Blog Posts by The Editors of EatingWell Magazine

Black Bean-Smothered Sweet PotatoesI'm trying to regain control of my life (or more specifically, my time). I really don't have time to make complicated dinners, especially since I have a two-hour commute each day. But, being a food-lover, I want a dinner that tastes delicious-without all the time and prep.

This rushed weeknight dinner dilemma, or some variation of it, probably sounds familiar to you too. So to make things a little simpler I've vowed to plan ahead and make weeknight dinners that are ready in 20 minutes or less.

I can feel next week getting lighter already. Here's what's on the menu starting Monday:

MONDAY: If you have a microwave, Black Bean-Smothered Sweet Potatoes are ready in a mere 20 minutes and boast a whopping 450% daily value of vitamin A, plus vitamin C and fiber. Oh, and did I mention they're utterly delicious? Here's the recipe:

Black Bean-Smothered Sweet Potatoes

For a quick and satisfying last-minute supper, it's hard to beat a sweet potato zapped in the microwave.

French Silk PieI'm in love with this French Silk Pie's mousse-like filling of luscious, creamy, rich chocolate. And what's better than a chocolate cookie crust? OK, rich, mousse-y filling and cookie crust in a pie that's good for your heart and your waistline.

So I can't say that I'm surprised by this comment on our website from a reader in Illinois: "It was delicious! I made it for a family party and no one knew it was 'good' for them. Everyone raved about it and asked me to make it again."

I'm thrilled to hear things like that because it means that this decadent chocolate dessert has passed the ultimate test of a successful recipe makeover-this pie tastes just as good as a traditional version and no one can tell it's healthier.

The filling for French Silk Pie is typically made with heavy cream, butter, whole eggs, sugar and plenty of chocolate. Yes, that sounds delicious, but trust me, this healthy recipe tastes just as amazing and has a fraction of the calories and saturated fat.

The election is less than a week away and although food isn't one of the hot-button issues the candidates are talking much about, but it will be a serious national issue in the years to come. Our food system is flawed and will need attention, especially as we are facing increasing food prices, environmental concerns and health issues such as obesity.

I'm interested in hearing what you would suggest to the new president to fix this flawed food system if you had his ear. What would you do? Tell EatingWell what you think and read what other people have suggested. We're sending everyone's ideas to the new president, including the suggestions of the experts I talked to for the October issue of EatingWell Magazine.

With a new administration on the horizon, I asked 3 experts: "If you could do one thing to improve the U.S. food system, what would it be?" You might be surprised by their answers.

Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy and The End of Nature and scholar-in-residence

I love milk in all its delicious variations but I've never been excited about a cold glass of raw milk-milk that is not pasteurized or homogenized. One semester of food microbiology in college was enough to practically turn me into a food-safety police officer.

But raw milk is making its way into more cereal bowls (29 states now allow the sale of raw milk under varying restrictions), including those of a few of my co-workers.

This raw milk revival-of-sorts makes it a good time to explore the facts, nutritionally, on pasteurized and raw milk. So in the October issue of EatingWell Magazine, writer Matthew Kadey researched the question: Is raw milk more nutritious than pasteurized milk?

The answer: It depends on who you ask.

Let's take a look at both sides.

In support of raw milk: Raw-milk proponents will pay upwards of $10 a gallon, because they believe it is safe and healthier. A swell of testimonials about raw milk's ability to relieve asthma, autism and

If I had to pick a handful of foods I could not live without, garlic would definitely be one of them. And it's not because I'm scared of vampires (though watching The Lost Boys when I was a kid did make me wonder about its efficacy). Garlic lends loads of flavor to any savory dish-whether I'm making a panful of sauteed kale or a batch of Caesar salad dressing.

And it seems that I'm protecting my health while I tickle my taste buds: studies show garlic may lower breast, colon, stomach, throat and skin cancer risks. It's heart-healthy, too, as it's been shown to prevent clotting.

The secret to all these health benefits? Sulfides. Those beneficial sulfides aren't released, however, unless the garlic is crushed or chopped and left to sit for at least 10 to 15 minutes before eating or cooking. Garlic purchased already chopped offers the same benefits. Whole roasted garlic, while delicious, may not yield such perks.

Garlic is harvested in the fall, so look for it now at your

If you're trying to eat foods that are better for your heart and your overall health, start with these nine healthy ingredients-the staples of Mediterranean cooking. Study after study continues to support the Mediterranean way of eating (abundant in fruit, vegetables and olive oil, sparing with red meat and a bit of red wine each day) as one of the healthiest in the world. I try to eat them regularly, and when I have all nine in my kitchen, it's easy to make a quick, healthy meal!

Southwestern Stuffed Acorn SquashHave you ever had a squash awakening? I did, when I took my first bite of Southwestern Stuffed Acorn Squash (recipe below). I previously hated squash for its lack of crunch and saltiness (two of my favorite food attributes). But in this recipe I loved the creamy texture paired with crisp-tender onions and bell pepper. And my savory-leaning taste buds were delighted with the balance of sweetness, Mexican seasonings, salty Italian sausage and melted cheese.

Plus squash, which is fresh and in season right now, is good for you: one cup of cooked winter squash has just around 80 calories and is high in both vitamin A and vitamin C, as well as being a good source of vitamins B6 and K, potassium and folate.

If you're ready to experiment with more delicious ways to enjoy squash, try these healthy fall recipes:

Spaghetti Squash & Pork Stir-Fry: You might remember spaghetti squash from your mom's low-cal dieting days. It's time to bring it into your kitchen: the delightful yellow

My dog, Maddie, is precious to me and I always turn to my veterinarian for trusted, expert advice on what to feed her and how to keep her healthy. So after I talked with Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition and public health at New York University and best-selling author of What to Eat, for an article in the October issue of EatingWell Magazine, I found I had a lot more questions for my vet.

Even if you don't own a pet, you should still be concerned about pet food, Nestle told me, because contaminated pet foods are early warnings of the safety hazards of globalization. Case in point: consider recent food news-from the current melamine contamination of milk products made in China to the salmonella contamination of produce from jalapeno peppers to spinach.

In her recently published book Pet Food Politics, Nestle details the March 2007 recall of more than 100 brands of dog and cat food containing wheat gluten from China that was contaminated with the chemical melamine.