5-Ingredient Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce

’Tis the season for turkey and cranberries. So why not package them into one tasty bundle? When cooking ground turkey in meatballs or patties, the trick to a moist, flavorful result is using the lean variety, rather than extra lean, which contributes that needed additional bit of fat. While flaxseed functions as the binding agent, feel free to substitute an egg. And if you’re looking to upgrade from the cranberries, try lingonberry preserves — the sophisticated sister — available in well-stocked grocery stores.

These meatballs take less than 30 minutes to make from start to finish, and you’ll love them as an appetizer or as an entree. For dinner, I pair them with roasted broccoli or crispy Brussels sprouts with lemon. My 2-year-old loves running around the house with one of the meatballs skewered on a fork — not that I can say I recommend anyone doing that.

5-Ingredient Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes

1 pound ground turkey (93 percent lean)
1/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce, plus additional for serving
1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons expeller-pressed canola or rice bran oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Using your fingers, combine the turkey, cranberry sauce, flaxseed meal and poultry seasoning in a bowl. Rub palms of hands and fingers lightly with oil and roll the mixture into about 20 meatballs, placing directly onto the prepared sheet pan. Do not overhandle. Sprinkle tops of meatballs with an additional pinch of salt, if desired. Bake until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Or, for better browning, bake for 6 minutes, then broil on high heat on the top rack until the tops begin to brown,  about 2 minutes. Serve with cranberry sauce.

Cook’s notes: To avoid overhandling, use a small ice cream scoop (#40, 50 or 60 size), if you have one, to portion the meatballs. Nutritional analysis includes 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Per serving: Calories 200; Fat 9 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 65 mg; Sodium 230 mg; Carbohydrate 7 g; Fiber 1 g; Protein 22 g; Vitamin A 0% DV; Calcium 0% DV; Vitamin C 0% DV; Iron 10% DV

 

Michelle Dudash is a registered dietitian nutritionist, Cordon Bleu-certified chef consultant and the author of Clean Eating for Busy Families: Get Meals on the Table in Minutes with Simple and Satisfying Whole-Foods Recipes You and Your Kids Will Love.

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Gluten Free, Vegan Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

As many of you know, I recently visited General Mills’ headquarters in Minneapolis, MN. As part of my visit, I was given the opportunity to create any recipe of my choosing (using cereal as one ingredient) in the Betty Crocker test kitchens – which are immaculate and filled with every cooking tool and ingredient you can imagine.

Since Cascadian Farm Organic is one of General Mills’ brands, and I give Layla their “Purely O’s” on a regular basis as an after dinner snack/treat, I decided that would be a perfect ingredient in a healthy breakfast cookie recipe, since I’ve been wanting to make one for a while.

I had my choice of every ingredient under the sun…

And so I chose: bananas, ground flax seed, peanut butter, almond butter, coconut oil, vanilla extract, rolled oats, Cascadian Farm Purely O’s (ground into a flour), almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, walnuts and dark chocolate chips.

The Ingredients

Adapted from Minimalist Baker

• 2 medium ripe bananas
• 2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 5 Tbsp water)
• 1/4 cup natural, salted peanut butter
• 1/4 cup natural, salted almond butter
• 2 Tbsp refined coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1.5 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup Purely O’s flour (Cascadian Farm Purely O’s ground into a flour)
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3 Tbsp raw walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (non-dairy for vegan)

(Note: to make these gluten free, use gluten free rolled oats, and gluten free oat flour instead of the ground up Purely O’s).

The Directions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine flax seed and water and let rest for at least 5 minutes to achieve an “eggy” texture.

Step 2: In a food processor, combine bananas, peanut butter, almond butter, baking powder, baking soda, melted coconut oil, and vanilla. Process until combined.

Step 3: Pour the mixture into a bowl, and add oats, almond meal, Purely O’s flour (or oat flour), “Flax Eggs”, and walnuts; mix well. Refrigerate for 5 minutes to harden.

Step 4: Drop cookies by spoonfuls (I used a small ice cream scoop) on a lightly greased baking sheet or one lined with parchment paper, and press them out a little to expand (they won’t expand in the oven). After you’ve pressed the cookies, add 1 tsp chocolate chips on top of each one.

Step 5: Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the cookies are slightly golden brown.

Step 6: Once the cookies are done, let them rest for a few minutes before serving. These will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container, even longer if refrigerated and even longer if frozen.

These cookies were absolutely delicious. Not too sweet, with just the right amount of chocolate to feel decadent, but still be really good for you! Grab two of these in the morning before heading out for the day, and it’s equivalent to a small bowl of oatmeal.

