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healthy eating tips May 15, 2013

The Top 10 High-Fiber Foods to Eat Every Week

If losing weight, staying regular, and reducing your risk of certain cancers is on your mind, then fiber should be too.

by Jenny Sugar

If losing weight, staying regular, and reducing your risk of certain cancers is on your mind, then fiber should be too. Getting your fill — 25 to 30 grams a day — is proven to keep you feeling fuller longer so you eat fewer calories. Roughage is also important for keeping your digestive system happy, and more importantly, fiber has also been shown to reduce the risk of breast and colon cancers. Keep reading to learn which foods are the highest sources so you can start including them in your diet.

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salads May 08, 2013

Off the Bookshelf: The New Persian Kitchen's Sesame Carrot Salad

This simple ribboned carrot salad might not be the first thing to jump off the beautifully photographed pages of Louisa Shafia's much-lauded cookbook The New Persian Kitchen, but skimming past it would make for a small tragedy.

by Nicole Perry

This simple ribboned carrot salad might not be the first thing to jump off the beautifully photographed pages of Louisa Shafia's much-lauded cookbook The New Persian Kitchen, but skimming past it would make for a small tragedy. Vinegary and bright, with a nutty, roasted note from the toasted sesame seeds and oil, it's not only visually stunning, but also delightfully balanced and far more nuanced than its simplicity would suggest.

Even better, it's quick (and easy) to prepare and can hold up to an overnight stay in the fridge, making it weeknight dinner- and brown-bag lunch-friendly, a rare and impressive feat. So what are you waiting for? Bust out the vegetable peeler, and get down to it.

healthy eating tips May 08, 2013

The Fiber You Should Be Eating

An apple a day may not keep the doctor away, but it sure is a great way to snack on fiber.

by Jenny Sugar

An apple a day may not keep the doctor away, but it sure is a great way to snack on fiber. Getting enough roughage each day will not only keep you regular and prevent a bloated belly, but it's also a great way to reduce your risk of certain cancers such as ovarian and breast. Fiber intake has also been linked to lowering the LDL (aka bad) levels of cholesterol in your body, which can reduce your risk of heart disease.

Women should be getting at least 30 grams of fiber every day. I'm sure you've heard that there are two different kinds — insoluble and soluble fiber. Are you getting enough? Check out the chart below to find out the benefits of each one and to learn which are the best sources.

	Insoluble	Soluble
Benefits For the Body	Adds bulk to your stool, has a laxative effect, and helps foods pass more quickly through the stomach and intestines Eating enough prevents constipation	Slows down digestion and helps your body absorb vital nutrients from the foods you eat Helps regulate blood sugar levels
Food Sources	Whole grains such as wheat, wheat bran, and barley Skins from fruits and root vegetables Fruits such as grapes, dates, avocados, figs, berries, and raisins Veggies such as green beans, onions, zucchini, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, and leafy greens Nuts and seeds such as almonds, pine nuts, peanuts, and sunflower and sesame seeds	Whole grains such as oats and oat bran, rice, quinoa, and barley Beans, lentils, and peas Fruits such as dried apricots, oranges, grapefruit, mango, apples, pears, peaches, coconut, and berries Veggies such as carrots, cucumbers, zucchini and celery Nuts and seeds such as flax seed, chestnuts, and pistachios

Don't worry about which foods are on what list, since your body needs both. Do focus on getting a total of 30 gram a day by eating plenty of whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, and beans. Not sure you're getting your fill? Find out how to eat 25 grams of fiber in a day.

recipes May 06, 2013

Switch Up Your Salad Routine With an Asparagus Caesar

Pungent, salty, and bright, the caesar salad at Zuni Cafe — a much-lauded San Francisco restaurant — is an absolute must-order dish and my desert-island salad.

by Nicole Perry

Pungent, salty, and bright, the caesar salad at Zuni Cafe — a much-lauded San Francisco restaurant — is an absolute must-order dish and my desert-island salad. Add the dressing to ribboned asparagus, and it's near unbeatable.

Unlike whole asparagus spears, ribboned asparagus is very delicate in texture, so make certain to dress the salad shortly before serving, as the acid will soften the ribbons. Feel free to add crispy croutons or extra whole anchovies to the salad, though I find it pretty much perfect as is.

