Cooking With The Moms

On today’s show, I’m taking you behind the scenes to one of my hands-on cooking classes. I realize that most of you don’t live in my home state of  Massachusetts, so this is going to be a virtual cooking class. Sound fun?  I’ve been on Nantucket this summer, and over at the Nantucket Culinary Center, I’ve been giving cooking classes throughout the summer to locals and island visitors. These classes are always an adventure, and of course, everyone who joins one of my classes gets to cook up all sorts of nourishing foods. I thought it would be cool to take you along to one of my classes--not in person, but through this podcast episode.   Show Highlights: Deviled Eggs: Ingredients include hard-boiled eggs, mayo, diced orange bell pepper, dijon mustard, honey, salt and pepper, and paprika Cook’s tips: steam the eggs; use a sandwich bag as a piping bag Salmon Cakes: Ingredients include grilled, diced salmon, whole-wheat panko bread crumbs, shredded cheddar cheese, corn kernels, mayo, dijon mustard, egg, fre

On this week's Liz's Healthy Table podcast, I'm celebrating the best and brightest that summer produce has to offer, and I hope you'll join me by tuning in and sharing your summer produce stories in the comments section at the end of this post. I want to know what’s growing in your garden, what’s for sale at your local farmers’ market, and which summer fruit or vegetable you can’t stop eating. For me ... it's cabbage! I’ve been grilling it all summer and my family has happily joined the obsession. Today’s guest is Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN, a mother of three and President and CEO of the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH). PBH is dedicated to helping consumers live healthier, happier lives by eating more fruits and vegetables. While today’s show highlights fresh summer produce, I want to remind you that frozen, canned, dried, and even 100% fruit juice all count toward your daily fruit and vegetable consumption. Eating your greens (and yellows, and reds, and oranges ...) may sound easy, but about

Grains have gotten a bad rap in light of recent low carb and keto diets, but what’s the real deal? Are grains to be avoided completely, or is there a place for them in a balanced diet? Today’s show will clear up the confusion about grains and set the record straight. My guest is Christine Cochran, Executive Director of the Grain Foods Foundation. I met Christine at a conference back in January, and I’m thrilled to get to the bottom of the grain dilemma with her in today’s show. Christine lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband, three kids, and a new puppy.  Show Highlights: Christine’s background in agricultural economics, traveling and working on farms in Costa Rica and the Czech Republic, and her work at the US Embassy in Nigeria The Grain Foods Foundation, established in 2004; their mission is to provide science-based messaging on the nutritional benefits of grains Grain foods include corn rice, oats, faro, and quinoa--not just wheat How grains are the main source of protein in other countries,

Dr. Julia Nordgren is a pediatrician who is also a trained professional chef. With her stethoscope and whisk, she's on a mission to teach her patients (and now you) about eating a healthy and delicious diet. Julia is the author of The New Family Table, a cookbook filled with no-fuss, no-muss recipes that make healthy eating flavorful, affordable, and accessible to everyone.    Show Highlights: Julia’s unique roles as a pediatrician and chef, because she wanted to acquire cooking skills to help solve problems for her and her patients How the issues of childhood obesity and poor nutrition prompted her to want to offer solutions A story of a patient who saw significant results by incorporating more home-cooked meals in place of takeout dinners How to plan ahead and prepare healthy meals Julia’s new cookbook, which helps readers prepare more meals at home with simple ingredients and lots of flavors Julia’s recipe for Braised Carrots, made with butter, brown sugar, ginger, salt, and fresh thyme Why you should get

Today’s show is all about eating a vegan diet, and my guest is cookbook author, blogger, and dietitian-to-be, Gena Hamshaw. Gena is a vegan lifestyle guru. She's the voice behind The Full Helping and the author of several cookbooks including, Power Plates: 100 Nutritionally Balanced, One-Dish Vegan Meals. She joins me with tips for getting started on eating a vegan diet, important rules of the road when it comes to getting the right balance of nutrients on a vegan diet, the scoop on all those plant-based milk alternatives popping up in supermarkets, answers to questions from the Podcast Posse, and lots of vegan recipe inspiration for you and your family. The featured recipes we discuss on the show include Gena's Spring Panzanella Salad with Artichokes, Asparagus, Peas and Lemon Dill Vinaigrette and her Cauliflower Scramble, a tasty substitute for scrambled eggs. Show Highlights: How and why Gena started her blog, The Full Helping, in 2009 The juggling act between blogging, writing cookbooks and being a diet

