS has been a professional investor for nearly four decades. His business experience ranges from real estate, mortgage, and securities investment to appraisal, civil engineering, and the operation of a private trust company. In addition to managing his investments on a day-to-day basis, he is a featured financial columnist for both online and print publications. He is the author of Nobody's Fool: A Skeptic's Guide to Prosperity. You may subscribe to his financial Newsletter, "On the Money Trail," at no cost or obligation, by visiting
www.onthemoneytrail.com
.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:03ZThe Family Dinner: Fast and SimpleStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/The-Family-Dinner:-Fast-and-Simple
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- /9136.html2010-05-07T08:36:02Z2010-05-07T08:36:02Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>The Family Dinner: Fast and Simple
By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
www.FreshBaby.com
Home made foods are healthier than processed, prepared, or restaurant meals. Take-out foods and prepared foods are generally much higher in fat, salt and calories than home cooked foods. We would encourage you or your spouse to make home-cooked dinners at least three times per week
If just thought of making dinner exhausts you, here are few tips to ease the burden of getting dinner on the table during your busy week:
Set aside time on the weekends to make foods in advance and freeze them. Connect with a friend, double the recipes and split up the meals for both families.
Don't schedule your kid's day out so heavily that it intrudes on time to prepare dinner. Instead invite the kids into the kitchen and teach them a few things about cooking - it's life skill that they will certainly thank you for some day!
Invest in a slow cooker. This is fabulous machine for busy families. You can prepare your main dish in the morning and come home to a delicious ready-to- eat meal.
Buy pre-washed veggies in the produce section of stores. The clean and prep is often the most time consuming part of cooking.
Buy "no cook" items like apples, pears, avocadoes, tomatoes. A fruit plate or veggie salad makes a terrific side dish.
Keep it simple. There is no need to strive for gourmet everyday. It is often the simpler dishes that have the best flavors too.
Share the burden. Team up with a friend and have a family dinner at their house one night and switch to your house on another. For a different twist on the same concept, divide up the menu between families and share the work.
Plan your menus and make a grocery list. These two steps require finding spare time, but they will save it in the long run.
Buy a few cookbooks with titles like 30 minute meals, slow cooker recipes or 5 ingredients or less. These types of books are geared toward getting meals on the table quickly and easily. Look for books that offer shortcuts, pre-written shipping lists and menu ideas.
Make extra for leftovers. It goes without saying; leftovers make great lunches and snacks. If you're making a family favorite, double the recipe and freeze a portion for next week.
About the authors: About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby. Creators of products that include the So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats; Fresh Baby offers parents convenient and practical support in raising healthy children. Visit them online at
www.FreshBaby.com
and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits! Fresh Baby products are available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target, Wild Oats, and Whole Foods Markets. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:36:02ZSeven Foolish Mistakes People Make When They Come Into MoneyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Seven-Foolish-Mistakes-People-Make-When-They-Come-Into-Money
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- /9137.html2010-05-07T08:36:00Z2010-05-07T08:36:00Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Seven Foolish Mistakes People Make
When They Come Into Money
By A. B. Jacobs
www.onthemoneytrail.com
There is something uniquely human about the way many of us mishandle money, particularly when it's received unexpectedly. Whether it's a bequest from a long-forgotten uncle, an unexpected court settlement, or a sweepstakes winning, suddenly coming into a stash of cash can unhinge any of us. Every day the media reports the misery befalling citizens who previously struck it lucky, but then fell on hard times. We chuckle over poor Joe Slidebuck who pocketed a $3.8 million lottery winning just two years ago and is now filing in bankruptcy. We also shed a crocodile tear for Suzy Highstep whose palimony settlement a few years back slipped a cool bundle into her savings account, but whose Jaguar is now being repossessed. Of course, we breathe a collective sigh of relief that the misfortune is not ours, while wondering if we might have fared better under similar circumstances. For various reasons, many persons can't handle a windfall. Let's analyze the mistakes made.
1. An urge to spend. Perhaps the single greatest weakness of mankind-and womankind-is an inability to resist purchasing things. The late English historian C. Northcote Parkinson summed it up in his 1960 masterpiece The Law and the Profits: "Expenditures invariably rise to meet and exceed available income." It's this impulse to spend whatever is available that's the undoing of many otherwise rational individuals. It's not necessarily human nature. Rather, it's a learned reflex that must be unlearned if you hope to remain solvent. If not held in check, spontaneous spending is a recipe for disaster.
2. Voices out of the past. It's amazing how many people you knew that you no longer see-that is until your name appears in the paper as the sole beneficiary in rich old Aunt Emma's will. Within a few days long lost cousin Calvin phones to remind you how much he always admired you, and how his current misfortune can be resolved if you can just see your way clear to assisting him. And don't forget your former classmate Ernie, with whom you stopped exchanging Christmas cards a decade ago. His email extols the close camaraderie you two always shared, adding that the technology IPO his brokerage firm is underwriting is certain to be right up your alley-just like the good old days. If you fail to fend off these moochers and hangers-on, you'll find yourself in deep trouble.
3. Take care with those who are closest. With newfound prosperity, relations with friends and relatives begin to change as you are viewed as something apart. It seems that admiration and envy are opposite sides of the same coin, and you will be the recipient of both emotions. Your advice and assistance will be solicited, and although you may at first welcome the attention as a novelty, you will eventually find it more burdensome than complimentary. The pressures to be placed upon you can become overwhelming. You may soon become convinced that fame and fortune constitute a mixed blessing. If you don't take a step backward, life can become most unpleasant.
4. Loss of Anonymity. Although it may seem that sudden prosperity a cure-all for whatever troubles us, it doesn't work that way. Perhaps the problems of meeting the mortgage and financing the children's schooling may no longer exist, but other problems move in to take their place. You are now a known and recognized commodity in your community and as such, a natural target. You may expect requests for contributions to presumably worthwhile groups. Invitations to attend various functions will be forthcoming. You may even find yourself offered honorary positions or encouraged to become involved in activities for which you have no real interest. The toughest job of all will be to say "no." Unless you learn to diplomatically turn a deaf ear to the entreaties, there'll be no peace.
5. The investment trap. For those without prior investment expertise, coming into money can be an intimidating experience. No one is born with an ability to astutely manage assets. This is a talent that requires knowledge and practice. Perhaps the safest procedure is to refrain from any investment decisions for a full year, while any windfall is parked in non-risk vehicles such as certificates of deposit, government insured savings accounts, and treasury notes. It's during that period of time that you will seek to educate yourself. By selective reading, attendance in legitimate instructional courses, and guidance from those persons you trust, you can hope to gain an understanding of what it means to prudently invest. If you attempt to become involved before you acquire an appreciation of the risks and rewards, you are fair game for the thieves and charlatans who regularly prey upon moneyed novices.
6. Charity is often uncharitable. Not a day goes by that the media fails to interview someone who has come-often blundered-into money. Invariably the declaration is blurted out: "I'm gonna' give leventythousand dollars to the Zilch Foundation 'cause I care about feedin' the leprechauns." Unfortunately, there is not enough money in the world to satisfy the myriad of organizations with outstretched hands. Charitable institutions that are carefully selected and effectively monitored can be an excellent way to share your good fortune in a meaningful way, but simply pouring out dollars in a spastic impulse is no way to accomplish any good.
7. Beware of yourself. I've saved for the last the most potentially insidious mistake of all. A malevolent effect of sudden prosperity can be your relationship with yourself. Despite the personal unpleasantness of impecunity, it imposes no demands on the ego. Affluence is another matter entirely, and the pressures it creates can be formidable. It is fulfilling the mundane requirements needed to meet daily financial obligations that keeps many people in balance. When this necessity is removed, the balance often goes with it. If you then add to that the ability to acquire unneeded possessions, exert unwanted influence on others, and seek unwarranted involvement, the potential for impairment is unlimited. One thing is certain: You must come to terms with yourself or you will surely live to regret it.
AL JACOBS has been a professional investor for nearly four decades. His business experience ranges from real estate, mortgage, and securities investment to appraisal, civil engineering, and the operation of a private trust company. In addition to managing his investments on a day-to-day basis, he is a featured financial columnist for both online and print publications. He is the author of Nobody's Fool: A Skeptic's Guide to Prosperity. You may subscribe to his financial Newsletter, "On the Money Trail," at no cost or obligation, by visiting
www.onthemoneytrail.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:36:00ZToday's Family Man: "How to Avoid the Kids' Menu"Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Todays-Family-Man:-How-to-Avoid-the-Kids-Menu
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- /9138.html2010-05-07T08:35:59Z2010-05-07T08:35:59Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Today's Family Man
"How to Avoid the Kids' Menu"
By Gregory Keer
Here's a report I could classify as a "No, duh." After almost nine years of living with at least one child, there is now a study to confirm one of the reasons I have steadily gained weight. The recent research, coming out of the University of Iowa, says that adults who live with children consume more fat than those minus kids.
That makes sense, especially when you're eating in a restaurant. How often do we give in to ordering the meals that our kids will eat, which are frequently full of satisfying fat? And how many of us have finished that plate of chicken fingers after eating our own meal? Now that all this is confirmed, how do we keep our hands off that unfinished cheeseburger? Here are a few ways to show willpower and shed a couple of pounds:
Order Less
Simply order less food for yourself, knowing that you will have leftovers from the kiddies. If you get a burger, have them put the fruit on the side instead of the fries. You'll eat your kids' potatoes, but not in addition to the ones you would've eaten off your own plate.
Go Low Fat
Help teach good eating habits to your kids by ordering less fattening food for them - and for that matter, yourselves (since we're trying to be good role models). Some restaurants now serve grilled chicken strips and offer vegetables instead of the french fries. With that kind of fare on the tempting plate next to you, you'll be finishing off food with less
calories.Have Them Take It Away
Once your child loses interest in her meal (wait about five minutes since the last bite) and she's had what you think is enough, call the server over and have him take it away. No greasy temptation, no added calories. Don't even bring the food home. Otherwise, if you're like me, you'll be the one eating the cold leftovers at 11 p.m.
Stay Away From the Soda
It's not just the stuff you chew that packs on the pounds. It's finishing off the soda or blue-raspberry lemonade in that cute cup. Try going with the milk for your children (low- or non-fat) and, if you must sip some of their beverage, at least it'll be nutritious.
When In Doubt, Make It Disgusting
Your kids will love this one: Dump pepper, salt, or ketchup all over what's left. I mean, smother it (hopefully, this is not enticing to you). It will be fine to play with food and that should make the tempting morsels too disgusting to consider popping in your mouth.
Good luck and feel good about each time you refrain from eating the bad stuff. You'll save calories and teach your kids better eating habits along the way.
copy; 2007 Gregory Keer. All rights reserved.
Gregory Keer is a syndicated columnist, educator, and on-air expert on fatherhood. His Family Manreg; column appears in publications such as L.A. Parent, Boston Parents' Paper, and Bay Area Parent. In addition to writing for
Parenting
magazine and the Parents' Choice Foundation, Keer publishes the online fatherhood magazine,
www.familymanonline.com
. He also contributes to
USA Today
, the Fox News Channel,
Pregnancy
, DrLaura.com, and ParentingBookmark.com. Keer is a guest expert on television and radio and advisor to the Cartoon Network. He and his wife are the proud parents of three sons. Keer can be reached at
www.familymanonline.com
. For details on his parent coaching, go to
www.familymanonline.com/section.php?section=consulting
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:35:59ZSave In Your Sleep!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Save-In-Your-Sleep!
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- /9139.html2010-05-07T08:35:55Z2010-05-07T08:35:55Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Save In Your Sleep!
By Jill Cooper
www.LivingOnADime.com
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." -Matthew 11:28Sleep, Sleep, Sleep... We hear it all the time-- You must get 8 hours of sleep and 8 glasses of water a day. We pay as much attention to that warning as our children do when we tell them for the umpteenth time "Don't play with that or you will get hurt". But after living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for 15 plus years, I have learned the hard way how very important sleep is.
It is so important that God devoted 8-10 hours each and every day to sleeping and one whole day a week to resting. Think about it. Is there anything else that He gave so much time to? And since He knew we were like silly little children who refuse to take a nap, He put resting in the 10 commandments hoping that that would really get our attention. There were only 10 things that made it on that all important list and resting was one of them.
Sleep is as necessary to life as food and water. Each of us needs to realize how much lack of sleep affects our whole life. Are we too tired to clean the house, fix meals, or do the laundry? Are we so tired that when our children come to us for our help with something, we snap at them or when our spouses want some snuggle time, we look at them like they have grown two heads?
Lack of sleep affects children even more than adults and yet many of us let them keep the same late hours as the adults. When I was a young mom I was told that children usually whine and cry for one of two reasons: They are tired or hungry. If you keep them well rested, and make sure they get snacks throughout the day, you will eliminate most of their whining and crying. I have found that to be so true.
I had an example of that happen just the other day. My three year old grandson is always so good about going down for his nap. He allows himself to be picked up, passed around for kisses and then laid down without a peep. The other day, however, when he was told it was time for his nap he said "NO! I don't want a nap," and fought all the way to bed.
This seemed so out of character for him but then it dawned on me: He always takes his nap at 12:00 but this day, he did some running around with his dad and by the time they were done, it was almost 2:30. He was tired, so there was no reasoning with him. He couldn't think rationally because he was tired. What often happens is that the parent gets angry at the child for throwing a fit, but it was really the parent's fault for not allowing the child to get his proper rest.
We adults act the same way when we are tired. We become irritable, impatient, discouraged and depressed. No one can reason with us. We start acting just like that tired child and usually don't realize it. Exhaustion also affects us physically. Your doctor will tell you that people tend to catch more viruses when they are tired and our bodies simply don't work at 100 percent. We start seeing the world through a hazy fog and everything becomes a burden.
Have I painted a clear enough picture for you? Does that describe the way you feel most of the time (maybe even right now)? Then you need to get serious about your family's sleeping habits.
Here are some tips to help you get your family the sleep it needs:
If you are a new mom or a mom with sick children, you may have to let some things go for a season. Just accept it and scale back your activities. I discovered this many years ago when I had an 18 month old and a newborn with colic. My oldest would be up 3-4 times each night and my newborn was up most of the night just crying. If I had two hours of sleep, I thought I had died and gone to heaven.
On the rare occasions when they would take a nap at the same time, I made the mistake of trying to get really dumb things done, like iron my children's pajamas and tee shirts, instead of taking a nap. Needless to say, it didn't take long for me to become seriously ill with walking pneumonia, which lasted three months.
Learn from my mistakes and take a nap when you can, even if it means hiring a babysitter to watch the kids at home while you sleep. If you think you don't have the money to hire a babysitter you might want to think again. Which is cheaper, a babysitter or doctor bills?
Keep your meals as simple as possible If all you can manage for a few months is sandwiches, make sandwiches. The same applies to cleaning the house. Do only the necessary cleaning and upkeep. This is not the time for spring cleaning. Even if you have to let the dusting and vacuuming go for a while, the rest will help you more.
Give yourself permission to take a nap or, if you have to, make yourself take a nap. You say you don't have the time, but most people can find serious improvement with even 20 minutes' rest to refresh themselves. Find the time. Make your shower 10 minutes shorter or get rid of one of your non essential activities during the day like shopping, volunteer work, killing time on the computer or talking on the phone. If you work, take an alarm with you to work and take a quick nap in your car. Where there's a will there's a way. Find that 20 minutes some place.
Make your children take a nap. Up until first grade, on the days my kids weren't in school, they always took a nap. When they were older and for whatever reason stayed up late the night before, I made them at least lie down and rest the next day.
No matter how old they are, children need some daily down time. If they were too old for naps, I would send them to their rooms for 30 minutes each day during the summer to read, color or do some quiet activity. This not only helped them rest, but it separated them from their siblings and me. No matter how much you love each other, living in the same house 24/7, you will get on each others nerves if you never get a break. This gives everyone a break.
Have a regular bedtime routine. Whether it is bath time, story time, prayer time or just tucking the kids in with hugs and kisses, have a routine. When you are tucking the children in, give yourself an extra 15-20 minutes to talk to them. That is one of the best times of day to find out about things they have on their minds. Why? Because they are relaxed and they will use every stall tactic known to man to keep from going to bed, even if that means talking to mom and dad.
Make sure that they have a regular bed time and stick to it. This is very important! Children have their own built in clocks. When you wake them up and put them to bed at different times every day it causes their biological clocks to go haywire. They need to get at least 10 hours of sleep a night. That means putting them to bed at a decent time. Up until they started high school, my children always went to bed at 8:30. That may seem hard to believe but I didn't have near the problem with attitudes, whining, sulking or outright rebellion that a lot of parents had to deal with.
I don't know how many moms over the years came to me tearing their hair out saying "I don't know what is wrong with my child but he won't stop whining or throwing tantrums." I knew exactly what the problem was. Mom had taken them to her Bible study the night before and didn't get home until 10:00. She then dragged the child out of bed at 5:30 in the morning to get ready before they left for school and work. The day before that the child got to sleep in until 11:00. You may think that irregular sleeping hours doesn't affect your child but you might be surprised to find that at least 50 percent of whining and fussing would stop if the kids had regular hours.
One thing to keep in mind is that when you start putting children to bed at an earlier than usual time, you will have to start slowly. If the children are used to going to bed at 10:30 or 11:00 at night, don't suddenly make them go to bed at 8:30. Start at 10:00 for a few nights then move it up to 9:30 and so on until you reach the bedtime you want.
Don't forget to adjust for daylight savings time or if you will be traveling between time zones. A week or so before the change, start putting the kids to bed 15 minutes earlier or later so the can start adjusting to the new time.
Adults need regular bedtime routines, too. As much as possible, try to have a set time that you go to bed each night. An hour or two before you go to bed, try to start unwinding. This is the time to talk over your day with your spouse, read a good book, or sip a hot cup of cocoa. It is also a good time to take a warm bath. Not only will it relax you, but it will be one less thing to do in the morning. If you are a new mom you probably don't need to unwind because you will fall asleep the minute you sit down, so just go to bed while you can.
Make your room and your children's rooms as comfortable as possible. Make your bed in the morning. A made bed is so much more inviting then a rumpled mess, where you have to clear off loads of junk before you can crawl into it. Keep a low wattage bedside lamp on your night stand to start letting your body know it's getting close to time for bed.
Keep your room at a pleasant temperature. Be sure to check the temperature in your children's rooms too. Sometimes when babies and young children have their bedroom doors shut, their rooms can be different temperatures than the rest of the house. This can then cause them to wake up because they are too hot or cold. This can also be the reason if they are having a hard time getting to sleep. Soft music or a fan that helps to drown out background noises are good for children and adults alike.
Since we usually write about getting out of debt, you may wonder how being well rested can help save you money? How often do you go out to eat because you are too tired to fix dinner? When something breaks, do you just go buy a new one because you are too tired to fix it? Do you buy more clothes then you really need because you are too tired to keep up with the laundry? Do you just say "yes" all the time to your children when they ask to buy something because you are too tired to fight with them? Trust me the little monkeys are smart. They know when the enemy is tired and weak and that's usually when they attack! So if you want to win the war you need to get some sleep!
Jill Cooper is the co-author of Dining On A Dime Cookbook. For more free tips and recipes visit our web site at
www.LivingOnADime.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:55ZHow to Teach Kids the Value of MoneyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/How-to-Teach-Kids-the-Value-of-Money
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- /9140.html2010-05-07T08:35:53Z2010-05-07T08:35:53Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>How to Teach Kids the Value of Money
By A. B. Jacobs
www.onthemoneytrail.com/
I'll admit, up front, that the care and feeding of juveniles is not my recognized specialty, though perhaps I can claim pseudo-expertise on the subject-somewhat akin to the late comic Jimmy Durante from his quotation: "I ought to know something about teenagers; I've been one all my life." Nonetheless, money is my field of expertise, and indoctrination into its proper use by youths of all ages is fundamental if they are to mature into financially responsible adults. Apparently the habits developed early in life become indelibly ingrained, and there are few capabilities more important than the wise use of assets.
With that said, I'd like to share a few thoughts based upon situations I've witnessed over the years relating to the use and misuse of money. I'll preface my comments with the observation that whatever praise or criticism you may direct at the American public school system, one thing must be acknowledged: The handling of personal finances is not a subject to which much attention is devoted. Whatever the average American knows about monetary matters did not come from the classroom. This is understandable, of course, if only because the typical classroom teacher is equally mystified by the world of money. It's for this reason I'm convinced that a child's indoctrination into financial matters must be rooted at home. On this score, the fundamental guidelines that a parent can convey will be by precept and example. What a developing child witnesses in the behavior of an adult role model will prove far more persuasive than admonitions extolled or lectures delivered. If sound values are not demonstrated, they will not be learned. There's no surer way not to get a lesson across than to operate on the timeless but faulty principle: Do as I say, not as I do!
This means that the parent must regularly practice prudence, and in a way to which the child can relate. Consider, as an example, an 8-year-old girl witnessing her mother's selection of cosmetics. Whether the choice of lipstick is the $25 Chanel selection from Macy's, the $6.87 Max Factor brand from Osco Drug, or the 99cent; Wet 'n Wild tube from Target, recognize that the essential ingredients are the same. The difference is packaging, promotion, and mystique, which is what the cosmetics business is all about. An explanation of the options to the child at the time of purchase will not soon be forgotten.
The use of plastic is another opportunity to deliver a lesson in rationality. All children should be cautioned in their formative years that a credit card serves a single purpose: a convenience when neither check nor cash is handy. They must understand that when the monthly statement arrives, the cash balance is paid in full before the date that interest is charged. And most importantly, if the lesson is truly to sink in and be believed, the parents must live by this rule. If for any reason credit card use cannot be regulated in this manner, the cards ought to be destroyed and family life fashioned accordingly.
There are other habits that wise parents will adopt and make a part of normal family discussions. These include institution of a systematic savings program, refusal to go into debt for an automobile or incur loans for expenses such as vacations, and avoidance of nonsensical purchases such as whole life insurance policies, variable annuities, timeshare projects, and lottery tickets. As to the myriad of financial matters that arise, children deserve to see how sensible decisions are reached as each instance arises. And as they mature to the point where decisions begin to affect them, encourage them to contribute to the discussion.
There is another basic precept to which I subscribe. It is that persons will not relate to circumstances in which they're uninvolved. Let me offer an actual case in point. The daughter of an extremely wealthy man in her mid-thirties with three children and husband-albeit an indolent one-proved incapable of monitoring her personal checking account. She wrote checks regularly with no knowledge of the account balance. As they bounced, a bank official phoned her father who periodically made deposits into the account. Over the years he summoned her to his office where he futilely attempted, time and again, to instruct her on how to balance an account. Although a self-made multimillionaire, he never grasped a basic reality: to his daughter, balancing a checkbook seemed an exercise in the abstract. As all checks cleared, why need she pay attention to the balance?
The significance seems obvious: If a child is to learn about money, he or she must sense some meaningful connection to it. And what better connection can there be than that accomplishment leads to reward? It's my belief that as soon as practicable, earning money becomes an element in family life. If your 12-year-old son hopes to spend Saturday afternoon at a movie matinee with friends, the source of the admittance might well be the fifteen dollars he earns by washing the family autos or mowing the lawn. Similarly, if your daughter wants to sport the latest fashion in teen-aged footwear, its purchase may come from the bonus she received for her school grades last semester, perhaps $100 for each "A" and $50 for each "B." And above all, whatever payment programs are instituted, responsibility and reward must be fully understood.
Let me add a final comment on the matter of your kids' personal earnings. Though it's the parents' responsibility to advise their offspring on sensible spending and saving, they must not dictate how the youths handle their earnings. The decision on how money earned is to be spent-or horded, if that's the choice-is that of the recipient. When mistakes are made, the repercussions are the most valuable part of the learning process. Managing finances is a lifelong challenge, and the sooner experienced, the better.
AL JACOBS has been a professional investor for nearly four decades. His business experience ranges from real estate, mortgage, and securities investment to appraisal, civil engineering, and the operation of a private trust company. In addition to managing his investments on a day-to-day basis, he is a featured financial columnist for both online and print publications. He is the author of Nobody's Fool: A Skeptic's Guide to Prosperity. You may subscribe to his financial Newsletter, "On the Money Trail," at no cost or obligation, by visiting
www.onthemoneytrail.com/
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:35:53ZMake Meals in 30 Minutes or LessStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Make-Meals-in-30-Minutes-or-Less
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- /9141.html2010-05-07T08:35:50Z2010-05-07T08:35:50Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Make Meals in 30 Minutes or Less
By Jill Cooper
www.LivingOnADime.com
I was having dinner at my son's house the other night and my daughter-in-law had fixed "old fashioned" baked potatoes. You know, the kind you make in the oven and not the microwave. Boy, they were good. It seems that so many things taste better slow cooked in the oven.
We started talking about how much longer it took to cook them in the oven compared to the microwave. That started me thinking. Yes, it does take longer in actual cooking time but in some ways it is easier. When I bake potatoes in the oven, I get them ready and in the oven an hour before dinner and then just forget about them until dinner is ready. Then, all I have to do is set them on the table and dinner is served.
When I microwave them, I tend to start cleaning them and preparing them at the same time that I'm trying to make a salad and heat up the veggies. While I'm doing all of that, I have to remember to keep turning the potatoes and if I am cooking several, I have to put a few in the microwave and when they are done, pull them out and add more, all of this at the same time that I am trying to prepare the rest of the meal.
Why is it that, even though we have faster methods of cooking our meals, they seem to have become more frenzied and hurried than years ago? Then it dawned on me -- With the introduction of the microwave and the idea that meals can be prepares in 30 minutes, most people do nothing to prepare or plan their meals until 30 minutes before they are going to eat. So 30 minutes before dinner you find yourself trying to thaw something, cook it, and slap it on the table and at the same time talk and deal with tired, hungry, cranky kids. Let's not forget how exhausted you are at this time of day, too.
We need to warm up our ovens and start using them again the way our grandmothers use to do. Here are some tips and ideas that prove that cooking meals in a conventional oven instead of a microwave can be just as quick and easy, not to mention how much more delicious they taste and smell.
I think we underestimate the power of coming home and smelling something yummy cooking. We automatically seem to relax, feeling that "all is well with the world". I really think it can change the whole atmosphere of your home for the evening.
I am not living in a dream world. You can fix meals the way our grandmothers did. I hear some readers saying, "Our grandmothers weren't ever as busy as we are and so they had time to fix large meals." I can hear our grandmothers chuckling at that statement. My husband's grandmother had to help on the farm from early in the morning until evening. She took care of a large home garden, canned, cleaned house every day, did laundry without a washer or dryer and still provided meals not only for her family, but up to 20 farm hands as well. She had to do it all without a refrigerator, microwave, or a grocery store and the nearest water was a mile away from her house.
My mother-in-law would go to work as early as 7 am and work until 9 pm 6 days a week, but she still managed to make three large meals each day. If you're thinking, "That's great if you want to spend all your spare time in the kitchen," consider that they spent less time in the kitchen than we do with less of the conveniences and still managed to have well balanced delicious meals each day.
What was their secret? -- They had never heard of 30 minute meals. Even if they had they would probably have laughed and wondered who would spend so much time on a meal? They knew that the key to a quick meal wasn't how fast you could cook, but how organized you were. You can easily have a meal on the table in 15 minutes if you are organized and plan ahead.
No, this doesn't mean you have to microwave or fry everything to have a quick meal. Slow cooking something in the oven not only makes things taste better but sometimes is quicker.
Our grandmothers' secret to quick meals
Keep your meals simple.
Be organized.
Decide what you are preparing the night or the morning before.
Thaw anything you need the night or the morning before.
Prepare as much of the meal as you can during the slow time of your day and when you are most refreshed. (This is very important.)
Slow cook meats in the oven or in a crock pot.
Keep your kitchen clean so you have an uncluttered work area.
Here are some ideas on what to prepare. These aren't elaborate gourmet meals. If you are too busy to cook dinner, then you are to busy to make gourmet dinners. Stick with the basics and keep it simple like our grandmothers did.
Roast: Place a roast in a crock pot or pan. Peel five potatoes and carrots and drop them in with it and turn on the oven. This takes five minutes. Clean and cut broccoli, celery and cucumbers for a salad -- five minutes. At dinner time, chop lettuce and tomato for the salad, adding the already prepared veggies. Then put the meat and the fixings on a platter -- five more minutes. Voila! Dinner in 15 minutes.
Stew: It takes me seven minutes to cube meat*, peel five potatoes, carrots and onions, toss it into a pot and to season it. At dinner time, I put bread or dinner rolls on the table -- one to two minutes and I have dinner in nine minutes.
*Ask your butcher to cube or slice all your meat for you. They usually charge nothing or just a few cents per pound. It saves not only time in cutting but in clean up too.
Chicken: Toss a chicken in a pan or crock pot -- two minutes. Clean potatoes to put in with chicken or to bake in the oven -- three minutes. At dinner time, warm a veggie -- two minutes. Slice some fruit -- three minutes. Dinner in 10 minutes.
Lasagna: Put noodles in a pot to boil -- one minute. Fry hamburger, get out cheese, tomato sauce and the rest of the fixings; mix sauce while noodles boil, 7-8 minutes. Layer everything -- two minutes. Cover and put in the fridge for dinner the next day or that evening. Put the lasagna in the oven to heat while getting out of your work clothes, checking the mail, etc. Set the table and cut a salad -- five minutes. Dinner is served; 15 minutes.
Beef stroganoff: Make your beef stroganoff in your crock pot. (If you don't want to use a crock pot, this recipe usually takes very little time just stirring it up in a pan.) Dump everything but sour cream and noodles, into the crock pot -- three minutes and simmer all day on low. Clean carrots, celery sticks and broccoli for a relish dish (five minutes) and put it in the fridge. At dinner time, boil egg noodles (5-7 minutes). While they are boiling, add sour cream to sauce and set the table. Total time: 15 minutes.
Chili: Mix everything in a pot the night before. Depending what you put in, it should take 5-10 minutes. Simmer throughout the next day.
Soup: Do the same as with the chili.
These are just general example of ways to fix meals easily and quickly. It isn't really a matter of time as much as it is a matter of being organized and getting things done
before
you are too exhausted to think.
If you have meats thawed and the ingredients on hand, most things can be tossed together in about the same time as it takes to order and wait to get your food at a fast food place.Also, remember when you have your oven going to try to cook more than one thing in it. For example, if you are going to be baking a casserole, bake a pan of brownies, muffins or baked apples at the same time.
Jill Cooper raised two teenagers alone on $500 a month income after becoming disabled with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She is the co-author of Dinging On A Dime Cookbook. To read more of Jill's articles and for free tips and recipes visit
www.LivingOnADime.com
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:35:50ZPumpkins: To Roast or Not to Roast!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Pumpkins:-To-Roast-or-Not-to-Roast!
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- /9142.html2010-05-07T08:35:48Z2010-05-07T08:35:48Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>To Roast or Not to Roast!
By Tawra Kellam
www.LivingOnADime.com
Peter Piper Picked a Profoundly Plump Pumpkin -- Now What does he do with it?
Every fall I get many questions about what to do with pumpkins. Many people find curious fascination in imagining what it would be like to grow these versatile little gems, as if growing something that produces a large fruit is somehow more respectable than growing, say, a serrano pepper. Many people eventually venture into pumpkin experimentation. Some succeed and many fail. Much like a dog that chases a car, many people never give thought to what they would do if they actually succeeded in successfully raising a patch of these fall favorites. Whether you have found yourself with more pumpkins than you know what to do with or you are one of the people who had to buy pumpkins and duct tape them to the vine, these tips for roasting and using pumpkins are sure to help you make the most out of them (no matter how you acquired them)!
How to Roast a Pumpkin
You can only do this with a freshly carved pumpkin! Do not use on a pumpkin that has beencarved and sitting out for several days.
To bake a fresh 6 to 7 pound pumpkin, halve the pumpkin crosswise and scoop out the seeds and strings. Place halves, hollow side down, in a large baking pan covered with aluminum foil and add a little water. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 1 frac12; to 2 hours or until fork-tender. Remove. When cool, scrape pulp from shells and puree, a little at time, in food processor or blender. Mix with a little salt.
To freeze pumpkin puree. Put 1-2 cups in freezer bags along with spices and use in pies.
To use pumpkin puree for recipes: Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth or a flour sack dish towel and let the pumpkin sit to drain out the extra moisture BEFORE cooking with it. Pumpkin is very moist, so in order for your recipe to come out correctly, you MUST strain it.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Boil seeds in water for 5 minutes. Drain well. Sprinkle with salt or seasoned salt. Place a thin layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 250 . Stir after 30 minutes. Bake frac12;-1 hour more or until crunchy. *Squash seeds may also be used.
Pumpkin Smoothies
frac12; cup pumpkin
3/4 cup milk or vanilla yogurt
frac14; tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. brown sugar
4 ice cubes
whipped cream (optional)
sprinkles (optional)
Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into 2-3 glasses. Serve with a small amount of whipped cream on top. You may also add orange sprinkles if you like. Serves 2-3.
Pumpkin Pancakes
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 frac14; tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
frac12; cup nuts, chopped (optional)
frac12; cup pumpkin
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cups milk
Combine ingredients. Stir just until moistened; batter may be lumpy. Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat; brush lightly with vegetable oil. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle; cook until bubbles begin to burst. Turn and continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with Pumpkin Maple Sauce and nuts.
Pumpkin Maple Sauce
1 cup maple syrup
frac14; tsp. ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1 frac14; cups pumpkin
Mix together until well blended.
In 5 years, Tawra Kellam and her husband paid off $20,000 personal debt on an average income of $22,000 per year. Tawra is the author of the frugal cookbook Dining On A Dime. Dining On A Dime has over 1200 recipes and tips to help you eat better and spend less. For more free tips and recipes visit her web site at
www.LivingOnADime.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:48ZAre "THEY" Ruining Your Finances?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Are-THEY-Ruining-Your-Finances
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- /9143.html2010-05-07T08:35:47Z2010-05-07T08:35:47Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Are "THEY" Ruining Your Finances?
by Jill Cooper
www.LivingOnADime.com
They say that it is impossible for a family to live on one income. They say you need a bigger house for the tax deduction. They say schools need to budget for palm pilots for students, even though they can't afford to pay the teachers. They say that you need a compact car because we're going to run out of gas. They say you need a big SUV so you'll be safe on the road. They say you need to be a vegetarian or you'll die. They say you should eat a lot of meat so you'll lose weight or you'll die.
Over the centuries human beings have been compared to sheep over and over again. I never cease to be amazed at how true that is. If one sheep decides to head down a road that goes right over a cliff, they all follow. Even in history when people march and demand the right to be individuals they still always seem to dress and act alike. Remember the "flower children" of the 60's? Even with their "free to be me" attitude, they were horrified if a man walked in with a suit and tie, since it was different from what they would wear.
If children are doing drugs, drinking or just wearing strange outfits, they justify it because "everyone is doing it". So often, the parents' response is "If everyone jumps off a cliff that doesn't mean you should do it, too." Is that the story we tell them with our actions? Kids are very shrewd and have no tolerance for hypocrisy. We hurt our families and ourselves if we blindly follow the crowd. "
They
" (I still haven't figured out who "
they
" are but I don't think I like "
them
" or "
their
" ideas.) have set a standard of living that we must live by-- no matter what the cost.
"They"
say you can't live on one income, so many moms who strongly feel that it is best for their families if they stay home get jobs outside the house because "
they
" say "you can't make it." Never mind that the extra expense of child care, work clothes and (for many) "guilt offerings" purchased for their kids often exceed the extra income. "
They
" say that's the way it's supposed to be.
How many dads have become only figures the kids wave good-bye to in the morning before heading off to two jobs because "
they
" say that is the world in which we live. Too many people who do this find that later in life their marriages are suffering, their kids are rebellious and resentful of their absence and the employer for whom they've invested all their time "providing" for the family lays them off.
"They"
say you have to pay to send your children to college so they can become a success and make a lot of money. When did "
they
" come up with the idea that going to college makes a person successful? How many parents have accrued $40,000 in debt for their son or daughter's degree, only to find the student working in a field that has nothing to do with his degree? Certainly, a college education can be a useful tool, but it is one that is wasted if the student doesn't need it or fails to use it.
I find that the most successful human beings are those whose parents spent time with them and had the time to teach them values, self confidence, self reliance and love. You can always lose your stuff, but you can't lose your values or the knowledge that your parents love you.
Stop basing your financial decisions on what "
they
" think you should be doing. Financial worries are the biggest cause of stress for Americans, leading to all sorts of physical and emotional problems. These worries are almost always avoidable, but many choose the worries over the common sense.
The point of this story is not that you should never spend any money on anything. The point is that it is important that you decide whether or not spending your time or money some particular way is a good idea for your family. Keep in mind that when "
they
" tell you you
should
do something, "
they
" are often trying to sell you something you don't really need.
Whenever you find yourself reflecting on your life and you realize you are doing something because "
they
" expect you to do it, tell "
them
" to butt out of your life, decide yourself what is really best for you and your family and do it!
Jill Cooper is a frugal living experts and the co-editor of
www.LivingOnADime.com
. As a single mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:35:47ZHow to Invest When Your Money Supply is ShortStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/How-to-Invest-When-Your-Money-Supply-is-Short
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- /9144.html2010-05-07T08:35:44Z2010-05-07T08:35:44Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>How to Invest When Your Money Supply is Short
By A. B. Jacobs
A recent request from a newsletter subscriber was short and to the point: "Would you please give us some suggestions on how to invest when you don't have much money?" This sounded like a challenge I'd enjoy tackling. But as I wrestled with it, I realized the question involved far too many variables. Among them: How old is the individual? How little money is available to invest? What assets are currently held? I sensed that nothing less than a massive treatise could do justice to the subject. So I've narrow it down to something manageable, with the question becoming:
I am single, 35 years old, possess few assets, and set aside $250 in surplus funds each month. How can I sensibly invest?
Before I suggest how these funds might best be utilized, I'll risk irritating 95 percent of investment advisors by suggesting how they should not be invested. These monies should not go into the customarily recommended mutual funds, whether they be managed, index, balanced, sector, exchange traded, hedge, or any combination thereof. To the further displeasure of insurance company representatives, none of the cash should find its way into annuities of any sort. And lastly, the prospect of dabbling in precious metals, such as gold or silver, dare not even be contemplated. The reason I avoid conventionally promoted investments is because they are subject to market vagaries. The appropriate goal for this individual will be a measure of assured financial security upon retirement age. With only modest funds available, all of which must perform productively, there is no room for uncertainty.
With the parameters established, the logical question becomes: What can $250 monthly be invested in that will predictably generate a sufficient return to guarantee financial self-sufficiency for a person in thirty years? I'll offer what some persons may regard as an unconventional reply. The assets should be placed into sound interest-bearing vehicles such as certificates of deposit, treasury notes, or corporate bonds. Though such a strategy may seem unglamorous, value can grow remarkably over a long period, with thirty years being sufficient time for favorable maturity. The secret ingredient is compound interest, which is as close to magic as you'll ever experience. To give you an appreciation of the potential, consider how $250 monthly will grow if it can be invested at a reasonably obtainable 71/2 percent return, compounded semi-annually, over 30 years. At the end of that time, it will become $341,500. What occurs, simply, is that when paid, the interest earns interest, which in turn earns more interest, which in turn . . . I think you get the picture. This multiplying effect resembles a geometric progression-a sequence in which the ratio of a term to its predecessor is always the same. Perhaps it passed over your head when first exposed to the principle in high school math, but as a get-rich-steadily device it is a winner.
Although the investment technique I've just described is valid, there nonetheless is a fly in the ointment, for we've ignored an important element. The numbers I've calculated do not take into consideration income taxes. As all interest generated will be taxed at the top of the taxpayer's marginal bracket, a portion will be unavailable to benefit from the compounding effect. We must contemplate what this will mean in dollars available at retirement. We'll presume this individual receives enough salary and other revenue to fall into a combined state-federal tax bracket of about 33 1/3%. In a state like mine-California-it doesn't take much income to get there pretty quickly. Losing that one-third translates to lowering the 7frac12;% annual rate of return to 5%. The effect on the size of the retirement stockpile after thirty years is disheartening. Instead of the $341,500 we previously anticipated, there will only be $214,700 in the pot. That $126,800 reduction can mean the difference between a comfortable retirement, as opposed to just scraping by.
Before we throw in the towel, let's consider whether there's some way of
fixing things
, for much of success in life is analyzing our options and carefully selecting from among the choices available. Luckily, just such an opportunity presents itself, thanks to a tax provision that first became available in 1998. It is the Roth IRA, a type of retirement account, available to certain taxpayers, from which all income is forever tax-free. By opening a self-directed Roth IRA account with a brokerage firm-preferably a discount one with minimal fees-all investments are held as IRA assets with the interest income accruing to the account free of taxes. Withdrawals in any amount, with neither tax nor penalty, are allowed from the account when the taxpayer reaches the age of 591/2. By taking advantage of this type of account, we fully restore our 7frac12;% annual return, subject only to a modest administrative charge.
There is a final factor we must consider in this analysis-that of increased cost of living. Just what buying power will $341,500 actually command in thirty years? It's my belief that there's a correlation between inflation and interest rates. Most likely the dollar's decline will reflect the bond interest obtainable. Other economies usually perform this way; a hefty interest rate compensated for the 68 percent per year average decline in the Russian ruble during the period 1992 through 1999. Thus if thirty years of inflation results in a dollar with greatly diminished purchasing power, the obtainable interest rates, together with the corresponding multiplier effect, should greatly increase the total number of dollars. In short, there will likely be a trade-off.
AL JACOBS has been a professional investor for nearly four decades. His business experience ranges from real estate, mortgage, and securities investment to appraisal, civil engineering, and the operation of a private trust company. In addition to managing his investments on a day-to-day basis, he is a featured financial columnist for both online and print publications. He is the author of
Nobody's Fool: A Skeptic's Guide to Prosperity
. You may subscribe to his financial Newsletter, "On the Money Trail," at no cost or obligation, by visiting
www.onthemoneytrail.com
.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:44ZSave Up To 50% On Your Grocery Bill!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Save-Up-To-50-On-Your-Grocery-Bill!
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- /9145.html2010-05-07T08:35:43Z2010-05-07T08:35:43Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Save Up To 50% On Your Grocery Bill!
By Jill Cooper
www.LivingOnADime.com
I have discovered the secret of saving money feeding babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Well, I can't take the credit for it. My mom taught it to me many years ago but I didn't put it into practice until the first financial crisis we had when my husband was laid off.
What I have been practicing now for many years has now become one of the new buzz phrases -- "portion control". Usually when we think of portion control it is in connection with dieters and not young children or saving money.
Most American parents serve themselves and their children huge portions of food. Their families eat only part of it, and then they discard the rest. Next time you scrape those half eaten plates of food into the trash, think about this: 30% to 50% of the food and drinks we buy, whether we eat at home or out, get thrown away. If you don't believe it's true, observe your own family this week. How many half full bowls of soggy cereal do you throw away? What about half empty glasses of juice, milk or pop?
It is easy to forget that children under the age of four have only about a quarter of an adult's body weight. Often, we feed them adult portions and when we do give them smaller portions, each portion is usually only reduced to about half an adult portion. Do you use that large serving spoon and dump a full spoon of food on your child's plate? Say you give yourself two spoons of green beans and your child one-- That means that you have given yourself about 24 green beans and your child 12 when in reality, that child needs only about six.
When deciding how much food to give your kids, start small and work your way up. Remember, if they eat what is on their plates you can always give them more.
Use the same method for drinks. Even a small sippy cup should only be filled half full. This not only reduces the amount that you throw away, but also reduces the losses from spills.
Another great way to save a lot of money is to give children more water. In addition to serving children overly large portions, failing to give them enough water leads to obesity. At this point, many parents point out that young children need lots of milk and juice. That is true to a degree, but consider this: The USDA recommends 12 oz of milk per day for children under 4. That is equal to two sippy cups. Don't forget that kids get milk from other sources too, including milk with their cereal and cheese.
We think the more juice and milk they get the better, but once kids have had as much as they need nutritionally, the rest just adds calories.
If you are ready to cut the waste from your food budget, here are a few more tips to save money and make your life easier:
Cut the crust off your child's sandwich before you give it to him. I have tried for years to get my children and grandchildren to eat the crust and have discovered that it is like trying to climb Mount Everest. It can be done, but I'm not sure if it is worth all the work and headache. So give in and cut off the crust. Throw it in a bag and use it for bread crumbs or croutons. Then the kids will eat their entire sandwiches instead of just that hole in the middle and you won't waste the sandwich filling that would have been tossed with the crust.
. Cut kids' sandwiches into small squares or triangles. Their hands are smaller then ours. Imagine always manhandling sandwiches that are two to three times normal size and you can relate to kids with full adult-sized sandwiches. This goes for all their food. Cut anything they have to hold in their hands into manageable sized pieces.
Spills always happen, but they can be minimized. Try placing a paper doily at the top of your child's plate or someplace where you know a cup won't be likely to spill. Then teach the child that the cup belongs on the doily.
Start giving your little ones only half of items like candy bars, gum, and popsicles. When you go out to eat, split a hamburger or order of fries between two younger children. You can even ask for an extra cup and split milk shakes and drinks.
Control snacks. Don't just let the kids graze all day on candy and chips. Give children healthier things to fill them up, like popcorn or a piece of fruit at specific time intervals.
Feed toddlers and preschoolers your leftovers. They usually don't balk at them like older children do. All those two tablespoon leftovers that are hardly worth saving are usually just the right amount for younger children.
Jill Cooper is the editor of
www.LivingOnADime.com
. As a single mother of two, Jill started her own business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:35:43ZFrugal Ethics: When Frugal Becomes Just Plain CheapStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Frugal-Ethics:-When-Frugal-Becomes-Just-Plain-Cheap
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- /9146.html2010-05-07T08:35:41Z2010-05-07T08:35:41Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Frugal Ethics
When Frugal Becomes Just Plain Cheap
By Tawra Kellam
www.LivingOnaDime.com
There are times when it's tempting to lie, steal or break one of the other 10 Commandments to get a good deal but, in living frugally, we all need to stick to being honest. This is not always easy to do, but I want to give some examples that may help you stay honest. Here are some common tactics that some people use that are unethical and sometimes illegal:
You need some pens because you are running short so you take a handful from a store that is giving them out. This is stealing. If you take one, that's fine. Unless they tell you to take them all, it is tacky to take a large number of them. They're offering them simply as a courtesy.
You buy an item and you use it a few times and then return it because you're done with it. Stealing and lying. You probably won't tell the sales clerk you just needed to use it for a few times and even if you do, that's only OK if it is a rental store. If an item breaks, doesn't work or is not the right color, it is fine to return it. If you just needed it "for a few times" (like a dress for a special occasion) and know you won't use it again, you're stealing if you return it.
If you eat a food item with a guarantee on the box and it tastes nasty, return it. That's why they offer a guarantee. If you eat the entire contents of the box first and return the mostly-empty box, it probably wasn't actually nasty.
If you try to pass off your 14 year old child as a 12 year old so that you only have to pay for a child's meal, you are lying and teaching your child that lying is good when it benefits you.
If you find a "great deal" that you can't live without but you don't have the money in your checking account, don't write a check. Let it be the "one that got away" If you knowingly write a bad check, you are stealing and lying.
If you find a "great deal", buy it and then hide it from your husband, you're lying (unless it's his birthday present ;-). If you have to hide it, you know you're doing something wrong.
If you charge up your credit cards with frivolous things like shopping and eating out and then declare bankruptcy, you are stealing from the credit card company and from everyone who does business with that company. Bankruptcy is intended to help people who end up financially strapped because of reasons beyond their control, like catastrophic medical expenses or the death of a spouse. It is unethical to declare bankruptcy because you went on a shopping spree, because you bought something you couldn't afford when you bought it or because you decided to change careers and no longer want to pay the student loans for your old career. You signed that piece of paper when you purchased the item saying you would pay them back and you didn't. It's up to you to pay them back any (legal :-) way you can, even if it does mean feeling "deprived" for a time.
One more thing about bankruptcy: It is unethical to incur lots of debt "keeping up with the Joneses" and then go bankrupt because the debt is so large. Many people look at others and say to themselves, "Those people are the same age as me. I work hard. I deserve that too." or "our house is too small" or "our car is a real clunker so we need to buy a brand need one to "save" on repair costs ( a huge myth, by the way!). If you can afford these things, by all means, buy them. If you can't afford those things, find a way to make more money or learn to be happy with what you have.
Frugal living is about making good financial decisions. There are so many things you can do to spend your money more wisely, so when you think you can get a "good deal", but it requires doing something that hurts someone else, pass it up.
Whenever you're in doubt about whether something is ethical, ask yourself if it would be OK with you if the situation were reversed and you were the person potentially coming up short. Be honest. We've all heard "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." If you would object to others doing it to you, you better look for a better way to save.
Tawra Kellam is the editor of
www.LivingOnADime.com
. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:41ZSlow Down and Enjoy the Magic of SummertimeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Slow-Down-and-Enjoy-the-Magic-of-Summertime
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- /9147.html2010-05-07T08:35:40Z2010-05-07T08:35:40Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Slow Down and Enjoy the Magic of Summertime
By Patti Teel
www.pattiteel.com
"Summertime, and the living is easy..."
Summertime is in full swing. And I don't know about you, but I'm finding it difficult to stick to a schedule and to buckle down and work. Perhaps childhood memories of long summer days spent at the neighborhood swimming pool have forever altered my cell memory-triggering an age-old urge to slow down the pace and enjoy life's simple pleasures.
Rather than swimming upstream and fighting the urge to slow down, I've decided to go with the summertime flow. I hope that you and your children decide to do the same and enjoy a magical summer that includes carefree time to explore, dream and play. Soon enough, we'll once again be asking ourselves, "Where did the summer go?" Before fall arrives and back to school activities take precedence, be sure to enjoy the magical days of summer.
Unexpected, delightful events are part of the fun and wonder of the summer. But if our children's days are overscheduled, they're likely to miss these unexpected delights-and so will we, as we frenetically drive from one activity to the next. Even though your intentions may be good, avoid being overzealous about providing structured activities for your children.
Be sure not to fill all your children's time with lessons, summer camp, team sports, or other organized events
By eliminating the summer activities that are not particularly enjoyable or important to your child, you are likely to find the time and space to enjoy the surprises of the day as they arise. Even the smallest events can be exciting to children, and it's a wonderful gift to be able to see the world through their eyes. If you unexpectedly see a beautiful butterfly, follow it with your child. If you make a wrong turn while driving, see where it takes you. If your son or daughter wants to have a last-minute lemonade stand, go for it. Enjoy the effortless flow of summertime.
Each and everyday this summer, leave some time for your children to do whatever they want-even if it appears that they are choosing to do nothing at all.
Don't think of it as wasted time. Children are naturally creative and you will be providing them with the necessary time and space to use this natural ability to be resourceful, self-sufficient and independent.
At first, when you step back from your full time role as the summertime entertainment director, your children may not know what to do with themselves. This will change as children gradually become more accustomed to relying on their own devices to creatively entertain themselves.
Many families find that they do best when they strike a balance between free time and planned activities. For example, you may wish to keep a calendar of scheduled activities such as trips to visit relatives, outings to the zoo, library, museum, or the family vacation. But don't be tempted to over schedule, and make time at the end of each day to relax, talk or read.
Take a few quiet moments to reminisce on the simple summertime activities that brought you pleasure when you were a child. Perhaps they can become family traditions that you share with your own children and one day, with your children's children.
About the author: Dubbed "The Dream Maker" by People magazine, Patti Teel is a former teacher and the author of
The Floppy Sleep Game Book
, which gives parents techniques to teach their children a nightly ritual to independently de-stress, relax and fall asleep. Children who know how to quiet themselves and turn inward will be able to relax and fall asleep-even when they are far from home, such as on a family vacation or at summer camp. Visit Patti online to subscribe to her free newsletter -
www.pattiteel.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:40ZFive Money Issues Couples Must Never Fight OverStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Five-Money-Issues-Couples-Must-Never-Fight-Over
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- /9148.html2010-05-07T08:35:38Z2010-05-07T08:35:38Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Five Money Issues Couples Must Never Fight Over
By A. B. Jacobs
www.onthemoneytrail.com
It's normal that spouses harbor different opinions on a variety of subjects. The two maroon shirts I occasionally wear-and love-are regarded by my wife as particularly ugly. As she's kind enough to humor me on this matter, it's only fitting that I don't openly criticize the TV melodrama she chooses to view at 9 o'clock every Thursday night. Although we seldom bicker over things, at times our respective differences, particularly on the matter of money, are clearly stated. And this is as it should be, for income and expenditures are at the heart of any partnership, family as well as business. With that said, it's my belief that there are five basic issues in which both spouses must be in firm accord. These represent the most prevalent omissions and commissions that lead to untold grief for many couples.
1. If I should die before I wake. As a very first consideration, every family provider must arrange financially for his or her survivors in the event of untimely death, meaning the spouse and all minor offspring. A common way to accomplish this is with a life insurance policy. This is where controversy arises, for there exists an industry devoted to selling products that minimize death benefits while maximizing profits for its marketers. Regardless of sales pitches to the contrary, you want an inexpensive and unadorned 20- or 30-year level benefit term policy, of sufficient face value (normally no less than ten times the insured's annual income), from an insurer with an A.M. Best rating of A+ or A++. Once the company is chosen and the face amount of the policy is determined, neither husband nor wife should question the wisdom of the periodic premium outlay.
2. The minimum payment is a road to disaster. No single implement has lead to greater misery for more families than the credit card. Over the past couple of generations it has been promoted in a way to financially destroy the unsophisticated user. It's my belief that a credit card should serve a single purpose: a convenience when neither cash nor check is readily available. Purchases should only be made in a manner that the account balance is paid in full each month before any interest can be charged. Both spouses must conduct their lives by this rule. If either cannot do so, all credit cards should be destroyed with members of the family adjusting their lives accordingly.
3. All hail the horseless carriage. With the exception of hearth and home, the motor vehicle constitutes the typical American's single most important fixation. No other product is more forcefully marketed, and far too many people succumb to its allure, forfeiting a substantial portion of disposable income. I'll put it bluntly: No one should drive a vehicle that is financed or leased. You should acquire your transportation 100% cash on the barrelhead, even if it means you drive a 1984 Toyota Corolla. Each spouse should enthusiastically embrace this concept. At a later date, when your fortune is deservedly secure, you may feel free to sport brand new matching Rolls Royces-but again, devoid of any financing.
4. Education doesn't make you smart-merely educated. Too many dollars that go toward tuition and ancillary expenses are wasted. The educational establishment has convinced the nation that post secondary schooling must appear prestigious and be costly. The result is that untold numbers of college graduates and their parents are in hock big time, some never to emerge from debt. What a waste! I advocate college-on-the-cheap, with the freshman and sophomore years spent at a community college, commuting from home, and the junior and senior years at a reasonably priced local state university. For a bright and diligent student, the education received is as good as four years at Harvard. Both spouses should be in accord on this principle. The finest gift a parent can give an offspring is the assurance that child will never need to support an indigent parent.
5. It's never too soon to plan for the future. A most repeated statement of persons in their late 50's and beyond is: "I never thought I'd get here this soon." It's for this reason that a wise couple will plan for their retirement at the earliest age. There must be no question that retirement accounts, whether they be IRAs, 401(k)s, or other private programs, be established, and funded, from the earliest working days. In addition, funding should continue year after year, as though future well being depends upon the assets accumulated-for indeed, it does. It is true, of course, that regular allocation of meaningful sums toward retirement reduces what is available for current luxuries. This is where mutual resolve, together with a healthy dose of discipline, is vital. Above all, neither spouse should undermine the efforts necessary to insure that retirement years will truly be a period of prosperity, free from the financial worries in which the majority of citizens are immersed. I've long contended that the benefits of wealth only intensify with the passing years.
Let me sum things up: It's been said, and rightly so, that personal satisfaction and financial contentment is not dependent as much upon the amount of income earned, as the way in which that income is used. It should surprise no one that the marketing of services and products is now the most pervasive industry in the world, employing highly effective methods to create demands for goods of all sorts. The social and psychological pressures brought to bear on prospective customers are more than many persons can resist. If you hope to prosper, it's vital that you avoid the impulse to purchase unwisely. As pleasing as childish illusions may be, they invariably lead to disappointment. Keep this constantly in mind as you conduct your financial affairs.
AL JACOBS has been a professional investor for nearly four decades. His business experience ranges from real estate, mortgage, and securities investment to appraisal, civil engineering, and the operation of a private trust company. In addition to managing his investments on a day-to-day basis, he is a featured financial columnist for both online and print publications. He is the author of Nobody's Fool: A Skeptic's Guide to Prosperity. You may subscribe to his financial Newsletter, "On the Money Trail," at no cost or obligation, by visiting
www.onthemoneytrail.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:38Z"No Money, No Time"- Sorry Mom, But I Ain't Buyin' ItStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/No-Money,-No-Time--Sorry-Mom,-But-I-Aint-Buyin-It
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- /9149.html2010-05-07T08:35:36Z2010-05-07T08:35:36Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>"No Money, No Time"- Sorry Mom, But I Ain't Buyin' It
By: Carrie Lauth
This week on Work at Home Moms Talk Radio, my friend Kelly McCausey talked about Moms who say they don't have enough money to start a home based business. She went on to explain that she wasn't born with a silver spoon in her mouth either and had to scrape together $15 from her grocery money to start her online venture.
Her diatribe got me thinking. I don't buy the No Money excuse either. I've known women who did whatever it took to get the cash to start their business. Let me give you some examples.
One Mom took her little girl's fancy Sunday dresses to a consignment shop and used the cash to buy her Direct Sales kit. You think her daughters are upset with her about that? Nah. Now she takes them with her when she travels around the world.
One Mom had a yard sale, and used that $80 to invest in a business. She also gave a flyer that she had printed up on her computer to the people who visited her sale. (They can't run away! Added bonus.)
One Mom went around pre-selling the product. She told everyone about how great the stuff was, took orders, and collected the money. She deposited the checks and used that money to buy the product at distributor price. She then turned around and sold the product to those customers at retail.
You can quite literally start a business online for around $20. For instance, Dayana will host your website for an entire year for $15. You can buy a domain name for $2.99-$10. You can start with that, and as you begin to earn money, reinvest in your business. You'll need a mailing list manager and a couple of other tools to really succeed, but the point is to start somewhere.
In this country, if a person cannot come up with that little cash, they're likely either extremely lazy or totally uncreative. That kind of person isn't a good candidate for a home based entrepreneur anyway so it's just as well.
Other ideas:Get a loan from a friend or family member, complete with a written agreement to pay back the money. If you're really hard up and don't have a family member or friend who loves you enough to loan you a few bucks, then you have other problems!
You could even approach your sponsor if you're considering joining a Direct Sales company. Tell her you will book 5 parties in your first week and give her all the profits until the money is repaid. If you got that down in writing, told her your plan of attack and are sincere, I can't imagine her saying no! She knows you're a temporarily broke but highly motivated, "out of the box" thinking person who she knows will likely be an awesome addition to her team.
Sell some stuff on eBay. You can clean out your closets (or somebody else's!) or go to a thrift store and buy some Baby Gap clothes to sell on eBay for extra cash. CDs, DVDs, and hardcover books also sell well.
Do a quick, temporary odd job. I know a Mom who put up a handmade sign at a local health food store: Non Toxic Cleaning Services. She pocketed $150 for a few hours work, and guess what- she used her own natural cleaning product and likely made a customer too.
Cancel the cable. Contrary to popular belief, cable television is not a need. Use that $60 a month or more to build a business. That will give you a leg up on the other favorite excuse too...
Another excuse I don't buy? The "No Time" Excuse
We all have 24 hours in a day. Some people are able to do amazing things with their gift of time.
Remember the Mom who sold the dresses at the consignment shop? She had 7 kids. 7
home schooled
kids. She built her business one person at a time, just by inviting them over to her house for a cup of tea while her kids played around her. If anyone had "no time", it was her. But she took the time. Now she enjoys a residual income that allows her to go on cruises and spoil the grandkids.
People have time to watch their favorite TV shows every day or every week, but they don't have time to exercise? To quote Homey the Clown, "I don't think so."
If you have kids, why not work out a babysitting co-op with another working Mom? You could watch her kids for a few hours two or three days a week and she could do the same for you. During that time you could focus on building your business. If you're very careful with how your spend your time, a few hours 3 days a week could be enough to start and build a profitable business!
As you begin to earn a profit, you should then commit to reinvesting in tools that will save you time and automate different tasks. You could also outsource some of the easier activities, or the things you don't enjoy so much, to someone else so you can focus on the things you're good at that really earn you money.
When you have a home based business, you get good at making the most of your time around the house. You become more efficient with household tasks, and you ask for help and delegate more too. Those things save you time.
I know what I've said here may step on some toes, but I speak truth. Stop making excuses. Get creative and figure out how to solve these problems so you can move forward with your goals.
Now go get 'em!
Carrie Lauth is a work at home Mom of 4 and is excited about helping other Moms succeed online. Sign up for her free newsletter and get a free report on how you can earn money from your own online magazine:
www.Business-Moms-Expo.com
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:35:36ZWhat's for Dinner? Quick & Healthy One-Pot MealsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Whats-for-Dinner-Quick--Healthy-One-Pot-Meals
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- /9150.html2010-05-07T08:35:34Z2010-05-07T08:35:34Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>What's for Dinner? Quick Healthy One-Pot Meals
By Elizabeth Yarnell
www.GloriousOnePotMeals.com
One-pot meals can be the solution to quick and easy cooking when no one really has the time to cook. While one-pot meals come in various forms, they all have the common concept of putting a variety of ingredients into a single vessel and cooking them all together. There's no fretting about getting the timing right so that your broccoli is perfectly steamed at the same time as the pot roast comes out of the oven medium-rare and the rice is ready to fluff, which is a boon for all those who aren't wizards at culinary planning. And, perhaps best of all, rather than a sink full of dirty pots and pans to scrub after dinner, there is only one pot to clean.
One-pot meals include everything from light stir-fries to hearty skillet meals to heavy casseroles made with cans condensed cream-of soup. Typically each forkful contains a little of each ingredient in the meal, whether it's in a slab form or bite-sized pieces. Crock-pot cooking, where all the ingredients are placed in a crock-pot along with some liquid and then simmered at a very low heat for 6-8 hours until everything has disintegrated into a stew, is another popular method of creating of one-pot meals.
The only downside to each of these methods is that they are usually not a complete and balanced meal in and of themselves. Since the definition of a complete, healthy meal includes protein, carbohydrates and vegetables, stir-fries are typically served with rice, skillet meals with pasta, casseroles with a salad, and crock-pot stews with bread.
Infuse it
To have a truly complete and balanced one-pot meal consider "infusion" cooking. Infused one-pot meals are made by layering whole foods into a closed container- either a foil or parchment pouch or a cast iron Dutch oven-and then baking the container in the oven at a very high heat for under an hour. These dinners can contain everything needed for a full and balanced one-pot meal without having to prepare rice or a salad separately.
Low in fat and high in nutrition, almost any ingredients can be added to an infused one-pot meal to meet personal dietary preferences. Infused one-pot meals prepared in a Dutch oven can even accept frozen elements without any change in cooking time or flavor.
For the answer to the age-old question of "What's for dinner?" consider an infused one-pot meal for a healthy, quick and easy way to feed your busy family. Here is a great recipe to get you started!
California Chicken
Servings: 2
Ingredientsfrac12; cup cous cous, dry
2-3 pieces chicken
frac12; tsp. salt
frac14; tsp. lemon pepper
1 avocado, firm-ripe
2 tomatoes, cored, wedges
frac12; green bell pepper, seeded, cut in wedges
frac12; cup olives, small, ripe, pitted, sliced
frac12; onion, chopped
1 tsp. celery salt
1/3 tsp. basil, dried
1/3 tsp. marjoram, dried
1 Tbsp. dry sherry
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray the inside of a 2-quart cast iron Dutch oven and the lid with olive oil.
Pour dry couscous into pot. Add 1/2 cup water and evenly distribute grains across bottom. Arrange the chicken atop the couscous. Season lightly with salt and lemon pepper.
Add layers of green peppers, tomatoes and olives. Again, season lightly with salt and lemon pepper.
Halve, pit and peel the avocado. Then, layer it in slices or cubes on top of everything. In a small bowl, combine the onion, celery salt, basil, marjoram, sherry, and lemon juice and pour into pot over everything.
Cover and bake for 45 minutes.
Tips
Be certain that your oven temperature is accurate and your oven is fully pre-heated before putting the pot inside it. An oven thermometer can help ensure your oven is on target.
For light and fluffy couscous, fluff it with a fork when serving and let sit for a few minutes before eating.
About the author: Elizabeth Yarnell is the author of
Glorious One-Pot Meals: A new quick healthy approach to Dutch oven cooking
, a guide to preparing infused one-pot meals. Visit Elizabeth online at
www.GloriousOnePotMeals.com
. The Glorious One-Pot Meal cooking method is unique and holds US patent 6,846,504. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:34ZWhite Beans For The FamilyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/White-Beans-For-The-Family
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- /9151.html2010-05-07T08:35:33Z2010-05-07T08:35:33Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>White Beans For The Family
Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
www.FreshBaby.com
At the market: Beans are available dried or canned. We like canned beans because they are easy to use. Both organic and low-sodium varieties are available. Canned beans are already cooked.
Storage: Use canned beans within a year of their purchase.
Preparation: Drain and rinse canned beans for at least one full minute.
Soups and Stews: Add a cup of nutrition to your favorite soups or stews by adding 1 can (15 oz.) of white beans, drained and rinsed, to your recipe.
Sloppy Joes and chili: Next time you're making Sloppy Joes or chili, try a new twist, instead of using all meat, go half and half - 1/2 meat and 1/2 white beans. It will enhance the flavor and the nutrition too.
Greek bean salad: Combine 1 can (15 oz) of white beans, drained and rinsed, with 1 cup of diced cucumber, 1 cup of chopped seeded tomatoes, 1/3 cup dice red onion, 1/4 cup diced black olives, and 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 Tbsp red wind vinegar, pour over salad and toss gently.
Better than Hummus Dip
Ingredients:
1 can (15 oz)white beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp capers
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp chopped green onions
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor/blender and process until smooth. Serve in bowl with veggie cruditeacute;s (carrots, green beans, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, cauliflower).
About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby, creators or products such as homemade baby food kits, baby food cookbooks, baby food and breast milk storage trays, breastfeeding reminders, and child development diaries.Visit them online at
www.FreshBaby.com
and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:33ZFive Frivolous Items that Are Really Worth ItStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Five-Frivolous-Items-that-Are-Really-Worth-It
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- /9152.html2010-05-07T08:35:31Z2010-05-07T08:35:31Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Five Frivolous Items that Are Really Worth It
By A. B. Jacobs
www.onthemoneytrail.com
For the past several years I've written articles extolling the virtues of thrift, outlining programs for sensible spending, and presenting guidelines for sound investment. Perhaps, then, you'll understand why I found myself taken aback recently by an e-mail that said: "You talk a lot in your content about the smart and practical things to do with money. However, when people do come into money, they are going to 'blow' some of it. So would you share some ideas on which items are smarter choices when it comes to frivolous spending or admittedly unnecessary luxury things that just make people feel good?" I'll confess that I drew a momentary blank. Quoting from William Jennings Bryan's testimony in the 1925 Scopes evolution trial, "I don't think about things I don't think about." Well, I've since thought about it; perhaps the five extravagances I've listed below are justifiable. But first a disclaimer: The thought of "blowing" money-any money-doesn't sit well with me. However, I suppose I can tolerate seeing up to ten percent of a windfall spent frivolously, though even
that
causes me to cringe a bit. You may now read on.
1. You've just received an unexpected tax refund of $6,500 and want to celebrate your
good fortune
, even though it was your own money before you overpaid the IRS. How one-tenth, or $650 might be enjoyably spent? Why not take a weekend vacation as my wife and I did recently? We chose Palm Desert, an easy drive from our home. Two night's accommodation at Residence Inn by Marriott at $215 per night, dining at our favorite restaurants, an afternoon spent at Palm Desert Tennis Club, and an evening stroll through the shops along El Paseo after dinner, left us still in possession of a portion of that pre-allocated $650. We returned home relaxed and refreshed. There are certainly worse ways to spend your dollars.
2. Aunt Hilda just passed on at the ripe age of ninety-three, leaving you-her favorite grandniece-$15,000. After carefully stashing $13,500 of it into your money market account, you might choose to indulge yourself with the rest. So where can you spend $1,500 to good advantage? Why not get rid of that old 27" television set you've stared at for the past fourteen years and begin viewing your favorite shows in somewhat grander style? A visit to Best Buy Stores reveals that you can purchase a 32-inch Panasonic LCD HDTV with HDMI Interface and Built-in Stereo Speakers for $1,330. Added tax, delivery, and installation charges still place the set in your home at less than the target figure. And with any luck, you'll continue to enjoy your acquisition for fourteen more years.
3. Though it seems like antiquity, common stock in Berkshire Hathaway 'A' once commanded three hundred dollars per share, and the five shares you had the good fortune to acquire just sold for a cool $400,000. After setting aside enough to pay state and federal capital gains taxes, you're still $300,000 ahead. Perhaps you deserve a treat, and why not the toy you've always wanted: a classic or vintage automobile that will reveal your devotion to the motoring world of yesteryear? One of the more popular vehicles fitting this bill is the Model A Ford, built between 1928 and 1932. Whether you select a nicely conditioned '28 Roadster convertible with rumble seat for $22,900 or a fully restored '31 Tudor sedan at $21,000, you'll garner attention as you cruise your neighborhood streets. Add to that a membership in one of the Model A clubs across the country and you'll meet fellow-enthusiasts with whom you can share your fervor. As an alternative for those of you who are understandably concerned over the maintenance demands of an aged auto, here's further thought. There are now firms that manufactures factory replicas using all modern mechanical parts, but which appear to be originals. They are easily repairable and attractively priced. A '30 Phaeton convertible sedan replica can be purchased for $15,500.
4. You expected it never to happen. Amidst somewhat mixed feelings, you are now a retiree. Included among the mixed blessings are two benefits: a final retirement bonus of $25,000 and the prospect of free time that you've never before experienced. What better way might you begin those leisure years than with an ocean voyage? A multitude of fine luxury cruises are available at surprisingly reasonable prices. During seven days in an ocean view cabin on Holland America Lines'
MS Oosterdam
, at only $659 per person double occupancy, you'll depart and return San Diego, visiting the Mexican ports of Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. If the Caribbean Sea is more to your liking, Celebrity Cruises'
Century
out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with similar accommodations, offers a 7-day excursion to Montego Bay, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and Costa Maya, at $650. A somewhat more exotic 7-day cruise aboard Peter Hughes two-masted sailing vessel,
Komodo Dancer
, out of Bali, visits several South Sea Islands. Its ocean-view cabin prices begin at $1,605. Depending on the time and
prudently-disposal
money available to you, there is virtually nowhere on earth that is not accessible.
5. My final suggestion for cash disposal may not qualify as
frivolous
, but it can prove personally satisfying. Your local high schools and community colleges regularly recognize exemplary students with commendations, often accompanied by monetary awards. The funds normally come from citizens in the community, where each donor designates the academic discipline to be recognized. Presentations are customarily made at formal school awards ceremonies, and offer incalculable encouragement to awardees. Amounts to recipients can be large or small. I've seen donor grants as modest as $50 as well as multiple scholarships exceeding $50,000. So, if you regard education as important, and desire to spur students to greater achievement, simply contact the school of your choice and let them know of your willingness to participate.
AL JACOBS has been a professional investor for nearly four decades. His business experience ranges from real estate, mortgage, and securities investment to appraisal, civil engineering, and the operation of a private trust company. In addition to managing his investments on a day-to-day basis, he is a featured financial columnist for both online and print publications. He is the author of
Nobody's Fool: A Skeptic's Guide to Prosperity
. You may subscribe to his financial Newsletter, "On the Money Trail," at no cost or obligation, by visiting
www.onthemoneytrail.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:31ZEverything You Need To Know About "Podcasting"Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Everything-You-Need-To-Know-About-Podcasting
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- /9153.html2010-05-07T08:35:29Z2010-05-07T08:35:29Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Everything You Need To Know About "Podcasting"
Cliff Ennico
www.creators.com
"I'm in the process of launching an Internet based business. I'm looking for some inexpensive ways to promote my business to tech-savvy customers, and I've been hearing some buzz lately about 'podcasting'. Forgive me, but when I think of iPods I think of teenagers listening to Eminem, and they're not my market. How does 'podcasting' work, and how would it benefit my business?"
While "podcasting" obviously takes its name from Apple's popular iPodreg; line of products, it isn't limited at all to iPodreg; listeners, and can indeed be an exciting and creative new way for you to promote your business. But first, a quick definition: a "podcast" is a pre-recorded audio program that is posted to a Website and made available for download so people can listen to them on personal computers or mobile devices (including, yes, iPodreg; products).
According to Oren Shachal, a podcast producer for software maker Intuit Corp., what distinguishes a "podcast" from other types of audio product on the Internet is that a "podcaster" can solicit subscriptions from listeners, so that when new "podcasts" are released they can automatically be delivered, or "fed", to a subscriber's computer or mobile device. Usually, the podcast features an audio "show" with new episodes that are fed to your computer either sporadically or at planned intervals, such as daily or weekly. Just like the old radio serials of the 1930's and 1940's, this encourages listeners to subscribe so they can find out "what happens next".
Shachal explains that podcasts are to audio what TIVO is to video: "you can automatically receive the programming you want, and listen to it whenever and whereever you want".
As long as you listen to podcasts only on your computer (as Shachal indicates the vast majority of podcast subscribers do), you don't need any special software other than the audio player that you already have on our computer (such as Windows Media Player or RealPlayer). But if you want to subscribe to a podcast "feed", you will need to install "podcatcher" software on your computer. The most popular "podcatcher" software is iTunesreg;, available as a free download from
www.apple.com/itunes/download
.
Should you be getting into "podcasting" as a way to promote your business? Shachal says that podcasting is an innovative way to promote your business. "Podcasting goes a big step further than printed text on a Web page," Shachal says, explaining that "if someone's actually talking to you, you have to listen. You can't ignore or skim over it, so it's a far better call to action, and much more personal because you're listening to another human being's voice." Intuit Corp. offers a number of free podcasts offering advice for entrepreneurs - go to
www.quickbooksgroup.com
and click on the "podcast" link.
So how do you go about creating a Podcast? Shachal says there are four basic steps.
First, to record a podcast on your computer, you will need a USB microphone and special "podcast studio" software to help you record and edit your podcasts. For Apple Macintosh computers, the software is called Garagebandreg; and is part of the iLifereg; software package (
www.apple.com/ilife
). You can purchase iLife from Apple's Website for $79, but if you bought a Macintosh recently, it may already be installed on your computer so check that first. The most popular podcast studio software for Windows computers is Audacityreg;, available as a free download from
http://audacity.sourceforge.net
.
Second, record your podcast carefully. Try to keep your podcast around 12 minutes, Shachal advises, adding that you should speak clearly and prepare your "script" in advance to keep the editing time as short as possible. And whatever you do, learn to soften your consonants, because a lot of your listeners are using earphones. If you "pop your P's" it's a lot more irritating than when somebody does it on radio.
Third, once your podcast is recorded, you have to "post" it to a Website. If you have a Website of your own, you might be tempted to post it there, but Shachal advises you first call your Web hosting service and find out the fees. Podcasts use up a lot of bandwidth, Shachal explains, and most Web hosting services charge serious money for the extra bandwidth you will use if hundreds of people are downloading your podcast feeds. Instead, Shachal advises you use a Website that specializes in hosting podcasts, such as
www.libsyn.com
: "these services charge based on how much data you store, not for how much traffic goes back and forth, and you are likely to save significant money".
Fourth, once your podcast is posted on the Web, you need to list it in one of the popular podcast directories, such as
www.apple.com/itunes/podcasts
and
http://podcasts.yahoo.com
. Right now, these directories will list your podcasts for free, because your podcasts are not taking up space on their Websites. Explains Shachal, "listeners download or subscribe to your podcasts through iTunes, and iTunes grabs the podcast from your Website. Listeners think they're getting the podcast from Apple, but they're really not."
Shachal warns that, at least today, you won't get rich doing podcasts: typically, podcasters do not charge for subscriptions. "That's because most podcasters today are enthusiasts about one subject or another, and are just looking for the exposure," says Shachal. But Shachal adds that if you have a podcast with compelling content that's attracting lots of subscriptions on iTunes, you might be contacted by a company offering to buy advertising on your podcasts. My advice? Don't sell cheap.
Cliff Ennico (
cennico@legalcareer.com
) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. His latest book is 'Small Business Survival Guide' (Adams Media, $12.95). This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at
www.creators.com
. COPYRIGHT 2006 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:29ZToddler Treat: Snappy Pea and Pineapple SaladStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Toddler-Treat:-Snappy-Pea-and-Pineapple-Salad
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- /9154.html2010-05-07T08:35:27Z2010-05-07T08:35:27Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Toddler Treat: Snappy Pea and Pineapple Salad
By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
Kids love sugar snap peas for the same reason adults do - they're crunchy, sweet and fun to eat! This is a delicious salad that's sure to be a hit at the dinner table or in the lunchbox. To bring out the incredible green color of the sugar snap peas, blanch them first. Blanching is simple cooking technique that adds eye-popping visual appeal to your veggies.
Ingredients:
8 ounces fresh sugar snap peas
frac12; cup fresh pineapple, diced
Dressing:
frac12; tsp sesame oil
1 tsp brown sugar
frac14; cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons store-bought teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Directions:
To blanch sugar snap peas: Place them in pan of boiling water for 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, move them to a bowl of cold water and ice. Drain the peas when they are completely cold.
Make the dressing by whisking the sesame oil, brown sugar, vegetable oil, teriyaki sauce, and rice vinegar together. Combine the peas and pineapple in a salad bowl. Just before serving, toss with the dressing.
Variation: Add frac12; cup cubed firm tofu or cooked chicken for a great lunch or light dinner.
About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby, creators of products such as homemade baby food kits, baby food cookbooks, baby food and breast milk storage trays, breastfeeding reminders, and child development diaries. Visit them online at
www.FreshBaby.com
and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:27ZSecondhand Not Second-RateStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Secondhand-Not-Second-Rate
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- /9155.html2010-05-07T08:35:25Z2010-05-07T08:35:25Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Secondhand Not Second-Rate
Are you saving your hard-earned money by shopping at thrift stores?Why pay retail when you can purchase many items secondhand for the fraction of the cost? No one knows it's previously owned, unless you're like I am and many others that LOVE bragging how we got an item for a steal! It's a definite way to ease your budget and environmentally friendly too. Shopping secondhand is like a treasure hunt. It takes time to learn how to bargain shop, but you can become a money-saving thrift store shopper by planning ahead and being prepared.
Know What You Want or Need
You may not find items you're interested in during your first visit, so keep a wishlist of items handy in a notebook. Know your size and the sizes of family and friends. Consider color and style preferences too. Go through your closet and home to have a good idea of items you'd like to add to your wardrobe and decor. Write down household dimensions in your notebook. It's not fun to find what appears to be the perfect items, but you're not sure if they'll fit. Bring a tape measurer just in case too.
Don't just impulsively buy just because it's cheap though. If you won't use, don't buy it. Thrift store shopping can be addictive. Keep in mind that you may find continuous great deals on clothes as an example, but do you need another five sweaters just because they're cheap?
Be flexible and think creatively. Don't forget to consider possible gifts or things that can be recycled into something else. You may come across a skirt and not initially want it, but maybe the fabric could be utilized to create something wonderful or with minor alterations it could become a personal favorite.
Before You Head Out
Dress comfortably and practical. You may want to try clothing on or be rummaging through merchandise near the floor or in boxes.
Eat something before you leave home. There are times the cash out lines are a long wait. It's possible you could be out shopping a couple of hours too.
Be sure to have enough extra cash with you in case there are unexpected surprise items you find while shopping. Many thrift stores only accept cash. It would be very disappointing if you came across a super deal and didn't bring enough money.
It's important to have a good idea of what items cost when brand new before you go. A little golden rule to keep in mind is that you shouldn't pay more than half the retail cost of the item when new.
Try to go shopping by yourself. This is ideal because you won't have competition, a crying child, or an antsy spouse. I know some people think the experience is best shared with others, but when you both spot the perfect bargain or others are rushing you-well don't say I didn't warn you.
Scope Out The Shops
Thrift stores are all diverse. Some stores have higher prices, emphasize clothing or household goods, or may have more toys. Get to know which store locations have the best types of certain merchandise.Know the price ranges for the particular items you're looking for at each shop. You can add a pricebook section to your thrift store notebook.
Merchandise always changes and it changes rapidly. An item that is there one day, most likely won't be there the next. You can talk to the owners/managers and inform them of items you are looking for. You can request that they contact you when particular items arrive. Not every thrift store will do this, but there's no harm in asking. My local thrift store manager called me and let me know when an oak dining set was brought into the store.
Take Your Time
Don't skim racks. Go through them slowly. Browse the entire store.It's an adventure to experience. Some items may be overlooked or be misplaced elsewhere in the store. It takes time to get accustomed to the displays at thrift stores. Items aren't always displayed by color and size or as neatly as in retail stores. Your initial reaction upon just peeking around, may have you thinking there's nothing but dirty junk. There's definitely more than junk there! Remember what you may think is trash is another man's treasure.
Be Selective
Don't forget to inspect closely and plug in electrical items to be certain they work. Look over the items for torn seams, missing buttons or pieces, chips, tears, etc.
If an item has a couple of different ways it can be used, you will not be wasting your money. As an example, you may find a great basket and are trying to decide if it's worth buying. Can you think of alternative ways it can be used in the near future?
Look for dept store tags. Many thrift store items are brand new with tags. Look at the tags to verify sizes too. Try items on to be certain they fit since items are sold "as is" and many thrift stores don't allow returns.
Doublecheck for safety! Here's a handy safety checklist.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/thrift/thrftck.html
Best Times to Shop
Many thrift stores have regularly scheduled discount days. Many shops do color coded tag discount days, seasonal discounts, or discount by department. Shop regularly or get acquainted with the employees to be alerted about sales. If you're too shy to do that, you can try tracking the sales in your thrift store notebook and see if there is a schedule. My local thrift store has color coded tag discount days and then offers additional discounts during holidays.
Thrift store donations are at their peak in December. Many people are donating items, so they can write off on their taxes. There are also heavy donations made by individuals and corporations when the seasons change or it's near the holidays. Spring and Summer is also a good time to shop because many people donate their leftover garage sale items. Try and drop in frequently and early morning to get the best results. There's never a bad time to shop at a thrift store!
Pay It Forward
Donate items you no longer want to your local thrift store and encourage others to do the same. Many of these donations help support programs in your community. You can contact your local thrift store for their donation policies. These donations are tax-deductible.Here's some information on determining the fair market value of your donated items.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p561.pdf
Now you're better prepared with some basics to begin the hunt. The possibilities are endless. You can shop for yourself, friends, family, or even to resell at places like ebay.com. Yes. You can even MAKE money shopping at thrift stores. Thrift store shopping is a simple abundance with bragging rights. It's fun and guilt-free too. If you aren't convinced by all the benefits of thrift store shopping, that's ok. There's more for the rest of us treasure hunters. It just doesn't always make "cents" to shop retail.
Sara Noel is a freelance writer and the Editor/Publisher of
http://www.FrugalVillage.com
and
http://www.HomesteadGarden.com
Visit both these sites for information on getting back to basics through frugality, gardening, lost arts, simplicity, and natural family living. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:25ZCooking School Parties for KidsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Cooking-School-Parties-for-Kids
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- /9156.html2010-05-07T08:35:23Z2010-05-07T08:35:23Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Cooking School Parties for Kids
By Cheryl Tallman
Entertaining your children's friends is never an easy task and coming up with an idea for a birthday party is often harder. Recently, Fresh Baby creator Cheryl Tallman's son Spencer turned five and the event was celebrated with a cooking school extravaganza. For 2 frac12; hours Cheryl and her husband transformed their home into "The Cooking School for Brilliant Kids." Here she shares just how she did it!
We started out doing a little research on the Internet and found a neat web site called
www.kidsaprons.com
. We ordered disposable chef hats and aprons, and picked up a few kid-sized cooking utensils to use in the take-home gift bags. We also planned the menu and developed a schedule for the party.
Before the children arrived, we covered a ping pong table with white paper, did some prep on the foods, and decorated the dining room table for the birthday luncheon with balloons and the Star Wars tablecloth and plates that Spencer picked out.
When each kid arrived, they were fitted with their chef hat and apron, and we took a digital photo. We printed out their names (i.e "Chef Spencer") on plain paper, cut it out, and used clear packaging tape to stick their name on their apron and hat. While we were waiting for all the guests to arrive, the children were given stickers to decorate their chef hats. This gave them something to do and also gave them some time to get comfortable.
The party menu included French bread pizza, pigs in a blanket, carrots sticks and green beans, and for dessert, ice cream and cupcakes. Our school started with a "group" experience of making ice cream. Each child took a turn pouring, measuring, or whisking, while the others watched attentively. We poured our ice cream in the machine and moved on to making lunch.
We spread the kids out around the table and started with the French bread pizza, each child took a piece of bread and "painted" it with pizza sauce, sprinkled cheese, added pepperoni, and placed their creation on a cookie sheet. The pigs in a blanket were next. Each child took a piece of crescent roll dough that was already separated onto a piece of wax paper. They picked up a hot dog with tongs and then rolled the dough around the hot dog, and they were placed on another sheet pan.
After the main course was prepared, we took a class photo, and it was time for a break while the master chef (me!) put everything in the oven. The kids all went into the living room for a game of "Pin the Mustache on the Chef" and a magic show put on by my husband Roger, who picked up some magic books at the library the week before. By the time entertainment was done, the kid's masterpieces were ready to be served. In the dining room each child's plate had a piece of pizza, a pig in the blanket, some carrot sticks and green beans. The kids were so excited about their accomplishments. They all happily and proudly ate their lunch.
