Amy, a Whole Story reader, requested a healthier version of the traditional lemon bar that she loves. Traditional lemon bars contain a lot of empty calories in the form of white flour, butter and white sugar, so we decided to approach this request in a different way: how could we come up with a nutrient-dense lemon treat? We went back to basics and used whole foods—nuts, coconut and seeds for richness, and dates for natural sweetness.

One of our readers has already become a big fan of these treats. Check out the comment myiatrou wrote on the recipe:

I was so skeptical… I mean, for someone who never touched a date before … WOW! What a neat and easy treat to make! This is perfect for those “I need something sweet NOW” moments and you won’t regret later. I added a little extra zest and used walnuts…

You can check out our complete recipe, as well as leave comments and ratings, on our Lemon Treats recipe page. Did we mention that these treats happen to be gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan?

Here’s how we chose the ingredients for our Lemon Treats:

• Dates provide several nutrients including protein, iron, calcium, fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, potassium, and vitamin A, just to name a few. They are thought to aid in digestion and are rich in potassium but naturally low in sodium to support a healthy nervous system and blood pressure levels. This energy-boosting dried fruit is packed with fiber, natural sugar, and other carbohydrates that provide long-lasting energy. They are extremely sweet, so a small amount goes a long way.
• Did you know that sesame seeds are a good source of calcium and other minerals such as magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc? And don’t forget the fiber and monounsaturated fats they contribute.
• Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C and lemon peel contains essential oils that add bright citrus flavor.
• Walnuts are one of the best plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
• Coconut adds not only a rich flavor and creamy texture, but also medium chain fatty acids which are more easily digested and absorbed.

We really can’t do a side-by-side comparison of these treats to traditional lemon bars, but trust us that they’re very lemony and delicious. Each treat has 3 grams of fiber, only 7 grams of sugar, and 140 calories. Bring a batch to your next summer bash.

Did you miss the recipe link above? Here is the complete Lemon Treats recipe.

Lentils are so nutritionally rich that I think they should be eaten way more often – in fact, I just wrote a whole blog post about Loading Up on Lentils. So we were thrilled to read a request from Sarah, a Whole Story reader, who was looking for a creative way to prepare tasty and enticing lentils. We took her up on the challenge and developed a flavorful and nutritious lentil burger just in time for summer.

This meatless patty is packed with vegetables and fiber-containing brown rice and walnuts. Ounce for ounce, it has fewer calories, saturated fat and cholesterol than a traditional burger. So the next time you’re craving a burger, think about trying a lentil burger! You can check out our complete recipe, as well as leave comments and ratings, on our Lentil Walnut Burgers recipe page.

Here’s how we chose the ingredients for our makeover:

• Lentils are a nutrition powerhouse! They have the ability to absorb flavors from other foods, and they are an excellent source of folate, a very good source of dietary fiber and manganese, and a good source of iron, protein, phosphorus, copper, thiamin and potassium. In addition to providing slow burning complex carbohydrates, lentils are a concentrated source of iron – an attribute this legume shares with red meat but without the added fat and extra calories.
• Carrots are full of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, fiber and potassium. They also add sweet flavor and bright color.
• Mushrooms give a boost of potassium, phosphorus, zinc,  B vitamins and protein. They also contribute robust flavor and add moisture.
• Brown rice naturally contains fiber, B vitamins, manganese, phosphorus and iron.  We use this whole grain as a binder in place of breadcrumbs to make these burgers gluten-free.
• Walnuts are packed with omega-3 essential fatty acids, important for supporting cardiovascular health. They also provide dietary fiber, manganese and copper, not to mention texture and rich flavor.

Compared to a standard 7-ounce 85% lean ground beef patty, this lentil burger contains ½ the calories, 1/3 of the fat, 1/8 of the saturated fat, ¼ of the cholesterol and 6 times the fiber. Make the switch more often than not! Did you miss the recipe link above? Here is the complete Lentil Walnut Burgers recipe.

Give them a try and don’t forget to come back and rate the recipe. Thanks!

Carrot cake is a big hit any time of the year, but especially in the springtime. Yet a slice of traditional carrot cake with cream cheese frosting could pack more than 450 calories and almost 30 grams of fat — definitely something to consider before taking a bite! Susan, a Whole Story reader, requested a healthy carrot cake recipe, and we hopped (like an Easter bunny) to the challenge.

First off, we decided to simplify things and make a straightforward square cake — a single layer, without frosting. Our version isn’t meant to replace that typical triple-layer, frosted-to-the max carrot cake. Instead, ours is more of a delicious snack that you can feel good about! Old-fashioned rolled oats and whole wheat pastry flour team up for a hearty texture while currants, coconut and maple syrup complement the natural sweetness of the carrot.

You can check out our complete recipe, as well as leave comments and ratings, on our Carrot-Oat Cake recipe page.

