Healthy Cooking Magazine Editor's Blog

Small But Tasty Reasons to Give Thanks

MaryS. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:08:00 GMT

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and I’m looking forward to gathering with family and friends. For the past few years, I’ve been invited to enjoy a big family meal at my brother’s house. My sister-in-law is an amazing cook, who could whip up an unbelievable meal without breaking a sweat, but I’m always glad that she lets us all pitch in to help and bring a few dishes to pass.

Quite often, I bring an appetizer or two. Over the years, I’ve brought my fair share of cheese-and-sausage platters, shrimp trays and dips with veggies or fruit on the side, but I also try to choose one or two memorable recipes I’ve sampled in our Test Kitchen for my family to try. And I’m happy to say that I always bring home an empty tray after the festivities are through!

This year, I have a few past favorite recipes in mind, and I thought I’d share them with you, too! Each one is on the lighter side, so you can feel good about enjoying them before your meal.

Apple-Nut Blue Cheese Tartlets

These delightful little bites take just moments to prepare, and offer the best flavors of the season. Bet you can’t eat just one!

Gorgonzola Figs with Balsamic Glaze

We couldn’t get over these delicious figs when we tasted them for a contest a few years back. I’ve never forgotten them, so they may make an elegant appearance on our appetizer buffet this year.

Cheddar Bruschetta

If the figs aren’t a hit with the younger appetites at our gathering, I’m sure these little bruschetta bites will be! The mild seasonings and two types of cheese will be a perfect fit for any meal.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Mary

Mary Spencer
Editor, Healthy Cooking

Blog Inspired

Peggy — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:18:00 GMT

I occasionally visit a food blog that’s written by a woman who decorates some of the most amazing cookies I’ve ever seen. What sets her cookies apart is the perfect design and vivid colors of the royal icing. Plus, each cookie is a carbon copy of the first. Her secret is to use a small overhead projector to project images directly onto each cookie so that she can trace it with icing. What a great idea! While I’m not ready to invest in a projector, I was inspired.

So I set off this Halloween season armed with some tips from her blog and loads of inspiration. I envisioned a cheery morning of decorating, everything going oh-so-smoothly and the most remarkable-looking cookies to share with my coworkers.

Well, whenever I break out my decorating tips and bags, there’s a good chance that the final product isn’t going to be nearly as amazing as what I envision, which was true this past Halloween. Halfway through decorating, I was frustrated, tired and couldn’t believe how long I had been at it! I didn’t even want to look at the dirty dishes stacked in my sink. Should I have just spent my day off relaxing with a good book?

I’m sure some of you have experienced the same thing and, for some crazy reason, we continue to go back and try our hand at decorating thinking that, someday, it will be a care-free experience with results just as beautiful as we hoped.

Here are some photos of my over-inspired cookie decorating morning–from the blank canvas to when I was elbow deep in icing and, finally, the end product. Even though they didn’t match the perfectly decorated cookies in my head, I think they did turn out ok, with the exception of the witch’s hats that look a bit like sombreros.

Adios and thanks for reading,

Peggy Woodward

Food Editor

Healthy Cooking

I'd rather have an omelet.

john_mcmillan — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:17:00 GMT

What the heck is polydimethylsiloxane, and why did I feed it to my daughter?

A couple of days ago, my wife was out of town, and I wanted to treat my daughter to a fun dinner, something different, something new. I remembered when I was a child in the ‘70s my father used to buy TV dinners, and we’d eat in front of the tube watching “The Gong Show” or “Hee Haw.”

Sure, the meals weren’t that good, but I remember laughing with my dad (as much as I remember the crunchy edges of the “brownie”), and that feeling was what I wanted to give my daughter. So off to the store I went, perusing the glass-door aisles for something tasty and fun for my unsuspecting 5-year-old. I found some cartooney boxes and picked out one I thought she might enjoy. The bright container showed ham-and-cheese stuffed breadsticks, macaroni and cheese, corn and for dessert, granola bites. Not super-nutritious, but this was to be a treat, so I was ok with it.

We got it home, popped it in the microwave and set up the TV trays. This was going to be fun! But when it was time to eat, she wouldn’t touch it.

