Image reprinted with permission from MyInvisibleCrown.com and HealthyAperture.com

If you’re a health foodie, then you probably know how many great recipe blogs there are sprinkled around the Internet. The creative minds behind these websites know how to combine healthy ingredients to perfection, display the recipe with aesthetic appeal on their blogs and take a mouth-watering photo that we would happily display on our refrigerators.

The only downside: There are too many delicious food blogs to count. And we know you don’t want to miss out on a great find just because you don’t have time to meticulously scour the Internet for every one of them.

Consider yourself lucky, because we have officially found the solution: Healthy Aperture, a food photo-sharing site that pulls from every corner of the Web to give you the greatest, healthiest recipes.

The goal, according to the website: “to celebrate the beauty and appeal of healthy food and to showcase how taste and healthy can happily co-exist.”

Here’s how it works: Bloggers who wish to showcase their recipe to the site log in and submit their recipe and photos. And you won’t find buttery, fat-filled concoctions here. Because the registered dietitians who founded and host the site only accept recipes that meet general nutrition criteria, meaning that each submission must contain at least one health- or nutrition-related tag or category. Bloggers are also encouraged to mention these benefits within their blog posts.

But as Healthy Aperture states on its FAQ page: “This site is not intended as a ‘prescription’ for any one particular ‘diet.’ Its goal is to inspire people to incorporate more healthful recipes in their daily lives.”

Image reprinted with permission from DaringGourmet.com & HealthyAperture.com

Visitors can browse recipes by page or by a whole host of categories, which include appetizers, beverages, breads, desserts, fruits, gluten-free, kid-friendly, pasta, vegan, whole grains and more. The images are linked directly to the submitter’s blog, where they’ll find the recipes, plus extra photos and information.

The site was created by registered dietitians Regan Jones of the Professional Palate and Janet Helm of Nutrition Unplugged. The editorial team includes professionals who have experience in the fields of nutrition, recipe development, food styling and food photography.

Illustration: Liam Gooley

• 2 cups of pumpkin
• 4 shallots
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
• 2 cups of vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup of coconut milk

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. In an 18-in. by 12-in. jelly roll pan, combine pumpkin, shallots, carrots, apple, onion, garlic, olive oil, coriander, cumin and turmeric, tossing to coat. Spread in a single layer.

3. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender.

4. Transfer mixture to blender. Add broth and coconut milk. Cover, with center part of blender cover removed. Blend until smooth.

5. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, or to taste.

Makes 5 cups, or 6 first-course servings.

KNOW YOUR PUMPKINS
If we didn’t lose you at Oompa-Loompa mucus, get ready for the most creative, tasty and healthy ways to consume our fave orange veggie! But before we break out the kitchenware, it’s important to note that not all pumpkins are made equal. You can use the inside of your Jack Skellington Jack-o’-lantern for cooking purposes — that’s my carving choice this year! — but the flavor is going to be lacking compared to what are called pie pumpkins, which are smaller in size and can be bought at farmers markets and supermarkets. Canned pumpkin originates from this type of pumpkin.

HEALTHY PUMPKIN PERKS
The Great Pumpkin, as Linus would call it, offers two cooking ingredients — the pumpkin seeds and the pumpkin flesh — as well as a plethora of nutritional benefits. The orange color is the result of beta-carotene, an important antioxidant that’s converted to vitamin A in the body. Research has linked beta-carotene to a reduction in the risk of certain cancers, improving vision loss in people with age-related macular degeneration, thwarting progress of osteoarthritis and preventing bronchitis and difficulty breathing in smokers. The only food that offers more beta-carotene per serving is carrot juice.

Pumpkin seeds offer many essential minerals, including iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese. They’re a low-calorie, low-fat way to boost mineral intake and add flavor and texture to various foods. Just beware of the sodium — the only downfall to this fall treat.

PUMPKIN SEEDS
Pumpkin seeds + sashimi = LOVE
Everyone’s heard of roasting pumpkin seeds (find out how here), but using them to enhance dishes may be a new concept to many of you. Let me tell you, it’s a concept worth trying. I recently ate at La Pesce in Eataly, the foodie heaven co-owned by Mario Batali, and tasted a selection of raw fish, including striped bass that was topped with — you guessed it — a roasted pumpkin seed. And it was GLORIOUS, adding the perfect textural complement to the delicate striped bass and a subtle flavor that didn’t detract from the fish. So if you enjoy making your own sushi at home, pumpkin seeds could be a yummy way to invent something new.

