Top Chef's Tom Colicchio wants you to sit down to family dinner

America Makes Dinner Connect as a family with food

No time to make dinner and sit down to eat with the family? Celebrity chef and restaurateur Tom Colicchio, among others, is sharing some favorite family recipes in a campaign to bring back the family dinner. It's time to shelve our excuses and make good eating around the table a priority.

With fast-food intake and obesity on the rise, people need to make some changes. First step: food. A new campaign, America Makes Dinner, wants to get people back in the kitchen making their own meals and sitting down to eat them with the family. The focus is to provide the tools, encouragement and inspiration from chefs, food bloggers and other celebrities to make it happen.

Healthy choices can be easy

Cozi, an online and mobile family calendar, and the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), an organization focused on making the healthy choice the easy choice for parents and families, are behind the campaign that has brought Tom Colicchio and others on board to share tips and recipes. Don’t worry if you’re gourmet-challenged. Nothing should be complicated or time-consuming -- these are just simple and nutritious meal ideas.

Connect as a family

"The single most important act anyone can do with their family is to sit down together and enjoy a home-cooked meal," says Laurie David, author of The Family Dinner: Great Ways to Connect with Your Kids, One Meal at a Time. "If you do, your children will reap the benefits long into their adult years." David will be sharing some of her favorite kid-friendly recipes during the campaign.

Need more incentive? You can enter a family-friendly dinner recipe of your own to win a private cooking lesson with chef-preneur Allison Sosna, former executive chef of DC Central Kitchen, a competitor on Food Network’s Chopped and a passionate advocate of healthy food for children. During the three-hour cooking lesson, Sosna will teach the basics of preparing quick and easy dinners, and leave the family with a full week’s worth of family dinner ideas. The winner will also receive an All-Clad sauté pan, perfect for preparing one-dish meals.

Join in with America Makes Dinner Day

Each week, you're invited to try a featured recipe submission and give your feedback, helping to choose recipe finalists. Once the favorite recipes have been chosen, the America Makes Dinner campaign will culminate with America Makes Dinner Day on Oct. 17, 2012, when families across the country will sit down and enjoy the winning recipes.

More family health tips

How Brooke Burke keeps her family happy and healthy
Heart-healthy family activities
5 Simple rules for preventing childhood weight problems

Photo credit: PNP/WENN.com

American Heart Association announces new CPR guidelines

New Lifesaving CPR
Techniques RevealedThe American Heart Association announced new guidelines for CPR on Monday. The new form of CPR focuses less on breathing and more on proper chest compressions.

The old way of doing CPR was intimidating -- there were so many steps to remember that people spent more time thinking about it rather than actually giving CPR.

Not anymore. The American Heart Association announced their revised CPR guidelines on Monday with more emphasis on compressions than proper breathing techniques.

New CPR is novice-friendly

The new CPR guidelines recommend focusing on chest compressions to keep blood and oxygen flowing to the brain and heart. The new recommendations comes on the heels of a study that shows compressions do more to save lives then proper breathing.

"For a variety of reasons, when someone suddenly collapses in cardiac arrest, people often don't start any type of CPR, and one of the barriers, we believe, is that people think it's fairly complicated to do CPR," said Dr. Michael Sayre, co-author of the new American Heart Association guidelines said.

"But chest compressions alone are easy, and anyone can do it," he told Businessweek.

Always call 911 first

The American Heart Association recommends that anyone giving assistance should first call 911 (or instruct another person to call.) After medical personnel are notified, then first responders can begin chest compressions.

"To give the victim the best chance of survival, three actions must occur within the first moments of a cardiac arrest: activation of the EMS [emergency medical services] system, provision of CPR and operation of a defibrillator," according to the new guidelines.

Hard and fast compressions

Many who give CPR worry that their compressions will hurt the other person. In actuality, the American Heart Association says that first responders aren't compressing hard enough.

The new guidelines recommend that compressions be done at depth of at least one to two inches and at least 100 compressions per minute. Yes -- it will be tiring.

The process could break the patient's rib – but as the American Heart Association points out, it's better to break a rib and have the patient survive than risk the patient's life by being too careful.

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5 Unique, low-cal foods to add to your diet this spring

What better time to boost your diet than at the start of a new season? Now that we’re (nearly) out of hibernation, it’s time to put nutrition first and kick our diets back into high gear. If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve got you covered. We put together some unique ways to power up your menu this spring.

Spice up your
spring menu

We asked Yu Hannah Kim, fitness and nutrition expert and co-founder and president of Youble.com, known as, “the gym in the cloud” for online fitness, what foods to incorporate into our diet as the weather warms up. Youble offers access to high-definition streaming videos and provides unlimited access to multiple gym-quality fitness, from beginner to advanced workouts. Kim shares her picks for some interesting and power-packed foods.

