YES, unfortunately food that we think of as healthy is commonly loaded with unnecessary fillers and fakes. These two smuggles are in addition to the first two you learned about last week: #1 Fat and #2 Flavor. The bottom line tips from last week were: "Add your own flavor, buy the plain version. And buy full fat or whole milk products.” Read more here to learn the other two “Fs” that cause food to fail the “healthy” standard.

#3 Fillers are fake food and are a...

Unsuspecting smuggled ingredients can derail your healthy eating by stimulating appetite, hunger and cravings! These 4 tips all start with the letter “F” and will help you when shopping for packaged foods so you can avoid unnecessary sugars, stimulants, fakes and fillers. In this two-part series, we’ll start with the first two things you need to know! And you’ll find examples and recommendations to help clarify too.

#1 Flavor variations most commonly include...

Not all Olive Oil is the same. Last week, I shared why Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the healthiest oil and you learned about the abundance of counterfeits. Here you'll learn exactly which certifications to look for and where to buy it!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is like wine. The region where the olives are grown influences the flavor and color. The process and care as to how the oil is extracted and bottled is another key to quality. And finally, if it's not stored properly, it will spoil. But...

Have you been paying EVOO prices for counterfeits? Unfortunately, Olive Oil is another highly unregulated space. Which means there are a lot of imposters wearing the label of "EVOO" or "Extra Virgin Olive Oil" that don’t truly qualify as an EVOO. Most oils aren’t tested to certify the true quality of the oil and what's on the label isn't validated or verified. 

Fake vs. Real: What's the Difference? 

Real EVOO is the highest grade of quality awarded to olive oil....

Chicken, Cauliflower & Artichokes

Complete Meal, Protein, Meat

The flavors of this dish sing! The lemon coming through in the perfect way to make the dish the best spring time dinner in your rotation. 

TIP: Save time by using frozen artichoke hearts, available at Kroger stores and Trader Joe's.

Ingredients

• 4 large artichokes, trimmed and sliced (or sub frozen)
• one lemon, zest and juice.
•  4-6 chicken thighs (bone in skin on)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1...

Hunger and cravings are the primary signals your body uses to ask for the three key nutrients it needs to survive and thrive. Once it’s properly fed it will tell the brain to “Stop eating, I’m satisfied”. Fiber, protein and healthy fat are the three key nutrients that manage hunger and work best when consumed whole, in real, unprocessed foods. 

Fiber is essential because it stays behind in your digestive tract to feed your good-gut-bacteria that literally...

Want to control your appetite? Check the ingredients! Unfortunately, what’s inside the carton, box or bag often includes appetite accelerates like: yeast, sugar, flour and monosodium glutamate. These nefarious “smuggles” have infiltrated even the most simplistic, basic foods like “Vegetable Broth”, “Heavy Cream”, and “Nut Butter”. 

Never trust, always verify.  

Even restaurants, like Starbucks, are known to "smuggle"...

Popcorn is a healthy high-fiber, whole grain snack, but not all popcorn is the same. It depends on how it's prepared and and the ingredients you use. 

Here are 6 ways to make healthy popcorn at home & seasoning tips below:

1. Whirly-pop: Doing all this research, it was highly recommended by all the experts! I just ordered this one & plan to try it this weekend! The key is aluminum thin version for best heat conduction.   

2. Air-Fry: With NO oil, it's the most...

Did you know, your taste buds regenerate every 10 days? Which means, you can actually improve the taste of natural, healthy food if you "reset your taste buds" with a 10 day rest! 

THE 10 DAY CHALLENGE: eliminate all "sweet stimulation" for at least 10 days so the sweet-receptor proteins on your tongue can reset. Then, after the 10 day "challenge", slowly reintroduce sweet taste and you'll find your tongue is more sensitive to sweet taste. You'll likely notice you don't crave sweet...