Ask the Experts: Homemade MUST Haves. Even though it would make life easier at times, I only enjoy homemade versions of certain kitchen basics. I’ve tried brands of store-bought applesauce and chicken stock but I’m never pleased. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s just better (and often healthier) to make them from scratch. I posed this same issue — what ingredients MUST you have homemade — to registered dietitians (RDs) across the country and got an overwhelming number of responses.
A HUGE thanks to all the RDs that weighed in on this hot topic. Homemade Must Have #1: Salad Dressing This was far and away the biggest pet peeve among nutrition pros – nobody cares for all the extra sugar, salt and other processed ingredients swimming in bottled salad dressings. Janet Helm, MS, RD, blogger at Nutrition Unplugged, author of The Food Lover’s Healthy Habits Cookbook speaks for many of us when she says: “I just can’t bring myself to buy any bottled salad dressings. Barbara Boyce, DHSc, RD, LDN gives her homemade dressing a kick:
Create Your Own Signature Dry Rub Recipe for Barbecue. Ways to Cut Calories While Baking. Unless you have superhuman self-control, baking can often have you heading to the gym while the cake cools. Although we can't make cookies calorie-free, there are ways you can bump up the nutrition and cut calories the next time you go to make a sweet treat. With a few simple substitutions and switches, you can have the muffin and its top — without the muffin top. Substitute the sweet stuff: Although sugar isn't loaded in calories, your body stores it as fat — not good! Sugars offer a quick burst of energy but leave you crashing after a slice of cake. Instead of using refined sugar to make your baked good sweet, opt for zero-calorie sweeteners or all-natural sweeteners like Stevia. Keep reading for more baking swaps! Play with portions: Just because a recipe makes two dozen cookies doesn't mean you have to bake all 24 cookies.
S Good Food on a Tight Budget. Get EWG's healthy shopping tips, news, promotions to support our work and action alerts! You can opt-out at any time. Stretching your dollars to get a month's worth of healthy, filling food is a challenge. EWG assessed nearly 1,200 foods and hand-picked the best 100 or so that pack in nutrients at a good price, with the fewest pesticides, contaminants and artificial ingredients. Enjoy! See top foods EWG's "Good Food on a Tight Budget" booklet comes with our top tips for healthy eating, quick lists of best foods, tasty recipes and easy tools for tracking food prices and planning your weekly menu (a key step to cutting costs!).
How to get the guide EWG nutritionist Dawn Undurraga, Share Our Strength's Laura Seman and D.C. chef Alli Sosna discuss how the guide helps families on a tight budget shop for and cook good food. A Guide to Cooking with Whole Grains & Baking with Whole Grain Flours Quick Guides to Ingredients. With fall just around the corner, now is the time to stock your pantry with hearty, healthy whole grains! From amaranth to wild rice, get the skinny on whole grain ingredients and whole grain flours below. Quick Guides to Whole Grains Amaranth - A tiny poppy seed-sized grain.
Malty, grassy flavor. (The leaves of the amaranth plant are also good to eat.) What are your favorite whole grains for cooking and baking? After-School Cookies. Who doesn’t love cookies after a hard day at school? Just the thought conjures wonderful childhood memories. But more often than not, cookies are made with white flour, white sugar and hydrogenated vegetable shortening, not to mention boxed cookies often come with preservatives, artificial colors and other added chemicals.
The good news: With some simple changes in ingredients, you can turn a favorite, not-so-healthy cookie recipe into one you’ll feel good about serving. Flour Most cookies – homemade or store-bought — are made with all-purpose white flour. In your recipes, it’s simple to substitute natural, whole grain flour for some or all of the white flour. Sugar Instead of bleached white sugar, there are plenty of less refined options available, including natural cane sugar, Sucanat, granulated maple sugar and coconut palm sugar.
Fats and Oils Bake up some of these cookies for your family’s after school snack. Honey Granola Cookies – Honey sweetened and made with low-fat granola. How to Use Coconut Oil in the Kitchen: Cooking, Frying, Baking, and More. As modern research now tells us, coconut oil may not be as bad for our health as we once thought—it may even be good for us. And from a culinary eye, it’s an invaluable cooking oil because it’s just so darn versatile. It can withstand high heat, replace butter in baked recipes, and more. Here are some tips for cooking, frying, and baking with coconut oil in your kitchen. Cooking with coconut oil Unlike many other cooking oils, coconut oil is very stable and can withstand high cooking temperatures (thanks to its high constitution of saturated fats).