“It just doesn’t taste good, Daddy.”

I took a bite of the “breadstick.” It was not good. It was so bad that it was unidentifiable. I’ve professionally tasted food for 6 years now. I’m a foodie, but not a food snob; in fact, I love a fast food cheeseburger every now and then. But I can honestly say that I’ve never tasted anything quite like that “breadstick” before.

I grabbed the box and read the ingredients. Rather, I tried to read the ingredients, because the print was too small and full of words I’d never seen before.

I was appalled. Giving myself a headache, I started counting ingredients. Among my favorites: #113 polydimethylsiloxane, #62 sodium hexamethphosphate and #110 propl gallate.

Total number of ingredients: 168.

One hundred and sixty-eight things I tried to feed my child. I felt like a horrible parent, but at least she didn’t eat the boxed mess.

So after throwing the lot in the trashcan, we decided on a ham-and-cheese omelet with a side of strawberries for dinner. Total ingredients: 12.

I learned my lesson. Like my grandfather used to say, “Make sure you read the fine print.” What he left out was, “If you can.”

John McMillan
Associate Editor

Growing Power

Alicia_B — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:12:00 GMT

This past week, the Healthy Cooking and Simple & Delicious magazine teams toured an urban farm called “Growing Power.” Located in the heart of Milwaukee, this two-acre community food center has it all! Our tour included everything from their greenhouses to livestock. We sampled freshly harvested sunflower sprouts and arugula and even got to feed the fish in their ponds.

We also learned just how easy it is to start your own compost bin at home. Who knew? And we discovered how valuable all of those little worms in our gardens are—breaking down the foodstuffs into reusable fertilizer and soil. The farm is so well managed that nothing goes to waste; peelings, roots and woodchips are all put back into the earth to help the new crops grow. The farm has systems in place to recycle rainwater, and even to retain heat in the greenhouses in the cold of winter. We expanded our vocabularies with new words such as, “aquaponics” (growing beds above fish ponds for food production) and “anaerobic digester” (a machine designed to generate energy from the farm’s waste).

It was truly great to see these people so dedicated to getting the community involved in sustainable farming practices! If you would like more information, visit their Web site at http://www.growingpower.org/Index.htm.

Alicia Bozewicz
Associate Food Editor, Healthy Cooking

Casseroles Lighten Up Busy Weeks

MaryS. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:30:00 GMT

I don’t know about you, but September was an absolute blur! It seemed that every area of my life got a little bit crazy all at once. In times like this, I turn to a few tried-and-true casseroles to get me through. I’ll make a shopping list on the weekend and cook up a big batch of something on Sunday night. After Sunday’s dinner, I’ll portion out servings I can grab quickly for easy lunches and dinners all week long.

In the October/November issue of Healthy Cooking, I’ve already earmarked several great recipes I remember tasting that I’d love to tell you about.

One to definitely try? Potato-Crusted Chicken Casserole. This satisfying dish was a hit with our tasting panel, and it offers just the right amount of protein to get anyone through an extra-busy day.

Though Pumpkin Lasagna may sound a bit unusual, I’m absolutely going to try it. With pumpkin and sage leaves, it has just the seasonal flavors I’ve been craving, and it will be easy to make ahead and serve up for weekday lunches. But, I could just as easily pair it with a salad for a fast weeknight meal.

When I need something that’s a touch lighter, I’ll turn to Lactose-Free Veggie-Stuffed Shells. I won’t lie to you—tofu wasn’t my thing before I worked here. But I really didn’t miss the meat in these shells. We loved the hint of lemon flavor, fresh basil and pine nuts. And, this will be a much healthier alternative than picking up a frozen entree and heating it up at lunch, as I’ve been tempted to do during hectic weeks in the past.

Have you found any great recipes that get you through short-on-time weeks? Please share them with me! Thanks, in advance, for your help!

Mary

Mary Spencer
Editor, Healthy Cooking

Fewer Americans at Low Risk for Cardiovascular Disease

Peggy — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:31:00 GMT

An alarming new study was published in Circulation, the American Heart Association’s scientific journal. Between 1999 and 2004, researchers tracked participants and found that only 7.5% of Americans between the ages of 25 and 74 were at low risk for cardiovascular disease. That was down from 10.5% in a study done between 1988 and 1994.