After lunch, it was back to cooking school for cupcake decorating. We had colored icing bags (tied at the top) and an assortment of sprinkles. This was the BEST event of all, the kids had great time. The creativity of a five year old is absolutely precious. After about 20 minutes, it was back to the dining room, where we sang "Happy Birthday", and gobbled up our cupcakes and homemade ice cream. After that, we opened gifts and gave out the take-home gift bags. Two and half hours seemed to fly by.
Spencer's thank you notes were sent with a certificate (printed on our home computer) from "The Cooking School for Brilliant Kids", and it included the child's picture and the class photo.
We learned that a cooking party is a great theme to entertain kids, keep them engaged, and to teach then some new skills. This party was quite affordable too - about $100 total. It just required some upfront planning, a little research and some creativity to make it fun!
If you are thinking of having your own cooking extravaganza, here are few tips that you might find useful:
Keep the recipes simple and have the steps written down to follow.
Do food prep in advance, so kids are not waiting, and you can avoid the use of knives, graters and other dangerous utensils.
Make the experience hands-on, a combination of group recipes and individual ones worked well to keep kids focused.
Have an adult work the oven or stove and keep the kids away from them.
Use a big table for your workspace (the ping pong table was perfect) and line it with paper (or plastic table cloth) for easy clean up.
At $2/kid the chef hats and aprons were totally worth it - not one kid took them off during the party. We heard one girl wore her hat all day!
About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby, creators or products such as homemade baby food kits, baby food cookbooks, baby food and breast milk storage trays, breastfeeding reminders, and child development diaries (
www.FreshBaby.com
). Visit them online at
www.FreshBaby.com
and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:23ZSave on Groceries Before You Leave HomeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Save-on-Groceries-Before-You-Leave-Home
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- /9157.html2010-05-07T08:35:22Z2010-05-07T08:35:22Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Save on Groceries Before You Leave Home
By Jill Cooper
www.LivingOnADime.com
One of the easiest ways to save money on your grocery bill starts before you even leave the house. It's no extra work, you don't have to deprive yourself of anything and you don't have to clip any coupons. What is it? Stop wasting food.
On average most families throw out 50% of the food they buy. If you have trouble believing that then watch your family's eating habits for the next few days. How many times did your child eat only half of his lunch or dinner or drink only half of his glass of milk or juice? How much food gets thrown away when you wash dishes? How many fruits and vegetables have rotted and been tossed? How much meat have you thrown away because it is freezer burned? And what about those leftovers in the fridge or the cartons of sour milk?
If this is you, do you realize if you spend $400 a month on groceries you are literally throwing $200 of it into the trash? What would you think if someone you knew took two $100 bills and threw them away?!? That would make dumpster divers out of the most genteel among us.
Here are some ideas on how to help you to stop the waste:
Only fill a child's (or adult's) glass half full if they normally don't drink it all. You can always give them more when that is gone. If they do have left over milk or juice at the end of the meal put it in the fridge for them to finish at another time.
When you get ready to cook a piece of meat like a roast or chicken, plan ahead. For example, when I take a roast out to thaw I don't think, "Ok, we'll have roast and mashed potatoes tonight." But I think "I will have roast and mashed potatoes tonight, Bar-B-Q beef tomorrow and beef and noodles the next night." That way you won't find yourself three days later gazing guiltily at that dying leftover roast thinking, "I really should do something with this but what?" and then end up throwing it out a week later.
Check your fridge the night before you go to the grocery store. That way you can plan your menus and choose what to buy based on the leftovers you have.
If all else fails, make one night a week as leftover night. That's when you set out all your odds and ends of leftovers for everyone to polish off. This is especially good if you do it the night before you buy groceries because this leaves your fridge empty for the new things you are buying tomorrow.
Jill Cooper raised two teenagers alone on $500 a month income after becoming disabled with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She is the author of Dining On A Dime, Eat Better Spend Less. To read more of Jill's articles and for free tips and recipes visit
www.LivingOnADime.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:22ZDemystifying the Great Laundry Detergent DilemmaStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Demystifying-the-Great-Laundry-Detergent-Dilemma
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- /9158.html2010-05-07T08:35:20Z2010-05-07T08:35:20Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Demystifying the Great Laundry Detergent Dilemma
By Jill Cooper
www.LivingOnADime.com
I grabbed the phone and answered it. It was my daughter chuckling on the other end. "We got another one," she said, "Another laundry detergent e-mail." For years now we have one reoccurring question. How can I save on my laundry detergent?
This may seem like an innocent enough question, but when we find out the writer's story, laundry detergent is almost never really relevant to the problem. What we've found is that a person who asks about laundry detergent is usually on the brink of bankruptcy, divorce, or losing a job. It's like some kind of code word or distress signal for "Help Me -- I'm drowning in debt".
Often these people have maxed out their credit cards, have fully mortgaged a quarter of a million dollar home and owe money on several expensive new cars. They have closets full designer clothes, purses and shoes and say "How can I save on laundry detergent?"
For a person in this situation, asking that question makes as much sense as saying, "My home is burning down -- I must go back in and save that $3 carton of milk I bought today!" If it were me, I would say, " Forget the milk I going to save the family heirlooms, my gold jewelry and the good silver."
I have tried to understand why in a financial crisis so many people want to learn how to save money on laundry detergent when there are so many more obvious ways they could be saving. Here is what I have finally concluded:
First, by focusing on a trivial issue they don't have to look at the real, more serious problem. It's like putting a Band-Aid on a scratch on your finger while you are bleeding profusely from an artery on your leg. They don't want to acknowledge the real spending problem because then they would have to deal with it. If you are in this situation and you want to be free of it, YOU HAVE TO ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM. You are spending more money then you make. It is important to realize that spending impulsively beyond your means is almost as bad as doing drugs. You get instant gratification and pleasure but over the long haul, it will destroy you.
Second, saving on laundry detergent gets rid of that nagging guilt for a little while. As long as they keep trying to save pennies on unimportant things, they don't have to feel guilty about spending thousands on the fun things. The problem is that if they are spending beyond their means, it will catch up with them eventually, which will make the stress and damage all the worse.
For those of you who have your finances under control and really do need a way to spend less on detergent, here are a few suggestions. At first I wondered how I could help anyone save money on detergent when a person uses so little of it? For a family of four, a 40-load box of detergent would last me one to two months, which doesn't give a lot to save on. It isn't the laundry detergent that people need to save on but the amount of laundry they are doing. It's seems as if people's laundry has turned into some kind of monster that is taking over their homes. It's everywhere. Piles of it on the floor, chairs, tables, and beds. Almost every horizontal surface in the house is covered with laundry -- dirty laundry, clean laundry and folded laundry.
By cutting back on the amount of laundry you do, you can save quite a bit on detergent, dryer sheets, fabric softener and hot water.
Here are a few ways to help you cut back:
Have the kids wear the same pair of pajamas every night. Before you get upset and say there is no way you would allow them to do that think about this: You bathe your kids before they go to bed so their pajamas go on a clean body. How dirty could those pajamas get while they are sleeping? Most people don't change their sheets more than once a week. What is the difference between sleeping on the same sheets and sleeping in the same pajamas?
Assign each person his or her own towel to use a minimum of two to three times instead of just once. In the case of young children let them use the same towel. Up to a certain age most people toss their little ones all in the bath together so if they can share the same bath water they can share the same towel.
When you get home from church or someplace where you didn't wear the outfit all day, change out of your good clothes and hang them up to wear again.
If it doesn't look dirty and doesn't stink, don't wash it. We usually use jeans for a week at our house.
Don't be lazy. So often we get undressed and, instead of putting our clothes away, we throw them on the floor in a heap. We don't want to iron, fold or even hang them up, so we just throw them in the wash. This makes more work later because we still have to iron, fold and hang them on wash day, but we also use more detergent, dryer sheets, fabric softener, hot water and time.
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the editors of
www.LivingOnADime.com
. As a single mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:35:20ZTraditional IRA vs. Roth IRA: Pros and ConsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Traditional-IRA-vs.-Roth-IRA:-Pros-and-Cons
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- /9159.html2010-05-07T08:35:18Z2010-05-07T08:35:18Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Traditional IRA vs. Roth IRA: Pros and Cons
By A. B. Jacobs
www.onthemoneytrail.com
Not long ago I received the following inquiry from a subscriber to my newsletter: "I understand that an IRA account can be a good device for retirement planning. I've done some investigating, but am confused as to whether a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA is better. Can you provide some advice on this matter?" In drafting my response, it occurred that a good number of persons might want an answer to that question. So, if this subject strikes a chord with you, read on.
Before we attempt to weigh the pros and cons of the two federally designed Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), I'll provide a brief overview of each program. The traditional (or ordinary) IRA is by far the older of the two, introduced in 1981 to provide Americans with a tax-favored means of saving for retirement. In its current operation, any taxpayer may contribute up to $4,000 annually of earned income into an established account. Such contributions are tax deductible, with the account's subsequent earnings tax-deferred until eventual distribution after the holder reaches 59frac12; years. By contrast, the Roth IRA, which originated in 1998, is not available to persons whose annual gross income exceeds certain amounts (generally $110,000 for single persons and $160,000 for married persons), nor are its contributions deductible in the year made. However, all income generated by and eventually distributed from the account is tax-free during its lifetime. For a thoroughly understandable summary of the specifics of each program, you can pick up Publication 17,
Your Federal Income Tax
, at any IRS office, and review the dozen pages comprising Chapter 18 titled "Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)."
Presuming you've now familiarized yourself somewhat with the details, it's time to broach the original question: Which IRA, the traditional or the Roth, is better? As you might guess, I harbor some strong opinions. It is my belief that if your gross income does not render you ineligible, the Roth IRA is by far the preferable choice. Although it's true that you'll not get tax deductions for the contributions, you'll receive something far more valuable-all income and appreciation generated in the account will be forever free (at least as long as the laws are not changed). I'm convinced that if you can anticipate participation for at least twenty years, this more than makes up for the deductions that the traditional IRA generates, but which is tax-deferred rather than tax-free. Perhaps, in all fairness, we must not ignore a contrary claim that deductions taken at higher marginal brackets during the working years will more than offset the taxes paid on post-retirement distributions at lower rates, thereby favoring the traditional IRA. In response to this, it's my contention that persons who conduct their financial lives wisely will find themselves in substantially higher brackets is later years. Furthermore, with federal deficits rising, along with a prevalent tax-the-rich attitude of the electorate, the tax-free distributions to be garnered in future years might well be more beneficial than deductions received in earlier years. I'll concede, however, the possibility that the laws governing Roth IRAs may be radically changed at some time in the future by a hostile legislature, and approved by an indifferent executive. If ever Roth distributions become retroactively taxed to persons in certain higher income groups, all bets are off.
In comparing the two types of IRAs, there's a companion matter that warrants consideration. If you previously opened a traditional IRA, but now wish it were a Roth, a way exists to make the conversion. This is known as a "rollover." The downside is as you might guess: The transaction requires that you pay income taxes at ordinary rates on the entire transfer, although thankfully the 10 percent penalty for early distribution is not applicable. In contemplating such a maneuver, you must estimate whether, as a Roth, the assets after the tax bite will provide greater after-tax retirement income than it would as a traditional. It's my belief that for account holders no older than about 35, the rollover will prove advantageous over the long haul. For persons above that age, it probably won't pay for itself.
Now that I've expressed my preference as to type of IRA, I'd like to scratch beneath the surface a bit. Although we've viewed this device as an investment vehicle, we've not yet discussed what belongs in it. Of course there is no shortage of advice in the investment community on this subject. If you tune in regularly to the nation's financial advisers, you're aware that the recommended holdings in a retirement account are a mixture of broad-based mutual funds, often with heavy emphasis on index funds. It gives me no particular pleasure to heartily disagree, but I'm convinced that assets of an entirely different nature belong in a Roth IRA. My preference is for interest-bearing vehicles as the sole investment. These will be gilt-edge securities such as U.S. treasury notes and bonds, FDIC-insured certificates of deposit, money market accounts, and high-grade corporate bonds. The benefit to be gained is unique: You will reap the rewards of compound interest-the closest thing to magic you'll ever see. If started early enough in life, such an account may well accumulate a million dollars tax-free by the time of retirement. There's insufficient space here to go into greater detail, but for additional information on this subject you're invited to visit my website,
www.onthemoneytrail.com
, click onto
Newsletter Archives
, and read December 2002, "Why Bonds Belong in a Retirement Account."
AL JACOBS has been a professional investor for nearly four decades. His business experience ranges from real estate, mortgage, and securities investment to appraisal, civil engineering, and the operation of a private trust company. In addition to managing his investments on a day-to-day basis, he is a featured financial columnist for both online and print publications. He is the author of
Nobody's Fool: A Skeptic's Guide to Prosperity
. You may subscribe to his financial Newsletter, "On the Money Trail," at no cost or obligation, by visiting
www.onthemoneytrail.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:18ZRomance on a BudgetStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Romance-on-a-Budget
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- /9160.html2010-05-07T08:35:14Z2010-05-07T08:35:14Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Romance on a Budget
Valentine's Day is often synonymous with lush velvety looking red roses and spending big bucks on your sweetie. You're blinded by advertisements touting the latest luxury jewelry, over-priced flowers, and exquisite five star dining. You can sometimes feel pressure from this single day that is supposed to symbolize and convey your emotion of love to your sweetheart. Expressing your love can be shown with frugal abundance and still create heartfelt memories.
You may not do anything at all because you feel that you can't afford it. Don't skip the holiday completely. The following are some traditional ideas and then some frugal alternative tips for inexpensive and thoughtful ways to express that you care without completely emptying your wallet.
Romantic movies
Movies are popular on Valentine's Day. There isn't any doubt that this idea rates highly on the snuggle meter.The following are some movie suggestions:
Sleepless in Seattle
Message in a Bottle
Bridges of Madison County
City of Angels
Bridget Jones's Diary
Somewhere in Time
As Good As IT Gets
Jerry Maguire
Something's Gotta Give
Amelie
Traditional: Big night out at the theater with the works. Cha-ching
Creatively Frugal: Select a nice romantic comedy for your sweetie. Pop some popcorn, pour your favorite beverage of choice, and light a fire if you're able to or at least some candles. It's all about the ambience. You both can cuddle up on the couch or have blankets and pillows out on the floor.
Confectionary Treats
Hard to imagine Valentine's Day without candy. The holiday is notorious for chocolates. They're definitely decadent and these treats have been acclaimed to have an aphrodisiac effect. It's difficult to pass up this romantic suggestion.
Traditional: Godiva chocolates or satin and velvet heart shaped box of chocolates. Oohlala.
Creatively Frugal: Bulk candy or homemade candy, baked goods, or just coffee and a dessert at a quiet cafe.Here are two great chocolate creations to make yourself.
Chocolate Pretzels
www.recipezaar.com/recipe/getrecipe.zsp?id=104975
Chocolate Popcorn
www.recipezaar.com/recipe/getrecipe.zsp?id=19087
Beautiful Bouquets
Saying "I love you" with flowers can make a lasting impression.
Traditional: A dozen roses with a short lifespan and hefty price. You think you're smart when you select multi-colored or any color besides red roses, but oops what about all those rose flower meanings? Are you accurately describing your feelings?
Creatively Frugal: Try a single bulb to force such as an amaryllis or tulip, a collection of seed packets for spring planting, or one single flower with the recipient's favorite hot beverage in the morning.
Festive Feast
A romantic night out can be lovely. You can have reservations made in advance and can get gussied up for an enjoyable evening. Planning the perfect setting complete with candles, wine, and excellent service is so romantic.
Traditional: Expensive restaurant out on the town. The problem is that everyone else has the same idea. You'll often run into staff that is rushed or crowded parking lots and restaurants. This suggestion has the best of intentions, but lacks privacy and could easily prove to be the least romantic.
Creatively Frugal: Valentine's Day breakfast versus dinner out or breakfast in bed. So many small details can be created with serving a meal at home. It provides the feeling of appreciation.
You can light small votive candles, use favorite glasses, play soft music, and use cloth napkins. The meal itself doesn't need to be fancy. Use your creativity. If you don't have a tray, use a folded tablecloth or a nice basket. By all means, don't forget to clean up!
Penned Sentiments
Greeting cards are an excellent choice to show you care. There are endless varieties of romance cards. A card is well-received.
Traditional: The perfect card for your valentine. You look through aisles and rows of costly greeting cards and spend hours trying to find the perfect one. Valentine's Day is the second largest card-giving holiday and that is reflected in the stores. In the mad rush to grab a card and get it delivered, you just sign it "with love".
Creatively Frugal: Try love coupons, homemade card, handwritten letter, or cut out cartoons from newspaper and add a few words to it.It's so much more sincere in your own words from your heart. It's all about the presentation. Don't just toss your handwritten sentiment at your love.
Delightful Pampering
Cupid's arrow is sure to hit when you give your love a day of overindulgence. Being carefree is so appealing.
Traditional: Spending a ton of cash on a spa day gift certificate for your sweetie.
Creatively Frugal: Make a comfort box. In the box add a cd, scented lotions, bubblebath, hairbrush, candles, tea, cocoa, coffee, book, bookmark, and give a massage from you.
As you can see, creating loving and memorable moments doesn't have to carry exorbitant prices. It's a day of expressing your affection and doesn't have to break the bank. Traditional romance can be nice, but it is often overrated. Being creatively frugal is a gift of the heart.Give your loved one the gift of your time and thoughtfulness.
If you're desperate and reading this, I'll leave you with a small list of last minute ideas:
Dance to a slow song.
Take a walk and hold hands.
Take a drive and tell your love your feelings from your heart.
Go to a local playground and play on the swings.
Read to your sweetie or recite a romantic song.
Add red to the day with red cookies, clothing, candles, lipstick, red fruit, etc.
Sit and talk and reminisce and talk about your dreams together.Play a board game or assemble a puzzle together.
Watch the sunrise or sunset together.
Find a trophy at the thrift store to give.
Place notes in hidden places in the house for them to find. It's extra special when they don't find them all and come across them after the holiday is over.
Frame a picture of the two of you or a place you both have enjoyed together, or make a collage of sentimental tokens collected during your relationship.
Balloons are nice gift. Keep in mind that you can tuck a note inside a latex balloon before filling it or attach an item to a balloon.
Happy Valentine's Day and here's wishing that love fills the air as you celebrate with your dearest.
Sara Noel is a freelance writer and the Editor/Publisher of
www.FrugalVillage.com
and
www.HomesteadGarden.com
. Visit both these sites for information on getting back to basics through frugality, gardening, lost arts, simplicity, homesteading, and natural family living. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:14ZSome Year-End Tax Tips For Business OwnersStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Some-Year-End-Tax-Tips-For-Business-Owners
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- /9161.html2010-05-07T08:35:12Z2010-05-07T08:35:12Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Some Year-End Tax Tips For Business Owners
Cliff Ennico
www.creators.com
As year-end approaches, many of us are too busy to even THINK about tax season. But there#146;s still time to squeeze in a few more dollars of tax savings before the crystal ball drops in Times Square.
Here are some specific tips that may save you money come April 15:
Bill Late, and Give Clients a Discount for Late Payment. No, I haven#146;t lost my marbles. Wait a little while before you send out your December invoices #150; this is the one time a year when it pays to be a little lazy. Since most of your clients want to pay you before December 31 (hey, they read this column too), why not offer them a discount for paying after January 1? You can even generate some positive #147;PR#148; by telling your clients it#146;s your #147;holiday gift#148; to them for being such wonderful clients during the year.
Buy Lots and Lots of Equipment. Section 179 of the tax code allows you to deduct up to $105,000 worth of machinery and equipment if you #147;place it in service#148; before December 31. If you are thinking about upgrading your computer equipment, or trading up to a new pickup truck, now is the time.
Hire Your Kids. Got a son or daughter home from college for the holidays? Put #145;em to work! Your kid will have to pay taxes on the money you pay them only to the extent it exceeds the standard deduction (currently $5,000), and even if they have to pay taxes, they will pay at a much lower rate than you will. Also, if your kids are under 18, you don#146;t have to pay Social Security or Medicare taxes on what you pay them (with a couple of minor exceptions).
#147;Home Office#148; Expenses. Taking the home office deduction? Remember that you can deduct a fraction of just about every household expense. Maybe it#146;s time to have someone else put up the holiday decorations, and pay them to do it. Or have the carpets cleaned. Or have the pine trees in the back yard pruned. Or . . .
Upgrade Your Business Books. Have you recently upgraded to Excel 2005, only to realize your copy of #147;Excel 2004 for Brain-Dead Morons#148; is now obsolete? Business books are deductible #150; buy new ones now. You can also take the old ones to your local library and donate them by December 31 so you can take a 2005 charitable deduction for the value of the books. Be sure to get a receipt signed by the librarian.
Pay Your 2006 Expenses Now. Why not pay your accountant now for preparing your 2005 tax returns? If you know you will incur expenses in January or February of next year, why not ask for an invoice now so you can pay it by December 31?
The #147;Egg Nog#148; Deduction. You can write off up to $25 per person for holiday gifts to #147;business associates#148;, while a holiday party to thank your employees for a job well done is fully tax deductible.
Open a Retirement Plan. If you don#146;t have a retirement plan, or if you have a SEP-IRA and want to contribute more each year to your retirement fund than a SEP-IRA will allow you to do, now is the time to set up a new Keogh or solo 401(k) retirement plan. If you do it by December 31, anything you contribute to the plan up to April 14, 2006 will be fully tax-deductible for 2005 up to the limits the Tax Code imposes.
And One Last Thing. It#146;s tempting, I know, but you really shouldn#146;t back-date checks #147;December 31#148; that you actually write in January. Under a recent federal law designed to speed up check clearing at your bank, the chances of getting caught for this are a lot greater than they used to be, so don#146;t do it. Besides, Santa is watching . . .
Cliff Ennico (
cennico@legalcareer.com
) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. His latest book is #145;Small Business Survival Guide#146; (Adams Media, $12.95). This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at
www.creators.com
. COPYRIGHT 2005 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:12ZHoliday Stress: How to Cut it Out!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Holiday-Stress:-How-to-Cut-it-Out!
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- /9162.html2010-05-07T08:35:10Z2010-05-07T08:35:10Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Holiday Stress: How to Cut it Out!
By Jodie Lynn
Plan ahead and organize to alleviate holiday stress for the whole family.
Going Away: make plans now: For many, holiday time means traveling, so get started as soon as possible. If you just thought of wanting to go away for the holidays, there's still a few good prices in air, bus fare or even a group cruise fare. When people wait until the last minute to secure tickets, sometimes, various companies have last minute cancellations due to weather and/or illness or simple change of mind from another would be traveler. Research the area of where you want to go before arriving.
Stay on Your Budget: There's no need to overspend. It might create a little extra work in the beginning to price out each item, but it will save a huge chunk of time in the end and you will be forever thankful. Researching prices of gifts online is one of the easiest ways to make comparable deals. If you find an item online and see that it is significantly different from the store price, you might order it from the online store. Things to keep in mind are the shipping and handling fee of an online store.
Better Safe Than Sorry: Try to begin shopping today. Make a list and truly check it twice before your shopping trip. Write down colors, sizes, manufacture names and even the names of stores who might carry the item you are shopping for along with a couple of replacement gifts should your first priority not work out. Avoid last minute shopping and trying to make quick and haphazard decisions that neither you nor neither the individual will appreciate.
Shopping Guilt Free: Go into a store with a specific gift in mind and stay on track. If the store doesn't have what you want, don't waste your time trying to replace it. Move on to the next item without feeling guilty. After you return home, take a little time to rethink what you might want to replace the unfound gift with and go out again another day.
Add a Tag or Initials to the Wrapped Gifts: Cut down on spending by using the same wrapping paper for many of the gifts, especially if they are leaving your house. Don't forget to tie or stick on tags with an extra piece of Scotch tape and/or turn the package over and jot down the initials of the person to whom the gift is for in the right hand corner.
Always File Your Receipts in a Safe Place: You never know if the gift is going to do or measure up to what you think it supposed to; so keep those receipts filed in a special place just in case. Eight-five percent of gifts are returned or exchanged. That's a high number, but isn't too terribly complicated if you have the receipt. Make up a folder and clearly write 2005 Holiday Receipts on the outside. For online stores, make sure you know about their return policies, especially if you are sending any type of plant, food or toy.
Keep a Running List of Names for Greeting Card Recipients: Make a list of each person you'd like to send out a card to. Get the kids to help address envelopes and even to put on stamps. Depending on how many cards you are sending out, it might be best to do this in steps so the kids will view it as Holiday joy and fun instead of work and dumb. That's right; delegate the card sending to the kids by separating the process into steps so no one will get overwhelmed.
Meal Planer: Always plan your dinner way ahead of time. Go to the store with ingredients written on a list for each dish. If it's a dish that uses heavy creams or other fat-laden ingredients, don't forget to either scan a conversion chart for healthy substitutes or look them up on the Internet to see just how good or bad they might actually be.
Utilize an Organizer: It's never too early! If you would take a few minutes to organize every couple of days now YOU WILL FEEL SO MUCH BETTER especially if you do a little delegation to other family members and don't put so many stressful things on any one day for any one person. Write every detail up and mark it off as it is done.
Take a little time for yourself: It should and must be done even if it's only a 30-minute lunch with a long lost friend; sitting down with a brief short book; watching a loved but often missed TV show, taking a walk, or even making a visit to a local nursing home.
Last tip: Seeing you smile sends a loving message to your kids. It's totally free and the holidays really can be cherished and fun.
copy; 2005 Jodie Lynn
Jodie Lynn is an award-winning internationally syndicated family/healthcolumnist and radio personality.
Parent to Parent
(http://www.ParentToParent.com) is now going into its tenth year and appearsin newspapers, magazines, newsletters and throughout the Internet. She is a regular contributor to several sites including eDiets.com, MommiesMagazine.com and is the Residential Mom Expert for BabyUniverse.com. Lynn has written two books and contributed to two others, one of which was on Oprah and has appeared on NBC in a three month parenting segment. Her latest best-selling parenting/family book is
Mommy-CEO, revised edition
. Permission granted for use on drlaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:10ZHoliday Toy Safety TipsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Holiday-Toy-Safety-Tips
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- /9163.html2010-05-07T08:35:08Z2010-05-07T08:35:08Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Holiday Toy Safety Tips
By Jodie Lynn
www.ParentToParent.com
When it comes to purchasing toys and games for the Holiday season, well meaning parents and relatives go crazy when it comes to buying #147;cute#148; or #147;hot#148; items for their kids. With all of the excitement surrounding the holidays, many disregard basic safety guidelines in age appropriate gifts for infants and toddlers.
Buy age-appropriate toys by reading the labels. Each toy or game will have a suggested age range listed on the item. This label contains two pieces of safety information. One is if the item can and should be utilized by a specific age due to developmental and intellectual ability, and the other is for possible health hazards.
Beware of choking hazards. Parents think that their child should be able to play with a toy based on their developmental ability. However, if the toy or game clearly displays a choking hazard label, and your child puts everything in their mouth, do not buy it. Choking is the most common cause of toy-related deaths. Avoid toys or games with small detachable parts.
Get an up-close look. Take the toy or game out of the box. Look for safe construction: well-sewn seams on dolls and stuffed animals, and tightly secured parts, including eyes, arms and legs. Be sure that nothing can be broken off or easily removed, including small clothing pieces and accessories. Close your eyes and touch all of the edges to be sure that they are not sharp or pointed.
Avoid balls and balloons. Many times, balls and balloons are given to babies and toddlers thinking that they will be safe toys when in fact they can pop or get caught in the throat. As a test, put small balls through a paper towel roll. If it can fit inside, keep it away from babies and small children. Pieces of popped balloons can completely block the airway and are never safe for children younger than four.
Avoid toys with loud noises. Children#146;s ears are very sensitive. If it hurts your ears, then you can bet it will harm a baby or toddler.
Prevent strangulation. If a toy, doll or mobile has strings or ribbons, measure them to be sure that they are no longer than five inches.
Skip electronic toys for young children. For children younger than age three, there is always a potential fire or shock hazard in electronic toys. Due to the lack of coordination in the manual dexterity of the fine motor skills in the fingertips of young children, they have very little patience for learning how an electronic toy works. Frustration can lead to throwing or banging on the toy, which could result in harmful splintered pieces or an electric shock.
Remove cords, knobs and beads from pull toys. Younger kids will sit and push or hold a "pull" toy just as often as trying to pull it. While they are popular toys based on the thought that the interaction might possibility motivate soon-to-be walkers to actually get up and walk, kids are just as happy to hold a colorful item and push it around.
Check for latex rashes. Be sure your child is not allergic to toys made of plastic or latex. If you see a rash appear around the mouth, hands or eyes after your child plays with a certain toy, ask your pediatrician about the possibility of your child being allergic. In some children, it can lead to breathing difficulties.
Check for toy recalls. Check for toy recalls on a regular basis to be sure that your kids#146; toys are safe.
Keep the Holidays simple, fun and safe by following these guidelines. Share them with family and friends for a wonderful season.copy; 2005 Jodie LynnJodie Lynn is an award-winning internationally syndicated family/healthcolumnist and radio personality. Her syndicated column Parent to Parent (
www.ParentToParent.com
has been successful for over 10 years and appears in newspapers, magazines, newsletters and throughout the Internet. She is a regular contributor to several sites including eDiets.com, MommiesMagazine.com, ParentingBookmark.com, and is the Residential Mom Expert for BabyUniverse.com. Lynn has written two books and contributed to two others, one of which was on Oprah and has appeared on NBC in a three month parenting segment. Her latest best-selling parenting/family book is
Mommy-CEO, revised edition
. Preorder Lynn's new book, "Mom CEO: Avoiding the Distressed Housewife Syndrome and Winning at Motherhood," online or from any bookstore in mid 2006. See
www.ParentToParent.com
for more details. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:08ZHow to Instill a Sense of Financial ResponsibilityStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/How-to-Instill-a-Sense-of-Financial-Responsibility
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- /9164.html2010-05-07T08:35:06Z2010-05-07T08:35:06Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>How to Instill a Sense of Financial Responsibility in Your Children
By A. B. Jacobs
One question I hear often is #147;How far should parents go in helping their financially irresponsible grown children, especially when these offspring have children of their own to support?#148; The problem posed does not lend itself to resolution. Although the predicament may appear to deal with money#151;or the lack of it#151;it#146;s not inherently a financial dilemma. It actually goes far deeper and is the result of a lifetime of behavior that failed to be addressed a quarter century earlier. More to the point, attempting to instill principles or inculcate habits in children by their third or fourth decade on this earth will prove to be a futile exercise. It#146;s my belief that a person#146;s attitudes and values are pretty well established by the end of puberty. With that said, let me provide a few guidelines that may help you guide your offspring in more suitable directions.
Instruct by Precept and Example. Whether you believe it or not, your children really pay attention what you say and do. As the first authority that normally appears, a parent becomes a model on which the child fixates. Even before verbal communication is established, parental activities provide guidelines that offspring tend instinctively to emulate. Through repetition, later supplemented with oral reinforcement, a bond of behavior develops that can become an ingrained pattern. It#146;s important to realize, however, that this input must be consistent if the lessons are to be learned. Thus, if the messages are contradictory, they will be received as mixed signals by kids. If, for example, parents proclaim the importance of living within their financial means while simultaneously indebting themselves through purchases they cannot afford, it will not go undetected by the children nor induce them to pursue habits of thrift. The only way that sound financial values can be transmitted from one generation to the next is by a systematic and continuous program that reinforces these values. Only through precept and example will sound habits be engrained.
Don#146;t Encourage Unattainable Goals. Although I regard myself as an optimist, I nonetheless subscribe to the message mounted in a twelve-by-fifteen-inch frame on my wall. It is one of the many versions of Murphy#146;s Law, which reads: #147;Nothing is as easy as it looks. Everything takes longer than you expect. And if anything can go wrong#151;it will, at the worst possible moment.#148; Admittedly overstated for humor and effect, Murphy#146;s Law contains an element of truth. It reminds us that life is unpredictable and if not taken into consideration can bring devastating results. Often parental aspirations fail to keep things in perspective. Well-meaning parents, who urge their children to
aim for the stars
while ignoring reality, do them no service. One typical example is the encouragement given to attend a prestigious university when family funds are insufficient. Over the past several years I#146;ve fielded many a letter from these
children
, themselves well into parenthood and overburdened with tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid student loans. In most cases, the grandiose plans envisioned never came to pass. Whatever added luster a high-priced school is designed to impart generally proves to be illusion. Instead, two years at a community college followed by two more at a local state university, in keeping with my blueprint of
college on the cheap
, proves far more appropriate. The point I want to stress is that realistic and attainable goals, taking into consideration the inherent abilities and limitations of each offspring, must be the basis on which guidance is given. Despite the prevalent attitude in modern society that everyone is endowed to achieve at any level, the wise parent will recognize reality and seek to counsel the child accordingly.
Don#146;t Fight Against Human Nature. We individuals are programmed to behave in certain ways. Just as night inexorably follows day, we may expect certain human actions to trigger other actions. As one example, it is now established, perhaps not unexpectedly, that if a high school student is rewarded for report card grades, with $100 for each #147;A#148; and $50 for each #147;B,#148; that the student#146;s grades will rise. The anticipated reward triggers self-interest, with a desire to collect the money as the primary motive. From the student#146;s perspective, any learning acquired that may in the long run prove beneficial is probably unimportant. What counts is cash in hand. Over the years I#146;ve witnessed a lot of strange behavior that ignored human nature. One of the more bizarre instances concerned an indolent young woman, who over many years repeatedly received instruction from her wealthy father on how to balance her checkbook. She habitually issued checks whenever she chose. If the account balance fell below zero, the bank phoned her father who deposited more money in the account. Somehow her father never understood that his instruction sessions ignored human nature; the checkbook balance held no meaning for her. So what is the purpose of this lesson? It#146;s to stress the importance of parents#146; awareness of what is important to their offspring. Human nature dictates that all actions actually have real meaning.
AL JACOBS has been a professional investor for nearly four decades. His business experience ranges from real estate, mortgage, and securities investment to appraisal, civil engineering, and the operation of a private trust company. In addition to managing his investments on a day-to-day basis, he is a featured financial columnist for both online and print publications. He is the author of
Nobody#146;s Fool: A Skeptic#146;s Guide to Prosperity
. You may subscribe to his financial Newsletter, "On the Money Trail," at no cost or obligation, by visiting
www.onthemoneytrail.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:06ZTodays Family Man - "A Game Plan for Smoother Holiday Shopping"Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Todays-Family-Man---A-Game-Plan-for-Smoother-Holiday-Shopping
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- /9165.html2010-05-07T08:35:03Z2010-05-07T08:35:03Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Today#146;s Family Man
"A Game Plan for Smoother Holiday Shopping"
By Gregory Keer
When you factor in the agonizing contemplation of finding the right item for your child or friend, the crowd's bodychecking their way through the aisles and check-out lines, and money draining from your checkbook or Visa card, you realize the experience is more bloodsport than sleigh riding.
Retail statistics show that Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the season. That#146;s when most people have a moment to even think about a day in the mall and, most important, the sale prices appear. But the stress begins to build way before Turkey Day and the after-Christmas sales keep the pressure on for weeks after the actual holidays.
Despite all the battle testing parenting gives you, holiday shopping always manages to throw you a curve. I am usually a last-minute shopper, but as life gets busier, I#146;ve found that thinking ahead -- if not shopping in advance -- can go a long way toward making gift-buying much easier. Before you get in the car or go online, glance over these tips for saner and more satisfying holiday shopping.
Surviving Shopping with Kids
Have Fun
First, shopping for kids is one of life#146;s true pleasures. Buying something you worked hard to pay for and that you chose just for your child is wonderful. It#146;s also a way to live vicariously through your kids, buying things you would#146;ve liked to play with and certainly items you want to use in interacting with your kids. That being said, this is all a stressful proposition that you should plan for, so#133;
Lower Stress
Start early and shop at odd hours to lower the stress level And don#146;t shop hungry -- low blood sugar or high blood sugar can be dangerous (for you and the kids)!
Money Isn't Everything
Set a budget and perhaps a number of toys you plan to get. Remember that grandparents and friends may give gifts, so do not feel pressured to ply your child with too much. They will ignore most of their toys within days if not minutes. You might even consider giving your little one a box to play with. No joke, but kids can hide, make puppet shows, forts, and more with just a big old box.
Age Appropriateness
Especially for younger kids, opt for items that require children to manipulate them. Too many electronic games do stuff automatically. Children develop motor skills and cognitive skills with toys they can build, stack, and color. Toys that multitask and can be combined with other things. Imagination is key #150; cars, character sets, i.e., Rescue Heroes and Barbies.
For the older kids, video and computer games are hard to avoid. Decide how much violence you want them to see in these games. Some research says these games are actually healthy, though never in large doses. Older kids tend to also like clothes, music, DVDs, and even cash to spend how they wish. With younger kids, you will shop with them, but older ones might like to get a budget and shop for themselves. Giving them money helps them focus on the task at hand and may get them in the spirit of giving. They may even do some additional chores to earn extra money.
Balance What They Want with What They Should Have
If you want guaranteed smiles, be sure to buy kids at least something that they asked for. On the other hand, you can select one or two things you think they should have, something education or challenging. If you#146;re really clever, you can lobby onto your child#146;s wish list if you make subtle suggestions like, #147;Your friend Jacob has a chemistry set. Isn#146;t that cool?#148;
Gender Gap
The gap is thinner than it used to be now that young boys will play with dolls and young girls covet baseball mitts. Even older boys are more into clothes than they used to be. Still, young boys favor trucks, superheroes, and trains while girls love dress-up clothes -- princesses are bigger than ever -- dolls, and fashion accessories. That being said, a creative purchase for boys or girls is costumes for imaginative play.
Types of Stores
Toy stores, video game stores, book stores, shoe stores, clothing stores, sporting goods shops. Bookstores are especially fine places to shop and not feel guilty.Think about balancing your list with items from the above kinds of stores.
Fun Ways to Make Lists
Stay Focused
Go in with a list to limit the tantrums and negotiations. You will probably have a fair amount of repartee with your child, simply because toy stores are meant to overwhelm parents and kids with all that can be had. So don#146;t expect a pain-free experience. On the other hand, do expect to have a good time. Pay attention at birthday parties; see what kids get and like. Pay attention at playdates and other social visits. What does your child love? If they can write (or need the practice), have them write their own list.
Prioritize
Kids ask for things all the time. On the list, prioritize those items that they ask for more than once or twice.
Written Promises
Whatever your child doesn#146;t get, write the item down on a new list for their birthday or next year. This will lessen the crying and whining
A Nifty Trick A Warning
Try hiding some toys and pulling them out of the closet for well-timed opportunities throughout the year.
Regarding toy safety, it's best to stick with box recommendations and use your good sense about potentially dangerous toys.
While anxiety is an organic element of holiday shopping, these suggestions can truly help you minimize some of the big issues. The more you plan in advance, the more this experience will be about spending time with and teaching your kids a few things about the world of commerce.
copy; 2005 Gregory Keer. All rights reserved.
Gregory Keer is a syndicated columnist, educator, and on-air expert on fatherhood. His Family ManTM column appears in publications across the country, including L.A. Parent, Boston Parents' Paper, Metro Augusta Parent, and Sydney's Child in Australia. Keer's parenting advice is found at his online magazine,
www.familymanonline.com
, which is the #1 ranked site for fathers, according to Amazon#146;s Alexa ratings. In addition to writing for
Parenting
magazine and the Parents' Choice Foundation, Keer contributes to
USA Today, Pregnancy
magazine, DrLaura.com, ParentingBookmark.com, Pregnancy.org, and CanadianParents.com. Keer is also a featured guest expert on television and radio and advisor to the Cartoon Network. He and his wife are the proud parents of three sons. Keer can be reached at his Web site,
www.familymanonline.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:35:03ZChoose Now a Holiday of Significance (and Less Stress) for Your FamilyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Choose-Now-a-Holiday-of-Significance--and-Less-Stress-for-Your-Family
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- /9166.html2010-05-07T08:35:01Z2010-05-07T08:35:01Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Choose Now a Holiday of Significance #133; (and Less Stress) for Your Family
by Lesley Spencer, MSc; Founder President
HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com
During the holiday season, time is a prized commodity and the preciousness of family is (hopefully) paramount in our minds. How is it then that we get so carried away with things that are not of lasting significance? I wonder too. Are you ready to make a change? Let#146;s tackle this now and relax sweetly into the holiday season while visions of sugarplums dance in our heads.
First, take some time now to discuss with your family what you truly want out of the holiday season this year. Perhaps it is a good time to introduce or reinforce the original meaning of Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate). Maybe this is the year your family breaks the cycle of overspending and chooses a simpler holiday that involves more time with family and friends.
For instance, I know one family who chooses to give three gifts to each child for Christmas representing the three wise men#146;s gifts at the birth of Christ. The other giving that is done is to those less fortunate. The focus in this family is on the original meaning of Christmas #150; the celebration of the birth of Christ and enjoying time with loved ones.
Another way to get more significance out of your holiday is to create and enjoy some family traditions. Do your children look forward to certain things each holiday? A few of my children#146;s favorite holiday traditions include making a gingerbread house, baking Christmas cookies, watching Christmas movies by the fireplace and decorating our Christmas tree while drinking hot chocolate and listening to our favorite Christmas CDs. Childhood memories themselves are a precious gift to give our children.
Here are some ideas in case you are looking for some new traditions to start:
Go Christmas caroling with your friends or neighbors
Roast chestnuts over an open fire
Make Reindeer food (dry corn, glitter, bird seed) and have your children scatter it on the lawn on Christmas Eve
Make Christmas ornaments to keep or give as gifts
Attend church service on Christmas Eve
Have everyone put on their favorite PJs and drive through town to view Christmas lights while singing (or listening to) your favorite Christmas songs.
Go to a Christmas play or to a live nativity scene.
In addition to family traditions, here are some other ideas of holiday significance your family can try:
Adopt a needy family or elderly person to brighten their holidays.
Take cookies to a nursing home and have your children sing carols.
Sponsor a child in another country for the holidays and beyond at:
www.compassion.com
.
Deliver homemade goodies with a smile to the homeless or those less fortunate.
Invite single neighbors or friends to holiday activities.
Work in a soup kitchen feeding the hungry.
And for gift giving, celebrate less gifts and more substance with these ideas:
Give coupons for free childcare to a couple that could use some time alone.
Give #147;gift certificates#148; for a hot meal prepared by your family.
Draw names instead of purchasing for everyone in your extended family.
Give to a charity on behalf of a family member. Check out:
www.charitygiftcertificates.org
and
www.justgive.org
.
Help hungry families feed themselves at:
www.heifer.org
Make gifts with your children such as:
Frames, flowerpots, art, self-portraits, family photos and more. Visit these sites for ideas:
familycrafts.about.com
and
www.kaboose.com
Have a silly (White Elephant) gift exchange instead of buying presents. Ask everyone to bring something from home that is no longer wanted and needs a new home. (The sillier / funnier the better.) When everyone gathers, draw numbers to see who picks a gift first. Follow in order until everyone has a gift. The person whose turn it is can choose to take a gift already opened instead of choosing a wrapped gift. If so, the person whose gift was taken gets to pick a new wrapped (or open) gift. Continue until everyone has had a turn.
Just remember whatever your family chooses, choose to create lasting and warm memories that you and your family will cherish for a lifetime. Our families and our time together are precious!
Lesley Spencer is founder and president of the national association of Home-Based Working Moms (
www.HBWM.com
), the HBWM.com, Inc. Network of Websites and author of the
Work-at-Home Workbook
. She has a Master's Degree in Public Relations and has been featured in numerous media outlets including CBS News, Forbes, Business Week, Parents, Wall Street Journal and USA Today. She has been working from home for over 10 years and has two children whom she absolutely adores! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:35:01ZCool School LunchesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Cool-School-Lunches
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- /9167.html2010-05-07T08:34:59Z2010-05-07T08:34:59Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Cool School Lunches
By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
As you know by now, all parents have a different idea of what is healthy food and what is not. For years, you have had the opportunity to hand select and monitor what your child eats for lunch. Now it is time to test their ability. It is only natural for your child's eyes to wander and notice, and be envious of, what the other kids are eating. Here are a few tips that may help your child's lunch be healthy, fun and get noticed by the other kids.
The lunchbox: It is important to have the right gear and the lunchbox is an important asset. Consider letting your child pick out his own lunchbox or purchase one and let him decorate it with paint or markers. Make sure your child's name is on it with a permanent marker or paint. Most schools will not provide a refrigerator to store lunchboxes, so you should select an insulated one with a re-usable freezer pack to keep the lunch fresh. Or, instead of using a freezer pack, you can freeze a bottle of water, and add it to the lunch box. It will keep the lunch cold and fresh during morning classes and by lunch time it will have thawed and be ready to drink.
More gear - containers: Those gimmicky, salt, fat and sugar-filled, "Lunchables" trays are very popular with kids. Not because they taste so good, but because look so cool. There is no reason a homemade lunch needs to look dull and unappetizing. Buy colorful containers in different shapes to pack your child#146;s lunch. They are better than plastic bags and less wasteful too. If your child is drawn to characters, buy some stickers and decorate the containers. Put your child's name on the containers, but it is inevitable that some containers may not make their way home. Another option is to purchase inexpensive or "semi" disposable containers that will not disappoint you if they accidentally end up in the trash.
Offer plenty of choices: Provide small servings and many choices -- variety is a key to healthy eating. Providing your child with plenty of variety is not hard or time consuming. Many lunch foods can be prepared, in advance, in large quantities. Each morning, simply fill up small containers with different foods. Quick lunchbox food suggestions include:
Dried fruit
Nuts
Fresh fruit pieces or a piece of whole fruit
Applesauce (no sugar added)
Celery sticks filled with cream cheese and raisins, or white bean dip
Sugar snap peas with Ranch dressing for dipping
Yogurt or a smoothie
Lunch meat roll-ups with cream cheese and an asparagus in the middle
Hard boiled egg
Cheese cubes or string cheese logs
Peanut butter (or sunflower butter) and apple slices or crackers
White bean dip or hummus with carrots and mini pita breads
Whole grain crackers or pretzels
Trail mix made from cereal, nuts and dried fruit
Talk to your child about lunchtime: Don't assume that your child's uneaten lunch is sign that he did not like the food. If you ask a few questions, you may find that your child does not have enough time to eat lunch or that he is spending more time socializing with his friends than actually chewing. Asking questions will give you the opportunity to help him learn other important skills such as managing his time and selecting times to socialize.
SIMPLE LUNCH BOX RECIPES:
Pineapple Kabobs
Ingredients:
Pineapple chunks (frac12;-inch pieces)
Marble cheese cubes (frac12; inch pieces)
Slices of nitrate-free ham cut into 1-inch squares
Toothpicks
Directions:
Assemble the mini-kabobs on a toothpick in the following manner: Ham square, pineapple chunk, ham square and a cheese cube.
Veggie version:
Substitute teriyaki-flavored baked tofu for the ham/cheese. Baked tofu can easily be sliced into small cubes and is very tasty with the pineapple.
Trail Mix
Directions:
Combine any or all of these ingredients in an airtight container and toss gently to mix. Store airtight. Lasts for weeks.
Ingredients:
Dry snacks:
cereal (low in sugar #150; under 5g per serving), small pretzels, graham cracker or rice cake pieces, or animal crackers.
Dried fruits:
Cherries, apricots, raisins, mangoes or coconut flakes (Tip: big pieces of dried fruit can be cut up easily using kitchen shears).
Nuts and seeds:
sliced almonds, pecan pieces, cashew pieces, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or peanut pieces.
Kiwi Wraps or rolls
These wraps can be served as a traditional wrap sandwich or slice it into pieces (like a sushi roll) for bite sized treats.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon peanut butter or sunflower butter
1 tablespoon cream cheese
frac12; kiwi
Tortilla -- whole wheat or plain (squared)
Instructions:
Remove the skin from the kiwi and slice it into thin rounds. Spread peanut butter over half the wrap and cream cheese on the other half of the wrap. Arrange the kiwi slices evenly over the cream cheese. Beginning on the cream cheese end, gently roll up the tortilla forming a log shape. The peanut butter will act as the glue to keep it together. Serve.
About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children, and founders of Fresh Baby (
www.FreshBaby.com
). Raised by parents who love fresh foods and entertaining, their mom, a gourmet cook, ensured that they were well-equipped with extraordinary skills in the kitchen. Both with long track records of business success, they decided to combine their skills in the kitchen with their knowledge of healthy foods and children to create Fresh Baby. Cheryl and Joan put a modern twist on the conventional wisdom that when you make it yourself, you know it#146;s better. Their goal at Fresh Baby is to make the task of raising a healthy eater a little bit easier for all parents. Visit them online at
www.FreshBaby.com
and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:34:59ZGreat Costumes for Less!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Great-Costumes-for-Less!
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- /9168.html2010-05-07T08:34:57Z2010-05-07T08:34:57Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Great Costumes for Less!
By Tawra Kellam
www.LivingOnADime.com
You can really come up with some cute and clever ideas for costumes, even if you don't feel particularly creative. Don't wait until the night before Halloween to start your costumes. Look at the people and things around you and ask yourself how " how can I recreate this?" Look at thrift stores and garage sales for costumes. Go ahead and buy the costume or piece of a costume if the price is right. You really can't go wrong spending $0.25 on a piece of costume. Even if it doesn'twork you haven't lost much.
Costumes can be very simple and still make a big impact. For example, instead of the usual witch robes, drag out your elegant black dress and add a witch hat with a veil of spider webbing stretched over your face. Cover the spider web with plastic spiders. For a man, a nice suit and tie and a funny mask makes a good simple costume. For a couple: get a REALLY big sweatshirt, both of you get in it and be Siamese twins! Some examples of costumes for kids are:
Sunflower - For the body, use a white sleeper or sweatsuit. Paint the child's face yellow, adding black spots to simulate seeds if you like. Make a flower to fit on the child's head out of felt or glue sunflowers on a white hat.
Angel - Again use a white sweatsuit or long white dress for the body. Make wings out of heavy white poster board and paint the edges gold. Attach tie straps to them that go around the shoulders. You can also shape a metal clothes hanger into a wing. Make two wings, hot glue fabric around them and add straps.
Pea Pod - Cut 2 small foam balls in half with an electric knife or a knife with a serrated blade. (Note: Do this BEFORE attaching them to the child!) Wrap in green fabric and pin them to the front of a greensweatsuit. Make a hat out of 2 shades of green felt and a little brown felt for a stem.
Lion - Buy a yellow hat or dye a white hat yellow. Buy long brown fake fur, yellow fake fur and a yellow sweatsuit. You can get fake fur at your favorite fabric store. Add brown fur to the top of the hat (for a mane), hot-glue yellow fur into a long tail, adding a poof of brown for the end. Pin the tail on the back of the costume. Make an oval of the fur for the child's tummy and use eyeliner for whiskers.
Dalmatian - Pin black felt dots onto a pair of white sweats. Paint black polka dots on the child's face. Add more polka dots to a white hat, make some black felt ears and add black shoes to finish it.
I Paint, Therefor I Am - Glue a copy of a painting with a face on it on a piece of cardboard. (Ex. Mona Lisa). Cut out the face and then put their face in instead.
Race Car Stroller - Decorate a stroller as a race car by adding fabric or paper racing stripes and a number. Add two flashlights for headlights, plus some reflector tape. If you want to get really creative, add a wind foil, a foil covered paper towel roller for an exhaust pipe or whatever else your clever mind conjures up. Cut asteering wheel out of cardboard for the child to hold. Your child can wear whatever clothes he wants. Just add an old helmet or baseball cap worn backwards.
Think of themes for all of the kids in the family
It can be fun for all the kids to dress up in costumes that complement each other. Some sample themes are - super-heros, vegetables, candy bars, rabbit family (or other animals) or cartoon characters (i.e. Mickey Mouse, Minnie and Donald Duck). They could also dress in pairslike a mouse and cheese, a plant and a watering can or doctor and patient. The sky's the limit.
Christmas theme:
One child could go as a present, another a Christmas tree, another Rudolph and the 4th as Santa.
Ideas for how to make the costumes:
Rudolph - Dye an old pair of sweats brown. Put a light brown felt tummy on the shirt, make a set of cardboard antlers and paint the child's nose red.
Present - Wrap an old box that is big enough for the child to wear. Cut out the bottom of the box and make holes for the arms and head. The child can wear a turtleneck stretch pants underneath it.
Christmas Tree - Cut two pieces of cardboard into the shape of a tree. Make two one for the front and one for the back. Hook them together with a piece of string over each shoulder. Paint the pieces green withlatex paint and attach old tinsel and ornaments with hot glue. Make a star head piece by gluing glitter to a cardboard cutout or use a Christmas tree angel as a head piece.
Santa - Trim a pair of red sweats with white fake fur and a large black felt belt. Make a beard with more fake fur, top off with a Santa hat and add a little "Ho, Ho, Ho" for good measure.
Of course if all else fails you could wrap the child head to toe in aluminum foil and send him as a frozen burrito...
Tawra Kellam is the author of Dining On A Dime: Eat Better Spend Less. For more free tips and recipes visit her web site at
www.LivingOnADime.com
. In 5 years, Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 personal debt on an average income of $22,000 per year. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:34:57ZAre Warehouse Store Wearing Out Your Wallet?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Are-Warehouse-Store-Wearing-Out-Your-Wallet
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- /9169.html2010-05-07T08:34:56Z2010-05-07T08:34:56ZStaff2010-05-07T08:34:56ZGrocery Savings Made EasyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Grocery-Savings-Made-Easy
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- /9170.html2010-05-07T08:34:55Z2010-05-07T08:34:55Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Grocery Savings Made Easy
By Tawra Kellam
www.LivingOnADime.com
For many people, making the decision to switch from two incomes to one can be a scary experience. They know they're spending too much, but don't know where to begin to cut back.
Most people don't think they can live the frugal life and still be comfortable. I feed my family of 5 on $175 month. In 5 years my husband earned an average of $22,000 per year. In those 5 years we paid off $20,000 debt. There are countless ways you can cut, but if you are a frugal beginner, try these simple suggestions from Not Just Beans for saving on your food bill first.
Before you shop, take a tour through your pantry and your refrigerator. Be organized! Don't buy what's already hiding in your kitchen.
If you a fan of coupons, remember this: It#146;s not what you save, it#146;s what you spend. If you save 30 cents on something you wouldn#146;t ordinarily buy anyway, you haven#146;t really saved anything.
A typical fruit item is significantly larger than one serving. Most people would be just as happy eating a small apple as eating a large one so buy smaller fruits!
This month, try two meatless meals a week (or one, if you're a diehard meat fan). Use meat as an ingredient instead of a main dish. A good recipe for this is Green Chile. It uses only frac12;-1 pound of pork.
Cut back on the juice and milk. Use the money you've saved from eating less meat and drinking less juice and buy something that's on sale. Those sale items will help you cut back even further next month.
In staying at home, it's the little things that add up so start small!
Green Chile
frac12; 1 lb. pork roast, or chops cubed into small pieces
10 frac12;oz. chicken broth
1 onion, finely chopped
frac14; frac12; tsp. garlic powder
1 can (7 oz.) green chiles, diced
frac14;jalapeno, finely chopped
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. flour, dissolved in water
white flour tortillas
Toppings
cheddar cheese, grated
lettuce, shredded
tomato
sour cream
Simmer pork in broth on low for 10 minutes. Add all other ingredients except flour and simmer 45 minutes. Thicken with flour so it is like a thick soup. Spoon about frac14; cup into the center of a flour tortilla. Roll up tortilla and top with more green chile. Sprinkle with cheese, lettuce and tomato. Top with sour cream if desired. This green chile freezes really well.
Steak and Mushroom Gravy
1 Tbsp. margarine
frac12; onion, chopped
5 Tbsp. flour
salt and pepper (to taste)
5 Tbsp. dry milk
2 cups water
1 2 cups leftover beef
1 small can mushroom pieces
1 tsp. beef bouillon powder
Melt margarine in a large skillet and saute onion. Mix flour, salt and pepper and dry milk in a jar. Add water and shake. Stir into onions until simmering and thickened. Add beef, bouillon powder and drained mushrooms. Reduce the heat. Simmer, stirring constantly, until heated through. Serve over noodles, rice or mashed potatoes or toast. Serves 4.
Tawra Kellam is the author of Dining On A Dime: Eat Better, Spend Less. For more free tips and recipes visit her web site at
www.LivingOnADime.com
. In 5 years, Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 personal debt on an average income of $22,000 per year. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:34:55ZSome Thoughts on SchoolingStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Some-Thoughts-on-Schooling
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- /9171.html2010-05-07T08:34:53Z2010-05-07T08:34:53Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Some Thoughts on Schooling
By A. B. Jacobs
Much is made over the importance of higher education, and rightly so. Those youths whose schooling ends with a high school diploma will, throughout life, find themselves with the same opportunity as persons who marry in haste: that of repenting at leisure. Just as a secondary school diploma was the prerequisite for entreacute;e as a participant in the industrialized society of the early twentieth century, a bachelor#146;s degree from a college or university is a minimal requirement for effectively competing in the technological environment that exists today. To ignore this fact is to ignore reality.
Although there is general agreement that advanced education is necessary, there is no consensus as to exactly what constitutes first rate schooling. If today#146;s institutions of higher learning share one thing in common, it is the hyperbole each exhibits in promoting itself. Scholastic reputation, whether real or perceived, is a marketing tool, and there seems no limit to the claims of excellence used to induce students to attend, alumni to endow, and prestigious educators to affiliate. Above all else, higher education is big business in every sense of the word. The result is as you might expect. Large numbers of students throughout the nation obtain their college diplomas at a huge financial cost. Whether the funds are provided by parents, many who must literally mortgage their own existence, or by students who graduate with tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt, the sacrifice is often immense.
While we#146;re on the subject of money, we#146;ll scrutinize a few numbers. Despite the costs of attending certain private universities, where annual tuitions, fees, room, and board, can exceed $40,000, there are many schools that are far less expensive. Here in my state, the University of California charges $5,684 tuition for resident students, the California State University system recently set its charges at $2,334, and at the bottom of the financial totem pole are the community colleges that a full-time student can attend for $780 per year.
The question then becomes, how might a prospective student best select from among the many institutions? As you might guess, I harbor some opinions. Essentially I disfavor the standard methods that include recommendations of school counselors, ratings by such resources as
Barron#146;s Profiles of American Colleges
, or the brochures and press releases issued by each university. Instead, my approach advocates
college-on-the-cheap
, where the student seeks first-rate learning at the lowest cost. My blueprint calls for the first two years at a local community college followed by two years at a state university, commuting from home. Used textbooks can normally be purchased at a fraction of the cost of new ones, either from the school bookstore, or directly from a student just completing the course. This not only trims the expense, but also offers a serendipitous effect#151;the book often contains important portions underlined, and helpful comments and notations included in the margins. Furthermore, the student should spend each summer at a job, so to earn at least a portion of the year#146;s education costs. There is something about working that adds an important dimension to the learning experience.
Let me acknowledge that there will be many to brand my program an outline for mediocrity. I#146;m familiar with the claims: Unless a student attends a prestigious university, the education received will be second-rate. Lord knows, the academic community has been repeating that catechism for decades, and many persons believe it to be so. The actual fact is that four years at Harvard or Princeton Universities does not impart, to a talented and dedicated student, learning that is in any way superior to the 4-year program I#146;ve outlined. Nonetheless, there will be parents who will spend unbelievable sums and deprive themselves of many things, at the risk to their own eventual retirement, so that their progeny can attend the idealized institution. No doubt many parents feel that no financial limit can be set when it comes to providing their offspring with the
ultimate gift
. However, a fortune spent by parents who can ill afford it, jeopardizing their own financial well-being, is money pathetically wasted. Actually, the finest gift that parents can give a child is the assurance that in later years that child will never be required to support their indigent parents.
Let me offer a testimonial of sorts, reaffirming my belief that the academic source of education is far less important than the student#146;s efforts, and that neither the architectural characteristics of the campus and classrooms nor the credentials of its professors will determine the extent of learning acquired by a motivated student. My mastery of algebra in no way suffered by my classroom being a primitively lighted and ventilated Quonset hut. Similarly my grasp of partnership law is sound, despite a one-time nameless and faceless course instructor located in a post office box two thousand miles away. Admittedly, a smiling and enthusiastic professor in an elite university adds a touch of stature to the process, but the eager student who strives to learn will do so regardless of the accouterments.
I#146;d like to conclude with a response to those critics who contend that a degree from an institution without an exalted reputation will forever stigmatize its holder. To you, I pose this question: Do you actually know from what schools your dentist, attorney, accountant, and physician received their bachelors#146; degrees?
AL JACOBS has been a professional investor for nearly four decades. His business experience ranges from real estate, mortgage, and securities investment to appraisal, taxation, and the operation of a private trust company. In addition to managing his investments on a day-to-day basis, he is a featured financial columnist for both online and print publications. He is the author of
Nobody#146;s Fool: A Skeptic#146;s Guide to Prosperity
. You may subscribe to his financial Newsletter, "On the Money Trail," at no cost or obligation, by visiting
www.onthemoneytrail.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:34:53ZHome-Based Business vs. Second Job -- The Choice is YoursStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Home-Based-Business-vs.-Second-Job----The-Choice-is-Yours
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- /9172.html2010-05-07T08:34:51Z2010-05-07T08:34:51Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Home-Based Business vs. Second Job -- The Choice is Yours
Many families today rely on two incomes to pay their bills not being able to make ends meet month to month. They face several options to secure that extra income they need, one being obtaining a part-time job and the other a home-based business. It#146;s a decision with advantages and disadvantages to each. I want to provide some suggestions to help you make the right choice.
When deciding between a standard second job and a home-based business, it is important to consider the expenses incurred in both. For those considering a second job, many do not take into account the numerous extra expenses that go along with childcare, clothing, gas, etc. Crown Financial Ministries offers a worksheet online (
http://www.crown.org/Tools/mommake.asp
) to help you determine how much you will actually make once these expenses are deducted from your income. By breaking it down and seeing the guideline, you can see just how much extra you really bring home each week.
A home-based business also incurs expenses, but most of your business related expenses will be at least partially tax deductible. The IRS looks favorably on home-based businesses. The more money that you save with legitimate tax deductions, the more finances you#146;ll have to increase the size of your business. This in turn creates more revenue for the IRS.
A home-based business can also offer flexibility that a second job cannot. You can work from the comfort of your home #150; often in your pajamas if you choose. You can work the days you want and the hours you need. Your schedule is up to you! For example, Diana Ennen, author
Virtual Assistant the Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA
http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com
, states, #147;I enjoy the flexibility my home-based business provides. You can easily wake up at 5:30 a.m. to work or work until 2:00 a.m. whatever fits your personality. Many people enjoy it because they can start work after they have put the kids the bed and work a couple hours and earn extra money without having to hire a babysitter. Plus, it's all in the comfort of your own home. No costs on dry-cleaning, travel to work, gas expenses, etc., and you can't beat the one minute commute to the office!#148;
Allowing your family to be a part of the business is another benefit that not many jobs can compete with and thus another positive benefit to home-based businesses. Depending on the type of home-based business you choose, there may be small jobs that your children can assist with in the daily operations. These include: Helping prepare your mailings, preparing packages if you have a direct mail company, or even answering the phone - depending on their age. Your spouse can also be a part of your business and may be able to help run the business when you are not able to be at home.
Helping others be successful working from home is another great perk of being a part of a home-based business. Most home-based businesses allow you to build a team of people to work along side you. Finding other people that are interested in owning a business and then helping them succeed is satisfying and can be financially rewarding as well.
There are, of course, negative aspects about working from home. The success of your business depends solely on you. You need to be determined, efficient and organized to be successful. You must take the time to work at the business or you will not see the additional income that you desire. It can be very easy to let your business slide when you are tired or feeling discouraged. However, if you are aware of these temptations, you can create a plan to overcome them when they arise.
The benefits of a home-based business can many times override the work and time you must devote. When compared to the expenses occurred by taking a second job it is a great alternative. Because of the tax breaks when operating a home-based business, it is many times a more profitable option. You may not make a million, but it may allow you the freedom and income that you need to make life a little easier. Even with the disadvantages, many who work-at-home wouldn#146;t have it any other way. I hope this helps you make the right decision for you and your family.
Jill Hart is the founder and editor of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com, and the author of the e-book, The Two Week Devotional Journey for Christian Work at Home Moms. The CWAHM.com website is dedicated to providing moms with free resources to aid them in their work at home search. The site also provides current work at home moms with opportunities to promote their businesses while at the same time providing them spiritual encouragement and articles. E-mail Jill at
jill@cwahm.com
for additional information or stop by her site at
www.cwahm.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:34:51ZHomemade Baby Food: A Fresh Start to Healthy EatingStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Homemade-Baby-Food:--A-Fresh-Start-to-Healthy-Eating
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- /9173.html2010-05-07T08:34:49Z2010-05-07T08:34:49Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Homemade Baby Food: A Fresh Start to Healthy Eating
By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
Introducing solid foods is a very important step in your baby#146;s development and well-being. In fact, studies show that babies who are fed nutritious, healthy diets grow into stronger kids and better-adjusted eaters than those who are fed poor diets.
Many parents don#146;t realize that making baby food at home is a simple and economical plan to provide your baby with the best in quality, nutrition and taste. It makes it easy for you to ensure your child gets the best start possible. Making baby food using fresh, all-natural ingredients has many benefits, including:
Increased nutritional value
Elimination of additives
Improved freshness
Added variety
Enhanced control
Lower costs
Increased nutritional value
Vitamins and other nutrients are critically important to your baby. For the next three years, your baby will experience rapid growth and development. It is essential that he be fed a healthy and nutritious diet to maximize his growth and development process.
Processed baby foods have added water, sugars and starchy fillers. While these products are not nutritionally bad for your baby, their use in baby food dilutes the nutrient content of the actual foods. To make matters worse, processed baby foods are cooked at high temperatures to kill bacteria, so they can be stored in jars at room temperature. Bacteria are not the only things that are eliminated in this process. Vitamins and nutrients are also destroyed. Many baby food manufacturers compensate for the loss of vitamins by artificially adding some of them back in after the food is processed.
When you make baby food at home, you can cook it quickly. This process not only preserves the wonderful color and taste of the food, but most importantly it maximizes the foods#146; nutrient content for your precious baby.
Elimination of additives
Processed baby foods contain trace amounts of chemicals, including pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved these chemicals, you may choose not to feed your baby products containing them. Buying certified organic produce (fresh or frozen) and preparing food at home eliminates agricultural chemicals from your baby#146;s diet.
In addition, many varieties of processed baby foods add ingredients that are not essential or beneficial to your baby#146;s diet. These can include ingredients such sugar, butter and salt. Most healthcare professionals will recommend you avoid the introduction of these foods until your child is much older. Homemade baby food is pure, wholesome food with nothing added that you did not add yourself.
Improved freshness
Have you compared fresh green peas to a jar of pea baby food? Even though they are the same food, they don#146;t look, smell or taste similar. While your baby does not have the refined palate of an adult, he does respond to taste, color and smell. With the enormous availability of fresh produce in your grocery store and the simplicity of making baby food, there is really is no reason he needs to be deprived of colorful, tasty, great-smelling baby food. And serving fresh food from the very beginning will help your baby be more open to tasting new flavors and types of food.
Additional variety
Processed baby food is developed for the mass market and, as a result, is limited in variety. Variety is key to a balanced diet and healthy living. Today#146;s grocery stores offer a tremendous variety of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. There is no reason why your baby should be limited by what food manufacturers consider the most popular foods. What#146;s more, preparing baby food at home enables you to add herbs, combine flavors, and easily introduce new textures, making your baby#146;s mealtime a pleasurable, gourmet experience.
Enhanced control
As a parent, you want to understand and trust the ingredients in your baby#146;s diet. Similarly, you want assurance concerning the purity, safety, quality and consistency of such ingredients. Preparing baby food at home provides you with control of your baby#146;s diet and knowledge of exactly what goes into your baby#146;s food. The more involvement you have with what you are feeding your baby, the more likely you are to nurture healthy eating habits.
Lower costs
Processed baby foods are expensive. The average baby in the United States will consume 600 jars of baby food. Parents who use processed baby food spend an average of $300 or more on baby food during their infant's first year of life. Making baby food at home is extremely cost-effective, as foods may be purchased either in season or on sale. On average, baby food prepared at home can cost as little as $55 in the first year.
With all these benefits, you may think that it is difficult to make baby food, but it is a lot easier to make than you may imagine. Using fresh produce, a blender and set of ice cube trays, you can make food in quantity and freeze it in single servings. This means you only need to make food once or twice a week. Bottom line, it takes about 30 minutes a week. Here is a simple and easy recipe for a common first food:
SWEET POTATO PUREE
2-3 medium to large sweet potatoes
Step 1: PREP - Wash, peel and chop sweet potatoes into one-inch (3 cm) cubes
Step 2: COOK #150; Place sweet potatoes and 2 Tablespoons (30ml) of water in a microwave-safe dish. Cover. Cook 8-10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. They are done if the sweet potatoes can be mashed easily with a fork.
Step 3: PUREE #150; Place sweet potatoes and cooking juices into a blender of food processor. Add frac12; cup (60 ml) of water. Puree. Add additional frac14; to frac12; cup (60 #150; 100 ml) of water, as needed, to develop of smooth texture.
Step 4: FREEZE #150; Spoon into So Easy Baby Food Trays or ice cube trays. Cover. Place in freezer 8-10 hours or overnight. Remove cubes from trays, place in storage container or freezer bag, and return immediately to the freezer.
Makes 24 one-ounce servings. Stays fresh for 2 months in the freezer.
To serve, select frozen sweet potato cubes from the freezer, defrost and warm, check the temperature and feed.
About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children, and founders of Fresh Baby (
www.FreshBaby.com
). Raised by parents who love fresh foods and entertaining, their mom, a gourmet cook, ensured that they were well-equipped with extraordinary skills in the kitchen. Both with long track records of business success, they decided to combine their skills in the kitchen with their knowledge of healthy foods and children to create Fresh Baby. Cheryl and Joan put a modern twist on the conventional wisdom that when you make it yourself, you know it#146;s better. Their goal at Fresh Baby is to make the task of raising a healthy eater a little bit easier for all parents. Fresh Baby#146;s breastfeeding accessories and baby food making supplies provide parents with practical knowledge and innovative tools to support them in introducing their children to great tasting, all-natural foods #150; easily and conveniently. Visit them online atStaff2010-05-07T08:34:49ZBestow Guidelines for Mastering the Art of ContentmentStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Bestow--Guidelines-for-Mastering-the-Art-of-Contentment
-
- /9174.html2010-05-07T08:34:47Z2010-05-07T08:34:47Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Bestow #150;
Guidelines for Mastering the Art of Contentment
By Steve Morris
#145;Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more.#148;
- Lucious Annaeus Seneca
We live in a consumer driven society. Studies show consumerism is up and it is not likely it will slow. Bigger, better, faster. We aim to buy the latest model plasma TV, the fastest designer car, the biggest house, latest phone, computer or MP3 player and almost instantly the model we have strived so hard to possess gets superceded and the process repeats itself.
When one relies on material possessions to feel a sense of satisfaction it is inevitably short lived. There will always be someone or something else that is better or more desirable than what you have, leading to feelings of dissatisfaction.
Our desire and drive to acquire, consume and possess physical or emotional resources lead us towards insecurity and lack of fulfillment. Like drinking salty water, it increases our thirst rather than satisfying it.
The key to contentment lies in our ability to develop our own contentment without the need to posses the physical and material. This will allow feelings of satisfaction and security to emerge and in turn enable you to be generous and giving.
To let go of this craving there are simple guidelines you can follow which when practiced will ultimately lead to lasting feelings of contentment.
Choose to be content with what you have #150; give thanks for everything
Stop thinking about what you don#146;t have. Reflect on all that you do have and have had. Examine yourself from the perspective of a naked child in Bangladesh, or mother of a starving child in war torn Africa. Look at yourself from their vantage and think again or your countless blessings.
Shed your addictions; experience abstinence for one hour, one day, etc. #150; kick a bad habit
We all have addictions of one kind or another. Addictions have a debilitating effect on our mind as well as our body, eroding our willpower and rendering one a hostage to his own addictions. While your body and mind may have developed a chemical and/or emotional attachment to a particular substance, your spirit may be free. Drawing on your spiritual strength to help you break free for just one day. As you succeed, your spirit does too.
Meditate on the impermanence of wealth, reputation and worldly success
All things are impermanent. Everything we have today can be taken from us. Chasing the impermanent in order to bring us happiness is ultimately a hollow pursuit. If you rely on wealth to bring happiness , this happiness will not be everlasting. Eventually you will be without your wealth or unhappy with it. Even if you can catch on to something you want to possess, you can do so only momentarily. Instead, seek lasting happiness without trying to own or possess that which can not be possessed. Choose to be happy and then share that happiness with others.
Be generous by giving to others #150; don#146;t accumulate wealth while others starve
Our materially rich lifestyle has exacerbated people#146;s feelings of insecurity. In an effort to feel secure we consume or seek to consume or acquire material wealth. The by-product of consumption is waste, human or otherwise. To avoid this consumption-waste cycle begin to cut back your material consumption. Donate your possessions that are underutilized to those who really need them. If you don#146;t need it don#146;t take it and if something is given to you, see that it is well used.
Restrict the number of choices to be made in a day #150; simplify your life by requiring less
The more we require or desire, the more difficult it becomes to achieve contentment. Aim to need less and these needs will be more easily meet. Fewer choices to be made regarding the acquisition, maintenance and protection of possessions and consumables allows more time and thinking space for personal enrichment. Paring down will lead to an increased sense of security if it is you who is making the decision to pare down. Give up one habit or decision or possession or the craving for a possession each day.
Give in order to receive #150; initiate the flow of abundance
The flow of abundance is greatest when there is ample generosity and little, if any, leakages or blockages. To #145;prime the pump#146; to sort of speak, you must give in order to receive. You will find the more you give the more giving from others you will benefit from. If you want love, give love, if you want money, give money, if you want wisdom, then offer your own.
Keep your craving in check by avoiding excesses #150; remember, everything in moderation.
You can have too much of a good thing! Gorging ourselves on what we first enjoy eventually leads to feelings of pain and discomfort. If we lose control to our craving we are victim to its excesses. Learn to recognize when your craving is pulling you forward rather than your #145;well balanced#146; self, pause to reflect or simply extend a pause in your consumption of what ever you crave. Decide if you have had enough rather than allowing yourself to be taken forward to excesses by your craving.
It is important to remember that physical sensations are all short lived. Even if we could string a lifetime of pleasing sensations together, each new sensation would have to be greater and more pleasing than the last, or a sense of dissatisfaction will arise in spite of the previously pleasant sensations. Pleasantness is relative, we choose its relative center. This means that we can define anything as pleasant if we choose. Therein lies the key to our contentment.
Steve Morris is the author of several highly acclaimed personal and leadership development books and resources including
Glorious Leadership!, Glorious Living!, Sowing the Seeds of Glorious Living!
, as well as the fable,
#145;The Boy who Climbed the Mountain#146;
. Steve#146;s work has appeared in The Asian Wall Street Journal, The Straits Times, Asian Business, Asia Manager, Today's Manager, The Economic Bulletin, and Britain in Business. He has appeared on numerous TV and radio shows as a guest expert on the workplace and leadership in Asia. Steve runs the highly successful leadership consultancy, Steve Morris Associates out of Asia while making regular trips to the US for appearances and consulting assignments. Visit Steve at
www.gloriousliving.org
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:34:47Z25 Signs That Show You Know How to Handle MoneyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/25-Signs-That-Show-You-Know-How-to-Handle-Money
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- /9175.html2010-05-07T08:34:45Z2010-05-07T08:34:45Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>25 Signs That Show You Know How to Handle Money
by Al Jacobs
onthemoneytrail.com
The ability to master your money is not something that just happens. It takes time, training, and temperament. Whatever praise or criticism you may direct at the American public school system, one thing must be acknowledged: The handling of personal financial affairs is not a subject to which much attention is devoted. Whatever the average citizen knows about saving and investing did not come from the classroom. This is understandable, of course, if only because the typical classroom teacher is equally mystified by the world of money. Nonetheless, there are those among us who have figured out how it all works, and what it takes to prosper.
Are you one of those persons that has managed somehow to get the hang of it? If you recognize yourself in most of the twenty-five following scenarios, then you can confidently answer #147;yes#148; to that question.
Your credit card bill is paid in full each month with never a penny in interest incurred.
You understand that the variable annuity your neighbor just invested in will prove to be a sad mistake.
Despite orchestrated furor by the media, you recognize that the $30 it costs to fill your vehicle#146;s gas tank is cheaper in today#146;s dollar that the $15 it cost 20 years ago.
You enjoy financial talk shows for their entertainment value while knowing that 95% of what#146;s said is nonsense.
The only type of life insurance that you#146;d ever consider purchasing is a term policy.
You#146;re not tempted to invest in something because of a hot tip you get from a friend or relative.
You have serious doubts that the 3-unit course in basic English composition offered at Eleganteacute; University for $900 is any better than a similar course conducted at Midtown Community College for $60.
You are sufficiently sophisticated in real estate to know that the worst house in the best neighborhood beats the best house in the worst neighborhood.
You owe nothing on the vehicle you drive.
You have a pretty good idea by mid-November how much your income tax obligation for the year will be.
When hearing that the SP 500 Index just hit an all-time high, you are not inclined to call your broker with a buy order.
It#146;s beyond your comprehension why anyone not certifiably insane would purchase a
timeshare
property.
Your checking account balance never drops below the minimum limit that triggers a monthly service charge.
You#146;re aware that an option to pay your auto insurance premium in two installments, with a #147;modest convenience fee#148; instead of a single payment, probably works out as a loan at about a 25% interest rate.
Although you thoroughly enjoy the home you live in, it#146;s considerably less expensive than you can afford.
You know practically nothing about the options market#151;and intend to keep it that way.
You feel instinctively that every dollar you contribute in FICA taxes to the Social Security system is a dollar lost to you forever.
Whenever you#146;re negotiating a purchase and qualify to receive a discount, you do not hesitate to ask for it.
You entertain no illusions that a financial advisor will provide sound counsel merely because of the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation held.
You make the maximum possible contribution to your retirement funds.
Whether your choice of wristwatch is a top-of-the-line Rolex, a fashionable Cartier, a respectable Bulova, or an economy Timex, you recognize that all are battery-operated, with a similar quartz movement, and none fail to keep excellent time.
You find it baffling why anyone would buy a lottery ticket.
You cannot remember when you last borrowed money for an unexpected emergency.
The newspaper advertisement offering a half-pound silver commemorative medallion from
The Perfidious Mint
, at the #147;special advance price of only 139 dollars,#148; forces you to suppress a laugh.
You have no confidence in the concept of #147;Investor Confidence.#148;
If the sentiments expressed in most of those situations do not reflect your thinking, you#146;re not in control of your financial destiny. In that case, you can use a little guidance. If you would care to receive my financial column #147;On The Money Trail#148; each month, visit
www.onthemoneytrail.com
and click onto Contact Us.
AL JACOBS has been a professional investor for nearly four decades. His business experience ranges from property management and securities investment to appraisal, civil engineering, and the operation of a private trust company. He is the author of
Nobody#146;s Fool: A Skeptic#146;s Guide to Prosperity
, available at
www.onthemoneytrail.com
, or through Amazon or Barnes Noble.Staff2010-05-07T08:34:45ZA Thimbleful of Prosperity: Three Simple Strategies to Retire in ComfortStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/A-Thimbleful-of-Prosperity:-Three-Simple-Strategies-to-Retire-in-Comfort
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- /9176.html2010-05-07T08:34:43Z2010-05-07T08:34:43Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>A Thimbleful of Prosperity:
Three Simple Strategies to Retire in Comfort
By A. B. Jacobs
Over the past several decades I#146;ve been a devotee of prosperity. During this time I#146;ve encouraged people to save and invest for their future. My financial newsletter as well as a regular flow of articles, stress the importance of amassing assets. In these writings I discuss savings and retirement programs, corporate stocks and bonds, rental real estate, mortgage lending, and a variety of other more or less sophisticated methods for achieving wealth. My belief has been that, provided with guidelines and encouragement, any person can learn to master the techniques needed to become prosperous.
However, I recently received a letter that took me aback. Its writer, a woman from a small town in West Virginia, forced me to reevaluate my presumptions when she informed me: #147;My husband and I have read many of your articles these past months and most of it sounds like good advice, but we have a problem. Neither of us is confident that we can select good stocks, and we don#146;t trust the mutual fund salesmen. Neither do we want to own rental real estate, or hold mortgage loans, nor do many of the other things you discuss. Our question is simply this: Can you provide us with just a few things we can do which require no particular knowledge or involvement, that will let us retire in comfort when we#146;re ready in about forty years?#148; Because I wasn#146;t quite prepared with an answer, I set her letter aside . . . and there it sat for a couple of weeks while I mulled it over. What do I say to someone who hopes to achieve a comfortable retirement, but doesn#146;t really want to do much of anything to bring it about?
After some thought, I believe I#146;ve figured it out. And while pondering the dilemma, it dawned on me that a lot of other people must be of like mind. Devoting an adult lifetime adroitly acquiring assets goes against the grain for many persons. Whatever they attain in life will come with minimal expenditure of time and effort. To that end, I have a program to offer, though it requires a caution: What I advocate will enable most persons to conclude their working years with enough to live in the style to which they had become accustomed. But realize that the standard of living achieved in this manner will be something less than bountiful. With this understood, let me describe three life habits that will enable you to enter the retirement years with confidence.
Don#146;t buy anything on which you pay interest. Whatever you purchase will be something you can afford. If you possess a credit card on which you charge things, pay the balance in full each month before the credit card company collects any interest. Operate this way and the interest rate on the card means nothing. If for any reason you can#146;t conduct yourself in this fashion, cut up the card with a scissors. As another example, your vacant living room is an embarrassment, with the only suitable furnishings beyond your cash budget. Your two likely solutions are to go into hock for forty-eight months for the attractive set you want, or make do with low grade merchandise from a cheap discount house. A better decision is another choice that friends of mine, a young couple, made many years ago. For three years their living room sat vacant until they could afford to furnish it with what they really wanted. As you might guess, they are today wealthy oldsters. Stepping out a little further, consider transportation. Your auto, though paid off, is now five years old, with nearly 60,000 miles on the odometer, and no one you know drives anything this dated. A new car that can be purchased for $23,500 is available on a 5-year contract through a dealer at zero percent interest. Is this the way to go? Not on your life. Although you see no interest charged, it#146;s there, built into the price of the car. Bought for cold cash, it would probably cost $19,000. So what do you do? You drive the old car until you can afford its replacement. And if your friends think you look dated, consider it a compliment.
Own your residence free and clear. When your paycheck becomes a relic of the past, you#146;ll want your housing costs to join it into oblivion. This means that you must own your home with no mortgage. It#146;s easily accomplished. Early in your life purchase a house with whatever down payment you can afford. Choose a long-term, fixed-rate, fully amortized mortgage, and make the regular monthly payments until it#146;s paid in full. As the years pass and your equity grows, avoid any temptation to dip into it for such things as schooling for the kids, the long-awaited vacation you#146;ve always wanted, or the surefire investment that your brother-in-law guarantees will put you on easy street. Consider the home a sacrosanct element of your retirement years, not to be further encumbered or compromised in any manner.
Set up your rainy day account. Regardless of however else you choose to spend your money over a lifetime, one thing must take precedence: As quickly as possible open a self-directed Roth IRA, and if married, another for your spouse. During each of your working years you will contribute the maximum allowable amounts into these accounts#151;$4,000 in 2005 through 2007, increasing each year thereafter. They should be opened with a large discount brokerage like Schwab, into which will go interest-bearing vehicles as the sole holdings. These will be guilt-edge securities such as U.S. treasury notes and bonds, FDIC-insured certificates of deposits, money market accounts, and perhaps high-grade corporate bonds if you#146;re willing to take the time to consider them. The benefits you derive are twofold: You will reap the rewards of compound interest#151;the closest thing to magic you#146;ll ever see#151;and all earnings will be entirely tax-free. If started early enough in life, such an account may well accumulate a million dollars.
Let me sum it up. If you follow the three-point program I#146;ve just outlined, you will enter your post-working years satisfactorily. Though you#146;ll not retire in grand style, able to tour the world on your private yacht or bask in the limelight as a celebrated patron of the arts, at least you#146;ll not be dependent upon family or government for your daily sustenance. It#146;s an acceptable conclusion; most people in this world fare far worse.
AL JACOBS has been a professional investor for nearly four decades. His business experience ranges from real estate, mortgage, and securities investment to appraisal, civil engineering, and the operation of a private trust company. In addition to managing his investments on a day-to-day basis, he is a featured financial columnist for both online and print publications. He is the author of
Nobody#146;s Fool: A Skeptic#146;s Guide to Prosperity
. You may subscribe to his financial Newsletter, "On the Money Trail," at no cost or obligation, by visiting
www.onthemoneytrail.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:34:43ZFive Ways to Make Sure Youll Never RetireStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Five-Ways-to-Make-Sure-Youll-Never-Retire
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- /9177.html2010-05-07T08:34:41Z2010-05-07T08:34:41Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Five Ways to Make Sure You#146;ll Never Retire
By A.B. Jacobs
Author of Nobody#146;s Fool: A Skeptics Guide to Prosperity
I recently attended a retirement party for a close friend. It was inspiring to listen to the speeches lauding him for forty-three years of diligent service, interspersed with accolades for selfless devotion to clients and coworkers. In all, it was a moving experience, culminating with his announcement that he planned to spend his retirement years contentedly with his wife and family, engaged in morning rounds of golf with friends, and accented with travel to exotic places. If anything detracted from the celebration, it was his admission to me in the washroom later that evening that he dreaded the thought of giving up work. He added that golf had become a bore, that there were no places he particularly wanted to visit, and that a few hours a month with his children and grandchildren was all he could stand. Finally he blurted out: #147;Damn! I still have ten or fifteen good years I could continue. If I hadn#146;t accumulated so much money, I couldn#146;t retire#151;I#146;d
have
to keep working.#148;
Though there#146;s nothing I can do to assist my friend, I can pass on some tips to those of you who never want to find yourself in his predicament. If you want to make certain you#146;ll always be sufficiently insolvent so as to require perpetual nose to grindstone, I know just how to do it. Pay attention as I describe five surefire methods to guarantee financial inadequacy.
