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Good to Go: Potluck recipes for food allergies

By WTOP Staff

Here are just a few online resources:

When planning your next potluck dish, it doesn’t hurt to be mindful of the growing number of food allergies. There are more sufferers of dairy, nut, fish, soy and gluten-based allergies, which makes it a challenge to come up with a dish everyone can eat.

Another issue at the potluck table is whether or not the food will have to sit out for a lengthy period of time. No dish is worth an outbreak of a foodborne illness. The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers these food preparation and storage tips:

  • Hot food should be kept at 140 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer.
  • Cold food should be kept at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder.
  • When serving food at a buffet, keep food hot with chafing dishes, slow cookers and warming trays.
  • Keep food cold by nesting dishes in bowls of ice, or use small serving trays and replace them often.
  • Perishable food should not be left out more than two hours at room temperature (one hour when the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit).

Go-To Potluck Recipes

I was at a dinner party years ago when I begged my friend Kathy for the first recipe. The second I came up with on my own based on salads I tend to order in restaurants. Both are fast to prepare, friendly to most allergy sufferers and dieters and can be kept at room temperature for up to two hours.

Black Bean and Asparagus Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 bushel of asparagus
  • 1 can or bag of black beans
  • 1 squeezed lemon
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon of honey

Directions:

1. Chop asparagus into half-inch bites.

2. Prepare black beans.

3. Steam asparagus for two minutes.

4. Drain both water from asparagus and excess juice from beans in a colander.

5. Mix olive oil, honey and lemon juice together with beans and asparagus into a bowl. Chill for 10 minutes in the refrigerator and then serve.

Spinach Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

  • Fresh spinach leaves
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Pineapple
  • Poppy seed dressing (store bought or your own recipe)

Directions:

1. Rinse spinach and all fruit thoroughly before slicing.

2. Place spinach first in the bowl.

3. Add strawberries, blueberries and pineapple. The assortment lends well to a colorful design at the top of the bowl.

4. Serve poppy seed dressing on the side.

Have fun with your next potluck contribution, and may your samplers delight in your latest recipe.

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Editor’s Note: WTOP’s Katie Howard is a mom on the go. With two children under age 5, she’s always looking for ways to provide her family fast and healthy snacks, meals and activities. Katie shares her go-to food and family fitness tips every Tuesday on her blog “Good to Go.”

Follow @WTOPLiving on Twitter.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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