Pumpkin seed pesto
Idea No. 2: pumpkin seed pesto. Gourmet magazine was the genius behind this concept, grinding toasted green pumpkin seeds in a food processor with cilantro, lemon juice, salt and pepper and using it to coat roasted butternut squash. Though I have yet to try it, I would guess this pesto could also be incredible if used to encrust fish.

PUMPKIN FLESH
Pumpkin-Shrimp Bruschetta
OK, here’s our favorite: pumpkin-shrimp bruschetta with goat cheese. Is your mouth watering yet? If not, you should probably get that checked out, because it should be. Better Homes & Gardens uses both pumpkin and pumpkin seeds in this brilliant bruschetta.

Pumpkin-Carrot Bars
FitSugar found a healthy way to pumpkin-ize your snack time. Their pumpkin-carrot bars with cream cheese frosting contain only 70 calories and less than 2 g of fat. How’s that for raising the bar?

Indian Roasted Pumpkin Soup
Our own Nurse Allison added her own Indian-inspired roasted pumpkin soup recipe to the HellaWella site this fall, which you can view here. This takes squash soups to a whole new level with Granny Smith apple, coriander, turmeric and coconut milk.

Pumpkin Dip
Everyone loves dips, but health-conscious eaters often avoid them because of their high-calorie, high-fat content. Not this one! Health.com’s pumpkin dip pairs the pumpkin with low-fat cream cheese, some brown sugar, only 2 tsp of maple syrup and cinnamon, and the site recommends using apple slices for dipping. Two tablespoons and two apple slices totals 107 calories — perfect for a guilt-free snack or dessert.

Pumpkin Ravioli with Gorgonzola Sauce
No, this is not a trick. We’re only about the treats this Halloween. While many raviolis are cooked with excessive butter or oil and topped with high-fat sauces, this Cooking Light recipe, slightly modified by the Picky Eater Blog, keeps the calories and fat low and the flavor high.

Pumpkin Puddin’
Besides being fun to say, pumpkin puddin’ is also a sugar-free way to turn your pumpkin into dessert. This South Beach Diet recipe uses sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix with pumpkin, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger for an easy, delectable treat. Beginner-level cooks out there: It doesn’t get easier than this.

Al Fresco All Natural
Sausage brand Al Fresco is joining the fight against breast cancer by offering consumers a chance to win $1,000. For every entry, the company will donate $1, up to $25,000. Check out its Facebook page to enter to win.

Athena Water
Athena Water was actually created just for the cause by a breast cancer survivor. With every bottle purchase, a portion of the proceeds goes to breast cancer research, awareness and education, with a minimum contribution of $1,000,000 through 2014.

Eggland’s Best
Through Nov. 15, groceries across the country will be selling specially marked packages of Eggland’s Best eggs that benefit Komen for the Cure. The egg company is donating $50,000 to Komen in connection with the program.

Evian
Bottled water company Evian is partnering with Susan G. Komen for the Cure again this year by creating a special 1-Liter bottle to raise awareness for the cause and donating $50,000 to the organization. Through Oct. 31, you can buy these custom bottles in retail stores nationwide to benefit Komen for the Cure.

General Mills
Gargantuan food manufacturer General Mills is giving more than 20 of its brands a pink lid through its Save Lids to Save Lives program. When you purchase one of these brands, clip off the lid and mail it by June 30, 2013, or redeem it online. For every lid it receives, General Mills is donating 10 cents — up to $2.5 million — to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Participating brands include:

• Betty Crocker
• Bisquick
• Chex Mix
• Cinnamon Toast Crunch
• Green Giant
• Fiber One
• Hamburger Helper
• Honey Nut Cheerios
• Multi-grain Cheerios
• Nature Valley
• Ocean Spray
• Pillsbury
• Progresso
• Total
• Totino’s
• Yoplait

Gorton’s
Gorton’s Seafood is supporting the cause with a donation as well as a contest for consumers. Through Oct. 31, shoppers can enter to win $2,000 for the local or national breast cancer awareness charity of their choice. Twenty winners will be randomly selected. Additionally, Gorton’s is donating $85,000 toward various breast cancer awareness charities.