Announce to the world that the motor vehicle you drive is a reflection of your personal excellence. This is accomplished by driving only a current year model of a recognizably prestigious vehicle. Driving a Toyota, as I have for the past five years#151;and will probably continue to do for the next five#151;is no way to inspire adulation. All it will do for you is provide comfortable, reasonably priced, and maintenance-free transportation. But that will never do. What you want is this year#146;s Jaguar, Mercedes, or, at the least, BMW. In that way your bank account will avoid accumulating those dollars that might one day force you from the rolls of the habitually employed. And if you want to make absolutely certain you#146;ll not fail in this endeavor, do not purchase what you drive. Instead, lease it, as there is no surer way of motoring unprofitably than by driving a rented vehicle. In that way you#146;ll not only incur all the normal operating expenses and depreciation of an owned auto, but provide an extra profit to the middleman from whom you lease it.
Send your progeny to the finest universities. The fact that learning can be acquired inexpensively is no reason not to expend huge sums in its attainment. With tuition, books, fees, lodging, and incidentals included, you should be able to blow upwards of $40,000 annually for each child if the right schools are chosen. You may have heard that two years at a community college, followed by two years at a local state university commuting from home, can provide a motivated student with as fine an education as four years in residence at Harvard or Princeton. Despite the fact this is true, it won#146;t meet your basic requirement, which is to avoid accumulating all that money you don#146;t want. Therefore, you know what you must do. Encourage each of your offspring to select a high-priced institution at an exclusive location. It may not address their needs, but it will resolve your problem.
Don#146;t settle for reasonably priced merchandise when something more expensive is available. The fact that an $18.75 Timex wristwatch is as reliable and precise as a $3,500 Rolex does not matter. The prospect of being observed wearing a timepiece that is#151;God forbid,
cheap
#151;will forever mark you as someone devoid of what the marketing professionals have established as a mark of prosperity. The same is true with the writing implement you use. Consider the hyperbole employed by one firm to convince us of the importance of a $600 ballpoint pen. Their pitch focuses on its beauty and workmanship, as well as the implication that you will be admired by clients and associates for your taste and culture. With that as your goal you#146;ll not want to emulate someone like me; the pen in my shirt pocket, with probable value of about 29 cents, carries the worn inscription #147;Resdeck Plumbing, Redondo Beach, Calif,
Your problems are our problems
.#148; So keep those lofty principles uppermost as you shop your way through life, favoring such products as $300 per ounce bottles of perfume, $250 pairs of Adidas-1 athletic sneakers, and $500-per-night hotel rooms on Las Vegas weekend getaways, to name just a few.
Never say no! Did your brother-in-law just lose his weekly paycheck by a bad pick on the third race at Hialeah? If he needs a bit to tide him over, give him your help. Is a generous contribution to the bridal shower of coworker#146;s daughter requested? It will certainly be a nice gesture on your part. The plea given from the pulpit by your pastor last Sunday made it clear that without your assistance, the natives of Rwanda will continue to suffer. Surely you can#146;t turn your back on mankind. And as there is no limit to the needs that others will impose on you, it is a reliable device to rid yourself of money. Simply turn off your head and follow your heart.
Accept without question your stockbroker#146;s suggestions on the securities you buy and sell. Should a heavily loaded mutual fund be recommended, as it most assuredly will, signify your approval with a nod of the head and a broad smile. Finally, as a last resort, if your portfolio refuses to head in a sufficiently southward direction, give discretionary authority to your stockbroker. In this way, the inevitable churning of your account to generate maximum commissions for the broker, irrespective of performance, will be guaranteed. Simply follow this program and you may rest assured that it won#146;t endow you with unwanted assets. Your status as a working stiff will be guaranteed in perpetuity.
AL JACOBS has been a professional investor for nearly four decades. His business experience ranges from real estate, mortgage, and securities investment to appraisal, civil engineering, and the operation of a private trust company. In addition to managing his investments on a day-to-day basis, he is a featured financial columnist for both online and print publications. He is the author of
Nobody#146;s Fool: A Skeptic#146;s Guide to Prosperity
. You may subscribe to his financial Newsletter, "On the Money Trail," at no cost or obligation, by visiting
www.onthemoneytrail.com
. Permisison granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:34:41ZDivorcing Your FinancesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Divorcing-Your-Finances
-
- /9178.html2010-05-07T08:34:39Z2010-05-07T08:34:39Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Divorcing Your Finances
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
I am about to get a divorce. We currently have a joint account as well as separate accounts. Can my soon-to-be ex withdraw an enormous amount (more than half) legally from our joint account even though we agreed (verbally, not in writing) that the joint account would remain in effect for paying bills (mortgage, maintenance, utilities, etc.) since we both are still living in the home.
Nicole
We're sorry to hear about Nicole's pending divorce. Sadly she's got plenty of company. According the CDC (Center for Disease Control) there were approximately 1.1 million divorces in 2004.
Nicole is right to be concerned about her finances as she goes through the divorce process. Just as money is often the source of marital problems, it often causes headaches during the separation and after a divorce has been finalized. Even couples that have made an effort to keep their finances separate will probably find some areas where their financial affairs have become entangled.
The simple answer to Nicole's question is "yes" her Nearly-Ex can make major withdrawals from a joint checking account.
In a joint bank account, either person can withdraw all of the money. Regardless of any agreements between the parties. That's true even if it were Nicole's account before they were married, she's made every deposit and her Nearly-Ex was added to the account merely for convenience. Even if her Nearly-Ex puts it in writing, he still can go down to the bank and take every cent. Either before or after the divorce.
A joint account is only good for people who completely trust each other. Usually that's not the case in the middle of a divorce.
What can Nicole do? One solution would be for each of them to write a check for one half of each household bill. More work? Sure, but a whole lot safer.
Nicole really needs to look beyond their checking account. Joint debts can become a real problem. The lender will look for payment from anyone listed on a debt. The same thing is true for mortgage payments and credit card accounts. If both of them are on the loan, the lender can go after either of them for repayment. For the entire loan. Regardless of what Nicole and Nearly-Ex agreed during the divorce.
And just because the court orders her Ex to make payments doesn't guarantee that he won't lose a job and fall behind. If she's still on the loan, the lender will start calling asking her for payment. Any missed payments will reflect on her credit score. Short of making the payments herself, there's really not much she can do but plead with her Ex to catch up.
Any loan or credit card that has both Nicole and her Nearly-Ex listed should be closed out or refinanced by one or the other. That might not be easy. For instance, the bank won't think that a loan to one of them is as safe a loan to both. The reason is simple. Now the lender only has one possible source of payment. Not two. Because of that the lender may want a higher interest rate.
Nicole and Nearly-Ex should also retitle any jointly owned property. Owning joint assets with your Ex can be troublesome. Even if the divorce was friendly. Joint ownership creates both privileges and responsibilities that aren't shared very well by divorced people.
For instance, both parties must agree to sell any joint property. Nicole wouldn't be happy if a year from now her Ex refused to sign off when she wanted to sell her car. But if both names are on the title, she'll need both signatures to sell it.
Once all that's completed, Nicole will also want to check her other financial documents and make the appropriate updates. Her Ex might be listed as the beneficiary of her life insurance and IRA. Nicole will also need an updated will. Don't forget bank safe deposit boxes or auto and home insurance policies.
Is that a lot of work? Sure it is. But just like divorce means separating a lot of possessions and memories, it also means separating your financial affairs.
Gary Foreman is the editor of
The Dollar Stretcher
website and newsletters. If you'd like to stretch your day or your dollar visit today. You'll find hundreds of articles to save you time and money. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:34:39ZSaying 'I Love You' for LessStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Saying-I-Love-You-for-Less
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- /9179.html2010-05-07T08:34:37Z2010-05-07T08:34:37Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Saying 'I Love You' for Less
TheDollarStretcher.com
by Gary Foreman
This is for the frugal romantic. Last Valentine's Day I had $8. I went to the local grocery store and bought gladiolas (the cheapest flowers I could find - but very beautiful). I cut red tissue paper into hearts to look like rose petals. I also bought strawberries and grapes. I got out all the photos of the two of us and taped them to the wall in a trail leading to the bathroom. The bathroom walls were filled completely with more pictures. There was also a bath drawn waiting for his homecoming and fruit to feed him. It went over very well!
Sandy
Sandy sure has the right idea. It isn't how much you spend on your sweetie, it's what you say and how you say it.
Of course, not everyone uses Sandy's methods. A trip to the FTD.com website offers a dozen roses (their cheapest bouquet) for $40.98 including the service charge. And, according to the Greeting Card Association, only Christmas generates more greeting cards than Valentine's Day. It's estimated that we'll spend over $350 million on candy the week before Valentine's Day. Wow! That's a lot of love!
But chances are that Sandy made a bigger impression than any box of candy would have. That's because her gift emphasized what they shared together.
Creating the perfect gift is a matter of thinking about the person who will be receiving it. One way to create a successful, frugal valentine is to highlight something special in your past. Begin by taking some time to think. Pull out your memories instead of your wallet. What were your partner's happiest moments? Are there special events or secrets that you share?
Finding a way to commemorate that time or event is the fun part. You don't need to be very good with words to write a love letter or poem. It's the memory that you trigger that's important. Not your choice of words or whether the poem rhymes. Trust me, you won't get a 'D' on this assignment!
Another possibility would be to celebrate all the things you love about that special someone. Everyone likes to hear good things about themselves. And, who better to tell them than someone they love.
You can present those thoughts in a variety of ways. Anything from a recorded message to a series of notes that your valentine will stumble across during the course of their day. Again, eloquence isn't necessary. You can be pretty sure that your grammar won't be critiqued.
Some events can be recreated. Return to the spot of that special picnic or lovers' lane. Or listen again to the music that you shared before. Just one or two elements from a special time will rekindle wonderful memories.
A second way to create a memorable valentine is to use the element of surprise. Most of us have an expectation of when, where and how we'll receive our valentine gift. Surprising your partner is an inexpensive way to add excitement.
Lunches offer a wonderful opportunity. If you typically prepare the lunch, it's easy to do something special for your valentine. Their favorite foods, heart shaped sandwiches, candy kisses or a special note are all inexpensive. Even if you don't prepare the lunch, sometimes you have the opportunity to get to the lunch box before it heads out the door.
Sometimes you can spread your surprise out over a number of days. For instance, you could deliver flowers one at a time. Or send a poem one line at a time. If you both have email at work you could send one line every half hour until the poem was completed. You might even want to start a day or two before Valentine's Day and take days to complete the message.
Another possibility is to give that special someone a 'heart attack'. No, not where you call 911. Rather, a flood of hearts in their car, bedroom or office. Simply cut out or print dozens of paper hearts. Overwhelm them.
So, like Sandy, don't be afraid to avoid the expensive flowers, cards and candy. A little thought and effort could create the best way to say "I love you." Why not do something memorable for that special someone this Valentine's Day?
Gary Foreman edits
TheDollarStretcher.com
website and newsletters. If you'd like more time and money you'll find hundreds of articles to help you stretch your dollar and your day. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:34:37Z4 Ways to Pay Off Holiday DebtsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/4-Ways-to-Pay-Off-Holiday-Debts
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- /9180.html2010-05-07T08:34:35Z2010-05-07T08:34:35Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>4 Ways to Pay Off Holiday Debts
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Depending on which poll you use, Americans spent somewhere between $700 and $1,100 on Christmas gifts last year. For a good many shoppers, most of that spending went on their credit cards. And, if history is any indicator, those bills won't be paid off until May or June.
Suppose that you didn't want to be laboring under those Christmas bills for months to come? Is there something that can be done now to get them paid sooner? Yes, there are things that you can do now to get those debts off your back. Let's take a look at a couple of strategies you might want to consider.
Insurance eats up a fair amount of the average family's budget. Just home and auto insurance can run hundreds every month. For an expensive item, very few people do any comparison shopping. If you haven't taken a look at your insurance in the last year you may be giving money away.
The internet has made comparing insurance rates easier. There are a number of sites that provide comparisons. You may also want to talk with an agent. Insurance policies can be confusing. Be careful before you make a switch. Make sure that you're getting the coverage you need.
Don't forget to ask about your deductibles. That's the amount that you have to pay before the insurance starts to pay for the loss. Often raising a deductible to the next level can make a big difference in your premium.
Finding cheaper insurance pays two dividends. First, you've saved some money. Second, you haven't had to make any changes to your lifestyle. Not bad!
Another place to look for money is your tax refund. The IRS will send out checks to over 120 million taxpayers. The average refund check will be $2,100. For many workers their tax refund is a once-a-year bonus.
Of course, the sooner you file, the quicker you'll get that refund. Once you do file, you can find out the status of your refund on the IRS's website at
https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp
Unlike the insurance saving, your IRS refund really isn't 'found' money. It's actually your money. It's just that during the year more money was withheld from each paycheck than was needed to cover your taxes.
Unlike the insurance idea it's just a one time event. If you want a refund next year you'll need to overpay your withholding this year again.
But suppose that you don't expect to get an IRS refund this year. Then how about finding a few extra dollars every work day?
If you work you know that the cost of lunches adds up quickly. A simple sandwich in the company cafeteria or local fast food joint will cost you $4 or so by the time you include fries and a drink. If you go out to a sit-down restaurant, it's easy to spend $10 when you include a tip. Many people work one hour per day just to pay for their lunch!
Many work places have a microwave oven available. That makes leftovers the ideal lunch. Instead of throwing out that extra serving from last night's dinner or letting it turn green in the back of the refrigerator, take it to work for lunch!
If you have teenagers in the house you might not have any leftovers. Then you'll want to consider forming a lunch club. Each member of the club takes a turn preparing lunch for the whole group. You'll probably want between two and five members. The group can decide whether it should be kept simple like salad and sandwiches or if they want something more substantial like casseroles. You'll spend less time and money providing one meal for five people than buying lunch for yourself every day.
No leftovers and you work alone? Don't give up. You can solve the problem by increasing your income. One way to do that is to ask your boss for a raise or for more hours.
If neither of those is possible, you might consider joining the 7.5 millions Americans who hold a second job. In fact, it might do more than provide some extra income. You could learn a new skill or even try out an entirely different career path.
A second job is less stressful when it's used to achieve a short-term goal like paying off Christmas debts. It's easier to handle the extra workload when you know there's an end in sight.
There are a lot of other ways to whittle down those holiday bills. Hold a garage sale, take some stuff to a consignment shop or sell them on e-Bay. Look for ways to reduce expenses. Cut your grocery spending. Make your own household cleaners. Join a car pool.
So even if you overspent for the holidays, there's no need to get down on yourself. Just figure out what will work best for you and then get started!
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently publishes The Dollar
Stretcher.com
website. If you'd like more time and money you'll find hundreds of articles to help stretch your day and your dollar. Visit today! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:34:35ZShould I Declare Bankruptcy?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Should-I-Declare-Bankruptcy
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- /9181.html2010-05-07T08:34:33Z2010-05-07T08:34:33Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Should I Declare Bankruptcy?
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
My husband and I got married quite young, made some unwise financial decisions and ended up in debt (some credit card, some personal loans) with a grand total of $24,000. My husband has worked very hard over the years, sometimes 3 jobs at a time trying to make ends meet. We have gone through credit counseling, and a consumer proposal. We are the parents of 3 young children and have had to choose between paying our bills so we wouldn't go bankrupt or buying groceries. After many years of trying we feel that we have no other choice but to file for bankruptcy. We honestly would like to do anything else but we feel that this is our only alternative.
Exhausted in Sudbury
Exhausted is not alone. In 2004 there were about 1.6 million bankruptcies in the U.S. and another 80,000 in Canada.According to the U.S. Federal Reserve, the typical filer has about 1.5 times their annual salary in short-term, high interest debts (like credit cards and personal loans). About 2/3 of those filing say that they have lost a job and about 1/2 have faced a serious health problem. Canadian and U.S. bankruptcy law are fairly similar. There's a national law that authorizes bankruptcy and then state or provincial law determines things like what property you can keep through a bankruptcy.
Basically, a bankruptcy discharges certain debts and says that the creditor is no longer entitled to repayment. The purpose is to allow the debtor to get a fresh start and creditors to get an equitable distribution of any assets. Just because debts are eliminated doesn't mean that the slate is wiped completely clean. Debts discharged in bankruptcy will appear in your credit history. In Canada they will remain for 6 years. In the U.S. the bankruptcy will appear for 10 years.
There are also some debts that a bankruptcy won't eliminate. In both the U.S. and Canada back taxes, alimony, child support, and student loans are not discharged. Canadian student loans can be discharged 10 years after graduation.
OK, now let's look at Exhausted's question. When is it time to throw in the towel and file for bankruptcy? Exhausted is correct. Bankruptcy should only be used when the other alternatives have failed. When minimum monthly bills are more than the family can pay, the first step is to contact the creditors and ask for a payment plan. If that doesn't provide enough breathing room, it's time to contact a qualified credit counseling agency. They can negotiate the interest rates down.
Neither of those steps will reduce the amount owed. It will only cut interest rates and create a more livable payment plan. Sometimes, that's not enough. If a credit counselor can't work out a plan to pay off your debts in less than five years, then it's time to consider something more drastic.
In Canada a debtor can file a 'consumer proposal'. It brings in a trustee and asks for a reduction of the amount owed and/or the interest rates charged. The debtor makes payments per the plan. At the end of the plan remaining debts are discharged. Creditors have the right to reject the proposal. In the U.S. a chapter 13 bankruptcy filing serves a similar function. It's meant for people with a regular source of income and enables them to keep some valuable property (such as a house) while putting together a payment plan that usually runs 3 to 5 years. Payments must be completed under the plan before the remaining debts are discharged. If Exhausted's income is only enough to cover living expenses without repaying debts, a bankruptcy filing in Canada or a chapter 7 bankruptcy in the U.S could be appropriate. In either country, if there's income available for debts, it's the court's responsibility to redirect the debtor to a consumer proposal or chapter 13 filing. In a Canadian bankruptcy or U.S. chapter 7 filing, the court appoints a trustee. The trustee collects the debtor's assets, sells them and then pays the money out to the creditors. Some items are exempted from the sale. After the proceeds are distributed to creditors the remaining debts are discharged. There are other things to consider when deciding whether to file for bankruptcy. Bankruptcies are public records. In the past you could be pretty sure that no one would find out unless you told them. But, in today's interconnected world that's not so sure. It#146;s also possible that the debtor has some asset that they could lose during bankruptcy. For instance retirement accounts or valuable family heirlooms could be liquidated. In the states, there will be filing fees, typically about $200. Your lawyer will get about $1,000 in fees, although you can keep that down by having current statements on all your income and debts. Many will offer one free consultation. Canadian fees are government regulated and typically are paid out of the assets available to creditors.Exhausted should also pay attention to proposed bankruptcy legislation in both the U.S. and Canada that would make it harder to declare bankruptcy.
Finally, there is one reason for Exhausted to smile despite the challenge her family has faced. There was a time in old England where a person unable to pay their debts could get the death penalty! Fortunately that law doesn't apply today and no one is adding it to any proposed legislation.
Could you use more time or money? Visit
The Dollar Stretcher.com
website for hundreds of articles to help you stretch you day and your dollar. Visit today! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:34:33ZRuin My CreditStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Ruin-My-Credit
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- /9182.html2010-05-07T08:34:31Z2010-05-07T08:34:31Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Ruin My Credit
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
I am not a financial whiz. Never was and never will be. Therefore, I respect the advice of those who seem to be knowledgeable about financial matters. However, when it comes to knowing what is in your credit report, I have one question -- who cares? I am 54 years old, have purchased several vehicles, two houses and can write checks anywhere in the town I live or the surrounding smaller towns without any hassle. I have never been turned down for credit. In fact, if I sign up for a new credit card for a minimum balance I can assure you that within three years my credit limit has increased considerably.
Given the above situation, when I am threatened by a bill collector (I don't pay for things just because someone says I owe them money) that they are going to "ruin" my credit, I just laugh at them and say "go right ahead" because it doesn't matter to me.
Betty
Betty is certainly an independent individual! I suspect that most of us admire that. But, if she's not careful, she could needlessly paint herself into a financial corner.
There was a time when having a good reputation in your town was enough to get you credit when you needed it. And, no stranger could destroy a good reputation simply by making a claim against you. But, somewhere along the way companies began to collect information about borrowers. And they sold that information to potential lenders. It's progressed to the point that virtually every adult in the U.S. has a credit score.
The FairIsaac Company created the credit score also known as FICO. Your score will be a number between 300 and 850. A higher number indicates a better credit risk. So higher is better. Most people have scores between 600 and 700.
Not suprisingly lenders want to get their money back. And the best indicator of a borrower's ability to repay a loan is their credit score. Over 75% of mortgage lenders and 90% of credit card lenders consider your FICO score when determining whether to make a loan and how much interest you should be charged.
Now let's look at Betty's situation. It appears that she has had some disagreements over bills and refused to pay them. That, plus the fact that she continues to get credit tells her that her credit score is unimportant.
Is that true? Betty's credit score not only affects her ability to get credit, but also the amount that she pays for it. So, unless she pays her credit card bill in full each month, a low score will affect what she pays.She might want to check the fine print on her original credit card agreement. In some, if your FICO score drops below 600 you'll be charged the penalty rate on the outstanding balance. Those rates can be as high as 30%!
But, the biggest potential hit from a low score comes when you finance a home or auto.
MyFico.com
is a website subsidiary of the FairIsaac Company. They estimate that a 200 point drop in your credit score could add 3.5% to the interest rate on a 30-year mortgage. Over the life of the loan that works out to over $80,000 in extra payments.
And, unfortunately even if Betty never runs a credit card balance and has her home and auto paid off, she's still not completely independent of a bad credit score. Auto insurers and potential employers can access your score. A low score can affect whether you get auto insurance or that new job. Even utility companies and potential landlords are using credit scores.
So should Betty just give up and pay bills that she doesn't feel she owes? Nope. But if the disputed bill is entered into her credit report she needs to contact the credit reporting agencies and have her side of the story entered.
Even if you don't have disputed bills, it's a good idea to check your score annually or before you apply for a mortgage or auto loan. Recent studies have shown that 29% of credit files had errors significant enough to cause a 50 point swing in the score.
To check or correct your score:
Equifax, 800-685-1111,
equifax.com
Experian, 888-397-3742,
www.experian.com
TransUnion, 800-888-4213,
transunion.com
If you report an error the agency must investigate your claim and respond within 30 days.Philosophically I agree with Betty. I dig in my heels when someone threatens me. But unless she's unusually self-sufficient, she probably needs to periodically check her credit score and share her side of the story on any disputed bills.
Gary Foreman is the editor of
The Dollar Stretcher.com
website. If you'd like to stretch your day or your dollar visit today! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:34:31ZRent or Buy?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Rent-or-Buy
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- /9183.html2010-05-07T08:34:30Z2010-05-07T08:34:30Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Rent or Buy?
by Candace Bahr, CEA, CDFA and Ginita Wall, CPA, CFPreg;
www.WIFE.org
www.MoneyClubs.com
A tremendous sense of pride comes with owning your own place, and owning a home has financial advantages as well. You can deduct the mortgage interest and property taxes on your income tax return, your house may appreciate in value, and when you sell your home you#146;ll likely realize that gain tax-free. Those are pretty great perks for investing in property.
But buying a house at the wrong time or spending more than you can afford are mistakes that can seriously derail your financial plan. Fail to pay your mortgage and you could lose the roof over your head. During a housing slump, renting is often your best bet, since property owners who are waiting for prices to rise will rent out their property, flooding the market with rentals and causing rents to drop.
Your decision to rent or own should be based on your own personal situation and finances.
For a worksheet that will help you get a better sense of the financial and tax consequences of renting or buying, click here.
http://www.wife.org/money-invest-rent-or-buy-home.htm
.
Cofounders of the nonprofit Women#146;s Institute for Financial Education (
www.WIFE.org
) and the new MoneyClub for women (
www.MoneyClubs.com
), Candace Bahr, CEA, CDFA and Ginita Wall, CPA, CFPreg; are trusted financial guides for millions of women. As owner of her own investment management firm, Candace was recently recognized as one of the top ten brokers in the country for 2003 by Registered Rep magazine. Ginita has been named to Worth magazine#146;s Top Financial Advisors for seven years. Both authors are nationally-recognized experts on women and money and regularly appear on CNN and CNBC and in national financial and women#146;s publications. This article is excerpted from their new book
It#146;s More Than Money#151;It#146;s Your Life! The New Money Club for Women
(John Wiley, 2004). Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:34:30ZInvestment ReturnsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Investment-Returns
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- /9184.html2010-05-07T08:34:28Z2010-05-07T08:34:28Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Investment Returns
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
I have read lots on saving money and retirement. In most of the articles it states you can get a return of 10% or 12%. Where do you go to find this kind of earnings? If you have to invest in the stock market, where do you find a person to help you do this without them getting most of your money for helping you? Thanks.
Joy
Joy asks two very good questions. What is a reasonable rate of return for her retirement savings? And, what does she need to do to earn it?
We'll begin by looking at the return question. Is 10 to 12% per year a realistic goal?
The first thing for Joy to remember is that as the potential return increases, so does the risk of loss of part or all of her investment. But, not all risks are the same. She needs to evaluate the risks.
For instance, with a CD she'll have a bank guarantee that she can have 100% of her principal back any time she wants it (minus any interest penalties for early withdrawal).
Or she could choose to invest in stocks. Greater risk, but also a greater possible reward. The risk is different, however. No one can guarantee that any stock, fund or market will go up in the next year. So there's greater risk for the next year.
But, suppose that Joy is years away from retirement. If she'll be keeping her investment for ten years and is willing to own a variety of companies, the risk can be largely eliminated. For instance, the Dow Jones Industrials have gone up in every ten year period going back for over 100 years. Including the depression years.
One other interesting item. What Joy really needs to know is what the Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) is. That's not the same as asking what the "average" return is. The difference is in how compounding affects up and down years. You could do the math manually, but a financial calculator is much easier.
Back to Joy's original question. Is 10% possible? Yes, as a matter of fact it is. The SP 500 CAGR has been in the range of 10.5 to 11% per year for 10 year periods since 1926. So if Joy can just do as well as the historic market average, she should do ok.
What about bonds? Over the long term stocks will outperform long risk-free bonds by about 6%. So if Joy wants to be in that 10% range she'll need to stay with stocks.
Now to the second part of Joy's question. Where can she get advice in selecting investments? Selecting individual stocks is not a good idea. Finding a good broker will be difficult. When I was a broker we were instructed to find 200 clients who could produce $1,000 worth of commissions in a year. Very few retirement accounts are that large. So Joy would always be at the bottom of the broker's list.
Joy will do much better investing in something called an 'index fund'. Not only can an index fund earn you the stock market average, it will do so with minimal expenses since it doesn't need a large staff to decide which stocks to buy and sell.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) website describes an index fund as a "mutual fund or Unit Investment Trust whose investment objective typically is to achieve the same return as a particular market index, such as the SP 500 Composite Stock Price Index, the Russell 2000 Index, or the Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index."
Joy will need to do a little research before choosing a fund. But, it's not something that's too difficult for the average adult. She can find help online at
The Motley Fool site
. And there are numerous books on the subject. Any by John Bogle are excellent. He's the man who literally invented the mutual fund back in the 1950's and is a supporter of index funds.
If Joy wants to take an active part in managing her retirement portfolio, she might want to select a couple of different index funds. Different indexes will behave differently in different economies and a changing world. NASDAQ will be more affected by technology stocks than the Dow Jones Industrials. For instance, if she's bullish on technology she should have more of a NASDAQ index and less of the Dow Jones one.
Bottom line? Over the long term Joy should be able to earn about 10% on her retirement savings without spending a lot of time or money managing her investments.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher.com
website and newsletters. Visit today. You'll find thousands of money-saving articles. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:34:28ZLess is More this Christmas!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Less-is-More-this-Christmas!
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- /9185.html2010-05-07T08:34:25Z2010-05-07T08:34:25Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Less is More this Christmas!
By Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam
www.livingonadime.com
After laying down my last women's magazine telling me how to be less stressed during the holidays, I'm even more confused and stressed then ever. On one page I'm told to take time for myself and indulge in a lovely spa bath. That sounds great, but I can hardly find time for a shower on a slow day in June let alone take a spa bath the week before Christmas. As I turn the page, I'm told to give all my friends and family homemade ornaments to which I have lovingly glued 500 beads, each the size of a grain of sand. OK I'll admit I'm not a rocket scientist, but I am baffled when I try to imagine how I could accomplish these two things even if I didn't have an ever growing list of Christmas preparation tasks. Hmmm. Maybe I could lay in my spa bath carefully gluing on beads to ornaments throughout the night.
Oh, it gets better. As I read on, there are articles telling me how not to gain weight at Christmas parties. Isn't that like telling a three year old to not get dirty while making mud pies? Oh! But it gets better. They then tell you to eat a meal before you go to the party. What? Is that some kind of new diet where you lose weight by eating two meals in the evening instead of one? If it is then I'm all for it. I mean really - who eats four carrot sticks and five pieces of celery at home then arrives at a party where they have pecan pie, five different types of fudge, 10 dozen cookies and egg nog and says " Oh no, I really couldn't eat a thing. I'm sooooo full..?" Excuse Me! Doesn't anyone live in the real world any more?
I think to top it all off (and the part I like the best) is after they tell us how to get rid of stress and not gain weight, they give us 10 pages of recipes for Christmas cookies made with real butter and cream that are decorated so elaborately in the pictures that it probably took a trained kitchen staff of 10 a week to make one cookie.
If you are like me and can't stand that kind of stress, try some of these Christmas ideas from
www.livingonadime.com
to help you have a relaxed and Merry Christmas.
Don't over-spend - It may be tempting to fixate yourself on the sparkling look in little Johnny's eye when he sees that $300 play car under the tree. Advertising people are really good at feeding many parents' fantasies of their children thinking that mom and dad are the peaches and cream for shelling out the cash and looking fondly back on the moment for the rest of their lives. The reality of it though is that most kids have lost all interest in that particular toy long before the credit cards are paid off.
When we were growing up, my mom pulled out all of the stops at Christmas to make it as wonderful for us as she possibly could. The funny thing is that now that we are grown, the things we remember the most fondly are mom's red jello salad (made with red hots - yummy!) and sitting together and reading the Christmas story before opening our presents. I can't remember what presents I received, but I always look back on the Christmas story.
Do a few things well - Instead of trying to do everything and ending up depressed with how it all turns out, focus your energy on a couple of things that are the most important to you. You may be tempted to extravagantly decorate every room in your house, but if you don't have the time or energy, focus on one room, like a living or family room. If your entire house is beautiful but you have to go see a therapist when it's all over, the romantic mystique will be lost. Trust me, I know about this one from personal experience.
Limit activities - Think of the holiday season as triage for activities. Don't commit to do too many things. One or two parties during the holiday season will make you get all tingly in that "It's a Wonderful Life" kind of way. One or two parties a week may send you over the edge, especially if you have kids. (Refer to my therapist comments above.)
This also applies to all of those appealing looking activities around town like Victorian Christmas events, Christmas celebrations at the zoo or winter carnivals. One or two can be a lot of fun, but too many will ruin the fun.
Limit cookie baking. Don't try to make 15 different kinds of cookies like Martha. She may look like she is super woman, but did you know she has a lot of people that help her? How much help do you get with your baking? I mean real help, not your five year old who makes everything twice as difficult for you. This is great for grandma, but you have to see your daughter every day and grandma can send her back when the house is sufficiently covered in flour. Again, pick your two or three top favorite cookies to bake and celebrate the fact that you had few enough priorities that you remembered to put the sugar in them.
Everything doesn't have to be homemade. I know that we advocate making your own stuff, but Marie Callendar's makes some great pies that you can pass off as homemade if you want to soothe your guilty Martha Stewart conscience. In 20 years, your kids will look fondly back on it as the best pie they ever had. But seriously, if you are making things homemade just to save money, remember that some things like candies and pies are often more expensive to make homemade, especially if you cut your finger while slicing the apples. Don't ask me how I know, just trust me on this one.
These aren't the only things you can do to reduce your stress, but if you stick to doing a few things well, you can truly relax and enjoy the season with your family. In the end, they would rather have fond memories of their time with you than memories of how strung out mom was after she burned the cookies.
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are the authors of
Not Just Beans
. Not Just Beans will help you shop smarter, by cooking simpler meals and by making your own basic cleaning products. For free tips recipes visit
www.livingonadime.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:34:25ZFreecycleStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Freecycle
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- /9186.html2010-05-07T08:34:23Z2010-05-07T08:34:23Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Freecycle
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
www.stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I found a website that you will love. It's called Freecycling. People post stuff they don't want, other people contact them to get it. It started in Tucson in 2003, I think, and there are now groups all over the world. I'm in Cincinnati - our group has 3,000 members. Please check this out - this is the ultimate in frugal living!
Mary Lynne
Mary Lynne is right. She's onto something that a lot of people would find interesting.
The
Freecycle.org
website describes the project this way: "Freecycle is a project of RISE, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission includes reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills and fostering cooperation between other nonprofit organizations and the public."
It works fairly simply. People join a list of freecyclers in their city. When they're ready to dispose of an item or looking for something they send an email that goes out to the entire list. If you have an interest you contact the original poster and make arrangements to exchange the item. No money changes hands.
The freecycle site will allow you to look for a group in your city. If you don't find one, the site will give you step-by-step instructions on getting one started.
The site claims that just under 600,000 people are part of the groups. They're not limited to the U.S. but can be found worldwide. Twenty five different countries are shown on the list of international participants. They range all the way from Brisbane, Australia with nearly 500 members to a number of cities that have one lone member trying to get things up and running.
Portland has the largest group with over 11,000 members. The 2002 census put Portland's population at 538,000. So clearly it's an idea that's caught on there!
Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to use Freecycle to get things that their clients need. Members are requested to give priority to nonprofits if more than one person wants their item.
So how does it work from a practical aspect? I joined about two months ago. Our list has 600 members in a city of about 50,000. To avoid a lot of email I chose to use the 'digest' mode. That means that I get one email each day that includes all the individual emails to the list over the last 24 hours. I could also have chosen to not get any emails and used the webpage to view postings.
A couple of things are important to the program. Everything offered must be free. Lists are monitored and they claim to maintain a '2 strikes and you're out' philosophy. That means that if you break the rules once, they'll assume you didn't know and warn you. But, if you break them a second time you'll be banned from the group. Our group seems to be controversy free, but the moderator has included a reminder of the rules once or twice.
One weakness that I've noticed is that there seems to be a lot of 'wanted' postings. And, while that could trigger someone to clean out a closet, my experience is that rarely seems to happen.
A second weakness is that the size of the group is both an advantage and disadvantage at the same time. A larger group will have more items available and more people who could be interested in an item. But, as a group gets larger the amount of mail it generates also increases.
Giving items away seems to work well. I tried it with some household items and it worked without a flaw. One posting elicited two email responses. I connected with one by phone and they came and picked up the items the same day.
Like most projects, the biggest trick is to get it started. A group with a very few members will have a difficult time finding matches between those offering and people wanting goods. Probably 100 or more members are needed for a well functioning group.
One thing leading to the success of Freecycle is that it is free. There are no dues to belong to the group. You only risk a few moments of your time to try it out.
The project appears to be very much a grass-roots effort. The freecycle.org webpage doesn't have a 'contact us' link. So beyond the initial instructions on how to form and group and get the computer list running, you're pretty much on your own.
Take Mary Lynne's advice. If you like recycling and getting the most for your money, you should check out freecycle.org. At the very least you'll have an interesting, free experience in how the internet is impacting our world.
Gary Foreman is the editor of
The Dollar Stretcher.com
website. You'll find thousands of articles to help you stretcher you dollar and your day! Visit Today! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:34:23ZChoosing a Space HeaterStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Choosing-a-Space-Heater
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- /9187.html2010-05-07T08:34:21Z2010-05-07T08:34:21Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Choosing a Space Heater
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
www.stretcher.com
Last year when the price of natural gas went up, I was shocked at my heating bill. Almost one week's paycheck a month was going to keeping my house at only 65 degrees. I decided a change had to be made. I sewed a heavy floor to ceiling curtain and hung it in the hallway separating the bottom floor of my house from the upstairs. That way I wasn't heating empty bedrooms and a second bathroom all day long. I turned my furnace thermostat down to its lowest setting and bought a small electric heater to heat the bottom floor of my house during all but the time we were sleeping upstairs. My heating bill went down almost 35 percent! This year gas in my area is going up 12 percent and electric is actually going down. I am thinking about not using gas heat at all and getting another electric heater for upstairs at night. I am confused about what kind of electric heater to get. Which is the most efficient? I've seen quartz, ceramic, coil, and oil filled but I don't know which one works best? No matter which one I get I will try and get one with good safety features.
Mary
Mary has discovered one of the best ways to reduce your home heating bill. Only heat the rooms that are occupied. Especially when there's only one person at home and they're only using one or two rooms. And the simplest way to heat a room is to use a portable electric space heater.
Space heaters convert almost all of the electric used into heat. In that, they're very efficient. Unfortunately, electricity is often made from gas, oil or coal. And only about 30% of the energy used goes into electricity.
So while you probably wouldn't want to use electric to heat your whole house in a cold climate, it's often the most cost efficient method for heating a smaller area. According the Central Maine Power Company the average cost of an electric heater is 13 cents per hour.
Mary is also wise to be concerned about safety. Space heaters can be dangerous. Even deadly, especially if you have small children. Safety features are an important part of the purchase decision. Make sure that you read and follow the instructions.
Space heaters generally provide heat in one of two ways. Radiant heaters actually heat the objects at which they're aimed. They do not heat up the air in the room. The other type, convection heaters, warm the air around them.
Not heating the air is an advantage for radiant heaters. There's no drafts from moving air. And radiant heat is great for heating just portions of a room. You're only heating the areas where you want heat. Just point the radiant heater at the chair that you're sitting in!
Radiant heaters use a variety of heating elements. Many use quartz tubes. Quartz heaters generally cost less than $70 and are rated between 750 and 1500 watts.
Parabolic heaters use a ceramic core. They cost a little more than quartz and put out about the same amount of heat per watt used. Ceramic element heaters are safer than heaters with coils. They use a larger heating area so it doesn't need to be as hot.
Halogen or reflective heaters use an energy saving halogen bulb to produce heat which is reflected on nearby objects. The feeling is much like having the sun shine on you.
Convection heaters can heat a whole room more quickly than a radiant heater. That works well if there are a number of people in the room or they're moving about within the room. Some convection heaters also have fans to circulate the air in the room.
Convection heaters are inexpensive. You'll get one rated up to 5,000 Btu's for less than $50.
Like radiant heaters, convection heaters use a variety of heating elements. Ceramic disc heaters cost up to $150 and produce up to 5,000 Btu's per hour.
Oil and water filled units are the most efficient convection heaters. They utilize a heating element in a bath of oil or water. Like a water heater, the element cycles on and off. The water or oil stays warm in its container and heats the surrounding air.
So which heater is best for Mary? Since she's considering a nighttime application people won't be moving around. So she's probably best choosing a radiant heater for each occupied bedroom. And, unless she has young children with inquisitive hands, the halogen or ceramic heater will provide more heat per kilowatt hour of electricity. Whatever Mary picks we hope that her utility bill won't be the hottest thing in her home this winter!
Gary Foreman is the editor of
The Dollar Stretcher.com
website. You'll find thousands of articles to help you stretcher you dollar and your day! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:34:21ZWhat's Your Risk Factor?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Whats-Your-Risk-Factor
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- /9188.html2010-05-07T08:34:20Z2010-05-07T08:34:20ZStaff2010-05-07T08:34:20ZThat's The Ticket: Discount Night At The MoviesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Thats-The-Ticket:-Discount-Night-At-The-Movies
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- /9189.html2010-05-07T08:34:19Z2010-05-07T08:34:19Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>That's The Ticket: Discount Night At The Movies
By Cheryl Gochnauer
Cheryl@homebodies.org
Copyright 2004
In less than a month, #147;Lord of the Rings: Return of the King#148; hauled in more than $300 million from moviegoers. Ecstatic reviews propelled audiences into theaters across the country, eager to enjoy Peter Jackson#146;s talented team delivering Oscar-caliber performances.
Not to be an Orc about it, but the ca-ching of the Ring could have been held to only $298 million or so if ticket buyers had taken advantage of a multitude of discounts available to them. It only takes a change of hobbit #150; er, habit #150; to save money the next time you storm the walls of your local cinema.
GO BEFORE 6:00 PM. Matinees ticket prices are usually a couple of dollars cheaper than for prime time shows. That means a family of four can visit the concession stand with $8 extra dollars in their pockets if they head for the theater after school instead of after dinner.
LET AGE WORK FOR YOU. Children and seniors pay lower rates, as do students with current ID cards. Some drive-ins admit kids under 11 free. Don#146;t forget seasonal programs like Regal Cinema#146;s (
www.regalcinemas.com
) Family Film Festival and Dickinson#146;s (
www.dtmovies.com
) Summer Kids Movies pass featuring past G and PG-rated films. Sure, they#146;re already out on video, but it#146;s still great to see favorite films on the big screen. And at $1.50 or less per ticket, it#146;s a cheap way to entertain the tots.
CHECK THOSE COUPON BOOKS. The next time a fundraising student appears on your doorstep selling Entertainment or Gold C books (
www.entertainment.com
), invite them in. Recent Gold C books included coupons for Cinemark (
www.cinemark.com
), AMC Theatres (
www.amctheatres.com
) and Regal Cinemas. The Entertainment book tends to expand these listings, adding even more movie houses. Also flip through those coupon pages in your phonebook to seek additional discounts.
REWARD CARDS. Just like grocery stores, several nationwide theater chains reward repeat customers. Membership is free; ask for card applications at the box office.
AMC MovieWatchers accumulate 2 points for every ticket purchased (limit 4 points per visit). As they hit 10-point thresholds, customers receive coupons for free drinks, popcorn or tickets. MovieWatchers also get free popcorn on Wednesdays, and can order advance tickets with no service fee.
Many Dickinson Theaters feature the DT Movies Bonus Club Card. One point is awarded for each ticket purchased; moviegoers get free popcorn at 5 points and a free ticket at 10 points.
Saving this much money may put you in the mood to return to the movies again. Have fun, and may the Frodo be with you.
Comments? Contact Cheryl by writing
Cheryl@homebodies.org
. Also stop by
www.homebodies.org
, where you can interact with other parents on a variety of lively message boards. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:34:19ZLost OpportunitiesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Lost-Opportunities
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- /9190.html2010-05-07T08:34:17Z2010-05-07T08:34:17Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Lost Opportunities
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
www.stretcher.com
Sometimes it's helpful to take a concept out of its original environment and see how it fits someplace else. Today we're going to examine an economic theory and see how it might apply to our personal lives.
The Economist website (
economist.com
) defines 'opportunity cost' as "The true cost of something is what you give up to get it. This includes not only the money spent in buying (or doing) the something, but also the economic benefits that you did without because you bought (or did) that particular something and thus can no long buy (or do) something else."
To put it simply, for everything you get, you give up something else. That's an important concept. Let's consider an easy example. If you spend $15 on a pair of jeans, you do not have that money available to buy a pizza. The 'cost' of the jeans is not only $15. It is also giving up a pizza.
Another way to look at opportunity cost is the amount of time we give up working to buy a product. Suppose you make $12 per hour. Our tax rates are all different, but you can pretty much expect to pay about 1/3 in Social Security and federal, state and local income taxes. That leaves you with $8.
Let's further suppose that you go out to lunch with co-workers every day. And a typical lunch costs you $6. Add a tip and sales tax and that lunch brings the total to $7.20. So you give up 54 minutes of your life every day to work just to pay for lunch.
How about a different situation. Remember that an opportunity cost is what you give up by making another choice. For instance, suppose that you choose to spend $100 on a credit card knowing that you'll pay the minimum when the bill comes due. In effect you've given up about $140 in the future to make that purchase today. That's because finance charges will be added to the cost of your purchase.
We face opportunity costs with our time, too. I can choose to spend an hour watching TV. But that's an hour that I won't be talking to my wife, playing with the kids, doing home projects or sleeping. Of course, watching TV might be the best use of that hour. Still, it's a good idea to think about it before you spend the hour.
Sometimes the difference between choices is surprising. Suppose you spend $1 at break time five days a week. No big deal. Right? But if you didn't spend that dollar every day and put it in a bank at 3% interest, you'd have $3,000 in ten years. Or $7,100 in 20 years. Or $20,000 in 40 years. So by choosing that $1 snack each day you've given up a new car when you retire. A good trade-off? Only you can decide.
There's also the possibility of trading money today for time tomorrow. For instance, you could use the money from those work day snacks to allow you to retire 3 or 6 months earlier than you would otherwise. Is it unusual to think of 'banking' a few minutes each day towards an early retirement? Perhaps, but it does give you a new perspective on spending.
But, what about credit cards? Don't they make it possible to buy both things that we want? Yes, you can use your plastic to do that.
But credit cards are deceptive. They lead you to believe that you can spend more than you make. And, for a short time that's probably true. But eventually you get to a situation where you can only afford the minimum payment each month. Once there, you're back where choosing to spend on one thing prevents you from buying something else. And, you've also made the choice of paying interest to the credit card company on the monthly balance instead of having that money for other uses.
So how can you use opportunity costs to help you live a happier life? By thinking of the alternatives before you spend your time and money. Even though something looks good, if you stop to compare, you might find something else that you'd prefer to spend your time or money on.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
/www.stretcher.com
You'll find thousands of articles to help you make the most of your time and your money. Visit today! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:34:17ZReplacing a Leased VehicleStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Replacing-a-Leased-Vehicle
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- /9191.html2010-05-07T08:34:15Z2010-05-07T08:34:15Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Replacing a Leased Vehicle
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
I have a 4 year-old Toyota 4Runner with 33,000 miles that will be at the end of the lease next July. I have never had any problems with the truck and I would love to keep it, but it would cost approximately $17,000 at that time and I will only be able to pay $4,000 in cash. Is it smarter to finance $13,000 on a lesser vehicle that is brand new or only slightly used with a warranty? I have checked into financing the $13,000 for 36 months and can afford to make those payments but that will mean paying for this vehicle for 8 years, yuck. I knew this was a mistake from the moment I did it, but now I have to get out.
Thank you.
Jill
Jill is right. When she signed the lease three years ago, she set herself up for this problem. Leasing is attractive because allows people to drive cars that they really can't afford. That's because you're only paying to use the car. During the course of the lease you build no equity in the car and have to return it to the dealer at the end of the lease.
Using Kelley's Blue Book (www.kbb.com) for pricing info, we found that a 4Runner depreciates nearly $12,000 in the first four years. That's the portion that Jill was paying for. Unfortunately for her, the first few years are the most expensive years for any vehicle. That's one reason dealers push leases. It is very profitable business for them.
Jill has four basic options available to her. She can buy a new car, lease a new car, buy a used car, or buy her existing 4Runner. Let's look at each choice.
Buying a new car will be the most expensive option. A new car will mean the highest yearly depreciation and the highest monthly payments. But, the biggest advantage is that once the car is paid for it belongs to Jill. Once she's finished with the payments she can drive the car payment-free for as long as she likes. She'll also have the benefit of the new car warranty.
If Jill chooses to buy a new 4Runner or similar vehicle, she'd be borrowing $25,000 ($29,000 purchase minus $4,000 down payment). On a four year loan the average payment would be $588 per month. That means that the new car payment is nearly 50% higher than the used car payment. And she'd have an extra year's worth of payments on the new car.
A sharp dealer could reduce Jill's payment on a new car by showing her a 6 year loan. That would reduce her payment to $403 per month. Basically the same as the used car payment. But, that would mean paying over $4,000 in interest over the life of the loan and making six long years of payments.
Another new car option would be to buy something less expensive, like a Toyota Carolla. For $17,000 (the same price as her used 4Runner) she should be able to get good, reliable transportation. Plus have the warranty.
Leasing a new car would get her a lower payment. But, after a few years of lease payments she'd be right back where she is now - without a car.
Buying a used car would keep her payments down and allow her to own a vehicle once the payments are complete. If Jill finances $13,000 on a used car or buys her present 4Runner (figuring $17,000 purchase price minus $4,000 down payment) her monthly payment would be $401 for 36 months.
The disadvantage, as Jill pointed out, is that she could be making payments on a 7 year-old car. But, at the end she'd own a 4Runner worth over $11,000. And, if she were worried about repairs she could buy a 4-year extended warranty for about $1,000.
Probably the best long-term choices for Jill would be to buy her 4Runner or to find a used vehicle. The payments are affordable and she will own her vehicle when they're done.
With her 4Runner she'd be buying a used car that she's very familiar with. It is also a car with lower than average mileage.
If Jill decides to buy her car she can negotiate with the leasing company. Depending on the circumstances they may be willing to let her buy the car for less than the price in the original lease agreement.
Ultimately Jill needs to decide how much she enjoys that new car smell and the comfort of a new car warranty. The safest financial deal would be to buy her leased truck or a similar used truck depending on where she can get the best deal. Next best would be to buy a less expensive new car. No matter what she decides we hope that she enjoys many trouble-free miles.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher
website and newsletters. You'll find thousands of articles to help you stretch your day and your dollar. Visit today! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:34:15ZTeaching Your Children the Value of Saving and InvestingStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Teaching-Your-Children-the-Value-of-Saving-and-Investing
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- /9192.html2010-05-07T08:34:13Z2010-05-07T08:34:13Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Teaching Your Children the Value of Saving and Investing
by Candace Bahr, CEA, CDFA and Ginita Wall, CPA, CFPreg;
www.WIFE.org
www.MoneyClubs.com
Ask savvy investors how they learned their first lessons about money, and they#146;ll probably tell you lessons their parents taught them.
The money values we learn as children stay with us the rest of our lives. If you are a parent, teaching your children the value of saving and investing will benefit them the rest of their lives. Here#146;s what you can do:
Help your child begin to save. Open savings accounts for your children, and teach them how the bank adds interest to their savings that makes their money grow. Encourage your children to save a little from every bit of money they receive, such as allowances, birthday gifts, etc. You may even want to set up a matching program, contributing fifty cents for each dollar your child saves.
Teach your child about stocks. A child in elementary school can start learning about how businesses work. Once your child understands the basics, ask her to think about some of the businesses that might be good stock investments. Then use Morningstar Mutual Fund Guide (available at your library) to find a quality mutual fund that holds some of these companies, or a mutual fund that caters to children such as the Stein Roe Young Investor fund. Many funds accept regular monthly investments as low as $50 a month, so these funds can be a good way to teach children about the stock market while saving for their college education.
Encourage early IRA saving. The new Roth IRA is a great way for children who are working summers or after school to begin saving for their future. Imagine how much money you#146;d have today if you had saved $3,000 a year since you were a teenager!
Let your kids handle their own money. We all learn by doing, so letting your kids manage a segment of their budget will let them learn valuable financial lessons. They may make mistakes, but they will be small mistakes that may help them avoid larger mistakes as adults.
Cofounders sixteen years ago of the nonprofit Women#146;s Institute for Financial Education (
www.WIFE.org
) and the new MoneyClub for women (
www.MoneyClubs.com
), Candace Bahr, CEA, CDFA and Ginita Wall, CPA, CFPreg; are trusted financial guides for millions of women. As owner of her own investment management firm, Candace was recently recognized as one of the top ten brokers in the country for 2003 by Registered Rep magazine. Ginita has been named to Worth magazine#146;s Top Financial Advisors for seven years. Both authors are nationally-recognized experts on women and money and regularly appear on CNN and CNBC and in national financial and women#146;s publications. This article is excerpted from their new book
It#146;s More Than Money#151;It#146;s Your Life! The New Money Club for Women
(John Wiley, 2004). Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:34:13Z10 Sweet Ways to Say "I Love You" -- on the CheapStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/10-Sweet-Ways-to-Say-I-Love-You----on-the-Cheap
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- /9193.html2010-05-07T08:34:12Z2010-05-07T08:34:12Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>10 Sweet Ways to Say "I Love You" -- on the Cheap
by Candace Bahr, CEA, CDFA and Ginita Wall, CPA, CFPreg;
www.WIFE.org
www.MoneyClubs.com
Leave him a love note in his lunch box.
Put wildflowers for him on the breakfast table.
Call him at work and tell him to come home for an emergency--you.
Show up at his work with a picnic lunch in hand and a private spot in mind.
Don't ask him to do a single thing around the house for an entire week. Wow!
Write 30 reasons why you love him on 30 different pieces of paper, one for each day this month.
Meet him at a bar and flirt.
Take him out for ice cream.
Go out together, alone, for a long walk or to see the sunrise or sunset.
Say those three little words: "I love you." Just do it.
Cofounders sixteen years ago of the nonprofit Women#146;s Institute for Financial Education (
www.WIFE.org
) and the new MoneyClub for women (
www.MoneyClubs.com
), Candace Bahr, CEA, CDFA and Ginita Wall, CPA, CFPreg; are trusted financial guides for millions of women. As owner of her own investment management firm, Candace was recently recognized as one of the top ten brokers in the country for 2003 by Registered Rep magazine. Ginita has been named to Worth magazine#146;s Top Financial Advisors for seven years. Both authors are nationally-recognized experts on women and money and regularly appear on CNN and CNBC and in national financial and women#146;s publications. This article is excerpted from their new book
It#146;s More Than Money#151;It#146;s Your Life! The New Money Club for Women
(John Wiley, 2004). Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:34:12ZCutting College CostsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Cutting-College-Costs
-
- /9194.html2010-05-07T08:34:10Z2010-05-07T08:34:10Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Cutting College Costs
by Candace Bahr, CEA, CDFA and Ginita Wall, CPA, CFPreg;
www.WIFE.org
www.MoneyClubs.com
If you have children, chances are that providing a college education for them is high on your list of goals. With the cost of tuition, fees, and room and board for four year at a private university averaging $108,000 and state school costs averaging $42,000 for four years, it#146;s no wonder parents are in a cold sweat.
Those figures can really hurt your pocket book. At this point, you might be saying, #147;Why bother? I#146;ll never be able to save enough.#148; But ignoring the problem won#146;t make it go away. There are lots of ways you can conquer the education cost woes.
Here are a few:
There is $100 billion of financial aid distributed to students in the form of loans, scholarships and grants each year. Be sure you get your share. Many scholarships are not based on need. For example, merit, athletic, and music scholarships are often available to students who excel in those areas.
Apply to a variety of colleges. Aid packages can vary significantly from school to school.
Negotiate. If you are not satisfied with the aid package a school offers, talk to the university.
Start your child at a community college. Two-year colleges are a lot cheaper than four-year universities, especially since most students live at home while attending. First, however, your child should determine which four-year college he/she will transfer to and make sure that all credits from the community college are transferable to the four-year college.
Encourage your child to accelerate his/her studies by taking some summer classes or extra credits throughout the year. It#146;s possible to finish a four-year degree in three years. That means considerable savings for you.
Take advantage of the latest tax breaks. The Hope Credit gives you a 100% tax credit for $1,000 of tuition and fees for junior#146;s first year of college, and 50% of $1,000 for the second year. The Lifetime Learning Credit gives you a 20% credit of up to $10,000 of tuition for you or your child. There are income limitations, so be sure to check with your tax advisor to see if you qualify.
The best thing to do is plan ahead. Remember, with financial aid and scholarships, and plain old working-your-way-through-college, the costs don#146;t have to bury you.
Cofounders sixteen years ago of the nonprofit Women#146;s Institute for Financial Education (
www.WIFE.org
) and the new MoneyClub for women (
www.MoneyClubs.com
), Candace Bahr, CEA, CDFA and Ginita Wall, CPA, CFPreg; are trusted financial guides for millions of women. As owner of her own investment management firm, Candace was recently recognized as one of the top ten brokers in the country for 2003 by Registered Rep magazine. Ginita has been named to Worth magazine#146;s Top Financial Advisors for seven years. Both authors are nationally-recognized experts on women and money and regularly appear on CNN and CNBC and in national financial and women#146;s publications. This article is excerpted from their new book
It#146;s More Than Money#151;It#146;s Your Life! The New Money Club for Women
(John Wiley, 2004). Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:34:10ZComparing OptionsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Comparing-Options
-
- /9195.html2010-05-07T08:34:09Z2010-05-07T08:34:09Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Comparing Options
by Gary Foreman
The Dollar Stretcher
www.TheDollarStretcher.com
I would like to know if it would be unwise to stop my 401k contribution for the next 1 1/2 to 2 years and use the money instead to pay off unsecured debt and student loans?
After I pay my bills each month and allocate budgeted dollars for groceries and gas, I'm lucky to have $50 leftover for debt repayment or savings. About $400/month goes into my 401k, and it is currently valued around $40,000. I'm 29, married (stay at home spouse), and have a 15 month old daughter.
We really want to get out of debt quickly, I estimate that my regular monthly payments, plus a booster payment of $400/month will pay it all off in 2 years. After that, we want to own at least 75% of our home in 10 years (we have a 30 year mortgage).
Amy
We will all face questions similar to Amy's. And sometimes it seems like we're trying to compare apples to oranges. It's hard to even know where to begin.
On a basic level, she's right that the first step to a good financial future is getting out of debt. Even if that means delaying saving for retirement. Paying interest on borrowed money will make it harder to accumulate assets.
That's not to say that she shouldn't save any money for retirement until all of her debts are paid. But paying off high rate credit cards should be a priority.
There is some risk to paying off debts first. Some people are perpetually in credit card debt. And if they wait to save for retirement they might never get started. But Amy appears to have the necessary discipline to pull it off.
A second way to look at the question is mathematically. Often that's the best tactic. The trick is finding a way to compare the different options that you're considering.
In this case Amy is really asking about her net worth three years from now. Remember that increasing assets or reducing debts improves your net worth.
She can use one of the calculators that are available to determine what will happen to the two accounts under different circumstances. One of my favorites is at Bankrate.com . Her goal is to figure out what the amount due on her credit card and what her 401k balance will be in 3 years.
Amy will be creating two different scenarios. In one she'll stop contributing to the 401k and use $400 to pay off debts. In the other, she'll continue to contribute to her retirement and only pay off $50 per month.
Try to make the comparison as neutral as possible. The assumptions that you make in creating the examples can predetermine the outcome. Especially in longer time periods.
To really do it right, she should take the balances under each scenario and calculate what her net worth would be. If that's too complicated, then simply compare the amount of debt paid off vs. the amount her 401k would increase.
Even if she doesn't have access to a computer a simple comparison can be created using a calculator. To estimate how much debt is to be paid off she'll need to create a list with 4 columns.
The first column is for the beginning credit card balance. To that she'll add the second column which shows the amount of interest owed for that month. She can calculate that from the amount owed multiplied by the annual interest rate being charged divided by 12.
From that total she'll subtract column three which is the amount of the payment for the month. The result is column 4 - the ending balance. Which naturally is the beginning balance for the next month.
A second table can be created for the 401k plan. The first column is for the beginning balance. To that will be added the second column (investment earnings) and the third column (new contributions). The total will be the ending balance in column 4. And, once again, the ending balance from one month will be the beginning balance of the following month.
Don't forget to include any employer matching contributions. They can make a big difference in your account growth. She can compare the results to see which would work better for her.
One other thing for Amy to consider. Both of her choices are good. One might be slightly better than the other. But either one is better than doing nothing. Doing nothing is the worst choice that she could make.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits
TheDollarStretcher.com
website and newsletters. You'll find thousands of articles to help you stretch your dollar and your day! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:34:09ZEnough Auto Insurance?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Enough-Auto-Insurance
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- /9196.html2010-05-07T08:34:07Z2010-05-07T08:34:07Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Enough Auto Insurance?
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
How do you figure out how much car insurance you really need???? I would appreciate any help in this area. Thanks.
Debbie
Debbie asks a good question. If you buy too much auto insurance you're wasting money. But if you buy too little, you could have a very serious problem down the road.
And, to complicate matters, the answer isn't the same for everyone. Not only will our need for insurance change as we acquire wealth, but even the value of the car we drive makes a difference.
Let's begin by understanding the purpose of insurance. And that's to pay for financial commitments that you can't handle yourself. In this case, commitments that come from accidents involving your car.
Generally drivers must be able to pay for any losses that they cause others while driving their car. Since the potential amount of damages is greater than most drivers assets, they use insurance to make up the difference.
Let's start by examining the types of dangers car owners face. The most obvious one is to our car. The second would be to our health and the health of our passengers. Finally, an accident could put our money at risk.
The first priority is to protect our car. If you lease or finance your auto, you may be required to carry collision and comprehensive coverage. Collision pays for damage to the vehicle caused by your car running into another car or object. A simple definition of comprehensive is that it covers things that aren't caused by a traffic accident. Things like theft and fire.
How much coverage does Debbie need? She'll need to choose a deductible that's low enough so that she can afford to pay it. And, she'll need enough collision to cover the balance of the value of the car.
The best way to reduce the cost of auto insurance is in the collision and comprehensive coverage. If Debbie hasn't built up her savings, she'll probably need to have a low deductible. But if she's able to put a few extra dollars in savings, she could raise the deductible and make a serious dent in her insurance bill.
As Debbie accumulates more savings, she'll get to a point where she could replace the car all by herself if she had an accident. At that point she may decide that she doesn't want to carry collision at all.
Next Debbie will need to consider what insurance she needs to protect her wealth. Remember that by owning a car she's agreed to be responsible for any damage that it causes. Liability coverage pays for damage that you're responsible for and have caused to other people or their property.
If her life savings is only $300, then there's not much a lawsuit could take from her. Some would advise that she should only buy the minimum liability coverage required by the state.
But Debbie might be uncomfortable with that. Not having enough coverage to help a child crippled in your accident might not be something that she'd want to live with.
As Debbie accumulates wealth her need for liability coverage becomes more important. She wouldn't want a lifetime of savings to be wiped out in one accident. Fortunately, increasing her liability coverage is not that expensive. In fact, many people purchase a 'liability umbrella' that kicks in when your auto liability limits are reached.
Implied in Debbie's question is how to control the costs of auto insurance. At a minimum, she will need to buy the coverage that's required by her state. The most common requirements are liability and no-fault coverage.
Raising her deductible on collision can do a lot to reduce her bill. And, if she's driving an older car, she may be able to go without collision coverage. No sense paying $1,000 a year for insurance to cover a car that's worth $1,200.
Naturally she'll want to compare costs between different companies. Just make sure that everyone is quoting the same coverage.
Debbie may also qualify for some discounts. A safe driving record, a car alarm or multiple car discount could help. Using the same company for your home or recreational vehicles (boats, RV's) might also cut her bill.
Don't be afraid to talk with your agent. Each state has it's own laws. And insurance terms can be confusing. So don't be afraid to ask questions now. Not only could you save money today, but it's too late to change your policy after you've had an accident. You might find that you've purchased the wrong coverages.
Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher
website and newsletters. They've been helping people save time and money since 1996.
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:34:07ZSaving Money on Family Fun DaysStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Saving-Money-on-Family-Fun-Days
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- /9197.html2010-05-07T08:34:06Z2010-05-07T08:34:06ZStaff2010-05-07T08:34:06ZHow to Manage Money-TogetherStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/How-to-Manage-Money-Together
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- /9198.html2010-05-07T08:34:03Z2010-05-07T08:34:03Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>How to Manage Money-Together
by Candace Bahr, CEA, CDFA and Ginita Wall, CPA, CFPreg;
www.WIFE.org
www.MoneyClubs.com
"When people argue over money, the argument is likely to have little to do with money. It almost always has to do with issues of control, security, self-esteem, and, above all, love." --Grace Weinstein, authorIn our lives, we are pulled in many directions. We both desire and fear the power of money, and most of us have problems harnessing the positive power of money through regular saving and investing. But that doesn#146;t have to hold you back.
Here are ten things you and your spouse can do to foster good money management habits and get your savings on track.
Decide together what you want.
Many people live from day to day. Unfortunately, they also spend from day to day and build no financial nest egg to see them through. To make progress in saving for the future, approach the future one step at a time.
Begin by establishing some short-term financial goals: a vacation next summer, or a new car the year after that.
A desirable short-term goal can be the carrot-on-a-stick encouragement you need to start a savings plan and take additional steps toward financial security.
Build for your future together.
As children, we learned about Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty, who were saved from peril by their charming princes and lived happily ever after. As adults, we all entertain the fantasy of financial rescue at some point in our lives. That#146;s why lotteries are so compelling, despite the odds.
Although the fantasy of financial rescue is entertaining, it can become a barrier to accomplishment.
Take serious steps toward providing for your own financial future, beginning right now to create goals based on your current income and financial situation.
If your fantasy comes true, so much the better, but if it doesn#146;t, the two of you will have done what was needed to take care of yourselves financially.
Make a financial commitment to each other and your marriage.
Many people tell themselves that they will begin to save when their income rises, but few ever do. Unless you put yourself first, when you make more, your expenses will inevitably rise to meet your income and nothing will be left for you.
Persuade yourself that you deserve to keep a portion of your income for you and your future. Once you truly believe that, make a commitment to set aside 5 or 10 percent of all the money you receive in a special account that#146;s just for you.
Just as some people tithe to church or charity, so should you tithe to yourself. You#146;re worth it.
Learn about your finances together.
Most people learn little at home or in school about money, investment, and personal finance, and those people rarely seek formal training in finance as adults.
Begin by learning about your personal income and expenses. Find out where your money goes by tracking last year#146;s expenses, and then decide where to trim.
Here are some spending guidelines:
35 to 40 percent of your take-home pay is probably spent on housing costs
10 to 15 percent goes for food
Your car payments shouldn#146;t exceed 10 to 15 percent of your income
Another 15 to 20 percent might be spent on variable expenses, such as household repair, recreation, and clothing
5 to 10 percent of your budget should go for insurance premiums and property taxes
5 to 10 percent of your income should be deposited to your savings.
Start right now.
Procrastinators put off saving, or go on spending binges as soon as they accumulate much of a nest egg.
To overcome financial procrastination, begin by setting some minor goals, such as reading one article or newspaper column a week on financial maters, then add more substantial goals, such as devoting three hours to preparing a budget and an hour or two a month to monitoring spending.
Work together to develop financial knowledge and confidence, and soon you will find yourself gliding painlessly into the world of finance, and you will be ready to begin your savings plan.
Explore your money issues together.
Carefully examine your early teachings about money to see if you can find clues that are sabotaging you financially.
As a child, were you taught not to envy those who were better off?
Did you family teach you that money is the root of all evil?
Was money used to reward or punish in your family?
Did you have enough, or were you constantly afraid?
As you work to build a financial future together, it is important that you each understand your deep-rooted attitudes toward money, and the attitudes of your partner.
That will reduce conflicts over money matters, and help you succeed financially.
Balance the financial power in your relationship.
Women are sometimes balanced between wanting the right to control their own lives and make their own choices, and the need to rely on others and be comforted and loved, and to provide a nurturing environment for their families.
Men are confused as well. They have been raised to show love and affection through providing financial support. If a woman does not need financial support, some men are in a quandary: What do women want from them?
Yet if their partner wants to quit her job to take care of the family, they are afraid she#146;ll become too dependent on him, and he#146;ll sacrifice his freedom.
Discuss together the roles that each of you will play in earning, managing and spending money. Talk about how you each feel in the roles you choose, and how money affects your relationship.
Don#146;t shy away from discussing the power and freedom that money brings. Discussing money matters openly will help foster a healthy relationship you both can cherish.
Take action, one step at a time.
Some people have no interest in dealing with their personal finances. They know little about money, and find the subject uninteresting and boring. To deal with money matters when you haven#146;t the time or interest, break your financial tasks into manageable portions.
For example:
if your goal is to amass $1 million, it may seem overwhelming at first. But though $1 million sounds like a lot, it#146;s really just $1,000 multiplied by 1,000. If you could save $1,000 a thousand times, you#146;d be a millionaire, and it is even easier than that, because money begets more money through compounding. As you seek out ways to create your nest egg $1,000 at a time, you will become more familiar with the world of money, and that will make it more interesting as well.
Understand the risks and rewards of the Money Game.
Did you play Monopoly as a child? The grown-up money game, Working-Investing-and-Retirement, is a lot like Monopoly, but the stakes are higher.
Most people play the real-life money game too conservatively, even if they were risk-takers in juvenile games. Others are too aggressive in real life, investing in outlandish get-rich-quick schemes. Risks and reward work in tandem: the greater the risk, the greater the potential reward.
Assess your personal risk tolerance and follow your intuitions. By learning about investment risk and reward, and combining that knowledge with basic intuitive skills, you can invest wisely for your financial future.
Accept your imperfections, and those of your partner.
Some people want to pin down every detail before making any decision about money. But perfectionism delays financial success. Emphasize action: Don#146;t wait until you are fully educated in finance to start saving, or you will never begin. Begin saving now, then start an investment program using mutual funds.
Making financial decisions creates the possibility of mistakes, it is true. But fortunately, in most financial situations, there are a wide range of right decision and only a narrow band of decisions that are decidedly wrong.You don#146;t need to know how to pick the exact right investment, only how to avoid those that don#146;t suit your financial needs.
Cofounders sixteen years ago of the nonprofit Women#146;s Institute for Financial Education (
www.WIFE.org
) and the new MoneyClub for women (
www.MoneyClubs.com
), Candace Bahr, CEA, CDFA and Ginita Wall, CPA, CFPreg; are trusted financial guides for millions of women. As owner of her own investment management firm, Candace was recently recognized as one of the top ten brokers in the country for 2003 by Registered Rep magazine. Ginita has been named to Worth magazine#146;s Top Financial Advisors for seven years. Both authors are nationally-recognized experts on women and money and regularly appear on CNN and CNBC and in national financial and women#146;s publications. This article is excerpted from their new book
It#146;s More Than Money#151;It#146;s Your Life! The New Money Club for Women
(John Wiley, 2004). Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:34:03ZIt's About TimeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Its-About-Time
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- /9199.html2010-05-07T08:34:00Z2010-05-07T08:34:00Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>It's About Time
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Does anyone think that $20,000 will buy a new car forty years from today? Maybe it's time for an article on the time value of money, accounting for inflation in long term investment plans, and related issues.
Lester
Lester was referring to an article that I had written saying that when you buy something today, you're agreeing not to buy something more expensive later. And, he's right. You can't simply take today's prices and expect them to be valid for future purchases. Especially if you're look more than a few years into the future.
The concept of rising prices is only one component of an economic theory called 'the time value of money'. It's a theory that we see every day but don't typically give any thought.
The basic statement of the time value of money is very simple. A dollar today is worth more than having one tomorrow (or next year).
Having money over a period of time is valuable. Money can earn more money. Suppose that you had $100 today and could earn 10% on it. A year from now you'd have $110. In two years $121. So having that $100 is valuable.
Also, I'd rather have $100 today than wait and get it tomorrow. I won't earn much interest in one day, but it should be worth a little more tomorrow. It's also safer getting it today. There's always that possibility, however small, that you won't get the money tomorrow. By getting it today you've eliminated that risk.
Lester points out another area where the time value of money applies. That's in the area of retirement planning. Suppose that you expect to retire in 20 years. You know that prices will rise before then. But can you estimate by how much?
A quick and easy way to answer that question is to use the rule of 72. The formula is easy. The number of years in the future times the interest rate you expect equals 72. That's how long it will take for prices to double.
Let's do an example. You want to know how long it will take prices to double if inflation is 6%. A little algebra tells us that you divide 72 by 6. Prices will double in 12 years. So if you expect to retire in 20 years and inflation is 6%, prices will be nearly 4 times higher when you retire. ($1 x 2 = $2 in 12 years. That $2 x 2 = $4 the next 12 years. Or 4 times in 24 years).
If you play with the formula you'll find that the rate of interest you choose makes a big difference in the results. For instance 3% inflation would mean that prices would double every 24 years. Quite a difference compared to going up 4 times in the same amount of time.
You can also use the same formula to calculate how long it will take your money to double in an investment account. For instance, if you're earning 9% it will take 8 years (9 x 8 = 72).
You may want to get more precise than our little formula will allow. For that you'll need something called a financial function calculator. It will do a lot more than time value of money, but it's easy enough to learn how to use it for time value questions. And, they're not expensive.
Some people will subtract the inflation rate from their investment return to get a 'real' rate of return on their retirement savings. For instance, if you earned 8% on the money and inflation was 3%, you've really gained 5% in buying power.
Another application for time value of money is when you're trying to decide which payment plan you'd prefer. What happens if you were told that you could buy a car for $20,000 cash today. Or you could make $400 payments for 60 months. Or you could put $4,000 down and make $375 payments for 48 months.
You could add up all the checks you would write. And that would be a good rough estimate. But you'd get a more precise answer by using a calculator to bring everything back to today's dollars so that you'd have a fairer comparison.
Don't be intimidated by the concept. Just remember that having $1 today is more valuable that having one a year from now. And the same holds true is you're paying. A dollar that you pay today is more valuable than one that you'll pay next year.
With an understanding of the time value of money and the ability to use the rule of 72 you can help yourself in a variety of common money situations. Thanks to Lester for suggesting it.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher newsletter and website
TheDollarStretcher.com
You'll find hundreds of articles to help stretch your day and your dollar. Visit Today! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:34:00ZGrocery Savings Made EasyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Grocery-Savings-Made-Easy
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- /9200.html2010-05-07T08:33:58Z2010-05-07T08:33:58Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Grocery Savings Made Easy
By Tawra Kellam
www.livingonadime.com
For many people, making the decision to switch from two incomes to one can be a scary experience. They know they're spending too much, but don't know where to begin to cut back.
Most people don't think they can live the frugal life and still be comfortable. I feed my family of 5 on $175 month. In 5 years my husband earned an average of $22,000 per year. In those 5years we paid off $20,000 debt. There are countless ways you can cut, but if you are a frugal beginner, try these simple suggestions from Not Just Beans for saving on your food bill first.
Before you shop, take a tour through your pantry and your refrigerator. Be organized! Don't buy what's already hiding in your kitchen.If you're a fan of coupons, remember this: It#146;s not what you save, it#146;s what you spend. If you save 30 cents on something you wouldn#146;t ordinarily buy anyway, you haven#146;t really saved anything.
A typical fruit item is significantly larger than one serving. Most people would be just ashappy eating a small apple as eating a large one so buy smaller fruits!
This month, try two meatless meals a week (or one, if you're a diehard meat fan). Use meat as an ingredient instead of a main dish. A good recipe for this is Green Chile. It uses only frac12;-1 pound of pork.
Cut back on the juice and milk. Use the money you've saved from eating less meat and drinking less juice and buy something that's on sale. Those sale items will help you cut back even further next month.
In staying at home, it's the little things that add up so start small!
Green Chile
frac12; 1 lb. pork roast, or chops cubed into small pieces
10 frac12; oz. chicken broth
1 onion, finely chopped
frac14; #150; frac12; tsp. garlic powder
1 can (7 oz.) green chiles, diced
frac14; jalapeno, finely chopped
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. flour, dissolved in water
white flour tortillas
Toppings
cheddar cheese, gratedlettuce, shreddedtomato, sour cream
Simmer pork in broth on low for 10 minutes. Add all other ingredients except flour and simmer 45 minutes. Thicken with flour so it is like a thick soup. Spoon about 1/4 cup into the center of a flour tortilla. Roll up tortilla and top with more green chile. Sprinkle with cheese, lettuce and tomato. Top with sour cream if desired. This green chile freezes really well.
Steak and Mushroom Gravy
1 Tbsp. margarine
frac12; onion, chopped
5 Tbsp. flour
salt and pepper (to taste)
5 Tbsp. dry milk
2 cups water
1 2 cups leftover beef
1 small can mushroom pieces
1 tsp. beef bouillon powder
Melt margarine in a large skillet and sauteacute; onion. Mix flour, salt and pepper and dry milk in a jar. Add water and shake. Stir into onions until simmering and thickened. Add beef, bouillon powder and drained mushrooms. Reduce the heat. Simmer, stirring constantly, until heated through. Serve over noodles, rice or mashed potatoes or toast. Serves 4.
Tawra Kellam is the author of the frugal cookbook "
Not Just Beans: 50 Years of Frugal Family Favorites
." "Not Just Beans" is a frugal cookbook which has over 540 recipes and 400 tips. For more free tips and recipes visit her web site at
www.LivingOnADime.com
. In 5 years, Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 personal debt on an average income of $22,000 per year. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:33:58ZTo Avoid "Cell Phone Slavery"Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/To-Avoid-Cell-Phone-Slavery
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- /9201.html2010-05-07T08:33:55Z2010-05-07T08:33:55Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>How To Avoid "Cell Phone Slavery"
By Cliff Ennico
It really is amazing when you think how far #147;personal technology#148; has come in the last 15 years. Back in 1990, we had just mastered #147;word processing machines,#148; such as the now-defunct Wang terminals, and were just getting accustomed to a personal computer on every desktop.
Today, we have gone a long way toward losing the desktop. We can talk on the cell phone anywhere, anytime, and check our e-mails on a Blackberryreg; while we#146;re doing it. Throw in a wireless Internet connection and a #147;pocket PC#148;, and you are wired up to the world every minute, every day, wherever you are.
But here#146;s my question: have these gizmos made us any happier, or more free? Please don#146;t think me backwards if I suggest that these gadgets are the biggest threat to our personal freedom since Communism. Don#146;t blame the technology #150; the fault is yours. Without some personal discipline, you run the risk of becoming a slave to your technology, instead of the other way around. The cell phone, especially, can get you in a lot of trouble, as anyone who wants to yank your chain and interrupt your life can do so by pressing a few buttons and hitting #147;send#148;.
Case history # 1
: yesterday on my way to the supermarket a bright red SUV cut in front of me and nearly drove me off the road. Far from acknowledging how close we came to a collision, the driver remained oblivious, focusing on an animated cell phone conversation he was having (judging by his facial expression, he was either chewing out a subordinate at the office or arguing with his spouse).
Case history # 2
: when I got to the supermarket another man was standing in line with a parcel to be shipped, and was talking to someone on a cell phone with a wireless headset, so from the back he looked like he was talking to himself. I stood in line behind him, and eavesdropping on the conversation (hey, I couldn#146;t help it, the whole store could hear him), realized that he was talking to a client of mine about a business transaction. I had a sheet of my stationery in my hand, so I scribbled on it #147;watch what you say, I am Mr. So-and-So#146;s attorney#148;, tapped him on the shoulder, and handed him the note. You should have seen his face change colors . . .
Case history # 3
: a prospective new client called me the other day to ask for legal help. She was delighted with my fee quote, but became upset when I politely refused to give her my cell phone number. She told me flat out that in her opinion it #147;wasn#146;t professional#148; of me not to give out my cell phone number to all clients, and hung up.
Far from being angry at these folks (extreme examples, I admit), you#146;ve got to feel a little sorry for them. The technology that was supposed to give them more control over their lives has instead made them more stressed out, harried and frazzled.
Here are some very strict rules I follow when it comes to using my cell phone. I won#146;t claim they are perfect, or even fair, but so far they#146;ve kept me sane, and in control of my life.
Keep Your Cell Phone Off as Much as Possible.
Personally, I use my cell phone only for outgoing phone calls. The idea is that the phone is there for my convenience, not anyone else#146;s. When I do not wish to be disturbed, the cell phone is turned off. In fact, I turn it on only when I want to make a call.
Give Your Cell Phone Number Only to Essential People.
Your spouse and (if your work for someone else) your boss should, of course, have access to your cell phone number. If you are working on an intense project for a client who is furnishing you with more than 50 percent of your income, you should give the client#146;s key personnel your number as well. That#146;s it #150; cell phone access should be a special privilege you afford to only your best customers. Others can leave their messages on your land line.
Discourage Cell Phone VoiceMail Messages.
With #147;Caller ID#148; and other tools people can find out your cell phone number even if you don#146;t give it to them, so consider putting the following message on your cell phone VoiceMail: #147;hi, you#146;ve reached the cell phone of _________. I don#146;t normally take calls on my cellphone, and check this VoiceMail box only once or twice a week, so please be patient if I don#146;t respond to your message promptly. If your message is urgent, please call my office at [number]. I check my messages there at least every few hours when I#146;m on the road, and will be more likely to respond quickly. Thanks!#148;
Do Not Use Your Cell Phone In a Crowd.
You never know who is around you when you are in a public place. If anyone can overhear your conversation, do not say anything on your cell phone that you would expect to be kept confidential.
Never, Ever Use Your Cell Phone While Driving.
A number of municipalities have banned cell phone use while a car is in motion. Frankly, they should make that a federal law for all 50 states. If you need to talk to someone while you are driving, pull off the road to a safe place and make your call while the car is idling.
And if you do get into an accident while talking on your cell phone, have the decency to give the other person your insurance information. It was your fault, after all.
Cliff Ennico (
cennico@legalcareer.com
) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at
www.creators.com
. COPYRIGHT 2004 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:33:55ZInvesting for ChildrenStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Investing-for-Children
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- /9202.html2010-05-07T08:33:53Z2010-05-07T08:33:53Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Investing for Children
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
We have 4 grand children that we have been purchasing stock for at Christmas for the last 10 years. The stocks are valued from $500 to $3,000. The brokerage house fees were running too high even though we had them under our account. We have just liquidated the accounts and our goal is to look for the best place to invest this money and continuing our yearly $150 contribution for each.
Rich
Rich is right. Investment expenses matter. The Securities and Exchange Commission calculates that a 1% difference in expenses on a $10,000 investment earning 10% annually would mean a difference of $11,133 in 20 years. Rich isn't investing that much, but clearly the difference is dramatic.
And Rich is also right that beginning a savings program for children is a great idea. For instance, a public college that costs $12,841 per year today would cost $36,652 in 18 years if costs rise 6% per year.
There are two things for Rich to consider. First, how will he invest. And, second, how will the investment be legally owned.
Owning individual stocks is very hard unless you're going to be investing more than $150 at a time. Even a minimal $8 commission reduces your $150 investment by more than 5%. So it takes 6 months or so to earn enough to make up for the commission paid.
Generally, mutual funds offer more flexibility for the small investor. The average expense for a mutual fund that invests in domestic stocks is 1.4% per year. That's a whole lot better than the cost of buying individual stocks.
Owning a mutual fund allows you to reinvest dividends. Something that's almost impossible with an individual stock unless a DRIP (dividend reinvestment plan) is available. If a DRIP is available for your stocks in this situation it would be wise to use it.
Rich will want to consider something called an 'index' fund. Those are funds where management does not try to pick stocks that will beat the market. The fund is managed so that it reflects the make up of an index. For instance an SP 500 fund would have shares in the same proportion that they were in the SP 500 index. Shares would be bought and sold to maintain that proportion.
There are two main attractions to index funds. One is that their expenses can be lower. For instance, the Vanguard SP 500 fund has an expense ratio of about 0.18%. But check the expenses on any fund. Some index funds have ratios as high as 1.5%.
The index funds also generally perform better than the average managed mutual fund. As it turns out, most managers don't earn more than they charge the fund. And that means that the average fund does not perform as well as the market.
If you are going to consider a managed fund, look for one that has a good 10 year track record. A great one or five year track record could have been caused by some unique factors that had nothing to do with the fund's managers. And, that could actually work against the fund once you've bought it.
How should the investment be owned? Ideally, Rich would set up a UGMA (uniform gifts to minors account) for each child. He (or any legal adult) could act as custodian until the child became an adult.
Because legally the child owns the money, Rich would not be liable for any taxes on dividends or capital gains. The one disadvantage is that the child can use the money however they choose when they reach the age of adulthood.
Using a UGMA account has another advantage. As they become old enough to understand, you can review the quarterly statements with them. It's a perfect opportunity to teach them the basic facts about money.
There's another, non-financial benefit of talking to your kids about their investment account. Often children strive to achieve our expectations for them. Knowing that you're saving for their college could encourage them to strive for the grades that they'll need.
Rich might also encourage his grandchildren to add to the fund themselves. Kids often receive cash gifts. If they take just a small portion of each gift and add it to their investment account they'll take a keener interest in the account. And, they'll learn how to be investors.
Finally, one of the most valuable gifts that you can give a child is an understanding of how compound interest works. There's a huge gulf between people who are paying interest on credit cards and those who are collecting interest on investment accounts. Getting on the right side of that gulf is important.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.thedollarstretcher.com
. The site has hundreds of ways to help you stretch your day and your dollar. Visit today!
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:33:53ZMother vs. GirlfriendStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Mother-vs.-Girlfriend
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- /9203.html2010-05-07T08:33:50Z2010-05-07T08:33:50Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Mother vs. Girlfriend
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
I am a 33-year-old man who recently moved in with my girlfriend. I am also the holder of an auto lease on a 4 year-old Ford Taurus, which has approximately 20 payments left on at $314 each. I leased this auto for my mother to drive, as I was living with her at the time and she suggested my paying for the lease in lieu of paying rent, utilities, etc.
I have borrowed money to pay on a car for myself. My girlfriend and I feel that the money spent on the lease should be going toward our own rent and our own future. Besides, the lease is no longer affordable at the current payment, especially when I am no longer staying in my mother's home. She is unable to afford to pay the lease herself. I still want her to have a car to drive, but I don't want to be responsible for this lease any longer. What are my best options in this case?
Curt in OH
They say that loaning money to a friend is a good way to lose both the money and the friend. I doubt that you can lose your mother, but Curt sure is in a sticky situation.
First let's see how he got into this mess. Then we'll look at what options he has to solve it.
Curt made a couple mistakes. First, it's a good idea to keep financial transactions simple. He should have paid his mother rent and let her lease a car on her own. Now both deals are tied together. And that's a problem.
Second, by leasing the car he made a long term commitment without thinking about how he'd fulfill it. It's a common problem. Curt isn't the first person to sign a car loan or lease agreement without making sure that the money to make payments would be available throughout the life of the loan or lease.
Taken together it is almost as if Curt signed a five year apartment lease with his mother!So what can Curt do to keep avoid an un-civil war? He can begin by looking at what he hopes to accomplish and what resources he has available.
