EatingWell2013-06-18T02:44:27-04:00EatingWellhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/index.php?author=eatingwellCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for EatingWellGood old fashioned elbow grease.5 One-Skillet Dinners For Easy Clean-Uptag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15709042012-10-01T16:25:55-04:002012-10-01T16:55:14-04:00EatingWellhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/eatingwell/By Wendy Ruopp, managing editor of EatingWell Magazine
Like Johnny Appleseed setting off with a pocketful of hope and a saucepan for a hat, my children have begun to make their way in the world. They don't have to wear their pots -- but their kitchens are tiny enough that they have to choose carefully. Microwave or toaster? Saucepan or skillet? I say skillet -- a pan you can cook your whole dinner in. And it will do a better job of keeping off the rain.
The five recipes that follow make a good case for stocking your kitchen with two large skillets in particular: nonstick and stainless steel. For gingery, Indian-inspired Chickpea & Potato Hash, a nonstick skillet keeps the potatoes from clinging too tenaciously. Another night, cook tender gnocchi and shrimp using minimal oil. Steak for a beef curry browns nicely in a stainless-steel skillet and the flavors build as each ingredient joins the pan. And I'm especially glad for Garlic Chicken, a fabulous skillet version of the classic "chicken with 40 cloves of garlic," a dish my kids will come home for.
The gnocchi cooks right in the skillet, along with shrimp, shallots, asparagus and Parmesan cheese, in this gnocchi recipe. Look for shelf-stable gnocchi near other pasta. Serve with baby arugula salad with vinaigrette and a glass of pinot grigio.
Chickpea & Potato Hash
Makes: 4 servings
Active time: 25 minutes | Total: 25 minutes
Cost per serving: under $2
The eggs cook right on top of this chickpea and potato hash -- cook them a few extra minutes if you prefer hard-set eggs. Serve with warm pita bread and a cucumber salad with mint and yogurt.
Top tilapia fillets with a savory tomato-olive sauce that comes together in just 5 minutes. Look for tapenade near jarred olives in the supermarket. Serve with sautéed broccolini and farro tossed with toasted almonds.
Garlic Chicken
Makes: 4 servings, 2 drumsticks & about 1/3 cup sauce each [Cooking for one or two? Make Garlic Chicken for Two.]
Active time: 40 minutes | Total: 40 minutes
Cost per serving: under $2.50
Whole garlic cloves are mild when simmered with chicken in a simple white wine-mustard sauce in this garlic chicken recipe. Serve with smashed potatoes with buttermilk and sautéed green beans.
Bell Pepper & Beef Curry
Makes: 4 servings, about 2 cups each
Active time: 35 minutes | Total: 35 minutes
Cost per serving: under $4
A combination of green beans, red bell peppers and sweet mango makes this beef curry recipe colorful. The heat and salt level can vary widely in red curry paste depending on the brand -- taste as you go. Serve with noodles and a basil-and-jícama salad.
If you only had room for one pan in your kitchen, what would it be?
By Wendy Ruopp, Managing Editor Wendy Ruopp has been the managing editor of EatingWell for most of her adult life. Although she writes about food for the Weeknights column of EatingWell Magazine, her husband does the cooking at home.
Grilled cheese seems like the perfect food. It’s easy to make, has few ingredients and sports a crispy crust and a warm, gooey, cheesy center. What’s not to love? How about the 410 calories and 18 grams of saturated fat per sandwich? I don’t love that. Grilled cheese can attribute its high fat and calories to the butter spread on the outside of the bread to make it crispy and the copious amounts of cheese in the middle. Pair that with a couple of slices of plain white bread and you have a nutritional disaster.
But do you really need all of that to make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich? No! Here are 5 secrets for how to make grilled cheese that saves calories and fat to boot.
What are your tips for the best grilled cheese sandwich?
EatingWell Associate Food Editor Hilary Meyer spends much of her time in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, testing and developing healthy recipes. She is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute.
I had never heard of chia until a couple of years ago when a health-minded friend started crowing about her latest superfood. “It’s loaded with omega-3s; the Aztecs used to grow it,” she told me. Intrigued, I wanted to find out if chia truly did deserve the health hype. Here’s what I learned -- as Ana Mantica and Amy Levin-Epstein have both reported on chia for EatingWell Magazine:
What Is Chia?
If your first thought is “Chia Pets” you’re kind of right. Edible chia seeds (Salvia hispanica) are a cousin of the seeds (Salvia columbariae) you once used to grow a crop of green hair atop your clay “pet.” If you’ve never seen or tried them before, chia are small round seeds -- ivory to charcoal-colored -- that dissolve a bit and form a gel when mixed with liquid. For this reason, they make a creamy addition to oatmeal and are sometimes used to make pudding. Or you can sprinkle them on salad or yogurt as a slightly crunchy, nutty topping.
Health Benefits of Chia
Now to the health aspect. Because chia absorbs water easily, it is easy on sensitive stomachs, according to David C. Nieman, M.P.H., Dr.P.H., of Appalachian State University. “Some other seeds, like flax, are harder to digest because they have more lignan, a tough fiber,” says Nieman. And chia does boast a lot of fiber -- four grams per one tablespoon (women need 25 grams of fiber each day, men need 38). My friend was right, it does contain omega-3 fats: One tablespoon delivers 1.75 grams of the alpha-linolenic acid, the plant-based omega-3 that has been linked to heart health. For comparison, flaxseed provides two grams of ALA per tablespoon. Chia also provides a little protein (two grams per one tablespoon), antioxidants and even some calcium and iron.
