Blog Posts by The Editors of EatingWell Magazine

By Michelle Edelbaum, EatingWell Digital Editor

I'm loving this early spring weather! Since it's still light when I get home from work, I want to go outside-not spend my evening in the kitchen making dinner. So I haven't put away my slow cooker, since crock pot recipes that practically cook dinner themselves are my answer to having it all.

Here are 5 of my favorite healthy crock pot recipes from the EatingWell Test Kitchen:

Greek Chicken & Vegetable Ragout: This recipe is filled with so many tastes of spring: new potatoes, artichokes, dill. Plus it uses one of my favorite cuts-chicken thighs-which stay moist and succulent during slow cooking.
Get the Recipe: Greek Chicken & Vegetable Ragout & More Crock Pot Recipes Packed with Produce

Pulled Pork with Caramelized Onions: This recipe is a keeper in my house-it's REALLY easy. While traditional pulled pork is barbecued, which gives it a smoky flavor, the slow cooker happens to be the absolute easiest way to cook

By Hilary Meyer, Associate Food Editor, EatingWell Magazine

I love breakfast, but I'm not at my most creative in the morning. My fast fall-back: whole wheat toast with a little butter or jam. It gets the job done, but it can get a little boring.

Don't Miss: 3-Ingredients of a Healthy Breakfast
5-Minute Breakfast Recipes

I'm going to take my toast offering up a few notches with just a little creativity. I want to make my toast something worth getting out of bed for. So here are 5 simple but unexpected ways to dress up your morning toast.

1. "Nova" toast
I LOVE bagels and lox (a traditional combo of cream cheese and cured salmon on a bagel), so I'm going to try this combo on toast. I'll give it a Scandinavian spin by choosing rye bread instead of my standard whole-wheat, keep it healthy by spreading it with reduced-fat cream cheese and top it with some smoked salmon. It's much more flavorful than my plain toast for breakfast routine and just as easy to make.

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

A new study, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, looked at how much consumers actually pay attention to Nutrition Facts labels on food products.

When the study participants were asked about their label-reading habits, many said they read the nutrition facts: for example, 33 percent reported "almost always" reading the calorie content. (The number of people who reported reading other components of the label, such as fat and sugar content, was lower.) But when the researchers put the study participants to the test with an eye-tracking device, those who truly read the Nutrition Facts label was much lower (only 9% looked at calorie counts, for example)-and even when consumers did examine the nutrition information, very few assessed every component of the label.

As a dietitian and nutrition editor of EatingWell Magazine, I'm not terribly surprised by these findings. Nutrition

Starbucks Turkey Bacon & White Cheddar Classic Breakfast SandwichBy Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D. Associate Nutrition Editor for EatingWell Magazine

Breakfast is important-it fuels your morning and may help keep your hunger in check so you don't overdo it at lunch. Although making breakfast at home is ideal-you have more control over the ingredients and can make sure you have a healthy, balanced meal-there are times when you need or want to pick up breakfast on the go.

Don't Miss: 3 Essential Ingredients of a Healthy Breakfast

Many popular fast-food restaurants now offer breakfast sandwiches, which spurred me to look into the healthiest (and least healthy) options.

The bottom line: It's possible to make a smart choice at any of these fast-food restaurants. For the healthiest choice (lowest in calories, sodium and saturated fat), skip the sausage, opt for a lighter bread choice (choose an English muffin, wrap or toast over a bagel, croissant, pancake or biscuit) to save calories-and get a whole-grain one, if you can, for added

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

I have never had a garden. For the past several years I've lived in small urban spaces with little to no outdoor room. I have often yearned to grow things, but haven't had much of an idea of how to get started. So when I started editing stories in EatingWell Magazine about ways to grow food in your kitchen or with little outdoor space, I was stoked-no more excuses not to grow some of my own food! Here are some easy ways to get started:

Must Read: 13 Easy-to-Grow Vegetables and Herbs

Microgreens
If you're eager to get some fresh greens on your plate, try growing microgreens. Microgreens are the first tender shoots of plants like collard greens, beet greens and mustard greens. As Melissa Pasanen wrote in EatingWell Magazine, microgreens are prized by chefs for their beauty and concentrated fresh flavor. They're also increasingly available for everyone to buy, but they're pricy (some

By Lisa Gosselin, Editorial Director, EatingWell Magazine

I went to two dinner parties recently and guess what was served at both? Salmon. It made me wonder: is salmon the new steak? If so, great! I LOVE this fish and am perfectly fine with that. My doctor probably is, too: the new U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend Americans eat two servings of fish a week. There are so many different types of salmon, which is loaded with heart-healthy, brain-boosting omega-3 fats, and ways to serve them that it would be hard for me to get bored with this fish.

Recipes to Try: Easy Salmon Cakes and More Delicious Salmon Recipes

But that said, there are certain types of salmon that I try to stay away from and certain questions I always ask before I buy. Here are 7 tips to help you buy the best salmon, which I reported on with Rowan Jacobsen in the March/April 2012 issue of EatingWell Magazine:

1. Wild or farmed?
The first choice you should make is whether to buy wild salmon (and

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

When the USDA came out with its Dietary Guidelines last year, it also published information on the so-called "shortfall nutrients" that Americans are not getting enough of. Are you getting enough of these four important nutrients? Here's what they are and how to make sure you're getting enough of them in your diet.

Must-Read: 6 Easy Ways to Meet the Dietary Guidelines

1. Fiber
Why You Need It: Fiber might sound dry and boring, but it's oh-so-important for your health. Eating enough fiber can help prevent type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer and heart disease. Research also suggests that consuming fiber-rich foods might boost weight loss by helping you to feel fuller after you eat. But most of us eat only about half as much fiber as we should. Nutrition guidelines recommend that women eat 25 grams daily and men eat 38 grams daily; the average American consumes only about 14 grams.