Ideas & Tips — Eating Healthy

Do you ever find yourself tasting a meal you've prepared and realizing it just doesn't have enough flavor? Do you dump loads of grocery store spices into your dishes, only to be put off by their bland, vague taste? It may be time to look into grinding your own spices, which is easy to do if you have the right equipment. Spices begin to lose their flavor as soon as they're ground, so when you buy prepackaged spices in the supermarket, they're already starting to go south, flavor-wise. Home-ground spices are obviously the right choice in terms of flavor, but...

We recently discussed some healthy snacking options, but even the best snack in the world won't turn your day around if you failed to eat a healthy breakfast. After all, it's called the most important meal of the day for a reason! Here are some of our favorite ways to start the morning:  Breakfast burrito: Women's Health Magazine suggests a lighter twist on your favorite breakfast burrito. Use a whole-wheat tortilla and egg whites to add fiber and cut fat. Some black beans and fat-free cheese provide extra protein.  Cereal: Make Cooking Light's three-grain breakfast cereal with walnuts and dried...

In many parts of the country, a hint of fall is already in the air, with folks enjoying bright crisp days and clear cool nights. If you're excited for autumn, be sure to celebrate it's arrival with some seasonal food and drink! Here are some of our favorites: Apples: If you live somewhere that apples grow, schedule time to go pick fruit at a local orchard with your family! Then arrange the bounty in a lovely, stainless steel fruit bowl on your counter. You'll have a quick and healthy snack at hand all week!  Butternut squash gratin: Butternut squash is one...

Although technically made-from-scratch aioli is just flavored mayonnaise, it's a far cry from what you'll find in a bottle at the supermarket. Serve it on gourmet sandwiches or as a dip with crudités, good bread or French fries. The best part: Aioli is easy for anyone to make at home in the comfort of their own kitchen! Real Simple magazine explains that aioli's unique creamy texture is the result of emulsification. That's when two liquids that naturally repel each other, such as oil and vinegar, are whisked together until they are combined. By adding one substance to the other in...

Food industry experts agree: the days when ketchup, mustard and mayo were the only sauces you were expected to provide are long gone. According to Food Product Design magazine, incorporating more complex "gourmet" sauces into home cooking is becoming more popular, and therefore, "chefs and product developers are showing [condiments] as much respect as they do anything else they put on the plate." For a more compelling condiment experience this holiday season, consider serving up some of these less-common sauces: Chimichurri: A tangy, zesty, sweet-and-sour sauce from Argentina made with chopped parsley, vinegar and red pepper flakes, this sauce is...