This is the dish to serve to people who don’t like beets! The citrus vinaigrette mellows the flavor of the beets, it’s delicious! I had the best meal of my life recently at Luna Red in San Luis Obispo. I was working on an article for the June/July 2013 issue for Indulge Magazine on the restaurant and … Continue reading »
This delicious easy salad can be made in just a handful of minutes and also makes for a great picnic! So grab your Picnic Basket and read the special instructions below for an easy, delicious outside meal. Strawberries, spinach and walnuts all boost metabolism! Lose Weight By Eating is all about making your food work for … Continue reading »
Every time I visit the grocery store I see a minimum of two people staring at rows and rows of preservative filled salad dressings. I want to shout out to them “you already have everything to make salad dressing at home.” So put aside the dressings that will stay good for a year and make … Continue reading »
Many of my recipes come from grabbing what I have and working it into an old favorite recipe. My naan pizza was the “old favorite” and what “I had” was turkey bacon and tomatoes. You can get the Naan at Trader Joe’s, it’s all natural as is anything in the store that they put their name … Continue reading »
I have been “training” I guess you could call it, waiting to see if I get a call back from the show I applied to called Food Network Star. I made this in under 30 minutes and it was delicious! After a 30 minute cooking sprint I need a little bubbly to accompany my lunch, … Continue reading »
This recipe is from my monthly column at North County LIFE, a local newspaper. I had requests to share it here, what a wonderful idea! Here for all of you is my newest recipe. Veggie Packed Stuffing The key here is this dish is 50% bread and 50% fruits and vegetables, cutting the calories and … Continue reading »
I love avocado and Greek yogurt so much I create meals around them and when I get to combine them I am over the moon excited! This is fast and delicious and unlike my delicious Grilled Avocado Sandwich I can also indulge in my favorite Greek yogurt. So enough about my love affair with super foods, … Continue reading »
This has become my new favorite sandwich, I was inspired by my local sandwich shop that I work from regularly. They make an amazing version of this sandwich that I could (but shouldn’t) eat everyday, so I made this skinny version that I can have everyday. This to me is like having Thanksgiving everyday of … Continue reading »
These Green Goddess Pesto Wraps are fantastic, light and flavorful. If you are having a get together with the gals this is a must have, it’s the perfect finger food that won’t ruin a manicure. Looking for more fancy wraps? Check out my Temple Wraps, all my girlfriends are mad for them! Rummaging through my … Continue reading »
I get messages all the time saying “I just went overboard and had 2 slices of cake, what do I do?” or “I have been bad all weekend and am worried about weigh in day, what do I do?” these questions are always answered the same way, drink as much water as you can, and … Continue reading »
It’s that time again! Beverly Jo Noble has provided us with another amazing recipe from her book A Lifetime Of Recipes. Have you gotten her book yet? I LOVE it! It is all about cooking with fresh fruit. The Cranberry Orange Crusted Salmon has become a weekly staple in my house and her Raspberry Bellini has a … Continue reading »
I made these yesterday for lunch, I usually go meat free at lunch. It saves calories and is so easy for me, just look at my lunch recipes, going meatless is not as painful as it sounds! Yesterday was the exception, my husband had purchased some fancy bacon, it was staring at me in the … Continue reading »
This is one of those dishes that I have been making for years, every time I make it a little different. Sometimes I just toss the broccoli on the cookie sheet 1/2 way through then sprinkle Parmesan on top while serving, that is for those rushed dinners (try it on a week night, divine and … Continue reading »
This is a delicious side salad for 6 and takes no time at all to make it. Having a dinner party? Try my Whole Baked Chicken with this salad they go perfectly together, you can wow your guests when you carve the chicken at the table, I will show you how on my How To Video. … Continue reading »
I went to the store and Heirloom Tomatoes were on sale, is there anything better than a juicy tomato on a hot summer day? These are easy and fast, make them for lunch or a snack or make on a sliced baguette for a great appetizer. Congratulations to Jules P. for having the best name … Continue reading »
Oh boy, I love avocados!! They are on sale right now and I am in heaven, I won’t pay full price for any produce, so now is the time of avocado indulgence. Avocados are so good for you, they are full of fiber and potassium, they build a strong body and aid in hair and … Continue reading »
