Blog Posts by The Editors of EatingWell Magazine

Peach-Raspberry PieThis Peach-Raspberry Pie recipe was developed by EatingWell's Test Kitchen Manager, Stacy Fraser, a two-time pie-contest winner. It's one of my favorite pie recipes because Stacy's instructions are straightforward enough that even a non baker can get a result that will impress. Stacy says, "Even though this pie is healthier than a typical butter-crust pie it still meets my highest culinary standards with its whole-grain shell and tart, sweet filling."

To make this recipe healthy, Stacy developed the crust using whole-wheat pastry flour combined with all-purpose flour. It yields a tender crust with the added benefits of whole grains. Plus she cut down on saturated fat in the crust by replacing some butter with reduced-fat sour cream and canola oil (which is high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats). This crust is my standard for any fruit pie-like Deep-Dish Apple Pie-sometimes I make an extra batch or two of dough, wrap them up and throw them in the freezer to use later.

Black Bean Nacho PizzaPizza parties are a tradition in my circle of friends. It's really a perfect party-we provide the dough (and whatever toppings we can't live without), then have our friends bring their favorite toppings. I roll out the dough and call people in to top the pizzas. It's amazing some of the combinations that become favorites. While grilling pizza might sound weird (won't the dough fall through the grates? No…), it's surprisingly simple. In just 6 easy steps, you too can have grilled pizza in no time!

A few favorite healthy recipes:

Break out the napkins! Black Bean Nacho Pizza is an over-the-top, vegetarian concoction with black-bean spread, Jack cheese, tomatoes, scallions, olives and pickled jalapenos; it's part nacho, part pizza. For an even more decadent treat, serve with low-fat sour cream.

Nectarine & Prosciutto Pizza was the hands-down favorite at my last pizza-on-the-grill party. Sweet stone fruit is balanced by salty blue cheese, pesto and prosciutto on this richly

"Lose 10 pounds in 10 days!" As a nutrition professor, I know better than to believe the ultra-fast weight-loss claims that proliferate as bathing-suit season peaks. I admit, some of the ads sure sound compelling. EatingWell has written extensively on healthy weight-loss strategies, but I've long wondered if any of the products that promise to "zap fat like magic" might have a kernel of truth. My friend Jane nips weight gain in the bud with a once-a-year three-day juice fast; it seems to work for her-but what does the science say? Full of hopeful skepticism, I recently sorted through the more enticing claims.

Fasting: "The perfect jump-start!"
People have fasted for centuries, mostly for religious reasons. But these days, short-term fasting to lose weight is much more common.

At first blush it sounds like a good strategy: in a 2002 study by scientists at the Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen, Scotland, healthy adults lost 1 to 2 percent of their body weight during a

Macque ChouxDon't let all the talk about how corn has ruined our food supply deter you from getting your fill of sweet corn this summer. The corn that makes ethanol and high-fructose corn syrup is not the same corn you buy on the cob. In fact, of the more than 94 million acres of corn grown in the U.S. in 2007, less than 1 percent of it was sweet corn, the kind that we eat. So show your support for those farmers who are still growing corn to feed the people.

It's easy to find a farmer in your area, since sweet corn is grown in all 50 states (yes, you can even grow corn in Alaska) and it's plentiful at farmstands on dusty dirt roads in the heat of summer.

While nothing quite beats eating quickly boiled or grilled corn on the cob with butter dribbling down your chin, taking a slightly exotic approach can be nice too.

So get shucking-while corn is available year-round (thank you, globalization), your local farmstand's got it fresh from the field right now.

Two healthy corn recipes

A trip down the frozen-food aisle of any major supermarket confirms that the nonmeat burger is more mainstream than fringe these days. With dozens of choices at your fingertips, navigating the world of burger alternatives can be challenging. Moreover, what are all those ingredients listed on the package of your soy-based veggie burger? Rest assured, they're not as scary as they sound. We explain the purpose of some mysterious ingredients commonly spotted on the labels of meat-free burgers.

Protein Packers: textured vegetable protein, soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate (listed in order from least to most processed)
A source of high-quality protein, the soybean is the foundation for many vegetarian burgers. Manufacturers often blend less-processed (and more nutritious) forms of soy with more highly processed soy that contributes an appealingly chewy, meatlike texture.

• Homemade alternative: Chickpea Burger & Tahini Sauce. Just one "burger" boasts 30% of your daily

When the weather is fab and the days are long, the thing to do is this: fire up the grill, round up your family and friends, and feast. Everybody loves a barbecue. But if you're trying to watch your weight, big food spreads may actually induce stress-and that's a problem. Fortunately, we've got fixes.

Fix #1: Pay attention to portions. Use these 3 memorable points of reference:

• A tennis ball or baseball = about 1 cup (or use your clenched fist as a rough estimate). This measure is useful for scoopable sides (think: potato, pasta and bean salads). If you're trying to keep a cap on calories, aim for 1 cup total of these starchy side dishes.
  
• Your cell phone (provided you've upgraded since 1999) = about 3 ounces meat. (The other oft-cited reference for 3 ounces of meat is a deck of cards.) This measure comes is useful for steak, chicken and fish.
  
• Your thumb = about 1 tablespoon. This measure comes in handy when you're trying to estimate dressing or a spread. Most

Strawberry ShortcakeStrawberry shortcake is one of those iconic desserts-make it from scratch or not at all. If you're craving strawberry shortcake, you want the real deal: tender biscuits, pillowy whipped cream and ripe, juicy berries.

It need not be complicated…which is why we were impressed with the perfect simplicity of a reader recipe that recently came our way. The results were glorious-the nutritional analysis was anything but.

The original recipe packed:

409 calories
28 grams total fat
18 grams saturated fat

Once we saw the numbers, the saturated fat was our main target for reduction. Here's how we made it healthy:

• We dropped the heavy cream and a stick of butter from the biscuit, replacing it with a healthier blend of buttermilk, canola oil and reduced-fat cream cheese (a smaller amount of butter was left in the mix for its irreplaceable flavor).
  
• The cream was hardest to replicate, but a traditional whipped cream cut with reduced-fat sour cream gave

Raspberry-Chocolate Chip Frozen YogurtNo one wants to be stuck on the grill (or the kitchen) on the 4th of July. You want to be chillaxing in your backyard, cold beverage in hand, with your favoritest family and friends. A relaxing dinner is in order, preferably cooked over an open flame, before the fireworks go BANG! With this in mind, we've compiled easy 4th of July recipes for a barbecue you can prepare at home that doesn't involve you getting pulled pork from the local barbecue joint.

Summery Cocktail Starter: Every summer celebration needs a fabulous cocktail. Iced Mint Green Tea is perfect if you have a combination of drinkers and nondrinkers. Get the tea steeping in the morning then refrigerate it 'til party time and let your guests add their own sake. Here's the recipe:

Iced Mint Green Tea
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
3 green tea bags
2 tablespoons honey
4 cups boiling water
2 cups sake, divided
4 stalks lemongrass for garnish

Combine mint leaves, tea bags, honey and