Throw a Great (Easy) Party!

From Health magazine

You love having people over but loathe the inevitable party-planning anxiety: How will I get everything done in time? Do I have enough food? Thankfully, there are simple ways to minimize the stress and maximize the fun.

Perfect planning
It’s summer, and the entertaining is easy. Forgo mailed invitations in favor of fuss-free, money-saving Evites, says entertaining expert Michele Adams, who, with Gia Russo, is a co-founder of the style company MiGi and co-author of At Home With Friends: Spontaneous Celebrations for Any Occasion. Post your online invitation two weeks in advance (three, if your party falls on a major holiday like the Fourth of July).

As for the menu, streamline it, Adams suggests. To avoid standing over a hot barbecue grill through the entire party, serve sausages, which can be boiled ahead of time and finished on the grill. Better yet? Jazz up prepared foods with fresh ingredients: Buy steamed shrimp, and cook penne according to package directions; toss with jarred pesto. Another idea: Sauté shrimp with garlic, salt, and pepper to taste; serve on top of pasta.

An alternative to a full bar: Create a “signature” drink, like Cranberry Champagne Punch, and serve it in colorful pitchers (like the one shown below). To cut down on dirty platters, says Julie Edelman, author of The Ultimate Accidental Housewife: Your Guide to a Clean Enough House, use scooped-out watermelon and cantaloupe halves as summery servers.

Simple setup
Good party feng shui is easy. Stack plates and arrange cutlery on a large buffet table. Place one big platter of food in the center, Russo says, and fan side dishes around it. Use tiered trays (our pick, below), which are great for creating vertical space. And keep the food station from getting jammed by putting the drinks on a different table.

Encourage conversation by grouping lawn chairs around small tables. If you need additional seating, spread a few blankets on the grass, Edelman says. And set up an activity table with art projects to keep kids entertained. Finally, use candles, torches, and lanterns once night falls—good lighting keeps things lively until guests are truly ready to call it a night.

Party favorites
These are our picks for making your summer soirées superL

1/ Venti Oval Party Tub ($75, shown in Regency Lime; http://www.themacbethcollection.com/)

2/ Medium Bowls by Bambu ($17 each; http://www.branchhome.com/)

3/ Three-Tier Buffet Stand ($30, plates sold separately; http://www.surlatable.com/)

4/ Basis Pitcher ($45, shown in Turquoise; http://www.lekkerhome.com/)

Last Updated: February 18, 2009
Filed Under: Home and Family

Your Guide to a Safer Summer Weekend

By Allison Avery
From Health magazine

It’s here—the season of cookouts, road trips, and lazy poolside afternoons with family and friends. However you celebrate summer, our smart tips will keep the action safe and healthy.

Start by grilling smart. Grilling mistakes cause thousands of fires every year. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that you position any grill at least three feet away from house siding or railings and never place it in an enclosed area or under eaves or tree branches. If you smell gas, turn the tank off quickly and call the fire department. When grilling with charcoal, never add lighter fluid after lighting coals—the flames can leap high.

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Dodge the burn and the bugs
Turned off by greasy sunscreen and smelly sprays? Cabana Life has a line of clothing with UPF 50+ (like SPF for fabrics), including the stylish Gingham Reversible Bucket Hat ($42; www.cabanalife.com). And the Patch Madras Shirt from Orvis ($59; www.orvis.com) is outfitted with Insect Shield, a repellent that wards off bugs for up to 70 washings. (P.S.: We still recommend sunscreen for your face).


Take CPR . . . to the pool
It’s scary to think about, but serious pool accidents happen all the time. You can save a life by immediately performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); that doubles a drowning person’s chances of survival, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). How do you learn? A 30-minute do-it-yourself course is all it takes. Try the AHA’s CPR Anytime ($29.95 for adult kit; www.americanheart.org), featuring a dummy and DVD.


Practice safe picnicking
No one wants to be stuck in the bathroom when everyone’s outdoors. Avoid food poisoning by putting meat, potato salad, beans, cut and cooked vegetables, and cheese in a cooler, which is 41°F or colder, after two hours on the table, experts say. Try the Big Dipper Collapsible Tub Cooler ($32; www.picnicfun.com), which folds flat for storage.


Get your game on
Why let a silly, preventable injury kick you out of that impromptu tennis tourney? “If you’re not accustomed to playing sports, muscle strains are common,” says Margot Putukian, MD, director of athletic medicine at Princeton University. Solution: Warm up with a few minutes of walking and stretching. Got a bum knee? Wrap it in a brace before you play.

