Eat

A bento is a divided box that originated in Japan. Bento boxes are made from a wide variety of materials, including lacquer, bamboo, plastic and stainless steel. A traditional bento meal includes carbohydrates (rice or noodles), protein (fish, chicken, meat or tofu), vegetables and fruit. Foods are arranged in the box to display a colorful, healthy meal with a wonderful variety of flavors and tastes.

One of the questions people frequently ask me is "do you cook every night?" The short answer is "no," but what I really want to say is "define cook." We certainly don’t eat out every night and even when I don’t cook a full meal, there’s almost always something to forage from the refrigerator rather than eat fast food. Sometimes dinner is a mixture of home cooked and store bought. And speaking of fast food, while I haven’t eaten anything from a large chain fast food place in over two years, we often go to our local Vietnamese, Thai and Mexican places, which dish up a pretty darn fast bun cha, tom kha gai, or burrito mojado. That’s my idea of fast food now.

Adding a warm cup of delicious soup to your holiday menu can help to stimulate the appetite without filling you up. Homemade soups are a great way to kick off your holiday meal, and they make great leftovers for a light lunch. And while pies are the norm at the Thanksgiving table, starting your own tradition with a unique dessert can create a memorable finish with annual requests for more. Delight in the flavors of the season with these yummy recipes.

Indian cuisine seeks a balance of four tastes: sweet, sour, salty and bitter. This goal is based on a 5,000-year-old science that focuses a belief that eating balanced flavors encourages proper digestion and the release of positive, nurturing energy.

The food of India reflects the great variety of Indian life. What Indian people eat depends on the crops raised locally in their area and the ethnic and religious traditions and their lifestyles. On crowded city streets, vendors peddle a selection of tasty on-the-go food, such as samosas, a vegetable- (or meat-) stuffed pastry. Religious affiliations also dictate Indian diets. As a result, people in India eat far less meat than do other people around the world. This emphasis on meatless dining has led to a unique cuisine of vegetarian delights.

It's been proven that exercise and eating right are two steps that can reduce your risk of heart-related illness and disease. Here are three simple heart healthy eating habits that will keep you and your spouse on the right track.

First, it’s important to limit high fat foods such as red meats, cheeses, fried foods and baked goods. I know it’s tough, but if you really care about one another, than this is a big step.

If you and your spouse are the proud parents of an infant or toddler, you may not have encountered picky eating, yet… be thankful, it’s not always pretty!

Virtually every young child goes through some level of picky eating at one time or another. Parents that have kids who turn out to be "good eaters" will tell you the key to successfully navigating these stages is to put firm and healthful eating habits in place from the beginning, and then stick to them, even when the going gets tough.

Great memories have been made over summertime picnics with family and friends. Keep your memories happy by practicing food safety with outdoor dining. Bacteria counts climb in hot weather so you have to pay more attention to the possibility of food borne illnesses. Here are some tips to enjoy safe outdoor meals in warm weather:

1. Keep Cold Foods Cold: Foods that contain mayonnaise or meat, such as sandwiches, macaroni salads, potato salads, raw hot dogs, hamburgers or seafood, need to stay in an environment that is 40 degrees or colder to prevent bacteria from growing. Store these foods in a well-insulated cooler that is packed with ice.