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Elaine Gordon is a healthy food blogger for Eating by Elaine, a site dedicated to recipes with a health message. Elaine has a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree and is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC).
Elaine’s recipes, freelance writing, and editorial content have been featured in The Washington Post.
Nutritionally-backed cooking & baking swaps from healthy recipe developer, Elaine Gordon. 1. Vegan butter made from plant-based oil is a healthy swap for regular butter in any baking recipe. By substituting vegan butter you still get all the traditional butter flavor but you avoid dairy and cholesterol and are able to save 4 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon.
11-19th June is National Picnic Week in the UK. So here's a list of wonderful picnic recipes that go very well with colourful blankets and sunshine!
These "better-for-you" versions will be our little secret.
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If you've never been a big fan of brussels sprouts, it's probably because you've never had them thinly sliced. Eating them this way is a completely different experience, since the slaw-like slices get more completely covered in whatever you're flavoring them with.
Cobblers are staples at Labor Day barbecues and other summer parties, making delicious use of in-season fruits. But most recipes are loaded with refined flours and sugars, butter and milk. Paula Deen's peach cobbler recipe uses an entire stick of butter and two cups of sugar.
put the pasta in a bowl, season, shake, chill and enjoy!
Latkes can be a wonderfully healthful snack any time of year -- not just Hanukkah fare. This recipe uses egg whites instead of whole eggs and uses skin-on potatoes. The skin, which has more nutrients than the rest of the potato, provides 2 grams of fiber per ounce as well as vitamins B and C, iron, calcium, potassium and other nutrients.
Hanukkah is commonly referred to as the "festival of lights," with oil holding special meaning. Because of this, oil is a key ingredient in many of the holiday's dishes, including latkes. which are made from grated potatoes and fried in oil. They are typically served with sour cream and/or applesauce.
Turkey is the core staple for Thanksgiving dinner. And for many, the leftovers are just as big a part of the tradition as the main Thanksgiving dinner. Choose a healthful recipe to reinvent your turkey feast a day or two later.
Thanksgiving turkey leftovers are given a Southwestern spin in this hash, loaded with an assortment of vegetables including bell peppers, celery, onions, sweet potatoes, red potatoes and tomatoes. Serve it to your holiday weekend guests. Make Ahead: The hash can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Here's a healthful, vegan, gluten-free way to enjoy hotcakes and the start of pumpkin season. They have a chewy texture. Top them with vegan or pumpkin butter or your favorite nut or seed butter. Make Ahead: The cakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or individually wrapped and frozen for up to 1 month.
It's October, which means pumpkin season is in full swing, with a flood of pumpkin-flavored treats: pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pastries and pumpkin beers. There is even such a thing as pumpkin pie vodka. What's missing from these festive seasonal delights? Pumpkin! This fall, I challenge you to go beyond the pumpkin pie spice and sugar.
As our days begin to warm up, smoothies can be a great way to pack in important nutrients. But there are many types out there, and not all of them are good for you. When we think of smoothies, we often think of fruit and ice.
This version of a summer classic more than satisfies any craving for a peachy treat without butter/dairy, oil, refined sugar or gluten. If you love cinnamon, feel free to increase the amounts in the filling and the topping to as much as 1 tablespoon each, as called for in the original recipe.
A recent study at William Paterson University in New Jersey ranked the top " powerhouse fruits and vegetables," based on the nutrients they provide per calorie. What topped the list? No, not kale or spinach (though they didn't do too badly). The most powerful of the powerhouses was watercress.
This seasonal dish can be served as a healthful appetizer, snack or light entree. It packs a good deal of flavor from the spicy dipping sauce and fresh mint. Watercress is a delicate leafy green that provides calcium and vitamins A and C (important for skin and immune health).
Elaine Gordon, a certified health education specialist, offers her picks for everything from breakfast to dessert.
With barbecue season in full swing, healthful eating might not be the first thing on your mind, but this is a great time to experiment with vegetables, lean cooking methods and other smart food choices. Here are some ways to lighten up your next party: ●Grill lean meat, poultry or seafood with a light, homemade marinade: Think chicken or fish kebabs with a citrus-garlic marinade.
This creamy side dish is unlike other slaws. A medley of fresh vegetables -- including cabbage, carrots and radishes -- is brought together with a lime-tahini dressing that packs a bit of cayenne. The dish is high in fiber and rich in vitamins and minerals.