Last Updated: February 18, 2009
Filed Under: Mind and Body

Summer BBQ Menu Makeover

I had some friends over for a little Memorial Day BBQ and plan to do it again for the July 4 holiday and many other weekends before summer ends. While grilling is a healthy cooking technique—it requires no added fat and lets excess fat in meat and poultry drip away—there are many foods that we should keep off our grill sdue to their high calories, saturated fat, and/or sodium content.Here’s my summer grilling menu, which is a lot healthier than the traditional BBQ. I hope it inspires some of you to share your favorite outdoor summer dishes.

Grilled Poultry Sausage vs. Bratwurst
I was at the supermarket and, out of curiosity, picked up a package of bun-sized Hillshire Farm Cheddar Wurst smoked sausage. The pork-and-beef sausages weighed in at 240 calories and 21 grams fat, 8 grams of which were heart-stopping saturated fat. Not to mention the 660 mg sodium. Then I bought my Aidells Portobello Mushroom Smoked Chicken and Turkey Sausage. Each of these stocky sausages weighs in at only 140 calories and 8 grams of fat (with only 2.5 saturated), and 540 mg sodium.

If your dog starts at 250 calories and you add another 120 calories for the bun and at least 75 for condiments, one dog will add up to 450 calories or more. No chances of seconds with that chubby dog.

Poultry sausages deliver all the taste and texture of beef or pork sausages without the calories or fat. Serve them in buns for a healthier alternative. To go even leaner, I cut the sausages into chunks, top with fresh basil and a slice of heirloom tomato, and serve with toothpicks and condiments.

Save: At least 300 calories, 10 grams of fat, and 5.5 grams saturated fat

Grilled Veggie Skewers vs. Coleslaw
I nix coleslaw—more than 250 calories and 15 grams of fat a cup—and grill up summer squash, bell pepper, and mushrooms, and skewer them with small pieces of feta cheese and grape tomatoes for a healthy appetizer that doesn’t add extra fat or calories.

Save: At least 150 calories and 10 grams fat

Portobello Burgers vs. Beef Burgers
I am in my flexitarian (semi-vegetarian) phase, so I’m off beef for now. Instead I like to grill portobello mushroom burgers and serve them with a heirloom tomato slices and goat cheese on a multigrain bun. A traditional, small (3 ounces cooked) beef burger made with 80% lean ground beef served on a plain bun with ketchup and mustard packs in just over 400 calories and 16 grams of fat. The portobello burger—prepared with a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper—comes in under 300 calories, even with the bun and condiments.

Skinny Cow Bars vs. Ice Cream
Who doesn’t want ice cream or some frozen dessert in the summer? I do. To satisfy my craving, I opt for Skinny Cow Skinny Dippers chocolate-coated ice cream bars. Premium chocolate ice cream has about 200 to 250 calories per half cup, with 15 grams total fat (11 grams saturated). These Skinny Cow treats weigh in at 80 calories, 3 grams of fat (2 saturated). They satisfy my desire for a creamy, sweet, frozen dessert without blowing the calories in my diet.

Save: At least 120 calories, 10 grams fat, 10 grams saturated fat.

These simple dietitian-approved substitutions can cut hundreds of calories and a day’s worth of saturated fat from your summer menu. And guests won’t feel the least bit deprived—at least, no one complains when they come to our house.

By: Julie Upton, MS, RD
(ALEXANDER SHALAMOV/ISTOCK)

Last Updated: February 20, 2009
Filed Under: Experts and Bloggers

Build a Leaner Burger With Buffalo

From Health magazine

Supertasty (and lean) buffalo meat elevates this recipe for Buffalo Burgers With Red Cabbage Slaw, adapted from Bobby Flay’s Grill It!.

Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 7 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
Pickled Okra Russian Dressing
½ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1½ tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
¼ cup finely diced pickled okra
2½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Red-Cabbage Slaw
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon canola oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ small head of red cabbage, shredded (4 cups)
1 large carrot, shredded (1⁄2 cup)

Burger
1 pound ground buffalo (bison)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (¼-inch-thick) slices Gruyère (4 ounces)
4 hamburger buns

Instructions:
1. To make Pickled Okra Russian Dressing: Combine dressing ingredients; cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. To make Red Cabbage Slaw: Whisk together vinegar, honey, oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add cabbage and carrot; toss to combine. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.

3. Prepare grill.

4. Form the ground buffalo into 4 (½-inch-thick) patties. Season with salt and pepper. Grill 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Flip the burgers and continue cooking them 3 more minutes or until a meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees (medium).

5. Place a slice of Gruyère on each burger, then close the grill lid. Cook about 1 minute or until cheese begins to melt.

