When preparing for the holidays, the focus is often on cleaning the house, scheduling airport pick-ups and drop-offs, decorating, and purchasing gifts. For the host one of the most significant stressors can be making sure there is enough food, everyone enjoys the meal, and the food is prepared...

Tis the season for pears. This versatile fruit is a great one for your winter plates. Nutrition Pears are a classic fruit in terms of nutrition. A medium fresh pear has around 100 calories, 27g carbohydrates, 6g fiber, and is a source of vitamins and minerals including folate,...

Is PB&J still one of the great sandwiches of youth? November celebrates peanut butter with Peanut Butter Lovers Month. Along with spreading on bread, let's explore other ways to eat with peanut butter. Peanut Butter Sauce. Try recipes for peanut butter in sauces for noodles or...

October is National Pumpkin Month and a great time to celebrate this versatile fruit that grows close to home. Did you know that Illinois produces more than 90% of the processed pumpkins in the United States? This may seem surprising but 80% of all the pumpkins produced...

  Just how important are family meals? Is it worth the time and effort? The answer is a resounding yes! In fact, research has shown that the more often that families eat together the less likely teenagers are to engage in risky behavior. Eating and talking together can help children be happier,...

The holidays probably bring to mind other foods besides cranberries. While they will not take center stage to classics like turkey or mashed potatoes or pie, add cranberries to your meals for a pop of color, a unique taste, and added nutrition. Some research suggests drinking cranberry juice...

My birthday was last week and let's just say that I am now listed as "older". A friend sent me a picture of a tshirt that said "I thought getting older would take longer", yes, me too. But here we are. The good news is that the choices we make now, whether you are in your 20s, 30s, 40s or like me...

Are you looking for something new for dinner? Try hominy! Hominy is a food produced from dried corn kernels that have been treated with an alkali solution in a process called nixtamalization. During this process, the corn hulls are removed and the kernel is softened. The result is a plump, chewy...

Next time you fire up the grill think about grilling some fresh vegetables to complement your burgers or chicken. Grilling vegetables really intensifies their flavor and provides more opportunities to make sure you are eating your daily vegetable quota. Always start with a clean grill, heated to...

It's dad's turn to celebrate the joys of fatherhood. And what better way to thank him for all the whisker rubbing hugs and hours spent teaching us how to ride a bike, than with food? But not just any food: Dad food. Dad food is quite simply food that your dad loves. For many dads, that includes "...