Pumpkin Soup Recipes perfect in a healthy diet

Warming pumpkin soup recipes, perfect in your healthy diet.

Pumpkin lends itself perfectly to soup making. The colour is appetising, and the subtle flavour blends with well with other vegetables.

For variety, try herbs ? chives or parsley ? or spices, like cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger.

This selection of recipes includes a very simple pumpkin broth, as well as a creamier, richer recipe for pumpkin soup. The thinner soups are perfect healthy soup recipes for weight loss

Use vegetable stock for all these recipes, either home made or from bouillon powder.

Quick and Easy Pumpkin Soup
A homely and simple soup, with a surprisingly full and creamy texture, easily put together from basic ingredients, and truly satisfying.

Serves 6: Peel and de-seed half a pumpkin, and cut into chunks. Put in a pan with enough water to just cover. Simmer until tender, drain thoroughly and puree in a blender or food processor. Dilute the puree to the consistency you like, using water, or part milk, part water, or soya milk. Grate in a little nutmeg and season lightly with salt and pepper. Warm through to serve.

Pumpkin and Turnip Soup
Make the best of another fine winter vegetable, turnip, with this straightforward recipe.

Serves 6: 2 leeks, well-cleaned, trimmed and shredded, 1 large onion, chopped, 2 small turnips, peeled and diced, 1 kg (5 cups) cubed and peeled pumpkin.

Simmer all the vegetables gently in 1.5 litres (6 cups) vegetable stock for 15-20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender. Puree in a blender or food processor.

Pumpkin and Ginger Soup
Fresh ginger is a great addition to many vegetable soups. In this recipe, it gives the pumpkin flavour a real lift.

Serves 4: 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion, finely chopped, 2 cloves garlic, crushed, 2.5cm (1 inch) piece root ginger, peeled and grated, 650g (4 cups) peeled and chopped pumpkin flesh, 850ml (3 cups) vegetable stock

Sweat the onions gently in the olive oil for 5 mins, add the onion, garlic, ginger and pumpkin and cook for 5 mins more. Add the water or stock and simmer for 15-20 mins, until the pumpkin is tender. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor and thin with a little extra stock, water or milk if necessary.

Velvety Pumpkin Soup

This healthy recipe uses soy milk and yogurt rather than cream to give the soup a smooth, rich texture.

Serves 6: 500g (3 cups) pumpkin cubes, 350ml (1 ? cups) vegetable stock, 1 sliced onion, 2 diced carrots, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 750ml (3 cups) soya milk, 10mml (1/4 cup) soya yogurt.

Place the vegetables and stock in a large saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 mins until the vegetables are tender. Blend or process until smooth. Return to pan, add the cinnamon and soya milk, stir gently and simmer for 10 mins. To serve, add a spoonful of soya yogurt to each portion.

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Best Foods List to Plan an Antioxidant Rich Diet Menu with Recipes

Antioxidants are nutrients which slow the damage caused when the cells in our body metabolize oxygen. During this metabolism, molecular bonds can weaken and split, resulting in free radicals, roaming by-products which quickly try to attach themselves to the nearest stable molecule, potentially causing damage.

Free radicals are normal to an extent, sometimes triggered by the body’s own immune system, but the presence of too many free radicals or too few antioxidants, as well as environmental exposures like smoke, herbicides, radiation, and pollution, can all play a role in tipping the balance, resulting in oxidative damage to the cells.

Oxidative damage contributes to a host of diseases. Antioxidants can prevent and repair the damage of free radicals, and may also help build the body’s immune system, as well as reducing the risks of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, cardiovascular conditions, macular degeneration, and cancer.

Many vegetables and fruits contain antioxidants, along with nuts, whole grains, and fish. Even red meat and chicken, both rich in Selenium, contain antioxidants, as do spices such as cloves, cinnamon and oregano.

However, finding the top ten or top twenty antioxidant rich foods is not merely a matter of assessing the total antioxidant capacity of any one particular food. Factors such as digestion and absorption, as well as food preparation can affect the potential benefit of antioxidants.

Following a proven diet such as the Mediterranean diet can be an easy, simple way to work antioxidants into an every day lifestyle. Since the 1940s, studies have consistently shown the health benefits of adapting the traditional diets of the Mediterranean culture.

An antioxidant rich Mediterranean menu might consist of a breakfast of berries and yogurt, with whole grain bread, drizzled with honey. Whole wheat pita bread provides a quick and easy base for both lunch and dinner when paired with Roasted Vegetables or Meatballs with Spanish Sauce. Serve a fruit rich in antioxidants like mangoes, cantaloupe and watermelon, for desert.

Roasted Vegetables
¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. minced garlic
1 t. basil
1 c. olives
1 c. chopped tomatoes
1 c. chopped yellow bell pepper
1 c. chopped green bell pepper
1 c. chopped red onion
¼ c. chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1 c. crumbled feta cheese (4 oz.)

Mix and spread onto baking sheets.
Bake 450°F for 30 minutes.
Crumble feta on top.

Meatballs with Spanish Sauce
Meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef
½ c. bread crumbs
½ c. minced onion
1 egg
½ c. yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients; shape into balls
Place on baking sheet
Bake 375°F for 15 minutes

Sauce:
¼ c. olive oil
1 diced onion
1 diced green pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
1 t. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 piece whole wheat bread, cubed
1 lb. canned tomatoes

Mix and simmer for 30 minutes, using cubed bread to thicken sauce to taste.
Add cooked meatballs; simmer 20 minutes.