He wants to do three things. One, he wants to have money to contribute to his current living expenses. Two, he wants to continue to make payments on his car. Three, he doesn't want his mother to give up her car.
Apparently, he had enough money for both car payments, but that doesn't leave anything for sharing living expenses. So the solution is either going to have to increase the amount of available money or it's going to require sacrificing one or more of the three goals to some extent.
One way to increase the amount of income available would be for mom to take in a border or Curt to take a part-time job until the lease payments are completed.
It's possible that Curt and his mom won't want to try either solution. But then Curt must recognize that he probably can't meet all three goals. At least not without some adjustment.
Curt might have to tell mom that he can't continue the lease payments and leave her the choice of taking over the payments or giving up the car. If mom chooses to give up the car Curt will need to close the lease early. He'll probably have to pay a penalty. He can't just quit making lease payments. That would damage his credit rating.
If the termination penalty is too great, Curt might decide to sell his car and keep the Taurus for himself. Of course that means when the lease is up he'll be looking for a car again.
It's possible that a lower lease payment might help. One way to do that is to refinance the lease. That would provide lower lease payments, but would extend the term of the lease.
Still another option would be for Curt to sell his car and buy something that wouldn't require a car payment or would require a lower payment.
It's also possible that Curt could pay part of his mother's lease and still have something to help his girlfriend pay rent.
One thing for every one involved to remember is that in 20 months the lease will be up. Curt won't be responsible for paying it at that point. And mom will be without the Taurus.
So what should Curt do? Only he can decide what option will keep mother and girlfriend on speaking terms. It's likely that there is no answer that will please everyone. Perhaps the best Curt can do is to be more knowledgeable next time he faces a similar situation.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher website
where you'll find hundreds of ways to stretch your day and your dollar. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:33:50ZHigh Definition TVStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/High-Definition-TV
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- /9204.html2010-05-07T08:33:48Z2010-05-07T08:33:48Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>High Definition TV
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
My husband and I are considering purchasing a new television set. We know there are some changes in the way the programs will be broadcast and viewed in the near future. We think we are right to wait another year or two to replace our existing TV, but we are getting some confusing information about what this new technology will bring. There are some great bargains now, but it seems like purchases today will be seriously outdated soon. Could you explain what consumers have in store for them with the new high definition TV and what they need to know prior to making new TV purchases.
Susan
In the beginning was analog TV. And we watched it happily for 50 years. But new digital TV technology will make analog obsolete.
There are two main advantages of digital TV. It provides a clearer, sharper picture and it has a wider display much like a theatre. High definition television (HDTV) monitors can produce up to 6 times more picture detail because they receive and display much more data.
Susan's right. Analog TV will be phased out. Originally planned for 2006, probably somewhat later. But, even when analog programming is no longer being broadcast, you'll be able to buy a set-top box that will make your old set usable.
There are three things involved in getting true HDTV. First, you need a HD digital signal source. That could come from a DVD, your cable company or even an antennae.
Next, you'll need a digital tuner. It can be a separate set-top box or be built into the receiver. Finally, you'll need a HD digital monitor. What you see will only be as good as the weakest component.
If Susan buys a set now, she'll need to choose between an analog and digital model. Her decision will depend on how she plans on using the TV. If it is the home's main set and will be used for movies, she'll want to consider the more expensive digital sets. But if it's a second set that's only used to watch the news before drifting off to sleep, then an analog set should do the job.
Susan might save some money by considering an EDTV (extended definition TV). It's less expensive than the HDTV and provides a picture that's similar to HDTV.
She'll have a number of other choices to make. She can purchase an HD monitor and a separate receiver box or an integrated unit that includes both. An 'HD ready' monitor will not include a digital tuner.
Next is the set's format. Some are made to the 720p standard and will only produce 720 lines of resolution. Others are designed on the 1080i standard and display 1080 lines. More lines means a better picture. Especially on the larger monitors.
There are a number of technologies being used in displays. And, more are on the drawing boards. Unless you're a real videophile probably the best way to compare sets is with your own eyes in the store. There's no sense paying for a difference that you can't see.
Even if you buy an HDTV monitor you will still have compatibility issues. For some time to come, the monitor will need to be able to produce a picture from an analog signal, for instance your VCR or video game. That means you'll need composite, S-video and component video jack inputs.
Susan also needs to consider what type of sound she wants. If she's using a separate sound system, all she needs to buy is a monitor or monitor/tuner combination. Otherwise an HDTV receiver will include a stereo amp and speakers.
Something non-technical to consider is how much and how long you'll use your TV. Many families have their main set on most of the day. And, they'll keep a TV for many years. So, unlike an item that you use infrequently, this might be the time to go for a little better quality.
What about extended warranties? Ask about the warranty that comes with the set. Most are for one year. The newest technologies usually mean more problems until the design and manufacturing problems are worked out. That means extended warranties are more valuable.
What about waiting? There are a couple of advantages. The trend is towards thinner displays. So, if space is an issue for you, waiting could produce better choices. Also, reliability is likely to improve. Especially on the newest technologies. Not to mention that prices are dropping. But those are hard to predict.
Whatever Susan decides, we hope that she gets the maximum viewing pleasure per dollar spent!
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher newsletters and website
TheDollarStretcher.com
You'll find thousands of ways to stretch your day and your dollar! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:33:48ZHow To Get Your Family To SaveStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/How-To-Get-Your-Family-To-Save
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- /9205.html2010-05-07T08:33:45Z2010-05-07T08:33:45Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>How To Get Your Family To Save
by Jonni McCoy
www.miserlymoms.com
How do you get your family committed to a budget?
This proves to be one of the harder parts of the miserly lifestyle. If you are pinching the copperfrom each penny, but your family eats out for lunch or buys designer jeans, you have a hole inthe budget bag.
Spouses and children need to be handled a bit differently, so I will address them separately.
In order to get my spouse to agree to the spending changes that I wanted to try, I needed to convince him that those changes would be easy and profitable.
The best thing I did to convince my husband was to annualize the savings that we could achieve. By reducing expenses and applying my guidelines to ourgroceries, I showed him that I could save $6,800 per year from our current budget. By quitting myjob, I could reduce other hidden expenses by another $8,600 per year. By doing both (quitting andapplying miserly ways), I was saving our family over $15,000 per year. Ask what they could do with an extra $15,000.
Another thing that impressed my husband was the first major purchase made with the savings I had accumulated. After 2 months of miserly shopping and cooking, I had set aside enough money to buy 6 oak dining room chairs. That spoke to him.
The icing on the cake was when I explained that it doesn't take me that much time, and is wellworth the trouble (it takes me about 7 hours per week).
Many of us tend to have certain weak spots in which we spend freely. Be creative with anytrouble spots that your family has with money. If the problem is with buying books, learn to use the inter-library loan system to read any book in print for free. Do the same for music or videos.If it's the "gotta have a new outfit every day" attitude that is eating up the budget, learn wherethe best rerun and consignment shops are located. If computer software is the weakness, explore some shareware catalogs for cheaper fare. If eating out is the problem, make tasty lunches for them to take.
The last tip that helped my husband "see the light" was to write down everything that we spentfor one month. Categorize what you spent entertainment, food, subscriptions, clothes,household, hobbies, bank fees for overdraft charges, etc.) and figure the total for each category. See how much was wasted on trivia. Show your spouse the damage. He/she might become a convert then.
Convincing the kids to save can be equally as challenging as the spouse. The younger kidsseem to need a different approach than the hormonal teenagers, so I will add some tips for theolder kids separately.
While shopping, it is very easy to give in to a child's persistent whining about a toy or specialfood treat, especially when you are holding a toddler, a shopping list, and your diaper bag. It'seasier to just grab what is convenient or familiar and get out of the store as fast as possible.
These are the times where your miserly skills are tested severely. The best way to solve this battle is to get your kids on your side. Get them to see the finances your way. If junior understands that there is a limited amount of money to be spent at thestore, then he will say, "Oh, yeah" when you remind him that you can't afford that impulse item or more expensive brand of cereal.
With this in mind, I have made some tips that have helped get my kids involved:
While at the store, explain the total amount that you plan to spend at this store. Give them a calculator and have them keep a running total for you ofwhat you have spent. It helps them see what it costs, and helps keep them busy. Control your own impulse shopping. If they are used to seeing you buy whatever you want when you go shopping, then they won't understand why they can't dothe same. Let them see you put some of your things back when you realize you have gonebeyond the budget. Use the opportunity to help them learn to make choices. Explain that if we buy this brand of cereal that we won't have enough money to do something else.
Ask them if they want to use their allowance to buy it. They then realize the value of money.
For the very persistent (and young), let them pick only one item that isn't budgeted for. Allother wants have to be traded for that one, so that when you get to the cash register, they only have one item.
Teenagers are another story, with their own unique challenges. Here are some tips that have helped us:
When shopping for clothes and the "name brand" bug bites the kids, give them their portion of the budgeted clothes money. This amount should beno more than what would pay for good off-brand clothes on sale or at a rerun store. Let them make up the difference for designer label clothes by using their allowance and job money.
Show them how to shop for their name brand items at good resale, consignment and thrift shops.
For food, try these kitchen tested ideas:
Watch what is being snacked on. Snack foods and teenagers can be a costly combination. Make your own muffins, breads, pizza, drinks, etc.
If you can't make something very well (such as potato chips), stock up on them when they go on sale.
Also, since bulk eating is usually an issue, practice bulk cooking (cooking once a month,etc.)
Happy Frugality!
Jonni McCoy and her family live in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She is the author of Miserly Moms, Frugal Families - Making the Most of Your Hard-Earned Money, and Miserly Meals. You can visit her website at
www.miserlymoms.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:33:45ZInheriting DebtsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Inheriting-Debts
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- /9206.html2010-05-07T08:33:43Z2010-05-07T08:33:43Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Inheriting Debts
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
My children's real father is an alcoholic. He has some very old medical bills that he has only been paying like $10 a month - just to keep them off his back. If he dies are the children responsible for the leftover? He doesn't have any assets and doesn't even have insurance to pay for his funeral. He is in very bad health and my daughter has taken over his checkbook and pays his bills out of his disability check. She asked me and I told her that I didn't think they would be responsible but I would try to find out.
Margaret
Someone once said that you should try to spend your last dollar the minute before you die. Although it's an interesting idea, I'm not sure that it makes for a good financial plan! For most of us the best plan is one that provides enough money for our life and leaves something to our children as a legacy.
Unfortunately, there are some who are not able to reach that goal. Sometimes through misfortune and other times through decisions that didn't work out. It would appear that Margaret's ex was one of those people.
The good news for Margaret's children is that you cannot 'inherit' a debt unless you were a party to it prior to the debtor's death. You must accept responsibility for a debt.
Here's a simplified version of what happens. When a person dies someone is assigned to handle their estate. Usually that person is mentioned as the 'executor' or 'personal representative' in the will. If none is designated the state will assign someone.
The estate is used to close out all financial transactions of the dearly departed. First, all final bills are paid. If there are any assets left after that, then the remaining assets are divided according to a will, trust or state law. Be sure to check for life insurance policies. People often have policies that they bought decades ago that are still valid.
If the debts are greater than the assets, then the assets are sold and used to pay as many debts as possible. Secured debts (i.e. mortgage or car payments) come first. Unsecured debts (i.e. credit cards) after. Old medical bills would be unsecured. Any debts that are left after the money runs out would not be repaid and the creditor takes the loss.
Sometimes people try to give away their assets before dying in an attempt to avoid leaving the money to pay debts. Creditors have the right to try to reverse those gifts even after death.
Although Margaret's children are probably in the clear, they need to make sure that they don't accept responsibility unintentionally. That can happen in a number of ways.
If you put money into a joint account the money is available for either joint member. A common situation is where an elderly parent adds an adult child to their checking account to allow them to write checks to pay bills for the parent. Any money that either of them has put into the account can be used to pay the bills of parent or child.
Joint credit cards are another potential danger. As far as the credit card company is concerned they can collect the entire account from either person on the account.
So if Margaret's daughter has a joint credit card with her Dad she will be responsible for any balance after he dies. Even if she never used the card. And, if she doesn't make timely payments her credit rating will be effected.
You don't need a joint account to be allowed to write checks or make credit card purchases. A signed request by Dad will get check writing authorization or a second credit card.
If there's currently a joint credit card she should try to get it closed as soon as possible. If the account has a balance, try to transfer it to a new account in only Dad's name.
Margaret's daughter also needs to be careful on how they pay her father's bills. She should not write checks from her account. It's unlikely, but there's no sense giving anyone the idea that she's accepting responsibility for his debts. If she wants to help him financially, she should write a check to him and deposit it into his account.
It's probably a good thing for all of us that parents can't put their children in debt. A lot of us who survive raising teenagers wouldn't be opposed to a little 'post-mortem payback' for those troublesome years!
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher newsletters and website
TheDollarStretcher.com
You'll find thousands of ways to stretch your day and your dollar! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:33:43ZWatch Your ReceiptsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Watch-Your-Receipts
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- /9207.html2010-05-07T08:33:41Z2010-05-07T08:33:41Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Watch Your Receipts
By Cheryl Gochnauer
Since my ability to stay home hinges on my financial status, I guard my money when I shop. I'm not talking about watching out for muggers, though that's a wise idea, too. It simply means I watch cash register totals carefully and point out discrepancies when I see them.
You would be amazed how many times the totals are wrong, whether you are at the grocery store, the gas pumps or your favorite discount center. Here are some common shopping pitfalls to watch for:
Sale items ringing up at regular price.
"New and improved" packaging that charges the same price for lessproduct.
Clerks forgetting to subtract coupons.
Items being rung up twice.
"We just ran out" excuses, when you're shopping on the first day ofthe sale.
Perishables being sold past their expiration date.
Substitutions that don't match the quality of the advertisedproduct.
Damaged product (dented cans, slit boxes, broken seals, etc.) soldat full price.
It's also important for the customer to understand the requirements of any special deals being offered. For instance, I may have to buy more than one of the advertised item to get the discount. Perhaps I have to make a minimum purchase or submit a special coupon before the savings kick in. Or maybe the markdown is only valid on certain days.
Another thing to keep in mind? These hard-saved dollars are too precious to be spent at stores that don't respond positively to customers' requests and concerns. Smart managers understand they attract a lot more Momma Bears with honey than vinegar.
So watch those receipts, and let both price and service be your guides as you shop for your family.
Comments? Email
Cheryl@homebodies.org
or visit the active messageboards at
www.homebodies.org
. Pernmission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:33:41ZA Lot of Debt, Some Cash and a New CarStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/A-Lot-of-Debt,-Some-Cash-and-a-New-Car
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- /9208.html2010-05-07T08:33:39Z2010-05-07T08:33:39Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>A Lot of Debt, Some Cash and a New Car
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
I need some advice. We are buying a new car and have a lot of credit card debt. Should we pay cash for the car and own it free and clear? Or pay down some of the debt and finance half of the car purchase?
Carrie
Carrie asks a good question. And, she has plenty of company. Studies show that the average family now has over $18,000 in debts (excluding their mortgage). At the same time millions of those families will be car shopping this year.
What should Carrie do? Let's start by comparing the cost of the two loans. We're going to have to make some assumptions about Carrie's credit rating and the interest rates charged. To get more precise she can do the calculations using her actual rates. For illustration, we're going to assume that she has $10,000 available.
If she uses the money to pay for the car she'll have $10,000 more in credit card debt. At a rate of 14%, it will cost $1,400 per year in interest payments.
A car loan will be a lower cost loan. About 8% lower than the credit card rate. It will run about 6%. That means she'll pay $600 per year in interest payments. So using the money to pay off credit card debt will save her $800 per year.
Why is that? The auto loan is a 'secured' loan. In other words, the car guarantees the loan. If Carrie doesn't make her car payment the lender can repossess the car. That's not true with a credit card. They can't repossess yesterday's pizza.
There's another advantage to using the money to pay down credit card debt. It could improve Carrie's credit score. The amount of money that you owe makes up 30% of your credit score. The only thing more important (35%) is how good you are about paying your bills on time.
And, it's not just how much Carrie owes. How close she is to the account maximum is considered, too. So, by paying down the accounts that are the closest to being maxed out, she'll not only be spending less each month on interest, but she could lower the rate that she'll pay on the auto loan.
While she's thinking of her credit score, Carrie should also check for errors in her report. Studies have shown that about one in four have an error large enough to affect the rate you pay to borrow money.
When she's car shopping Carrie shouldn't let every dealer access her credit file. Too many queries over a short period of time will actually reduce her credit score.
In fact, if Carrie is going to make car payments, she'd be wise to line up her financing before she goes car shopping. Her bank or credit union is likely to give her a better rate than a dealer.
It's hard to be sure whether Carrie really means to buy a 'new' car or simply a 'newer' car. Hopefully she'll consider the newer car. The reason is simple. A new car loses it's value much quicker than a used car does.
For instance, according to
KelleyBlueBook.com
, a new Ford Taurus will lose approximately 50% of it's value in the first three years. Depending on options, that's roughly $10,000. But, that same Taurus will lose a little less than $4,000 from years four through six. Sure Carrie would be driving a little older car. But she'll save $2,000 per year for the sacrifice.
Another option would be for Carrie to consider delaying the car purchase for a year. Let's look at how much cash that could mean to her. By applying $10,000 to reducing credit card debt she'll save $1,400 in interest during the year assuming a rate of 14%.
Sure she might need to put a little of that money into repairs. But, she'll still be richer when she does go car shopping a year from now.
As a general rule, if you have 'a lot' of credit card debt the best thing you can do is to pay it off first. It's usually the most expensive debt. And carrying large card balances can come back to haunt you in a variety of ways. Especially after an auto purchase has taken most of your cash reserves.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.TheDollarStretcher.com
You'll find thousands of articles to help you stretch your day and your dollar. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:33:39ZPayday LoansStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Payday-Loans
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- /9209.html2010-05-07T08:33:37Z2010-05-07T08:33:37Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Payday Loans
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
www.TheDollarStretcher.com
I'm in need of some money and cannot get a loan. I have several payday loans, that I cannot get paid off. I've be trying for several years and I only have enough money to re-new. If I cash out my 401k to pay these loans off I will have plenty of money each month to put back in my 401k plan. Will I still face the extra 20% penalty at tax time? I've learned my lesson and I will never get mixed up with paydays again. I think they should be outlawed.
Michelle
They're also known as cash advance loans, check advance loans, post dated check loans or deferred deposit check loans. The Federal Trade Commission has called them "costly cash". There are over 10,000 payday loan 'stores' operating and it's estimated that they collect over $2 billion a year in fees and interest.
Typically the borrower, in this case Michelle, would write a check for the amount of the loan that she wants plus a fee. The size of the fee is based on how much money she's borrowing. The lender agrees to hold the check for one or two weeks. Typically until Michelle's next payday.
At that time Michelle can come in with cash to 'redeem' the check, she can let the lender deposit the check or she can 'roll-over' the loan until her next paycheck. If Michelle chooses to roll the loan, she'll incur another fee.
Payday lenders have the upper hand in collecting. If Michelle can't redeem the loan or refuses to roll it, she'll be informed that they'll deposit her bad check. If it bounces she'll face criminal charges of intentionally writing bad checks. Not to mention bounced check charges from her bank.
Many payday lenders don't want Michelle to know how much she's paying. A Public Interest Research Groups survey found that only 37% of the lenders quoted an accurate Annual Percentage Rate even though the federal Truth In Lending Act requires it.
Most loans are governed by 'usury' laws. Those laws limit the amount of interest that can be charged on a loan. The PIRG survey of payday lenders found interest rates that ranged from 390% to 871%. The average APR was 474%! The same study showed that in one state 77% of the loans were roll-overs.
Presumably Michelle wouldn't be taking a payday loan if she could have gotten the money somewhere else. She would have paid less interest by using a credit card cash advance or borrowing from friends or family. A cash advance on a credit card would cost Michelle between 35% and 50%.
She's considering taking money from her 401k plan. Any withdrawal will be subject to a 10% penalty and will be added to her taxable income for the year. So she'll probably lose 20% of the withdrawal to the federal government. But that's better than paying 400% APR.
Michelle may have a better choice. Borrowing from her 401k plan would provide the money she needs now and allow her to pay it back through payroll deduction. She should speak with the human resources department to find out the details about a 401k loan. The biggest advantage is that money borrowed is not subject to tax penalties or added to her income for tax purposes unless she doesn't repay it.
Other options that don't involve her 401k should also be considered. If she's eligible for overdraft protection at her bank she may want to sign up. The bank fees would be less expensive.
Payday loan companies have sprung up primarily to serve clients who don't qualify for a credit card. If Michelle is among this group she should check her credit report for errors. Roughly one in four reports contain a significant error. A corrected report might qualify her for a credit card. And cash advance privileges.
If Michelle has other monthly payments, she might be able to have one or more of them either reduced or delayed. A call to the creditor might be all it takes.
Another alternative, if she has other debts, would be to see if credit counseling or debt consolidation would work for her. Either could reduce her regular payments and free up some money to pay off the payday loan.
Finally, Michelle should cut any expenses that aren't absolutely necessary. This is a time for drastic measures.
Michelle is in a tough spot. She needs to get these loans paid off before they force her into bankruptcy. Hopefully one of these tools will help her dig out of debt.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.TheDollarStretcher.com
and newsletters. The site contains over 5,000 articles to help stretch you day and your dollar. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:33:37ZYoung Couple FinancesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Young-Couple-Finances
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- /9210.html2010-05-07T08:33:34Z2010-05-07T08:33:34Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Young Couple Finances
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
www.TheDollarStretcher.com
Copyright 2003
My husband and I married young. I am 21 and he is 23. In a couple of years we want to own a home and have children. What are some things we can do now? My husband is working full-time and going to school full-time. I work full-time. We do have about $2,000 in credit card debt and are working on getting out of it. We live in an apartment and we are starting to learn about what it takes to own a home. What should we know about CDs, the stock market and mutual funds? Should we be looking at those options as a young couple?
Diane
Diane and her husband appear to be off to a great start. They've set some goals and begun to work towards reaching them. Plus, it would appear that they're willing to make some sacrifices along the way.
Hubby's college education is a great investment. The U.S. Statistical Abstract for 2002 indicates that the average household headed by a college graduate earns 93% more than one headed by a high school graduate. Right now that amounts to a difference of over $25,700 per year.
And Diane is wise to pay off her credit card debt as soon as possible. If they never charged another cent and paid just the minimum each month, they'd still be making payments well into their 50's! Being debt free will give them a better credit score which will translate into a lower mortgage rate when they buy a home.
Diane and her husband should make an attempt to live on just one salary. Or as close to it as possible. Clearly that will be easier once Hubby has graduated and begins to earn more money.
Living on one income will allow them to save a sizeable down payment in a relatively short period of time. It will also put them in financial position to start a family. Whether both parents work or one stays home with the baby, they'll find that living on one income now is very similar financially to what it's like after a baby arrives.
Many young families make the mistake of spending everything they make. That might seem like fun now, but they'll find that it's hard making a downward adjustment in lifestyle later. Remember that a house and baby will increase family expenses. And the baby could also decrease family income.
Now that Diane and her husband are working and saving, the next question is how should they invest in anticipation of buying a home? CDs are a good tool for savings when you might need the money immediately. Or if you plan to need it in a couple of years. That sounds like the situation that Diane is in.
If Hubby has the opportunity to contribute to a 401k plan they should make every effort to participate. Not only will their money grow faster since the earnings aren't taxed, but his employer may match part or all of his contribution. As an added benefit, they may be able to borrow money from the account to use for a down-payment on that first home they're planning. Check now to find out how the loan provisions work. Not all plans allow for loans.
They should try for some diversification within the 401k plan. A mixture of guaranteed investments (like CD's) and more aggressive choices (stock mutual funds). Stocks will earn more over a longer period, but they can have a bad year or two with a negative return. Normally that would be unacceptable if you were saving for a down payment. But if Hubby's employer is matching at a 50% rate that should cushion any drop in a mutual fund.
The next step is to prepare for a mortgage. The Federal Trade Commission advises checking your credit report before making any major purchase. That will allow Diane to correct any errors.
About 1 in 4 people have an error in their report that's significant enough to increase their mortgage rate. How much could that error cost? A difference of one half percent will add $500 interest on a $100,000 mortgage each year.
Credit reports are kept by Credit Reporting Agencies (CRA's). They collect information from lenders. The three major credit reporting agencies are:
Equifax, PO Box 740241, Atlanta GA 30374-0241; 800-685-1111
Experian, PO Box 2002, Allen TX 75013; 888-experian
Trans Union, PO Box 1000, Chester PA 19022; 800-916-8800
You can expect to pay approximately $10 per report. It's money well spent.
Congratulations to Diane and her husband for laying a foundation today that will allow them to build a bright financial future.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.TheDollarStretcher.com
and email newsletters. You'll find thousands of articles to help stretch your day and your dollar!Staff2010-05-07T08:33:34ZInvesting Small AmountsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Investing-Small-Amounts
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- /9211.html2010-05-07T08:33:32Z2010-05-07T08:33:32Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Investing Small Amounts
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
I am 55 years old and will begin receiving a small pension from one of my old jobs. The amount will be only $55 per month until I die. What would be the smartest thing to do with it? Pay down credit card debt, invest it, sock it away in the bank as a rainy day fund? I lost 85% of my portfolio when the stock market tanked and have very little left for retirement, so I'm afraid to get back into mutual funds. Does anything else look good these days?
Erica
Sioux Falls SD
Erica has a good opportunity. While $55 a month isn't a huge amount of money, it can add up. For instance if Erica manages to save the money and earn just 2% it will be worth $7,300 when she's 65. Or if she manages to earn 10% it will be worth over $11,250 in ten years. So it's important to get a good return on the money and not let it disappear each month.
She should consider two factors in making a decision. Her time frame and ability to take risks with the money.
Erica's goal will determine her time frame. If she wants to save for retirement, she'll have a ten year horizon. However, if she wants the money ready for the next budget crunch, she'll need to think in terms of having the money readily available.
If she takes a longer view she'll be able to choose a riskier investment without actually taking on more risk. Let me explain. A stock mutual fund is unpredictable in any single year. You wouldn't choose the mutual fund if you wanted to make sure that you could get all of your original investment out at any time you wanted.
On the other hand, a money fund is very predictable. Your principal is always available.
But suppose that Erica's horizon is ten years. The mutual fund becomes much more predictable. That's because ten years is long enough for good years to overcome any bad years. And the mutual fund will average a higher return than the money market fund over a ten year period.
Erica's willingness to take risk is also a consideration. Some people can't handle a mutual fund loss. Even if past results suggested that it would only be temporary. As a rule no investment should cause you to lose sleep. If you are not comfortable with an investment you shouldn't make it.
Now that we've set a framework, let's look at some of Erica's ideas. Using the money to pay off credit cards could be her best option. First, she has access to the money any time she wants. Paying down her balance will leave more credit available for new charges.
The other advantage of paying off credit cards is knowing exactly how much she's earning. Erica will earn the interest rate of the loan that being paid off. So a credit card that charges you 14.5% will earn you exactly that. If she used the $55 each month to reduce debt she could eliminate a $14,900 balance over ten years. And that would eliminate over $200 of credit card minimum payments each month.
Erica could invest the money in a variety of places. One problem is that it's hard to invest smaller amounts. Even if she saves up the money and invests it once a year, there's still only $660 to work with. She'd probably need to select a mutual fund. They're designed to handle small dollar investments.
Erica may think of stock investments when mutual funds are mentioned. Given her stock experience she might be concerned. But not all mutual funds invest in stocks. Some invest in bonds, or a mixture of stocks and bonds.
She also shouldn't confuse her recent stock experience with the performance of most mutual funds. A general purpose stock fund will not lose 85%. Certainly not before you have warning and time to get out.
What 'looks good these days' usually isn't a good way to invest. Very few people are able to predict the future well enough to time markets. Most of us are better off taking a slow, steady and predictable path to wealth accumulation.
As a general rule, it's usually advisable to pay off debts before investing. That's because the interest rates for borrowing money are usually higher than those paid for investing money.
One exception to paying debt first is when you can invest in a 401k plan where your employer matches part or all of your contribution. That match significantly boosts the return.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.TheDollarStretcher.com
and ezines. You'll find hundreds of articles to help stretch your day and your dollar! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:33:32ZThe Annual ReviewStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/The-Annual-Review
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- /9212.html2010-05-07T08:33:29Z2010-05-07T08:33:29Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>The Annual Review
The Dollar Stretcher.com
by Gary Foreman
When I worked in the corporate world the annual performance review was always important. Not only was it a way of telling how I was doing compared to what my employer expected, but it was also a good opportunity to identify areas where improvements could be made. Sometimes I agreed with the boss' comments. But, there were other times that I really thought that I could have done a better evaluation myself.
The concept of an annual review can be helpful in your financial life, too. There are certain things that you should evaluate on a regular basis. And it's also a good idea to look at your own performance periodically. Most of us have some areas where we could do better if we're willing to make minor changes. So let's perform an annual review of our finances. In this case you'll be reviewing yourself. So if you don't like the score you get you'll know exactly where to go to complain!
Have you reviewed your auto insurance within the last year? As your cars and family grows older your needs will change. And, you might find a better rate by shopping around. 3 points for checking for appropriate coverage and comparing rates. 1 point for checking either. 0 points for thinking that your brother-in-law the insurance agent is taking care of it!
Have you reviewed your homeowner's insurance in the last two years? While not as likely to change as your auto policy, homeowner's coverage still needs to be reviewed periodically. 3 points if you reviewed it this year. 1 point if you reviewed it the year before. 0 points for thinking that you only need to look at your homeowner's policy when you buy a new home.
How much money do you owe? An easy way to measure your economic well-being is to see if you owe more or less money than you did last year. 3 points for reducing your total debt by 10% or more. 2 points for reducing it by 5 to 10%. 1 point for reducing it by 1 to 5%. 0 points if it remained the same. Minus 1 point if the amount you owe went up.
How is your debt structured? Generally borrowing to buy something that will hold it's value (like a house) isn't as bad as borrowing for something that will be gone long before the payments are (like a pizza). 3 points if you don't owe any money to anyone. 2 points if you only owe money on your home. 1 point if you owe on your house and car. 0 points if you owe on a credit card or personal loan. Minus 1 point if you owe money to everyone in your office.
Did you add to your retirement savings last year? Each year brings you that much closer to retirement. And, the magic of compounding means that a dollar saved for retirement in your 20's is much more valuable than a dollar saved in your 50's. So every year counts. 3 points if you saved 4% of your salary or more last year. 2 points if you saved 2 to 4% of your salary. 1 point if you saved 1% of your salary. 0 points if you didn't add anything to your retirement accounts. Minus two points if you borrowed from your retirement plan last year.
Have you reviewed your investments in the last year? You don't need to be a Wall Street wizard to know that today's investment climate changes quickly. That means that you need to look at your investment position regularly to see if adjustments are required. It's tempting to focus on whether you made money since your last review. Yes, that's something that you should check. But, the more important question is are you positioned for the future? Do you need to make any changes now? 3 points if you reviewed your investments at least once each quarter. 1 point if you reviewed them at least once during the year. 0 points if your account statements are stacked on your desk waiting for you to look at them.
So how did you do? If you scored 15 or more you really have things under control. You're probably only reading this because it's after-hours and you can't call your broker or insurance agent at this time!
A score of 10 to 14 points indicate that you're trying, but still need a little work to be a personal finance pro. If you scored between 5 and 9 points you probably need to pay more attention to your finances. And if you scored less than 5 points make sure that your rich uncle has included you in his will. You'll need the cash!
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher.com
website and newsletters. You'll find thousands of time and money saving articles. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:33:29ZSaving Time and Money This Holiday SeasonStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Saving-Time-and-Money-This-Holiday-Season
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- /9213.html2010-05-07T08:33:28Z2010-05-07T08:33:28Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Saving Time and Money This Holiday Season
By Ginita Wall, CPA, CFP
www.wife.org
The holiday season is fast upon us. With so many demands on our time (there are just so many cookies to eat, it's hard to know where to start!), and demands for our money, it's no wonder that we're all looking for a few extra ideas to make the holiday season run more smoothly. Give these a try:
Go generic
Keep a stock of generic gifts on hand. Picture frames, nonperishable gift baskets, or ornaments can help you provide for unexpected guests or holiday party invitations, so you won't have to rush out and buy presents at top dollar.
Keep it in the family
Join with other friends or family members to purchase big gifts, or give a family gift rather than individual gifts. A special meal for the whole family or a toy that both adults and children can enjoy may be just what Santa ordered.
Draw names
If you belong to a big family or have lots of friends, suggest drawing names so that each person only has to buy one gift. Or, only give gifts to the children in the family.
Consider the trade-offs
As you shop, remember that your money is limited. If you've been saving for a vacation, consider whether you'd like to dip into those funds for a more extravagant holiday season, or whether you'd rather cut back a little during the holidays so you can have fun the rest of the year as well.
Bunch your lunch
To make your holiday shopping more efficient, ask your boss if you can take a longer lunch one day each week during the holiday season, and cut your lunch short the other days to make up for it. That will let you go shopping during the day, so you can spend important time with your family at night.
Let your fingers do the shopping
Look for shopping bargains at your favorite Internet sites or at an auction site. There are some sites that do the price comparison for you, so you'll know you are getting the best deal possible. Shop early to allow extra time for shipping.
Prepare for next year right after the holiday
Buy all of your decorations, gift wrap, and cards for next year at this year's post-holiday sales.
Shorten your gift list
Is it really necessary to buy everyone on your list a present? Consider sending a thoughtful holiday card or e-mail, or even writing a family newsletter to update everyone about the past year.
Next year, pay Santa first
Set up a holiday savings plan. After paying off this year's bills, put aside $50 to $100 a month for next year's holiday presents. You'll emerge from next year's holiday rush debt-free.
Decorate on the cheap
Instead of splurging on holiday knickknacks, use your ingenuity to decorate inexpensively. You might buy wide colored velvet ribbon at a craft store and tie bows on everything from doorknobs and banisters to candlesticks.
WORTH Magazine picked Ginita Wall as one of the top financial planners in the country several years in a row. The Women's Institute for Financial Education welcomes your comments, visit our website at
www.wife.org
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:33:28ZThe Last-Minute CookStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/The-Last-Minute-Cook
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- /9214.html2010-05-07T08:33:25Z2010-05-07T08:33:25Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>The Last-Minute Cook
By Elizabeth Yarnell
www.GloriousOnePotMeals.com
Ask almost anyone who is in charge of putting the daily dinner on the table what the most dreaded chore is and you'll likely hear a complaint about meal planning. Figuring out what to make for dinner day in and day out is something many of us loathe. We'd like something easy to make, a recipe that won't require hours in the kitchen and it would be great if the meal was good for our family as well. And, of course, if it doesn't taste great we might as well give up before we even start.
Of course, typically preparing exciting weeknight meals takes forethought, special trips to the grocery for specific ingredients and a couple hours set aside for preparation and then the clean-up of multiple pots and pans after dinner. We all want to serve our families dinners that are as good for them as they are good tasting, but, let's face it, only a few fortunate ones have the time to find interesting and achievable recipes, shop for fresh ingredients and spend hours in the kitchen every day of the week.
More likely, we find ourselves racing from the morning send-off through two careers, soccer practices, piano lessons, the dry cleaners and the other tasks that make up our busy days. And that's just before dinner. Afterward there's homework, household chores, and everything else that didn't get done during the daylight hours. Really, who can blame us for choosing to eat out, bringing food home or reaching for highly-processed and expensive frozen meals?
Here's a solution for our time-crunched lives: quick, healthy and easy infused one-pot meals. With a few strategic purchases stocked in your freezer and pantry, you can bring out your inner intuitive chef and eliminate the drudgery of meal-planning. Almost the opposite of crock-pot cooking, which requires that you think about dinner in the morning or it won't be ready, infused one-pot meals can cater to your last-minute mentality, allowing you to get a nutritious dinner on the table in about an hour with only a few minutes of actual hands-on preparation and less than 50 minutes of unattended baking.
Infused one-pot meals offer a healthy, balanced meal of protein, energy-providing carbohydrates, and a variety of vegetables to offer the range of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that we all need.
Here's an easy, last-minute recipe to throw together out of your freezer and pantry for a nutritious and delicious meal that doesn't require any forethought. So, even if you're a last-minute mom or dad, you can still serve up a meal to be proud of at a moment's notice.
Santa Fe Chicken
Servings: 4
Ingredients
2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained rinsed
2 green onions
4 pieces frozen boneless chicken
2 8 oz. cans green chiles or 8-12 Tbsp. prepared salsa
1 bell pepper, cut into 1" triangles
2 15 oz. cans corn kernels, drained
2 14 oz. cans tomatoes, diced, drained
2 6 oz. cans black California olives, drained and sliced
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray inside of 3 1/2 or 4-quart cast iron Dutch oven and lid with canola oil.
Open cans of beans, drain and rinse well. Pour in a layer across bottom of pot.
Slice green onion into rings and arrange on bean layer. Rinse chicken and arrange on top of onions. If using chiles, blanket the chicken with them. If using salsa, spoon over the chicken, using as much or as little according to taste. Add bell peppers, corn, tomatoes and olives in layers.
Cover and bake for 48 minutes or until the aroma wafts from the oven.
Notes
This is a great meal to make when you don't have any fresh vegetables in the house. Stock up on the canned or frozen ingredients and you'll be able to whip up this southwestern staple in a jiffy.
Be sure to drain all cans well, refill with fresh water and drain again to remove extra preservatives and sodium.
About the author: Elizabeth Yarnell is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and the author of
Glorious One-Pot Meals: A new quick healthy approach to Dutch oven cooking
, a guide to a guide to preparing quick, healthy and balanced one-pot meals. She is also a mother of two preschoolers. Visit Elizabeth online at
www.GloriousOnePotMeals.com
to subscribe to her free newsletter. The Glorious One-Pot Meal cooking method is unique and holds US patent 6,846,504. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:33:25ZSpendaholicStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Spendaholic
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- /9215.html2010-05-07T08:33:23Z2010-05-07T08:33:23Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Spendaholic
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
I am 22 years old and I live in NYC. I am in some serious debt, which I have turned over to a debt consolidation company. I make a decent amount of money, however, I can't seem to keep it for more than a few hours. I end up spending my entire paycheck within the first day I have it....seriously. I am trying to find a support group in NYC, but am having no luck. I know I have a problem and I can't continue to live like this.
Donna
My Dad used to call it 'letting money burn a hole in your pocket'. Call it what you will, but it's a serious problem for some people. If you regularly spend all the money you have, you'll always be broke.
There are two main strategies that Donna can use. First, she can severely limit the amount of cash and credit that she has available for spending. Second, she can change the way that she relates to money.
Let's begin with the tools that will limit how much money Donna has at any time. If her employer offers it, she should use direct deposit. If that's not available, she'll need to deposit her entire check as soon as she receives it.
Donna should use payroll deductions to force savings. Otherwise, she's probably going to have trouble accumulating any. Deductions are also a good way to save for retirement. She might want to consider making regular monthly contributions to an IRA or mutual fund account.
It's foolish for Donna to carry much cash. She'll just be tempted to spend it. Before she leaves the house in the morning Donna should list the items that she expects to buy that day. Include everything. Even snacks and the daily paper. The idea is to only carry the cash she'll need and get in the habit of only making purchases that are on the list.
Donna has already seen what credit cards can do. They're meant to be convenient to use. And, that's the problem. It's easy to keep charging until she reaches her credit limit. Leave them at home unless they're needed for a planned purchase.
Once Donna limits the amount of cash and credit that's available, it's time to change the way that she relates to money.
She already recognizes that it's easier to reach your goal if other people are involved. Contacting a local social services agency could turn up a support group for spendaholics.
Another source of support is an 'accountability partner'. It could be a friend, relative or mentor. Someone who can be trusted. Donna would regularly report to the partner on how well she was doing. Sometimes just knowing that we'll have to confess our failures is enough to keep us from stumbling.
That partner can also be helpful when Donna does suffer a setback. And they will come. A compassionate partner can help dust us off and get us back on track.
If you can't find someone to hold you accountable, create a system to hold yourself accountable. It could be as simple as keeping track of the days that you stuck with the morning spending list.
Donna should also consider using a budget. It would put her on notice when she had already spent the money that she had allocated for entertainment, clothing or any other category.
Avoid the places that are most likely to trigger spending. Just as the alcoholic can't hang around bars, the spendaholic shouldn't go window shopping. It's like dancing with the devil. You're bound to get singed.
Use rewards and punishments to encourage good spending behavior. We all respond to appropriate rewards. Donna might find that she's never had the money for good seats at a Broadway show because the money is always gone. The idea is to pick something that had not been attainable under the old system and then reward yourself after an important goal has been met.
It will get easier the longer you persist. It's hard to break old habits. Especially if they contain some behavior that could be addictive. Remember that tomorrow will be easier than today. But you have to get through today first.
Donna has already taken the first two steps. She's recognized the problem and started to look for help in solving it. Hopefully she'll be successful in using some of the tools to take control of the situation and begin to build a new pattern of relating to money.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
TheDollarStretcher.com
and newsletters. You'll find hundreds of articles to help you stretch your day and your dollar! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:33:23ZTo Boycott or Not to Boycott, that is the questionStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/To-Boycott-or-Not-to-Boycott,-that-is-the-question
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- /9216.html2010-05-07T08:33:20Z2010-05-07T08:33:20Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>To Boycott or Not to Boycott, that is the question
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
In light of the recent arrests of illegal workers hired with the full knowledge of Wal-Mart, some have called for us to boycott their stores. Will you share your thoughts on this?
I understand that small time boycotts (a handful of people in each community) will never register with the powers of the world's largest retailer. I would like to do my part but where do I draw the line? I'm cost-conscious and my best grocery value is with consistent Wal-Mart shopping. However, if it's at the expense of someone's job am I being fair to pinch a few pennies?
Additionally, Wal-Mart is the only store in my area that sells general merchandise. If I want a spool of thread or a pair of pajamas, I have to drive 15 miles one-way if I don't shop at Wal-Mart.
There's a huge trickle-down effect. If our local Wal-Mart has declining sales, our county loses revenue and people lose jobs because our shopping will have to be done in the nearby city.
Ellie in Virginia
Ellie sure asks a big question. Let's begin by finding out a little about boycotts.
According to
BoycottCity.org
the practice began in Ireland and targeted a ruthless landlord named Boycott. All of his tenants were so upset that they refused to have anything to do with Boycott and his family. The practice came to the U.S. in support of labor movements. And in the 1960's it gained popularity as a political tool.
Over recent years you've seen more boycotts. That's because they appear to be working. However, you won't find many statistics because companies are reluctant to comment on boycotts and certainly don't want to admit that they work.
The purpose of a boycott is to get an organization to change because of an organized refusal to continue to do business with the company.
For example, Ellie feels that Wal-Mart shouldn't hire illegal aliens. Boycotters argue that an organized refusal to shop at Wal-Mart will cause them to stop the practice. Please note that I haven't studied what Wal-Mart's hiring policies are so I don't have a position on this particular boycott.
But I do believe that in a free market system it's fair to vote with your money by financially supporting businesses that you admire. Or to withhold your business from companies you disapprove of.
Now on to the question of whether Ellie should join this particular boycott. To decide, Ellie needs to consider how important the goal is to her, whether the boycott could help achieve that goal, whether her personal sacrifice is worthwhile compared to the goal and would an alternative strategy be better.
Ellie's goal appears to be to protect the jobs of American workers, primarily in her hometown.
Can a boycott help achieve that goal? Even though Wal-Mart may be the largest company in the world, yes, a boycott could be successful. But, as she points out, it would take a large number of boycotters to affect Wal-Mart's bottom line. So good leadership of the boycott is required.
One position for Ellie to consider is only shopping at her local Wal-Mart if that store meets her standards. Each store's sales and profit figures are measured separately. So it might be easier to affect a change in her local store. And, if her real concern is local jobs, then a national boycott might not be necessary.
Plus, it is possible that boycotting the local Wal-Mart could cause them to lay-off her neighbors. For every job saved, the boycotters could cost two or three.
Now for the toughest question. Is the goal worthy of the sacrifice? If she abandons Wal-Mart that means driving further to buy household items. No big deal if she visits the city regularly. But it's a different situation if her car is troublesome and she rarely leaves home.
Or the difference in costs. For Ellie paying a little extra may be no big deal. But for a family just barely to pay the rent, those pennies might mean missing a meal.
Plus the poorer family probably spends less in Wal-Mart when they do shop. So the wealthier family will have a greater impact on Wal-Mart even if their sacrifice is less.
Finally, Ellie should consider the alternatives. A visit to the local store manager could reveal that the store isn't hiring illegal aliens. Or she might want to ask if the local paper would do an investigative piece on Wal-Mart's hiring practices. Another option would be to continue to shop at Wal-Mart, but to set aside the money saved for a contribution to the local food bank. In most cases it's wise to exhaust other options before resorting to a boycott.
Boycott issues aren't often easy. You can't mathematically calculate the 'right' answer. So the bottom line is usually a decision about what is important to you. And that's a question that only Ellie can answer.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner and purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
thedollarstretcher.com
and newsletters. You'll find thousands of time and money saving articles. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:33:20ZA Painful Grocery BillStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/A-Painful-Grocery-Bill
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- /9217.html2010-05-07T08:33:18Z2010-05-07T08:33:18Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>A Painful Grocery Bill
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
My husband and I live alone. My mom comes over for dinner andbreakfast three days per week, and I send her lunches for worktwo nights a week. We are spending over $400 a week forgroceries. I am not buying extravagant things, and I reallydon't buy a lot of "junk" food. Where on earth are we goingwrong? Couldsomeone explain this to me? I feel like we are beyond help.What are we doing wrong?
Diane O.
Diane asks a great question. Groceries are the largestcategory of spending that we can affect without making majorlifestyle changes.
According to the U.S. Statistical Abstract for 2002, thetypical family of three spends $6,093 on food each year. Andthat includes $2,407 for food eaten away from home. So Diane'stotal is significantly above the norm.
But, as Diane points out, everyone doesn't include the samethings in their grocery bill. The Abstract shows typicalspending of $553 for "housekeeping supplies," $693 for"personal care products and services" and $399 for "tobaccoproducts." Those are not included in the $6,093.
In fact, nine items (laundry detergent, peanut butter, fabricsoftener, toilet tissue, diapers, coffee, toothpaste, papertowels, shampoo) will account for $17 billion in annual sales.With the exception of peanut butter and coffee, none of theseitems are "food" items. Other bill boosters are pet food andliquor products. And don't forget greeting cards and videorentals!
Many people buy non-food items at the grocery store. And eventhink of them as part of their grocery budget. With the riseof "supercenters," more people are combining their groceryshopping with their "other" shopping. Often it is moreconvenient to buy everything in one stop. But it's often notthe cheapest solution.
If Diane wants to control her grocery spending, it's probablynot going to be helpful to compare her bill to her neighbor's.Every family situation is different. And some families areeven able to grow or raise their own food.
A better way to reduce her bill is to study her own habits andsee where changes could save money.
Start by analyzing your receipt. What items are the mostexpensive? Work on them first. Can they be eliminatedentirely? If not, are there lower cost alternatives?
Buying junk food is not the only thing that can drive up yourgrocery bill. Your diet also makes a big difference.Vegetables and starches cost less than meat. A diet heavy inmeat will be more expensive. Likewise low calorie, low sugar,low salt foods will add heft to your bill.
For instance, according to the Organic Trade Association,consumers are willing to pay up to 25% more for organics thanthey would for non-organic equivalents. Some consumers willpay up to 100% more.
The grocery store is often not the best place to buy thosespecialty items. If you buy them often, look for more direct,lower cost alternative sources.
Another grocery bill booster is our desire for convenience.Most of us are short on time. Grocers see this as anopportunity to increase their profits.
Most are offering "everything-in-one-box" type of meals.Others are experimenting with a menu plan. A portion of thestore is stocked to allow the shopper to buy everything theyneed for a specific meal on one shelf. In either case, theconsumer pays for the convenience of not planning their ownmeals and buying pre-measured ingredients.
While you're waiting in line, take a look at your grocerycart. How much prepared food is in the cart? You may not havetime to clean carrots. But you will pay extra for the littleprepared ones. If you know the difference in price, you canmake an intelligent decision whether to save your time or yourmoney.
Finally, Diane needs to be able to compare prices so that shecan identify and stock-up when she finds a true bargain. Thebest tool for this is a price book. It's simply a listing ofitems that she commonly buys and the lowest price(s) for eachitem. That will help her identify the true sales. Shoppers whouse a price book regularly claim to save up to 20%.
Diane will probably never get her bill down to $130 per month.But if she works at it, a lower bill is possible without asignificant impact on her lifestyle.
Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who currentlypublishes The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.stretcher.com
andnewsletters:
www.stretcher.com/menu/subscrib.cfm
copyright2003 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:33:18ZMoving on a Dime: Save Money, Save Time, Save Your SanityStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Moving-on-a-Dime:-Save-Money,-Save-Time,-Save-Your-Sanity
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- /9218.html2010-05-07T08:33:16Z2010-05-07T08:33:16Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Moving on a Dime: Save Money, Save Time, Save Your Sanity
by Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam
www.notjustbeans.com
Have you ever been so stressed out moving that you wondered if the easiest way to pack was to get a gallon of gasoline and a box of matches? Moving can be a stressful time for everyone involved, but don#146;t make it more stressful than it needs to be. Just getting started is the hardest part. Here are few tips to point you in the right direction.
ORDER IN WHICH TO START PACKING
Start with things you don#146;t use every day.
Memories - Grandma#146;s dishes, quilts, old books, Bibles, childhood toys and photos
Garage items - Christmas and Holiday decorations, camping equipment and things in storage
Things stored in closets that aren#146;t used often and out of season clothes
Knick-knacks, pictures, mirrors and wall hangings
Seasonal dishes, canning equipment, roasting pans, good china, good silverware, large serving platters
Unnecessary CD#146;s, DVD#146;s and video tapes.
Sewing room and craft items.
Home office - Pack as much as possible except bills that need to be paid. Leave office boxes open and tape them closed at the last minute before moving just in case you need something out of them.
Children#146;s toys and games - Pack most of the toys they don#146;t play with regularly.
One week before moving - Pack all unnecessary kitchen items, clothes and linens (except what you need for one week).
Tips to pain free packing:
Don't leave empty spaces. Here are some examples of how you might use all available space:
I fill my china cabinet with light weight soft things like stuffed animals, balls of yarn, quilts, artificial flowers and greenery.
If you will be moving your refrigerator or washer or dryer, fill it with pillows, wicker baskets or plastic items from the kitchen.
Fill clothes hampers with bathroom items. If you have a lamp that needs special protection, wrap it carefully in towels and place it in a clothes hamper.
Fill up even small items like plastic pitchers with kitchen utensils or kitchen knick-knacks.
I clean out a large outside trash can and use it to pack my hoses, small pots and gardening tools. If I#146;m not sure if I should keep something, I allow myself to take it if I can fit it in that one trash can. My son-in-law says it is one step closer to the curb that way.
Don't pack glass, porcelain or ceramic containers with loose items in them that could break them. Canning jars filled with marbles or baby food jars filled with nuts and bolts are recipes for disaster.
Pack heavy things such as books in small boxes.
Don't pack things like photos, videotapes, cd's, candles, plants or pets (especially pets!!!) where heat or cold can get to them. Don't think any of those things will be safe and protected in a car or truck overnight. If it gets cold, they will freeze. Also plants left in a hot car will not be safe because the heat will kill them. When transporting plants in a car, protect them from direct sunlight with a covering of newspaper because the sun will fry houseplants.
Pack kids#146; rooms last. They need the security of having their room the same for as long as possible. Be sure to put their favorite items in the car such a blanket, stuffed animal or books.
Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are the authors of Moving on a Dime: Save Money, Save Time, Save Your Sanity. To order Moving on a Dime and for more free money saving tips visit our web site at
www.notjustbeans.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:33:16ZSmallest Bill? Or Highest Rate?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Smallest-Bill-Or-Highest-Rate
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- /9219.html2010-05-07T08:33:13Z2010-05-07T08:33:13Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Smallest Bill? Or Highest Rate?
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
My husband and I have accumulated some credit card debt, a personal loan from my mom, and a home equity line of credit. Recently getting married, purchasing our first home, and some medical bills have really put a hurting on our budget. Some advice that I have read says that one should pay off the debt with the highest interest rate first. Other advice says to pay off the smallest debt first and work my way up the debt ladder. Which one is the most effective in our situation?
Amy
According to the Federal Reserve currently there is over $1.7 trillion in consumer debt. So an awful lot of people are facing the very same choice. So let's see if we can figure out what would work best for Amy.
Paying the debt with the highest interest rate will reduce the total debt quicker. The reason is clear. The higher the interest rate, the more interest is added to the balance you owe each month.
Suppose you owed money on two different accounts. The first account charges 5% interest. Paying off $1,000 would save Amy $4.17 per month in interest expense ($1,000 times 0.05 divided by 12 months).
Now suppose the second account charges 10% interest. Paying off $1,000 would save $8.33 per month. Clearly, she'll save more, and reduce her balance quicker, if she pays off the account the highest interest rate.
But, there is a risk to this strategy. It might take Amy quite awhile to pay the entire balance of the account with the highest interest. And, after 6 or 8 months of trying she might get discouraged and be tempted to give up if she's still writing a check to them each month.
Let's face it. Some people are more determined than others. And some of us need immediate feedback or gratification.
One way to get that positive feedback is to have an account disappear because it's be entirely paid off. The fact that it's the account with the smallest balance doesn't matter.
What's best for Amy? Paying off the highest rate of interest first is the most efficient answer. But depending on Amy's personality, paying off the one with the smallest balance might be the best answer.
Before she decides, there are other ways to get positive feedback as you pay down debts. One simple way is to watch your total indebtedness drop each month. Just list the balance on all your accounts and add them up. Then compare the totals after a few months. Notice how the mountain of debt is getting a little smaller. If Amy is into visuals, she could keep a running graph of the total.
Another way to encourage yourself is to watch the amount of interest owed drop each month. Remember that the interest you owe each month doesn't buy you anything. It's the price you pay for borrowing the money some time in the past.
Just list the interest charged by all of your accounts and total it. Again, compare it to the total from a few months ago. If the total amount owed is going down, so should the amount of interest that you pay each month.
Watching her balances drop might not be enough for Amy. She might be one of those people who won't feel successful until she's writing fewer checks each month. If that's the case she should pay off the smallest account first so she feels like she's making progress.
Amy will probably find that her most expensive debt is on credit cards. The least expensive will be her mortgage. If she's sure that they don't have a problem with uncontrolled spending, they might even want to use a home equity loan to pay off some higher interest debt. But only if they're not "spendaholics".
One other strategy would be to pay off one or two of the small accounts to get started. Once Amy is past the point of needing encouragement she can shift to paying more on the accounts with the highest interest.
Finally, it's more important that Amy starts now than which account she pays first. Each month she delays all of the accounts add to the interest owed. The hole gets a little deeper. It's better to pay off low interest debt, than no debt at all.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.stretcher.com
You'll find thousands of articles to help you stretch your day and your dollar. Visit Today! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:33:13ZTackling Back-To-School ExpensesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Tackling-Back-To-School-Expenses
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- /9220.html2010-05-07T08:33:11Z2010-05-07T08:33:11Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Tackling Back-To-School Expenses
Homebodies
www.homebodies.org
By Cheryl Gochnauer
Copyright 2003
Just when I#146;d settled into my summertime routine, the ads started blaring: #147;The first day of school is right around the corner!#148; According to local retailers, it#146;s time to hit the stores in search of the perfect everything. In the face of this media blitz, my one-income budget demands a clear head and a bit of creativity as I begin gathering true essentials for the coming school year.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES. Thanks to discount stores like Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Target, school supplies aren#146;t too scary. Since everybody needs them, competition is fierce. They#146;re practically giving away glue, markers and folders, hoping that you#146;ll pick up a backpack or two while you#146;re there. Resist the impulse and recycle last year#146;s more expensive items whenever possible. Use coupons and bring competitor#146;s fliers for price matching. Keep your eyes open for rebates, which are very common this time of year.
CLOTHES, COATS AND SHOES. Hopefully you remembered to purchase the kids#146; fall and winter coats last spring at the 70 percent-off sales. If not, it#146;s not too late to scour neighborhood garage sales in search of a gently-used jacket. Since jeans are the uniform of choice for most students, watch sales. Recently I spotted flares at Wal-Mart for my 5th grader - $15 jeans marked down to $10, then $7, then $3 each. I grabbed five pair and headed to the registers, where they rang up at ONE DOLLAR EACH. (God bless Sam Walton!)
EXTRACURRICULARS. There#146;s not much lee-way in dodging sports and band fees, but you may be able to save on the uniforms and instruments. Check the classifieds for second-hand items. Email friends and classmates to see if anyone has something you need for sale. Ask coaches and tutors for leads on used equipment. If there#146;s a good chance your child will be on the same team next year, allow some growing room. Buy a little big; there#146;s a good chance that soccer or cheerleading outfit will work for two seasons instead of one.
FUNDRAISERS. Most schools kick off with some type of fundraiser. Parents, I hear those groans! But don#146;t turn away every kid who knocks on your door, because they might be peddling something that benefits YOU as much as their sports or drama team. I#146;m talking about those Entertainment and Gold Coupon books (and their many clones). I love these buy-one, get-one-free deals. They allow me to splurge on a night out or fun fest #150; at half-price. The books usually pay for themselves the first time I use them.
Hint: Think through fundraisers before pitching products to your neighbors. To offset cheerleading costs, I bought 20 fundraising coupon books at $1 each #150; which my daughter was then supposed to sell for $5 apiece. (She would pocket the extra $4 per book, clearing a total of $80.)
But each book #150; which offered discounts at my favorite grocery store #150; included a #147;$5 off the total purchase#148; coupon, along with another $50 or so in additional savings. Since I shop at that store every week, I gave my daughter $80 toward her uniform, kept the books and used the coupons myself.
The $5-off coupons alone saved me $100, plus I saved hundreds more with the remaining coupons in the 20 books. Next year, I#146;ll buy FORTY books and double this year#146;s savings!
MORE QUICK TIPS:
If your kids don#146;t take the bus to school, carpool with other families. (That goes for before and after school practices, too.)
Most days, have children take lunches instead of buying at the cafeteria.
Get required vaccinations through your local county health department, where shots are often offered at a discount or free.
If you#146;re paying tuition, work part-time or substitute at the school to offset expenses. (It#146;ll make it easy to pop in on their class parties or keep an eye on your teen, too!)
Comments? Email
Cheryl@homebodies.org
or visit
www.homebodies.org
to read more articles relating to at-home parenting. Copyright 2003 Cheryl Gochnauer. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:33:11ZHow 'Charge Offs' Effect YouStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/How-Charge-Offs-Effect-You
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- /9221.html2010-05-07T08:33:08Z2010-05-07T08:33:08Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>How 'Charge Offs' Effect You
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Can you describe or define what the term "charge off" means concerning credit cards and credit reports? I am seeing it quite often and do not quite understand what it signifies.
Thanks for your help.
Patty
Louisiana
Patty's right. You are seeing the term "charge off" more frequently. That's because about 1% of all credit card debt is ultimately charged off. And, whether you struggle to make credit card payments or you have a perfect credit history, charge offs will effect your finances.
Let's begin by finding out what a charge off really is. Wachovia Bank offered a good definition on their website:
wachovia.com
: "The removal of an account from a credit card issuer's books as an asset after it has been delinquent for a period of time, usually 180 days. When an account is charged off, the credit card issuer absorbs the outstanding balance as a loss."
For those of you who don't speak 'financialese' that means that a 'charge off' or 'write off' is really just an accounting entry. The lender is saying that they don't expect to collect the debt and are not willing to claim it as an asset of the company any longer.
But it will not affect whether the borrower still owes the money. A charge off does not free you from the debt. Think of it this way. Suppose you borrowed $100 from Joe. After a year passes he doesn't really expect to get his money back. Mentally he's 'written off' the loan. He doesn't believe that your IOU has value any more. But, that doesn't mean that you don't still owe Joe $100. You do.
In fact, in the world of credit card debt it's possible that it will be harder to avoid paying the debt after it has been written off. That's because the original lender often sells those debts to a third party when they write them off. And the third party, often a collection agency, gets to keep any money that they collect. So they will work very hard to collect as much as they can. Even if that means using questionable pressure tactics.
Note that it's the lender who gets to decide whether to write-off a debt as being uncorrectable. You may have lost your job six months ago and not made a payment since. But you really plan on making one next month. That doesn't prevent the lender from writing off the debt.
On the other hand, in approximately 50% of the cases charge offs occur when a borrower declares bankruptcy. Between one and 1.5 million people declare bankruptcy each year. Their bankruptcy triggers the charge off.
So what happens to your credit rating when your card balance is written off? Thirty-five percent of your credit score is based on past payment history. A 'charge off' is about the worst mark that you can get on your credit report. It says you are someone with a history of not paying their debts.
And you don't need a charge off to be penalized. If you struggle to make your minimum payment, the fear of a write off will cause the credit card company to raise your interest rate. Based on a borrower's payment history they can predict when someone is becoming a high risk. When that happens they'll increase the interest rates on the account very quickly. That costs you more money every month.
OK, what happens if you always pay your bills on time? Unfortunately, you're still effected by charge offs. The credit card companies expect that some loans will not be repaid. So in an effort to stay profitable, they have to charge everyone a little higher interest rate to make up for the losses. So everyone who uses a charge card makes some small contribution.
One final issue. If you do have a charge off on your record you might want to consider repaying the debt if you have the money. Negative remarks will be stay on your report for 7 years. You may be able to negotiate a deal where you pay the debt and the lender changes the status of the account to "Paid as Agreed". If you attempt to do this, make sure that you get the agreement in writing.
Thanks to Patty for a good question!
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.stretcher.com
and ezines. You'll find thousands of articles to help you save time and money. copyright 2003 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:33:08ZHealthier First Birthday Cake IdeasStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Healthier-First-Birthday-Cake-Ideas
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- /9222.html2010-05-07T08:33:06Z2010-05-07T08:33:06Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Healthier First Birthday Cake Ideas
By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
www.FreshBaby.com
Parents are often looking for a healthy alternative to the standard, sugary, preservative-filled birthday cake for their baby's introduction to the wonderful traditions of birthdays. We've heard from parents looking for ways to buy an egg-free cake, to those seeking recipes for "healthy" cakes, or even whether to make/buy two cakes (one for Baby, one for adults).
To answer the last question first - there is no reason to create extra work for yourself, make or buy one cake, relax and congratulate yourself for making it through the first year! Most people will be gracious guests and enjoy whatever is served. And let's not lose sight of the real reason for the birthday cake - THE PHOTO. We do it all for the precious scrapbook shot of your cake-faced little one delighting in being the life of the party!
Here are some ideas that keep the tradition of the birthday cake treat, but add some healthy twists (you can use these ideas for any age!):
Egg-free: If your baby has not been introduced to whole eggs by their first birthday, this is probably not the occasion to give them a try. Many egg substitutes contain eggs, so to be safe, look for cake and frosting mixes labeled "vegan" which are free of all animal products. You'll need to go to a health food store to find these products. Or jump on the Internet, Vegan Baker is one company that offers cake and frosting mixes. If baking is not for you, many urban cities also have vegan bakeries too - check the Yellow Pages or ask someone at a vegetarian restaurant.
Healthier cake flavors: If you decided on a traditional layer cake or cupcakes, there are healthier cakes choices over the standard white or chocolate layer cake varieties. Some cake flavors to consider include banana cake, applesauce cake or carrot cake. Cakes than contain fruit usually have less sugar. Made from scratch, a mix or from a bakery, they are a step up on the healthy scale.
Frosting: You must have frosting for the photo! Healthier frosting choices can include organic yogurt thickened with cream cheese or a traditional cream cheese frosting. The ultimate substitute for sugar-laden buttercream is whipped cream. Homemade whipped cream is pretty simple to make and just a couple tablespoons of sugar will sweeten it.
Homemade Whipped Cream
1 cup of heavy cream
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Directions: Chill the heavy cream for 24 hours in your refrigerator. Pour heavy cream in a chilled, large, deep bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the cream on high until it thickens. Add the vanilla and sugar, and continue beating until soft peaks form. To test the whipped cream, stop the mixer and pull up the beaters, if the cream forms little mountains that stand up, then the whipped cream is done. Makes 2 cups and must be refrigerated.
Forego the frosting: You don't really need frosting to have a good time. Make an applesauce cake and dust it with powdered sugar. To jazz up the look, make or buy a stencil and lay it on the top of the cake. Using powdered sugar and a sifter, dust the top of the cake. Carefully remove the stencil - Viola! An impressive presentation and low in sugar too!
Go for cool: While a Mississippi Mud Pie is not a healthy ice cream choice, you can make or buy a frozen yogurt cake. Many ice cream shops also have wonderful choices in fruit sorbets too. A cake made with frozen vanilla yogurt and mango sorbet is a great treat for all ages.
About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby. Creators of products that include the So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats; Fresh Baby offers parents convenient and practical support in raising healthy children. Visit them online at
www.FreshBaby.com
and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits! Fresh Baby products are available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target, Wild Oats, and Whole Foods Markets. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:33:06ZQuit My 401k?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Quit-My-401k
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- /9223.html2010-05-07T08:33:04Z2010-05-07T08:33:04Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Quit My 401k?
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Gary,
Like a lot of people, I'm not happy with the way my 401k plan is doing right now. I have not lost a great deal of money like some my friends have. However, I have been wondering if I should pull out of it right now and then maybe later start up on the plan again. I have a friend who decided that he was just wasting too much money by investing in the 401k that he stopped contributing to it. The way the economy is going right now I might better off to keep what I make and even though I would have to pay taxes on it, at least I would still have some left over. What do you think?
Ruben in Florida
Ruben is not alone. Most everyone with a 401k plan invested in the stock market has suffered some decline in the value of their account. So it's only natural to wonder if it's wise to continue contributing to an account that seems to keep losing money.
Ruben is really asking three questions. Should he take all of his money out of the account? If not, should he continue to contribute? And, is there some way to improve the performance?
Before we begin, let's make sure that everyone understands that a 401k plan is an account that allows workers to contribute to their own retirement plan. The money that they contribute is deducted from their pay and is not taxed as ordinary income. Many employers match a portion of the employee's contribution. The combination of tax advantages and employer matches allows money to be saved much more rapidly than would otherwise occur.
Now for the first question. Should Ruben close his account. There are exceptions, but for most people who are still working closing out their 401k plan would be a bad idea.
Withdrawing before you reach age 59 1/2 is expensive. Not only will Ruben have to pay a 10% penalty, but all pre-tax contributions will be added to his income to be taxed. So, depending on his tax bracket, Ruben could see one quarter or more of his 401k go to the government. A much bigger loss than any likely stock market drop.
The money withdrawn will need to be invested somewhere. For the most part he'll end up with the same investment vehicles (stocks, bond, CD's, annuities, money funds) as inside the plan. They won't perform any better outside of the 401k than they did before. In fact, they'll grow more slowly since interest, dividends and capital gains are subject to taxes each year.So Ruben shouldn't sell out. Should he continue to contribute?
John Bogle was one of the pioneers of the mutual fund industry. In his book "Commonsense on Mutual Funds" he studied returns based on the Standard Poor's Composite Index. From 1927 to 1997 the return over any 10-year period averaged 10.3%. The only negative 10-year return was for the period beginning in 1930 and that produced a -0.8% result.
What's the message for us? That unless you'll need the money soon, it should be worth more if you leave it invested. Time is the best friend an investor or saver has.
A 401k plan is designed to take advantage of time and also of an investment strategy called dollar cost averaging. That's where you invest the same amount of money regularly. You'll actually accumulate more money if stock prices drop periodically. That's true because your regular investment buys more shares when prices are lower. So market dips are a great time to buy.
Selling now would be an emotional response. Professional investors will tell you that emotions are dangerous to your financial well-being.
Also, unless Ruben's a very disciplined person the money that had been going into the 401k will simply disappear. Adding that money to his take-home pay is an invitation to spend it.
Can Ruben improve the performance of his account? Although the 401k's do limit your investment options, he does have some choices.
When the stock market was roaring many people liked to brag how well their stock picks were doing. But, that's not the purpose of your 401k plan. Your goal is to gradually increase wealth over a longer time frame so that it's available at your retirement.
His best strategy will include a mixture of investments. Ruben might want to study something called "asset allocation".
It's understandable that Ruben is concerned with his 401k plan. But bailing out is probably the wrong answer.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher :
www.stretcher.com
website and ezines:
subscribe@stretcher.com
copyright 2003 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:33:04ZPersonal Loan After BankruptcyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Personal-Loan-After-Bankruptcy
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- /9224.html2010-05-07T08:33:01Z2010-05-07T08:33:01Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Personal Loan After Bankruptcy
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
I've filed bankruptcy about a year ago. I understand that a secured credit card would help to re-establish my credit. What I want to know though is that even if I've filed bankruptcy, is it possible for me to obtain a personal loan? If so, do you know of any establishments that would offer loans to someone who has filed bankruptcy?
Thank you,
Vi
With about 1.6 million personal bankruptcies occurring in the last year Vi has company. And, in a society where the availability of consumer debt is assumed, she's got a real problem.
Before we get into specifics, let's learn a little about credit and debt. The first known use of credit was about 3,000 years ago in Assyria, Babylon and Egypt.
It appears that debt came to American with the Pilgrims. They consolidated their debts in London and made four installment payments.
Store credit was common all the way back in colonial times and has been popular throughout our nation's history. Many items, including sewing machines and vacuum cleaners, were introduced into our homes on the installment plan.
The first credit card came out in 1951 and was only good at 27 New York restaurants. Once the magnetic strip was introduced in the early 1970's the use of credit cards skyrocketed.
But, having all the credit available has a dark side. Some people take on too much debt and have trouble repaying their loans. Thus the need for bankruptcy protection. Our current bankruptcy law was passed in 1978 and amended in 1984.
We've come a long ways from the debtor's prisons that existed until the early-1800's. Yet, even today you can land in jail for committing debts of fraud and child support.
With a few exceptions (student loans, child support and alimony), bankruptcy wipes out all debts. That's the good news.
But, as Vi's found out, the bad news is that a bankruptcy is the worst thing that you can have on your credit report. Depending on the circumstances it can remain there for up to 10 years.
So where does that leave Vi. She's looking for a personal loan. Hyperdictionary.com defines a personal loan as "a loan that establishes consumer credit that is granted for personal use; usually unsecured and based on the borrower's integrity and ability to pay".
So the lender doesn't have anything to repossess. Just Vi's promise that she'll repay the loan. And by declaring bankruptcy before, she's already demonstrated that she's willing to walk away from her debts.
Can Vi find someone who will give her a personal loan? Yes, possibly she can. But unless she borrows from a friend or relative, she can expect to pay much higher rates than someone with an average credit report.
Where would Vi find a loan? She might want to try online using a search for "subprime personal loan". Or look for a business that offers 'payday loans' or 'signature loans' locally.
But a better question for Vi to ask is should she take the loan if she can find it. And the answer in almost all situations is no. First, she'll be paying very high interest rates on the money she borrows. That means that she can't afford to borrow except for a very short period of time.
Second, it makes it harder to repair her credit rating. As she pointed out, she needs to get a secured card to begin the rebuilding process. A secured card will require her to save money first and then deposit it on account.
A personal loan with a high rate of interest will make it impossible for her to save the money needed to obtain a secured card. That means she's going backwards.
Vi didn't say why she wanted the personal loan. But unless it's absolutely vital, she'll be better off avoiding a personal loan at this time. That probably means not buying something that she really wants or may even feel that she needs. And, that's hard. But given her circumstances, borrowing money today could make the future just that much harder. Which is probably something that Vi really doesn't need.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.stretcher.com
You'll find the web's largest collection of free time and money saving articles. Visit today!Staff2010-05-07T08:33:01ZAffording a First HomeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Affording-a-First-Home
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- /9225.html2010-05-07T08:32:58Z2010-05-07T08:32:58Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Affording a First Home
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Can you help me? My husband and I would like to buy our own home to live in. How do we know if we can afford one or not?
Thanks,
Donna
Donna's smart! It's always better to find out if you can afford something before you begin seriously shopping. And with low mortgage rates and home prices going up, many people are wondering if they should buy their first home now.
So how does Donna determine if they can afford to buy? Answers to a couple of questions can help them decide. First, do they have enough savings to get into a home? Second, can they afford the regular, ongoing monthly expenses.
Let's begin with the first question. How much would it take for them to get into a home? Affording a home means more than having enough cash for a down-payment. Initially Donna will need enough savings to cover a down-payment, the closing costs and some initial expenses like utility deposits.
She'll also need some cash for some of the expenses that come with a first home. Things like a lawnmower, ladder and basic lawn implements. Homecenters love first-time homeowners!
Naturally, the down-payment is the biggest item. It usually runs from 5% to 20% of the price of the home. You can even find some deals with 100% financing, but Donna can expect to pay higher interest rate if her down-payment is lower. She probably should plan for about 10%.
Many mortgages have fees or "points" associated with them. It's not unusual for that to add 2% to the amount that she'd need at closing.
Closing costs vary by locale and by what you negotiate in the contract. She can use 3% as a guesstimate, but that could be off by as much as 2% depending on the circumstances of her contract. Some places customarily allocate more expenses to the buyer than other places. Donna should ask someone in the real estate industry what costs are typically paid by the buyer in her area.
A few quick calls to the utility companies should give Donna an idea of any deposits or set-up charges that will be required.
Once Donna has determined if they have enough money to get into a house, she'll need to figure out if they can afford to hang onto it.
Most experts say that housing expenses shouldn't exceed 35% of your after-tax, spendable income. Donna can calculate her annual after tax income using her payroll check information. In fact, unless she got a large IRS refund or had to write a large check last April, she probably can use the net figure from her paycheck. All she needs to do is to figure out how many paychecks she'll get in a year and then multiply her after-tax pay by that number.
Another benchmark that some advisers use is to total all debts and then compare that to income. The reason is simple. The part of her paycheck that Donna has already committed to car payments or credit card minimums is not available to pay the mortgage. Typically experts suggest keeping total debt payments to less than 40% of Donna's income. If her estimate of a mortgage added to her existing payments exceeds 40%, she might be wise to try to pay down some debt before she begins house hunting.
There's another more accurate way to gauge Donna's ability to handle the monthly expenses. That's to create a "make believe" budget that included a house payment. She would take her current budget and just replace her renter's expenses with the mortgage payment and other homeowner's expenses. Don't forget to include taxes, insurance and some money each month for home repairs.
If Donna is close but can't quite get the numbers to work, she could check out some lower cost alternatives. Foreclosures or "handyman's specials" could offer an opportunity. She might also want to consider buying a duplex and renting one side while living in the other.
Finally, if she does decide to buy, Donna will want to check her credit report before she begins shopping. That will give her an idea of how she'll look to a mortgage company. A FICO score of over 700 should put her in good shape. She'll be able to find a mortgage with a score in the 600's or even 500's, but the interest rate will be higher.
She should also check her credit report for errors. About 25% of all credit reports contain an error significant enough to effect the interest rate on a mortgage. If Donna finds an error she'll want to get it corrected before she begins shopping for a home or a mortgage.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.stretcher.com
and newsletters:
subscribe@stretcher.com
copyright 2003 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:32:58ZA Dozen Cheap Thrills: Family Entertainment on a BudgetStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/A-Dozen-Cheap-Thrills:-Family-Entertainment-on-a-Budget
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- /9226.html2010-05-07T08:32:56Z2010-05-07T08:32:56Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>A Dozen Cheap Thrills: Family Entertainment on a Budget
Copyright Deborah Taylor-Hough
Used with permission on DrLaura.com. All rights reserved.
hometown.aol.com/dsimple/
Frugal living and family entertainment often feel like termson the opposite end of the spending spectrum. But ifmoney's tight, it's important to plan some fun into thosesunny weekends and summer vacation, otherwise lifecan get a bit dull and frugal living can seem more like astraight-jacket rather than a means to help you reachyour financial goals.
Here are a few simple ways to save a few pennies oncommon entertainment expenses:
Be patient and wait to see new movies on video. Somecommunities even offer free video rentals at local librariesand will order new movies if library patrons request a certaintitle.
Check to see if there are any discount movie theaters inyour area. Most of these places show movies just beforethey're released to video. A family of four can go out foran evening at the movies and only spend around $10 fora fun family outing. Keep a list of movies you want tosee, and then check the discount theater listings eachweek. These theaters often keep the movies for justone or two weeks, so stay alert to what's playing.
Go to the first show of the day at first-run theaters forthe best prices (and shortest lines!).
Check your area for free days at museums, zoos, etc.
Rather than buying separate admissions to differenteducational or fun family destinations, buy one yearlyfamily pass to either the zoo, the aquarium, or a themepark. Go repeatedly to that one place each time youwant a family outing. You will easily save the cost ofthe family admission, plus you'll have the benefit of notfeeling pressured to see everything in one day. Youcan always see what you missed the next time youcome. Next year, buy a pass somewhere else.
Check for free concerts, plays, and other live familyentertainment in local parks.
Call and find out if your local college stage productiongroup, ballet or orchestra will let you watch them rehearsefor free.
If you want to eat at an expensive restaurant, go forlunch rather than dinner. The menu is usually the same,but the prices are often half.
When dining out, drink water only. Ask for a lemonor lime wedge if you want to make your drink seemspecial. This trick can easily cut $10 off your family'stotal dining bill, which could mean the difference betweengoing out for a fun meal or staying home eating frozenegg rolls again.
Go fly a kite. Literally!
Make the most of any available student discounts.Show your child's school ID at museums, zoos, galleries,theaters, etc.
Instead of an expensive day of professional sports,go to a high school or community college game.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
--Deborah Taylor-Hough (wife and mother of three) is theauthor of
'Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eatfor a Month'
and the newly released,
'Frugal Living ForDummies(r)'
(Wiley, 2003). Visit Debi online for morearticles and tips at:
hometown.aol.com/dsimple/Staff2010-05-07T08:32:56ZDivorced Stay-at-Home MomStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Divorced-Stay-at-Home-Mom
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- /9227.html2010-05-07T08:32:53Z2010-05-07T08:32:53Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Divorced Stay-at-Home Mom
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Gary,
Do you think it is realistically possible for a divorced, single Mom of a 15, 12, and 6-year old to stay home with her children? I do not have a profitable skill, a degree or money in the bank. All I know is that a tired, stressed-out mother is not what I want for my kids. They deserve more of me.
I currently hold a temporary job that has lasted over a year so far. It covers the monthly expenses, including car payments for a pre-owned car I just purchased this past November. Their Dad kicks in his share, but not enough for us to live on alone. Any suggestions?
Sue
Sue has plenty of company. Over 1 million couples get divorced each year and roughly one third of all families are headed by a single parent. According to Raise the Nation, an advocacy group, there are over 13 million single parent households raising 20 million children. They also estimate that only 1/4 receive full child-support.
So is it possible to Sue to get by financially without working? Probably not. Studies indicate that financial problems are one of the biggest hurdles for single parents. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics nearly one half of all single mothers have more than one job. Talk about stress!
With a little work Sue can determine whether it's possible to survive without a job. If she doesn't already have a budget, she'll need to create one. Having a budget is a good idea whether she tries to stay-at-home or not. It's important to know how much income you have and where it's going. And Sue's stress level will go down once she knows that her expenses don't exceed her income.
The next step is to adjust her budget as if she wasn't working any more. How much income would she lose? And, how many of her expenses could she reduce if she were staying at home? The exercise isn't exact, but it will give her a pretty good idea of whether there's any possibility of staying home. Chances are that she'll find that staying home isn't financially feasible.
But Sue shouldn't give up if she can't stay home. There are other ways to reduce stress.
The first step is to guard against depression. A divorced person is three times more likely to suffer from depression. Fortunately, doctors are better at identifying and treating depression than in previous generations.
A single parent must stay organized. There simply isn't time to look for lost keys. There are many resources that can show you how to get things under control. Organization can bring a sense of serenity to a home.
Train your children to help. Even preschoolers can learn their colors by helping to sort laundry. You're not cheating them by teaching them to cook and clean. In fact, you're preparing them for adulthood. And, sharing tasks is often the real quality time that they'll remember years later.
Also remember that children aren't damaged because they don't have everything that their friends have. Despite what the advertisers or your kids say.
Sue will be well served by spending time with other adults. A lack of adult friends breeds depression, fatigue and fear.
A mentor could be valuable to Sue. Someone who has been a single parent and knows the challenges.
Same thing with a good friend. Knowing someone in similar circumstances puts your own situation into perspective. Being able to help them, and be helped by them can be beneficial, too. And don't limit the friendship to talking. Cooking an extra meatloaf to share with your friend will relieve their mealtime stress one day!
If Sue finds that she's still overwhelmed, she might want to consider sharing housing with another single mother and her children. By sharing cooking, cleaning and shopping chores the two mothers regain some of the advantages of a two parent home.
Finally an editorial comment. In recent decades people have laughed at the notion of 'staying together for the children'. After hearing of the struggles of single parents like Sue maybe it's time to reconsider the idea. That isn't to say that people should stay in an abusive relationship. But perhaps trying to tolerate a troubled marriage is less painful and takes less effort than trying to raise children alone after a divorce.
Hopefully Sue will find the resources to live comfortably and enjoy the years she spends raising her children.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com
and newsletters
subscribe@stretcher.com
Copyright 2003 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. all rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:32:53ZUsing ROI (Return On Investment) at HomeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Using-ROI-Return-On-Investment-at-Home
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- /9228.html2010-05-07T08:32:51Z2010-05-07T08:32:51Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Using ROI (Return On Investment) at Home
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Gary,
I once read about using ROI to determine whether a certain purchase was saving time, energy, or money. Could you write up a story with the ROI formula and how to use it?
Wendy
Wendy has a good idea. Adapting business tools to your home finances often helps take the emotion of out of a decision so that you can make a logical choice.
The idea of ROI (Return On Investment) is fairly simple. A business investment should save or make money. The ROI calculation is an attempt to determine how much each dollar invested will return. If a business has limited resources only the highest ROI projects would be financed.To calculate the ROI you take the value of the benefits and divide by the value of the costs. When professionals use these tools they'll often use complicated formulas that take into account that having $1 today is worth more than one you won't get until next year. Fortunately, in most home applications that's simply not necessary.
Let's suppose that a business could make a $500 investment that would produce $700 of extra profits. The benefits are $200 ($700 extra profits minus $500 invested).
Divide the benefits by the investment ($200 / $500 = .4) to get an ROI of 40%.The obvious shortcoming of the model is that you need to make some assumptions as to how much you'll save. So many businesses also consider how long it will take to recover the initial investment. That's called the 'payback period'.
Let's see how it works. First, an easy one. You compare the yellow energy efficiency label from your 12-year old refrigerator to one on a brand-new model. According to the labels you should save $65 per year in electricity. The new refrigerator costs $449. If you use the new fridge for 12 years you'll save $780 ($65 x 12 years). So the ROI is 73%. ($780 - $449 = $331 and $331 / $449 = 73%)
That's interesting, but should you buy the fridge? You might get a more useful answer by considering the payback period. If you save $65 per year and pay $449 for the refrigerator, it will take 6.9 years before you've recovered the cost of the fridge ($449 / $65 = 6.9 years). So unless you plan on using it for more than 7 years you should pass up the purchase.Next, let's look at a case that most homeowners are familiar with. You've been in your home a couple of years and mortgage rates have dropped. Should you refinance to take advantage of the lower rates?
To answer the question let's consider the payback period. Begin with the cost to refinance. That's the investment. Next, how much you'll save each month (AKA: the benefit). Then you can calculate how long it will take to make up the cost. Suppose that refinancing triggers $3,000 in various costs. But, you'd save $125 per month. You could calculate that it would cost you 24 months before you had recovered your investment ($3,000 divided by $125 = 24 months). So if you'll be in the home more than two years it's a good idea to refinance.
One final example. You'd like to replace that old 9 MPG gas guzzler. The new car you like gets 23 MPG. With gas prices so high doesn't it make sense to spend $19,000 to trade for the new car?
We'll begin by figuring out how much we'd save each year. You drive 18,000 miles each year. So the old car uses 2,000 gallons of gas (18,000 / 9 MPG). At $1.50 per gallon that's $3,000. The new car would only use 782 gallons or $1,174 per year. So you'd save $1,826 per year ($3,000 - $1,174). Your insurance would also drop by $200 per year. That brings the total savings to $2,026 per year.
So what's the payback period? Divide the trade-in price of the car ($19,000) by the annual savings ($2,026) and you get 9.3 years. So you can't justify this car trade based on gas savings.
You'll notice that in each case you need to think through the process a little. Usually the hardest part is estimating how much you'd save with the new item. Just remember that this isn't an exact science so do the best you can with any assumptions.
Many spending decisions are hard to analyze. You can use this same process to calculate whether it's worthwhile buying compact fluorescent bulbs or a new furnace. By breaking a decision down into an ROI or payback type of calculation you'll have a framework for making a better decision.
Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com
and
ezine
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:32:51ZPiggyback Mortgages and PMIStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Piggyback-Mortgages-and-PMI
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- /9229.html2010-05-07T08:32:48Z2010-05-07T08:32:48Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Piggyback Mortgages and PMI
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
We have a new home under construction. After paying off debts we don't have enough for the 20% down payment to avoid PMI. I am trying to compare a low fixed rate 30 year mortgage to an 80/15/5 mortgage where the PMI is waived.
Is an 80/15/5 mortgage a good deal for the borrower or just for the lender? Most of the info I found was from brokers. It is hard to be too confident about their information since they are selling the product.
Rob in Texas
Like many people, Rob is anxious to enter the housing market. Low interest rates make mortgages more affordable. But they also drive up housing prices. Which means more people are having trouble saving an adequate down payment.
Let's begin with a couple of concepts. Private mortgage insurance (PMI) helps people to buy homes when they have a small down payment. PMI does not protect the homeowner even though they pay for the insurance. It covers the mortgage company if the borrower stops paying.
