There’s nothing quite like the smell and taste of warm blueberry muffins. But when you buy them from a local bakery or your favorite coffee shop, they can clock in at 500 calories or more. Making your own is well worth the time, because you can shave off 300 calories a pop. This recipe uses whole-wheat pastry flour, available at most supermarkets, as well as online. It has the same whole-grain goodness and fiber of regular whole-wheat flour, but is much softer and makes a more tender baked good. The yield is a dozen muffins, so you can enjoy them throughout the week. Lighter Blueberry Muffins 1-1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature 1 egg 1 cup low-fat buttermilk Juice and zest of 1 lemon 1 cup blueberries Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup muffin tin or use paper liners. Place flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and stir well. In a medium bowl, mix sugar and butter with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in the egg, buttermilk, lemon zest and juice. Add the dry ingredients and stir until a batter forms, about 10 strokes with the spoon. Fill muffin cups to the…  read on >

Want chips that deliver great taste without the typical additives in most packaged varieties? Then a food dehydrator is the kitchen appliance for you. At its core, a food dehydrator is a great way to preserve foods. Because it removes a food’s water content, mold and bacteria can’t grow. Dried fruits and vegetables make great on-the-go snacks that can be prepared days in advance. Two caveats: It is important to realize that dried foods are more calorie-dense than the original, so keep portions small to avoid weight gain. Also, the dehydrating process does remove some of a food’s natural nutrients, typically vitamins A and C, so make these up elsewhere in your diet. When choosing a home model food dehydrator, keep in mind the amount of counterspace you can devote to it if you plan to keep it out. The taller the unit and the more trays it has, the more food you can dry at once. Making vegetable chips with zucchini and carrots in a dehydrator lets you skip unhealthy sugar, salt and saturated fat while still feeding your munch-and-crunch cravings. They also have fewer calories than dried fruits. Zesty Zucchini and Carrot Chips 2 large zucchini, thinly sliced 4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs of your choice 1 teaspoon…  read on >

An immersion blender is one of the handiest tools you can have in the kitchen. Not only does it let you whip up a soup or sauce in seconds, it stores easily in a drawer. Put your immersion blender to work making homemade mayonnaise, which you can enjoy plain or flavor any way you like. To master the basic recipe, use light olive oil (not extra-virgin) or sunflower oil, because both have a lighter flavor and make homemade mayo taste more like the store-bought kind you’re probably used to — minus all the preservatives. In terms of technique, one key is to use the tall blender cup that comes with most immersion blenders (but any tall, slender plastic measuring cup will do). A second key is letting the oil rise to the top of the cup after you’ve added all the ingredients. This will allow the egg to emulsify as you blend. Finally, be sure to place the working end of the immersion blender at the very bottom of the container before you turn it on. As the mayo emulsifies and forms a thick white cloud, slowly tilt the blender to allow it to draw in the remaining oil. Basic mayonnaise can be enhanced with flavorings like a quarter-cup of roasted and chopped red bell peppers, two or three chopped hot chilies or a teaspoon…  read on >

It’s almost time for long summer weekends and backyard barbecues. And you may be wondering if a day or two of burgers and beers does any long-term damage to your body. A new Australian study suggests that if you normally have a healthy lifestyle, you can relax and enjoy the feasts. The study found that the body adapts and quickly bounces back from an occasional day of gluttony. “If you normally have a healthy diet and get plenty of physical activity, don’t feel too bad about occasionally overeating,” said study author Glenn Wadley. He’s an associate professor from Deakin University’s Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition in Burwood. But the study doesn’t give you license to binge every weekend. “From a health perspective, short-term overeating is really best confined to infrequent special occasions, like during festivals and holidays. We aren’t advocating that binge eating is OK,” Wadley said. Obesity has been rising in the United States and other parts of the world for decades. Wadley and the study’s lead author, Dale Morrison, wondered what impact short-term overeating might have on the body’s metabolism. More specifically, they wanted to see how the body handled a short-term spike in blood sugar (glucose) levels, and whether that temporary change in eating patterns had any lasting effect. “We had hypothesized, based on earlier studies, that the liver would be…  read on >

Lentils are super nutritious legumes that sometimes take a backseat to beans because they’re not always as readily available and aren’t sold precooked in cans like many beans are. But, unlike most dried beans, lentils don’t need to be soaked overnight before using and they cook up quickly. In fact, when making lentils, the key is to not overcook them. Lentils have a high-level nutrition profile. Green, red, black, yellow or brown, they’re rich in protein, minerals and fiber. They can be used in many tasty ways and in a variety of cuisines from Indian dals to French lentil salads. The following recipe uses sweet and spicy peppadews, a small South African pepper found in the pickle aisle or the olive section of many grocery stores. As an alternative, use roasted red peppers instead. Sweet and Tangy Lentils 1 cup dry lentils, brown, green or red 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 scallions, chopped 1 cup roasted peppadew or red bell peppers, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Zest and juice of 1 lemon 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled 1/4 cup chopped parsley Place lentils in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook 10 to 15 minutes for brown or green lentils, five to 15 minutes for red lentils. Warm the oil in…  read on >

Pesto is a delicious and fast pasta sauce. Because it can be made in advance and served cold, it’s also a perfect do-ahead dish. The nuts used in traditional pesto are healthful, but whether almonds, walnuts or pine nuts, you may not always want the extra calories they pack in. There are some great variations that are just as flavorful. One variation is to use green peas, a great high-fiber food, in place of the nuts. They’re available fresh — shell them yourself — in warm weather months, but you can keep bags of frozen peas in your freezer and make this pesto year-round. If you want more of a protein boost, use shelled edamame — young green soy beans, typically available frozen. They’re denser than peas, so when blending them, you’ll need to add a few more tablespoons of water to get the right consistency. If basil is out of season or too expensive, you can substitute other herbs, such as parsley or even cilantro. No matter what pesto ingredients you decide on, boost nutrition by replacing white pasta with a whole grain variety. There are many choices beyond whole wheat. Pastas made from spelt or quinoa are tasty and toothy so you won’t miss the mouthfeel of your usual boxed spaghetti. Pea Pesto 14-ounce box of any whole grain pasta 2 cups green…  read on >