FitSugar

7 Winter Foods Rich in Antioxidants

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:30:00 PST

When we talk about food rich in antioxidants - disease-fighting nutrients - all sorts of Summer berries come to mind. Even though these berries may be hard to come by in cooler months, there are still plenty of Winter foods chock full of antioxidants. To see if you are already enjoying these foods, start the slideshow to learn what they are.

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One Month Till Memorial Day Weekend! How to Get Bikini-Ready Now

Self — Wed, 02 May 2012 04:12:29 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar!

With spring in full swing, we've already said goodbye to the winter blues. But as you enjoy the milder weather and longer days, keep in mind that Memorial Day weekend is merely a month away - meaning it's almost time for bikinis and short shorts! So, is one month enough time to score your best body yet?

It sure is, says Jim White, registered dietician, ACSM Certified Personal Trainer and spokesman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. But you'd better get started now. "After all the shrieking and gasping about how 'time flies' and it's 'too soon' to be exposing that muffin top, it's time to get realistic and take action," he explains. "A month is not a tremendous amount of time to shed any accumulated winter fat, but before you break out into cold sweats, it is not unreasonable to lose 10 pounds or one dress size in that time."

To make sure you score your best bikini bod before you hit the beach, sign up for SELF's free Drop 10 plan - it'll have you slimmer and stronger than ever in only five short weeks! Then, follow White's basic rules for healthy eating. "Healthy eating is a must if you expect weight loss," he says.

Read on for the one-month plan!

Get a Taste of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs at the All-New Chef's Club

Susannah Chen — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:15:31 PDT

One of the most coveted awards in the food industry is the title of Best New Chef, an honor bestowed upon 10 young chefs each year by Food & Wine magazine. Now, the editors of the magazine are taking the accolade - along with sophisticated dining - to the next level, with a new dining adventure called Chefs Club. The concept? Build a restaurant inside a well-respected hotel (in this case, the St. Regis Aspen Resort) and feature a menu with a rotating guest list of current and former Best New Chef winners. Behold: a new way to afford diners a chance to eat the food of Best New Chefs from around the country.

The menu will change according to season, with Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter menus, each featuring dishes from four chefs. Since Chefs Club's been in the works for over a year, the inaugural menu won't include the Best New Chef class of 2012 just yet. "We didn't know who they were until a month ago, but it's possible we'll use one or two of them for the second season," said Christina Grdovic, Food & Wine's publisher.

Food won't be the only item to write home about. "We'll have 10 cocktails from 10 different bars, based off of Food & Wine Cocktails," Grdovic added. In addition to this program, curated by deputy editor of Food & Wine Cocktails Jim Meehan, there'll be a wine list, too. The list, developed by executive wine editor Ray Isle, will include specific wine pairings for each of the Best New Chef dishes.

In an era of food truck meetups and Fashion Week pop-up shops, Chefs Club could be the next frontier in dining. "People want to be able to go out and have a high-end, innovative experience, but also a quick, affordable meal. Chefs Club is going to do both of those things," Grdovic said. "It'll be the kind of restaurant where you want to go back over and over again. That's what people want."

Source: Thinkstock, Food & Wine

Behind the Scenes at the 2012 Winter Fancy Food Show

YumSugar — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:44:53 PST

We had a blast at the 2012 Winter Fancy Food show that took place this past Sunday through Tuesday. We spotted so many exciting new trends and taste-tested a lot of new things. Some were really great, some (like a raw cacao bean) were really not. But either way, we appreciate any chance to be surrounded by food and people who love food. Check out some of our behind-the-scenes snaps!

A Makeover For Your Grocery List

LilSugar — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 03:17:02 PDT

If your child has been diagnosed with a food allergy, you know both cooking at home and dining out can quickly become a challenge. Since healthy eating begins at home, and eating at home begins at the grocery store, we turned to Amie Valpone of The Healthy Apple for some advice on how to stock your pantry for success, whether you're dealing with food allergies or just want to take a cleaner approach to your family's diet. See how Amie, a nutritionist who specializes in clean eating, fills up her own grocery cart, and how you can transform your own to accommodate your family's dietary needs.

"Cleaning" Up Your Grocery List

Essential Condiments

Extra-virgin olive oil
Flaxseed oil
Grape seed oil
Champagne vinegar
Apple cider vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Organic Dijon mustard
Organic coarse, seeded mustard
San-J wheat-free tamari soy sauce
Amy's Organic salsa
Sun-dried tomatoes
Hummus (try Tribe, Wild Garden, Sabra, or Cedar's)
Hot sauce (try Cholula or Sriracha)
Miso (white, barley, and red)
Organic lemon juice

Continue reading for what to buy in the gluten-free, dairy-free, and freezer departments.

