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Healthy Seafood Recipes for Lunch or Dinner

December 23, 2014 by

Many home chefs are often intimidated by preparing seafood, either because of its delicate texture or because they simply don’t know which types to buy. These tasty and nutritious recipes can take the guesswork out of cooking with fish, shrimp and other types of seafood.

Baja-Style Salmon Tacos
Unlike many restaurant tacos, this recipe adds up to just 325 calories and is packed with 24 grams of necessary protein. The grilled salmon and whole wheat tortillas give these Baja-style fish tacos a healthy makeover that’s still a flavorful treat.

Fish Veronique
A traditional dish with a healthy, modern twist, this recipe for Fish Veronique creates a comfort food that won’t break your diet. By removing the fat from the chicken broth and using low-fat milk, you can create a decadent, creamy sauce with none of the extra fat or calories.

Baked Red Snapper With Zesty Tomato Sauce
Create an elegant dinner for your family or your guests with this low-fat, low-calorie Italian fish dish. Use your choice of either red snapper or bass to find the taste you prefer, and top with zesty tomato sauce for major flavor.

For more nutritious meals using seafood, visit the NIH website here.

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Healthy, Hearty Pancake Recipes

November 25, 2014 by

Pancakes aren’t normally considered a healthy food, and adding high-calorie butter and sugary syrup certainly doesn’t help. With just a few small substitutions, however, pancakes can become a healthy and hearty indulgence for brunch or breakfast. These websites are full of nutritious pancake recipes that you can make at home.

Health.com
Health.com’s list of pancake recipes includes unique options that are much more interesting than the usual buttermilk. They also include fat-free milk, whole-wheat flour and other healthy ingredients to keep the calorie count low. Try the Carrot Cake Pancakes for a sweet and spicy weekend brunch, or whip up some Oatmeal Pancakes with Wild Blueberry Sauce for a summer breakfast that the whole family will love.

Cooking Light
Cooking Light magazine’s website features delicious pancakes that are a bit easier on your diet than the usual recipe. Buttermilk-Banana Pancakes with Pomegranate Syrup are quick to make and full of nutrients from fruit, but they’re so delicious that your family will think you spent hours in front of a hot stove. The site also features blueberry pancakes, coconut pancakes, oatmeal pancakes and a number of other delicious and healthy breakfast options.

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These Pumpkin Pie Recipes Will Have You Reaching for Seconds

October 28, 2014 by

Warm soups are great and Thanksgiving turkey is tasty, but when it comes to favorite fall foods, pumpkin pie is typically at the top of the list. There’s just nothing better than this rich, flavorful pie come autumn, whether you prefer to top it with whipped cream or to eat it warm out of the oven. Here are three of our favorite recipes for pumpkin pie.

Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie [verybestbaking.com]
Since it requires only 15 minutes of prep time, this pie will be emitting a delicious scent from the oven with plenty of time to spare before the arrival of your last-minute guests. Canned pumpkin, evaporated milk, and a pre-made pie crust make this one of the easiest pumpkin pie recipes you’ll find.

The Ultimate Pumpkin Pie [epicurious.com]
This elaborate recipe from Epicurious is ideal for the experienced baker who wants to add a bit more spice to the usual pumpkin pie. Whipping cream and sour cream make it extra thick and creamy, while the generous helpings of spices add major flavor in every bite.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie [pickyourown.org]
Pick Your Own’s homemade pumpkin pie uses real pumpkin instead of canned to offer the freshest taste possible in your seasonal dessert. Although it may seem intimidating, the results are more than worth it.

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Simple Projects for New Crocheters

October 21, 2014 by

With its relaxing, repetitive process and its beautiful end results, crocheting is a craft that’s just as functional as it is fun. Even if you've just learned the basics of crocheting, there are a number of projects that you can complete with very little experience. Here are four of the best novice crochet projects:

Baby Hippy Hat [lotsofnicethings.com]
Make a new baby look sweet and stylish with this simple hat that’s inspired by hippie-chic styles. The multicolored stripes can be customized to any color scheme, and the warm ear flaps will keep a little guy or girl’s ears from catching a winter chill.

