Blog Posts by SHAPE magazine

by Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD

Tomato sorbetGoodbye, chocolate-covered bacon; hello, chocolate-dipped cauliflower! While you may normally think of veggies as something to choke down before moving onto dessert, a new trend of veggie-inspired desserts may change that, according to a report in the latest issue of Food Technology magazine. Classic sweet treats such as carrot cake and sweet potato pie have long been fan favorites, but now pastry chefs are going above and beyond to include flavorful picks such as cucumbers, eggplants, beets, squash, carrots, mushrooms, and tomatoes in baked goods.

RELATED: The Best Healthy Cupcakes We've Ever Seen!

I was excited to read about this trend, because I've been experimenting with veggie-based treats for some time. I recently shared my recipe for secret spinach brownies with FitSugar viewers, and lately, I've been baking up a storm, folding pureed lentils or bean flours into cookies and cupcakes. In addition to being downright fun, adding veggies to the

by Jené Luciani

Vanessa Lachey on her post-baby bodySometimes life as a new mom is all about smoke and mirrors. Just ask Vanessa Lachey. The 32-year-old Wipeout host and wife of singer Nick admits that those post-baby pics (son Camden is three months old) weren't the results of hours of working out or some miracle weight-loss diet. We chatted with Lachey-the new spokesperson for Procter & Gamble's "Have You Tried This Yet?" campaign-about those pictures that had everyone buzzing, plus how her life has changed since becoming a mom.

RELATED: Fall's Hottest Nail Trends

SHAPE: Everyone's talking about your fab post-baby body. How did you get back into shape so quickly?
Vanessa Lachey (VL): One on hand, I want to say thanks for your kind words. But on the other hand, I want to encourage women out there that there is no perfect "after-baby body!" Truth be told, when those pictures came out, I wasn't wearing a bikini, so you couldn't really see my body. I just know how to dress for my body type and was

by Phoebe Lapine

Turn the remains of your holiday dishes into originals so good, you'll wish you had cooked more!

Green bean and potato salad with pesto1. Roasted potato and green bean salad with pesto: Since next-day veggies can seem limp and boring, toss those beans and roasted potatoes with the bright, fresh flavors of pesto to liven them up.

Serves: 4 as a side

Ingredients:
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup blanched whole almonds
1/2 cup snipped chives
1 cup coarsely chopped basil leaves
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups leftover roasted potatoes*
4 cups leftover green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions:
1. Pulse garlic and almonds in a food processor. Add chives, basil, lemon juice, and salt and pulse until roughly chopped. Stream in oil 1/4 cup at a time until pesto is smooth and has the consistency of mayo. Tastes for seasoning and add more salt if necessary.

2. Toss potatoes and beans with 3/4 cup pesto, reserving

by SHAPE editors

Passing up pie on Thanksgiving? Sacrilege! Instead, learn how your favorite Thanksgiving pies stack up and easy ways to dial down the decadence.

Pecan pie1.Pecan pie: 503 CALORIES; 27G FAT
Though nuts are a great source of healthy fats and protein, too much of a good thing can kick this southern treat into the diet danger zone. Slash 60 calories and 9 grams of fat per piece with a tip from Betty Crocker kitchens manager Shirley Dolland: Sub rolled oats for half the pecans, and replace the three eggs most recipes call for with one egg and four whites.

RELATED: 7 Healthy Thanksgiving Food Swaps

Cherry pie2. Cherry pie: 486 CALORIES; 22G FAT
A can of cherry pie filling contains 133 grams of sugar-as much as in 10 doughnuts! To make your own (and shave off 75 grams of sugar), Anthony Stewart, the executive chef at the Pritikin longevity center + spa in Miami, says to simmer 4 cups frozen cherries with 2 tablespoons Splenda, 1 tablespoon vanilla

by Alanna Nuñez

Are energy drinks killing people?Energy drinks are causing a buzz lately, and we're not talking about the kick-start that they claim to provide; instead, they're all over the news.

Last Thursday the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that they're investigating 13 deaths and 33 hospitalizations for conditions including heart attacks, convulsions, and one case of a spontaneous abortion tied to 5-Hour Energy Drink. This news comes only a few weeks after the agency began looking into five deaths linked to Monster Energy drink.

While many experts have questioned the safety of energy drinks since the beverages came out on the market, these new reports have even more wondering if they should buy them, let alone if these products should be allowed to be sold.

Most energy drinks include caffeine, but it's the caffeine in conjunction with other ingredients that can be a problem, John P. Higgins, M.D., associate professor of medicine at the University of Texas told SHAPE in an earlier

by Ysolt Usigan

From calorie counts to total cans of cranberry sauce consumed (answer: a lot!), these fun facts will surprise you.

How many calories will you consume on Thanksgiving?1. Your T-giving meal in calories: It's common knowledge that people consume more calories on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year, but did you know that the average American's holiday meal packs more than 1600 calories? This infographic by Visual.ly will help you keep things in check while still enjoying your favorite Turkey Day dishes.

Click here to see the full infographic.

Photo credit: Visual.ly





RELATED: 7 Healthy Thanksgiving Swaps


How many cans of cranberry sauce do people purchase for Thanksgiving?2. Thanks trivia: This FreshDirect infographic gives us a glimpse into how the grocery chain operates as it relates to your Thanksgiving meal. For instance, if you stacked up all the cans of cranberry sauce customers bought from FreshDirect alone, it would stand twice as tall as the Empire State Building. It's amazing how much we consume during the holiday season, and for that matter, every day, isn't it?

Click

by Elizabeth Goodman Artis

Here are five reasons why you (yes, you!) can afford a personal trainerPut the word "personal" in front of any service-trainer, stylist, dog groomer-and it immediately takes on an elitist (read: expensive) ring. But a personal trainer is not just for those with big bank accounts. We talked to Jason Karp, Ph.D, an exercise physiologist and author of Running for Women, for a few perfectly legit reasons anyone can hire a personal trainer-and why it actually doesn't have to break the bank.

1. Because health equals wealth: When you're feeling healthy and physically fit, you're going to be more productive in any area of your life. Research backs this up: According to a study published in the Journal of Labor Research, people who work out regularly (three times a week) earn about 10 percent more than those who don't. Using that extra cash on a trainer (which costs, on average, about $50 to $80 per session) is definitely money well spent.

RELATED: The One-Hit-Wonder Workout

2. Because there probably is room in your budget: "One of the

by Jessica Smith

Save money, slim down. Win-win!It's a multitasker's dream scenario. But can saving cash really help shrink your waistline? Yes, according to behavioral psychologist Matt Wallaert. "Eating and spending are very similar behavioral processes in that they both are about the competition between our desires and the consequences," he says. "Psychologists often look at the lessons learned in one domain to apply them to others."

So why not kill two birds with one stone? These expert financial tips work for fattening up your wallet and slimming down your waistline. Ka-ching, ka-ching!

1. Put the break on splurge spirals: "One of the key findings with both spending and eating is that when people "break" their diet or budget, they tend to go big, figuring that they'll just start over tomorrow because it is broken for today," Wallaert says. Case in point: One study found that dieters who ate a single Hershey's Kiss in the morning overate for the rest of the day, saying they had already