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Brussel Sprout recipes, Healthy Eating Recipes

You can use these brussel sprout recipes right through the winter for healthy eating recipes.

Brussels sprouts are an essential part of the Thanksgiving and Christmas meals and are also a great little vegetable to use at any time.

They have a distinctive flavor, and are at their sweetest and best after the first frosts.

Choose small brussels sprouts, about the size of a walnut. They should be firm and the leaves bright green and tightly packed.

Avoid large ones, or any that are yellowing, or where the leaves are slightly open. Good, firm brussel sprouts will keep for 3-4 days loosely wrapped in the fridge.

How to prepare brussel sprouts
Trim off the end of the stalk and peel away any loose outer leaves. Prepare 8-10 sprouts per person. You can cut a cross in the end of the stalk if that's the way you've always done it, but I don't believe it makes any difference to the way they cook, and could even encourage them to lose shape.

Halve any sprouts that are on the large side. As you prepare each sprout, drop it into a bowl of salted water to bring out any beasties lurking inside. When all are prepared, drain and rinse well under cold water.

Brussel sprout recipes

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Healthy Mediterranean Diet Recipes

Provides Mediterranean diet recipes to help healthy weight loss and minimise the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, allergies, dementia and cancer. Delivered monthly and a full free report is provided to visitors.

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Healthy Halloween Recipes - Healthy Halloween Treats

Healthy Halloween recipes: yummy, scary healthy Halloween treats!

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Over the years I?ve discovered that there?s no need to make elaborately decorated dishes for Halloween.

Simply create a suitably spooky atmosphere, turn off the lights, get a candle spluttering, and serve up some ghoulish monstrosities, for a fun Halloween celebration.

Kids also enjoy it if you ask them to suggest foul names for their favourite foods - the yukkier the better! It's all part of the Halloween fun.

Here are some of our favourite healthy Halloween recipes for savoury snacks and dishes.

Healthy Halloween recipes: desserts

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Saturday Throwback: 100+ Thanksgiving Recipes and Links - the Only Turkey Day Post You'll Ever Need

 Every Saturday, we post an article from the CHG archives. This originally appeared in November 2008, and was updated in 2009.
Thanksgiving is upon us, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve read approximately 40,000,000 blog posts and magazine articles dealing with next Thursday's dinner. And that’s just this morning.

Yeah, Turkey Day can overwhelming, and with so many experts on the subject, sometimes it’s difficult to find information on any single aspect the holiday. And that’s where CHG comes in. What follows are more than 100 links, organized by the following subjects:
Appetizers Turkey Sides Stuffing Pies & Desserts Drinks General Menu Planning Affordable Thanksgivings Healthy Thanksgivings Vegetarian Thanksgivings Seating & Tablesetting Troubleshooting Leftovers CHG RecipesWith the exception of the CHG section, each link contains several recipes and/or tips about preparing for the day. Sources include All Recipes, Being Frugal, Bon Appetit, Chow, Cooking Light, Culinate, Epicurious, Fine Cooking, Food and Wine, Food Network, Frugal Upstate, The Kitchn, Martha Stewart/Everyday Food, Money Saving Mom, O Magazine, Real Simple, Saveur, Serious Eats, and Squawkfox.

(It should be noted that Cooks Illustrated has a gloriously extensive Thanksgiving guide, as well, but it’s a subscription site, so you can’t get to it without being a member. HOWEVER, they’re offering a 14-day free trial membership for prospective customers. Check out the sign-up sheet here.)

Readers, if you have any ideas, I’d love to see them in the comments section. In the meantime, hope this helps and happy Thanksgiving!

APPETIZERS

Food Network: Thanksgiving Appetizers
Tips, tricks, techniques, and 100 appetizer recipes.

The Kitchn: Holiday Appetizers from The Kitchn
“Are you thinking about your Thanksgiving meal yet? We are! We'll be pulling together some of our favorite Thanksgiving and holiday recipes from the archives this week, and we're starting with appetizers.”

TURKEY

All Recipes: How to Cook a Turkey

Bon Appetit: Best Turkeys Slideshow
“Salted, brined, stuffed, or simply roasted, any of these eighteen turkeys will make a perfect centerpiece for your Thanksgiving meal.”

Bon Appetit: Turkey Buying Guide
Including posts called At the Market, Home from the Market, Turkey Prep, In the Oven, and Out of the Oven.

Chow: How to Carve a Turkey with Mark Dommen (video)
“Hacking is for hacks.”

Cooking Light: All About Turkey

Cooking Light: Turkey School

Culinate: How to Brine and Roast a Turkey
“Whether your turkey this Thanksgiving season is small (8 pounds) or enormous (20 pounds), there are plenty of ways to take it from raw to succulent.”

Epicurious: Turkey 101
“Confused about natural versus organic? Wondering whether to try brining? Our complete guide demystifies the process to help you roast the perfect bird”

Fine Cooking: How to Cook a Turkey
“The essential Thanksgiving guide.”

Food Network: Turkey
Tips, tricks, techniques, and 100 turkey recipes.

Gourmet: Expert Advice - Let’s Talk Turkey
“Of all the dishes that make up the Thanksgiving feast, the big bird demands the most attention. But how best to achieve turkey perfection—golden-brown skin with moist, tender white and dark meat? We roasted our way through more than 40 turkeys and found a method that’s so free of fuss and gets results so delicious, we can’t quite believe it ourselves.”

