Facts and advice on nutrition that you should know in order to stay healthy.
Healthy Summer Grilling
An essential part of summer is the barbecue and outdoor grilling.
Vinegar
Vinegar has many uses, from adding an exquisite essence to salad to polishing windows.
Fat-Free Sour Cream
Fat-free sour cream is a healthy substitute for sour cream.
Mussels
If you like eating mussels at restaurants, don’t be afraid to try them at home.
Peppercorns
Peppercorns have been part of Indian cuisine for more than 4,000 years. They even were used as currency in trading and were called “black gold.”
Eat your Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are healthy for everyone, though many people don’t like to eat them. It’s recommended adults eat two cups of fruit and two to three cups of vegetables daily; recommendations for children vary by age. Young children should eat about a cup each of fruit and vegetables daily.
Dough
When you ask a home baker what the best part of making bread is, many will tell you it’s the kneading process and creating the dough with one’s hands. Others favor the aroma of the risen dough baking in the oven. Nearly every home baker appreciates the entire household swarming into the kitchen, wanting the first slice of the steaming hot bread. Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is a nutritious and a versatile ingredient in everything from salad to dessert. It is made by causing the curd to separate from the whey in milk.
Eggplant
Eggplant, at its prime in late summer and early fall, is a favorite of some and carefully avoided by others.
Nutrition Notes: Healthy Pasta
Pasta is a favorite food of many and can form the foundation of a healthy meal. A part of many cultures’ culinary heritages, pasta is a staple in the American diet. A single serving of most types of pasta contains about 200 calories, with many B vitamins, folic acid, and iron. Whole grain pasta provides additional fiber and other nutrients.
Tomatoes
We wait all year for freshly picked tomatoes, but August is the month when ripe tomatoes are plentiful in the garden.
Salmon
Salmon is an ideal summer food, perfect for grilling.
Frosty Drinks
Summer is the season for cool and refreshing beverages.
Rice
Rice has been grown for thousands of years and is a staple in
many countries. For example, in Bangladesh, more than 70 percent of
the calories consumed are from rice.
Beets Can’t be Beat
Beets are an often-forgotten vegetable, yet they are so sweet
sugar is made from some varieties.
Crab
Crabs are one of the oldest species on earth - they date back
more than 200 million years. Today, more than 4,000 varieties
exist, with many edible species found in both fresh and salt North
American waters.
Valentine’s Evening Dinner
With Valentine's Day on Monday this year, many people will
celebrate at a restaurant over the weekend. However, an exciting
(yet inexpensive) treat for that special Monday with your Valentine
is a romantic dinner at home, even if you forgo a champagne toast
to get enough sleep before work on Tuesday morning.
Healthful Entertaining
With professional football Season in full swing, January is a
month of informal social functions. Eating healthily is a
challenge, and entertaining healthily is even more difficult.
Grilled or Roasted Vegetables
Whole grilled vegetables are a delight in the winter, when they
bring back memories of a summer garden.
Cooking Wine
As we think about wines and champagnes for the holidays, we also
see recipes calling for "cooking wine." What is "cooking wine", and
is it the best wine for cooking?
Pumpkin
Pumpkins aren’t only a great Halloween decoration. They’re a healthy vegetable with only 50 calories a cup and high levels of vitamin A (especially pumpkins with dark orange pulp), plus they contain vitamin C, folate, fiber, potassium, and other minerals.
The Basic
Mixes are a great way to create home made foods quickly. You can make your own mixes, and limit the salt (sodium), fat, and sugars.
Picnics
A picnic is a great way to enjoy the end of the summer and early
fall weather. They are an easy way to entertain grandchildren who
may be visiting.
Summer Cookouts and Barbecues
Summer is the season for informal entertaining, so why not host
a summer barbecue? Plan a meal that's easy and healthy.
Summer Desserts
As summer approaches, there is an expanding range of fresh fruit
to serve as desserts.
Zucchini
May is the month for planting a garden, so consider planting
zucchini, also called summer squash.
Breads
Many families have their traditional breads whether they're
yeast breads, quick breads, or popovers.
