Summer Veggie Pasta Salad
By Kelly Bogard
Okay, so I know that the first day of summer is technically not until June 21, but when you combine the heat, the school year ending in a matter of days and all of the garden pictures my friends are posting on Facebook, I just can’t help but get a little ahead of myself. I am so ready for summer barbecues, swim parties, evenings grilling in the backyard and water sprinklers.
read moreBeefy Spaghetti Squash Bake
By Kelly Bogard
I love pasta. Really, I think I must have been Italian in my past life. I would eat pasta every day if my waistline could handle it. See, my problem is moderation.
Just like most everything else in life, pasta must be eaten in moderation. When I think of pasta, I think about the biggest bowl of spaghetti or a giant plate of chicken alfredo. And even though you can eat those things every once in a while, you shouldn’t have them every day.
read moreCultivating the future
By Jessica Domel
As many of you know, last week was Texas Food Connection Week–a week in which we encourage farmers and ranchers to really connect with consumers to talk with them about where their food, fibers and fuel come from. As I traveled to one of the local Texas Food Connection Week events, I was thinking about my two nieces, who are five and three, and wondering whether or not they know where their food comes from.Our family owns a farm that my father runs, but I never really sat down with the girls and asked if they knew that all that corn in the fields was used to feed cattle and so on.
read moreThe Southern food stereotype
By Amanda Hill
Last week, I heard about a study that found that “Southern food” is unhealthy. By Southern food, the University of Alabama at Birmingham study meant fried foods, burgers, processed meats and sugary drinks (specifically sweet tea). The study noted an increased stroke risk with fried foods and a higher risk of diabetes with sweetened drinks.
Forgive me, but why is this “groundbreaking” science? It’s not new news that fried food and/or meals high in salt and sugar content cause an increased risk of health problems. The research reports that people who eat “Southern-style” meals six or more times a week have a 41 percent higher stroke risk than those who ate those meals just once a month.
read moreSkillet Barbecue Chicken
By Kelly Bogard
Some of you may remember me talking about the Dinner Tonight! Cooking School I was going to attend. Well, I went and got some great information about healthy and affordable meals for my family. Put on by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, the Dinner Tonight program serves as a way for the county Extension agents to help families live a healthier lifestyle.
Many times we don’t think about the fat, sodium or calories included in our evening meal. With busy schedules to keep up with, it sometimes is hard to resist the urge of the drive-through fast food place down the street. And although many of them now have healthier options, I can tell you from personal experience that isn’t what I end up ordering.
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