Research suggests that the New Nordic diet may have heart-healthy benefits – reducing cholesterol, lowering blood pressure and fostering weight loss.  Each year, Christmas at my in-laws begins with risengrød (a Danish rice porridge made with rice, milk, and vanilla topped with cinnamon and a pat of butter) for breakfast followed by a small Scandinavian gift (think Swedish Dala Horse, Icelandic wool socks, or a Nordic diet cookbook) for everyone at the table. This small tradition celebrates family heritage from Scandinavia – a region in Northern Europe inclusive of Den ..read more

These 5-ingredient no-bake pecan bars are the perfect heart-healthy treat to satisfy your sweet tooth after a nutritious meal!  My favorite kind of dessert is the no bake kind. And I’m OBSESSED with these no-bake pecan bars this season. Made with only five ingredients, they’re incredibly easy to make and totally guilt free. And the best part? They’re heart healthy – meeting the dessert criteria set by the American Heart Association for a heart healthy recipe! I like to cut these bars into small squares – enough to satisfy a sweet tooth after a meal. However, I ha ..read more

The right healthy kitchen appliances can help you get the job done right. With these tools on hand, you’ll be cooking a healthy meal in no time. You wouldn’t show up to work without the right equipment to get the job done and cooking in the kitchen isn’t any different. But your commitment to eating healthy doesn’t have to be another full-time job. The right healthy kitchen appliances can save you time and energy. With nutritious ingredients and these helpful tools on hand, you can whip up a healthy dish easily, even after a hard day’s work.   Must-Have Healthy Kitchen Appliances 1.&n ..read more

Create healthy tuna salad with a few flavorful ingredients to create nutritious meals that you’ll want to eat year-round! What comes to mind when you hear “tuna salad”? Personally, I think tuna plus mayo – and maybe a few other miscellaneous ingredients like celery, relish or onion. The popularity of tuna salad is twofold: it’s budget-friendly and extremely versatile. A batch of tuna salad can be served over lettuce as a salad, with crackers, in a wrap or between two slices of bread for a quick and easy meal. But after 100+ years as a lunch favorite, this deli staple could use a healthy t ..read more

Turn up the oven or go the no-bake route – this heart healthy dessert guide will keep you focused on wholesome and nutritious ingredients!   A heart-healthy diet is one that is low in trans and saturated fat, sodium and added sugar. But that doesn’t mean you need to say buh bye to dessert! You simply need to get creative with the ingredients you choose – think beyond butter, sugar and white flour and embrace whole-grains and fibrous fruit!   As you might imagine, the most challenging part about making a heart healthy dessert is tackling the butter and sugar while ..read more

This list of best low-sodium cookbooks features everyday recipes that are loaded with creative and satisfying salt-free flavor! One in three Americans have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. That’s 67 million individuals diagnosed each year. Furthermore, 30% of Americans have higher than normal blood pressure levels – known as pre-hypertension – putting them at a greater risk for developing hypertension in the near future. Hypertension is one of the most common risk factors for heart disease. It is commonly referred to as the “silent killer” because it often has no warn ..read more

The ketogenic diet is on the rise, but is it for you? Learn more about this high-fat, low-carb eating pattern including what to eat and what to avoid. The ketogenic (“keto”) diet has been getting a lot of attention among medical and nutrition communities and in the media – appearing in cookbooks, on podcasts, in magazines, and more. Customers at local coffee shops are trading in their lattes for bulletproof coffee – adding butter instead of skim milk to their morning cup. Doctors are prescribing the ketogenic diet to patients with chronic diseases. And the general public is even using the ..read more

Sustaining healthy habits away from home can be a challenge. These 5 ways to stay healthy while traveling will help you plan ahead for your next work trip. While I’d like to say that I travel for pleasure on relaxing vacations, the truth is I travel most frequently for business – at least once a month, sometimes more. Maintaining health habits is easy when you’re at home – you have your daily routine, reliable healthy meals in the fridge and a gym at your finger tips. Staying healthy while traveling on the other hand is much more complicated.  A busy work schedule in an unfamiliar city ca ..read more