Acne can affect individuals of all ages. Many people have hypothesized a connection between diet and skin breakouts for many years, but scientists have not been able to establish a definite association…until now. Read more…

Having written about healthy options at the Starbucks stores a few days ago, I did not want to offend anybody by forgetting about some of the good choices available at Dunkin Donuts. I have to admit that I used to be a skeptic until about a month ago. After being stuck in traffic on a road trip to Long Island, we pulled over at a local Dunkin Donuts only to be pleasantly surprised by the recent additions to the menu. Read more…

Baking bread always seemed too complicated for me to ever try my hand at it. This all changed when I saw an easy bread recipe on a package of flour. I have not bought another loaf ever since. Read more…

When your friend tells you he or she is a vegetarian, what first comes to mind?   Do you think they eat fish? Maybe they exist purely on broccoli florets and mushroom caps? There are actually a few kinds of vegetarians out there: Read more…

Would I get your attention if I said that you could get a few servings of fruits, a serving of dairy, and your healthy fats in all before lunch time? Just follow the tips below to make the most delicious smoothies, which can be consumed any time of the day and take seconds to prepare. Just a hint – add a little Bacardi or good-quality vodka for an after-dinner treat. Read more…

A NEW term “Maximum Weight Limit” has been discovered by statisticians using the SAS statistical software.  MWL correlates with the industry standard - Body Mass Index ( http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/), but the formula has been simplified and can be calculated without using graphs or calculators.  Rather than focusing on the healthy weight range, MWL focuses on the upper limit. Read more…

In addition to actively advertising their new line of 90-calorie drinks, including the skinny vanilla latte, Starbucks has recently released a new line of low-calorie treats. Among them, a Mini Sparkle Doughnut, which has 120 calories, 6 grams of fat, 150 mg of sodium, 1 gram of protein, and 16 grams of carbohydrates; a bite-sized Petite Vanilla Bean Scone, which weighs in at 140 calories, 5 grams of fat, 90 mg sodium, 0 grams of protein, and 21 grams of carbohydrates; and Starbucks Dark Chocolate, which has 180 calories, 12 grams of fat, 45 mg of sodium, 2 grams of protein, and 18 grams of carbohydrates. Read more…

Having posted the last entry about Maslenitsa, I started daydreaming about my childhood favorite recipes. Many kids nowadays grow up eating pizza and pasta as their comfort foods. One of my childhood favorites was sirniki (also known as tvorojniki). Instead of cheesecake, I used to have zapekanka. Read more…

If you have ever wondered what Russian food tastes like, Maslenitsa is a perfect time to experiment with making some blinis (aka pancakes). Maslenitsa represents a pancake week or cheesefare week, which takes place one week prior to Great Lent = now. Maslenitsa celebrates an approaching end of winter, but is also a great way to feast prior to the fast. Forbidden foods during Great Lent include meat, fish, dairy, and eggs – basically anything that comes from animals. Read more…

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, chocolate seems to be stalking me at every corner! Fortunately, I got an e-mail reminder about my favorite Valentine’s Day sampler from www.vitalicious.com. My order has just arrived and I could not be any happier. Read more…