PMI may require an initial payment and/or a regular monthly payment. A smaller down payment means a higher PMI premium. Typically, the homeowner is allowed to cancel PMI after they have equity in their home of 20%. They can build equity by paying down principal or by seeing the value of the home appreciate through rising prices. As you would expect, everyone wants to stop paying for PMI as soon as they can.
Which brings us to the "piggyback" or combination mortgage. How does it work? The first mortgage company provides a mortgage for 80% of the property. A second mortgage company that doesn't require PMI grants another mortgage for 15%. That leaves the buyer to come up with the final 5% as a down payment. It's like getting a 95% mortgage without PMI. Thus the 80/15/5 description.
There are some variations on the piggyback. Some are 80/10/10. Others even ask the seller to come up with the final 10% so that the buyer needs no money down.
Why would Rob use a piggyback? Mortgage payments are tax deductible. PMI payments are not. If you pay off your 2nd mortgage early, you can reduce your monthly payment. Sometimes the seller is willing to carry the second mortgage at rates lower than traditional lenders.
But, Rob is right. There are some disadvantages that often get overlooked. Second mortgage rates are typically higher than those charged on first mortgages. It's possible that the combined mortgage payments could be higher than a single mortgage plus PMI payment.
The second mortgage will have a second set of costs associated with it. Some even carry a prepayment penalty.
And, second mortgage payments will continue until that loan is paid off. PMI can be cancelled when your equity reaches 20%.
Rob also should beware of 'balloon payments' on the second mortgage. He may be offered a loan that's amortized over 30 years. In other words, the payments are calculated as if you'll be making them for 30 years. That makes for low monthly payments. But at some point in the future (usually 10, 15 or 20 years) the balance of the loan is due. That balance is the 'balloon'. And the homeowner is required to come up with the cash or refinance at that point.
So which is best? In part it will depend on the rates that Rob will be offered on first, second and PMI. He'll also need to consider how long it will be before he has a 20% equity in the home and can cancel PMI. Rob can take that info and estimate what his payments will be in future years. Unfortunately predicting the future isn't an exact science. So there is no one correct answer.
Finally, a warning to Rob and others with small down payments. Housing prices can decline. One industry study estimates that there's roughly a 6% chance that housing prices could drop 10% in the next two years.
When interest rates rise people will not able to afford as much housing. For instance, if rates rise from 6% to 7%, a buyer can only spend 90% of what he could at the lower rate. So the check that paid for a $200,000 mortgage now becomes the payment for a $180,000 loan. That could hold down home prices.
Many people are familiar with the concept of being 'upside down' in a car loan. That's where they owe more money than the car is worth making it difficult to sell or trade the car.
Being upside down in a mortgage could be significantly more painful. Imagine that you've lost your job and need to move to a new city to regain employment. But the only way that you can sell your home is to bring a check for $10,000 to the closing because you owe more than it's worth. For many that would be an impossibility. So please move cautiously if you're buying with a minimal down payment.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.stretcher.com
and
ezines
Copyright 2003 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. all rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:32:48ZHow Much?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/How-Much
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- /9230.html2010-05-07T08:32:45Z2010-05-07T08:32:45Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>How Much?
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
I understand that 25% of my monthly income should be for mortgage, taxes and insurance. How much should I plan for the remainder of my budget? There are two of us in our household. Is there a set formula? Also, if I plan to retire in the next 5 years, should I be carrying a mortgage for the sake of a tax write off?
Debbie
Debbie's first question is a very good one. Knowing how much you can afford to spend in any category is important to a successful financial plan.
There is no set formula for dividing up a budget. That's because every family is unique. Housing costs vary by region. Family size and age will effect expenses. So your best plan is to adjust your budget until you find a formula that works for you. And, even then, you'll need to adjust it occasionally as your family circumstances change.
A budget shouldn't be a straitjacket. The best use is as a guideline for your expenses and an early warning sign of trouble ahead. A budget can do a great job of telling you where a problem is and can even help you find a solution.
The trick is to keep the total spending to less than 100% of your after-tax income. You can spend more than you make if you use credit cards to borrow money. But doing that makes it harder to live within your income the next month. That's because you've accumulated debt that will need to be paid back with interest.
The two most common causes for budget failure are housing and automobiles. Both problems are hard to correct. You can't sell a little bit of your home or car. And it's very difficult to save enough in other areas to overcome a big ticket mistake.
When you prepare your budget you'll probably have a hard time deciding where to put certain expenses. For instance, dinner with friends could be considered food. Or it could be entertainment. Where you put it is not critical. But, making sure that you don't overspend both food and entertainment is important.
OK, so let's look at one possible budget for Debbie. This one uses after-tax income.
Housing 30%
Auto 15%
Food 17%
Health Life Insurance 5%
Entertainment 7%
Clothing 4%
Medical 6%
Debt Repayment 5%
Savings/Investment 5%
Misc. 6%
How does it work practically? For illustration, let's assume a family income of $60,000 per year after taxes. That may seem like a lot. But, you'd be surprised how quickly you can spend $5,000 per month.
If Debbie spent 30% of her income on housing, she'd have $1,500 per month to work with. That would include her mortgage payment, taxes, insurance, maintenance and repairs. Many are tempted to buy a more expensive home. There are even some professionals who advise clients that they'll do fine committing 35% to housing. Often the result is a family struggling with mortgage payments that are too big. And finding an extra 5% in the other categories is often painful.
On the other hand, let's suppose that Debbie manages to keep her household expenses to 25% of her income. That will allow her an extra 5% to use in other places. That $250 each month could be used to repay debts, save for retirement or spend however Debbie wanted.
A word about automobiles. Trying to fit two car payments into our sample budget could be difficult. Debbie would have $750 per month to spend. Besides any car payments she needs to leave some money for insurance, registration, gasoline, tolls, maintenance or repairs. Realistically to keep two cars on the road, she'll probably spend about $150 to $200 per month above her payments. So Debbie really only has about $550 per month that can go towards car payments.
Note that the 'debt repayment' category does not mean making minimum credit card payments. It means repaying previously accumulated debts. You should always plan on paying off any new charges completely in the month that they occur. Ideally, Debbie wouldn't have debts to repay and could allocate 10% for retirement savings.
Debbie's second question is easier. No one should be carrying a mortgage for the tax deduction. It's really pretty simple when you cut through the jargon. You borrow money and pay interest on the loan. For every $1 in interest you pay the mortgage company, at tax time you'll deduct $1 from your income. Depending on your tax rate you'll save 15 to 30 cents. Trading 30 cents for a dollar is not a good idea!
Some would argue that the money that you don't use to pay your mortgage can be invested to earn more than the mortgage costs you. But you'll need a return that's guaranteed as to principal and earnings for an apples to apples comparison. And with very rare exceptions, you won't find it. For instance, if Debbie has a 5% mortgage and is in the 30% tax bracket the money will cost her 3.5% after taxes. She'd need to find a guaranteed investment that would pay that much after taxes.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.stretcher.com
and
newsletters
Copyright 2003 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:32:45ZHow to Manage Money - TogetherStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/How-to-Manage-Money---Together
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- /9231.html2010-05-07T08:32:42Z2010-05-07T08:32:42Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>How to Manage Money -Together
By Ginita Wall CPA, CFP and Candace Bahr CEA
www.wife.org
Copyright 2003 "When people argue over money, the argument is likely to have little to do with money. It almost always has to do with issues of control, security, self-esteem, and, above all, love."--Grace Weinstein, authorIn our lives, we are pulled in many directions. We both desire and fear the power of money, and most of us have problems harnessing the positive power of money through regular saving and investing. But that doesn#146;t have to hold you back.
Here are ten things you and your spouse can do to foster good money management habits and get your savings on track.
Decide together what you want.
Many people live from day to day. Unfortunately, they also spend from day to day and build no financial nest egg to see them through. To make progress in saving for the future, approach the future one step at a time.Begin by establishing some short-term financial goals: a vacation next summer, or a new car the year after that. A desirable short-term goal can be the carrot-on-a-stick encouragement you need to start a savings plan and take additional steps toward financial security.
Build for your future together.
As children, we learned about Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty, who were saved from peril by their charming princes and lived happily ever after. As adults, we all entertain the fantasy of financial rescue at some point in our lives. That#146;s why lotteries are so compelling, despite the odds. Although the fantasy of financial rescue is entertaining, it can become a barrier to accomplishment. Take serious steps toward providing for your own financial future, beginning right now to create goals based on your current income and financial situation.If your fantasy comes true, so much the better, but if it doesn#146;t, the two of you will have done what was needed to take care of yourselves financially.
Make a financial commitment to each other and your marriage.
Many people tell themselves that they will begin to save when their income rises, but few ever do. Unless you put yourself first, when you make more, your expenses will inevitably rise to meet your income and nothing will be left for you. Persuade yourself that you deserve to keep a portion of your income for you and your future. Once you truly believe that, make a commitment to set aside 5 or 10 percent of all the money you receive in a special account that#146;s just for you. Just as some people tithe to church or charity, so should you tithe to yourself. You#146;re worth it.
Learn about your finances together.
Most people learn little at home or in school about money, investment, and personal finance, and those people rarely seek formal training in finance as adults. Begin by learning about your personal income and expenses. Find out where your money goes by tracking last year#146;s expenses, and then decide where to trim.
Here are some spending guidelines:
35 to 40 percent of your take-home pay is probably spent on housing costs
10 to 15 percent goes for food
Your car payments shouldn#146;t exceed 10 to 15 percent of your income
Another 15 to 20 percent might be spent on variable expenses, such as household repair, recreation, and clothing
5 to 10 percent of your budget should go for insurance premiums and property taxes
5 to 10 percent of your income should be deposited to your savings.
Start right now.
Procrastinators put off saving, or go on spending binges as soon as they accumulate much of a nest egg. To overcome financial procrastination, begin by setting some minor goals, such as reading one article or newspaper column a week on financial matters, then add more substantial goals, such as devoting three hours to preparing a budget and an hour or two a month to monitoring spending.Work together to develop financial knowledge and confidence, and soon you will find yourself gliding painlessly into the world of finance, and you will be ready to begin your savings plan.
Explore your money issues together.
Carefully examine your early teachings about money to see if you can find clues that are sabotaging you financially.
As a child, were you taught not to envy those who were better off?
Did you family teach you that money is the root of all evil?
Was money used to reward or punish in your family?
Did you have enough, or were you constantly afraid?
As you work to build a financial future together, it is important that you each understand your deep-rooted attitudes toward money, and the attitudes of your spouse. That will reduce conflicts over money matters, and help you succeed financially.
Balance the financial power in your relationship.
Women are sometimes balanced between wanting the right to control their own lives and make their own choices, and the need to rely on others and be comforted and loved, and to provide a nurturing environment for their families.Men are confused as well. They have been raised to show love and affection through providing financial support. If a woman does not need financial support, some men are in a quandary: What do women want from them? Yet if their spouse wants to quit her job to take care of the family, they are afraid she#146;ll become too dependent on him, and he#146;ll sacrifice his freedom.
Discuss together the roles that each of you will play in earning, managing and spending money. Talk about how you each feel in the roles you choose, and how money affects your relationship. Don#146;t shy away from discussing the power and freedom that money brings. Discussing money matters openly will help foster a healthy relationship you both can cherish.
Take action, one step at a time.
Some people have no interest in dealing with their personal finances. They know little about money, and find the subject uninteresting and boring. To deal with money matters when you haven#146;t the time or interest, break your financial tasks into manageable portions.
For example:if your goal is to amass $1 million, it may seem overwhelming at first. But though $1 million sounds like a lot, it#146;s really just $1,000 multiplied by 1,000. If you could save $1,000 a thousand times, you#146;d be a millionaire, and it is even easier than that, because money begets more money through compounding. As you seek out ways to create your nest egg $1,000 at a time, you will become more familiar with the world of money, and that will make it more interesting as well.
Understand the risks and rewards of the Money Game.
Did you play Monopoly as a child? The grown-up money game, Working-Investing-and-Retirement, is a lot like Monopoly, but the stakes are higher.Most people play the real-life money game too conservatively, even if they were risk-takers in juvenile games. Others are too aggressive in real life, investing in outlandish get-rich-quick schemes. Risks and reward work in tandem: the greater the risk, the greater the potential reward. Assess your personal risk tolerance and follow your intuitions. By learning about investment risk and reward, and combining that knowledge with basic intuitive skills, you can invest wisely for your financial future.
Accept your imperfections, and those of your spouse.
Some people want to pin down every detail before making any decision about money. But perfectionism delays financial success. Emphasize action: Don#146;t wait until you are fully educated in finance to start saving, or you will never begin. Begin saving now, then start an investment program using mutual funds.Making financial decisions creates the possibility of mistakes, it is true. But fortunately, in most financial situations, there are a wide range of right decision and only a narrow band of decisions that are decidedly wrong.You don#146;t need to know how to pick the exact right investment, only how to avoid those that don#146;t suit your financial needs.
(Note from Candace: We started the non-profit Women#146;s Institute for Financial Education in 1988 when we realized there was very little reliable, independent financial education and advice for women. The acronym W-I-F-E is intentional. After all, it is usually the wife in a relationship who councils and empowers, listens and advises, and offers comfort when needed. Our mission is to empower women to succeed and prosper #150; we are here as your support and guides. Our new concept, The Money Club (
www.themoneyclub.org
) offers an exciting new way to help yourself and your friends learn about money. It#146;s completely free, non-fattening, and will give you a chance to hang out with your friends.) Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:32:42ZWork Less and Earn MoreStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Work-Less-and-Earn-More
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- /9232.html2010-05-07T08:32:39Z2010-05-07T08:32:39Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Work Less and Earn More
by Joan Sotkin
Mary B. is a talented graphic artist. For years, she worked for a large corporation where her work was appreciated. Yet she yearned to be in business for herself. In September, 1995, she took the plunge and opened an independent graphic arts studio.
Unlike many new entrepreneurs, Mary had a large enough bank account to survive for six months with a minimum amount of income. She also had many contacts from the corporate world that she could use to establish her customer base. Mary was in great shape to start her own business.
Mary knew she was in a good position for success. She was also very conscientious and wanted to make sure that she did everything possible to make her business work. She put in long hours on the phone, going to networking meetings and planning her marketing. She wrote articles for local publications, volunteered her time when she had something to offer, and even appeared as a guest on a local talk show that had a business focus. When she did work for a client, Mary often worked to exhaustion to get the job done as quickly as possible.
Mary began to realize that something was out of balance. Her whole life was wrapped around her business, and, although she had created a positive cash flow, she was no where near her earning potential. After a year in business, she was exhausted and constantly worried about where her next client was coming from.
What Mary needed was to learn to let go and allow her life to happen -- rather than pushing to make it happen. She also needed to see her work as something she did during the day and not what defined her as a person.
Although it was scary at first, Mary learned to set boundaries. She established specific hours that she would work. During the week, she limited herself to eight or nine work-related hours per day. Weekends were for her, not for the business, unless she chose to take a day off during the week. She set aside days that were specifically for her spiritual growth. During these days, business of any sort was entirely off limits.During the hours designated for work, Mary often took people breaks: having lunch with a friend, meeting with another graphic artist, talking to a far-away friend. She learned to have short breaks within her workday when she would focus on something other than her work.
Mary also learned to spend 10 to 15 minutes each morning and 20 to 30 minutes every night, sitting quietly and letting her mind slow down. After a few months, she began doing specific meditation techniques. Because Mary had more time for herself, she started exercising regularly and found her energy levels increased rapidly.
The big change for Mary was learning to let go in order for her business to take shape by itself. If she really wanted to go to networking meetings to be with other people she did. But she didn't push as hard to get new clients. Whenever she felt the fear of not earning enough coming up, she learned to take deep breaths and not take any overt action.
Mary was amazed at the results of her new approach to life. It didn't take long for enjoyable projects to come her way. New clients started coming as a result of referrals rather than her marketing efforts. Within a few months, she was able to vendor out some of the work that came her way so that she could earn more without putting in extra hours. Mary also noticed that her business was moving in a new direction -- one she could not have foreseen if she kept plugging away and doing everything she thought she had to do before.
Mary learned to take care of herself and her life became a reflection of that care. The less she pushed to make her business happen, the easier it was for it to support her. Mary's new-found trust in herself and how life works paid off for her.
Mary never stopped paying attention to her business. She also had clear income goals and a picture in her mind of what she wanted her life to look like. What she stopped doing was pushing to create what she wanted in the way she thought she had to do it. She let herself believe that she could have what she wanted and let her life take shape.
When we aim for a goal, if we don't take pauses in order for the energy of our life to reshape itself, everything we do comes from a previously known point of view. In order for something new to take form, we have to give it time for the energies to gather -- and shape themselves. What we have to do is not do anything and give our creation room to breathe. It may look like goofing off, but there is a lot going on deep within our creative being.
Try taking longer pauses in your life. If you find the concept frightening, ask yourself what you are afraid of. Don't let the actions you take come from fear. Let them come from knowing that the action is the right one to take. That knowing can only come from a silent space that you create by not doing.
Joan Sotkin is the creator of
ProsperityPlace.com
, author of "Build Your Money Muscles:9 Simple Exercises for Creating Wealth Prosperity" and "Prosperity Is an Inside Job" and publisher of Prosperity Tips, a free monthly ezine. Visit
ProsperityPlace.com
.Copyright copy;2003 by Joan Sotkin. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:32:39ZTop 10 Things You Can Do to Insure Your ProsperityStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Top-10-Things-You-Can-Do-to-Insure-Your-Prosperity
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- /9233.html2010-05-07T08:32:36Z2010-05-07T08:32:36Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Top 10 Things You Can Do to Insure Your Prosperity
by Joan Sotkin
Be Positive.
It's a known fact that optimists live longer and do better than pessimists. Practice seeing the positive side of everything. Become aware of any fears you may have about trusting in a positive outcome.
Examine Your Values.
Find out what really matters to you so you can use your personal values as a guide for planning your life. Support yourself by honoring your values.
Use Your Values As a Guide for Your Actions.
There's a saying that I like -- If one of us has to be uncomfortable, it doesn't have to be me. If you are ever asked to act against your own values, don't do it. This takes courage, and you will probably have to work through some fears, but do it!
Strive to Increase Your Levels of Awareness.
Awareness is the first step in the process of change. If you are going to change your life position, then it is important to take an inventory of where you are now. This means looking at the condition of your home, possessions and relationships as well as being very conscious of where you are now financially. Vagueness is a serious impediment to prosperity.
Be Willing to Step Outside of YOUR Box.
If you keep on doing what you've been doing, you will keep on getting what you've been getting. If you are uncomfortable in any area of your life, then you will need to do something different in order to change.
Take Care of Yourself.
If you don't support and take care of yourself, others won't do it for you. The more you nourish yourself with what you actually need, the easier it will be to create a comfortable lifestyle. A comfortable body/mind/spirit reflects itself in prosperity.
Take Care of Your Money.
Balance your checkbook, post your sales, keep track of what you spend and earn. Money, like people, goes to those who nourish and care for it. If you don't learn to take care of your money, when you start earning more, it will overwhelm you. Every dollar is a decision and it's easier to learn to make financial decisions when there is less to deal with.
Keep Learning about Money Management.
Money is a powerful force that requires skill to handle it. A lot of people are intimidated by the whole money arena because they've never learned about it before. It is never too late to start and there are many good resources and books for beginners that will introduce you to the principles of investing and money management.
Take Responsibility for Your Personal Power.
It really bugs me when I hear people say things like, "I guess God (or any variation thereof) dosn't want me to have money now." I firmly believe that we create our own reality with our thoughts, beliefs and emotions (TBEs). Prosperity requires a willingness to no longer be dependent on others or to be a victim of circumstances. The principles we teach require a willingness to take responsibility for creating your own life -- and your prosperity.
Take Action.
Sitting still won't get you anywhere but where you are already. Small actions that move you closer to your goal of increased prosperity will move you along the path. Take small steps, but take them. For example, save a few dollars, read a book like Learn to Earn by Peter Lynch, balance your checkbook (if you don't normally do that), set realistic short-term financial goals, evaluate your life, add healthier foods to your diet. It's a good idea to get a buddy and make changes together. Talking about what you plan and the actions you are taking reinforces your resolve.
Joan Sotkin is the creator of
ProsperityPlace.com
, author of "Build Your Money Muscles: 9 Simple Exercises for Creating Wealth Prosperity" and "Prosperity Is an Inside Job" and publisher of Prosperity Tips, a free monthly e-zine. Visit
ProsperityPlace.com
. Copyright copy; 2003 by Joan Sotkin. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:32:36ZAbandonment Issues And Your MoneyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Abandonment-Issues-And-Your-Money
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- /9234.html2010-05-07T08:32:34Z2010-05-07T08:32:34Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Abandonment Issues And Your Money
by Joan Sotkin
ProsperityPlace.com
People often use money to express hidden emotions, and abandonment is acted out through money more often than any other emotion.
Many life-dramas have abandonment as one of the elements. From feeling emotionally abandoned by parents who didn't have emotional tools to the pain of being abandoned at the end of a love relationship, just about everyone in our culture understands abandonment.
How does this sense of abandonment affect your relationship with money? Let's do a little review:
Money is always attached to people -- it doesn't have any power by itself.
You can't really run out of money, you can only run out of people --they are the source of money.
So fear of running out of money, is the fear of running out of people, or being abandoned and alone.
Difficult financial situations are often characterized by feeling alone and abandoned. When you address your deep-seated feelings of abandonment and aloneness, your financial difficulties will begin to fade.
A seemingly simple solution for a complex problem.
Think about how you behave and what actions you contemplate taking when you are financially uncomfortable.
Do you use too much credit or think about getting a loan? If you owe someone money, they aren't going to forget about you. People often borrow money to feel connected to someone. (People lend money for the same reason.)
If you have a history of needing to be rescued by friends or family members, that's a sure sign that you are feeling alone and abandoned. Once someone rescues you, you feel less alone -- at least temporarily.
People often feel abandoned by God, life, authority figures, etc.
It is very common for people who are going through divorce, or are grieving for whatever reason, to have financial problems. It is the expression of abandonment and aloneness.
How you can tell if you are acting out abandonment through your money?
See if any of these apply to you:
You often borrow or lend money
People to whom you lend money rarely pay it back (elements of betrayal may be at work here too.)
You worry constantly about running out of money
You work hard, but never get paid what you know you are worth
You lose money on investments
You have a hard time finding customers for your products or services
You started making more money, but now you are right back where you started
You had to close a business or went bankrupt
You have a hard time supporting yourself
You think that the only way out of your difficult situation is for someone to rescue you financially
You work all of the time because you are afraid that if you don't, you won't make enough money.
Self Abandonment
When you start looking at your abandonment issues you are bound to go back to abandonment dramas in your family of origin. Virtually everyone can find them -- especially if you look at your life from a child's point of view, which is when patterns are formed.
For example, you probably felt abandoned on your first day of school. Or when you realized that one or both of your parents left you every day (to go to work). Or when you were really upset about something and no one seemed to care.
But the core of your current abandonment issues may lie in the way you abandon yourself on a regular basis. Signs of self-abandonment include:
People-pleasing behavior. You do what you think others expect of you or you adjust your actions to please others.
You never follow your inner urges to do what you really want to do because of fear of failure, rejection or just general fear.
You don't speak up for yourself or defend yourself when criticized by others
You remain in an abusive relationship (either business or personal)
You do something that goes against your personal values.
What You Can Do to Process the Feeling
It is important that you become aware of your feelings of abandonment and identify where you are working them out. This is a process that can take some time because you have probably been automatically acting out this feeling for much of your life. Most people do.
I have yet to meet someone who doesn't have some abandonment issues. Yet we rarely discuss these issues with others. Instead, we might talk with close friends about our money problems, try to borrow money, or use a lot of credit.
You might want to do an abandonment inventory. Write down all of the times that you can remember being abandoned -- or when you abandoned yourself. This may take some time and may bring up a lot of uncomfortable feelings. That's ok. You need to get things out, not keep them buried.
If possible, find someone you can talk to about this issue. If you don't have a close friend who can share this process with you, try a Codependents Anonymous meeting. That's a good place to share feelings that doesn't cost anything.
Make a concerted effort to connect to people on a deeper level.Push yourself to become a participating member of a group with whom you share a common interest. If most of your contacts are related to your job or business, reach out to people outside of work.
Start speaking up for yourself. You may have to work through some serious fears. It is important to learn how to stop abandoning yourself.
Joan Sotkin is the creator of
ProsperityPlace.com
, author of "Build Your Money Muscles:9 Simple Exercises for Creating Wealth Prosperity" and "Prosperity Is an Inside Job" and publisher of Prosperity Tips, a free monthly ezine. Visit
ProsperityPlace.com
. copy; 2003 by Joan Sotkin. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:32:34ZThe $60 LightbulbStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/The-$60-Lightbulb
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- /9235.html2010-05-07T08:32:31Z2010-05-07T08:32:31Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>The $60 Lightbulb
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Hi Gary,
Should we turn off the compact fluorescent bulbs each time we leave the room at least 15 minutes? Do these bulbs use a lot of electricity when turned on and off? Thank you for your advice.
Mai
Mai asks a very good question. And, as more people shift to compact fluorescent (CF) bulbs, others will be interested in the answer as well.
The reason that people are gradually beginning to use CF bulbs is simple. In many applications they can save money because they use less electricity. Generally a compact fluorescent will only consume one third as much juice as a regular bulb.
The CF will cost more to buy. But, the bulb will last up to ten times as long as a regular bulb. So any cost comparison needs to include the cost of many regular bulbs.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a 100 watt incandescent bulb can be replaced by a 27 watt compact fluorescent. After four and one half years the CF will have saved $62.95 compared to the incandescent including the cost of the bulbs used.
Compact fluorescents also operate at a cooler temperature. Less than 100 degree F. in most applications. So the bulb doesn't create heat that needs to be removed by an air conditioner.
Not surprisingly, CF's are good for the environment. According to the Energy Star program if everyone is the U.S. joined her and just replaced one regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent it would have the same effect as taking one million cars off the road.
Now that we know why people are shifting to compact fluorescents, let's try to answer Mai's question about whether to turn it off when you leave the room for a few minutes.
Fluorescent lights work a little different than the incandescent bulb that Thomas Edison invented. Tom's bulb glowed because electricity heated up a filament. Once heated the filament glowed and produced light.
A fluorescent light consists of a ballast and a gas filled tube. The glass tube is also coated with phosphor. The ballast sends electricity through the tube. When the gas in the tube is 'excited' it causes the phosphor coating to emit light.
All fluorescent lights take about a half a second to start and up to two minutes to reach their full brightness. It is commonly believed that they use more electricity in 'starting up' than they do while the lamp is burning. That is not true.
Energy Smart, a Western Australian government initiative, says that you should turn off a fluorescent anytime that you'll be out of the room for ten minutes or more.
Turning a CF on and off frequently will reduce it's energy effectiveness. But, even if you do cycle it often, it will still be more energy efficient than a regular incandescent bulb.
Mai will also reduce the lifespan of her CF if she turns it on and off frequently. The Energy Star website recommends that you use CF bulbs in places where they can operate for several hours at a time. For instance, Mai wouldn't want to use a CF in places where lights are on for a short periods like a closet or bathroom. A family room is often ideal for CF usage. And Mai can even buy 3-way CF's and ones that are specifically made for use with a dimmer.
Congratulations to Mai. Not only is she saving money and the environment, she's also learning how to get the most out of a new technology.
Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher website
and
ezine
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:32:31ZToo Frugal?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Too-Frugal
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- /9236.html2010-05-07T08:32:28Z2010-05-07T08:32:28Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Too Frugal?
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I am a long time reader and I really appreciate what you have to say. I just wanted to get something off my chest. Sometimes in the quest to be frugal one can lose sight of other important qualities. It is also important to be generous, kind and unselfish. It seems like in the rush to save a few bucks or get something for free, people can take advantage of others and cause hurt feelings. For instance, a group of people will agree to go in on a present and one person will buy the gift. But then when that person goes to collect someone in the group brushes the collector off and keeps saying they'll bring in money later, but then never does.Or, for an example from my own family, this holiday we all got together for a potluck style dinner. My sister-in-law, who is very proud of her "tightwad" lifestyle, insisted that we order a ham even though no one else wanted it. When it came time to order it, she put no money towards it and the rest of us did. At the meal, most of it did not get eaten, and then without asking anyone else, she wrapped it up and took it home! She was so excited about saving a few cents and feeding her family for cheap that she forgot her manners.I see examples of this all the time, and I am not talking about poor people, it is usually people that have a very comfortable lifestyle.
Thanks,
Amy
Amy makes a valid point. It's fine to be frugal. But, like most good things, thriftiness can be taken too far and become a fault. The trick is in determining what is 'going too far'.
Where is that point? One way to answer is by deciding what really is frugal living? The American Heritage Dictionary defines frugal as "avoiding unnecessary expenditure or money; thrifty; costing little; inexpensive".
I'd add to that definition. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but frugality should help us lead a balanced, fulfilled life without harming others.
Some examples of a prudent lifestyle?
Finding a second use for an item
Making something to last longer
Using less with the same results
Finding a less costly alternative
True frugality has a way of creating wealth that wasn't there before. Most frugal living ideas fall under one of two categories. Either they're a way of needing less of something. Or they're a way of providing more of a resource at a reduced cost. Either way you've provided more value for the money or resource that you consume.
Frugality should never be used as an excuse for theft or a lack of honesty. I think that most of us would agree with Amy that agreeing to help pay for something and then not doing so isn't right. And probably not even really thrifty. Isn't the relationship with your relatives worth more than the leftover ham?
Some thrifty tactics aren't so black or white. For instance, suppose you walk into an antique shop and realize that they have seriously underpriced an item. Are you taking advantage of the shop owner if you buy the item at that price without telling them of their mistake?
Whatever your answer was, would you apply the same rules if you found the same item underpriced at a church thrift store? Or at a garage sale? At a garage sale in a poor part of town? Yes, we all like to find a 'bargain'. But for most people there is a point where we feel we're taking advantage of the other person.
Amy is also right about getting too wrapped up in what we're doing and losing sight of the world around us. One summer I was so successful in reducing our electric bill that it became an obsession. A hot Florida summer and a nut controlling the thermostat isn't a comfortable combination! The original goal was fine. But common sense got lost along the way.
Once you've been living more frugally for awhile, it's probably a good idea to step back and analyze what you're doing. Maybe you've gone overboard.
Or, maybe it's time to give yourself and your family a small reward for what you've already achieved.
What can Amy do? If their relationship is good, she might gently remind her sister-in-law that frugal living is a balance. Or, if that's not possible, she can remember that we're all subject to making mistakes. Hopefully the ones we make aren't too public and don't do too much damage!
Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager and financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.stretcher.com
and ezines:
subscribe@stretcher.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:32:28ZRemodeling an AtticStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Remodeling-an-Attic
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- /9237.html2010-05-07T08:32:25Z2010-05-07T08:32:25Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Remodeling an Attic
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Was wondering if you could do an article on converting an attic for the do-it-yourself frugalite? There is just so much space there going to waste.
I know the electric will have to be hired out but what can I do to make this a livable space? Nothing too fancy required. By the way this is an 1880 Victorian house.
Thank you,
Tanya
The first thing that Tanya will want to do is to contact her local zoning and building inspector. In many cases, they'll have booklets available for the homeowner considering remodeling or addition. She'll want to find out what permits will be needed. They'll also tell her what type of drawings will be required to get the permits.
Usually the homeowner is allowed to be the 'general contractor'. That means Tanya will pull the permits and take responsibility for the job. Don't skip the permits. If it's a big enough job to require permits, having a professional inspector check the quality of your work is a good idea. I've already had them request changes that were safety related.
Tanya will benefit from spending time daydreaming about the project. Think about the space and how you might use it. Plan ahead. For instance, it's easier to hide wire for extra phones, computers and stereo equipment before you enclose the walls with drywall.
Tanya will need a budget before she begins the project. That budget will have a major effect on how the project progresses.
She'll start by assembling a list of all the materials that will be used on the D-I-Y portions of the project. A visit to her local home center will price those items.
Next, she'll talk with the contractors to get an estimate of any work that they'll do. Added together she will have a good idea of how realistic her budget is.
She might find that the budget estimate is more than she can afford. That's time to scale down the project. Remember, remodeling is not an all or nothing proposition. She may be able to occupy the room and gradually do improvements over a number of years.
Tanya will need to consider how she'll pay for the remodeling. If she doesn't have the money saved she'll need to borrow. Often a home equity loan is the best choice. Make sure that there is enough money available to complete the project before beginning.
In Tanya's D-I-Y project she'll be the general contractor. That means she's responsible for the whole job.
Think of the remodeling as a series of smaller tasks. On her attic conversion, Tanya will need to build interior walls; add any required electrical, insulation plumbing and drywall. Heating and air conditioning may be needed. She'll also deal with finish carpentry, electric and plumbing. And finally flooring and painting.
The order of inspections will help Tanya determine the sequence of jobs. Don't hesitate to ask the building department for advice. My experience is that they're glad to help you do the job correctly.
It's easy to get overwhelmed if you consider the whole project at once. The smaller individual tasks aren't that difficult. For instance, a major part of Tanya's project will be building walls. With a little study most do-it-yourselfers can learn to do an acceptable job of framing a stud wall and then hanging drywall. And, once that's completed, they can learn how to finish the joints to prepare the walls for painting.
There are some jobs that Tanya will want to have a professional do. She mentioned electricity. That will require getting the appropriate bids and recommendations.
Some subcontractors, especially smaller ones, will let you help them do the work. You won't save a lot of money by helping. In fact, sometimes you might actually have to pay more! But you will learn something and have your finger prints on the project.
Don't kid yourself. Most qualified professionals will do a slightly better job than you would. And, they'll do it faster. But, if Tanya is willing to tolerate minor imperfections or take the time to seek perfection, she can do an acceptable job of many parts of the project.
After each step is completed she'll arrange for any necessary inspections. Then on to the next step. Gradually the new room will begin to take shape. And that's a great feeling!
We hope that Tanya enjoys the doing the work and also that new room when it's completed.
Gary Foreman edits
The Dollar Stretcher website
and ezines
subscribe@stretcher.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:32:25ZControlling Bank FeesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Controlling-Bank-Fees
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- /9238.html2010-05-07T08:32:23Z2010-05-07T08:32:23Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Controlling Bank Fees
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
www.stretcher.com
gary@stretcher.com
My bank has charged me almost $150 in fees and over $100 of that is in fees from a negative balance (4 times!!) They can't charge me like that...can they?
Matt
The simple answer to Matt's question is, yes, they can charge him that much. And he's not the only one complaining about increased bank fees. Many consumers have noticed the hit to their wallets.
Competition for loans has forced bankers to offer lower interest rates to borrowers. That's great for homebuyers. But it also means that banks aren't making as much on those loans. So they're using fees to boost their bottom line. For instance, ATM fees raise over $2 billion a year. Public interest groups claim that because of the fees that banks impose there are over 10 million families that can't afford bank accounts.
So what can Matt do? Basically he has two options. He can avoid negative balances or find an account that's more lenient when he does have a negative balance.
According to Bankrate.com the average service fee for interest accounts that fall below the minimum balance is $10.85 per month. Bounced check fees generally run about $25.
Frustrating as the fees are, Matt can control the situation by not writing checks for money that's not in the account. Many bounced checks can be avoided simply by entering each check in the check register, subtracting it from the previous balance and balancing the checkbook each month.
Overdraft protection might be appropriate for Matt. He'll pay for the service. But probably less than what the bounced checks are costing.
The problem could also be with Matt's paycheck not being available quickly enough. His bank is required to tell him how long they 'hold' incoming funds before they're available for payment. The length of holds is regulated by law. If Matt needs to have the money available sooner, direct deposit might solve the problem for him.
Matt has already recognized that bank fees can eat up his savings. So if he's going to continue to flirt with a negative balance, he'll need to find an account that's more forgiving.
The American Bankers Association commissioned a survey on bank fees. They found that 58% of the consumers surveyed said that they paid $3 or less per month in fees. However, 64% also said that they avoid fees by maintaining the minimum balance required by their account. In effect, they've found an account that matches their needs.
Recently more banks have been offering free checking. "Free" sounds good, but most have hefty fees for bounced checks, negative balances and ATM use. Matt might have one of those accounts.
He might be better off with a 'no frills' account. Or even an account that costs him a few dollars each month if that account has a low negative balance fee. It's a matter of finding an account that works for him. Might be as simple as asking his current bank what they have available.
Matt should also check out smaller local banks or credit unions. They won't have as many branches or ATMs. But they do generally have lower fees.
Finally, it's possible that Matt could benefit from combining accounts.
Many people have more than one account. If he's struggling to meet the minimums he'll earn more interest and/or pay lower fees by combining accounts.
Matt has recognized a problem. I'm sure that he could have found a better use for the $150 that was consumed in fees. Hopefully he'll find an account that matches his banking habits better.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher website
and
ezines
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:32:23ZEnough Life InsuranceStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Enough-Life-Insurance
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- /9239.html2010-05-07T08:32:20Z2010-05-07T08:32:20Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Enough Life Insurance
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Hi Gary,
How much life insurance should a couple with two small children have?
Anita H.
While none of us like to think about it, Anita is wise to be concerned with life insurance. Should either or both parents die insurance could be vital to her children's well-being.
There are two basic methods Anita can use to decide how much insurance she needs. One way would be to replace the income of the deceased. A second method is to buy enough insurance to cover your expenses.
Your choice will depend on your present financial situation. If you struggle to pay your bills look at the expense method. Otherwise replacing the lost income should be sufficient.
There are calculators that will do the numbers crunching for you. But unless you understand the process, it's hard to know whether they're giving you a good answer.
Anita doesn't need a perfect answer. To get that would require seeing into the future. She'd need to know her longevity, investment return and future inflation rates. She can only estimate those things. So just try to get reasonably close.
First we'll look at using life insurance to replace income. We'll assume a family where only one parent works. That way we can do one illustration when you lose a spouse who draws a paycheck and another one for the person who works inside the home.
In most cases you'll want to replace all of the income that's lost when an employed spouse dies. To be more precise you'll only want to include the after tax pay and make adjustments for expenses (like a second car) that are incurred earning that income. Don't forget to add the value of health insurance or other employee benefits to the income number.
Now Anita has an amount of income that she needs to replace each year. But life insurance is often paid off in a lump sum. We're going to assume that she'd invest the life insurance proceeds and spend the income that it generates.
How can Anita calculate how big a lump sum she'll need to create a specific annual income? The calculation is simple division. Take the amount of annual income you want and divide it by the investment return you'd expect to earn on the lump sum (i.e. life insurance proceeds).
For instance, if Anita needed $50,000 a year and thought that she could earn 5% on the money, she'd need a lump sum of $1,000,000 ($50,000 divided by .05 = $1,000,000). That $1,000,000 would provide $50,000 to spend each year without touching her principle.
The investment return that you use will make a big difference in the calculation. For instance, if she assumed a 7% return she'd only need $714,000.
What rate should Anita pick? Probably something between CD's on the low end and the long-term stock returns (8 to 10%) on the high end.
It is best to overestimate your needs a little. Yes, you'll be buying and paying for a little more insurance than you need. But, if you underestimate you won't realize your mistake until too late.
If a stay-at-home spouse dies the target is a little harder to figure. Unless there's someone like a grandparent who could move in and take over, the survivor will need to pay to have things done. And that can get expensive. Add up laundry, cleaning, cooking, day care and a hundred other chores and you have an idea of what the at-home spouse's "salary" is that needs to be replaced. Then calculate like you did for employed spouse.
Another way to look at the problem is to have enough insurance to cover your expenses. The calculation is the same. Just use expenses instead of income in your calculation.
Insurance companies will often encourage you to buy enough insurance to pay off your mortgage or other debts. That's nice, but it's not really necessary.
When you consider how much money you'll need be sure to take inflation into account. Even a modest 3% inflation rate will cut the amount your income will buy in half every 24 years. So if you lose a spouse in your 30's your dollar will lose half it's value before you retire.
Anita should also consider what would happen if both parents die while the children are small. Hopefully they have someone who's agreed to raise their children. If so, the question becomes how much is needed to allow the children's guardians to house the children (bedroom addition? a bigger home?) plus the extra expense of feeding, clothing and schooling the children.
One final thought. Anita will also want to make sure that the insurance policy is set up properly. Choosing the correct owner and beneficiary can have important consequences.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher website
and
free ezine
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:32:20ZProtecting Your Financial PrivacyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Protecting-Your-Financial-Privacy
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- /9240.html2010-05-07T08:32:17Z2010-05-07T08:32:17Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Protecting Your Financial Privacy
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
I am considering going to a mostly cash basis with the passage of the Homeland Security bill. I have nothing to hide, but I just feel uncomfortable with the potential for abuse. Have you any thoughts about privacy?
Anna
Anna has lots of company. Many people are concerned with the amount of their personal information that's available. Computers can store and correlate an awful lot of stuff about us.
Current federal government plans call for law enforcement to assemble databases of all credit card transactions and other personal data. Their goal is to look for patterns that could help them identify terrorists.
Anna makes a valid point. Any time that you have that much information available there is a potential for abuse. Formal government misuse would cause a huge outcry and is probably unlikely. But that doesn't mean that a rogue bureaucrat couldn't make unauthorized used of the database.
We're not going to get into whether it's a good idea to trade privacy for terrorism defense. That's a political discussion. But we will try to give Anna more information so that she can decide how to react with her personal data.
Before Anna decides, it's important to note that government use of your personal records is only the tip of the iceberg. Direct mailers, credit card issuers and other corporations have been collecting the same type of data for years. So the government is only accumulating what already exits.
A third group poses the biggest threat. Criminals have learned to take your personal information and use it to commit identity theft. In 1998 that was made a federal crime. Over 1 million people will be victimized this year. The Federal Trade Commission says that identity theft is the fastest growing crime today. Estimates say the costs are over $10 billion a year.
The next thing is to consider what 'abuse' Anna is concerned about. Would the government use the information it collects about her? If not, is she harmed just because they have it?
In some ways we're returning to a level of privacy that we had 50 or 75 years ago. At that time the local grocer knew what breakfast cereal you ate and how much you spent on groceries. Even in large cities you had neighbors who observed a lot of your habits.
So what should Anna do? She may decide that she just doesn't want other people to know what she buys and does.
The best way to limit the amount of info available on her is to avoid credit cards. That will be inconvenient. She'll probably need open a bank account to turn her paycheck into cash. The bank will require information to open the account. So she still will have some files outstanding.
She'll also find that cash isn't accepted everywhere. It will be difficult to buy airline or other tickets. She'll need to pay utility bills in person or with a cashiers check. That takes time.
There is a reason people use checks and credit cards. They're convenient. Anna will have to decide whether the additional privacy justifies the extra effort.
She may choose to continue to use credit. If so, there are steps that she can take to keep privacy problems to a minimum.
First, find out how information will be used before providing it. Do not give out personal information by phone, mail or in email unless you initiated contact with the organization. Be wary of anyone trying to get your Social Security number, bank account info or other personal information. Especially if they contacted you first.
Many places will try to use your Social Security number as an identification. Even though that is a common practice today the law that started Social Security made it illegal. Your doctor's office won't be happy if you refuse to provide a Social Security number but you're not required to do so. Their record keeping software will work fine with a made-up number.
Minimize the number of cards and IDs that you carry. Do not carry your Social Security card or number in your purse or wallet.
Watch for your credit card bills. If they're more than a few days late contact the credit card company.
Your trashcan can be a fertile ground for your personal info. Get a shredder and use it.
Order a credit report from all three credit reporting agencies at least once a year. Make sure that you know about all the accounts listed in your name. You can order a report for a nominal fee at Equifax: 800-685-1111; Experian: 888-397-3742; and Trans Union: 800-916-8800.
Only Anna can decide how much energy she wants to devote to protecting her privacy. There's no doubt that it gets harder every year. Hopefully Anna will find a balance that's acceptable to her.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher website
and ezines
subscribe-dollar-stretcher@ds.xc.org
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:32:17ZScrooge's Christmas ListStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Scrooges-Christmas-List
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- /9241.html2010-05-07T08:32:14Z2010-05-07T08:32:14Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Scrooge's Christmas List
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
"Cratchit, take your Christmas grab bag and be gone. Out, I tell you, or you'll be seeking new employment!" That scene wasn't included in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" but I can easily picture crotchety old Scrooge taking Bob Cratchit to task for attempting to include him in an office holiday gift exchange. Scrooge certainly is the symbol of someone who doesn't like Christmas.
But, if you think about it, many of us harbor Scrooge-like feelings today. We really don't want to participate in yet one more gift exchange. We're out of both time and money.
The sad fact is that for many of us, Christmas shopping has become largely an obligation. We buy presents because it's expected. Take a look at your list. How many gifts are you buying because you really want to bless the person receiving it? And how many fall into the "I gotta" category?
Part of the problem for all of us is that most of the people that we buy for already enjoy material wealth. They truly "don't need anything". In fact, your present creates a problem for them.
Yes, I know that some think only a real Scrooge would take people off of their gift list. But, I'd disagree. Many of the gifts that you will give this season will actually hurt the person you give them to.
Here's how. They really don't need whatever you bought. It's just one more item to take up closet, cabinet or attic space. You've put them one step closer to needing a bigger house (with a bigger mortgage payment). You'll consume their time and money without adding any enjoyment to their lives.
And, you'll diminish your own life, too. Whether you consider this time of year to be an important part of your faith or just a time of goodwill, rushing from store to store will take your mind from the real meaning of the season. You will be focused on things. Not on the relationships that are important to your life. So I'd argue that it's really in the spirit of the season to reduce the number of people on your gift list.
In fact, you'd be doing friends a favor by not exchanging gifts. You'd both save the time spent buying and wrapping the gift. If you truly value that person, it's much better to get together for lunch or dinner and catch up on what's happening in your lives.
OK, in some cases it's not practical to drop people from your list. So how can you make the best of gift shopping?
Before you go shopping, consider why you're buying each present. Decide which people on your list are really important. You have a limited amount of time and money. Spend them on the people who are truly important in your life.
Everyone else should be handled without a big fuss. It's not that we don't like the people in our office gift exchange. It's just that six months from now they won't remember what you bought them.
An office party is a great place for a gag gift. Thrift stores can provide an assortment of items that can be used for funny gifts. Stuffed animals, clothing, coffee mugs and toys are fertile ground for the imagination. Is the recipient a stickler for time? An old alarm clock could be good. One where the hands have been removed is even better.
Many of us have far away relatives and friends. Unless you're particularly close, you might as well admit that you really don't know what they already have or what they need. So no matter what you get there's a good chance that it will need to be returned. Rather than combing the malls hoping that the perfect item will jump into your arms, why not consider a gift certificate from a national chain of stores. Or, better still, agree to a dollar amount that you will each spend on your own family. Do your buying after Christmas and send the 'giver' a photo of the gift that 'they bought'.
For local friends and relatives, think about where your lives intersect. That's the place to begin looking for a present. If you find that your lives have drifted apart, it's better to spend time catching up instead of shopping.
Then there's those very special people on your list. Your spouse, children and others who you truly want to make happy with a gift. Remember that it's not how much you spend. While it's nice to find a thoughtful gift for that special someone, what they really want is you. The people that are most important in your life want your time and attention. They want your happiness. Don't disappoint them by picking something that's expensive but impersonal.
Finally, please understand that this isn't meant to imply that you shouldn't give to those who need help. Not everyone in our world is blessed with the abundance that so many of us have. And the less fortunate can use your gift. If you can afford to, please participate in Angel Tree, the Salvation Army kettles or other programs to help those who struggle. If you're really in the holiday spirit you'll feel much better giving that new sweater to a poor child rather than your Aunt Edna.
Nor is this meant to imply that you should ignore the holidays. This is a wonderful time of year. My hope is that you'd make the most of your resources and bring happiness to the people who matter in your life.
Here's to a wonderful holiday for everyone. Hopefully your holiday will be filled with joy and wonder.
Gary Foreman has worked as a Certified Financial Planner and currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher website
You'll find hundreds of free articles to help you save time and money. Visit Today! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:32:14ZAn Allowance and Your Child's GrowthStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/An-Allowance-and-Your-Childs-Growth
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- /9242.html2010-05-07T08:32:12Z2010-05-07T08:32:12Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>An Allowance and Your Child's Growth
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
My sons are 4 and 7. I have not started an allowance yet since I have a problem enforcing chores. If you have any advice on how much to start them at and when I should start it would be greatly appreciated.
My 7 year old asked me last month if I could pay him an allowance and I told him that he was not doing his non-paying chores now and could not get money until he does this and then some additional chores. How do I get him motivated? He is lazy and unfortunately we have spoiled them both by always buying them things.
Thank you.
Carolyn
Carolyn will want to begin by understanding that an allowance can be a great tool for teaching your child about money and life. A properly used allowance can also help motivate a child and give them the opportunity to learn from small mistakes.
You really can't successfully start an allowance until a child understands how to count. It's even better if they can do basic addition and subtraction. One of the first things they'll learn with an allowance is to recognize the different coins and how to make change. Usually your child will be ready in the 6 to 8-year old range.
Many parents start when the children reach first grade. Our children received $1 for each grade level. So when they were in second grade they got $2 per week.
It's impossible to say exactly how much allowance is enough. A lot depends not only on the child's age and the family's financial circumstances, but also the maturity of the child.
In setting an allowance you're trying to get within a range. You don't want it to be too small. That won't motivate the child.
The allowance needs to be large enough for them to make meaningful decisions. When a child realizes that he has it in his power to buy a desired toy, he'll begin to grasp the concept of money.
Next they'll learn that something they want costs more than their weekly allowance. When they decide to save for a few weeks to make the purchase you've taught them a valuable lesson.
On the other end of the range, an allowance can be too big. They should have enough money to make small but not large mistakes. And, the allowance shouldn't be a burden on the family budget or be beyond a child's maturity.
Carolyn will actually want her kids to make some mistakes. Expect them to buy a poor quality toy. Talk to them about the choices they make. Those lessons today could keep them from making major mistakes years later.
Parents tend to divide on whether an allowance should be tied to chores. There are good arguments on both sides. Those who favor linking them claim that it teaches the child that you need to work for money. And, generally that's true. It's a good lesson for them to learn, too.
However, it also puts the child in a position to say they won't do household chores because they don't need the money. That's not something a parent wants to hear!
Personally I favor keeping chores and allowances separate. Our family has work that needs to be done. And, in my view, everyone benefits from the work being completed. So everyone should help do it.
Carolyn wants to get her kids motivated to do chores. In some ways children are just like adults. Everyone has a little greed and selfishness in them. Don't believe it? Then why is "mine" one of the first words that a baby learns? And teaching toddlers to share is one of the harder lessons?
You can use their greed and selfishness to get them motivated. Even if the allowance and chores aren't directly linked, you can still withhold it if tasks or grades aren't kept at an acceptable level. Just make sure that the child knows in advance what is expected and the penalty for not meeting that standard. Most children will quickly grasp the connection between doing their work and getting the things that they want.
Smart parents use an allowance to teach their children about money. Carolyn has already identified a motivation problem in her son. It will be much easier to correct it now than when he's nearing adulthood. In a world filled with checks, ATM's and credit cards children need to learn about money early. Parents can use an allowance to speed that education.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher website
and
ezine
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:32:12ZWanting a Newer CarStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Wanting-a-Newer-Car
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- /9243.html2010-05-07T08:32:09Z2010-05-07T08:32:09Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Wanting a Newer Car
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Gary,
My husband and I are in quite a bit of credit card debt and my husband wants a newer car. It is a 14-year old Acura Legend and has over 190,000 miles on it but we can't afford another bill until we get out of debt. If all goes as planned we should be out of debt within about two and half years. But that could be longer if something comes up. He says that his car won't last two more years. We are trying to save a little bit but we don't have any money to put down on a car. We have money to pay our bills which is not the problem. We just don't have a whole lot of money left over after paying our bills. What would you suggest we do about this situation?
Thanks,
Mary
Hubby's desire for a newer car is understandable. He's right. His car is old. But a dependable car is only half of the question. The second half is what happens to their finances if they buy a newer car.
Mary's husband probably won't like this. Buying a newer car could throw their family into serious financial troubles. But that doesn't mean that hubby needs to be stuck with an unreliable, unattractive car. Let's look for a solution to their problem.
Mary admits that they're having trouble accumulating any savings after the bills are paid. Any used car is going to require a monthly payment. If they don't have money for savings, there won't be money for a payment.
Even if they could squeeze a car payment into the monthly budget, that would leave them with nothing for unexpected expenses. And we all know that those 'unexpected' expenses will come up. In fact, since they're squeezing the car payment in, there will be even more pressure to use the credit cards for other relatively minor expenses. So they can expect their credit card balance to increase as long as they're making a car payment. And as their balance increases the credit card payment will gradually go up. Each month it will be a little tighter.
OK, so buying a newer car isn't a good option. So what can they do that lowers the debt and keeps hubby in a reliable car?There's an important fact to remember about the credit card debt. Each month part of Mary's payment is going to cover the interest on the borrowed money. If she can lower the interest rate or the account balance the amount of interest due will decrease each month.
Mary has two options for lowering the interest rate. She can call her credit card company and ask for a lower rate. Especially if she has a good payment history with them.
She can also consider transferring her balance to a new card with a lower interest rate. She'll need to study the offers carefully to avoid surprises. Some charge one low rate for transfers, but a higher rate for new purchases.
Each month will get easier as the balance goes down. And, if she keeps making the same size payment each month, the balance reduction will get larger and larger.
That gives Mary and her husband a little bit more money to work with every month. They have two options for that money. One is to continue to make the same monthly payment to the credit cards and force their balance down.
The second is to selectively use some of the extra money to maintain their current car. A good mechanic can often spot breakdowns before they happen. If they can avoid major engine or transmission failure, repairs will be cheaper than a newer car.
Hubby might even want to spend a few dollars making the car look better. Seat covers or an inexpensive paint job might make him feel a lot better about the old car.
If they can avoid a car payment for a couple of years they'll be in a position to buy a newer car and avoid running a credit card balance. The money that had been going to MasterCard can be earmarked for the car payment.
Naturally Hubby doesn't want to put too much money into an old car. But he needs to remember that buying a newer car now means unaffordable car payments for a used car that still will need repairs. If he hangs on for a little while he'll end up in a much better position.
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
and newsletters
subscribe-dollar-stretcher@ds.xc.orgStaff2010-05-07T08:32:09ZThe Check Out Check UpStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/The-Check-Out-Check-Up
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- /9244.html2010-05-07T08:32:06Z2010-05-07T08:32:06Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>The Check Out Check Up
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
My family is really struggling with our budget. We are a family of five spending approximately $500 per month on groceries and household items. Do you think we could do better? I use coupons, buy only generic and sale items at the local grocery store. What else can I do?! Would I save more money or get more for my money if I shopped at the big warehouses like Priceclub?
Pam
According to the U.S. Statistical Abstract the average large family (five or more) spent $405 per month on food eaten at home. Pam and her family probably are a bit on the high side. So what can she do to reduce the amount she contributes to her local grocery store?
The first thing to consider is the non-food items that end up our grocery carts. Most of us are in the habit of picking up cleaning supplies and paper products when we grocery shop. And that's a good way to boost your bill.
At your grocer you'll find shelf after shelf of specialty cleaning products. Check the ingredients. They're all pretty similar. Most cleaners contain a combination of ammonia, vinegar, baking soda, bleach and a generous helping of good old-fashioned water. They also add a fragrance so that things smell clean after you've done your work.
You can save some money by making your own cleaners. Recipes are available in books, magazines and on the web. Most are simple and just as effective as what you'd buy in the store. If you really don't want to mix your own, then at least locate a janitorial supply store. Most will sell to the public. They carry industrial strength and concentrated cleaners. You won't get pretty packaging, but you will get more cleaner per buck.
Now on to the food in Pam's grocery cart. Next time you return from the grocery store take a look at what you bought. Pay specific attention to 'convenience' items.
You won't find this definition in Webster's Dictionary, but it's the one that the food conglomerates use. When they call something a 'convenience' food, it means that they're going to charge big bucks and the consumer won't complain. In fact, we'll thank them for saving us some time!
Examine your purchases. How much of your money is really buying something that you're going to put in your mouth and swallow? And how much is going to packaging, individual serving sizes and 'convenience'? I don't ever recall seeing convenience on a nutrition chart!
If you want a shock compare the price per pound of a whole ham and the sliced ham at the deli counter. Sure, for some people being able to buy just a few slices justifies the higher price. But a little thought here could open up a whole new way to look at shopping.
Pam mentions that she's using coupons. Depending on where you live coupons may be helpful. In some areas stores still double coupons or allow you to use both a manufacturer's and a store coupon on the same item. That can make a big difference and is well worth the time spent.
But, even without doubled savings, coupons can help. Some families insist on nationally advertised brands. Coupons can reduce the name brand cost to the price of the generic equivalent.
Warehouse clubs can be a help, too, but you need to be careful in how you use them. First, and this is obvious, don't buy food that you're not going to use. Buying more than your family needs is wasteful no matter how cheap the item is. We almost instinctively think that bigger is better. That's not always true.
Secondly, do not assume that buying a large size will reduce your per unit cost. Sometimes it's true and sometimes it isn't. Manufacturers know that we assume that the 'large economy size' is the best value. And sometimes they take advantage of that. Always compare the per unit costs. Not only between the large and small package sizes, but between your local grocer and the big warehouse stores.
Finally, Pam can take advantage of something that no professional buyer would be without. That's a price book. When a buyer gets ready to place an order they know when they've bought in the past, who they purchased from and how much they paid. That information is priceless.
Pam doesn't need a fancy system to take advantage of the same information. A simple three-ring binder will do. Use one page for each item that you buy on a regular basis. As you shop compare the prices you see to the appropriate page in your price book. If the price you find is low, add a new line showing the date, store and unit price. And stock up on the item. You've found a bargain.
But, often you'll find an item with a big 'sale' sign that's still more expensive than the low prices in your book. That's the time to buy only enough for current needs. It's not uncommon for people to save up to 20% on their grocery bills by using a price book.
It sounds as if Pam is already starting to take control of her food spending. Here's to healthy diet and a healthy budget for her family.
Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher website
. You'll find hundreds of free articles to stretch your day and your budget. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:32:06ZBoomer Caused Market CollapseStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Boomer-Caused-Market-Collapse
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- /9245.html2010-05-07T08:32:03Z2010-05-07T08:32:03Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Boomer Caused Market Collapse
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Gary,I recently read a book called "What If Boomers Can't Retire". The main concept is that about half of all baby boomers have retirement investments in stocks - IRA's, 401k's, mutual funds, etc. When boomers start retiring, those stocks will all start selling. Thousands and thousands of people selling stocks. Who will buy them all? There will be less working wage earners per retiree each decade, so they won't be buying as many shares. I would be interested in your thoughts on this.
Larry
Larry's concern is based on a basic rule of economics. If there are more sellers than buyers, prices go down. And, it is a fact that baby boomers will begin to take cash out of their retirement plans. But does that doom the stock market?
Let's begin with some numbers. There were 77 million baby boomers born between 1947 and 1964. Or an average of 4.3 million per year. From 1965 to 1999 there were 140 million babies born. An average of 4 million per year. Not that big a drop.
Next, remember that everyone won't sell at once. There's an 18 year span between the first and last boomers. The first ones will be starting retirement while the last ones are still in their peak earning (and investing) years.
Baby boomers will live longer than their parents. Many don't plan on retiring at 65 and playing golf for 20 years. Some recent studies show that over half of boomers expect to work some during retirement. So they won't rely entirely on selling stocks to pay the bills.
The tax laws also discourage stock sales. Many retirement accounts trigger taxes only when money is withdrawn. So boomers will delay selling as long as possible.
The bottom line is that boomers will reduce their retirement savings at a slower rate that past generations. So the effect that concerns Larry will be diluted and happen over a long time. In fact, some retirement accounts will go to the boomers' heirs without ever being sold.
Next, let's look at boomers retirement savings. They haven't invested everything in stocks. They have a mix that includes stocks, bonds, CD's, annuities and even their homes.
That balance will gradually shift as they get older. If they're like previous generations, they'll slowly begin to sell stocks and their family size homes and put more of their savings in bonds and CD's for the income and safety. The shift will begin gradually before the first boomers even get to retirement. Some of the older boomers have already begun the process.
The same free market that is the cause of Larry's concern also provides a solution. If stock prices fall fewer companies will offer new stock. So the supply of stock will shrink relative to the number of people. In fact, if stock prices fall below a certain level companies will begin to buy back their own shares. That will cause share prices to rise.
Remember, too, that the U.S. stock markets are actually worldwide markets. And boomers aren't the only ones that tend to move as a group. Foreign investors are often either big buyers or sellers for a year or two. So far they haven't caused a market collapse.
The long term trend of the stock market is much more closely tied to the health and size of the entire economy. The U.S. Census Bureau expects the domestic population to grow from 275 to 400 million in the next 50 years. So it's not unreasonable to expect the economy to keep growing.
What should Larry do if he's a boomer thinking of retirement? His best strategy is to own a variety of assets. No retirement plan should be limited to stocks or any single investment type. Larry will be much safer if he owns a mix of stocks, bonds, real estate and CD's. The unforeseen events that will cause one type to go down will at the same time cause another type to go up.
I would caution Larry not to count on Social Security to cover all his monthly expenses. Today there are 3 workers for every retiree. That will drop to 2 to 1 during the boomer retirement years. Current benefits cannot be maintained unless changes are made. Those changes are limited to benefit reductions for boomers, major tax increases for younger workers or a partial privatization of the plan. This is a hot political issue, but boomers will need to supplement Social Security if they want a comfortable retirement.
A much bigger question for boomers will be did they accumulate enough savings before retirement. Using almost any measure a large number of them aren't saving nearly enough to support their current lifestyles. Hopefully Larry won't be among them.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher website
and ezine
subscribe-dollar-stretcher@ds.xc.org
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:32:03ZBuying a RefrigeratorStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Buying-a-Refrigerator
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- /9246.html2010-05-07T08:32:00Z2010-05-07T08:32:00Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Buying a Refrigerator
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Hi,
I am in the market to purchase a new 25 cu. ft. side-by-side refrig./freezer. Is one time of the year better for sales? Should I try Ebay? Or what is cheapest method?
Connie
Connie asks a very good question. A refrigerator is not only one of the most expensive appliances you'll buy for your home, but it also consumes 20% of electricity you use every month. So a good decision now could save a few dollars every month for years.
The experts I found say that you'll do best buying a major appliance during the winter months. No reason was given, but it might be that people are too busy paying off holiday debt to buy major appliances unless they have to.
Of course, with something like a refrigerator the best time to buy is when your old one is still working. That way you won't be facing the cost of spoiled food and you'll have time to price shop.
Connie should consider a three step approach. First, visit some local stores to see what's available. Get a general idea of pricing and what models and options she'd like to consider. Second, do a little research to narrow the search and compare prices. Only then is she ready to actually go buy her refrigerator.
During her research, Connie will want to check repair records. It's hard to beat the information that Consumer Reports puts out. And, you'll find it free at most public libraries.
Connie is wise to think of using the web to help her find a bargain. But Ebay might not be the place to look. A quick search under refrigerator only showed small under counter units and one commercial model. Even if Connie did find one at a price she liked shipping could be a major expense.
But she will want to check out the websites for major retailers. Although she probably won't buy it online, she can get a very good idea of pricing. For instance BestBuy.com lists all of its side-by-side refrigerators on one page with basic size and price info.
This is also the time for Connie to compare slightly smaller or larger units and to decide what features she really wants. For instance, a new side-by-side model will cost more to operate than a top freezer. Ice makers and water/ice dispensers are convenient but cost more.
Once she's done her homework it's time to go visit some retailers. Before visiting the major national retailers it's probably wise to check out some alternatives. For instance a scratch and dent outlet might turn up a good deal.
Connie might also want to check with rental centers. Often they have slightly damaged units that they're willing to sell cheaply. Remember that these units are sold as is. So make sure that you know exactly what's wrong and aren't missing anything important or expensive.
She should also check out smaller local outlets. Many will meet the big boy's prices and offer more personal service.
Don't forget that the initial cost of the fridge is only part of what you'll spend. Consider the operating costs. The yellow EnergyGuide labels are a great tool. The sticker will estimate how much each refrigerator will add to your electric bill per year. Remember that you'll probably keep a refrigerator 10 years or more. So a $25 difference between models is worth $250 over the appliance's lifetime.
Once Connie has decided on a model it's time to find the lowest price. Don't forget that home improvement centers like Lowe's also sell appliances. And Connie doesn't have to limit her price shopping to physical stores. She can also use a published online price. A printout of the web page can prove handy.
Now to negotiate with her favorite retailer. Most stores will match lower prices, including those found on the web. Simply ask the salesperson if they do. Even if their price is the lowest it doesn't hurt to ask if the listed price is their best price.
And after Connie has negotiated the price ask for free delivery. If you haven't hit their rock bottom price yet they'll probably throw it in to complete the deal. Especially if you show a willingness to delay on the purchase.
Connie will also be asked to buy an extended warrantee. But unless she's managed to choose a lemon, she really doesn't need the extra coverage. According to RepairClinic.com the average cost of an appliance service call is $120. Most extended warrantees cost quite a bit more.
Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
and ezine
subscribe@stretcher.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:32:00ZManaging Your MortgageStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Managing-Your-Mortgage
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- /9247.html2010-05-07T08:31:57Z2010-05-07T08:31:57Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Managing Your Mortgage
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
When I send in my mortgage payment and I send in more than the minimum amount, the return payment stub asks whether I would like the additional payment to go towards escrow or principal. Which direction would be the best?
Jim
Jim asks a very good question. How you manage your mortgage payments can make a big difference in your financial well-being.
Let's begin with a little background about mortgages. Many of you will already be familiar with this, so just consider it a review.
When you take out a mortgage you've borrowed money. And, you've agreed to pay interest to the mortgage company for the amount of money that you owe. On all but a few mortgages, you'll make monthly payments. Part of that monthly payment will go towards the interest that's owed for that month. Another part of the payment goes to repay the amount borrowed (called "principal").
Your mortgage payment may also include an "escrow" account. That's where the mortgage company collects an extra amount each month from you. Then when your homeowners' insurance or property taxes are due those bills are paid from money in the escrow account. If there is extra money in the account it may be returned to Jim periodically. But, if there isn't enough money to pay for insurance or taxes he'll be asked to make up the difference and increase the amount that he puts into the escrow account each month.
Another part of your mortgage check could go to "private mortgage insurance" or PMI. If your down-payment was less than 20% you were probably told that you'd need to buy PMI. That's an insurance policy that pays the mortgage company if you default on the loan.
Now let's look at whether any extra money should go to principal or escrow. And the answer is that depends on what he wants to accomplish with it.
Perhaps he's afraid that the escrow account won't have enough money to pay for increased property taxes. Then he might want to put some extra in now so that he doesn't have to worry about coming up with the money later.
But, if he's not concerned with the escrow account, he should earmark the extra amount to principal. The reason is simple. Prepaying your mortgage is one of the best ways to accumulate wealth.
Consider an example. Suppose that Jim had a 30-year 7% mortgage with a monthly payment for principal and interest of $665. If he were able to put $1,000 toward principal next month it would shorten his mortgage by one year. Or, suppose that he'll be selling the house in 7 years. In that case, he'll have $1,700 more when he walks away from the closing table.
Prepaying your mortgage is often the best investment you can make. You're guaranteed a rate of return equal to the mortgage interest rate. And, if you ever need to get the money back, it's fairly easy to take out a home equity loan or refinance your home.
There are some other things that Jim should do to manage his mortgage. The first is to eliminate PMI as soon as he can. If his equity is greater than 22% federal law says that he cannot be forced to buy PMI unless he's been late with his payments.
Jim will need to monitor this himself. There's two ways that his equity can increase. Either by gradually paying off the mortgage principal amount. Or, by the value of the house going up due to rising real estate prices.
When he gets over 22% equity, Jim will want to contact the mortgage company and cancel PMI. This is also a good opportunity for Jim. He can take the money that had been going to PMI and redirect it to prepaying principal. His payments will remain the same, but his mortgage will begin to shrink.
Jim also needs to manage his escrow account. Many communities give a discount if you pay your property taxes early. Or, penalize you if you don't pay on time. Make sure that the mortgage company is taking advantage of any discounts available to you. Remember that your mortgage is one of thousands that they manage and clerical mistakes commonly occur.
It's also a good idea to regularly shop your homeowners' insurance. Just because it is being paid from the escrow account doesn't mean that you aren't allowed to find a lower rate and change insurers.
Finally, be aware of the different types of mortgages available and refinance if that works to your advantage.
The time when Jim could take a mortgage, make monthly payments and forget about it are over. Managing his mortgage is an important part of building wealth.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher Website
You'll find hundreds of articles to stretch your day and your dollar. Visit today! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:31:57ZFive Money Myths That Can Keep You ApartStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Five-Money-Myths-That-Can-Keep-You-Apart
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- /9248.html2010-05-07T08:31:55Z2010-05-07T08:31:55Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Five Money Myths That Can Keep You Apart
by Candace Bahr, CEA, CDFA and Ginita Wall, CPA, CFP
www.WIFE.org
www.MoneyClubs.com
Managing money with your significant other is difficult enough. Don't burden your relationship with half-truths that can make it even harder. Make sure these five money myths aren't keeping you apart.
The partner who earns more, knows more.
Your earnings are only a measure of how much you earn right now, period. They don't represent your negotiation skills, job skills, investing skills-or just plain common sense. The partner with more intuitive skills can more easily sense a bad investment than the one with a high income but a faulty BS detector. Respect your partner's contribution of knowledge and insight to your team-regardless of his or her financial contribution at the moment.
Pennies make millions.
A penny-pinching partner may starve the essence and spirit of his partner, instead of encouraging her to achieve her full potential-economic and otherwise. Monitoring day-to-day spending is fine, but don't keep your partner from pursuing dreams because of temporary financial risks. Concentrate on your partner's long-term potential. If you restrict her from achieving her best, she will always resent you for it-and the costs will far exceed pennies.
We have to agree on everything.
Some couples think that any disagreement is a deep and permanent conflict that will destroy the relationship. If he likes to spend and you like to save, or vice versa-this does not mean the end of the relationship. Agree to disagree on small matters, and compromise on the large ones. Remember, if two people agree on everything, one of them is unnecessary.
We can't enjoy the present because we have to save for the future.
An intelligent savings plan includes some enjoyment in the present. You don't have to go on an expensive vacation or spend lots of money on weekend entertainment, if that is outside of your budget. You do, however, have to reserve some time (and some funds) for enjoying yourselves right now. If you don't nurture your relationship with some pleasures now, you might not have a future together.
Money is more important than our relationship.
Every relationship has its share of money regrets. Each partner says to himself: "If only she (or he) had let me invest#133;or kept me from investing#133; or spent money on#133; or not spent money on#133;" These regrets and unfulfilled wishes can be very expensive in terms of energy and goodwill in your relationship. This ruminating is not productive, so let it go to make more space in your relationship for future inflows of money-and love.
This article excerpted from the new book
It#146;s More Than Money#151;It#146;s Your Life! The New Money Club for Women
. Available at your local bookseller or through the non-profit Women#146;s Institute for Financial Education (
www.WIFE.org
). Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:31:55ZInherited Debts?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Inherited-Debts
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- /9249.html2010-05-07T08:31:52Z2010-05-07T08:31:52Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Inherited Debts?
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I've heard that when parents are in debt and they die the debts are left to the children to pay off. Is this true? My parents had gotten a divorce a few years ago. My mom is doing well because she is a saving queen. My dad had remarried two years ago. His wife does not work but loves to spend money. So now they have a $20,000 debt. If my father dies, his wife is responsible for the debt, right? What happens after she dies and there is still that debt? Also, what happens if she dies first, and then my father--who gets the debt?
Judy
Judy asks a question that comes up often. Can someone die and 'leave' their debts to you? The answer is no. Parents can't leave their debts to you. In fact, they can't even leave their debts to their spouse.
Typically a will controls financial affairs after a person's death. A will distributes assets, not debts. But, before any money can be distributed to heirs, all the debts must be paid. So enough assets are sold to pay for any debts that remain. Only after the debts are paid will the remaining assets be distributed among the beneficiaries of the will.
The key point to remember is that you are only responsible for debts that you contractually created. There are certain circumstances that would put Judy at risk for her dad's debt. But she would have had to do something to cause that responsibility.
Suppose that Judy's dad asked her to co-sign a loan. Signing would make her responsible for the debt. Not only if her Dad died, but also if he failed to make a payment. But she shouldn't be surprised. When you 'co-sign' a loan, you do just that. You put your signature on the loan application.
A similar situation occurs with a joint credit card. A joint account allows anyone named on the account to use it to create a debt. But it also means that everyone listed on the account is responsible for the entire debt that's created.
Suppose Judy had a joint card with her dad. And he was the only one using the card. Any debts he left at death would be Judy's. But once again, it should be no surprise to Judy. She signed the joint application for the account. And it's her responsibility to be aware of whether it's being paid off or not.
It wouldn't be unusual for Judy's dad and step-mother to have a joint account. In that case the survivor would be responsible for any balances on the account.
Joint credit card accounts often create problems in a divorce. Often a couple has a joint account before the divorce. The credit card company isn't going to split the bill just because a couple throws in the towel. As far as they're concerned, both the ex-husband and wife are responsible for the entire amount of the bill until it's paid. And while a court can instruct one party to pay, sometimes it still doesn't happen.
Another way that people end up paying someone else's debt is when you let someone use your credit card. Again, it should be no surprise when the bill comes in.
So what happens to the debts of someone who dies? The credit card company will first try to collect from the estate. As mentioned earlier, assets will be sold to pay the bills. Then, if the account was a joint account, any survivors will be left holding the bag. If the debt belonged solely to the deceased, then the credit card company will end up eating the debt if there aren't enough assets to cover it.
But Judy isn't completely off the hook. She might still want to advise her dad to control his spending. As her father and step-mother get older they could have trouble keeping up with the minimum payments. And, once they fall behind things will get tough. Credit card companies are quick to bump up interest rates when you miss a payment.
And that would be trouble. Judy's father will probably be living on a fixed income during retirement. So the payment that was a struggle at 12% interest becomes impossible when the interest rate goes to 20%. And unless they have some assets that can be sold to reduce the debt, the minimum payments will dominate their finances.
And that's where Judy comes in. I don't know her relationship to her father, but it would be awfully hard to watch a parent struggle to put food on the table. Even if they caused the problem by foolish past spending.
It actually would be interesting if parents could 'leave' their debts to someone after they die. I suspect that many children would treat their parents much better if that were the case. Instead of parents threatening to cut a child out of their will, parents could run up large debts and threaten to put a child into their will! Never mind! It's a good thing that the law doesn't read that way. Somehow I don't think that it would be good for family relations.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.stretcher.com/save.htmStaff2010-05-07T08:31:52ZTemporary Downsizing?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Temporary-Downsizing
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- /9250.html2010-05-07T08:31:49Z2010-05-07T08:31:49Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Temporary Downsizing?
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Hi Gary,
We're wondering if we should sell our house. My husband recently returned to school to get his degree, which will take two years of full time school. He's working part time while he's in school and I work full time as a social worker.
Our mortgage payment is $1,030 a month--no problem when we were both working full time. Now that his income has been drastically reduced, the mortgage feels very steep. What about selling the house, using the equity to pay off our $20,000 second mortgage, and moving into a place that costs less per month? Rental costs in Denver are high, at $750+ for a two bedroom apartment. Is it smart to use your big asset to pay off debt and "slim down" for a few years, or is it stupid to give up a chance to continue earning equity?
Thanks,
Erin K.
Erin has actually asked a two part question. Can she save money by moving to a smaller place for a few years. And, if she sells, will she regret not building equity during that time. The first question is easier than the second so let's start there.
The difference between her mortgage ($1,030) and rent (we'll assume $750) is only $280. So that's about what she'd save each month. If her monthly payment doesn't escrow for insurance and property taxes she'll be able to add that to her monthly savings.
A moving cost calculator at realtor.com estimates that it would cost $1,395 to move a two bedroom home. So the first five months worth of savings would go to the moving company.
Erin shouldn't forget that there are a lot of small costs to moving that get overlooked. Things like shelf paper for the kitchen cabinets and picture hangers aren't terribly expensive, but they do add up.
And, it's not just the money involved. She'll spend hours notifying everyone of the new address. It doesn't take much for a credit card bill to get lost in the moving shuffle. A tardy payment can cost you a late fee plus a black mark on your credit history.
There are other costs to selling and buying a home. Erin could end up paying a commission to the real estate agent. Rates vary, but it's not uncommon for them to be 6% of the selling price. On a $150,000 home that's $9,000. That works out to 32 months of the rental savings.
So it doesn't look like Erin is going to save much by selling and moving. But what about her equity?
There are two ways to building home equity. The first - paying down principal on your mortgage - happens every time you make a mortgage payment. Erin can look at her mortgage amortization table and add up how much equity she'd build during the two year period.
The second aspect to home equity is housing appreciation. She can't predict housing prices accurately but it is possible make a guess as to what will happen. Not owning a home for two years could be very expensive. To illustrate, if a $150,000 home appreciated 10% over two years, Erin's home would be worth an additional $15,000. That's about $625 in lost equity per month.
So, if they don't sell, what should Erin do? First, recognize that the amount of debt they carry limits their options. It's admirable that her husband went back to school. But he might have to work full-time and go to school part-time. And that could be a good strategy. Many employers will pay for college classes that are related to an employee's work.
Another option would be to try to reduce their expenses in other areas. Chopping out $280 a month won't be easy. Start by eliminating any extravagant spending. Then Erin should study their spending in major areas like food and autos for potential savings.
A final option would be move into an apartment, but not sell her home. Presumably rental income on their home would be sufficient to pay the mortgage. Erin would still face the moving expenses, but wouldn't have to pay the costs of selling her home. And she'd still be building equity. Before taking this step, however, Erin needs to check out how it would affect her mortgage, insurance and tax situations.It might be tough for Erin and her husband for awhile. But the good news is that his earning potential will increase dramatically once he's completed his degree. According to the 2001 U.S. Statistical Abstract, mean income for a person with a college degree is $25,000 higher than for someone with a high school diploma.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website and ezine, to subscribe email
subscribe@stretcher.com
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:31:49ZSigns of WealthStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Signs-of-Wealth
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- /9251.html2010-05-07T08:31:46Z2010-05-07T08:31:46Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Signs of Wealth
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
email:
gary@stretcher.com
Everyone from songwriters to psychics to traffic engineers will tell you that it's important to 'read the signs'. And they're right. Take driving for instance. Traveling without signs would be difficult and dangerous.
Our financial affairs are another type of trip that requires watching signs. To help us avoid trouble and make progress towards our goals. So let's take a look at some common financial road signs.
The "Stop" Sign. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to stop before you make a purchase. And, just like when you're driving, you need to look around for oncoming traffic before proceeding. Failure to stop can cause an accident.
How can you identify the financial stop sign? Look for it any time that there seems to be too much traffic. If a decision is complicated, there's a lot of traffic. If you're facing many financial decisions at once, there's a lot of traffic. If you feel like you're being pushed, it's time to stop, look around and only continue with your purchase after you're sure it's safe.
The "School Zone" Sign. There are some situations that require us to drive very cautiously. There are financial situations like that, too. They require us to slowly and calmly evaluate a situation. Like the school zone, we need to be watching for the unexpected. Anytime that someone says you 'must act now' you should see a 'school zone' sign in your mind. And, just like with the school zone, failure to obey the sign can cause an unexpected accident.
The "No Parking" Sign. There are places in life that don't allow you to stop. Sometimes you just have to keep going. For instance, you can't park on the expressway. That happens with our finances, too. If you're struggling to make your monthly payments you can't 'park' your finances. You need to get behind the wheel and take control. It's time to steer carefully and watch where you're going until you're safely out of traffic.
The "Speed Limit" Sign. Many people dream of making a lot of money quickly. That's why lotteries are so popular. But those that try to get rich quickly often end up crashing. Just like driving too fast. Sometimes you can exceed the speed limit for awhile without a problem. But if you crash, it's often pretty nasty.
The 'speed limit' sign isn't as easy to spot as some of the others. Often it is just a feeling that you're going too fast for the circumstances. For some reason women seem more aware of financial speed limit signs.
The "Route Marker" Sign. Major highways have signs that reassure us that we're on the right highway for our destination. If we don't see the route sign for awhile we're probably going the wrong way. This, too, is true in our financial life. If you're saving for retirement you need to take a look at your retirement plan statements. Make sure that you're headed in the right direction.
The "Exit" Sign. Missing an exit on the interstate is a real pain. Often it happens when you haven't studied a map to check where to get off. And, once you've missed your exit the only thing you can do is to backtrack.
Our financial life also has some exits that we don't want to miss. If you're accumulating debt you need to take the next exit. If you're beginning to suffer 'burn-out' it's time to stop and visit a roadside diner to check your destination. Some exits, like paying for college, are well marked and easy to spot. Still, you need to prepare to make a safe move to the exit ramp.
The "Merge" Sign. When you see a 'merge' sign you know to watch out for traffic from two lanes blending into one. We need to look around for cars coming our way. And then speed up or slow down to avoid an accident.
That can also occur with our finances. Changes in work, health, marriage or education status are a sign that new situations are merging into our life. Hopefully we're ready to handle the new events, but ready or not, we need to evaluate them now and see what effect they will have on our finances. And, once we've studied the situation, we may need to speed up or slow down. That might mean changing our investments or the amount that we routinely spend.
Can reading the signs prevent every problem that you might face. No, unfortunately that's not possible. But they sure can make the trip easier and less stressful!
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.stretcher.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:31:46ZToddler Treat: Cauliflower SoupStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Toddler-Treat:-Cauliflower-Soup
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- /9252.html2010-05-07T08:31:45Z2010-05-07T08:31:45ZStaff2010-05-07T08:31:45ZBefore You Buy a HomeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Before-You-Buy-a-Home
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- /9253.html2010-05-07T08:31:42Z2010-05-07T08:31:42Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Before You Buy a Home
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Gary,
I am hoping that in one year I will be buying a condominium. I have found the area of town I want to live in and found the condo complex that I can both afford and enjoy.
I have bought a home before so I won't qualify for any first time buyers deals. I am embarrassed to say that when I bought my first home, my husband and I were disgustingly naive. I am no longer married and I want to be totally prepared to search and purchase within a few months of my lease expiring.
I have almost $15,000 saved for a down payment. These condos are in the $95-$100,000 range. But, I don't have any idea what I should be doing besides continuing to save money. Should I be looking for a mortgage this early? What should I be doing at this point? Do I need to get a realtor, even though I know basically where I want to live?
I have less than a $800 debt but my car is 11 years old. I think it will easily last another two years and maybe longer. Any information would be appreciated!
Debbie in Nashville, TN
Debbie is off to a good start. She's identified the major areas needing her attention.
First, she will want to get her financial house in order. Debbie has already begun saving for a mortgage. She'll want to continue that. A larger down payment often means lower mortgage rates.
She needs to figure out how large a mortgage payment she can afford each month. Experts advise that the mortgage, taxes and insurance be limited to around 25% of her monthly income. But a lot depends on other expenses like her car. She doesn't want to commit to a mortgage payment that will make it impossible to buy a car later.
She'll find mortgage calculators on the web. Bankrate.com has some good ones. They'll translate a given mortgage size and interest rate into monthly payments.
The mortgage will probably be more than she's paying for rent. Beginning now she should set aside the difference every month. That way she'll adjust to the new level of expenses before she buys. She'll also be setting aside some extra savings to help cover moving expenses.
Second, Debbie will want to do some things early to make the actual buying process easier. She'll need to check her credit report. Approximately one in four people have errors in their report that are large enough to deny them credit or cost them a higher rate. It can take six months to get an error corrected.
If Debbie has unused credit lines or credit cards she might want to cancel them. Large amounts of available, unused credit will hurt her mortgage rate.
She'll need to collect some financial records prior to purchase. Pay stubs for the last 3 months. W-2 forms for the last two years. Recent bank statements. Also a listing of all of her financial assets and liabilities.
Now is the time to learn the differences between fixed and variable mortgages. She'll also want to study some of the lingo so she'll understand the decisions she's about to make. Find out about escrow accounts and private mortgage insurance. Some lenders require them.
Finally, there are some things that relate to the physical property to consider.
Debbie has already found her neighborhood. Otherwise she would want to consider what communities would be best for her lifestyle considering tax rates and whether they're close enough to public schools, transportation and shopping.
Debbie has also found a condo complex. She might want to visit with some of the owners and ask how happy they are.
She will need to decide whether to use a real estate agent, a buyer's agent or just go it alone. An agent could help Debbie with many of these steps.
If she's short on time or doesn't feel capable she might want the help. Depending on what she decides and the laws of her state she might also need to line up an attorney.
Before buying she'll want to check out homeowners' insurance. Her lender will require her to carry insurance. Better to compare rates now while she has time.
Before the closing a home inspection will be required. Now is a good time to find an inspector. Check their state certification and references.
As Debbie knows, buying a home is a complicated process and takes some work to do it right. She's wise to start early and make it as smooth as possible. We hope that she finds the perfect condo for her needs and the whole transactions goes smoothly.
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner and purchasing manager who current edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com
and email newsletter
subscribe@stretcher.com
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:31:42ZRepaying Charged-Off DebtsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Repaying-Charged-Off-Debts
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- /9254.html2010-05-07T08:31:38Z2010-05-07T08:31:38Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Repaying Charged-Off Debts
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
I am curious as to whether or not charge-offs can continue to accrue interest. I was always told "no" but today an attorney for one of those "third party collectors" told me "yes". I had already paid $900 into the charged-off debt and then that collector dropped us after I confronted them about some shady practices - they withdrew funds without my authorization - and a new law firm picked it up and tacked on another $1500 above what I'd already paid!! The first law firm didn't charge interest but this one is. Any information you can offer would be most appreciated!
Jennifer
Sounds like Jennifer is in a tough spot. To make the best of the situation she's going to need to learn a little about what a 'charge-off' really is, how collections work and whether the lender can charge interest on the debt.
