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Simple Recipe Swaps for a Healthier You

If the idea of overhauling your family’s menu is stopping you from making healthier choices in the kitchen, you might find relief in knowing simple swaps are all it takes. Instead of sweeping changes that require all new recipes, just changing an ingredient or two in your favorite dishes can put you on a path toward better nutrition.

You can boost the nutritional value of meals and support your heart health by making smart substitutions – like using whole grains, healthy oils and lowersodium options – to reduce saturated fat, added sugars and sodium while adding beneficial nutrients like fiber, protein and healthy fats.

Another nutrition-conscious swap you can make easily is opting for fat-free or low-fat plain Greek yogurt in place of full-fat sour cream and other dairy products. A single serving typically provides 10 or more grams of protein and roughly 13% of the daily recommended value of calcium. In fact, according to the American Heart Association, a balanced diet that includes regular consumption of unsweetened, nonfat, plain yogurt for individuals with hypertension may help improve blood pressure outcomes.

Start doing your heart a favor with these favorites that replace full-fat ingredients with low-fat or nonfat Greek yogurt, helping you reduce calorie intake and fat content without compromising flavor.

Mango and Pineapple Tropical Parfaits capture the flavors of ripe fruit, silky yogurt and crunchy granola in every spoonful of paradise while ruby-red pomegranate and coconut top off this island treasure.

Fruity Oatmeal Yogurt Parfaits provide a protein-packed breakfast to start busy days while Frozen Yogurt Bark – a chilled delight with less than 100 calories per serving – helps you indulge without overdoing it.

A diet that involves smart swaps like these may contribute to heart health, per the American Heart Association, by providing essential nutrients and supporting healthy blood pressure levels –meaning you’re just a few ingredient substitutions away from enjoying a more nutritious, yet still delicious menu.

These yogurt-inspired recipes were developed as part of the American Heart Association’s Healthy for Good Eat Smart initiative, which is nationally supported by Danone.

Discover more easy, flavor-packed ways to make your favorite recipes healthier for your heart at heart.org/ eatsmart.

MANGO AND PINEAPPLE

TROPICAL PARFAITS

RECIPE COURTESY OF THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION

Servings: 4 (1 parfait per serving)

1 medium mango, peeled and chopped

2 cups nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup low-fat, no-added-sugar granola

1/2 cup diced pineapple

1 medium banana, sliced

1/4 cup pomegranate seeds or arils

2 tablespoons unsweetened flaked coconut

In each parfait glass, layer 1/4 mango, 1/4 cup yogurt, 1 tablespoon granola, 2 tablespoons pineapple, 1/4 banana slices and 1/4 cup yogurt. Top with remaining granola. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and coconut.

Serve immediately for peak flavor and texture.

Nutritional information per serving: 230 calories: 6 g total fat; 82 mg sodium; 33 g carbohydrates; 5 g fiber; 24 g total sugars; 13 g protein.

FRUITY OATMEAL

YOGURT PARFAITS

RECIPE COURTESY OF THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION

Servings: 4 (1 parfait per serving)

2 cups fresh or frozen sliced, hulled strawberries, thawed and patted dry if frozen

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, halved blackberries or both, thawed and patted dry if frozen

1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon, honey

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 cups water

1 cup uncooked rolled oats

2 cups nonfat plain Greek yogurt

In medium bowl, gently stir strawberries, blueberries, honey and cinnamon.

In medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water and oats to boil. Boil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In each parfait glass, layer 1/4 cup oatmeal, 1/4 cup fruit mixture, 1/4 cup yogurt and 1/4 cup fruit mixture. Repeat layers.

Nutritional information per serving: 238 calories; 2 g total fat; 6 mg cholesterol; 47 mg sodium; 42 mg carbohydrates; 6 g fiber; 21 g total sugars; 16 g protein.

FROZEN YOGURT BARK

RECIPE COURTESY OF THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION

Servings: 8

1 1/2 cups low-fat, no-sugar-added vanilla Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons chopped unsalted almonds

1/2 cup finely chopped mango

1/2 cup blueberries

1/4 cup blackberries or raspberries, chopped if large

In medium bowl, whisk yogurt and honey until combined.

