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5 Foods That Fight Stress

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:00:04 -0800

With the holiday season in full swing - presents to buy, meals to prepare, hardly a moment to hit the gym - it's easy to quickly become stressed out. And stress can trigger a load of other health issues, so it's best to keep our stress levels in check. While we're inclined to choose a not-so-healthy snack to put our stress at ease, there's a better solution in the way of food. Just read on to find out which healthy foods Self magazine suggests can help conquer stress and boost your mood.

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Did You Change Your Diet Before Conception?

LilSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0800

When couples plan conception they generally prepare by tracking ovulation and take all the helpful hints they can get.

I recently stumbled on Cooking to Conceive: Fertility-Boosting Foods & Recipes to Help You Get Pregnant ($17) at the bookstore and was intrigued by the concept. It focuses on healthy dishes filled with veggies that add extra calcium, folate, and antioxidants to your diet (no champagne and oysters, but chocolate makes the cut!). It's all logical stuff, but I was impressed by the lineup. Did you change your diet when trying to get pregnant, or did you eat the same until you were eating for two?

Food Network Aims to Entertain With 2010 Lineup

YumSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:30:20 -0800

Looks like Food Network's switching gears to focus less on cooking expertise and more on entertainment. On the roster for 2010: more Brian Boitano, and a new show, Worst Cooks in America.

Worst Cooks in America, which premieres Sunday, Jan. 3, features 12 "hopeless cooks" who are divided into two teams, one under the tutelage of network vet Anne Burrell and the other led by Arizona chef Beau MacMillan.

The show's premise: bad cooks undergo a five-week "culinary boot camp" where they will learn kitchen techniques from Burrell and MacMillan that they must apply in weekly elimination challenges.

After the contestants have been narrowed down to two, they will compete for a grand prize of $25,000 in a final challenge that has them preparing a three-course meal for a panel of food critics who think the dishes have been prepared by chefs Anne and Beau.

For even more entertainment, Brian Boitano fans should also stay tuned for the return of the Olympic medalist, who's back with a second season of the screwball show What Would Brian Boitano Make? in March. Will you tune in to watch either of these shows - or are they too far a departure from the classic cooking shows that once dominated Food Network?

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Monday's Leftovers: Thai Beef With Coconut Rice

YumSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:15:44 -0800

Last night I made an Eastern European-inspired ground sirloin stew with egg noodles, and tonight I'm going to use the leftover beef to make something on the opposite end of the spectrum! I'm craving takeout, but - inspired by my recent successes - I'm going to continue my pattern of preparing Asian foods at home.

Spice up the sirloin with the help of minced garlic, lime, and Asian fish sauce, and wake up your senses with freshly-torn basil and julienned chiles. Complement the fiery protein with a soothing side of milky coconut rice. The result, which is healthier and cheaper than takeout, after the break.

What's Cooking at Slashfood

YumSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:00:44 -0700

We love Slashfood so much that every Thursday we round up their most delicious stories. Here are this week's finds:

A new film documents cheese dip, the unofficial food of Arkansas.
Prepare healthier ramen noodle soup at home, courtesy of The Skinny Chef.
Gulf coast oystermen are up in arms over an FDA-proposed seasonal oyster ban.
Exactly how does a siphon coffee pot work?
The future of Gourmet.com is unclear, so take the time to download the site's web-exclusive recipes.
Which foods do celebrity chefs famously hate?

Source: Flickr User erin.kkr

How Kristen Bell Stays Fit as a Fiddle

FitSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:50:16 -0700

Kristen Bell is no stranger to the spotlight, with her villainous role on Heroes and also starring in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Now she's in another new flick, Couples Retreat, and with her busy career, Kristen has maintained her amazing figure.

In a recent interview with Women's Heath magazine, the blond actress shares how she tries to squeeze some kind of physical activity into her schedule every day, whether it's going for a walk, taking the stairs, or hiking with her pooches. Yoga is also part of her routine to help her stay aware of her body, and strength training helps her stay toned. I love that Kristen admits she'll lift weights for much longer with a trainer than she would by herself.

Does Kristen count calories? To find out read more.

You may be surprised to hear that Kristen does keep track. "I find it almost comforting to count calories, because it makes me conscious of what I'm eating." She is a conscientious eater too. Kristen decided to go vegetarian at age 11 for animal rights, but her mom made sure she was healthy about it. Bell explains, "I try to eat more fresh foods than processed ones, and the grainiest bread possible."

Another great tip? Kristen will exercise during lunchtime, and afterward, snack on her lunch the rest of the day. Instead of devouring it all at once, she'll enjoy a handful here, do a little work, then have another gigantic handful. She says, "It spaces the meal out to a place my body can handle." When it comes to preparing food, Kristen loves to cook. Perusing recipes online and trying them out is one thing she loves to do for others. Making food yourself is one sure way to know what you're putting in your body, so you can make sure it's healthy.

Sunday Dinner: Drunken Noodles

YumSugar — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 06:30:52 -0700

For this week's Sunday night chicken dinner, I can't wait to apply the mainstream meat to a home-cooked Southeast Asian meal.

I love preparing ethnic foods at home, and this spicy noodle stir-fry, with its complex flavors, comes together in mere minutes, thanks to quick-cooking (and inexpensive) ground chicken.

Craving Thai takeout, sans the grease? For the recipe, read more.

Sunday Dinner: Cassoulet-Style Chicken Thighs

YumSugar — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 06:00:43 -0700

Filled with anticipation of the workweek, Sunday night can easily fall short of a relaxing evening. So, to keep my thoughts at bay, I'm going to prepare the ultimate in comfort food: cassoulet, a pork and bean casserole that hails from southern France.

Traditional cassoulet can be heavy and time-intensive, but I've found one that's luscious yet light - and takes less than an hour to prepare. Rather than using duck confit and pork sausage, the recipe employs boneless, skinless chicken thighs and turkey kielbasa. Interested yet? Check it out when you read more

Gourmet Magazine to Fold

YumSugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:43:25 -0700

This morning, Condé Nast announced its oldest food title, Gourmet magazine, is folding. There were telltale signs of trouble: the glossy, which will print its last issue in November, just underwent budget cuts. As early as the onset of 2009, rumors were already flying that Gourmet would not see the end of the year.

The speculation didn't prepare me for the shellshock of Gourmet's demise. After all, the magazine, which has been published since December 1940, is an institution. I would have thought they could cut issues to six a year, or even quarterly, before shutting down such a venerable publication. It's wishful thinking, but a part of me hopes this is just some sort of sick publicity stunt. Are you as stunned as I am?

The Basics: Roasted Butternut Squash

partysugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:00:24 -0700

One of my favorite Fall ingredients is butternut squash. It's incredibly versatile and lends an autumnal, pumpkin-ish flavor to everything from salad to soup to macaroni and cheese. Unlike the seasonal produce of Summer, many cold-weather vegetables can not be enjoyed raw. However, once you know the simple steps to roasting butternut squash you can put it to use in just about anything.

The roasted chunks can be tossed with arugula and white beans. Or, blitz the squash in a food processor and use the puree to make lasagna. Not only are there unlimited ways to cook with roasted squash, there are also plenty of ways to season it. Fresh sage, thyme, or rosemary add an earthiness to the squash, while honey or maple syrup caramelizes the flesh. Doesn't experimenting with different flavorings and preparations sound like fun? To get started, check out my basic recipe for roasted squash.