#15: 5 Snacks To Fight Off Hunger
Snacks are an important part of any healthy eating plan, but don’t use them as an excuse to start nibbling cookies all day. Keep some of these options handy to fend off any between-meal stomach grumbling.

#14: Legume to Love: Beans
Veggie protein, fiber, antioxidants — what’s not to love about beans? Reader Deborah suggests adding baking powder to the water when soaking dry beans overnight to muffle the aftereffects of these “musical fruits.” (We hear sea kelp works well, too.)

#13: Taste Test: Frozen Cheese Pizzas
If you’ve ever thrown a frozen pizza in the oven on a busy weeknight only to reach for a takeout menu after one bite of soggy crust, this is the post for you. We put four popular brands to the ultimate test: a pair of recent college grads.

#12: Good Eats for Healthier Skin
Just as eating tons of processed food can dull both your insides and your outsides, certain foods have high concentrations of the nutrients that boost your natural glow. Our picks stirred up a debate over dairy: Some readers claim it has no effect on their skin; others have given it up and swear they’ve never looked better. We say go with what works best for you.

#11: The Real Deal on the Master Cleanse
The “Master Cleanse” (a.k.a. the Lemonade Diet) grabbed headlines in 2009, thanks to a parade of celebs who lost weight downing its maple syrup-lemon juice-water-cayenne pepper combo. As with most fad diets, this one has red flags all over, including a lack of nutrients and a seriously low level of daily calories.

#10: Order This, Not That: Chipotle
Chipotle does get points for serving free-range animal meats and some locally sourced ingredients. But giant, overstuffed burritos with rivers of sour cream and mountains of cheese? Just say no. Simply skipping the tortilla wrap — ask for a “burrito bowl” instead — saves 290 cals. (Wondering what to order and what to avoid at other fast-food joints? Check these tips out.)

#9: 5 Foods to Boost Your Energy
Is pork really healthy eats? We heard plenty from both sides of the table when we listed “the other white meat” among our top foods with oomph. (Read our whole take here.)

#8: Ground Beef 5 Ways
With the right cuts, ground beef can be just as lean — if not leaner — than ground turkey. We’ve got five reasons to pick up a package next time you’re at the store.

#7: Perfecting the Healthy Pasta Salad
Swap the full-fat mayo and oil-heavy dressings for a few tablespoons of flavorful sauce and fresh, seasonal veggies. We like reader Martina’s “Mediterranean Style” salad: whole-grain rotini, cucumber, roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, black olives, red onions, feta cheese crumbles and Greek dressing.

#6: Baked Ham, Lightened Up
Many a baked ham hits tables each holiday season. Although ham itself is a lean meat, the double-whammy of sugar and salt gives a one-two punch to a healthy diet. We got lots of reader feedback to add to our own sodium-slashing solutions, but only Jennifer’s suggestion covered both pitfalls. “I boil mine in ginger ale, then do the glazing, etc., and bake,” she writes. “The ginger ale adds just a touch of sweetness throughout the meat.”

#5: In Season: Eggplant
There are oodles of delicious ways to prepare eggplant that don’t involve frying and adding cheese. Listing them here would require way too much space, so we’ll just leave with you a few words: Ratatouille. Babaganoush. Panini. And, yes, even Eggplant Parmesan.

#4: Chicken Salad, Lightened Up
Chicken salad lends itself to almost endless varieties of deliciousness, so why stick with the standard, which usually contains gobs of full-fat mayo? Reader Sara suggests using spicy or dijon mustard instead. Or try Elizabeth’s take and “mix fat-free or low-fat lemon yogurt with your chicken salad. I use half lemon yogurt and and half low-fat mayo or Greek yogurt, depending on my mood.”

#3: Make Your Own Iced Coffee
A frou-frou iced coffee drink in a cafe can rack up the fat and calories pretty quickly. Make your own at home or follow our ordering tips — Your wallet and your waist will thank you. (Skim the post’s “Comments” section for more how-tos on cold-brewing your java.)

#2: Easy, Healthy Breakfasts
Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Seemingly every week, new research confirms the many benefits of starting your day with a well-balanced meal. Bypass the morning drive-thru with a homemade egg burrito or Chunky Banana Bran Muffins.

#1: Finding the Right Breakfast Bars
We understand hectic schedules. Reader Krikri sums it up perfectly: “Breakfast is hard to skip. Paradoxically, it is also the meal that needs to be done quickly as you rush off to work.” Grab-and-go bars are an easy way to jump-start your metabolism — but beware of the fakers out there. Our faves shun high-fructose corn syrup in favor of whole grains and real fruit.

BONUS: Taste Test: Peanut Butter
Everyone went nuts earlier this month when we revealed our preferred peanut butter. What constitutes the perfect jar obviously depends on who’s holding the spoon, but if you’re searching for suggestions, check out the results of our taste panel.

Let us know what you think!

You’re stranded on a desert island. What five food items do you hope are on hand?

• Quinoa – I could eat it as is or I could grind it down to flour for bread and pasta.