Print

Gluten Free, Vegan Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Total Time: 60 minutes

Yield: 26 cookies

Serving Size: 1 cookie

Calories per serving: 114.3

Fat per serving: 7.1g

Nutritional Info Per Serving: 114.3 Calories, 7.1g Fat (2.3g Saturated), 11.8mg Sodium, 11.4g Carbs, 2.5g Fiber, 4.1g Sugar, 2.7g Protein

Ingredients

• 2 medium ripe bananas
• 2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 5 Tbsp water)
• 1/4 cup natural, salted peanut butter
• 1/4 cup natural, salted almond butter
• 2 Tbsp refined coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1.5 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup Purely O's flour (Cascadian Farm Purely O's ground into a flour)
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3 Tbsp raw walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (non-dairy for vegan)
• (Note: to make these gluten free, use gluten free rolled oats, and gluten free oat flour instead of the ground up Purely O's).

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine flax seed and water and let rest for at least 5 minutes to achieve an "eggy" texture.
2. In a food processor, combine bananas, peanut butter, almond butter, baking powder, baking soda, melted coconut oil, and vanilla. Process until combined.
3. Pour the mixture into a bowl, and add oats, almond meal, Purely O's flour (or oat flour), "Flax Eggs", and walnuts - mix well. Refrigerate for 5 minutes to harden.
4. Drop cookies by spoonfuls (I used a small ice cream scoop) on a lightly greased baking sheet (or one lined with parchment paper), and press them out a little to expand (they won't expand in the oven). After you've pressed the cookies, add 1 tsp chocolate chips on top of each one.
5. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the cookies are slightly golden brown.
6. Once the cookies are done, let them rest for a few minutes before serving. These will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container, even longer if refrigerated and even longer if frozen.

Notes

Adapted from Minimalist Baker

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Recipe by: The Picky Eater, pickyeaterblog.com

 

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Nutrition News: How Healthy Is Dried Fruit? Plus, Mediterranean Diet Under Fire; Antibiotics and Childhood Obesity

Dried fruit: yea or nay?

Is dried fruit good for you or something to be avoided? Time magazine put the question to nutrition experts and most agreed that dried fruits — raisins, figs, prunes, etc. — were great, healthy go-to snacks, albeit with a caveat or two. “Dried fruits are an excellent source of fiber and a concentrated source of antioxidants,” University of Scranton chemistry professor Joe Vinson said. Yet while dried fruits are convenient, portable, durable and often downright tasty, they also contain a lot of sugar, so it’s a good idea to keep portions small and check to make sure they don’t contain any added sugar. “When the native sugar of the fruit is combined with extra added sugar, you are now in the realm of candy,” David Katz, M.D., director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, told the magazine.  

Is the Mediterranean diet overblown?

Do advocates of the Mediterranean diet have it all – or, well, half — wrong? A team of filmmakers, helmed by British cardiologist Aseem Malhotra, are set to travel to Pioppi, Italy, for a firsthand look at the town where much of the research underscoring the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet originated. They posit that Pioppi residents’ longevity and good health are due not only to the foods they eat, but to their overall lifestyle as well. “We need to redefine the Mediterranean diet,” Dr. Malhotra told The New York Times. “The truth is that it’s a lifestyle. It’s the whole approach. It’s the food. It’s the social interaction. It’s getting the right kind of exercise. It’s being outside. It’s getting sunlight and sunshine. The question, though, is how can we combine all these lessons from this village with what we know about modern medicine.” To avoid accepting funding from commercial enterprises, the filmmakers are looking to publicly fund their documentary, The Pioppi Protocol, on Kickstarter.

 

Antibiotics may be making kids fat

A new culprit in the childhood obesity crisis: antibiotics. A new study has found that children who take antibiotics during their childhood may gain weight more quickly than those who don’t and that the extra pounds may be progressive and permanent. According to the study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, healthy 15-year-olds who were given antibiotics seven or more times during their childhood weighed three pounds more, on average, than those who weren’t. “Antibiotics at any age contribute to weight gain,” the study’s lead author, Brian S. Schwartz, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told the Wall Street Journal. Past studies have suggested that when very young children are given antibiotics, the medicine may kill off certain bacteria in the gut, changing the way food is broken down and calories are absorbed.