Bottom line: Chia packs a lot of nutrition into a small serving, and is an easy way boost your fiber and plant-based omega-3 intake. (See how chia seeds compare nutritionally to flax seeds and hemp seeds.)
Have you tried chia seeds?
By Kerri-Ann Jennings
Kerri-Ann Jennings, a registered dietitian, is the associate nutrition editor of EatingWell Magazine, where she wields her master's degree in nutrition from Columbia University writing and editing news about nutrition, health and food trends. In her free time, Kerri-Ann likes to practice yoga, hike, bake and paint.
For more on diet and nutrition, click here.]]>How To Grill Seafood Perfectly Every Timetag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.18780082012-09-14T09:53:22-04:002012-11-14T05:12:01-05:00EatingWellhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/eatingwell/
By Hilary Meyer, Associate Food Editor, EatingWell Magazine
For some reason, seafood seems to be one of the most intimidating foods to grill. Fish tends to be delicate and hard to maneuver without mishap, and smaller foods like shrimp and scallops are so small, that they can overcook in a flash or worse yet, fall through the grates into the fire. But truthfully, they’re all easy to master once you know a few tricks of the trade. Here are a few tips to help you achieve perfectly grilled seafood every time you grill:
What are your tricks for perfectly grilled seafood?
By Hilary Meyer, EatingWell Associate Food Editor
EatingWell Associate Food Editor Hilary Meyer spends much of her time in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, testing and developing healthy recipes. She is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute.
]]>How To Pickle Anything, No Canning Necessarytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.18614712012-09-06T17:12:37-04:002012-11-06T05:12:01-05:00EatingWellhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/eatingwell/
By Matthew Thompson, associate food editor for EatingWell Magazine
There are certain things I will never understand in this world: the rules of cricket, how fish reproduce, quantum harmonic oscillation… and people who don’t like pickles. That last one is probably the hardest for me to grasp.
Because, come on, pickles taste amazing! Snap into a perfectly crisp gherkin that’s sopped up plenty of vinegar, fresh herbs and just a hint of salt and tell me you’re not in briny heaven. Sneak a dill spear into your next burger and tell me it’s not tangily enhanced.
But don’t stop with cucumbers: you can pickle pretty much any veggie. Tomatillos, carrots, okra, beets: almost anything will be improved by pickling. And don’t let a fear of canning slow you down: instead, try making refrigerator pickles—no canning required! (Of course, should you like to can them, our recipes are suitable for that as well—see Step 5 below.)
Here are a few easy tips for making sure your pickles come out great.
• Most water is fine for pickling but avoid using hard water; use purified if in doubt.
• Use any vinegar you like. If you plan to can, however, make sure you use a vinegar with at least five percent acetic acid.
• Use pure sea salt without any additives or salt labeled “canning” or “pickling” salt. Additives in table salt may make the brine cloud.
Here’s a simple guide to transforming your fresh summer produce into a sharp and piquant playground for your taste buds:
Step 1: Prepare Vegetables
Wash and chop your veggies into whatever shape you’d like them to be pickled in (thin disks work well if you’re not sure what to do). Certain veggies will be enhanced by blanching them (briefly cooking them in boiling water). At EatingWell, we recommend blanching beets, Brussels sprouts, carrots, ginger, green beans, okra and peppers. Don’t bother blanching cucumbers, tomatillos, tomatoes or turnips, however. You can find recommendations for the quantity of vegetables to start with for different kinds of recipes here.
To blanch: Bring 16 cups of water per pound of prepped vegetables to a boil in a large pot. Add the vegetables, cover, return to a boil and cook for 2 minutes (cook beets for 5 minutes). Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl of ice water to cool; drain.
Step 2: Divide Vegetables
Divide the vegetables among 6 pint-size (2-cup) canning jars or similar-size tempered-glass or heatproof-plastic containers with lids.
Step 3: Add Flavorings
Add fresh or dry flavorings, if desired. Don’t be afraid to mix and match a little! Here are some tasty flavorings to try:
Step 4: Make Brine
Make either sweet or sour brine using these recipes:
Sour Pickle Brine Recipe
Makes: 6 cups. Combine 3 cups distilled white vinegar (or cider vinegar), 3 cups water, 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sea salt and 2 tablespoons sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until the salt is dissolved. Let boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Sweet Pickle Brine Recipe
Makes: 6 cups. Combine 3 cups distilled white vinegar (or cider vinegar), 3 cups water, 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sea salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Let boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Step 5: Fill Jars with Brine
Carefully fill jars (or containers) with brine to within 1/2 inch of the top of the rim, covering the vegetables completely. Discard any leftover brine. Place the lids on the jars (or containers) and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving. (Refrigerate okra and turnips for at least 1 week before serving.) Pickles will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Find step-by-step instructions for canning your homemade pickles so they can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 year here.
What would you like to learn to pickle?
By Matthew Thompson
Matthew Thompson is the associate food editor for EatingWell Magazine.
]]>Get Healthy: Start Now With This Fresh-Start Checklisttag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.18468082012-09-04T08:02:37-04:002012-11-04T05:12:01-05:00EatingWellhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/eatingwell/EatingWell Magazine
I’ve always thought the new year should start in September. Fall seems to bring with it a fresh start. And although I don’t want to rush the change of seasons (I love summer!), I am starting to feel inspired to shake up my routine and, um, get one. It’s all too easy to let healthy habits slide in the summertime (all that socializing can lead to some not-so-stellar food choices... Hamburgers and ice cream have been in my diet more often than I’d like to admit). So if you’re itching to get into (or back into) a healthy routine, as I am, then here are some steps you can take right now:
Stock your kitchen with healthy foods. A first step in eating right is getting prepared. Go through your fridge and pantry and toss the super-unhealthy stuff you want to eat less of. Then, get ready to cook up healthy meals by stocking your pantry with healthy-cooking essentials. (Check out this guide to stocking a healthy kitchen for advice on where to get started.)
