When I was a kid, my mom used to cook dinner for around ten people almost every night. There was my family of six plus a couple of friends from school or family members like my cousins or grandparents. As teenagers, we didn’t have a lot of rules but there was one that, if broken, was a serious infraction: If we weren’t coming home for dinner, we had to call. Otherwise, we’d better be in the house by 6:30pm every night. It sounds so quaint now, right? It doesn’t have to be.

We’ve all heard about the studies showing that kids who share a family meal do better in school, have a larger vocabulary, etc. etc. Laurie David just published an entire book, The Family Dinner, dedicated to resurrecting the family dinner. I know that for many modern parents, this can be a huge challenge.  One or both parents may get home too late to eat with the little ones. When the kids are older, they often have after-school activities that keep them out of the house until just before bed time.

I trust that the data from these studies is accurate. For me, however, the topic of family dinners is so much more personal than statistics. There a lot of things I can now imagine living without as a child - Hebrew school (no problem there), piano lessons (again, easy), sports (much more difficult, I loved them), and countless other things that I can’t even remember now. And that’s the point. In the last couple of decades, it seems as though we’ve prioritized everything but the family dinner - for experiences that will probably end up as hazy memories as adults.

Our family dinners are some of my most vivid childhood memories. It’s where we learned how to converse, debate, learn diplomacy, cope with teasing, navigate controversial topics, tell jokes, serve other people food, share our food, learn manners, and, more than anything, it’s the one place where my siblings and I all had equal footing and access to our parents. What we said during dinner mattered. We mattered, even as just kids. Our family dinners are the reason I now have a career in food. Cooking together with my students and sitting down to eat with them replicates this extraordinary experience every time I teach a class. No matter how technological we get, we are still humans that crave sitting around the fire and sharing our day.

It’s not easy. I get that. This post isn’t meant to make anyone feel bad if they just can’t get the family together throughout the week. Rather, it’s meant to help people re-think how they feed their family beyond nutrients and cooking techniques. Borrow the Jewish tradition of holding a family dinner on Friday nights, connect on the weekends for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s challenging, but it’s possible.

It doesn’t need to be some gourmet meal! My mom spent maybe 30 minutes preparing dinner. Here are some quick-n-easy dinner ideas that my lovely Facebook pals shared with me. A few of them are professionals but many of them are home cooks just like you! For other recipe and family dinner ideas, visit a wonderful new website, The Kids Cook Monday or purchase my cookbook, Easy Meals to Cook with kids.

1. Definitely pasta…basically noodles and whatever else I have lying around - usually some kind of vegetable (kale, squash, tomatoes), some kind of protein (usually tofu or white beans), some combination of herbs, a drizzle of olive oil and some cheese. it’s good every time! - Leah Koenig is a write and author of The Hadassah Everyday Cookbook: Daily Meals for the Contemporary Jewish Kitchen

2. I’m a big fan of cook once eat twice (or thrice?). Roast chicken one night becomes the base of a soup or tacos the next. We also like Brinner (breakfast for dinner) - egg white omelets filled with veggies and a quick grating of a good quality hard cheese, low fat quiche, pancakes or french toast made with whole grains and a big fruit salad. I also have a recipe on my blog for a Mediterranean Pasta which is very versatile and can be done in 30 mins or less. -Melissa Marks-Shih, chef and blogger, EveryoneIntoTheKitchen.com

3. Cubed chicken sauteed with honey/garlic/spices and broccoli, mixed with quinoa. All in one meal, in under 30 minutes. - Dr. Maya Shetreat-Klein

4. Quesadillas with whole wheat tortillas and veggie/bean fillings - healthy, crowd pleaser, QUICK and great use of many leftovers. -Naomi Friedman Rabkin

5. We love homemade pizza, I make a big batch of crusts and freeze them. I top them with whatever toppings the kids are into (mostly cheese and olives). Also tacos/enchiladas with soy meat and cheddar cheese. -Cynthia Kravette Gamel

6. Vegetarian chili with quinoa. Kids love “wrap tortillas” (cheese melted on tortilla, rolled up) with it. -Micol Rubin Bayer

7. Chicken breasts or tofu “grilled” on a stove top grill pan, couscous and veggies sauteed in tamari! Kathlyne Jones

8. Tacos- black beans mashed with sauteed onions and bell peppers, topped with a little sharp melted cheddar, sliced avocado, tomatillo salsa wrapped in soft corn tortillas. -Joey Lee, TheKidsCookMonday.com