What if I told you there was a cookbook out there guaranteed to solve your biggest dinnertime dilemmas: lack of time, finicky eaters, and the lure of heavily-processed convenience foods. Would you jump for joy? I bet you would, which is why I invited chef and registered dietitian, Michelle Dudash, RDN, onto the show this week. Michelle joins me this week to dish about her new book, Clean Eating for Busy Families: Simple and Satisfying Real-Food Recipes You and Your Kids Will Love. Michelle takes us into her clean eating pantry for recipes like Four Seasons Fruit Pizza (her daughters’ favorite), Turkey, Vegetable, and Oat Mini-Meatloaves with Marinara Sauce, and Hoisin Beef and Edamame Lettuce Wraps in a Hurry. What you’ll hear in this episode: Michelle’s background as a dietitian and a chef, and her life in Carmel, Indiana with her husband and two daughters, ages 5 and 9 A crazy chef story about how Michelle once served Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and how he taught her how to brew a proper pot of tea Why M

Today’s show features a new cookbook designed to empower teens, college students, and young adults how to cook. It's written by one of my favorite dietitian cookbook authors, Katie Morford, MS, RDN. Katie’s new book is called, PREP: The Essential College Cookbook, and the tips, recipes, and kitchen wisdom in the book provide the foundation for a lifetime of kitchen confidence. I hope you’re hungry because Katie joins me to answer your questions and to talk about some of my favorite recipes from the book including Butter Lettuce with Green Goodness Dressing, Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Parmesan, and Golden Banana Bread. We dish about how to teach kids knife skills (yup, it can be intimidating), the importance of empowering kids of all ages with the skills they need to work their way around the kitchen, lots of kitchen wisdom, the benefits of knowing how to cook when you're a young adult.   What you’ll hear in this episode: All the juicy details of Katie’s life and work as a registered dietitian, writer, c

Do you ever walk through the grocery store scratching your head and wondering what to put in your shopping cart? Do you pass by foods like coconut oil, soy, dark chocolate, coffee and other caffeinated beverages, and kombucha … and just keep walking? Are foods like coconut oil, soy, and coffee good for you and your family or bad? Or could they be both? Do these foods confuse you? To set the record straight on foods that confuse is Mary Purdy, MS, RDN, an Integrative Registered Dietitian with Arivale.  {The information presented on today’s show is that of Mary Purdy and may not necessarily reflect the beliefs and policies of Arivale.} Mary is a health coach who provides nutrition and lifestyle counseling to clients using personalized genetic data, functional labs, and a food-as-medicine approach. She's also the co-host of the informative and hilarious podcast, Mary's Nutrition Show, and author of Serving the Broccoli Gods.  Show Highlights: Mary’s background as an NYC theater actress who moved to Seattle to b

Back in February, I sent a survey out to the LHT community. Over 200 of you responded, and wow! Did you have questions! You wanted to know about the best ways to plan healthy meals and tips for getting your kids, even your independent teens, to eat more fruits and veggies. You wanted dinner ideas that could do double duty, pleasing the vegetarians and meat eaters at your table, and a lot of you were eager for advice on cutting sugar from your family’s diet. You asked ... and I’ve got the answers. What you’ll hear in this episode: Dan’s background in nutrition and his work as my intern The easiest things to do to have a healthy diet: Use the USDA’s “Choose My Plate,” and fill ½ with fruits/veg, ¼ with protein, ¼ with grains, and don’t forget to hydrate! Quick and healthy dinner meals: Use “Build your own" nights, for tacos, Buddha bowls, or pizza Use versatile, healthy foods like eggs and rotisserie chicken Tips about meal planning and prep Check out my 30 meal-planning tips Have a plan and use it f

Today’s show is the second in a two-part series on probiotic supplements. Last week in Probiotic Supplements (Part 1), we explored probiotics: What are they?  How do you choose the strain that’s right for you?  And how do you know if you’re really getting what you paid for? Read on for what you'll learn in Part 2 of this series! In Part 2 of our Probiotic Supplements series, Anthony Thomas, PhD, from Jarrow Formulas, is back to answer YOUR questions, including: How do I store my probiotic supplement? How do I pick and choose a probiotic for my kids? Do different probiotic strains do different things? What are the best probiotics for IBS? Are there any long-term studies to back up the validity of probiotics? How do I take a probiotic supplement when I’m on antibiotics? And more.   What you’ll hear in this episode: Why most probiotics will be more beneficial if stored in the refrigerator Why the most efficient doses of probiotics contain billions of CFU’s (colony-forming units) Why probiotics won’t “go bad,”

