Lunch Date Newsletter #11: From food labels to grain bowls and casseroles

Hello again! Thanks for finding the time in your busy day to catch up with me. I’m thrilled you could make it to our lunch date this week!

First off, I have exciting news to share with you. I was invited to be a healthy living blogger for the Huffington Post! My first article was published last week, and it’s called “How Doing Dishes Can Help You Lose Weight.” Check it out!

Here’s my collection of articles and recipes from the last week, from hot hot hot ancient grains to a whole lotta grain bowl and casserole recipes. For some reason (Jonas Salk’s 100th birthday? The new moon? Halloween coming up?) this was a big week for great news articles and awesome recipes – I stumbled on a ton to share with you all.

But wait…

I Still Need Your Help!

I was nominated for two WEGO Health Activist Awards (Best Blog & Best Twitter), and I need your help to win!

If you can, please take a moment to endorse my nomination:

click here to vote for me!

Thank you so much. I wouldn’t be up for these awards without each of you!! xo

My Recent Press:

• How Doing Dishes Can Help You Lose Weight – Huffington Post

What I’m Reading:

Food News & Trends:

• 5 Healthy Products I’m Dying to Try (and more about the 2014 Food & Nutrition Conference and Expo) <-a blog post focusing on kids from family nutrition expert Maryann Tomovich Jacobsen of Raise Healthy Eaters

• Eat Well Embrace Life: ‘Suddenly beans went from boring to exciting…We want to be the Chobani of hummus’ – Food Navigator USA

• Dr Oz’s ‘magic weight loss cure’ loses remaining support – Fox News

• General Mills develops ancient grains Cheerios – Food Navigator USA <- ancient grains are starting to take up some serious shelf space in the grocery store. It’s a trend I keep running into, and I’ve noticed new products at the food trade shows I’ve gone to over the last few years and in the supermarket. I’m happy to see some grain diversity since each one offers different flavors, textures and health benefits.

• Have you heard of kalettes? – well + Good

• Revised Food Labels Still Won’t Tell the Whole Story – The New York Times

Food Safety:

• Should You Be Washing Your Bananas? – The Cutting Board

Food, Nutrition & Health:

• Sorry, Your Gut Bacteria Are Not the Answer to All Your Health Problems – Mother Jones

• The GMO debate: 5 things to stop arguing – The Washington Post

• Fight Colds With Your Fork – Kitchfix

• 5 Food Philosophies I Live By – Carlene from Healthfully Ever After

• 11 Surprising Reasons Your Food Allergic Child Won’t Eat – Jill Castle for About Health

Cool News That Has Nothing to Do With Food:

• Interactive app provides extra content during orchestra performances – Springwise

• Project 3D prints photographs to keep memories alive for the blind – Springwise

What I’m Salivating Over:

Breakfasts:

• Overnight Pumpkin Vanilla Oatmeal – Alex Caspero of Delish Knowledge for Kitchen Daily

• Apple Oatmeal – EatingWell

• Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal – fANNEtastic food

• Pumpkin Oat Bake – Eat Real Food

• Date-Oat Muffins – EatingWell

• Whole Wheat Pumpkin Honey Muffins – Sweet Treats & More

Salads:

• 15 Autumn Salad Recipes – Gimme Some Oven

• Autumn Arugula Salad with Caramelized Squash, Spiced Pecans and Pomegranate Ginger Vinaigrette – how sweet it is

• Crispy Kale Roasted Autumn Salad with Brie Grilled Cheese Croutons – Half Baked harvest

• Autumn Couscous Salad – Foodie Crush

Soups:

• Italian Split Pea Soup – USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council

• Creamy Potato Leek Soup – The Clever Carrot

• Lasagna Soup – Cooking Classy

• 30 + Soup Recipes – Cooking Classy

• 50 Light & Healthy Soup Recipes – Skinnytaste

• Butternut Squash + Sweet Potato Soup – Blissful Basil

Main Courses:

• Quick and Easy Weeknight Dinners – fANNEtastic food guest blogs for The Lean Green Bean

• Quick Roast Chicken & Root Vegetables – EatingWell

• Basic Pasta Sauces to Know – Food Network

• Soft & Crunchy Tacos – Sweet Treats & More

• Rethink the Humble Sandwich and Salad – Jill Weisenberger for Food & Nutrition

• Chicken Stir-fry – Tyler Florence for Food Network

• Vegan Loaded Sweet Potato – Kara Lydon, The Foodie Dietitian

Casseroles:

• 15 Healthy Quinoa Casserole Recipes – Fit Foodie Finds

• Baked Farro Risotto Recipe – 101 Cookbooks

• Mushroom Casserole Recipe – 101 Cookbooks

• 15 Comforting Casserole Recipes – Gimme Some Oven

• Vegetable and Cheesy Pasta Bake, Gluten Free – With Style & Grace

Grain Bowls:

• Recipe: How to Build the Perfect Superfood Grain Bowl – Lee Hersh for Anytime Fitness

• Meze bowl – The Muffin Myth

• Kale Rice Bowl Recipe – 101 Cookbooks

• Quinoa and Rice Bowl with Kale, Kimchi and Egg – Melissa Clark for The New York Times

• Quinoa and Brown Rice Bowl with Vegetables and Tahini – Food & Wine

• Vegetarian Brown Rice Bowl – Fit Foodie Finds

• California Barley Bowl – 101 Cookbooks

Slow Cooker Meals:

• Slow-Cooker Recipe Round-Up – NourishRDs

• 15 Slow Cooker Dinner Recipes – Gimme Some Oven

• 15 Slow Cooker Soups & Stews – Gimme Some Oven

Appetizers and Sides:

• Butternut Squash, Arugula, and Roasted Garlic Goat Cheese Tartines – Blogging Over Thyme

• Quick and Easy Chinese Stir-Fry Beans – Jeanette’s Healthy Living

Snacks:

• Za’atar Spiced Crispy Chickpeas – USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council

• Caramelized Onion, Mustard, and Cheese Toast (with pickles) – Naturally Ella

• Honey-Sweetened Almond Chocolate Chip Granola Bars – Cookie & kate

• Pumpkin Cranberry Oat Bars – The Lean Green Bean

• No Bake Pumpkin Spice Bars – Running with Spoons

Desserts:

• Mini Pumpkin Seed Candy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups – Half Baked harvest

• Chickpea Gingersnaps – USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council

• Easy Peanut Butter Cups – Martha Stewart

• Pumpkin Tarts – Daisy Brand

• Dark Chocolate Mousse – Daisy Brand

• Spiced Pumpkin-Raisin Cookies – Giada De Laurentiis for Food Network

• Citrus Angel Food Cake with Strawberries – The Cutting Board

• Pumpkin Pie Reeses – Chocolate-Covered Katie

• Pumpkin Fudge Balls – Chocolate-Covered Katie

Halloween Treats and Dinner Recipes:

• Spiderweb Maple Brownie Cookies – fANNEtastic food

• Spooky Spaghetti Stuffed Peppers – Fountain Avenue Kitchen

• Healthy Treats for Classroom Halloween Parties – Real Mom Nutrition

• Carrot Rice Jack O’Lanterns – Meatless Monday

All of these recipes & many MANY more on my Pinterest page. Follow me!

Photos From the Week:

Be well! See you for another mid-week lunch date next Wednesday!

Question…What article or recipe are you most excited to read?