aging gracefully Archives

December 26, 2024

Published by Grace O

How Sweet It Is! Delightful Holiday Desserts

The holidays always call for plenty of desserts. Whether I’m throwing a party, giving gifts of food, or reliving holidays past through sweet treats, desserts are integral to my life this month. I’ll share a few of my favorite recipes with you. Brazil Nut Tarts Every year I host a Christmas caroling party at my home. Choirs from churches all over the area stop by to sing in my living room. Sometimes a Filipino celebrity or two will perform. My guests just love it. I like to put out a dinner buffet so that the choirs have something to eat […]

December 26, 2024

Published by Grace O

Devilishly Delish Vegan Desserts Are Here

There are vegetarians– those who don’t eat meat, chicken, fish or turkey (sorry!) — and there are vegans, who not only refrain from eating animals, but from eating animal products including, milk, cheese, eggs, ice cream, etc. Being vegetarian or vegan is a very personal choice and takes a fair amount of discipline. It means reading labels carefully and rethinking most recipes. According to PETA, by becoming vegan you save 200 lives a year. That’s something to think about. I’ll go out on a limb, though and say that being vegan isn’t all or nothing. By eating some vegan dishes […]

December 26, 2024

Published by Grace O

Spice Up Your Holidays with These Recipes

The days are short, it’s dark, and the holidays are upon us. It’s the time of year to bring out family-favorite recipes that spark nostalgia and warm the heart. Those aromas of gingerbread, pies baking, and a juicy roast in the oven really arouse the holiday spirit. The good news is that those herbs and spices are full of FoodTrients® that help keep mind and body in good health. For example, rosemary is a source of vitamin A as well as potassium, calcium, and antioxidants like polyphenols, gallic acid, and rosmarinic acid. These compounds can help digestion, alleviate gout and […]

November 17, 2024

Published by Grace O

Thanksgiving Recipes That Cover ALL of the Bases

It’s November with Thanksgiving just around the corner. For many, it’s the Olympics of food, but you can have a delightful holiday meal without gorging and turning it into a total carb-fest. The centerpiece, of course, is the turkey, a source of high-quality lean protein; vitamin B12, which helps regulate mood; zinc, good for retina and eye health; niacin, good for healthy skin and nerve function and selenium, an antioxidant that helps with detoxification and thyroid health. Many people think the key to a delicious Thanksgiving meal is in the sides. I couldn’t agree more! Here’s a suggested Thanksgiving meal […]

November 16, 2024

Published by Grace O

Unique Holiday Dishes with a Spicy Twist

Whether your Thanksgiving and holiday dinners are intimate gatherings or lively feasts, your turkey dinner can be exciting and loaded with a world of new flavors. If you’re a little adventuresome and yearn to deviate a bit from the old standby holiday recipes, we’ve got some great turkey tips loaded with a world of new flavors. Here are recipes for a spiced-up turkey and some tasty and unique dishes to fill up your holiday table. Turkey is typically the American centerpiece of holiday meals, but we have variations that are just as delicious and have some international flair. Spicy Sriracha […]

November 16, 2024

Published by FoodTrients

Turkey 3 Ways: Basic to International Flavors

Don’t you love Thanksgiving? It’s when the holiday season starts in earnest, yet there are no gifts to buy, no tree to trim, just a great meal with treasured friends and family. The Thanksgiving menu is by nature a healthy one—high in protein, low-calorie turkey, lots of FoodTrient-rich vegetables. Swap out butter-laden mashed potatoes for delicious whole grains, and you’ve made Thanksgiving dinner even better when it comes to reducing calories. Let’s Talk Turkey 101 Most experts agree that a hen turkey is better than a tom because they have smaller bones and more edible portions. Hens weigh less than […]

November 16, 2024

Published by Grace O

Give Your Turkey Some Super Side Dishes

Thanksgiving is a very big deal around my house. I really love the sides at Thanksgiving dinner. That’s where you can get even more creative, so don’t let side dishes weigh you down. Who doesn’t love buttery mashed potatoes, but if you want to change it up a little with a healthier but just-as-tasty alternative, check out my mashed potato substitute! Bok Choy can bring some excitement back into the “green” portion of your meal, and my Tropical Yams kick up the flavor for sweet potatoes. For an added fall touch, I also recommend my Stuffed Sugar Pumpkins and Cranberry […]

November 16, 2024

Published by Grace O

Tapping Into the Marvels of Maple Syrup

Despite the fact that it was imported from far away Vermont and Canada, maple syrup was one of those things we always had on hand in the Philippines when I was growing up. My mother would give it to us with pancakes and use it as a glaze for her famous fruitcake. Maple syrup is the concentrated sap from sugar maple trees that grow only in New England and Eastern Canada. It’s collected, usually starting in March, when the nights are still near freezing but the days are starting to warm. The sugar in maple syrup is considered unrefined and […]

November 5, 2024

Published by Grace O

Simplify With Stir-Fry for Quick, Healthy Meals

Sometimes there’s just not enough time in a day. When I get home late from a long work day and need to create dinner, I have a few easy favorites that will save the day. Here’s my go-to solution for a quick, delicious and healthy meal — don’t go stir crazy — go stir-fry! Usually associated with Asian cuisines, stir-frying involves small pieces of meat or seafood and vegetables stirred rapidly in a large skillet or wok with a bit of oil and high heat. Once you’ve sliced and diced the ingredients, everyone had better be sitting at the table, […]