Make a meal plan. Get organized about your eating habits. Make a meal plan at the beginning of the week, shop for it and follow it. You can leave a couple nights open for eating out or takeout, if you like, but planning it ahead of time will help you make intentional, healthy choices. (Give meal planning a time with our "5-Day, 1,500-Calorie Diet Meal Plan.")
Eat vegetables or fruit at every meal. Simply upping your consumption of fruits and vegetables -- foods packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants -- helps to lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Not to mention all the other benefits: For example, beta carotene in carrots and sweet potatoes helps keep your eyes, bones and immune system healthy, and lycopene in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit may help protect against prostate and breast cancers. How much you should eat depends on your age and size, but many adults need roughly two cups of fruit and three cups of vegetables daily.
Pack your lunch. A packed lunch isn’t just for kids. Packing a healthy lunch to take to work will make it easier to eat more healthfully throughout the day. Remember to pack nourishing, satisfying snacks, too, so you don’t give in to the afternoon lure of the vending machine (or cafeteria cookie, sweet coffee drink or whatever your particular vice may be). Think about taking leftovers from last night’s dinner and adding some cut-up vegetables, fruit and nuts for snacks. (Find out how to pack a lighter lunch with our three ingredients of a get-skinny lunch.)
Hide tempting foods. One study found that keeping unhealthy food hidden can help you eat less of it: When secretaries were given candies in clear dishes to place on their desktops, they helped themselves to candy 71 percent more often than a similar group that was given the same candy in opaque dishes so that the candy wasn't visible. At home, stash tempting treats inside a cabinet where you can't see them -- or better yet, get rid of them altogether and keep the apples and other healthy eats out on the counter.
Schedule your exercise. If you wait for the mood to strike or for a lull in your day, you might not get in an optimal amount of exercise. Make sure you get enough by checking your schedule at the beginning of the week and penning in appointments to exercise. Need some incentive? Just remember that in addition to boosting your energy, exercise can help keep your heart healthy, lengthen your life and lower your risk of chronic disease.
How much exercise do you need? Experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes per week of moderate activity (like brisk walking) or 75 minutes per week of vigorous activity (jogging/running), as well as strength-training twice a week. You can break that total time up into chunks that work for you -- 10-minute walks at lunch five times a week would knock out 50 of those minutes, a longer hike on the weekend or a couple of bike rides or dance classes could fill out the rest (just make sure the segments are at least 10 minutes long).
Try a new activity. Embrace change and try something new to you: Take a yoga or meditation class, hit the climbing gym... Find out how much fun you can have being healthy by discovering a new activity.
By Kerri-Ann Jennings
Kerri-Ann Jennings, a registered dietitian, is the associate nutrition editor of EatingWell Magazine, where she wields her master's degree in nutrition from Columbia University writing and editing news about nutrition, health and food trends. In her free time, Kerri-Ann likes to practice yoga, hike, bake and paint.
For more on personal health, click here.]]>Is Eating At The Farmer's Market Safe?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.18468222012-08-31T11:42:38-04:002012-10-31T05:12:02-04:00EatingWellhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/eatingwell/
By Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D. Associate Nutrition Editor for EatingWell Magazine
Shopping at a farmer’s market is a great way to support your local economy and stock up on the freshest seasonal produce. (Did you know that when fruits and vegetables are picked at their peak ripeness, they are most nutrient-packed?)
But when it comes to some of the food at the market, there’s debate whether it’s safe and should even be legal.
I’m talking about those hand-canned jars of pickles and other “value-added” foods that have been made in a home kitchen, rather than a commercial one. In many states, selling food that hasn’t been made in a commercial kitchen is illegal. It’s a food safety measure that’s a first step in ensuring the food you eat won’t give you a bellyache or worse (some improperly-canned foods can harbor botulism, a type of food-borne illness that starts with flu-like symptoms, but can lead to double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech and/or difficulty swallowing and dry mouth). However, using a commercial kitchen—or getting your home kitchen outfitted, inspected and licensed—is pricey and keeps a lot of would-be prepared food vendors (like farmers) out of the market. So across the country, more states are passing cottage food bills. These bills allow local food entrepreneurs to produce items that carry a low risk for food-borne illness, such as baked goods, jams and pickles. Here are some pros and cons from two experts familiar with the issue—as reported in EatingWell Magazine:
Con
“Although I admire the entrepreneurial spirit, getting exemptions from food-safety rules or inspection procedures is just not something business owners or customers should do. I always tell companies—big, medium or small—to embrace some level of regulation. When you balance the convenience of somebody running a business versus public health, I think you have to bend in favor of public health.” —Bill Marler, food-safety advocate and attorney
Pro
“There have been almost no reported food-borne illness issues with cottage food operations. In many ways these foods are safer than their commercial counterparts because of supply chain and traceability issues. Commercial products have much more complex supply chains that span multiple states and countries. That means more opportunities for food contamination.” —Wes King, sustainable farming advocate and cottage food policy advisor
Do you think people should be able to sell food at farmer's markets that's been produced in a home kitchen?