Corned Beef
Corned beef is beef that has been brined - marinated for days in
a salt, saltpeter, and spice solution.
Scallops for a Romantic Valentine’s Day Dinner
For a romantic Valentine's Day dinner, cook scallops, an elegant
but simple dish packed with vitamin B-12 and omega-3 fatty
acids.
Flu-Proof Parties
January is a month of informal get-togethers like New Year's Day
celebrations and football parties. With flu season approaching at
the same time, prevent disease transmission with these tips.
Breakfast for Houseguests
December holidays are a busy time, but a few simple breakfast
ideas with hot breads and fresh fruit will keep your overnight
house guests cheerfully sated.
Thanksgiving Dinner Foods
A traditional Thanksgiving meal usually includes turkey,
stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, a vegetable
casserole, and pumpkin or pecan pie for dessert.
Pick of the Patch
Pumpkins are a nutritious - though often forgotten - part of a
fall menu.
Fresh Garden Tomatoes
From late August through September, tomato vines are laden with
a tasty red fruit. (Yes, botanically, a tomato is a fruit rather
than a vegetable.) Ripe garden tomatoes are a healthy addition to
any meal.
Herbs and Flowers
In most parts of the country, herbs are simple to grow in a
sunny location with a little water and good soil. It's generally
much easier to buy small plants than to start them from seed - and
really not much more expensive because you'll need only one or two
of each variety.
Burgers
Burgers are a mainstay of summer grilling. While beef burgers
might be the most common, you can make burgers from turkey,
chicken, pork, lamb, venison, or vegetables.
Outdoor Grilling
This is the season many have been waiting for - the time for
outdoor grilling. Chicken, fish, shrimp, steak, hamburgers, and hot
dogs are great for grilling. Pork and chicken can be precooked
indoors, and then heated on the grill to ensure they are cooked
completely.
Save More Food
In today's economy, everyone is looking for ways to save money
on groceries. A simple way to do this is by using every bit of food
already in your kitchen. Some families discard up to 10 percent of
their purchased food items; changing this habit can save a
significant amount of money on your grocery bill.
Low-fat Fruit Desserts
Some desserts often are considered healthy because they contain fruit. However, a piece of apple pie has more than a tablespoon of fat in the crust. You can substitute apple pie with apple crisp — use low-fat granola for the crust, and you have a healthier alternative.
Cheesecake
For most people, dessert is the favorite course of a meal. With a little planning, one can choose desserts that are much lower in fat and calories and even a good source of protein if made with milk and egg whites.
Shrimp
Shrimp have been a common food for centuries. They were part of the diet in many parts of the Roman Empire, and the ancient Chinese also favored them.
“Lettuce” Eat
Salads are a great way to enjoy fresh vegetables during the winter months.
Soup
Soup is one of the healthiest foods available — and especially comforting on a cold winter day.
Holiday Dining
Entertaining family and friends is part of the holiday season, but the question of “What do I serve?” always looms.
Pears
Pears have been grown in China for more than 7,000 years. Originally, early American colonists brought pears to the Atlantic coast in the seventeenth century, but a blight killed the trees.
Bread
Bread and bread products are a major part of our diet. Although some fad diets have relegated bread to a list of bad foods, bread products can be part of a healthy diet, when chosen carefully.
Melons
July and August are melons’ peak season, so they are plentiful, lower priced, and often locally grown. Californian and Arizonan grown melons are available May through October. Imported melons are available yearlong.
Edible Flowers
A basic edible flower rule is don’t eat flowers that have been treated with pesticides or other chemicals.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are believed to be originated in India and were grown there for food more than 3000 years ago.
Grilling
As summer approaches and people spend more time outdoors, barbeques become popular, whether it's a charcoal or a gas grill.
Growing and Eating Herbs
March is the month to begin planning your herb garden - and thinking about the various nutritious foods you can make with fresh herbs. Some herbs can be planted from seeds, either started in the house or directly outside.
