As part of our weekly cooking series, we’re doing a special feature today on how to cook with real food, in celebration of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Day.

The idea is simple: Put away the fake ingredients and pre-made mixes and sauces and cook with real food for better health.

This idea is being brought to American dinner tables and school cafeterias by one seriously-determined British chef – Jamie Oliver. Oliver has started a movement both stateside and in Britain called the Food Revolution, which aims to get back to real, quality food, and move away from the high-fat, sugar-laden processed foods most Americans are eating today.

For a better sense of how Oliver views healthy eating, here is his food philosophy as stated on his website.
Read Full Post >

By Abra Pappa for NutritiousAmerica.com

Don’t ignore the nutrient powerhouses hidden away in your spice cabinet. Spices contain phenols which stimulate your immune system to protect against disease and are rich in anti-oxidants to protect your body from free radical damage. Spices can elevate a simple dinner into a nutrient dense, delicious masterpiece.

Here are my four favorite spices and their amazing health and healing properties. Plus, how to use them in your kitchen.

Smoked Paprika – This has been my “spice crush” for quite some time. A little dash turns a simple vegetable dish into something richer, heartier, and so delicious. Paprika, because of its high vitamin C content, helps your body absorb iron rich foods and fight infection. Try smoked paprika in these yummy recipes:

Smokey Joe’s

Smokey Tomato and Greens Soup

Smokey Salmon Kebabs
Read Full Post >

Before the name makes you run in fear, hear us out. Bok choy is a nutritious little cruciferous vegetable that deserves a second look, and an addition to your favorite meals. It takes on the flavors of just about any dish and is also incredibly healthy. Consider this your bok-choy guide, and be sure to check out the tasty recipes at the end of the post to give this tasty veggie a go.

What is bok choy? Bok choy is a leafy Chinese cabbage that’s especially common in China, the Phillipines, and Vietnam. But it’s also become popular in other regions and stateside as well. It’s of the brassica family and is known for its sweet, nutrition-packed stalks. Bok choy can resemble collards and even cabbage, and grows upright from the ground. It’s also commonly referred to pak choi, pet say, white celery mustard, or Chinese white cabbage.

Health benefits: While bok choy is low in calories, it’s incredibly high in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate and vitamin B6. It also contains several carotenoids, including beta carotene which is extremely beneficial for eye health. Bok choy is also high in dietary fiber, low in sodium and a good source of calcium and potassium.
Read Full Post >

This Mother’s Day, avoid the crowds and treat mom to a homemade brunch. We’ll help get you started, as our menu includes mimosas, banana bread, quiche, salads, and more! From start to finish, mom will be impressed by your effort and careful selection of each recipe. Not to mention, you’ll all enjoy a healthier brunch made with fresh, in-season, nutritious ingredients. Cheers to mom, and to you for giving her a delicious Mother’s Day gift.

Full disclosure: I’m a terrible baker. My husband warns people not to eat anything I bake.

That said, I get the itch to bake periodically and it always has to be scratched. Quiet, uneventful Sunday afternoons get the better of me and my well-stocked pantry. Once I’ve made up my mind, the oven’s on and the flour’s flying.

This past Sunday, I was already in cooking mode, with Chef Devin’s turkey meatballs and homemade marinara simmering on the stove (see the Biggest Loser Family cookbook). When I pulled the oats out of the cabinet to combine with the turkey, I immediately thought “cookies!”. I also had mini chocolate chips left over from a birthday party the previous weekend. A couple of tiny cookies would be the perfect end to our dinner and weekend.

I started reading through the ingredients listed on the oatmeal container and pulling each out of the cupboard and refrigerator. It called for butter. I froze. No butter. Then I remembered the healthier baking swaps article we did last year, and recalled Marisa Churchill’s suggestion for replacing butter with cream cheese. An entire brick of neufchâtel cheese sat in my fridge. Ball dodged.

Then it called for granulated sugar. Completely out. So I Googled “honey replacement for sugar” and found several suggestions for a 1:1 swap. Completely doable.
Read Full Post >