 

Amy Reiter is a writer and editor based in New York. A regular contributor to The Los Angeles Times, she has also written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Glamour, Marie Claire, The Daily Beast and Wine Spectator, among others, as well as for Salon, where she was a longtime editor and senior writer. In addition to contributing to Healthy Eats, she blogs for Food Network’s FN Dish.

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My Visit to General Mills

As you all know, a few weeks ago I took a trip to the General Mills’ headquarters in Minneapolis, MN. It was a jam-packed two-day visit, where I spent most of my time chatting with their team and the President of their cereal division (Jim Murphy) about the steps they’re taking to make their cereals healthier.

Before the trip, I was skeptical about General Mills’ efforts to make their cereals “healthier.” While some of their cereals like Yellow Box Cheerios, which are non-GMO, gluten free, and only have 1g sugar per serving, are good choices (and I’m a huge fan of their organic brand – Cascadian Farms), I was obviously concerned about their other cereals like Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, etc. that have 10g sugar per 3/4 cup serving, and artificial colors/ingredients.

So what did I learn on the trip? Is General Mills just another big bad food company? What are their plans to make their cereals healthier? And what did we talk about for 2 days?

Here is a quick recap:

• The cereal team at General Mills seems to really care about reducing sugar and removing all artificial colors/flavors from their cereals. All of us who attended (me and four other bloggers) expressed concerns over those ingredients, and everyone we spoke to at General Mills echoed our concerns. Over the past few years they have worked to reduce sugar content in their cereals down to 10g (max) per serving, and they are on a long term path to reduce that sugar even further.
• Change can’t happen overnight. Cereal production is amazingly complex and any change that starts now will take at least a year (if not longer) to appear on grocery store shelves. The team mentioned a 5 year plan to getting their cereals healthier, which I appreciated. Changing the ingredients in their cereals while still maintaining the flavors that many consumers love isn’t easy, so the key here is long term change.
• General Mills wants to give consumers healthier options for breakfast. Time and again we heard this from the team. They have families too, and they don’t want to be in the business of making food that’s the equivalent of a candy bar for breakfast. They see an opportunity (as a big company) to make a positive impact in the market — since their products are consumed by millions globally, if they make a change for the better, people will be healthier for it.
• We had all kinds of discussions and experiences. Everything from a detailed presentation on how Cheerios are made and how gluten-free is made possible, to touring General Mills’ headquarters (which is beautiful), to cooking in the Betty Crocker test kitchens (more on that later!), to creating our own ideal cereal and sharing that with General Mills.
• I shared a ton of feedback during our meetings. Reducing sugar to 10g in all cereals and removing artificials is a great start, and I think there is still a lot more that can be done, including:
  • Increasing fiber in their cereals that have less than 3g fiber per serving.
  • Reducing sugar to 6-8g per 3/4 cup or (even better – 1 cup) serving (instead of 10g per 3/4 cup)
  • Removing BHT from all cereals
  • Bringing the ingredients of their non-organic cereals closer to what the ingredients of their organic line (Cascadian Farms) is: See the equivalent labels for Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Cascadian Farms Cinnamon Crunch, or their Total Raisin Bran vs. Cascadian Farms Organic Raisin Bran.

The good news is that General Mills was really receptive to the feedback, and promised to keep me in the loop as they make further changes to their products.

Now a quick teaser on the Betty Crocker Kitchens: the kitchen was absolutely gorgeous. The walls are actually two-story windows which fill the room with light, and there is every baking tool and ingredient you can imagine. We were given a task of making something (anything!) using one of their cereals, so I figured – what better time to experiment with a recipe I’ve been wanting to create for a while: healthy oatmeal breakfast cookies! I chose to use Cascadian Farms Organic Purely O’s ground into a flour as an ingredient in the cookies. I’ll post the recipe very soon!

All in all, I thought it was a productive, helpful and fun trip, and I look forward to continuing to work with General Mills to make their products healthier overall.

(Note: This was a sponsored trip to General Mills. All photos were taken by General Mills – including the photos of my breakfast cookies which I’ll include in a separate post).

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No Tricks, Just Treats: Homemade Gluten-Free Halloween Candy

Can Halloween be sinfully good and good for you? The answer is yes. Sweet Medjool dates are transformed into caramel, and extra-dark 91 percent chocolate — the darker, the better — enrobes each candy with its rich, complex flavor. Plus, healthy fats like coconut oil and unrefined sugars like maple syrup mean you can treat yourself to some Halloween fun. One bite of these chocolate candies and you’ll know there are no tricks, just real treats!