To be considered low risk, the participants had to be:

A non-smoker
Their total cholesterol had to be below 200 mg/dL without cholesterol-lowering drugs
Their blood pressure had to be below 120 over 80 mmHg without blood pressure-lowering drugs
They had to be at a healthy weight
They could never have been diagnosed with diabetes

The biggest contributor to the drop since the last survey? The number of people who were overweight. About 41% of participants were considered to be at a healthy weight in the previous survey, while it decreased to just 32% between 1999 and 2004.

The criteria is eye-opening because it makes us all consider our own health and whether we’re part of the country’s unhealthy trend. The good news is that when this study was first done from 1971-1975, the numbers were even worse. Then, just 4.4% of Americans were considered at low risk—but we were able to bring that number up to 10.5% in the next survey. So that means we can bring that number up once again—The question is: How?

Peggy Woodward

Food Editor, Healthy Cooking

Happy Harvest

Alicia_B — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:35:00 GMT

While I was growing up, my parents planted a garden every year. We always had the staples of raspberries, tomatoes and zucchini. After 25 years of organic gardening and composting, they turned the garden planning over to me this year.

In late May, we headed to the local nursery. I’ve learned that if I start out with plants instead of seeds, I have a higher success rate and healthier, more bountiful plants. This year, our eyes ended up being bigger than our garden space! We planted six different varieties of tomatoes (the little yellow ones are so sweet, you can’t stop eating them!), three kinds of peppers, eggplant, zucchini, and an 11-herb garden. We had some leftover seeds from beans and peas, so decided to plant those, too.

Every year we try planting something that we haven’t tried before. This year we tried cabbage—an early variety and a type of Chinese cabbage. Every time we went out to check on the garden, they made us smile. They were easy to grow, and we were impressed with how big they were! Did anyone else try a new vegetable or plant this year?

One of the jalapeno plants just won’t stop producing peppers–we’ve had over 30 peppers from just one plant!

We’ve had a pretty cool summer in Wisconsin, so our tomatoes were slow to ripen. However, now we have more than we know what to do with! We’ve already made spaghetti sauce, salsa and caprese salads. What do you do with all of your tomatoes? I’m lucky to have coworkers who are eager to take home some of my extras!

Our zucchini were growing faster than we could keep up with. Our largest one so far was 7 pounds. I have served grilled zucchini slices, veggie sautés, stuffed zucchini boats, zucchini breads and muffins—I’m running out of ideas. How do you use all of your zucchini?

All in all, I’ve had a very successful garden this year, and I can’t wait to see what next year’s harvest brings.

Alicia Bozewicz

Associate Food Editor, Healthy Cooking

Will new restaurant labeling laws help?

Peggy — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:29:00 GMT

In June, a new national restaurant labeling proposal was introduced by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. This proposal would create a new standard for restaurants that would require chains with 20 or more locations to post calories for foods on menus, menu boards and drive-through displays. Other nutrition information would be available upon request.

While there is currently a patchwork of labeling regulations throughout the country (in New York City, King County in Washington and Philadelphia, PA), this new proposal would create a uniform standard across the country.

What do you think of this proposal? Would the calorie listings impact the choices you made while dining out? Do you think it will have an impact on the overall obesity epidemic?

I’d love to hear what you think!

Peggy Woodward, RD

Food Editor, Healthy Cooking

Gotta Try These Recipes!

MaryS. — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:52:00 GMT

Did you know? Every recipe published in Taste of Home or one of its sister magazines is tasted in our test kitchen. Every day, we have testing sessions at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Since I work on two magazines, Taste of Home Healthy Cooking and Taste of Home Simple & Delicious, I get to taste a lot of food!

Though we taste for issues several months in advance, and we only take a few bites at a shot, certain recipes always seem to stand out. So, as I look back on our August/September issue (available on newsstands now—shameless plug, I know!), I just have to let you in on a few unbelievable recipes.