“For this spring’s must-eat foods, try these bitter foods that pack a health and vitamin punch,” she tells us. “Why am I listing a ‘must-eat’ list full of bitter foods? Well, bitter foods are thought to reset the taste buds, thus kicking out food cravings,” she explains. Now doesn’t that sound like a great concept? Food that’s low in calories, packed with nutrition and minimizes food cravings? Sounds good to us!

Bitter melon

It may take a few times to get used to the intense bitter flavor of this item, but there are benefits to giving it a try. Bitter melon contains a whole host of nutrients that your body needs -- vitamins B1, B2, and B3, vitamin C, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, fiber and iron, Kim says. Not to mention it contains twice the beta-carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach and twice the potassium of a banana. Try adding to a stir-fry or other Asian-inspired dish.

Endive

If you’ve been bypassing this vegetable at the grocery store, it’s time to pay closer attention. “Whether you chop pieces up and sprinkle into salads, braise as a hearty veggie dish on the side or use the pretty vessels as an eatable container for an appetizer, at 20 calories for a whole endive, it’s as versatile as it is nutritious,” Kim says. This crunchy and slightly bitter vegetable is packed with potassium, fiber and vitamins A and B.

Dandelion greens

When you think of spring, one of the things that likely comes to mind are dandelions, those pesky weeds that take over lawns as the weather warms up. Before you shake your head in frustration, know that they do serve a purpose. “It’s time to eat those weeds as well,” Kim advises. High in magnesium and calcium, beta-carotene and manganese, dandelion greens can be tossed into a spring salad, lightly sauteed, wilted into pasta or put on top of a chilled soup. “I personally love stacking my juicy piece of meat on top of the peppery greens for dinner."

Radicchio

Pretty to look at (we love the rich purple hue) and packed with fiber, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, vitamins C, E, K and folate, radicchio can be used in many ways, Kim says. Roughly chop and place into salads, add to sandwiches or even grill it! Slice a radicchio in half, spray with some olive oil and sprinkle with salt before throwing it on the grill. Toss in with some juicy oranges and sliced red onion for a colorful, healthy side dish low on calories and high in nutrition.

Chard

Easy to grow (it needs sun but not a lot of attention) and even easier to cook (a quick saute will do), chard is a great all-around addition to your spring menu, says Kim. “I love sauteing chard with gnocchi, white beans and garlic,” she says. “It’s also great sauteed with nuts, basil and garlic as a high-nutrient side dish. It’s high in vitamins A, K and C, fiber, minerals and protein.”

Make a note

If you’re not sure about the bitter flavor of some of the choices above, opt for the braised, sauteed or grilled options, which create a milder taste. Cooking these bitter seasonal veggies with a bit of healthy fat and sprinkle of salt will also take the bitterness down a notch.

More healthy eating tips

Can you eat your water?
Lazy girl's 4-step guide to better nutrition
How to eat for a better body and healthier life

Peanut butter Oreo stuffed brownies

Layers Of Flavor!Who doesn't love when their food is stuffed? These simple brownie bites are stuffed with not one but two Oreos! Then, sandwiched between them is a layer of peanut butter. It's amazing!

These brownies are over the top! Your kids will love them, your partner will love them and your office mates are sure to love them! They are super simple and stuffed with tons of sweet treats. Don't worry if you think these are complicated to make. They are beyond easy! Create a little peanut butter Oreo sandwich and cover with brownie batter. Simply bake and enjoy... it's that simple!

Peanut butter Oreo stuffed brownie recipe

Yielda 12 cupcake-sized stuffed brownies

Ingredients:1 brownie mix for an 8 x 8-inch pan24 Oreo cookies1/4 cup creamy peanut butterDirections:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.Make brownie mix according to directions. Do not bake.Fill cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Add about a teaspoon of peanut butter between two Oreo cookies. Put completed peanut butter Oreo sandwich into a lined cupcake space.Scoop about 2 tablespoons brownie batter over top of the peanut butter Oreo sandwiches.Bake for about 20 minutes until cooked through. Let brownies cool completely before eating.

More brownie recipes

Cake batter brownie recipe
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Brown butter walnut brownie recipe

The buzz Free, cheap coffee today

It's National Coffee Day!Wake up and smell the coffee! It's National Coffee Day and some stores and restaurants are giving it away for free.

Whether you need it to help wake up or to help keep you going during the long day, celebrate National Coffee Day with free or cheap options. To help you get your buzz on, check out the following celebratory specials:

7-Eleven stores – Free medium cups of coffee from 7 a.m. until 11 a.m. today

Krispy Kreme – Free 12 oz. cups of coffee all day today

Dunkin Donuts – 50 cents for a cup of coffee today

Caribou Coffee – Buy one coffee, get one free today

Thorntons – Free cup of coffee or a cappuccino from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. today

McDonald's – Some locations have been rumored to be giving away free coffee today. Check your local restaurant for details.