• Tomatoes – One of my favorite things to cook with.
• Fruit – Whatever is in season, I love it all!
• Almond butter or almonds
• Greek yogurt

What’s your guiltiest indulgence?
Bacon, I secretly love it! Everything in moderation, right?

What dish do you love to cook?
Chicken sausage or shrimp (or both) with white beans, tomatoes and kale

What food do you always bring to a potluck party?
A veggie, bean or pasta salad (or combination of all three)

What recipe does everyone always ask you for?
Chicken and Spinach Lasagna or Mediterranean Couscous Salad

If you could have dinner with three people (from the past or present), who would they be?

• Grandparents (all four…I know that’s cheating)

• Dalai Lama
• Mario Batali, but I would want to go on a culinary adventure with him (Spain, Greece or Italy preferred)

What’s one food you just can’t stand?
Foie gras and processed meat products (pork roll, scrapple, etc.)

What ice cream flavor would you be?
Berry Graham Crunch

What’s your favorite kitchen gadget or appliance?
Immersion blender and microplane…it’s a tie!

Favorite fruit: grapes and berries
Favorite veggie: kale, chard or Brussels sprouts…but I love them all!
Favorite kid-friendly dish: chicken fingers and mac and cheese
Favorite cookbook: Jamie Oliver’s Jamie At Home – all about growing your own food and bringing it to life in the kitchen

Mexican or Italian?
That’s tough…I am 100% Italian so I am a huge fan, but my husband loves Mexican food (we actually were married in Mexico) so we eat it often. As long as it is fresh and full of colors and flavors, I’m in!

PB&J sandwich or grilled cheese?
Grilled cheese (a little burnt) — this is 100% comfort food.

You get one food-related wish — what would it be?
To have an amazing organic farm (and someone to tend to it), full of all of my favorite fruits and veggies and a year-round growing season so I always had local, fresh ingredients!

See Katie’s full professional credentials here and catch her on the season premiere of The Next Food Network Star this Sunday, June 7 on Food Network.

Role Mommy is an online community dedicated to inspiring and empowering today’s busy parent to pursue their passion while raising a family. I’ll be appearing on “Role Mommy on the Run” at the end of each month — so tune in next month (don’t worry, we’ll remind you). If there’s any topic you’d like to see covered, please let me know.

We have a superstar in our midst! Dana — as in Dana Angelo White, one of our resident experts — stars in a new series of videos on Foodnetwork.com. In them, she shares prep tips and healthy tidbits about a few of her favorite quick snacks. Her green herb hummus is on my to-try list for the weekend. And what a lovely kitchen!

Check her out >>

Yesterday, Dana told us a few things about her food favorites. Today, Toby Amidor weighs in. And remember, these are just their fun answers; you can learn more about their nutrition credentials here.

Now, let’s meet Toby…

You’re stranded on a desert island. What five food items do you hope are on hand?
As a registered dietitian, I’d suggest a well-balanced meal: dry beans, rice, quinoa, fruits and veggies and hope you could from some additional protein from the fish of the sea. In reality, these are the five foods I couldn’t live without today (since this is always changing): grapefruit, chocolate, olives, champagne and eggs.

What’s your guiltiest indulgence?
cold M&Ms (I like them only if they are in the fridge)

What dish do you love to cook?
My husband told me about chicken plov, a rice-and-chicken dish that has carrots and onions. His father used to cook it for him. It originates from Uzbekistan so I searched high and low for an Uzbek cookbook that had the recipe. I finally found one and have now perfected it.

What food do you always bring to a potluck party?
I like to bring fruit. Many people think dessert is only cookies and cakes, but fruit is also a great dessert.

What recipe does everyone always ask you for?
These days it’s healthy, kid-friendly recipes: chicken nuggets (not fried/lower in fat) or other easy chicken dishes, meatballs or chicken soup. Info on making your own baby food would be second on the list.

If you could have dinner with three people (from the past or present), who would they be?
1) Oprah: I would love to sit down and talk all about food and see what’s really up with her weight gain.
2) My “Girl’s Night Out” group of moms — can’t give that up!
3) Dana: I’ve been trying to have dinner with her for a year now and she’s a great cook.

What’s one food you just can’t stand?
Liver!!!

What ice cream flavor would you be?
Mint chocolate chip

What’s your favorite kitchen gadget or appliance?
Dana introduced me to the reamer and it makes me laugh every time I say it. But seriously, I could not live without my vegetable chopper, which I use to make chopped salad almost everyday.

Favorite fruit: grapefruit
Favorite veggie: spinach
Favorite kid-friendly dish: Mac & cheese, freshly made with a touch of salsa (not from the box!)
Favorite cookbook: When I got married, I received this Martha Stewart cookbook that I just loved.

Mexican or Italian?
Mexican

PB&J sandwich or grilled cheese?
PB&J – Trader Joe’s Natural peanut butter, jelly and Trader Joe’s whole wheat bread.

You get one food-related wish – what would it be?
I wish I had a huge vegetable garden and fruit trees in my backyard so I could pick fresh produce every day!

