Oxymoronic as it may sound, fast food chains have begun marketing their latest products as nutritious, wholesome meals. One of the best examples of this movement is Pizza Hut's new health-oriented pie, the Natural.

The Natural pizza ($9.99 for a medium with one topping) has sauce "made from vine-ripened tomatoes," all-natural toppings, and a multigrain crust that has been endorsed by the Whole Grains Council. Find out what I thought of its taste — and how healthy it really is — when you read more

Could peanut butter be the new milk? Following a salmonella outbreak thought to be caused by tainted peanut butter, Kellogg's announced late yesterday that it has asked stores to halt sales of all Austin and Keebler peanut butter sandwiches.While the company says it hasn't received any complaints or found any issues related to the products, Kellogg's has voluntarily ceased the sale of these products as a precautionary measure, after its supplier, Peanut Corp. of America, issued a recall for its peanut butter, due to possible contamination.

Austin and Keebler are pulling toasted peanut butter sandwich crackers, peanut butter and jelly sandwich crackers, cheese and peanut butter sandwich crackers, and peanut butter-chocolate sandwich crackers from store shelves across the country.

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Although it's named after a city in Massachusetts, Cohasset Punch is a classic concoction native to Chicago. Since the menu of my Inauguration kickoff party is Chicago themed, in honor of Barack Obama's old home, the signature drink should be a cocktail with origins in the Windy City. A favorite since before World War I, Cohasset Punch is a mixture of rum, Grand Marnier, and canned peach syrup. Along with the punch, offer guests a small selection of beer, wine, and sodas. To learn how to make the Cohasset cocktail, read more

Last Sunday I caught a Barefoot Contessa marathon on Food Network where one recipe stood out in my mind. So much that I went straight to the store to purchase the ingredients and made it that evening for dinner. The recipe was for roasted tomato soup with fresh basil. Although neither element is in season, the soup looked soothing, scrumptious, and hearty.It was featured on an episode devoted to healthier, feel-good food, so I didn't worry about serving myself an extra-large helping — it's that good! Unlike other roasted tomato soups, Ina's rendition is rich and flavorful without the addition of cream. The red pepper flakes provide a lovely heat. For the ultimate comfort meal, serve with a grilled cheese sandwich or homemade croutons. Want the recipe? All you have to do is read more

Before you get ready to throw your next steak on the barbie, consider adding in an extra step that'll flavor your meat — and possibly improve your health.

According to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, marinating steak in beer or red wine reduces the number of cancer-causing compounds in the meat. Cooking food of any kind, and especially frying and grilling meats, increases the level of compounds known as heterocyclic amines (HAs) that cause cancer.

Following the University of Porto study, marinating steak in red wine slashed levels of two types of HAs by up to 90 percent compared to unmarinated steak, and marinating steak in beer reduces levels even more. Have you ever marinated your steak in beer or wine? If not, would this study's results convince you to try it?

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