You probably already realize that adding zucchini or carrots to a cake won’t magically make it low calorie or healthy. But you might not realize that there are many foods that sound healthy but really aren’t. It might seem as though bran muffins are the perfect way to get needed fiber, but the 3 grams in an average bakery offering don’t justify all the white flour, sugar, fat and calories that go along with it. A better breakfast is to mix 2 tablespoons of wheat bran into hot, steel-cut oatmeal and top it with a handful of raisins. Sushi sounds like a great way to enjoy fish, but the ratio of fish to rice — usually white rice — makes the protein portion minuscule (and, ounce for ounce, extremely expensive). Opt for sashimi instead, which is simply slices of raw fish, or ask for brown rice in your rolls. Also, watch the soy sauce — it’s laden with salt — and limit mayonnaise-based spicy sauces that accompany many fancy rolls. What could be bad about hazelnut and dark chocolate spreads? The problem is that sugar and palm oil are the first two ingredients in many popular store brands. If you love the flavor, dip whole roasted hazelnuts into melted dark chocolate as a treat, or whip up your own spread by blending freshly roasted hazelnuts…  read on >

Are you a chicken finger fanatic, but worried about what might be lurking in the take-out versions? The solution is simple: Do it yourself. Making chicken fingers at home is a snap. Between oven baking and ingredient swaps to cut back on the fat and calories, this version is the perfect way to lighten up a fast-food favorite. If your budget allows, raw chicken tenders are ideal. Not only are they the right size, but just as their name suggests, they’re more tender compared to other parts of the chicken breast. If cost is a concern, create your own strips by cutting two full skinless and boneless chicken breasts lengthwise into four to six tenders, depending on the size of each breast. Bonus: If you want to bring the heat to your chicken fingers, add a quarter teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the breadcrumbs. Baked Chicken Fingers 1 pound raw chicken tenders 1/2 cup buttermilk 1 egg 1-1/2 cups seasoned whole-wheat breadcrumbs Cooking spray 1/4 teaspoon salt Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Clip off any tendons from the top of the tenders with a pair of kitchen shears. Mix the buttermilk and egg in a bowl and place the breadcrumbs in a pie plate. Dip each tender into the liquid and then press into the…  read on >

Love your chicken parm but not the crazy calorie overload you get at a restaurant? Try this lighter version that’s easy to make at home. Most of the unwanted calories in chicken parmesan come from heavy breading plus the typical big side of pasta. Both bring down the nutrition profile since the breading is made from white-flour breadcrumbs and the side is usually white pasta. So skip the breading and replace the pasta with a veggie side dish to save hundreds of calories without sacrificing taste. As a bonus, the cheeses and the broccoli provide more calcium per serving than a glass of milk. Lighter Chicken Parmesan 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Olive oil cooking spray 2 cups marinara sauce, jarred or homemade 4 ounces mozzarella, sliced thin 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 cups broccoli florets 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Coat a large, oven-safe skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook 4 to 5 minutes until the chicken browns. Flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes more (the chicken will finish cooking in the oven). Turn off the heat and carefully add the sauce. Place one slice of mozzarella over each chicken…  read on >

Want to add pizzazz to your morning bowl of oats? Here’s how to spice things up and boost the nutrition. Oats are rich in important minerals like manganese, which plays a role in controlling blood sugar. They also happen to be very high in fiber, important for gut and heart health. Nuts and seeds are great toppings for oats that you might be enjoying already. But adding fruit and spices boosts the antioxidant level of your breakfast with very few extra calories. The following recipe hits the mark on many counts. It includes turmeric, a healing spice with thousands of medical studies behind it. Turmeric also tastes great when combined with fruit, so this recipe includes mango, rich in vitamins A and C, among others. Black pepper adds a pinch of heat and helps turbo-charge turmeric’s healing properties. Like turmeric, cinnamon is full of antibacterial compounds and has a naturally sweet flavor. Coconut is high in fiber and its fats help curb hunger. Mango-Coconut Oats 1 cup rolled oats 1-3/4 cups unsweetened coconut milk 1 cup diced mango 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 tablespoons shredded coconut Place oats in a small saucepan with the coconut milk. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes. While the oats cook, make…  read on >

