Food

Do you ever feel like you have to trick your kids into trying new foods or eating healthier options? Sometimes all it takes is a different cooking method to turn a finicky eater into a fan!

Most people don’t think of fruit as a hot treat unless it’s a sugar- and fat-loaded pie or cobbler. These Banana Boats can be cooked on a grill, in the oven, or even over a campfire or fire pit! The best part is their versatility. The original recipe calls for a tropical combination of banana, pineapple, and coconut. But you can try other combinations, too: banana and strawberry, banana and blueberry, or even banana and peanut butter!

Being a Registered Dietitian and daughter of a breast cancer survivor, I understand the importance of using a healthy lifestyle and nutrition to reduce cancer risk. Certain foods high in phytonutrients, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins may reduce cancer risk.

I love versatile recipes, and these corn pancakes fit the bill! You can use canned, fresh, or frozen corn, so whether you slice it off the cob or use some of the bags of frozen corn you bought during a major sale at the grocery store, you’ll have a great side dish in no time! I also love that I can make the batter from scratch or use a ready-made pancake mix.

Slow cookers are great for quick and easy meals any time of year. Winter, spring, summer, or fall, this small appliance can help you when you are too busy to cook or you need to free up oven space when you’re cooking a large meal. Check out these recipes from The Food Factor previously featured on the blog.

Who says comfort food has to be unhealthy? This delicious casserole is loaded with flavor, and best of all—you don’t have to heat up the oven! Before you start putting all of the ingredients in your slow cooker, please note: the noodles, spinach, and cheese are added *after* the chicken cooks for 6–8 hours. You’ll cook the noodles separately, so this is not technically a one-dish meal, but it’s pretty close!