Cooking Light -- April 2010

It's time again for my Cooking Light magazine review. The April 2010 issue is packed full of great Spring recipes that you'll love plus they have a section on food myths this month! Here are the highlights:

Nutrition Myths That Shouldn’t Keep You From Loving Food (p. 134) – Cooking Light reveals the truth about 10 nutrition myths so you can finally love food again. Myths include:

 

Myth:   The only heart-friendly alcohol is red wine
Truth:  Beer, wine, and liquors all confer the same health benefits

Myth:   Fried foods are always fatty
Truth:  Healthy deep-fried food is not an oxymoron

Myth:   You should  always remove chicken skin before eating
Truth:  You can enjoy a skin-on chicken breast without blowing your saturated fat budget

 

Myth:   Organic foods are more nutritious than conventional
Truth:  There are many good reasons to choose organic, but nutrition isn’t one of them

 

Myth:   Eating eggs raises your cholesterol
Truth:  Dietary cholesterol in eggs has little to do with the amount of cholesterol in the body

The Secret to Healthy Frying (p. 104) – If you fry in the right oil and follow Cooking Light’s four easy steps carefully, fried foods do have a place in a healthy diet.

Tips include: 

• Choose an oil that’s low in saturated fats like peanut, soybean or canola.
• Watch the oil temperature like a hawk: If it’s not hot enough, the food will soak up extra oil.
• All-purpose flour adheres well because it contains gluten, but too much flour causes the food to absorb too much oil.

 

The Salad Trap (p. 114) – Think you’re making a smart choice when ordering a restaurant salad? Think again. The editors analyze nutrition information for three popular salads at well-known American chains and offer tips to make smarter salad choices. The findings will surprise you.

 

An Easter Feast (p. 120) – Cooking Light offers a fresh and savory Easter menu that is really doable if you follow this simple make-ahead plan. Recipes include: Champagne Lemoncello Cocktails; Baked Ham Glazed with Vermouth; Asparagus Salad with Gorgonzola Vinaigrette; Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Baby Artichokes; and Lavender-Scented Strawberries with Honey Cream.

 

Feed 4 for Under $10 (p. 176) – In this monthly column, the editors offer recipes that will feed a family of four affordably, costing less than $2.50 per person. Recipes include: Shrimp Pasta; Pork Tenderloin Salad; Mushroom-Stuffed Chicken; and Chicken with Olives.

 

Dinner Tonight (p. 83) – Cooking Light offers recipes to get a healthy and delicious dinner on the table in 40 minutes or less. Recipes include: Spaghetti with Sausage and Simple Tomato Sauce; Shrimp and Okra Gumbo; Vietnamese Beef-Noodle Soup with Asian Greens; and Crispy Fish with Lemon-Dill Sauce.