November 19, 2012

8 Ways to Enjoy Holiday Meals Without the Junk

8 Ways to Enjoy the Holidays Without the Junk at KeeperoftheHome.org

By Kate, Contributing Writer Thanksgiving's coming--really, really soon!  And after Thanksgiving we have an onslaught of holiday festivities that will last until we begin 2013.  What we find at these festivities, in whatever form they take is...food. Lots and lots of food. I imagine the average person who eats a Standard American Diet can expect to gain 5 to 10 pounds during this time of year.  Those who eat a traditional diet, especially those who are new to eating real food, may find this time [...]

Filed Under: Holidays, In the kitchen, Living healthy, Real, whole food, Seasonal eating Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 9 Comments
November 9, 2012

Real Food Substitutions and No-Bake Cookie Dough Balls {a perfect holiday treat}

No Bake Cookie Dough Balls

Written by Rachel Marie, Contributing Writer I'm always on the look out for natural alternatives and healthy recipes, and I'm sure you are, too--especially if you read Keeper of the Home frequently. With all the gluten intolerances, food allergies and reduced sugar guidelines so many readers face today, I'm glad to be able to make quick substitutions like these: You can also substitute 1 cup sugar with 1 teaspoon of pure powdered stevia. (Not truvia or another similar brand; those are equal substitutions and often have fillers in [...]

Filed Under: Holidays, Real Food, Recipes, Seasonal eating Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 22 Comments
November 7, 2012

Classic Pumpkin Pie {Made with Fresh Pumpkin}

Pumpkin Pie Recipe with Fresh Pumpkin

By Mindy, Contributing Writer I never was a big fan of pumpkin pie during my childhood years.  Every year at Thanksgiving, I would choose cherry or apple pie over the classic pumpkin pie.  I never understood why it was such a big deal around the holidays! Until... I had my first pumpkin pie made out of fresh pumpkin.  Wow!  What a difference it made in the taste and texture of the pie!  I finally had an appreciation for this time-honored dessert that I had never [...]

Filed Under: Holidays, Real Food, Recipes, Seasonal eating Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 24 Comments
November 2, 2012

How to Identify and Use Winter Squash

how to identify and use winter squash

Written by Stacy Karen, Contributing Writer While most can identify pumpkin and butternut as varieties of winter squash, many of us don't know much about other types of winter squash or how to prepare them. Today I want to dive into the world of winter squash and open the door to new eating possibilities. Health Benefits of Winter Squash Winter squash, especially those with darker flesh (like pumpkin and acorn) contain high amounts of carotene. Carotene has been shown to help protect against cancer, heart [...]

Filed Under: In the kitchen, Nutrition, Raising healthy eaters, Real Food, Real, whole food, Seasonal eating Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 26 Comments
October 12, 2012

Jump into Fall with over 30 Pumpkin Ideas

Jump into Fall with 30+ Pumpkin Ideas

Written by Rachel, Contributing Writer Y'all, you know I don't really say that in real life but there is just something about this time of year that brings out that southern greeting. It's Fall Y'all and that means pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins! Pumpkins are used in recipes, for decorations and soon to be carved into silly faces, for themed crafts and learning activities and so much more, you literally can get overwhelmed if you search pumpkin on Pinterest. This post will give you a rundown on [...]

Filed Under: Children, Real Food, Seasonal eating Tagged With: , , , , , 14 Comments
August 24, 2012

Freezing and Using Up an Abundance of Peppers

freezing and using up peppers

Written by Erin Odom, Contributing Writer I don't pretend to be a master gardener. In fact, my thumb is more black than green. But one vegetable that always seems to flourish in my garden is the pepper. And, despite my limited abilities, my family always ends up with an abundance of them! Thankfully, peppers freeze extremely well, and there are lots of great recipes that call for peppers that you can implement in your kitchen all year round. Health Benefits of Peppers Besides being fairly easy [...]

Filed Under: Frugality, Gardening, Preserving Food, Seasonal eating Tagged With: , , , , , , , 14 Comments
July 17, 2012

7 Fun Seasonal Snacks

zucchini bread

  Written by Kate Tietje, Contributing Writer This is a pretty awesome time of year.  At the end of July, almost everything is in season!  Yes, strawberries and greens and a few other "early" things are gone, but there is such an abundance of other produce now.  And maybe you have some strawberries frozen from when they were in season! At least in my area, you can find peaches, blueberries, tomatoes, corn, some types of squash, kale, swiss chard, grapes, sweet cherries, garlic, onions, peppers, [...]

Filed Under: In the kitchen, Recipes, Seasonal eating Tagged With: , , 8 Comments