Line 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Using spatula or knife, spread yogurt mixture over paper as thinly as possible.

Sprinkle almonds over yogurt mixture. Using fingertips, gently press almonds into yogurt mixture. Sprinkle with mango, blueberries and raspberries. Using fingertips, gently press fruit into yogurt mixture.

Cover dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Freeze overnight.

For serving, remove baking dish from freezer. Gently lift parchment paper from dish and transfer to cutting board. Using hands, break bark into pieces or hit lightly on surface of cutting board. Serve immediately as bark begins to melt 15 minutes after removing from freezer.

Nutritional information per serving: 70 calories; 2 g total fat; 3 mg cholesterol; 15 mg sodium; 10 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 9 g total sugars; 4 g protein.

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WHOOPIE PIES

BY DONNA ERICKSON

If you ever travel through Lancaster County in Pennsylvania, you’ll likely find roadside stands featuring a regional specialty called “Amish Whoopie Pie.” According to legend, when children would find these sweet and yummy treats in their lunch bags, they would shout: “Whoopie!”

These dessert treats are more like a cake than a pie or a cookie, and they’re so big that you’ll want to share one with a friend. The original recipes were made with chocolate, but this adaptation using pumpkin has become a family favorite.

This recipe is fun to make when everyone in the family gets involved. The steps require a lot of mixing, so give each family member a separate “mixing and stirring” task using the specific bowls listed in the following steps.

When cooking with kids, choose tasks according to their ability and the child’s interest in learning new skills. For example, if one of your kids is ready to crack eggs, give them “Bowl No. 2!”

First, preheat the oven to 350 F.

Bowl No. 1: In one large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of vegetable oil with 2 cups of brown sugar. Mix well.

Bowl No. 2: In a second bowl, whisk two eggs, then add them to the first bowl. Continue stirring as you add 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Bowl No. 3: In the third bowl, combine the following dry ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon allspice

1 teaspoon salt

Add dry ingredients to Bowl No. 1 and stir. The consistency will be similar to batter for pumpkin bread. Scoop 1/4-cup quantities of the mixture onto a greased cookie sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool slightly, remove from pan, and cool on wire rack.

Assemble by spreading your favorite vanilla frosting on one baked “cookie,” then top with another to resemble a giant sandwich cookie. Dust with powdered sugar and serve. Makes 10.

Cook’s Tip: For a creative twist, add 1/4 cup canned chestnut puree to every cup of vanilla frosting.

***

Sisto Depositphotos

Federal Bureau of Investigation. The series

Mr. Wolf has the procedural magic touch). Missy Peregrym and Zeeko Zaki also star.

refresh my memory of what it’s called and where I can see it? - Paul T., via Facebook

SPORTS QUIZ

A: You are referring to “StartUp,” a drama series on Crackle (which is a free online it). It follows “the

BY RYAN A. BERENZ

1. RikSmits, known as “TheDunking Dutchman,” spenthis entire NBA career from 1988 to2000 withwhat team?

SPORTS QUIZ

BY RYAN A. BERENZ

1. Name the owner of the Boston Red Sox who infamously sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1920.

2.Geoff Capes, World’sStrongest Man champion in1983 and 1985,competed for GreatBritainatthe 1976and1980 Olympic Games inwhatathletics event?

2. In motorsports, what does the acronym HANS stand for?

3.What Dominican infielder, whose career spanned 1982-2007, was the last activeMajor LeagueBaseball player tohavebeen born inthe 1950s?

3. In June 2025, autonomous humanoid robots from Tsinghua University’s THU Robotics team defeated China Agricultural University’s Mountain Sea Team’s robots in what sport?

4.Golfer Peter Thomson, who won the Open Championship five times from 1954-1965,hailed from whatcountry?

4. Who did the Charlotte Hornets select 11th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft and then immediately trade to the Los Angeles Clippers?

5.Heplayed tight endfor 11NFL seasons, most notablyfor the New York Jetsfrom 2000-2004. His son, Rocco,threw 23touchdown passes for the 2023IowaState Cyclones.Whoishe?