3 Moves to Melt Away Your Muffin Top

Self — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 04:39:03 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar!

The snow has finally melted, but are you ready to embrace your favorite short shorts? If a newfound muffin top is making you wary of ditching your cozy Winter layers, rest assured, there are plenty of ways to whittle away those extra pounds without hitting the gym seven days a week.

"Muffin tops are a problem spot for everyone who overeats," says celebrity trainer Barry Jay, founder of Barry's Bootcamp, the bicoastal workout that's attracted everyone from Katie Holmes to Alanis Morissette to Kim Kardashian. "That part of our body catches excess easily, and it seems like it's the last to change."

To reverse the damage you did this Winter, try asking a doctor or nutritionist how many calories you should be eating for your age, height, and ideal body weight. "Cardio helps, but food is 85 percent of the results we see," says Jay.

Once your diet is back on track, add these three waist-whittling moves to your regular workout once a week to keep love handles at bay.

Get the moves after the break.

Cure Your Comfort Food Cravings!

Susannah Chen — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 03:20:38 PST

Let's face it: unless you reside in tropical climes, the idea of cold cereal and Caprese salad just doesn't cut it right now. Instead, you should succumb to that secret desire to enjoy the succulent, creamy, gooey nature of the season's finest comfort foods, from griddle patty melts to just-out-of-the-oven peanut butter and chocolate chunk brownies. Here are a few of our favorites right now; for more, check out all our best comfort foods.

Savory Egg-Topped Oatmeal	Logan County Hamburgers	Chicken and Sage Stuffing
Basic Meatloaf	Gruyere Gratin With Thyme	Peanut Butter Brownies

Why Eating Seasonally Will Change Your World

Camilla Salem — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 06:45:45 PDT

These days everybody is preaching some kind of philosophy when it comes to eating. Eat locally, eat only organic food, eat seasonally - it can get kind of confusing.

The light bulb went on for me, with regard to seasonal eating, the first time I realized just how much more flavorful a tomato is during Summer than any other time of year. The difference was so staggering that I started to incorporate seasonality into my cooking. And the benefits actually extend beyond your taste buds: not only is eating within the current season more delicious, but it's easier on your wallet, better for the environment, and healthier. Want to learn more about eating seasonally? Read on.

Spring Cleaning: Refreshing a Pet-Friendly Home

Sara Yoo — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 04:00:00 PDT

Thanks to cold weather and short days, it's easy to get complacent about house cleaning during those long Winter months. But now that Spring has sprung, I'm feeling recharged and ready to tackle the tasks I've largely ignored since Fall's warmer days! I won't place full blame on my pup, but for such a small member of the household, she sure contributes a lot of the mess: muddy footprints, fur everywhere, slobbery toys, and errant treat crumbs are just a few of her transgressions. So I've compiled my to-do list of must-hit spots in my Spring cleaning purge. Keep reading for my Spring tasks!

Fire Up Your Wok With Fast and Easy Kimchi Fried Rice

Sara Yoo — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:14:12 PDT

Kimchi is one of those foods that either makes people drool or recoil in horror. A staple of the Korean diet, the spicy, fermented cabbage is as pungent and vibrant as it is strong in flavor. A quiet, unassuming food it is not.

To make this Asian basic, fresh Winter napa cabbage is salted until it wilts, then coated with a fiery concoction of dried hot pepper paste and powder, garlic, and briny shrimp paste or oysters, sealed in earthenware jars, and left to ferment for a month or two. The result is a pickle beyond compare, reflecting sour, spicy, refreshing, stinky, and bright flavors all at once.

Source: Flickr User Nagyman

While kimchi typically is eaten in conjunction with rice, a protein, and other banchan (side dishes), sometimes a taste this bold must stand on its own. One of the most popular - and fastest - meals based on this zesty side is kimchi bokkeumbap, or kimchi fried rice. Using the residual juice from the jar to season the rice really brings out the kimchi flavor, and a drizzle of sesame oil gives it a nutty, distinctly Korean air. You can use just about any protein, including my favorite, Spam! Or leave out the meat for a vegetarian version that's just as tasty. Ready to give it a try? Just read on for the recipe.