Ed. Note: In the photo above, Toby is picking apples in upstate New York with her daughter. She says, “I feel it’s important to show children where food comes from at a young age.”

READ MORE: Learn more about Toby’s co-expert, Dana Angelo White >>

First up, Dana Angelo White, dietitian and fitness extraordinaire…

You’re stranded on a desert island. What five food items do you hope are on hand?
In no particular order:
• Lemons – the juice and zest are perfect for so many things
• Brown Rice Pasta – a delicious whole grain pasta, I eat it at least once a week
• Natural peanut butter – all I want in my peanut butter is peanuts and salt, so delicious!
• Nectarines – a fruit I could never get sick of
• Any green vegetable – I eat what ever is in season so I would take whatever I could get

What’s your guiltiest indulgence?
Ice cream – I paid my way through private school and college working at Ashley’s Ice Cream in Connecticut. The most amazing homemade ice cream on the planet! I never make a trip to my hometown without picking some up.

What dish do you love to cook?
Stir-fry gets made quite often in our house. It’s so quick, easy and delicious. Sometimes with shrimp, sometimes with roasted tofu and whatever vegetables I have in the fridge.

What food do you always bring to a potluck party?
Ina Garten’s Szechuan Noodles

What recipe does everyone always ask you for?
My banana chocolate chip muffins. Made with soy milk, bananas, apple butter, maple syrup and just the right amount of chocolate chips, they are so yummy and good for you.

If you could have dinner with three people (from the past or present), who would they be?
1. Michael Pollan
2. Julia Child
3. Peyton Manning (quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts)

What’s one food you just can’t stand?
Processed meats – bologna, SPAM, olive loaf – yuck!

What ice cream flavor would you be?
Banana Oreo – a favorite creation from my ice cream-making days

What’s your favorite kitchen gadget or appliance?
Gadget = a microplane – perfect for grating citrus zest, cheese, garlic, nutmeg or chocolate
Appliance = a good food processor – they can chop, slice, puree. You can make everything from pesto to coleslaw to pie dough.

Favorite fruit: a three-way tie between nectarines, blood oranges and tomatoes (yes, tomatoes are a fruit)
Favorite veggie: Sweet potatoes – roasted with olive oil salt and pepper
Favorite kid-friendly dish: Mac & cheese – enough said
Favorite cookbook: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. This is the first of six by Ina Garten; they are all amazing, but if I had to pick one, this would be it.

Mexican or Italian?
It’s a tough call and my grandparent’s Italian cooking is hard to beat. But…. I would have to go with Mexican. I love cooking fresh Mexican food, lots of chilies and avocado. Fish tacos with guacamole and a margarita can’t be beat!

PB&J sandwich or grilled cheese?
PB&J – HUGE FAN! I love it for a meal or a snack. Natural peanut butter, whole wheat bread and any flavor natural fruit spread – it’s the perfect food.

You get one food-related wish – what would it be?
To have California produce on the East Coast where I live.

[Ed. Note: the picture above is Dana at a California vineyard; she says, "I look at these in the winter and get happy immediately."]

READ MORE:
Learn more about Healthy Eats’ other expert, Toby Amidor >>

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Look for fresh ideas every Wednesday!

Not all recipes out there come with those handy nutritional charts (and believe us, we wish we could slap them on there for you).

To help you understand how we pick recipes to feature, we wanted to share the guidelines we follow, which are based on standards from a variety of trusted sources. Our culinary and nutrition experts (that’s Dana and Toby) vet the ingredients line by and line and do their own nutritional tallies based on serving sizes. In cases where substitutions can be made to make it healthier, we share those tips, too.

Here are the guidelines all Healthy Eats-approved recipe must meet:

1) Entrée: Maximum of 400 calories, 15 grams of fat and 5 grams of saturated fat
2) Appetizers / Sides / Snacks: Maximum of 250 calories, 10 grams of fat and 5 grams of saturated fat
3) Soups / Side Salads: Maximum of 250 calories, 10 grams of fat and 5 grams of saturated fat
4) Beverages: Maximum of 200 calories, 5 grams of fat and 2 grams of saturated fat
5) Desserts: Maximum of 250 calories, 10 grams of fat and 5 grams of saturated fat
6) Muffins / Breads: Maximum of 250 calories, 10 grams of fat and 5 grams of saturated fat

Of course, we allow for a little wiggle room (no more than 10% above). And we always go for dishes that have the freshest and most wholesome ingredients and avoid those pre-packaged, sodium-heavy, sugar-laden or “diet”-friendly items as much as possible.

Welcome to the Healthy Eats blog, a new daily site featuring the latest healthy eating tips, nutrition news, low-calorie recipes, and easy ideas for introducing fresher, more wholesome foods into your everyday life.

To us, “healthy eating” doesn’t mean crash diets — or diets at all. It means nutritious, delicious foods. Lead by a team of culinary and nutrition professionals, Healthy Eats is more than just food; we are about helping you achieve a healthier, wholesome life.

Check out the bios for our experts here, and come back often for second helpings (reading is calorie-free, we promise).