Pumpkin Spice Coconut Butter Cups
Makes: 12 cups

1 cup extra-dark chocolate, preferably made for coating, chopped
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup coconut butter
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Line a 12-cup mini cupcake pan with 12 liners. Bring water to a low simmer in a double boiler. Place two-thirds of the chocolate in the double boiler and melt to 115 degrees. Stir in the remaining one-third of the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes; stir to combine. Let the chocolate cool down to 90 degrees. Pour about 1 teaspoon melted chocolate into each liner and use a butter knife to coat the bottom and sides. Let set, at least 1 hour or overnight.

Reheat the chocolate to 90 degrees F. In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine the pumpkin puree, coconut butter, maple syrup, pumpkin spice, vanilla and salt. Divide the mixture into 12 balls and flatten slightly; place one in each of the chocolate shells. Top each with melted chocolate to cover completely. Let set, at least 1 hour or overnight. Store at room temperature in an airtight container or refrigerate.

Per serving: Calories 151; Fat 14 (Saturated 10 g); Sodium 12 mg; Carbohydrate 10 g; Fiber 4 g; Sugars 5 g; Protein 2 g

Superfood Chocolate Bars
Makes: 18 pieces

1 cup raw whole almonds
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 cup extra-dark chocolate, preferably made for coating, chopped
Seeds for topping, such as chia seeds, sesame seeds, hemp seeds and pumpkin seeds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the almonds and maple syrup in the middle, and toss to coat; spread evenly in a single layer and roast, stirring once, until toasted, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Bring water to a low simmer in a double boiler. Place two-thirds of the chocolate in the double boiler and melt to 115 degrees F. Stir in the remaining one-third of the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes; stir to combine. Let the chocolate cool down to 90 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fold the almonds into the cooled chocolate and spread in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Top with the seeds and let set, at least 1 hour or overnight. Store at room temperature in an airtight container or refrigerate.

Per serving: Calories 128; Fat 12 (Saturated 4 g); Sodium 4 mg; Carbohydrate 7 g; Fiber 3 g; Sugars 3 g; Protein 4 g

Peanut Nougat ‘n’ Caramel Chocolate Bars
Makes: 16 mini bars

1 cup extra-dark chocolate, preferably made for coating, chopped

For the nougat:
3/4 cup almond flour or almond meal
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the caramel:
1/2 cup Medjool dates, soaked in water for at least 4 hours and drained
2 tablespoons unsalted peanut butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup roasted peanuts

Bring water to a low simmer in a double boiler. Place two-thirds of the chocolate in the double boiler and melt to 115 degrees F. Stir in the remaining one-third of the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes; stir to combine. Let the chocolate cool down to 90 degrees.

To make the nougat: In a food processor, pulse together the almond flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, almond milk, vanilla and salt until combined.

To make the caramel: In a food processor, pulse together the dates, peanut butter, salt and 2 tablespoons water until combined.

To assemble, line a 3 1/4-by-5 3/4-inch mini loaf pan with parchment paper, overhanging on 2 sides. Coat with chocolate to cover the bottom about 1/8 inch thick. Let set, at least 1 hour or overnight. Top with the nougat, about 1/2 inch thick. Top with the caramel, about 1/4 inch thick. Scatter over the peanuts. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Reheat the chocolate to 90 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the assembled bar to a cutting board and cut into 16 pieces. Dip in chocolate and place on the prepared parchment. Let set, at least 1 hour or overnight.

Per serving: Calories 190; Fat 15 (Saturated 6 g); Sodium 15 mg; Carbohydrate 15 g; Fiber 3 g; Sugars 9 g; Protein 4 g

 

Silvana Nardone is the author of the Silvana’s Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Kitchen: Timeless Favorites Transformed.

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5 Ways to Host a Healthier Halloween Party — Fall Fest

Halloween is not the night to restrict your diet, but that doesn’t mean your evening of revelry has to be a complete nutritional disaster. If you’re hosting a party this year, skip store-bought candy and punch, and opt for homemade goodies instead; that way, you’ll have more nutritional control. Don’t hesitate to whip up everyone’s favorites — cookies, candies, even a cocktail or two. But a few mindful alterations (and moderation) can save you from a sugar hangover the next morning. Here are five festive recipes that are sure to hit the spot without going overboard.

Orange Sherbet Cups with Blackberries (pictured at top)
Try finding a Halloween treat that’s more refreshing — or more festive — than this one. Play up the orange-and-black motif by hollowing out some orange halves. Then, fill each half with a generous spoonful of your favorite orange sherbet. Complete the sinister look by topping each “cup” with fresh blackberries.

