Where to Find Healthy Recipes

As my daughters went through various phases of liking or not liking foods, I spent quite a bit of time flipping through my 100+ cookbooks to find something new that they would eat. It was often a challenge since they had totally different preferences. For example, one of them wouldn't eat cheese and the other loved it. Fortunately, my husband will eat almost anything I put on the table, even if he doesn't care for it, but I can still tell when he isn't crazy about a food by whether or not he asks if there are seconds.

Photo courtesy of Max Straeten/Morguefile.com

Through the years, I noticed that I used about a dozen of my cookbooks more than the rest, so I purged. And now that the Internet has so much information, I've discovered that it's even easier to go there first. I've discovered a few favorite places that have delicious, healthy recipes that are fairly simple to cook.

Whether you are a parent who needs to find delicious recipes for your picky toddler or someone who likes healthy food to taste good, you'll enjoy some of the recipes I've found on these sites:

• Publix Aprons - The folks at Publix have expanded their Aprons offerings to the Internet, so when I'm pressed for time and don't have time to go to the store, I can find what I'm looking for on their site.
• Mayo Clinic - You might be surprised to learn that the Mayo Clinic has a section on their website dedicated to helping people who have to follow specific diet programs, such as low-sodium, vegetarian, and low-sugar.
• Eating Well - This site is full of recipes, articles, and videos - all related to healthy eating. It's easy to spend hours there, learning about nutrition.
• Food Network - Yes, even the Food Network has a section dedicated to healthy eating. This is where you'll find recipes from your favorite celebrity chefs.

Making Life Easier

Once again, I have a list of solutions for everyday problems (or opportunities if you prefer to stay positive). Most of them have worked for me in the past, but there are no guarantees they'll work for you. At least try them, and if you discover something better, please let me know.

Easy solutions:

• If you have a nick on dark-stained wood furniture and don't have any stain on hand to cover it, try a dab of dark brown shoe polish. 
• Keep a blanket in your trunk in case you ever get stuck in the mud. It gives you the traction you'll need to get unstuck.
• If you have bugs in your pantry, place a few sticks of spearmint gum on the shelves. Most critters don't care for the strong smell.
• When washing a new pair of jeans for the first time, toss a handful of salt into the washer. It will help lock in the dye, and it will soften the fabric to make them even more comfortable.
• Do you like your laundry soft, but you're out of fabric softener? Try tossing a couple of tennis balls into the dryer, and you might never purchase fabric softener again.
• For scrambled eggs-to-go, whip them up as you normally would, pour them into muffin tins that have been sprayed with cooking spray, and bake in a 350-degree oven until they are firm. You may add cheese and veggies if you prefer. After they cool, you can store them in a zip-lock bag in your freezer for those mornings when you're too rushed to cook.

Conference Manners

This seems to be the month of conferences. I had to choose between the ACFW Conference in Indianapolis and the About.com event in New York. This year, I'm attending the one for ACFW.

Most of the people I see at conferences know how to behave, but there are always a few exceptions. When you're in a crowded room with hundreds of other people, all there for the same reasons, it's essential to follow a few basic rules.

Here are some guidelines for conference behavior:

• Etiquette Tips for Business Conferences
• Conversation Etiquette
• 10 Rude Things You Should Never Say
• 8 Most Common Etiquette Mistakes
• Business Relationship Etiquette
• Acknowledging Others
• 7 Handshake Tips