Cool beans

Need another reason to love coffee? A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine notes that women who consumed two to three cups of coffee a day were 15 percent less likely to develop depression compared to women who drank a cup or less daily.

Try these recipes that include coffee

Pumpkin spice latte

Coffee spice cake

Coffee liqueur sundae

Meatless Monday Saffron pilaf with grilled vegetables

This side dish gets a boost of flavor and color from a lovely spice derived from a flower. Try saffron pilaf with grilled vegetables as a side dish at your next holiday meal (or weeknight dinner) to wow those gathered at your table!

Flower power!

The crocus flower is responsible for producing saffron -- the colorful spice in this terrific side dish. Although it's an expensive spice, a little goes a long way and makes your meals worth the price. Approximately 75,000 flowers are needed to produce one pound of the saffron filaments (the dried stigmas from inside the flower) to make this spice -- talk about flower power!

We all know vegetables are good for us, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), teenagers don't eat enough fruits and vegetables. The CDC notes that "fruits and vegetables can reduce chronic diseases and some cancers and help teens manage their weight." Vegetarian dishes that taste great (like this one) can help encourage your teens (and adults, too) to eat more veggies.

Try going meat-free at meals at least one day a week, as encouraged by the Meatless Monday organization. You'll be pleased with the new flavors and options you'll discover -- not to mention the health benefits offered by a plant-based diet!

Saffron pilaf with grilled vegetables recipe

Serves 4 people

Ingredients:1 cup long grain rice1 (14-1/2 ounce) can vegetable broth1/4 cup water1/8 teaspoon saffron threads2 tablespoons olive oil1/2 teaspoon minced garlic1 red sweet pepper, seeded and quartered1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise1 eggplant, sliced 1/2 inch thick1 ounce herbed semi-soft goat cheese, crumbled2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans, toastedDirections:

Prepare your oven broiler. Place the rice, vegetable broth, water and saffron into a saucepan and bring to a boil. When it's boiling, cover the pan and simmer the mixture for 15 minutes.In the meantime, place the sweet pepper, zucchini and eggplant onto a baking sheet and brush generously with oil. Sprinkle the vegetables with the garlic and a few pinches of salt and pepper; grill for 10 minutes, turning once halfway through the cooking time.Remove the vegetables from the oven and cut into small pieces once cool enough to handle. Add the vegetables to the rice, toss to combine and then serve topped with the crumbled goat cheese and the hazelnuts.

This is a dish everyone will enjoy. With its golden hue and savory flavor, it's a great way to encourage people to eat more veggies!

Try these Meatless Monday meals

Meatless Monday Mediterranean style
Carrot-mushroom barley stew
Start the week with a pizza party
For the love of lentils

The perfect portions Thanksgiving dinner for two

Tasty, Traditional
Thanksgiving Recipes For TwoNot everyone cooks for a crowd on Thanksgiving. No matter how many are sitting around the table, whether 2 or 20, everyone loves the traditional Thanksgiving dishes of the day. Leftovers are great for later, but some of the more common Thanksgiving recipes will leave twosomes with way too much food to enjoy down the road!

Cooking a big, traditional dinner for two can be troubling if you're using some of the more common Thanksgiving recipes. Check out some of these traditional dishes with portions that are perfect for two! Don't worry, you'll still have enough (but not too much) left over to enjoy during the holiday weekend!

Turkey for two

Nothing says (or smells like) traditional Thanksgiving without roasting a turkey! Taste of Home offers up this delicious and easy turkey recipe for a dinner for two. Keep in mind that this serves only two people, so if you want leftovers, consider doubling the recipe.

Serves 2 people

Ingredients:2 turkey breast tenderloins (6 ounces each)1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth1 tablespoon butter, melted1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon1/4 teaspoon paprika1/2 cup sliced fresh mushroomsNon-stick cooking sprayDirections:

Place turkey in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine the wine, butter, salt, tarragon and paprika. Spoon the mixture over the turkey. Arrange the mushrooms around the tenderloins.Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F. for 30-35 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees F., basting occasionally with the pan drippings.Let stand for five minutes before slicing. Serve with remaining pan drippings.

Thanksgiving stuffing for two

Thanksgiving is nothing without stuffing! This recipe, courtesy of MSNBC, includes lots of herbs for a delicious flavor.