This delicious salad is not only fast and easy, it also boosts your metabolism! Spinach and apples boost your metabolism, plus add a lot of fiber to your meal and fiber means fullness. Try out more metabolism boosting meals: Chilli with Homemade Chips for dinner, Apple Cinnamon Pancakes for breakfast or my Day Spa inspired Apple … Continue reading »
I made this on a whim, sick of my usual baked potato lunch I wanted something new and found that this dish can be served many different ways. Make it as directed below for a lunch or side dish, add eggs for a breakfast scramble skillet or some left over chicken for a one skillet … Continue reading »
Like most people I have about 50 or so recipes that have their turn in the weekly rotation depending on grocery sales, the season and my mood. I have published over 100 recipes so it’s about time I start tossing in a repeat once in a while. Homemade Margarita Pizza is my most popular recipe … Continue reading »
If I want something “naughty” I cut it in half, or in quarters and have just what I can “afford” calorie wise. In this case 1/2 of a grilled cheese sandwich. If you give up the things you love, you may give up on healthy living all together and might back slide. Learn to modify … Continue reading »
This beats the pants off of any 100 calorie snack pack out there! Basil has anti-inflammatory properties and is also a natural antibiotic, the cheese has calcium for strong bones and the tomatoes have shown to prevent certain types of cancer and prevent wrinkles! So this not only fills you up, but it keeps you … Continue reading »
This is my favorite go to meal when I just don’t have time to make anything. I am eating it now for breakfast, but I have also made for lunch and dinner. I’m sure it would make a great appetizer for last minute guests, but I have never been willing to share this yummy meal … Continue reading »
I adapted this recipe from my favorite cookbook Pretty Delicious, I changed up some of the ingredients but kept the dressing which is amazing . It is not often that my husband does this, but he exclaimed after one bite of this “you need to put this in your blog” so this one is for … Continue reading »
As you may have seen in many of my posts, I am over the moon for foods that will boost my metabolism. This is a good one, the jalapeno, yogurt and beans all boost your metabolism for a sexy, lean new you… with a full belly too I wasn’t sure what to call this meal, … Continue reading »
Some of you may notice this recipe is similar to my Green and Yellow Salad, it is. I just love this salad so much I keep adding to it and changing it. This blog was created to share what I eat and how I lost 150 lbs and how I keep off the weight all … Continue reading »
I had a dozen hard-boiled eggs come Easter afternoon so I made some yummy low calorie deviled eggs. This only takes about 5 minutes if you already have the eggs hard-boiled. I swapped out the mayonnaise for Greek yogurt and no one could tell the difference! If you usually use Miracle Whip in your Deviled … Continue reading »
Here is another great recipe from Beverly Jo Noble, check out this and more great recipes in her Cookbook A Lifetime of Recipes pick up a copy soon, they are going fast. Once a month Beverly sends me a recipe to share in my blog, always using seasonal fruits and veggies. Thank you again Beverly … Continue reading »
This is one of those fast pantry meals where I pull out a couple of items and toss everything together. This meal is light and delicious, use the best extra virgin olive oil you can find you want the wonderful peppery flavor on your pasta. This also makes a great side dish! Did you know … Continue reading »
Baked potatoes are one of my favorite lunches. They are cheep, easy and fast, plus the topping choices are endless. I had some left over chicken for this recipe, if you don’t just read below for my favorite pulled chicken recipe. These make a great side dish for dinner and are so low in calories … Continue reading »
These are great for an on-the-run lunch, they are easy to eat while on the road and the kids really love them. Use whatever hot dogs you prefer but please try to go organic or at the very least nitrate free, you are worth a few extra bucks to have a healthier version! This is … Continue reading »
My daughter loves Chicken Nuggets, there is a reason that there are bags of chicken nuggets shaped like zoo animals in the freezer section of the grocery store. It’s not just that kids love them, it’s because they make it easy for an overwhelmed parent to toss something on the table for the kiddos. We … Continue reading »
Everyone loves Mac and Cheese, here is a casserole you can toss together for dinner tonight and will feed you for lunch tomorrow too! I recommend using left over chicken to make it quick, but if you don’t have any see below for my favorite shredded chicken recipe. I know the jalapeno is an odd … Continue reading »
Here is a 100% vegan meal for all of you. Try skipping meat for lunch a few days a week, it will save you money and calories. Or make this for dinner and try out the new “Meatless Monday” craze. “But I need protein” you say, did you know that Quinoa is a complete protein? … Continue reading »