LaCroix Sparkling Water
LaCroix Sparkling Water is partnering with Susan G. Komen for the Cure this year by displaying the Komen logo on its 8-, 12- and 24-packs of water through Jan. 31, 2013, and donating $100,000 to help fight breast cancer.

Odwalla
Health food company Odwalla contributes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to help fund breast cancer research worldwide, and sells its Pink Poetry Superfood drink to raise awareness for the cause.

The Republic of Tea
The Republic of Tea is partnering with Komen for the Cure through the Sip for the Cure program it first launched in 2001. The company is donating a minimum of $100,000 this year, and is offering a signature Sip for the Cure line of products in five pink tea varieties, including Pink Grapefruit Green Tea, Pink Lemonade Green Tea, Pomegranate Vanilla Red Tea and Red Cherry White Tea.

Velveeta
Kraft Foods is partnering with the National Breast Cancer Foundation this year through its Velveeta brand, displaying the pink ribbon on its Velveeta Shells & Cheese. Velveeta is also working with Kroger through the retailer’s Giving Hope a Hand program, which will provide $3 million this year to dozens of local organizations fighting breast cancer.

PINK RIBBON PRODUCE
Retailers Harris Teeter, Meijer and Price Chopper are also joining the fight against breast cancer through their produce sections. Shoppers can do their part by purchasing participating supplier products; these suppliers donate a flat dollar amount or raise money through text-to-donate campaigns.

All donations support the National Breast Cancer Foundation, and the money raised by the annual cause-marketing campaign will go toward various local organizations fighting breast cancer in Kroger communities throughout the United States — supporting research projects, funding mammograms and educational outreach, and assisting local support groups for women and families.  The produce partners are comprised of:

• Alpine Fresh
• Andrew & Williamson
• Beach Street Produce
• Country Fresh
• Custom Pak
• Del Monte Fresh Produce
• Desert Glory
• Dole
• Double Diamond
• Earthbound Farm
• Fowler Packing
• Fresh Express
• Gurda Gardens
• Highline Mushrooms
• Nature’s Way
• NewStar
• Paramount Citrus
• Rainier Fruit Company
• Seald Sweet
• Southern Specialties
• Sunlight International
• Sunset Produce
• Topline Produce

RESTAURANTS JOINING THE FIGHT
You can support the cause when you eat out, as well, as many restaurants are also doing what they can to fight the disease. East Coast Wings & Grill is aiming to raise $15,000 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure by donating 10% of the revenue from sales of pink tortilla chips and salsa, as well as 100% of all sales of $2 branded beer koozies, according to Nation’s Restaurant News.

In honor of Amy Erickson — Caribou Coffee’s beloved Roastmaster who lost her battle with breast cancer at only 33 years old — the 585-unit coffee chain is selling a line of Amy’s Blend coffee, tea and merchandise through Nov. 7 and is donating 10% of proceeds to CancerCare.

Panera Bread joins the fight against breast cancer every year with pink ribbon bagels that benefit the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation and local breast cancer charities.

And Hooters is attached to the issue as well — not just because of the company name. According to Nation’s Restaurant News, the company has been raising money for the V Foundation for Cancer Research, as well as the Kelly Jo Dowd Research Grant, ever since its late server and manager Kelly Jo Dowd passed away in 2007.

To learn more about breast cancer, click here.

But even if you can’t commit to going meat-free for a month, you can still win something. Prizes also will be awarded for one-day ($250) and one-week ($500) pledges.

Aside from the money, other good reasons to give a vegetarian diet a try, according to the NAVS include:

• Reduced risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer;
• Water conservation;
• Animal welfare; and
• Decreased greenhouse gas emissions.

Need some inspiration? Give one of these tasty veggie recipes a try.

