treats

Tomorrow is National Dog Biscuit Day — why not celebrate by treating your pooch to some homemade yummies? These healthy dog treats are a DIY-licious idea from Whole Foods. Although the depicted green comes from a pinch of parsley, dried mint can be swapped in for even fresher breath.

If you're curious to learn the six ingredients and check out the recipe to bake for yourself your dog, then just read more

With the leaves turning all manner of golden blond, brown, and red, organize a meditative afternoon hike through the outdoors to appreciate the changing Fall foliage. Bring your family and friends, and keep their appetites at bay by offering an irresistible homemade version of trail mix. The Halloween-eager sweet tooth won't be able to resist a sophisticated spin on gorp that incorporates cinnamon spice and flakes of tropical coconut. For more of a salty mix, try an Asian-inspired medley of puffed rice, dry-roasted peas, and sesame sticks. Or, if you can't choose just one, make both — they'll only take a few minutes to toss together. See the recipes when you read on.

This FitSugar reader is worried about her co-worker's unhealthy slimming technique. Can you offer any suggestions?

I just started a new job and have become friends with a co-worker who sits next to me. Many of us eat lunch at our desks, and I've noticed something really odd about her eating habits. Never do I see her munching on a sandwich, salad, soup, or leftovers. Nope, instead she devours cookies, brownies, chocolate bars, doughnuts, or anything else sweet. I thought that she must eat lunch before and I just didn't notice, but last week I invited her out to grab a bite with me. She said she was "all set," and pulled out a rice krispie treat from her purse. I had to ask, "Is that all you're eating for lunch?" And she causally said, "Yes. I'm addicted to sugar. I don't eat lunch so my calories can be spent on the stuff that tastes good." I felt like her mother when I said, "That's not exactly healthy." And she replied, "I don't care. It's the only way I can enjoy treats without gaining a pound."

Something in me just can't let this be. I know she's an adult who's entitled to make her own decisions, but it really bugs me that she's blatantly making the wrong ones. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this without ruining our friendship?
—Concerned About My Co-Worker

If you have a quick question you need an answer to, post it here. The FitSugar Community is sure to offer you helpful tips and insightful advice.

This post was shared by reader SurferGurl in The Children's Table group.

After reading the LilSugar post about food blogger and cookbook author Molly Wizenberg I was inspired by her passion for creating family memories in the kitchen. I rushed out and got her book, A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table, so I could try the recipes. They are delightful, and through she didn't tailor her cookbook to children, I have found many of the recipes on her blog are family-friendly options because they are simple and aren't loaded with sweeteners. I made one of her family favorites — Raspberry-Blueberry Pound Cake — with my children last week. I substituted blueberries for blackberries (they are in season again!), and sweetened with fruit juice. It was a huge hit!

Have you found a great new recipe lately? Share it in The Children's Table group over in the LilSugar community!

Fish is a popular, special snack for some lucky cats but it's not always easy to tell if the products you buy are sustainable. Not the case with these treats, as The Honest Kitchen's new Wishes (Made From Fishes) consist of 100 percent Icelandic haddock, which is more sustainable than haddock in US waters. The stock has risen dramatically in the past five years around that country, which means more fishies for kitties, but they are "wild caught" — hook, line, and sinker — so it's less invasive thus more eco-tastic to catch them that way.

The treats will be available starting April 16 online and in shops for $8 — if North's reaction to Smooches is any clue, your kitties will go crazy for the dried fish bits!

My mother-in-law is big into light versions of everything. Light ice cream, light potato chips, light cranberry juice, and light salad dressings are just a few things you'd find in her fridge. Many people go for light foods because the lower calorie count makes them appear to be healthier. Although many times they're filled with extra sodium, sugar, or chemical additives to make up for the ingredients the company has removed or decreased. This means not only are these lighter versions less nutritious, they also end up tasting like diet foods. If you go for the fake version, you'll end up feeling gypped and hungry, and will most likely either overeat the light stuff or devour other foods to satisfy your cravings.

My advice is to go ahead and splurge a little. Choose small servings or bites of the really good stuff you want like cheesecake, potato chips, chocolate, and other indulgences instead of eating a huge serving of the fake, unhealthy stuff. Both your taste buds and brain will feel satiated and happy. What's your favorite splurge?