When Jennifer borrowed money from a company she created an expectation of future income when the debt was repaid. That's an asset of the corporation.
When a company 'charges-off' a loan, they're saying that they don't believe that they'll ever be able to collect the debt. So they 'write-off' the asset. It's an accounting entry that reduces their profits and taxes.
They'll also report the charge-off to the credit rating agencies. That makes it more difficult for Jennifer to borrow money later. An overdue debt can be shown on your credit report for 7 years after the account became delinquent.
But, that's just the accounting aspects. What happens to the debt in the 'real' world?
Just because a debt has been charged-off does not mean that Jennifer still doesn't owe the money (plus interest and penalties). What she owes depends on the original loan agreement, state law concerning the Statute of Limitations (SoL) and the federal law governing collections.
The original terms from the loan still apply. All that fine print that no one reads becomes important now. Generally it gives the lender quite a bit of latitude to charge interest and penalties.
Next Jennifer needs to find out the statute of limitations (SoL) on her debt. In most cases it's between 3 and 6 years. State law and the type of debt will determine the SoL. The SoL says that after a certain period of time that the debtor is no longer legally required to pay a debt.
There are actions that Jennifer could take that would restart the clock on the SoL. Making a payment, signing an agreement to pay or even admitting that the debt is valid could be enough to stop or reset the SoL clock to zero.
She'll need to do a little research to learn the SoL in her state. Her phone book should have a number for the state's information operator. They should be able to point her to the state agency that can explain the law.
Two notes about SoL. Even though the SoL says that a debt doesn't have to be repaid it's not illegal to attempt to collect it. And, if the lender gets a judgement against the borrower there's no SoL on the judgement.
Jennifer also needs to know a little bit about collection agencies. Some work for a percentage of any money that they're able to collect. Others buy a group of bad loans for pennies on the dollar. Then they keep everything collected. Since they own the loan, they're also allowed to re-sell it to another collection agency. That could explain why Jennifer has heard from more than one agency. They're also sometimes affiliated with law firms so that they sound more important.
Whoever owns the loan, original lender or collection agency, is allowed to keep charging interest and penalties per the original loan agreement and applicable laws.
Anyone trying to collect the loan is supposed to obey the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. But, as you'd expect, some will bend or even break the collection rules.
It's no surprise that they tapped into Jennifer's bank account. She might have given permission without realizing it. They will also try to garnish her wages or put a lien against any property that she owns. There are, however, laws that keep them from just taking anything they find.
If Jennifer does agree to settle the debt by paying a portion of it, she needs to get a release from the agency saying that the balance of the debt is forgiven. She should look for the words "payment in full".
Once a debt as been reported as written-off, paying it will not wipe away the bad comment in her credit report. It will look better, but only slightly. It's possible that the original lender may agree to remove the item if a partial payment is made. But, only the original lender may do that. Not an outside collection agency.
Hopefully Jennifer will be able to close this unfortunate episode and never have to revisit the issue again.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher newsletters and website:
www.thedollarstretcher.com
You'll find hundreds of articles to help stretch your day and your dollar! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:31:38ZCredit Card SurpriseStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Credit-Card-Surprise
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- /9255.html2010-05-07T08:31:35Z2010-05-07T08:31:35Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Credit Card Surprise
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
My husband and I were holders of a Visa Platinum card with a fixed 5.9% interest rate. Our account was recently sold to another credit card company and we have been informed that our rate is now variable meaning we could be paying as much as 18% and that includes our balance transfer which were purchases made with the understanding it was at the lower interest rate. Is this legal? I am currently shopping around for another card with a comparable interest rate.
Anne
Sounds like Anne feels betrayed by Visa. And, that's understandable. She thought that she had agreed to a specific interest rate for the life of the account. But that wasn't really the case.
There are surprising differences in credit card accounts. And most of us aren't aware of them. So let's take a look at fixed and variable rate credit cards.
Unfortunately for Anne the new card issuer can change her rate. It's perfectly legal. In fact even her old credit card issuer had the right to change the rate. It just happened that they never did.
A fixed-rate account is really mis-named. It's not like your mortgage or an auto loan where you can expect to pay the same rate for the life of the loan.
The Truth In Lending act only requires that card issuers give you 15 days notice if they're going to change the rate on a 'fixed-rate' account. Some states have laws that require a longer notice. But you're still vulnerable to rate changes. A more accurate title would be that they're an 'almost fixed-rate account'.
Her new card issuer has given Anne a variable-rate account. And, as you might expect, the rate fluctuates.
Variable-rate accounts are tied to a published index. Most use the federal funds, Federal Reserve discount rate or the one, three or 6 month Treasury Bill rate.
The index is used to calculate the interest rate charged the consumer. You will be charged a rate that's higher than the index. Dig through the fine print to find the formula.
Expect a variable-account rate to change fairly often. The rate might not be significantly different, but it can change each month.
The card issuer must tell you when you open the account how the rate will be determined. Unfortunately, it's not going to be highlighted for you. In most cases, the card issuer would be happy if you never read the disclosure statement.
If the truth were told, most of us don't really like to read those statements, either. But you need to know the minimum and maximum rates that can be charged on a variable-rate account. Remember that a high minimum rate means that you don't benefit if general interest rates drop below a certain point.
Those aren't the only circumstances that could cause Anne's rate to change. Both fixed and variable rates can change if she's late with a payment. And all her accounts could change. Not just the one that was late.
Some cards will also allow a higher rate to be applied if Anne goes over her credit limit. A 'credit limit' isn't really a ceiling on how much you can borrow. Many accounts will let you charge beyond your limit and then assess 'over limit fees' and a higher rate of interest.
What can Anne do? She's already pursuing one option. That's to transfer the balance to a new fixed-rate account. Of course that's no guarantee that the rate won't change later. And some fixed rate cards charge higher rates than variable ones.
If she has the money, she can pay off the balance and notify the card issuer to close the account. A final alternative would be to use another account for new charges and pay off the Visa account as soon as possible.
The bottom line is that what Visa did might have been misleading, but it was legal. And, we can all learn from Anne's experience. Whether you have a fixed or variable account, don't count on your interest rate staying the same. There are no guarantees that will happen.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.stretcher.com
and newsletter
subscribe@stretcher.comStaff2010-05-07T08:31:35ZCanceling CreditStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Canceling-Credit
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- /9256.html2010-05-07T08:31:32Z2010-05-07T08:31:32Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Canceling Credit
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
www.stretcher.com
Dear Gary,
I want to reduce the available credit on some credit cards and also cancel other credit cards. What do I say when writing to the creditor that will cancel the credit card and leave favorable information on my credit report? How do I reduce my available credit line and look good to the credit reporting companies?
Jonnie
Jonnie's on the right track. Keeping your available credit to a reasonable level is a good idea. The days when a wallet full of credit cards indicated good credit are over. Today lenders use a formula that includes how much credit you have available for use.
If you apply for a home mortgage or auto loan the lender is going to add up all the available credit that you have and compare that to your income level. They don't want you to buy a car today and then charge a bunch of stuff later. That makes it more likely that you'd have trouble making the car payments.
What the potential lender thinks of your credit affects how much you'll pay in interest. The better your credit report, the lower the rate they'll offer.
One way to look better to lenders is to close unused credit card accounts. That's what Jonnie is doing. But it's important to do the job properly.
An account is not closed just because the card is collecting dust in the bottom of your purse and hasn't been used in years. You must notify the card issuer and specifically tell them that you want to close the account. In many cases you can do that by calling the customer service number on your card or monthly statement. You can also mail your request to them. Use the address provided on your statement.
One interesting thing to note is that you can close an account while it still has a balance. You'd stop using that card but would continue to pay on any balance remaining until the entire amount is paid.
You don't need to give the card issuer a reason for closing the account. It's your right to choose not to do any more business with them. They may offer a lower rate if you stay. And, if that's attractive, you can leave the account open. But in Jonnie's case a lower rate wouldn't help her reach the goal of reducing her available credit.
Once the account is closed you need to make sure that the credit report notes that the account was "Closed by Customer". That means that you asked to have the account closed, not the credit card company. Generally when the card issuer closes an account it's because the customer isn't a good credit risk any more. You don't want to leave that impression.
Closing an account does not remove it from your credit report. It will remain for seven years. You do not have the right to have the closed account removed from your report.
There was a time when having closed accounts did make it harder to get credit. But customer closed accounts are much more frequent now. With everyone searching for lower rates, lenders expect to see a number of closed accounts. Many no longer even consider the number of closed accounts in the formula that they use to rate potential customers.
While we're on the subject, we should note that the card issuer can also close the account whenever they want to. Even if you've never been late with a payment. The reason is simple. The law isn't going to force them to do business that's not profitable for them. In some cases people who always pay their entire bill are being cancelled just because the bank isn't making money on them.
Jonnie also has the option of contacting the creditors and asking them to lower her available credit limit but leave the account open. If you've been good about making payments, many card issuers will automatically increase your limit anytime you approach it. You don't have to accept the increase. You can ask them to lower the limit and they will honor your request.
Once Jonnie has contacted her creditors she should wait a few weeks and then check to make sure that her instructions were followed. To do that she'll need to get a copy of her credit report. It's a good idea to get a copy at least once a year anyway.
Unless you've been denied credit (and hopefully that's not the case) you will need to pay for it. The cost is generally $8.50. There are three large credit rating companies. You can contact them at:
Equifax 800-685-1111;
Experian 888-experian
National Consumer Assistance Center(Formerly TRW)800-682-7654; or TransUnion 800-888-4213.
Jonnie is being wise in managing her credit. It's an asset just like your checking account or retirement plan. A little effort now could reward her with lower interest payments on a home or auto loan.
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website You'll find hundreds of free articles to help stretch your day and your budget. Visit today! Copyright 2002, Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All rights reserved.Staff2010-05-07T08:31:32ZReverse MortgagesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Reverse-Mortgages
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- /9257.html2010-05-07T08:31:29Z2010-05-07T08:31:29Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Reverse Mortgages
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Gary,
I am almost 80 years old, a widow, excellent health, no debts, my house is paid off, worth close to $200,000. I live on my social security with a small savings backup, and I manage to make my taxes and maintain a car and live well.
My children think I should take out a reverse mortgage and spend the money doing some traveling. As they are all doing well and do not expect or want me to just save the house for them. Are there any pitfalls in this?
Betty
Yes, Betty, there are some pitfalls. Any time that you put your home up to secure a loan there are dangers. They may be reasonable risks to take, but you need to know them. Let's take a moment to understand reverse mortgages. Then we can better explore the risks and benefits.
A reverse mortgage seems strange at first. The purpose of a reverse mortgage is to convert the equity in your home into cash.Like a regular mortgage, you're borrowing against your home. And, when you sell you'll need to repay any balance on the mortgage. But instead of borrowing all the money at the beginning and then paying it back each month, this time you'll borrow a little at a time and not repay the mortgage until the house is sold. In that way it's the reverse of a traditional mortgage.
Now the risks. The first problem is that they're somewhat complicated. And that can be a real issue for borrowers as they get older. Betty might understand everything today. But it's not unreasonable to expect that she won't be as sharp mentally in ten years.
Then there are expenses much like a regular mortgage. Betty's house will need to be appraised. There will be an origination fee.
If Betty does borrow against her home, she needs to maintain enough equity for future needs. Her monthly living expenses could increase faster than her income. Or she might need to move into a nursing home. Her home is her only significant financial asset. She needs to guard it's value carefully.
One payout option allows you to take fixed monthly payments for the rest of your life. That does protect you from losing your home during your lifetime. But it also means that you'll only get the fixed income amount. And inflation can shrink fixed income streams. The other disadvantage is that you might not live that long. The mortgage company could be 'buying' your house fairly cheaply.
Once Betty takes out a reverse mortgage she can pretty much expect to have it until she sells the home or dies. The reason is simple. She's unlikely to have enough money to pay off the mortgage without selling the home.
So what are the benefits to a reverse mortgage? A reverse mortgage would allow Betty to borrow against her equity as often as she likes. She could borrow for a trip or any unmet living expenses.
Since she's borrowing the money it's not considered taxable income to her. That can make a reverse mortgage better than selling stocks that have appreciated. Any stock gains will trigger income taxes.
If Betty wants to get a reverse mortgage she'll need to meet with a HUD approved counselor before you can get a reverse mortgage. You'll find a list of approved counselors at
http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hccprof14.cfm
Before she actually applies for a loan and incurs those costs, Betty should compare the rates to other sources of cash. The closer to age 62 the easier it is to find other cheaper places to borrow.
Betty might want to check out something called the "Home Equity Conversion Mortgage" (HECM). It's a federally insured mortgage. For more information she can call HUD at 1-888-466-3487
She'll need to decide whether she wants a one time payout, the ability to borrow whenever she wants, or a set monthly payout. Single purpose loans are generally the least costly. But over 60% of homeowners choose to use a line of credit type payout.
Ultimately the home will be sold. At that time the value of the home will be broken into three parts: the amount borrowed, the costs associated with that borrowing and leftover equity that will go to Betty or her estate.
The best way to compare reverse mortgages is to answer three questions about each mortgage. How much money would you get? How much would it cost you? And how much equity would be left when you sell or die?
Should Betty use a reverse mortgage? A little travel sounds nice. But she might find a home equity loan a little easier to manage than a reverse mortgage.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com
copyright 2002, Dollar Stretcher Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:31:29ZA New Air Conditioner?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/A-New-Air-Conditioner
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- /9258.html2010-05-07T08:31:26Z2010-05-07T08:31:26Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>A New Air Conditioner?
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
www.stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
Our house and the central air conditioner is at least 12-14 years old. Our serviceman has told us that the compressor unit is too small for our house and the original builder should have put in a larger unit. We are considering having the AC unit changed to a new, more energy efficient model that would be the correct size for our house. My question is - where can I get information to compare costs of running the two units, so we can decide if a new unit would be worthwhile, financially?
Donna
Highland IL
For many in the U.S. this has been a scorching summer. Fortunately, about half of all homes have central air conditioning. The bad news is that it does cost money to run them. Central air conditioning and heat pumps rank third in total residential energy usage. Only heat and water heating consume more.
Let's take a look at three topics: air conditioner efficiency, selecting the right size air conditioner and buying a new system.
An air conditioner's efficiency is measured by it's SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). The Department of Energy defines SEER as the total cooling in BTU's divided by the watts consumed. A higher SEER indicates a more energy efficient system.
Until 1979 the average central home air conditioning system had a SEER of 6.0. In the '90's a minimum standard of 10.0 was set. New, even higher standards, are being debated now.
As you might expect, an air conditioner with a higher SEER will cost more. The DOE estimates that a unit with a SEER of 13.0 will cost about 15% more than one with a SEER of 10.0. But that 13.0 unit will provide 30% more cooling per watt consumed.
Will a more efficient unit save enough to pay for the increased cost? The DOE thinks so. They figure that operating the 13.0 SEER unit vs. a 10.0 SEER one will save $113 more than the additional cost to purchase it. If you have web access you'll find the DOE's fact sheet on air conditioners at
www.eren.doe.gov/erec/factsheets/aircond.html
Not for Donna, but if you live in a warmer climate you might even want to consider a higher efficiency unit with an SEER of 15.0 or more. It will cost more, but could pay dividends in areas requiring heavy air conditioning usage.
Remember that SEER only measures the efficiency of the air conditioner. It doesn't take into consideration how well your home is insulated, the condition of your ductwork or other factors that affect cooling.
Determining the correct size is a harder problem. Air conditioners are rated in Btu's/hour or in 'tons'. A ton is 12,000 Btu's/hour. A bigger air conditioner is not necessarily a better air conditioner. If a unit is too big it will cost more to buy, more to operate and won't do as good a job dehumidifying the air. According to The Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), a national, non-profit public benefits corporation, a properly sized air conditioning system can reduce energy usage by up to 35%.
Determining the correct size isn't easy. It's not just a matter of calculating the volume of air that you need to cool. The climate, style of your home, number of windows, amount of insulation, weather stripping and shade as well as other variables all effect the size of the unit needed. It's hard to do the calculation yourself. You really need a professional. In fact, the industry has created a formula that considers all the variables.
The easiest way for Donna to get an idea of the correct size is to get three bids on a new system. Not only will that allow her to compare prices, it will also give her three estimates of how big a system is required.
Before calling for estimates she should do any insulation upgrades or weather-stripping since that will effect the calculation.
She'll also want to check with the local electric company before making a purchase. Many offer rebates when you buy a more energy efficient air conditioner. Don't forget to consider the repair record and the warrantee offered by the manufacturer.
Should Donna replace her air conditioner before it quits working? According to the DOE, a 13.0 SEER unit would only reduce the electric bill by $42 per year vs. a 10.0 SEER unit. Of course that's an average. If Donna's unit has a SEER of 8.0 and she replaces it with one at 12.0, she'll reduce her cooling bills by one third.
At 12 to 14 years old, the air conditioner is nearing the 15 year average life span. Donna might be wise to start shopping now while she has time to make a careful selection. Even if the new unit doesn't pay for itself right away it could be a wise purchase.
Gary Foreman
is a former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
Copyright 2002 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:31:26ZFiguring Appliance Electricity UsageStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Figuring-Appliance-Electricity-Usage
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- /9259.html2010-05-07T08:31:23Z2010-05-07T08:31:23Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Figuring Appliance Electricity Usage
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
Can you tell me approximately how much it costs to run two box fans for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Also, what about a small high velocity floor vfan and long shop style fluorescent bulbs? The barn where we have our injured horse has its electricity connected to the rental house. I paid $30 for the extra use of electricity for the fans for July. They said their bill went from $70 to $170. Of course we have been under a major heat wave and they have two or three window A/C units. But they seem to think it is our fault. Please help.
Thank you!
Carl
A landlord, tenant spat! They sure can get nasty. Fortunately, Carl can use some basic math to help find a reasonable solution to this one.
Let's begin by understanding the question. Carl will need to know two things. How many kilowatt hours each item uses and how much does a kilowatt hour cost where he lives. Once he knows that Carl can calculate how much each item will cost to operate. His answers won't be exact, but should be good enough to prevent a shouting match with his tenant.
A watt is the standard measure of how much electricity is used. A kilowatt is simply 1,000 watts (kilo = 1,000). A kilowatt hour (kWh) is a kilowatt used for one hour.
On most appliances you can find the wattage on it's nameplate. To calculate the kilowatts used by an appliance, divide the wattage by 1,000. So a 200 watt appliance would be 200 divided by 1,000 or 0.2 kilowatts. A 1,500 watt hair dryer would use 1.5 kilowatts.
Now let's see if we can figure out how much each item is using and what it costs. To do that we'll need to know the price for a kilowatt hour of electricity. The U.S. average runs about 7 cents per kilowatt hour. Carl can check his electric bill. It will show how much he's paying per kWh.
We'll start with the box fans. According to the Central Iowa Power Cooperative the typical box fan is rated at 200 watts. So if a kilowatt costs 7 cents per hour, the fan would cost 20% of that or 1.4 cents per hour. Extend that out to a month and it works out to $10.08 per month if it runs round the clock (1.4 cents x 24 hours x 30 days). Two fans would be about $20 per month.
Now for the high velocity floor fan. Carl will need to check the wattage. We found one that consumed 135 watts. So at 0.135 kilowatts per hour that would cost $6.80 per month if used continuously.
Carl might find that the fan is rated in horsepower (appropriate in this case!). If so, he can convert. One horsepower is equal to 0.75 kilowatts.
Next the lighting. Pacific Gas and Electric estimates that the fluorescent bulbs run about 1 cent per hour for a 4 foot bulb and 2 cents per hour for an 8 foot bulb. So if Carl has an 8 foot bulb he'd consume $14.40 each month. Of course, once he knows the wattage and his electric rates he can do his own calculation.
Let's total Carl's electric usage. We've got two box fans at $20, the high velocity fan at $6.80 and $14.40 for the fluorescent lights. Or a total of $41.20 per month.
How does that stack up to the tenant's electric usage? The Nebraska Public Power District estimates a window air conditioner (12,000 BTU size) will cost an average of $19.50 per month to operate. So three of them could easily consume $60 in a month. And perhaps much more in a 'heat wave'.
One problem with measuring the air conditioner is that it's not continually on. A 1,000 watt unit might only be running 15 minutes per hour on some days. So it's only consuming 250 kilowatts per hour. Of course in a heat wave it might be on almost continuously. And the older and less efficient the unit is, the longer it will stay each hour. So the only way to know for sure would be to watch the unit for an hour or two and notice how many minutes per hour that it's really running and then do the calculation.
The bottom line is that both Carl and his tenant are contributing to the $100 increase. Hopefully a little math can lead them to a reasonable compromise.
Gary Foreman
is a former purchasing manager who edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com
and ezine
subscribe@stretcher.com
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com Copyright 2002, Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All rights reservedStaff2010-05-07T08:31:23ZLow OverheadStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Low-Overhead
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- /9260.html2010-05-07T08:31:20Z2010-05-07T08:31:20Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Low Overhead
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
When I was a boy one local department store had a jingle that featured the repeated chorus of "low overhead, low overhead". They claimed to offer lower prices because they kept their 'overhead' down. If they spent less on rent and other fixed expenses they could make a reasonable profit at a lower price.
I was too young to remember which store ran the ads. So I don't know how low their prices were or whether the ads filled the store with expectant shoppers. But I can tell you that the concept is correct.
And the same idea applies to our family finances. The lower your 'overhead' is the more likely that you'll avoid financial troubles. Let's see how this works.
First, what is 'overhead'? In the retail store it would be the cost of rent, lights, insurance and payroll. Everything it takes to open the store to the public. Your family overhead is made up of all the money that you've committed to spending before the month begins.
We'll visit the Smith family for an illustration. How your family compares to theirs isn't important. Just grasp the concept involved. In fact, you might want to jot down your own expenses to see what your 'overhead' figure is.
The Smiths have a 30-year, 6% mortgage for $150,000. That requires a payment of $899 per month to cover principal and interest. Like all homeowners they'll need to pay property taxes and insurance. The combined expense adds another $2,400 each year. Or $200 per month.
Naturally, the Smiths will need electric, water, sewer and perhaps gas or oil for heating. Some months are worse for heating and air conditioning. But the average is $300 each month.
If we total that up, the Smiths have committed to spending $1,399 each month to keep a roof over their heads. Remember that's not including any maintenance, repairs or upgrades. We're just trying to identify how much they've committed to before the month begins.
Next, transportation. Like so many of us the Smiths own two cars. Fortunately, they only have one car payment. Their Dodge Caravan will cost them $453 for 48 months. Insurance and registration for both vehicles totals $1,600 a year or another $133 per month. So the cost of owning the two cars is $586 per month. Again, we haven't included the cost of gasoline or repairs.
The Smiths also have some credit card debt. They're carrying $8,000 at 14% interest. That costs them $93 each month in interest expense.
Despite more than one attempt to quit, Mr. Smith still smokes cigarettes. Not a heavy smoker, but he still goes through a carton every two weeks. Add another $48 a month to the 'overhead' column.
Mrs. Smith does her part, too. Each Friday for years she's been going out for lunch with some long-time friends. Usually they pick a moderately priced restaurant, but it still averages $9 per week by the time her portion of the tip is included. So that adds another $36 to our 'overhead'.
So how much are the Smiths committed to spending before the month even begins? Their total overhead is $2,162.
Next let's see how that affects their finances. First, we'll look at how much income it takes to cover the overhead.
The Smiths are in the 27% tax bracket. They also pay 7.65% in Social Security taxes. Fortunately, where they live there's no state or local income tax. To cover the $2,162 in monthly overhead they need to earn $3,308 each month. Or a $39,700 each year.
Look at it another way. The Smiths combined income last year was $76,500. So of every dollar they make 52 cents goes to cover expenses that they have very little control over.
So what can we learn from the Smiths? Just like the retail store, we need to pay the 'overhead' first. Before we think about rewarding ourselves with new clothes or vacations. The more money needed for overhead, the harder it will be to feed our family, save for retirement, spend money on entertainment or anything else.
The question to ask before making any ongoing commitment is do I want to add this monthly expense to my overhead. Is it really more important than all the other things that I'd like to spend money on.
Not only was "low overhead" a memorable jingle, it's also a good way to look at your family finances.
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com
You'll find plenty of practical ideas to stretch your day and your budget!copyright 2002, Dollar Stretcher Inc. all rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.ComStaff2010-05-07T08:31:20Z401k Employer ContributionsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/401k-Employer-Contributions
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- /9261.html2010-05-07T08:31:17Z2010-05-07T08:31:17Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>401k Employer Contributions
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Gary,
I have a question relating to my 401k. What is your opinion of contributing to this fund if my employer does not match contributions? Two of my coworkers had their financial planners tell them that it isn't worth contributing. Their reasoning is that the amount the employer has matched offsets the amount of the taxes due when it's time to take the money out. Without the employer matching, there isn't this advantage. They suggested that my coworkers invest in IRAs instead. I would be interested in knowing your thoughts about this.
Diane
Good question! I'm always reluctant to disagree with a financial planner. If they've done their job properly they know a whole lot more about the client and how a particular strategy will affect that client. So I can only speak in general terms. Diane will need to decide whether it makes sense for her specific situation. Of course, that's true with financial advice that's given to others, too. It might be good for them, but not for her.
There are three different times where the IRS can tax your retirement savings. The first place is when you make the money. Normally you'll pay taxes on the money you earn this year. Some retirement plans allow you to deduct any contributions from your taxable income. So you avoid paying taxes now.
The IRS can also tax your savings during the years that it's invested and earning money. For instance, interest earned by your savings will be counted as ordinary income for tax purposes.
That can be a big drag on the growth of your investment. If taxes take 20% of your earnings, a 10% investment return is reduced to 8%. Both 401k and IRA's avoid this problem by letting your money grow without any taxes.
The final place that the IRS can tax your retirement savings is when you take the money out of the investment account. As Diane points out, her 401k money will be taxed when she takes it out of the account.
Back to her question. Why would the planners suggest an IRA over a 401k? If they're talking about a traditional IRA it can't be the taxes. Because the taxes work the same. You get a deduction today and pay taxes when you withdraw.
It could be that they're advocating a Roth IRA as a substitute for the 401k if the employer doesn't contribute. With a Roth IRA you don't deduct contributions from this year's taxes. It does allow the money to grow and be withdrawn without further taxes until you remove the money. But a Roth has lower contribution limits than a 401k. The 401k will allow her to save a greater amount each year.
One benefit of a 401k plan that doesn't show up in the numbers is that it doesn't require Diane to take action. Many people will struggle to find money for an IRA and end up not saving anything for retirement.
And, it's vital to save for retirement. In real rough terms, for every dollar that you want in annual retirement income you'll need $10 in savings. So if you want an annual income of $40,000 you'll need to save $400,000.
This will probably get me in trouble, but it's dangerous to depend too heavily on Social Security. There really isn't any Social Security trust fund despite what the politicians say. The money that's deducted from your paycheck isn't sitting in a bank waiting for you to retire. It's already been spent by other government agencies. All that's left in your account is a government IOU. And to pay that IOU they're counting on tomorrow's workers to continue to pay Social Security taxes. To make matters worse, it won't be too many years before there's only two workers for every retiree. In fact, if a private corporation had this plan there would be calls for a Congressional investigation.
Can Diane simply calculate which retirement program will produce more money when she retires? Unfortunately, what Diane assumes about the future will have a major impact on the final answer. Taxes aren't the only variable. To do the calculation, you need to make assumptions about the rate of inflation, the earnings of your investments and the tax rates for every year up until retirement. If you know all that, forget retirement planning and just head for the nearest horse track!
She shouldn't the lack of an employer contribution keep her from saving for retirement. A 401k plan with employer contributions can be a great retirement savings tool. But one without can play a role, too.
The bottom line is that Diane probably can't know the absolute best answer. The most important thing is that she regularly save for retirement. The worst thing that she could do would be to not have any retirement plan because she's not sure which one is the best.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com
copyright 2002 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:31:17ZBudgets and Credit CardsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Budgets-and-Credit-Cards
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- /9262.html2010-05-07T08:31:14Z2010-05-07T08:31:14Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Budgets and Credit Cards
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Gary,
I was hoping you can help me solve a problem I have encountered while trying to live on a budget. I have created a budget with a fixed amount that can be spent on certain items, i.e.. entertainment. At times I go over this amount. I charge everything on my credit card, in order to receive a cash back bonus. My bill arrives the month after I overspend. That affects the cash flow for the next month, not the overspent month. I can't figure out how to balance my budget, because my statements do not run on the calendar month like my budget, but it goes from the 11th to the 11th of every month.
My problem is applying my budget to real life, because I still want to use my charge card to pay for everything. Can you please help me figure out this problem? I have tried over and over to figure it out and I'm stuck.
Celia
A budget is meant to be a tool to help you control your finances. And like other tools, finding the best one for the job makes things much easier. You can't use a framing hammer in place of a tack hammer. Budgets work the same way. You need one that's designed to accomplish your goals.
There is no one official budget. Celia will want to find or create one that works for her unique situation. Part of that is deciding exactly what she wants to accomplish.
Budgets are primarily useful in two ways. One is to stop any spending over a preset amount in a specific area. Another way a budget can be helpful is as a tool that will help you find unnecessary spending.
Although Celia doesn't exactly say what she's trying to accomplish, it sounds as if she's hoping that a budget will help her stop spending after she gets to a specific amount.
If that is her goal, she'll find it hard to continue to use credit cards. That's because credit cards are designed to make it easy to spend money. Even money that you don't have.
That doesn't mean that she should give up. The first thing she needs to recognize is that you're spending money when you make the purchase. Not when you get the bill. The only 'purchase' that you make at billing time is the interest and any annual or late fees that are associated with the credit card.
So, instead of depending on her monthly statement, Celia might need to keep a spending record for each category in her budget. When she makes a purchase add it to the list for the appropriate category. When the total for the category is up to the budgeted amount it's time to stop spending for the month.
If she really wants her budget to keep her from spending more than she planned the simplest solution would be to ditch the credit card and just go to an envelope system. An envelope system has an separate envelope for each category. At the beginning of the month she'd put the appropriate monthly amount of cash into each envelope. Purchases are made with cash from the envelope. When the money is gone the spending stops until the next month.
It sounds as if Celia might be using the credit card statement to tell her where she spent her money each month. If that's the case she might want to change her 'budget month' to begin on the 11th. Or she could ask her credit card company to change her billing cycle. That way her credit card billing and budget periods would coincide.
Another possibility would be for Celia to simply adjust this month's budget allocation for any overspending that occurred last month. If she went $10 over her entertainment budget, she'd simply have that much less for entertainment this month. It would require monthly adjustments. And the temptation would be there to continue to carry over-budget expenses from month to month and never really control spending.
Celia needs to recognize that a budget is a continually changing thing. She's going to want to adjust the amounts as she learns more about her spending habits and as circumstances change.
One final comment. However Celia proceeds, she'll be much more likely to be successful if she keeps it simple. A budget shouldn't be any more complicated than is absolutely necessary.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website (
www.stretcher.com
) and ezines email:(
subscribe@stretcher.com
) You'll find hundreds of articles to help you stretch your day and your dollar. Copyright 2002, The Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:31:14ZSelf-Insurance and Healthcare CostsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Self-Insurance-and-Healthcare-Costs
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- /9263.html2010-05-07T08:31:11Z2010-05-07T08:31:11Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Self-Insurance and Healthcare Costs
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Gary,
I just read an article on "Medical Care for Less". I was wondering how to go about being "self-insured". Could you tell me more about this? How it works? Do you pay monthly premiums? Who do you call to set this up???
Thanks!
Molly
Molly knows much more about 'self-insurance' than she realizes. In fact, she's already using it.
Consider an illustration. She doesn't have insurance to cover her everyday dishes. If one is dropped, she's responsible for living without it or buying a replacement on her own. In fact, it would be silly to have insurance for that type of loss.
To understand self-insurance, Molly needs to recognize why it would be silly to insure the loss. The answer is fairly obvious. She can afford to replace a broken plate without anyone's help.
But, suppose that she had a valuable set of antique china. She might have insurance to protect her in case of theft or damage. Why is that smart? Because Molly couldn't afford to replace an expensive plate if it were damaged or stolen.
That's the gist of self-insurance. We all face potential expenses. Some are big and we choose to buy insurance to cover them. Others are smaller and we decide to handle them ourselves. In effect, we've chosen to "self-insure".
Today people feel that they need insurance for every possible expense. The idea that insurance is for losses that we can't afford has gradually been lost. People seem to think that insurance is a way of shifting the cost to someone else. It's not. It's really just putting a large number of people together knowing that only a few will suffer big losses. And with everyone in the group making a small contribution there will be money to pay the few big losses.
Small expenses really shouldn't be covered by insurance. Remember Molly's plate. The insurance paperwork would only add to the cost of replacing the plate. Somebody has to pay for the claims adjusters and the people approving and writing checks.
In fairness, sometimes an insurance company will get a better price because they're buying large quantities of an item. But in many situations their negotiating skills don't offset the additional expenses.
OK, so now that we know what self-insurance is, why would Molly want to choose it? Simple. For the right risks it's actually cheaper to be self-insured.
How does Molly become self-insured? She begins by evaluating how big a loss she could afford to handle financially without help.
Self-insurance doesn't have to be an all or nothing deal. In fact, it's probably a bad idea for Molly to choose to be completely self-insured for medical expenses. Hospital bills can be painful!
She would do better to be self-insured for doctor's visits and still carry a major medical policy that would pay for a trip to the hospital (after a deductible was covered). That way she'd be responsible for the small bills, but would have someone to pick up the big ones if they occur.
Next she'll look for an insurance company that offered a policy that would only cover the things that Molly couldn't afford to handle herself.
If she's canceling existing coverage, Molly would be wise to set aside the money that would have gone to premium payments. She can expect to need it later to pay for future medical expenses.
Before you self-insure, make sure you understand the worst-case situation. Know exactly what you could be facing if you don't have insurance. And don't self-insure unless you have the financial resources to face the risks that you're accepting. Don't risk bankruptcy to avoid an insurance premium.
Review your decision regularly. Changing circumstances could mean that you need to go back to having someone else assume the risk.
Other insurance areas could provide savings for Molly. Checking deductibles is a good idea. The deductible is the amount that you pay before your insurance begins to cover a loss. Call your insurance agent. Ask them the difference between $250 and $1,000 deductible on your car insurance. In effect, you'd be increasing the amount of self-insurance up to $1,000. Same thing with your homeowner's policy.
Self-insurance isn't an automatic solution to the high cost of medical coverage. Under the right circumstances it can help. But it's not a magic pill that brings high costs down. And, remember that self-insurance works better for people who have accumulated some financial resources. If you don't have any savings, self-insurance isn't for you.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com
You'll find hundreds of time and money saving ideas. Copyright 2002 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:31:11ZHow Much House?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/How-Much-House
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- /9264.html2010-05-07T08:31:08Z2010-05-07T08:31:08Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>How Much House?
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Hi Gary,
Considering the cost of homes these days, what is a reasonable percentage of a person's salary that should be used for a mortgage payment? And does this percentage include everything needed to run that home (utilities, water, phone, etc.)?
Margie
Good question! And with the current median selling price of a house being over $185,000 it's an important question, too.
In recent years, people say that you can't buy too much house. Common thinking is to buy as much house as you can squeeze into today's budget. Expected increases in housing prices and your salary will make the deal fit better next year than it does today.
Yes, both housing prices and wages should go up over the long term. For instance, the Consumer Price Index shows that housing prices have increased about 43% over the last 10 years.
Unfortunately, the mortgage is due over the short term. Neighborhood housing prices can drop for a year or two. And not everyone gets a raise each year. In fact, some people lose their jobs. So you can get into a lot of trouble before the long term increases bail you out.
OK, so if bigger isn't always better, how expensive a house can Margie afford? Let's start with what people actually do spend. The U.S. Statistical Abstract shows that of all the money we spend, about 33% goes to housing. That would include shelter, maintenance, heating and cooling.
So should she plan on spending 33%? Probably not. Maggie will need to consider her family situation. Looking for a new house because you're about to have a baby? Groceries, medical, college savings, daycare could all require a higher percentage of your money than before.
And past financial decisions will also affect what Maggie can reasonably afford. Alimony and child support are common issues. In fact, Tierney Foster, a long-time Realtor with Remax in Bradenton, FL won't give a client advice on affordability. She refers them to the lender who will consider their debt ratio and other factors that will affect the calculation.
Interest on any debt that you owe will lower the amount that you can safely spend on housing. In real rough terms (depending on your interest rates), for every $8,000 you have in credit card debt you have $100 less to spend on housing each month. And that works out to a house that costs $16,000 less.
Remember that you can only spend 100% of your after-tax income without getting into trouble. And you really should be saving a portion of that for things like college education and retirement. If you spend 40% on a house, and another 30% on food and transportation, you won't have enough money to cover everything else.
Another problem that Maggie will run into is that housing expenses aren't easily adjusted. If you buy a house that's too expensive there's not much you can do reduce the mortgage payment by 10%.
And, if housing consumes too much of your money, it's hard to make it up in other areas. You'll never make up $200 each month by reducing your spending on entertainment! An over-expensive house often puts a family budget in serious jeopardy.
Which brings us back to the question of how much house can Margie afford. There are some broad guidelines that she can use. In most cases if she's planning on spending less than 30% of her after-tax income on housing she should be alright. On the high side, if she's approaching 40% she'll need to be very careful.
She might want to check out calculators on the internet. Bankrate.com has a good one . They provide financial information and aren't affiliated with anyone in the industry so their advice is neutral. She might also want to check with a mortgage banker or broker and ask their advice on what would be affordable.
There is one trick that Margie can use that might prove helpful. She can pretend that she already owns the house that she wants to buy. Estimate how much the new home would cost. Then set aside the difference between that amount and what they're currently spending on housing for a few months. In other words, pretend that she's already paying for the house. She'll pretty quickly find out whether they can comfortably handle the increase. If she finds that she's scrambling while playing pretend, she can expect to be in real trouble if she buys the house.
We hope that Margie finds a home that she can love and afford at the same time.
Gary is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.stretcher.com
and newsletter:
subscribe-dollar-stretcher@ds.xc.org
copyright 2002 The Dollar Stretcher, Inc. all rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:31:08ZFinding Financial AdvisorsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Finding-Financial-Advisors
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- /9265.html2010-05-07T08:31:05Z2010-05-07T08:31:05Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Finding Financial Advisors
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
A financial corporation offered a class on money and how to properly useit. I sat through their spiel and asked questions. Of course they offer the full array of services from investments to mortgages. All of this soundsgood during the presentation. But it has always been my understanding that no one is willing to do something for you without getting something in return. Can you tell me what you think of these corporations and what they are offering? Is there a catch? How can I tell who is reputable and who is just going to take me for a ride?
Thanks.
Brent
Brent's right. Generally speaking there is no free lunch. Strangers may be willing to give you something, but they do have hopes of getting something back.
Teaching a class or hosting a seminar are common and legitimate ways forfinancial institutions to find new clients. Back when I was a broker I even taught a few classes. The hope is to impress your 'students' enough so that they do business with you.
What do I think of this firm and class? Impossible to say. Because there is no one right financial firm, broker or planner for everyone. Brent's needs are different than mine. So it would be pointless for me to offer an opinion about the class. But with a little help Brent can answer the question for himself.
He can begin by deciding what he's trying to accomplish. Some things arefairly simple. For instance, finding a good deal on auto insurance. Other things, like estimating how much money he'll need for retirement, are more complicated.
Next he'll need to determine how much he already knows about the subjectand how much he's willing to learn on his own. He'll face a trade-off. He can save money by becoming more knowledgeable. But, it takes time and effort to gain that knowledge.
Brent will find information readily available. Resources that were only available to brokers 20 years ago are now as close as your computer. He'll also find a wealth of books on all areas of money and investments.
One rule should guide Brent when making financial decisions. If he doesn't understand an investment, he shouldn't put his money into it. A careful explanation should allow him to understand exactly how his money is expected to make more money.
Next Brent needs to find out how the financial firm will be compensated.
Generally, they make their money by charging premiums, commissions and fees.
You're used to paying premiums on insurance policies. The premium is determined by the insurance company. It is not a set percentage of the coverage. Typically maximum premiums are regulated, but Brent should shop for the lowest price.
On investment products he could run into commissions. A commission is a charge that's added to the cost of the securities being purchased or deducted from the proceeds of a sale. It's not a flat percentage but is related to the amount of money involved.
There is no standard commission rate. Full service brokers who provide stock trading advice get top dollar. Less service means a lower price. It's up to Brent how to decide how much advice he needs.
Fees come in a couple of different disguises. Some are charged when you take a certain action. A common one is the fee for a bounced check. Mutual funds may charge a fee for trading funds within their family. Typically fees are a set, flat amount and are not dependent on the size of the transaction.
Many investment managers are compensated through "management fees". Typically they'll charge a preset percentage of the money they control for making the day-to-day investment decisions. Charges are usually between .25% and 1.5%. The fee schedule for any money manager (including mutual funds) should be readily available.
With some mutual funds you'll incur a fee if you sell the fund. Those are known as "12b-1 Fees". If Brent hears the phrase "12b-1" he needs to be sure he understands what fees he could trigger later.
The financial services industry is creative in finding ways charge you for their work. So Brent will need to dig a bit to find all the premiums, commissions and fees he could be facing. In some products he'll find a combination of the different charges. Generally the company is required to advise you of all expenses before you purchase. But expect to study somefine print to find them.
How can Brent find a good advisor? Going to seminars and asking respected friends who they use are good ways. He needs to have realistic expectations. A broker can't afford to spend much time with someone who's going to generate $50 a year in commissions. And that's ok. For transactions that will generate small commissions Brent should be able to use a discount or online broker. And, for a regular investment program, he might be better off choosing a mutual fund.
The good news is that there's plenty of help available for just about any financial situation. Hopefully Brent will get just what he needs for a bright future.
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently editsThe Dollar Stretcher website For a free weekly ezinefull of money saving tips send
subscribe@stretcher.com
Copyright 2002 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:31:05ZBlack MoldStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Black-Mold
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- /9266.html2010-05-07T08:31:02Z2010-05-07T08:31:02Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Black Mold
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I live in Texas I just got my renewal for my homeowners insurance. Last year I had a payment of $723. It went up to $1,123 for the new year. Their explanation was that it was due to all the claims for black mold. Do you have any ideas on where to look for cheaper insurance?
J. F.
Wow! That's a 55% increase. And a very good reason to ask what alternatives are available. Unfortunately for JF, it's not as simple as calling around looking for cheaper rates. Let's take a look at black mold, what problems it's causing for the insurance industry and their customers and finally, what JF can do to lower the costs of her insurance.
Most homes contain some mold. All it takes is a little moisture and an organic food source. Recently we've learned that newer, more air-tight homes are better for growing mold. And one of the varieties is a 'toxic black mold'. For all you scientists out there it's stachybotrys chartarum. Please don't ask for the pronunciation!
Mold is commonly found in homes after the wallboard gets wet. The mold causes a number of problems. Besides being unsightly, it smells and can cause breathing problems for some people. Experts estimate that 10% of the population is allergic to mold.
A leaky water pipe or roof is all it takes to start a mold colony. Clean-up can be a large job. The source of the leak must be eliminated. Moldy materials need to be removed or decontaminated. If the moldy area is more than 10 square feet an environmental professional might be consulted. For health reasons some people move out of their homes until the clean-up is completed.
Enter the insurance companies. They're seeing many more claims for black mold than in prior years. A 50% increase for some companies. And, it's common to spend $40,000 for a claim.
To further complicate things, JF lives in Texas which has been particularly hard hit by the black mold problem. In fact, Texas insurers want to be able to exclude mold coverage from their homeowner's policies. The Texas Department of Insurance is considering the request. Two of the three largest insurers have stopped offering policies that cover water related damages (including mold).
The Texas situation highlights the problems faced by insurance regulators. Naturally they want to hold down the cost of insurance. But if they hold prices too low the insurance company will lose money and stop offering insurance in the state.
To further complicate matters, there are a number of lawsuits that also drive up costs. Not surprisingly, a visit to the internet will turn up attorneys who are willing to sue on a victim's behalf. One Texas family was awarded $32 million dollars and bulldozed their home.
We should all have access to the courts to protect our rights. But more lawsuits and lawyers means greater costs that must be paid either by the insurance companies or their customers. No one ever cleaned mold while sitting in a courtroom.
What can JF do? Her choices are fairly limited. The most obvious thing is to check with other insurance companies to see if anyone offers a comparable policy for less money. In Texas the two largest competitors to Allstate have already stopped writing new policies. So JF might have trouble finding a good alternative. Her best bet would be to check with an independent agent who represents a large number of insurance companies.
She can also consider dropping coverage for water related damages from her homeowner's policy. That could make a big difference in her bill. Before doing that she needs to understand the risk. If a pipe bursts, she won't have anyone to help pay for damages or repairs. The age and condition of her home should influence her decision. She'll also want to consider her ability to pay for a repair if it's needed. Remember, that the reason for insurance is to cover losses that you can't afford to pay for yourself.
I'm not familiar with Texas law, but she might be able to buy coverage that would exclude "additional living expenses". That covers the cost of moving your family out of the home while the clean-up is completed. Don't forget that you might need to move out for other reasons. For instance, a fire. Think through the potential expenses and how you'd handle them.
Another option would be to increase her deductible. Yes, that could cost her some money if she had any claim. But it would reduce her insurance bill.
One final thought. Although a big premium jump is painful, it's still only $33 per month. JF might be wise to swallow hard, pay the bill and keep the coverage she has. Remember, the $400 she'd save wouldn't go very far in covering a $40,000 clean-up.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com
and newsletters. You'll find hundreds of articles to help stretch your day and your dollar. Copyright 2002, Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:31:02ZMortgages, Taxes and Bigger HomesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Mortgages,-Taxes-and-Bigger-Homes
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- /9267.html2010-05-07T08:31:00Z2010-05-07T08:31:00Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Mortgages, Taxes and Bigger Homes
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Gary,
We have very nearly paid off our mortgage! We put a lot of spare money into it because the mortgage had a higher interest rate than any safe investment we could find. But for some personal reasons we would like to have a different house, probably one that is nicer than our current one. My husband says that since interest is tax-deductible, getting a new house makes financial sense especially with today's fairly low interest rates. So he's all for it. To me, as much as I'd like to have a new house, it feels as if we have finally "caught up with our tails" only to begin chasing them again. Can you give us some perspective?
Thank you,
Rebecca
Congratulations, Rebecca! It sure does feel good to own a home without a mortgage. Financial life is much easier without a mortgage payment.
On the other hand, she and her husband have a lot of company in wanting a bigger and better home. According the National Association of Home Builders the average home has increased in size from 1,500 square feet in 1970 to 2,265 square feet in 2000. That's a 50% increase in just 30 years.
Rebecca's husband isn't the only one to think that the deductibility of mortgage interest makes a more expensive home a good deal financially. But sometimes the 'conventional wisdom' isn't really wise. So let's pull out our calculators and take a look at mortgages, taxes and housing prices.
We'll assume that Rebecca is in the highest tax bracket. That would mean she gets the biggest possible benefit from the deductibility of mortgage interest. In 2002 the top bracket is 38.6%. So for every dollar of interest that Rebecca pays the mortgage company her tax bill would be reduced by 38.6 cents. Not such a good deal. In fact she could cut out the middle man and just give a buck to a friend. I'm sure that the friend would be willing to give her 40 cents in return!
Is it really that simple? Probably not. There are other factors to consider.Some people would argue that it's still a good deal because of the benefits of using OPM (other people's money). That's an old idea. And one that does indeed work well when prices are increasing.
Let's see how it works. Suppose Rebecca buys a house and she's paying a mortgage at 8% per year. But with the tax deduction the true cost of the mortgage is really 4.9%.
How did we get the 4.9% figure? To calculate the true cost of your mortgage, first you'll need to know how much your deduction will be worth. To get that multiply the interest rate on the mortgage (in this case 8%) by your tax bracket (38.6%). That works out to 3.1%. Next you'll subtract the deduction rate from the mortgage interest rate to get your true cost to borrow (8.0% minus 3.1% = 4.9%).
Now back to OPM. For Rebecca to benefit from the money she borrowed the house would need to appreciate by more than 4.9%. Is that possible?
The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight publishes an index that compares housing prices going back to 1980. For the first quarter of 2002 housing prices across the U.S. had increased by 171% compared to 1980. That works out to about a 4.4% annual increase in price. So it would be close for Rebecca.
There were some regional differences. Some areas did quite well for awhile. But others did not. For instance, in the Northeast prices dropped after 1989. Prices didn't return to 1989 levels until 1998. So all housing markets aren't created equal. Even though you can't predict the future, studying the history of your community should give you an idea of how lively the housing market is.
As Rebecca has pointed out there are also personal reasons to want a nicer home. And only she can put a value on what a nicer home would mean to her family.
Should Rebecca go ahead and buy the bigger house? That's up to her. But if they are going to do it, her husband is right. Low mortgage rates does make it easier. Whatever they decide I hope that they enjoy their home and it's never a financial burden to them.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.stretcher.com
You'll find hundreds of practical money saving ideas. Copyright 2002 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:31:00ZUnemployed Bill CrisisStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Unemployed-Bill-Crisis
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- /9268.html2010-05-07T08:30:57Z2010-05-07T08:30:57Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Unemployed Bill Crisis
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
Gary,
My husband has been out of work for 5 months and the income he did bring in when he was working was double what I currently bring in. Needless to say, my checks and the unemployment are not paying the bills. I am starting to panic because bill collectors are calling daily. I cannot tell them when I can make payments so they continuously call at home and work. I feel like I am going to lose my mind because of this!I am making sure that my house payment is paid, utilities, car insurance, but everything else is getting severely behind. What do I do? Do we have any way of getting out of this mess? Any rights?
SS in WA
Sounds like SS is in a tight spot. We'll spare SS the obvious advice of cutting unnecessary costs. Let's rather focus on how to handle the mountain of bills.
First, it's important to get some breathing room. SS won't make good decisions if she's losing her mind! Begin by asking the collection agencies to stop calling you. Do it in writing. Use a postal method that proves that your correspondence was received. Bill collectors are required by federal law to stop calling you if you ask them.
Second, estimate how long the situation will last. Are you looking for a one month solution? Or one that will work for one year? Estimating will mean honestly evaluating hubby's job prospects. Is it realistic to expect him to find a similar paying job in your community? If not, you'll need to make some decisions. Would SS be willing to move to another area and give up her job to replace his lost income? In any case, you'll need some estimate of when income should increase.
This may be a good time to evaluate a change in career paths. Sometimes happiness is found in a lower-paying, but less stressful career.
Third, SS will want to inventory their bills. How much does it cost each month for the basic necessities? Thankfully, it appears their current income covers the basics.
She'll want to look at her bills with an eye towards reducing or eliminating them. Start with the biggest ones: the mortgage and any car payments.
SS should check to see if they have credit insurance that could make payments until hubby is employed again. Many consumers forget that they even have it. A simple call to your creditor can tell.
Consider refinancing your home. Not just for a lower rate of interest, but also to stretch out the term of the loan. The longer the loan the lower the monthly payment.
SS may also want to use the equity in her home to pay off some debts. Especially ones like credit cards that are charging very high rates of interest.
Try to negotiate a new loan on your car. Either your current lender or another may be willing to allow you to finance the car over a longer period of time.
SS may find that it's best to either sell or even let one car be voluntarily repossessed. A repo could leave her owing money after the car is sold, but at least the monthly payments and cost of insurance would disappear.
Now on the smaller monthly bills. SS needs to make a list of all of the bills with the monthly minimums and the interest rate being charged.
Contact the people that you owe money. Begin with the biggest bills. Explain the circumstances and offer to pay what you can. Before you contact them know how much you can realistically afford to pay each month. Do not make promises that you won't be able to keep.
SS may find that even after talking to her creditors that she can't cover all the monthly minimums. That leaves her with a few choices. One, pay some minimums and let other accounts go unpaid until after hubby returns to work.
A second option would be to work with a debt management firm. Often they can get creditors to reduce minimums and interest rates. Usually late fees will be waived. Talk to a couple of companies before choosing one. Ask them to explain what they can do for you and what you'll be charged for the service.
A final option is to declare bankruptcy. If job prospects are poor and you simply can't keep up with the minimum payments a bankruptcy could be inevitable.
All of these choices will leave marks on your credit history. That can't be helped when you fail to pay bills. It may take up to 10 years before your record is completely clean. But the road to recovery will begin as soon as you take control of the situation and begin making payments at an agreed rate.
Let's all hope that SS's husband finds a great job real soon.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com
and
ezine
Copyright 2003 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:30:57ZMom's FinancesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Moms-Finances
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- /9269.html2010-05-07T08:30:54Z2010-05-07T08:30:54Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Mom's Finances
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Gary,
My 70-year-old mother lives alone a few miles away from two of her five daughters. She's fiercely protective of her privacy and independence. However, she cannot handle her money. We think she may have early Alzheimer's. She's always been bad with bouncing checks and having the utilities cut off for non-payment. But now she's much worse. She gets a retirement pension which is about three times as much as her normal monthly expenses, but she's always broke by the 15th of the month. So we're trying to get control of her money. Our plan is to open up a new checking account for her pension to be automatically deposited in that she will not have access to. We're going to change the address on her bills and I will become the bill-payer. We'll give her an allowance of $500 a month for groceries, gas, and other expenses, which I think is very ample for a single person. Whatever doesn't go for her bills will be put aside for an emergency fund and for future medical bills. My sisters are all in agreement that something needs to be done. Now we have to get our mother's cooperation.
Natalie S.
Natalie's problem is a common one. As people live longer more become frail in their later years and need help with their financial affairs.
I'm assuming that Natalie only wants what's best for her mother. The state can't assume that. So they write laws to protect the rightful owner of property. In this case, Natalie's mother. The presumption is that your mom is an adult, it's her money and she should be able to spend (or squander) it anyway that she thinks is appropriate without Natalie's approval.
So, the first thing is to get mom's willing agreement. You're walking a tight rope. If she's truly incompetent you might need to force the issue. But, if she's mentally fit, coercing her is just like stealing her money and her freedom.
If mom doesn't want to give up control of her money Natalie would need to go to court and prove that she's not mentally capable of handling her affairs. In that case the court will appoint a guardian. Even then there's no guarantee that a relative will become the guardian. And Natalie's relationship with her mother would probably be seriously harmed.
If mom is agreeable to getting help from her children the job is much easier. You'll still need to consult an attorney. This is too important to mess up.
The simplest solution to making sure that bills get paid would be to have one or two children authorized to write checks on mom's account. Then have the bills sent to the child for payment. Unless a check limit was set at the bank, it would allow the child to write a check for all of the money in the account if they wanted.
Avoid joint accounts. Money in a joint checking account legally belongs to everyone listed on the account. So it's possible for mom's money to be taken to pay for a daughter's debts.
Natalie could consider a limited power of attorney. That's a legal document that's usually drawn by a lawyer. It could allow one or more of the daughters to act on mom's behalf in certain situations.
The problem with a power of attorney is that banks are wary of them. Because they don't want to take a legal risk it's easy for them to reject a power. That way they avoid taking any chance that they're honoring a fake power and helping to steal someone's money.
The most complicated but best legal document for this type of situation is something called 'a living trust'. A living trust is a document that any competent adult can have created. They can also change it anytime they want as long as they're alive and still ok mentally. An attorney should write it, but they're not as complicated as you might think.
Property is placed under control of the trust. In this case probably mom's checking account and the proceeds from her pension. The trust says how the assets are to be used.
Trustees are allowed to act within the authority of the trust. Mom would be the original trustee. And when she's not able, a successor trustee(s) would step in and take over for her. Probably one or more daughters.
Natalie and her sisters are in a sensitive position. If mom is truly not competent to take care of herself then getting her help is the right thing to do. And loving children would step in.
But being irresponsible doesn't mean that someone is incompetent. And it doesn't give others the right to take control of your property. So children would honor their parents by respecting their freedom and giving only the help that the parent requests.
Hopefully Natalie and her sisters will be wise in striking the proper balance to help their mother.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher website
. You'll find hundreds of articles to help stretch your day and your dollar. Copyright 2002, Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:30:54ZInsuring Your PossessionsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Insuring-Your-Possessions
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- /9270.html2010-05-07T08:30:51Z2010-05-07T08:30:51Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Insuring Your Possessions
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Gary,
When I moved into my new 3 bedroom apartment, the insurance agent asked me questions about my property and said I should increase my coverage from $29,000 to $40,000 (a $2.63 a month increase) based on my belongings (including a lot of antiques). I did as she suggested. Do you think this is a reasonable expense? Also, how do I document my belongings (antique pieces as well as other furniture, accessories, clothes, electronics, food in freezer etc.) in case I would ever have to make a claim? How do they determine the 'costs' to replace my belongings should I ever need to?
LB
LB doesn't say whether she's purchased or renting her new apartment. If she owns the apartment a standard policy will cover possessions up to 50% of the value of the structure. So if you've insured your home for $100,000, you won't collect more than $50,000 for your possessions.
Is 50% enough? Or should LB spend the extra $2.63 per month for additional coverage? The first thing to remember is that you buy insurance to cover losses that you can't afford yourself. So you don't want to be underinsured.
Chances are there's a lot of stuff in your home. Furniture, everything hanging on your walls, stuck in your closets and cabinets are all considered household possessions. And, don't forget appliances, clothing and toys, too.
The only way to know whether LB can justify the additional coverage is to take an inventory and put a value on her stuff. The list should include prices paid and when the item was purchased. Model numbers should be noted. Pictures or videotapes of the items are also helpful. Don't make it overly complicated and give up on the process. Any information is better than none at all. Guess where necessary.
Once LB has totaled the value of her possessions she can talk with the agent about how much coverage she needs. Ask about more than just the total covered. Some categories aren't covered adequately by standard homeowners' policies. Many of us have jewelry or some type of collection. Even though you might not spend that much on any one item, it's possible that the entire collection has a significant value.
LB should also ask about exclusions. Are there specific things that your policy won't pay on? Antiques are commonly excluded. So anything over 25 years old would be a problem for LB. It also could exclude any keepsake items. Grandma might not have been wealthy. But some of her things could have appreciated significantly since they were purchased many years ago.
Most policies will not pay more than $2,500 for any individual item. Thresholds vary with insurers so ask your agent.
Back to the inventory for a moment. It makes it easier to collect on your policy if you suffer a loss. Sit back and try to think of all of the contents of your bedroom. Difficult? Now imagine doing that for every room of the house after a fire or burglary. That's what you'll need to do after a loss.
Remember to store your list somewhere outside your home. Keep it at your place of work, safe deposit box or with a friend or relative. If you must keep it in your home, buy a fireproof box or store it in your freezer.
Talk to your agent about how much you'd be paid if a loss occurs. Most policies cover your possessions for 'actual cash value'. For instance, your clothing would be valued as 'used' clothing. Nevermind that you'd be hard pressed to replace all of your clothing at thrift store prices. Realistically you'd have to buy some items at full retail. LB might want to consider getting 'replacement cost' coverage. That would pay her enough to buy a new replacement for lost items.
But even that doesn't eliminate every problem. Replacement cost doesn't apply to some categories like antiques and collectibles. For antiques, LB will probably need to either be able to demonstrate the value through comparisons to other similar items, or, better still, have an appraisal done.
If she has items that are valuable LB might need to get 'agreed value' coverage for them. That's when the company and LB agree on the value of an item now. If it's lost later, that's how much she'll receive for it.
Obviously, we hope that LB never needs to collect on her policy. But if the worst happens, we hope that she has the right coverage and the proper documentation to assist in starting over.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.stretcher.com
You'll find hundreds of articles to help you live better for less. Copyright 2002, Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:30:51ZHome Business ExposeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Home-Business-Expose
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- /9271.html2010-05-07T08:30:49Z2010-05-07T08:30:49Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Home Business Expose
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
What can you tell me about a deal of making money on the internet just byhaving your own website and giving free items away for shipping. Thereseems to be a guarantee to get your money back if you are not satisfied orcan't make money on it.
Peggy
I don't mean to ruin Peggy's dream, but this offer looks like a scam. Butit's better to be disappointed now rather than disappointed and poorerlater. Let's look a little closer at what's being proposed.
Peggy will need a website. That's not terribly expensive, but it does costmoney. Unless Peggy knows hypertext coding she'll need to hire someone tocreate the pages for her or, more likely, use templates that the companyhas set up. Using templates is fine, but it will mean that her site won'tbe able to include anything unique to attract visitors.
Keeping even a very small website online will cost Peggy $10 or more eachmonth. And she'll probably need to authorize a monthly charge to her creditcard.
Once Peggy has a website she'll need to get people to visit it. Having freestuff won't be enough. Just for fun we put "free" into one of the largesearch sites. It returned over 183 million sites! Even paying foradvertising isn't likely to separate Peggy from the competition.Realistically she's going to struggle to attract visitors to her site.
But suppose that she does get people to visit. And they do agree to payshipping and handling for the 'free' stuff. How much can the company reallyafford to pay Peggy to give away merchandise?
If the offers are good they don't need her. Word-of-mouth will bring peopleto the company website without her help.
More likely, the offers aren't really that good. A few years back marketersstarted offering all kinds of items for free on the internet. The catch wasthat many of them had shipping and handling charges that were more than theitem cost locally.
So maybe Peggy doesn't do so well and decides to get her money back. A'money-back guarantee' is only as good as the company offering it. Millionsof people have tried to get their money back only to find out that theguarantee was no better than the original offer.
We'd hope that the company would stop charging her credit card if Peggyasked them to. But it's not unusual for charges to continue for months evenafter a 'stop' notice has been sent.
Why am I so sure that this offer is a scam? There are a couple of reasons.First, the company doesn't appear to want any talents or skills that Peggyhas. Only her checkbook. If it's a job that 'anyone can do' then it won'tpay very well. And, you won't have to invest your money to get the job.
Second, the business plan that Peggy is supposed to execute doesn't makesense. How is she going to compete with everyone else to get visitors toher free stuff page? What makes her offer unique and worthwhile?
Finally, the company's business plan does make perfect sense. Buy oneserver and connect it to the internet. Set up hundreds of people like Peggywith websites. Charge them each month for web hosting services. Even ifPeggy doesn't make a dime the company will make plenty.
Peggy can check out the proposal by doing a little homework. First, findout how much the website will cost to set up and maintain. Ask about anyother start-up expenses that she'll be asked to cover.
Then look at the free items that are being offered along with the SHcharges. How do they compare to shopping at your local discount center?
Will people want them?
Then find out how much she'd make on each free item that's 'given away'. Dothe math to figure out how many items will need to be given away each monthto cover her expenses.
Finally, how many visitors would she need to the website to give awayenough items to be profitable? And what will it cost her to attract thatmany people each month?
Only if Peggy can work through all of this and determine that the businesslooks reasonable should she go forward with it. Many home businesses arestarted on a shoestring. But it's going to be hard getting to profitabilitywhen you have an initial investment and an ongoing monthly expense.
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently editsThe Dollar Stretcher website You'll find hundreds ofarticles to help stretch you day and your dollar.Copyright 2002, The Dollar Stretcher Inc. All rights reserved.Staff2010-05-07T08:30:49ZWhy Not Lease?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Why-Not-Lease
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- /9272.html2010-05-07T08:30:46Z2010-05-07T08:30:46Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Why Not Lease?
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Is it better financially to buy or lease an automobile since it's a depreciating asset? Thank you kindly.
Mark
Like most people, Mark is probably attracted to the lower monthly payments of an auto lease. But, even with the lower payments it's usually better to buy. There are a couple of reasons that's true. You don't build up equity in a leased auto. You'll also be prone to trade cars more often and you give up flexibility if you need to get rid of the car quickly.
Mark's question points to the main reason why leasing isn't the best deal. A car is a depreciating asset. And a car depreciates more quickly when it's newer. A $15,000 car will lose approximately 25% of it's value in the first year. From year two through year six the car will lose between 6 and 9% each year with the bigger losses in the earlier years.
Once you lease an auto you're much more likely to drive a new car every few years. And the first miles are the most expensive that you can put on a car. Your cost of ownership drops dramatically if you keep a car 6 or 7 years.
For instance, if you drive 12,000 miles per year, the depreciation alone during the first year on a $15,000 car will cost you 31 cents per mile. By the time you get to the sixth year those miles only cost 7 cents each. Clearly those first couple of years are very expensive ones.
Let's take a look at a fairly typical dealer ad. It offers a popular new model for $13,998 with 1.9% financing or a four year lease with $1,000 down and monthly payments of $249.
If Mark takes the lease deal he'll pay a total of $12,952 over the 48 month period including his $1,000 down payment. So he's pretty much paid for the entire car. But, when the lease ends he won't own the car. He'll be required to turn it in. And, if he's put on more mileage than the lease allows or the car shows any unusual signs of wear, Mark will face extra charges.
Suppose he chooses to buy the car instead. He'll spend $13,508 over a 48 month period. That assumes a $1,000 down payment and the 1.9% financing. His monthly payment would be $281. Not much more than the lease.
Let's further suppose that Mark's credit isn't good enough to qualify for the 1.9% financing. We'll assume that he pays today's average rate of 8.4%. That would bump his monthly payment to $319. That's $70 more each month than the lease, but he'll be building equity in the car.
The big advantage to buying comes at the end of the 4 years. He'll own the car outright. It will be worth approximately half of it's original $13,998 purchase price. So he'll end up with an asset of about $7,000 that he can continue to drive.
If he had leased there would be few choices. He could buy his old car from the leasing company. That would mean adding a couple more years of payments. He could be paying 6 or 7 years on the same $14,000 car! Or he could turn the car in and go find something else. Probably another lease. And he'd join the ranks of those who will always be driving new, but expensive cars.
Maybe Mark is concerned with the reliability of a four year old car. Most cars can give more than four years of dependable service. But let's buy an extended warrantee that would cover the car until it's six years old for an additional $850. So instead of signing a new lease at $250 per month, he's spending about $35 a month for the extended warrantee. In the fifth and six year he'll have saved $5,100 on lease fees plus he'll have his old car to use as a down payment for a newer car.
Besides the ownership issue, a lease could set Mark up for a nasty surprise. Sure, he expects to drive the car for four years. But everything doesn't always go according to plan. A lost job or sick child could make that car payment too big to handle. If he should need to get out of the deal early, it's harder to terminate a lease. Most carry a hefty penalty if you want to turn the car in early.
Some leases can be sold, but Mark would still be hurt financially. Selling any car in the first year or two is costly. Owning the car does give him more chances to get a better price.
OK, one final argument. What happens if Mark can only afford the $249 per month. Maybe $319 is too much for his budget. The correct answer for Mark still isn't to lease. It's to find a car that he can buy that fits within his budget. It might be smaller. Maybe used. But at the end of four years he'll own a car instead of walking away from the dealership empty handed.
Gary Foreman
is a former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of free articles to stretch your day and your dollar!Staff2010-05-07T08:30:46ZSurviving LayoffsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Surviving-Layoffs
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- /9273.html2010-05-07T08:30:43Z2010-05-07T08:30:43Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Surviving Layoffs
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
I am frustrated by stories on conventional financial planning. I have been "downsized" three times in my career and suffered a major setback each time, so the usual planning doesn't succeed. Also, technical jobs are few and low-paying in my area so it's harder to come back each time.
A data center where I worked was closed in 1990 and it took me nine years to work my way back up to the same income. Plus, I had to "eat" my 401(k) portfolio to survive. then of course I was penalized by the government in extra taxes. Just this month, my current company downsized with no notice and I was laid off at 53. Luckily I have a good emergency nest egg, but my new job will be a $2.50 per hour pay cut. The advantage is that I'm switching to a health care company where layoffs don't seem to happen, but again, I'm working my way back up.
Any helpful hints on surviving in the New Economy, where job security is nil?
Thanks!
Nick T. in Sioux Falls, SD
Nick is not alone. Nearly 150 million people work in the U.S. About 12 million of them experienced some period of unemployment last year (U.S. Dept of Labor).
He has already taken the first step. That's recognizing that he's responsible for providing his own security. Both in his career and in his financial affairs.
An emergency fund is a necessity. Fortunately, Nick has accumulated one. Without it any job loss will be a struggle. In fact, credit counselors say that about half of their clients were doing fine until they faced a job loss or medical crisis without savings.
Granted, saving money isn't always easy. But if you're spending all of your income now, you will not survive the lower income that follows a layoff without serious financial problems.
401k's are a good savings tool. Even if you have to take money out early like Nick. Remember that some of that money was contributed by your ex-employer. And that it's been growing without taxes. So even with the early withdrawal penalty, Nick was ahead of the game.
As much as possible, invest your 401k in something besides your company's stock. That way if the company has trouble you won't lose your job and your savings.
Nick would be wise to routinely try to figure out how he'd honor his commitments if his paycheck were replaced by an unemployment check. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) study showed the median length of unemployment was a little over 12 weeks. So his plan should cover at least three months of lower income.
Always try to avoid any commitments that you couldn't make if you lost your job. You might want a new car. But if you couldn't cover the payments during a layoff, you could lose it and your good credit rating, too.
If you are carrying credit card balances you might want to get credit insurance. It's usually not a good deal, but if you suspect a layoff is coming it will continue to pay your monthly minimums while you're unemployed.
Don't wait until you fall behind to contact your lenders. As soon as you lose your job talk with them. Some may offer to reduce your minimum payments until you're employed again.
If you can't keep up, consider credit counseling. It will affect your credit rating. But continuing to fall farther behind or a bankruptcy would be worse.
Expect to not only change companies, but also to change careers during your life. Very few career paths will remain the same for three or four decades. And the jobs that offer more advancement are the ones most likely to change.
A BLS survey shows that about 45% of displaced workers received advanced written notice that their jobs were going to be eliminated. Unfortunately Nick wasn't one of them.
But there are often warning signs. When you do the same work as younger, lower paid workers you're in jeopardy. Also, watch your company for signs of trouble. A company that struggles for earnings each quarter or a change in management could be a sign of impending layoffs.
Check job openings in your field even while you're employed. A lack of openings isn't good. Especially as you get older and farther up the pay grade. Let's face it. A higher salary makes you less attractive to prospective employers. BLS studies show that older workers have a harder time finding comparable employment after a job loss.
Continually learn new skills. As jobs change, so must you. What will you need to know to hold your job in three years? And do you have those tools or do you need to learn them?
Be realistic in your expectations when searching for a new job. Of the people who lost their jobs 24% took a pay cut of 20% or more. Don't turn down a lesser paying job because you're holding out for something that doesn't exist.
Nick has proved that you can survive in uncertain times. It's often a challenge, but it can be done. Let's hope that his new job is a great one!
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
. You'll find hundreds of articles to help you stretch your day and your dollar! copyright 2002 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:30:43ZSummer CoolingStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Summer-Cooling
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- /9274.html2010-05-07T08:30:39Z2010-05-07T08:30:39Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Summer Cooling
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
What is the best way to save on cooling bills? We live in an 1962 house that gets direct sun and no shade. More insulation in the attic?
Gail in Texas
Gail's right. It's that time of year again. When the temperatures rise and shade is a wonderful relief. What can she do to reduce those cooling bills?
Experts say that the main source of heat build-up in your home is sunlight being absorbed through the roof and walls. A secondary source is appliances generating heat inside your home.
We'll begin by investigating 'passive coovling'. That's using natural methods to reduce the amount of heat in your house.
According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy about a third of the heat in your home enters through the roof. Even white colored shingles absorb 70% of the solar radiation that hits them.
One way to increase reflection is to use a roof coating. There are products for different types of roofs. Gail will find them at her local home center.
Built in 1962, Gail's home was constructed when insulation wasn't a major consideration. So she'll want to make sure there's enough in the attic. Fortunately, insulation is not that expensive. And adding it is a simple do-it-yourself project that doesn't require special tools or training.
Gail should also make sure that the attic has enough ventilation. Hot air rises. Vents in the eaves will allow cooler air to enter. A ridge vent or attic fan will allow the hotter air to escape. Proper attic ventilation can reduce cooling costs by 10%.
Homes with darker colors will absorb more heat. Whether Gail is choosing new shingles or an exterior paint she'll want to consider lighter hues.
She mentioned one common method of passive cooling: shade. Trees, especially on the south and west, can block enough sunlight to reduce her bills by 30%. Unfortunately for Gail, it takes time to grow shade trees. So she'll need patience.
In the meantime, she might want to consider keeping the drapes closed during daylight hours. Awnings can also block sunlight. And reflective window tint will pay for itself in a short time.
Speaking of windows, Gail will want to make sure that windows and doors are properly sealed. Also pipes or anything else that enters through the walls. Caulking is inexpensive and pays big dividends.
Newer windows are much more energy efficient. Unfortunately, the energy saved will not pay for new windows in the short term.
Once Gail has blocked and reflected as much sun as possible, she'll want to give her air conditioner a check-up. A professional should service the unit each spring. Contact your local electric company. They often have special deals or even pay for the inspection.
While Gail's investigating, she'll want to check for any duct leaks. No sense filling the attic or basement with cool air. She may also want to consider insulating the ducts.
Next check the a/c compressor outside. It needs room to breathe. The heat removed from your home is exhausted there. Don't trap it with overgrown bushes.
Of course all shrubbery isn't bad. Your a/c unit runs cooler if it's in the shade. So plant bushes close enough to provide shade, but far enough away so that the air flow isn't blocked.
Clean or replace dirty a/c filters monthly. This simple step will improve efficiency dramatically.
Thermostats should be set at 78 degrees. A six degree higher setting will reduce your cooling costs by 20%.
Inside Gail will want to make maximum use of fans. Circulating air will feel 2 degrees colder than it really is. If ceiling fans aren't practical Gail can pick up inexpensive room fans.
She may also want to consider a minor room make-over for the summer. Replacing warm colors (browns and reds) with cooler colors (blues and greens) sets a psychological tone. Just changing throw pillows could be enough to encourage some cool thoughts.
In drier climates like the southwest, Gail might want to check out an evaporative cooler. It's a little like a humidifier used for cooling. Their operating costs are about one fifth of an air conditioner's.Finally, avoid generating heat inside your home. Try to move cooking outdoors. Or use a crockpot and the microwave. Use the 'air dry' setting on your dishwasher. Any heat that's generated must be removed by your air conditioner. You'll pay once to create the heat and then again to remove it.
Here's to a wonderfully cool summer for Gail and her family!
Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of articles to help stretch your day and your dollar!Staff2010-05-07T08:30:39ZD-I-Y?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/D-I-Y
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- /9275.html2010-05-07T08:30:36Z2010-05-07T08:30:36Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>D-I-Y?
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Gary,
We've got water on the basement floor which came from the gas water heater. We two ladies don't know what to do and whether we must have a plumber, which we can ill afford. We're willing to make adjustments or simple repairs and would surely appreciate some guidance.Thanks so much for whatever you can suggest.
Dee
Most homeowners have found themselves in Dee's position. As an avid do-it-yourselfer I can relate to Dee's dilemma. The trick is to get enough information to make a good decision before you spend a lot of time and money.
Dee will want to begin by trying to find out what's causing the problem. In this case, what's the source of the leak.
She could start by looking at the water heater and the floor. Where specifically does she see water? On the tank? Near the valve or drain? Is it all over the floor? Or limited to one area?
After Dee has checked the 'crime scene' it's time to do some research. In most cases she'll need to learn more about the appliance that's broken.
Begin with friends and neighbors who have some do-it-yourself experience. Generally they're willing to share because others have helped them in similar circumstances.
Dee can also explore the library. Most will have some guides to home repair projects. Don't be put off by older sources. Many old troubleshooting techniques are still valid.
Check the periodicals guide, too. Magazines like Popular Mechanics have regular home repair columns. Many will take you step-by-step from diagnosis through repair.
If you have web access you might not even need to go to the library. For instance you'll find many resources online. Two of my favorites are
www.PopularMechanics.com
and
www.RepairClinic.org
. Both include a good library of home repair topics.
In Dee's case it's probably one of three things. The drain or temperature and pressure (TP) valve could be leaking. It could be condensation on the outside of the tank. Or the tank itself has rusted through and is leaking.
How did I know that? The search feature on PopularMechanics.com led me to an article on water heaters. All I had to do was enter "water heater leaks".
Armed with the additional information Dee will be able to look at the symptoms with new understanding. She'll probably have enough information to guess what's causing the leak.
Next, she'll need to determine what it takes to stop the leak. More research may be required. She wants to know how the specific repair is made.
Once she has an idea of how to fix it, she'll need to decide if she's up it. How tough is the job? Has she done anything similar? Does she have the necessary tools? If not, can she borrow or must she buy them? If she runs into trouble is there a knowledgeable friend that could help bail her out?
Don't forget to check how accessible the repair is. Many a do-it-yourselfer has taken apart three things to get to the one that really needs replacing!
If Dee wants to attempt the repair she should make sure that she understands any physical dangers involved. Electrocution or scalding shouldn't be part of home repair! She'll also need to decide what would cause her to give up mid-project and call in a professional.
Before beginning find sources for any needed parts. She doesn't want to find out too late that she can't get a replacement part. Often the same place that you'd call for a service person also sells parts.
Dee will want to accumulate a few basic tools. She'll find that many simple home repairs only require common tools. If she faces a job that does require specialty tools, she might want to rethink tackling it herself. Special purpose tools are often expensive. They're also a warning sign of potential difficulty.
Even if she goes to a professional at this point, she still is much more knowledgeable about the repair and less likely to be ripped off.
Before she agrees to a service call, there's one more question to answer. Is the appliance worth repairing? RepairClinic.com suggests that if a repair is likely to cost more than 50% of an appliance that's more than 6 or 7 years old, it might be better to simply replace it. Obviously, that's a generality. But, it's certainly something to consider before you have a repair technician come out and pay for a service call.
Can Dee repair her water heater? It probably depends on where the leak is coming from. But a little work before calling a plumber could help her make a dollar-wise decision.
Gary Foreman
is a former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of articles to help stretch your day and your dollar.Staff2010-05-07T08:30:36ZCorrecting Your Credit ReportStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Correcting-Your-Credit-Report
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- /9276.html2010-05-07T08:30:33Z2010-05-07T08:30:33Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Correcting Your Credit Report
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
Dear Gary,
My student loan went into default. I called the collection agency in January, 2001 to make payment arrangements, which I have been making religiously. I was told that after 12 months of payments I could be considered for financial aid programs. I called about two months ago and asked them about my account and they said that it was being rehabilitated and that the credit bureaus will be notified so it wouldn't show that the loan is still in default.
We decided to buy a car and finance it. We couldn't because the student loan still showed in default. I called the collection agency for an explanation. They said a payment back in July was two days early so the loan was reported late a second time. I didn't receive any letters from them about this. Any suggestions? What should I do?
Thank you,
Connie
Connie has found out just how important your credit report is. It's used when you apply for a mortgage, car loan, credit card, or want to rent an apartment.
Credit reports are kept by Credit Reporting Agencies (CRA's). They collect information from lenders like the people who hold Connie's student loan. The CRA's organize the information so that when you want to borrow money, a potential lender (like Connie's car dealer) can request your history from the CRA. A federal law called the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) controls how your information is collected, used and corrected.
The three major credit reporting agencies are:
Equifax, PO Box 740241, Atlanta GA 30374-0241; 800-685-1111
Experian, PO Box 2002, Allen TX 75013; 888-experian
Trans Union, PO Box 1000, Chester PA 19022; 800-916-8800
Independent studies indicate that about 70% of all credit reports contain errors. And about one in four reports have an error big enough to cause credit to be denied. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission advises checking your credit report before making any major purchase. That will allow you to correct any errors before a potential lender asks for your report.
So what should Connie do? First, she'll need to gather some information. Is her report showing her late once and still in default? Late once and now current? Or is it showing her late twice?
Since Connie was denied credit because of her report, the company that denied her the credit must tell her which CRA they used to obtain her information. And because she was denied credit, Connie has a legal right to a free copy of the report as long as she asks for it within 60 days.
Unfortunately, the credit reporting agency is not required to seek out errors in her report. Their only responsibility is to list what's reported to them by creditors, include any statements about errors from borrowers and correct any errors found. So Connie is going to have to take the lead to get things straightened out.
Once Connie receives the credit report she'll need to determine whether the entries are correct or not. Accurate information will stay on her report for years. Most items will remain on file for 7 years although bankruptcies show for 10 years.
If Connie's payment was received early, then it cannot be reported as late. But she'll need to be able to prove it. She'll want to contact the credit reporting agency by phone and by registered or certified mail. Her correspondence should state specifically what the error is and provide proof to support her claim. The agency is required to investigate the claim within 30 days. They must also forward any relevant info to the lender involved.
Connie will also want to notify the lender by phone and by mail. The lender must also investigate the claim. Both the company providing the inaccurate information and the CRA are responsible for correcting any errors. And, if an item is incomplete, the CRA must include additional relevant information in Connie's file. For instance, if she was late but is now current the report can't just show her account as delinquent.
Once the investigation is complete the credit reporting agency must send Connie a copy of the report. If there was an error and Connie asks, they must also send revised copies to anyone who has received Connie's report in the last six months. Like the car dealer.
If Connie feels either the lender or credit reporting agency isn't responding she can report them to the Federal Trade Commission. To register a complaint with the FTC call 1-877-FTC-HELP. Connie shouldn't get their hopes up. The FTC will only look at complaints if they find a pattern of abuse. They will not arbitrate individual complaints.
Hopefully Connie will be able to get any errors cleared up with a minimum of difficulty. Unfortunately if she disagrees with either the CRA or the lender there isn't much that she can do that's not expensive and time consuming.
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
http://www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of free articles to stretch your day and your budget. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:30:33ZGuilt Free VacationsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Guilt-Free-Vacations
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- /9277.html2010-05-07T08:30:30Z2010-05-07T08:30:30Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Guilt Free Vacations
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I am looking for guidelines on how much money to spend on travel/vacation. We are a family of three living on about $45,000 per year. Twice each year my son and I travel to see my family. On one of those trips my husband accompanies us. We spend almost no money once there. So that is 5 round trip plane tickets each year. In addition, I would like for the three of us to take a family vacation each year.
My question is how much is reasonable to spend total? Are there any rules-of-thumb? Percentages or something? We have no debt other than our home and are vigorous savers, which leads to guilt when spending. So I want to know how much is reasonable to spend so that I don't feel guilty about it.
Dora
Dora's right. Feeling guilty about your vacation spending sure can ruin a good time!
According to the Travel Industry Association we spent $584 billion on travel last year. The average family will spend in excess of $2,200 a year on an extended vacation. Despite a recession and terrorist activities, 57% of Americans plan to take a pleasure trip during the first half of 2002. That adds up to a lot of vacation spending!
But, average spending numbers can be misleading. In many ways travel is a form of entertainment that happens away from home. And every family has different patterns of recreational spending.
For instance, some people prefer to spread their activities throughout the year. They spend on movies, sports and other entertainment regularly. Other families save all year and splurge on a vacation. Still others have little to spend and make the most out of long weekends while staying close to home. The goal is to get the most enjoyment from the money you spend. So choose what works best for you.
Can Dora come up with an amount that should be budgeted for vacations? Sure! According to the U.S. Statistical Abstract a little less than 10% of the money we spend goes to recreation. So, in Dora's case that would be in the $4,000 to $4,500 range. Remember, that includes all forms of recreation so she'll need to subtract money going for other forms of entertainment.
While it's possible for Dora to apply that number to her family, it might not be a good idea. A better method might be to see how their recreation spending fits in with the entire budget. For instance, Dora's family doesn't have a car payment or credit card debt. So there's more money available for things like vacations. She probably can afford to spend a little more than average.
There's another way for Dora evaluate their spending. That's to look for the warning signs that you're spending too much. A big one is paying for the vacation after you've taken it. It's hard to have a good time when you know that you're spending money that you don't have. Saving the money before the trip can free you to thoroughly enjoy yourself.
Another warning is when saving or paying for your vacation becomes a burden. Providing food, shelter, education and health care to your family comes before trips to visit family and friends.
Once Dora's convinced that she's not spending too much for vacations, what can she do to relax and enjoy her trips?
Know your budget before you leave. Plan your spending for transportation, lodging, food, amusements and souvenirs. If the plans are reasonable there's no reason to second guess them later.
Remember that the rules are a little different on vacation. Eating in restaurants will be expensive. Sometimes you won't be able to find the absolute cheapest motel in town. And, that's ok. As long as you're staying within your budget and not being foolish don't fixate on how much you're spending. Don't let unnecessary money concerns ruin a good time.
That's not to say that Dora should abandon her frugal life style. There's nothing wrong with a lunch of sandwiches at a city park or scenic turnoff. Her family may find that needless spending makes them uncomfortable.
Finally, Dora might want to earmark some of the money that she routinely saves for use on vacation. That will help her to stay disciplined during the year. And she'll be more comfortable spending money that's been specifically saved for this purpose.
Hopefully Dora will make some wonderful memories with her family. Bon Voyage!
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of articles to help stretch your day and your dollar.Staff2010-05-07T08:30:30ZOvercoming Financial FearStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Overcoming-Financial-Fear
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- /9278.html2010-05-07T08:30:27Z2010-05-07T08:30:27Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Overcoming Financial Fear
by Joan Sotkin
www.ProsperityPlace.com
Fear is one of the most prevalent emotions that people express about their financial position. Some are in a panic, others have an underlying fear, or free-floating anxiety, about their financial situation.
On a day-to-day basis, there is often anxiety about not having enough for necessities, either today or in the future. When it's bill-paying time, panic, dread, and even physical discomfort are not unusual. Taken to the extreme, people contemplate suicide as a way out of their financial problems.
Often, people just can't see a way out of their financial situation. Feelings of being trapped and frustrated are common. Internal dialog often includes, "What's the matter with me? Why can't I get my financial act together when so many other people can?"
Let me assure you that no matter what your level of financial anxiety, there IS a way out.
A powerful antidote for fear is action. Taking action allows you to feel more in control of your situation and you can work towards a solution. As long as you allow fear to paralyze you, nothing will change. If you keep on doing what you are doing, you will keep getting what you already have.
Whatever you are doing now is your habit. You probably have a financial pattern that keeps repeating itself. The goal is to break the habit and create a new, healthier habit.
