COOKING  For Chef Ryan Stoy, a meal’s last course is sort of like the passing of the Olympic torch. “Dessert offers an opportunity to remember the last bite — and look forward to the next,” says the Downriver Grill chef.

While dessert fills many health-conscious eaters with apprehension, Stoy says it doesn’t have to be a diet disaster. Instead, desserts can offer the perfect opportunity to enjoy seasonal ingredients and experiment with unique flavor combinations that don’t rely on fat and sugar to wow the tastebuds. Read More>>

COOKING  For too long, the worlds of the kitchen and the clinic have been separate. Even though the link between food and health is undeniable, the culinary world is largely alien territory to physicians, at least as part of their medical training. And chefs in the past have been more interested in crafting decadent meals and rich desserts than in contemplating the effects of all those ingredients on diners’ health. Read More>>

COOKING  Mid-afternoon tummies rumble. Three hours after lunch, it’s time to stoke the metabolic fire. But enter the snack zone with caution. For it is here that many of the most alluring but nutritionally empty food choices await. Candy bars, chips and sweet drinks can derail all the day’s previous conscientious efforts.

Knowing my weaknesses, I plan ahead. My favorites are a zipper bag with veggies, half a peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat or a crisp Fuji apple, complete with a paring knife and a napkin. Read More>>