Caroline Eisenberg, RD

Spring picking is here and if you are like my family, you like to go to local farms and grab the goodies yourself. This means fresh produce......and cheap! Early spring is a great time to use up some fresh asparagus. One cup of this mighty veggie yields only 30 calories and is loaded with iron, fiber and 3 grams of protein! Below are three versatile recipes that can take you from side dish to full on meatless meal. Asparagus Pasta Salad: (bottom) Less guilty than traditional

I have major Goldilocks syndrome when searching for a wholesome and nutritious granola bar. Too much sugar, not enough protein, too many processed ingredients or not enough fiber. See what I mean? Not to say I don't pop a manufactured bar into my diaper bad from time to time, but when the logistics and ingredients line up, I try to whip up my own homemade bars for an easy snack option for the family. I like use either PB2 or quinoa for my protein rather than a processed prote

For the record, I also think that shoes, chocolate, vacations and flowers are a nice way to say, “I love you", but if you are looking for a nice DIY approach, try one of the following mindfully decadent brunch options. Banana split: A twist on the traditional creamery favorite. Cut the banana in half long ways and top with light yogurt, nuts, fruit salsa and slivers of dark chocolate for an antioxidant kick. Turkey bacon.....but in a heart. Because every brunch needs bacon..

I was trolling Pinterest recently looking for some DASH diet recipes and gracefully stumbled upon a few winners. The DASH diet (dietary approaches to stop hypertension) seems to be making a comeback in a BIG way....like wide leg pants and crop tops....and was voted one of the top diets of the year. I had completely forgotten about this widely successful diet which first gained popularity in the 90's (don't quote me on the decade). Anyways, it lacks any kind of quirky gimmic (

I have heard about black bean brownies for some time, but have been way to skeptical to try it out for myself....until my chocolate cravings got OOC (out of control). After all, my Mexico vacation.... followed by my trip to Napa.... is upon us, so I would rather make mindful food choices now, than later. Right!? A true Sophie's choice, eh? I found a few potential starter recipes on Pinterest. I say “Starter”, because I always end up tweaking things to fit my health standards.

While it is ultra convenient to grab a box of granola bars off the grocery store shelf, I can't help but get super skived out by the ingredient list. If you are looking for a healthier snack or breakfast option for you and your family, try making your own bars. I usually start with my own base of quick oats, mix in a few tablespoons of flax seed (for some heart healthy omegas and fiber), toss in some dried fruit, a squeeze of honey or agave and a dash of brown sugar. I have s

I love pancakes...or anything sweet in the morning but tend to feel super guilty (shocker!) if my breakfast is lacking in some serious and satisfying nutrition. I had some extra time on my hands Tuesday morning, thanks to a certain toddler waking up at 4:50 am, and thought it would be extra special if I whipped up a hot breakfast. I recently picked up some chia seeds and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to mix-em-in. And since I love to use seasonal produce, I kn

It's fall ya'll! Which means pumpkin everything....or at least pumpkin flavored (sorta) everything. There are now end units upon end units at the grocery store trying to capitalize on our obsession with all things pumpkin. I have to be honest, I was tempted to load up and taste test everything myself, but after sampling just a smidget of what was out there I came to a conclusion that it was not worth the calories since nothing seems to taste like actual pumpkin anymore. I kne

With the start of the crazy school year, football and cooler weather, fall is the perfect time to bring out the slow cooker. I love to use my crock-pot to cook large batches of soup to eat that day and freeze for the season. Soup is a great way to sneak in your veggies (frozen or fresh) along with some lean protein to make an overall balanced and low cal meal in one bowl. I don’t always follow a recipe since I like to utilize what I have on hand, but if I did, it would look s

If you are waiting until January to shed some weight, think again! Fall may be the best time to commit to some healthy changes. Read on to see how the fall foliage can inspire you. 1. Back to school and back on schedule. I love the saying " when you have more to do, you have more time to do it in". It is so easy live a sedentary lifestyle (one of the main causes of unwanted weight gain) during the dog days of summer. It may work out in your favor that exercise and healthy me