By Kerri-Ann Jennings
Kerri-Ann Jennings, a registered dietitian, is the associate nutrition editor of EatingWell Magazine, where she wields her master's degree in nutrition from Columbia University writing and editing news about nutrition, health and food trends. In her free time, Kerri-Ann likes to practice yoga, hike, bake and paint.
]]>5 Summer Health Myths Bustedtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.18298402012-08-28T16:38:06-04:002012-10-28T05:12:04-04:00EatingWellhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/eatingwell/EatingWell Magazine
When it comes to health and natural remedies, it’s enticing to grab onto juicy half-truths and hearsay. Don’t get me wrong -- as with any good story, a nutrition myth can offer a valuable lesson. The most persistent nutrition myths are those that contain at least some truth. Here are five common summer health myths to watch out for -- as reported in EatingWell Magazine:
1. Always wear sunblock. Thanks to our obsession with sunscreen -- as well as a short list of vitamin-D-rich foods and hours spent indoors -- three out of four Americans don’t get enough vitamin D. While we once thought vitamin-D deficiency was only a problem for people living in northern latitudes, a 2010 Pediatrics study found that 56 percent of teens living in the sunny South were vitamin-D-insufficient, meaning they didn’t soak up enough rays to produce the amount of D required for optimal health. The recommended quota (600 IU daily, 800 if you’re over 71) is critical for strong bones, but many experts say you may need even more to lower risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and many kinds of cancer (the upper limit is 4,000 IU).
Healthy Tip: Bare it all... briefly. Michael F. Holick, Ph.D., M.D., director of the vitamin D, skin and bone laboratory at Boston University School of Medicine, recommends everyone get 10 to 15 minutes of sun on their arms and legs (and abdomen and back when possible) sans sunscreen three times a week during spring, summer and fall (when you can get enough UV rays to produce sufficient vitamin D). He also suggests everyone eat D-rich foods (namely wild-caught salmon, which delivers more D than farmed salmon; UV-exposed mushrooms; and fortified dairy and orange juice) and take a supplement of 1,500 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 each day.
Related: Sip Your SPF with These Must-Have Summer Drinks
2. Eating ice cream packs on the pounds. If you’re the kind of person who loves to cap off dinner with something sweet -- say, some ice cream -- but bans it whenever you’re trying to lose weight, you might be making a mistake. According to a study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, banning sugary foods could lead to overeating. One reason may be that removing access to sweet foods stimulates the release of a molecule in your brain called corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), produced when you’re afraid, anxious or stressed, says Pietro Cottone, Ph.D., lead study author. And increased stress levels may lower your motivation to eat more nutritious foods, making it more likely that you’ll binge on junk food. Healthy eating isn’t about depriving yourself of everything you love -- it’s just about eating fewer calories than you’re burning, a tactic that can be delicious and can most certainly include dessert. The key is making room for the calories by planning your snacks and meals to accommodate your favorite summer treats.
Healthy Tip: Ask for a cone. Licking ice cream is more satisfying than eating it with a spoon, says Kay McMath, a food technologist for New Zealand’s Massey University. “Flavor in ice cream is released when the fat -- which carries the flavor -- is warmed to at least body temperature,” McMath explains. When you lick ice cream it coats the tongue and fully warms the frozen treat. A spoon, on the other hand, insulates the ice cream. And then there’s the psychological aspect of savoring the treat more slowly: “You just cannot lick ice cream as fast as you can spoon it.” (Find out what the best ice creams are nutritionally here.)
3. Eating garlic will help ward off mosquitoes. Garlic may keep vampires at bay, but unfortunately it won’t keep mosquitoes away. Researchers at the University of Connecticut tested the theory without success, although they did suggest that perhaps participants hadn’t eaten enough garlic to see results.
Healthy Tip: Leave the experimenting to the experts. And for now, stick to bug sprays, citronella candles and long-sleeved clothing to fight the critters.
4. Eating raw honey will help your allergies. Eating honey to prevent allergies probably won’t help. Honeybees gather pollen from the very plants that cause your itchy eyes, so consuming a small daily dose of the local honey -- and subsequently these pollens -- may stimulate your immune system and reduce allergies, explains Miguel P. Wolbert, an allergist and immunologist at the Allergy & Asthma Care Center in Evansville, Indiana. But the pollens that cause sneezing and congestion -- such as ragweed -- are windborne, while the pollens bees collect are too heavy to fly in the breeze. Windborne pollens can fall onto flowers, get picked up by bees and end up in honey, says Wolbert, “but it’s likely to be a very, very small amount.” Not enough to make a difference. And, so far, no clinical evidence shows that honey alleviates allergy symptoms. (Find out which foods may actually help fight allergies and asthma here.)
Healthy Tip: Even though it’s not likely that honey will help your allergies, Wolbert says, “I don’t tell my patients not to eat it.” Honey has other things going for it: it has equal parts glucose and fructose and research suggests this carb blend may be superior to straight glucose for boosting energy during endurance activities. Honey also contains some antioxidants and vitamins -- and the darker the honey, the more disease-fighting compounds it contains.
5. You need eight glasses of water a day to avoid dehydration. The Institute of Medicine says adult men need about 13 cups (three liters) per day of fluid; adult women need about nine cups (2.2 liters) of fluid. (You get about an additional 2.5 cups of fluid from foods.) “But one size doesn’t fit all,” says Leslie Bonci, R.D., C.S.S.D., director of sports nutrition at the Center for Sports Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and dietitian for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Your size and activity level affect your fluid requirements. Simply put, the larger and more active you are, the more you’ll need.
