Time to take your taste buds on a mini-vacation.

Tajín is my favorite go-to seasoning if I want a little more kick than salt and pepper deliver.

In Mexico, where Tajín is made and bottled, the spicy condiment is sold as a seasoning for fruit. But early-adopters and lovers of this chile pepper-dehydrated lime juice-salt concoction use it on everything. And I mean everything.

Excellent with eggs. Terrific with tuna salad. Stupendous with steak. Amazing with… you get the picture.

Tajín’s appeal is hard to describe. It’s a bit spicy… but not so spicy that it’ll burn your face off. It’s a bit salty… but you won’t feel like you’ve just dined at a salt lick. There’s a nice acidic bite, but it won’t make you squint and pucker up.

Yep… this is exactly what you need to breathe new life into your boring mealtime repertoire.

If you’ve never tried it, sprinkle a little on some sliced cucumbers or melon. Pretty soon, you’ll be shaking it all over everything… and loving it. Your leftover turkey sandwich never tasted so good.

They’re making a low-sodium variety now, in addition to the Tajín Classico. You can find it in most supermarkets, Trader Joe’s, Target and Wal-Mart.

Let me know if you try it, what you tried it on and how you liked it!

Mama doesn’t believe in tricking picky eaters into eating healthy food… especially vegetables.

There are books and blogs dedicated to doing just that, I know. But if you introduce veggies early enough, and in small quantities, you have a better chance of bringing them into the tent.

Kale, the darling of the leafy vegetables world, is the perfect example. Kale used to be hidden in winter soups or boiled to death with other hearty greens.

Now, it’s roasted, sautéed and shredded into salads. There are entire Pinterest boards dedicated to Kale recipes.

Kale chips are even being tucked into lunch boxes. Guess what? Kids love them… even the picky eaters. The other day I saw a kid with a green smoothie… WHAT? Kudos to the parents (or the kid) for venturing into territory my kids would NEVER have explored. 

This all goes back to introducing kids to greens early… as soon as their little tummies can digest the fiber.

Mac and cheese, a kid favorite, blends beautifully with finely chopped kale, broccoli or spinach. Start with just a little bit, a teaspoon or two per serving is about right.

Another idea: sauté the chopped leafy veggies in the same pan that you fry bacon. Top with chopped bacon and a little cheese. Easy and delicious and goes great with a meaty main course.

Do your best to get them to eat their veggies. But at the end of the day, DON’T WORRY… they’re not going to starve if they turn their nose up at a dish.

I’m trying… Lord knows I’m trying.

Mama said she would eat healthier in the new year, and she has been… but what am I supposed to do when we’ve got a weekend of great (okay, somewhat great) NFL playoffs coming up and the College National Championship game on Monday?

I mean c’mon… five games in three days? It’s all too easy to sit on the couch, stuff you’re face with a bunch of junk food you swore you’d stay away from in the New Year and (no surprise) put on a few extra L-Bs.

Well… you CAN avoid that trap, if you plan ahead and do your best to stay away from the oh-so-delicious hot cheesy dips and platters of brats. Here’s a healthy Spicy Chicken Kebab recipe… but the battle of the brats is up to you.

Spicy Chicken Kabobs

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