How much thought did you put into picking the pillows that are on your bed right now? Go ahead. March right into your bedroom, give them a good once over, and be perfectly honest. You and your pillows deserve the truth. And don’t worry, there’s no shame here—it’s a safe space. Truly. Go look. I’ll […]
Category Archives: Self-Health Survival Guides
15
Jul
Jul
When I shop for food, I use all my senses to guarantee the excellence of my ingredients. I pick everything up, visually inspect it, tap it, squeeze it, listen to it, and taste it. And oh yeah—I’m a self-professed “smeller.” I’m that person in the store you might catch deeply inhaling each specimen of seasonal […]
14
Jul
Jul
Nothing makes me more giddy than walking up to the market entrance and seeing shopper after shopper hauling my favorite orb-shaped food to their vehicles. You know the one, all green and stripy on the outside and red and seedy on the inside. Yes, folks, the arrival of watermelon season is just one of Mother […]
08
Jul
Jul
Ask Chef Phyllis: Once when visiting San Diego, we were invited to a beach party. This event was called a clambake. Everything was cooked by a team of men. It took hours and seemed to be a lot of work. But the food was delicious: potatoes, corn on the cob, clams, sausage, and I know […]
07
Jul
Jul
Picture, if you will, a day in the not-so-distant future. Your grown child stands in the middle of his very own kitchen with a decision to make: what’s for dinner? Mealtime has come around again, and—whether he’s feeding only himself or his entire family—making it will be a snap if he’s been taught how to […]
01
Jul
Jul
With Independence Day just around the corner, it’s time to think about yummy celebratory dishes to bring to the party. Oftentimes, healthier options at these events are pretty slim, if not completely void. I try not to be too much of a foodie snob when someone has graciously welcomed me into their home, so I’ll […]
30
Jun
Jun
It’s the end of June and the summer heat has really kicked in. We all have our favorite way of cooling down, whether it’s jumping into the neighborhood pool, cranking the air conditioning, or relaxing under a big ol’ shade tree. But one of the sweetest cooling-down tactics out there is also one of my […]
24
Jun
Jun
Ask Chef Phyllis: I live along the coast of Maryland, and by June our waters are filled with all kinds of seafood. Of course, soft-shell crabs are the seasonal prize, and we enjoy them often. But I use blue rather than soft-shell crabs for soups and chowders too. Is there any difference between chowders and […]
23
Jun
Jun
Have I mentioned that I grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin? No? Well, I did. ;) I was surrounded by cows way too early in the morning and then again at the end of the day. The cows were entrusted to us from the time they were born—yes, I helped a momma cow […]
18
Jun
Jun
The passing of Memorial Day always signifies the true start of summer to me. The sound of the 7 a.m. school bus is merely a memory, replaced by the shrieks and giggles of boisterous children running through sprinklers and neighborly chats over dog walks at dusk. I spend a good part of my evenings on […]
16
Jun
Jun
Ask some people how to bring more culture into their life, and I’m willing to bet there’ll be mention of plays, operas, and poetry. Ask them how to get more culture in their diet, and I guarantee they’ll talk about digestion, bacteria, and…grandmas. Wait. What? Why grandmas? Because more than likely, those well-versed in the […]
10
Jun
Jun
Ask Chef Phyllis: I love all-you-can-eat shrimp and the shrimp festival at Red Lobster…I never miss an opportunity to get my fill. Though I should mention that the shrimp at these events are good but not great. Recently, my husband surprised me and took me to a little bistro that served shrimp in a wine-butter […]
09
Jun
Jun
Butter. Just hearing the word kicks in my salivary glands. Few things taste better than a steaming hot whole grain waffle with those crispy little pockets filled with melted butter and some real maple syrup. Am I right? Pair it with some bacon that’s taken a swim in the waffle runoff, and you’ve just created […]
03
Jun
Jun
Many of you may have gleaned from my past articles that I lean towards lower-carbohydrate foods in my personal life. As an athlete, I need my calories to sustain my lifestyle. But years ago I discovered that when I ingest large quantities of refined carbs—the kind that are converted to glucose quicker than their complex […]
02
Jun
Jun
It’s funny. While I was growing up, we drank milk right out of the bulk tank. Well, the bulk tank was actually an old ice cream bucket in the refrigerator, but you know what I mean, right? Little did we know of the contraband we were ingesting and what extreme rebels our parents were. That […]
27
May
May
Ask Chef Phyllis: It’s been a long time since I thought of making beets at home. They’re messy, with all that boiling in a big pot—plus they’re hard to peel and stain my hands. But I’ve heard recently that beets and beet greens are good for the blood. I like the taste of garden-grown beets […]
26
May
May
With this being the last week of school for our boys, summer fun lurks right around the corner. Of course, summer fun conjures different images for different people. While some envision lounging next to the pool or venturing into the wilderness for a camping trip, the Widish family’s summer fun can be summed up with […]
20
May
May
I’m always looking for new ways to include seafood in my diet. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I ate saltwater fare so frequently that I really took it for granted without realizing it at the time. Now that I’m landlocked, I miss my fish dearly. Thankfully, I’ve found a few local places that receive […]
19
May
May
Kettlebells, Bikram yoga, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and CrossFit have all been the darling of the exercise world at one point or another, and some still are. Much like figuring out the superfood of the moment (I’m looking at you, wheatgrass), it can be sort of confusing figuring out how to be your healthiest self. […]
13
May
May
Ask Chef Phyllis: We live in a warm climate nine months of the year, but summertime we grill outdoors for sure and maybe dine inside when it’s humid. We tried your Chicken Breast Cacciatore 30-minute recipe for a quick, easy, elegant dinner with great results. I am ready for the second entrée to add to […]