We’re talking about a hot topic today: probiotic supplements. On the show, my guest, Anthony Thomas, Ph.D., shares the true definition of a probiotic, discusses why taking the right probiotic supplement may be good for your health, and explains what to look for on supplement labels to make sure you're getting what you paid for. Antony Thomas, Ph.D. is the Director of Scientific Affairs at Jarrow Formulas. I met him back in January at a conference where he gave an eye-opening lecture on probiotic supplements and the importance of knowing about the strains you're taking. It turns out that not all probiotics are created equal. The key to choosing the right supplement for you or a family member is to look for probiotic strains that been studied for a specific health benefit. We covered a lot of ground on the podcast, so I decided to split the Probiotic Supplements episode into two parts. In Part 1, Dr. Thomas offers a primer on probiotics. In Part 2, he answers YOUR questions ... and trust me, you had a lot of qu

Southern cuisine is having a moment! Whether you were raised in the south or you're simply curious about the food, recipes, and farming culture from this diverse U.S. region, I hope you'll tune in to hear my interview with Georgia-born chef and cookbook author, Virginia Willis. Virginia is the author of the gorgeous new cookbook, Secrets of the Southern Table, and she's here with tips for stocking a southern pantry, nutritious recipes your family will love -- including a sweet potato and pecan bread that's to die for, spatchcock chicken, and the best sweet potato & greens gratin recipe on the planet -- and family stories that shaped her love of southern cooking. What you’ll hear in this episode: Southern cuisine is defined as diverse foods from the 13 states in the south, which has a year-round growing season. Why the always-growing immigrant population of the south means the cuisine is always evolving Traditional Southern food includes healthy superstars like corn, tomatoes, butterbeans, green beans, ok

He's a chef, a dad, a cookbook author, and he's married to a pastry chef; so how did Chef Matt Jennings go from working 17 hour days in one of Boston's hottest restaurants to losing 200 pounds and keeping it off? Tune in to the podcast and find out!  On today's show, my interview with Matt explores his incredible journey from fat to fit, his stunning breakout cookbook, Homegrown: Cooking From My New England Roots, Matt's favorite ways to add flavor to nourishing meals, how to create a killer cheese plate, Matt's newest tattoo, and two recipes: a lamb meatball recipe with yogurt sauce that's to die for and a recipe for little gem salad with cheddar vinaigrette and pistachio granola. By the way, Matt's granola is THE BEST homemade granola I've ever made. What you’ll hear in this episode: Matt’s journey: how he started cooking at age 14, attended culinary school in Vermont, worked in restaurants all over the world, and owned and operated and  two of his own restaurants. Matt’s two sons, ages 9 and 5, who are gr

What are the hottest diet and food trends for 2019? From the keto diet and non-dairy milk alternatives to dinners cooked campfire style in foil packets, today's guest puts this year's food trends into perspective. Joining me is Dr. Joan Salge Blake, long-time friend, colleague, author of Nutrition & You, and Clinical Associate Professor at Boston University. Here are the top trends you'll hear about on the show: the keto diet, the push to lower added sugar in everyday food products, non-dairy milk, foods cooked in foil,  and plant-based eating.  Show Highlights: A new foil-packet dinner recipe for Cod, Carrot, & Green Beans, which can be used with any seafood. It’s seasoned with green onions and teriyaki sauce and topped with a fresh avocado sauce. Check out my blog, with a dozen new foil pack dinner recipes. What’s coming up on the podcast in 2019? A listener survey to get specific feedback and show ideas and my soon-to-be-announced “March into Good Nutrition” campaign featuring short videos to answ

She's a foodie who's always hungry, and for well over a decade, Lisa Lillien has been sharing her love of healthy food through her Hungry Girl platform. Lisa makes smart eating easier with a daily email filled with recipes, diet hacks, and nutritious food finds; cookbooks (she has published 12 so far!); magazines; and a weekly podcast. On this week's show, Lisa takes us behind the scenes to Hungry Land where we dish about her most recent cookbook, Clean & Hungry Obsessed, the most popular recipes on her site, diet and food trends (wow, they've changed a lot over the years), and a sneak peek at her next cookbook. What you’ll hear in this episode: The Hungry Girl platform and brand: It began as a daily email newsletter in 2004 because Lisa loved food and wanted to help regular people make good food choices Why the growth and the magic of Hungry Girl? Lisa’s 12th book, Clean & Hungry Obsessed, featuring clean ingredients and lots of fresh, healthy vegetables The one degree of separation between Robert