9. Gluten free pasta, Edens organic pizza and pasta sauce, a little cheese and a heaping helping of broccoli. Easy and yummy! -Sandi Kaplan, www.zingbars.com

10. Who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner? Tonight was french toast, eggs and a smoothie! -Megan Rose Stolber

11. Grilled Chicken Breast with a spinach salad (that has strawberries) and green beans. - Sandra Sarfati Levin

12. Pasta, or tacos and quesadillas. We also like burgers. Our new favorite is the maple glazed chicken from the Easy Meals to Cook with Kids cookbook (we can marinate it the night before and just cook it the night of). -Ilyse Reiter Wagner

Looking for conversation starters for your family dinners? Check out The Family Dinner Downloads via Huffington Post.

Granola bars are supposed to be healthy, right? Unfortunately, many of the products on the market are not as nutritious as we are led to believe. This is the case for many products that beckon you with their front-of-the-package claims. “Low-fat!” “Zero trans-fat!” or, my favorite “Made with Whole Grains!” The last one should read “Made with Whole Grains that were pulverized, processed, bleached, and mixed with a bunch of additives and sugar.”

The fact is that more claims usually equals unhealthy products. The food industry is getting pressure to make improvements from consumers all the way to the White House. This doesn’t mean that their products are going to become healthy - maybe just a little less unhealthy. What will probably happen is that the companies will become even more savvy in the laboratories where they develop their goods and in their marketing departments which are hell-bent on selling.

Find out how label savvy you are:

1) Healthy foods have labels that tell me everything I need to know: True or False

2) I can make good food choices if I read food labels closely: True or False

3) Low-fat products are not better and, in some cases, may be worse for me: True or False

4) Products that say “Made with Real Fruit” contain 90% or more of real fruit: True or False

5) Products that say “Contains Zero Trans-Fats” may still have .5 grams of it: True or False

6) Ingredients are listed in order of weight: True or False

7) Products that are fortified with added nutrients are better for me: True or False

It is easy to tell the difference between products made with refined flours vs whole grains: True or False

Here are some tips on how to outwit the food industry:

1) FALSE: Many terms such as “natural” or “healthy” are unregulated. In fact, the FDA has been sending warning letters to companies for the last year or so to admonish them for making false claims.

2) FALSE: The majority of the foods that are best for you have little to no packaging and/or labels: fruit, vegetables, fish, lean meats, nuts, and seeds don’t have packages that tell you how healthy they are. Beans and grains may come in cans or plastic bags but there is only one ingredient (themselves).

3) TRUE: If ’s it low in something, it’s usually going to be high in something else. Remember the low-fat craze of the 90’s? Many of those products had (and still do) contain extra sugar - and not the pure out-of-the-ground sugar but usually something ending in -ose (like dextrose) that was created in a lab.

4) FALSE: Products that claim to contain “real fruit” may only have a few drops of the real thing. There is no law requiring how much real fruit must be in the product.

5) TRUE: Any food that contains 0.5 grams or less of a nutrient can be listed as zero grams on the nutrition facts label. This can add up to a lot of harm trans fats if we are eating packaged foods throughout the day.

6) TRUE: Keep in mind that if a product says “contains whole grains” but there aren’t any grains listed until the bottom of the list, then you know it doesn’t contain much of it.

7) FALSE: We tend to go a little overboard in this country when something is revealed as good for us rather than depending on Mother Nature. For example, after folic acid was added to flour in Chile, one study showed an increase in colon cancer. When in doubt, eat unfortified foods that occur in nature.

#8 TRUE: Be aware that manufacturers won’t necessarily call their processed flours “refined” on the label. Anything that is listed as corn, rice, wheat, or oat flour IS processed and refined unless it specifically tells you that it is “whole”.

This Granola Bar recipe was developed by my cousin, Sonya. She is a kindergarten teacher who is passionate about sharing her knowledge about nutrition with her small students. This recipe is a winner with both adults and kids. The more foods we prepare at home, the more we know exactly what we are putting into our bodies.

