Which Red Wines Are Good for the Heart?

An occasional glass of red wine is beneficial to your health. The alcohol and antioxidants in red wine are considered healthy for your heart when consumed in moderation. Certain red wines have a higher amount of antioxidants and are potentially a greater heart-health benefit.

Alcohol

Alcohol increases the amount of the good HDL cholesterol levels in your body and lessens the effect of the bad LDL cholesterol and reduces blood clots.

Alcohol can be addictive and can damage the liver and raise blood pressure. Doctors do not encourage anyone to start, or increase, drinking alcoholic beverages for heart health.

Antioxidants

The antioxidants found in red wine called poly phenols protect blood vessel linings.
There are two types of poly phenols found in red wine, flavonoids and non-flavonoids. The non-flavonoids appear to prevent fat from blocking arteries.


Research shows that the non-flavonoid resveratrol may reduce obesity and diabetes, both of which can lead to heart damage. There are other indications that resveratrol minimizes instances of blood clots. Most research has been completed on mice and not on humans. Resveratrol is found in grape skins. Because red wine ferments longer than white, it contains more resveratrol.

Red Wines

The amount of poly phenols in the wine is dependent on the type of grape used in the fermentation process. Wines made with thick-skinned dark grapes such as the tannat and malbec grapes have the highest amounts of poly phenols.

Tannat grapes are grown in the Madiran region of southern France. Malbec grapes are found in the Loire Valley and in Cahors, France.

Wines that contain a large amount of poly phenols and may be considered to have heart-health benefits include: California Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel (old vine), Sangiovese, Aglianico and Nobbiolo.

Eating Foods to Cure a Yeast Infection

Yeast infections are usually caused by fungi or yeasts called candida that are particularly suited to the moist "climate" of the female genitalia. While candida are nearly always present in and around the vagina, sometimes the balance of these organisms can be thrown off kilter---particularly when you have taken antibiotics that kill off "good" bacteria---and the fungi can reproduce quickly, creating itching, burning and discomfort. Following these home cures can help reinstate the body's natural balance. While these cures can help, if the symptoms don't go away, you may need to see your doctor, as the condition could be a more serious infection. Above all, don't be embarrassed or distressed: Most women have had at least one yeast infection in their lives.

Possible Remedies

Cure a yeast infection by trying one or more of the foods described below, including yogurt, cranberries and garlic. Extracts like dong quai also help strengthen the female reproductive system, and chaste berries, juniper berries, ginger and raspberry leaf can have a beneficial effect. As a first line of defense, ingesting foods and natural substances can be preferable to using over-the-counter products like Monistat, douching, or resorting to prescription medications.

Yogurt

Buy and consume yogurt with live bacteria cultures such as Lactobacillus acidophilus. You can also buy capsules of L. acidophilus. These bacteria can prevent and fight yeast infections. As yeast infections often make their way from a woman's intestines to her vagina, it helps to ingest L. acidophilius, as food travels through the intestines.

Cranberry

Drink cranberry juice or swallow a few cranberry pills, available at GNC and many drugstores. It won't hurt to ingest two or three or them at the same time. Cranberry is often used to help clear urinary-tract infections and can help restore the balance of "good" bacteria.

Tea

Make a tea using ingredients like chaste berries, juniper berries, raspberry leaves, ginger or dong quai. These ingredients---all of which you can find at your local health-food store---can be used to help alleviate vaginal discomfort and have helped women affected by painful menstrual cramps.

Water

Drink lots of water. Make sure that you are getting about six to eight 8 oz. glasses each day. Drinking helps to flush toxins out of your body. If you drink soda, coffee, or even too much tea, you may want to cut down on those drinks and consume more water than usual. Water helps maintain healthy kidney and urinary-tract functions, both of which help prevent and fight yeast infections.

How to Cook Popcorn in Olive Oil?

Popcorn is a source of fiber. According to the staff at the Mayo Clinic, 2 cups of air-popped popcorn provide 2.3 grams of fiber (see Resources), making it a healthy snack food if you don't load it with butter and salt. Another healthy food is olive oil, which contains monounsaturated fat and "can lower your risk of heart disease by reducing the total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol levels in your blood," says Mayo Clinic nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. (see Resources). Wouldn't it be great if you could combine the two? Well, you can.
Instead of using an air popper, pop your popcorn in olive oil for a healthy snack. The oil makes the popcorn just moist enough for salt to stick to it--no butter needed.

Put the kernels in the saucepan. Remember that as the kernels pop, they will greatly expand and quickly fill up your saucepan. Pop a small amount of kernels the first time so that you get an idea of how many popped kernels your saucepan can hold.

Add enough olive oil so that you can see the oil, but not so much that it covers the kernels (like a salad with a bit much dressing--the lettuce isn't swimming, but you can see the dressing).

Put the lid on the saucepan.


Put the saucepan on a burner set at medium-high heat. Do not walk away; depending on your burner, the pan and the kernels, the popping may begin sooner than you think.

As the oil heats and the kernels begin to pop, grasp the handle of the saucepan with one hand and the lid with the other hand. Gently shake the pan back and forth to move the kernels around on the bottom of the pan. This prevents burning.

