February 2026 Newsletter, White Label Newsletter, and Toolkit

Written By Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

February 2026 Newsletter and Tools for Premium Food and Health Communication Members:

Table of Contents:

Tools and Content for February:

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Links to articles in the newsletter:

Featured
Storing Fresh Herbs
Storing Fresh Herbs
Heart Healthy Fat Swaps
Heart Healthy Fat Swaps
Food Groups for the Heart
Food Groups for the Heart
Vegetables In Season for February
Vegetables In Season for February
Saturated Fat Handout and The Case for the New Dietary Guidelines Committee Recommendations
Saturated Fat Handout and The Case for the New Dietary Guidelines Committee Recommendations
The New 2026 Dietary Guidelines Are Here: References and Need to Know
The New 2026 Dietary Guidelines Are Here: References and Need to Know
The New Food Pyramid—Think Before You Eat
The New Food Pyramid—Think Before You Eat
Drop the Dietary Acid and Drop the Pounds
Drop the Dietary Acid and Drop the Pounds
Even Just One Drink a Day May Raise Risk for Oral Cancer
Even Just One Drink a Day May Raise Risk for Oral Cancer

Recipes in this issue - click here to view all recipes

Healthy Plate Dinner

Healthy Plate Dinner

Yield 4
Author Judy Doherty
Prep time
10 Min
Cook time
20 Min
Total time
30 Min

Here is a delicious healthy plate for your dinner. Fill half your plate with vegetables and or fruits then add a serving of grains and protein.

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Ingredients

  • 4 small chicken breasts, baked or grilled
  • 2 tomatoes, cored and diced
  • 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
  • 1/4 red onion, diced
  • 1 orange, peeled and diced
  • 4 cups broccoli florets, rinsed and steamed
  • 4 cups tossed salad: lettuce, your favorite veggies, 2 tablespoons dressing
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • Garnish: lemon wedge

Instructions

  1. Bake or grill the chicken breasts until done, about 20 minutes.
  2. Mix the tomatoes, jalapenos, red onion, and orange to create a fresh salsa. Season to taste with salt and pepper or hot sauce.
  3. Cook the rice according to package instructions.
  4. Steam the broccoli in the microwave in a covered dish for 3-4 minutes.
  5. Toss the salad
  6. Assemble your plates like the one in the picture. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Calories

438

Fat

7 g

Sat. Fat

2 g

Carbs

38 g

Fiber

7 g

Net carbs

31 g

Sugar

8 g

Protein

54 g

Sodium

304 mg

Cholesterol

145 mg
copyright foodandhealth.com
Did you make this recipe?
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Peanut Butter and Strawberry Smoothie

Peanut Butter and Strawberry Smoothie

Yield 2
Author Judy Doherty
Prep time
5 Min
Total time
5 Min

This smoothie is so easy to make and great for breakfast, snacks, and dessert!

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups nonfat plain yogurt (not Greek)
  • 1 cup fresh strawberries, hull removed
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter

Instructions

  1. Paint the peanut butter in stripes inside 2 small glasses.
  2. Puree the strawberries and yogurt in a blender. Pour into the glasses and serve immediately.
  3. Optional garnish: a dab of strawberry jelly and a fresh strawberry.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

208

Fat

5 g

Sat. Fat

1 g

Carbs

26 g

Fiber

2 g

Net carbs

24 g

Sugar

23 g

Protein

16 g

Sodium

224 mg

Cholesterol

5 mg
copyright foodandhealth.com
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @foodandhealth on instagram and hashtag it #foodandhealthrecipes
Valentine Salmon Dinner

Valentine Salmon Dinner

Yield 2
Author Judy Doherty
Prep time
51 Min
Cook time
40 Min
Total time
1 H & 31 M
This Valentine Menu is good for your heart! It features red rice, salmon, heart-shaped broccoli, and roasted tomatoes. From start to finish it takes about 45 minutes to allow time for the rice to cook but the prep is very easy.
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Ingredients

