Photo by Надя Антонова / Nadja Antonova

Healthy eating is important, but sometimes on special occasions you just don’t want to compromise. Luckily, sometimes you don’t have to.

Some of the most classic Super Bowl foods actually aren’t as bad for you as most people think. Just make sure that real, good-quality ingredients are used in all your recipes and enjoy.

5 Classic Super Bowl Foods That Are Surprisingly Healthy

1. Chili

Beans, tomatoes, onions, spices and grass-fed beef are the things healthy meals are made of—just don’t forget to eat some leafy greens at some point during the day.

Really good chili doesn’t require cheese, but if you can’t live without it just make sure you get real cheddar and not the processed fake stuff. Check the ingredients.

2. Chicken wings

Chicken wings are tasty, and depending on what you put on them they can be healthy as well. What’s important is that you avoid breading and sweet sauces. Traditional Buffalo wings are probably not the best option (they’re breaded and fried), but Chef John’s famous Super Bowl pastrami wings would be perfect.

3. Guacamole

I’d be lying if I said you didn’t have to watch your portions with guacamole—it’s easy to eat a lot and it is very high in calories. But fortunately it is very filling and all the calories are of the healthy variety. The monounsaturated fats in avocados are very effective at raising healthy HDL cholesterol, without negatively impacting other blood measures.

4. Salsa

Of course there can be no talking about Guacamole without mentioning his fiery little sister Salsa. On the health front, you can’t beat the combo of tomatoes, onions, chili, cilantro and lime, and it tastes good on pretty much anything. So go nuts, you can enjoy this one guilt free.

5. Bean dip

Black bean dip is a classic at Super Bowl parties. If you start with dried beans and soak them overnight before cooking and pureeing them for the dip, you can even avoid the digestive issues most people associate with legume consumption. If you’re tired of Mexican flavors (the ingredients are similar to those in salsa and guacamole) try using chickpeas in a Mediterranean-style hummus instead.

What are your favorite Super Bowl recipes?

Tags: chili, guacamole, hummus, salsa, Super Bowl

Photo by o5com

It’s been a rough couple of months. I’ve been out of town almost every weekend since the beginning of November, and sadly can’t remember the last time I went to my beloved farmers market.

Though the traveling was fun, I couldn’t be happier to ring in 2012 with a fresh start. I don’t diet or “cleanse” (I’ve yet to hear a scientific explanation of what that actually means), but I’m taking the first two weeks of January to eat extra healthy and recalibrate back to my regular happy self.

I have just three simple rules I’ll be sticking to. Of course my emphasis will be on eating lots of healthy vegetables, fish, legumes, pastured meats, fermented foods, etc. But to really get back on track I’ll also be temporarily eliminating the three most inflammatory (and weight loss unfriendly) foods.

Summer Tomato’s Health Recalibration

1. No sugar.

Everyone knows sugar is bad for you. And although I believe there’s a place for small amounts of it in a healthy diet, I’ll be living without any added sugar for the next two weeks.

If you plan on following along, I’d also recommend avoiding sugar substitutes. Calorie-free sweeteners have never been shown to assist with weight loss, and you aren’t doing yourself any favors by keeping your palate craving overly sweet foods. If you’re desperate for a little treat during this time, fruit is your best bet.

2. No wheat.

I typically limit my bread consumption to about once or twice a week, but for the next two weeks I’ll be going without it completely. Wheat is incredibly inflammatory and is associated with a huge range of health problems. Eliminating wheat and gluten, wheat’s main protein, for awhile gives your body a chance to heal from the damage done over the holiday season.

If you suspect you might be sensitive to gluten, two weeks might not be enough of a break to get you back to feeling normal. Four to eight weeks without it is what is typically recommended to test for sensitivity, so feel free to extend past two weeks if you’re troubleshooting health problems like fatigue, depression, arthritis or digestive issues.

I recommend avoiding all processed flours during recalibration, but you carbohydrate lovers still have lots of delicious options to get you through. I’ll be relying on rice, quinoa, potatoes and legumes to keep me from being a cranky low-carber. If you absolutely must eat pasta during the recalibration, there are plenty of good gluten-free options. Quinoa pastas aren’t too bad, and rice noodles are also usually gluten-free.

