You are here: Home / Archives for Recipes

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.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

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.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

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.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

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.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

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.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Healthy Grain Recipes

March 25, 2014 by

Though you should only eat them in moderation, grains are a necessary part of any nutritious diet. These simple, creative recipes will show you how to prepare healthy grains and properly incorporate them into your daily meal plan.

Quinoa-Stuffed Tomatoes
A unique take on traditional stuffed peppers, these quinoa-stuffed tomatoes combine the health benefits of quinoa with a serving of vegetables. By hollowing out a tomato and filling it with quinoa, mixed veggies, and a few simple spices, this makes a fun meal that even young children will enjoy.

Roasted Red Pepper and Toasted Orzo
Enhance the flavor of orzo with the addition of sweet roasted red peppers, chicken broth, and zesty spices. This delicious side dish pairs perfectly with a variety of meats or other main courses, and at just around 200 calories, it won’t ruin your diet.

Wow-y Maui Pasta Salad
Full of fresh island flavor, this Hawaiian-style pasta salad uses cucumbers, carrots, snow peas and pineapple in whole-wheat rotini pasta. It is ideal for a summer cookout side dish or as a light, warm-weather lunch, and its whole-wheat pasta base gives it a full 10 grams of protein.

For more healthy grain recipes, visit the NIH website here.

Public Domain/Public Domain
Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Learn the Difference Between ‘Dice’ and ‘Julienne’ with This Helpful Glossary

January 15, 2014 by

Recipes often use fancy words like “dice”, “julienne”, or “mince” to describe how to prepare ingredients, without explaining the differences. Knowing proper food preparation techniques can greatly improve your cooking, and this informative guide from the NIH can help.

The NIH's Food Preparation Glossary defines common food prep terms, illustrating them with helpful photos. The Cutting section includes techniques that produce smaller, more irregular pieces, like mincing and chopping, as well as longer, thinner pieces, like julienning and slicing.

The Cooking section of the glossary describes cooking terms that use the stovetop or oven to prepare foods like meats or vegetables. For example, did you know that stir frying, pan frying, and sautéing a recipe essentially means exactly the same thing? This section also describes the differences between terms like “boil”, “simmer”, “brown”, and “grill” to help you follow recipes more precisely.

Food Preparation Glossary [National Heart, Lungs and Blood Institute]

Public Domain/Public Domain
Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Pin It on Pinterest