One of the things I love most about living in North Carolina is the incredible natural beauty of our state -- from beaches to mountains, and everything in between -- offering countless opportunities to get outdoors and be active. And helping us do that is our outstanding state park system, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. As you know if you've followed my blog for a while, Continue Reading
Archives for October 2016
The must-have safety item you NEED if you run, walk or cycle!
As you know if you've followed my blog or social media, I love to be outdoors -- especially for fitness. Whenever I can, I get out in the fresh air and ride my bike, power walk or go hiking. While these are almost always wonderful experiences, unfortunately there is a dark side to being out there: personal safety can be at risk. I've had some very scary close calls. Once a man harassed me when Continue Reading
How to make chicken and brown rice soup
The cool, crisp days of fall are here -- which always makes me crave a bowl of hot, delicious homemade soup. As I've mentioned before, soup is one of my favorite things to make, especially on a weekend. A big pot of soup made on Sunday will give our busy family several meals for the week. Pair it with a biscuit or muffin, or a grilled sandwich, for a quick, nutritious weeknight dinner. And, Continue Reading
Cooks for Kids event benefits hungry children in need
On the evening of Saturday, Oct. 15, my husband Keith and I were proud to participate in a fundraiser called Cooks for Kids. As March's Cook of the Month in the Burlington (N.C.) Times-News, I was invited to be one of the featured cooks at this second annual benefit community dinner. The proceeds go toward the Backpack Program in Alamance County, fighting hunger for school children in need. The Continue Reading
How to make Crock Pot Beef Ragout (beef stew)
Here's a crock pot version of the Beef Ragout my husband Keith, a professional chef, prepared for the Cooks for Kids benefit dinner we were honored to participate in. It was a such a huge hit with the guests, the entire pan full was gone! Ragout (pronounced Rah-GOO) is a slow-cooked French-style stew of small pieces of meat with vegetables. You don't have to save this delicious, hearty beef Continue Reading
Speaking on “Small Steps for Big Changes” and workplace fitness
I was honored to be an invited speaker at a continuing education business event, on Sept. 29 in the Panthers Den at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. First of all, what a great location for a conference! The Den overlooks the field, and as a Carolina Panthers fan it was certainly exciting to be there. I've been to many conferences in my career, and this was a nice change from the typical Continue Reading