Food and Beverage
Heart-Healthy Pita Pizzas
Last Updated on July 23, 2024 by Daily News Staff
(Family Features) As the leading cause of death among Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease often results from uncontrolled high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, overweight and obesity. However, a heart-healthy eating plan can help lower or control these risk factors and put you and your family on a path toward better heart health.
With back-to-school season adding stress to already busy schedules, it’s important for families to make time for healthy eating decisions. Consider these five steps recommended by The Heart Truth program of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI):
Eat Smart
One way to get started on a path toward heart-healthy eating is to change your way of thinking about how and what you eat. For example, use smaller plates to help limit portion sizes. Chew food slowly and consider the textures and flavors of different food as you eat.
Plan to Eat Heart Healthy
Put together an eating plan that offers a balance of calories and nutrients including vegetables, fruits, whole grains and low-fat or fat-free dairy. Consider make-at-home favorites like Heart-Healthy Pita Pizzas, which include grilled chicken as a better-for-you alternative to methods such as frying.
Choose Healthy Snacks
After a full day of learning or working, it’s tempting for children and adults to grab a quick snack that may not be healthy. Swap out sugary or salty snacks and instead enjoy lower-calorie after-school treats that fit into your daily eating plan. Try options like a cup of seedless grapes, small banana, cup of cherry tomatoes, handful of unsalted nuts or half cup of low-fat or fat-free yogurt.
Find Heart-Healthy Menus
How you eat day after day can make a difference in your heart health over time. Developed through research by NHLBI, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, low-fat dairy and healthy oils to help keep your blood pressure in a healthy range. DASH focuses on lowering sodium and limiting foods that are high in saturated fat, including fatty meats, full-fat dairy and tropical oils.
Stay On Track When Dining Out
It is possible to eat healthy foods in restaurants. To control portion sizes, try tactics like eating half your entree and taking leftovers home for another meal. Choose foods that are broiled, baked or roasted to limit calories. Ask for low-sodium menu options and request butter, gravy, sauces and salad dressings on the side or leave them off completely.
Visit hearttruth.gov to find more healthy eating inspiration and find DASH-friendly back-to-school recipes at healthyeating.nhlbi.nih.gov.
Watch video to see how to make this recipe!
Heart-Healthy Pita Pizzas
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Servings: 4
- 4 whole-wheat pitas (6 1/2 inches each)
- 1 cup chunky tomato sauce
- 1 cup grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced (about 2 small breasts)
- 1 cup broccoli, rinsed, chopped and cooked
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, rinsed, dried and chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- Preheat oven or toaster oven to 450 F.
- On each pita, spread 1/4 cup tomato sauce and top with 1/4 cup chicken, 1/4 cup broccoli, 1/2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese and 1/4 tablespoon chopped basil.
- Place pitas on nonstick baking sheet and bake 5-8 minutes until pitas are golden brown and chicken is heated through.
SOURCE:
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
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recipes
Easy, Elegant Charcuterie Boards for Effortless Holiday Hosting
Create stunning charcuterie boards with sommelier-approved wine pairings for stress-free holiday hosting. Get 3 easy recipes featuring prosciutto, genoa salame, and capocollo with perfect cheese and wine matches.
Last Updated on December 19, 2025 by Daily News Staff
Easy, Elegant Charcuterie Boards for Effortless Holiday Hosting
(Family Features) When holiday occasions call for you to don your hosting cap, skip complicated appetizers and hors d’oeuvres to instead serve sustainable charcuterie with sommelier-approved wine pairings. After all, simplicity can still equal premium flavor with the right meats, cheeses and libations. It doesn’t take a hosting expert or pairing professional to create a spread that’s as memorable as it is delicious. Charcuterie boards made with just a few ingredients can start the festivities on a high note by wowing loved ones with your pairing prowess. Amaze your guests (and even yourself) by starting with heritage breed pork in small-batch artisanal production from Niman Ranch, whose independent family farmers and ranchers raise all animals with no antibiotics or added hormones ever. Their commitment to humane practices and sustainability leads to the exceptional flavor and tenderness your crowd craves and can taste in every bite. Match the selection of meats – like prosciutto, genoa salame or capocollo in these recipes – with complementary cheeses and accents such as crostini, olives or even thyme-infused honey for an extra special touch. Finally, find the perfect bottle of wine for each board to round out a palate-pleasing spread that suits each guest’s preferred pairing profile. With flavor, sustainability and a personal touch, charcuterie can bring holiday occasions to life for you and your loved ones. Visit NimanRanch.com to find more seasonal inspiration and charcuterie solutions.
