Food & Health

Navigating the health bar shelves

By Jessica Sanders

Featured Article
fireflymag.com-Dec

 

Sometimes everyone needs an energy boost, but coming across something that's healthy, satisfying and tastes good is difficult. Health bars often pack loads of nutritional value, but finding one that doesn't taste like cardboard is usually the problem. 

At Firefly, we have done a taste test to steer you in the right direction, and help you navigate the cluttered shelf that screams “protein!” and “more fiber!” 

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Fueling up before the big game

By Jessica Sanders

Featured Article
fireflymag.com-Dec

Got a big game coming up? Being aware of what to eat —and why—helps you stay in control of how your body will perform, and could even affect whether or not you take home a win. Christopher Rivard of Bariatrix Nutrition in South Burlington, which researches and develops nutritional food products, breaks down what to eat when.

 

Morning before the game

It is important to combine complex carbohydrates with some fat and protein to make sure you have long- and short-term energy stored away. A bagel or toast is a good start.

Meal ideas:

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Decoding food labels

By Brighton Luke

Featured Article
fireflymag.com-Dec

 

Many Vermonters try to eat food that’s not only good for them, but also good for the Earth, which shouldn’t be that hard. But when everything from cheesy puffs to soda is labeled “natural,” it can be tough to know what you’re actually getting.  

Some food labels are highly regulated with very clear legal definitions. Others are pretty vague, and you might have to do some research into the source. 

Here’s a breakdown of some common food labels to get you started.

 

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fireflymag.com-Aug
The Veggie Column: playing with sauces and spices
By Jessica Sanders

When it comes to vegetarian food, the key ingredient is taste. If you can't make something taste good, then everything will be bland— and vegetarian food is anything but.

 Spices and sauces are a crucial component in creating a dish that tastes great. Everyone has different preferences, so it's critical that you play with what you have to find something that really works for you.

“I think as anybody develops as a cook in their own right, they come upon things that they really like to eat with their food.” Penny Cluse Owner Charles Reeves said.

fireflymag.com-Jun
New wing joint opens in Burlington
By Stephanie Choate

A restaurant industry veteran and a former National Hockey League player combined their skills to open a sports grill and bar.

“Anybody that has a pulse and enjoys beer, wings and sports is going to be here,” co-owner Martti Matheson said. “New Englanders bleed sports.”

Matheson and his longtime friend Aaron Miller opened Buffalo Wild Wings on Shelburne Road in Burlington on May 24. The restaurant is one of nearly 700 nationwide.

fireflymag.com-Apr
Taking out the dairy doesn’t mean you have to lose the milk
By Jessica Sanders

fireflymag.com-Feb
The Veggie Column: basics that are anything but boring
Jessica Sanders

If you’re unsure about trying a vegetarian diet because you think it’s boring or tasteless, read on. According to two local restaurant owners, meat-free fare is anything but.

 

fireflymag.com-Dec
Road leads to outrageously addicting snack
By Stephanie Choate

Judging by the 800 pounds of chocolate Daren “Rex” Rexroad goes through each month, his sweet and salty snack mix – Rex’s Outrageous Road Crew Crunch – is a hit. 

The mix of cereal, peanuts and pretzels drenched in chocolate is now sold in over 500 stores in 14 states, including hundreds of Vermont shops. 

 “It’s totally addicting,” Rexroad said. “I apologize to people who feel like they might gain weight.” 

fireflymag.com-Nov
Zumba: Party and get fit
By Stephanie Choate

As fitness instructor Rachel Vitale says at the beginning of each class she teaches, there are no wrong moves in Zumba. As long as you keep moving, you’ve got it.
“The basis of Zumba is it’s supposed to be a party atmosphere, as opposed to a strict workout atmosphere,” Vitale said.
Zumba fuses Latin and international music and dance with aerobic and interval fitness training. It combines fast and slow moves to keep your heart rate up and sculpt and tone muscles. It’s a full-body workout that can burn between 500 and 1,000 calories in an hour-long class, Vitale said.

Local organizations reach out to teens to reduce smoking
Firefly Mag Staff

Across Vermont, the number of youth (14-17 years old) who smoke has remained steady at 16 percent for the past five years, after falling sharply from 38 percent to 16 percent in the decade leading up to 2005.
 

fireflymag.com-Mar
The Veggie Column: building a healthy vegetarian diet
Jessica Sanders

Being a vegetarian means you might have to field questions like, “Where do you get your protein? How do you get the right nutrients?”

 

fireflymag.com-Dec
Bite Me Organic Pizza: a saucy success
By Stephanie Choate

After starting such Burlington hotspots as Club Metronome, Red Square, and Half Lounge, Jack O’Brien has turned his attention to a new field: pizza.

“I think that pizza has been a food that has been, until recently, left dormant,” he said.

O’Brien opened Bite Me Organic Pizza, which uses local organic ingredients, in Burlington last September.