Blog Posts by Epicurious.com

Gear up for the big game with meatball recipes and tips from New York's Meatball Shop
by Carolina Santos-Neves, Epicurious

From left: Michael Chernow and Daniel Holzman at their restaurant, The Meatball Shop. It's that time of year again, when you start thinking about what to make for your Super Bowl party. Last year you probably made wings. The year before that you probably made…wings. Those tasty nuggets have been a go-to for football parties since the early 1960s, when a Buffalo bar purportedly invented the Buffalo chicken wing. Well, it's 2012, for goodness' sake, time for a change!

What to make instead? Meatballs are riding a popularity wave again, so we turned to the Meatball Shop's chefs, Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow, for advice. After successfully opening three restaurants in the New York area, the duo published The Meatball Shop Cookbook, and they have a thing or a hundred to say about how best to feed feisty football fans.

So this year, go about game-day business as usual. Chill some beers, put out bowls of chips and guac, and follow these meatball

The Mayo Clinic's tips on adding this essential nutrient into your daily diet
by Carolina Santos-Neves, Epicurious

Dietary fiber may not be a trendy health topic like antioxidants or omega-3s, but to ignore fiber's benefits would leave us wanting more. Literally. Fiber helps regulate blood-sugar levels and fullness, reduces the risk of heart disease, keeps our digestive tract functioning properly, and plays a key role in weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight, making it an essential nutrient. We interviewed the director of clinical dietetics/nutrition at the Mayo Clinic, Jennifer Kay Nelson, MS, RD, LD, and she gave us a breakdown of the fruitful (and veggie-ful) world of fiber.

Dietary fiber can be divided into two groups: soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and is found in whole foods such as oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus, carrots, and barley. It's known for lowering blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Insoluble fiber, which does not dissolve

This month, power up your days and help control your weight by eating a better breakfast--delicious recipes and nutritionist tips included
by Megan O. Steintrager, Epicurious

To kick off a healthy new year, we're introducing a monthly series of Doable Challenges: achievable goals we can all undertake together, one at a time, for greater health and energy. For this debut installment, let's start at the beginning: If you skip or skimp on breakfast, it's time to rethink your mornings, especially if you're trying to lose weight. "Breakfast is absolutely the most important meal of the day," declares Kathleen Zelman, a registered dietitian and director of nutrition at WebMD. "You are breaking the fast," Zelman explains. "You have been sleeping for hours and you have low blood sugar. And in order to perform--whether it's in the classroom, the boardroom, or on the playing field, whatever you're doing--you need glucose. Glucose is the fuel that gives not only your muscles but also your brain

Boost your immunity with healthy recipes from Epicurious and advice from John La Puma, M.D.
by Megan O. Steintrager, Epicurious

Have you noticed that people who normally shun shots are scrambling to get flu vaccines this year? At Epicurious, we're always looking for a food solution to any problem, so we contacted John La Puma, M.D., the author of Chef MD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine, for advice about what to eat to boost immunity and fight the flu.

Before we jump into La Puma's list of top flu-fighting foods, here are a few notes from the doctor:

* The flu is most likely to be spread from person-to-person contact, through coughing and sneezing--and the "best and easiest protection" against flu is to "wash your hands often, for 15 to 20 seconds, with soap and water, or with an alcohol-based hand cleaner, [rubbing] until your hands are dry."
* People with immunity problems, such as thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and celiac disease, should talk to

by Tanya Steel, Epicurious

Hearty Chicken Vegetable SoupThe Center for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting this season's flu outbreak is the most widespread and severe in a decade, with 29 states reporting high activity and 41 states reporting outbreaks. While the number one way to prevent contracting the flu is to get the flu shot, followed by constantly washing your hands with warm soapy water, there are some foods that will help strengthen your immune system, thus decreasing the chances of getting sick and reducing the severity of the symptoms if you do come down with the flu.

Vitamin C-Rich Foods: This vitamin strengthens disease-fighting cells, so load up on berries, citrus, sweet potatoes, and melons. Chile peppers like jalapenos and serranos are also vitamin C powerhouses and have the added benefit of clearing your sinuses. This Thai Shrimp Soup with Lemon and Jalapenos is a veritable bowlful of vitamin C.

See More: Healthy Comfort Recipes for Any Day

Pro-and-Pre Biotic Foods: We've long heard how

by Kelly Senyei, Epicurious

courtesy of Naomi PescovitzThe other day I was doing my daily comb through my Facebook newsfeed when my friend shared the above snapshot from her mid-winter cleaning session. It's a box of Betty Crocker angel food cake mix, with an expiration date of May 31, 1991.

See More: Healthy Comfort Recipes for Any Day

The cake mix expired 22 years ago. Twenty-two years. That's three years before Justin Beiber was even born. As shocked as I was at the ancient date on the box, I knew there was no way I could throw stones given the current condiment situtation in my refrigerator. I have almost weekly discussions with myself in which I justify the "freshness" of that old bottle of Dijon or jar of sweet pickles, both of which are etched with dates signaling their contents are days, months, or (gulp) years past their prime. "Ketchup can't expire," I state in defiance.

I know I'm not alone in my blatant disregard of certain foods taking shelter in my fridge and pantry well beyond their recommended

by Kendra Vizcaino, Epicurious

Gourmet/Yanes,Romulo A Leftover pasta is a constant problem in my kitchen. Since I'm usually cooking for two, I tend to make about 3/4 of a box at a time. This leaves me with small amounts of a variety of different pasta shapes. While it might seem like these spare noodles might end up going to waste, there are a variety of uses for them.

1. Cook them together. If the shapes have similar cooking times boil them all together. If the cooking times vary, add them to the pot of water at the appropriate times for each one.

See More: Healthy Comfort Recipes for Any Day

2. Make crafts with kids. String tube shapes on thread or twine to make necklaces and bracelets, or glue them onto picture frames and paint them to showcase your favorite photos.

3. Stop salt from clumping. Crush the pasta into small pieces and add them into your salt shaker. The pasta will help break up the salt, as rice does, and keeps it flowing smoothly.

See More: Favorite Casserole Recipes

4. Perk up your soup.

Astrologer Rebecca Gordon offers monthly readings--and recipes for results
by Epicurious














Capricorn
(December 22-January 19)
A grand lineup of stars in Capricorn suggests it's time to reevaluate the old M.O.'s in favor of new and more purposeful routines. The theme now is restructuring, and your sun sign, Capricorn, rules the bones and teeth (body structure). Indulge in calcium-rich foods such as fish, bok choy, and turnip greens to strengthen your body as well as reinforce your inner purpose as you rebuild from a place of integrity. As your planetary ruler, Saturn sends a helping hand near January 17. Dinner with an old pal or mentor will bring sound insight to your ears, so take time to reconnect and listen.
Recipe to try: Salmon Bulgogi with Bok Choy and Mushrooms

Aquarius
(January 20-February 18)
A full moon on January 27 will shine a bright light on your most intimate relationships as clarity and conviction replace any past uncertainties. Lucidity can be yours with a clean