It’s perfectly suitable for sautéing, baking, roasting, and even frying. Unrefined coconut oil has a strong “coconutty” flavor and aroma, which is great to use in your recipes if you’re a fan of that profile. To sauté and stir-fry with coconut oil, simply use it in place of the oil called for in your recipes and you’ll be able to kick up the heat a bit higher than if you were using olive oil. Baking with coconut oil. Healthy Wheat- and Gluten-Free Recipes. There are tons of reasons for going gluten-free: Maybe you have celiac disease, are sensitive to gluten, or are just looking for a healthier eating plan.
Whatever your story, these no-wheat recipes from William Davis, MD, author of Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health (Rodale, Inc.) are options that don't sacrifice taste for nutrition. Berry-Coconut Smoothie This smoothie is perfect for a breakfast on the run or as a quick snack. You will find it more filling than most smoothies thanks to the coconut milk. Berries are the only sweetener, which keeps the sugar to a minimum. Makes 1 serving 1⁄2 cup coconut milk1⁄2 cup low-fat plain yogurt1⁄4 cup blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, or other berries1⁄2 cup unflavored or vanilla whey protein powder1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds (can be purchased pre-ground)1⁄2 teaspoon coconut extract4 ice cubes Combine the coconut milk, yogurt, berries, whey protein, flaxseed, coconut extract, and ice cubes.
Quinoa Broccoli Pilaf - 10 New Ways to Eat Quinoa - Shape Magazine - Page 8. Per serving (1 cup): 150 calories, 3g fat, 74.3mg sodium, 6.5g fiber, 6.8g protein Perfect as a side dish or a full vegetarian meal, this filling pilaf can be served up hot or cold. Ingredients:1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil1 medium onion, finely diced1 medium head of broccoli (approximately 1lb), cut into florets and washed1 cup quinoa, dry2 ¼ cup low sodium vegetable broth1 tsp sea salt1 tsp black pepper1 tsp paprika Directions:Using a food processor, shred broccoli florets and stems (or finely dice with a knife).
Using a medium sized saucepan, sauté onion in olive oil on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add shredded broccoli to pot and continue to sauté for another 3 minutes. Add dry quinoa, veggie broth, salt, pepper and paprika. Makes 6 servings Recipe provided by Dara Reppucci You can use your keyboard to see the next slide ( ← previous, → next) This satisfying superfood is more versatile than you think! Promo Subtitle By Jessica Smith Image Alt Text Quinoa Crusted Shrimp Title Text Media Folder:
7 Best Margarita Recipes. The 10 Best Fat-Melting Foods. How to make different icing colors from basic colors. 14 Ways to Make Veggies Less Boring. But unfortunately, some of the very chemicals that make vegetables so healthy are the same ones that cause many of us (and not just 5-year-olds) to shudder at the sight of steamed greens. In fact, as many as 30% of Americans are extrasensitive to the bitter taste of the chemicals in these vegetables—food experts call these people supertasters.
For others, it isn't the taste but the lack thereof that makes them turn up their noses at vegetables. Many veggies pack a lot less flavor than they could, points out Tristan Millar, former director of marketing and business development for Frieda's, the specialty produce marketer in Los Angeles. "American growers have focused on varieties that ship well and spoil slowly, and there's been so little emphasis on taste. " But with a little extra know-how at the grocery story or in front of the stove, you can rekindle your love affair with this essential food group.
5 fast-food favorites you can make healthier at home. Restaurant meals taste good and eating out sure is convenient. But some of the dishes we've come to love are costing our waistlines big-time. For example, the Olive Garden's Fettuccine Alfredo serves up as many calories as some people should eat in an entire day and far more fat and saturated fat than is recommended in a day. Instead of cutting yourself off completely, try to make some of your favorite dishes at home.
You may be surprised just how easy it is to make your fast-food and restaurant favorites at home and how many calories and grams of fat you'll save. EatingWell's healthy makeover of Fettuccine Alfredo, for example, has less than a third of the calories and reduced the amount of fat and saturated fat to a sixth of what is in the Olive Garden version. Don't Miss: The Best & Worst Fast-Food Breakfast Sandwiches The Best & Worst Iced Coffees & Frozen Coffee Drinks Related Link: Tortellini Primavera & More Italian Favorites Made Healthier Fast Food Favorite: P.F.
