I get questions each day asking for meal plans, because this is a create your own diet plan it’s all about doing your homework so lets get studying. Think about studying for your new “skinny” body, so that when you lose the weight you can stay fit and healthy for the rest of your life. … 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 »
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 can already hear the question in your voice “can it be done?” yes it can and it’s amazing! We do a lot of barbecuing around here and I am always looking for a new rub, marinade of veggie to toss on the grill. A few months ago I saw a recipe in a Food … Continue reading »
Here is another lovely recipe from Beverly Jo Noble, have you checked out her amazing cookbook yet? A Lifetime of Recipes came out this year and people are talking about it! It’s just fabulous, all cooking with seasonal fruit.. Pick up a copy and see what all the fuss is about. Beverly is getting married a … 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 »
You’ve just arrived home from work, you’re too exhausted to cook… what do you do? Whip this quick meal up and pour yourself a glass of wine! It takes 30 minutes, but only about 10 minutes hands on. So get it started when you walk in the door, then kick off your shoes and unwind … 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 »
It’s that time again, Beverly Jo Noble has shared another amazing recipe with us. Check out her cookbook A Lifetime of Recipes. It’s all about cooking and baking with fresh fruit. Each fruit has its own chapter, say I have some extra Strawberries I need to use up I flip to the strawberry section … 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 »
This is by far the easiest whole chicken recipe ever! All you need is 4 ingredients and you have a delicious, inexpensive, very impressive meal. I served this with some Homemade Mac and Cheese and some Veggie Bean Salad (upcoming post) and it was delicious. Serve with your favorite sides, or check out my side dish … Continue reading »
We are lucky enough to get two posts from Beverly Jo Noble and her amazing cookbook this month… everyone say thank you Beverly. I am allergic to Raspberries, so sad but that doesn’t mean you all can’t enjoy the wonderful berry. I hope you all enjoy this wonderful recipe, and be sure to check out … 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 »
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 »
My husband Chris loves to cook almost as much as I do. Tonight he hit a home-run on dinner, these sandwiches were spicy and hearty, the perfect “Man Meal”. The dip was cool and tangy Blue Cheese goodness, because there is minimal cooking for this meal it took him only 25 minutes. So today, 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 »
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 »
This spicy, filling meal is perfect for two. It is a little spicy for the kids so if you are feeding it to the whole family cut the spices in half or more. I made this for two but you can just as easily double or triple it for 4 or 6 people, for a … Continue reading »
Here is another amazing recipe from Beverly Jo Noble, her Cookbook A Lifetime of Recipes is coming out next month, make sure to check out her website and pre-order a book. Need a fancy side dish to go with your fancy salmon dish? Try out my Grown Up Mac and Cheese or Easy Spaghetti Squash they … Continue reading »
On this warm February night I wanted to BBQ some steaks. I used a one pound Top Sirloin and cut it into 4 individual steaks to save money. I wanted to make a side to go with the steak that would be great to bring to a friend’s house or a picnic. Because the salad … Continue reading »
Chocolate and cherries, need I say more? These are easy and delicious, perfect for your Valentine too! I cut the calories by replacing some of the butter with pear baby food. Both baby food and apple sauce are excellent swaps to cut a whole lotta’ calories and fat without cutting flavor. Makes 30 cookies- ¾ … Continue reading »
Here is another recipe from Beverly Jo Noble and her upcoming cookbook A Lifetime of Recipes check out her website and pre-order your book now. Makes a pitcher of Bellinis- 2 pints raspberries 2 Tbsp. sugar 1 bottle chilled brut champagne Blend the raspberries and sugar in a food processor or blender until smooth. Strain … Continue reading »
The average Tequila Sunrise is 250 calories, that’s a meal for me! I decided there had to be a better way, so I cut the juice and added more alcohol and go figure it dropped the calories! You defiantly get more “bang for your buck” not only is it a stronger drink, but it is … Continue reading »
The King would be proud of this meal, I have had the legendary Fried Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich that Elvis ate regularly and it was delicious but greasy and certainly not something to eat regularly unless you want to… well you know what happened to Elvis. I don’t know what came over me, but … Continue reading »
Time to talk about Processed foods, first a question for you: If a Twinkie will last on a shelf for 50 years do you really think you should put that into your body? Unless you are planning on mummifying yourself now there is no reason to put preservatives in your body. What’s worse is that … Continue reading »
