Eat well, be well. This applies to our fur babies, too. 

Our Pug, Millie, is a picky eater and has an easily upset stomach. Last week, she had an issue that required a medication so I had to find a way to stash a pill in her food, and let me tell you, she was able to sniff that pill out and eat everything BUT the pill in a minute. Those commericial "pill pockets"? No. She absolutely refuses those weird plastic-like green things. So I tried rolling the pill up in deli ham slice and she grabbed that ham, gobbled it up  ... and spit out the pill. But these Meatballs worked like a charm. I made a hole in the center, buried the pill in it, and she gobbled the meatball up in one bite, never even noticing the pill.

Continue Reading

Fiber? Why should I care about eating fiber, and how much fiber do I need? This article gives a summary of why fiber is important, and daily fiber recommendations based upon your age and caloric intake.

And the following recipe gives you a delicious way to increase your fiber intake. This is a classic bran muffin recipe that I have tweaked over the years to improve flavor and texture and also reduce the sugar and oil content without sacrificing taste. These muffins are moist and bursting with flavor, everyone I serve these muffins to asks me for the recipe.  

 

Lisa's Tropical Bran Muffins
(Makes 16 regular size, or 8 large muffins)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of Kellogg brand "All Bran Buds"
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce plus 2 Tbsp....

Continue Reading

The description of a candle's scent can seem confusing, or incorrect, because often times what the label reads is not what you smell when you test-whiff the jar. And there's an reason for this; scent blending is complex.

C9SC candle labels always list a name I have given it, which I am hoping you'll connect with, and three specific scents you'll recognize listed below that name. Sometimes one, or all three, of the scents will be obvious and sometimes a scent will only emerge when the candle is burning. Remember, scent is our biggest memory trigger and a personal experience, we will not all agree all the time. What I love, you might not like at all. And the scents that you are drawn to might not appeal to me. Here in lies the challenge as a candle-maker!

So why do...

Continue Reading

Lemon Ricotta Rigatoni is a classic Italian dish and comfort food. It's not exactly "healthy" because it is high in fat and carbs, but it is oh-so delicious and a perfect "treat yourself" meal on a cold snowy Monday, like today.

This my version of the classic Italian dish, which calls for basil instead of arugula. I think basil overwhelms the delicate, simple sauce and arugula adds a peppery flavor that compliments the cheese, and I love it. But you can modify this recipe to suit your tastes. This dish can be made with any type of pasta noodle you like or have on hand. Try it your way and let me know what you think. This sauce does not require cooking, so this dish is ready in under 20 minutes, making it a winner in my book.

Ingredients:

Continue Reading

Quiche is delicious for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and makes great left-overs. It's the perfect make-ahead party dish, served with fruit or a salad. Plus the individual slices reheat and freeze well.

I use a pre-madeTrader Joe's gluten free crust fround in the frozen foods section, and this significantly cuts down on prep time. I happen to love leeks and gruyere, but you can get creative and substitute any meat, veggie, or cheese that you like.

Ingredients:

1 9-inch parbaked crust
5 eggs
1 Tbsp. butter
3 cups diced leeks, white and green parts
8 oz. baby spinach
2 Tbsp. flour (can substitute a Bob's Red Mill gluten free variety)
1 cup full fat coconut milk (or whole milk)
3/4 cup half and half
6 oz....

Continue Reading