No Bad Foods, LLC

02/22/2026

Who knew that dark chocolate was good for your skin???? Read on to what else is good for your skin at www.nobadfoods.com/blog
Here's a simple recipe that keeps the sugar down, the slices of cake thin and puts dark chocolate to good use - (about 250 calories per serving) www.nobadfoods.com/recipes/pound-cake-with-an-attitude

02/15/2026

I'm all for getting the kids involved in the kitchen, especially on the weekends. This is a great recipe that has a lot of options and flexibility. It's a little messy but the kids should like that! And let them pick it up with their hands if it's cool enough. No fuss! Also, lining the sheet-pan with foil takes the heavy clean up out of the equation.
These are my Make It Your Way Biscuits - here you go!
www.nobadfoods.com/recipes/make-it-your-way-breakfast-biscuits

02/06/2026

February is traditionally the month where hearts come into focus with many people celebrating Valentine’s Day. It is also Women’s Heart Health Month which is not as widely recognized – haven’t seen one Hallmark card yet that brings it into focus. (Hint, hint)
A few very sobering facts about women and heart disease –
• It’s the number 1 killer of women in the United States. (www.cdc.gov/heart )
• Women’s deaths related to heart disease are greater than all cancers combined in women.
• Only about half of American women (56%) recognize that heart disease is their #1 killer. (www.cdc.gov/heart )
• Risk factors include high blood pressure, lack of exercise, obesity, diabetes, smoking, and high cholesterol to name a few. (www.heart.org and www.cdc.gov/heart )

Women’s heart attack symptoms may differ from men. According to www.heartfoundation.org.au here are the 5 most common symptoms women may feel that men might not:
• Dizziness, lightheadedness or feeling faint
• Nausea, indigestion or vomiting
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating or a cold sweat
• No symptoms at all

A few things you can do to help yourself and other women:
• Get checked by your doctor to determine if you have heart disease and/or any of the contributing factors. If so, be proactive and make positive changes to your lifestyle.
• Consider becoming more active on a regular basis. A little daily activity goes a long way!
• Take a look at the Mediterranean Diet and see what you can start changing in your diet – small changes have big effects. (www.my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16037-mediterranean-diet
• Share this information – you just might save a life!

02/01/2026

It's cold, snowy and not a day to venture out. So, I came up with this for breakfast. Took just 20 minutes from start to finish! Served with a hot cup of coffee, this is an easy and very satisfying option for when eggs and oatmeal don't appeal. Here you go:www.nobadfoods.com/recipes/pear-and-cheese-breakfast

01/28/2026

How about a sheet pan dinner that's ready in about an hour? Here it is -www.nobadfoods.com/recipes/chicken-and-pear-bake
Tender chicken, sweet pears, onions and sweet potatoes. Just 4 main ingredients along with spices and olive oil. Easy clean up, too!

01/18/2026

Breakfast is always a challenge for busy people, especially those with kids. How to give them (or yourself) something nutritious that they won't turn their noses up at? Or, what to give them as an afternoon snack instead of chips and cookies? So here's a nice recipe I came up with that is easy to make with ingredients always available at the grocery store. Coming in at 179 calories each, balanced nutritionally between fats, carbs and protein and packing a whopping amount of vitamins, these are a great option. Colorful, too. Here you go:

Apple and Carrot Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 large egg
2/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cup shredded sweet apple
1 1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 golden raisins
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with canola oil spray.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and spices.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg, milk and canola oil until well blended.
Blend the egg mixture into the flour/spice mixture and stir well.
Add the apples, carrots and raisins, incorporating everything evenly.
Spoon into prepared muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove them and place on a wire rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
*These will stay in the refrigerator for 5 days and they freeze well for 2 months.

01/08/2026

I was in the mood for soup the other day, specifically minestrone. Looked at 5 recipes, all traditional. But, I didn't want a ham bone involved or pancetta nor did I want the vegetables to turn to mush by cooking the soup for hours. I'm not a fan of cabbage so the kale took its place with great results. Finally, I wanted the vegetables to stay fresh and the soup to come together quickly, so I did my own thing and I am glad I did. Instead of the cannelloni beans, I opted for cranberry (borlotti) beans, a bean used in traditional Italian cooking. This was another economical meal that I brought in under $12.00 by using some of the chicken broth I made a month ago with that Rotisserie Chicken (remember that?) Delicious! Here you go....I'm calling this Barb's Minestrone! Serve with crusty bread and enjoy!

Barb's Minestrone

Serves 6
¾ cup dried cranberry beans (borlotti beans) or 2 cups canned cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained. *See note below if using dried beans. ¾ cup dried beans yields about 2 cups when soaked and cooked.*
3 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP minced garlic
5 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups chopped zucchini
1 28 oz can plum tomatoes with juice, preferably San Marzano
1 ½ cups sliced carrots
3 cups shredded kale or Swiss chard or escarole
1 cup chopped russet potato, unpeeled, 1 inch piece
3/4 cup small elbow macaroni
1 ½ tsp EACH dried basil and oregano
1 Bay leaf
½ tsp each salt and pepper
Shredded Pecorino Romano cheese
Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a large stock pot.
Add onion, garlic, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Sauté for 4 minutes, stirring frequently, breaking up the tomatoes as you mix.
Pour in stock, potatoes and bay leaf, combining well.
Partially cover pot and simmer until vegetables are tender but still firm. Usually takes about 20-30 minutes.
Add the elbow macaroni and cook for another 10 minutes.
Gently stir in the shredded greens and beans and let simmer for 10 minutes. Spoon into bowls, sprinkle generous spoonful's of Pecorino Romano cheese on top and serve hot.
Note: If using dried beans: Pour the dried beans into a pot, removing any impurities such as stones or misshapen beans. Cover with cold water and let soak for 12 hours or overnight. Drain, place back in rinsed out pot and cover with fresh cold water an inch above the beans. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat and simmer until most of the water is absorbed, about 1 – 1 ½ hours. Drain and add to recipe as directed.