Real Simple: How to Carve a Turkey

Real Simple: What You Need to Know Before Roasting a Turkey

Serious Eats: How to Read Turkey Labels

Serious Eats: Turkey Recipes

Serious Eats: Turkey Talk
Discussions with Ruth Reichl of Gourmet, Barbara Fairchild of Bon Appetit, and Christopher Kimball of Cooks Illustrated.

SIDES

All Recipes: Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Bon Appetit: Thanksgiving Potatoes Slideshow
“One of these easy, homey potato recipes is sure to earn a permanent spot on your holiday table.”

Bon Appetit: Thanksgiving Sides Slideshow
25 Thanksgiving sides.

Cooking Light: Lighten Up - Holiday Classics

Fine Cooking: Vegetable Sides

Food and Wine: Thanksgiving Vegetables
“15 Thanksgiving side dishes, like roasted vegetables with pine-nut pesto.”

Food Network: Thanksgiving Side Dishes
“Make your Thanksgiving feast memorable with spectacular side dishes. The hardest part about these recipes will be figuring out which ones to make.”

Martha Stewart: Thanksgiving Sides
“For many, the real star of a Thanksgiving dinner is the assemblage of side dishes, not the turkey. To help you put together a showstopping selection for your table, we’ve rounded up our favorites.”

Serious Eats: Side Dish Recipes

STUFFING

All Recipes: Get Stuffed
“Options for preparing flavorful and interesting stuffings are virtually endless. From the recipes below, try anything from a traditional style to a southern cornbread dressing. Add richly flavored meats, or get creative this holiday by incorporating fruits or herbs. Whatever your desire, you'll find a recipe to satisfy any dressing or stuffing craving.”

Bon Appetit: Thanksgiving Stuffing Slideshow
15 stuffing recipes.

Fine Cooking: Stuffing and Dressing

Food Network: Thanksgiving Stuffing & Dressing
Tips, tricks, techniques, and 51 stuffing recipes.

The Kitchn: Recipe Roundup - Thanksgiving Stuffing
“According to a survey we took last year, stuffing is by far your favorite Thanksgiving side dish. But when it comes to what type of stuffing, there's a lot of variation out there: cornbread, herb, oyster, sausage, apple, chestnut... We put together a list of 14 recipes to get you started.”

Serious Eats: Store-Bought Stuffing Mix Showdown
‘After the jump, the results of the Serious Eats taste test of eight packaged stuffing mixes, along with some suggestions on jazzing up your store-bought stuffing.”

Serious Eats: Stuffing and Dressing Recipes

PIE & DESSERTS

All Recipes: Pies & Desserts
Millions of Turkey Day suggestions.

Bon Appetit: Top 20 Thanksgiving Desserts
“Pies, crisps, tarts, and cheesecake: luscious ways to finish the feast.”

Culinate: Pumpkin pies - Three recipes for Thanksgiving

Fine Cooking: Pies and Tarts

Food Network: Thanksgiving Desserts
100 Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes.

Gourmet: Twelve Thanksgiving Pies
‘No matter how much turkey you’ve eaten, there’s always room for at least a sliver of pie—and these delicious options may have you going back for seconds.”

The Kitchn: Best Pie Bakeoff
“Have you ever made a pie? We were intimidated by pies for a long time, but now they're one of our favorite desserts. We hope to make some converts, discover new recipes, and find the truly best versions of classic pies.

Martha Stewart: Holiday Pies
“We’ve rounded up our favorite pies – both the tried-and-true holiday staples as well as some modern variations that, for us, have become classics in their own right.”

Real Simple: Four Foolproof Thanksgiving Pie Recipes

Serious Eats: Dessert Recipes

DRINKS

Bon Appetit: Red, White, and Relax
We have some practical advice about what to drink with Thanksgiving dinner: Serve a few crowd-pleasing American wines.

The Kitchn: Thanksgiving Wine

O Magazine: Cocktails, Anyone?
Steamy Passion. Pink Halo. Dark and Stormy. No, we're not talking romance novels, but the glorious technicolor cocktail. In a flute or on the rocks. With a twist or with a shout. Bottoms up, darling.

Serious Eats: Thanksgiving Wine, a Guide for Hosts and Guests
“Every year, I'm struck all over again by how completely stressed out people get about what wine they should pour to go with the turkey. It is worth mentioning at the outset that traditional Thanksgiving fare goes with pretty much everything—sparkling wines, rosés, whites, and even reds.”

GENERAL MENU PLANNING

All Recipes: Thanksgiving Menus
Includes Make-Ahead, Stress-Free, Traditional, Small-Scale, and Last-Minute Menus.

Bon Appetit: Top 20 Thanksgiving Menus
“Traditional, modern, big, small, or somewhere in between, there's a menu here for Turkey Day your way.” Including menus for: Country Style, Heritage Feast, Vegetarian Feast, A Little Bit Fancy, A Small Gathering, Healthy Thanksgiving, Southern Comforts, Great for a Crowd, A Make-it Buy-it, Green Party, The Weekenders, Small and Sophisticated, Italian-Infused, Big Thanksgiving, New American Feast, Quick Dinner, (Meat)less is More, The Smaller Thanksgiving, Pilgrims Progress, Crowd-Pleasing Turkey Day.