Healthy Tip: Assess yourself. “The easiest thing that anybody could do on a daily basis is monitor their urine color,” says Douglas Casa, Ph.D., A.T.C., who studies hydration at the University of Connecticut. “Lighter urine color -- like lemonade -- means you’re generally well-hydrated. If it’s darker, like apple juice, you are most likely dehydrated.”
Were any of these myths a surprise to you?
By Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D.
Brierley's interest in nutrition and food come together in her position as nutrition editor at EatingWell. Brierley holds a master's degree in Nutrition Communication from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. A Registered Dietitian, she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Vermont.
For more on personal health, click here.]]>5 Cookout Money-Wasterstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.18264172012-08-27T18:02:14-04:002012-10-27T05:12:03-04:00EatingWellhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/eatingwell/
By Matthew Thompson, Associate Food Editor for EatingWell Magazine
Has this ever happened to you? You’re planning a summer get-together with friends -- just something casual, maybe a picnic by the lake or a backyard cookout—when someone asks you to stop by the supermarket to “pick up a few things.”
It’s easy for a backyard picnic to get expensive. Fortunately, there are a few equally easy ways to control costs. We talked with eco-expert Pablo Päster about whether “eco-friendly” picnic items are worth the extra expense for the July/August issue of EatingWell Magazine and did some price comparisons of our own on which popular cookout foods will set you back the most. The results were often surprising.
Here are 5 things you definitely don’t need to buy for your next cookout.
1. Skip: Fancy Picnic Sets – Reusable cups, plates and picnic baskets (or fancy sets of them all together) can be an environmentally friendly alternative to disposables…but only if you actually use them. Since they take a lot more energy to make than disposables, a durable item that collects dust in your closet after one use is actually less environmentally friendly than a disposable one. For instance, a stainless-steel travel mug has roughly the same impact as 24 paper or 46 Styrofoam cups. And then there’s the cost…the lowest price we could find for a picnic basket set with 4 plates was $39.99. That’s over nine times the cost of a 50-pack of plates. In other words, you’d have to go on at least 112 picnics with your reusable set for it to cost less.
2. Skip: Prepackaged Veggie Platters – What could be easier than grabbing an already assembled veggie platter from your supermarket’s deli counter and bringing it along to your next cookout? Sounds great, but that convenience comes with a price. You can save more than $10 by buying veggies from the produce aisle, cutting them and assembling your own platter.
3. Skip: Compostable Plastic Cutlery – So-called “compostable” plastics are being marketed as a greener alternative to traditional plastic forks and knives. The problem is, they might not be. According to Päster, there are conflicting claims about their true compostability. In addition, many recycling centers can’t process them. The result? These “green” plastics often end up in a landfill -- making them unworthy of the steep markup they come with. A 100-pack of compostable plastic cutlery costs $10.10 -- that’s $6.31 more than traditional plastic, which, in many areas, can be recycled.
4. Skip: Disposable Bamboo Plates – Bamboo is often marketed as a “green” material. And in many ways it is: since it grows so fast, it’s much more sustainable than wood. However, most of the bamboo grown industrially comes from Southeast Asia. And since it’s both heavy and shipped a long distance that means it’s got a hefty carbon footprint. So much for sustainability! Until there are more domestic sources for this product, don’t be tempted. A 25-pack of 9-inch disposable bamboo plates costs a staggering $22.46. That’s $20 more than a pack of paper plates!
5. Skip: Prepared Fried Chicken – There are few things more classic than bringing fried chicken to your summer picnic. However, take care where it comes from. Premade 12-piece buckets can cost around $12.99/lb. at supermarket deli counters -- and as much as $20 at national restaurant chains. That might not seem like too much, but some of EatingWell’s oven-fried chicken recipes (including the Oven-Fried Chicken on a Stick, pictured above) shake out to a lean $2.07/lb. So making your own chicken will save you $10.92. Of course, there’s a nutrition bonus, too: fried chicken isn’t exactly the world’s leanest meal. A 5-ounce serving of chicken drumsticks from KFC has 334 calories and 6 grams of saturated fat. Our recipe has only 280 calories and 2 grams of fat. Talk about savings!
]]>6 Healthy Ingredients to Supercharge Your Smoothietag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.17762212012-08-24T08:23:12-04:002012-10-24T05:12:11-04:00EatingWellhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/eatingwell/EatingWell Magazine
I’m on a big smoothie kick lately. Every morning, I’ve been blending up different variations of frozen fruit and skim milk or yogurt with a handful of walnuts. It’s a refreshing breakfast on hot mornings that also happens to be nutritious.
As a registered dietitian and associate nutrition editor of EatingWell Magazine, I’ve been thinking of ways to kick up the nutritional impact of my new favorite breakfast even more. Here are six health-packed ingredients to supercharge your smoothie:
What are your favorite smoothie ingredients?
By Kerri-Ann Jennings
Kerri-Ann Jennings, a registered dietitian, is the associate nutrition editor of EatingWell Magazine, where she wields her master's degree in nutrition from Columbia University writing and editing news about nutrition, health and food trends. In her free time, Kerri-Ann likes to practice yoga, hike, bake and paint.
For more on diet and nutrition, click here.]]>10 Tricks To Make Your Favorite Foods Healthiertag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.17762552012-08-20T17:32:18-04:002012-10-20T05:12:04-04:00EatingWellhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/eatingwell/
By Stacy Fraser, Test Kitchen manager at EatingWell
Inside the EatingWell Test Kitchen -- picture four home kitchens in one room -- you’ll find us trying to solve problems. What problems? Creating recipes that meet high standards of taste and health, but are easy and quick enough for a weeknight. So how do we do it? We turn to our arsenal of healthy cooking tricks and techniques we’ve learned over the past 10 years, some from the chefs and cookbook authors we work with, others developed through lots of trial and error, right here in our kitchen.
