TV Appearance tomorrow – Energy Drinks February 28, 2012

The past 24 hours have been full – full of parenting adventures. It turns out Jackson’s breathing was related to a viral infection that worsened last night. After a failed attempt with a nebulizer treatment at home, we took him to the ER around 9pm for labored breathing. Jackson seemed to improve quickly and they sent us home a little before midnight with instructions to follow up with our pediatrician today. Today we spent several hours at the doctors and then getting the needed equipment to improve his breathing – a humidifier, eucalyptus oil, nose sucker (my name for it), and saline solution. After his 3 hour nap (and my hour and a half nap) he is doing better. It seems to be finishing up in his chest and now just a stuffy nose. Praise the Lord that he is ok and it didn’t worsen!

Tomorrow is a new day! Hopefully filled with better health. I will be making an appearance on First Coast Living on behalf of UNF to talk about energy drinks and healthy alternatives. The program airs from 11-11:30am and it is available online. Please tune and watch! I’ll hopefully look pulled together.

Healthy Super Bowl Recipes February 3, 2012

This morning I had the opportunity to share some tasty, and healthy, ideas for your Super Bowl Party. Check out the segment here.

The recipe for Tropical Salsa Guacamole can be found here. Below are my other 2 recipes for the Buffalo Chicken Skewers and Chocolate Covered Strawberries.

Buffalo Chicken Skewers

Chicken tender (as many as you need)

Favorite wing sauce (look for one that is less than 40 calories a tablespoon)

6″ wooden skewers

celery sticks

Lowfat blue cheese dressing

1. Heat stove top grill pan or outdoor grill to medium high heat.
2. Brush wing sauce onto both side of chicken tenders.
3. Grill chicken until cooked through.
4. Once chicken is cool enough to touch, insert skewer into chicken and leave enough out to hold. Serve with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.

 

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

2 pints of Florida strawberries

2 cups dark chocolate chips

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Heat chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval. Stop heating when chocolate is almost completely melted.
2. Stir in vegetable oil till chocolate is smooth and shiny.
3. Dip strawberries in a slightly circular motion and place on wax paper. Refrigerate until hard.

 

TV Appearance Tomorrow Morning February 2, 2012

Tune in to Fox Action News Morning Show tomorrow at 8:40am to hear me give some lighter Super Bowl party foods. I’m cooking them up right now and they look delicious! One of the dishes is seriously what I am bringing to a party on Sunday.

Don’t miss it!

Healthy Holiday Events! December 8, 2011

As I hope you have noticed, I am passionate about having a healthy holiday this year.  Healthy in many ways. How’s it going for you? How is your mind, body and spirit? If something is feeling weak, I encourage you to take some time for yourself and nourish that part of you. Fortunately, nourishing one area benefits them all!

If you are struggling to find your health mojo this holiday, may I offer you some encouraging events to attend?

Next week I am co-hosting 3 Juice Plus Wellness Presentations. Yes, we talk about Juice Plus, but we also talk about healthy living in general. It will be a great time to get motivated by being around other health-minded people. Please join us. We have events Wednesday evening Dec 14th in the St. Johns area, Thursday evening Dec 15th at 7pm in St. Augustine and Friday morning Dec 16th in the south San Marco area. See the attached documents for more information. Please RSVP to me at jbraddockrd@gmail.com if you would like to attend. Oh, and the evening ones are entitled “Wine and Wellness” so yah, you should come.

Invite WinterWellness

InviteWineWellness

InviteWineWellnessStAugdoc

I am returning to our local Fox Action News Morning Show on Wednesday, December 21st to talk about healthy party snacks. Please tune in!

My next Whole Foods cooking class is Thursday, December 29th. We are having a more celebratory meal including Garlic Prosecco Chicken. Sign up  here and come have a great time! I also just submitted our classes for January, February and March so check their store calendar to sign up for those too!

In January, I will be back in action at A. Chef’s Cooking Studio. I am so excited to collaborate with Chef Andrea again. This is the coolest kitchen around. I love pulling up a chair anytime at this studio but love to cook there even more! Check out the schedule and join one of our classes.