Cooking Light: Ultimate Holiday Cookbook

Culinate: Classic Thanksgiving - All the turkey-day basics
“Here’s our roundup of the classic Thanksgiving basics, by dish. Pick a few to try and assemble your own turkey-day menu.”

Epicurious: A First-Timer’s Feast
“An indispensable Thanksgiving guide for the novice, with recipes and tips even an expert will love.”

Epicurious: The Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide
“Make Turkey Day easy and stress-free with our delicious recipes and menus, entertaining tips from the pros, tools, and how-to videos.” Master page includes menus for: An Inexpensive Feast, Thanksgiving in an Hour, A Global Menu, plus options for large group, small group, formal, casual, traditional, modern, regional, global flavors, quick and easy, healthy, and vegetarian diners.

Food and Wine: Three Amazing Thanksgiving Menus
“Tina Ujlaki, F&W’s executive food editor, put together these three incredible web-exclusive menus. She created a classic menu (pumpkin soup, bread stuffing with sausage and a deep-dish apple pie), an elegant menu (sparkling punch, a gorgonzola terrine and a chocolate macadamia tart) and an easy ethnic menu with flavors from around the world. All of them center around a turkey, and include drinks, appetizers, soup, sides and desserts.”

Food and Wine: Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide
“With F&W’s amazing recipes, practical tips, festive menus and wine recommendations, this ultimate Thanksgiving guide is the perfect resource to help you welcome family and friends to the table this year.”

Food Network: Thanksgiving Menus
Classic Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving with a Twist, and Thanksgiving Made Easy.

Gourmet: Five All-American Thanksgiving Menus
Inspired by this country’s diverse culinary traditions, these classic Thanksgiving meals represent regions from New England to the West Coast, the North to the Deep South.

Martha Stewart: Thanksgiving Menus
Master page includes menus for: Easy Thanksgiving Dinner, Thanksgiving with Italian Flavors, An Effortless Thanksgiving, A Holiday Buffet for Everyone, Thanksgiving: An All-Day Affair, A Classic Thanksgiving Menu, No-Fuss Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Made Easy, Thanksgiving 1-2-3, A Hill Country Thanksgiving, A Southern-Style Feast, A Down Home Thanksgiving.

Martha Stewart: Martha’s Ultimate Thanksgiving

O Magazine: O's All-Time Favorite Thanksgiving Menus
“Looking to do something a little different this Thanksgiving? Let us help! O turns to an all-star cast of chefs for their most delectable holiday menus.” Page includes: Thanksgiving Miracle, Colin Cowie’s Incredible Thanksgiving Feast, Gobble Gobble: A Light Thanksgiving Menu, Dinner for 20 With the Greatest of Ease, Duck! Here Comes Thanksgiving, The Party Season Starts Here, Holiday Recipe Kit.

Real Simple: 50+ Thanksgiving Recipes

Real Simple: The Best Thanksgiving Shortcuts
“Make these six tasty convenience products part of your holiday arsenal.”

Real Simple: Your Stress-Free Thanksgiving Menu
“These recipes cover all the bases, from turkey to pie (here's hoping you have room for it).”

Saveur: The Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide

Serious Eats: Thanksgiving Menus
Classic, Easy, and Healthy Thanksgiving Menus.

AFFORDABLE THANKSGIVINGS

Being Frugal: A Memorable, Yet Frugal, Thanksgiving
“I love hosting Thanksgiving dinner, but if I don’t watch it, the expenses quickly add up. Here are some tips for a frugal, relaxed, and memorable Thanksgiving.”

Epicurious: A Potluck Planner
“Giving or going to a Thanksgiving dinner? You'll give thanks for these tips from this pro.”

Money Saving Mom: Thanksgiving on a Budget
Erin from 5DollarDinners and I will be teaming up to share some of our favorite frugal Thanksgiving recipes. Whether you're an experienced cook or a novice in the kitchen, we hope that our recipes, tips, and photo tutorials will inspire you to pull off your own "Thanksgiving on a Budget.”

HEALTHY THANKSGIVINGS

All Recipes: Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes
“Thanksgiving dinner is all about feasting and family, but it doesn't have to weigh you down.”

Bon Appetit: A Healthy Thanksgiving Menu for 6

Epicurious: Thanksgiving Menus
Includes A Healthy Thanksgiving Menu, Light Thanksgiving for Four, Light Maryland Thanksgiving, and A Turkey-less Thanksgiving.

Serious Eats: Healthy Thanksgiving Menu

Squawkfox: Recipes - Healthy Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Ideas

VEGETARIAN THANKSGIVINGS

Bon Appetit: Vegetarian Thanksgiving for 8
“This delicious meat-less meal includes a cornucopia of side dishes and a spicy fruit crisp dessert.”

Cooking Light: Vegetarian Thanksgiving

Gourmet: A Vegetarian Thanksgiving
“With these rich and hearty meatless menus, you won’t even miss the big bird.”

Epicurious: Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menus
Includes Autumn's Savory Vegetarian Supper For Eight, Harvest's Home, The Vegetarian's Dilemma, Vegetarian Thanksgiving Feast, Rustic French Vegetarian Thanksgiving, Vegetarian Mexican Buffet, Thanks For the Memory, Vegetarian Mediterranean Thanksgiving Menu, A Peaceable Feast, and Green Party. (Some may be repeated in the Gourmet & Bon Appetit posts.)

SEATING & TABLESETTING

Epicurious: A Feast for the Eyes
“Easy do-it-yourself centerpieces, place cards, and napkin holders to complete your Thanksgiving table.”

