It’s National Nutrition Month and Stef's got a story to share :o)

Even though no kid wants to utter the words, “My mom was right,” in this case, I am proud to say it. Every time I reach for the salt, I can hear my mother asking “Did you even taste it?” So, now, I think of that every time I go for the salt.

The CDC says 9 out of 10 people eat more sodium than recommended. Too much sodium can lead to health problems like high blood pressure, stroke, stomach cancer, and more. And for what? A little flavor? Add some fresh parsley, rosemary, cilantro, lemon juice…the world is full of flavorful herbs and fruits! Use them. Your heart will thank you for it.

A few tips:

    -   When at a restaurant, remove the salt shaker from the table (you may not even miss it)
    -   When using beans or veggies from a can, rinse them well (it washes off unnecessary salt)
    -   Keep an herb garden and snatch some leaves to boost the flavor of your meal

Our friends at eatright.org have a ton more info for you about National Nutrition Month and staying healthy all-year round!

Happy Munching :D

 
 
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Hi everyone! I think WebSpider's been doing a wonderful job these past two weeks writing about diabetes, don't you?

Well, you may or may not know it, but today is World Diabetes Day! And I thought the best way to celebrate would be to share some more healthy munchings, this time specifically diabetes-friendly ones. Of course, all of my favorite snacks are already diabetes-friendly - like carrots and alfalfa (and alfalfa salsa!!!) - but we also have a number of yummy recipes that Judy Puppets and I like to whip up in the workshop too!

Keep reading for some of them...

 
 
Hi everyone!

I really love Halloween - everything's so spooky, the air is all gusty, the clouds are taking strange shapes, and it feels like ANYTHING can happen! It's fun to tell scary stories and decorate with cobwebs, orange and black streamers, and pumpkins! My favorite is actually the Jack Be Little Pumpkins, which are tiny pumpkins that can stay fresh and pretty for months if you keep them out of the sun. Judy likes the larger pumpkins though, because then she can carve all sorts of faces into them. With my little Jack Be Little Pumpkins, I draw the faces on with permanent marker.

Right now all the stores are full of candy and other sweets, but Judy Puppets and I wanted to share some of our favorite healthy Halloween treats!

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First off, speaking of pumpkins, here are three great recipes from Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks for roasting pumpkin seeds after you've carved your pumpkin:

Sweet & Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
1 egg white
1/4 cup natural cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grained sea salt
1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the egg white, sugar, cayenne and salt. Add the pumpkin