Mexican Pumpkin Punch
It isn’t a party without a cocktail, and as alcoholic beverages go, this one isn’t too bad. Plus, it comes with the bonus of seasonal pumpkin flavor. Simply combine pumpkin puree with brown sugar, cinnamon sticks and water, then garnish with pineapple chunks, pecans and a splash of rum, if desired. You’ll save calories and fat by taking cream and sugary juices out of the equation.

Spiced Pumpkin-Raisin Cookies
Normally, a Halloween dessert spread consists of a heaping bowl of store-bought candy, but these homemade pumpkin-raisin cookies are geared toward a more mature crowd. Simply add pumpkin puree and allspice to classic oatmeal-raisin cookie batter for a comforting fall spin.

Spider Bites
Sandra Lee’s homemade chocolate-peanut butter clusters are incredibly quick and convenient — and at a glance, they’ll raise the hair on the back of your neck. The recipe calls for creamy peanut butter; for an extra fiber boost, use all-natural PB.

Pumpkin Caramels
Sure, you don’t want to eat these chewy caramels every day if you’re trying to be a more health-conscious eater. But Halloween comes only once a year, and what would it be without a classic confection to sink your teeth into? One piece contains 92 calories but just 2 grams of fat, so use moderation and you won’t wake up with a stomachache the next morning.

For more spooky treats, check out these recipes from our friends:

The Hungry Traveler: Halloween Spiderweb Brownies
Devour: 6 Halloween Movie and Food Pairings for a Spooktacular Party
Creative Culinary: The Black Goblin – Tequila, Coffee Liqueur and Cream
TasteBook: Pan de Muertos (Day of the Dead Bread)
Domesticate Me: Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treat Bites
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Pumpkin Brain Pasta Halloween Special
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Curried Pumpkin & Apple Chowder
Red or Green: Pasta with Cilantro, Jalapeno & Pinenuts
Swing Eats: Trick or Treat, Spaghetti or Squash? Both!
Feed Me Phoebe: Blood Orange White Sangria with Pomegranate
Taste with the Eyes: Pumpkin Risotto Stuffed with Burrata, Fried Sage
Weelicious: Deviled Egg Spiders
FN Dish: Quit the Candy: Savory Ways to Celebrate Halloween

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7 New Foods on the Market

This year’s Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo took place in Nashville; the expo was filled with aisles of new foods that you will soon see on your market shelves (if you haven’t already!). Here are seven healthy options that are worth trying.

Navitas Naturals Coconut Hemp Pepitas (pictured at top)
These delicious pumpkin seeds are flavored with two of the trendiest flavors: coconut and hemp. Hemp is a vegetarian source of protein that includes all of the essential amino acids. It also contains a healthy dose of Omega-3 oils, fiber, iron, phosphorus, folate and magnesium. And it’s lightly sweetened with coconut palm sugar — another hot new sweetener.

Bolthouse Farms 1915 Organic Cold-Pressed Juices
Cold-pressed juices are hot right now. Bolthouse recently released its 1915 line, which has five flavors of high-pressure-pasteurized products. Flavor combinations include beet-carrot-orange-lemon and coconut water-pineapple-mango-avocado-lemon. They are organic and non-genetically modified.

Blue Diamond Bold Sriracha Almonds
You’ll start seeing more spiced nuts hit market shelves. Blue Diamond released its Bold flavor line, which includes a Sriracha flavor that is to die for. Blue Diamond’s spiced nuts are sold in 1.5-ounce snack packs and 6-ounce canisters.

Pamela’s Products Mini Honey Grahams
Have you tried most of the gluten-free graham crackers on the market? They’re just not very tasty and tend to have a chalky aftertaste. Pamela’s finally got the job done and recently released a tasty gluten-free graham cracker that comes in mini honey grahams and traditional graham crackers.

Monk Fruit in the Raw
With everyone trying to cut down on sugar, many new sweeteners have hit the mainstream market. In the Raw released its Monk Fruit Sweetener made from vine-ripened monk fruit. Although it’s labeled as a zero-calorie sweetener, it does contain less than two calories per 1 teaspoon, which the FDA considers as zero. The sweetener is sold in individual packets or in 4.8-ounce bags for baking.

Kashi’s Sweet Potato Sunshine
Cereal is now being created with out-of-the-box ingredients — think Kashi’s newest addition to its Organic Promise Line. Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet, so Kashi did not need to add much sugar to this cereal. A 1 cup serving provides 180 calories, 5 grams of protein, 43 grams of carbs, 4 grams of fiber and 7 grams of sugar.