When the kernels are done popping (some don't pop and will begin to burn, which you'll smell), empty all popcorn into the bowl and add salt.

How to Make Healthy Homemade Fruit Snacks

Eating sweets can lead to weight problems, tooth decay and even diabetes. Some of us have the discipline to avoid eating foods that are bad for us, but some of us need something sweet from time to time. Fortunately, plenty of healthy but sweet foods can be made at home. So next time, skip the triple-layer chocolate cake and try a delicious homemade fruit snack.

Select the type of fruit that you would like to use for your fruit snacks. Good choices are bananas, peaches, grapes, pears, kiwi and pineapple. The fruit must be fully ripe and unblemished.

Rinse the fruit in lukewarm water. Peel the fruits that need to be peeled, such as bananas, peaches, pears, kiwi and pineapple.

Dip any light-colored fruits in lemon juice to prevent darkening while in the oven. This includes apples, apricots, bananas, peaches, pears and pineapple.


Cut the fruit into quarter-inch slices. Cut smaller fruits, such as grapes, in half. Pears and apples must be cored, and you will need to remove the pits from peaches, cherries and apricots.

Preheat your oven to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the fruit in one layer on a cookie sheet. After the oven has heated up, place the cookie sheet in the oven. Open the oven door a few inches to allow air to circulate.

Check on the fruit and flip with a spatula every hour. Fruit can take anywhere from eight to 24 hours to dry out. If your fruit is taking a very long time and you must leave it unattended, turn the oven down to 100 degrees F. Flip the fruit again as soon as possible to avoid overdrying. When the fruit becomes leather-like, it is done.

Allow the fruit to cool. Fruit snacks are best when consumed immediately but will last for about four days to a week. Store in plastic bags and place in the refrigerator.

How to Make Good Homemade Hamburger Sliders

Sliders -- small burgers -- were once the fare of a select few fast food joints. Now these little gems are turning up at the fanciest of restaurants and plated with the best of care. Making your own sliders at home is easy, fun, economical and a sure-fire way to keep friends and family coming back for more.

Mixing the Meat

Season your ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. For an extra kick, add some hot sauce, minced bell pepper, Italian seasoning or chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, basil or oregano. Mix in a bit of Parmesan cheese, which adds flavor and holds together lean meat in a thin patty. If you're making a thick patty, stick a cube of cheddar or jack cheese in the middle for an inside-out cheeseburger.

Thick or Thin, Round or Square

Fashion your baby burgers with an eye toward style and meat-to-bun proportion. Slider presses for either square or round burgers ensure uniform cooking times. If you don't have a press, use a small measuring cup or a jar cap lined with plastic wrap. Weigh or measure the meat for each patty.

Use about an ounce of meat for thin patties, either round or square. For a square burger, make the edge of the patty a little larger than the middle to avoid burned or droopy edges.

For a thicker burger, double the amount of meat and make a dimple in the middle of your 1/8-pounder so that it doesn't plump like a baseball during cooking.

Ground beef with a high fat content shrinks during cooking so make the patty bigger than the bun all the way around. The leanest ground beef shrinks less, but allow a little extra around the edges to ensure that your burgers don't get buried in the bun.
Quality Buns
Pick a bun that suits your fancy as well as the size and shape of your slider patty.

Choose a sturdy crusted brioche, a soft dinner roll, a mini-french roll or a pared-down standard bun that will stand up to a bigger juicy burger.

Square sliders fit on Hawaiian sweet rolls, chunks of ciabatta or even into baby pita pockets. In a pinch, square up a bottom-rung bun to emulate the classic burger chain slider.
The bun dictates the size and shape of your slider patty. To toast or not to toast, that is your question. Most definitely, warm your buns.


Grill, Broil or Fry

Make a test patty first to determine a proper cooking time before you throw your entire batch on the grill, into the pan or under the broiler. No matter your cooking choice, flip the burger only once.

Thin and square 1/16-inch patties take about a minute on each side in a pan, grill or broiler.

Round fatty patties take a bit longer.

If you are unsure about doneness, use a meat thermometer and shoot for an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit as recommended by the USDA.
Condiments Count
Arrange a build-it-yourself condiment bar. Lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles are a must, as are ketchup, barbecue sauce and different varieties of mustard ranging from mild to spicy. Provide grilled onions and chili for an extra-sloppy slider. Serve with sides of coleslaw -- some like to put it right on the burger -- and potato salad.

Cool Tips for Hot Sliders

Use an ice cream scoop to form uniform fat sliders. Scoop it up, lay it down and flatten it to fit the bun.

Create the original slider by steaming a thin square burger over a bed of grilled onions.

How to Make Granola

For shortcut, homemade granola, you need only equal amounts of homemade toasted oats and any commercial granola. For from-scratch granola, variations are endless and include either toasted or raw oatmeal -- German muesli exemplifies the raw version -- granola made with or without sugar, honey or maple syrup and granola made with or without oil. Once you experiment with different spices and spice combinations, you can soon have granola options for every day of the week.

Toasting Oatmeal

Granola often begins with toasted rolled oats, but you can also opt for combinations of rolled barley or rye from the bulk foods section of your grocery. The longer you toast the oats, the more nutty flavor and crunchy texture you have.