Serves 4 people

Ingredients:8 slices multigrain or whole-wheat bread, cut in 3/4-inch cubes1 tablespoon canola oil1 celery rib, chopped1/2 cup finely chopped red onion1/2 leek, white part only, finely chopped1/2 small shallot, finely chopped1/2 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut in half-inch cubes1 teaspoon dried and crumbled rosemary, or to taste1 teaspoon dried thyme, or to taste1 large egg, beatenSalt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste1-1/2 cups fat-free, low-sodium, chicken brothDirections:

Spread the bread cubes in one layer on a baking sheet and leave them out overnight to dry. Or, toast the cubes in a 300 degree F. oven until dry, 15 to 20 minutes. Place dried cubes in a large bowl and set aside.Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sautee the celery, onion, leek and shallot until they're soft, or about four minutes. Mix in the apple and coat it with oil.Add this mixture to the bread cubes. With a fork, mix in the egg. Add the rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Toss with a fork to blend.Pour in one cup of the broth and mix until the dressing is moist but not soggy, adding more broth if needed. Pack the dressing firmly into the prepared pan, and cover with foil.Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and set aside for 15 minutes before serving.

Perfect mashed potatoes

Mashed potatoes are like the glue that holds Thanksgiving dinner together! This recipe from Simply Recipes, can be cut in half to serve two, but we're fairly sure you'll enjoy the extra as leftovers!

Serves 4 people

Ingredients:1-1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered length-wise1/2 teaspoon salt4 tablespoons heavy cream2 tablespoons butter1 tablespoon milkSalt and pepper to tasteDirections:

Put potatoes into a saucepan. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add water until the potatoes are covered. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes, or until done (when a fork can easily be poked through them).Warm the cream and melt the butter, together, either in the microwave or in a pan on the stove.Drain water from potatoes. Add the hot potatoes into a bowl. Add the cream and melted butter. Use potato masher to mash potatoes until well mashed.Use a wooden spoon to beat further, adding the milk to achieve the consistency you desire. (Do not over-beat or your potatoes will turn into glue.) Salt and pepper to taste.

Simple and amazing cranberry sauce

I can't think of when fresh isn't best when it comes to food, so forget about the stuff that comes out of the can! This cranberry sauce recipe is easy to make and tastes so good. After making this recipe you'll never consider cranberry sauce from a can again! This is courtesy of Savory Sweet Life.

To save time, you can make this cranberry sauce a few days ahead of time, store in the refrigerator and then bring it to room temperature or slightly heat it before you're ready to serve it.

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:1 (12 ounce) bag of fresh cranberries3/4 cup orange juice2/3 cup brown sugar1/3 cup white sugar2 ounces gold rum, optionalDirections:

Place all the ingredients in a sauce pan and cook on medium-high for 15-20 minutes or until most of the liquid has reduced, stirring occasionally.You may hear the cranberries popping, but that's okay. Remove them from the heat and serve.

Green bean salad with almonds

Green beans are a standard at the table for Thanksgiving. But this dish isn't the mushy casserole your aunt makes! These green beans from Whole Living are fresh and crunchy!

Serves 3 people

Ingredients:1/4 cup whole roasted almonds2 teaspoons tamari1 pound green beans, trimmed1 tablespoon toasted sesame oilLess than two tablespoons rice vinegar1 clove garlic, minced1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped roughly (optional)Directions:

Place almonds in a small nonstick saute pan. Lightly toast them over medium-high heat, for about three minutes. Add one teaspoon of tamari and stir until the almonds are coated evenly, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate and cool. Chop almonds roughly.Prepare a large bowl of ice water. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook beans until crisp-tender, about eight to 10 minutes.Drain the beans and transfer to the bowl of ice water. Remove green beans and drain well.In a large bowl, combine the sesame oil, vinegar, garlic, ginger and remaining one teaspoon of tamari. Add the drained green beans and toss them to coat. Garnish with roasted almonds and fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately, while warm.

Mini apple crostatas

Do you really want dessert for two or are you looking for a bit more? Either way, try these delightful desserts for two (well….there will be enough for seconds)! Totally easy to make (just five ingredients) and serves four -- just in case!

Serves 4 people

Ingredients:1 refrigerated pie crust from a 15-ounce box, softened as directed on box (Pillsbury® makes one)1 large baking apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)2 tablespoons sugar1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon8 teaspoons caramel flavored toppingDirections:

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Unroll crust on work surface. Roll crust out slightly and cut it into four, 5-inch rounds. Place rounds on a parchment lined cookie sheet.In a medium bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon and toss the apple slices into the sugar mixture. Divide the apple slices evenly onto the center of each pie crust round. Fold 1/2-inch of crust over filling, pinching slightly so that crust lays flat on apples.Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the apples slices are tender. Drizzle two teaspoons of caramel topping over each crostata. If desired, serve warm with ice cream. This recipe is courtesy of Pillsbury.

If you're having two for Thanksgiving dinner, these recipes will leave you satisfied, with maybe just a little left over for later!

Try these recipe ideas for two people

Turkey for two
The best Thanksgiving leftover recipes
Dessert fondue for two
Cooking for one…or two