Butternut squash soup

Minestrone

Tortellini soup

“All Natural”
The second most common claim made on new food products in 2008, “all-natural” is oftentimes all-nonsense. There is absolutely no regulatory definition for “all-natural,” and you’re better off getting the facts on your own from reliable sources — like the ingredients listed on the back. If you’re having trouble understanding — or pronouncing — them, the product is probably not as natural as it claims.

Our stroll through the local bodega produced this example: Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix of the Fruit & Nut variety. As you can see, the “100% Natural” label is prominently displayed underneath the logo. Yet when you check out the ingredients on the side of the box, the second ingredient listed is “high-maltose corn syrup.” Sounds a hell of a lot like high-fructose corn syrup, huh? Glamour’s Health & Fitness blog describes it as “high-fructose corn syrup’s sneaky cousin.” Experts say it’s a lab-altered sweetener very similar to HFCS, and it appears to be the substitute many manufacturers are using for the controversial HFCS.

Unfortunately there is currently zero scientific research on high-maltose corn syrup, which means it hasn’t been studied for any potential risks. While there are currently no studies, many experts believe it to have the same health risks as HFCS, according to Glamour. Now I’m sure plenty of you could argue all day about whether or not high-fructose corn syrup or high-maltose corn syrup is natural — it’s debatable because it requires a very specific definition of “natural” since both are molecularly altered in the lab — but the point is that I would bet most of you wouldn’t expect high-fructose corn syrup, or it’s “sneaky cousin,” to be second on an ingredient list for an “all-natural” product.

“Lightly sweetened”
Once again, the re are absolutely no regulations concerning the marketing of a product as “lightly sweetened.” It obviously suggests less sugar, but this isn’t necessarily the case with each product. The Food and Drug Administration regulates the use of “sugar-free,” which means the food contains less than 0.5 grams of sugar per serving, and “no added sugars” or “Without Added Sugars,” which mean that no sugar or sugar-containing ingredient was added during processing. But there’s nothing in the FDA or USDA’s labeling guidelines about “lightly sweetened.”

For example, on our shopping trip, we found Kellogg’s Smart Start Original Antioxidants cereal, which is described on the front of the box as “lightly sweetened, toasted multigrain flakes and crunchy oat clusters.” For you, “lightly sweetened” might be a sprinkle of sugar. For Kellogg’s, it’s 14 g of sugars. That’s a lot compared with, say, Cheerios’ 1 g per serving. Kellogg’s isn’t the only manufacturer that likes to “lightly sweeten” its packaging claims, so always check the label.

“Made with Whole Grains”
This label is often abused in the same way “Made with Real Fruit” is applied to Pop-Tarts that contain less than 2% of actual fruit. Sure, the manufacturer might have thrown some whole grains in there, but that doesn’t mean it was a significant amount. Take Cinnamon Toast Crunch for example. The box contains the words, “with Whole Grain Guaranteed,” printed in large text with a giant checkmark at the very top, and “whole grain wheat” does appear first in the list of ingredients. However, the reason whole grains are recommended by experts, explained Livestrong.com, is because they provide you with fiber and nutrients. Yet Cinnamon Toast Crunch only claims a measly 2 g of fiber, so it’s unclear how much whole grains the cereal actually contains. Livestrong.com quoted Dr. William Sears, of AskDrSears.com, as saying it’s best to find a cereal with 5 g of fiber or more per serving.

The second issue with this label surrounds the actual definition of whole grains. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that half of our grains are whole, but what actually qualifies as “whole grains?” Many manufacturers assume you don’t know the answer to this and find a sneaky loophole by incorporating ordinary refined wheat flour or enriched flour as their main ingredient, since they’re not required to break down the total “whole grains” into whole grains and refined grains on the label.

Cooking Light supplied an excellent example with Nabisco’s Whole Wheat Ritz Crackers, which tout the claim “with 5 g whole grain” on the front of the box. The crackers are made from enriched flour, and whole-grain wheat flour doesn’t appear on the ingredient list until you’ve read halfway down. According to Cooking Light, you would need to eat more than 200 calories and 360 mg of sodium (and likely a few grams of trans fats) to reach a full serving of whole grains.