Prosciutto, Sottocenere and Aligote
- Niman Ranch Prosciutto
- Firm cheese, such as Sottocenere
- Toasted crostini
- Aligote wine
Genoa Salame, Vintage Grand Ewe and Syrah
- Niman Ranch Genoa Salame
- Aged, firm sheep’s cheese, such as Vintage Grand Ewe
- Olives
- Syrah wine
Capocollo, Aged Cheddar, Thyme Honey and Txakoli
- Niman Ranch Capocollo
- Aged sharp cheddar cheese
- Thyme-infused honey
- Txakoli wine
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Community
Culver’s Thank You Farmers® Project Hits $8 Million Donation Milestone
Culver’s Thank You Farmers Project surpasses $8M in donations since 2013, including a record $1.5M raised in 2025 for agriculture’s future.
Young wheat plant field on golden sunset landscape background. Green grain crop in agriculture farm. Rye harvest cereal backdrop
Culver’s Thank You Farmers® Project Hits $8 Million Donation Milestone
Culver’s has always worn its Midwest roots proudly—right down to the farm-fresh ingredients behind its ButterBurgers and Fresh Frozen Custard. This week, the restaurant brand shared a milestone that reinforces that connection in a big way: Culver’s Thank You Farmers® Project has officially surpassed $8 million in total donations since launching in 2013. Even more impressive, 2025 marked a record year, with more than $1.5 million raised to support the future of agriculture through education, advocacy, and community-based partnerships.A 12-year commitment to the people behind the food
When Culver’s started the Thank You Farmers Project, the mission was simple: support farmers and strengthen agricultural education so the next generation can continue feeding communities for decades to come. Twelve years later, that mission has grown into a nationwide effort powered by local restaurants, community partners, and everyday guests. As Alison Demmer, Culver’s senior public relations manager, put it: behind every meal served is a network of hardworking farmers. The Thank You Farmers Project is Culver’s way of turning gratitude into action—by investing in the people and programs that keep agriculture strong.How guests and communities helped raise $1.5 million in 2025
The Thank You Farmers Project is fueled by participation—donations at the register, local fundraising, and limited-time initiatives that make it easy for guests to contribute while enjoying the Culver’s experience. Here are some of the standout efforts from 2025:- Green and Gold: Culver’s donated $1 for each rental and digital purchase of the movie Green and Gold, totaling $100,000 donated to three agricultural organizations.
- To Farmers with Love Contest: Guests nominated farmers and ranchers for recognition, with five winnersreceiving a $500 cash prize, a VIP Tim McGraw concert experience at the Field of Dreams, plus Culver’s gift cards and swag.
- Scoops of Thanks Day (11th annual): Guests donated more than $170,000, receiving a single scoop of Fresh Frozen Custard in exchange for a $1 donation supporting local FFA chapters and other agricultural education organizations.
- Concretes for a Cause: Culver’s raised more than $570,000 by donating $1 from each Concrete Mixer soldsystemwide over a five-day period—supporting local hunger relief initiatives.
- Culver’s FFA Ambassadors: Guests nominated standout FFA members to represent Culver’s as ambassadors. Ten ambassadors earned up to $2,500 for their local chapters to fund learning experiences through agriculture advocacy events in partnership with Culver’s.
Culver’s Thank You Farmers Project has officially passed $8 million in total donations since the program began in 2013.
Why this milestone matters beyond the number
An $8 million milestone is worth celebrating—but the bigger story is what it represents: a long-term investment in agricultural education and sustainability, backed by a brand with more than 1,000 family-owned and operated restaurants across 26 states. Programs like this help ensure:- Students have access to hands-on agricultural learning opportunities
- Local FFA chapters and education organizations can expand their impact
- Communities stay connected to the real people behind the food supply
- Future farmers and ranchers feel seen, supported, and valued
How to get involved
Culver’s is encouraging guests and community members to learn more, donate, or participate in upcoming initiatives tied to the Thank You Farmers Project. To explore the program and find ways to support it, visit: https://www.culvers.com/about-culvers/thank-you-farmers-projectFAQ: Culver’s Thank You Farmers Project
About Culver’s
For more than 40 years, Culver’s has served cooked-to-order meals made with farm-fresh ingredients and delivered with a signature commitment to friendly service. The brand’s menu is best known for the ButterBurger (made with fresh, never-frozen beef) and Fresh Frozen Custard, including its popular Flavor of the Day program. With more than 1,000 restaurants in 26 states, Culver’s continues to grow while staying rooted in small-town Midwestern values—and the Thank You Farmers Project is one of the clearest examples of that commitment in action.High Demand Marks “Veggies for Veterans” Event Amid SNAP DelaysLink: https://stmdailynews.com/high-demand-marks-veggies-for-veterans-event-amid-snap-delays/
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Food
Chef Swap at the Beach Christmas Special Hits Cooking Channel Dec. 20 — and You Can Taste It in Myrtle Beach
Chef Swap at the Beach returns with a Christmas Special on Dec. 20 on Cooking Channel. Plus, Myrtle Beach’s new Chef Swap Chef’s Table Pass lets visitors dine at featured restaurants across the Grand Strand.