Keep reading for the fast and easy recipe.

calorie breakdown May 05, 2013

Guess the Calories in Your Salad Bar Salad

You hit the local salad bar for lunch and are feeling pretty good about your healthy choice.

by Jenny Sugar

You hit the local salad bar for lunch and are feeling pretty good about your healthy choice. The only problem is, those do-it-yourself meals don't allow you to know how many calories you're consuming. Lettuce (ha!) build a salad together to find out.

Eco May 03, 2013

Waste Not: How to Salvage the Woody Ends of Asparagus

Wasting food in general is frustrating but particularly irksome when working with precious and pricey asparagus.

by Nicole Perry

Wasting food in general is frustrating but particularly irksome when working with precious and pricey asparagus. Fed up with throwing away nearly half the snappy stalks in the name of more palatable results, I was thrilled to find a simple solution from food scientist Harold McGee. After prepping asparagus per usual, reserve the woody ends; much more can be utilized than conventional wisdom suggests.

How to Salvage Asparagus Ends

Trim away the last inch of irretrievably dried-out, extra-woody ends.
Slice the remainder of the asparagus ends into thin (between 1/8- and 1/4-inch) coins. Slicing these less-tender parts breaks up the fibrous grain, much like thinly slicing celery; the coins become nearly as tender as the tips.
Sauté, steam, blanch, roast, or even serve the coins raw as part of a salad. They can be used in nearly any application one would use the tips; just make certain to reduce their cook time, if heating them at all.

Eco May 02, 2013

Know Your Ingredients: Chili Peppers

Cooking for a Cinco de Mayo celebration means utilizing different varieties of chilis, from habañeros to jalapeños to serranos.

by Susannah Chen

Cooking for a Cinco de Mayo celebration means utilizing different varieties of chilis, from habañeros to jalapeños to serranos. But you know what we've recently realized? It can be confusing to understand the differences between all those peppers, so we're setting the record straight with a primer. Get to know them in one hot minute when you keep clicking.

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Spring Apr 22, 2013

Can You Identify Spring Produce?

Spring is definitely in the air and we're pumped — not only for a newly sparkling kitchen (thanks to Spring cleaning!), but also, in particular, for the colorful and diverse produce that the season brings with it.

by Susannah Chen

Spring is definitely in the air and we're pumped — not only for a newly sparkling kitchen (thanks to Spring cleaning!), but also, in particular, for the colorful and diverse produce that the season brings with it.

Perhaps you're as enthusiastic about the new crop as we are, and you know your vernal vegetables and fruits inside and out. Can you spot the Spring produce at farmers markets? Let's find out when you take this quiz.

Photo: Camilla Salem

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Spring Apr 17, 2013

Farmers Market Fresh Recipes For the Whole Family

If you're lucky, family trips to the farmers market are a year-round affair.

by Lisa Horten

If you're lucky, family trips to the farmers market are a year-round affair. No season, however, is as satisfying as the start of Spring. With spinach, strawberries, asparagus, and avocados taking center stage, it's tempting to fill bag after bag with the farm-fresh fruits and veggies. Here, 10 kid-friendly recipes that take advantage of the season's best produce, and the whole family can enjoy together.

Strawberries and Rhubarb: Homemade Pop-Tarts

Avocado: Grilled Hot Dog Skewers With Creamy Avocado Dip

Artichoke and Asparagus: One-Dish Artichoke Chicken With Asparagus

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Spring Apr 15, 2013

How to Shell and Prepare Fava Beans

Unless they're very young (in which case they can be eaten whole), fava beans must be peeled twice: the outer shell and outer skin of each bean must be removed to enjoy the tender, buttery fava beans.

by Anna Monette Roberts

Unless they're very young (in which case they can be eaten whole), fava beans must be peeled twice: the outer shell and outer skin of each bean must be removed to enjoy the tender, buttery fava beans. It's a little bit of a fussy technique; however, blanching and shocking the beans in their shell makes it easier to shuck them. Fava beans are in season from April to July, so take a look at these step-by-step photos for easy prep all Spring and Summer long.

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