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Healthy Holiday Recipe: Sweet Potato and Carrot Latkes

FitSugar — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 03:00:00 PST

Since many of you are celebrating Hanukkah this week, I wanted to share a twist on my favorite latke recipe. I know oil is a huge part of the tradition, but drenching potatoes in a ton of oil isn't exactly the healthiest thing for you, so check out this recipe. It doesn't involve any deep-frying, and mixes grated carrots with sweet potatoes.

To see how I make a healthier version of this Hanukkah favorite

Meet Me in Moscow: A Russian Food Primer

Lizzie Fuhr — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:45:20 PST

Whenever you're complaining about the ferocity of Winter, just remember things are much, much colder in other parts of the world. But while Russian Winters may be brutal, they've got plenty of amazing, comforting recipes with flavors designed to take that chill out of your bones. It's time to call up your babushka, put on your copy of Doctor Zhivago, and grab a tall glass of vodka, if you see fit! It's time to get reading about the delicious dishes Russian cuisine has to offer.

Dishes:

Solyanka: The base of the spicy and sour solyanka soup consists of pickled cucumbers with brine, cabbage, mushrooms, sour cream, and dill. It's either served with meat, fish, or mushrooms.
Pirozhki : Pirozhki are small buns that are stuffed typically with a savory filling and then baked or fried. Some typical fillings include meat, onion, eggs, mashed potatoes, or cabbage.
Stroganov: Beef stroganov, or stroganoff, is cooked up in many a cafeteria today, but this recipe originated in Russia. It's typically pieces of beef served up in a sour cream-based sauce on top of egg noodles.
Blini: These thin, crepelike pancakes are enjoyed with either a savory or sweet topping. As opposed to the French crepe, blinis are made from buckwheat and are part of traditional Russian cuisine.
Borscht: Soups are a staple of a traditional Russian diet. And borscht is the czar of these soups. While it's served up cold in many restaurants in the US, traditionally borscht, primarily made of beets, is served piping hot.
Vatrushka: This traditional Russian dessert is a big ring of flaky pastry dough with cottage cheese in the center. Similar to a delicious American-style Danish, it's typically topped off with raisins or bits of fruit.

Staples:

Smetana (sour cream): Blinis are topped off with it. Soups utilize its flavor. It's even used in dessert recipes! In short, expect to find fresh and delicious sour cream accompanying just about Russian ration you eat.
Black bread: The dark, crusty, hearty rye bread is served alongside many a Russian dish.
Ikra (caviar): Briny caviar is a definite splurge in the US, but in Russia, you can find caviar far more often on a table. It's often served with blinis or atop black bread.

Did I leave anything off? Any Russian foods you love to chow down on? Add your thoughts in the comments!

Source: Flickr User Istelleinad & geishaboy500

4 Lazy Moves That Boost Your Health

Prevention — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:05:16 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

You don’t have to go on a deprivation diet or spend hours exercising to ward off disease and be your healthiest self! Instead, try these supersimple tips
By the editors of Prevention

Staying healthy can feel like so much, well, work (think: logging hours at the gym and whipping up nutritious meals from scratch). However, there are plenty of small moves that you can make in your everyday life that will have big health benefits. We’ve rounded up 15 practically zero-effort ways to fight disease, whittle your waist, lower stress, and more. Bonus: many of these good-for-you moves feel good, too. So say sayonara to the old adage “no pain, no gain” and try these tips today.

Lazy Move No. 1: Protect Your Ticker by Snoozing
Need a good excuse to grab your comfiest set of pajamas and hit the sack? Skimping on shut-eye may do more than make you cranky or unproductive - it also boosts your risk of a heart attack. According to one Norwegian study, people who reported that they did not wake up feeling refreshed in the morning had a 27 percent higher risk of a heart attack, those who had trouble staying asleep almost every night in the last month had a 30 percent higher risk, and those who had trouble falling asleep almost every night in the last month had odds that jumped to 45 percent.

Twenty Ways to Sleep Better Every Night

Some researchers speculate that insomnia might trigger your body to release more of the stress hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol have been linked with high blood pressure and diabetes, which are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Plus when you’re exhausted, you may be more likely to make unhealthy choices that up your heart disease risk, such as skipping your workout or reaching for fatty or sugary snacks for a quick energy fix.

Keep reading for three more lazy ways to improve your health.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Salad with Potato Apple Pancakes

partysugar — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 09:43:31 PST

Ever since I made potato latkes, I've been seriously craving crisp flat potatoes. This recipe for a salad topped with potato and apple pancakes will definitely satiate my hunger. Endive and green leaf lettuce are tossed with a smooth sour cream dressing. Grated apples, potatoes, and onions are mixed with parsley and bread crumbs to make a flavorful and crunchy pancake. Take a look at the recipe when you

Painless Ways to Add Fiber to Your Diet

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:26:16 PST

Whether you're a serious meat eater who considers a side salad enough greens for the day, or someone who just hates veggies, if one of your New Year's resolutions is to eat more fiber, here are some easy ways to increase your roughage without a disapproving peep from your taste buds.