Food and Wine: Set a Beautiful Holiday Table
Eight ideas for Turkey Day place settings.

Martha Stewart: Thanksgiving Table Settings

Real Simple: 60-Second Centerpieces

Real Simple: Dinner Party Seating Strategies

TROUBLESHOOTING

All Recipes: Thanksgiving Disaster-Savers
“It's 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving and you've got a house full of guests. What's the worst thing that could happen?”

All Recipes: Pie Troubleshooting Guide
“Unworkable dough? Soggy crust? Learn how to prevent common pie problems.”

Food Network: Thanksgiving SOS
A series of troubleshooting videos.

Real Simple: How to Fix 10 Common Thanksgiving Problems

Real Simple: 10 Tricks to a Trouble-Free Thanksgiving

LEFTOVERS

All Recipes: Turkey Leftovers

Bon Appetit: Thanksgiving Leftovers Slideshow
“Leftover turkey goes upscale—and global—in these recipes for the day after the Thanksgiving feast. Plus, recipes for leftover cranberry sauce and potatoes.”

Cooking Light: Tomorrow’s Turkey

Fine Cooking: Leftovers

Real Simple: 10 Ideas for Leftover Turkey

CHEAP HEALTHY GOOD RECIPES

Baked Apples
Broccoli With Parmesan and Lemon
Cranberry Relish With Grapefruit and Mint
Garlicky Broccoli Rabe
Honey-Glazed Roasted Carrots
Maple Walnut Apple Crisp
Mashed Potatoes With Leeks and Sour Cream
Mostly Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Peach-Blueberry Cobbler
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Root Vegetables
Spiced Slow Cooker Applesauce
Stewed Pears
Wild Berry Betty

Readers – ideas? I’d love to hear.

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Healthy Eating Made Easy - Easy Healthy Dinner Recipes, Eat Healthy Lose Weight

Have you ever found healthy eating a challenge - as you rack your brains for another easy healthy dinner recipe?

Or maybe you're desperate to know how you can eat healthy and lose weight?

If you?re a busy mum like me, you?ll find masses of easy healthy eating guidelines and information on this site to help you fit more healthy food into your family's diet, every single day.

I'm not a nutritionist, and my take on easy healthy eating is very simple and based on common sense.

It?s all realistic, and manageable, with no following faddy diets, counting calories or endless agonising over vitamins and minerals. As a work at home mum I just don?t have time for any of that ? and neither do you.

We aren?t perfect - and maybe your family's the same. We do eat takeaway food, crisps and chocolate, but not every day, and all of it in moderation. Day-to-day it's about keeping the balance, and that?s what matters.

On this site you?ll find over 140 easy healthy recipes for quick dishes that taste delicious and use fresh foods. You can start cooking them today!

There are useful lists to help you make the healthy food choice every time, plus a rundown of seasonal fruit and vegetables so you can choose the best of the season throughout the year.

Wise up on the advantages of organic foods, learn about understanding a food label.

Find out the meat facts and discover the chocolate facts - yes, you can include chocolate in a healthy diet!

Get the lowdown on the fast food facts and discover the down-and-dirty truth from our food additive list.

You'll find tips on healthy meal planning, all the way from healthy breakfasts through to a healthy dinner, pack healthy lunch boxes for kids to take to school, and gradually switch the whole family over to the healthy eating habit - without complaints!

So, if you?re

Do your own - and your children's - health and tastebuds a favour that will last a lifetime. Start here, and make the switch to easier, healthier eating for yourself, and your family. It's simple.

Are you a work at home mum? So am I! Here's how I followed my healthy eating passion and built this website.

Good Food Matters?2005-2010 healthy-eating-made-easy. All Rights Reserved

Healthy Breakfasts
Ideas for great healthy breakfasts to get your day off to a flying start. Healthy Lunch Recipes
Healthy Lunch Recipes to get your mouth watering with soups, sandwiches and healthy lunch ideas. Site Map
All the content of Healthy Eating Made Easy, at a glance. Healthy Eating Blog
My Healthy Eating Blog keeps you up to date with health and nutrition news, plus new info and recipes on my site, healthy-eating-made-easy.com.

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Lemon Chicken Recipes - Healthy Low Fat Chicken Recipes as part of a Healthy Die

Citrus adds sparkle to these easy lemon chicken recipes.

Lemon is a great partner to chicken, giving it a buzz of fragrance and flavour that lifts it out of the ordinary. Use a lemon marinade, or just some of the juice squeezed over, to improve the most basic of chicken dishes, like roasts and grills, or make lemon the central ingredient of a tangy sauce.

Add herbs as well, like fresh tarragon or fresh or dried thyme, to make any of these healthy chicken recipes more aromatic.

Citrus Grilled Chicken
Grilled chicken makes a swift and easy mid-week supper, and is one of the simplest of lemon chicken recipes. Marinading the meat in lemon juice tenderises the chicken, and gives it masses of extra flavour. You can leave the chicken in the marinade overnight if you get organised enough, but if not even 10-15 mins steeping in the lemony mixture will be enough to add that unmistakeable citrus aroma.

Serves 4: 8 chicken pieces, 2 lemons, 2 cloves garlic, crushed, 4 tbsp olive oil.

Put the chicken in a dish. Squeeze the lemons, mix juice with the garlic and oil to make a marinade. Toss chicken in the marinade, cover and refrigerate until needed. Preheat the grill to medium. Put the chicken into the grill pan and spoon over some marinade. Grill the chicken, placing it about 10-15cm (4-6 inches) beneath the heat, and turning once until the skin is crisp and juices run clear when the meat is tested with a knife point.