I was craving a big bowl of ice cream, but I was not interested in all the calories that come with it. Luckily I always have a giant tub of Greek Yogurt, and with inspiration from my friend’s favorite dessert (I’m talking about you Krista) I summoned my inner Jerry Garcia and made a knock … Continue reading »
If you don’t have a Crock Pot don’t worry you can make this in a large pot on the stove-top too, just read below for cooking times and details. I’m gonna be in trouble once my family finds out that I shared our family recipe brought over on the boat from Italy but I have … Continue reading »
Can you imagine a life without margaritas? I can’t so I came up with a low cal version you can make year around and not feel guilty about. By using some balsamic vinegar it makes the strawberries taste sweeter without having to add so much sugar, a trick I learned from the great Nigella Lawson. … Continue reading »
It ain’t Superbowl without some nuts, and I’m not talking about overzealous fans, I’m talking a sweet and salty treat to satisfy your munchies while watching the game. After the game put a handful in a bag in your purse for a quick snack or toss some on top of a salad. There is a … Continue reading »
Does it get better than strawberries inside and on top of waffles? These are fantastic and easy too, I got everything ready the night before. I combined the dry ingredients and covered them up, the wet ingredients in a separate bowl covered and placed in the fridge and the sauce all the night before, I … Continue reading »
Have you ever gone out to dinner with a skinny friend and thought “What the heck, she eats as much as me”? I use to, and finally got the secrets out of one of them, after using these tips I dropped 130 lbs in 8 months… do I have your attention now? Drink Lots of … Continue reading »
You can have the things you love, you just need to slightly modify them. With tacos I like to add veggies and beans to get “more bang for your buck”. By adding veggies you add vitamins and fiber, as for beans they add protein and fiber and fill you up. Not only will you drop … Continue reading »
I love cookies and I love to bake, so naturally I had to lighten up one of my favorite cookies. By using peach baby food you can cut down the sugar and butter which reduces the calories. These are so rich you will only want one, but so low in calories that you will not … 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 »
When my readers request I do my best to deliver and this one is for you Laurie. I highly recommend making this for a date night at home, perhaps for Valentines Day. I have to give props to the cookbook Pretty Delicious from which I fell in love with this steak rub, it is spicy and … Continue reading »
I made this last night and my Husband is still talking about it. It seems like a lot of work all at once, but who doesn’t love standing over the stove top stirring something delicious while listening to their favorite Pandora station? I would say this took me about 30-45 minutes total, however you can … Continue reading »
Everyone loves to eat out, and having a salad every time is NO FUN! Don’t get me wrong, I love salads but I’m human and I also like some of the naughty stuff like burgers, fajitas and oh the best ever… chips and salsa. You CAN have all this, you just need to be smart … 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 don’t know about you, but the smell of cinnamon and maple syrup always make me happy in the morning. This is a quick easy breakfast and so much better for you than the sugar and chemical laced little oatmeal packets. The Greek yogurt gives this dish a creamy consistency without all the calories of … Continue reading »
I love baking chickens, I bake one up about twice a week just a few changes to the marinade, some new sides and it is a completely different meal. Tonight I happened to be craving El Pollo Loco and so I did my best to replicate the meal. When you see whole chickens on sale … Continue reading »
This is an easy meal, just some quick chopping and mixing and your done. Great for a dinner party or to impress your in-laws. It pairs well with a bold red wine, Cabernet and Merlot are fantastic. Love Meatloaf sandwiches? Make it for dinner and fill the lunch boxes with the sandwiches and save yourself … Continue reading »
My husband and I often ask the question: “If you could only drink one libation for the rest of your life what would it be, beer or wine?” Well, we have recently had to add one more category, Champagne. This is not just a dessert, it is a cocktail and conversation piece, perfect for a … Continue reading »
I tuned into Biggest Loser last night and was VERY disappointed in what their message has become. I remember back when Jillian was on the show she took one of the girls (whom I believe won it that season) out for a glass of wine. So why last night were they telling their contestants that … Continue reading »
Here are the items you usually see on the naughty list, if you are anything like me you have failed every fad diet you have ever tried. The reason my plan works is because it is NOT A DIET! You can have anything you want in moderation, anything! Now if you want to have a … 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 »
