If you read my New Year’s Resolution or what I now prefer to call a “commitment”, it is all about health.  Therefore, I am challenging myself to prepare healthy meals that are easy and inexpensive.  Having a well organized kitchen is half the battle, so I will start there.

My kitchen is small, like many of yours, so we have to be creative.  Make the most of the inside of your cabinets and drawers.  You can purchase wire racks with legs that gives you another layer.  You can purchase sliding shelves, one on top of the other to give you more storage.  I use a Lazy Susan in my cabinets to organize my spices and baking goods.

One of my sons is a vegetarian, and as a mother, I worry about him eating sufficient amounts of protein. But I found there is a wealth of foods that are a good source of protein. Here are some suggestions for the vegetarian or even those who want to reduce their meat consumption.

Please don’t pour fat, oil and grease down sinks or drains because this leads to sewer blockages. Instead, collect the fat from your roasting pan or from frying or grilling meat and mix it with seeds, nuts and raisins to make a “cake” for birds to eat. We recommend that you use as many ingredients as possible, for the health of the birds. The birds will eat everything that is put out. The shortening gives the birds energy they dearly need during cold weather.

You don’t have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patty’s Day.  Any excuse for a party—right?  Do you know why we celebrate?  OK, since I am Irish, I have the answer to this question.

Can your diet affect depression? That’s the question that researchers have been studying for years. We’ve always known that eating healthy is good for us, but now research reports that people who regularly eat fruit, vegetables, and fish reduce their chances of suffering from depression.