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 »
So, you have mastered your diet, you feel in control of your food intake. Then you go to a party and everything served is processed, junk and just not good for you food… what do you do? I have this happen all the time, plus I travel a lot and stay in hotels or at … Continue reading »
A reader sent me a message asking me how to boost energy, I told her to grab some almonds and some dried fruit, add some dark chocolate chips and toss together, this would help her during her night shifts to stay alert and satisfied. There is a reason hikers have trail mix in their backpacks, … 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 »
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 »
On a hot summer day this will cool you right off! You can choose flat water or fizzy water, both work great! If you are trying to kick your soda habit you should go for fizzy water here I think you will love it and it will curb your cravings. Like it sweeter? Add more … Continue reading »
I love dates, they are just like candy somewhere between a fruit and caramel and packed full of fiber, calcium, potassium and antioxidants. A popular date appetizer has been stuffing them with cheese and wrapping in bacon, which is amazing but way too high in calories to have whenever you want. These are sweet, salty, … Continue reading »
My husband’s office was having a Luau Potluck the same day as my Daughter’s 3rd birthday, so it was an easy decision to go with cupcakes. I had enough to send with my husband to work and enough for my Daughter’s birthday too. I use almond milk and apple sauce to cut the calories and … 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 »
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 »
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 »
I love starting my day out with a metabolism boosting breakfast, so my go to is oatmeal. Oatmeal is so incredibly good for you, it raises your metabolism, lowers your cholesterol and protects against diabetes and heart disease. I know it gets a bad wrap on texture and flavor, that’s why I implore you to … Continue reading »
I love Basil and use it in everything, it was just a matter of time before I put this delicious, natural anti-inflammatory and natural antibiotic herb into my water. Along with an overly sweet fruit like a mango this water is well balanced and delicious. Mangos aid in digestion, boost your memory and increases your … 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 »
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 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 »
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 »
I love that these look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. It’s hard to get kids excited about cupcakes without tons of frosting, but something about blue glaze and the way it drips down the sides makes up for it. You can feel good giving these to your kids, with the blueberries and … 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 »
Happy Birthday To Me!! Today is my birthday and the only way I can get through 32 is with chocolate! Do I really need to talk these up? The pic speaks enough for them so let’s just get going on making them so we can eat them! Makes 18 Cupcakes- For the cupcakes: 1 1/2 … Continue reading »
Strawberries are in season and I am taking advantage of the abundance of my favorite berry. Just like my Banana Bites these are perfect for a quite movie night or a big party. They are easy, so easy the hardest part is finding room in your fridge for them. Feeds 2- 4 large Strawberries 1/8 cup … 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 »
One of my best friends Kate is both a caterer and a fellow Stay at Home Mom. She came over this weekend with some of her favorite recipes and we worked to make them healthy and low cal, this one was amazing! It takes almost no effort and makes you look like a Domestic Goddess to … 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 »
I made these for a picnic/play date for my 2 year old. Originally I planned on some fancy frosting, but when the cupcakes were cooled I went to the pantry and found I was out of powdered sugar. I realized that probably happens to everyone, so I wanted to go with it and give you … Continue reading »
This is both a dessert and an after dinner drink all in one. They are strong, so be sure to keep away from the kiddos. Makes 18 servings- 4 Lemons 1 Orange 16Maraschino Cherries ¾ cup Powdered Sugar 1 tbsp Agave Nectar 1 Cup Vodka 2 Cups Cold Water Sprig of Mint to decorate- optional … 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 »
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 »
Grapefruit is one of my favorite fruits, they are full of Potassium, Vitamin C and Calcium and they are an anti-inflammatory. So naturally I wanted to add some alcohol to them. Skip the sugar filled, processed juices at the store and make your own, it is so much tastier and if a jug of juice … 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 »
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 »
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 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 »
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 »
Have a craving for ice cream? One of my readers did and asked for something to satisfy her sweet tooth. Did you know that when you freeze bananas they have a consistency close to ice cream? There is even a special ice cream machine that turns bananas to ice cream. Well that was my motivation … 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 »
A friend once said “Everyone loves a cute girl who can cook” and this is the easiest meal I can think of to impress your friends and family. Talk about puttin’ on the Ritz, this chicken is super fancy and oh so yummy! Make it for a quiet night w/ your honey and have the … Continue reading »
