By JIM ROMANOFF

Though cupcakes are by definition a portion-controlled dessert, don’t let their diminutive size fool you.

It’s not at all unusual for a cupcake recipe to include a cup or more of butter. And that’s before you even start making the frosting. However, with a couple of tweaks you can make a cupcake that’s a bit lighter and healthier.

For starters, ditch the butter in favor of canola oil, which has far less saturated fat and contains healthier monounsaturated fats.

In many cases, you also can cut the total amount of fat by replacing as much as half of it with fruit butters and purees, such as applesauce or apple butter. These work well because they contain lots of pectin, which like fat helps to keep baked goods tender.

By replacing half of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour, you can give cupcakes a healthful boost of fiber and other nutrients, without compromising taste and texture.

Whole-wheat pastry flour (rather than bread or all-purpose) is preferable in cakes and pastries because it has less protein, which tends to make baked goods tougher and chewier.

This orange-buttermilk cupcake recipe uses whole-wheat pastry flour and contains only 1/3 cup of canola oil for the entire batch of 18 cupcakes. Frozen orange juice concentrate does triple duty by adding moisture along with natural sweetness and an intense citrus flavor.

The frosting for the cupcakes is made with reduced-fat cream cheese, but to cut fat and calories even more you can make a glaze by whisking together 2 tablespoons of orange juice, ¼ teaspoon of orange zest and 1 ½ to 1 ¼ cups of powdered sugar. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cupcakes just before serving.

Orange-Buttermilk Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Time: 40 minutes active

Makes 18 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

3u20444 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup nonfat buttermilk

¼ cup frozen orange juice concentrate

1/3 cup canola oil

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting:

8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate

Heat the oven to 350°. Line 18 muffin tins with cupcake liners.

To make the cupcakes, in a medium bowl whisk together both flours, the baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In another medium bowl, combine the granulated sugar, buttermilk, orange juice concentrate, oil and eggs. Whisk thoroughly until the orange juice concentrate is dissolved.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold just until blended. Divide the batter among the 18 cups (each cupcake should be about half full). Bake until the tops spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes.

Cool the pans on a rack until the cupcakes are cool enough to handle. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and cool completely on a rack before frosting, about 40 minutes.

To make the frosting, in a medium bowl combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and orange juice concentrate. Use an electric mixer to beat until smooth and creamy.

Per serving: 175 calories; 60 calories from fat; 7 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 26 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 1 g fiber; 179 mg sodium.

A bag of frozen shelled and deveined shrimp is a weeknight cook’s dream. They are delicious, versatile, can be kept on hand for months and — most important — can be on the table in no time.

Start with the thaw. To prep frozen shrimp for cooking them, dump them in a strainer and run them under cold water for about 5 minutes, or until fully thawed. Be sure to let them drain well afterward.

After that, go with what inspires you. I recently beat together a couple eggs and a splash of milk, gave the shrimp a bath in it, then dredged them through a bowl of panko (Japanese-style) breadcrumbs. I then dumped them on a baking sheet, spritzed them with olive oil cooking spray and baked them at 400 F for about 6 to 8 minutes. They were crispy, healthy, delicious and tasted fried. Read the full story

Events

A Tasteful Pursuit, 6 p.m. Jan. 28, The Brazilian Court Hotel & Beach Club, 301 Australian Ave., Palm Beach. Chef Daniel Boulud and several other award-winning chefs will gather and prepare a memorable meal. The multi-course, wine-paired dinner and auction at Café Boulud benefits Share Our Strength, a non-profit organization aimed at ending childhood hunger in America. Tickets: $300 a person; table-hosting opportunities are available for $5,000, $10,000, and $25,000. (202) 478-6528.

Classes

CAKES ETC., 2800 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach. (561) 615-4431

Basic Cake Decorating Class, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday . Tuition is $40 plus supplies.

Intermediate Cake Decorating Class, 6:30-8:30 p.m. today ; runs for two more weeks. Tuition is $40 plus supplies.

Rolled Fondant/Gumpaste Class, 6-9 p.m. beginning Thursday and running for two weeks. Tuition is $40 plus supplies.

WILLIAMS-SONOMA, The Gardens Mall, 3101 PGA Blvd. Palm Beach Gardens. (561) 799-2425

Comfort Foods, 6-8:30 p.m. Sunday . Join chef Greg Strahm for an evening of satisfying dishes. $60.

Mommy & Me Valentine’s Breakfast Party, 9-11 a.m., Feb. 14. Join chef Alicia Schaffer for a fun-filled morning of delicious breakfast treats. $50.

IN THE KITCHEN, Gallery Square North, 389 Tequesta Drive, Tequesta. (561) 747-7117 or www. inthekitchennow.com

Italian Wine Dinner, 6:30 p.m. Thursday . $90.