For plain granola, with no sweetener, no oil or nuts, with fruit added after cooking:

Spread the oats about 1/4 inch thick on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring once halfway through cooking.
More Ingredients and Combinations
Traditional granola comes with additional ingredients baked along with the oatmeal:

Use a ratio of 3 parts oats, 2 parts each dried berries and nuts, 1/2 to 1 part honey or syrup and 3 tablespoons of butter or oil.
Thoroughly mix together all the ingredients except the fruit and bake them as you would plain oats.
Stir in the fruit after the granola has cooled.
Alternatively, add fruit and toasted nuts to your cereal bowl from a separate container to minimize the chances of the ingredients sinking to the bottom of the granola container.


Clumping Granola

If you prefer granola with largish clumps instead of loose and separate oats, you can add some extra steps to a basic granola recipe. After you've mixed all the traditional ingredients together in a large bowl, stir in 1 egg white, whisked until it's foamy, for every 3 cups of oats. Bake the mixture as usual; once the granola cools completely you can break it into clumps.

Storing Granola

Once your granola has completely cooled, transfer it from the cookie sheet to an airtight container, such as a glass jar or plastic cereal container, and store it at room temperature in your cupboard. Select a container with a large enough opening to allow a measuring cup to fit as you scoop out your daily breakfast. The oats lose some crispness after 2 weeks, but the granola is safe to eat for 2 to 3 months.

Miso Soup & Weight Loss

Miso soup has a wide range of health benefits and can help you lose weight because it only has 25 calories per bowl. With those 25 calories, the soup also has 2 grams of protein. A few ingredients in particular make miso soup a good choice for a healthy diet. However, its high sodium content can be a concern.

B12 Complex

Miso soup contains B12, the best vitamin complex to take for energy-boosting needs. It helps encourage weight loss by speeding up the body's metabolic rate. The two factors are linked: The more energy you have, the more apt you are to exercise, which is essential to losing weight. Vitamin B12 also can prevent depression, which can lead to weight gain.

Protective Fatty Acids

Miso soup has a complex of protective fatty acids that come from natural fats and oils and can help keep weight off. The body can produce most fatty acids it needs, but it can't produce omega 3, which is in miso soup.


Fermented Soybean Paste

Miso soup is made from a thick paste of fermented soybeans, as well as various grains such as barley, rice or wheat. The soybean paste could be fermented anywhere from five days to five years. The longer the fermentation, the darker the substance. However, soybean paste is known for its large sodium content, which does not help weight loss.

Health Benefits of Miso Soup

The fermented soybean paste in miso soup can reduce the risk of breast cancer. The soup also helps balance out the female hormone estrogen, which can cause tumors. It also contains a variety of antioxidants and vitamin E, which is good for the complexion. The wakame seaweed in miso soup helps lower blood pressure and can even combat nicotine addiction. It's also good for boosting your immune system after an illness.

Bottom Line

Miso soup is a great small meal or snack that can encourage weight loss and fight illness. However, if your doctor has advised you to stay away from food with high levels of sodium, miso might not be the best choice for your diet.

How to Make Pizza Boats

As with many food ideas, this one sprang from good old leftovers. In this case it was left over meat sauce from a spaghetti dinner we had. We didn't want spaghetti again right away and it seemed a good idea to use our tasty meat sauce (we use ground venison and ground beef in ours) in another dish. So I created the "pizza boat". They're great little boats and many have been ship wrecked by sailing right into my mouth - the "straits of Clawmute". Served with a green salad. It's boarding house diner's rules - one foot on the floor at all times!

Every time I prepare these I am surprised at the simplicity and small amount of time that goes into them. Mainly I'm surprised at how tasty and filling they are. We just had them a couple of nights ago and I frequently take one to work for lunch & heat it up in the microwave.

These are so popular and tasty around our house that now we make up a batch of meat sauce especially for the pizza boats.

First hollow out your boats. I cut around the bottom (flat part) with a serrated knife, then scoop out the inside bread with a fork. Leave enough bread in the bottom so that your filling doesn't start to leak through when you spoon it in. If you can't find the pointed end "bolillio" rolls then the blunt ended hoagie roll type is fine, as long as they are thick enough to be hollowed out and have room for a filling.


Next lightly toast these hollowed out pizza boats to firm them up a little. Just barely brown is OK. Now cover the inside bottom of your boats with grated cheese and put them back in the oven toaster just long enough to melt the cheese a little. If you want, sprinkle the cheese with red pepper if you like it spicy.

Use leftover meat sauce or prepare from scratch meat sauce exactly like you do for spaghetti, with maybe a little more meat. We made up this batch especially for pizza boats just a couple of days before I wrote this article, and I am eating one as I type this!

Now ladle in your filling of well pre-heated pizza meat sauce, adding chopped onion, bell pepper and/or any other goodies. Top the filled boat with more shredded cheese and pop back in the oven for another ten minutes or so at about 375-425deg. or until the shredded cheese has melted and the bread is beginning to brown. Remember, the sauce needs to be pre-warmed so that you won't have to heat the filled boats until the filling is warm.

Let your completed pizza boats cool a little and then serve with a green salad and beverage of your liking. These will hit the spot. They stay hot for a long time so don't dig in too fast! These pizza boats sail straight from the shipyard onto your plate, but they won't be afloat for long.