With the caramel oozing out of the crust and that apple, brown sugar and pecan filling, Makeover Caramel-Pecan Apple Pie (p. 20) was just too good to be true! I still remember looking around the table for another sample to try.

Grecian Garden Salad on p. 39 was a particular favorite for me. I’m a complete sucker for anything topped with feta. And, we all had to laugh when Peggy (Woodward, our food editor) told us it was good for our skin!

I’m also looking forward to making Cheese Tortellini with Tomatoes and Corn (p. 43) with some fresh sweet corn in the coming weeks. I feel better knowing it’s good for my bones!

But, if you make just one recipe from this issue this fall, definitely opt for Family-Favorite Cheeseburger Pasta (p. 65). It’s our cover recipe; it’s ready in 30 minutes, and I swear it really does taste like a cheeseburger! I couldn’t believe it! Polish off the meal with one of those Chocolate Peanut Parfaits (p. 66), and you’ll have a guaranteed family-pleaser. I promise!

Did you have any favorites? I’d love to hear about them!

Happy cooking!
Mary

Mary Spencer
Editor, Healthy Cooking

How much do you know about the food you’re eating?

Peggy — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:06:00 GMT

Sounds like a simple question, but after watching the documentary film, “Food, Inc.,” I’ve learned the answer can be quite complex. The film explains how radically our food system has changed over the last 50 years and alleges that it’s now controlled by a handful of very powerful corporations and our government, influencing just about everything we put in our mouths.

Covering a myriad of topics, the documentary touches on the mass production of livestock, particularly beef and chicken, and the laws surrounding genetically modified seeds and how they’ve changed farming practices and the foods we eat. Particularly alarming to me was the film’s assertion that the cost of commodity crops (like corn, soybeans and wheat) is kept artificially low by government subsidies. While that doesn’t seem like it could ever be a negative, the filmmakers describe the trickle-down effect this can have over the cost of food and our food choices. Just think, corn, soybeans and wheat are some of the most commonly found ingredients in junk food.

So what can you do as a consumer if these topics are important to you? The first step is to get informed–do your own legwork and find out about the food you eat, where it comes from and how it is produced; contact your grocer and food manufacturers. Or cut out the middleman and buy from local farmers so you can ask them directly how they produce the food you’re buying.

I especially like what the filmmakers suggest at the end of the movie: Every time a food item passes the grocery store’s scanner, you’re voting for the type of food, farms and society you want to support. We each have an opportunity to vote three times a day, when we eat. How will you vote?

Peggy Woodward

Food Editor, Healthy Cooking

Overwhelmed Cook Needs Help

LizWI — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:09:00 GMT

Some may find this shocking, but I’m going to say it anyways: I haven’t had a functioning oven since December of 2008. Two days before Christmas, it just stopped working. Because my husband and I were planning on remodeling the kitchen and buying new appliances, we decided to save our money and not fix the oven. Thankfully, our stovetop still worked or I don’t know what I would’ve done!

Now, quite a few months later, I have new appliances, including an oven that turns on and off and actually cooks food!

But I face a challenge. After so many months of not being able to bake much of anything, I am overwhelmed by the numerous foods I could prepare. Should I make a quiche? How ‘bout lasagna? What about a roast? Or a delicious fruit pie? There are so many possibilities!

I’m hoping you can help me narrow down the options of what our first oven-made meal should be by answering this question: If you had to go 7 months without an oven, what dish would you miss making the most?

Thank you for your help! Now go tell your oven how much you appreciate it!

Liz Russell
Associate Editor

Does Grilling Cause Cancer?

Peggy — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:07:00 GMT

I’m often asked this question. And here’s the truth—it can create cancer-causing substances (carcinogens) but that doesn’t mean it will necessarily lead to cancer. Grilling is a summertime mainstay and can be a healthful method of cooking, but there are a few things to consider in order to minimize the creation of carcinogens when you grill.

Carcinogens are formed when food is grilled or cooked at very high temperatures. The longer it’s cooked, the more susceptible it is to carcinogenic mutagens, which cause changes in DNA that can lead to cancer.

Here are some tips for reducing carcinogens when grilling:

Flip it – Flipping food frequently keeps the surface temperature lower. It also helps prevent the food from becoming charred.

