There’s nothing like waking up on these cold winter mornings to a nice hot breakfast, but scrambled eggs and French toast take time (that I don’t typically have) to prepare. Cereal and yogurt are fast, but don’t always give me that satisfied feeling I need to start my day off right. That’s why I love oatmeal — it’s hot, quick and easy (not to mention really good for you!) And my oatmeal of choice is steel cut oats: they’re less processed and taste better than the typical instant rolled oats.  But, alas, they also take longer to prepare (which is counterintuitive to my whole spiel above).

Being an aunt is one of the greatest joys I have. Being an aunt and a dietitian though, isn’t always so easy. My nephews (like most kids) love sweets. They don’t get them very often because my sister, a well-informed mommy, doesn’t keep them in the house. So when I visit, I like bringing sweet treats that spoil them rotten — not their teeth. Enter the YummyEarth lollipops. While typical lollipops are pure sugar, filled with artificial coloring and flavorings, YummyEarth lollipops are free of artificial colors, flavorings, and high fructose corn syrup. Plus they contain only organic ingredients, and are just as delicious as their less healthy counterparts.

Valentine’s Day is typically a day of indulgence whether it’s a big dinner, lots of sweets, or expensive gifts for your loved ones. Personally, I’d rather spread the love out all year long. And truly it’s the little things that matter. Equal Exchange, an organization that aims to create big change through fair-trade coffee, tea, chocolate, and snacks, lets you help out the world as you help out yourself with delicious foods!

When I think of Super Bowl Sunday, I think of millions of Americans sitting around in their living rooms and kitchens over-eating and drinking beer. There’s a laundry list of unhealthy snacks common at these parties. Personally, my biggest weakness is nachos. Last year, a friend (who will remain anonymous) had seven-layer dip at her party consisting of sour cream, multiple cheeses, salsa, refried beans, guacamole, and spices served with fried tortilla chips. Besides the salsa and jalapeño, there was just one other redeeming component of this dish: avocado!

Normally I don’t pay too much attention to the commercials running throughout the regular football season. Everyone knows advertisers save their best stuff for Super Bowl Sunday. But this year, I couldn’t help but notice one trend repeatedly shoved in my face with the commercials run during playoff season. I picked up on it and then realized every other food ad was for something hot or spicy and inevitably, a bunch of jalapeño and other chili peppers were thrown up in the air. Granted, most of these commercials were for fast food chains like KFC and Wendy’s. But they’ve hit on a trend that Americans love and might actually be good for your health!

In 2009, the CDC found that only 27% of Americans were getting the recommended 3 or more servings of vegetables needed each day (1 serving is ½ cup cooked vegetables or 1 cup leafy). I admit that I’ve been on the wrong side of this sad statistic in the past (hey, nobody’s perfect), but I’ve found something that helps me step in the right direction — and surprisingly, it’s in the frozen food section. While my cooking is always healthy, it sometimes lacks vegetables because I either didn’t have any or they spoiled in my fridge before I could use them. Sound familiar?

You’ve been spending the past month getting gifts for other people. Now it’s time to treat yourself. In honor of our first anniversary and special birthday week, I thought I’d share some great gifts that will help you work towards a healthier lifestyle all year long.