Is it easy? No. You've created a groove and your life goes around and around in that groove. Creating a new groove takes a strong willingness to change and the determination to work through your own resistance. The longer you have been in the grove, the more effort it will take to get out of it.
Can you do it quickly? Probably not. It takes time to work through old patterns, and it is a complex process. But if you don't start, you will never move forward. It's not as if you have to wait until the process if over to see change. Change happens the minute you start.
There is one thing you can be sure of: if you set your mind to become comfortable financially, and you are willing to work on it a little every day, you can do it.
I'm going to ask you to agree to believe one thing: There is a solution for you and financial comfort and security are possible for you. You don't have to know how it is going to happen, you just have to agree to believe that it is possible, and then to act as if it will happen.
Here's where the action part comes in. You are going to get yourself ready for financial success. Some of your actions will appear to have nothing to do with money. That's because your financial situation is an extension of your thoughts, beliefs and emotions (TBE's) as well as the energy you generate -- in all areas of your life.
While you are working through the process, you will have to deal with the voice inside that is going to try to keep you where you are. Worry and fear will keep coming back.
When you feel yourself starting to worry or give in to fear, it's time to do something else. After all, the worry and fear are only in your mind. You have the option of filling your mind with something else. When you thoughts are positive fifty-one percent of the time, you are moving in a positive direction.
Affirmations are great. They can help you reprogram you subconscious to act on a more positive set of beliefs.
Here are some actions I suggest you take.
Take an inventory of your life and current financial situation. Raise your awareness about where you are so you can evaluate your current position and create a plan for change. Take a good look at your money - your earning and spending. Doing this, no matter what the situation, allows you take control of your financial future.
Set realistic goals based on your personal values. This helps you create a strategy for change that will be in tune with who you are -- and who you want to become.
Learn about money and investments. For a lot of people, this isn't easy. There seems to be so much to learn. Start with small things such as reading the financial section of a newspaper or magazine. Don't try to understand everything, just read it to get familiar with the terminology. Ignore the part of you that wants to run away. Wealthy people are familiar with the money world.
Clean out the old. Get rid of the clutter in your life that keeps you connected to your past. Make way for a positive future.
Talk to successful people and read biographies of those who have overcome obstacles to create success. Be inspired by others who have accomplished what seemed impossible.
Connect to other people. You don't live in a vacuum. Aloneness is one of the greatest contributors to financial fear and discomfort. You may have to overcome a tendency towards isolation. Money comes from people and the more people you connect to, the more apt you are to create a financial flow.
If you are in serious financial trouble, see a debt counselor or go to a Debtors Anonymous meeting. At these meetings, they deal with issues such as under-earning, compulsive spending and debting, and other causes for financial discomfort. See the resources at the end of this article for information about DA and meetings, online and off.
Say Yes! Get used to saying yes to yourself and seeing things in a positive light. This may mean overcoming years of negative thinking. The screen saver I have set up on my computer is the word Yes! I see this many times a day. When you have doubts about where your life is going, assure yourself, "You can do it!"
The fact that you are reading this means that you are looking for a new way. The steps above will get you started.
Joan Sotkin is the creator of
ProsperityPlace.com
, author of "Build Your Money Muscles:9 Simple Exercises for Creating Wealth Prosperity" and "Prosperity Is an Inside Job" and publisher of Prosperity Tips, a free monthly e-zine. Visit
ProsperityPlace.com
.
Copyright copy; 2003 by Joan Sotkin. Permission granted for use by DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:30:27ZPayback TimeStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Payback-Time
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- /9279.html2010-05-07T08:30:24Z2010-05-07T08:30:24Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Payback Time
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Gary,
I just finished reading the letter from "Tina", who was upset that she was being "harassed" by a collection agency. Could you address the other angle of this? I'm 32 and I guess I have a big chip on my shoulder about people who run up debts and are then outraged that they would have to pay it back.
I scrimped and saved in order to pay off my home mortgage and live debt free currently. In the past, I've had acquaintances who made me feel cheap because I was driving a 10 year old car. I've been called cheap, tight and stingy when I made dryer sheets, opted to eat at home rather than out, and made Christmas gifts or purchased them on sale throughout the year. It was some of these same acquaintances that lived penny to paycheck, asked to borrow money and complained that they couldn't afford a gallon of milk for their children.
I want to scream when I hear them complain that creditors should "get off their back". Maybe they shouldn't have gotten into debt in the first place! Everyone makes mistakes, but I hear too much of this. Please address this side of the coin as well.
Nancy
Nancy makes an interesting point. Living within your means isn't always popular. Sometimes people imply that you're less of a person for being frugal. And, that makes it especially hard to listen to their complaints later when the bills come due.
There's more than just hurt feelings involved. Approximately 1.5 million bankruptcies occurred in the past twelve months. According to bankruptcy.org "the average American family loses about $400 annually to bankruptcy filings". And that doesn't include the other expenses we all face when people don't pay their billsStatistics from The American Banker's Association show that 2.4% of all outstanding loans and over 5% of all credit card accounts are delinquent. That means that everyone who borrows money will pay slightly higher rates to compensate for the increased risk to the lender.
Nancy's point is valid. People should be expected to live up to their obligations. When we borrow money, we agree to pay it back within a certain time and generally with interest added. We don't have the right to break that promise just because it becomes inconvenient later. And whining about it isn't fair to the people around us.
However, that doesn't mean that creditors are allowed to abuse or harass debtors. Federal law prevents that. So if a collection agency is truly abusing someone they can be stopped.
But we would probably also all be happier if people considered the financial effects of decisions they make. Divorce is an example. Many people would argue with me, but studies are pointing to divorce being a major cause of poverty.
Take, for instance, a study done at the University of Michigan. It showed that household income for a family with children went from $43,600 before divorce to $25,300 after the split. That's a lot of money to pull out of any family budget. Pretty hard to avoid financial trouble down the road.
I'm not saying that someone should stay in an abusive relationship. But in many cases marriage counseling could be a very good financial investment. In any event, considering how your finances will be effected would certainly be smart.
One thing that Nancy and all of us need to remember is that there are different reasons why people are in financial trouble. Many do get behind because of foolish spending. But that's not the case for everyone.
People who provide non-profit credit counseling tell me that about half of all the debtors who come to them did create their own problems by simply spending more than they earned. But, they also say that the other half generally were doing fine until a medical emergency or other unexpected crisis threw them into debt.
While we want people to be accountable for their actions, we also want to make sure that we don't harden our hearts to everyone who struggles with bills. There's a temptation to dislike people who complain about situations that they appear to have caused. But it's bad for us to be without compassion.
And, expecting responsibility and acting compassionately aren't incompatible. In fact, suggesting ways that people can spend less or make more will probably cut down on the whining and might help them to solve their problems. Those who aren't interested in hearing possible solutions are probably chronic complainers that can safely be ignored.
Should Nancy speak up? Only she can decide whether a relationship is strong enough to handle that. But it is tempting to tell someone who complains about bill collectors that 'cheap' methods could help solve their problem. After all, true compassion is helping someone out of a bad situation. Nancy could be holding the key to their freedom.
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of articles to help stretch your day and your dollar. Copyright 2002 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:30:24ZSummer Break for MomStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Summer-Break-for-Mom
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- /9280.html2010-05-07T08:30:22Z2010-05-07T08:30:22Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Summer Break for Mom
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I stayed home as a parent until my youngest started 1st grade. We happily survived on one income. Now I am an educational assistant in the same school system, same hours, same days off, as my two daughters. We have grown accustomed to my paycheck appearing every two weeks. This will end when school stops. So my question is: do you have any tips on how to handle the summer months? (more time at home, less money).
Curious As to How the Summer Will Go
Curious has a lot of company. Many mothers arrange their work schedules so that they can be home with their children when school is not in session. And for those who are able to take the entire summer off, getting through those months without accumulating credit card debt is always an issue. Let's see if we can't suggest some methods to help Curious survive the summer.
The most obvious answer for Curious is to earn some extra income during the summer. Creating at-home work for just a few months is challenging, but not impossible. The first opportunities to consider would be those that use the skills she applies working at school. One possibility would be to take in other kids during the day. Curious could probably find some mothers who will continue to work during the summer and need a daycare option for just the summer months. Naturally she'd need to consider the appropriate safety and legal issues.
Another strategy would be for Curious to adjust her income so that it's level throughout all twelve months of the year. She can total the amount that she'll earn during the school year and only allow herself to spend 1/12th each month. The extra during the working months could be set aside in a separate savings account.
By the time summer arrives Curious would be able to pay herself out of the saving account. Just like she was getting a payroll check. Unfortunately, it's too late to start for this summer. But if she'll begin the program at the beginning of the next school year she'll be in better shape a year from now.
She can consider ways to control expenses. The first step is to shift her expenses to the winter months wherever possible. Her goal should be to actually spend less when she's not working. She must avoid any payments that can't be covered by her husband's pay alone.
One strategy is to prepay bills before the summer. Curious can either pay the bills in advance or simply set money aside for summer bills. She might find it very liberating to know that the car payments for July and August are already handled when she begins her summer break.
She'll also want to save ahead for known summer expenses. If a vacation is planned the money should be accumulated during the school year. The same for any day camps or day trips that are planned.
This late in the school year Curious will need to concentrate on things that she can do to reduce spending this summer. She has an opportunity to use the time that's not spent working to 'manage' her household expenses. If Curious considers saving money at home as if it were a job, she can actually save significant amounts.
If she doesn't believe it she might want to visit the library and read "Miserly Moms" by Joni McCoy. A former purchasing agent, Joni found that she was actually ahead financially by applying her skills at home rather than at the workplace.
Groceries are an excellent place to start. Convenience foods save time but are expensive. Cooking from 'scratch' can reduce a grocery bills big time. Curious could also take on some home repair projects (like painting) that might require a professional if left to a busier time of the year. It's also a good time to review auto, home and life insurance policies to make sure that you're getting the best rates.
Curious and the kids need to recognize that more time doesn't necessarily have to mean more expenses. Free time should be just that: free. Every minute doesn't need to be filled with paid amusements.
In fact, until recently people were expected to entertain themselves when work, school or chores weren't consuming their time. That means looking for creative ways to find free entertainment. Depending on their interests, they can use libraries, museums, athletics and other activities to have a great time. She'll need to search out ideas from the local paper and other sources. But she'll have the time to do that.
Can Curious make this work? Sure! But her family will need to look at it as a twelve month challenge. Not just a summertime problem. Here's to a wonderful summer for Curious and her daughters!
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner and purchasing manager. He currently edits The Dollar Stretcher
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
website. copyright The Dollar Stretcher, Inc. 2002 - all rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:30:22ZReducing Your MortgageStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Reducing-Your-Mortgage
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- /9281.html2010-05-07T08:30:19Z2010-05-07T08:30:19Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Reducing Your Mortgage
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I once heard that you can cut a mortgage in half by simply making one extra payment per year. Is this true? And does this work with any loans like...car, personal and student loans?
Thanks.
Tanya P.
Like many of us, Tanya would like to get the mortgage paid off in something less than 30 years. And, she's willing to pay a little more than promised to accomplish that goal. So let's see whether one extra payment a year is enough to get the job done.
Tanya does have the right idea. Especially in the early years of a mortgage. Her monthly checks repay very little of the principal at first. It will be years before she's made much of a dent in the amount owed on the mortgage.
Let's take a standard 30 year, 8% mortgage. At the end of the first year, Tanya will still owe $991.65 for every $1,000 she borrowed. She will have written checks for $88.08 and only reduced principal by $8.35. So for the first year for every dollar that she paid, less than one thin dime went to repay the amount she owed.
So Tanya's strategy is a good one. Put more of each payment to work reducing principal because there's less interest owed.
But unfortunately she won't be able to cut her mortgage term in half with one extra payment per year. At least not at today's interest rates. In fact rates would have to be 17% for that to happen. But that doesn't mean that it's still not a valuable tool for Tanya to consider.
One extra payment per year on an 8% mortgage would move her payoff on a 30 year mortgage up seven years. Not a shabby reduction.
An alternative would be to add 1/12th of a payment to each monthly check. That would spread out the extra payment over the year. Doing that would pay off the mortgage a couple of months sooner than the extra annual payment.
So one extra payment wouldn't cut the mortgage in half, but it would cut about 25% off of the term.
What about other debts? The idea is the same. Paying additional principal means that more of each future payment is reducing even more debt rather than just paying the interest owed.
One major difference. The longer the life of the loan the bigger the effect of any prepayments. Paying extra principal on a 30 year mortgage makes a big difference. The difference on a 3 or 4 year auto loan isn't so significant.
For comparison, we're going to assume an 8% 48 month car loan. For every $1,000 borrowed the monthly payment would be $24.41. The payment is higher than for the mortgage because the $1,000 that was borrowed is being repaid over a much shorter period of time.
For instance, in the first month that $24.41 payment actually reduces the amount owed by $17.75. But adding one extra payment per year will only pay off the loan 3 months early. So paying extra principal on an auto loan won't make a huge difference.
But that doesn't mean that the strategy only works for mortgages. Credit card debts are another fine candidate for extra payments. Most credit cards are designed to keep you in debt forever.
Many payments are as low as 1.5% of the amount owed. That means that you'll be paying only $15 per $1,000 owed. And if your interest rate is 15% (a typical rate) you'll be paying off that debt for 133 months or over 11 years. Even if you don't charge another cent or trigger any fees on the account.
Doubling the $15 minimum payment to $30 would cause the loan to be repaid in just 43 months. A big difference.
So Tanya's on the right track. Paying extra can make a difference. To get the biggest bang for her buck she should use extra money to pay off loans that run for many years like mortgages. Or ones that carry a high rate of interest like credit cards.
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website and newsletters. You'll find practical information to help you stretch your day and your dollar.Staff2010-05-07T08:30:19ZDangerous InformationStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Dangerous-Information
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- /9282.html2010-05-07T08:30:16Z2010-05-07T08:30:16Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Dangerous Information
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
Someone told me you weren't supposed to put your social security number on your checks. Also you shouldn't have your number on your driver's license since that number is used for a lot of private things. Can you give me some input on this subject?
Marsha
Marsha has asked a question that we should all be considering. How free should I be in releasing my social security number? And, frankly, what you're about to read isn't going to make you comfortable.
Originally social security numbers were not to be used for identification. It even said so on your social security card. But no law was ever passed to support that.
Recently, as our society has grown more complex the trend has been to use your social security number in many more places. They've cropped up on driver's licenses, mailing labels, student ID's.
Surprisingly, the Social Security Administration has no legal authority to keep anyone from asking for your number. Nor can they control what someone does with it once they get it.
To further complicate matters, some people want to use social security numbers to catch bad guys. The 1996 Immigration Reform Act required states to get a valid social security number before issuing a driver's license. The goal was to catch illegal immigrants. Some states used that change to move toward using social security numbers as a license number.
Others have proposed requiring the use of your social security number for other government services. The goal was to catch 'dead beat dads' and other criminals. An admirable goal, but questionable from a privacy point of view.
Currently, there are two problems with the way social security numbers are being used. The first is that many organizations use your social security number as a password. Knowing the number gets you access to the account. Clearly that makes it easy for anyone who knows your number to pretend to be you.
The second problem is that many places use your social security as an ID number. Banks, hospitals, brokers and others all find it convenient. Names and addresses can change. But, your social security number remains the same. So that number makes it easy to identify you. But it also means that your number isn't nearly as private as it once was.
And that's created an entirely new crime called 'identity theft'. According to the U.S. Secret Service identity theft crimes cost about $1 billion last year. It's estimated that there are 500,000 new victims yearly.
Identity thieves will open a new credit account using your name. All they need is your social security number and date of birth. To keep you unaware of the crime they'll have the bills sent to their address. You'll never know about the account. Naturally they won't pay the bills and you'll be left with the bad credit entries.
Thieves can also use your social security number to change the address on an existing account. They'll request an additional card and begin to make charges but you won't see any statements.
And it's not just credit cards. Many savings institutions will allow a caller to transact business in an account if they have the name and social security number. They can transfer money out of your bank account without ever setting foot in the bank.
Pretty scary, huh? And it's not hard to steal your social security number. It's often listed on billing and investment statements. All it takes is the theft of one statement from your mailbox. Would you even notice that it was missing?
What's interesting is that in most identity theft cases the police don't consider you to be the victim of a crime. That's because the card issuer is liable for the fraudulent bills. Unfortunately your reputation doesn't have a dollar value.
So how can you protect yourself? The American Association of Retired Persons suggests that you do not print your social security number on your checks. They also advise that you not carry your social security card with you. But that's only the beginning.
The real question is what happens when you want to do business with someone and they ask for your number. Private organizations can demand your number for almost anything. You can refuse to give it to them. But then they can choose not do business with you.
For instance, when you move the utility company may ask for your number before they initiate service to your home. They can do a credit check without your number. And they will if you request it. But that will take longer. And you might not be willing to wait to get your electricity turned on.
When someone asks for your social security number find out why they need it. Expect to provide it when you apply for credit. For anything else, you might want to consider refusing the request.
You'll also want to know how they'll use your number once they have it. Will they access your credit file once and that's it? Remember, the information that you provide may not remain private. Even 'reputable' businesses have been known to sell blocks of social security numbers.
There's no one right answer for all situations. Just a lot of grey area. But by considering the request you should have a reasonable chance to come to a good decision.
Finally, check your credit report often. Anyone misusing your social security number will leave evidence in your credit file. They're just counting on you not to notice.
Check your credit rating at least once a year. There are three main credit reporting agencies. By law they may charge you up to $8 for your report unless you have been denied credit due to their report within the last 60 days.
Equifax: 800-685-1111
Experian (formerly TRW): 800-682-7654
Trans Union: 800-888-4213
Naturally you don't want to have to pay for the report. Consider it low cost insurance against the hassle of an identity theft.
So, should Marsha provide her social security number? Only when she feels that it's really necessary. And she, like all of us, need to be alert for unusual activity.
Gary Foreman
has worked as a Certified Financial Planner and currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
and newsletters. You'll find hundreds of free articles to stretch your day and your budget. Visit Today!Staff2010-05-07T08:30:16ZA Management Tool for ExpensesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/A-Management-Tool-for-Expenses
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- /9283.html2010-05-07T08:30:13Z2010-05-07T08:30:13Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>A Management Tool for Expenses
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I want to make a grocery budget but I am not sure what to include on that list. Do you include your household items such as light bulbs and laundry needs? Regular household needs such as bath tissue and paper towels? My husband and I would like to reduce our grocery bill but as it stands everything for the house comes from our grocery budget.
Kathy
Kathy asks a good question. According the federal government the average family spends about 14% of their after tax income on food and another 1% on household supplies. So keeping track of these expenses is important.
She's on the right track. Her budget should be a management tool. It's purpose is to help you quickly identify problems and possible solutions.
You 'read' a budget just like a management report. Begin at the bottom and work your way up. You'll start with the bottom line totals. Then check the subtotals. Finally, if necessary, you'll look at the detailed part of the budget.
Start by finding out two things. Was your income near the expected level? And were your expenses close to the budgeted amount. If both totals were close to what you expect you can be pretty sure that things are under control and you don't need to spend a lot of time looking for problems.
Next you want to look at the subtotals. That's how you find what category is the source of any unexpected mismatch. Most managers will start with the groups that include the biggest expenditures. For families that would be housing, autos and food.
If your actual and budgeted subtotals match in a category you can pretty much skip the details that make up the subtotal. It's taken just a moment to verify that everything is fine. An efficient use of your time.
If you find a difference between the actual and expected subtotals you'll want to look at the individual expenses that make up the total. Again you're looking for actual expenses that are much different than what you expected.
In most cases by going from the totals, to the subtotals, to the individual line items it's easy to find any problems. That's because you've narrowed the search to a reasonable area. And once you've found those problems you can decide what changes are required to get things back into line again.
Consider Kathy's food/household products situation. By combining the categories she has found it difficult to determine what's causing them to spend more than they want. So until they can get that area under control they'll want to split out household from grocery items. And even that might not be enough. They may even need to separate meats from vegetables and canned goods. Or any other division that will help her understand the problem.
Once she's brought the offending expense back into line they can combine the two categories. It only saves a few minutes when she enters the data, but her time is valuable.
Another thing to remember is that you don't always have to do things the same way. For instance, Kathy may combine the category without problems for a year and then suddenly begin to have troubles. She has two choices. She can go back to her receipts and split the category for the last month or two. Or, if it's not a crisis, she can beginning splitting into two categories this month.
The same thing is true for other categories. For instance, if your entertainment category is growing you may need to separate video rentals and movie tickets from dining out. Whatever will help you easily identify where your money is going.
The key to remember is that you only want to collect as much information as you'll need to find problems when they occur. The trick is to not waste time collecting info you won't use, but to still have enough data when you need to find a problem. That means that there is no one right answer to Kathy's question. It all depends on how much info you need at the time.
_______________
Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of articles to help you stretch your day and your dollar. Visit today!Staff2010-05-07T08:30:13ZBand InstrumentsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Band-Instruments
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- /9284.html2010-05-07T08:30:11Z2010-05-07T08:30:11Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Band Instruments
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
www.stretcher.com
gary@stretcher.com
Hi Gary,
I just read your article about the rent to own question. Your examples are easy ones. What about the difficult ones - namely school band instruments? I read somewhere that the rule of thumb is if they are going to play the instrument for more than 2 years it's cheaper to buy. If they play it for less than 2 years it's cheaper to rent. My husband got stuck with a saxophone and a drum kit. We sold them so we got a little money back. But not what he paid. Our daughter never stuck with one instrument longer than 2 years, but every year we were renting something for her. I returned each instrument when she switched to another. Our son, on the other hand, played the trumpet 2 years. So I purchased a trumpet. Then he played for 2 more years and quit! I'd appreciate your thoughts on this, even though it seems like a no-win situation.
Thanks,
Mary
A lot of us share Mary's experience. We have a child who wants to try band or orchestra. And, like good parents, we encourage them. But, we all have the same problem. No one can see into the future. And that means that there's a good chance that you'll end up with an old clarinet in your closet!
Mary's estimate of two years on band instruments is about right. Most instruments will cost between 15 and 30 times as much to buy as they will to rent monthly. So the simplest way of looking at it is to divide the purchase price by the monthly rental to figure out how many months Junior will need to stay with the program.
Will he be interested that long? All you can do is to take your best guess based on other similar circumstances. Some children are naturally more persistent than others.
One thing to consider is why he wants to try this instrument. If his motivation disappears Junior will probably take the earliest opportunity to quit. For instance if his best friend quits don't be surprised when he follows.
A better solution might be to compare renting to buying a used instrument or borrowing. You're not the first parent to face this question. And some of those parents would be glad to recapture the closet space currently occupied by a snare drum.
If you have enough time you might want to run a 'wanted to buy' ad. The school paper would be an excellent place to find a seller.
Look for other ways to avoid buying new. It would be fairly easy for the band teacher or a parent in the class to make a list of parents who will want to sell their instrument when the class is over. That list could be circulated at the beginning of the next school year to parents of band students.
I'd suggest that any parent give serious consideration to renting. The fact is that not too many students will stay with an instrument for more than one year. Many kids start in the early grades. But very few students are involved with band or orchestra as they approach graduation.
And even a student who plays for more than two years can outgrow an instrument. Violins are one example. Student violins are available in special smaller sizes. Your budding virtuoso might get too big for the smaller instrument you purchased.
So unless you're pretty sure that your student will be able to use the exact same instrument for more than a couple of years it's probably best to either buy used or rent.
One final note. The average house in the U.S. has grown from 1100 square feet in the 1950's to 2000 square feet in the 90's. Part of the reason for bigger homes is storage for all the things that we're accumulating.
So follow Mary's example if you buy. When Junior finally lays his horn down for good sell it. Not only will you make a little more space in your closet, but you'll also help another family find a good deal on an instrument.
Gary Foreman
is a former former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
http://www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of articles to help stretch your day and your dollar.
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:30:11ZReducing Investment ExpensesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Reducing-Investment-Expenses
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- /9285.html2010-05-07T08:30:08Z2010-05-07T08:30:08Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Reducing Investment Expenses
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I'm interested in cheap ways to invest. If I want to begin investing extra money, what are some inexpensive ways to do it? Going through a discount broker can really cost money. Of course, with mutual funds, you can invest directly with the company, but are there other ways to cheaply invest other kinds of investments (e.g., stocks, Treasury bills)?
Thanks.
Allison
Congratulations to Allison for beginning an investment program. And, she's right to be concerned with the costs of investing. Commissions, fees and transaction costs can significantly reduce the growth of your money.
Generally you'll find cost in three areas. A fee or commission when you buy. Management fees during the time that your money is invested. And, exit fees or commissions when you sell.
Usually the safest investments are also the ones with the lowest expenses. Savings accounts, CDs and savings bonds are all good examples. You won't pay to open, manage or close these accounts. Yes, the issuer will make a little money on you. But you'll have a pretty good idea of your rate of return before you open the account.
Allison should begin her savings program in a money market account. Technically there are two types. You really don't need to worry about the differences. The main thing is that you can be sure that $1 invested will be worth $1 plus interest when you choose to take it out. And, that you can take any or all of your money out whenever you want to.
Treasury securities (bills, notes and bonds) are usually for the person who can put away tens of thousands at a time. If you want the safety of U.S. Government backed debt but don't have that much money, take a look at U.S. Savings Bonds or some of the mutual funds that buy treasury securities. Most have very low expenses and will allow you to add smaller dollar amounts to your account.
The riskier and more complicated type of investments will have higher expenses. Even with all the technology available today buying a stock is still a complicated transaction. And that costs money. As a rule of thumb, unless Allison can afford to commit $2,500 or more to a specific stock, she shouldn't consider buying shares in individual companies. The transaction costs are too high. She'd be better off using mutual funds to own stocks.
Many mutual funds do not charge you to invest with them. They're called "no-load" funds. "Load" is a term that describes a sales charge that's "loaded" onto the fund. No-load funds are sold directly by the fund company to the investor.
Load funds are sold by brokers. Part of the load is paid to the broker as a commission.
Studies have shown that no-load funds perform as well as load funds. But that doesn't automatically mean that you should ignore load funds. Since a broker sells the load funds, they will do the necessary research to find a good fund that meets your objectives. The load is the price you pay for them to do that work.
You can find a good no-load fund for yourself. But you need to be willing and able to sort through the thousands of funds available to find the best ones for your situation. Don't kid yourself. Even with the help of magazines and websites that rate funds, you will spend some time and effort in finding the best one.
Remember that cost is not the only consideration. You would gladly pay a few dollars if it meant that you could earn many dollars. Mutual fund management fees should be clearly spelled out in the prospectus. For actively managed stock funds you can expect to pay up to 1.75% per year.
Sometimes you get what you pay for. Cheap management fees are no bargain if your investment doesn't grow. Conversely, higher fees are no guarantee of superior performance either. The bottom line is either you or a broker will need to compare records and study the investments.
Usually, beginning investors will do best with two types of investments. The very safe, like money funds and savings bonds. And mutual funds for long term growth.
One final thought. If Allison is carrying a balance on her credit cards, paying them off first could be her cheapest and best investment. Paying more than your minimum payment doesn't trigger any fees. She's guaranteed to earn whatever interest rate that the credit card company is charging her. That could be much better deal than she'd earn on any safe investment.
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
http://www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of articles to help stretch your day and your dollar.
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:30:08ZEnron Lessons for the Little GuyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Enron-Lessons-for-the-Little-Guy
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- /9286.html2010-05-07T08:30:05Z2010-05-07T08:30:05Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Enron Lessons for the Little Guy
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Much has already been written about the fall of Enron. Most has been on the political and business ramifications and deciding who to blame. I've been surprised to see that there hasn't been much that would help the average Joe protect himself from the next Enron. So let's see what lessons can be learned from the current mess.
There will always be bad guys in this world. Insiders will know more than you do. Some will use that knowledge to their advantage. And, some won't care if you get hurt while they make money. That's no surprise. Never trust the insiders to be on your side. Always take steps to protect yourself. You may be fortunate enough to avoid the bad guys. But you still need to be cautious.
If you can't explain what a company does in two sentences you shouldn't invest in it. Smoke and mirrors are only fun at the carnival. Razzle, dazzle companies often blow up. Complicated dealings are a perfect place to hide mischief. If you don't understand what a company is doing you won't be able to tell whether they're doing it well. You shouldn't invest in anything where you can't judge their performance.
Even the biggest of companies aren't immune from failure. Sure, they're safer. But not 100% safe. In fact, it's easier for a big company to hide troubles. At least until they become really serious.
Putting all your eggs in one basket is dangerous. It is not a good idea to have all of your assets invested in one company no matter how good that company is. Even if it's your own business it is wise to try to have your money invested in a number of different things.
Diversification is the most important tool for small savers and investors. It minimizes your damage when catastrophe strikes a company. And, it also provides for a steadier, more dependable growth of your money.
Mutual funds can protect you from being overly exposed to one bad apple. Even if a fund does own the next Enron, it's only a small portion of the fund.
Diversify your 401k plan. You shouldn't put all of your retirement money in one investment. You should have a variety of stocks, bonds and guaranteed investments. And even within each category you should have a variety of stocks and a variety of bonds.
You don't want to invest too much in the company you work for. If something bad happens to the company you could lose your job and your savings. Even if the future looks bright for your employer it's a bad idea.
Some employers will automatically buy company shares with their contribution to your 401k plan. You can still protect yourself from disaster. Use your contribution to buy something besides company stock. And sell the company shares in your account as soon as you can to keep your exposure to a low level. These two steps will provide needed diversification.
If you don't have control over an investment you've increased it's risk. Some 401k plans place limits on how soon you can sell the company's contribution. That means that you can't really count on the value of company contributed shares until you have the right to sell them.
When plan administrators are changed most 401k plans will freeze your investments for a short time. A lot can change in that time. If you face a freeze, you should consider moving the vast majority of your money into the safest place you can find. Often that's a CD or money fund within the 401k. You can always rebuy the stock or mutual once you regain control of the account.
Counting on others to protect your money doesn't always work. Even the most honest accounting and regulatory groups can make mistakes. And, some of them will even be dishonest (gasp!). Putting all of your money in one company and assuming that the auditors will catch any problems is foolish.
A big failure like this doesn't mean that you should avoid Wall Street and all stocks. Doing that would eliminate the best way to grow your money. Stocks have the best long term growth rate of any investment category.
We'll probably see some changes in the law. But you don't need to wait for Congress to protect your money. You can use common sense and diversification to protect you today. Why not take a look at your statements and make sure that you won't be a victim of the next big business flame out?
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of free articles to stretch your day and your budget. If you have a question or comment send it to
gary@stretcher.com
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:30:05ZMaximize Your Tax RefundStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Maximize-Your-Tax-Refund
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- /9287.html2010-05-07T08:30:04Z2010-05-07T08:30:04Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Maximize Your Tax Refund
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary ForemanStaff2010-05-07T08:30:04ZRandom ThoughtsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Random-Thoughts
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- /9288.html2010-05-07T08:30:02Z2010-05-07T08:30:02Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Random Thoughts
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Have you ever had an idea pop into your mind and just 'hang out'? That happens to writers, too. So here are a few of those random thoughts that just won't go away.
What do you think? You do something twenty times and got the same result each time. It's really amazing when we repeat the same mistake over and over and still think that somehow it will come out different if we try it yet again. They say that man is brighter than the animals because we have the ability to learn. Sometimes when you watch people make the same financial mistakes over and over you can't help but wonder.
Have you ever thought about the phrase "spending time"? It's a good reminder that we spend our time just like we spend our money. Each day we start out with a certain amount of time that we can use for work, family, chores and entertainment. Almost makes you wonder whether we should try to budget our time.
Another thought about time. Have you ever brought a new purchase home and then been surprised by how much of your time it consumed? It's almost as if this item eats holes in your day that you're helpless to avoid.
Am I the only one bugged by ads that claim 'only 24 easy monthly payments'? Every payment that I've ever made in my life brought some degree of pain.
And what about the ads that offer something for three monthly payments of $39.95 plus $7.50 shipping and handling. Are we really so slow on math that we don't realize that we're paying nearly $130 for whatever it is? It must work because the advertisers keep doing it.
If you think about it, almost all scams have one thing in common. Somewhere in the pitch you'll be told that you must act now. Be smart. Don't miss this opportunity. Yes, successful people often act decisively. But, they usually already have quite a bit of information about the decision that they're about to make. Usually at the exact time that you're asking for more information is when they want to rush you.
Why is it that people want to get rich quickly? Take the current crop of shows giving away a million dollars. Everyone wants to win. But do the winners really go on to a better, more satisfying lifestyle? Ask the first winner of the Florida lottery. Not too long ago I saw a report that said winning the lottery made his life miserable. Everyone looked at him as a possible source for cash, not as a friend. Soon nothing mattered but the money. Years have passed since he won. Today all the money is gone. So are his 'friends'. And he earns his living cleaning restrooms on the Florida turnpike.
How many things do you really, absolutely need to buy today? Would your life come to an end if you delayed the purchase of that new DVD or car?Maybe tomorrow you'd find a better price or a model that you liked better. Maybe you'd even come to the conclusion that you didn't need it at all.
Did you know that most studies have found that people with lower income and education levels are more likely to play the lottery? Wonder if they'd buy fewer tickets if they knew that they had a greater chance of being hit by lightning than winning the big prize.
"Only $19.95 plus $4.50 shipping and handling. Visa and MasterCard welcome." Well, yes, sort of. But, if you put that on a credit card and pay the minimum amount each month you'll really be paying about $45 for that 'limited time offer'. After you add income taxes and social security taxes you really need to make $56 to pay for it. How many hours of work is that for you?
Here's a trick that could make you look smarter the next time interest rates are discussed. It's called the "Rule of 72". If you ever want to know how quickly your money will double at a certain rate of interest (say 6%), divide 72 by that rate. That will tell you how many years it will take before the original amount doubles. At 6% our money would double in 12 years (72 divided by 6). While it's not accurate to six decimal places, it is a good quick way to figure things in your head.
Don't know about you, but I certainly feel better for getting that off my mind!
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner and purchasing manager. He currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of free articles to help you save time and money. Visit Today!
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:30:02ZBuilding CreditStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Building-Credit
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- /9289.html2010-05-07T08:30:00Z2010-05-07T08:30:00Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Building Credit
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I am a college student looking for a credit card. When I tell my parents this they say, "no, you don't need one". I feel that I am financially responsible and in control of my money. I am not looking to spend money I don't have but merely to build credit. I've read all about college kids in debt, etc. But what about the rest of us that are responsible and ready to start our lives? How do I even get a credit card? And is there any better way to build credit?
David H.
Chicago, IL
David is smart to take an interest in managing his credit. Like most young adults, David is anxious to grow up. And getting your own credit card is part of that process. But he needs to be careful when he begins this journey. There are more than a few perils along the way.
First, he should consider why he needs to 'build credit'. Sure, credit scores are being used for more things these days. It's even possible that David's college checked his score before accepting his application for enrollment. But typically, the only time that you really need good credit is when you want to borrow money.
In fact, he probably won't need to have much of a credit history until he wants to finance a major purchase like furniture, an auto or home. So there's probably no hurry to 'build credit'.
That's not to say that David shouldn't get off to a good start now. One advantage to getting a credit card early is that David can begin to establish a consistent history of responsible use of credit. Of course, the younger David is, the more likely that he'll fall into trouble.
David needs to remember that having a credit card does not necessarily help his credit rating. If he gets a card with a low credit limit and pays his bill in full each month he will begin to improve his credit score.
But, that same credit card could also hurt his credit score. All he has to do is to begin to carry a monthly balance. In fact, if he just has a credit limit that's too high in relation to his income, he will be less attractive to future potential lenders.
Is there another way to build credit? Not really. There are other things that go into his credit score. But most of the information relates to how much credit is available and how dependable the borrower has been. So information on credit cards is a big portion of most young adults' credit rating.
Once a year David should get in the habit of checking his credit report. There will be a small charge unless he's been refused credit.
The three major credit reporting agencies are:Equifax, PO Box 740241, Atlanta GA 30374-0241; 800-685-1111Experian, PO Box 2002, Allen TX 75013; 888-experianTrans Union, PO Box 1000, Chester PA 19022; 800-916-8800
Getting a credit card shouldn't be too hard. On most campuses credit card companies are aggressively going after students. If he doesn't have a regular source of income he may need his parents to co-sign on the account.
David should recognize that a credit card is a dangerous tool. Less than 50% of all credit card accounts held by students are paid off each month. It's very easy to charge a few things during the month only to find that you don't have enough money to pay the bill when it comes. According to Nellie Mae the average college undergraduate carried a balance of over $2,700 in 2000. That's a lot of debt if you have limited income. If David feels he can't use credit responsibly, he would be wise to wait.
When he does get a card, David should leave it at home. The only time he needs it is when he has planned to make a specific purchase and he knows that he has the money to pay for it. Carrying the card with him is an invitation to make impulse purchases. Very few students can resist that temptation for long.
In fact, he might do better with a store credit card. The reason is simple. It's hard to buy pizza or movie tickets on a Sears' card.
Given what's known about college students and credit, David would be wise to move cautiously. He needs to recognize that most students are not 'building credit'. Instead they're damaging their credit worthiness and digging a financial hole that will make it hard to rent apartments and buy cars when they graduate. Hardly a smooth road to adulthood.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:30:00ZA Cheap Used CarStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/A-Cheap-Used-Car
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- /9290.html2010-05-07T08:29:58Z2010-05-07T08:29:58Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>A Cheap Used Car
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Gary,
I'm a struggling, hard-working single mother who is in dire need of a car, but I can't stand the thought of making car payments for 5 years because of my bad credit. I have $3,000 saved and I'm considering going to an auto auction. If this is not a feasible way to get a car, could you please tell me the best way to get one?
Julie
Julie is wise to avoid car payments. Paying interest on a car loan only jacks up the price of the car. And, while Julie should be able to find an acceptable car in her price range, an auction might not be the best place to look.
She probably already knows that any car in this price range will have some defects. The trick is avoiding major repairs. She would be wise to ask a mechanic or knowledgeable friend to look over any car before she buys it. Most major failures do not happen suddenly. There are warning signs.
Watch out for cars that have been 'totalled' or flooded and rebuilt. Many are recycled to unsuspecting consumers. Julie might want to visit carfax.com. For a small fee she can check a car's VIN number for accidents and other problems.
Always make sure that you get a good, clean title with your car. If a seller cannot produce the title at the time of sale don't buy the car.
Unless Julie is in desperate shape she should take her time. There will be many junkers within her price range. It takes time to find the good rides.
Julie can expect to spend some money on repairs each year. But that's not an argument for a new car. Payments would be more expensive than repair bills.
Should Julie begin her search at an auction? There are some good buys to be had. But there are also big risks.
The best deals are at wholesale auctions. Julie will need a someone who has a dealers' license to get her in.
If you want to try an auction, plan on getting there early. Examine your potential purchase carefully. Take a Kelley's Blue Book or NADA guide with you to help with pricing info. Then hope that no one else bids on your favorite car.
Auctions bring some risks. Cars are sold 'as is'. So if it doesn't run that's just too bad. Generally you be unable to get out of an auction purchase unless the title is defective.
So you need to carefully examine any car that you bid on. And you must do it at the auction site. You can't take the car down to your favorite mechanic for an an unbiased opinion.
The vast majority of auction sellers are honest people that you'd be happy to do business with. But auctions are an easy place for the dishonest to move a car with a bad history. It's hard to judge a seller's honesty when you don't even meet them.
Finally, Julie should remember that auctions have something called a "buyer's premium". That's a commission that's added to the winning bid. Sometimes it's a fixed amount. Other times it's a percentage of the winning bid.
Perhaps a safer option for Julie would be to buy from a private party. It's takes more time, but could get her a better car. Remember her goal: a well maintained car.
Where can she find one? Naturally she can look in the local paper. But, Julie's best bet is to tell friends and co-workers that she's looking for a car.
A well maintained car won't get much more as a trade-in for the seller. So they'd actually do a little better by selling to Julie. She'd have the advantage of knowing more about the seller. And she'd have enough time to have her mechanic look at the car.
What can Julie expect to find? We went to KelleyBlueBook.com for pricing. We priced three popular family models. All three cars were assumed to have 100,000 miles. And all three were 4 door sedans with automatic transmissions, air conditioning and the standard engine. A twelve year old Toyota Camry and eight year old Ford Taurus were under Julie's $3,000 limit. A twelve year old Honda Accord was slightly over.
So it is possible for Julie to find the bargain that she's looking for. She'll need some patience. A good mechanic or friend who knows cars will be helpful. Hopefully Julie will find a dependable set of wheels for her family.
Gary Foreman
is a former purchasing manager who currently publishes The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
where you'll find hundreds of free articles to save you time and money.
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:58ZBi-Weekly MortgageStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Bi-Weekly-Mortgage
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- /9291.html2010-05-07T08:29:57Z2010-05-07T08:29:57Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Bi-Weekly Mortgage
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I just received something in the mail saying that if you breakup your mortgage payments into twice monthly payments thatit helps you pay off the loan faster. So instead of payingour $2,000 per month payment, we would pay $1,000 twice a monthand end up cutting 7-9 years off our mortgage. I know better than to pay someone $200 to set up something that I can do on my own, but I was wondering if what they said was true? Any advice?
Pam
Pam has an opportunity to save thousands of dollars. But, she's also recognized that she can waste some money here, too.
Let's start with a couple of facts to help understand the issue. The first thing to recognize is that a lot of your mortgage payment doesn't reduce the amount that you owe. All it does is pay the interest that you're being charged each month. That's especially true in the early years of a mortgage.
For instance, at current rates (6.75%) you will make payments for a full year to reduce the amount you owe by 1%. So in one year Pam will have paid $24,00 and still owe 99% of the principal amount.
Paying twice a month will only do a little to reduce Pam's mortgage. The idea is that making a half payment midway through the month will reduce the amount of interest owed. And with less interest owed, more of your payment will go to reducing principal each month.
There are two problems with this approach. First, you're not really doing much to reduce the principal or the amount of interest that you owe each month. Second, many mortgage companies will just credit any early payment to the next payment that you owe and not even give you credit for being early. In that case there's no financial gain.
Paying twice a month will not reduce Pam's mortgage by 7 years. It would only reduce the term of the loan by a matter of months. But there is a way that Pam can get this strategy to work for her.
Instead of paying twice a month, some people adjust their schedule to pay half of their regular mortgage payment every two weeks. That may be what the company is proposing to Pam.
It doesn't seem like much, but at the end of the year you would have made 26 half-payments or 13 full payments. And that's one additional full payment each year.
That one additional payment will reduce the loan term by five and a half years. So the strategy can work. But it's not necessary to pay someone to achieve this result.
All Pam needs to do is to add a little extra to her payment each month. In fact if she can add just 1/12th to each payment, a 30 year mortgage will be paid off 6 years early. All Pam needs to do is to add $166 to her $2,000 a month payment.
Prepayments will reduce the length of your mortgage dramatically. Especially if you make them in the first few years of the mortgage. That's why 15 year mortgages are popular. A relatively small increase in monthly payment can build a lot of equity in your home.
And there's no requirement that Pam prepay every month. Even if she misses many months, any prepayment that she has already made will still reduce the length of her loan.
What's the advantage of a service to handle prepayments? They track two things for customers. First, they verify that the mortgage company applied your prepayment to reducing principal. They also provide current information about your mortgage balance.
Both of those tasks are important. Mortgage companies make mistakes. And in this case any mistake works to their advantage. It's easy for them to take your prepayment and apply it to your next monthly payment. That would eliminate the benefit to you.
Pam doesn't need a tracking company if she's willing to do a little bit of work. Begin by checking with your mortgage company to make sure that prepayment of principal is allowed. In almost all cases it is, but she needs to make sure. Also find out if you need to do anything special when you send it in.
Second, send any extra payment with a clear notation that the extra is to be applied "to principal reduction". Finally, check your mortgage balance after each prepayment to make sure that it was applied properly to reducing principal. A simple phone call should handle it.
Pam has an excellent opportunity to reduce the long term cost of her home. This is definitely a case where a little sacrifice now can pay big dividends later. Although it's hard to imagine being without a mortgage payment, if you plan on owning your own home for 15 to 20 years, it's a goal than can be reached.
Gary Foreman
is a former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:29:57ZMutual Fund Expenses ExplainedStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Mutual-Fund-Expenses-Explained
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- /9292.html2010-05-07T08:29:55Z2010-05-07T08:29:55Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Mutual Fund Expenses Explained
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Is your mutual fund management company getting rich whileyou're not? You know that they make money by managing some ofyours. But are they charging you too much? How can you tell?Let's answer some of the most common questions about mutualfund expenses.
What are operating expenses? They'll include the payrollfor investment analysts, phone bills, rents for office spaceand the cost of printing and mailing your statements.Basically, it's the cost of managing your money. One notableexception is the commission that the fund pays to buy and sellsecurities. That's not included under operating expenses. It'sconsidered a 'transaction expense' in most cases.
How do you calculate expense ratio for a specific fund?The math is pretty simple. Just take the operating expenses anddivide them by the average assets. Both figures will beavailable in the prospectus or quarterly report. For instance, afund with $10 million in assets and expenses of $100,000 wouldhave an expense ratio of 1.0%.
How much is a 'reasonable' amount to pay for fundexpenses? That depends on two things. First, how hard is it tomanage the money and, secondly, how aggressive your managersare. Let's take two simple examples. First, consider a fund thatbuys US Treasury bonds and plans to hold them to maturity.There's not much research required so the expenses should below. In 1996 the average expense for a government bond fund was1.02%.
Compare that to managing a long-term growth stock fund.You'll want your analyst to do a good job in finding the nextMicrosoft. That takes time and effort. And the average cost ofmanaging a growth fund was 1.42% in '96. As you would expect,the cost to manage international funds or find small emergingcompanies is even greater.
Can higher expenses 'buy' better managers? Sometimes.The most talented managers should make more. What you reallywant to know is if the extra expense is worth it. The best wayto see if a fund really deserved a higher expense ratio is tosee how they've performed in direct comparison to other fundsand the market. If they've done a better job on a regular basis,the higher expenses shouldn't bother you. Conversely, if theyhaven't outperformed, find another fund.
How am I charged with the expenses? Is it on my quarterlystatement? Unfortunately, you'll have to do a little bit ofdigging to find out how much of your money the fund spent. It'snot found on your statement. You'll need to go to the fund'sincome statement in the quarterly report to find the answer.Most people toss the report without looking at it.
A number of industry 'watchdogs' are pushing to have fundexpenses shown on your fund statement. They argue that ifpeople knew how much they were spending on expenses there wouldbe more pressure to control the cost. Fund managers counterthat the increased cost of collecting and reporting thatinformation would only increase the expenses.
How do expenses affect my earnings? They're subtractedbefore you see your earnings. If a fund earns 10% and theexpenses are 1.2%, you'll see a return of 8.8% (10.0 minus 1.2equals 8.8). That's not so bad when markets are going up, butremember that the expenses go on even if a fund is losingmoney. A half-percent difference in expenses can seem huge ifyour fund is only making a couple of percent.
Are 'big funds' less expensive than smaller ones? Yes,but not by as much as you'd think. Obviously, it doesn't costtwice as much to manage a fund that's twice as big. But youneed to remember that the mutual fund companies want to make aprofit, too. All of the savings of a big fund don't come backto you. Some of that savings goes to the fund company asadditional profits.
What should I look for when I consider fund expenses?Look for two things. First, how does the fund's expense ratiocompare to other similar funds? If it's higher, check to seeif it's justified by performance. Don't forget to make surethat the manager that produced the past performance is stillmanaging the fund.
Second, if the fund is part of a family, take a look atthe average family expenses, especially if you're buying a loador 12b-1 fund. You may want to switch to a different fundwithin the family some day. That could be less attractive ifthe whole family has higher expense ratios than the average.And there's quite a bit of difference in average familyexpenses. Some have a ratio of less than 3/4 of a percent andmany others are over 1.5%.
One final thought. You do need to keep all this inperspective. In some ways it's the same as deciding to orderpizza. How much time and money would it take you to make thepizza? Is it a good value? Unless you're really into trackingand researching stocks, you may be getting a pretty good dealfor your one percent or so. That doesn't mean that youshouldn't consider expenses in picking funds; just rememberthat it's only part of the equation.
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currents publishes The Dollar Stretcher website
http://www.stretcher.com/save.htm.
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:29:55ZNearly RetiredStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Nearly-Retired
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- /9293.html2010-05-07T08:29:53Z2010-05-07T08:29:53Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Nearly Retired
The Dollar Stretcher
By Gary Foreman
Gary@stretcher.com
Help!I am 50 with no savings!! How can I start? Need any and all advice.
Thanks,
Dinah
Dinah sure has a lot of company. Recent Congressional research showed that only 40% of workers have a plan in place for retirement. Even among those over age 55, only 47% had retirement accounts. And the median value of the account was less than $25,000. So a lot of people need to begin saving for retirement.
The first step for Dinah is to try to get an idea of how much money she'll need. If she's among the two thirds of Americans who expect to continue in her current lifestyle after retirement, she can expect to need about 80% of her preretirement income. That's a surprise to many people.
Where will she find that much money? Dinah should begin by finding out about any existing plans she may have through past or present employers. Even if she doesn't have any private company pension, she'll be eligible for social security. To find out how much she'll receive call the Social Security Administration at 800-998-7542. Ask for the Personal Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statement.
Once Dinah has some idea of how much income she'll need and what's already available she can calculate how much additional she'll need to provide. For illustration, let's assume that she'll need an extra $10,000 in income each year.
How much will she need to save to get that income? We could go through a lot of discussion and complicated formulas. Whole books have been written on just this subject. But for our purposes, I'd assume that Dinah should be able to safely get about 7% in income from her savings each year. That's a realistic, conservative long-term rate.
To find out how much savings will be required to generate the income, just divide the income desired ($10,000) by the rate of return (7% or 0.07). In this case Dinah would need about $143,000 to produce $10,000 in income each year after retirement if it earned 7%.
So how does Dinah begin to save that much money? Much of what she'll need to do is the same as if she were beginning any saving program.
Begin by setting some goals for her savings. Can Dinah manage to save $5 each week? Begin with something simple. She might not know where to find an extra $5. She'll need to take a look at her habits and see what she can change that will make $5 available each week. It will almost certainly require her to change some habits.
Start today. Even if she can only save 50 cents this week, that's better than nothing. And if she does the same or better next week a new habit will be starting. Sure, more is better. But actually saving 50 cents is better than complaining that you can't save $5.
Once Dinah begins to save some money she'll need to decide where to keep it. Here the goals are safety and growth.
Begin with a separate saving account. Once Dinah has put money into the account it should stay there unless she's moving it to an investment account that's earmarked for her retirement.
After she has accumlated some money in the savings account she should periodically move some of it to a no-load, growth mutual fund. There are a number of excellent ones available. Historically a fund of this type will earn nearly 10% per year over the long haul.
Dinah should contribute to a tax deferred retirement plan. If she is eligible for a 401k plan she should sign up. Also begin contributing to an IRA. Her money will grow much faster if she doesn't have to pay taxes on the earnings each year.
Dinah should learn some of the investment basics. Your potential risks and rewards differ with various investment choices. Learn the differences and which would work best for you. It's really not that complicated. The important investment concepts are easy enough to understand. There are local adult ed classes, online courses and even books that can explain the basics.
Dinah is smart to get started now. Yes, earlier would have been better. She might have started too late to guarantee a comfortable retirement. But she can still make a significant difference in her future standard of living.
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currents edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:29:53ZRefinancing and Your Credit ScoreStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Refinancing-and-Your-Credit-Score
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- /9294.html2010-05-07T08:29:52Z2010-05-07T08:29:52Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Refinancing and Your Credit Score
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
www.stretcher.com
gary@stretcher.com
I purchased a 1999 Buick Regal right before Thanksgiving. The loan was for a 14.5% interest rate. I was told that I should wait at least one year before refinancing. If I did otherwise it would look bad in my credit for not staying with this company for at least a year. I am interested in shopping around to see if I can get a lower interest rate, but am uncertain due to the information that was given. Should I shop around or wait until a year has been completed?
Lillian
Like many of us, Lillian is concerned with her credit score. And, she should be. Not only will her credit score affect how much she'll pay to borrow money, in some cases it can make getting credit difficult or impossible.
Before we look at Lillian's question, we need to learn a little more about credit scores. The largest supplier of credit scores is Fair, Isaac Co (FICO). The score is designed to give potential lenders an idea of how likely you are to repay a loan. FICO has demonstrated that a lower score does correlate to a greater probability of default.
FICO scores range from 400 to 900. About 700 is considered average. The exact formula used is a FICO secret. But they do provide an idea of what things go into the formula and how much weight each category is given. That should be enough to help Lillian with her question.
The advice given to Lillian is true, but probably not as important as she was led to believe. The longevity of her accounts only makes up 15% of her credit score. And that's for all of Lillian's accounts.
The score will include the oldest account she has and also the average of all accounts. So closing one account early by refinancing really shouldn't make a big difference in her score. Her average will dip slightly, but unless her score is 620 or below that shouldn't pose a problem.
The biggest determinant of Lillian's score concerns how good she's been about paying her bills on time. 35% of her score reflects her promptness in bill paying.
The amount that Lillian owes will determine 30% of her credit score. Naturally potential lenders feel more comfortable if she owes less money. Accounts that are close to their limit will lower her score.
Ten percent of the rating is based on Lillian's pattern of credit use. The 'pattern' considers how many of her accounts are fairly new and how many potential creditors have asked for her history. People with debt problems often try the same tactics. The FICO formula attempts to identify those people.
The final ten percent evaluates the types of credit that Lillian is using. The types of accounts, mix of accounts and total number of accounts she has are included. Loans with finance companies will reduce her score.
More than one company provides credit scores to potential lenders. Your score will not be the same with each provider. We've used the formula from FICO for this discussion. Other formulas are similar.
Now back to Lillian's question. She didn't mention who told her to wait. It is possible that the person who gave that advice stood to make more money if she delayed.
So what should Lillian do? The first thing is to get a copy of her credit score. Next she should check and make sure that the information is accurate. Studies indicate that about one in four reports contain serious errors. Those errors could reduce Lillian's credit score and increase the amount she'll pay to borrow money. She can obtain her score at
www.myfico.com
.
Unless her score is below 620, she shouldn't have to worry about refinancing now. A healthy credit score won't drop much for one account. And any drop wouldn't affect this refinancing. If Lillian manages her credit properly it won't be important the next time she goes to borrow money either.
Once she's verified that the information is accurate, she should begin to look for lower cost financing. Identify two or three potential lenders. She'll want to contact them one right after the other. Each lender will obtain her credit score. If all those requests happen over a few days they'll be treated as one event. If they trickle in over months, they'll tend to decrease her score.
It is possible that she won't find cheaper financing. But the only way she'll know that is if she checks some competing lenders.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website:
www.stretcher.com
where you'll find hundreds of time and money saving ideas. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:52ZComparing a RefinanceStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Comparing-a-Refinance
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- /9295.html2010-05-07T08:29:50Z2010-05-07T08:29:50Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Comparing a Refinance
The Dollar Stretcher
By Gary Foreman
Gary@stretcher.com
Dear Gary,
My husband and I want to refinance our mortgage and add a credit card debt. We owe $44,000 on our mortgage at a rate of 7 1/8% and we have 11 years left. We want to add a credit card debt of $17,000 at a rate of 9.99%. The best mortgage rate that I have been able to find is a 15 year fixed at 6.25% with a fee of $1161 and no points. Would we be wise to refinance? Thanks. I hope you can help me with the answer or point me in the right direction.
Lynn O.
You don't need to be refinancing your home to ask this question. We face the same problem with competing credit card or auto financing offers. And many of us have a similar reaction. There's just too many numbers to even know where to start. So we end up with something that could be costing us extra money every month.
Let's break Lynn's question down into bite sized pieces and see if we can't simplify things. We'll look at a method that you can use to compare any two loans.
First we'll figure out what Lynn is paying in interest each month on her current mortgage and credit card balance. Then we'll calculate what the new loan would cost her in interest. Then we'll compare the two and see how long it would take to recover the fee.
Begin with the existing mortgage. Lynn has a $44,000 mortgage at 7.12%. We'll do a monthly comparison. If we take the annual interest rate (7.12%) and divide it by 12 we'll find out what the rate is each month. It works out to 0.59%. To calculate how many dollars that equals to each month we'll multiply the mortgage principal amount ($44,000) by the percent interest (.59% or .0059). It works out to $260 in interest charges.
Now for Lynn's current credit cards. She has a balance of $17,000 and is paying 9.99% interest. The process is the same as for the mortgage. We're going to take the annual interest and convert it to a monthly rate. In this case that's 0.83%. Then we'll multiply the balance by the rate ($17,000 x 0.0083) to get the monthly interest owed ($141).
So, between the two bills she's paying $401 ($260 + $141) each month in interest payments.
How would a new mortgage stack up? Well, since she wants to add the credit card debt to the existing mortgage, the refinanced mortgage would be $61,000 ($44,000 + $17,000).
Now that we know the principal, let's calculate the monthly interest. Again we'll take the annual rate (6.25%) and divide by 12 to get the monthly rate (0.52%). Then we'll multiply the mortgage balance by the monthly rate ($61,000 x 0.0052) to get our monthly interest amount ($317).
Now we're in a position to compare how much the two loans would cost. The new rate would save her $84 each month in interest ($401 - $317).
But, as Lynn pointed out, there's a fee of $1,161. Is it worth paying that fee to get the monthly savings? If we divide the fee by the monthly savings we'll see that it would take nearly 14 months for Lynn to save enough to recover the fee.
Now I'm sure that those of you who are good with math have probably found a few flaws in our method. The main problem is that all three balances will change a little each month. So to be perfectly accurate we'd need to do a separate calculation for each month. And then adjust our account balances and do it all over again. And again, etc.
But that really shouldn't be necessary. Predicting the future isn't an exact science. So even if our calculations were precise, the future wouldn't be. This method will give Lynn a pretty fair estimate. Certainly good enough to make a decision.
There are other things to consider. Payments may be different than the amount of interest owed. The new interest owed each month is like money that Lynn has spent. In this case she bought some borrowed money. Her payment would typically be the amount of new interest plus some of the principal amount owed. She doesn't want to confuse the two and sign up for a payment that she can't afford.
Also, rolling credit card debts into your home mortgage isn't always a good idea. There can be a temptation when you see an account balance of zero. Many people will run up the balance again. And that would defeat the purpose of putting the credit card balance in with the mortgage.
From this point Lynn should be able to compare the two choices and make a reasonable decision for her family. We hope it's a good one for her family.
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
. You'll find hundreds of free articles to stretch your day and your budget. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:29:50ZTrouble Getting MortgageStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Trouble-Getting-Mortgage
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- /9296.html2010-05-07T08:29:48Z2010-05-07T08:29:48Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Trouble Getting Mortgage
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
Several years ago I was told that I would have to file for bankruptcy. I did see an attorney and he suggested I wait until after I got divorced. I told my creditors that I was planning to file for bankruptcy after my divorce. I was not happy with the attorney during my divorce and never filed for bankruptcy. It has been almost five years now and my debt has been written off and no creditors are bothering me. I'm trying to get my life back in order but I'm still struggling. I need a place to live. With rents so high I could pay a mortgage on a small condo for the same amount. This is what I would like to do but I have the debt issues hanging over my head. I'm a 46 year old single parent raising two elementary school age children. I feel like I'm going to end up living my old age in a cardboard box. I also feel like my life is in limbo and there's no way out. Can you offer any advice?
Sally
It sure would be nice to tell Sally that there's an easy solution for her problem. But unless she has a wealthy friend or relative willing to step in she'll need to have patience, expend some effort and be willing to make some hard decisions.
Only time will clear Sally's credit history. Generally negative information will remain on your report for seven years. Or 10 years for a bankruptcy. There's no legitimate way to erase truthful information quickly from her history. Being careful to meet her current payments will help improve her score over time.
But, Sally may still be able to get a mortgage if her credit score is in the low 600 point range. She can expect to pay a higher interest rate. A sizeable down payment will make finding a mortgage easier. In Sally's case that might not be possible. The only way to find a mortgage company willing to work with her is to search for them. That means making phone calls and telling her story.
Sally needs to be careful in applying for a mortgage. If a large number of potential lenders check her credit history that will make it look like no one is willing to lend her money. She can avoid that problem by explaining her situation before they check her history. Some will turn her down right away. They would have refused her anyway. At least now they haven't lowered her credit score.
One way to find the best potential lenders is to work with a mortgage broker. They should be familiar with the institutions that are most likely to work with Sally. Again, she needs to be up front with the broker about her past. Also make sure that he's going to limit access her credit file.
Other options could work for Sally. The first is renting with an option to buy. A landlord/seller will still want to know about Sally's finances. But, typically they won't be quite as critical as a regular mortgage company. It would also allow her to continue to rent while she's trying to find a mortgage.
Another option would be to find a condo being sold by someone who's willing to take back the mortgage. Sally is right about condo prices. In many places condos are relatively inexpensive. That also means that she's more likely to find a seller who has had trouble selling. It might be enough to get one to finance the deal for Sally.
One other possibility would be to see if there are any assistance programs that could help her. Habitat for Humanity is one. There are others. Most are run locally so she'll need to speak with her community social service agencies and churches to find them.
Just finding a home and qualifying for the mortgage isn't the only thing that Sally needs to watch. She must be careful to only spend what she can afford.
Between food, auto, medical and insurance Sally will probably have close to 50% of her after-tax income committed. So if she spends an additional 30% on housing that only leaves 20% for clothing, entertainment, savings, debt reduction, after-school programs, unexpected emergencies and savings.
Others may tell Sally that she can afford to spend more. She should ignore them. They won't be the ones sweating the mortgage payment each month.
There are ways for Sally to reduce her housing costs. One would be to share a house or a larger apartment. In many places it's difficult to provide for a family on one income. It's harder still if there's only one parent because they're too busy to do some of the time consuming things that can save money.
Taking in a roommate could help solve that problem. Two single moms could blend a family and both would be better off financially. With two adults to share cooking, cleaning and other household chores Sally would also have a little more time to enjoy her children.
Naturally Sally would need to be very careful in finding the right person. They will influence her children at an impressionable age. So she'll want to know the person well before anyone starts packing and moving their belongings.
Sally's past will make her future more difficult. Hopefully she'll find the right combination to allow her to build some equity and keep her housing expenses in line with her income.
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
. copyright 2001 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. Printed with permission. All rights reserved.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:48ZSpace Heater EfficiencyStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Space-Heater-Efficiency
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- /9297.html2010-05-07T08:29:47Z2010-05-07T08:29:47Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Space Heater Efficiency
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
Hi Gary,
Here's a heating question. I'm someone who really likes to be warm. If you can believe it, I grew up in a house that was kept at 75 degrees in the winter. I'm trying to adjust to a cooler house as an adult but it's not easy! Anyway, here's the question. Which is more efficient, using my electric space heater/fan which requires about 1000-1500 watts, or turning up my relatively new, gas-powered, forced air furnace to heat up a good sized two bedroom apartment? I've already done as much insulating as I can. I'd really appreciate it if you could help me figure this out!
Connie
As someone who's lived in Florida for years I can appreciate Connie's desire to keep warm! At the same time it's also important to find ways to do that without watching your energy bills go through the roof. Her inclination is right. As a general rule, if you're only going to be in one room it will be cheaper to heat that single room than the whole apartment. And a space heater is often a good choice.
First, some warnings. Electric space heaters can overload an electrical circuit. Be careful to avoid problems. No matter what type of heater you use remember to take all appropriate safety measures. Proper inspection and use are important. Protect your family from shocks, fires and asphyxiation. Safety should always come first.
Next, let's look at Connie's comparison. Unfortunately, getting an exact answer isn't easy.
To figure out the cost of operating a space heater you need to multiply the kilowatts used per hour times the cost per kilowatt hour for electricity. Multiply that by the length of time that the heater is actually on. You can get the kilowatt hours by dividing the wattage by 1,000. Your electric bill should show you how much you pay per kilowatt hour.
Electric space heaters do not lose any energy through ducts or combustion. So they're considered to be 100% efficient. All of the warmth generated by the space heater will radiate into the room.
Here's where it gets more difficult. To know how much it costs to operate her gas furnace she'd need to know how energy efficient the furnace is. Most convert between 55 and 85% of the gas used into actual heat. She'd also need to know the furnace's rate of fuel consumption and the cost of fuel in her area.
If that wasn't enough Connie would also need to account for the loss of heat in her ducts. Depending on the insulation and condition of the ducts she could be losing a major portion of the heat generated by the furnace before it gets to the rooms.
Finally, she'd need to convert both the space and central heaters to a common measure of heat. The most likely candidate is BTUs. And, there's no easy way to do that for either of the two heaters.
But that doesn't mean that some comparisons can't be drawn. The U.S. Dept. of Energy estimated that an average conventional gas system cost 43% as much as a space heater when heating a whole house. So on average the gas central system is more efficient.
No, she shouldn't throw out the space heater. Let's keep it in perspective. It still makes sense for Connie to use the space heaters to boost the temperature in one or two rooms of her home. And not knowing the exact cost shouldn't keep her from getting the most heat for her dollar. Her strategy is fairly simple.
Her first step should be to lower the thermostat for the central gas system to the lowest comfortable level. If she's only using one or two rooms, she should lower it some more and use space heaters to warm up the room she's using.
Connie can also manage something called her 'thermal comfort'. What's that? In it's simplest form it means that the coldest part of your body will determine how cold you feel. Proper management of thermal comfort could allow her to lower the thermostat by 8 degrees without feeling any colder. And that could save 15% of her heating bill.
So Connie will want to eliminate drafts and places where her skin is exposed to the cold. It turns out that Mom was right. You should wear warm stocks and a turtle neck sweater in winter!
Connie has already taken steps to add insulation. Another possibility is to add weather-stripping. In many homes if you add up all the cracks it's as if a window were left wide open letting out heat all winter long. Not only that, the cold air coming in lowers the thermal comfort.
Connie's well on her way to getting the most for heating dollar this winter. All she needs now is a cup of hot chocolate!
Gary Foreman
is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
. You'll find hundreds of free articles to stretch your day and your budget. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:47ZLove Is Blind, But Creditors Aren'tStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Love-Is-Blind,-But-Creditors-Arent
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- /9298.html2010-05-07T08:29:46Z2010-05-07T08:29:46ZStaff2010-05-07T08:29:46ZGift Ideas to Keep You From Becoming a Basket Case!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Gift-Ideas-to-Keep-You-From-Becoming-a-Basket-Case!
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- /9299.html2010-05-07T08:29:45Z2010-05-07T08:29:45ZStaff2010-05-07T08:29:45ZThe Bottomline of Becoming a MillionaireStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/The-Bottomline-of-Becoming-a-Millionaire
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- /9300.html2010-05-07T08:29:45Z2010-05-07T08:29:45Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>The Bottomline of Becoming a Millionaire
A man goes into the pet store to buy a bird.1 He sees dozens of caged birdswith little price tags dangling from their little legs; $5, $5, $5, $50.
"Fifty dollars!" He asks the clerk, "What so special about this one?" Theclerk explains that this bird is special because it can talk. So the manbuys the bird and takes it home.
The next day the man returns. "The bird didn't talk."
The clerk asks, "Did he look in his little mirror?"
"Little mirror? I didn't buy a mirror. Does he need a mirror?"
"Of course," replies the clerk. "He looks in his little mirror and seesanother bird in there. He thinks he's not alone and starts to sing. Startsto talk. Got to have a mirror."
This sounds reasonable so the customer buys a mirror and leaves. The nextday he is back again, disgruntled. "The bird looked in his little mirror. But he still didn't talk."
"Well," ponders the clerk, "Did he run up and down his little ladder?"
"Ladder? Does he need a ladder?"
"Of course," replies the clerk. "Don't you feel better after you exercise?
Your bird runs up and down his little ladder-those endorphins start pumpingin his little brain. Makes him want to sing. Makes him want to talk. Gotto have a ladder."
This sounds reasonable so the man buys a mirror. The next day he is backwith a scowl on his face. "The bird ran up and down his little ladder. Helooked in his little mirror, but he still didn't talk!"The clerk asks, "Did he swing on his little swing? You see, when the birdswings it makes him think he's back in nature. Makes him want to sing. Makes him want to talk."
The customer grudgingly buys the swing. The next day he is back again,angrier than ever. "The bird swung on his little swing. He ran up and downhis little ladder. He looked in his little mirror. But he still didn'ttalk!"
"Hmmmm," thinks the clerk. "Did he tinkle his little bell?"The customer grabs a little bell, throws some money on the counter and stormsoff. The next day he is back again. "The bird's dead!"
"Dead!?"
"Yup. Dead-his little feet sticking up in the air. But he did talk. He gotup this morning and looked in his little mirror. He tinkled on his littlebell. He ran up and down his little ladder. He swung on his little swing. Then, just before he keeled over and died, he looked over at me-a little tearforming in his little eye-and he finally spoke to me.
"What did he say?"
He said, "DIDN'T THEY SELL BIRDSEED?!!!"
When it comes to making money people will try to sell you a lot of bells andwhistles-but the 'birdseed' of money can be summarized into three keyconcepts: Building a Dream. Attracting a Team. Choosing a Stream.
Charles Jarvis, the great American Humorist, tells this classic story.
A dollar a day#151;a minute at a time#151;you can get there. Contact Robert G. Allen at
boballen@robertallen.com
or visit his website at
www.robertallen.com
Permission granted for this excerpt from the forthcoming blockbuster, The One Minute Millionaire with Mark Victor Hansen; Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:45ZHarassing Collection CallsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Harassing-Collection-Calls
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- /9301.html2010-05-07T08:29:43Z2010-05-07T08:29:43Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Harassing Collection Calls
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
My husband and I have one credit card debt to the tune of about $3,500. I cancelled the account so we can't charge any more. We have been making payments of $100 every month, which is well below the minimum payments that the credit card company requests. They call nearly every day, most often more than once, hounding us for the rest of our minimum payment, which has reached in the neighborhood of $800 a month. Although we are not paying what they request every month, we are making a payment. Is there any way we can stop the phone calls? Are we breaking the law by not paying the entire minimum payment? We do plan on making a large payment when we can, but with 3 kids and one income, $800 is hard to come by.
Thanks for any help.
Tina
Tina's not alone.
In calendar 2000 the average U.S. credit card debt per household was $8,123 according to Cardfacts.com. The American Bankers Association indicates that 5.4% of credit card accounts were delinquent at the end of the year. Recent reports show that there was a surge in bank card delinquencies in the 2nd quarter of 2001. So a lot of people are falling behind in their payments and will be dealing with bill collectors.
In fact, in 2000 the FTC received approximately 22,000 complaints about both 'in house' and 'third party' collectors.
To answer Tina's first question, yes, she can stop the collection calls. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act prevents harassment by bill collectors. It is a federal law so it applies to all 50 states. Section 806 specifies that "a debt collector may not engage in repeated personal contacts with a consumer with such frequency as to harass him".
If Tina notifies the collector in writing that she wants all communications stopped, they must cease any attempt at contacting her. This includes both phone and mail contact. She would be wise to get a return receipt so that she can prove that her letter was received by the collection agency.
Some bill collectors are persistent despite the law. According to the Federal Trade Commission approximately 500 consumers complained that notifying the collectors didn't stop the calls. If Tina has this problem she can get relief by contacting the FTC (1-877-FTC-HELP).
Tina didn't mention it, but collection agencies are also prevented from telling others about her situation. Nor can they threaten her with physical violence.
To answer Tina's second question, she has not broken the law so she won't end up in jail. But she has not lived up to the contract that she made with the credit card company.
Notifying the collection agency to quit contacting her does not prevent the credit card company from trying to collect the debt. In fact, they may be more likely to file a law suit if Tina asks to be left alone. That suit could require repayment or force bankruptcy.
So getting the collection agency off her back is only the first step for Tina. The $3500 debt is costing her over $800 per year in interest. And each month that her payment is less than the minimum a penalty is tacked on. Her $100 payment isn't really reducing the debt.
Now is the time to take drastic action. At her current rate of payments Tina will be repaying this debt forever. She needs to recognize that the longer this goes on without a solution the worse her credit score will be. She could get in a situation where it's almost impossible to borrow money to buy a car or home for many years.
So getting the collection calls to stop is only the first step. In fact, it's the easier step. The bigger challenge is to get the debt current so she doesn't hurt her future borrowing ability.
Hopefully Tina and her husband will find a way to put this debt behind them.
Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of free articles to help you save time and money. Visit today!Staff2010-05-07T08:29:43ZAir Pockets Reduce Heating BillsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Air-Pockets-Reduce-Heating-Bills
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- /9302.html2010-05-07T08:29:41Z2010-05-07T08:29:41Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Air Pockets Reduce Heating Bills
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
Do you have any hints on making windows a little less cold inside? Would you enclose them with plastic?Thanks,Lori
Using numbers from the U.S. Department of Energy, I calculated that air leaks could cost Lori between $50 and $100 this winter. So saving some heat is certainly a good thought.
Let's start with the idea that Lori is considering. She's on the right track. Air can be used as an insulator. Storm windows are important because they create an airspace between the two windows. That pocket of air will keep the cold air out and the warm air in.
You can use sheet plastic on the inside of your window to create airspace. It works whether you have storm windows or not. This strategy can reduce heat loss through the window by 25%. You can attach the sheet plastic to screen frames, cardboard or wooden frames, or even simply tape it to the inside of the window opening.
Another option is to hang blankets in front of the windows. Naturally, you'll pull them aside to allow any available sunlight to enter during the day.
Along with creating an insulator between windows you'll want to eliminate cracks and crevasses that allow cold air in. A very small draft of outside air can make a room seem much colder than it is. Your body will react to it's coldest part. If you feel a draft against your neck your whole body will feel cold even if it is wrapped in sweaters.
The only good way to find leaks is to check all of the outside walls of your home. Light a candle and slowly move near the outside walls. If the flame flickers or the smoke is blown in one direction, you've found a leak.
Pay particular attention around doors, windows and baseboards. And don't forget under kitchen cabinets. Access holes for pipes can allow cold air to enter. Once you've found a leak you'll want to plug it with plaster, caulk or weather-stripping. Also, insulate behind your switch plates. Rubber gaskets are available or you can cut Styrofoam from meat trays to do the job.
If you want to get the most bang for your buck, keeping the cold air outside is your best strategy. You can save quite a bit with a few dollars in caulking, weather-stripping and sheet plastic. But, there's more that you can do without spending a lot to keep warmer for less this winter.
Your furnace is a good place to start. Check it to make sure that everything is working properly. Unless you're handy you might want to have it professionally checked. Not only do you want your furnace to work efficiently, but you also want it to work safely.
Clean your furnace filters and air registers. That can increase your furnace's efficiency by up to 10%. Naturally you want to set your thermostat for the lowest temperature that will keep you comfortable and close off rooms when they're not being used.
If you have forced air heating, leaking ducts can cut your efficiency by up to 40%. If your ducts leak you don't lose hot air. Rather cold air is drawn into the ducts when the blower fan is on. That cold air is then delivered to your living area.
Also, if the ducts are in an unheated area (attic or crawlspace), they should be insulated.
In the summer we talk of "air conditioners". In the winter the condition of our air is equally important. Especially the moisture content. The combination of winter and heaters tends to dry out the air. Additional moisture in the air makes it feel warmer.
There are a number of ways to add water to your air. A humidifier is the easiest. But, if you don't have one, there are other options. Bowls of water on your countertop will evaporate. Consider drying your clothes on racks or lines hung inside your house. When you've finished baths or showers allow the extra steam to escape into the rest of your home. Use every opportunity to allow water to evaporate into the air.
Another consideration is to recognize that a room isn't equally warm in every spot. That means that ceiling fans are useful in the winter, too. Remember that hot air rises. So your ceiling fan can help to gently push it back down where you are. Have children play on the sofa or at a table. That will be warmer than the floor.
If possible, move your furniture so that it's away from outside doors and windows. No sense sitting where your room will be coldest.
Your mind can make it feel warmer, too. Adding some warm colors to a room will make it seem hotter. In the summer you add cool blues and greens. Now is the time for reds, oranges and yellows. Just a few throw pillows could be enough to get your mind thinking 'hot'.
Consider heating only the spaces where you are. Portable electric space heaters are inexpensive to buy. They start at about $20. Always take proper precautions with heaters. Be careful of fires, fumes, electrical problems and burns. And always use caution when children are present.
Finally, spend a little time thinking about heat. For instance, if you turn on your electric blanket an hour before bedtime your bed will be comfy when you climb under the covers. Your body heat will quickly reduce the need for the extra warmth. So turn off the electric blanket when you go to bed. It won't save you big money, but just thinking about when and how you use heat will help you find other ways to get the most heat for your buck.
Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of free articles to help you save time and money. Visit today!
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:29:41ZThe Check Out Check UpStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/The-Check-Out-Check-Up
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- /9303.html2010-05-07T08:29:39Z2010-05-07T08:29:39Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>The Check Out Check Up
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
My family is really struggling with our budget. We are a family of five spending approximately $500 per month on groceries and household items. Do you think we could do better? I use coupons, buy only generic and sale items at the local grocery store. What else can I do?! Would I save more money or get more for my money if I shopped at the big warehouses like Priceclub?
Pam
According to the U.S. Statistical Abstract the average large family (five or more) spent $405 per month on food eaten at home. Pam and her family probably are a bit on the high side. So what can she do to reduce the amount she contributes to her local grocery store?
The first thing to consider is the non-food items that end up our grocery carts. Most of us are in the habit of picking up cleaning supplies and paper products when we grocery shop. And that's a good way to boost your bill.
At your grocer you'll find shelf after shelf of specialty cleaning products. Check the ingredients. They're all pretty similar. Most cleaners contain a combination of ammonia, vinegar, baking soda, bleach and a generous helping of good old-fashioned water. They also add a fragrance so that things smell clean after you've done your work.
You can save some money by making your own cleaners. Recipes are available in books, magazines and on the web. Most are simple and just as effective as what you'd buy in the store. If you really don't want to mix your own, then at least locate a janitorial supply store. Most will sell to the public. They carry industrial strength and concentrated cleaners. You won't get pretty packaging, but you will get more cleaner per buck.
Now on to the food in Pam's grocery cart. Next time you return from the grocery store take a look at what you bought. Pay specific attention to 'convenience' items.
You won't find this definition in Webster's Dictionary, but it's the one that the food conglomerates use. When they call something a 'convenience' food, it means that they're going to charge big bucks and the consumer won't complain. In fact, we'll thank them for saving us some time!
Examine your purchases. How much of your money is really buying something that you're going to put in your mouth and swallow? And how much is going to packaging, individual serving sizes and 'convenience'? I don't ever recall seeing convenience on a nutrition chart!
If you want a shock compare the price per pound of a whole ham an the sliced ham at the deli counter. Sure, for some people being able to buy just a few slices justifies the higher price. But a little thought here could open up a whole new way to look at shopping.
Pam mentions that she's using coupons. Depending on where you live coupons may be helpful. In some areas stores still double coupons or allow you to use both a manufacturer's and a store coupon on the same item. That can make a big difference and is well worth the time spent.
But, even without doubled savings, coupons can help. Some families insist on nationally advertised brands. Coupons can reduce the name brand cost to the price of the generic equivalent.
Warehouse clubs can be a help, too, but you need to be careful in how you use them. First, and this is obvious, don't buy food that you're not going to use. Buying more than your family needs is wasteful no matter how cheap the item is. We almost instinctively think that bigger is better. That's not always true.
Secondly, do not assume that buying a large size will reduce your per unit cost. Sometimes it's true and sometimes it isn't. Manufacturers know that we assume that the 'large economy size' is the best value. And sometimes they take advantage of that. Always compare the per unit costs. Not only between the large and small package sizes, but between your local grocer and the big warehouse stores.
Finally, Pam can take advantage of something that no professional buyer would be without. That's a price book. When a buyer gets ready to place an order they know when they've bought in the past, who they purchased from and how much they paid. That information is priceless.
Pam doesn't need a fancy system to take advantage of the same information. A simple three-ring binder will do. Use one page for each item that you buy on a regular basis. As you shop compare the prices you see to the appropriate page in your price book. If the price you find is low, add a new line showing the date, store and unit price. And stock up on the item. You've found a bargain.
But, often you'll find an item with a big 'sale' sign that's still more expensive than the low prices in your book. That's the time to buy only enough for current needs. It's not uncommon for people to save up to 20% on their grocery bills by using a price book.
It sounds as if Pam is already starting to take control of her food spending. Here's to healthy diet and a healthy budget for her family. Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of free articles to stretch your day and your budget.
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:29:39ZLast Minute Tax TipsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Last-Minute-Tax-Tips
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- /9304.html2010-05-07T08:29:38Z2010-05-07T08:29:38Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Last Minute Tax Tips
by Ginita Wall
Hey, tax procrastinators! With just a few days left until taxes are due April 15, here are some last minute tips to help ease the pain.
Don't Rush
Just because you are filing at the last minute, don't get flustered and overlook deductions. Take time to review last year's activity to be sure you claim all the deductions to which you are entitled.
Deduct Points
If you bought a new house last year, the points you paid to acquire the mortgage are deductible, as are interest and property taxes. If you refinanced your house last year, the points you paid must be written off over the length of the loan (on a 30-year loan, you can deduct 1/30 each year). Be sure to deduct any remaining unamortized points from the prior loan when you refinance (unless you refinance with the same lender).
Educate Yourself
If you spent money on education, you're in luck. If you were a full- or half-time student pursuing a degree, and your income is under $51,000 if single ($102,000 if married filing jointly), you can claim the Hope Credit for up to $2,000 of tuition you pay during the first two years of college. The Lifetime Learning Credit is available for up to $5,000 of tuition in 2002, and you don't have to be pursuing a degree.
. Deduct Job-Hunting Expenses
You can deduct all the expenses of hunting for a new job, even if you didn't find one. This doesn't apply to the cost of finding your first job, or changing careers.
Claim Child Care Expenses
You can get credit for the first $3,000 of expenses ($6,000 if more than one child) for caring for a child while you work or go to school. Expenses include nursery school, private kindergarten, after school programs and day care. If only one spouse works, you can still take the credit if the other parent is a full-time student or is disabled.
Deduct Your Work Expenses
If you spend money for business and you aren't reimbursed, you can claim a deduction. Toting up the cost of using your car to run errands, supplies, business dues, and so forth, can add up to a healthy deduction.
Invest in an IRA
If you aren't covered by a retirement plan at work, you can deduct $3,000 if you invest by April 15. (If you are 50 or older, you can contribute another $500 over the regular $3,000 limit.) If you have a retirement plan at work, your deduction for IRA contributions phases out when your income is between $34,000 and $44,000 for singles ($54,000 and $64,000 for married filing jointly).
Don't Blow it Off
Even if you don't owe taxes, file a tax return if you are due a refund of withheld income taxes. If you wait more than two years to file, the IRS is not required to issue you a check.
Extend if You Must
If you file for an extension by April 15, you'll have until August 15 to file your return. But that extension doesn't extend the time to pay your taxes - send in what you owe with the extension to avoid penalties for late payment of tax.
File Even if you Can't Pay
If you owe taxes, send in what you can with the return, and the IRS will bill you for the rest. You can use Form 9465 to ask to make monthly installment payments, but you'll still owe interest and possibly late payment penalties.
Invest Your Refund
If you filed early and are getting a tax refund, consider putting part of that refund into a Roth IRA. You have until April 15 to put up to $3,000 into a Roth IRA for last year ($3,500 if you are age 50 or older at the end of the year), and you can contribute $3,000 (or $3,500 if you are age 50 or over) for 2003 as well. Your contributions aren't deductible, it's true, but the funds won't be taxable when you withdraw them at retirement. (Roth IRA contributions are limited to those with income of under $110,000 for single or head of household ($160,000 for married filing jointly).
You#146;ll find many other helpful tax tips in the booklet150 Ways to Save Taxes Through Life#146;s Transitions
.(Note from Candace: We started the non-profit Women#146;s Institute for Financial Education in 1988 when we realized there was very little reliable, independent financial education and advice for women. The acronym wife is intentional. After all, it is usually the wife in a relationship who councils and empowers, listens and advises, and offers comfort when needed. Our mission is to empower women to succeed and prosper #150; we are here as your support and guides. Our new concept, The Money Club (
www.the moneyclub.org
) offers an exciting new way to help yourself and your friends learn about money. It#146;s completely free, non-fattening, and will give you a chance to hang out with your friends.) Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:29:38ZCredit Card Payment PinchStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Credit-Card-Payment-Pinch
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- /9305.html2010-05-07T08:29:36Z2010-05-07T08:29:36Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Credit Card Payment Pinch
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
We have a few high interest credit cards. We know now that we were using poor management when we started using these cards and now we are feeling the squeeze from them. Could you tell us how we can pay these cards off? It seems like we never get close to paying them off.
Linda from TN
Linda has discovered a secret. The credit card companies don't want you to pay off your balance. Those balances led to $50 billion in finance charges last year.
And business keeps getting better for the card issuers. All the statistics show that people are relying more on their credit cards and falling deeper into debt. The average balance is now $5,800 per person.
Plus the price that consumers pay for the loans also continues to increase. Even with record low interest rates, people are paying 15% or more for their credit card balances.
Ultimately, to prevent the payment pinch Linda must make payments that are bigger than any new purchases plus this month's interest charges. So to solve the problem Linda can spend less each month, reduce the amount of interest that she owes or write bigger checks.
How can Linda need find a way to charge less each month? A review of her monthly credit card statement could be fruitful. If she finds a series of small purchases or items that she doesn't remember buying, it's time to consider leaving the cards at home. She needs to find a way to identify purchases that could be avoided or postponed.
Next, try to reduce the amount of interest that's charged each month. Linda should contact her creditors. Some will reduce her interest rate if she picks up the phone and asks.
She'll want to pay off the highest interest cards first. If possible, she should move her balance to a lower interest rate card. Only use the card with the lowest rate for new purchases.
