Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN

We love to try new foods. Some don’t measure up and some become staples in our kitchen. See what you think. Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods, already known for its back-to-basics healthy whole grain flours, cereals, meals and mixes, has extended its product line to include 3 varieties of pearl couscous. Couscous is well-known and considered a staple in countries such as Israel, Morocco, Algeria and Libya. Many in the US do not realize that these tiny pasta pearls can make a healthy, interesting, quick cooking substitute for rice or traditional pasta. … Read More

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It’s true. A chemical called apigenin found in fruits (apples, cherries, grapes), vegetables (parsley, artichokes, basil, celery) and fruit-based drinks (tea and wine) stops the growth of certain cancer cells – breast, colon, skin, thyroid and leukemia. … Read More

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We love to try new foods. Some don’t measure up and some become staples in our kitchen. See what you think. Barbara’s Puffins Multigrain is the latest addition to the Puffins cereal group. This gluten-free, multi-grain cereal is made of corn, brown rice and whole oats, and is free of artificial flavors, preservatives and additives. The crunchy squares are slightly sweet and hold their shape and texture in milk. … Read More

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We love to try new foods. Some don’t measure up and some become staples in our kitchen. See what you think. Spoonful of Comfort is a new company that produces old fashioned chicken soup that can be shipped anywhere in the US. Just heat and serve. The soup order can be enhanced with the addition of a ladle, apron, rolls and cookies. The soup does taste homemade, with large chunks of fresh chicken. The wide egg noodles have a firm and chewy texture, unlike the limp and soggy noodles often found in canned soup.  … Read More

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On average, children view over 40,000 TV ads a year, the majority for candy, cereal and fast food. … Read More

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We love to try new foods. Some don’t measure up and some become staples in our kitchen. See what you think. Every so often you find a new brand of an old favorite food and you are surprised that something you like has gotten even better. We are fans of Greek-style yogurt, as we are sure many of you are, too. Karoun Mediterranean Style Yogurt is excellent. It is creamy and thick and the texture does not break down or weep after the yogurt culture has been compromised by scooping out a portion. It is made of hormone-free (rBST) cow’s milk, has live probiotic cultures, and is kosher (OU) certified. It comes in Nonfat, Lowfat, and Whole Milk plain-flavored varieties. … Read More

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We love to try new foods. Some don’t measure up and some become staples in our kitchen. See what you think. Everyone is telling us to eat more fruits and vegetables. The new My Plate symbol from the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that your plate be half filled with fruits and vegetables. Most experts feel 5 to 9 servings a day are the optimum intake. Sadly, most Americans don’t even come close, unless you count French fries and ketchup. Ideally, we’d like to see everyone walking around munching on a fresh apple or carrot sticks. Crunch Pak products might actually help us reach that goal. … Read More

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Tea trumps water. Water replaces fluid. Drinking tea not only replaces fluid but tea is rich in disease-preventing antioxidants, too. One to 6 cups of tea a day can lower your risk for heart disease and increase your antioxidant status. … Read More

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We love to try new kitchen gadgets. Some don’t measure up and some become staples in our kitchen. See what you think. There is always a lot of discussion about how to best store coffee – whole beans or ground, refrigerator or freezer, or simply in a canister on the kitchen shelf. Most coffee experts would tell you the ideal storage is as whole beans in an airtight container, in a cool (not the freezer) shady place. Coffee contains volatile oils that are released in roasting and give each variety its characteristic flavor. These oils decay over time and grinding speeds up the process. So grind just what you need and use the grinds immediately. Friis has developed a Coffee Vault to preserve coffee freshness. … Read More

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We love to try new foods. Some don’t measure up and some become staples in our kitchen. See what you think. Racconto Essentials Heart Health is a line of heart healthy products that contain natural plant sterols, substances which help lower cholesterol. Plant sterols, sometimes called phytosterols, are naturally found in some vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. Though they occur in many foods, the amount found in a typical serving is small. Because of this plant sterols are added to foods in amounts that will aid in lowering total cholesterol.  … Read More

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