  • Recipes are listed in the order you should make them so everything is finished on time:
  • Red Rice:
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 2.5 cups water
  • 1 beet, peeled and diced fine
  • 2 tsp granulated garlic/parsley
  • Dash olive oil
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • Directions:
  • Place the rice, water, diced beet, seasonings, and olive oil in a rice cooker or on the stove in a covered pan over low heat. Cook until done, about 40 minutes. This recipe will serve up to 6. Reserve the extra for another day.
  • Gingered Salmon:
  • 2 3-ounce fillets of salmon
  • dash garlic-parsley powder
  • lemon juice - 2 lemons
  • 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes
  • Garnish:
  • 2/3 cup shredded fresh arugula
  • 2 tsp balsamic vinegar glaze

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat broiler in oven.
  2. 2. Sprinkle lemon juice and garlic over the salmon.
  3. 3. Use a microplane to grate the fresh ginger over the salmon.
  4. 4. Broil in oven for 10-12 minutes or until salmon is done and ginger is golden. If ginger darkens too fast, reduce oven temperature to bake at 375 degrees.
  5. 5. Serve hot on bed of shredded fresh arugula with a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar glaze. Serves 2.
  6. Heart Shaped Broccoli:
  7. (NOTE: cook this at the very last minute)
  8. 2 cups tiny broccoli florets
  9. 1 tsp olive oil
  10. garlic powder
  11. white pepper
  12. Directions:
  13. Toss together in small bowl. Microwave covered for 2 minutes. Arrange in heart shape on plate. Serves 2. Directions:
  14. Plate all items quickly as pictured. Serve hot.
  15. Chef's Tips: This menu serves 2.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

572.7

Fat

13.23 g

Sat. Fat

2.17 g

Carbs

86.84 g

Fiber

5.81 g

Net carbs

81.05 g

Sugar

7.25 g

Protein

26.23 g

Sodium

262.65 mg

Cholesterol

49.98 mg
copyright foodandhealth.com
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @foodandhealth on instagram and hashtag it #foodandhealthrecipes
Valentine Heart

Valentine Heart

Yield 2
Author Judy Doherty
Prep time
10 Min
Cook time
12 Min
Inactive time
4 Hour
Total time
4 H & 22 M
Here is a fun way to use the Mudslide Cookie Dough
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Ingredients

  • 8 oz semisweet chocolate
  • 2 ounces butter, unsalted (or if using salted omit the salt)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup walnuts

Instructions

  1. Mix the butter and chocolate together in a bowl and melt in 30 second increments in the microwave. Do not over heat just heat enough to melt. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool.
  2. Whip the eggs, sugar, and vanilla together until very fluffy. Add the chocolate and flour, scrape the bowl and mix smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
  3. Place the cookie dough onto parchment and roll up like a 2 inch sausage. Chill for a few hours or overnight.
  4. You will only use a few slices and can freeze the rest for later use.
  5. Grease a small bake-proof heart mold or other small mold. Place a few slices of Mudslide Cookie Dough into it. Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.
  6. To make the dessert top with whipped cream and chocolate sauce followed by fresh berries.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

138

Fat

9 g

Sat. Fat

5 g

Carbs

14 g

Fiber

1 g

Net carbs

13 g

Sugar

11 g

Protein

1 g

Sodium

13 mg

Cholesterol

19 mg
copyright foodandhealth.com
dessert
American
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @foodandhealth on instagram and hashtag it #foodandhealthrecipes

Heart Articles and Tips

Featured
More plant over animal protein equals better heart health
More plant over animal protein equals better heart health

More plant protein over animal protein equals better heart health

As heart disease remains the number one killer in the US, prevention is key. The power of plants should be on your plate.

A recent study out of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health finds that eating more plant-based protein over animal-based protein may cut the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart disease (CHD). The study investigators found that the reduced risk is likely due to swapping red and processed meats with plant proteins such as beans, lentils, and tofu.

