Far too often relegated to Halloween doorstep décor and overused as a coffee drink marketing device (think Pumpkin Spice Latte), pumpkin and all its health benefits deserve so much more. Pumpkin calories clock in at just 49 per cup of purée, plus that serving sneaks in 3 grams of fiber, 1 gram of protein, and…
It’s hard to believe that we’ve already passed the Autumn equinox and the school year is well under way. When children go back to school, our lives get easier in some ways and more complicated and busier in other ways. I am always looking for “healthyish” treats to make and to serve my family. I…
One in three American adults have prediabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Getting diagnosed early and finding resources to help can lower your risk of getting type 2 diabetes. At the free “Diabetes is on the Rise – Am I at Risk?” event later this month, community members are invited to…
This has been a cool summer in my garden — especially temperature-wise. Usually we get enough heat that by mid-July my supply of greens and lettuces has started to bolt. But this year, due to the cool temperatures in Juneary, Julyary and Augustary (creative combination of January with June, July and August!), I have been…
Members of the Ballinger Organic Garden hosted a summer cleanup/fall planting event Wednesday night. Volunteers did a lot of weeding, saved cosmo and calendula seeds, planted carrot, lettuce, cucumber and zucchini seeds, and planted cauliflower, leek, cabbage, winter savory and flower starts. The group also pulled out some plants that were fading in the summer…
It’s been “officially” summer for about one month. The summer market has been brimming with local produce for weeks, and my backyard garden has been producing strawberries, raspberries, green beans, herbs, lettuces and lots of delicious carrots. For years I have tried to figure out what to do with the parts of produce that normally…
The Ballinger Organic Garden will have a Plants for Fall event at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 24 at Ballinger Park, 23000 Lakeview Dr., Mountlake Terrace. All are invited to help plant carrot, kale and lettuce seeds and get ready for the fall season. There will be beverages to enjoy and talk about garden plans. Anyone…
Have you ever stared at a pile of cookie crumbs or a nearly empty potato chip bag, with a belly full of shame, and wondered, “How did I let this happen?” I can relate. I think almost anyone can relate. Besides driving you to eat, cravings can drive you nuts–making you feel like an out-of-control failure who…
Food as medicine is a theme that is becoming more popular. It’s similar to the adage “you are what you eat.” If you eat hamburgers and french fries everyday your body will feel the effects in the long run…you won’t turn into a hamburger nor a french fry. Thinking about what we consume becomes more…
This month’s column offers a format change for me. I have been going through many changes these past few months myself–health, work, relationships and of course the seasons to name a few. Several years ago I participated in a powerful program called “Precision Nutrition” (PN) which takes a holistic approach to exercise and diet. I…
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For me, healthy eating involves gardening. I am grateful that I have a yard where I can have a small vegetable garden. We are still eating berries, kale, squash, plums and a variety of basil/kale/spinach pesto. Many of these items are frozen and some of them are canned. This year I made plum chutney and…
(Sponsored by Full Circle Farms) Learn how to naturally dye your eggs with organic produce! Now is the time to switch out those toxic methods with eco-friendly dyes. We couldn’t believe how amazing these eggs turned out, using ingredients found in the Full Circle produce boxes! The kiddos will get a kick out of coloring…
For those of us looking to meet our health and fitness goals, there are many eating plans from which to choose. Take your pick! Paleo, Vegan, Mediterranean, Whole30, DASH, Raw, Keto . . . to name just a few. Each plan comes with its own set of promises of what you will accomplish through it…
“Snowmaggedon” or “Snowpocalypse” came into our area with a roar. If you were like me, you were housebound for several days due to the condition of our local roads. We moved here from Burlington, Vermont almost 20 years ago and during our last winter we had 120 inches of snow recorded for our neighborhood. So…
I recently had surgery. I had my initial consult with the surgeon back in October 2018. I needed the surgery, but kept putting other things and other people in front of myself. As a result of my cancer diagnosis, I have had too many surgeries in the last decade. I kept thinking that this surgery…
A new year often means a new start. If you want lifestyle changes that you can sustain, take a look at the Verdant Health Commission’s Getting to Goal Weight Reduction Class on Wednesday, Jan. 9, the Mediterranean for Life six-part program starting Thursday Jan. 17, or the weekly Healthy Living Coaching Group for support and…
The new year is just days away. This is the time when people hurry up and get things accomplished before the end of the year and start to think about plans for 2019. Thinking about resolutions comes to mind. These resolutions often involve health-related topics, which include losing weight, eating better and exercising more. Thus…
This is the time of year when our eating and drinking habits can get out of control easily. During the holiday season, overeating can be a serious problem, leaving us feeling tired, stressed and generally unwell. Lots of family gatherings, office parties and holiday festivities with friends offer us an abundance of opportunities for overindulging….
We have entered the season of soup. Halloween arrives. The rains begin. The leaves fall from the trees. Daylight savings time comes. Definitely “soup season.” I love it! One of my favorite Sunday rituals is to make a big pot of soup that feeds the family during the week. I love a dinner of soup,…
We just celebrated the Fall Equinox and it’s apparent that the days are getting shorter. For many of us, our children are back in school. The rhythm of my days has shifted. I harvested the last of my Italian plums and created a glorious new recipe for Plum Chutney (which I will share in another…
I love this time of year when I have lots of fresh fruits and veggies from the market and from my garden. The bounty is overwhelming and I enjoy sharing my extras with friends and neighbors. Despite the hot weather (although this is a debatable statement…I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and that is…
I have been a yoga teacher since 1987. Yes, that is a long time. Thirty-one years, to be exact. I was taking yoga classes before it was trendy. In fact, when I was taking yoga it was still considered weird and not mainstream. Now there are more yoga teachers than the market can bear. I…
Although summer does not officially start until June 21, many people think of Memorial Day as the beginning of our summer season. For me, it’s when I pick my first strawberry from my backyard garden. That date will be June 1st this year. I was weeding last night and out of the corner of my…
What an amazing start to spring we have had. Just this past week we had all four seasons in one day: rain, hail, snow and sunshine. I am in the midst of getting my garden planted and we managed to get in cold weather crops and have lettuce and peas poking up through the garden…
The seed catalogs are starting to arrive in my mailbox and the Seattle Flower & Garden Show just ended…this definitely means that I need to start planning my vegetable garden. I know many people probably have their plant starts going. My husband and I have a small backyard vegetable garden. We tend to grow enough…
