Sweet and slightly tangy, this creamy poppyseed dressing recipe has had a regular home in our refrigerator for several years now. Easy to make and adaptable as can be, this is the best poppy seed dressing I’ve ever tasted.

Creamy Poppyseed Dressing

For years, I bought a store-bought poppy seed salad dressing faithfully. I was brand loyal and swore by a specific one, buying it on a regular basis.

A while back, I started making homemade versions of some of our favorite dressings and decided to see if I could duplicate a poppyseed salad dressing.

What are poppy seeds? They’re the small black seeds from poppy flowers that are often sprinkled onto or into breads and cakes. Poppyseeds are also the shining stars of this salad dressing. While often spelled as two words “poppy seeds,” technically it is one word.

My whole family agrees this is even better than the original bottled version; it has completely replaced the store bought stuff in our house.

This recipe for poppy seed dressing was inspired by this spinach salad with poppyseed dressing that Jenn at My Tiny Oven shared many years ago and the dressing has become a family favorite.

Making tangy-sweet creamy poppy seed dressing at home is as easy as can be. This recipe uses a base of mayonnaise and milk for its creamy base. White wine vinegar and a dash of dried mustard balance the sweetness from white sugar perfectly.

Of course, a couple of heaping spoonfuls of poppyseeds give the dressing its signature flavor and appearance. As easy as it is, there’s something extra fancy feeling about this Berry Pecan Salad when it’s drizzled with creamy poppyseed dressing.

Poppyseed Dressing Ingredients

• mayo
• milk
• sugar
• white wine vinegar
• poppy seeds
• dry mustard
• kosher salt

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With almost half of Brits experiencing gut health problems, we take a look at the latest research by HSIS to understand how pre and probiotics can support a healthy gut and all-around better health

Gut health is proving to be one of the most exciting and important areas of science in today’s society. A new study by the Health and Food Supplements Information Service (HSIS) has revealed that 47% of people in Britain have experienced gut health problems. The study, undertaken by HSIS nutritionist Dr Pamela Mason and GP, Dr Gill Jenkins, looks at the effects that probiotics and prebiotics can have on our gut health, as well as several other key health problems.

Dr Mason explains, “By conducting our systematic review of the scientific literature, we have found clinical evidence that probiotics – ‘friendly’ strains of bacteria – and prebiotics – dietary substances that promote certain gut bacteria types – can support people with a range of health problems…”

What benefits do pre and probiotics bring to our physical (and mental) health?

1. Gastrointestinal conditions - Prebiotics and probiotics can support conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease.
2. They can help manage atopic eczema in children and allergies across all ages.
3. They can aid in reducing the incidence and duration of respiratory tract infections.
4. Pre and probiotics can help manage weight, obesity, metabolic disease, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, including reducing inflammation.
5. Cognitive health - Pre and probiotics are good at improving mild cognitive impairment.
6. Mental health - they are effective in supporting the management of depression and anxiety.
7. Pre and probiotics improve calcium absorption, leading to better bone health.
8. Dental health - they support the treatment of periodontal disease.

Despite the numerous benefits that looking after our gut health can bring, the HSIS survey reveals that few Brits are up to speed with this area of nutrition. A fifth don’t take prebiotic or probiotic supplements as they don’t understand why they should, or the health benefits they bring, while 21% are unaware that probiotic and prebiotic supplements exist.

Why is it so important to look after our gut?

Our gut contains trillions of microorganisms - including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Collectively, they are known as the 'gut microbiome'. People are unclear about what the gut microbiome actually is, according to the survey results. Dr Mason states, “The gut microbiome – which is unique to each individual – contains over three million genes, making it 130 times more genetically varied than the human genome itself, which consists of about 23,000 genes.”

There are a number of ways in which the gut microbiome affects bodily functions, like going for a ‘number two’, and, therefore, it can play a very important part in how we monitor our overall h

Cheesy, saucy, pizza quesadillas are as flavorful as you imagine they might be. They’re a messy, super fun, lightning-fast way to satisfy your next pizza craving.

Pizza Quesadilla

I am not sure there is a more craveable combination than pizza and quesadillas. Cheesy, buttery, crispy, salty I could go on and on. Sometimes these are a meal at our house. Other times just a snack or late-night kitchen raid.

That being said I like to think I have perfected my quesadilla-making and have a few secrets. First butter the tortilla, don’t just melt butter in the skillet. Fully cover both tortillas with butter on one side.

Second the layers. As you assemble the quesadilla you want two layers of cheese, one against each tortilla. Start with a buttered side-down tortilla then cheese, toppings another layer of cheese, and finally a tortilla, buttered side up. All that cheese on both sides will keep everything melted together.

When cutting up toppings for inside, like pepperoni cut them in half. Those little guys get HOT quickly in all that cheese and sauce.