This makes for a great lunch, appetizer or snack. You can whip this up quick if you have guests drop by, use whatever you have in the house, have spinach and no arugula, parmesan and no goat cheese? Make the swap, get creative and if you try your own version please share below under comments … Continue reading »
This makes a great solo lunch or side dish for 2 with dinner. You can add some leftover chicken or steak, but trust me you won’t need it, this is a HUGE salad! It travels well for a brown bag lunch, just mix and keep the dressing in a small Tupperware container and pour on … Continue reading »
If you’re like me you hard time getting your family to eat salads, but if you put some steak and cheese on top anyone will eat it. I got this vinaigrette recipe from my favorite cookbook Pretty Delicious by Candace Kumai. I like to keep a big bag of frozen corn in the freezer for nights … Continue reading »
This recipe is so easy, and uses ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. If your family is finicky about wheat bread start slow, use 1/3 wheat flour and 2/3 white flour and each time you make it add more and more wheat until they notice. I started on my bread baking journey with … Continue reading »
Whenever I have friends come over I whip these little babies up, all I need to grab is a baguette at the bakery and some goat cheese for a quick appetizer. They take about 10 minutes and impress everyone, pair with a nice crisp Chardonnay and you have a happy hour perfect for catching up … Continue reading »
My daughter and I had a picnic to go to, so I thought to myself “what food do all kids love?” Hot dog was the first thing I thought of, and because these are little kids, piggies in blankets were both fun for me to make and fun for them to eat. I was inspired … Continue reading »
Did you know beans, jalapenos and Greek Yogurt all boost your metabolism? Here is a great way to boost your metabolism naturally and deliciously too. My post yesterday was a to die for Breakfast Quesadilla, in it I used ½ of a bell pepper and ½ of a jalapeno. So naturally I used them up … Continue reading »
My toddler loves this dip as much as I do, serve with some veggie slices or on top of a salad for a quick protein fix. Greek yogurt is a great swap for sour cream, mayonnaise and buttermilk. This is a thicker sauce then what you would get in a bottle but just as creamy. … Continue reading »
I had some left over Taco fixings and a craving for nachos so I made these today and they were delicious! If you need some left over taco fixings look up my Spicy Taco recipe (there is a “Search” bar to the right). This would be great for the Superbowl or just for a weeknight dinner. … Continue reading »
At under 350 calories this is a perfect lunch, plus it has tons of protein to keep you going all day and fiber to fill you up. I used left over steak from yesterday’s post Cayenne Steak but any left over steak will work here. Try switching your bread from the processed stuff to something … Continue reading »
Who doesn’t love Mac and Cheese? Most “diets” have this on the no-no list but that’s cruel, so I worked on a low cal version inspired by Candice Kumai’s Platinum Mac and Cheese and came up with a tasty, low cal, high protein version that is great as a main dish or a side dish. My … Continue reading »
I am feeling under the weather today so I thought a slow cooked warm winter meal was just what the doctor ordered. Because I am not feeling 100% I wanted to make something with LOADS of basil, did you know basil is a natural antibiotic? Ideally you want some lean protein here, so maybe make … Continue reading »
You say Champagne and I’m in, so let’s just get down to it we will chat about it later while enjoying our snack. What you will need to serve 2- 8 oz of Champagne or Prosecco 1 slice of artisan bread lightly toasted and sliced in two 1 ½ tsp very good Extra Virgin Olive … Continue reading »
This recipe makes 3 pizzas, I thought with the Super Bowl coming up in just a few weeks it was a great time for my favorite game day meal. Are you thinking now, I can just order pizza on the big day… well I like to call this my $3 pizza, because I stock my … Continue reading »
This is one of my go to lunches, and the best part is you can use almost any combination of cheeses you have in the house. This dish makes me nostalgic, and the lightly salted exterior makes me lick my fingers and brings me back to childhood. Truffle salt is cheaper than truffle oil and … Continue reading »
You can take the girl outa Orange County, but don’t dare take away her favorite salad! We moved out of OC a couple years back and I missed my favorite takeout so much I re-created it, but in a much healthier way! Chicken Dijon delivered to my office and home so often the delivery guy … Continue reading »
This is my go to lunch when I am in a rush or low on groceries. This is also an insanely cheep meal and it tastes so elegant with the truffle oil. If you do not have truffle oil you can use garlic oil or good extra virgin olive oil (you will know it is … Continue reading »
