About Me

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My friends call me the "grammar goddess." Really. ;-) I own a freelance writing, editing and tutoring business. Previously, I served three years as food editor for The Morning Sun in Mt. Pleasant, which kindled my interest in food writing. My other areas of expertise in writing include features, community news, architecture/construction and engraving/personalization. I have a frightening number of cookbooks and watch too many DIY, HGTV, Food Network, Cooking Channel and Antiques Roadshow (BBC and PBS versions) shows. And I tweak nearly every recipe I make.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

And America's Healthiest Grocery Store Is?

You're probably muttering, "Scrooge" under your breath now, but I'm not going to tell you in a headline who won the title of America's Healthiest Grocery Store by Health Magazine.

I'm not surprised, really. This store has just about everything you could need in terms of organic products, from prepared food to canned goods, baking mixes, toiletries and more. I can easily get lost in there for hours. Note to self: make sure not to get the frozen or dairy goods first. On a recent trip there, I had to buy an insulated bag so they stayed at the correct temperature. Now I just have to remember to take it with me next time!

Yes, I like Trader Joe's, too, and will go there for certain things (especially now that I know the TJ's in Ann Arbor is right down the road from Whole Foods Market, which officially has been named America's Healthiest Grocery Store). One of the things it's touted for is clear labeling of what's in its prepared foods. If you don't know what to do with that tofu or quinoa (pronounced keen-nwah, incidentally), you can get help from Whole Foods' extensive recipe database.  

Critics will say it's expensive; that may be true, but what's your health worth to you?

Monday, December 13, 2010

Blog Review: Sustenance

As mentioned in my last post, I love chocolate. Which got me to thinking: how healthy could I make chocolate cookies?

Before I had time to do much more than ponder, my friend Patty Maher, who has the blog, Sustenance, answered my question.

See her post regarding healthy chocolate chip cookies here. I highly recommend Patty's blog for anyone curious about the raw food lifestyle and/or concerned about healthy eating.

A journalist, who attended Central Michigan University and is one of my former CM Life co-conspirators, Patty is staying at Creative Health Institute, a raw food institute in Hodunk, Michigan. She is learning and adapting to this new life style with the intent of improving her MS symptoms. Her writing is engaging and thoughtful; I thoroughly recommend her blog.