Did you know that popcorn is the only snack that’s 100% unprocessed whole grain? In fact, one serving of popcorn (about 1 cup) provides over 70% of your daily intake for whole grains. That’s good news for me because it’s one of my favorite foods. Here’s the skinny: Popcorn is minimally processed, loaded with fiber and complex carbohydrates, low in fat and provides a rich source of polyphenols, antioxidants that prevent free radical damage to cells. Polyphenols also help fight a number of chronic diseases. And because popcorn has just 4% water, it provides a more concentrated source of polyphenols than fruits and vegetables (which can be up to 90% water). Yes, fruits and vegetables are rich in polyphenols, but because of their high water content, one serving of popcorn contains more antioxidants than a day’s worth of fruits and vegetables.
Note: To be fair to the produce aisle, fruits and vegetables also contain vitamins and minerals not found in popcorn.
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When you’re allergic to peanuts or tree nuts, even a small amount can cause a severe allergic reaction. Peanuts aren’t true nuts (they’re a legume, just like beans and lentils), but their protein structure is similar to tree nuts and they’re one of the most common food allergens. And because the protein structure is similar, folks allergic to peanuts are often allergic to tree nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, filberts, pine nuts, pistachios, cashews and Brazil nuts.
Allergic reactions occur when the nut protein alerts the body’s immune system to protect itself; it does so by releasing chemicals like histamine. These chemicals cause symptoms that vary from person to person, but typically include wheezing and coughing, problems breathing, anaphylaxis, throat tightness, stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, itchy, watery and/or swollen eyes, hives and a drop in blood pressure. One person can actually react to the same food differently at different times.
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When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. When life gives you apples, you make apple tart! Here’s the back-story: I had a bushel of apples in my kitchen recently and thought, “I’m heading out of town, will my family really eat all these apples while I’m gone?” I didn’t think so . . . since I hate wasting food, I decided to turn 6 of the apples into a tart. “A tart?” you say. “Too complicated”, you huff. Actually, not complicated at all. And since there are just 5 ingredients, it’s easier to prepare than most main dishes we conquer on a hectic weeknight. Read on and enjoy those apples. Oh, and by the way, you can also make the tart with sliced pears or peaches.
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There’s one kitchen appliance that seems relegated to smoothies, margaritas and slushies. Think beyond drinks and get creative with this useful kitchen tool:
- Puree eggs with a little water or milk before making omelets. Using the blender adds air to the egg mixture and produces a lighter, fluffier omelet.
- Turn chunky soups into velvety purees (puree soup in small batches to prevent overflow and cover the lid with a towel to prevent burns). Read more »
Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite foods. Roasted, mashed, braised, stewed – I’ll take them any way I can get them. And that’s a good thing because they’re brimming with fiber and powerful antioxidants, like beta carotene. On a recent Saturday, I decided to get creative and make gnocchi with a couple of HUGE sweet potatoes I had on hand. What a delight! The dough comes together in a snap and the only time-consuming (but fun) part is rolling it out and cutting it into little puffy balls of pasta. After I boiled them for a few minutes, I simmered the sweet and tender morsels in a mixture of broth, butter, sage and maple syrup. The sweet ingredients brought out the sweetness of the sweet potatoes and the savory ingredients (Parmesan cheese, sage, nutmeg) made the perfect contrast. I think you’re gonna love this recipe! Let me know!
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I always have a bottle of liquid smoke in my refrigerator. Why? Hickory or mesquite, both are amazing and add tremendous flavor in one small shot (like 1 teaspoon). I like the simple ingredient list: water, natural smoke flavor (mesquite or hickory), vinegar, molasses and caramel color. The hickory has a little added salt, but just 10 mg of sodium per teaspoon. These are all-natural ingredients that truly catapult a meal without changing good nutritional numbers (many times, a smoky, BBQ flavor means lots of added salt). Check out how I use liquid smoke to jazz up these burgers. Enjoy these tonight and then experiment by adding liquid smoke to your favorite chicken, beef, pork and shellfish recipes.
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Have you noticed the influx of flatbreads at the grocery store? In my town, the wafer-thin, soft breads have taken over the deli section and they’re available in a wide variety of flavors, textures and shapes: from white to whole grain, soft, flavored and light. All variations are amazing and they make the ideal base for pizzas, wraps and folded sandwiches. Most flatbreads have no saturated fat and most provide a good source of whole grains and fiber (8 grams per serving). Never one to stick to the ordinary (or the suggestions on a label), I decided to use soft flatbreads to create mock sushi. Mock “Mexican” sushi with all the ingredients you would find in your favorite layered dip – refried beans, guacamole, salsa and sharp cheddar cheese. Thanks to the flatbread AND the beans, there’s a whopping 17 grams of fiber per serving. This fun dish is colorful, nutritious and makes a great presentation. I promise, you will FLAT OUT love it.
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Don’t you love the look of this colorful side dish? I adore roasted fingerling potatoes and I make them all the time. Recently, I bought a huge bag of the fingerling medley so I decided to try something new – boiled instead of roasted and smashed instead of whole (I love the combination of colors – purple, red and gold – that’s why I smash them slightly, not completely, so their colors shine through). The crowd (AKA, my family) went wild!
Nutritionally, fingerling potatoes are a good source of potassium, an important mineral used to regulate the fluid and mineral balance in cells, which helps maintain normal blood pressure. Potatoes are also rich in the vitamins C (a powerful antioxidant that prevents cell damage from free radicals, aids collagen production and assists with iron absorption) and vitamin B-6, which helps metabolize protein and carbohydrates.
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Cheese fries and healthy eats aren’t mutually exclusive. At least not the way I make them. Sure, you can get cheese fries loaded up nacho-style, but bear in mind, one serving dishes up to 800 calories, 50 grams of fat and 2/3 of your sodium for the day (a whopping 1,000 mg). Considering one medium Russet potato has about 140 calories and is virtually fat and sodium free, that’s a heaping pile of lard on top of otherwise healthy spuds.
Not to worry, I’ve got your back. First, I bake the potatoes until golden brown and then I top them with shredded pepper jack cheese and fresh salsa (I prefer fresh salsa from my favorite Mexican restaurant or the produce section of the grocery store). You can also get crazy and top the potatoes with homemade chili (regular, turkey, vegetarian), and feel free to swap out the pepper jack for aged white cheddar. You can even top the whole concoction with sliced (jarred) jalapenos and sliced black olives.
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Bread pudding is warm comfort food that can be served for breakfast, brunch and even dessert (my boys enjoyed decadent chocolate bread pudding at recent dinner buffet). And because it’s incredibly easy to prepare, you should keep a good “wow them” recipe in your arsenal.
This recipe is particularly great for the holidays because the season often brings overnight guests – with this version, you can prep ahead and bake the bread pudding the next morning while the coffee is brewing. The cinnamon-laced, moist French bread is embellished with mixed dried berries; I chose a blend of cherries, blueberries and cranberries because I like their sweet and tart chewiness. You could easily use just one variety of berry or use raisins or currants. You can even add semi-sweet chocolate morsels.
Regular bread pudding can have over 500 calories, 20 grams of fat and 700 mg of sodium per serving. By choosing fat free milk and fat free sweetened condensed milk, and by swapping 2 egg whites for 2 whole eggs, I was able to shave 100 calories and 300 mg of sodium per serving and I got the fat down to just 2 grams per generous portion.
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