Keep in mind if you want to go fully gluten-free you should also skip barley. Oats don’t contain wheat gluten but are often contaminated during processing. Gluten-free oats are available at some stores.

Lastly, remember that soy sauce is made with wheat and contains gluten. A gluten-free option called tamari is an excellent substitute that basically tastes the same.

3. No dairy.

This one will be the hardest for me since cheese, yogurt and the occasional half-and-half do make regular appearances in my diet. However, dairy can also be very inflammatory and for a full recalibration I recommend cutting it out for a couple weeks.

Eliminating dairy products can help with other problems as well. Cow’s milk is the only food that is directly linked to acne. It can also be an inhibitor to weight loss, even in very small amounts such as cream in your coffee. Like gluten, dairy can also trigger inappropriate immune responses, making it particularly problematic for people with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases.

For milk lovers, I recommend almond milk or coconut milk as tasty substitutes, just be sure you get the unsweetened varieties. Here’s why I don’t usually drink soy milk.

Lastly I should mention that there is one additional rule I’ll be following for the month of January. In our house we’ll be cutting out alcohol for the entire month (with one scheduled break/special occasion in the middle). This is something of a January tradition, and I know that after all this travel I definitely need it, but I won’t subject the rest of you to my special circumstances. However I do recommend sticking to only 1-2 drinks/day for an effective recalibration. Also remember that beer contains gluten and most cocktails contain sugar as either syrup, juice or liqueur.

I started on January 1, but Monday January 2, is probably a more reasonable start date for most of you.

Who’s with me?

Tags: dairy, gluten, recalibration, sugar, wheat

Photo by WTL photos

It’s time to start holiday shopping for all the wonderful healthy foodies in your life. My goal this year was to be extra creative and come up with an interesting and useful mix of items that I personally adore. I also tried to hit a range of price points.

Hopefully there’s some stuff in here you wouldn’t have thought of on your own. Happy shopping!

The 2011 Summer Tomato Holiday Wish List

1. Fitbit ($99)

Paying more attention to my daily activity has been the most positive behavioral change I’ve made this year. Since the Jawbone Up is no longer an option, my pedometer endorsement this holiday season goes to the awesome Fitbit pedometer.

Though the web interface and social features aren’t the greatest, there is a beautiful simplicity in the Fitbit’s ability to show you your daily steps at the push of a button. The latest version also shows you how many flights you’ve climbed, a nice feature for those of us who pride ourselves on taking the stairs whenever possible. I wear mine everywhere.

2. Harsch Gairtopf Fermenting Crock Pot – 5 Liter ($119.95)

What better way to get more probiotics into your diet than doing your own lactofermentation? We’ve been making our own sauerkraut, pickles and kimchi at home using this 5 liter fermenting crock pot. The biggest worry when doing this stuff on your own is contamination. This device is clever because you fill the seal with water, which allows gas to escape but doesn’t allow any air inside.

We’ve tried several methods of fermentation at home, and this is by far our favorite. It is way easier than it sounds, and the sauerkraut we’ve made is superior to anything we’ve ever found at the store or the farmers market. Bye bye stomach aches.

3. Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition and Craft of Live-Culture Foods, by Sandor Ellix Katz ($14.48)

If you do decide to dabble in home fermentation (or are just curious and want to learn more before trying it out) you should also pick up this book. It was recommended to me personally by Michael Pollan, and is the definitive and most accessible book on the subject.

4. Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking, by Nathan Myhrvoid ($450.15)

Arguably the most amazing food book ever created, Modernist Cuisine combines breathtaking photography with cutting edge science and foolproof recipes. Created by the former CTO of Microsoft, this ostentatiously 1% item is the epitome of awesome for the special foodie in your life.

5. Bodum Bistro Automatic Gravity Activated Salt and Pepper Grinder ($39.74)

This is admittedly a little ridiculous, but the way it works is clever and I think it would make a great gift, particularly for guys getting into cooking (my boyfriend thinks it’s the coolest thing in our entire the kitchen). Basically it is both a salt and pepper grinder that creates perfectly calibrated seasoning by just tilting it over your food. It works really well and I’ve liked it way more than I expected.

