Blog Posts by The Editors of EatingWell Magazine

I had some expectations last year when I went to Rancho La Puerta, a health spa in northern Baja Mexico: hours of tranquil pampering, as much exercise as I could pack into a day and tiny portions of spare-looking diet food. I wasn't disappointed by the daily spa schedule of massages, salt rubs, soaks in hot baths and hikes. But when it came to the food I wasn't sure what to expect. Was I going to starve?

It turned out there was no need to worry. There was plenty of food at all the meals, and beyond that, it was delicious Mexican food. Since is was a spa menu, I was pleasantly surprised to find Mexican food like Shrimp Tamale Casserole, Quick Guacamole, Chile Rellenos and tacos (recipe below).

Want to make your favorite Mexican-inspired recipes healthier? Try some of these strategies perfected by Rancho La Puerta:

• Start with super-fresh ingredients, including plenty of fruits, vegetables and herbs. A lot of the produce for the Ranch is grown on the property.

This year I'm going to be one of well over 1 billion people who will celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year on January 26. I'm throwing a dinner party to celebrate-it's a great excuse to try some healthy Chinese recipes and share great food with friends.

Here's my Chinese New Year Menu (including foods considered to bring good luck, such as lettuce wraps and noodles):

Five-Spice Turkey & Lettuce Wraps (recipe below): Based on a popular Chinese dish, these fun wraps also make appealing appetizers for entertaining.

Long-Life Noodles with Green Tea: Baked tofu, bell peppers and scallions are stir-fried with udon noodles in this quick and easy dish.

Vegetable Fried Rice: Nothing could be easier than this light version of fried rice. We've used instant brown rice, but if you have leftover cold rice or can pick some up at a Chinese restaurant on the way home, use that instead and skip Step 1.

Scallop & Shrimp Dumplings: People along the Yangtze River enjoy

Temperatures have finally fallen below zero here in Vermont and the wind chill is literally numbing my mind. Weather like this makes me want to stay inside and cook up hearty comfort-food recipes. Meatloaf, one of my ultimate comfort foods, fits the bill perfectly.

Our Meatloaf (recipe below) was inspired by a delicious, but high-fat, high-sodium version. To make it healthier, but just as tasty, we added richly flavored dried mushrooms and whole-grain bulgur to increase fiber, vitamins and minerals and decrease the saturated fat.

Here's how our madeover version stacks up against the less-healthy original:

Traditional Meatloaf

• Calories: 342
• Fat: 15 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Sodium: 1,200 mg
• Fiber: 2 g

EatingWell's Meatloaf

• Calories: 313
• Fat: 10 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Sodium: 467 mg
• Fiber: 6 g

Once you've tried our classic meatloaf recipe you may want to experiment with some of our other favorites:

Blue Ribbon Meatloaf:

I'm green with envy that several of my friends are going to Washington, D.C., to celebrate Obama's inauguration. But we'll be having plenty of fun at our house hosting an inauguration-night dinner party-serving Barack Obama's favorite food.

It turns out that Obama is a comfort-food guy. His wife, Michelle, has said in interviews that her husband's favorite grub is a steaming bowl of chili, one of my favorite foods as well. And it's perfect for a party, since it's easy to make and the flavor improves with time (i.e., you can make it in advance and reheat it for the party).

One of my favorite healthy chili recipes is a super-simple Beef & Bean Chile Verde (recipe below) that's ready in 30 minutes. I'll serve it with bowls of chopped fresh cilantro, diced red onion, shredded Monterey Jack and my favorite hot sauce for topping.

Here's the rest of my Inauguration Night menu:

Blueberry-Lime Margaritas: Seems like a festive way to start the night, doesn't it?

Quick

I grew up in the suburbs of Philly-land of the cheese steak. There was no question that the cheese steak (along with the hoagie) ruled our neck of the woods. My sister's first solid food-and my mother swears this is true-was a big bite of Philly cheese steak. I can't say I remember that…but with the big showdown this weekend between the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals, I want my game-day recipes to include a tasty Philly to eat as I watch my Eagles crush the Cardinals.

As much as I crave my hometown grub, I don't burn the calories in a cheese steak quite as fast as I did when I last called Philly home as an 18-year-old. So I'll make one of these delicious EatingWell recipes that are a lot healthier than the classic.

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich (recipe below): Most of the good stuff in a Philly cheese steak, from thin-sliced steak to onions, peppers and mushrooms, is still here but we opt for slightly-less-gooey but more flavorful provolone cheese in place of

I'll be honest, except for a few fries I've stolen from my husband's late-night McDonald's stops, I haven't eaten fast food from a chain restaurant in more than 10 years. Really.

I'm probably in the minority on that one, since millions of people regularly eat fast food. But that number could be on the decline if cities like Los Angeles have their way. Last summer L.A. lawmakers banned fast-food chains from opening new outlets in South L.A. The goals? Reduce obesity and encourage new healthier food choices and food outlets.

Is this bogus or not-what do you think? I, and the other editors at EatingWell, wondered whether people think a ban on new fast-food restaurants would be effective at accomplishing these goals, so we asked three experts and our readers to tell us: "Do you support banning new fast-food restaurants?"

We received answers that ranged from an emphatic "Yes!" to don't-take-away-my-fries-or-I'll-slap-you "No!" and everything in between.

Here's a sampling-

I couldn't survive the winter without soup. It makes the cold dark days of winter much more tolerable. These days, I like to make soup at least once a week, if not more. That may seem a little monotonous, but in my world, there's a soup to suit every occasion. Got the sniffles? Chicken noodle soup has got the cure. Well, maybe that's a stretch, but it sure makes you feel better. Nothing is more satisfying than a creamy turkey and wild rice soup after a long day skiing. So here are a few of my favorite soup recipes. Prepare to be satisfied.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Dill

Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 50 minutes

Dill makes this version of chicken noodle soup even more special, and it's done in under an hour.

10 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 medium carrots, diced
1 large stalk celery, diced
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces whole-wheat egg noodles (3 cups)
4 cups shredded cooked skinless

When I think of the best season to enjoy fresh fruit, winter isn't the first one that comes to mind. But that's the wrong attitude! Take oranges for instance-they are juicy, ripe and ready for eating right now in both sweet and savory dishes. And since they're in season, oranges are one of the cheapest fruits per pound in the produce section (less than $1/pound versus more than $11/pound for blackberries).

Oranges are perfect for an afternoon snack (just peel and eat), but I love the sweet balance they add to savory dishes. Here are some of my favorite winter recipes with oranges:

Curry-Roasted Shrimp with Oranges (recipe below): Shrimp, oranges and curry make a great flavor trio. Serve over rice as a main course.

Pork Chops with Orange & Fennel Salad: Fennel-crusted pork chops with a warm citrus-and-fennel salad is a terrific antidote to a dreary winter day. Serve with crusty whole-grain bread or brown rice.

Roasted Halibut with Banana-Orange Relish: Bananas