Easy Crochet Bracelet [craftaholicsanonymous.net]
Create a handmade bracelet for yourself or a friend with this impossibly simple crochet tutorial. Worsted weight yarn provides a sturdy texture, while a large wooden button creates a matching closure for easy removal.

Crochet Stars [rubyandcustard.com]
This simple crochet project creates adorable stars that can be incorporated into blankets, used as coasters or simply to help you hone your crocheting skills.

Infinity Scarf [finecraftguild.com]
Infinity scarves are some of the easiest types of scarves to make, and lucky for new crocheters, they’re also perfectly on-trend. This pattern creates a chunky, warm infinity scarf in any color of your choice.

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Headed to a Potluck? Here Are Three Easy Dessert Recipes!

September 30, 2014 by

A friend asked you to provide the dessert at an upcoming potluck dinner, but you’re drawing a blank about what type of sweet treat to prepare. If you want to make a creative, tasty dessert that doesn’t require a professional baker’s expertise, these three recipes can help.

Key Lime Whoopie Pies [Martha Stewart]
Martha Stewart’s Key Lime Whoopie Pies combine two classic desserts into one sweet and sour confection. The recipe makes individual whoopie pies for 20 people, and each one features cinnamon and sugar-flavored cake and a bright lime and cream cheese icing interior that tastes just like traditional key lime pie.

1 Pan Fudge Cake [Food.com]
If your friends or family are chocolate lovers, they’ll absolutely adore this simple 1 Pan Fudge Cake. It takes just 25 minutes to make, and the blend of rich cocoa, classic vanilla, and generous amounts of sugar give it a fudge-like texture that makes the perfect decadent dessert.

Angel Food Cake [Taste of Home]
Everyone loves angel food cake, especially when it’s homemade and served with fresh berries, thick whipped cream. and the company of good friends. This simple recipe has a much heartier texture than angel food cakes made from a mix, and it’s flavored with the signature almond extract that gives it its distinct taste.

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Caffeine Hides in These Two Common Foods

August 26, 2014 by

Caffeine can give you a great boost of energy in the morning, but it can also cause headaches and annoying jitters when you drink too much. If you already cut out coffee but still feel the side effects of caffeine, you might be getting it from a different source altogether! Here are two surprising sources of caffeine that might surprise you.

  1. Decaf coffee. While you may think that switching to decaf is a solution to your caffeine problems, you still can’t go wild with your coffee intake. A cup of decaf coffee contains about five milligrams of caffeine, which is much less than a normal cup of regular, but it can still cause you to feel some side effects if you drink too much.
  2. Chocolate-flavored foods. Even if you opt for a plain old cup of hot chocolate instead of the espresso flavored truffles, many chocolate flavored foods contain a great deal of caffeine. Instant breakfast drinks can have about nine milligrams of caffeine, while powdered hot chocolate mix can also contain around nine milligrams. Be sure to check the label on any chocolate products that you purchase.

12 Surprising Sources of Caffeine [Health.com]
7 Hidden Sources of Caffeine [Eating Well]

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Baltimore’s Most Talked About Vegetarian Restaurants

July 29, 2014 by

Baltimore’s vegetarian population flocks to Charm City's impressive assortment of meat-free restaurants, and it seems that new vegetarian eateries are popping up every day. Here are two creative vegetarian restaurants to check out in the Baltimore area.

Liquid Earth
Liquid Earth’s creative menu aims to provide enzyme-enriched whole foods made with local produce in order to offer what it describes as “intelligent nutrition.” Raw prepared foods, like seaweed salads, zucchini spaghetti, and raw smoothies, contain the maximum amount of nutrients possible because they aren’t cooked in any way, but they still taste just as delicious as traditional meals. The restaurant also offers hearty vegetarian sandwiches and veggie burgers, soups, sushi rolls, and fresh squeezed juices in a wide variety of flavors.

Papermoon Diner
This eclectic, colorful restaurant is beloved by both vegans and carnivores alike, as its unique comfort food items are a world away from the bland tofu dishes from the past. Items like deep-fried ravioli and “steak” quesadillas will satisfy any craving, and the menu includes more than 10 different types of meat-free burgers. Papermoon Diner also serves a lengthy list of dessert options and some of the most elaborate milkshakes that you’ll find in all of Baltimore.