5. Unicycling acrobat Rong “Krystal” Niu, a fixture at pro basketball halftime shows, is better known by what stage name?

6.What American figureskater, 1995 U.S.women’s singles champion,overcame drug addictionand later becamea circus performer?

6. In 2024, Amit Patel pleaded guilty to stealing $22 million from what NFL franchise while employed with the team?

• Stuck zippers can be loosened with graphite powder or simply by tracing a pencil lead over the zipper.

• Many people have written in the tip to use two similarly sized bowls, one larger than the other, to serve cold salads at picnics. You add a few cups of crushed ice to the larger bowl, then nestle the smaller bowl into it, making it “chilled.”

In any case, remember: Don’t leave food out longer than two hours.

• Got memorabilia? Use a reasonably sized plastic storage bin for each child. Include folders noting each school grade for art and important academic papers. It can be a very special collection that you can give to your child when he is an adult.

• If you are doing food platters for your barbecue, consider making several smaller platters instead of one large dish. The large ones are harder to store when you prep beforehand, but a better reason is that the items will not go stale/too warm/too cold quite as fast, and it’s easy to switch out plates throughout the party.

• “Using plastic cups for a crowd? Remember to put out a permanent marker, colorful rubber bands or some other way to mark one’s glass. It’s sometimes hard to keep track when they all look the same.” -- C.L. in Pennsylvania

• According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “each 12-ounce soft drink contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. Drinking just one can of soda a day increases a child’s risk of obesity by 60%.” Talk to your children about making smart choices both in the lunch line and at the vending machines.

• Got a child going off to college? Before you leave campus, go together to the health center, and make sure your kid knows who to call/where to go for emergency or urgent care, both on campus and off. Not knowing can sometimes cause a delay in getting care, turning a bad situation worse.

• “Purchase a small cooler to use for large quantities of sides. I have a cooler advertised as fitting a six-pack of drinks. It’s perfect for holding macaroni salad at our summer beach gatherings with family. I do not use it for anything else, and it retains its cold temperature despite the heat (when everyone remembers to keep the lid closed, of course).” -- R.R. in South Carolina

• “For serving utensils used during picnic lunch, I have two large zip-top plastic bags. I label them ‘clean’ and ‘dirty.’ Anything used to touch raw meat goes in the ‘dirty’ bag. And serving spoons that can be used again to serve are in the ‘clean’ bag.” -- M.A. in Arizona. Send your tips to Now Here’s

• Returning to school can mean returning to sports after a summer hiatus. Be smart, and follow these guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics: Give yourself at least one recovery day off each week; be sure you are wearing the proper gear and that it’s properly fitted; don’t forget to cross-train (general exercises to strengthen your muscles and keep you flexible); take breaks and hydrate to avoid overheating; and have your coach reinforce the proper technique and safety rules.

• Keep cut veggies crunchy by lining a plastic or glass storage dish with coffee filters and then adding your cut vegetables, like carrot sticks and celery. Send your

Harry Frazee.

Head and Neck Support.

Soccer.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Red Panda.

The Jacksonville Jaguars.

Dave Parker.

JOANN DERSON

Jeremy

Q: When is “Landman” coming back? At least I assume it is. It’s a great show, and I love anything Billy Bob Thornton does. -- A.M.

A: “Landman” is a Taylor Sheridan (“Yellowstone”) creation, and he’s on a hot streak! It was easily renewed by Paramount+ for a second season and is currently shooting in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, area. According to Entertainment Weekly, the series’ pilot “has seen a whopping 35 million global streaming viewers since its debut in November 2024.”