Some of our tastiest results include: comfort foods like mac & cheese and fried chicken that are light enough to eat every day, baked goods with more fiber but fewer calories and less fat, and even healthier ice creams. Our other challenge: we want to make sure that when you make our recipes you get the same great results. So we test our recipes repeatedly, using different equipment and several cooks. Here are 10 of our best healthy cooking secrets. Use them in your own kitchen to create healthy recipe makeovers of your own.
1. Make creamy dishes without the cream
Creamy sauces like those in fettuccine alfredo or homemade macaroni and cheese are often loaded with butter, heavy cream and/or cheese. We ditch heavy cream and make velvety sauces with low-fat milk that’s thickened with flour. To make your own cream substitute: Combine 1 cup low-fat milk with 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour; whisk over medium heat until bubbling and thick. Cup for cup, thickened low-fat milk saves more than 680 calories and 53 grams saturated fat vs. heavy cream! For creamy salads, such as potato salads, opt for low-fat mayonnaise and/or reduced-fat sour cream; a blend of the two tastes great. One tablespoon of regular mayo has 90 calories and 10 grams fat vs. 15 calories and 1 gram fat in low-fat mayo.
2. Try cooking with less oil
Extra-virgin olive oil and canola oil are our go-to, heart-healthy oils for many recipes. But they still pack about 120 calories per tablespoon, so we use them judiciously. Try adding less oil to your favorite sauté, salad or soup recipe. When cooking on the stovetop, cast-iron, nonstick or enamel-coated skillets and pans let you use the least amount of oil with very little sticking.
3. Get crispy “fried” food without the grease
Skip deep-frying and try our oven-frying technique: Dip chicken, fish or vegetables in milk, buttermilk or egg, dredge in seasoned flour or breadcrumbs, then coat with canola or olive oil cooking spray. Place on a wire rack set on a baking sheet and bake at 425° to 450°F until crispy. Two pieces of our oven-fried chicken have about 40 percent fewer calories and 4 grams less saturated fat than two pieces of traditional fried chicken.
4. Amp up flavor without the salt shaker
The USDA recommends limiting sodium consumption to less than 2,300 mg (1 teaspoon salt) per day. But keeping within that guideline can be tricky even if you make most of your meals at home. Replace some of the added salt in a recipe with sodium-free flavor-boosters like a squeeze of lemon or lime and/or chopped fresh herbs. Keep an eye on sodium in convenience products like canned broth, tomatoes and beans too. Often there is a lower-sodium option available, so check the nutrition panel to compare among brands.
5. Use whole grains in baked goods
Replacing half the all-purpose flour in baked goods with whole-wheat flour adds fiber (12 more grams per cup) and boosts essential B vitamins, zinc and magnesium. Try using regular or white whole-wheat flour in muffins, breads and hearty cookies; use finer-textured whole-wheat pastry flour in cakes, pie crusts and delicate cookies.
6. Swap good fats for bad fats
We love the taste of butter and know it can’t always be replaced completely, especially in baked goods, but to keep saturated fat in check, we use canola or olive oil instead of butter as much as possible. Tablespoon for tablespoon, butter has seven times more saturated fat than oil. Experiment with your favorite recipe by replacing at least half of the butter with oil.
7. Go for egg whites in place of whole eggs
An egg white has only 16 calories and 0 grams of fat compared with 54 calories and 5 grams of fat in an egg yolk. Try using two egg whites in place of one whole egg in almost any recipe.
8. Slim down homemade ice cream
For rich, smooth ice cream that’s lower in calories and fat than regular ice cream, we use low-fat milk thickened with gelatin. It mimics the texture of full-fat ice cream, but cuts about 90 calories and 10 grams saturated fat (50 percent of our daily limit) per 1/2-cup serving.
9. Add grains or vegetables to meaty dishes
To keep ground-meat dishes like meatloaf or burgers satisfying without tipping the calorie scale, we add whole grains (like bulgur or brown rice) or diced vegetables (like mushrooms or peppers) to the meat to bulk up portion size. It’s also a great way to get more grains and vegetables into your diet -- foods we typically don’t get enough of. Try adding 3/4 to 1 cup cooked grains or diced vegetables for each pound of meat.
10. Reduce cheese, keep the flavor
Using less cheese gives any dish an easy health upgrade. Opt for bold-flavored cheeses, such as extra-sharp Cheddar, goat cheese and Parmigiano-Reggiano, to give more flavor impact with fewer calories and less fat.
Stacy Fraser is Test Kitchen manager at EatingWell. With a background in ecological agriculture and many past growing seasons under her belt, Stacy began her study of food in the field, literally. Before joining the crew at EatingWell, Stacy managed the kitchen of breakfast and lunch hot spot Penny Cluse, in downtown Burlington, Vermont, where she learned how to make simple, delicious food from fresh ingredients.
]]>Is Coconut Water Worth the Splurge?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.17642242012-08-13T20:00:26-04:002012-10-13T05:12:11-04:00EatingWellhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/eatingwell/EatingWell Magazine
In recent years there has been an explosion of coconut water products available at grocery and convenience stores. If you’ve tasted it, you know that it’s pretty refreshing -- even the plain, unflavored coconut waters (or so I think).
And because staying hydrated can make or break your workout performance, it’s not surprising that many athletes and weekend warriors are looking for an extra edge when it comes to their beverage of choice.