This smoothie offers a complete breakfast in under three minutes, without using expensive protein powders. With 100 percent natural ingredients, the recipe is full of antioxidants and healthful fats. Where to Buy: Hemp hearts (raw shelled hemp seed) and chia seed are available at organic grocery stores and in the organic aisle of large grocery stores.
Much has been written about the importance of breakfast. But although as we read about the physical and mental benefits of starting the day with a balanced meal, some of us don't have the time or just can't stomach the idea of food at 6 a.m.
These oil- and butter-free breakfast cookies are portable, healthful and satisfying. They take minutes to bake. Make Ahead: The cookies can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
These burgers offer a mildly nutty flavor and hold together well. Baking gives them a slightly crisped exterior and a moist interior. Teff is an ancient grain that is native to Ethiopia and quickly climbing to superfood status. It is naturally gluten-free and a highly nutritious whole grain.
One serving of dry teff (a quarter-cup) offers 7 grams of protein, 4 grams of dietary fiber, 25 percent of your daily recommended magnesium, 20 percent of your daily iron and 10 percent of your daily calcium, Vitamin B6 and zinc. Teff has a mildly nutty flavor and is incredibly versatile.
Free Range on Food is a forum for discussion of all things culinary. Join us every Wednesday at noon. The time-honored Food section tradition of recipe face-offs started with a battle over chili and has led to several game-day-worthy dishes.
Poaching is a low-fat, low-sodium method for cooking lean proteins that have a tendency to dry out. No oil or fat is required, and the result is succulent, tender and flavor-infused meat. In this recipe, the chicken is infused with winter citrus flavor that is enhanced by the sweet clementine-pomegranate relish -- a great way to incorporate more fruit into your diet.
97 calories and super simple. Fresh raspberries may be used, but they need to be frozen until firm to achieve the proper soft-serve consistency.
Traditional stuffing typically is loaded with sodium and butter, and with refined grains that have lost much of their fiber, iron and B vitamin content during processing. This lighter version features whole grains, fresh herbs, vegetables and lean protein without skimping on flavor. And with quinoa as the base, it is great for anyone keeping a gluten-free diet.
This no-bake recipe requires six ingredients and is quick and easy to whip together. It is extremely heart-healthy and brimming with superfood benefits. These hemp balls contain omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, antioxidants, protein, fiber, iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium and more. The balls are raw, vegan and gluten-free.
Walnut-Crusted Salmon . The ubiquitous fish gets an elegant treatment in this dish from master certified health education specialist Elaine Gordon.
Something about soft-serve ice cream makes it irresistible on a sweltering summer day. Don’t deny your taste buds — just make sure to keep it healthful. This homemade version combines the idea of soft-serve with the health benefits of plain, nonfat Greek yogurt and raspberries. The result should be smooth, creamy and thick. It is the perfect combination of sweetness and tartness.
Often underused, root vegetables should fit right in to your Thanksgiving menu. They have interesting flavors and powerful nutritional benefits. They are also low in calories and rich in fiber. By roasting the vegetables in heart-healthy olive oil and adding fresh herbs for flavor, you avoid the added calories and fat that come with many other traditional Thanksgiving vegetable side dishes.
The ingredients not only complement each other beautifully in flavor and texture, but they also assist in nutrient absorption. Lentils and quinoa are plant-based sources of iron, which is more easily absorbed when paired with foods rich in Vitamin C, such as sweet potatoes and carrots.
These bite-size morsels are a guilt-free antidote for apple pie cravings. They are healthful, gluten-free and vegan; this recipe does not call for butter, refined flour or sugar. The apple skin is left on for added nutrients. For best results, use an apple variety that is firm enough to hold its shape and has a combination of sweet and tart flavors.
This lighter spin on the classic Caesar salad is egg-free, with a gluten-free option for croutons (see NOTE). It can easily be turned into a main course by adding a lean protein such as grilled chicken. The white beans in the dressing add the creaminess you might expect in a Caesar salad.
This light and refreshing gluten-free salad is perfect for a hot summer day. The star of the dish is the soba noodle, which comes from buckwheat -- a fine alternative for those avoiding gluten. Even if you are not avoiding gluten, this delicious noodle is perfect for providing a complete protein and other important nutrients such as iron, calcium, zinc and phosphorus. Be sure the soba noodles you use here are 100 percent buckwheat, to make sure they are gluten-free and possess the desired...
