"Fuel your body...Delight your senses"
Stephanie Brina-Herres, MS, RD, CDN
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Nov
17
2012
Many people are considering the merits of a Whole Food focus basis for planning their upcoming Thanksgiving meal.
Of course, the most important aspect of Thanksgiving is truly the opportunity give thanks for the blessings in our lives and to share that sentiment while being able to spend time with family and friends, so any food choices should enhance that overall experience.
Memories of Thanksgivings past are connected to our emotional perceptions of those times, so there are sounds, sights, smells/aromas, tastes, textures that all contributed to the sensory perceptions we have locked in our memory banks of those special times. When we again hear similar sounds, perceive similar smells, etc., it brings back a rush of emotion that makes us feel connected to that past and to hopefully many cherished memories that we can enjoy re-experiencing in the present.
Adults often want to recreate and evoke those sensory memories for themselves, while at the same time helping younger members to create similar sorts of hopefully happy memories for children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews, cousins, etc.
For many families, Thanksgiving conjures up memories of home and home is a safe haven most of us yearn for at holiday time.
To help insure those memories are as happy as they can be this year, it is important to take into account any particular dietary needs of family and/or other guests.
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Dec
14
2011(November 8, 2013 NOTE: This blog post has been significantly updated since originally posted.You might want to also see these related blog posts:
Holiday Baking- Does Your Choice of Flour Really Matter?
Gluten-Free Update January 2012 Including Apps
November 2012 Potpourri: Gluten; Diabetes; 2013 Women’s Heart Health )
The holidays are exciting and everyone looks forward to them, although if you need to follow a special diet, it may be a bit disconcerting to think about how to handle a wide range of holiday situations.
How do you deal with invitations to holiday get togethers at friend’s homes, office parties, dining out at restaurants and buffets and even catered affairs, or just grabbing a quick bite to eat when tired from holiday shopping and trying to find something fast while still on the run?
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Dec
10
2011
At our Facebook listing, there’s now a “Free Gift” option you can click on.
It is located in the left hand column.
Look for the grey box with a white “star” in it that says “Free Gift” and you’ll find it is waiting for you.
The “Free Gift” is available to anyone who has chosen to press the “LIKE” button for the Sensory Nutrition page on Facebook.
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Nov
25
2011
When it comes to spices & also herbs, potency is everything! As a rule, the higher the potency of the spice, the higher the price it can command in the marketplace among knowledgeable commodity buyers.
Think of aromatherapy and how you can have an immediate change of mood when affected positively by soothing aromatherapy. Well, potency of spices can also provide an element of satisfaction with a much smaller ingestion of an actual food item–thus you get more bang for your calorie buck. Another way in which good-for-you qualities of spices & herbs can be measured might actually be something you are not yet familiar with.
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Nov
23
2011
The key purpose of pairing wine with food is to increase your enjoyment of both.
Demystify all the mystique surrounding wine pairing with food choices by simplifying it all down to one simple concept of balance.
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Nov
18
2011A blog reader sent in an email and asked, “How can I tell if I need to replace any herbs and spices before I start doing more cooking and baking during the holidays?”So I thought just in case anyone else would like to do an herb and spice “holiday check-up” of their collection, I’d offer some suggestions to help anyone do just that to make the most of any holiday cooking and baking efforts. Time to especially use your senses of sight, smell and taste!
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Nov
15
2011
Since we are about to head into the Holiday season, it is quite likely that you might be considering food and wine pairing when planning any holiday meal(s). It seemed like this might be a good time to share some thoughts about sensory perception and wine evaluation as you start thinking ahead to any Thanksgiving Celebration and beyond.Local wine stores or perhaps actual wineries (if you happen, like me, to live in or near a wine growing region) may feature special holiday tastings and celebrations. You can taste a variety of wines and make notes about any tastings and then decide what you might like to buy to have available to go with your Holiday meals.
I’ll go into actual wine pairing with food per se in another post, but today let’s focus on first appreciating the sensory qualities of wine and let’s go over some of the basics involved in wine evaluation.
I do not pretend to be a highly trained wine connoisseur or sommelier, however, if you want to see a “Fine Wine” tasting sheet developed in conjunction with input from wine experts, I do know where you might possibly find one available as of the date this article was first published.
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Nov
11
2011Pumpkin Pie or pumpkin custard is a classic ending to a holiday meal. The perceived textures of the pumpkin pie or custard as well as its perceived flavor profile can vary enormously from recipe to recipe.Several factors beyond whether the pie or pumpkin custard is served warm or cold will influence those sensory perceptions. The actual pumpkin source used, whether or not there is any grated carrot, etc. in the recipe, the ingredient choices creating the custard filling, as well as the specific spice choices made including the age and pungency of any ground spices used will all affect the flavor profile of the pie or custard cups. Even the crust choice can make a real difference. Make your choices wisely.
If time is going to be tight for you at Thanksgiving, this pie or pumpkin custard cups is quick and easy and can be made ahead and served either at room temperature or warmed up a bit as you desire. One of my family members likes custard pies or custard cups to be silky smooth and to have a milder flavor profile, thus the name and choice of this pie or custard cups recipe.
You can often “tweak” holiday recipes a little by making simple substitutions to lower their fat content if you wish.
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Nov
11
2011This recipe dates back in time to before I was married and is proof that moderation is key and a little bit of a treat is sometimes worth having–the key is a little bit!At the time, I had just completed my M.S. degree elsewhere and was working as the assistant to the State Extension Specialist in Food and Nutrition in the State of PA and we had received inquiries for some new recipes featuring sweet potatoes and/or yams. One of the other Extension Specialists actually loved to cook, whereas my boss did not really enjoy spending time in the kitchen, so I brainstormed instead with her colleague, Carolyn Schrock.
I happen to like souffle recipes that work every time. I’ve made this side dish many times in a ceramic casserole dish and actually, it is delicious even when left over, so I use that dish because it has a cover to boot. Honestly, this souffle could even be served at the end of a meal as a dessert!
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Nov
10
2011
You’ll enjoy the fresh taste of this classic soup. You can adjust the amount of extra virgin olive oil & lemon juice to taste and don’t hesitate to add more broth if need be to reach a desired consistency (the water content of zucchini can vary quite a bit). I really do prefer freshly ground white pepper in this recipe.
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