Demi Moore (“The Substance”) is also returning and should have a bigger role after Thornton’s character appointed her to the board of his oil company. Ali Larter

Trivia Test

BY FIFI RODRIGUEZ

1. U.S. STATES: Which is the only state named after a president?

2. MYTHOLOGY: Which goddess is queen of the Roman gods?

3. LITERATURE: Who wrote the poem “Paradise Lost”?

4. HISTORY: Which monarch was known as the Sun King?

5. MOVIES: How many movies did Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers make together?

6. GEOGRAPHY: The country of Malta is on which continent?

7. CHEMISTRY: What is a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction?

8. FOOD & DRINK: What is tzatziki?

9. TELEVISION: What is the name of the family in the sitcom “Arrested Development”?

1. Washington. 2. Juno. 3. John Milton. 4. Louis XIV of France. 5. 10. 6. Europe. 7. Catalyst. 8. A cold condiment of yogurt, cucumbers, garlic and seasonings. 9. The Bluths. 10. The hippocampus.

BY LUCIE WINBORNE

• A whale shark’s spot pattern is as unique as a fingerprint.

• While working as a weatherman in Indianapolis, late-night talk show host David Letterman once congratulated a tropical storm for being upgraded to a hurricane.

• The estimated temperature at the sun’s core is 27 million degrees Fahrenheit.

• The cash register, invented in 1870 by James Ritty, was originally dubbed “Ritty’s Incorruptible Cashier” and was designed to keep the employees of his saloon from stealing from him.

• Kids and adults with autism are immune to the effect of observing someone else yawn.

• Since a Krispy Kreme donut contains 350 calories, and a 150-pound man can burn around 380 calories in 30 minutes, said fellow could burn off that quickie breakfast with a quarteracre lawn mow -- unless he simply preferred going to the gym.

• Target will let customers breastfeed anywhere in the store.

• Besides being the final resting place for many Hollywood celebrities, Forest Lawn in Southern California features a museum with rotating exhibits and special art, music and educational events.

• It is possible to make actual cheese with bacteria from foot sweat.

• And speaking of cheese, it’s the most stolen food in the world.

• The previous record for the world’s longest train was broken by the BHP Iron Ore in 2001. Measuring 4.5 miles in length, it was made up of 682 wagons and required eight engines to run.

• Research has shown that throughout a sofa’s life, it will host roughly 782 visitors.

• Actress Megan Mullally was fired from her role in “Finding Nemo” for refusing to reprise her high-pitched Karen Walker voice from the TV series “Will and Grace.”

• Seventy percent of the dirt on your clothes is invisible.

Thought for the Day: “If you don’t have wrinkles, you haven’t laughed enough.” -- Phyllis Diller

(“The Rookie”) is also returning as Thornton’s ex-wife, despite the show being accused of sexism for how her character was written. Larter disagrees, stating she loves that “Taylor writes for older women -- women in their prime [who] were still allowed to be alive!”

Joining the cast is Sam Elliott, who appeared in Sheridan’s “Yellowstone” spin-off “1883.” Andy Garcia (“Expend4bles”), who debuted as a cartel boss on the season finale, will return to continue his story in season two. ***

Q: I just read that Holly Hunter is hearing-impaired. I never knew this about her. Was she born with the impairment? -- Y.C.

A: You might have noticed that Academy-Award-winning actress Holly Hunter (“The Piano”) tends to speak more out of the right side of her mouth, and this is because she lost her hearing in her left ear after contracting mumps as a child. In fact, the animators at Pixar made her character, Elastigirl, in “The Incredibles” and its sequel have the same way of speaking, drawing her mouth more to the side of her hearing ear when she speaks.

Hunter’s next big role is a starring one in “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy,” which is currently in production and will air on Paramount+ in early 2026. The series will also feature another fabulous actor -- Paul Giamatti (“Billions”) -- and the chameleon-like actress Tatiana

BY DANA JACKSON

Maslany (“Orphan Black”). ***

Q: I was watching the animated “Predator” series on Hulu recently. When was the last “Predator” movie, and will there be any more? -- B.E.

A:The original scary sci-fi movie “Predator” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger (“The Terminator”) debuted in theaters in 1987 with its sequel, “Predator 2,” releasing three years later. “Predators” came along in 2010 and starred Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”), and it was followed up by “The Predator” with Boyd Holbrook (“The Sandman”) in 2018.

