ⓒ iStockPhoto - sbossert

Oil is integral to Hanukkah festivities, but that doesn’t mean you need to have eight nights of fat-soaked latkes. Here are seven tips to make your Hanukkah latkes just a little bit healthier. Enjoying them, and all special holiday treats, in moderation is one of the surest ways to make them healthier. One good latke has less fat and fewer calories than two bad ones.

1. Latkes with Whole Grain Matzo Meal

Whole grain matzo meal has about triple the fiber of regular matzo meal. Every little bit helps. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - bukvalno

Years ago, vegetarians had to skip the main course and settle for a few side dishes during Thanksgiving. In 1995, Tofurky, a product created by Turtle Island Foods, Inc., changed all that. Finally, vegetarians could have a “roast” that tasted like turkey even if it didn’t have the consistency of real meat. However, it took several years for the product to be widely distributed so many vegetarians had to contend with side dishes or make up their own Thanksgiving feast in the meantime.

Luckily when my wife and I became vegetarians in 2000, we could easily duplicate the traditional Thanksgiving menu by cooking the Tofurky roast available at the Whole Foods near us. Since we discovered that we didn’t like the stuffing that came with the Tofurky, we made our own and bought jars of ready-made mushroom gravy to add to theirs. We followed this “tradition” until last year when we decided to try something different. Luckily, we still lived near a Whole Foods store so we ordered their Vegan Hazelnut Cranberry Roast Stuffed with Apples and Crystallized Ginger, Wrapped in a Puff Pastry, along with their Green Bean Casserole and Creamy Home-Style Mashed Potatoes. Although the meal was delicious, we thought it was a bit rich. (continue reading…)

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Many of us have the best of intentions for cooking for our family, but often fall short during the reality of everyday life. We’re all busy, and it’s tempting to visit Trader Joe’s or the local grocery store regularly to buy pre-made or pre-prepared food. This can be expensive as well as fattening. We’d love to be able feed our family healthy homemade food, but how do you increase your chances of actually being able to do this? How do you bring your good intentions into reality? One secret is to make your kitchen ready for you; invest in storage solutions that will make it easier for you to whip up daily meals. If cooking is easier, and the ingredients are on hand, you’re more likely to cook. Here’s some tips on outfitting your kitchen:

Invest in Good Bulk Containers

In order to cook, you need to have food. It sounds obvious, but having accessible food can often be a challenge. Instead of having small bags of beans or rice that get lost in the pantry, invest in some bulk storage containers that will let you store a larger quantity of the basics. You’ll be able to keep this easily visible on a shelf, and in addition to not running out you’ll be able to use these as creative prompts for those “oh-no-what-am-I-going-to-cook-for-dinner” nights. You can also use bulk containers for baking needs. They’re easy to clean, and during the summer you can keep them in your refrigerator or freezer to avoid indian meal moths. (continue reading…)

ⓒ Janet Harriett

Food prep gadgets have a way of taking over the entire kitchen, populating drawers and cupboards with corn de-cobbers, bagel slicers, pancake puffers, patty pressers and other gizmos that may make your eating easier, or just easier to do poorly as they promote large portions and unhealthy food. These six gadgets are must-haves for healthy food preparation.

#6 Melon Baller

Fresh seasonal melon is a healthy way to satisfy a craving for sweets. One cup of cantaloupe provides a full day’s supply of Vitamin A and Vitamin C, along with a healthy dose of potassium, Vitamin B6 and dietary fiber, all for only 56 calories. Red watermelon is a good source of lycopene. With a container of melon balls in the fridge, snacking on these nutritional powerhouses is quick and convenient. A melon baller makes quick work of preparing a whole melon for family snacking while you only have to cut through the tough rind once. If melon chunks or wedges are more your style, try one of the melon slicers available in kitchen gadget stores that create neat melon wedges out of half a cantaloupe or other round melon with a twist of the wrist. The melon baller may only come out during the summer, but it’s bound to get a workout during the summer months. (continue reading…)

ⓒ iStockPhoto - JKendall

If you find yourself with a glut of fruit or tomatoes, try home canning. Although the instructions may seem long, water bath canning is easier than you might think, and you may already have everything you need except the jars. Canning jars with two-piece lids are available in supermarkets, hardware stores, big-box retailers and feed stores. Home canning jars come in packs of 12 and include basic instructions for safe water bath canning.

In boiling water canning, pieces of food are placed in a jar, surrounded by hot liquid, sealed and heat-treated to destroy pathogens. Properly canned food can be safely stored at room temperature for a year or more. The liquid is often a sugar syrup, but unsweetened fruit juice or plain water can also be used, since the sugar in the syrup contributes to the flavor and texture but does not act as a preservative. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - redtwiggy

Home food preservation helps you enjoy that bounty well after the season ends. Last week, I discussed freezing your produce to preserve your garden, farmer’s market or CSA produce. This week, I’ll discuss dehydrating.

Although dehydrating is most commonly associated with a narrow range of fruits like raisins, cherries, apples, apricots and cranberries, you can dehydrate nearly any type of fruit or vegetable. Dehydrated produce has the advantage of being shelf-stable at room temperature, and allows you to store a lot of produce in a small space. A pint jar can hold eight or more dehydrated bell peppers, and dehydrated produce, when stored properly without exposure to moisture, can keep for several years in a pantry. Dried food retains most of the nutrients, though some are lost with longer storage times. (continue reading…)