But should you be reaching for coconut water, instead of just water? Is it any better -- is it worth the splurge?
The good news is that coconut water, the clear liquid found in young coconuts, naturally contains some electrolytes (potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium), which you lose through sweat when you exercise. Although the research on the drink is still limited, one 2002 study found that exercisers who consumed coconut water drank more, but weren’t any more hydrated than those who drank water or a sports drink.
So what, then, is coconut water best for? Try it when you want something other than water that’s natural. But pay attention to which product you choose because not all are created equal. And be mindful of the extra calories.
Here’s how 10 plain-flavored brands compare:
FYI, with a couple of exceptions -- which I’ve called out below -- most brands contain only one ingredient: coconut water. I’ve also standardized all the nutrition information to 8 ounces to make it easier for you to compare.
Do you drink coconut water? If so, which one is your favorite?
By Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D.
Brierley's interest in nutrition and food come together in her position as nutrition editor at EatingWell. Brierley holds a master's degree in Nutrition Communication from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. A Registered Dietitian, she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Vermont.
For more on diet and nutrition, click here.]]>6 Simple Secrets For Perfect Deviled Eggstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.17638282012-08-13T18:03:19-04:002012-10-13T05:12:11-04:00EatingWellhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/eatingwell/
By Wendy Ruopp, managing editor of EatingWell
My sister and her husband have a lot of parties and they have the perfect setting: a big, beautifully restored barn in the Finger Lakes region. They have enough glasses, plates and silverware to entertain dozens of people -- plus that special platter designed to hold dozens of deviled eggs, with an indentation for each creamy white-and-yellow oval. My sister makes a killer deviled egg, too, and they disappear about as fast as she can fill the platter.
Popular as these two-bite appetizers are, they’re not typically healthy. Classic deviled egg recipes are loaded with fat and calories. I may not be as popular as my sister, but when I make EatingWell’s healthier version of deviled eggs, which has about two-thirds the calories of a classic recipe, half the total fat and about 25% less cholesterol and sodium, I make friends fast. Here’s how the numbers compare:
EatingWell Deviled Eggs
Classic Deviled Eggs
Calories: 34
Calories: 58
Fat: 2 grams
Fat: 4 grams
Saturated Fat: 1 gram
Saturated Fat: 1 gram
Cholesterol: 71 mg
Cholesterol: 94 mg
Sodium: 85 mg
Sodium: 115 mg
The best deviled eggs are smooth and creamy and the filling has the perfect balance of tangy and salty flavors. Here are our 6 simple secrets for perfect, crowd-pleasing -- and healthier -- deviled eggs that I’ve learned from EatingWell’s food editor Jessie Price, followed by the recipe.
1. Don’t go for the freshest eggs you can find. I know that sounds odd and for most applications the fresher the better. But in this case, you don’t want to use eggs straight from the farm, as they’re harder to peel and you’ll end up losing half the whites in the process.
2. Don’t overcook the eggs. I used to put them in water and boil for 12 minutes at a hard boil. Now I know gentler is better so that the yolks get just set, but not overcooked. Place the eggs in a saucepan filled with cool water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Peel like a pro. After you boil the eggs run them under a little cold water so that they’re cool enough to handle. Then crack them all over and put them in cold water to finish cooling. This makes them easier to peel.
4. Use two-thirds of the yolks. (The yolks have most of the calories and fat in eggs. One yolk has 5 grams of fat and 54 calories compared with only 16 calories and no fat in an egg white.) Instead, use nonfat cottage cheese to stand in for some of the yolks -- it keeps the filling velvety and rich while reducing some of the fat.
5. Instead of regular mayo choose low-fat. It has 15 calories per tablespoon and 1 gram of fat.
6. When it comes to a classic-tasting deviled egg, you must use yellow mustard. It has the right acidity and saltiness that adds a special punch. (If you’re a mustard snob, do a blend of a more high-brow mustard with a little yellow mustard.)
Most of all, have fun! You don’t have to go just straight up and put mustard, mayo and paprika in your filling. Think of fun mix-ins like anchovies, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, chives, cilantro or Tabasco. Or even try stuffing them with guacamole. And don’t forget this important food-safety tip: don’t leave them out longer than a couple hours. (When you bring out these little beauties, your guests will eat them much faster than that anyway!)
Get the Recipe: EatingWell Deviled Eggs
Makes: 24 servings
Active time: 20 minutes | Total: 20 minutes | To make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Deviled eggs are a perennial potluck favorite. Our recipe replaces some of the egg yolks with nonfat cottage cheese -- keeping the filling velvety and rich while reducing some of the fat. No one will know the difference.
12 large hard-boiled eggs (see Tip), peeled
1/3 cup nonfat cottage cheese
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives or scallion greens
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
Paprika for garnish
1. Halve eggs lengthwise with a sharp knife. Gently remove the yolks. Place 16 yolk halves in a food processor (discard the remaining 8 yolk halves). Add cottage cheese, mayonnaise, chives (or scallion greens), relish, mustard and salt; process until smooth.
2. Spoon about 2 teaspoons yolk mixture into each egg white half. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.
Per serving: 34 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 71 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrate; 0 g added sugars; 3 g protein; 0 g fiber; 85 mg sodium; 31 mg potassium.
Tip: To hard-boil eggs: Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook at the barest simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, pour out hot water and cover the eggs with ice-cold water. Let stand until cool enough to handle before peeling.
Wendy Ruopp has been the managing editor of EatingWell for most of her adult life. Although she writes about food for the Weeknights column of EatingWell Magazine, her husband does the cooking at home.