We also shouldn’t overlook “Alien vs. Predator” from 2004, which starred Sanaa Lathan (“Succession”). Clearly it’s a popular franchise, and there’s more on the horizon. Coming to theaters this November is “Predator: Badlands,” starring Elle Fanning (“A Complete Unknown”). Dan Trachtenberg, the film’s director, just announced at Comic-Con that he recently met with Schwarzenegger about doing another “Predator” installment. The former Governor of California did lend his voice to the new animated series but hasn’t appeared in a live-action “Predator” since the original from almost 40 years ago.

PAW’S CORNER

BY FREDDY GROVES

THE DOLE ACT: BENEFITS AND IMPROVEMENTS

Have you wondered what exactly is included in the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act? There’s one way to find out: Scroll through it. There’s more to the Act than you might imagine, and all of it is to benefit you.

Sec. 301 calls for burial benefits for veterans who were under hospice care at the time of their death. It concerns those veterans who pass away between July 1, 2025, and Oct. 1, 2026 and who are receiving VA medical or nursing care before receiving hospice care -- they will receive full VA burial allowance. That was not the case before, if a veteran went from VA medical care to home. To read all the details about VA burial benefits, see www.va.gov/burials-memorials. Should you also wish to apply for pre-need eligibility to make it easier for family when the time comes, there is info on that page as well.

Sec. 143 addresses the reimbursement of ambulance cost for veterans in rural areas. This might be by ambulance or air ambulance, to the nearest hospital that can meet the needs of the veteran. Be sure of the details on this one if you might use this service. Read the definitions in the text because coverage varies by disability rating, distance to hospital and so on. This benefit is likely to change after September 30, 2026, and is worth paying attention to because the total accumulative benefit is $46,000 of coverage.

Sec. 208 concerns the payment of full monthly housing stipend for those who are in their final semester of education assistance under the Post-911/Educational Assistance Program. Read the details if this applies to you.

And in a topic that’s near and dear to the hearts of many of us, Sec. 304 ensures that only licensed health care professionals do the medical disability exams.

SENIOR NEWS LINE

BY MATILDA CHARLES

Reasons to smile

With all the negative, questionable and just plain bad news out there lately, I’ll take good news anywhere I can find it. And one place is the website Good News Network (www. goodnewsnetwork.org). GNN, started in 1997, currently has 21,000 good news stories from around the world. Categories range from life, to gardening, to health, business and more.

There’s a free app for the phone, and if you don’t like to see ads, you can pay a yearly fee of $15 to get rid of them. Or click the “Subscribe” button to get a free bit of good news in your email each day.

There’s even a GNN book: “And Now, The Good News: 20 Years of Inspiring News Stories,” by Geri Weis-Corbley, available on Amazon in paperback. The reviews for the book are great, saying that the short stories are real mood-lifters. I’ll be ordering it.

Here’s an example: The bank that lost 66 of its employees

on 9/11 have paid to put all those employees’ kids through college. How great is that?!

Here’s another one from the book: A piece of a family farm was being sold at auction and a very young family member wanted to bid and hopefully win back the property. By common agreement, all the other 200 farmers at the auction stayed silent while the young family member was bidding. He won back the family’s farm land. The Good News Network isn’t the only bright spot. Positive News (www.positive.news) will send a good news email once a week. The categories range from society to science to economics and more. It’s British, which makes it even more interesting. If you’d rather look around on your own, do an online search for good news, positive world news or even good news for seniors. You’re sure to find something to smile about! (c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.

DOG MAKES ODD BREATHING NOISE

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: Recently, I had my 9-year-old, part-poodle/Maltese dog’s teeth cleaned. The vet had to pull two teeth as well. Since this was done, “Scoobie” seems to make an odd noise as he is breathing. I feel like this is due to the tube they put down his throat as they cleaned his teeth. When I got him home, he had a hacking cough, which subsided about three days later. But the noise he makes when breathing continues. He doesn’t seem to be in pain, though. I like our vet a lot and hate to question him, so hopefully you can help me out or let me know what I could ask the vet. -- Valeeta R., Montgomery, Alabama

DEAR VALEETA:

your

health is the most

Ask lots of questions, and insist on straightforward answers from the vet -- not answers designed just to make you feel better. If afterward you feel that you didn’t receive satisfactory answers, or if Scoobie doesn’t improve, take your dog to another vet for a second opinion.