6. Sleep Mate ($54.95)

Few things are as valuable as a good night’s sleep. If you’ve ever had trouble sleeping, particularly if you’re sensitive to background noise, the Sleep Mate really can help by creating soothing, ambient background noise. It’s like a blanket for your ears.

7. Withings WiFi Body Scale ($159)

When this scale first came out a couple years ago I thought it was a joke. Why would anyone want their scale to tweet out their weight to the world? But while the social feature got the most attention in the press, it is an optional feature (I opted out) and the scale is actually really cool.

The Withings scale talks wirelessly to your computer, creating simple to understand graphical displays of your weight and body fat over time. It can even tell the difference between different people in the house just by stepping on it. I was skeptical of the body fat readings, but I’ve found them to be very similar to measurements I’ve had from hydrostatic testing. And as long as you weigh yourself at the same time every day in the same outfit (aka first thing in the morning in your birthday suit) then the readings are consistent and can be a great way to track progress over time.

8. Bodum Pavina Double-Wall Thermo Tea/Coffee Cup (set of 2, $14)

Not only do these insulated cups look amazing, they keep your tea or coffee remarkably warm without heating the glass enough to burn your hands. We swear by them.

9. Sous Vide Supreme ($399)

By far one of the coolest cooking methods around, sous vide gives you the ultimate control when cooking meats and vegetables. It’s pricey (though it has dropped about $100 in the past year), but if you can afford it and are obsessed with food it is a fabulous addition to the kitchen.

Related: You may also want to pick up the vacuum sealer ($129.99) and some vacuum bags ($19.99) to get started.

10. Nesco 700 Watt Food Dehydrator ($59.49)

Baked kale chips are good, but dehydrated ones are even better and last longer. With a food dehydrator you can make your own dried fruit, vegetables and even beef jerky to your own preferences (cranberries without sugar!). Definitely go with this higher-powered device over the cheaper ones, you’ll get more consistent results in way less time.

Need more ideas? Check out last year’s list.

What do you want for Christmas?

Tags: books, Fitbit, food dehdrator, holiday, lactofermentation, Modernist Cuisine, probiotics, Sleep Mate, sous vide, Wild Fermentation, Withings scale

Photo by star5112

Sarah Newkirk is a New Hampshire native, Brooklyn booster, brand strategist, aspiring nurse practitioner, eternal student, inept yoga enthusiast and reformed picky eater committed to healthy living. She just started blogging at thelivelongjune.tumblr.com.

Feeding A Crowd: 10 Tips for Healthy Entertaining

The holiday season is in full swing, which means many of us are stepping up and taking our turn at hosting a party. It’s also a time of year when culinary temptations are kicked up a notch, leading many of us to stray from the healthy habits we’ve worked so hard to cultivate.

When you’re in charge of the menu, why not offer your guests healthier options and even a nudge in the right direction? Many people secretly welcome the chance to take a night off from overindulgence. When done right, they won’t notice anything other than the amazing food and great time.

Here are some tips on how to prepare and serve up a healthy, satisfying and festive spread when entertaining large groups:

1. Plan ahead

Even if you’re comfortable in the kitchen, cooking for larger groups than you’re used to can be intimidating. But really it’s easier than you think, and with careful planning you’ll pull it off without a hitch. Do some reconnaissance early, and plan a well-balanced meal around what’s fresh and in season. Concentrate on foods that hold up well and can be served at room temperature. Schedule in a test run the weekend before if you’re making a recipe for the first time.

2. Do in advance

Do as much of the prepping and cooking as you can in the days leading up to the big event. On the day of, you should be focused on reheating (slowly, so that you don’t go overboard and restart the cooking process), assembly and other final touches. This will help you keep on schedule and ensure you’re not a cranky mess when your guests show up.

Braised meats, baked beans and most soups actually taste better on the second or third day after they are cooked. One of my staples is a main-course chickpea and leek soup with pancetta that holds up extremely well for at least three days. All I do the day I serve it is reheat, grill some bread and make a green salad.

Two days before the party, make your dips and sauces and cook your beans and grains. One day before, cut and roast your veggies and make grain-based salads like this one. Shrimp cocktail (a party classic for a reason) should be cooked the day before to allow it time to thoroughly chill in the fridge.