Have a sweet tooth? Add spinach to homemade brownies, mash baked sweet potato into pancake mix, or add shredded carrots to banana bread.
Don't just grab any ol' box of cereal. Choose a cereal that has at least eight grams of fiber per serving.
Become a fan of flax. Sprinkle whole flaxseeds onto your bowl of cereal, or if the texture is a turnoff, use ground flaxmeal instead. You can also add flaxseed or flaxmeal to pizza dough, pancake batter, and cookie and muffin recipes.
Make a smoothie for breakfast (or even dessert) with tons of fresh or frozen fruit. Throw in a few spinach or kale leaves for added fiber. The sweetness of the fruit hides the taste of the greens and since it's blended so well, the texture is completely smooth - no chewing your veggies required.

Keep reading for more fiber-boosting tips.

5 Sweet and Savory Latke Recipes For a Healthy Hanukkah

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:56:03 PST

Happy Hanukkah to those celebrating, and what better way to enjoy the festival of lights than with a latke party? Latkes are pancakes made with shredded potatoes, but you don't have to stop there. Here are five healthy twists on the basic latke recipe. Pair your potato pancakes with sour cream, salsa, or homemade fruit chutney for a satisfying appetizer, but be warned - they're so irresistible, you might make an entire meal out of them.

Happy Hanukkah! Fry Up Some Latkes For the First Night of Celebration

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:56:26 PST

On the first night of Hanukkah, my mommy gave to me - some yummy latkes made by me! We're wishing everyone celebrating the festival of lights a happy start to their holiday tonight! After the menorah, there are few symbols of the holiday as prevalent as the latke - that potato pancake fried up in olive oil and dipped in either applesauce or sour cream. While kids shouldn't be the ones handling the flipping in the hot oil, they can still help with the latke preparation so they can claim the dish as their own at your upcoming Hanukkah celebrations. Before unwrapping your presents tonight, check out how my lil helper got to work on our favorite latke recipe this past weekend then delved into a pile of the tasty, crispy treats!

Healthier Holiday Recipe: Crispy Carrot Rosemary Potato Latkes

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 02:56:51 PST

Hanukkah just isn't the same without the smell of latkes cooking on the stove. Of course my Gramma's will always be the best, but since they're practically deep fried in a layer of oil, her potato pancakes aren't exactly good for you. Here's a healthy twist on my traditional family recipe with shredded carrots and fresh rosemary added, and since they're sautéed in a small amount of oil, you can feel good about eating them up. These are served with organic apricot applesauce that complements the sweetness of the carrots beautifully.

Continue reading to see the recipe and find out how many calories are in one latke.

How to Make a Healthier Stack of Flapjacks

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:26:52 PDT

Whether you whip up pancakes during the week or save them for a big family brunch on the weekend, a stack of pancakes covered in maple syrup and melted butter isn't exactly the most nutritious breakfast you can sink your fork into. Usually made with white flour and sugar, traditional pancakes don't offer much in the way of nutrients. If you're a fan of flapjacks, here's how you can make them healthier while also adding bold and unique flavors.

Make homemade batter: Traditional pancake mixes like Bisquick are made with enriched white flour and partially hydrogenated soybean oil; they may be easy, but they're not exactly good for you. It only takes five minutes to mix up your own pancake recipe, and using whole wheat flour makes for added nutrition. Try this recipe for whole wheat cinnamon pancakes.
Mash in baked sweet potato: To replace some of the fat and sugar in your recipe, use mashed baked sweet potato. For a recipe that makes 12 pancakes and calls for one and a third cups of buttermilk and one tablespoon of brown sugar, I use about half a cup of mashed sweet potato and half a cup of buttermilk, and omit the sugar altogether. It not only gave my stack a warm, golden hue, but the texture was also more moist and they tasted a tad sweeter.

Keep on reading to hear other ways to make your pancakes healthier.

Tips For the Lactose Intolerant

FitSugar — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:27:31 PDT

How can a hot slice of ooey-gooey cheese pizza taste so good but make you feel so bad? If you're lactose intolerant, even one bite could have you racing to the bathroom. Here are some tips to help you deal with your dairy-filled world.

If your body can't tolerate any dairy products whatsoever, keep Lactaid pills with you at all times. Lactose intolerance is caused by a lactase deficiency, the enzyme needed to break down the lactose (milk sugar) in your food. If the lactose doesn't get broken down, it causes major bloating, gas, or diarrhea. Just pop a pill with your first bite of food containing dairy, and you're all set. If one pill doesn't offer the magic, take another.
A package of 60 Lactaid brand caplets costs around $15, so if you're going through three or more pills a day, this can be a big expense. Buy them in bulk and save some dough - Kirkland brand costs $16.50 for 180.
If you're not into popping Lactaid pills, avoiding dairy is your best bet, which means being a keen label reader. Look for words such as milk, milk powder, butter, buttermilk, cream, cheese, whey, curds, or milk solids. Hidden lactose can be found in baked goods, dressings, chips, instant soups, candies, pancake mixes, margarine, and even certain medications. If you think a food might have dairy in it, but you're not sure, don't take the chance.

Keep reading for more lactose intolerance tips.