If you don't know what to have for dessert tonight ...

You can make this easy-to-prepare recipe with blueberries or any one of your favorite fruits.

Prep and Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pint of fresh blueberries
• 4 oz low-fat vanilla or soy yogurt, stirred
• 1 TBS chopped walnuts
• Optional:
• 2 tsp grated chocolate
• 1 tsp diced crystallized ginger

Directions:

1. Layer yogurt and blueberries in 2 wine glasses.
2. Top with chopped walnuts.
3. Sprinkle grated chocolate and diced crystallized ginger, if desired.
   

Serves 2

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In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Blueberry Parfait

Daily Food Tip

Is anodized aluminum cookware better than non-anodized?

Concerns with aluminum cookware come from the fact that significant amounts of aluminum can migrate from the pot into the food. Several research studies have confirmed migration of aluminum from conventional aluminum cookware at a level of concern for our health. Aluminum is included in the 2005 list of top priority toxins in the United States (a list put out every year by the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry), and aluminum has been clearly identified as a toxin for the human nervous system (neurotoxicity), immune system (immunotoxicity), and genetic system (genotoxicity).

Anodization is a process in which chemical baths are used to prepare the oxide surface of aluminum to receive an electrical charge that will increase the thickness of the oxide layer and make it harder, more durable, and less likely to corrode. Anodized aluminum is definitely less reactive than non-anodized aluminum and will leach less aluminum as a result, provided that the surface has not been damaged. Although it is more difficult to damage the surface of anodized versus non-anodized aluminum, its surface can still be damaged.

Although the non-stick properties of anodized aluminum have been a selling point for this cookware to consumers, most cookware in the marketplace using anodized aluminum does not feature this material on the surface that is in contact with the food, but instead, a specialized non-stick surface that may have potential toxicity problems much greater than anodized aluminum. Manufacturers are taking advantage of the durability and quick heat-transfer properties of anodized aluminum by using this material on the exterior of their pots and pans, but they are leaving the non-stick tasks to another material (not anodized aluminum).

Given all of the potential health risk factors listed above-together with the environmental problems created by aluminum mining and manufacturing-stainless steel, cast iron, and porcelain-coated pots are still our first choices for stovetop cooking. Copper-bottomed pots or pots with a layer of copper in between the stainless steel are also fine. Some stainless steel cookware now comes with a layer of anodized aluminum sandwiched inside, and that cookware would also be fine from a health standpoint, even though the environmental problems with aluminum would remain.

It's important, as with all cookware, to wash them carefully. For example, take care not to scour stainless steel pots too harshly when cleaning them as once the surface of the stainless steel has been damaged, the pot will leak nickel into the food it contains. Stainless steel pads or brushes, for example, are too harsh in our opinion to risk using.

Inside the oven, stainless steel, tempered glass designed for oven use (for example, oven-safe Pyrex), and non-leaded ceramic are all good choices.