“Low-carb”
You could technically slap the “low-carb” label on anything — the FDA currently does not regulate such terms as “low-carb,” “reduced carb” or “carbohydrate-free.” There’s also not enough research to scientifically support the belief that low-carb diets are more effective long term than other, more balanced diets. Plus, as Real Simple pointed out, manufacturers often replace those carbohydrates with high-fat ingredients, like nuts, which raises the food’s calorie count.

“0 grams of trans fat”
This one isn’t so much a lie as misleading simply because most of us don’t know what else to look for on the label. While plenty of foods boast “0 grams of trans fat” on the front of their packaging, they’re often high in saturated fat instead. (FYI: “High in saturated fat” is defined by the FDA as 4 g or more of saturated fat in a serving.)

For example, we came across this box of Hot Pockets Ham & Cheese sandwiches on our shopping excursion. Notice the nice box highlights that this product contains “0 g Trans Fat” on the front of the box. Oh goody! … But wait! We took a look at the nutrition label and found that the saturated fat content is 5 g, which means this product is regarded by the FDA as high in saturated fat — not so good for you after all.

Lesson of the day: Manufacturers think you’re stupid and won’t notice when they use marketing chicanery to trick you into eating less healthy, cheaper-to-produce ingredients. Don’t be stupid. Educate yourself and make wise shopping choices.

Check out this list before you pop something in the freezer to avoid an icky surprise in a few weeks. And be sure to check out our guide to how long food lasts in the fridge, too.

Don’t freeze: Lettuce, cucumbers, celery, onions, sweet peppers
What happens: These veggies quickly lose their color, texture and flavor in the freezer, according to the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Don’t freeze: Cooked pasta or rice
What happens: No amount of marinara sauce can save the mushy mess pasta becomes in the freezer.

Don’t freeze: Icings made from egg whites; cream pies
What happens: These desserts can become a melty, watery, separated disaster when frozen.

Don’t freeze: Cheese in blocks
What happens: Frozen cheese crumbles.

Don’t freeze: Fried food
What happens: It loses its signature crispness unless you fry it again, which just adds extra fat.

Don’t freeze: Eggs
What happens: Eggs in the shell will burst and explode, while cooked egg whites become tough and rubbery.

Don’t freeze: Sour cream
What happens: It separates when frozen and thawed.

Don’t freeze: Most spices
What happens: Pepper, cloves, garlic and some herbs tend to become strong and bitter. Curry develops a musty off-flavor, and salt loses its flavor.

Photo: Eating Well

Honey almond cake
Rosh Hashana greetings commonly include wishes for a “sweet New Year,” so it’s no surprise that honey shows up in so many holiday dishes.  And while honey may not be the healthiest ingredient in the world, it offers much more in the way of nutrition than ordinary table sugar. With the added bonus of almonds, this cake from Eating Well is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Click here for the recipe.

Photo: Serious Eats

Fish head soup
Rosh Hashana in English translates to “head of the year,” so it makes sense that many adventurous observers will consume the head of a fish to mark the New Year. This fish head soup recipe from Serious Eats calls for the use of salmon, which is known to be a good source of healthy fats, vitamin B12 and selenium. Click here for the recipe.

Photo: All Recipes

Spinach and pomegranate salad
Eating pomegranates has become a popular tradition on Rosh Hashana, as the fruit fulfills the mitzvah or commandment of eating a “new fruit,” or a fruit not yet eaten this season, and is said to contain the same number of seeds, 613, as there are commandments in the Jewish bible. Aside from the religious significance, pomegranates offer quite the nutritional punch; just one fruit provides 58% of your daily vitamin K needs. Click here for the recipe.

Tell us: What are some of your favorite Rosh Hashana recipes? Share them below.

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• If you still need another reason to drink in moderation, a new study has found a connection between heavy drinking and post-traumatic stress disorder. [NY Daily News]

• Attention, vegans (and anyone else who might not like eating animals cartilage): Gummy bears contain gelatin, which is made by prolonged boiling of skin, cartilage and bones of animals. Yum! [Fitsugar]

• Ladies, before you get mad at your man for not being able to tell the difference between egg shell and cream, consider that males of our species are not as good at distinguishing color differences, according to a new study. [The Telegraph]

• New FDA-approved procedure for severe asthma is not for the weak of wallet. [New York Times]

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• A forgiving heart is a healthy heart, studies suggest. [GOOD]