Ideas for Snacks for a Work Meeting

Providing snacks at a work meeting is much less challenging than catering a full meal for hundreds, but it still deserves some serious thought. Rich and heavy foods can leave your participants sleepy and unproductive, exactly the opposite of how you want your co-workers at a meeting. Spicy foods can create uncomfortable indigestion, and sloppy foods pose a staining hazard to business attire. Providing light, varied and enjoyable snacks that avoids all these pitfalls requires a degree of creativity.

Vital Information

Before you jump into the planning process too deeply, it's always a good idea -- if possible -- to circulate an e-mail ahead of time asking whether your participants have any dietary constraints. These considerations include food allergies, cultural or religious prohibitions, vegetarianism, or a simple preference for healthy or low-carb options. If that information isn't available, be mindful of common issues and provide options that are vegetarian, gluten-free and minimize the common allergens.

Finger Sandwiches

Meetings that run through the heart of a morning or afternoon can be tough on those who haven't eaten properly, so a tray of tiny, finger-sized tea sandwiches are a boon. At their simplest, these are ordinary sandwiches cut into quarters or even eighths, though some caterers offer pinwheel sandwiches and other dainty variations. They're diminutive enough to eat in a single bite, keeping fingers clean and minimizing the risk of dropped sandwich filling.

Variations on the Theme

Many caterers offer sandwiches made by tightly rolling fillings inside a wrap, then slicing the resulting cigar-shaped cylinder into sushi-esque, finger-friendly rolls. These are attractive and a lower-carb alternative, and they can be made with gluten-free flatbreads if necessary. Whichever type of sandwiches you choose, provide some with meatless or all-vegetable fillings for those who need them.


An Upscale Offering

If you're hosting potential clients or senior management, adding even a small quantity of an upscale alternative can elevate the appearance of your entire table. It doesn't take much. A small tray of wafer-thin smoked salmon on a bed of ice, with a caper garnish and whole-grain crackers, serves admirably, as do good-quality shaved Italian prosciutto or Spanish jamon, with finger-sized rolls or wedges of artisanal bread.

Vegetable Trays

Vegetable trays are a meeting-day staple -- and for good reason. They're light, they're nutritious, and their bright colors lend visual appeal to the table. Ordinary platters can look rather humdrum, but a few simple changes improve their appeal. Specify fresh-cut carrots sticks rather than shaped "baby" carrots, for example, which often look unpleasantly dry. Vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, celery and sweet bell peppers can be sliced into long strips and served vertically in water goblets or wine glasses, rather than sitting out on a plate.

Do the Dip

Ranch dressing is the usual dipping option for vegetable trays, but you don't have to abide by tradition. Tzatziki, the Greek dip of plain yogurt and cucumbers with fresh dill, is a refreshing and lower-fat option. Not only that, its minimal fat content means it's less likely to cause a greasy stain if dropped on a shirt. Another alternative is hummus, which is thick enough not to drip and is also high in protein. It's also gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan-friendly.

Fresh Fruit 

Fresh fruit offers similar advantages, with the added benefit of quickly boosting your participants' blood sugar. For meeting participants sagging in the mid-morning doldrums, they can be a lifesaver. Providing disposable forks -- or at least toothpicks -- is a good idea, because your participants won't want to keep wiping their fingers. Even worse, many berries can stain their fingers for hours afterwards. Grapes are an excellent option, because they're neatly self-contained.

Or Dried

Don't overlook the high-energy virtues of dried fruits, either as a complement to fresh varieties or in their stead. Dried apples don't brown like fresh apples. And dried cherries or blueberries don't stain fingers, yet their flavors are as full and concentrated -- sometimes more so -- as their fresh equivalents. Sweet options such as dried figs or dates provide a healthier surrogate for the traditional cookies and doughnuts.

Crunchy Nibbles

Often the people sitting around your table won't want to really eat but simply have something to nibble on as the meeting progresses. Crunchy vegetables can sometimes fill this role, but it's useful to provide a few alternatives. Bowls of nuts are a good option, unless you have food allergies to contend with. Whole-grain, low-sodium corn chips and multi-grain pretzel sticks are also good choices. Gluten-free pretzels are readily available, and their texture is good enough to appeal even to participants who can eat gluten.

The Beverages

Brewing -- and often wasting -- large pots of coffee or tea isn't always necessary. If you furnish your meeting room with one or two single-cup brewers, you can provide excellent coffee in varying roasts or flavors on an on-demand basis. Shun sugary sodas, which can cause a disconcerting sugar "crash" late in long meetings; instead, offer chilled fruit juices and plenty of cold water.

How to Steam Frozen Broccoli

Despite being a good source of vitamins A and C, United States farmers didn't grow broccoli commercially until the 1920s. Since then, broccoli has inspired soups, salads and casseroles. Today, broccoli is available raw and frozen, though the later contains higher levels of sodium and slightly less iron than its fresh counterpart. Regardless of its original state, steamed broccoli makes a tender and succulent side-dish for almost any meal.

Microwave Steaming

Pour 1/4 cup of water into the bowl and add 1 pound of broccoli or the size of 1 quart.

Cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap. Secure the plastic to the sides of the bowl so it won't cave-in while steaming.