6. Spread 1 tablespoon of the Pickled Okra Russian Dressing on the tops and bottoms of each bun. Place a burger on the bottom half of each bun, top with Red Cabbage Slaw, and cover with top of bun. Serve immediately. (Serving size: 1 burger with about ¼ cup slaw and 1 tablespoon Russian dressing)

Nutrition:
Calories 503; Fat 21g (sat 8g, mono 5g, poly 3g); Cholesterol 86mg; Protein 38g; Carbohydrate 41g; Sugars 12g; Fiber 4g; Iron 5mg; Sodium 943mg; Calcium 400mg

Adapted from Bobby Flay’s Grill It!. Copyright © 2008 by Boy Meets Grill. Photographs Copyright © 2008 by Ben Fink. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Random House Inc.

Last Updated: February 20, 2009
Filed Under: Healthy Cooking

Only 10 Grams of Fat? Hail Caesar!

Get all the flavor and none of the guilt with this simple recipe for the perennial favorite: Chicken Caesar Salad.

Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes

Ingredients:
Olive oil cooking spray
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/2 cup silken soft tofu
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons grated and 1/4 cup shaved fresh Parmesan cheese
8 cups romaine lettuce cut crosswise into 2-inch strips
1 1/4 cups fat-free croutons

Instructions:
1. Heat grill pan to medium-high. Mist chicken breasts with olive oil spray, and season with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Grill chicken until just cooked through, about 5–6 minutes per side. Place chicken on a cutting board and let rest about 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute; cut into bite-size pieces.

2. Mix next 8 ingredients and remaining salt and pepper in a blender until well-combined and creamy, scraping down blender sides, as necessary. Add 1 tablespoon water to thin. Stir in grated Parmesan.

3. Toss lettuce, croutons, and dressing in a large bowl; divide among 4 plates. Arrange chicken over salads, sprinkling each evenly with shaved Parmesan. (Serving size: 2 cups lettuce and 1/4 pound chicken)

Nutrition:
Calories 269 (33% from fat); Fat 10g (sat 3g, mono 4g, poly 2g); Cholesterol 69mg; Protein 31g; Carbohydrate 13g; Sugars 3g; Fiber 3g; Iron 2.5mg; Sodium 510mg; Calcium 178mg

By Laraine Perri

Last Updated: February 20, 2009
Filed Under: Healthy Cooking

Quick, Low-Calorie Summer Supper: BLT on a Bun

By Frances A. Largeman-Roth, RD
From Health magazine

If you’ve got hamburger buns + turkey bacon + tomato + avocado, you’ve got one of our favorite simple summer recipes: BLT on a Bun.

Everyone has leftover hamburger buns this time of year. Don’t let those buns go to waste—use them for this tasty take on a BLT!

• Cook 2 pieces of turkey bacon per person, according to package directions, and drain on a paper towel.
  
• Slice the tomato and the avocado; set aside.
• Toast the buns in the oven or toaster oven at 350° until golden.
• Spread a thin layer of reduced-fat mayonnaise on the top and bottom of the buns.
  
• Layer 2 slices of bacon on each bottom bun, and top with tomato and avocado slices. If you have lettuce on hand, add a layer of that, too.

Last Updated: March 19, 2009

Filed Under: Healthy Cooking

Low-Calorie Grilled Shrimp Salad

By Laraine Perri
From Health magazine

Juicy watermelon, tangy feta, and firm grilled shrimp make this recipe a summery star.

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 4 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (21–25 count)
1 tablespoon, plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
3⁄4 teaspoon
kosher salt, divided
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Olive oil cooking spray
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon honey
1⁄2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1⁄4 cup sliced fresh mint, divided
4 cups arugula
8 (4-inch) seedless watermelon wedges
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Instructions:
1. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high.

2. Toss shrimp with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Stir in 1⁄4 teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper. Lightly spray grill or grill pan with olive oil spray, and cook shrimp about 2 minutes per side or until just cooked through. Transfer shrimp to a plate to cool.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, honey, remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and more pepper to taste. Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.

4. In a medium bowl, combine red onion and 2 tablespoons mint. Add dressing, and toss gently. To serve, place 1 cup arugula on each of 4 plates and top with 2 melon wedges and 1⁄4 of the onion-mint mixture; sprinkle with equal amounts of feta, top with about 6 shrimp, and garnish with some of the remaining fresh mint. Serve immediately. (Serving size: about 6 shrimp, 1⁄4 of the watermelon mixture, and 1 cup arugula)

Nutrition:
Calories 273; Fat 13g (sat 5g, mono 6g, poly 1g); Cholesterol 193mg; Protein 23g; Carbohydrate 17g; Sugars 13g; Fiber 1g; Iron 4mg; Sodium 728mg; Calcium 223mg
(PHOTO: YUNHEE KIM)

Last Updated: February 20, 2009
Filed Under: Healthy Cooking