Sorghum Syrup
This syrup was the predominant table syrup of Colonial America, with 25 million gallons produced in 1890. Sorghum syrup comes from the juice squeezed from the stalks of certain varieties of the ancient grain sorghum. The syrup has a rich, dark color similar to molasses, but a milder flavor. This natural sweetener is also a good source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B6 and potassium. It can be used in baked goods, drizzled over pancakes or waffles, or added to a parfait.

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. She is the author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day.

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Should You Reach for Frozen Fruit When Fresh Isn’t in Season?

The farther from summer we get, the more you might miss those delicious berries that are in season for too short a while. Never fear — frozen fruit is here! Often picked at the peak of freshness, frozen berries mean you can make a lot of your favorite berry-filled recipes year-round (and for a lot less money). While IQF might sound like an acronym for a science experiment, it actually stands for Individually Quick Frozen, a process in which berries are picked when ripe and frozen individually for the sole purpose of being available in the freezer section even in the depths of winter. These berries are full of vitamin C and fiber: One serving of raspberries provides 60 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C (and 36 percent of the RDA of fiber), while blackberries have 35 percent. Blueberries are not far behind, with 25 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin C (and plenty of fiber goodness as well).

Mixed Berries and Banana Smoothie (pictured at top)
It’s an obvious choice, but a frozen berry smoothie is perfect for any quick breakfast. This one also features banana, yogurt, orange juice and just a hint of honey.

Berry Strata
Giada De Laurentiis uses frozen mixed berries for this strata that’s the perfect holiday brunch dish. Plus, it can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 12 hours, so you can prep it the night before.

Berry-Oatmeal Bake
There are never enough ways to eat oatmeal. In this berry bake, old-fashioned rolled oats are topped with an almond, oat and berry mix, and then baked until browned.

Mixed Berry Cobbler
Ellie’s berry cobbler looks like she hand-picked fresh berries just for this dessert, but she actually uses frozen ones for the filling. Topped with a whole-wheat crust, it’s ready in under an hour.

Mixed Berry and Yogurt Parfait
Just how do those store-bought berry parfaits look so good? They probably contain frozen mixed berries, just as this recipe does. Making your own granola is easier than it looks, and it will add a nice touch to breakfast.

Honeyed Lemon-Berry Snack Cake
There’s no white sugar needed for this snack cake. It gets all of its sweetness from applesauce, orange blossom honey and frozen berries.

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Food Fight: Peanut Butter Cups vs. Chocolate-Covered Peanuts

It’s the holiday of treats, and you know you’ll be seeing a slew of chocolate all over the place. So, when faced with the choice between two of these chocolate favorites, which should you choose?

Peanut Butter Cups
You can find these beloved chocolates in a single or two-pack. When packaged as two, each peanut butter cup tends to be larger, at 0.8 ounces, while the single-serving pack is smaller, at 0.6 ounces.

One 0.8-ounce peanut butter cup has about 116 calories, 7 grams of fat (2.5 grams of it saturated), 2.5 grams of protein, 1 gram of fiber and 11 grams of sugars. If you choose the smaller (0.6-ounce) size, it’s about 88 calories, 5 grams of fat (2 grams of it saturated), 2 grams of protein, 1 gram of fiber and 8 grams of sugars. Because these babies are made with peanut butter, there’s a touch more protein than in other chocolate bars, along with some niacin.

However, peanut butter cups are made with milk chocolate and contain additives and preservatives. They also contain lots of sugar — it’s even listed twice under two different names for sugar (dextrose and sugar).

Chocolate-Covered Peanuts
When it comes to chocolate-covered peanuts, there are more choices available, including peanuts covered with milk chocolate or dark chocolate, and with or without a candy shell. Dark chocolate is the healthier choice, because it contains numerous antioxidants, including theobromine, which helps reduce inflammation and may help lower blood pressure.

On the other hand, milk chocolate contains less cocoa solids as compared with dark chocolate and tends to have sugar, cream and milk solids added to it, which diminishes its nutritional value. Not to mention all the sugar, preservatives and additives found in the candy coating.

One serving of chocolate-covered peanuts (1.4 ounces) contains 230 calories, 15 grams of fat (6 grams of it saturated), 6 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber and 11 grams of sugars.

In this candy, the peanuts are in whole form and aren’t processed. This means you get the nutritional benefits of peanuts in every piece, including more fiber. However, it’s tough to stop at just one piece. Oftentimes, you can overconsume portions of this favorite candy and finish an entire bag without noticing.