Microwave the bowl of broccoli for five to eight minutes depending on your machine strength. Uncover the broccoli after three minutes and separate any large frozen clumps with a cooking spoon. Replace the plastic wrap over the bowl and restart the microwave.

Remove the plastic wrap from the bowl while wearing oven mitts. Steam causes severe and painful burns.


Stove-Top

Bring 1 inch of water to a rolling boil in your pot. Keep the lid tightly closed to expedite the boiling process.

Lower the steaming basket into the bottom of the pot while wearing oven mitts to avoid burning yourself. Place the frozen broccoli on top of the steaming basket.

Reduce the stove temperature to medium or low and secure the lid on top. Steam the broccoli for three minutes and separate the frozen clumps with a cooking spoon. Replace the lid and continue steaming until the broccoli feels tender.

How to Make a Smoothie With a Food Processor

The blender is king when it comes to making smoothies -- its blade was made to puree fruits and easily blend them with liquids. But you can call on your trusty food processor too. Although better at chopping and pulverizing, a food processor can get the job done when it comes to blending smoothies. You'll need to make a few tweaks and adjustments, however, for smoothie success in a food processor.

Put the fruit in the food processor bowl. Add just about any fruit you would like, using one, two or more. Common fruits for smoothies include bananas, apples, mangoes, pineapples and all berries.

Add vegetables to the mix, if you like. Small amounts of vegetables, such as a handful of spinach, chopped kale or even chopped carrots, boost the nutritional value of the smoothie without overpowering the sweet fruit flavors.


Add extra ingredients to enhance your smoothie. You could add 1 to 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, flax seed, cinnamon, ginger or crushed nuts to the food processor. For a big protein boost, add a few tablespoons of protein powder.

Pour in your liquid or semi-liquid base, adding no more than a 1/2 cup to start. Food processors don't work well with liquids and leak if you add too much at one time. You can use regular milk, fruit juice or non-dairy options, such as soy or almond milk. Yogurt creates creamy, thick smoothies; you can add it all at once, up to 1 cup per serving.

Put the lid on the food processor and blend the smoothie. Gradually add more liquid through the food processor chute as needed until the smoothie is well-blended and has reached the consistency you want. You may have to stop and scrape down the sides of the food processor with a spatula to get everything mixed well.

Transfer the smoothie into a glass. Food processors usually do not have spouts like blenders do, so you may have to use the spatula to guide smoothie mixture out without making a mess.

How to Boil a Quail Egg

Quail eggs often are used in Asian cuisine, particularly Japanese, but they can be adapted to many recipes. Once they are hard-boiled, they taste the same as boiled chicken eggs but are much smaller. The speckled shells are attractive but thin enough to easily remove from the cooked egg. Since they are much smaller than chicken eggs, it takes less time to boil quail eggs. Store the eggs for a week before boiling because week-old eggs are easier to peel than fresh-laid ones.

Fill a pot with cool tap water and 1/8 tsp. of salt. Set the quail eggs in the pot in a single layer, arranging them so they aren't touching one another.


Heat the water over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. Boil the eggs for five minutes, stirring the eggs gently with a wooden spoon. Stirring prevents the yolks from hardening on one side of the egg.

Remove the pot from the heat once the cooking time completes. Gently pour the eggs into a colander, and run cold tap water over them until the eggs are cool enough to handle.

Roll the egg on the counter top, breaking the shell on all sides. Peel under running water soon after cooking because waiting can make them more difficult to peel.

8 Quick and Easy Pasta Dishes

Pasta is a terrific meal option because it’s inexpensive, easy to cook and makes for tasty leftovers. Even more, it's so versatile that you can make any dish flavorfully prepared to your liking. The next time you’re looking for an easy and filling homemade meal, try one of these 30-minute pasta recipes that will be sure to give Rachael Ray a run for her money.

1. Spaghetti With Bacon, Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese

For a pasta dish that takes little effort to prepare, try this spaghetti with bacon, caramelized onions and goat cheese recipe. Safely boil your spaghetti while caramelizing the onions to save even more time. Then serve it with a generous topping of goat cheese and bacon for an impressive looking plate.

2. Linguine With Sautéed Swiss Chard, Summer Squash and Bacon

This linguine pasta makes for a refreshing weeknight dinner. By mixing summer vegetables -- such as zucchini, yellow squash and Swiss chard -- with bacon, you can serve up a well-rounded and colorful meal.

3. Prosciutto Carbonara Pasta

Prosciutto carbonara pasta is a deliciously filling comfort food that takes little time to prepare. The creamy egg sauce combined with crispy prosciutto and chives will have you and your loved ones finishing this meal as quickly as it took to make it.

4. Basil Pesto Linguine

Step up your pasta game with your own homemade pesto sauce. Combine toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, garlic, cheese and olive oil in a food processor. Toss with cooked linguine, and you’ll have a flavorful dish in no time at all.

5. Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

This classic Italian dish can be cooked at home in a pinch. With just a few ingredients including shrimp, Parmesan cheese, heavy cream and garlic, you can easily make this pasta favorite any night of the week.