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, 2635 State Road 7, Wellington. (561) 904-4015

Going Green with Carlos (ages 8-12), 4:30-5:30 p.m. today . Green Mission specialist Carlos Acosta, as he teaches children the importance of eating greens to be green.

Gluten Free Cooking, 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday . Chef Joe will teach how to make an easy, gluten-free dinner.

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, 1400 Glades Road, Boca Raton. (561) 447-0000

Girls’ Night Out, 6:30-8 p.m. Friday . Enjoy a night of pampering away from home. $15.

PUBLIX APRON’S COOKING SCHOOL, Polo Club Shoppes, 5030 Champion Blvd., Suite D2, Boca Raton. (561) 994-4461 or (561) 994-4883

Couples Cooking Series, 6 p.m. today . With your loved one, you can experience the wonderful world of fine cooking with this three-part class. $275 per couple.

International Garlic Lovers, 6:30 p.m. Thursday . True garlic lovers get new ideas from around the world. $40.

Food Heaven, 6:30 p.m. Friday . Lobster, crab, filet mignon and chocolate are some of the most decadent ingredients on any menu. Learn to cook a dish with all three. $55.

Brazilian Steakhouse, 6:30 p.m. Saturday . Learn basic slow roasting techniques. $45.

Italian Techniques, 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday . An advanced-level class designed for those who have a high comfort level sautéing, chopping, slicing and dicing. Three-part class. $150.

The Basics of Culinary, 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Tuesday . This six-part series is for every home chef, regardless of experience level. Learn to prepare full menus while focusing on techniques used by professionals, including knife skills, sauces, sautéing, roasting, grilling and braising. $300.

So, it’s a few weeks into the new year and you’re already having trouble sticking to your resolution to shed some pounds.

Sure, you need all the willpower you can get. But you also need the right culinary tools: Think foods, appliances, cookbooks and the like that can assist and inspire you throughout your bulge-battling journey.

With that in mind, we surveyed the diet landscape to see what’s new or noteworthy in such tools. Our 10 choices may not be right for everyone, but they represent a starting point for those seeking a path to slimness.
Read the full story

By JIM ROMANOFF

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts can almost always benefit from a marinade, which imparts both moisture and flavor.

Most marinades are made from a combination of oil and an acidic ingredient, such as citrus juice, vinegar or wine. The marinade for this broiled spicy saffron chicken has nonfat plain yogurt (which is acidic) as its base and only a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil.

Because yogurt is only mildly acidic, it won’t make foods mushy or tough, making it well suited for delicate chicken, fish or shrimp. Marinades with stronger acids, such as balsamic vinegar, are better suited for beef.

This marinade gets its spiciness from a blend of cayenne pepper, cumin and cinnamon, but also an exotic floral bouquet and lovely golden color from a few pinches of saffron, a prized ingredient in Indian cooking.

Saffron is expensive, but a little goes a long way. Always purchase saffron as threads rather than ground, which can have poor flavor.

Serve broiled spicy saffron chicken with fragrant basmati rice and a side of cauliflower stir-fried with onion, cumin seed, ground coriander and chopped fresh ginger.

Broiled Spicy Saffron Chicken

Time: Start to finish 1 hour (10 minutes active)

Servings: 4

1 pinch saffron threads (½ teaspoon)

2 tablespoons hot water

½ cup nonfat plain yogurt

¼ small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ tablespoon honey

¼ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 pound)

In a small bowl, crumble the saffron threads. Add the hot water, then steep for 5 minutes.

In a shallow dish, combine the yogurt, onion, garlic, cayenne, lemon juice, honey, oil, salt, cumin and cinnamon.

Stir in the saffron water. Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.

When ready to cook, heat the broiler. Coat a broiler pan rack with cooking spray.

Place the chicken on the rack over the broiler pan. Broil the chicken 3 to 5 inches from the heat source, turning once, until it is cooked through and no longer pink at the center, 4 to 6 minutes per side.

Per serving: 168 calories; 29 calories from fat; 3 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 66 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrate; 27 g protein; 1 g fiber; 229 mg sodium

Chicken combined with fresh asparagus tips, basil, sliced scallions and Roma tomatoes simmering in a citrus-infused broth form a healthy soup. (Photo by Pam Brandon)

The holiday cookie binge is over and you’re still too fat for the chimney. Since everyone knows that diets don’t work, you’ll need a few mouth-watering, adipose-punishing recipes to find your way back to a more reasonable bathroom scale.

Instead of knives and forks to ravage a rubber chicken breast, might we suggest you slurp your way to slim? Soup not only leaves you feeling fuller longer, but also speaks fluently to comfort food cravings.