Low-Calorie Cocktail Recipes. Because We Love Kale: 15 Kale Recipes! Winter Squash - 6 Ways for a Sweet Delight. South Beach Diet Phase One Recipes Round-Up for January 2012. We just finished a Month of Daily Phase One recipes, which means 31 delicious Phase One recipes have been featured on the blog this month! That alone guarantees that this will be a big round-up of Phase One recipes, and you can bet plenty of other bloggers were also featuring diet-friendly recipes during January as well.
I always post only Phase One recipes during January, but this was the first year I committed to doing a Phase One recipe every day, and truthfully it was a lot of fun. I also heard from lots of people who loved seeing the Phase One recipes I spotlight from past years, which made me think maybe that's something I'll do a little more often, maybe as a Friday night feature. (You can use the label Low-Glycemic Recipe Round-Ups to see all the posts like this one.)
But for now, on to the round-up of all the Phase One recipes I've posted this month or found on other blogs. Did I Miss Your Phase One Recipe? Desserts Made With Vegetables. Healthy Aperture. Healthy Cooking Tips. Unless you know what you're doing, cooking at home can be as detrimental to your health as eating out. As far as your body is concerned, cooking with processed ingredients high in saturated fat, sugar, and sodium might as well be like eating McDonald's.
But becoming a healthy cook isn't as hard as you think. Here are some essential habits for healthy home cooks, starting from the moment you set foot in the grocery store to the second you put dinner on the table. Shop the Right Way Healthy cooking starts with strategic grocery shopping. Fill Your Toolbox If cooking from scratch seems daunting, arm yourself with a few healthy kitchen gadgets. Learn how to cook healthy at home after the break! Think Like a Prep Chef Being organized is the key to a successful night of cooking. Cut Back on the Bad Stuff It's tempting to add flavor to your food by adding copious amounts of fats, sugar, and salt, but these are not the makings of a healthy heart. Tamar E. Adler. Recipes for the Semi-Vegan - Interactive Feature. By MARK BITTMAN Many vegan dishes (like fruit salad and peanut butter and jelly) are already beloved, but the problem faced by many of us is in imagining less-traditional dishes that are interesting and not challenging.
Here are some more creative options to try. Related Article » Preparation 1. Cut a medium onion into chunks and put it in a food processor, along with 2 cups drained canned beans (white are best here, but any will work), ½ cup rolled oats, a tablespoon of chili powder and salt and pepper. 2. 3. 4. 5. How to Replace Butter When Baking. Baker Street | Recipes. Muffin Monday: Daiquiri Muffins. There’s electricity in the air! And a whiff of something sweet baking in the oven to go with it. So What’s so special about today? Well Muffin Monday turns 6 months! We have relentlessly baked muffins week on week for the last half year. We’re celebrating in more than one way for our 6 months of maniacal mondays being transformed to magical ones. Its been a thrilling joy ride, a happy journey with my fellow Muffin Monday bakers, a challenge to keep something for everyone involved, a holiday muffin series that we’re in the midst of and and an effort to fit in savory muffins as well.
And you know what? So without much ado, here’s today’s recipe which in turn provides for an introduction for today’s guest post and giveaway too. Today we’re baking Daiquiri Muffins. I picked daiquiri muffins and gave it my own little twist. GUEST POST by Mark Scarbrough Joining me in the kitchen is a fabulous baker/chef/ and award winning writer of over 20 cookbooks, Mark Scarbrough. Let’s get to the recipe. Healthy Brownie Recipe and South Beach Diet - A Healthy Brownie Recipe and the South Beach Diet. Salads. Gluten Free Pecan Pie 3 Ways. 7 Tips For Making Better Soup in the Slow Cooker | Apartment Therapy The Kitchn. If you're trying to adapt a regular soup recipe to your slow cooker or improve one you've already made, here are a few slow-cooking tips to help you make the best soup ever.1. Ingredients to Add at the Beginning Some ingredients stand up to, and benefit from, longer cooking times more than others. All of these can be added at the very start of cooking. • Vegetables - Onions, root vegetables like potatoes and carrots, winter squashes, tomatoes, celery, cauliflower, and broccoli• Meats - Lean cuts from the shoulder and rump of beef, lamb, goat, pork, whole chickens, chicken thighs, and chicken legs• Spices - Most spices can and should be added at the beginning of cooking, though I find that rosemary can become bitter over the longest cooking times and is best added at the end. 2.
Ingredients to Add at the EndThese are quicker-cooking ingredients that wouldn't hold up over hours of cooking and add some fresh flavor to a slow-cooked dish. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. (Image: Emma Christensen) Healthy soup recipes | Warm Up with 5 Classic, Comforting Winter Soups.