6. Chipotle Cilantro Pesto Pasta

Chipotle cilantro pesto pasta combines Latin American flavors and gives you a dish with a kick. You can save any leftover sauce -- and when you’re ready to eat, just boil your pasta and toss with the pesto for a quick and easy meal.

7. One-Pot Caprese Pasta

This Caprese pasta recipe saves time by cooking the pasta and ingredients in the same pot, simultaneously. By simmering the uncooked pasta and fixings in red wine and water, the pasta will retain more flavor and will be ready in just 20 minutes.

8. Chicken and Spinach Skillet Pasta

If you need to get dinner on the table fast, this chicken and spinach skillet pasta is a great option. Cook everything together in the same skillet, and in just a half-hour, you will have a hearty meal ready to serve.

Different Kinds of Salad Dressing

Demystify your bottled salad dressings, and learn how to make them yourself. It's surprisingly easy! Use fresh and wholesome ingredients from your pantry and kitchen, and forgo the industrial oils, sugar, preservatives and thickeners in store-bought dressings. Best of all, you'll realize how lackluster those dressings taste compared to what you can whip up at home.

Ranch Dressing

You've tried countless brands of ranch dressing; now it's time to make your own. This cool, creamy and tangy dressing is remarkably simple to make, and its ingredients are pantry staples. You'll be drizzling this easy ranch dressing on all your favorite accompaniments in less time than it takes to run to the store and buy some.

Italian Dressing

Add some zing to an otherwise boring salad with a drizzle of your own homemade Italian dressing. Play around with red wine, white wine or cider vinegar and a variety of herbs like oregano, thyme, basil and marjoram to customize your own perfect Italian dressing.

Thousand Island Dressing

About 10 minutes is all it takes to whip up homemade Thousand Island dressing from scratch. Many fast-food restaurants and diners use this sweet and tangy dressing as their "secret sauce" to jazz up salads, sandwiches and burgers with a basic base of mayonnaise, ketchup and pickle relish. You can add Worcestershire sauce, paprika, eggs and other ingredients to create your very own "secret sauce."


Russian Dressing

Don't confuse Russian dressing for Thousand Island. While both have a base of ketchup and mayonnaise, Russian dressing has a spicy kick that gets its heat from horseradish or your choice of hot sauce. Put a dollop this creamy, zesty dressing on salads or as a spread in sandwiches and burgers.

Garlic Avocado Salad Dressing

If you're a guacamole aficionado, this garlic avocado salad dressing will hit your sweet spot. This avocado-based dressing isn't as thick as guacamole, but it retains that fresh and creamy piquancy that makes it so delicious. Try it on a salad with black beans, grilled corn and crumbled tortilla chips for a Southwestern flair.

Basic Vinaigrette

A basic vinaigrette only requires a few ingredients -- oil, vinegar or lemon juice, and salt and pepper -- to create a sweet and savory vinaigrette in under 5 minutes. Choose from a wide range of vinegars and oils, from extra virgin olive oil to hazelnut, to mix and match all year with different and memorable results. It's truly an easy salad dressing with endless possibilities.

Roasted Strawberry Vinaigrette

Roasted strawberry vinaigrette is an exquisite way to use up those ripe to overripe strawberries in your refrigerator. Roasted strawberries simply burst with concentrated sweet juices, while balsamic vinegar balances it out with its own sweet and acidic character. This is a wonderfully rich and bright vinaigrette that will go perfectly on any summer salad.

Real Caesar Salad Dressing

Unlike its store-bought counterparts, real Caesar salad dressing made with whole ingredients is a rich explosion of flavor. Raw egg yolks make a creamy emulsifier, and the brine from the anchovies gives it a sea-salty complexity. If you don't want to use raw egg yolks and anchovies, you can substitute other common ingredients, but it won't be quite as good as the real deal.

Honey Mustard Sauce

Whether for dipping, basting or as a salad dressing, honey mustard sauce boasts a versatile array of culinary uses. This sweet, tangy and spicy dressing is always tasty with chicken and salad, or use it to marinate pork chops before grilling. All it takes is a few ingredients and 10 minutes.

How to Roast Spaghetti Squash

For those who eat a gluten-free/wheat-free/low-carb lifestyle, spaghetti squash is the ticket to enjoying your favorite "pasta" dishes without the noodles. To roast it, all it takes is one large squash and about an hour of prep and cooking time. Read on for our easy-to-make instructions, as well as some delicious ways to enjoy your roasted spaghetti squash.

Step 1: Cut the Spaghetti Squash in Half

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the tip and tail off of the spaghetti squash. Stand the squash upright, and cut down the center length-wise.
Cut all the way through the squash, revealing the seeds.

Step 2: Remove the Insides and Seeds

Using a sturdy metal spoon, scoop out the insides and seeds. You can scrape firmly against the flesh in order to release the insides. Repeat for both halves of squash.


Step 3: Coat the Flesh with Olive Oil

Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over each half (about 1 to 2 tablespoons per half).
Smear the olive oil over all of the exposed squash flesh in order to lightly coat with oil.

Step 4: Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper

Sprinkle the flesh of each half with sea salt and pepper.

Step 5: Roast the Squash

Place the squash cut-side down on a cookie sheet. Roast in the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until squash is tender when poked with a fork.
Once the squash has finished roasting, flip each half cut-side up and allow it to cool enough to handle.