Sonya’s Homemade Granola Bars

3 cups whole oats
2/3 cup whole-wheat flour (or any flour - we use corn flour for a gluten-free option)
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup honey
1/3 vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CUSTOMIZE: 1/4 cup raisins, chocolate chips, nuts, or anything else you want to add to your bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. If you’re short on time and dishes, add the wet ingredients directly to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Otherwise, combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl before adding them to the dry. Transfer the mixture to a  a lightly oiled 9×13 pan. Use a spatula to firmly press the mixture into the pan. Bake for 25 minutes, until brown and firm. Remove from oven and cool. Cut into squares. Eat or freeze. Enjoy!

Recipe by Sonya Jassen Basseri

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” - Aristotle

A few months ago, I was teaching my students how to poach eggs. The water was taking awhile to boil but that didn’t stop them from pestering me every couple of minutes - can we go? Now? NOW? I finally turned to them and calmly explained that you can’t rush nature. It’s a matter of physics - the water will boil when it’s ready.

The same goes for our bodies. We want to instantly look like the chiseled woman or man advertising exercise equipment or diet pills. Yet, once again, we can’t rush nature. In order to poach eggs, create a delicious, nutritious meal from scratch or get into shape, there is only one way to go about it: time and effort.

I recently spoke  with someone who offers therapy at a wellness company. She pointed out that long-term lifestyle changes aren’t just about working out and dieting. It’s also about changing our self-identification. Eventually, we need to shift the way we perceive ourselves - to go from identifying with being a fast-food eater to a person who likes taking long walks and roasted cauliflower. Clearly, this won’t happen overnight!  But in order to get there, we often have to fake it ’til we make it.

There’s been an urban myth that it takes around 21-28 days to form a new habit. A new study revealed that it takes on average 66 days to create a new habit. The researchers found that:

“When we want to develop a relatively simple habit like eating a piece of fruit each day or taking a 10 minute walk, it could take us over two months of daily repetitions before the behaviour becomes a habit. And, while this research suggests that skipping single days isn’t detrimental in the long-term, it’s those early repetitions that give us the greatest boost in automaticity.”

Becoming fit takes time. Go easy on yourself and create one new healthy habit at a time:

Start with goals that are small and realistic. If your goal is to start dinner with a salad, make sure you are well stocked with lettuce, veggies, and your favorite dressing.  Chop the vegetables on Sunday night. Do as much as possible to make the change a SUCCESSFUL one.

ADD something in instead of TAKING something out. When we try to avoid something, it just becomes more enticing. Instead of denying the body, feed it frequently with tasty, nutritious snacks and meals. The vending machine will have less power if you aren’t starving.

Work with your cravings. I love salty and crunchy foods, especially at night.  Instead of trying to deny myself (impossible), I make fresh popcorn. If you have a sweet tooth, invest in dried mango or papaya or keep small bars of high-quality dark chocolate around. The trick is to shift to healthier versions of your favorite foods and eat them in small quantities - not to eliminate them altogether.

Create a calendar. It sounds silly but adults respond to positive reinforcement as much as kids do. Get a calendar dedicated to your new habits. Mark off the days that you accomplish them. When you hit 30 days in a row for a new habit, reward yourself with something other than food: a massage, a pedicure, or a new work-out outfit. Or, instead, you can start putting money in your New Habits jar and save up for a vacation. The key is to make the process fun and rewarding.

Find support through friends or online. One writer is documenting her goal of “eating like an adult” at Slate.com.  Or, perhaps the website, SparkPeople.com is more your style. Whatever helps you make the shift - as long as it’s a site that promotes slow changes and healthful eating habits (and not extreme dieting or other unhealthy strategies).

New habits are uncomfortable at first but after awhile, they will begin to feel “normal.” Try adding a delicious protein-packed smoothie to your morning routine. By balancing your blood sugar in the morning, you won’t be as hungry throughout the day and will make better food choices. Make it the night before and store it in a to-go cup if you’re always in a rush!

Very Berry & Creamsicle Smoothies

2 cups vanilla yogurt
¾ cup orange juice
2 medium bananas, peeled and broken into large pieces
1 cup frozen strawberries OR ¾ cup frozen blueberries

For Creamsicle Smoothies: use 1 cup of ice instead of frozen berries
Optional: ground flax seed, protein powder, bee pollen, leafy greens

Add all the ingredients to a blender and purée until very smooth. Serve
immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to two days.