Most desserts can be prepared a day or two in advance, then either served chilled or baked off after the party is underway. A few weeks ago I made this dessert for a few friends (adding an extra apple and skipping the whipped cream). It took me less than 10 minutes to warm up the apples and layer the two components into serving glasses as everyone was finishing up dinner.

Some things need to be done the day of the party, like frying, dressing a fresh vegetable salad and anything involving foods that visibly oxidize (e.g. avocados and raw apples.) Keep this list of tasks manageable and you won’t get in over your head.

3. Serve reasonable quantities of food

Most people make way too much food when entertaining, usually out of a combination of poor planning (see tip 1) and the fear of being judged a bad host in the unlikely event the food runs out. Resist the temptation. You’re not doing your guests any favors by making them feel obligated to stuff their faces. Develop a realistic estimate of what you’ll need based on the anticipated headcount, and proceed accordingly. If serving buffet style, set out reasonable quantities and refill when the food runs low.

4. Make it yourself

In a convenience-driven world, taking the time to make things from scratch showcases your love of food and makes your guests feel special. When they know it’s homemade, people will slow down and savor their food, helping with portion control.

Even if you’re relying on prepared food to make things easier (nothing wrong with that), try your hand at making your own dressings, toppings and condiments. They’ll lend a homemade (or, dare I say, Semi-Homemade – hey, it’s not a terrible concept) feel to the entire dish, impress your guests with your rock-star kitchen skills, and can often be made days or even weeks in advance. One of my favorites is ketchup: so much better than commercial versions, and I’ll bet you’ll prefer making it, like I do, with a fraction of the sugar.

5. Let your guests know what’s on the menu

If your guests are left to guess whether a full dinner will be served or if the appetizers are the meal, they’ll probably go to town on the cheese platter and regret it later. Make a menu card and set it on the serving table at the beginning of the night, and let the anticipation build.

6. Server lighter, more nutritious appetizers

Appetizers laden with empty calories are dietary Kryptonite, setting the stage for a night of overeating. Start the evening with a more satisfying mix of fats and proteins that won’t overwhelm the appetite. Spiced nuts, black bean dip, guacamole and devilled eggs are all great options.

Include more decadent options in the mix if that’s what you love to cook, just make them filling, nutrient-rich and worth the indulgence. Bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with cheese and almonds have been known to cause normally even-keeled guests to nearly collapse with delight, and they’re rich enough that most people will consume in moderation. Anything that good has a place in my world and on my menu as a special-occasion treat.

Bread, crackers and chips are a popular foundation for many appetizers, but are typically (not always) low in nutritional value. If they’re nothing more than an edible personal serving platter and not adding much flavor or texture, consider swapping in lighter options. Some to try: cucumber cups, lettuce leaves, apple slices, water crackers or toothpick skewers.

7. Offer non-alcoholic beverage options

Rather than make hydration seekers rifle around in your kitchen, set out a pitcher of water and appropriate glassware alongside the liquor. Guests with a morning meeting, unannounced early-stage pregnancy or just the desire to take it easy will appreciate a non-alcoholic option that is still fun. I mix seltzer with cherry syrup and add limes for a homemade cherry-lime ricky.

8. Give healthier options an upgrade

Treats do a good job at selling themselves, while healthy options might need some help to compete. Think contrasting colors and textures, unexpected sweet-and-savory combinations, and big flavors that satisfy in smaller quantities. Remember back to something truly exceptional you ate at a restaurant, and search online for a similar recipe. Put some time into creating food that’s as visually appealing as it is delicious.

Make it accessible as well: any guest who respects the integrity of a host’s upholstery (not to mention his or her own clothing) will shy away from food that’s awkward to eat. Cut your veggies bite-sized, pre-slice the meat into easily speared pieces, and serve sauces on the side.

9. Serve the food earlier …

Food at parties is often served later than most people are used to eating (largely due to lack of planning on the part of the host—see tip 1 again). This means your guests are probably drinking on an empty stomach, which speeds alcohol absorption. Late-night eating is also linked to weight gain.

Be nice to your guests and start putting the food out by 8 (7 if you live in an early-dining town.)

10. … and put it away when the time comes

After it’s been a few hours and everyone’s had ample time to eat, bring the food to the kitchen and pack it up. I set my iPhone alarm as a reminder, as I’m normally enjoying my own party too much at that point to remember. Don’t worry about the late arrivals; odds are they double-booked and already dined elsewhere.