Step 6: Make the Noodles

Run a fork down the width of the squash, releasing the noodles. You can scrape noodles all the way down to the squash skin. Repeat for both halves of spaghetti squash, placing noodles in a large serving bowl.

Step 7: Serve

Serve the spaghetti squash noodles as is, or topped with your favorite homemade or store-bought sauce.

How to Cook With Grapeseed Oil

Grapeseed oil, a by-product of the wine-making process, comes from extracting the oil from within the small, hard-shelled seed. A stable cooking oil, grapeseed oil does not smoke or splatter. This oil features a high smoke point, or temperature at which oil smokes and discolors, ranging from approximately 320 to 428 degrees, depending on the brand. The light, buttery or nutty flavor leaves no aftertaste and enhances a food's natural flavor. Grapeseed oil is an economical cooking oil because only one-third to one-half cup of grapeseed oil equals one cup of other oils.

Frying, Roasting and Barbecuing

Use a paper towel to remove moisture from surface of raw meats. This dry surface will aid in browning the meat.

Marinate or brush meat with grapeseed oil or flavored varieties such as garlic or walnut. Grapeseed oil works well with meat, poultry or fish. This thin layer of oil will help retain flavor and prevent sticking to the frying pan, roasting pan or grill.

Place meat in pre-heated frying pan, oven or grill. If meat starts to look dry, brush on another thin layer of grapeseed oil.

Grapeseed Oil as a Butter Substitute

Substitute grapeseed oil for butter by brushing on a sliced piece of bread. Add optional grated cheese, sliced tomatoes, chopped olives or other toppings.


Place topped bread on a shallow metal baking pan under a pre-heated broiler until cheese is melted or toppings are browned.

Remove bread carefully from oven. Add freshly ground pepper if desired.

Grapeseed Oil as a Condiment

Mix grapeseed oil or varieties infused with herbs and spices as part of a mayonnaise or salad dressing recipe. Test with small amounts of grapeseed oil and increase the amounts to balance with other ingredients in the adapted recipe.

Add grapeseed oil to raw or cooked vegetables, salads and pasta. This light-tasting oil will not overpower food.

Use grapeseed oil as part of a dip for fresh vegetables on a platter.

How to Make Overnight Oatmeal

Overnight oatmeal is a fantastic breakfast that is served cold and can be made year-round. Simply mix rolled oats with milk and other desired ingredients, allow it to sit overnight and wake up to a no-hassle breakfast.

You can make this healthy breakfast according to your taste, using any sweetener and milk you prefer. For a dairy-free variety, try almond milk, coconut milk or cashew milk. Honey, agave or pure maple syrup offer alternatives to refined sugar. This easy recipe requires only a few minutes of prep time and zero cooking, making it a perfect make-ahead breakfast for company or for fueling your busy lifestyle.

Basic Recipe

Gather your ingredients, and add all of them to a large jar or other sealable container.
Seal the container, and place it in the refrigerator overnight (or at least 6 hours). Enjoy your overnight oatmeal with fresh or dried fruit, nuts and additional milk or sweetener.


Additional Flavoring Ideas

You can get creative with your overnight oatmeal by trying all sorts of flavoring options.
Make cinnamon-raisin overnight oatmeal by adding 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1/2 cup of raisins to the basic recipe, following the same instructions. Adding the raisins prior to refrigerating it will allow the raisins to rehydrate and plump up overnight.

Strawberries 'n' cream overnight oatmeal requires adding 1 cup of fresh chopped strawberries and 1/2 cup half & half (or full-fat coconut milk) to the basic recipe. Add these ingredients to the oatmeal either before or after it sits overnight.

Make peanut butter & banana overnight oatmeal by serving the overnight oats with banana slices and a dollop or so of creamy or crunchy peanut butter.

Have your overnight oatmeal trail mix-style with dried fruit, nuts, seeds or chocolate chips. Add the following ingredients to the basic recipe before refrigerating: 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or a combination of nuts and seeds of choice) and 1/3 cup of semisweet or white chocolate chips.

Omega-3 Vegetarian Omelet Recipe

Add a healthy dose of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids a veggie omelet by adding hemp seeds, chia seeds or flax seeds to your eggs prior to cooking. Omega fatty acids are heart- and brain-healthy monounsaturated fats, which are essential to maintaining a balanced diet. Adding avocado will also infuse your breakfast with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and for an even higher dose, consider using omega-3 eggs. (This recipe serves two.)

Step 1: Saute the Vegetables

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a skillet, and heat over medium-high. Add the onion and mushrooms to saute, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms have browned and the onion is translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the baby spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the salt, and then set these aside until ready to use.

Step 2: Beat the Eggs

Add 2 to 3 eggs to a small blender with one tablespoon of hemp seeds.
Blend the eggs and seeds until very well combined.


Step 3: Heat Butter in a Skillet

Add one tablespoon of butter to a skillet. Heat to medium-high, and spread the butter over the full surface of the skillet.

Step 4: Cook the Eggs

Pour the beaten egg and hemp seed mixture into the hot skillet. Allow it to cook until the sides firm up and the center has set, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 5: Add the Filling

Add half of your sauteed vegetables to one side of the omelet. Use a spatula to fold the omelet in half.