Tender cuts of chicken and fresh asparagus tips defy diet doldrums in a bright, citrus-infused broth. Fresh basil, thinly sliced scallions and Roma tomatoes make this soup a healthy treat to die-t for.

To Die-t For

Asian Soup

Makes 6 servings

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup cooked brown or white rice

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

1 bunch fresh asparagus tips

Juice of 1 lemon

4 scallions, thinly sliced

Fresh basil leaves, torn, optional

Thinly sliced Roma tomatoes, optional

Bring the stock to a boil. Add the fish sauce, ginger, cinnamon, rice, chicken and asparagus tips.

Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat. Add fresh lemon juice, scallions, fresh basil and tomatoes, if desired. Serve hot.

Winter vegetable puree uses a medley of winter squash and parsnips or turnips as its base, then relies on skim milk to add creaminess to the soup. (Tribune Media Services)

When our parents lectured us to eat green, they pretty much meant eat more broccoli. Decades later, that same advice is bound to mean something entirely new to the "Generation Z" kids now aborning. They’ll associate eating green with being environmentally conscious.

How our food is grown, raised, processed, packaged and transported affects the environment and ultimately our own health and wellbeing. The so-called Green Revolution in agriculture — the widespread adoption, in the decades following 1945, of pesticides, fertilizers, new crops and a range of scientific farming techniques — transformed life throughout the world, mostly for the better.

However, the environmental downside of industrial farming have become clear, especially the heavy reliance on fossil fuels and other contributions to global warming (such as methane-emitting livestock).

With a few changes in the way we eat, we can begin to correct some of these problems. Here’s how you can amend your diet — for the sake of your own health and that of the planet our children will inherit.

• Bag the beef. Or, at the very least, cut back the amount you consume and switch to grass-fed beef (which is less petroleum-intensive). Growing animal feed uses almost 10 percent of U.S. land, along with excess water, fertilizer, pesticides and energy. Just over 30 percent of land is used for grazing cattle. Instead of topping off your lunch salad with beef or chicken for your protein source, try soybeans, a much more efficient energy source and equally high in protein.
• Veg out. Vegetables require vastly less energy to grow than animals, and they produce no greenhouse gases. Plus they provide a plethora of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Instead of the usual (and unexciting) steamed veggies, try roasting them (any and all veggies) in the oven, then shave a little fresh Parmesan cheese on top just prior to serving (double portions may reduce how much animal protein you eat).
• Stay close to home. Eating locally is a great way to support farming in your community and cut down on the carbon footprint (produce travels an average of 1,500 miles from the farm to your plate). A great way to buy local is at farmers markets, which these days can be found almost everywhere. Some grocery stores also sell local produce. Note: Don’t be deterred if local farmers don’t label their produce "organic." They may use organic methods but may not be able to afford the high cost of certification. Many such farmers use the term "sustainable" to describe low-impact methods they use to raise produce. The great thing about farmers markets is that you can usually ask the farmer how they raise what they’re selling.
• Eat seasonally. Buying berries in winter that have been flown from the southern hemisphere is getting more and more difficult to justify. Think of the food miles — and then think of local and more sustainable alternatives.
• Enjoy home cooking. Not only will you end up consuming less fat, calories and sodium, you’ll also save energy and packaged waste. Virtually any way you look at it, cooking at home is always more cost effective. Consuming fewer calories leads not only to one less notch on the belt — it also means less stress on the environment.

Convinced? Well, then, the recipe below is a great way to get started.

Winter Vegetable Puree

Serves 6

1 pound of winter squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 pound parsnips or turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

Salt

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 to 1/2 cup skim milk, warmed

Freshly ground white pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or scallion green, for garnish

Peel the squash and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Toss the squash with the lemon juice to prevent browning. Peel and dice the parsnips. Place the squash and parsnips in a saucepan with cold, salted water or stock to cover.

Boil the vegetables for 6 to 8 minutes, or until very tender. Drain well then puree in a food processor or food mill (or mash with a potato masher right in the pot).

Work in the oil and enough warm milk to obtain a creamy puree. Correct the seasoning, adding salt, white pepper, cayenne and nutmeg to taste. Sprinkle the puree with chives and serve at once.

Per serving:145 calories, 4 g protein, 4 g fat, 26 g carbohydrates, 129 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol

Betsy Berthin is a registered dietitian and nutritional consultant based in Miami. Visit her at her Web site at www.betsykleinrd.com

Winter Vegetable Puree

Right about now you’re probably thinking about those resolutions vowing to eat better, cook more and shed the holiday pounds.

To help you get started — and spend that gift card from your mother-in-law — here’s the latest healthy-eating, better-living cookbooks.

• Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health, the latest installment from the Moosewood Collective, offers more than 200 creative, easy-to-prepare vegetarian and vegan recipes. Greek-tomato yogurt soup delivers a tasty, tangy take on ordinary tomato soup and packs a big calcium and lycopene punch in just 30 minutes.

Four stovetop tofus — including pomegranate-glazed and tropical lime — make creative use of the potentially boring staple. Love the info on calories, carbs, protein and other nutrients with each recipe.

• Eating Well: 500-Calorie Dinners screams "New Year’s resolution." Part cookbook, part cheerleader, the book combines a seven-step weight-loss plan with meals that clock in at 500 calories or less.

Dishes such as broccoli and goat cheese souffle and mini-meatloaves take the guesswork out of portion control by being prepared in individual servings.

Recipes abound for shrimp and scallops. There’s also lamb chops, steak with Gorgonzola and caramelized onions, and mozzarella-stuffed turkey burgers. And who knew hot fudge pudding cake could have only 142 calories?

• In The Kind Diet, actress Alicia Silverstone promises to help you feel great, lose weight and save the planet. Silverstone pairs arguments for veganism with pictures of cute chicks (the poultry sort) and piggies, and wraps up with recipes for dishes such as radicchio pizza with truffle oil, pecan-crusted seitan and egg salad sandwiches made of tofu.
• Clean Food by Terry Walters is designed to help you adjust your lifestyle, changing not just what you eat, but how and when you eat, and the way you think about it. More than 200 recipes organized according to season make use of whole grains, legumes, sea vegetables, nuts, seeds and seasonal produce in healthful and innovative ways.

Spring features Swiss chard with roasted golden beets and seared fennel with Meyer lemon. Winter brings roasted kabocha squash with kale, seitan bourguignon and chestnut cream pie made with rice milk. Doable, appealing recipes with very few funky ingredients.

The trouble with light entrees is that low-fat proteins generally are at the heart of the dish. While this is great for your health, it often is wanting in flavor. How to make it work? The secret can be in the sauce.

As long as you don’t go crazy with the butter and cream, sauces can be a stealthy healthy tool for adding tons of flavor and moisture.

There are several ways to make a sauce that is both flavorful and low in calories and fat.

When you cook a chicken breast, steak, pork chop and most other lean proteins in a saute pan, you generally end up with some browned, caramelized bits called fond stuck to the bottom of the pan.

That fond can be turned into a flavorful sauce. Just remove the meat from the pan, return the pan to the heat, add some liquid, then use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom. The resulting sauce can be seasoned, then simmered down until thickened.

This process — called deglazing — can be done with wine, broth or even water. If you like, before you deglaze you also can brown some aromatics, such as chopped shallots or onions, in the pan to add even more flavor.

Another route to a flavorful, low-fat sauce is to use fresh or dried fruit simmered with broth, vinegar or both.

This fresh cherry sauce is sweet, yet savory, and can turn simple sauteed turkey cutlets or chicken breasts into an entree worthy of company. Fresh sweet cherries from Chile can be found in grocers most of the winter, but frozen cherries work fine, too.

Sauteed Turkey Breast with Fresh Cherry Sauce

Start to finish: 45 minutes (20 minutes active)

Servings: 4

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1/3 cup chopped shallots

1 pound fresh cherries, pitted and halved (about 2 cups)

6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

6 tablespoons reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon salt, divided

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pound turkey cutlets

In a medium saucepan over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the shallots and cook, stirring often, until they are soft and beginning to color, about 4 minutes.

Add the cherries, balsamic vinegar and chicken broth, then bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat so that the mixture maintains a vigorous simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced by about half, about 25 minutes.

Stir in the mustard and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook for 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a shallow dish, combine the flour, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Coat both sides of the turkey cutlets with the flour mixture.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the cutlets and cook until lightly browned on both sides and no longer pink at the center, about 2 minutes per side.

Serve the cutlets topped with cherry sauce.

Packed with healthy and filling ingredients, this simmered Mediterranean vegetables and tuna dish will keep the munchies away until the next meal. (Larry Crowe, AP)

Eating less isn’t the only way to weigh less.

While starving yourself can help you shed pounds, it isn’t healthy and will only leave you with stronger cravings that you’re more likely to cave in on than if you had eaten a moderate, balanced and healthy diet.

The key to losing weight and staying satisfied is to eat foods that are low in calories but high in bulk and fiber, such as vegetables, whole grains (such as pasta and rice) and low-fat soups.

Add a reasonable amount of healthier fats, such as olive and nut oils, a bit of fish or other lean protein, and a modest amount of cheese and you have the backbone of the Mediterranean diet.

It’s not just immensely satisfying, it’s also incredibly healthy.
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