COOKING TIPS:
-You can use fresh berries when they are in season. Just make sure that you add a frozen ingredient such as ice or a frozen banana, so that the smoothie will become frothy like a milkshake.
-Replace the orange juice with pineapple juice for a tropical version.
-It’s best to avoid non-fat yogurts since they often contain added sugars. Instead, use low-fat or whole milk yogurt for this recipe.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes
Serves: 3-4
Recipes from Easy Meals to Cook with Kids by Julie Negrin © 2010

“Habit is habit, and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time.” - Mark Twain

When you grow up in Seattle, it’s not unusual to come across vegans.  But when a New York Times food writer “goes vegan”, you know there is a major shift occurring in the country. Mark Bittman, author and food writer, is now Vegan Before 6 - 6pm, that is. He eats vegan meals all day and then after 6:00, he eats whatever he wants. (Vegans do not eat any animal products or products made with animal derivatives.)

I find the Vegan Before 6 approach interesting because it’s structured but still offers flexibility. I think ultimately, this is what we all need - to find our own strategies that satisfy our lifestyles and our ethics.

I started this blog post yesterday and then headed to a Kim Ricketts Book Event to hear author, Anna Lappe speak about her new book, Diet for a Hot Planet.  (Her mom, Frances Moore Lappe wrote the revolutionary book, Diet for a Small Planet in 1972.) Inevitably, the topic of veganism came up. The moderator asked Anna if she thought there was a place for meat in the diet. I was impressed that she didn’t give a pat answer about what people “should” or “should not” do. Instead, she thoughtfully pointed out that eating animal products - or not - is a deeply personal and philosophical decision that each person and family needs to explore on their own terms.  However, she countered, we can all agree that there is enough research showing that a “plant-centric” diet is healthiest for our bodies and the planet - and that’s the direction we should at least be headed. I concur.

I have never subscribed to a one-diet-fits-all concept. Everyone is built so differently.  Over the years, I’ve tried to maintain the delicate balance between informing people about food without telling them what to do. So, if you’re curious about vegan or vegetarian diets, here are some things to consider:

If you want to make a slow shift:

Go Meatless Mondays. If you’re a big meat eater, just shifting over to one vegetarian dinner a week is a powerful step. The Meatless Mondays site has recipes and be sure to check out Seattle blogger, Michael Natkin’s site, Herbivoracious.com for mouthwatering vegetarian recipes.

Develop your own rules. Perhaps you can start eating vegan lunches or try eating meat only on the weekends. Find something that works for you, your body type, and your schedule.

Get creative. Instead of thinking about it as eliminating food from your diet, instead look at it as a fun opportunity to try new foods. Explore different cuisines that are already vegan like Indian or Asian fare.

If you’re taking the plunge and going fully vegan:

Do your homework. It’s a good idea to visit a nutritionist/dietitian or physician who is knowledgeable in this area before completing cutting out all animal products. Get your vitamin and mineral levels tested, take note of your energy level on your current diet, and make sure that you are well-informed on the topic before making any major changes.

Watch the sugar. Animal protein stabilizes your blood sugar for a longer period of time than plant protein or carbohydrates. Depending on how much your blood sugar fluctuates during the day, you’ll need to be careful if you omit animal products. Many people that go vegan (and/or vegetarian) end up overindulging in refined carbohydrates and sugar because they become hungrier a lot faster. You’ll need to eat small meals more frequently and be sure to include protein as often as possible throughout the day (nuts, nut butters, beans, tofu).

Limit fake soy products and other processed products. Just because a meal is vegan or vegetarian doesn’t mean it’s automatically healthy. Many meat-free products on the market are still very processed. Our bodies prefer food in their most natural state. While these products are great for last minute meals, they should not comprise the majority of our diet. Try to stick to whole foods (beans, tempeh, whole grains, nuts, seeds) as much as possible.

Learn how to cook. You’ll need to be creative in the kitchen in order to make sure you’re getting all of the nutrients you need. Take a cooking class, read blogs (check out www.vegan.com), buy some cookbooks, and start experimenting with grains, beans and veggies because you’ll be eating a lot of them!

RESOURCES:

This topic is vast and this blog post only includes a few general suggestions. For more information, check out the book, Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-Based Diet by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina. (If you’re in Seattle, Vesanto Melina sometimes teaches classes so keep an eye out for her events.)

