Kara Lydon | The Foodie Dietitian Blog

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Quick Caramel Sauce

November 8th, 2018 | Posted in Dessert, Holiday, Recipes | 16 comments

This slow cooker pumpkin bread pudding makes pumpkin pie look BOR-ING. Spice up your Thanksgiving table with a new pumpkin-laden dessert that everyone will die for.OH. MAH. GAWD. BECKY. LOOK AT HER BREAD PUDDING. IT’S LIKE SOOOOO BIG.

By now I hope you’ve realized I have an affinity for labeling my recipes with a song of choice. It keeps things interesting over here lol. Anywhooo, Thanksgiving. Amiright?! I can’t believe it’s here either. Pretty sure I just rang in 2018 like yesterday. Okay, maybe 3 days ago tops. This year in particular flew by for me I think mostly because of the post concussive syndrome recovery and also I ain’t gettin any younger. So I guess that’s life now. Every year speeds up a little faster than the one before. That’s what my Dad tells me anyway. He’s a pretty trustworthy dude so I guess I believe him.But you know…

4 Days in Cinque Terre

November 5th, 2018 | Posted in Travels | 2 comments

My favorite stop in Italy! Recapping our 3 days in Cinque Terre – what to do, where to stay and where to eat!Cinque Terre was tied with Tuscany for my favorite stop in Italy. It offered my two favorite activities: beaching and hiking. The beach is absolutely amazing. The water temperature is perfect and the surroundings make you want to stay in the water forever, prune fingers and all. There are five towns in Cinque Terre and we debated whether or not to stay in Vernazza or Monterosso. Rick Steves favored Vernazza but there weren’t a ton of reasonably priced and comfortable lodging accommodations there. Plus, the more we researched it became clear that if we wanted quality beach time, we should stay in Monterosso. After we saw the beach in Vernazza and how crowded it was during the day, it totally solidified our decision.

DAY ONE

We took the…

3 Days in Venice, Italy

November 2nd, 2018 | Posted in Travels | 4 comments

Recapping our 3 days in Venice, Italy. Where to stay, eat and visit!As soon as we stepped outside of the train station in Venice, I was awe-struck. I’d seen plenty of pictures of Venice but to witness it firsthand was completely different. No cars. Only boats. No roads. Only canals. My mind was blown. Before we left for Italy, I heard a number of people who said they didn’t love Venice because it was too crowded. While I totally agree that there are areas of Venice that make you feel claustrophobic, the charm and the quiet tucked away canals make it all worth it. I personally found it to be super charming and romantic.

DAY ONE

Took the train from Lake Como –> Milan –> Venice (about 4 hours). Arrived at our bed & breakfast, B&B Corte Campana. This place was recommended by Rick Steves as a more economical lodging choice…

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Curried Lentils

November 1st, 2018 | Posted in Entree, Recipes | 30 comments

Packed with warming, cozy spices, this stuffed acorn squash with curried lentils (vegan) is a perfect dinner for the chilly fall season.Ain’t no squash like an acorn squash cause an acorn squash don’t stop.

Does anyone else rap about veggies or is that just me?….

Our CSA has been abundant with acorn squash the last couple weeks and so I desperately needed a new acorn squash recipe to try to clear off some kitchen counter space #squashkitchentakeover.I also wanted a dish that was going to be hearty, comforting, and warming. It’s like clockwork that this time of year I come down with a cold. And I usually use the annual Food and Nutrition Conference (also known as FNCE) as a gauge for a fall cold timeline. I either get sick the week leading up to FNCE or the week after. This year it was leading up to and luckily I…

60 Best Butternut Squash Recipes

October 30th, 2018 | Posted in Entree, Recipes | No comments yet

Let’s turn our attention to one of fall’s biggest stars: butternut squash. It’s bright and buttery, and adds a smooth, creamy texture and a hint of natural sweetness to dishes. You will want to get your hands on some of these gorgeous gourds so you can try the recipes below. 5-Ingredient Curried Butternut Squash Soup via C It NutritionallyFall Panzanella Salad via Food, Pleasure, and Health

Butternut Squash Rosti via Sara Haas, Culinary Dietitian

Spicy Butternut Squash and Pear Soup via Nutrition Starring YOU

Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts Naan Pizza via The Foodie DietitianCreamy Butternut Carrot Ginger Soup via Jennifer Hunt, RDN

Butternut Squash Shakshuka via Sinful Nutrition

Butternut Squash Gnocchi Soup via The Baby Steps Dietitian

Spiced Butternut Squash Muffins via Fannetastic FoodBlack Bean and Butternut Squash Tacos via Triad to Wellness

Butternut Squash Caulfredo via Byte Sized Nutrition

Green Lentil and Butternut Squash “Noodle” Bowls via Liz’s Healthy Table

…

The Best Turkey Green Chili

October 25th, 2018 | Posted in Entree, Recipes | 18 comments

Spicy, warming, and satisfying, this turkey green chili is perfect for cooler weather. It’s fantastic for leftovers, and makes for an easy, healthy meal to eat throughout a busy week. Hello friends! I just came off of a whirlwind weekend at FNCE, which is the annual conference for dietitians, aka the RD superbowl. It’s always a very inspiring, invigorating and rejuvenating weekend and it’s also exhausting. My intern Emily was kind enough to develop a recipe this week for you guys while I’m just getting back on my feet this week from traveling. You guys are going to LOVE this recipe. I made it last week and loved how flavor-packed and satiating it was. Enjoy and I’ll see you guys on the blog next week!

Hi there! It’s Emily, Kara’s Culinary Communications intern. You may have gotten the chance to “meet” me when I shared my Vegan Berry Upside Down Cake…

Vegetarian Carbonara with Mushroom Bacon

October 18th, 2018 | Posted in Entree, Recipes | No comments yet

Cheesy, eggy, carby goodness, this vegetarian carbonara with mushroom bacon was inspired by my recent trip to Italy!Ah, pasta. I adore thee.

I’m sorry you constantly get shat on by keto and Whole 30 advocates. I’m sorry that people fear you. I’m here to tell you that I’m on your side and I’m going to keep playing on #TeamPasta and singing your praises so that people can learn to enjoy you again. Hopefully today’s recipe helps a bit too.

I ate A LOT of pasta in Italy. And while before that may have conjured up some feelings of guilt or fear or the need to compensate with exercise, I felt only satisfaction and joy. And as a RD I know that pasta can be the perfect foundation for a nourishing meal. Carbs (pasta) + fat + protein = the gang’s all here.

One of my favorite pasta dishes in Italy was…