As a variation, you can use chicken breasts, skinned and cut into cubes before marinading. To cook, thread the cubes on skewers, alternating with cherry tomatoes, baby onions and bay leaves, and grill until the chicken is cooked right through, basting with marinade.

Tangy Lemon Chicken With Mushrooms

Citrus adds freshness to this easy chicken recipe which produces a light, zesty sauce. Perfect with noodles, or serve with grains such as bulgar wheat or cous-cous.

Serves 6: 6 chicken thighs, a little olive oil, 200g (1 cup) baby onions or 2 medium onions quartered,1 level tbsp plain flour200g (2 cups) mushrooms, sliced, 175ml (3/4 cup) chicken or vegetable stock, juice of 1 lemon.

Using a little oil in a non-stick frying pan, brown the chicken thighs. Remove from pan, add a little more oil and brown the onions. Return chicken to pan, sprinkle over the flour and stir around to coat.Add sliced mushrooms. Pour on the lemon juice and hot stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer. Cover and cook gently for 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Roast Chicken With Lemony Gravy

Cheer up an everyday roast chicken with a zesty citrus gravy. I like this served with grains like quinoa, rice or cous cous, so that the sauce soaks in, but you can partner it with potatoes if you prefer.

Serves 4-6: 1 chicken weighing 1.75 ? 2.25 kg (4-5 lb), 2 lemons, 2 tbsp olive oil, 50g (1/4 cup) butter, 1 tbsp flour, 150ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock

Preheat oven to 350F/180C/gas 4. Cut one of the lemons into four pieces and place inside the chicken carcass. Squeeze the other lemon. Mix half the juice with the olive oil and rub into the chicken skin.

Place in a roasting tin, and cook for 75-90 minutes, basting from time to time, until the skin is browned and the juices run clear when tested with a knife point.

To make the gravy, melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook for a couple of minutes, then gradually stir in the chicken stock and remaining lemon juice, stirring well to incorporate the liquid into the flour mixture to make a smooth sauce. Bring to the boil, stirring, and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Carve the chicken and serve with the lemony gravy.

Tabbouleh with chicken: Add cubes of cold cooked chicken to a salad of cooked bulgar wheat, spring onions (scallions) and diced cucumber, dressed with an oil and lemon juice mix.

Chicken and potato lemon-dressed salad: Add lemon juice to home made pesto and use to dress a salad of cooked new potatoes and cubed chicken. Serve on a bed of leaves.

Lemon chicken risotto: Add lemon juice to stock and use to cook risotto rice, which absorbs all the flavours. Add finely diced mushrooms while the rice is cooking, and diced cooked chicken. Stir, and keep cooking over a low heat until all is thoroughly heated through.

For more exciting ways to cook chicken, see Healthy Chicken Recipes.

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Plan an Anti Inflammatory Diet Food List to Eat & Recipes to Prevent Inflammation

Inflammation has long been indicated as a culprit in several diseases and disorders. Inflammation is an important biological response resulting from an injury, allergen, or pathogenic intrusion. The redness and swelling found at the site of injury results from the immune system’s attempt to ward off infection and accelerate healing.

Inflammation becomes problematic when the body’s inflammatory response is unnecessarily triggered, or when the response is too extreme. Disorders that are strongly linked with abnormal inflammation include asthma, arthritis, heart disease, cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases, and skin disorders, such as acne and dermatitis.

While abnormal inflammation is frequently the result of genetics, research is showing that certain lifestyle choices can immensely improve inflammation and its related conditions. Diet is the main focus of such research.

Certain foods prevent inflammation, whereas others appear to exacerbate it. Since recognizing the link between diet and inflammation, scientists and dieticians continued to extensively research how to avoid inflammation by specifically selecting anti-inflammatory foods to eat.

After several studies, they found that several anti-inflammatory foods are also staples in the traditional Mediterranean diet. This is no surprise being that the Mediterranean diet is renowned for being one of the best diets for preventing diseases, particularly heart disease, and promoting longevity.

It is more than likely that anti-inflammatory foods are at least partially responsible for the Mediterranean diet’s reputation for promoting optimum health.

Mediterranean foods that are also on the anti-inflammatory diet food list include fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fat sources, such as olives and olive oil. The omega-3 component in fish is behind its anti-inflammatory benefits.

According to research done at the University of California San Diego, omega-3 fatty acids act on a receptor found in inflammatory macrophage cells, blocking the inflammatory pathways. In fact, the researchers noted that fish oil was the most potent out of all the anti-inflammatory substances that were tested.

Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are loaded with phytochemicals and antioxidants that are scientifically shown to reduce inflammation. The ample amount of pure olive oil is a characteristic that distinguishes the Mediterranean diet from other healthy diets.

Olive oil is recognized as one of the most heart-healthy foods. It contains a natural chemical called oleocanthal, which inhibits certain enzymes responsible for inflammation.

Those wishing to promote health and longevity should incorporate Mediterranean foods into their diets to avoid inflammation. Below is an example of an anti-inflammatory diet plan.

