Blog Posts by The Editors of EatingWell Magazine

Amazing 20-Minute DinnersBy Wendy Ruopp, Managing Editor of EatingWell

Kneesocks and plaid skirts--that's what "back to school" conjures up for me at this time of year. Then, after I reflect on how glad I am that that look is behind me (plaid's really not my color), what lingers is the itch to learn something new. This fall, learn how easy it can be to make dinner for four in 20 minutes--even if you're an elementary cook (like me).

Use our easy lesson plan to make 20-minute dinners for your busy week. The curriculum starts with geography and ends with math. Geography class is a 15-minute flyover to map the contours of Southwestern Sauté with Salsa Grits. (Convenient vegetables in your freezer contribute to the bird's-eye view of this quick dinner.)

Smoky Maple-Mustard Salmon is a formula to turn just 4 ingredients (not counting salt and pepper) into dinner in 15 minutes.

Repeat after me: Pollo siciliano. Perfect! That's Italian for chicken Sicilian-style (in our case, Sicilian Olive Chicken),

By Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D., Associate Nutrition Editor, EatingWell Magazine

Every weekday morning, I pack not only a lunch to bring to work, but snacks too. Maybe it's the registered dietitian part of me, but I don't like to be caught hungry with no healthy options around. A good-for-you snack can be an important part of a healthful diet. Research suggests that nutritious snacks can stave off hunger by stabilizing blood sugar--which may help you eat more sensibly at mealtimes.

Recipes to Try: 30 Healthy Snacks for 100 Calories or Less

So what should you snack on? Fruits and vegetables are a great place to start. Most people don't get enough fruits and vegetables in their diet, so chomping on them during snacktime is a good way to help you meet your daily quota. But if you have some specific health goals--such as slimming down or beating that afternoon energy slump--here are some snacks that can help you meet them:

WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT

By Hilary Meyer, Associate Food Editor, EatingWell Magazine

I function in an incredibly small kitchen. My constant challenge is finding room for what I really need and getting rid of what I don't. The other day, I pulled out my blender and my food processor and thought that, maybe, I could lose one.

Don't Miss: 8 Essential Tools to Have in Your Kitchen

After all, they both essentially do the same thing: pulverize stuff into tiny bits. Do I really need both? Turns out, I do. The blender and the food processor have their own unique strengths and weaknesses. Here's a breakdown of when to use your blender and when plugging in your food processor is a better choice:

FOOD PROCESSOR
Best For: My food processor takes over when my knife just doesn't do the trick. When it's not critical that my ingredients are evenly cut, I like to chop vegetables like mushrooms, carrots or onions, for example, into tiny little bits by pulsing them in my food processor to use in soup or as a

By Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D., Nutrition Editor, EatingWell Magazine

People often look to me, as a registered dietitian, for my seal of approval as they douse yogurt with agave or flood their coffee with turbinado sugar because "it's natural." But you won't find me giving a nutrition green light to use copious amounts of sugar, regardless of where it comes from. (How much sugar should you be eating? Find out here.) Whether you choose maple syrup, honey or molasses is still predominately a choice based on taste preferences rather than nutrition. However, in small amounts sugar and other sweeteners are OK. These days, with so many different sweeteners available at the grocery store, it can be tough to decide which one to buy. Some claim to be healthy, but are they really? We compared 12 sweeteners to help you decide which one to choose and how to use it.

Related: The Good, The Bad, The Nitty-Gritty. Everything You Need to Know About Sugar

Granulated Sugar (a.k.a., sugar,

By Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D., Associate Nutrition Editor, EatingWell Magazine

I've always thought the new year should start in September. Fall seems to bring with it a fresh start. And although I don't want to rush the change of seasons (I love summer!), I am starting to feel inspired to shake up my routine and, um, get one. It's all too easy to let healthy habits slide in the summertime (all that socializing can lead to some not-so-stellar food choices…hamburgers and ice cream have been in my diet more often than I'd like to admit). So if you're itching to get into (or back into) a healthy routine, as I am, then here are some steps you can take right now:

Don't Miss: Ditch These 4 Foods to Clean Up Your Diet

How to start your new healthy routine:

▢ Stock your kitchen with healthy foods. A first step in eating right is getting prepared. Go through your fridge and pantry and toss the super-unhealthy stuff you want to eat less of. Then, get ready to cook up healthy

By Matthew Thompson, Associate Food Editor for EatingWell Magazine

Now that we're into the fourth steamy week of August, I can honestly say I'm ready for autumn. But I don't want to bid summer goodbye without giving it a good send-off. That's why I'm psyched to have a Labor Day bash next weekend. It's a great opportunity to get all of the grilling, pool partying and lawn game playing out of my system before the onset of soup-and-sweater season.

But, while grilling burgers and dogs is pretty much mandatory, there's a whole range of options for snacks. Here's where I keep it simple, to maximize my Frisbee time: instead of fussing over apps, I'm just going to whip up a few simple chips & dips. And while some people would just buy a jar at the supermarket and crack it open, making your own dips couldn't be easier! That way you know what's going into them, can guarantee they'll taste great and can even make them better for you (without sacrificing flavor).

Here are some

By Hilary Meyer, Associate Food Editor, EatingWell Magazine

I like to cook with a lot of vegetables, but the waste can really pile up. I was becoming horrified to see exactly how much trash was leaving my kitchen. So I started a compost bin. I feel better since the compostable stuff is at least going to good use. But now my compost bin is filling up, which led me to think about what I was throwing in there. Is it all compost or can I find another use for it? Here are a few things you can actually keep and eat (and some you should toss).

Don't Miss: 5 Ways to Stop Wasting Food and Start Saving Money

Radish Greens: It's not just the peppery bulb that the radish has to offer. Try eating the greens too! If you find radishes with the greens still attached (or if you grow your own), enjoy their peppery flavor in a salad.

Fennel Fronds: You may have seen fennel fronds here and there and thought it was dill (they look very similar), but the fronds have a licorice flavor

By Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D., Nutrition Editor, EatingWell Magazine

Depending on where you live, apple season is either just around the corner--or already under way. As a dietitian, I love apples for their super-healthy nutrition profile: one medium apple delivers just 95 calories and 4 grams of fill-you-up fiber. Apples are also packed with disease-fighting antioxidants.

Don't Miss: How Apples Can Make You Skinnier & More Health Benefits of Apples

But because I work at EatingWell Magazine, people often ask me if they should be picking and buying organic apples.

It's a great question! Here's my two cents--as reported for EatingWell:

From a nutrition standpoint, the debate over organic produce versus conventional is ongoing. A 2009 review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that there is no sufficient evidence of a difference in nutrient quality. But a 2007 study by Newcastle University in the United Kingdom found organic produce has