Dried Fruits
During the cold and snowy winters of colonial days, the only available fruits were those preserved by drying during the previous harvest. Today, with so many fresh fruits available all year long, we often forget the benefits of dried fruits. Further, with our global commerce, an amazing variety of dried fruits is available.
Healthy Sandwiches
With the right ingredients between your slices of bread, this lunch staple can be nutritionally balanced.
Winter Chili
Customize this healthy classic for a warm, hearty winter meal.
A Better Thanksgiving
Making a good holiday meal doesn't have to be all work and no play. Use these recipes to cut down on your time in the kitchen so you can enjoy the day.
Sugar, Sugar
It is difficult for the home cook to replace the sugar called for in recipes with sugar substitutes.
The Benefits of Soy
Soy products, manufactured from the soybean, have a long history. Soy has been a regular part of the Asian diet for at least 5,000 years; tofu was developed about 2,000 years ago in China.
Recipes
Oatmeal can be served by itself or used as an ingredient in main dishes and desserts. Many recipes can be found on oatmeal boxes or online.
Nutrition Notes: Apples
Apples and their seeds were first brought to America by the Pilgrims. The seeds then were scattered across the U.S. by "Johnny Appleseed" and others. The keeping quality of apples contributed to their popularity in colonial times.
Lentils
A lentil is a small legume. Lentils were one of the first cultivated food crops - dating back to at least 7000 BCE in the Near East.
Gobble It Up!
High protein, low fat foods should be a part of everyone's diet. One often neglected option is ground turkey.
Oranges & Lemons (and Other Citrus Fruits)
Citrus fruits originated in Southeast Asia and later became part of the ancient Egyptian and Greek diets. Citrus is mentioned frequently in the Bible, and was part of Babylonian ceremonies in the fifth century B.C.
Chocolate
Chocolate has been a favored food for centuries - from the pre-Columbian times of the Mayans and Incas, to the Antarctic explorers, to the present day. It is a favorite Valentine's gift and has been a gift between lovers for centuries. In the 17th century, Maria Theresa of Spain gave chocolate to her betrothed, Louis XIV of France, as a wedding gift.
Corned Beef(2)
Though an American St. Patrick's Day dinner wouldn't be complete without corned beef, it is not a common food in Ireland today, and there are many versions of its Irish history.
Soups
Soups are often viewed as one of the healthiest winter foods - and sometimes they actually are. But many canned soups contain monosodium glutamate (MSG), and soups can be very high in sodium and fat: A cup of soup might contain a third of the recommended daily value of sodium, and a cup of creamed soup might have more than a tablespoon of fat.
Lettuce
A member of the daisy family, lettuce is related to the dandelion and has been grown for more than 5,000 years. It was a regular part of the diet of the ancient Persians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. The lettuce popular with the Egyptians and Romans was high in lactucarium, also known as "lettuce opium"; because of its opium-like effects, this lettuce was eaten at the end of the meal.
Juice Worth the Squeeze
Most fruit juices are sweet; some, like pineapple and apple, are very sweet. Others, such as lemon, lime, and cranberry, are very sour -- too sour for most people. Lemon and lime juices often are mixed with sweeteners (either high fructose corn syrup or low calorie sweeteners like aspartame) to make lemonade or limeade.
Walnuts
Walnuts date back to at least 7000 BC and may have originated in Persia or France. The ancient Greeks extracted oil from walnuts, just as they did from olives. Walnuts were popular with the Romans, who named them "Jupiter's royal acorn," and walnuts have been found in the ruins of Pompeii.
Whole Grains
What is a "whole grain" food? A grain kernel has three edible parts - the bran, the endosperm, and the germ. The bran is the outermost layer and contains fiber, B vitamins, and trace minerals.
Calcium
Calcium is an important part of the diet. Aside from being a major ingredient in our teeth and bones, calcium also plays a major role in keeping the heart beating and blood clotting and in hormone secretion, nerve conduction, and muscle contraction.
Eggs
Eggs from various birds have been a part of the human diet since people lived in caves.
Tomatoes
August and September are the months for tomatoes - whether you
pick them from your garden, find them at a farmer's market, or
purchase locally grown tomatoes at the grocery store.