Breakfast:
• Oatmeal made from whole oats
• Fresh fruit
Lunch:
• Spinach salad topped with assorted veggies, nuts, and Italian dressing made with extra-virgin olive oil
• Sweet potato
Dinner:
• Salmon
• Steamed vegetables
• Whole grain bread topped with olive oil instead of butter
• Glass of red wine

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Healthy Recipes for Kids, Healthy Meals for Kids

Encouraging children to cook with these healthy recipes for kids is a brilliant way to give them a healthy diet and a love of food and cooking.

It's great for kids to discover the pleasure of consuming a delicious dish that they've made themselves.

Younger children will need some help with cutting, blending and using the stove, but older ones will soon get the hang of basic cooking techniques ? and these are skills that they'll use for life. Cakes are good to start with, but soups, pizzas, curries and other main courses are all very achievable, and oh, so satisfying. Give these healthy recipes a try, soon.

Do you have a healthy recipe for kids to share, or a tip to get children eating healthily?

Healthy recipes for kids: soup

This soup has a beautiful orange colour, and a fresh and very fruity flavour.

650g (3 cups) carrots, peeled and sliced, 2 cloves garlic, crushed, grated zest of 1 orange, juice of 1 lemon, 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) orange juice

Bring 300ml (1 1/4 cups) water to the boil in a large pan and add the carrots, garlic, orange zest and juice. Simmer for 20 mins, or until the carrots are soft.Add the lemon juice. Allow to cool a little, then blend until smooth.Return to the pan and reheat, thinning with another 300ml (1 1/4 cups) water or milk, until just below boiling.

Healthy recipes for kids: pizza snack

These are a very user-friendly size, and fun to make. It's amazing how much topping you can pile on to one little pizza...

1 wholemeal muffin per person, tomato passata

Toppings
sliced mozzarella, or grated cheese
black olives, stoned and sliced into rings
red or yellow peppers, sliced into fine rings
chopped ham
canned tuna, drained and flaked
canned sweetcorn, drained
baby mushrooms, sliced
fresh pineapple, cut into thin chunks

Toast the whole muffins on both sides under the grill, the cut them in half. Spread tomato passata over the cut sides. Arrange your toppings on the tomato sauce, ending with cheese, then grill again until the cheese is melted.

Healthy recipes for kids: lunch box idea

You can use the vegetables cold to make a pitta filling for lunch boxes.

Selection of mixed vegetables, cut into thick slices or chunks. You can use aubergine, peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms or courgettes. Olive oil, sprigs of fresh herbs, such as thyme or rosemary, wholemeal pittas

Follow the directions for Roasted Vegetables.

Allow to cool a little, before tucking the veg into pitta breads. You can add a spoonful of hummus to each pitta for a more substantial filling.

Healthy recipes for kids: simple curry

My daughter likes to make this ? she says it's dead easy, and tastes nice 'n' spicy!

2 tbsp sunflower oil, 2-4 tsp curry paste, 1 onion, peeled and chopped, 225g (2 cups) button mushrooms, halved, 175g (1 1/2 cups)frozen peas, defrosted,125g (1/3 cup) natural yogurt,small bunch fresh coriander, washed and chopped

Serves 4: Heat the oil in a pan, and stir in the curry paste. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, then add the peas.Stir in the yogurt and simmer gently until the vegetables are cooked through. If too thick, add a little water. Stir through the chopped coriander. Serve with rice.

Healthy recipes for kids: Chinese-style treat

225g (1 2/3 cups) medium egg noodles, 2 tbsp sunflower oil, 1 bunch spring onions (scallions), shredded,1 carrot, peeled and grated, 100g (1/2 cup) broccoli, broken into tiny florets, 225g (1 1/3 cup) cooked, peeled prawns, 1 garlic clove, crushed, 2.5cm piece root ginger, peeled and grated, 4 eggs, beaten, 2 tbsp soy sauce

Serves 4

Boil the noodles for 4-5 minutes until tender, drain. Heat half oil in a wok, and stir fry the spring onions, carrot, broccoli, prawns, garlic and ginger for 5 minutes. Heat the remaining oil in a separate pan, and scramble the eggs lightly, then stir through the noodles. Add the soy sauce, and serve.

Healthy recipes for kids: quick and easy dessert

A simple and very healthy do-it-yourself dessert. Fruit tastes even better, somehow, which it's consumed in bite-size chunks

Mixed fruit, peeled if necessary and cut into cubes. Try fresh pineapple, melon, banana, whole strawberries, apple, kiwi

Make these just before you want to eat them, otherwise some of the fruits will turn brown. Thread chunks of fruit on to wooden skewers. That's all there is to it. You can thread them at random, or in a sequence. A fresh, stoned cherry on the end looks pretty.

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Baked Chicken Recipes - Healthy Recipes for Baked Chicken Casserole and more

Oven-cooked to crisp and tender perfection, these healthy baked chicken recipes are great for easy dinners.

You can often vary the ingredients according to what's in season, making great use of fresh produce when it's at its best.

Baked chicken recipes are foolproof, very straightforward, and always appetising and satisfying.

Spicy baked chicken casserole with peppers, chick peas and rice

This is a brilliant dish to make for friends because you can leave it to cook for an hour, and end up with the complete meal in one dish.

Choose a light accompaniment, like a green salad, because it?s quite filling. I tend to use canned chickpeas, but if you want to use dried you?ll need to get organised the day before, to soak them in cold water overnight then, next day, simmer for 20 minutes until tender.

Serves 4: Preheat the oven to 400F/200C/gas 6.

Place a large casserole to heat in the oven. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan, and brown 8 chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks) all over.

