People ask me why a registered dietitian should care about sustainable seafood. The heart of the answer is the idea that nothing exists in a vacuum.

Let me explain: Enjoying a variety of seafood is a great way to benefit from the heart-healthy omega-3 fats that are in all seafood.

Like many health care professionals, I recommend that people enjoy seafood twice a week as part of a heart-healthy diet. Doing so contributes to an increased demand for seafood, for better or for worse.

Since there is seafood out there that is well-managed and caught in environmentally responsible ways, and because it can be confusing to find it, I want to do my best to guide people towards those choices that are good for human health as well as the health of the community and planet. (More…)

On the day of my first FreshDirect delivery, I was a bit wary of the two-hour window.

Nothing has a two-hour window. I’ve waited up to six hours for my couch, my cable and the gas man.

If coming to my house within a two-hour window is so easy, why doesn’t everyone do it?

Those were the thoughts running through my mind as I sat drinking coffee with my good friend Adrienne at Cocoa Bar, a cafe a few blocks away. And I think it must have been this bit of disbelief that kept me from checking my watch as frequently as I normally would if I had an appointment.

You can probably tell where this is going (More…)

Want to know my not-so-secret secret? I often over-commit myself.

Last week, for example, I offered to host a dinner for seven people in honor of a friend who was visiting from out of town.

I immediately started polling the FreshDirect Research & Development team on what I should make (admittedly, I’m lucky enough to have insider access to their professional advice!), and they came up with the idea of using our own Marsala Wine & Mushroom Sauce — which is truly to die for.

The party was scheduled for Wednesday, and while I was sure it would take me all night Tuesday to prepare for our dinner party — instead, I just took their advice… and it was brilliant. I was able to prepare everything in less than 30 minutes. Here’s how I did it: (More…)

Happy Earth Month!

In addition to a month of homage to our shared planet, April also signals the turn of the season from winter to glorious spring — ripe with the promise of fairer weather and fresh foods.

What a perfect time to appreciate “eating green” by eating greens (and reds, blues, oranges, blues, and… you get the idea).

For the planet, eating green could be a great thing, since plant foods don’t typically require copious natural resources to grow.

For your health, eating green is consistent with the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommendation to eat a plant-based diet. (More…)

If you read my first post, you know I’m not much of a chef — at least not yet.

Though I’m just beginning to appreciate the joys of cooking, one thing I’ve always loved is shopping. I love supermarkets. I love cruising up and down each aisle, from fruits and vegetables to frozen foods, seeing what’s new and what looks good (and what’s on sale).

I have many friends who are devoted fans of FreshDirect, and I’ve always responded to their enthusiastic recommendations by reminding them of my affection for the grocery store. But now that I’ve completed my first order, I know the things they should have said to convince me: (More…)

April fools? No trickery here!

The fruit fool is an old English dessert that was traditionally made with layered gooseberries and custard — very much like a trifle without the sponge cake layers.

Both delicious and easy to make, the fool is a light, fruity dessert that’s ideal for serving after a spring dinner. (More…)

Hooray — that glass of red wine you just drank is good for your health! Oh wait, no, drinking that bottle of wine is actually pretty risky business. Confused yet? You’re not alone.

Maggie Moon, MS, RD

In this week’s post, the fifth and last in the series of National Nutrition Month coverage of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 (DGA-2010), I’ll try to set the record straight; or at least, to provide a review of what the official state-of-the-science research says about it.

First off, drinking too much has well-known health consequences, and nobody is advocating overdoing it. Abstaining is always an important option.

That said, there are nuances for responsible adults of legal drinking age who enjoy a drink now and then. Namely, there is strong evidence for heart health benefits, and there are also ways for breastfeeding moms to responsibly enjoy a drink, too. (More…)

My name is Erica, and I have a confession to make: I am not a foodie.

I love food, but for many, many years, the foods that I loved could have been counted on two hands. Chicken and rice (though only if made by mom or grandma). Pizza (just cheese, please). McDonald’s. Vanilla soft-serve ice cream. Bagels.

I was picky, but I was happy. I loved my handful of foods, and I could have eaten them — and nothing else — for the rest of my life.

I never understood why other people would gasp in horror, their mouths hanging open, when I told them I didn’t like chocolate or that I had never eaten bacon. (More…)

‘Tis the season to enjoy March Madness, and there’s nothing more satisfying on game day than settling into a comfy spot on the sofa with a good bean dip.

I’ve created two delicious — and extremely simple — dip recipes that make a nice break from all the heavy food that typically goes hand-in-hand with watching sports. (More…)

Maybe you’re convinced that eating right is important, but are unsure of where to start. You’re not alone. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the nutrition news “noise” and lose sight of simple, yet powerful, ways to eat right and feel great.

This is week four of National Nutrition Month, and the fourth installment of how to use the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 in real life to go from expert recommendations to everyday healthy habits. This week’s focus is on five highly effective healthy habits. (More…)