Susan Vander Maas, Thrive Correspondent

Having or attending a Halloween party or “Friends-Giving?” Be the star of the party by presenting guests with an elegant charcuterie board filled with fall flavors. Charcuterie boards typically feature cured meat such as Prosciutto (uncooked dry Italian ham), Soppressata (dry salami), Calabrese (spicy salami), Mortadella (large round sausage studded with white pork fat and pistachio pieces) and Genoa […]

Breakfast-for-dinner is a fun way to add creativity and healthy options to your evening meal. Kids especially love breakfast-for-dinner because it’s out of the ordinary. If you involve your children in the meal planning process, it becomes a great way for them to learn about nutrition and cooking. Breakfast-for-dinner recipes are generally easy to prepare. […]

Sweet, juicy peaches just scream summer! We are lucky to be able to get local peaches here in north central Ohio. From the Lake Erie area to Amish country, it’s easy to find a fruit farm that’s not too far away. Peaches originated in Northwest China. Peaches have been discussed in Chinese writing since about […]

On these hot summer Ohio days sometimes it’s just too hot to cook or eat a hot meal! Salads are always a good option, as well as cold sandwiches. Why not combine the two? The following recipe is a refreshing and easy summertime meal that pairs chilled veggies with naan bread.  Naan bread is a […]

Is there anything better than a cold, juicy watermelon on a hot summer day? Family picnics and summer holidays evoke childhood memories of fun times eating watermelon and spitting out the seeds.   Watermelon is refreshing, light and good for you. It provides a good amount of potassium and vitamin C, with smaller amounts of […]

Eating a healthy breakfast can be a challenge on busy mornings. One of the most convenient ways to get the health benefits you want from your breakfast while on the run is to make overnight oats. They are easy to assemble ahead of time so you can simply grab a serving out of the fridge […]

Spring rolls originated in China sometime between the Jin Dynasty (265-420 BC) and the Tang Dynasty (618-906BC). The literal Chinese translation is chūn juǎn.  Spring rolls, originally called spring cakes, consisted of a thin flour pancake served with fresh fruit and vegetables. They were created as a respite from the winter preserved cuisine, and designed as a […]

At the start of every year we are most likely deciding what our New Year’s resolutions will be. Amid the pocketful of them is most likely “eat healthier.” While salads come to mind in the healthier eating category, not all salads can be considered healthy, mostly because of the dressing we choose.  Olive oil based […]

Many of us are finding creative ways to make a stay-at-home holiday season fun for the whole family. A tea party is a perfect way to involve children and adults in creating a new holiday tradition. Whether it’s an elegant Christmas Day brunch tea party or a themed tea party such as The Nutcracker, Rudolph […]