Trim fat – When fat drips onto hot coals or heating elements, it creates smoke, which coats the surface of the meat. Using lean cuts of meat will also help minimize smoke.

Marinate – Even marinating for a short period of time seems to help prevent carcinogenic compounds from forming.

Choose seafood – Grilled seafood has fewer issues with carcinogens than grilled beef, pork or chicken.

Pre-microwave – Heat food for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes in the microwave before grilling to decrease the compounds that may become carcinogenic when you grill.

Go vegetarian – Grilled veggies create little to none of the carcinogenic compounds found on grilled meat, plus they offer so many other health benefits—why not eat your veggies?

Peggy Woodward

Food Editor, Healthy Cooking

One of my favorites

MaryS. — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:22:00 GMT

Our August/September issue is hitting newsstands and mailboxes now. Have you seen it? I was so excited by its gorgeous cover and the many wonderful recipes inside!

I’m also happy to say that it has one of my very favorite recipes. About two years ago, we decided to feature staff-favorite holiday dishes made lighter in “Test Kitchen Makeovers.” At the time, I sent Peggy, our food editor, several family favorites. One was “corn pudding.” Rich, creamy and comforting, it’s like a scalloped corn casserole. My grandmother (dad’s mom) created it, and it’s an absolute must-have at my house at the holidays. In fact, it’s such a favorite with my dad that over the years, Mom learned how to make it.

We didn’t print the recipe at that time, and I forgot that Peggy had it until she called one day. She wanted to make corn pudding over and wondered whose name to put on the recipe. Unfortunately, my grandma is no longer living, so I asked her to put my mom’s name on it.

Later that day, I called Mom and mentioned casually that she’d be in our August/September issue. “Really?” she asked. Then I heard as she excitedly called out to my visiting aunt, “I’m going to be published in Healthy Cooking!”

I got such a kick out of her reaction! Of course, when the first unbound copy hit my desk, I took it home right away to show Mom and Dad. They were and still are thrilled! I hope you enjoy Makeover Corn Pudding as much as my family. And don’t forget, keep sending in those recipes! You just might be published in an upcoming edition, too!

Happy cooking!

Mary Spencer
Editor, Healthy Cooking

Just how picky is she?

john_mcmillan — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:02:00 GMT

If you have a picky eater, I can sympathize with you. My little girl, Andie, literally starts crying when I put vegetables on her plate.

I don’t know what happened, but about the time she turned three, she began turning down my Parmesan zucchini and turning up her nose to butter beans.

Just the other day on a muggy afternoon in Mississippi, she and I (she’s 5 now) were sitting with my father-in-law, Doc, on the back porch.

Doc is a biology professor and was educating us on the migration of groundhogs. He mentioned that he had seen a dead one on the side of the road. I noticed that Andie had stopped paying attention, so, just to shock her back to the conversation, I said, “Mmm, Andie, doesn’t that sound good? We can go get it for supper tonight! Groundhog road kill, mashed potatoes and green beans!”

Without missing a beat, she grimaced and said, “Eww, green beans!” … I have a long row to hoe.

John McMillan
Associate Editor

Healthy, Fast & Easy

MarilynI — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:18:00 GMT

My son and daughter-in-law just had their second child. With an active toddler and a full-time job, my daughter-in-law is always looking to put a fast, healthy meal on the table that all will enjoy. The good thing about working here is that I have plenty of terrific recipes to share with her!

I showed her one of my favorites—it’s Asian Pork Linguine. This entree is fast, delicious and the prep/total time is 30 minutes. How can you beat that?

To compliment the main dish, I enjoy a salad topped with tomatoes, cucumber slices and my favorite ranch dressing. I’ll also cut a few slices of French bread, if I have it on hand.

Healthy Cooking has been a lifesaver for many of my meals, whether they’re done in a slow cooker, on the stovetop or prepared in the oven (like casseroles), every recipe I’ve tried is healthy and very tasty!

Do you have any favorite healthy recipes that you would like to share? I’d enjoy hearing from you!

Marilyn Iczkowski
Editorial Assistant