Kara Lydon | The Foodie Dietitian Blog

Adora Chocolate Calcium Giveaway

August 8th, 2011 | Posted in giveaways | 6 comments

When I was at the Fitness and Health Bloggers Conference back in June, Adora was nice enough to give us tons of free samples of their chocolate calcium supplements. Although it made packing and going through security at the airport a little more interesting, it was totally worth it. They also offered to host a free giveaway for Peace, Love, and Food readers! For more details on the giveaway, keep on reading!

I have used Adora calcium supplements in the past because I have a history of not being the most compliant vitamin taker. I spend tons of money on vitamins and then forget to take them! To increase my compliance, I tried Adora supplements because who forgets to take their daily dose of chocolate?!

Adora calcium supplements are available in milk and dark chocolate. Each chocolate disk contains 500mg Calcium Carbonate (~50% of daily value) with 250 IU…

An Orchard Wedding

August 5th, 2011 | Posted in healthy eating, Travels | 3 comments

Two weekends ago, my cousin Jenna married Mr. Chris Goodman. It was a gorgeous wedding out in the Apple Orchards of Hurd Orchards in Upstate NY. Here is the happy married couple with their beautiful daughter Nico!

The ceremony was held outside (in 96 degree weather!) but we made the best of it using paper fans and staying well hydrated!

After the ceremony, we had a cocktail hour with drinks and yummy farm fresh appetizers. I think fruit should always be an appetizer. Especially when it is presented like this.

Or this…

The reception and dinner took place in this rustic barn.

If the appetizers were any indication of how dinner would be, I was super excited to see what other farm fresh food was in store for dinner.

A green salad with fresh blueberries and cucumber to start….

Blueberry Basil Lemonade Fizz

July 21st, 2011 | Posted in Beverage, healthy eating, Recipe ReDux, Recipes | 14 comments

I am excited to share my first Recipe ReDux post with you all. Recipe ReDux is the first and only recipe challenge group founded by registered dietitians. Each month I will be creating a recipe based on the month’s theme. I was so excited to start off the first Recipe ReDux by making a summer beverage.

It all started with fresh picked blueberries from Tangerini’s Spring Street Farm.

That gave me the inspiration to make this summer beverage:

While drinking, it is appropriate to let out a satisfying ahhhh.

This drink is perfectly refreshing for the summer. The blueberries and basil pair well together and are in season this time of year. Making this beverage was my first time using an immersion blender and it was definitely worth the investment. It blended everything very well.

The blueberry basil lemonade fizz quenched my thirst and desire to taste those fresh local…

Kale and Quinoa Salad

July 18th, 2011 | Posted in Entree, healthy eating, Recipes | 2 comments

I can’t get enough of kale. A nutritional powerhouse, kale is packed with vitamin A, C, K, lutein, and beta-carotene. Not only does kale contain super antioxidants, it also contains fiber, which fills you up and leaves you satisfied after a meal.

Kale, a form of wild cabbage, is no new kid to the block. It has been around since before the Middle Ages and originated in Europe. This dark, leafy green is one tough vegetable. Its leaves are resistant to damage from frost, making it a popular winter vegetable. Its taste is slightly bitter, comparable to a mild cabbage. It can be paired with various flavors but also tastes great with simply olive oil, salt, and pepper. A great way to ease your way into kale is by making kale chips! Wash a bunch of kale, remove the stems, and tear into small pieces. Add olive oil…

Berry Picking Down on Tangerini’s Spring Street Farm

July 12th, 2011 | Posted in healthy eating, Travels | No comments yet

I have been dying to go berry picking ever since I went apple picking a few years back and found the joy in obtaining my fruit right from its source. After talking Steve’s ear off about how much I wanted to go berry picking this summer, we finally had some time to make it happen. To Steve’s relief I will stop talking about it now until the fall when it’s apple picking time.

We drove out to Millis, MA to Tangerini’s Spring Street Farm. The farm was recommended by Kate, a local dietitian. Check out her berry picking experience here. I originally was determined to find a farm that was still picking strawberries, but to my dismay, strawberries were out. The good news, blueberries and raspberries were in.

We were welcomed on the farm by this guy…

No joke, this was one loud rooster that liked to make…

Boulder, CO, Anyone?

July 1st, 2011 | Posted in healthy eating, restaurant reviews, Travels | 4 comments

This past weekend I was in Boulder, CO for the Fitness and Health Bloggers Conference. You can see the recap of Part I of my vacation here.

Saturday we were lucky enough to spend some time at the Colorado Athletic Club. As conference goers, we had free access to the club for the weekend. Talk about a fancy gym! It is almost as nice as Equinox. Almost. Lindsey and I took a hot yoga class at the gym and it was her first intro to hot yoga! I think she’s hooked now. We also spent a little time at their outdoor pool! Where can I find a gym with an outdoor pool?!

Refuel With Chocolate Milk hosted our dinner Saturday night (and sponsored my giveaway!) where Ruth Carey, Registered Dietitian, spoke to us about the benefits of drinking chocolate milk for post-workout recovery.

On Sunday morning, Corinne,…

Fitness and Health Bloggers Conference: Boulder, CO

June 25th, 2011 | Posted in Travels | 1 comment

This weekend I am in Boulder, CO for the Fitness and Health Bloggers Conference.

I was so lucky to win a free trip to the conference courtesy of Refuel with Chocolate Milk. It is my first time in Colorado and I am blown away by its beauty. I’m here with Lindsey, Corinne, and Jess who are speaking at the conference about demystifying nutrition myths.

On Friday, we sat in on some talks about monetizing your blog, going from blog to book, and working with companies and PR firms. There was good discussion from bloggers of all types. Bloggers who are just starting out and bloggers who have been blogging for years and now do it full-time.

In between talks, we had a fitness break to get our blood flowing. We did squats and stretching using our chairs. I need to start taking fitness breaks at the…