Whether you’re tailgating, cooking for a potluck or bringing in a treat for co-workers, keep safety in mind to avoid food-borne illnesses. Safe handling is always important, but it’s an even bigger priority when you’re away from your kitchen, without the benefit of your fridge and oven to control food temperatures. The key is to plan ahead to keep food safe until eaten. The golden rule is to keep cold foods cold — below 40 degrees, and keep hot foods hot — above 140 degrees. Keeping cold food cold means you’ll need to use a cooler with cold packs or lots of ice, and keep it in the shade. Foods that don’t need to be stored in the cooler include whole fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, and peanut butter and jelly. If you’ll be cooking, such as grilling, at the venue, carry raw food in its own cooler, double wrapped in plastic to contain any juices. Bring disposable wipes for hand washing. If you’re taking food to a friend’s home for a BBQ, for instance, keep meat and poultry refrigerated until ready to put on the grill. Since food may brown before it’s cooked through, test with an instant-read thermometer for safety. Best Internal Temperature for Cooked Meats Red meat: 145 degrees All ground meat: 160 degrees Poultry: 165 degrees If cooking in batches, place…  read on >

You’ve worked hard to curb mindless eating by not watching TV with a bag of chips in your lap, and you log everything you do eat in your smartphone app. But you could still be taking in more calories than you realize. The fact is that throughout each day, you’re bombarded by sneaky sources of extra calories that never get recorded in that journal of yours. And the result could sabotage your weight-loss diet or add unwanted weight. For instance, your office could be a diet war zone if bowls of candy sit on every other desk. That nibbling adds up, so swear off these caloric pit stops. The same goes for the lollipop bowl at your bank or dry cleaners. Go “hands-free” on the free samples at your favorite food stores — those tiny cups of mac and cheese and donut holes can add up as you walk the aisles. Be careful at home, too. Are you a repeat taste tester when cooking? Even if your recipes are healthy, every spoonful that passes your lips has calories, so limit yourself to one or two, or spread the wealth and let other family members taste-test for you. Finally, resign from the clean-plate club. Stop finishing off the last bites on your child’s plate or in serving bowls. If you can’t bear to throw out bits…  read on >

Drinks marketed to children often contain loads of unhealthy sugars and sweeteners, and they come in packages that deliver too-large servings, a new report finds. None of 34 sweetened drinks aimed at the youth market meet nutrition recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), according to University of Connecticut researchers. “Sweetened drinks are about two-thirds of children’s drink sales, compared to 100% juice-and-water blends,” said lead researcher Jennifer Harris, director of marketing initiatives for the university’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity in Hartford. “Parents may be surprised to know that pediatricians, dentists and other nutrition experts recommend against serving any of these drinks to children.” Sweetened drinks have been identified as a major source of excess calories for kids. Added sugars account for 17% of the total caloric intake of children and teens, and sugary beverages contribute almost half of those added sugars, according to AAP. For this study, Harris and her team looked only at products marketed for children, ignoring sodas, sports drinks and iced teas that are promoted for a wider audience. They identified 67 products from 23 drink brands. About half contained added sweeteners; the others didn’t. The sweetened drinks made up 62% of the $2.2 billion in children’s drink sales in 2018, researchers said. Pure juice or juice/water blends accounted for 38% of sales. One serving of many…  read on >

Don’t let the names of exotic grains like millet keep you from trying them. They’re as easy to make as standard white rice yet far more nutritious. Millet is the seed of a grass that grows in Africa. It has a fluffy, dry texture and tastes similar to corn. Millet has a wide variety of nutrients, including many minerals, protein and fiber. It cooks in under 30 minutes and can be served up as a hot breakfast cereal, added to soups in place of beans or pasta, or turned into side dishes. This flavorful carrot and millet dish is a great complement to any protein. Spicy Millet and Carrot “Pilaf” 1 cup dry millet 3 tablespoons olive oil 4 carrots, peeled and diced 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth 1/2 cup raisins 1/4 cup chopped parsley Place the millet in a small saucepan with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes until the water is absorbed and the grains are fluffy and tender. Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots and salt, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until the carrots brown and are…  read on >