12/29/2025

It's still the Holiday season and, not wanting to waste the remaining fresh cranberries, buttermilk and candied orange peel in my refrigerator, I came up with these great scones. Not too sweet but not too tart, colorful and fun to make anytime, not just the holidays. (Grab a bag of cranberries now, before they disappear and freeze them) Bursting with orange, these are great with coffee or a cup of tea. Here you go:

Anytime Cranberry & Orange Scones
Yield: 8 large scones

2/3 cup buttermilk (use whole fat, not low fat)
1 large egg
3 cups all purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
8 TBSP cold unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (no need to thaw)
1/2 cup candied orange peel
2 tsp fresh orange zest
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a small bowl, mix the buttermilk with the egg.
Whisk flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a fork, pastry blender or your fingers until the mix looks like small crumbs.
Stir cranberries, orange zest, candied orange peel and sugar together in a medium bowl and add to the flour/butter mix.
Add the buttermilk/egg and stir thoroughly with a fork.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, give it a few kneads, grabbing any crumbs to make sure all is incorporated.
Pat into a roundish shape, flatten it a little and cut into eight pieces,
Roll each piece into a ball and place on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for 20-25 minutes and cool on a rack. Serve while still warm.

12/20/2025

Here's a great Christmas cookie recipe for those of us that don't like really sweet cookies or treats. It's just sweet enough without being too sweet. And drop cookies are the best - no cutouts, no special equipment and not a lot of fuss. Just mix it up and drop it on a cookie sheet. This is a good recipe to get the kids involved, too. Have them break the eggs into a small bowl first (easy to fish out the shells) have them pick out the dried fruit mix and show them how to use measuring spoons and cups. And one more thing - the addition of the orange peel is a super compliment to the cardamom. You'll see! Here you go:

Christmas Fruitcake Cookies
Yield – About 4 dozen
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
3 cups dried fruit such as a mix of golden raisins, dried chopped apricots, dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried chopped dates, dried chopped figs or mixture of your choice
1 tsp freshly grated orange peel
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cardamom
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Spray a large cookie sheet or sheet pan with canola oil.
Mix the fruit, orange zest, nuts together then sprinkle the 2 TBSP flour on top, tossing the fruit mix until coated with the flour. (This helps the fruits and nuts from sinking to the bottom of the cookie)
Whisk the flour, cardamom and baking powder together in a large bowl.
Beat the butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating each one well before adding the next. Add the brown sugar and beat until well blended.
Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until well combined. Add the fruit and nuts. The batter will be a little sticky and stiff but combine thoroughly.
Drop heaping tablespoons 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes.
Cool on the cookie sheet for 3 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Note: depending on the size of your cookie sheet, you may have to prep 2 pans to encompass all of the cookie dough. Do NOT put cookie dough on a hot sheet pan! The dough will spread rapidly before it has time to bake.

12/07/2025

Remember that rotisserie chicken from a couple of weeks ago? Here's the third use of that little $8.00 bird, as promised. Broth that can be used as the base for a soup, gravy or add it when making rice, risotto or grains instead of using water. I actually had 2 little chicken carcasses in the freezer plus a bag of raw vegetable scraps that I freeze as well. When added to the chicken concoction, it makes a very robust broth. Or, you can save up a big freezer bag of raw veggie scraps and make pure vegetable broth. Here's the recipe for the broth: www.nobadfoods.com/recipes/homemade-chicken-veggie-broth
BTW, it made the house smell delicious yesterday!
And here's what I made last night with some of the broth: www.nobadfoods.com/recipes/smoked-sausage-and-tortellini-soup

A hearty and satisfying soup made with savory smoked sausage, cheese tortellini, Cannellini beans and winter greens. Top with grated parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread for a wonderful winter meal!

12/05/2025

According to recent studies, during the holidays, on average, a person can gain 2 pounds. Doesn’t sound like much but with winter closing in and outside activities curtailed, it might take a long time to drop those 2 pounds, especially as we get older. So, I checked a few reputable health sources and put together a compilation of their recommendations, adding my own comments. Here you go:
• When faced with a buffet table, don’t pull your chair up to it. Keep the portions small and keep moving!
• Don’t save yourself for the meal. Make sure you eat a healthy breakfast and/or lunch before you head out to the holiday gathering. This way you won’t be starving when you get there and want to eat the Formica off the counter!
• Go light on the doctored-up foods – the ones with lots of sauces and gravies. Keep the plate heavy on the veggie side instead. This way you can enjoy a bit of everything while being mindful.
• Drink a lot of water during these food heavy weeks. Even mocktails have lots of calories, let alone the alcohol and soda. Stay hydrated.
• If you want to go for seconds, wait 15 minutes before you head back to the food. By waiting those few extra minutes, your body has time to do a little digesting which will help you feel fuller. If you go back too quickly, you may start feeling like a bloated tick after the extra helpings!
• During these high calorie days, weigh yourself every morning. This way you will see very quickly that you are on track and managing the season well or need to pull back a little and adjust.
• If you “fall off the wagon” food wise, resist the urge to throw your hands up, put on stretch pants and say you will take care of it after New Years. Get back on track. You will be glad you did!

12/04/2025