This soup achieves creaminess without using cream and spotlights the taste of sweet, nutty butternut squash. This winter squash is a good source of fiber, potassium and magnesium, and it's an excellent source of vitamins A and C.
Ready to start looking for apple recipes? Be careful. Many apple recipes contain loads of butter and refined sugar (think traditional apple pie) and advise you to remove the skin, stripping away important dietary fiber and nutrients. With apple season in full swing, find out how to maximize your "apple a day."
With all the hype about vegetarian and gluten-free diets, it is surprising there isn’t more discussion about buckwheat, a grain substitute that, despite its name, is naturally gluten-free. Buckwheat is loaded with health benefits. Similar to whole grains, it is a great source of heart-healthy fiber, which helps keep you full longer. It also provides hunger-satisfying protein without any of the cholesterol or saturated fat that animal protein contains. Plus, it offers eight essential amino...
This elegant entree earns a flavor boost from its sweet-tangy sauce and savory walnut crust. Serve with your favorite vegetable and a whole-grain side, such as asparagus and brown rice.
Health education specialist Elaine Gordon reviewed many standard spiced apple cake recipes and came up with this healthful version, which also happens to be vegan and gluten-free. Applesauce, apples, raisins and agave syrup provide most of the sweetness, and replacing eggs with flaxseed meal cuts down on cholesterol.
Thanksgiving is a time of family, celebration — and thousands of calories. But don’t blame the turkey. You’ll most likely find the calorie culprits right next to it: the sides. Many popular Thanksgiving cooking techniques include breading, frying or smothering with high-fat sauces that significantly increase calories and saturated fat. And we often miss out on the opportunity to incorporate beneficial foods such as whole grains and vegetables. But there are plenty of ways to make your...
Hemp hearts, or raw shelled hemp seeds, have grown increasingly popular in the nutrition community over the past couple of years. But despite being labeled a superfood by some, they still have a stigma as part of the cannabis family.
This one-pot dish is comfort food made healthful. It can be served on its own or over brown rice. Make Ahead: The stew tastes even better after a day's refrigeration; it can be refrigerated for 3 or 4 days.
This is a lightened-up, guilt-free version of traditional turkey tetrazzini that calls for cooked, white-meat turkey and lots of vegetables including mushrooms, peas, onion and butternut squash. The sauce, made from the squash, skips the usual butter and cream yet it provides flavor and a velvety texture throughout.
This simple recipe features a bold marinade that gets its flavor from fresh lime, cilantro and garlic. A touch of sweetness from a bit of honey helps balance out the other intense flavors. You could even add a little jalapeno pepper to the marinade for more heat. If it’s still a bit too early to find peaches at your local grocery store, try pineapple or nectarine, both delicious on the grill. Serve with brown rice or a fresh salad.
This is ideal for cool fall evenings. It's slightly spicy, yet smooth and savory from the pumpkin puree. The pumpkin and orange bell pepper add beautiful color to the dish and are a great way to sneak in more vegetables. And it can be made as a vegetarian dish; see NOTE. Why add pumpkin to chili? In addition to lending a wonderful creaminess, pumpkin is a nutrition powerhouse. It's high in potassium, it contains fiber and calcium, and it's a good source of vitamins A and C.
A healthful spin on salad: When faced with a menu decision, many people believe a salad is the healthiest option. This is not always the case, as salads can be loaded with even more calories and fat than other entrees. A lot depends on the ingredients.
#5: Ninety-seven calories and zero fat in this healthful, blended treat from local master certified health education specialist Elaine Gordon.
Grilling is a simple way to feed your family well this summer. Start with a lean meat and a healthful marinade and then allow the grill to strip away additional fat for a heart-healthy and waist-friendly final result. Plus, grilling caramelizes the natural sugars in foods, which adds flavor without additional calories and fat.
February is American Heart Month, and there is no better time to start thinking about how your lifestyle might be impacting your risk for heart disease, America’s No. 1 killer. The good news is that many of the risk factors are within your control.