2025 Predictions and Trends for Food and Nutrition Education
2025 Predictions and Trends for Food and Nutrition Education

As we welcome 2024 and a new year, it is often fun to contemplate where we have been and where we are going on our food, health, and nutrition education journey. The nutrition research, as we have seen over numerous years of Dietary Guideline reviews and in the present 2020-2025 edition, has corroborated a whole-food, plant-based, minimally-processed diet that is low in added sugar, salt, and processed fat especially with regards to trans fat and saturated fat.

Gifts for the Heart
Gifts for the Heart
Do Foods Need to be Colorful to be Healthful?
Do Foods Need to be Colorful to be Healthful?
The Health Impact of Cooking Oils: A Comparison
The Health Impact of Cooking Oils: A Comparison

When it comes to selecting which oil you're going to use for your cooking project, it turns out that flavor is only one of many considerations. Here's everything you need to know about the health impact of various cooking oils...

Changes in Diet Offer Best Defense in Hypertensive Patients

For young and middle-aged individuals with high blood pressure, tweaking the diet may be the most effective way to cut the risk of cardiovascular disease...

Untangling Processed Foods: Ultra Processed, Minimally Processed, and More
Untangling Processed Foods: Ultra Processed, Minimally Processed, and More

It’s not as simple as processed vs unprocessed because even washing or packaging a food makes it technically a processed food...

The Many Layers of Onions

Let’s review this affordable, accessible vegetable...

The Health Impact of Lack of Sleep

"Our findings show that shortened sleep, even in young, healthy, and relatively lean subjects, is associated with an increase in calorie intake, a very small increase in weight, and a significant increase in fat accumulation inside the belly..."

Eat More Plants and Less Meat: Here's How

Research that followed over 37,000 middle-aged Americans showed that those who ate the most plant protein were 27% less likely to die of any cause and nearly 30% less likely to diet of coronary heart disease than those who consumed the least amount of plant protein...

When It Comes to Stroke Risk, Type of Fat Matters

New research suggests that it’s not the quantity of fat consumed, but type of fat that matters when it comes to reducing the risk of stroke...

Free Handout: Nutrition Basics

Understanding nutrition and good health is tough. Here's a handout with a few of the basics. I hope it makes your life (and your clients' lives) easier...

Looking for Better Cell Function? Choose Diet Over Drugs
Update to the AHA Guidelines: Part Two

The American Heart Association recently released updated diet and lifestyle guidelines to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, and here are the rest...

Update to the AHA Guidelines: Part One

The American Heart Association recently released updated diet and lifestyle guidelines to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease...

Cooking Demo Tool Kit:

Featured
“Build Your Own” Style Dinners
“Build Your Own” Style Dinners

Here are cooking demos designed to make family meals more fun.

Cooking on Induction Stoves
Cooking on Induction Stoves

Using a portable induction stove for a cooking demo is a great idea. Here are the pros, cons, and success tips.

15 Tips for Smoother Cooking Demos
15 Tips for Smoother Cooking Demos

These 15 strategies for smoother cooking demos are very easy to do and they will make your next one make you feel like a star!

Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy’s passion for cooking began with helping her grandmother make raisin oatmeal for breakfast. From there, she earned her first food service job at 15, was accepted to the world-famous Culinary Institute of America at 18 (where she graduated second in her class), and went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland, where she focused on pastry arts and baking. After a decade in food service for Hyatt Hotels, Judy launched Food and Health Communications to focus on flavor and health. She graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction from Johnson and Wales University with a BS in Culinary Arts, holds a master’s degree in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and runs a food photography & motion studio where her love is creating fun recipes and content.

Judy received The Culinary Institute of America’s Pro Chef II certification, the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year. Her enthusiasm for eating nutritiously and deliciously leads her to constantly innovate and use the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to guide her creativity, from putting new twists on fajitas to adapting Italian brownies to include ingredients like toasted nuts and cooked honey. Judy’s publishing company, Food and Health Communications, is dedicated to her vision that everyone can make food that tastes as good as it is for you.

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January 2026 Newsletter, White Label Newsletter, and Toolkit