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Easy Ways to Incorporate More Iron Into Your Diet

July 22, 2014 by

While you may think that iron is only important to bodybuilders and Popeye, it’s actually a very beneficial mineral that all humans need to survive. In fact, if your body doesn’t get enough iron you could start to suffer from anemia, an iron-deficiency that causes fatigue, weakness, and brittle nails and hair. These healthful foods will help to provide you with the right amount of iron each day.

  1. Mollusks. Seafoods like clams, oysters, and mussels have some of the highest levels of iron of any food groups. Oysters contain the most, offering 53 milligrams of iron in just a 20-count serving. Because the average person’s recommended percent daily value is just 18 milligrams per day, this means that you can get 295% of your daily value from an weekly oyster night at your favorite seafood spot.
  2. Liver. While you may have hated liver and onions as a child, liver is actually filled with quite a few health benefits. Beef liver is very low in fat and calories, and it also provides an incredible 26 milligrams of iron in just one 4-ounce serving. If you don’t eat beef, you can also get similar amounts of iron from chicken, pork, lamb, or turkey liver.

Best Foods for Iron [Huffington Post]
Top 10 Iron-Rich Foods [WebMD]
Top 10 Foods Highest in Iron [Healthaliciousness]
Iron Rich Foods [American Red Cross]

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High Fructose Corn Syrup Hides in These Common Foods

June 24, 2014 by

While you might suspect that packaged foods like sodas and candies contain high fructose corn syrup, this processed ingredient actually lurks in many places that you wouldn’t expect. Here are a few surprising sources of high fructose corn syrup that you should avoid if you’re trying to eat healthfully.

  1. Yogurt. While most people consider yogurt a healthy food, when it’s packed with sticky sweet high fructose corn syrup, it’s a whole different story. Many flavored yogurts in the grocery store contain the sweetener to give them their fruity flavors, and even a large number of low-fat and fat-free yogurts are filled with it.
  2. Salad dressings. No matter how healthy you think your salad dressing may be, its positive traits don’t matter if it’s filled with high fructose corn syrup. If possible, making your own salad dressing is a surefire way to know exactly which ingredients are used.
  3. Breads. Even if you avoid all of the sweet, dessert-style baked goods at the grocery store, high fructose corn syrup may be sneaking into your diet through your plain old bread. Even breads made with wheat and whole grain often contain the syrup, so be sure to check the ingredient list before you make your purchase.

Corn Syrup in Unexpected Foods [HuffPost Healthy Living]
Surprising Products that Contain High Fructose Corn Syrup [Divine Caroline]
(Not So) Sweet: Surprising Foods Containing High Fructose Corn Syrup [Babble]
6 Popular Foods with High Fructose Corn Syrup [FitDay]

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Learn to Make Lasagna 3 Different Ways

May 27, 2014 by

Lasagna isn’t the easiest dish to prepare, but like most dinners, having a great recipe can make all the difference. These flavorful, cheesy lasagna recipes will appeal to all tastes and ages, and if you follow the steps, they’ll surely become favorites in your recipe book.

Best Lasagna Ever [Pioneer Woman]
This recipe is great for the home chef who doesn’t want to hunt down sophisticated ingredients at fancy grocers. Most of the ingredients are likely already right in your own refrigerator. Using simple ground beef, your morning breakfast sausage, cottage cheese and sliced mozzarella, you can create a decadent lasagna in under an hour.

Simply Recipes Lasagna [Simply Recipes]
This traditional lasagna recipe offers a bit of sweetness for a surprising boost of flavor. It uses the usual Italian seasonings and tomato sauces to appeal to lasagna lovers, but it also incorporates extra cheeses that just about anyone will appreciate.

The World’s Best Lasagna [Allrecipes]
If you want to make lasagna for a large group, this is the recipe to do it with. This meat and cheese-filled pasta dish takes a bit more time and effort than your usual lasagna, but it’s well worth the wait on special occasions such as dinner parties or holidays.

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