Healthy Eats Winner: Thanks to portion control, the winner of this food fight is peanut butter cups. It’s much easier to overdo the chocolate-covered peanuts, which could result in eating hundreds of extra calories.

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. She is the author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day.

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6 Healthier Treats for Halloween

Want to dish out some healthier Halloween treats? Here are six smart ideas that the kiddos won’t egg your house over.

Popcorn

Give out a whole-grain snack that all kids adore. Make or buy small bags of air-popped popcorn that’s plain or lightly seasoned. If you really want to get creative, give out tiny sachets of popcorn kernels tied to paper bags for DIY microwave popcorn goodie bags.

Fruit Juice Gummies

Look for brands of gummy candy made without high-fructose corn syrup. Some are even made with a small amount of fruit juice. Don’t get too excited; these chewy treats still aren’t great for teeth and should be consumed in moderation. Check out brands like YumEarth Organics, Surf Sweets and Annie’s.

Homemade Lollipops

Make your own lollipops with 100 percent fruit juice. Here’s a quick and easy recipe.

Pretzel Dippers

Justin’s brand recently came out with single-serving packs of gluten-free pretzel sticks with chocolate hazelnut spread or almond butter for dipping. They also make a line of decadent organic peanut butter cups. Since these products are made with nuts, consider an alternative for trick-or-treaters with nut allergies.

Dark Chocolate

For a more traditional option, give out bite-sized pieces of dark chocolate; they are often smaller and lower in sugar than typical Halloween-sized candy bars. Dove Promises come individually wrapped and portion controlled, with fewer than 45 calories per piece.

Skip Food Altogether

Kid favorites like stickers, cookie cutters and temporary tattoos are always popular, and any leftovers will keep well for next year. Consider replacing some or all of the edible items with these types of treats.

 

Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition.

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It’s Been a Bad Week for Hot Dog Lovers

First, a recent “genomic” analysis by the online food guide Clear Food determined that 14 percent of the 345 different hot dogs and sausages sold under 75 brands it examined contained either ingredients not listed on the label or had “hygienic” issues, in which a “non-harmful contaminant is introduced to the hot dog.” What’s more, 2 percent of the samples were found to contain human DNA. (Ew.)

Vegetarians get no bragging rights, though: Two-thirds of the vegetarian frankfurters tested contained human DNA, and 10 percent of all vegetarian products tested were found to contain meat — be it chicken in a vegetarian breakfast sausage or pork in a veggie hot dog.

Still, some major brands fared better than others: Butterball, McCormick, Eckrich and Hebrew National received especially high marks, as did some regional and specialty brands.

Now, on the heels of that alarming news, comes reason for frankfurter fans to feel even more fearful: On Monday, the World Health Organization announced that bacon, hot dogs, sausage and other processed meats “probably” cause cancer — and that red meat likely does so as well.

The WHO’s conclusions were based on an in-depth research analysis of more than 800 studies conducted by a panel of 22 international experts. The panel considered research that showed that eating an additional 3.5 ounces of red meat daily boosts a person’s colorectal cancer risk by 17 percent and that consuming an additional 1.8 ounces of processed meat each day raises it by 18 percent, as well as studies suggesting that diets high in processed meats contribute to 34,000 cancer deaths annually worldwide.

“For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed,” Kurt Straif, of the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, which produced the report, said in a statement. “In view of the large number of people who consume processed meat, the global impact on cancer incidence is of public health importance.”

While the association was strongest for colorectal cancer, the WHO panel said that consumption of processed meats may elevate the risk for pancreatic and prostate cancers as well. Consequently, the group suggested that, although red meat has “nutritional value,” its findings support public-health recommendations that consumption of it be limited.

The North American Meat Institute called the WHO report “dramatic and alarmist overreach” and characterized it as simplistic.

“Scientific evidence shows cancer is a complex disease not caused by single foods and that a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle choices are essential to good health,” the meat industry group said in a release.

Amy Reiter is a writer and editor based in New York. A regular contributor to The Los Angeles Times, she has also written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Glamour, Marie Claire, The Daily Beast and Wine Spectator, among others, as well as for Salon, where she was a longtime editor and senior writer. In addition to contributing to Healthy Eats, she blogs for Food Network’s FN Dish.

