Raw Foods

Six different colorful plant-based dishes.

Making Plant-based Food Prep Fun

By Vesanto Melina, MS, Registered Dietitian As a dietitian, I learned which foods rated highest in folate or vitamin C, and what made beans, peas and lentils the protein, iron, and B vitamin superstars they are. Earlier, my mother had enjoyed sharing time in the kitchen and food preparation skills. My birthdays featured participatory cookie-making […]

Making Plant-based Food Prep Fun Read More »

Healthy snacking

10/11/2017 Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina Do you ever eat mindlessly? It would be very surprising if even one reader replied, “No, never.” So if we are occasionally going to eat mindlessly, we may as well eat food that offers a big boost to our health. Chopping veggies on a regular basis, storing them in ziplock

Healthy snacking Read More »

Healthy snacks offer benefits

01/02/2016 FacebookTwitterGoogle+Share NUTRISPEAK by Vesanto Melina MS, RD • Can snacking be a key ingredient in a healthy lifestyle? If your first response was “No!” here’s a chance to update your perceptions. Some of us were raised with the advice to “never eat between meals,” which makes sense in protecting our teeth from sweets. Yet there can be

Healthy snacks offer benefits Read More »

Avoid Your Enemies, Know Your Allies

Nutrispeak Avoid Your Enemies, Know Your Allies By Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis, Registered Dietitians   In the quest for blooming health and vitality, we have enemies and allies in the realm of food. Our enemies lurk on every street corner and entice us. It takes a little planning to surround ourselves with allies that

Avoid Your Enemies, Know Your Allies Read More »

Kale Salad with Orange Ginger Dressing

Recipe: Kale Salad with Orange Ginger Dressing Summary: Makes 4-6 servings  Ingredients Dressing: 1 cup orange juice 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger 2 tsp sesame oil (optional) 2 Tbsp sesame tahini 2 Tbsp miso 2 Tbsp cider vinegar 2 Tbsp Bragg’s or tamari 4 dates, pitted, soaked cayenne or black pepper, to taste Salad: 1

Kale Salad with Orange Ginger Dressing Read More »

Berry Delicious Ice Dream

Recipe: Berry Delicious Ice Dream Summary: Makes 3 cups Ingredients 3 frozen bananas 1 c (250 mL) fresh or frozen berries (such as raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries,) 1 c (250 mL) fortified soymilk or soy yogurt 2 tbsp (30 ml) frozen juice concentrate (orange, citrus blend, peach or mango) Instructions Place frozen bananas, berries and

Berry Delicious Ice Dream Read More »