Here’s how we chose the ingredients for our makeover: Read the rest of this entry »

The cold weather hasn’t subsided yet, and neither has our craving for hot chocolate. Gina wrote in with a request to make a natural version of hot chocolate mix that her son can enjoy on Cub Scout outings, and we thought this would be the perfect time of year for such a recipe.
We made a new version of this seasonal favorite by making it from scratch. There are no artificial ingredients or flavors in our homemade hot chocolate recipe. And, this homemade treat makes a wonderful Valentine’s Day gift! Check out the recipe we developed for Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix.

Conventional hot chocolate mixes may be highly processed. For some of the brands we checked out, the lists of ingredients included things like corn syrup, partially hydrogenated soybean oil (a trans fat) and artificial flavors. Our simple mix contains only five ingredients, and you’ll immediately recognize all of them. And of course our version doesn’t include any artificial ingredients.  For flavor and aroma, we blended a vanilla bean with natural cane sugar to make aromatic vanilla sugar, and we used this to complement the cocoa in our mix.

Got a recipe that needs a natural makeover? Post it in the comments section below! If we select your recipe and publish the improved version on our website, we’ll send you a $25 Whole Foods Market gift card.

Ashley, one of our blog readers, sent us a request to make over her grandmother’s famous bread pudding recipe, complete with a decadent bourbon sauce. We accepted the challenge to lighten up this comforting favorite.

Check out the recipe we developed for Whole Grain Cinnamon-Raisin Bread Pudding.

Here are the changes we made to our lightened up version of traditional bread pudding: Read the rest of this entry »

What better way to kick off the New Year than with a playful and healthy update of Spaghetti and Meatballs! Maggie, one of our blog readers, sent in this fun idea that inspired us. She suggested that traditional spaghetti and meatballs could use a healthy makeover and recommended using spaghetti squash instead of pasta, tempeh instead of meat, and additional veggies in the tomato sauce.

All these ideas sounded great to us! Check out the recipe we developed for Italian-Style Spaghetti Squash with Tempeh. Read the rest of this entry »

What do brownies, cookies and cupcakes all have in common? In addition to being just plain fun to eat, these favorites have all received recipe makeovers as features in our Make It Natural posts. Whether they needed lighter ingredients or substitutions for special diets, the following reader favorites got top honors in rating and comments.

The ultimate winner? Flourless Brownies! These incredibly moist brownies taste great and include a super secret ingredient that won over the skeptics. Read all about it and give them a try. Read the rest of this entry »

Don’t know about you, but the cooler weather makes us want to indulge in comfort foods. Around here, we find it a fun challenge to take a closer look at comfort favorites and see if we can make some simple changes to improve the nutrition without compromising on flavor. We know you are doing the same thing because one reader, James, sent in a great idea for a rice pudding update-he suggested making this classic, homey dessert with brown rice, non-dairy milk and dried fruits. What a perfect example of how easy it is to update a recipe with a simple swap of a whole grain for a non-whole grain.

We took James’ suggestions and created this delightful Baked Brown Rice Pudding.

Here are the changes from the standard version of rice pudding:

• We used whole grain brown rice instead of white rice. You can cook your own (leftover plain brown rice is perfect) or use the super-convenient frozen, already cooked brown rice. Brown rice boosts dietary fiber, manganese, magnesium and selenium. Find out more about the benefits of eating whole grains and get ideas on incorporating them into your diet.
• We used organic light coconut milk instead of dairy milk for creaminess and a subtle sweetness. Light coconut milk has about 71% less fat and 67% fewer calories than regular coconut milk.
• Dried cherries, dried apricots and raisins add great texture and a perfect amount of sweetness. They also contribute some vitamin A, potassium and fiber.
• ” Almonds contribute toasty flavor along with fiber and a boost of important nutrients like calcium, magnesium, potassium, heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and vitamin E. Did you know almonds contain more calcium than other nuts? A great choice!

What efforts are you making to add some healthy angles to holiday recipes? We want to hear all about them!

Did you miss the recipe link above? Here is the full recipe for our Baked Brown Rice Pudding. Got a recipe that needs a natural makeover? Post it in the comments section below! If we select your recipe and publish the improved version on our website, we’ll send you a $25 Whole Foods Market gift card.

For some folks, Thanksgiving is really all about the sides and not the turkey. Sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, homemade rolls, mashed potatoes and more, every family has their own traditions.

We’ve put a healthy spin on three classic side dishes, those favorites that for many are required eating at a Thanksgiving feast.

Read the rest of this entry »

With Thanksgiving upon us in just a couple of weeks, we’re starting to dream of all the pies that will be part of the feast. There’s no need for dietary restrictions to keep you from enjoying your favorite Thanksgiving dessert! We revisited our gluten-free pie crust recipe in preparation for the holidays, and we think it’s better than ever.

This recipe is similar to a classic pie crust, but instead of wheat flour, we used a combination of potato starch, tapioca flour, millet flour and almond meal. This crust is perfect for everything from pumpkin pie to quiche. If you’re using it for a savory recipe, be sure to leave out the sugar. Read the rest of this entry »