Samantha Donohue is all about taking her health seriously, without taking herself too seriously. She loves to fly through the air on a trapeze, hide vegetables in her children's morning smoothies, and out-sprint her husband on training runs. Having grown up cooking with both of her Italian grandmothers, she knows how to make most everything from scratch, but she's not afraid to throw in a jar of pasta sauce when no one is looking.
Her life motto is "to run the race set before me with my eyes wide open and focused on the goal."
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7 Recipes From Around The World
One way to bring fun and excitement into your kitchen is to cook recipes that come from around the world. Even if you are not able to travel much, you can introduce your loved ones to other cultures and exciting flavors by using ingredients from the international aisle in most super markets, spice shops, or specialty markets. These recipes are simple to prepare and versatile. As you master them, start experimenting to create your own new international favorites.
Posted 10/26/2012 6:00:00 PM By: : 20 comments 31,969 views
Meals That Serve A Crowd
I recently came across my great grandmother's focaccia pizza recipe and was surprised that it served 100 people. Apparently, cooking for a crowd was the norm in my family. One thing my family has taught me is that cooking a big meal doesn't have to be complicated or unhealthy. My guests often mention how surprised they are how tasty a healthy dish can be and how inspired they are to try simple substitutes in their recipes. Here are seven SparkRecipes that can easily be doubled when cooking for a crowd.
Posted 10/19/2012 2:00:00 PM By: : 32 comments 109,479 views
Super Meals for Big Batch Cooking
Cooking in batches is one of the best kept secrets for saving time and money, while promoting good health at the same time. With three school age kids, time is a rare commodity. Instead of turning to processed and packaged foods, I take advantage of the days I can cook and select healthy recipes that I can easily double or triple the batch. We enjoy these meals the next night as leftovers or we take them to work or school the next day in a thermos or Tupperware. Here are my favorite batch cooking recipes and resources.
Posted 10/17/2012 6:00:00 PM By: : 40 comments 81,907 views
Fabulous Fall Salads
As the trees begin to change color, I'm reminded of so many dishes I love to cook. Fall is a busy time with back-to-school, sports, and after-school activities. To maintain a healthy rhythm, I turn to soups and salads that are quick and nutritious. Start with seasonal dark green leafy veggies at your local grocer or farmer's market. Create a base of arugula, lettuce, and/or kale, and top it off with peppers, corn, beets, and cucumbers. Mix in fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, and parsley to taste. Don't forget a splash of sweetness with apples pears, figs, and grapes. You can also add protein and crunch with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, nuts, fish, boiled egg, and beans. Enjoy these fabulous fall salad recipes from SparkRecipes.
Posted 10/3/2012 6:00:00 PM By: : 17 comments 42,688 views
Treat Yourself to Healthy Quick Breads and Muffins
Quick breads are a staple in my house, but not the kind loaded with fat, sugar and all purpose bleached flour, which makes it more like cake than bread. My approach is to use healthy substitutes that are rich in whole grains, protein, and fiber, like nuts, chia seeds, Greek Yogurt, etc. Best of all, I can sneak in extra servings of fruits and vegetables and no one seems to mind. These recipes are easy to prepare. Instead of waiting for hours for yeast breads to rise, quick breads use a minimal amount of ingredients and time to prepare. They don’t require fancy cooking tools and the step-by-step instructions make them easy to prepare. Prepare one of the recipes below for a healthy dessert, after school snack, breakfast or give the gift of baking and bring one of these tasty treats to a friend or neighbor.
Posted 9/19/2012 6:00:00 PM By: : 22 comments 45,906 views
14 Simple Slow Cooker Recipes
School started last week, the family calendar is filling up, and it's already getting hard to prepare healthy dinners each night. One strategy I turn to when the going gets tough is to pull out the slow cooker. Each morning I throw in healthy ingredients and by dinner time there's a delicious homemade meal that the whole family loves. I often double the recipe so that we have leftovers and hot lunches for the whole week. Call on the convenience of your slow cooker and enjoy these SparkRecipes.
Slow Cooker Pork with Greens and Beans
Slow Cooker Provencal Chicken and Beans
Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry
Posted 9/5/2012 6:00:00 PM By: : 32 comments 65,928 views
15 Healthier Homemade Ice Cream Recipes
"Ice cream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!" Who doesn't like a frozen treat on a warm summer day? But if you're reading this article, I'm confident you're not screaming for the sugar, fat, and empty calories. By making some simple substitutions, you can enjoy a sweet frozen treat that is good for you too.
Making ice cream is easier than you might think and actually doesn't require many ingredients. Most recipes are gluten-free and using coconut milk makes it dairy-free too. It can be as simple as throwing your favorite fruits and non-fat "milk" in a blender and then putting it in the freezer to set up. My favorite way to make ice cream is to let my children choose the flavors and make it with me. Here are the steps to make ice cream with a few plastic bags and some simple ingredients.