Nothing will make you drop your quesadilla jump faster than when a bite pulls out a piece of hot pepperoni and it slaps your chin with hot cheese and sauce. Trust me, I have done it!

I cut my pepperoni in half and if I add other meats and vegetables I always make sure they are bite-sized. Don’t worry the melted cheese will hold it all in there.

Speaking of other toppings if it goes on a pizza you can tuck it into these quesadillas. I love adding a few olives and banana peppers to mine while the kids are all about all the meat.

How to Cut a Quesadilla

Cutting a hot quesadilla into manageable pieces is super simple with a pizza cutter or large knife. Just transfer the pizza quesadilla to a cutting board and run a wheel pizza cutter over it.

Or take your large chef’s knife and rock across it in one swift motion to cut it. Avoid sawing back and forth or it can shred and just becomes a mess.

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This podcast episode is sponsored by Nutrisense! I’ve been a huge fan of Nutrisense for over a year and recently wore another CGM during the holidays. If you’d like to join me and get insight to your habits, your body, and make some healthy changes, sign up here. Use this link and the promo code TFP (stands for The Fitnessista Podcast) to get $30 off and 1 month of free dietitian support.

Today on the podcast, we’re chatting about one of my favorite topics: yoga! Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or just considering your first practice, this episode is full of tips and inspiration. I’m chatting with Courtney Fox, who is an Arizona yoga instructor. I can’t wait to take her class next time I’m in Scottsdale!

123: Yoga on and off the mat with Courtney Fox

Here’s what we chat about:

– Benefits of yoga and breathing for mental clarity & overall health

– Creating, establishing and maintaining a yoga practice, plus tips for beginners

– Yoga is more than just a physical practice. How to take kindness, patience, and lightheartedness off of your mat and into your life

– Balancing a yoga practice with a strength training routine

– Finding balance in a tech world + sample stretches you can do at your desk

+ so much more 🙂

Here’s some more info about Courtney:

Courtney is an Arizona Native and cherishes the opportunity to teach and inspire people in her hometown. She is a 500-hour+ certified yoga instructor through Modern Yoga and has trained with some of the most experienced yoga professionals in the world. Her purpose is to introduce beginners to yoga in a playful, feel-good way so they can not only establish a yoga practice on the mat, but take their practice off their mat and into their daily lives to create a vibrant and healthy lifestyle. She enjoys bringing the community together through teaching at Diamondbacks Stadium, CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa, the Fashion Square rooftop, festivals, a

Finance expert Davinia Tomlinson shares easy steps to help you manage your money‌‌

Anyone else counting the days until payday? The first payday after the holidays usually feels a long way off (especially if you got paid early in December), but some of us may be noticing it more than ever this year. As we head into the New Year, many of us like to take the chance to reset and embrace a fresh start, but worries about money and the cost of living can hold us back.

If you’re keen to get a handle on your finances in 2023, a great first step is to learn more about managing money so you can approach it in a simple and strategic way. To help us get started, finance expert Davinia Tomlinson, founder of Rainchq and author of Cash is Queen: A Girl’s Guide to Securing, Spending and Stashing Cash, shares five tips to help you take control of your financial future and live your best, most financially abundant life.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to improve your financial habits, understanding the basics of positive money management can help you feel reassured and put you back in the driving seat.‌‌

Learn to control your money mindset‌‌

Remember: you control your money, your money doesn’t control you. This is the key to transforming your relationship with money and establishing solid financial foundations that form the basis for how you live your life. Cultivating a healthy money mindset means that, in time, you will be making powerful financial decisions on autopilot. Start by keeping a daily money planner for a month and write down what you spend, when, why and with whom.

Next, reflect on how money makes you feel. Which words or thoughts come up consistently when you think about money and most importantly why? Do you feel excited? In control? Anxious? Whatever it is, write it down.‌‌‌‌

Lastly, look for patterns or clues in your behaviour. What do you notice about your money behaviour that makes you proud? Do certain people impact you positively or negatively? Is there a spike in spending after bad news? ‌‌‌‌

The only way to make a positive lasting change is to know your starting point, identify where you’d like to get to and take micro steps that you build on incrementally to achieve your target.

Understand the difference between what you make and what you keep

Being financially free is about understanding the difference between what you earn and what you keep. Keep track of your expenses and make sure you're spending less than you're earning. This will help you make informed decisions about what to do with any disposable income, including how much you can afford to save and invest for the future. Most people who achieve financial success aren’t simply those who ‘earn lots of money’. The most financially savvy are focused as much on what they earn as what they keep.

Deferred gratification ‌‌

It's easy to get caught up in the here and now and spend money on things we want but don't need. While there’s nothing wrong with the occasional burst of spontaneity when it comes to our spending, if this becomes