Full of seasonal pumpkin, this is the perfect chili for cool fall evenings. It’s slightly spicy, yet smooth and savory. The puree and orange peppers add beautiful color and are a great way to sneak in more vegetables.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage us to enjoy our food but avoid oversize portions. And many people eat and drink more when served more - so pay attention to the size of your initial serving of mashed potatoes, stuffing and other Thanksgiving favorites.
In this cold and bleak winter, citrus is a great way to brighten up dinnertime with in-season produce while giving your immune system a boost. Citrus fruits are most known for containing the antioxidant Vitamin C, which supports proper immune function.
Low-carb and low-calorie Italian comfort food can be hard to find. Here, cooked and shredded squash stands in for wheat pasta as the base of a nutritious and filling main dish. The spaghetti squash is roasted in this preparation; alternatively, it can be cooked in the microwave.
As the weather warms up this spring and farmers markets begin to open, you can experiment with new vegetables and fruits. Try this salad recipe that focuses on ingredients found in April and May at your local farmers markets. It features a vinaigrette using fresh herbs that bring out the natural flavors in the salad's components. Don't worry too much about the measurements of the produce; have fun experimenting with different proportions that are to your liking. Other seasonal produce that...
Most stuffed pepper recipes are heavy on cheese. This one gets its heartiness from diced vegetables and a zesty pesto sauce. Be sure to select bell peppers that have a semi-flat bottom and can stand fairly upright on their own.
#5 Spaghetti Squash With Ground Turkey and Tomato Sauce. You won’t miss the pasta in this low-carb, low-calorie, family-friendly dish from Local Living contributor Elaine Gordon.
With all the recent interest in locally grown, farm-fresh and organic foods, it’s no wonder the number of U.S. farmers markets has more than tripled in the past 15 years. There are now more than 7,175 across the country, according to the Agriculture Department.
It’s hard to overestimate the hunger for guilt-free recipes when New Year’s resolutions are in full force, which is one reason why the most-viewed Post recipe in January was for a healthful muffin. Other reasons: The muffins taste good, they feature a trendy ingredient and they are not bigger than your head.
We are almost a month into 2013, and whether you’ve resolved to get to the gym, try belly-dancing or to sit down to dinner as a family more, I have a bonus resolution for you. It’s an easy one: Eat a complete breakfast each morning. If you are one of the millions of Americans who skip breakfast, you could be sabotaging your health goals.
With their vibrant color and unusual shape, stuffed peppers can provide a stunning presentation for your main course. This recipe is completely gluten-free and vegan, with protein-rich quinoa and a vegan pesto sauce drizzled on top for a flavor boost. Regular pesto is delicious but is high in calories and contains cholesterol. This sauce contains heart-healthy fats from walnuts and has zero cholesterol and much lower saturated fat than a classic pesto recipe.
Despite the fact that the U.S. Agriculture Department recommends you fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, they are rarely the main attraction. As fall rolls around and squash becomes abundant in grocery stores, maybe it's time these healthful foods had their moment in the spotlight.
The start of spring is just the time to incorporate seasonal ingredients into your diet. Asparagus shines at springtime and is especially popular as a side dish at Easter or Passover dinners. It is a nutrient-dense crop that peaks in early spring when the weather is still a bit cool. And there are many healthful ways to prepare it: roasted, grilled, sauteed, steamed, blanched or even as a soup. Try drizzling a bit of olive oil on top and baking at 400 degrees or grilling until tender — add...
Serve these gluten-free muffins warm or at room temperature with your favorite nut butter. Ground chia seeds are available at Whole Foods Markets, Harris Teeter and Giant stores.
This time of year, your calendar is likely to be full of holiday parties, office gatherings, cookie exchanges and family meals. The common theme of any of these events is delicious desserts, which are usually loaded with added sugars and unhealthy fats. Take control this holiday season, and experiment with these healthful baking tips to benefit yourself and your loved ones. The U.S. Agriculture Department labels solid fats and added sugars as empty calories, and recommends that these make up...
A cold dessert is the perfect antidote to the late-summer heat. Mangoes can satisfy your sweet tooth while packing in fiber and important nutrients such as vitamins A and C, which together boost immunity, improve heart health and reduce your risk for many chronic diseases. And switching from ice cream to sorbet is a great way to reduce saturated fat and cholesterol. This recipe skips the refined sugars found in most commercial sorbets, so you can feel good about every ingredient.