Check out the upcoming book, The Meat Lover’s Meatless Cookbook by Kim O’Donnel due out in September and available for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Vegan cookbooks recommended by cooking instructor and vegan, Jackie Topol:

Vegan with a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
The Candle Cafe Cookbook by Joy Pierson and Bart Potenza w/ Barbara Scott-Goodman
Rabbit Food Cookbook by Beth A. Barnett

Vegan baking:

Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Joy of Baking by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Other titles you can check out:

How it All Vegan
Vegan Lunchbox
The Vegan Table
The Conscious Cook
The Kind Diet
Great Chefs Cook Vegan
Veganomicon
Vegan Express
Raw Food/Real World: 100 Recipes to Get the Glow

Sometimes I wish I didn’t have to worry about lunch. I absolutely adore brunch/breakfast foods and I can spend hours reviewing dinner menus.  But lunch? Eh. I know I’m not the only who feels this way because I talk to a lot of people who either don’t eat lunch or eat very little. But even though I don’t get excited about it, I do my best to eat a quality lunch.

When people speak to me about struggling with their weight, one of the first questions I ask them is how much they eat during the day. The ones who are having the hardest time are usually the ones who eat very little all day. The “diet mentality” from past decades - that it’s better to eat less - is a very one dimensional way to address food and weight loss. Certainly, we should treat food like we treat money - we should not consume (spend) more than we burn off (earn). But we also have to address the timing of meals - breakfast is crucial but lunch also plays a key role in keeping our bodies fit.

Studies indicate that regular, well-timed meals throughout the day help people shed pounds and also prevent heart disease, diabetes, and even aging. The old proverb, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and supper like a pauper,” now has scientific verification.

When I worked on a kibbutz in Israel from 1995-96, one of the first things I noticed was that they ate their heaviest, hottest meal at lunch time. Many other countries also distribute their meals differently than Americans - studying other cultures can help us re-think how we eat in the middle of the day.

If nothing else, remember to eat some protein at lunch time. While waiting in the salad line at delis in New York City, I’d watch many people ask for only vegetables in their salads. They were eating too lightly! I’m guessing that later in the day, the vending machine will start beckoning…. Eating smart is all about thinking ahead - addressing the body’s hunger throughout the day instead of trying to deny it.

You accomplish several things by eating a “princely” meal in the middle of the day:

1) Eating a good lunch means you’ll be less susceptible to crappy, nutrient-less foods like the stale cookies at work or leftovers from your child’s lunch box.

2) You are more likely to hit the gym in the afternoon or after work. If you go to the gym in the morning, it’s especially important to eat a solid lunch so that you don’t become so hungry that you end up making poor eating choices later in the day.

3) One of the biggest pitfalls of not eating enough during the day is the inevitable binging in the evening. Of course the body is going to want to eat everything in sight when it hasn’t gotten much food all day! It’s not a lack of will power - it’s a matter of physiology. The body needs frequent meals or else it’s going to demand all of it’s daily calories at night - plus some extra just in case you starve it again the next day.

I recently bought the book, Cook This, Not That by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding.  It’s kind of a goofy marketing strategy but this series of books and their website contains a lot of great information. Cook This, Not That compares the cost of preparing a meal at home versus eating out. It also lists the calories of meals from different restaurant chains. While I’m not big on calorie counting - it’s worth noting that some salads at California Pizza Kitchen have enough calories for a woman’s entire daily needs!

Many of the recipes are easy, they don’t use a lot of ingredients and have good photos. For those of you who prefer heartier lunches, check out the meatier dishes in Cook This, Not That! or Tom Colicchio’s delicious cookbook, ‘wichcraft: Craft a Sandwich into a Meal.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Cranberries, Avocado, and Goat Cheese

12 oz cooked chicken
12 cups arugula (1 bag)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup Honey Mustard Vinaigrette (see below)
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the chicken, arugla cranberries, avocado, goat cheese, walnuts, vinaigrette, salt, and pepper in a large bowl (or tupperware to take to work). Use two forks to incorporate the dressing (or bring it in a separate smaller container to add right before you eat).

Dressing: 1/2 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon Dijon, 2 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar, 1/4 cup canola oil, and salt pepper.