]]>3 Must-Have Summer Drinks to Keep Your Skin Looking Healthytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.17285432012-08-08T07:21:31-04:002012-10-08T05:12:32-04:00EatingWellhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/eatingwell/EatingWell Magazine
We’re all spending more time outdoors. And that warm summer sun feels oh-so-good -- until I remember the damage it could be wreaking on my skin: Ninety percent of skin aging is caused by the sun.
Protecting yourself from UV radiation can help prevent premature skin aging. Sunscreen is still the first line of defense against sun damage (experts say slather on an ounce -- about a palmful -- of SPF 30 or higher and re-apply every two hours). And there’s more you can do -- the latest research suggests that three beverages may also deliver nutrients that protect your skin -- as reported by Hillary Gilson in EatingWell Magazine.
Green Tea. New research in the Journal of Nutrition gives us one more reason to sip this super drink. Women who drank four cups of green tea per day for 12 weeks lowered their risk of sunburn by 25 percent, plus their skin density and elasticity -- qualities that make skin look younger -- improved. (Welcome news considering that starting in our twenties, production of collagen -- a fiber that keeps skin firm -- slows and dead skin cells shed less quickly.) According to the 2011 study, powerful antioxidants in green tea called catechins absorb UV light, protecting the skin. (Learn about one ingredient that will boost the health benefits of tea.)
Coffee. That morning coffee can do more than boost your energy. A 2011 study out of Harvard Medical School found that people who drink coffee are less likely to develop basal cell carcinoma (the most common type of nonmelanoma skin cancer) than those who don’t. Moreover, the risk was lowest for those who drank the most -- three cups a day lowered risk by 20 percent in women and 9 percent in men. Researcher Fengju Song, Ph.D., thinks the caffeine in coffee helps reduce potentially cancerous UV-damaged cells by stimulating them to naturally die off. (Learn more health benefits of coffee -- plus any cons to consider.)
Related: 9 Tips for How to Make a Perfect Cup of Coffee
Red Wine. Although white wine might be your summer sip of choice, preliminary research out of the University of Barcelona points to a new reason to choose red. Researchers found that proanthocyanidins, antioxidants found in red grapes, may help prevent oxidative reactions in your skin. Oxidative reactions, often stemming from sun exposure, can damage and kill cells, which in turn may lead to sunburns, wrinkles and possibly skin cancer. Before you pour yourself another glass, though, remember that the recommended cap on alcoholic beverages is one a day for women, two for men.
Brierley's interest in nutrition and food come together in her position as nutrition editor at EatingWell. Brierley holds a master's degree in Nutrition Communication from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. A Registered Dietitian, she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Vermont.
For more on beauty and skin, click here.]]>5 Power Ingredients to Fuel Your Workouttag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.17099662012-08-02T07:34:29-04:002012-10-02T05:12:06-04:00EatingWellhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/eatingwell/EatingWell Magazine
Want to give your workout a boost? Five key ingredients can give your body an extra edge when exercising -- or recovering from your workout, as Joyce Hendley wrote about in the July/August issue of EatingWell Magazine. And as a bonus, she developed a homemade energy bar recipe that packs them all into a delicious, convenient bar to power your workout and help you refuel afterward. (Get the recipe for EatingWell Energy Bars and more granola and power bars.)
Here are the five ingredients that can help power your next workout.
What do you eat to fuel your workout?
By Kerri-Ann Jennings
Kerri-Ann Jennings, a registered dietitian, is the associate nutrition editor of EatingWell Magazine, where she wields her master's degree in nutrition from Columbia University writing and editing news about nutrition, health and food trends. In her free time, Kerri-Ann likes to practice yoga, hike, bake and paint.
Skillet Gnocchi with Shrimp & Asparagus
Chickpea & Potato Hash
Tilapia with Tomato-Olive Sauce
Garlic Chicken
Bell Pepper & Beef Curry
Wendy Ruopp has been the managing editor of EatingWell for most of her adult life. Although she writes about food for the Weeknights column of EatingWell Magazine, her husband does the cooking at home.
EatingWell Associate Food Editor Hilary Meyer spends much of her time in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, testing and developing healthy recipes. She is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute.
Kerri-Ann Jennings, a registered dietitian, is the associate nutrition editor of EatingWell Magazine, where she wields her master's degree in nutrition from Columbia University writing and editing news about nutrition, health and food trends. In her free time, Kerri-Ann likes to practice yoga, hike, bake and paint.
Step 1: Prepare Vegetables
Step 2: Divide Vegetables
Step 3: Add Flavorings
Step 4: Make Brine
Step 5: Fill Jars with Brine
Matthew Thompson is the associate food editor for EatingWell Magazine.
Brierley's interest in nutrition and food come together in her position as nutrition editor at EatingWell. Brierley holds a master's degree in Nutrition Communication from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. A Registered Dietitian, she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Vermont.
Stacy Fraser is Test Kitchen manager at EatingWell. With a background in ecological agriculture and many past growing seasons under her belt, Stacy began her study of food in the field, literally. Before joining the crew at EatingWell, Stacy managed the kitchen of breakfast and lunch hot spot Penny Cluse, in downtown Burlington, Vermont, where she learned how to make simple, delicious food from fresh ingredients.
Wendy Ruopp has been the managing editor of EatingWell for most of her adult life. Although she writes about food for the Weeknights column of EatingWell Magazine, her husband does the cooking at home.
Brierley's interest in nutrition and food come together in her position as nutrition editor at EatingWell. Brierley holds a master's degree in Nutrition Communication from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. A Registered Dietitian, she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Vermont.