I am a popcorn fanatic. It was my absolute favorite snack when I was growing up. I could put away a whole bag to myself, no problem. It was not too long after I started learning more about nutrition that I put my microwave popcorn habit on a hiatus to avoid the extra calories from artifical butter and flavorings. But I was missing that crunch so I started popping my own at home. Compared to the store-bought varieties, homemade popcorn from kernels has a much healthier profile: low calorie and no trans fat. Not to mention, it's also cheap and easy to make. In just 5 minutes there's is enough popcorn to make 1- cup portions. If you have never made popcorn on the stove before, watch Alton Brown

Not all nutritionists are Dietitians but all Dietitians are nutritionists. Today is National Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day. Since 2008, the second Wednesday of March (which is National Nutriton Month) is the day to celebrate the food and nutrition experts. What is the Difference between a Registered Dietitian and a Nutritionist? A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) has at least 1 Bachelor's degree and has completed all of the required Diadactic Program in Dietetics. She or he has applied to and completed a Dietetic Internship Program which is a 10 to 12 (or more) month long program. Then she or he has passed the Registration Exam for Dietitians which is a nationally recognized

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a spice used in a lot of South-Asian cuisine but it's growing more popular here the the states. It is the reason for the bright yellow color in curries, mustards, and sometimes is added to butter. There are a lot of studies that look at turmeric for it's potential anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial effects but the many of the studies are done using rats. Scientists are unlcear if the effects are proven in humans and I am not recommending it be taken as a supplement. Besides that, turmeric might just be the spice you're missing to tune up the flavor of your meals at home. How does it taste? Spicy, but not hot like cayenne pepper. It's similar to gin

Us Italians are known for being amazing cooks ;) and having big families. It's no wonder why many of us work in food service or nutrition. Quantity food production must be in our genes. How else were we able to feed a house full of relatives and keep everybody happy? Schools, restaurants, hospitals, and other food service establishments have to cook enough food to serve 50 or 100. Scaling up a recipe so it feeds that many people is tough. We're not talking 10 cups of pasta. We're talkin' 10 pounds of pasta. As a dietetic intern working at a school district, one of my main roles is coming up with and testing nutritious recipes (like these Yamadillas) to serve to the students. It must abide b

Happy National Nutrition Month! Today is the first day of celebrating health and nutrition and the dedicated professionals behind it all. Registered Dietitian Nutritionists all over are encouraging patients, clients, and students to optimize their nutritional well-being and to savor the flavor of every last bite! Today I'll be highlighting one of my favorite recipes that is super flavorful and from one of my favorite cookbooks Forks Over Knives. You might be familiar with their documentary, too. But if you don't have the cookbook or haven't seen the documentary that's okay. They have a website too! So this recipe is called "Yam"-adillas. It's a spin off of the word "Quesadilla" but there is