Remove from pan, increase heat and cook 2 sliced yellow peppers and 2 sliced onions until well-browned at the edges.

Add 1 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), washed and chopped, 3 cloves crushed garlic, 1-2 green chillies, halved, seeded and finely chopped, 3 tsp ground coriander seeds, 100g (1/2 cup) chick peas, 175g (1 cup) basmati rice. Stir well.

.Pour in the juice of 1 large lemon, and 275ml (1 ? cups) chicken stock and bring to the boil. Carefully pour this mixture into the pre-heated casserole.

Stir in 100g (3/4 cup) pitted green olives.

Place the chicken pieces on top, cover and bake for 50-60 minutes until the rice is cooked.

Every cook needs to know how to make baked chicken for those days when you just want to make something that you can put in the oven and forget about until it?s time to eat.

Slow-baked Aromatic Chicken

This is a speedier version of an Italian recipe from Orvieto.

The beauty of this dish is that you can stick it in the oven and forget about it for 90 minutes. Don't panic at the amount of garlic, it turns sweet and mild as it bakes, and the meat ends up meltingly tender.

If there's any left over, you can take the meat off the bone and use it in a pasta sauce the next day.

Serves 6: 6 chicken legs, each cut into 2 pieces, 220g (1 cup) cherry tomatoes, halved, 24 cloves of garlic (no need to skin them),100g (1 cup) black olives, stoned, large handful fresh basil, olive oil.

Heat the oven to 350F/180C/gas 4. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and pack tightly, in a single layer, into a roasting tin.

Scatter over the halved tomatoes, black olives, garlic and chopped basil. Pour over a fine line of olive oil.

Bake the dish for around 90 minutes, until the chicken is very tender and falling off the bone.

Serve with new potatoes or pasta. Leave the garlic cloves whole, and let people squish out the juicy innards with their forks as they eat.

Oven-baked Chicken with Vegetables

This is one of those dead simple baked chicken recipes that couldn?t be easier for a satisfying one-dish mid-week meal.

You can use any vegetables that are suitable for baking, such as onions, potatoes, carrots, butternut squash, bell peppers, aubergine (eggplant) or courgette (zucchini).

Some of the more tender veg cook quite quickly, and you might need to add them part-way through the cooking time. If you use potatoes, you won?t need an accompaniment, but if not try serving the dish with rice.

Serves 4: Preheat the oven to 400F/200C/gas 6. Trim any excess fat off 8 chicken thighs and put into a roasting tin with vegetables cut into chunks.

Sprinkle over 1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary (or 2 tsp dried) and brush with oil.

Bake for approx 1 hr until meat is tender.

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Recipes to Plan a Breast Cancer Prevention Diet Menu with Nutrition Guidelines

Several studies have shown that one of the best anti breast cancer diets is the Mediterranean Diet. The Mediterranean Diet is a diet that is based on the traditional diet of areas of the Mediterranean such as Crete, Greece, and parts of Southern Italy. Women in these areas have seen a lower incidence of breast cancer than women in other parts of the world. The Mediterranean Diet has also been linked to lower incidents of heart problems and other cancers.

-Whole Grains- Diets rich in whole grains have been found in many breast cancer diet plans. Whole grains increase fiber in the diet and decrease the risk of breast cancer by lowering estrogen levels. Whole grain foods include brown rice and flaxseed, along with whole grain pasta, bagels and tortillas.

-Nuts- Nuts contain breast cancer prevention nutrients such as calcium and magnesium. They also contain breast cancer prevention vitamins like vitamin E and phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are antioxidants, which are included in breast cancer diet and nutrition guidelines.

-Fruits and Vegetables- Guidelines suggest at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day. The Mediterranean Diet, when used as a base for anti breast cancer foods, suggests attempting to double this amount. Fruits and vegetables containing beta-carotene such as sweet potatoes and carrots along with dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and collard greens are rich in the breast cancer prevention vitamin d and are also loaded in antioxidants and fiber.

-Dairy Products- Low fat dairy products are an important part of an anti breast cancer diet menu. Women following a breast cancer prevention diet should look for dairy products containing at least 1% dairy fat as dairy fat contains a breast cancer fighting acid called conjugated linoleic acid or CLA. Women should avoid dairy products from cows which have been treated with growth hormones. Growth hormones have been linked to higher incidents of breast cancer among women.

-Fish Rich in Omega-3 Oils- Women following a breast cancer prevention diet should eat Omega-3 rich fish at least three times per week. These include fish such as sardines, tuna, salmon, and mackerel. Breast cancer foods to avoid include red meat, which has such a high fat content without the benefit of essential oils and nutrients.

Women wishing to follow breast cancer prevention guidelines in their diet need to remember that they must eat 4-6 times a day.

- Breakfast: 1/2 whole grain bagel spread with olive oil, yogurt mixed with blueberries, almonds.
- Mid-Morning Snack: 1 small apple, 1 teaspoon peanut butter
- Lunch: Whole grain angel hair pasta topped with marinara sauce and grilled zucchini and squash, cantaloupe slices.
- Afternoon Snack: Whole grain crackers, with 2 tablespoons garlic hummus.
- Dinner: Grilled tuna with tomato and mozzarella salad, brown rice, sweet potato.
- Night Snack: Fruit cup of strawberries, raspberries, honeydew melon.

By following the Mediterranean Diet, women cannot only protect themselves against breast cancer, they can also stay healthy and fit.

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