THE HISTORY CHANNEL

Time

• On Aug. 18, 1992, Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird retired at the age of 35, explaining that “the last couple of years have been very tough on me, on my back and on my body. It was very hard to deal with, day in and day out.” He has remained involved with the NBA in other roles, however, to the present day.

• On Aug. 19, 2011, the “West Memphis Three” -- Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley -- were released from prison after serving 18 years for the murders of three young Arkansas boys, under the rarely used Alford plea, which allowed them to maintain their innocence while acknowledging that prosecutors still possessed sufficient evidence to convict them.

• On Aug. 20, 2000, the peregrine falcon, known as the world’s fastest bird for its speed of up to 200 mph, was removed from America’s endangered species list after a little more than three decades. A ban on the pesticide DDT was widely credited for the bird’s resurgence.

• On Aug. 21, 1920, Christopher Robin Milne was born to author A.A. Milne and his wife, Daphne. The boy would later be immortalized in his father’s books “Winnie-the-Pooh” and “The House at Pooh Corner.”

• On Aug. 22, 1962, French president Charles de Gaulle, along with his wife, survived one of several assassination attempts against him thanks to the superior suspension system of the presidential automobile, known as “La Déesse” (The Goddess), which allowed de Gaulle’s chauffeur to accelerate out of a front-wheel skid to safety.

• On Aug. 23, 1945, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Marcario Garcia was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman, becoming the first Mexican national to receive it, for single-handedly clearing two German machine gun nests even after receiving multiple wounds.

• On Aug. 24, 1814, an iconic portrait (actually a copy) of George Washington was removed from its frame at the White House to prevent its theft by British troops. Later, first lady Dolley Madison would take somewhat dramatic credit for supervising the act.

Hollywood

BY TONY RIZZO

HOLLYWOOD -- When I shot the photos of Christopher Reeve that got him a second screen test for “Superman” in 1976, I never would have guessed that his “Man of Steel” would gross a whopping $300 million. But the box office kept sinking after the first film. “Superman II” (1980) grossed $216.3 million, “Superman III” (1983) grossed $80.2 million, and “Superman IV” only grossed $36.7 million.

Once again, “Superman” (2025) started big with $220 million during its first weekend. But can this be sustained for sequels? Is it the superhero himself

or the new embodiment of David Corenswet? Like Reeve, he’s a relatively unknown, and his biggest role to date had him 13th-billed in “Twisters” (2024).

This year, Corenswet started filming “Mr. Irrelevant” with Michael Shannon, but the film hasn’t found a distributor yet. However, with the success of “Superman,” it’s sure to be a done deal. He has been married to actress Julia Best Warner since 2023, and they had a daughter in 2024 before moving their family to Pennsylvania.

***

What’s become of “Star Trek’s” Captain James T. Kirk? Chris Pine, the last Kirk, hasn’t been waiting around for Paramount Pictures to get their act together. He’ll star with Cate Blanchett and Dave Bautista in the alien-invasion comedy “Alpha Gang,” which is currently shooting in Slovenia. Maybe the First Lady’s family will be extras ... (Now that’s funny!)

Pine hasn’t been romantically linked to anyone since he and Brit actress Annabelle Wallis parted in 2022. “Very interesting!”

***

When they announced that “Ted Lasso” was

ending after three seasons, we all laughed. Sixty-one Emmy nominations and 13 Emmy wins told us that this wouldn’t last. Well, sure enough ... “Ted Lasso” is coming back for season four on Apple TV+ with Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, and the rest of the gang before you could say “season five!”

***

Another cash cow they can’t let go of is Disney’s “Hocus Pocus” franchise. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy will be back for “Hocus Pocus 3.” I don’t know if they’ll make it by this Halloween, though. The ladies keep bugging Disney to make a move sooner rather than later and, as Midler put it, “while [they’re] still breathing!