Recipe from Cook This, Not That!
Calories: 500
Cost per serving: $2.64

California Pizza Kitchen Waldorf Chicken Salad
Calories: 1,644
Cost per serving: $12.99

Food. Healthy. Diets. Eating. Cooking. Sustainable. Local. All big buzz words for 2010. I have dozens of blog posts ruminating in my head that cover all of these topics - attempts to clarify all of this Food Confusion and help people get back on track. But today, I am going to talk about popcorn.

Twice yesterday, I encountered the tell-tale smell of microwave popcorn. And it got me thinking about how people are trying to eat healthier - but struggle with finding the time to prepare food from scratch. I’m particularly passionate about popcorn - love the stuff. When I make it, I prepare it on the stove in a pot with some oil - “old-fashioned” style. It takes me approximately 5-6 minutes. The only ingredients I use are: popcorn kernels, oil, and kosher salt.

Microwave popcorn, on the other hand, takes roughly 3 minutes to “cook.” It contains all kinds of processed ingredients including: Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Salt, Natural Flavors, Annatto For Coloring, Soy Lecithin and/or Palm Oil and Freshness Preserved With Tbhq and Citric Acid. (It’s pretty cool that you can read the nutrition labels on packages via Amazon.com). In 2007, they discovered a chemical in microwave popcorn that causes lung problems.

We certainly like things to be instantaneous! Even if it means saving us just a few minutes. It never ceases to make me laugh when I take pictures of my nieces and nephews on my digital camera and they immediately say, “Let me see it!” We are so spoiled by technology now that we often forget that it’s the things that take a little time that we usually savor the most in life.

Last summer, I made popcorn for my Healthcorps students who are in their early 20’s. They were drooling over it. You would have thought I made them a gourmet 5-course meal - because most of them had never had it before! It not only tastes much better but it’s MUCH cheaper and it’s made with “real” ingredients our bodies recognize and know how to digest.

We can keep buying “100-calorie packs” and trying to go that route which, clearly hasn’t worked well for us over the past 20 years. Or, we can face the fact that our bodies want to consume food grown naturally - not engineered in a laboratory. Mother Nature’s food. If we cut out the chemicals, we will notice a lot of positive changes in our health including our energy levels, our skin, our weight, our moods and so on. This is especially important for kids - chemicals in processed foods are linked to all kinds of health, weight, and behavioral problems in children. Michael Pollan just discussed how crucial it is to eat “real” foods with Oprah last week.

I realize that it’s not easy to eat completely chemical-free these days. All we can do is keep making small differences in our diet - take baby steps toward a “cleaner” way of eating. Since processed foods are everywhere, we need to take every chance we can to reach for “real” foods - and save the “instant meals” for road trips and weekday evenings when everyone is exhausted.

Preparing a meal from scratch doesn’t take as long as you’d think. A UCLA study found that those making meals from scratch spent almost the same amount of time preparing dinner than those making a meal from partially-prepared, “convenient” foods. While developing recipes for my cookbook, I discovered that making (gourmet) macaroni and cheese from scratch takes roughly the same amount of time as it does to prepare it from a box.

So, next time you’re looking for a snack - instead of pulling out the chips or packaged foods, pull out a bag of popcorn kernels.

JULIE’S HOMEMADE POPCORN
One of my chef friends drizzles truffle oil over popcorn for a decadent snack. You can add all kinds of ingredients and spices: nutritional yeast, parmesan, cinammon sugar, or chili powder. This recipe yields a pretty big batch because I like to eat it the next day or put it in snack bags to take to work.

1/4 cup vegetable oil (I’m into grapeseed lately)
3/4 - 1 cup popcorn kernels (Organic, if possible)
Kosher salt to taste (Kosher or sea salt always trump table salt)

In a Dutch oven (or 8 quart pan), heat oil on medium to high heat. When it starts to shimmer (after a few minutes), add a popcorn kernel. When the oil starts to sizzle around the kernel, add the rest of the kernels. (I use a full cup in a Dutch oven which overflows a little when it’s fully popped.) Cover with tightly fitted lid.

Jiggle the pan just a little bit while the kernels start to heat up (you might need to use hot pads to hold the pan). When they all start to pop at once, jiggle the pan with more force so that the bottom pieces don’t burn. As soon as the popping sound starts to slow down, lower heat, jiggle for another minute or so and pull it off the heat. Salt and enjoy.

For more information on how chemicals in food can affect health, especially with regards to children, check out Robyn O’Brien’s new book, The Unhealthy Truth.