You’ll get a head start on clean up and save your guests the indignity of picking at an already picked-over spread after a few too many cocktails (I’ve certainly been there).

At its best, this time of year is about being generous, slowing down and enjoying time with the people you care about. I feel fortunate to have enough food to share. When it’s your turn to host, good luck and have fun.

What are your tricks and tips for healthy entertaining?

Tags: entertaining

Photo by blucolt

Never trust anyone who believes dessert isn’t an essential part of life.

There may be some small, joyless percentage of the population who can live indefinitely without sugar, but in my experience those who attempt it are kidding themselves and will inevitably fail.

Sugar is wonderful sometimes, and in general it is easier to find a way to live with it than without it.

But I’m not here to propagate any illusions either. The scientific literature makes it is pretty clear that all sugars, specifically sucrose (table sugar) and fructose (the sweet stuff in fruit and corn syrup), are the worst foods you can eat and should generally be considered toxic.

Sugars promote aging, weight gain and most chronic diseases. Sugar is also regarded as addictive by many in the field of obesity and weight loss.

So how should you deal with it?

Keeping desserts in perspective goes a long way to helping you make smart choices.

Keep these tips in mind to make sure the desserts you choose are worth it.

6 Tips To Optimize Your Dessert Choices

1. Make it formal

Self-control is not the easiest thing to practice when dessert is involved. You probably know this from experience.

Make a rule for yourself to not eat dessert in an informal setting. That is, do not eat sweets between meals and always sit down and be fully present when you eat treats.

Resist the piles of cookies, brownies and candies set out around the house. If you do choose to eat one, do not make light of it. Sit down with a chair, table and napkin and enjoy every bite.

Try to wait until after a meal so you are eating for indulgence and not to satisfy your hunger. Trying to feel full from dessert is a losing battle (see tip #4).

2. Size matters

Dessert has an obscene amount of calories. I know this is not fun to think about, but you should be aware that if you are eating something with sugar and fat there is an excellent chance you are putting down 50-100 calories PER BITE.

A single Godiva or See’s truffle runs at about 100 calories. A slice of Oreo cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory has 600-800 calories. It is hard to overemphasize how huge this really is. If you eat a reasonably healthy diet, this is likely more calories than you consume in an entire meal.

When you do sit down and eat dessert, remember that you do not have to eat everything that is put in front of you. The first two bites are always the most satisfying. There is no need to test the hypothesis that the 12th bite doesn’t live up to them.

3. Make an allowance

You should keep tabs on how often you eat dessert, and 1 or 2 per week is a reasonable goal for someone looking to maintain their weight. Zero to one serving is best for someone trying to lose weight.

For most people, weekly allowances are easier to manage than daily or monthly allowances.

Rules likes this help you make smarter choices. Do you really want to waste your only treat this week on a cookie from a box or a cake from Costco?

If you are ever going to be a picky eater, dessert is the best place to turn up your nose.

4. Don’t treat yourself when hungry

Sugar does not satisfy hunger. In fact, repeated sugar exposure creates spikes and dips in blood sugar that make you feel hungry again sooner than you should.

For this reason, sugary foods should never be substituted for real food and you should not rely on them to satisfy your hunger. Not only is this ineffective, it also makes it more likely you will overeat. Remember tips #1 and #2 and eat your small desserts after a real meal.

5. Eat healthy meals

Having an overall healthy, balanced diet is another effective way to avoid dessert binges. If you already feel satisfied with what you have eaten, dessert will truly be a treat and not an overcompensation for poor nutrition.

Healthy meals can also go far to prevent emotional eating, since they help create a feeling of fulfillment, comfort and satisfaction.

6. Stay on the bandwagon

Slip-ups happen with dessert, and it is not the end of the world.

Remember point #2, that size matters.

Just as 5 bites of dessert is much, much better than 10 bites of dessert, one slip-up is better than 3-4 slip-ups. Don’t let one holiday uh-oh send you into a week of unbridled gluttony.

When it comes to sugar, less is always better. Avoid the temptation to throw in the towel.

Are your desserts worth it?

Originally published December 21, 2009.

Tags: dessert, sugar