Age GracefullyPrunes Anti-Aging Super Hero Gets Its Due
Prunes – or dried plums — don’t usually get a lot of attention, and if they do, it’s limited to how they help fight constipation because they are such a good source of fiber (100 grams of prunes contain approximately 6.1 grams of fiber). But, did you know that prunes (and plums) are one of the healthiest foods you can eat? In addition to helping your colon stay healthy, prunes provide antioxidant protection, prevent pre-mature aging, promote cardiovascular health, and reduce the risk of cancer and osteoporosis. Who knew? Personally, I like to eat plums and prunes by themselves. Prunes […]READ MORE
November 17, 2024
Published by Grace O
It’s November with Thanksgiving just around the corner. For many, it’s the Olympics of food, but you can have a delightful holiday meal without gorging and turning it into a total carb-fest. The centerpiece, of course, is the turkey, a source of high-quality lean protein; vitamin B12, which helps regulate mood; zinc, good for retina and eye health; niacin, good for healthy skin and nerve function and selenium, an antioxidant that helps with detoxification and thyroid health. Many people think the key to a delicious Thanksgiving meal is in the sides. I couldn’t agree more! Here’s a suggested Thanksgiving meal […]
November 16, 2024
Published by Grace O
Whether your Thanksgiving and holiday dinners are intimate gatherings or lively feasts, your turkey dinner can be exciting and loaded with a world of new flavors. If you’re a little adventuresome and yearn to deviate a bit from the old standby holiday recipes, we’ve got some great turkey tips loaded with a world of new flavors. Here are recipes for a spiced-up turkey and some tasty and unique dishes to fill up your holiday table. Turkey is typically the American centerpiece of holiday meals, but we have variations that are just as delicious and have some international flair. Spicy Sriracha […]
November 16, 2024
Published by FoodTrients
Don’t you love Thanksgiving? It’s when the holiday season starts in earnest, yet there are no gifts to buy, no tree to trim, just a great meal with treasured friends and family. The Thanksgiving menu is by nature a healthy one—high in protein, low-calorie turkey, lots of FoodTrient-rich vegetables. Swap out butter-laden mashed potatoes for delicious whole grains, and you’ve made Thanksgiving dinner even better when it comes to reducing calories. Let’s Talk Turkey 101 Most experts agree that a hen turkey is better than a tom because they have smaller bones and more edible portions. Hens weigh less than […]
November 16, 2024
Published by Grace O
Thanksgiving is a very big deal around my house. I really love the sides at Thanksgiving dinner. That’s where you can get even more creative, so don’t let side dishes weigh you down. Who doesn’t love buttery mashed potatoes, but if you want to change it up a little with a healthier but just-as-tasty alternative, check out my mashed potato substitute! Bok Choy can bring some excitement back into the “green” portion of your meal, and my Tropical Yams kick up the flavor for sweet potatoes. For an added fall touch, I also recommend my Stuffed Sugar Pumpkins and Cranberry […]
November 16, 2024
Published by Grace O
Despite the fact that it was imported from far away Vermont and Canada, maple syrup was one of those things we always had on hand in the Philippines when I was growing up. My mother would give it to us with pancakes and use it as a glaze for her famous fruitcake. Maple syrup is the concentrated sap from sugar maple trees that grow only in New England and Eastern Canada. It’s collected, usually starting in March, when the nights are still near freezing but the days are starting to warm. The sugar in maple syrup is considered unrefined and […]
November 5, 2024
Published by Grace O
Sometimes there’s just not enough time in a day. When I get home late from a long work day and need to create dinner, I have a few easy favorites that will save the day. Here’s my go-to solution for a quick, delicious and healthy meal — don’t go stir crazy — go stir-fry! Usually associated with Asian cuisines, stir-frying involves small pieces of meat or seafood and vegetables stirred rapidly in a large skillet or wok with a bit of oil and high heat. Once you’ve sliced and diced the ingredients, everyone had better be sitting at the table, […]
November 4, 2024
Published by Grace O
Our seasons in Southern California are like nowhere else. After a month of planet Mercury-like heat, we had unseasonably cool weather. Even though temperatures have been going up and down, now that it’s officially fall, we want to think about cooler days ahead. In fact, I’m feeling a bit eager to start cooking some fall fruit and vegetable recipes—even soup! You can find most of the the items profiled below in supermarkets most any time of year, thanks to excellent growers in Mexico and opposing seasons in the Southern hemisphere. However, fall is peak season for locally grown produce, so […]
October 23, 2024
Published by Grace O
There’s good reason for the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” although as a small child, it upset me, because my father was a doctor. Part of me was afraid that if I ate an apple every day, I wouldn’t see my beloved dad. Luckily, I outgrew this fear and came to appreciate apples for the incredibly nutritious fruit that they are. Apples are the second most popular fruit consumed in the U.S. after bananas. They are enjoying a golden age right now, with a number of delicious (as opposed to Delicious—though they’re good too) new varieties […]
October 22, 2024
Published by Grace O
Everyone loves Halloween. That’s probably because it’s the first holiday after the summer and signals a new holiday season with Thanksgiving and Christmas just ahead. I have friends with children who like to trick-or-treat in my neighborhood. It’s fun to have them over after they’ve collected their candy to check out their costumes. Usually the kids are hungry, and rather than letting them dine on candy I like to serve them treats that are delicious, but that they’d never suspect are healthy, too. Their parents sure appreciate that! The recipes below from my cookbook, The Age Beautifully Cookbook, deliver on […]
October 8, 2024
Published by Grace O
I love good-quality beef, particularly grass-fed beef. In fact, when I think of typical American food, I think of steaks, hamburgers, roast beef and more. In the Philippines, where diets consist mostly of fish, pork and chicken, I was lucky enough to grow up in a household where we had access to beef. As a child, hamburgers and steaks were among my favorite foods. As I got older, I began to limit how much and how often I ate beef. Today, I restrict my meat eating to grass-fed, organic beef. Besides being delicious and versatile, beef is a powerhouse of […]
October 8, 2024
Published by Grace O
It’s very tempting to call the topic of this blog “pizza” but, instead, I am referring to these endlessly delicious and versatile dishes as “flatbreads” because it suggests so much more than a round baked pie of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Almost every culture around the world uses some version of flatbread and, even among those that don’t have a traditional version, you can create one with any cuisine in the world. Some of the characteristics that make flatbreads so appealing are that they are usually presented thin, a little crispy (as opposed to fluffy and doughy), and they […]
September 24, 2024
Published by Grace O
Salt has been one of the most vilified substances in the world of food. Too much of it can contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. There is way too much of it in processed foods. It can cause water retention and bloating. These things can be true, but there can be an even greater danger in not getting enough salt. Salt is also an important seasoning tool that puts the finishing touch on most dishes. I need to watch how much salt I put in my food so I try to boost flavors with other spices, but […]
September 24, 2024
Published by Grace O
No one lives by bread alone. Every so often you need something delicious, like cake. I truly believe that eating well doesn’t mean sacrificing the foods you love or special treats. With an eye toward healthful ingredients and the right kind of recipes, you can make luscious desserts like cake work for you. All of my cookbooks contain indulgent recipes that provide important nutrients such as antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. When the weather is nice, I enjoy taking picnics to the beach or outdoor concert venues like the Hollywood Bowl. When it comes to dessert, you want something that will […]