Are your small kitchen appliances and gadgets collecting dust? Wondering what to make in your new Air Fryer or Instant Pot? Are you thirsty for new ways to use your high-powered blender for nutrient-rich smoothies? If you answered, yes, yes, and yes, this is the show for you. My guest is dietitian, cookbook author, mom, and kitchen gadget guru extraordinaire, Dana Angelo White, MS, RD. Dana joins me to dish about kitchen gadget benefits, challenges and potential pitfalls, and new ways to use your Instant Pot, Air Fryer, and blender to get healthier meals onto your family's table and into your kid's tummies. Dana is a culinary dietitian, media consultant, and she's been the nutrition expert FoodNetwork.com for over a decade. She is also the sports dietitian and associate clinical professor at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT. She is the author of three cookbooks, and guess what ... we're away a copy of each: the Healthy Air Fryer Cookbook: 100 great recipes with fewer calories and less fat!; the Healthy Ins

They come in a wild variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, and winter squash are everywhere this time of year. In addition to their vibrant beauty, winter squash are versatile and nutritious. The stars of today’s show are some of my favorite winter squash varieties--butternut, acorn, delicata, kabocha, Honeynut, spaghetti--and together with my two guests, we'll be sharing interesting ways to prepare winter squash that even your pickiest eaters will love. It's time for some winter squash wisdom!  My first guest today is Katie Morford, a registered dietitian, food writer, and cookbook author. She has a blog called Mom’s Kitchen Handbook: Raising Fresh-food Kids in a French-fried World, and her recipes rock. Wait till you hear about Katie's recipe for Delicata Squash Tacos with Quick Pickled Onions. My second guest is the Executive Chef at Wilson Farm, a family farm located down the road from my home in Lexington, Massachusetts. Chef Raymond Ost was on the show last spring to talk about asparagus, and he’s here a

What are the healthiest foods for kids to eat? From kohlrabi and watermelon to lentils and chickpeas, today's guest rounds up the 101 healthiest foods every kid everywhere should put on their plates and into their tummies. Registered dietitian, Sally Kuzemchak is a mom of two, founder of Real Mom Nutrition, and author of the awesome new book, The 101 Healthiest Foods for Kids. Sally joins me with highlights from her book including advice for feeding finicky eaters, tips for getting kids to try new foods, super healthy recipe ideas, and realistic food rules to make family mealtime a breeze (or close to it).   What you’ll hear in this episode: Sally’s “mom-life” in Columbus, Ohio with her husband, two sons ages 10 and 14, and her dog, Copper. The Real Mom Nutrition online platform, started in 2009 as a no-judgement zone and resource for feeding kids a healthy diet. How Sally started out as a writer, fell in love with the subjects of nutrition and women’s health, and then went back to school to become a registe

On this week's show, food educator and author, Carolyn Federman introduces budding cooks to the concept of seasonal, organic, and local food with easy and delicious recipes that they can easily tackle on their own. Want to learn how to handle and use a real knife? Curious how to choose fresh and nourishing ingredients at the supermarket? Eager to treat mom and dad to pancakes this weekend? This show empowers parents to teach their kids how to cook and offers easy ways to bring home ec back to schools with Carolyn's mobile kitchen classroom, The Charlie Cart Project.     We are giving away a coy of New Favorites for New Cooks: 50 Delicious Recipes for Kids to Make by Carolyn Federman. Post a comment in the comments section at the bottom of this post and tell me about the recipe or recipes your kids love to make on their own (or with your help) and/or tell me why you'd love to win a copy of New Favorites for New Cooks. (U.S. entries only, please.) Giveaway ends on November 14th at noon.    Carolyn shares that

Do you know the difference between hunger and food insecurity? Wondering what you can do in your community to lend a helping hand to people in need? My guest this week is #FoodDignity advocate and dietitian, Clancy Harrison, RDN. She's on a mission to remove the stigma associated with food stamps, WIC, and other food assistance programs (she sees these programs as a hand "up" versus a hand "out") and improve the quality of the food provided.  Show Highlights: Clancy Harrison, MS, RDN shares her mission to bust the stigma surrounding food assistance programs. Clancy defines hunger  as something everyone can feel at any time when you don’t have enough food and defines food insecurity as not having enough food to curb the hunger, or you’re eating poor quality food choices that lack nutritional value. Liz and Clancy discuss the health/psychological consequences of not having enough to eat and Clancy asks you to imagine putting your child to bed hungry and how stressful it would be to worry every day how you'll f