Serve with hot sauce or salsa. You also can sprinkle crumbled feta cheese inside the omelet or instead add jack or cheddar cheese for a gooey omelet. Serve with sliced avocado and fresh spinach on the side. Repeat the process for a second omelet.

How to Make Thanksgiving Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Extremely moist, flavorful, and richly spiced, homemade pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting can be made in just a few simple steps. While we've prepared this as a single layer cake, the recipe can easily be doubled to create a layer cake version.

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 9-inch springform pan; set aside. In a large bowl combine the eggs, sugars, oil, butter, pumpkin, milk, vanilla, and spices; beat well to combine. Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir until just combined. Fold in the raisins, and nuts, gently stirring together until incorporated.

Step 2

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake cake for 42 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean (or with just a few moist crumbs attached). Allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.


Step 3

While the cake is cooling, make your cream cheese frosting. For complete instructions (it's super easy!) use our favorite frosting recipe found in our Homemade Carrot Cake tutorial.

Once your cake is completely cooled, generously spread the frosting over the cake. Feel free to top with chopped nuts for extra flavor and texture.

Eat More Veggies With These Recipes

Sadly, incorporating more greens into your diet is not quite as easy (or fun) as amping up your daily chocolate intake. Luckily, it’s still possible to enjoy all the stuff you already like (that includes you, brownie!) while adding to the recommended daily serving of vegetables.

1. Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Sure, you can pile vegetables onto the dough of your choice and give yourself a high-five; but eliminating the processed carb and swapping it for cauliflower? Now you’re talking.

2. Vegetarian Enchilada

There’s no need to feel guilty about eating this hot, melt-y goodness. Instead of the usual meat that fills up this dish, it’s righteously replaced by sweet potatoes and black beans (or any vegetables you have a propensity for). To make it a complete veggie lover’s dish, opt for soy-based cheese to sprinkle on top.

3. Spaghetti Squash Pasta

Got a fork? Good, because that’s literally the only tool you need to make this faux pasta. Simply roast a spaghetti squash (yes, that’s its name) and shred it with your trusty utensil. Top with our roasted garlic pasta sauce and you’ve got yourself a seriously well-balanced dinner.

4. Kale Fried Rice

Let's play the word association game with fried rice. We’re betting your first choice would be pork (pineapple, a close second). Kale? Not likely. Try this once, though, and you’ll be fixing up a batch of these whenever you have a hankering for a little fried rice action that packs a nutritious punch.

5. Veggie Ramen

Even ramen can get a healthy makeover with the addition of fresh vegetables like broccoli, spinach and bok choy. Miso paste gives loads of unctuous umami flavor, so you can enjoy comfort in a bowl and feel good about it from the inside out. Want more ideas on how to win with ramen? Find out how our resident food expert, Mary Dacuma, decks hers out.

6. Flourless Fudge Brownies

We told you there was dessert involved! This amazing recipe is so easy and—dare we say it?—healthy. The addition of coffee brings out depth and helps you mentally block out the fact that these are made of black beans.

7. Low-Carb Breakfast Burrito

Collard green is bringing its “A” game to the breakfast scene in an unexpected way. Enjoy a low-carb burrito packed with nutrients by wrapping up scrambled eggs, avocado, black beans, and cheese in this hearty leaf.

8. Morning Glory Muffins

Just because you’re always on the go doesn’t mean you have to resort to chocolate chip muffins. These are made with good-for-you carrots, apples, and walnuts so even if you’re having a frazzled morning, you can grab one for the road and fuel yourself without physically crashing an hour later.


9. Omega-3 Omelete

If you’ve denigrated this quintessential breakfast dish to cheesy concoctions loaded with cubes of processed ham, it’s time to graduate to this wholesome version with mushrooms, spinach, and hemp seeds.

10. Old-Fashioned Carrot Cake

We know, this one is a bit of a cheat but carrot cake is hands down, the best dessert to justify an indulgence. And indulgence this is. Sprinkle some chopped walnuts over the cream cheese frosting and your cravings are instantly rationalized--in case the "It's calling my name" rationale isn't cutting it.

11. Broccoli Rice Casserole

Eating comfort food need not equate with heavy dishes filled with artificial ingredients you’ll regret eating the next day. This casserole dish is filled with fresh broccoli and once you get a whiff of it coming out of the oven, you’ll never resort to eating store-bought again.

12. Zucchini Bread

If you love banana loaf bread, get ready to be converted into a zucchini fanatic. It has an incredibly moist center and our version is a cinch to make. So really, there’s no excuse for not getting enough of this vegetable.

13. Moroccan Cauliflower With Couscous

Who says steaks have to consist of red meat? Take a thick slice of the humble cauliflower, season it with cumin, coriander and cinnamon and place it over a bed of couscous for a Moroccan-inspired fare.

14. Kale and Sausage Galette

We hear you. Just because you want to eat more vegetables does not mean you want to give up meat. The pork sausage in this rustic French dish brings a ton of flavor, perfectly accompanied by warm kale leaves.

15. Spinach Quiche

Who knew spinach could be so decadent? A buttery shell and creamy filling makes a wonderful dish that makes you forget just how much of this vegetable you’re eating.