***

Pedro Pascal, at 50, has become the face of a superhero. It all started with his role in “The Last of Us.” (His heroic character recently met his untimely end.) On July 21, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” opened with co-stars Vanessa Kirby and Julia Garner. Next, he has “The Mandalorian and Grogu” with Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White, which will hit big screens on May 22, 2026. Then he’ll play Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic again in “Avengers Doomsday,” releasing on Dec. 17, 2026.

In real life, Pascal is an agnostic, a progressive, and an LGBTQ+ advocate since his sister, Lux, came out as transgender. His own preference is still a question mark since, at 50, he’s never been married or linked to anyone. Maybe this is just a “Fantastic” way to titillate everyone’s fantasies!

Chia Jam: The Superfood hack You didn’T know You needed

PATTI DIAMOND DIVAS ON A DIME

Photo credit: www.JasonCoblentz.com

When I was a kid, summer wasn’t just about sunshine and sprinklers -- it meant jam. My mom would line up jewel-toned jars of homemade preserves, from apricot to zucchini, each jar a little pot of sunshine. Over the years, I’ve made my fair share of jams, but let’s be real -- jammaking can be a bit of a production. Sterilizing jars, bubbling fruit, pectin, sticky countertops -it’s a labor of (a lot of) love.

Enter: Chia Jam. This little game-changer will transform the way you think about homemade preserves. No stove time. No pectin. No canning tongs required. Just fruit, chia seed, and a touch of sweetness.

Chia seeds are the secret to this jam. Yes, those little seeds that sprouted chia pets back in the ‘80s are a nutritional powerhouse. Packed with fiber, omega-3s, antioxidants and protein, these tiny wonders are a simple way to boost your nutrition. But their real magic? Chia seeds absorb over 10 times their weight in liquid, turning fruit puree into a thick, spreadable jam in under an hour.

The best part? This jam is totally customizable. Use whatever fruit you have on hand or what’s in season. Blackberries, peaches, plums, even thawed frozen fruit works. Get creative: Try blueberry with lemon, apricot with pineapple or even a little gourmet twist like strawberry-basil or blackberry-thyme (pictured).

BASIC CHIA JAM

2 cups fruit (fresh or thawed frozen)

3 tablespoons chia seeds

1 to 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Wash and prep your fruit. If you’re using frozen fruit, thaw it first. Puree the fruit in a blender or food processor, then add chia seeds and blend again. Taste

and add sweetener, if desired. A spoonful of honey or maple syrup does the trick.

Refrigerate for at least an hour, stirring halfway through. The chia seeds will work their magic and thicken it up. Store in the fridge for up to a week. Use on toast, stirred into oatmeal or -- let’s be real -spooned straight out of the jar.

Fun Variations:

-- Blackberry Thyme Chia Jam: 1 pound blackberries + 3 tablespoons chia + 1 tablespoon minced thyme + 1 tablespoon honey

-- Strawberry Basil Chia Jam: 1 pound strawberries + 3 tablespoons chia + 1 tablespoon minced basil + 1 tablespoon honey

-- Blueberry Lemon Chia Jam: 1 pound blueberries + 3 to 4 tablespoons chia + zest and juice of half a lemon + 2 tablespoons honey

Chia jam is so simple and quick, you’ll be hooked. But let’s take it up a notch with a fun way to enjoy it -- in a parfait!

Chia Jam Parfait: A Deliciously Healthy Snack

Layering chia jam into yogurt creates a healthy parfait that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. You can’t go wrong with a few layers of creamy yogurt, chia jam and maybe some granola or graham crackers for texture.

For a perfect parfait: Layer a couple of tablespoons of chia jam with Greek yogurt (or any yogurt you love). Add a sprinkle of granola or crushed graham crackers for crunch and color. Repeat the layers until your jar or bowl is full. Finish with a drizzle of honey, and you’ve got yourself a snack that’s not only good for you but gorgeous, too.

Chia jam strikes the perfect balance of sweet and tart, without the added sugar of traditional jams. Packed with nutritious chia seeds, it’s a guilt-free treat. Next time you crave something sweet, skip storebought jams. Chia jam is a simple, healthy way to elevate your snacks and desserts. You’re going to love it.