A “Chef Swap at The Beach” Christmas Special will air December 20 on the Cooking Channel. The cast includes L-R: Jamie Daskalis, Jason Trinh, Johanna Wilson Jones, Mason Zeglen, Dylan Foster, Jess Sagun, Gabriel Hernandez. The holiday-themed episode was filmed at the International Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach. In addition, the new Chef Swap Chef’s Table Pass dining trail allows fans to engage with the featured restaurants and chefs when in Myrtle Beach. Credit: Visit Myrtle Beach
Chef Swap at the Beach Christmas Special Hits Cooking Channel Dec. 20 — and You Can Taste It in Myrtle Beach
If you’ve ever watched a cooking competition and thought, I need to eat that, Myrtle Beach is making it easy to turn screen-time cravings into real-life reservations. On Dec. 20, the Cooking Channel will air a festive new episode of “Chef Swap at The Beach” — a Christmas Special that brings back familiar chefs from past seasons for a holiday-themed cooking competition. And for anyone planning a trip (or looking for a reason to), the show’s newest extension makes the experience even more tangible: the Chef Swap Chef’s Table Pass, a free digital dining trail that connects fans directly to the restaurants featured across the series.A holiday episode built on community (and a little friendly pressure)
The Christmas Special follows the established “Chef Swap” format: chefs step outside their own kitchens and comfort zones, then race to create themed dishes under tight time constraints. The twist is the season. Filmed at the International Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach, the special leans into holiday energy with seasonal elements and a charitable component — while still spotlighting what the series does best: collaboration, creativity, and the relationships that make the Myrtle Beach food scene feel like a community. As Stuart Butler, President of Visit Myrtle Beach, put it, the series has become “a meaningful way to showcase the talent of the Myrtle Beach area’s culinary community to a national audience,” reflecting “the relationships and sense of community that exist across the Grand Strand.”Why the International Culinary Institute matters
The setting isn’t just a backdrop. The International Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach plays a real role in the region’s dining identity — serving as a training ground for aspiring chefs and hospitality pros, and helping feed the local restaurant ecosystem with new talent. In other words: Myrtle Beach’s culinary growth isn’t accidental. It’s being built, taught, and refined — and this special gives viewers a look at that foundation.The Chef Swap Chef’s Table Pass: from TV episode to dining itinerary
Here’s the part that makes this more than a one-night watch. Restaurants featured throughout multiple seasons of “Chef Swap at The Beach” are now included in the Chef Swap Chef’s Table Pass, a self-guided dining trail that visitors can use while exploring the Grand Strand. When you sign up for the free digital pass, you unlock a mobile “passport” to participating restaurants, including:- Special offers
- Insights into the show’s signature dishes
- A curated way to experience restaurants from every season, year-round
Myrtle Beach: more than 60 miles of oceanfront
Yes, Myrtle Beach has 60 miles of beautiful oceanfront — but the story Visit Myrtle Beach is telling here is bigger than sand and surf. Known as the Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach is made up of 14 unique communities along South Carolina’s northeast coast. Visitors come for the classic vacation staples — entertainment, family attractions, shopping, and world-class golf — but increasingly, they’re also coming hungry. Fresh coastal Carolina cuisine isn’t a side note anymore. It’s part of the main event.Mark your calendar (and maybe your restaurant list)
If you’re looking for a holiday watch that’s equal parts competition and community, set a reminder for Dec. 20 on the Cooking Channel. And if you want to take it one step further, the Chef Swap Chef’s Table Pass gives you a ready-made reason to plan a winter escape — one plate at a time. Learn more about Myrtle Beach tourism: visitmyrtlebeach.com Explore the Chef’s Table Pass: ChefSwap.com- Visit Myrtle Beach (Official Tourism Site)
- Chef Swap (Chef’s Table Pass + participating restaurants)
- Cooking Channel (Show info and TV listings)
- Cooking Channel TV Schedule (Find airtimes)
- Cooking Channel Shows (Browse series and episodes)
The fate of Lucky Supermarkets in SoCalLink: https://stmdailynews.com/the-fate-of-lucky-supermarkets-in-socal/
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