Who knew an innocent breakfast could be fatal?

A student at Huntington Beach High School in California had pancakes last week and it almost became fatal. His Mom, who is a registered nurse, made him pancakes for breakfast. She dropped him off at school, then headed to play tennis. She got a phone call from her son while on the court to hear he was having trouble breathing. She told him to go to the school nurse immediately and proceeded to call the school to alert them about her son. The nurse called the paramedics and an ambulance arrived in three minutes. The boy came very close to to loosing his life.

This is actually very common. Check the expiration dates on packages like pancakes and cake mixes that have yeast which over time develop spores. The mold that forms in old mixes can be toxic! Throw away ALL OUTDATED pancake mix, Bisquick, brownie mixes, etc. you have in your home. Check this website to read another instance similar to this that happened in 2006.

Pecan-Maple Chicken

This pecan-maple chicken makes a pleasant change to the traditional chicken breast dinner. As the chicken cooks, the maple syrup seeps into the meat making every bite tender and juicy sweet. It's rich flavor of the maple and pecan sauce pares great with green vegetables. This is a great dinner option when you want to make something delicious, but you only have 20 minutes to spare.

Pecan-Maple Chicken
Serves 2

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup pecan halves

• In a 12-inch non-stick skillet, melt butter with salt over medium heat.
• Cook chicken in butter for 1 to 2 minutes, turning once, until brown.
• Stir in maple syrup and pecans.
• Cook 8 to 10 minutes.

Broadcast news clip of woman with interstitial cystitis

CBS in Atlanta recently did a news report on a woman who suffers from interstitial cystitis. Kim Waitz has an extreme case of IC, and the disease has completely changed her life. The news clip has a lot of good information about interstitial cystitis and can answer a lot of basic questions.



For more information on interstitial cystitis from this news source, check out their Web site here.

Mediterranean Vegetable Spaghetti

This pasta dish is light, healthy and full of flavor. The assortment of vegetables leaves this scrumptious meal packed full of nutrients. You can customize this plate by using your own favorite greens; the only limit is your creativity.

Mediterranean Vegetable Spaghetti
Serves 4-6


1 package of spaghetti
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced leeks
2 medium carrots (1 cup)
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 medium squash, sliced
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 tsp. chopped basil leaves
2 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese

• Cook and drain spaghetti as directed on package
• Meanwhile, in a 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Saute garlic and leeks, then add carrots, leeks, zucchini, squash and sugar snap peas, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender.
• Stir in remaining ingredients, except cheese; cook until hot. Serve vegetable mixture over spaghetti. Sprinkle with cheese.

Sesame Buttered Broccoli

Broccoli is one of the healthiest veggies you can eat. This green is packed full of vitamin C and one ounce of broccoli has more calcium than a glass of milk. See this article posted on CNN.com for all the terrific health benefits of eating broccoli. This delicious broccoli dish I prepared is light and nutritious and pares great with a fillet of fish.

Sesame Buttered Broccoli

Serves 4

1 lb of frozen broccoli flowerettes

2 Tbsp. butter

2 tsp. Bragg's liquid aminos

1 tsp. sesame seeds

1/2 tsp. seasame oil

• In a 2-quart saucepan, heat 1 inch of water to boiling. Add broccoli and boil uncovered for 4 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Dain well and return to saucepan.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stire remaining ingredients until well mixed. Pour butter mixture over hot broccoli and toss to coat.

Health Magazine Names America’s Top 10 Healthiest Fast Food Restaurants

So is there really such a thing as healthy fast food? Health Magazine's March issue of 2009 features the healthiest fast food chain restaurants in the United States, just in time for swim suit season. The list includes a few surprises.

See who made the list:

Panera Bread - Whole-grain bread and fresh fruit are centerpieces here, and there are plenty of vegetarian options. Health says that most of the chicken is antibiotic- and hormone-free, a rarity in large chains.

Jason's Deli - The chain is very dedicated to organic food - one-fifth of all its ingredients are organic, "from blue-corn tortilla chips and whole-wheat wraps to field greens and spinach."

Au Bon Pain - Considered a "pioneer in healthy fast food." Au Bon Pain's chicken is hormone-free and antibiotic-free, also.

Noodles & Company - Pasta is a filling enough meal that it's easy to omit the meat, but if you want protein, your choices include hormone- and antibiotic-free chicken and organic tofu.

Corner Bakery - Not a lot here on the cafe chain's green cred, but a quick look at the menu reveals that beef, which has the largest carbon footprint, is found sparingly here.

Chipotle - "Chipotle won high marks for its commitment to organics, hormone- and antibiotic-free meats, and produce sourced from local suppliers, which is revolutionary in a chain this big," said Health.

Atlanta Bread Company - This sandwich chain was praised for the freshness of its veggies and other ingredients.

McDonald's - Believe it or not, it's in the top 10 for healthy choices - but with the burger recently named the Hummer of our diet, the company isn't scoring many environmental points with its menu.

Einstein Bros. Bagels - Bagels and cream cheese and fresh veggies combine for plenty of meal options with a small footprint.

Taco Del Mar - Baja-style Mexican cuisine is a growing trend, says Health, and the menu shies away from beef and chicken in favor of fresh ingredients and fish.

Click here to view the full article.

Nomato Sauce

This sauce will quench any longings for tomato sauce, and tastes as much like the original as you can get.

Nomato Sauce

Serves 6

Basic sauce ingredients:

6 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 beet, peeled and chopped

1 leek, cleaned and chopped

1 celery stick, sliced

1 bay leaf, whole

1 1/2 cups of watter

The flavor ingredients:

3 cloves of garlic, sliced

1 leek, cleaned and minced

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp. olive oil

1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped

2 Tbsp. Bragg's liquid aminos

2 heaping Tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 cup cold water

1 cup mushrooms, sauteed (optional)

• Place all ingredients of the basic sauce in a pot and boil, covered for 30 minutes, then puree in a blender. Add water, if needed, until mixture has tomato sauce texture.
• Saute garlic, onion, and herbs for 5 minutes in olive oil.
• Add parsley, mushrooms (optional), and saute for 10 minutes more.
• Add basic sauce and bring to a boil. Then cover and simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors. Season with Bragg's liquid aminos.
• Place cornstarch in a small bowl and add water slowly while stirring. Stir until thoroughly dissolved in the water. Add to sauce while it cooks, stirring until sauce thickens.
• This sauce would go great over a pile of spaghetti or on a homemade pizza.