Posted 8/1/2012 2:00:00 PM By: : 41 comments 157,878 views
20 Recipes for Chocolate Lovers
Chocolate is heavenly, not just as a sweet treat, but also as an ingredient that adds flavor and richness to a variety of cuisines. It also contains a wide assortment of vitamins and minerals, including potassium, sodium, iron, fluorine and vitamins A, B1, C, D, and E. Be choosy about your chocolate, being careful about how the amount of calories, sugar, and fat. When kept it moderation, it's a great option on its own, or match it up with fruits, spices and nuts. For all you chocolate lovers, I’ve gathered SparkRecipes best healthy chocolate-paired recipes.
Posted 7/18/2012 6:00:00 PM By: : 81 comments 338,995 views
Celebrate Your Freedom with Healthy Red, White and Blue Recipes
Fourth of July is a day to celebrate freedom with loved ones. We gather to watch fireworks in remembrance of past battles and to look forward to a beautiful future together. It is also a day when many American's default to unhealthy food choices. Why not express our freedom this year by saying "bye, bye, to that American pie," and replace it with healthy SparkRecipes that taste great without the added fat, calories, and sodium.
Chef Meg's Beef and Blue Sandwich
Maple Country Style Pork Ribs (Low Sugar)
Fall off the bone beef ribs
Posted 7/4/2012 2:00:00 PM By: : 10 comments 23,161 views
Recipes for the Great Outdoors
Each summer my family unplugs from our 21st century lifestyle by visiting the great outdoors, including a few camping trips. One of the highlights is eating a meal that we prepared and cooked over a campfire. Many campgrounds have fire pits with built-in grills, but we've also used small gas-powered units or cooked directly on the coals. The key is to have fun working, eating, and making memories together. We've gathered recipes that are healthy and simple to prepare below.
Posted 6/20/2012 6:00:00 PM By: : 9 comments 29,255 views
12 Healthy Blackberry Recipes
Picking blackberries is one of my all time favorite summer activities. It was my fresh blackberry pie that won my husband's heart when we were first dating. Fortunately for him, we bought a house that has blackberries growing abundantly in our back yard. I love harvesting them with my kids on warm summer afternoons.
Blackberries are rich in antioxidants and are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese vitamin E, folate, potassium and copper. They are also are great as snacks or can serve as an exotic new ingredient in your regular cooking regimen. I’ve gathered our top blackberry SparkRecipes to help you get started.
Posted 6/6/2012 6:00:00 PM By: : 40 comments 95,688 views
13 Healthier Burger Recipes
It’s National Burger Month and you’re probably wondering why SparkPeople is celebrating a food with such an unhealthy reputation. The reason is that SparkPeople sees beyond the calories, fat, and sodium to a tremendously fun and flexible vehicle for healthy eating. Each component—the patty, bun, spreads and toppings—provide opportunities for customizing to your tastes and nutritional needs. We’ve gathered our best tips and recipes to help you build a better burger, your own Spark burger.
Posted 5/24/2012 2:00:00 PM By: : 24 comments 43,365 views
Mom's Best Tips for Getting Kids in the Kitchen
Turn cooking into a family affair by promoting your kids to assistant chefs. Here are some quick and easy ways to get them involved.
Help them plan.
Let your children create the menu. Teach them how to plan a balanced meal. Plan around what's in season and make it a goal to include lots of fruits and vegetables. My kids and I love to use Zisboombah.com to plan balanced meals.
Make it fun and educational.
Learning to cook is fun because it's hands-on and experiential. You can cover a whole range of topics, including math (measure ingredients), reading (recipe instructions), fine motor skills (cooking techniques), and science (chemical and physical reactions).
Posted 5/16/2012 10:00:00 AM By: : 13 comments 24,594 views
Add the Spring Back into Your Salad
Spring gardens, local farms, and markets offer nature’s gifts year after year, such as greens, berries, asparagus, radishes, and peas. What better choice can you make for your own health, than to dedicate a sizeable space on each plate this season to healthy and delicious salads? Have fun and get creative, trying new combinations of lettuce, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Add lean protein to your salad and enjoy it as a main dish. Salad is a great way to get multiple servings of fruit, move away from the tempting and heavy comfort foods of winter, not to mention that salads are high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Here are our favorite springtime salad recipes from SparkRecipes.com.
Pomegranate Chicken Salad
Spinach-Berry Salad 
Almond Chicken Salad with Asparagus
Posted 4/18/2012 6:00:00 AM By: : 29 comments 101,207 views
An Old Family Recipe for Irish Soda Bread
I love to cook. My inspiration comes from fond memories of cooking with my two grandmothers in their respective kitchens. They taught me to cook from scratch and find joy in family recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation.
St. Patrick's Day is a favorite of mine, since it's my mother’s birthday and reminds me of my Irish heritage, too. This year, my daughter and I went to my grandmother's house to learn the family soda bread recipe, which came from County Cork in Ireland by way of my great-grandfather’s cousin. I learned that soda bread is simple to make--it doesn’t require a rising or even much kneading—and the ingredients are easy to find. In the great tradition of Irish families giving their family soda bread a unique "twist," I like to substitute coconut oil instead of shortening and whole wheat flour for all purpose flour. I also add Flaxseed Meal for a nutritional boost. Soda bread pairs nicely with any savory dish and the leftovers taste great toasted with jam for breakfast.
Posted 3/15/2012 2:00:00 PM By: : 18 comments 27,849 views
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