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4 Fast Food Spots That Have Revamped Their Menus

With the demand for healthier fare, fast-food chains have been modifying — and in some cases totally revamping — their menus. Consumers want not only lower-calorie foods, but cleaner foods without artificial ingredients. According to Technomic’s 2014 The Healthy Eating Consumer Trend Report, 58 percent of consumers agree that it’s important to eat healthy and pay attention to nutrition. Forty percent of consumers were more concerned about food additives last year than two years ago, and more than half of the folks surveyed said they wanted restaurants to be more transparent about menu ingredients. Here’s a look at some of the changes you will be seeing at your favorite joints.

Panera Bread
Panera publicly committed to remove all artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and sweeteners from its menu by the end of 2016. As of this fall, 90 percent of Panera’s ingredients met this commitment, and all of the others are in the test phase. Two of the newest ingredient reformulations are the ham and salad dressings. Instead of using traditional deli ham with about five curing agents, preservatives and binders, Panera now uses clean smoked ham, which contains cherry powder, celery powder and vinegar. And Panera has replaced traditional emulsifiers and artificial flavors in salad dressings with common emulsifiers, herbs, and spices including garlic, black pepper, parsley, rosemary or bay leaves.

Starbucks
This coffee joint started with all types of pastries, then began offering sandwiches, and now you can find a whole collection of healthy snacks and light meals in its Bistro Boxes. Selections include Cheese and Fruit, Edamame Hummus Wrap, PB&J on Wheat and Thai-Style Peanut Chicken Wrap.

Chipotle Mexican Grill
Chipotle recently decided that genetically modified organisms don’t align with the restaurant’s vision of providing the highest-quality ingredients and set a goal to eliminate GMO-containing foods from its menu. For example, Chipotle recently switched its fryer oils from soybean to sunflower oil. But there are some challenges to removing GMOs altogether, especially in the form of corn or soy. Additionally, most of the grain used as animal feed is genetically modified, including most of the grain used to feed the animals that supply Chipotle with its meat and dairy.

Subway
Subway has provided customers with low-calorie options for many years with its 6-inch sandwiches that contain fewer than 6 grams of fat. But consumers are demanding more than just lower-calorie foods. With recent media attention given to the “yoga mat” ingredient added to its bread, Subway pledged to remove many artificial ingredients from its menu in the next year.
Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. She is the author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day.

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How to Make Food Last Longer

The issue of food waste is a hot topic, and it’s no wonder why. Research shows that we Americans waste between 15 and 25 percent of the food we purchase. Imagine tossing one out of every four grocery bags right into the trash! However, there are simple things you can do to make some of your favorite healthy foods last longer.

Avocado
You may have bought an avocado, opened it and found that it was unripe. To allow it to continue to ripen, sprinkle the exposed flesh with citrus juice (like lemon or lime), place the two halves together, cover tightly with clear plastic wrap, and refrigerate. What about extra avocado that’s already ripe? To store, sprinkle the flesh with citrus juice, place in an airtight container or tightly cover in clear plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for 1 day.

Nuts
Once you open a package of nuts, the shelf life is about 2 weeks. The fat within the nuts can go rancid more quickly once the package is opened. To make nuts last longer, store them in the refrigerator or freezer.

Swiss Chard
In order to reduce food waste, don’t toss those stems! The chard leaves can be used just like spinach in pasta dishes, omelets or soup. The stems can be substituted for vegetables like asparagus and broccoli in a stir-fry or soup, or sauteed in a touch of olive oil and garlic.

Beets
This is another veggie where you can use more than the flesh in your dishes. Roast, boil or steam beets and toss them over a spinach salad, blend them into smoothies or puree them into dips. Beet greens can be cooked just like spinach or Swiss chard. You can steam or saute them and add them into stew, soup, pasta or grain dishes.

Cheese
Soft cheeses like Brie and goat cheese need to be consumed quickly. When it comes to a hard cheese like Parmesan, however, it’s a whole other story. To make it last for months, take the hard cheese out of its original packaging, then wrap in parchment paper and foil. Further, if you find mold growing on hard cheese, you don’t have to toss it. Instead, cut off 1 inch (about the size of a quarter) around the mold and you can continue enjoying your cheese!

Herbs
Your herbs can last longer if you treat them like flowers. That means dry and then trim the stems, then place in a glass of water and cover with a plastic bag or paper towel. Store in the refrigerator and change the water daily. If you find yourself with just too many fresh herbs, chop and freeze them!

Eggs
Raw eggs can last in the refrigerator for up to 5 weeks. However, do not store them in the door (it’s the warmest part of the refrigerator). Instead, place them in the coolest part of the refrigerator, which is by the back. Also, store eggs in their original container. There’s no need to wash them before use, as they have been prewashed.

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. She is the author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day.

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