Back in 2003, Starbucks debuted its Pumpkin Spice Latte, with great success. Other food and beverage companies noticed and followed suit. Now, fall means the Great Pumpkin Spicing of Everything. Many of the pumpkin-spiced flavored foods and drinks are heavy on refined carbs (pumpkin spice Twinkies, anyone?) And that cozy, luscious Starbucks Pumpkin Spice GrandeRead more
I started shopping at my local Aldi a few months ago and discovered what has become my favorite snack – store brand hummus and black bean chips. I will make a special trip to Aldi just to buy them. Black bean chips with hummus is no prep, enjoyable and healthy. Lately, I’ve been having theRead more
When it comes to barbecue sauce, some popular brands contain so much sugar, they could be located in the candy aisle of the grocery store. For those of us who have prediabetes, it’s worth reading nutrition labels. For example, a two-tablespoon serving of Sweet Baby Ray’s Original Barbecue Sauce contains 17 grams of sugar, aboutRead more
At a recent summer potluck lunch, one dish was particularly popular. People went back to the buffet for seconds of the marinated green beans, a dish that happened to be low in carbs, calories and fat. Several of us at the potluck asked for the recipe. It turned out to be so simple! 1. Canned greenRead more
I’ve long loved the cheese bread served at Brazilian restaurants but I never thought I could – or should – have it at home. That changed last month, when I tried Gusto Brazil cheese bread from the frozen food section at Sam’s Club. Verdict: While the bread is not restaurant quality, it is delightful and prettyRead more
Macaroni and cheese is one of my favorite foods – and now I can put it back on my plate without guilt. I tried Banza Mac and Cheese Deluxe, made with chickpeas, and it was good enough that I will buy a box again. Traditional macaroni and cheese is made luscious with refined white flour,Read more
A registered dietitian once gave me wonderful, realistic encouragement about dealing with my habit of stress eating. Her radical advice? Work with my habit, rather than try to completely stop it. When I developed gestational diabetes during my second pregnancy, I was told I was at higher risk to develop diabetes later in life.Read more
How did I overlook this heavenly jam? Crofter’s Organic Premium Fruit Spreads have been produced in Canada since 1991, but I discovered the jars last month, when I returned to leisurely, in-person grocery shopping. I bought a jar of Crofter’s organic blueberry. A week later, with most of the blueberry left, I purchased the organicRead more
I’m excited about Donato’s lower carb pizza, made with cauliflower crust. It has 30 percent fewer carbs than regular pizza – but it tastes like regular pizza! I did a stint as a newspaper restaurant critic, so I’m pretty picky about food. This pizza passes my test – it has a crispy/chewy crust that servesRead more
Who wants to give up ketchup? Not me, even though regular ketchup is a sugar bomb. So, I want to give a shoutout to a great new product, Heinz Sweetened With Honey Reduced Sugar Ketchup. A mere tablespoon of traditional Heinz Tomato Ketchup contains 5 carbs and 4 grams of sugar – the sugar beingRead more