Stay Slim during the Holiday Season November 26, 2011

The holidays bring a lot of food temptation. Here’s an idea for this year: enjoy your parties. But, while you are at home and in between events, follow these simple tips for staying on track and keeping off the pounds.

Eat a Filling Breakfast: If you start your day off with satisfying foods, you won’t be tempted by the treats you encounter. Protein rich foods are your best choice for a filling and satisfying breakfast. Try a egg mug scrambler by microwaving Eggs Beaters in a mug with veggies for 1 1/2 minutes or until set.

Stay Fueled with Snacks: Snacks are a bridge between meals to keep you satisfied. Look for whole grain snacks with fiber like Smart Pop popcorn. 6 cups is only 100 calories.

Monitor Your Portion Sizes at Home: Keep frozen meals around to have a quick, portion controlled meal. It just may help you better recognize portions at other meals and help you loose weight.

Try Low Calorie “Dessert” options at home: No sugar added hot chocolate, chocolate flavored tea, or sugar free coffee mixes are great options for low calorie treats to satisfy your sweet tooth at home. Save the indulging for holiday parties.

TV Appearance this Weekend November 23, 2011

On Saturday, November 26th I will be on Channel 4′s Morning Show around 7:50am. I know that is a little early for a Saturday, but maybe you will continue the Black Friday mind set for one more day. My topic is tips for eating between parties to stay slim over the holidays. Please tune in!

Let’s take just one minute to talk about Thanksgiving. How are you feeling about the big day of eating? Do you have a plan for your Black Friday eating? Take a little time today to think about how you can be a successful eater starting the moment you wake up on Friday. Perhaps it means not taking left overs home with you or you are joining a “Burn the Bird” workout at the gym. Whatever you need to do to reengage in your healthy lifestyle on Friday, do it! Go in with a plan this year. Please don’t start eating at Thanksgiving and not stop until January 2nd. Try something different this year!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am thankful for you taking the time to read my blog. Please pass the word on about Fresh Food Perspectives.

Healthy Travel Tips – Action News Morning Show November 17, 2011

The holidays are hard enough to navigate when you are home. Add in traveling, and it may seem impossible to eat healthy and maintain your weight.

This morning I made an appearance on Fox Action News Morning Show and shared some tips for eating healthy while traveling. Here they are below. Enjoy!

Traveling can be crazy so be as prepared as possible with your food. Remember the journey is not the party.

1. Eat breakfast before you leave. Include protein to give you lasting energy and manage stress. Examples: EggBeaters just whites mug scramble; Greek yogurt with granola and spoon in a to-go bag; oatmeal made with milk for extra protein.
2. Pack snacks to take with you. Be prepared if your plans change and you don’t have the time you thought you would to eat. Bring fruit (apples, oranges pack well), almonds or your own trail mix, 100 calorie packs and snack bars.
3. Use smart phone apps to help locate the best eating options. Gate Guru, AroundMe, Restaurant Nutrition and Lose It are very helpful.
4. Drink water!! Flying, especially can dehydrate you. Dehydration can mask itself as hunger. Bring an empty water bottle through security and fill up at water fountains to save money. Watch out for calorie-filled seasonal beverages. They are often a lot more calories than you think.

TV Appearance This Week November 14, 2011

Please watch Action News Jax on Thursday morning around 8:30am to hear me talk about healthy travel tips for the holidays. Do you have any tips for healthy eating while on the road? Please share them and tune in!

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month November 9, 2011

Yes, it is. This is an important month to bring attention to the disease of diabetes. Diabetes seems to get marginalized in this country because you can simply “take a pill for that”. This is not the way to think! Diabetes changes your life forever. It is worth paying attention to.

First, know your risk. Try this quick risk assessment to see where you are at.

Next, educate yourself. This month’s Health Source Magazine (Northeast Florida) is chalked full of diabetes information geared for those who are new to it. Check out it out here and make sure you read the article on pages 14-16. A dietitian you know is quoted (wink, wink).

Gluten-Free TV Appearance October 6, 2011

Here is the link to my segment on First Coast Living from yesterday. Hopefully it answers some of the gluten mysteries in your life.