Finding a lower interest rate will help, but to really solve the problem Linda needs to see if she can manage to write a bigger payment check each month. Based on a typical minimum payment, Linda can expect to be writing checks the rest of her life! The only permanent way to eliminate the payment pinch is to reduce the balance.
Suppose that Linda and her husband were the average couple and had $11,600 in debt at 18% interest. If she made no new purchases and wrote the minimum payment check for $230 she'd only be reducing her balance by $55!
Fortunately, it doesn't take much to begin to reduce the balance. What would happen if instead of paying the minimum she paid $250 per month and kept it at that level? She'd have the balance paid off in seven years!
So where can she find the extra money? It may not be easy so Linda needs to be motivated. The thought that she's paying $175 each month in interest and not getting anything for it should help. That's money that isn't buying any new clothes, cars or groceries.
Could Linda find $25 a month to increase her payment? Tough? Sure! But a little sacrificial cost cutting could yield $5 a week. That's one coffee per day. Or one lunch out per week. One night out per month. Or the premium channels on your cable TV.
Perhaps Linda has an asset that could be sold with the money going to pay her debt. Or if she has an asset that can't be sold, maybe she can borrow against it at a lower rate than she's paying on her credit cards. Borrowing against her home equity is an obvious possibility. But look beyond the obvious. She might have a life insurance policy that allows for loans. Or perhaps she could borrow from her 401k plan.
It might be time for Linda to consider a part-time job until the card balances are paid off. Although it's tough having a second job, knowing that it's only for a short time makes a big difference.
Suppose that she fails in reducing the balance and it keeps going up. She can expect the card companies to begin to increase her interest rate. Each month the financial noose will get a little tighter.
If Linda can't reduce her balance and is struggling with the minimum payments she might be wise to seek credit counseling. They will negotiate a payment plan with the card companies that Linda can afford. She can expect to give up her credit cards and her credit history will reflect that she sought assistance. But struggling with the minimum payments is a warning sign of upcoming disaster. Unless immediate changes are made things will only get worse.
It's important for Linda and all credit card users to recognize that the minimum payment is dangerous. The first warning sign isn't when paying the minimum is hard. It's when the total that you owe on all of your cards continues to creep up month after month and year after year.
If you can't afford to make more than the minimum payment each month slowly but surely you're heading for even more pain in the future. The only safe credit card balance is one that's shrinking each month.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of articles to help you stretch your day and your dollar. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:29:36ZInherited Debts?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Inherited-Debts
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- /9306.html2010-05-07T08:29:34Z2010-05-07T08:29:34Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Inherited Debts?
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I've heard that when parents are in debt and they die the debts are left to the children to pay off. Is this true? My parents had gotten a divorce a few years ago. My mom is doing well because she is a saving queen. My dad had remarried two years ago. His wife does not work but loves to spend money. So now they have a $20,000 debt. If my father dies, his wife is responsible for the debt, right? What happens after she dies and there is still that debt? Also, what happens if she dies first, and then my father--who gets the debt?
Judy
Judy asks a question that comes up often. Can someone die and 'leave' their debts to you? The answer is no. Parents can't leave their debts to you. In fact, they can't even leave their debts to their spouse.
Typically a will controls financial affairs after a person's death. A will distributes assets, not debts. But, before any money can be distributed to heirs, all the debts must be paid. So enough assets are sold to pay for any debts that remain. Only after the debts are paid will the remaining assets be distributed among the beneficiaries of the will.
The key point to remember is that you are only responsible for debts that you contractually created. There are certain circumstances that would put Judy at risk for her dad's debt. But she would have had to do something to cause that responsibility.
Suppose that Judy's dad asked her to co-sign a loan. Signing would make her responsible for the debt. Not only if her Dad died, but also if he failed to make a payment. But she shouldn't be surprised. When you 'co-sign' a loan, you do just that. You put your signature on the loan application.
A similar situation occurs with a joint credit card. A joint account allows anyone named on the account to use it to create a debt. But it also means that everyone listed on the account is responsible for the entire debt that's created.
Suppose Judy had a joint card with her dad. And he was the only one using the card. Any debts he left at death would be Judy's. But once again, it should be no surprise to Judy. She signed the joint application for the account. And it's her responsibility to be aware of whether it's being paid off or not.
It wouldn't be unusual for Judy's dad and step-mother to have a joint account. In that case the survivor would be responsible for any balances on the account.
Joint credit card accounts often create problems in a divorce. Often a couple has a joint account before the divorce. The credit card company isn't going to split the bill just because a couple throws in the towel. As far as they're concerned, both the ex-husband and wife are responsible for the entire amount of the bill until it's paid. And while a court can instruct one party to pay, sometimes it still doesn't happen.
Another way that people end up paying someone else's debt is when you let someone use your credit card. Again, it should be no surprise when the bill comes in.
So what happens to the debts of someone who dies? The credit card company will first try to collect from the estate. As mentioned earlier, assets will be sold to pay the bills. Then, if the account was a joint account, any survivors will be left holding the bag. If the debt belonged solely to the deceased, then the credit card company will end up eating the debt if there aren't enough assets to cover it.
But Judy isn't completely off the hook. She might still want to advise her dad to control his spending. As her father and step-mother get older they could have trouble keeping up with the minimum payments. And, once they fall behind things will get tough. Credit card companies are quick to bump up interest rates when you miss a payment.
And that would be trouble. Judy's father will probably be living on a fixed income during retirement. So the payment that was a struggle at 12% interest becomes impossible when the interest rate goes to 20%. And unless they have some assets that can be sold to reduce the debt, the minimum payments will dominate their finances.
And that's where Judy comes in. I don't know her relationship to her father, but it would be awfully hard to watch a parent struggle to put food on the table. Even if they caused the problem by foolish past spending.
It actually would be interesting if parents could 'leave' their debts to someone after they die. I suspect that many children would treat their parents much better if that were the case. Instead of parents threatening to cut a child out of their will, parents could run up large debts and threaten to put a child into their will! Never mind! It's a good thing that the law doesn't read that way. Somehow I don't think that it would be good for family relations.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:29:34ZDebt CollectionStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Debt-Collection
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- /9307.html2010-05-07T08:29:33Z2010-05-07T08:29:33Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Debt Collection
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I had an outstanding judgment against me for $1,000 to pay off an apartment lease that was broken when my ex-husband and I divorced. The total amount owed prior to the judgment was $1,700. The third-party collector who's been calling me insists that I pay that amount. The court said I owe $1,000, which has been paid in full. What can I tell the collector to make him go away?
Sheri
Fortunately for Sheri she can take control of this situation without too much trouble. Her biggest ally is something called The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. It's a federal law that governs what debt collectors can do.
It's easy to get a bill collector to stop calling. All Sheri needs to do is to notify them in writing that she doesn't want to hear from them anymore. She doesn't need to give them a reason. A simple "please don't contact me anymore" is sufficient. Certified mail is best. After the letter is received the collection agency can only contact her to let her know that they won't be calling her again or to inform her of pending legal action.
Even if Sheri did still owe the money, she has quite a bit of protection under the law. The same request to stop calling works even if you still owe the debt. Obviously stopping the calls doesn't relieve you of the responsibility of paying your debt.
Collection agency tactics are regulated by the Fair Debt Act. It's acceptable for them to contact you by mail, phone, in person or by telegraph. But they cannot call before 8am or after 9pm. If you tell them that your employer doesn't approve of personal calls, they can't contact you at work.
They can't embarrass you. They can only ask others for your phone number or mailing address. They can't say that you haven't paid your bills.
When they contact you they cannot use foul language. No physical threats to you or your reputation. They can't say that you'll be thrown in jail or demand a post-dated check. In short, all they can really do is bug you a bit to collect the debt. Please understand that we're not saying that Sheri or anyone else shouldn't pay their debts. We're just pointing out that you don't need to tolerate abusive collection practices.
Getting the debt collector off her back is only the first issue for Sheri. The second one is to make sure that her reputation isn't being harmed. She'll need a good report the next time she applies for credit.
Sheri needs to find out why she's being contacted by a collection agency. Either the landlord isn't aware that she's paid them fully or there has been a miscommunication between the landlord and the collection agency. The fact that a judgement is involved could be the cause of the confusion. But it's also a good way for her to document how much was owed.
In any case, Sheri's credit rating could be seriously hurt if incorrect data is allowed to stand without challenge in her credit file.
To find out what's in her file she'll need to get a copy of her credit report. It'll cost about $8.50 depending on where she lives. There are three large credit rating companies. Sheri can order the report by phone and pay with a credit card. They can be found at:
Equifax 800-685-1111;
Experian National Consumer Assistance Center(Formerly TRW)800-682-7654;
TransUnion 800-888-4213.
Once Sheri gets the report she'll need to make sure that the lease is either not mentioned at all, or is shown as closed by full payment. If her landlord wasn't a corporation it's possible that she won't find an entry in the report.
If she does find that it shows the lease as still owed or in dispute, she'll need to write two letters. One to the former landlord asking him to notify the credit bureau that he's been paid.
A second letter to the credit reporting agency should explain what happened. Sheri will want to include copies of the court decision and her cancelled check proving payment. At that point the credit reporting agency will be required to change the status of the entry and include her side of the story.
Since Sheri is recently divorced she should also check the credit report for any other problems that might relate to her ex-husband. Problems can occur when couples split. Just because your ex said that he would pay a bill on a joint account doesn't mean that it was actually paid. It's a lot easier to get things straightened out before the collection agencies start to call.
Sheri's in a pretty good position to solve this problem. One letter will stop the harassing phone calls from the collection agency. And a check of her credit report will make sure that she doesn't have problems with this the next time she wants to apply for credit.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of free articles to stretch your day and your budget. There's even a free weekly ezine. Visit Today!
Permission Granted For Use On DrLaura.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:33ZPatriotic Spending?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Patriotic-Spending
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- /9308.html2010-05-07T08:29:31Z2010-05-07T08:29:31Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Patriotic Spending?
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
During times of national crisis the general public has a natural tendency to conserve. That is actually the worst thing we can do right now. The economy will take a nosedive from the recent tragedy. If you really want to do something for your country go out and spend $20. Then, next week, spend another $20. Always be sure to buy American made from American businesses. By doing so, the country's economy will bounce back much faster, which helps us all in the long run.
Donna
North Carolina
Donna makes an interesting point. Our normal instinct in uncertain times is to conserve our resources and spend less. Yet, after the terrorists' attack, the economy is struggling and could use some stimulus. Consumer spending could be part of that stimulus.
So is going to the mall each week and spending an extra $20 a patriotic thing to do?
When Donna buys that pizza it does help a local merchant. If enough people join Donna, employees work hours won't be reduced. And, the merchant will buy more ingredients. So Donna's spending will have a ripple effect.
But, let's remember that something else happens, too. Donna has either taken money out of savings or borrowed the money. So she has less money than before. And, if she used a credit card she'll repay the loan with interest.
So Donna has taken money out of the investment world (banks, the stock market, etc). That means less money is available for businesses to borrow to help meet payrolls. If they can't pay their workers, they'll need to lay them off.
So spending alone might not be the answer. Then how can Donna make a decision that helps her country? She can do the most good by making 'normal and prudent' purchases.
The terrorists assumed that it would be very hard for business to recover. Fortunately, the capitalist system is resilient. There are many companies that can supply most products or services. If one company is crippled another steps in. The result is that any disruption is pretty quickly fixed.
But, being able to supply the goods and services that people need isn't enough. Americans, and consumers around the world, will need to buy what business has to offer.
The 'nosedive' will be corrected if we just return to our normal spending patterns. That means going about our business and our lives in our usual manner. If we spend the same amount that we did before the terrorist attack the economy will be just as big as it was before.
We really don't need to do any unusual spending. Just go back to doing the same things economically that you did before the attack. If your family goes out for pizza on Tuesday nights, go out this week. If you were going to visit Grandma at Thanksgiving, buy those plane tickets.
Donna's right. In any emergency, our instinct tells us to conserve. That's where the 'prudence' comes in. We know that feeding our families tomorrow is more important than buying non-essentials today.
So, is buying a new car now prudent? It really depends on your situation. Suppose your old car is worn out. You've saved for a newer one, can afford the payments and had planned to make the purchase now. Then you should start shopping for the car.
But if you have a year to go on your present payments and your car is running fine, buying a car to prove your patriotism is foolish.
The reason is simple. You don't create wealth by spending money. Wealth is created by producing something of value. Yes, you'll help keep the car salesman employed. But if you borrow money that you'll struggle to repay, you've actually become a burden to our society.
More debt makes our society weaker. If you have too much debt you can't afford to help others. You'll be in a worse position if something interrupts your income. Then you could end up asking the government to help pay your bills and become a burden.
So what should Donna do? She can ask herself a few questions before making any purchase.
Do I need this item or service?
Would I have made this purchase before the attack?
Can I afford to pay for it?
Am I using patriotism as an excuse to spend?
Will American businesses benefit from my purchase?
One final thought. Now is a wonderful time to contribute to charities helping those who have been affected by the attacks. Perhaps Donna could do more good by giving the $20 to a local food bank. The money will be spent and help people keep their jobs like she wants. But instead of another pair of shoes in her closet, Donna's $20 might help replace a pair of holey sneakers for a child who's parents are unemployed.
Do we need Donna and everyone else to help speed up the economy? You bet! But reckless spending will only make it weaker later on. So let's think before we act.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
. The site contains hundreds of free articles to help stretch your day and your dollar. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." and DrLaura.com does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:31ZFrightening FutureStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Frightening-Future
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- /9309.html2010-05-07T08:29:29Z2010-05-07T08:29:29Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Frightening Future
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
War is on the horizon. What should we do to prepare ourselves? I was a young teenager during most of Vietnam and I didn't have to make the financial decisions for my family. What do I need to know in order to plan for this frightening future?
Wendy W.
Charlotte, NC
Good question. How can we prepare for uncertain times? As a long time Florida resident, I think that hurricane preparation could provide a good example.
At the beginning of hurricane season you don't know whether you'll be affected by a storm or not. But, you know that it's much harder to recover from a storm if you aren't prepared. And that it's much easier to prepare well in advance of the storm. Last minute preparations are the hardest.
You also know that you'll need basic supplies, good neighbors and a willingness to tough it out. And that it's not possible to do all your preparations in one day. It takes time.
Preparing financially for a war is the same. We know that it's easier to prepare before the event. There's no one big thing that we can do to be 'prepared'. We need to do many small things. And, even if we're untouched by war or terrorists, the preparation won't hurt us. We should do these things anyway.
Begin with a regular savings plan. First, because you may need it. Some workers will lose their jobs. They'll depend on savings until a new job is found.
Second, because we may have disruptions in the banking system. The enemy would like to cripple the financial system. Have some cash available all times. Your bank could be closed for days. It's also possible that ATM's wouldn't work and stores would be unable to process your credit card. Remember, you can always spend cash.
Savings will also help our country. Saved money doesn't just sit in a vault at the bank. It's loaned to businesses to help them grow. And that growth means new jobs and opportunities for all of us.
Some argue that consumers need to spend more. That's foolish. You don't create wealth by spending. You create wealth by producing something of value.
If you can, buy some stock. No one knows what the stock market will do tomorrow. I believe that the U.S. will come through this and be even stronger ten years from now. If so, now is the time to buy stocks or mutual funds invested in stocks. Over the past 200 years we've seen tough times. Yet, every generation has been more prosperous than the one before it.
Don't panic sell the stocks you already own. As we've already seen, the economy is resilient. It will bend. But it's very unlikely that it will break.
A note. I'm not suggesting that we profit from other's suffering. Owning stocks is a vote for our future. A vote that says that our loved ones did not die in vain.
Resolve to make small sacrifices to build up a 'war chest'. Bring your lunch to work a couple of times each week. Give up your premium cable channels. Or cable itself. Put whatever you save into your 'war chest'. You'll find opportunities to use it to help yourself and your nation.
Once you have a war chest be willing to share it with others. But, begin by being certain that your gift is used properly. The best charities use no more than 20% of the monies they receive for overhead and fundraising. All charities are required to provide you with that information if you ask.
Do something for a needy neighbor. Many families will suffer financially. Don't wait for the government or someone else to help them. Share your blessings with those who need it.
Provide dinner once a week for a family with a laid off breadwinner. Share the clothes your kids have outgrown. Be creative. Think of what you'd need if your income were drastically cut. Then take action.
Stockpile some groceries. You might need to survive a week on the food you already have in your home. Almost everything you eat is trucked in from somewhere. Interruptions are possible. Be ready to share your supplies with your neighbors.
Make a friend. We're so rushed that we don't really know the people around us. After a hurricane we all check to make sure our neighbors are OK. Why not check on those folks today before the storm? Your new friendship will provide comfort today and be invaluable if times are hard.
Learn to cook more and buy fewer prepackaged foods. Plastic starts out as oil. We could face oil shortages. But, even if oil is plentiful, you'll make a dent in your grocery bills by eliminating those individually wrapped items.
Think of ways to get more use out of what you already have. It's a 'throw away' age. Perhaps you can't fix your VCR. But you can sew a patch on a pair of jeans. Think before you pitch it out.
Hold a garage sale. Our homes are full of things that we no longer need. But someone does. The poorer among us shop at garage sales. If you're embarrassed to take their money, give the items to a charity that will recycle them for you.
Look for waste around you. We'll probably never get to the point of saving tin foil, but you'd be surprised how little things add up to a lot of waste when millions of people contribute.
None of these things by themselves will win a war. But they will make us better prepared to take care of ourselves, our families and our neighbors if the storm hits our home.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
. The site contains hundreds of free articles to help stretch your day and your dollar. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." and DrLaura.com does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:29:29ZJoint Credit Card TroubleStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Joint-Credit-Card-Trouble
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- /9310.html2010-05-07T08:29:27Z2010-05-07T08:29:27Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Joint Credit Card Trouble
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I have three joint account credit cards with my brother. I was the only user of the cards and now the cards are over the limit and behind in payments. I am on the path to paying them off but my credit history is not perfect any more. Because the credit card accounts were joint accounts my brother's credit history is also effected. He wants to purchase a house and I would like to remove the credit card items from his credit history. I have called the credit card companies regarding removal of my brother's name from the account but they will not do it. I am now thinking about getting a debt consolidation loan but have had no success because I am not a home owner. Is there a way to get a debt consolidation loan to pay off those cards?
Thanks,
Norm
Norm and his brother have gotten into a pretty tough situation. But there are some things that they can do to help his brother to get a mortgage. There's also a lesson for all of us in how to avoid similar situations. A lesson that also applies to couples involved in divorce.
First, let's take a look at the facts of the situation. When Norm and his brother opened a joint account they both agreed to be completely responsible for paying off any charges. No matter who used the card.
That means that the credit card companies can collect from either brother. Legally it's just as if Norm's brother used the card and has fallen behind in his payments. The credit card company won't remove the brother from the account. That would reduce the odds of them getting paid.
So what can the brothers do? Norm is already investigating the best option. That's to pay off the debts entirely. Once closed the accounts will show that they were late but are now repaid.
Getting a consolidation loan may be tough. Most lenders want to be able to have a mortgage on a home or some other asset. A 'secured' loan (one guaranteed by real property) offers lower rates.
Norm may have some other property that he could put up as collateral. Cars, jewelry, antiques or anything else that has value could work. If he has something like that, the best source for a loan would be a local bank.
There are other sources for loans that Norm should consider. If he has a 401k plan at work, he might be able to borrow against that. Typically there's a fixed rate of interest which would be lower than what he's probably paying the card companies now.
Another option, although it might be touchy, would be to borrow the money from his brother. It's possible that his brother would get a lower interest rate on his mortgage if he took some money from his down payment and used it to pay off the credit cards.
Assuming that none of that is possible, they can include an explanation in his credit report. Norm's brother should request a copy of his report.
Everyone should check their credit report regularly. Especially before buying a house or car. Independent surveys show that 70% of all reports contain errors. Ten percent of the errors are significant enough to cause credit to be denied.
Norm's brother will want to send a letter to each credit card company. Get a return receipt. In the letter he should simply state the facts. Ask that a note be placed in his credit report. It won't change his credit score, but a potential mortgage lender might consider the information when they evaluate his mortgage application. In a few weeks he needs to recheck and make sure that the information was added.
He can write the credit reporting agencies at:
Equifax
, PO Box 740241, Atlanta GA 30374-0241; 800-685-1111
Experian
, PO Box 2002, Allen TX 75013; 888-experian
Trans Union
, PO Box 1000, Chester PA 19022; 800-916-8800
Norm's brother should tell any potential mortgage lender of the situation before he submits an application. By bringing up the problem first he won't be asking the lender to reconsider a rejection. He'll be advising them of a potential problem and asking that they give it proper, but not undue attention. It's possible that Norm's brother will have to pay a higher interest rate because of the problem.
What can we all learn from this? Joint accounts can be dangerous. Especially if you're not the one using the account. Sure, it's hard to turn down a family member when they ask for help. But if they need your credit rating to borrow money, they probably shouldn't be borrowing. Don't help them to dig a deeper hole.
If you really want to help them out financially, loan them the money yourself. Even if it means that you have to borrow it first. At least that way if they can't make the payments your credit rating won't get hammered.
Couples in the process of divorce should also be careful. A divorce agreement may specify that one partner pay off a joint account. But if they don't, the other partner is still liable as far as the lender is concerned. If you're in that situation make sure that you get statements on the account so you know it's being paid properly.
Hopefully Norm will get the debts paid and his brother will find a home and mortgage.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher
website. You'll find hundreds of free articles to save you time and money.
"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." and DrLaura.com does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:29:27ZAre We Really Depriving Our Kids?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Are-We-Really-Depriving-Our-Kids
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- /9311.html2010-05-07T08:29:26Z2010-05-07T08:29:26Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Are We Really Depriving Our Kids?
By Jill Cooper
One of the main questions I get asked about frugal living is "won#146;t I be depriving my children if I live the frugal life?" Maybe I can answer that question with a question.How am I depriving my children by having them drink water for every meal instead of juice and soda? Isn#146;t one thing doctors are always complaining about is we don#146;t drink enough water? Cutting out just one glass of soda per person per day for a family of four would save $547.50 a year and make them healthier.
How am I depriving my children by having them eat an apple or homemade granola bar for a snack instead of a bag of chips? Obesity is a major problem among children in the United States. If you cut out just one bag of chips a week you would save $104.00 a year and make them healthier.How am I depriving my children by having them walk to school or to a friend#146;s house instead of my always driving them there? Lack of exercise is a big problem. You would save time and wear and tear on your car by having them walk and make them healthier at the same time.
How am I depriving my children when I don#146;t buy them every toy they see and want? We wouldn#146;t dream of giving a baby on baby food all the chocolate that he wants because we know it would make him sick. His body can not tolerate that much chocolate even if he desires it. In the same way, an older child can#146;t emotionally deal with the overload of toys. I as an adult become stressed just from trying to buy a bottle of shampoo. Have you ever noticed how many options you have? Trying to make a decision can be overwhelming. Do I get it for thin, fine, dry and damaged or colored and permed hair? The list goes on and on. In the same way when a young child looks at mounds of toys, he can become very stressed over choosing which one to play with. If you watch, you will notice that they tend to play with the same couple of toys over and over. If you didn#146;t give them all the toys they asked for and bought one less brand new toy at $10 a week, you would save $520.00 in one year and you would help relieve them of some stress.
It is no wonder our children stay confused. We insist that they should eat healthy yet we take them out to eat 3-5 times a week at Mc Donald#146;s. We give them a bag of carrot sticks in their lunch because it#146;s healthy and then give them a bag of chips when they get home from school to get them off our backs.
We want them to have strong character yet the moment they whine or cry for another toy or some candy at the store we give in out of guilt. We are afraid that if we don#146;t give them what they want, they won#146;t love us so to rid ourselves of uncomfortable feelings we say yes. How can we teach them to be strong in character when we are so weak?
How could our society and way of thinking have gotten so mixed up that we think a child is deprived if a mom chooses to stay home and not go to work? We have come to believe that moms should work outside the home so that children can have the most expensive clothes, education or material things. (Note I didn#146;t say best but rather most expensive since the most expensive doesn#146;t mean the best.) If a mom goes to work so a child can have all those things it#146;s not considered depriving the child of anything but it#146;s mom. Which do you think does a child more harm- being deprived expensive things or it#146;s mom?
For you stay at home moms: Before you become too puffed up with pride be aware that too many social, church and school activities can deprive your children of you just as much as working. Do all things in moderation.
Jill Cooper is the inspiration behind her daughter Tawra#146;s frugal cookbook Not Just Beans: 50 Years of Frugal Family Favorites. Not Just Beans is a frugal cookbook which has over 540 recipes and 400 tips. For more tips and recipes visit our website at
www.notjustbeans.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:26ZMaking Ends MeetStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Making-Ends-Meet
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- /9312.html2010-05-07T08:29:24Z2010-05-07T08:29:24Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>MAKING ENDS MEET
By Joanne Watson
Getting By On One Income
If your spouse's income alone doesn't cover all your expenses, you may havethought putting your child in day-care and working outside the home was youronly option.
However, by lowering your expenses or raising your spouse's income (or acombination of both) you may be able to stay home with your child and stillmake ends meet.
Expenses
With the expenses of you working (daycare, a second car, work clothes,lunches out, a possible higher tax bracket due to combined incomes) you mayfind that the second job isn't bringing in as much money as you thought.
By cutting back here and there, you may be able to make up for thedifference, and still stay home with your child.
Money-saving tips:
Your Mortgage
You can check mortgage rates on-line at sites like
www.Americanloansearch.com
and
www.Bankrate.com
. If your current mortgageis at a much higher rate, you may be able to bring your bills in line byrefinancing at a lower interest rate.
Groceries
Plan meals ahead for 1 week, and only go to the grocery store after you'veeaten. You are much less likely to blow your budget on impulse buys.
Take advantage of sales and coupons. Try to stock up when there is a greatprice, and check your pantry before going to the store.
On-line coupons are available on sites such as.
www.Coolsavings.com
and
www.Valupage.com
that can help you lower your expenses.
Major purchases
Another great feature of the Internet is that you can comparison shopwithout running all over town. On major purchases, you may save asubstantial amount of money.
Surf the sites you are familiar with, and don't forget to check the searchengines for new places to shop. Sites like
www.Mysimon.com
can help you findthe best bargains on larger items
Car payments
Can you do without the second car? If your husband works nearby, maybe hecan leave you the car if he takes the bus or if you drop him off.
Whether you have one or two cars, if your payments are too high, think abouttrading in and reducing your payment.
Keep track of spending.
Those "helpful" ATM cards may be using up your freedom $20 at a time. It'seasy to lose track of spending when you don't register each purchase in acheckbook. Put away your ATM and credit cards. Try using only checks for 30days, and for smaller items, decide at the beginning of the month exactlyhow much money you want to spend. Take that out in cash and put it in anenvelope. Then, when it's gone-it's gone-you can't spend money that isn'tthere.
A useful guide to cutting back is You Can Afford to Stay Home by MaliaWyckoff and Mary Snyder.
Income
Sometimes, no matter how much you cut back or how many coupons you clip, youjust need more money.
By helping to raise your husband's income, he may be able to make up for thedifference in what you would be bringing home in after-tax (and afterwork-related expense) dollars, so you can stay home..
The just released book, Team Work: How to Help Your Husband make More Money,So You Can Be a Stay-at-Home Mom by Joanne Watson provides strategies on howto build your husband's confidence, help him negotiate a raise, find a new,higher-paying job, or build a business of his own, and how to use theInternet to help him succeed.
Team Work tips include:
Build his confidence -
and you may build his income. Remind him of how terrific he is by asking himto tell you about the five accomplishments he is most proud of. Tell him youknow he is worth more, and his employer is lucky to have him
Network
Think about who you know. One of those people may be in a position to helpyour husband by introducing him to a potential employer. Employers oftenprefer to hire someone who has been referred to them by a person they trust.Also encourage your husband to join the trade association for his professionand add to his network. Find one at
www.associationcentral.com
Help your husband to learn new skills.
Knowledge is power-and more money. Take advantage of sites that offer freeon-line training such as
www.free-ed.net
or
www.webmonkey.com
, and check outthe low cost management training from the American Management Association at
www.amanet.org
.
Offer to watch the kids so he can study.
Help "market" your husband.
Make sure his resume shows him in the best possible light. You can get yourhusband's resume re-done professionally at a site like
www.resume.com
. oruse your local phone book. Ask to see samples of their work before choosinga resume writer.
Find out if your husband is underpaid.
Check out the salary surveys at
www.salary.com
or at the reference desk ofyour local library to find out what the average pay is for your husband'sposition. If he is underpaid, print out the survey for him to use innegotiating for a raise.
Practice for success
Help your husband practice asking for a raise or interviewing for a new job.By being prepared, he is much more likely to be cool, calm and collected inthe actual interview.
Drill the possible responses and his come-backs to his raise request untilhe is comfortable and confident at it.
Rather than let your financial situation dictate your decision about whetherto stay home or return to work, getting (and using) the right informationcan empower you to make choices based on what is right for you and yourfamily.
Ed. Note: Tips from Team Work: How to Help Your Husband Make More Money, SoYou Can Be a Stay-at-Home Mom by Joanne Watson are re-printed with permission from Family Books. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:24ZChecking and Savings AccountsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Checking-and-Savings-Accounts
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- /9313.html2010-05-07T08:29:22Z2010-05-07T08:29:22Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Checking and Savings Accounts
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
My wife and I will be needing a car soon. I want to know how I can go about saving for it. Also, for buying special items for the house, should I use my savings account at my bank? Is it wise to use my checking account for monthly expenses only?
Thank you.
AC
AC packs a lot into one paragraph. And, he's right in assuming that how you handle your money will make a difference in how much money you have.
Many families invite money troubles by keeping all their available funds in a checking account. Money flows in and out without much thought. It's certainly a convenient way to handle your money. But, not the best way to manage it.
Aren't we making a big deal over nothing? No. A good system for controlling your money can save you time and make you money. It can provide helpful information at a glance and keep your money from disappearing. It's the first basic step to controlling your finances.
Think about how your life works. Your expenses could be divided into four categories. Monthly routine bills, larger expected bills (like vacations), larger unexpected bills (like auto repairs) and very large expenses (like a house or car).
Just as there are different kinds of expenses, the money that's used to pay for them should be handled differently. And AC has a pretty good system started.
Let's flip his questions around and look at the last one first. Yes, it is best to limit your checking account to paying regular monthly expenses. There are a couple of reasons why that's true.
It's easy to write a check to pay a bill. That's good. But that easy spending can be bad. If you're saving money for a new stove you don't want the money too accessible. Temptation could make it easy to buy a fishing rod or theatre tickets.
When money is real tight it might be necessary to keep everything in a checking account. Naturally, the risk is that the money tends to disappear making it harder to save.
AC is doing the right thing by putting some money into a savings account. Taking it out of the checking account protects it. If AC wants to dip into savings for a special purchase he'll need to consciously make a decision to take the money from the savings account. The money won't disappear a little at a time.
The 'big expense' money needs to be safe and reasonably available. It's helpful to be able to know how much money you have available for the unexpected. Most people use a savings account or money market fund.
And since you don't routinely dip into savings, a look at your account balance will quickly tell you how much you have for the home insurance or auto repair bill.
If AC is saving for a new car he might even want to set up a separate savings account just for that purpose. In fact, watching the balance grow could be a way to encourage him to save even more.
Making use of a savings account or two along with his checking account could definitely help AC keep track of his money. It could also help him to accumulate it faster.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
. The site contains hundreds of free articles to help stretch your day and your dollar. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." and DrLaura.com does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:29:22ZGetting Out of an Auto LeaseStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Getting-Out-of-an-Auto-Lease
-
- /9314.html2010-05-07T08:29:21Z2010-05-07T08:29:21Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Getting Out of an Auto Lease
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher:
I would like some advice on how to sell, trade-in or otherwise get rid of a car. I have a 2000 Toyota Camry with 53,000 miles on it. The lease is up in 2004. The last car dealer I spoke to told me that I needed to wait for the lease to be up in order to trade down. He said that the difference between what I owe and what it's worth is $10,000 and that my mileage should be okay if I move closer to where I work. Is this person telling me the truth? Is there any other way I can get a lower car payment or get rid of this car before 2004? My goal is to be a stay-at-home mom to my little boy and this car payment is stopping me.
Linda
Lexington, KY
Linda has asked a question that I get regularly. How can I get out of a car lease? Anyone who is already leasing or thinking about leasing should consider how they would answer Linda's question.
Linda needs to recognize that a car lease is fundamentally different from buying a car and making payments. When you buy a car you own it and have agreed to pay a certain amount for it. You can sell the car. Typically you can pay your loan off early.
When you lease a car you've agreed to keep it and make payments for a certain period of time. You do not own it. So you can't sell or trade it.
A typical new car depreciates approximately 30% in the first year. Linda's car isn't typical. It's a high mileage car. A Camry with her mileage is worth about $8,000 less than when the car was new. She hasn't paid that much so far. But she will before the lease is over.
A trade isn't going to help even if she went to a much older, cheaper car. It will cost thousands to walk away from the Camry. Unless she can pay that amount now, it will just be added to the cost of the 'cheaper' car. The end result would be payments that are similar to what she already has.
If Linda insists on trying to terminate her lease, she should do it directly with the leasing company. Involving a car dealer could cost her more.
Linda will need to read her lease agreement carefully. Sometimes there's more than one fee or penalty involved. The transaction charges alone could cost up to $750.
She'll want to contact the leasing company to see what it would cost to terminate the lease early. Then recheck their math. Mistakes are rarely in the customer's favor.
Very few leases will allow you to turn the lease and the car over to someone else. It might be tempting to try to do that without telling the leasing company. Avoid the temptation. Linda could find herself financially responsible for the other person's accident, negligence or carelessness in using the car. If Linda did find someone who wanted to take over the lease, she should contact the leasing company and arrange to have them work directly with the other person.
Experts generally suggest that it's best financially to stay with a lease until it's over. So is there anything that Linda can do?
It's possible that the leasing company might extend the term of the lease and lower Linda's payments.
Moving to reduce her commute might be a good idea, but that could be expensive. A cheaper solution might be to find a job closer to home.
Carpooling could provide Linda with a solution. A three person carpool could cut her commuting costs by 2/3. It would also reduce the excess mileage.
Another possibility would be for Linda to provide rides for a couple of co-workers and charge them. That would provide some money to help pay the monthly lease. Before starting she should contact her insurance company to make sure that she has the proper coverage.
If Linda's family has two cars they might consider trading their other car for something less expensive. Any money left over could be used to pay the monthly lease payments.
The bottom line is that it will be very hard for Linda to stay home with her son until the lease is over in 2004. That's sad, but it's true.
What can the rest of us learn from Linda's experience? A car lease is very easy to get into and very hard to get out of. When you commit to a lease you will almost certainly pay the entire amount no matter what happens in your life. Lay-offs, babies and medical problems will not get you out of a car lease. Even if you don't need the car you'll continue to pay month after month until the lease is over.
Leasing companies shout about their 'low monthly payments'. If you ask around you'll find someone like Linda who knows just how high those payments can be.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
. The site contains hundreds of free articles to help stretch your day and your dollar. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." and DrLaura.com does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:21ZA New Air Conditioner?Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/A-New-Air-Conditioner
-
- /9315.html2010-05-07T08:29:19Z2010-05-07T08:29:19Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>A New Air Conditioner?
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
Our house and the central air conditioner is at least 12-14 years old. Our serviceman has told us that the compressor unit is too small for our house and the original builder should have put in a larger unit. We are considering having the AC unit changed to a new, more energy efficient model that would be the correct size for our house. My question is - where can I get information to compare costs of running the two units, so we can decide if a new unit would be worthwhile, financially?
Donna
Highland, IL
For many in the U.S. this has been a scorching summer. Fortunately, about half of all homes have central air conditioning. The bad news is that it does cost money to run them. Central air conditioning and heat pumps rank third in total residential energy usage. Only heat and water heating consume more.
Let's take a look at three topics: air conditioner efficiency, selecting the right size air conditioner and buying a new system.
An air conditioner's efficiency is measured by it's SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). The Department of Energy defines SEER as the total cooling in BTU's divided by the watts consumed. A higher SEER indicates a more energy efficient system.
Until 1979 the average central home air conditioning system had a SEER of 6.0. In the '90's a minimum standard of 10.0 was set. New, even higher standards, are being debated now.
As you might expect, an air conditioner with a higher SEER will cost more. The DOE estimates that a unit with a SEER of 13.0 will cost about 15% more than one with a SEER of 10.0. But that 13.0 unit will provide 30% more cooling per watt consumed.
Will a more efficient unit save enough to pay for the increased cost? The DOE thinks so. They figure that operating the 13.0 SEER unit vs. a 10.0 SEER one will save $113 more than the additional cost to purchase it. If you have web access you'll find the DOE's fact sheet on air conditioners at
www.eren.doe.gov/erec/factsheets/aircond.html
Not for Donna, but if you live in a warmer climate you might even want to consider a higher efficiency unit with an SEER of 15.0 or more. It will cost more, but could pay dividends in areas requiring heavy air conditioning usage.
Remember that SEER only measures the efficiency of the air conditioner. It doesn't take into consideration how well your home is insulated, the condition of your ductwork or other factors that affect cooling.
Determining the correct size is a harder problem. Air conditioners are rated in Btu's/hour or in 'tons'. A ton is 12,000 Btu's/hour. A bigger air conditioner is not necessarily a better air conditioner. If a unit is too big it will cost more to buy, more to operate and won't do as good a job dehumidifying the air. According to The Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), a national, non-profit public benefits corporation, a properly sized air conditioning system can reduce energy usage by up to 35%.
Determining the correct size isn't easy. It's not just a matter of calculating the volume of air that you need to cool. The climate, style of your home, number of windows, amount of insulation, weather stripping and shade as well as other variables all effect the size of the unit needed. It's hard to do the calculation yourself. You really need a professional. In fact, the industry has created a formula that considers all the variables.
The easiest way for Donna to get an idea of the correct size is to get three bids on a new system. Not only will that allow her to compare prices, it will also give her three estimates of how big a system is required.
Before calling for estimates she should do any insulation upgrades or weather-stripping since that will effect the calculation.
She'll also want to check with the local electric company before making a purchase. Many offer rebates when you buy a more energy efficient air conditioner. Don't forget to consider the repair record and the warrantee offered by the manufacturer.
Should Donna replace her air conditioner before it quits working? According to the DOE, a 13.0 SEER unit would only reduce the electric bill by $42 per year vs. a 10.0 SEER unit. Of course that's an average. If Donna's unit has a SEER of 8.0 and she replaces it with one at 12.0, she'll reduce her cooling bills by one third.
At 12 to 14 years old, the air conditioner is nearing the 15 year average life span. Donna might be wise to start shopping now while she has time to make a careful selection. Even if the new unit doesn't pay for itself right away it could be a wise purchase.
Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
. The site contains hundreds of free articles to help stretch your day and your dollar. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." and DrLaura.com does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:19ZFinancial Planning for Baby's FutureStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Financial-Planning-for-Babys-Future
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- /9316.html2010-05-07T08:29:18Z2010-05-07T08:29:18Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Financial Planning for Baby's Future
From newswise.com and the University of Alabama at Birmingham: Financial planning for a new baby goes beyond saving to pay for the hospital bill, which can cost as much as $5,000 for a healthy child.
Read the entire article here.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:18ZMarriage and Money MindsetsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Marriage-and-Money-Mindsets
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- /9317.html2010-05-07T08:29:18Z2010-05-07T08:29:18Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>MARRIAGE AND MONEY MINDSETS
By Cheryl Gochnauer
Danny and Tricia's combined income places them firmly in the upper middleclass, so most of us would assume their financial problems are over. Notso. Though they bring in a substantial amount each week, Danny and Triciahave never learned to effectively handle their resources.
Like many couples, Danny and Tricia don't keep close track of where theirmoney is going. They have separate accounts, since each respects theother's right to "their own money." Tricia likes not having to answer toDanny for every penny she spends. Unfortunately, she doesn't answer toherself for every penny she spends, either. Dollars flow into their threechecking accounts - hers, his and theirs -- then flow right out againwithout hanging around long enough to draw interest.
With all the activity in their accounts, Danny and Tricia figure they aredoing okay. Bills are usually paid on time, and when the checking accountbalances disappear, they always have their good credit to draw on. Whenthey receive their charge card statements each month, a fleeting discomfortsets in while reading the multiplying totals. But they've never had aproblem making the minimum payments. After all, two more checks are comingin next week.
At least, they assume so.
Tim and Rhonda make half of what Danny and Tricia bring home, and yet are inbetter financial shape. That's because they regularly do the math to seeexactly where they stand, money-wise, using a loose budget that guides theirspending decisions without hog-tying them emotionally.
Early in their marriage, Rhonda and Tim pledged to openly discuss all moneyissues. Together, they planned and identified mutual goals. They usecredit sparingly, and postpone big purchases until they can pay cash or atleast make significant down payments. That doesn't mean they don't enjoythe occasional financial fling. It's just that those sprees are plannedfor, not regretted in a resulting 21 percent APR after-glow.
Because they know where the funds are flowing, this couple knew exactlywhere they could cut when Rhonda decided to become a stay-at-home mom.Budget modifications were minor, since they had never delved into seriousdebt. Freedom from monetary strangleholds enabled them to make family, notfinance-, focused choices.
Tim and Rhonda understand the fundamental difference between "wants" and"needs". You can bet this young couple can visualize themselves in the sameluxury car their friends drive, and would savor the same 5-star meals andcostly vacations that launch Danny and Tricia's account balances into thestratosphere.
Sure, Tim would look great in that car. But the paid-off one he alreadydrives is dependable and economical. Yes, Rhonda needs a new outfit. Butis she really getting twice as much quality by spending $100 on that dress,instead of $50? And though a special meal is nice every once in a while,how often should they spend $40 for dinners they could fix at home for $7?
Free-spiritedly riding the financial wave from week to week is both riskyand restrictive. The most glaring potential peril is losing everything dueto an unforeseen layoff or illness. But it isn't a prospective catastrophethat poses the most danger to a couple's emotional bottom line. Instead,it's the strain accompanying financial uncertainty and consistently livingbeyond their means.
To positively approach marital money management:
Review finances together.
Agree on spending priorities.
Identify mutual goals.
Make a budget.
Regularly review the budget, tweaking it to reflect your currentsituation.
Stay in tune financially with your partner. It'll nurture the kind ofmoney-handling relationship you each want and need.
(Homebodies is available as a free weekly email newsletter. To subscribe,visit Cheryl's website at
www.homebodies.org
. Copyright 2001Homebodies.Org, LLC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.)Staff2010-05-07T08:29:18ZAlmost Retired PlanningStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Almost-Retired-Planning
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- /9318.html2010-05-07T08:29:16Z2010-05-07T08:29:16Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Almost Retired Planning
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Gary,
I am 53 and my husband is 60. We have managed to have our house nearly paid for, one car free and clear, the other will be paid off in 2 years. We have modest savings and some stocks ($30,000). It is unfortunate that both our careers were in industries that either made no provisions for retirement or went bankrupt leaving behind very small pensions. All the articles I have read are for people wisely planning for retirement early on. Can you give me some pointers for late comers such as myself and my husband? We truly have been unwise and are growing old too fast.
Patricia
Miami, FL
Each year about 4 million people celebrate their 65th birthday. And many of us don't think about how we're going to finance our retirement until a few gray hairs appear in the mirror. And the process of retirement planning has gotten harder. Patricia and her husband might not live into their 90's. But they need to be prepared in case they do.
The basic problem that Patricia faces is obvious. They probably don't have enough income to support a comfortable retirement. The question is: how much do they really need. Finding out will require estimating after-retirement income and expenses.
First, how much will Patricia and her hubby spend after retiring? Traditionally experts figured about 70% of pre-retirement expenses. That estimate will probably get her close but she might want to take a look at her current expenses and calculate work related costs.
One wild card in Patricia's calculation is the cost of health care. AARP estimates that those over 65 pay $480 per year for prescription drugs. But that's not as bad as the $56,000 per year it costs for the average nursing home. Medicare will cover many, but not all, medical expenses.
Patricia shouldn't worry about getting an exact number on expenses. For now she just wants to get a reasonable idea of her after retirement expenses.
Next she'll need to estimate their income. You can find out how much you'll get from Social Security by filling out an online form at
www.ssa.gov
or by sending a request to: Social Security Administration, Wilkes Barre Data Operations Center, PO Box 7004, Wilkes Barre, PA 18767-7004. For private pension plans the plan administrator or your employer should be able to tell you what you'll get.
Now for the moment of truth. Compare the income and expenses. Patricia will have three options for any shortfall. She can trim expenses, earn extra income or count on income generated from their savings.
Reducing expenses can be hard for retirees. Once you get past travel and entertainment, there isn't much discretionary spending. Housing, food and medical expenses can only be reduced so much.
Earning part of your retirement income is becoming more popular. As more retirees enjoy good health, they happily consider some work as part of their lifestyle. AARP estimated that there are over 30 million workers who have passed their 50th birthday.
But Patricia will need to be careful. If she earns too much she'll begin to lose Social Security benefits. Up to age 65, she'll lose $1 for every $2 earned over a limit of roughly $10,000 per year. Past age 65 the loss is $1 for every $3 earned once she's reached the limit ($17,000 to $25,000 per year depending on when you reached age 65).
Patricia is correct. They don't have enough money saved. If her $30,000 nest egg earns 5% it will only generate $1,500 per year in income.
Their investment plan is important. Although CD's are safe, they won't provide the higher return that Patricia needs. She'll want to find a good stock and a good bond mutual fund. Approximately two thirds of their savings should be in the stock and one third in the bond fund. Either fund could lose money in any given year. But with a 30 year horizon there's time to recover any losses.
Once they retire they'll take income from their savings account. About 7% per year is a reasonable amount that won't deplete the principal.
How much do they need in savings? To calculate that, take the desired income (for instance $3,000 per year) and divide it by the rate of return (say 7%). In this case $3,000 divided by .07 equals $210,000.
Patricia might be overwhelmed by the amount they need. She can't let that keep her from getting started. Better to save half of what you need than to have saved nothing at all. Fortunately, they still have a few years left to aggressively save money for retirement.
And they might need to get aggressive. A move to a smaller home or selling a second car might be in order.
Patricia and her husband do have some things working for them. They don't have a lot of debt. Social Security income will provide for most necessities. There are more job opportunities for people in their 60's and 70's.
Will they live out their golden years traveling the world? Probably not. But, if they take appropriate action now, they probably won't end up among the 10% of retirees who live in poverty.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
. The site contains hundreds of free articles to help stretch your day and your dollar. Permission granted for reprint on DrLaura.com.
"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." and DrLaura.com does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:16ZBut First Consider the ConsequencesStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/But-First-Consider-the-Consequences
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- /9319.html2010-05-07T08:29:15Z2010-05-07T08:29:15Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>But First Consider the Consequences
by Mary Hunt
I wish I had a quarter for every stupid purchase I#146;ve made in my life. I#146;d have some major coinage.
Regrettably, my financial faux pas have been remarkable in both quantity and quality. I#146;ve made some real doozies.
Take the above-ground swimming pool. Its a la carte price was bad enough. Adding everything required but not included took it past barely reasonable to absolutely ridiculous. First there was the heater and filter. Then a cover, chemicals and test kit. Of course we needed search and rescue equipment (this was one monstrosity of a pool) and a few necessary pool toys. Oh, and let#146;s not forget the cost of eventually getting rid of the albatross. Let me put it this way: There is not a lively secondary market for this kind of thing.
If I#146;d had the courage to consider the consequences of such a major purchase before making the decision to buy, I am quite certain we could have avoided a five-year industrial-strength headache and saved one huge pile of dough. I#146;ve since learned how important it is to keep a simple self-test handy. A check list clears away impulsivity and allows good sense to prevail. This process allows for no feelings-based answers. Nothing that includes "I feel" or words like happy, disappointed, sad, guilty or afraid. This exercise is about facts not feelings. Feelings are fickle. They trick us, but worse they change like the wind. When it comes to making wise financial decisions feelings cannot be trusted.
Do I need it? If the honest answer is no and you do not have oodles of discretionary income, case closed. You#146;ve just saved yourself from a foolish purchase.
Can I afford it? If you have to go into debt to make the purchase, you cannot afford it. Forget it.
Do I already have something that will do just as well? An honest assessment of all the stuff you already have could easily produce an affirmative answer to this question. End of discussion.
Can I wait until I find a cheaper more reasonable substitute? Have you ever noticed that you require your children to be patient but rarely put the same requirement on yourself? The bonus with this question is that while waiting, the need often disappears.
Have I found the best deal? It takes time and effort to comparison shop and that also makes for breathing room. When making wise decisions, time is a valuable ingredient.
Am I willing to wait? A false sense of urgency brought on by overwhelming desire#151;or a sale#151;can really skew your otherwise good sense. Simply getting away from the situation for a couple of days has a remarkable way of clearing your mind. If the purchase is right for you today it will still be right a few days from now.
What if I don#146;t? Make a list of what will happen if you don#146;t make the transaction. If it#146;s paying the rent you#146;re questioning, that#146;s simple. The consequence is eviction. You must proceed. But if the subject is buying another pair of shoes, a faster computer or season tickets to the symphony, the consequences of not making the purchase will be quite different.
What if I do? Here#146;s where the rubber meets the road. What will be the exact consequences of going through with this transaction? Don#146;t cheat on yourself. Don#146;t accept "I don#146;t know" as an answer. If you don#146;t know the true costs you are not ready to make the decision.
So you think my pool fiasco was a financial disaster? Truth be told, that purchase was relatively mild compared to impulsive acquisitions I#146;ve considered since then. Trust me. And no one is more grateful than I#151;-my husband being a close second#151;-that I#146;ve learned to consider the consequences first.
Mary Hunt is the founder and publisher of Cheapskate Monthly newsletter and is a respected authority on spending habits and financial responsibility. She and her husband Harold dug their way out of a horrible mountain of consumer debt and lives to help others get out of debt and live joyfully beneath their means. The door is always open at her popular Web site,
www.cheapskatemonthly.com
Permission granted for re-print on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:15ZSlash Your Food CostsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Slash-Your-Food-Costs
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- /9320.html2010-05-07T08:29:14Z2010-05-07T08:29:14Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Slash Your Food Costs
by Mary Hunt
Next to your rent or mortgage payment, food is probably your biggest expense. Don#146;t believe me? For the next thirty days keep track of every nickel you spend to feed your face and tell me if that doesn#146;t add up to one boatload of cash-ola.
Just think: Every dollar you do not spend on food is a dollar you have in your pocket to use for something else ... like prepaying your student loan or stashing into your savings account. That dollars was already taxed and you don#146;t have to wait for it to show up in a future paycheck. It#146;s yours right here, right now.
Here's a snappy collection of the best tips for slashing your grocery bill:
Don't shop hungry. Studies find you will spend at least 17 percent more.
Shop with a list. As much as humanly possible, do not buy anything that is not on the list, but be willing to substitute.
Prepare your list. Use the store's weekly sale ads found in the newspaper as a guide and build your menus from there.
Go for loss-leaders. These are the items that are deeply discounted in order to get you through the door.
Time your trip. Avoid shopping the first of the month and right before holidays. Stores regularly adjust prices up on the days they anticipate heavy traffic.
Know your prices. Keep a written record of the regular per-unit prices of the items you buy most often so you'll know whether a Special is a bargain. Many times they have nothing to do with a sale but more to do with a marketing ploy.
Buy in season. Fruits and vegetables will be the best quality and the lowest price when they are in season.
Shop with cash. Take only the amount of cash you have decided to spend on this trip. If you come across a fabulous bargain and don't have enough cash you can always return to the store to stock up.
Carry a small calculator. Keep a running total of your items in your cart so you won't be embarrassed at the checkout.
Stick to the two or three cheapest stores in your area and then rotate your shopping trips.
Shop at larger stores. Because of volume discounts, larger stores are generally cheaper than smaller ones.
Find a bakery outlet. These kinds of thrift stores offer wonderful bargains if you can be highly disciplined.
Visit a salvage store. This is the land of dented cans and mis-labels.
Buy in bulk as appropriate. If you can't use it before it goes bad, it's a bad deal no matter how good the bargain was.
Don't overbuy your storage space. It takes a lot of room to store a year's worth of toilet tissue.
"On sale" without a coupon is usually cheaper than the regular price with a coupon.
Be coupon selective. Only use a coupon if you would have purchased the product anyway.
Buy the smallest size or quantity that the coupon allows for the greatest percentage of savings.
Always check expiration dates. If you have a choice choose the date farthest into the future.
Consider generic and store brands. Many times the product is identical to the brand name except for the lower price.
Shop solo. Being distracted can be quite costly.
Make friends. Produce, bakery and meat department staff may mark down day-old items if they know you as a regular customer.
Look high and low. Expensive brand names are purposely positioned at eye level.
Fancy packaging increases the price. Example: Quaker Bagged Cereals vs. other brands packaged in fancy boxes.
Check those eggs. Do not purchase a cracked egg.
Don't buy non-food items at the grocery store. Housewares, pharmacy items, greeting cards, paper goods and cleaning supplies can be purchased for less elsewhere.
Avoid individual-size packages. Buy the big bag or size and divide into smaller portions at home.
Avoid convenience items. It's more cost-effective to make your own salad dressing, chicken-coating mix, and so on.
Buy on sale. A national brand on sale is usually less expensive than a store brand at regular price.
Learn sale cycles. Study sale flyers until you recognize predictable cycles. Buy enough when it's on sale to last until the next sale.
Follow these guidelines and stop eating out so much and I promise you#146;ll see big results in little time.
Mary Hunt is the founder and publisher of Cheapskate Monthly newsletter and is a respected authority on spending habits and financial responsibility. She and her husband Harold dug their way out of a horrible mountain of consumer debt and lives to help others get out of debt and live joyfully beneath their means. The door is always open at her popular Web site,
www.cheapskatemonthly.com
Permission granted for re-print on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:14ZPay as You Go But Not With a ChickenStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Pay-as-You-Go-But-Not-With-a-Chicken
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- /9321.html2010-05-07T08:29:13Z2010-05-07T08:29:13Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Pay as You Go But Not With a Chicken
by Mary Hunt
It#146;s not easy being a consumer these days. In fact it can be downright confusing because of all the payment choices. First you have your cash, your checkbook and credit card. And who can possibly forget the debit-card, deferred billing, skip-a-payment, nothing down, no payments and zero-interest till the next millennium. See? Confusion pure and simple.
Prehistoric consumers had it easy. Just one choice: chickens. They traded poultry for the things they needed. The rules were simple: No fowl? No food, fun, futons, fillies or fricassee.
Then along came the invention of currency and that gave consumers a second choice#151;one that caught on quickly since folding a chicken to fit neatly into one#146;s wallet was, shall we say, messy.
A third option was born the day some unknown retailer came up with a payment plan, surely named in memory of the good ol#146; chicken days#151;layaway. Which brings me to the topic of this month#146;s article: What happened to layaway anyway?
Not that long ago, every major department store in the country allowed customers to buy merchandise on layaway. The item was placed in the back room and customers could take all the time they needed to pay it off. Interest free. When they made the last payment, they took the item home.
Layaway was simpler, upfront. There was a start and a finish. There was delayed gratification and a sense of responsibility and anticipation. With layaway there were no surprises. The layaway pay-as-you-go method for holiday shopping was particularly effective because it produced none of the fiscal shocks that come with today#146;s post-holiday credit card bills.
Without much notice, layaway programs started to disappear in the 1980s. Extolling the virtues of consumer credit, retailers convinced consumers it was better to take everything home right away, avoid those annoying progress payments and then commence to pay for it for the next 15 or 20 years. They did such a good job of convincing, layaway plans all but disappeared. But they did not disappear completely and for that I say, rejoice!
You#146;ll be happy to know some of your favorite national chain stores still offer layaway. Just visit the local K-Mart or Wal-Mart, two stores where layaway programs continue to thrive. Others include Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Circuit City. Many small independent retailers are more than happy to set up a layaway plan, they just don#146;t talk about it. You must inquire.
While cash up front will always be the best choice, making payments on layaway is much better that making payments on a credit card account because:
The store keeps the items until it is paid in full. No debt is incurred.
There are no interest charges, although some stores charge a small layaway service fee and restocking fee if you cancel.
Typically the customer is protected if the item goes on sale during the layaway period and the price of the item is reduced accordingly.
There is no legal obligation. If you change your mind, you can get a refund.
Clearly, layaway and early holiday shopping were made for each other. Getting started ahead of time in the off-season means you#146;ll be less likely to fall into the trap of weary, last-minute shopping when everything is expensive and you are prone to buy frivolous gifts just to have something#151;anything#151;to give.
To avoid misunderstandings, get specific information about a store#146;s layaway terms before you participate. Ask for a written description of the store#146;s plan, and read it before you agree to a layaway purchase.
No matter how you choose to do your holiday shopping this year, make sure you start early. And pay as you go with cash#151;which remains just slightly more convenient than chickens.
Mary Hunt is the founder and publisher of Cheapskate Monthly newsletter and is a respected authority on spending habits and financial responsibility. She and her husband Harold dug their way out of a horrible mountain of consumer debt and lives to help others get out of debt and live joyfully beneath their means. The door is always open at her popular Web site,
www.cheapskatemonthly.com
Permission granted for re-print on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:13ZNo Money DownStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/No-Money-Down
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- /9322.html2010-05-07T08:29:11Z2010-05-07T08:29:11Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>No Money Down
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Hi Gary,
I see a guy on TV all the time. He says that you can buy a home with no money down and then come from closing with money in your pocket. Supposedly people buy homes and make millions a year. Do you know about this? How this could be done? Is it worth the 3 payments of $59.99? Or is it a scam?
Kevin
Sure sounds tempting. You walk in with nothing, sign some papers and walk out with cash and the keys to a house. And, you can do it over and over until you make a million!
Much as we'd all like to believe that the road to riches was that easy, it's not. Yes, you can make a million in real estate. And some people have started with nothing and built an empire. But, it's not easy and certainly not a sure thing.
A quick disclaimer. I have not seen this specific course. But similar courses pop up anytime that the housing market is hot for awhile. And unless this guy has discovered something that no one else has tried before, you don't need his course. Here's the $180 secret. It's called leverage.
Borrowing money to invest isn't new. People who buy stocks on margin or play the commodities markets do it every day. It is interesting to note that there are limits as to how much they can borrow. The regulators know that if you borrow too much it's dangerous.
I'm not saying that this strategy hasn't worked for anyone. It has. Given the right set of circumstances you can borrow money to buy an asset, have that asset appreciate and sell it for a profit.
Here's how it's done. Suppose you buy a home for $100,000 and pay cash. Three years pass and the house is now worth $150,000. You sell it and make $50,000 on your original $100,000 investment. That's a 50% return in just three years.
What happens if you had taken out a mortgage. Suppose that you put $10,000 down. Again, three years later you sell it for a $50,000 profit. But this time that's a 500% return on your original $10,000 investment. The reason is that you were making money on borrowed money. That's called leverage. Could you go in with 0% down and make that profit without putting any of your money up? Yes, if you could find someone willing to lend you 100% of the purchase and the house appreciated 50% over three years you could indeed make $50,000 without putting up your own money.
So if it's so easy why shouldn't Kevin jump right in? There are a couple of reasons.
The first problem is higher payments because Kevin is financing more than the value of the house. He'll probably also pay a higher interest rate because he didn't have a down payment. That means less money for food, health, auto and other routine expenses.
The second problem is that he's locked into the home. Unless he's willing to write a check at closing, he won't be able to sell until the house is worth more than the loan.
Suppose he takes out a 7%, 30 year mortgage for $103,000. His regular monthly payments won't reduce the principal to under $100,000 for nearly 3 years. So he's literally trapped in the house until it appreciates.
And, contrary to popular belief, home prices can go down. If home prices drop by 10% Kevin's house will be worth $90,000. It will be 9 years before Kevin's mortgage drops to that level.
Another potential problem is that Kevin's lender will be quicker to foreclose. They count on the value of the house guaranteeing the loan. They can't afford to let Kevin miss payments if the loan is bigger than the house's value.
Finally, can he use this strategy to buy more properties? Typically you want income property to pay for itself and leave some extra income for you. Using this method the higher mortgage payments will make it hard to build equity or have a positive cash flow. And, landlord Kevin can expect some repairs, late rental payments and the occasional vacancy. Unless he has cash to ride out these storms, any problem could make him late with his mortgage payment. And that's when things start to unravel.
Kevin could consider other alternatives. There are some safe, predictable strategies that have worked for years. One possibility is to start with a duplex. Live in one side and rent out the other. It's a good way to live inexpensively and build equity at the same time.
Or buy a fixer-upper. Quite often a few dollars in cleaning, paint and repairs can add thousands to the value of a home. And a cheaper home means a smaller mortgage. Kevin will enjoy the lower payments and build equity more quickly. He'll also be able to sell and move any time he wants.
One final thought. Have you ever wondered about guys who claim to have made millions and go on TV? Why would someone so wealthy charge so much for workbooks, tapes and cassettes? Call me skeptical, but I think they know that it's easier to take your $180 than to make money in real estate.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com
. The site contains hundreds of free articles to help stretch your day and your dollar. Permission granted for reprint on DrLaura.com.
"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." and DrLaura.com does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:11ZWhy I Can't SaveStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Why-I-Cant-Save
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- /9323.html2010-05-07T08:29:10Z2010-05-07T08:29:10ZStaff2010-05-07T08:29:10ZFinding Financial AdvisorsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Finding-Financial-Advisors
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- /9324.html2010-05-07T08:29:10Z2010-05-07T08:29:10ZStaff2010-05-07T08:29:10ZDriving Down Car CostsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Driving-Down-Car-Costs
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- /9325.html2010-05-07T08:29:10Z2010-05-07T08:29:10Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>DRIVING DOWN CAR COSTS
By Cheryl Gochnauer
A few years ago, my husband, Terry, sacrificed his bass boat so I could stayhome with our daughters. I remember thanking him and saying, "Don't worry,Babe. We'll get you another boat someday."
A few months ago, I made good on that promise, and we bought a boat.
A few weeks ago, the only vehicle we had that would pull the boat, our11-year-old minivan, blew its transmission.
A few days ago, I got sick of looking at our dead van and stranded boat. Itwas time to go car shopping.
"FOUR HUNDRED dollars a month? For a USED car?" I sputtered, clutching thedesk at the local dealership. The salesman didn't blink.
Neither did salespeople at the dozen other lots I cruised over the next weekand a half. A grand delusion had swept the dealerships in our city:Everybody else is in hock up their necks; you should be, too. Guilt-freeand zero percent down.
Aaaacck!
A few hours ago, I decided a $1,500 rebuilt transmission didn't sound so badafter all. Hey - our van may be old, but it still looks good and it'scomfortable. With a little TLC, we'll be able to eke another year out ofthis baby. (At least, that's what the transmission shop guarantees.)
And it's the best financial decision for us at this time. After all, $125a month ($1500 divided by 12 months) for a decent used van beats any deal I've heard this week. In fact, after being floored with $400-plus quotes, Iactually feel like I'm saving money!
It's all in your perception. For instance, I recently spoke with a mom whowanted to come home, but they needed to cut out a car payment first. Theproblem: they were "upside-down" in their loan.
"We owe $10,000, but the car's only worth $8,000."
She thinks they're $10,000 in debt, but take another look. If it were me, I'd consider selling the car for $8,000, immediately reducing the balance to$2,000.
Since the car was collateral for the loan, my finance company will want theremaining $2,000 when the car is sold. So, I would either take the moneyout of savings, get a small home equity loan, or take a cash advance on mycredit card to pay it off.
Better yet, I'd set a goal with my husband of saving the $2,000 differencewhile I was still working, then sell the car. If I needed a replacementcar, I'd concentrate on picking up something we could pay cash for. I'dstart networking with friends and family to find that elusive "little oldlady's car" or similar, inexpensive transportation.
Here are some helpful online resources as you look to trim or control yourbudget:
The Dollar Stretcher:
www.stretcher.com
Cheapskate Monthly:
www.cheapskatemonthly.com
Crown Financial Ministries:
www.crown.org
Miserly Moms:
www.miserlymoms.com
(Comments? Write
Cheryl@homebodies.org
, or visit her website at
www.homebodies.org
. Her book, "
So You Want to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom
," isavailable through
Dr. Laura#146;s Reading Corner
. Copyright2001 Homebodies.Org, LLC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.)Staff2010-05-07T08:29:10ZOh My, How it Adds Up!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Oh-My,-How-it-Adds-Up!
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- /9326.html2010-05-07T08:29:09Z2010-05-07T08:29:09Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Oh My, How it Adds Up!
by Tawra Kellam
The average American often feels overwhelmed by debt and doesn't know whereto start or how to go about getting out of debt. It's a misconception thatthe more money you earn the easier it is to save. My husband and I paid off$20,000 of credit card debt and medical bills in 5 years on an averageincome of $22,000 a year. Here is how you can save over $7,000 in just oneyear cutting a few things from your grocery bill. They are painless, simpleand add up over time. If you don't think that cutting out one bag of potatochips or one soda will add up, look at the numbers at the end of a year. Ifyou're trying to save so you can be a stay at home mom or dad or for a downpayment on a house, pay off some credit card debt or just have someemergency money, here are 13 ways to do it without depriving yourself.
By eliminating one $2.00 bag of potato chips (not all just 1 bag) from yourgrocery bill each week you can save $104.00 per year. Cutting out onesix-pack of soda will save another $104. A weekly $4.00 box of granolacereal adds up to $208 a year. If you eat out one less time each week at$30 a meal, you can save $1,560 and ordering one less delivered pizza at$20, can save you $1040 per year.
Similar annual savings can be realized by cutting out weekly purchases offruit rolls ($130), daily gourmet coffee at $2.50 per cup ($910), a dailyliter of soda ($365), snack cakes ($455), one less bottled water ($455), onecup less juice per person in a family of four ($546), 3 lbs. less red meat aweek ($390), and by eliminating a $4.00 lunch five days a week ($1040). By themselves, these efforts may seem small--but they add up to over $7,000a year you could save.
Tawra Kellam is the author of
Not Just Beans: 50 Years of Frugal FamilyFavorites
. For free money saving tips and recipes or to purchase a copy of the cookbook:
Not Just Beans: Your Frugal Family Cookbook
visit our website at
www.notjustbeans.com
. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:29:09ZSingle Parent HomeownerStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Single-Parent-Homeowner
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- /9327.html2010-05-07T08:29:08Z2010-05-07T08:29:08Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Single Parent Homeowner
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
www.stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I am in the process of a divorce and want to keep the family home. Are there any programs out there for single parents that would offer a more favorable interest rate for re-financing?
Sarah N.
Sarah's question brings good news and bad news. The bad news is that she's not likely to find anyone to offer her a lower rate because she's a single parent. The good news is that there are some things that she can do to stay in her home.
Only a non-profit agency would consider a special rate for borrowers like Sarah. Some do offer help for needy home buyers. But I'm not aware of any that will help with refinancing.
The reason that a regular mortgage company doesn't have special rates is simple. Her ability to repay the mortgage will be hurt by the divorce.
The mortgage company looks at a borrower's total assets and liabilities. They also compare the amount of income to monthly expenses.
Sarah's income will be going down. Even if she was the major family breadwinner, she's probably going to be taking a big income hit when her husband leaves.
Unfortunately, Sarah's expenses won't be going down as much as her income. Sure, some things like auto expenses could be cut in half. But it costs just as much to heat and cool her home as it did before.
In fact, some expenses could go up. The kids might still be covered under Dad's medical insurance at work after the divorce. But Sarah will have to pay for her coverage unless it's provided through her work.
What can Sarah do to be able to stay in her home? The biggest hurdle is to have enough income to afford it. Sarah needs to keep her housing expenses to less than 33% of her take home pay. That includes utilities, maintenance, property taxes and home repairs.
Some people in the mortgage industry might be willing to lend her more. She'd be foolish to do that. Remember that those who encourage her to spend more on housing won't be scrounging to find the money for the mortgage every month.
Do the math. Suppose she spends 33% of her income on her home. Add an additional 15% for auto and 15% for food. At this point she's already consumed 63% of her take home pay. That leaves 37% for things like child care, insurance, clothing, medical/dental, entertainment and everything else. Trying to take another 5 to 10% for housing will make her budget unworkable.
So how can Sarah increase the odds of success? Nothing flashy, but there are some simple things that she can do.
First, Sarah will want to set up a 'rainy day' fund for unexpected expenses. The truth is that they can be expected to happen. We just don't know exactly when they'll occur. She should put some money aside every month that it doesn't 'rain'.
Not only will there be surprise expenses, but Sarah might find that her income isn't secure. Even court ordered child support and alimony is not guaranteed. If she doubts that, she can check with a few divorced friends. Her Ex could face a layoff. He's likely to pay his own rent before sending her a check.
She'll need to have a plan for handling home maintenance and repairs. Routine maintenance can keep a small problem from turning into a major expense. That's important when money is tight.
Unless she has a very good income, Sarah can expect to sacrifice other desires to provide extra dollars for the house. She may find that she can keep the house if she's willing to give up an annual vacation or drive an older car.
Increasing her income is another option. One way to do that would be to share the house. It's possible that she could find another single woman or mother that could move in and help share expenses.
Finally, she should consider what it would take to convince her that she shouldn't keep the house. Better to make a thoughtful decision now rather than an emotional one later when the pressure is on.
Sarah needs to be careful that she doesn't slide into being 'house poor'. The first sign will be that she's a little short each month. Then an unexpected bill for auto or home repair pops up. If she uses a credit card she'll only delay the consequences. Borrowing money isn't the answer, it's the beginning of a serious problem.
Am I trying to scare Sarah? In a way, yes. I don't know the circumstances of her marriage. But I can tell her that every day questions come in from single parents who are worn out from the continual struggle with bills.
Most families with children need two incomes to make ends meet. Some are able to make it on a single income if one parent stays home and uses their home management skills to reduce expenses. But it's very hard for a single parent. For instance, cooking from scratch isn't realistic if you're working full time.
It's understandable that Sarah wants to stay in her home. And, naturally I'd like to see her have the best for her family. But she'll needs to be very careful to make sure that she makes an intelligent decision and doesn't let a house drag her family down into financial quicksand.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher
website. You'll find hundreds of free articles to help stretch your day and your dollar. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:08ZAddicted!Staffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Addicted!
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- /9328.html2010-05-07T08:29:07Z2010-05-07T08:29:07Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Addicted!
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I need some help to deal with my husband's and my addiction to spending. We are currently $60,000 in debt on top of our mortgage. This includes a second mortgage and tons of credit cards and personal loans. It got so bad that we turned all the unsecured debt over to credit counseling and are paying through them.
My husband makes a very good income at his regular job and had to take a part time job. I work part time and I don't make a lot but it is all I have been able to find. The problem seems to be that as soon as we have extra we spend it on dinners out or things we don't need. Then when we need the money we are behind again. So all my husband's overtime and his second income plus my paychecks are just being spent instead of being applied to bills. It doesn't help that I work in a craft and sewing store which are my two weaknesses. And my husband works in a tool store which is his weakness. Should I change jobs? Should we seek counseling for addiction? I am at the bottom and don't know where to turn. We have thought of bankruptcy but only as a last resort. Also did I mention that my grocery bills are astronomical and its just us two! And most of the food goes bad before we eat it because we are always eating out. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.
June
June is in pretty deep. But she has plenty of company. Consumer debt in the U.S. reached a total of over $1 trillion in 1999. Credit card debt was over $500 billion. Over 1.2 million Americans filed for bankruptcy in 2000 according to the American Bankruptcy Institute. That's up from 330,000 in 1980.
So even if you're not overwhelmed with debt, it's possible to learn from June's situation. If you regularly carry a balance on your credit card you could be in June's place in a few years.
As she suggested, there are two ways to address this problem. One is to consider the psychological aspects. The other is to physically stop the spending. They'll need to work with both.
Let's begin with the psychological. It's often been said that if you want to really know a person examine their checkbook and credit card statements. The reason is simple. People will spend money to satisfy the needs that are important to them.
You'll notice that I didn't say that they spend on the things that are important. But, rather they spend for the needs that they feel will be satisfied by the purchase. Hopefully, by studying their spending, June will find a pattern.
There's a story about children at an orphanage right after World War Two. The doctors found that the children slept much better if they were given a piece of bread at bedtime. They didn't eat the bread until morning. To them the piece of bread was assurance that they wouldn't be hungry in the morning.
June might find that they buy groceries for the same reason that the orphans hung on to the bread. Whatever the reason, understanding why they spend will allow them to eliminate spending for imaginary needs.
June and her husband may well be demonstrating addictive behavior. Only a trained professional can diagnose that. If they are, professional psychological counseling would be appropriate. But, even addiction is no excuse for not starting to control their spending now.
June and her husband appear to be allergic to cash. As soon as they come in contact with it they spend it. One way to solve that problem is to not have any cash available to spend. Direct deposit could be a good idea. If that's not available, they should deposit paychecks on the way home from work.
An allowance could be helpful. That way each of them would know what they have available to spend on a regular basis. It could also allow them to learn to ration their allowance throughout the week.
Once they've taken the cash out of their hands they'll need to protect savings. Reducing debt and emergencies should be the only reason to take money from savings. June and her husband will need to decide what constitutes an emergency well before they face an actual decision. Otherwise they'll convince themselves that a non-essential expense is an 'emergency'.
Both of them will need to make a commitment to each other not to spend any money where they work. And, if they find that they can't keep that promise, they'll need to find new part-time jobs. It could be like the dieter who works in a bakery. Even the most disciplined person will crack if enough temptation is present.
Finally, they'll need to decide whether they really want to solve this problem. It's not going to be easy. It will take a willingness to make hard decisions. But, June's right about the alternative. The next step for them if they fail now is probably bankruptcy. Hopefully they'll avoid that consequence.
Gary Foreman is a former Certified Financial Planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
. The site contains hundreds of free articles to help stretch your day and your dollar. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." and DrLaura.com does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:07ZExpensive Legal DocumentsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Expensive-Legal-Documents/9329.html2010-05-07T08:29:06Z2010-05-07T08:29:06Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/> Expensive Legal Documents
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
www.stretcher.com
gary@stretcher.com
Do you have any recommendations on how to set up a living trust without paying high priced lawyer fees. I figure by the time we are done working with our local lawyer who has a good reputation it will run just over $1,000. We have children and need to make plans just in case.
Julie in MI
Julie is to be congratulated for making 'just in case' plans. Far too many parents assume that nothing will happen to them and fail to take the necessary precautions. Unfortunately, the simple answer to her question is "no" I don't advise trying to set up a trust without a lawyer. But let's look a little deeper into Julie's question. Perhaps it won't be as expensive as she thinks.
We'll begin by considering a frugal truism. Avoid making expensive mistakes. A problem with your will or some trusts are almost impossible to correct. There's a reason that they call it your "LAST will and testament". Once you're dead you cannot amend or revoke it.
Being a sharp consumer doesn't mean always taking the least expensive alternative. In fact, doing that can sometimes cost you more in the long run. This is probably one of those cases.
In fact, not only should Julie contact an attorney for her will or trust, she'd also be wise to find one that specializes in estate planning in her state. There are some nuances that an attorney who works in another area of law or another state might not know. In fact, if you move to a new state it's important to see if your estate plan should be updated.
Let me be clear about this. I'm not a big fan of attorneys. Wills and trusts are more complicated than they need to be. And attorneys are a large part of the reason that they're so complicated.
But the unfortunate truth is that it does take specialized knowledge to do them so that problems don't crop up after your death. Not only with federal taxes, but also with state laws. And much as I don't like paying lawyers, the cost of doing it wrong could be very expensive for my children. So finding a lawyer who knows estate planning is likely to produce the right document at the lowest cost.
Julie might be tempted to consider some of the do-it-yourself will kits available. No doubt that some are quite good. Just remember that you'll die believing you did a great job. A problem won't come out until some judge says that your will or certain portions are invalid. So make your selection carefully.
So what should Julie do? She doesn't say so, but it could be that her concern is simply for her children's welfare. If that's the case a living trust probably isn't required.
A living trust is often used to avoid federal estate taxes. And that usually isn't a problem until you have over $500,000 in assets. So if Julie's goal is simply to make sure that if she and her husband die that the money goes to her kids and that she gets to select the children's guardian, then a living trust isn't necessary. Typically a will, which costs less, can handle the job.
Selecting a guardian is important. Remember that each state sets an age where a child is considered an adult. Until that age they cannot manage their own financial affairs. The guardian could be an individual (for example your sister, friend or attorney) or a corporation (a bank or trust company). There are various ways, including trusts, to set it up legally. You also have the option of letting the guardian control the money even after your children reach adulthood. Discuss it with your attorney.
Another reason this process, called estate planning, is important is that if you don't make your wishes known in writing before you die, the state will follow its own laws and make the decision for you. Not only as to managing the money, but who will raise your children. Your irresponsible bachelor brother could be asked to care for them. This is also a good time for Julie to talk with her choice and make sure that they're willing to accept the responsibility.
One final word of caution. I am not a lawyer and this isn't a place for amateurs. All I can do is warn you of the potential dangers. So before you make any decisions, contact the appropriate experts. Yes, experts do cost money. But this is one area where saving can be very expensive.
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits
The Dollar Stretcher website
and newsletters
subscribe@stretcher.com
You'll find thousands of articles to help stretch your day and your dollar. Copyright 2003 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. all rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:06ZHomemade baby food: The BIG secret: It takes less than 30 minutes per weekStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Homemade-baby-food:-The-BIG-secret:-It-takes-less-than-30-minutes-per-week
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- /9330.html2010-05-07T08:29:05Z2010-05-07T08:29:05Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Homemade baby food
The BIG secret: It takes less than 30 minutes per week
By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
Making baby food is healthier for your baby, and offers your baby an introduction to foods rich in variety, flavor, color, taste and smell. All of your friends (and your mother-in-law) will think you are a super parent for making your baby's food. The big secret -- it is super easy and takes less than 30 minutes per week.
A common approach to making baby food is called the "ice cube tray" method. The concept is simple: make large quantities of basic food purees using a standard blender or food processor and freeze it in single servings (1 ounce) in ice cube trays. With this method, you only need to make baby food once, maybe twice, per week. Over time you build up a large variety of single-serving baby food cubes in the freezer.
Here are the four basic steps of making baby food with the ice cube tray method:
Step 1: Prep - Depending on the type of baby food you are preparing, you will need to wash, chop and peel the fruits and vegetables. You should not use detergent or bleach when washing fruits and vegetables because these chemicals can leave a residue that will be absorbed by porous food like produce. If you are using frozen produce, simply open the package.
Step 2: Cook - Cook the food in the microwave or use a stovetop method of steaming. We prefer microwave cooking for several reasons: saves time because foods cook faster; retains more nutrients than other cooking methods; and it is easier clean up. If you prefer the stovetop method of cooking foods, you must use a steamer basket. DO NOT boil food, boiling food reduces nutrient content. Foods must be cooked well. They are done when the can be pierced or mashed easily with a fork.
Step 3: Puree - Pour the food and cooking juices into a food processor or a blender and puree. Food consistency is created during this step. You want your baby to have food that is soft and velvety in texture. You may need to add water to some foods to get the right consistency. Although water will slightly dilute the food's nutritional value, the difference is not significant enough to worry about.
Step 4: Freeze - Pour the food puree into ice cube trays. Cover and place them in the freezer for eight to 10 hours or overnight. Pop the baby food cubes from the freezer trays. Place the cubes in a freezer storage bags or stackable containers (Label the bag/containers with the date and the type of food), and return them immediately to the freezer. Baby food cubes stay fresh for up to two months.
Sample Recipe:APPLE PUREE
6 medium golden delicious apples
Step 1: Prep - Wash, peel, core and cut apples into one-inch (3 cm) slices.
Step 2: Cook - Place apples in a microwave safe dish. Cover. Cook 5 minutes and let stand for 5 minutes. Cook an additional 5 minutes. The apples are done when they can be pierced easily with a fork.
Step 3: Puree - Place apples and cooking juices into a blender or a food processor. Puree to a smooth texture.
Step 4: Freeze - Spoon into So Easy Baby Food Trays or ice cube trays. Cover. Place in freezer eight to 10 hours or overnight. Remove cubes from trays, place in storage container or freezer bag, and return immediately to the freezer.
Makes 24 1-ounce servings. Stays fresh for two months in the freezer.
To serve, select frozen apple cubes from the freezer, defrost and warm, check the temperature and feed.
Age to introduce: About 6 months
Serving homemade baby food
Using the ice cube tray method of making baby food makes it is easy to create a large variety of food cubes in your freezer. When it is time for feeding, simply select the food cubes from the freezer, thaw them and feed them to your baby. You may want to warm the food first. Baby food can be served cold, at room temperature or slightly warm. Never serve hot food to your baby, and always check the temperature of food or drinks before feeding them to your baby.
Baby food should have soft, velvety consistency. If you are just starting solids, thinner food is better than thicker food. If you defrost the food and see that it is too thick, you can easily thin it by adding some breast milk or formula. This also adds a little extra nutrition too. If the opposite happens, and the food is too thin, you can easily thicken the food by adding a little baby cereal, mashed banana or plain yogurt.
After your baby has been introduced to a variety of single flavor foods and he is a little older, you can begin making meal time more interesting and introduce your baby to array of tastes, by combining different foods to create medleys.
Here are some examples of foods cubes that taste great together:
Green peas and sweet potatoes
Green beans and white potatoes
Broccoli, cauliflower and melted cheese
Butternut squash, corn and mashed tofu
Peaches, pears and rice cereal
Mango, Papaya and banana
Raspberries, apples, yogurt and ground walnuts
About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children, and founders of Fresh Baby (
www.FreshBaby.com
). Raised by parents who love fresh foods and entertaining, their mom, a gourmet cook, ensured that they were well-equipped with extraordinary skills in the kitchen. Both with long track records of business success, they decided to combine their skills in the kitchen with their knowledge of healthy foods and children to create Fresh Baby. Cheryl and Joan put a modern twist on the conventional wisdom that when you make it yourself, you know it's better. Their goal at Fresh Baby is to make the task of raising a healthy eater a little bit easier for all parents. Fresh Baby's breastfeeding accessories and baby food making supplies provide parents with practical knowledge and innovative tools to support them in introducing their children to great tasting, all-natural foods - easily and conveniently. Visit them online at
www.FreshBaby.com
and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.Staff2010-05-07T08:29:05ZSummer MusingsStaffhttp://www.DrLaura.com/b/Summer-Musings
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- /9331.html2010-05-07T08:29:04Z2010-05-07T08:29:04Z<img alt="Icon" class="blog-icon-large" src="/images/Site/Icons/150x150/savings.jpg"/>Summer Musings
The Dollar Stretcher
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
It's summer. When the days are long and lazy. And you have time to think about unusual things...
Recently I glanced at some notes that my wife was taking. She had written 'reflected', but due to my "getting-older" eyesight it looked as if she had written "deflected". That completely changed the meaning of her notes. The dictionary gives multiple definitions for reflection. Among them is "efficiently reflecting light, heat or radiation". A second one talks about thinking deeply about a subject.
Some people seem to reflect opportunity. Taking the time to think allows them to see possibilities clearly and explain them to others in a way that makes sense. They make the most of what comes to them.
On the other hand, other people have an uncanny knack for deflecting opportunity. Even when they're in the right place at the right time something always comes up to prevent them from cashing in on good fortune. Somehow good things bounce off of them.
How can you become a "reflector"? The first thing is to hang around reflectors. They're the ones who seem to be "lucky". The next thing is to build some time into your busy schedule to think. Henry Ford said that thinking was hard work and that's why so few engaged in it. Old Henry was a reflector.
Speaking of opportunity, here in Florida we have a state lottery. The state has purchased billboards that stress the size of the current jackpot. It's usually in the $10 million dollar range. I know that they're trying to get people thinking that the jackpot is an opportunity.
But, I can't help looking at that big number a little differently. I know that they pay out less than they take in. So to pay out $10 million, they'll need to collect somewhere in the neighborhood of $14 million. What that means is that my chance of winning the whole jackpot is much less than one in 10 million. Pretty long odds. I know that a ticket is only a buck. But it sure seems like a waste to me.
Guess maybe I'm especially frustrated because that's not the only way that the lotto is misleading. People voted for the lottery because they were told that the money raised would all go to education. No more trouble paying for schooling. You guessed it. Years later we're still scrambling for school money. And now we're starting to see people with addictive gambling problems.
On the other side of the coin every so often you hear something that really rings true. Here's one. "Opportunity only knocks once, but temptation leans on the doorbell." Unfortunately, I don't know who said it, so I can't give them credit. But they've spoken the truth. Most of us only get a certain number of real significant opportunities in our lives.
Temptation, however, is always around us. Temptation to cut corners. To just sit back and let someone else do the work. To avoid the risk that comes with opportunity. It's funny. If you study people who have had large, public failures they usually didn't make one very big, very bad decision. Mostly they made a small, bad decision. Then followed it up with another small, bad decision. And kept doing that until the consequences of those decisions built up and came crashing down on them.
The morale of the story? Everyone will give in to temptation some time. That's just being human. But when you're going the wrong way, turn around as quickly as possible. Although it's easier said than done, don't make a habit of giving in to temptation.
On a whole different path, I admit that I get a kick out of the ads for psychics. Often there's a disclaimer that says their advice is for 'entertainment purposes only'. Of course it's in small print. Much more prominently displayed are promises that they'll help you find the right mate, riches and happiness.
I've got a couple of questions for them. If they can see the future, why don't they buy tomorrow's winning stocks today. Then they'd have plenty of money and could offer their services for free. Wouldn't that be a better way of helping people with their special abilities?
Or how about this. When you call in they'll ask for your birth date and credit card number so that they can charge for their services. If they know so much why do they need to ask? Maybe I'm just being too hard on them. But it would seem like divining someone's age would be easier than predicting how their love life is going to turn out.
Ah, well. It's time for another iced tea and more summer contemplation.
Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
www.stretcher.com/save.htm
You'll find hundreds of free articles to stretch your day and your dollar! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.comStaff2010-05-07T08:29:04Z