4th of July Healthy Salad

2 large bags of baby spinach

1 pint of blueberries

1/2 pint of strawberries - sliced thinly

crumbled up Feta cheese

Dressing 

Mix together some dijon honey mustard, some soy sauce, a little onion salt and brown sugar and dab of olive oil. 

4th of July Healthy Salad

slice the strawberries

wash the blueberries

throw everything into a bowl and mix in dressing, toss and serve! That's it!

Artichoke and Pasta Bake

Artichoke and Pasta Bake
1 pound of penne whole wheat pasta
1 jar of artichokes
1 onion
2 tbsp. of olive oil
1 cup of crushed fetta
Basil - optional

1. boil the water and then cook pasta for 6 minutes

Mean while, diced to onion and saute it in the olive oil
Preheat oven to 350

2. once the pasta is done drain and add the onions to the pasta and stir well.
3. add in the artichokes - slice them
4. add in the fetta and basil
5. pour into baking dish and bake for 25 minutes

Serve and Enjoy!

Homemade Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara Sauce

So it's getting cold outside and I'm sure all you want is to be in the warmth of your home or in your car with the heat blazing....Or actually I'm sure you'd rather be in sunny Miami or San Diego, right? I know I would. This recipe will warm your body and your heart. It's ultimate comfort food done in a low fat healthy way. It will leave you feeling satisfied and good about yourself - not full, bloated or guilty.

Homemade Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara Sauce
10 string cheeses
1 egg
whole wheat flour
1 tsp. paprika
seasoned bread crumbs
olive oil for frying
marinara sauce

1. unwrap each string cheese and place in a bowl
2. then beat your egg in a separate bowl
3. sprinkle flour and paprika over a place and coat each string cheese in it
4. then dip each string cheese into the egg
5. put about a cup of the bread crumbs onto a plate and roll each string cheese into the bread crumbs

Repeat these steps for each string cheese

6. heat the oil in a pot and carefully place each string cheese into the oil - frying them until their golden brown. Remove from heat and place on paper towel

7. Warm up marinara sauce

Serve! Yummy in my Tummy!

Benefits of Olive Oil
Olive oil is a very healthy oil. It has healthy fats and has been linked to preventing cancer, Type 2 Diabetes. It also helps your nails to grow strong and your hair to grow, stay strong and stay shiny. People who eat a diet rich in olive oil as opposed to other fats live longer and healthier lives.

Pasta Palooza

If you're a pasta lover then you will love (love) this recipe. It isn't a diet friendly dish - I like to call it "after the diet" meaning I believe it works for someone who is trying to maintain their weight.

Pasta Palooza

1. 1 pound of rigatoni pasta
2. 1 cup of Parmesan cheese
3. 1/2 tsp. garlic
4. 1 onion
5. 2 cups of cooked peas
6. 1/4 cup of vodka
7. 1 cup of heavy cream

1. cook the rigatoni according to the directions - set aside
2. chop the onions and saute it in 1 tbsp. olive oil until translucent
3. add the heavy cream and vodka and allow it to simmer for about 7 minutes
4. add in the garlic powder and peas and simmer for an additional 5 minutes
5. add the cream to the pasta and stir well and then add in the Parmesan cheese
6. serve immediately
!   

Mexican Stuffed Pasta Shells

This recipe I made a while ago. The first I made this it was after a long hot day. We had been at work all day and working with kids in the hot sun. I work at a soccer camp where I coach little kiddos all day. It's fun but very tiring. After a long day this meal hits the spot. It isn't super healthy but it's just mediocre. Each serving is about 300 calories. Enjoy!

Mexican Stuffed Pasta Shells
1 pound of whole wheat pasta shells
1 cup of organic marinara tomato sauce
1 package of Morning Star crumbles
1/2 tsp. of garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
15 oz. can of black beans
15 oz. can corn
8 oz can of black olives
2 tbsp. fresh parsley
A couple of dollops of sour cream
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 tomato (seeded and chopped)

1. Cook the whole shells until Al Dente (6 minutes)
2. Set aside and let cool - while it is cooling:(Preheat oven 350)
- heat the Morning Star with the tomato sauce and once the sauce is room temp. add the garlic powder and onion powder and then add in the black beans, chopped tomato and corn.
- place the shells in pan and put 2 tbsp. of the bean mixture in each shell. Then add olives to each shell. Cover the shells with cheese.
3. Put in oven for 40 minutes. Garnish with parsley and sour cream

Serve and Enjoy! (Serves 6)

Summer Spinach and Beet Salad

This recipe I created because I was trying to use 3 cans of beets that was in my house. My mom buys things a lot without any purpose for them. I truly hate having left overs or things being unused or with no purpose. So with some web searching, some alternations and little creative thinking I cam up with this healthy and delicious recipe. Enjoy!!

2 cups of fresh baby spinach
1 15 oz. can of beets (sliced- not grated)
1 8 oz. can of mandarin oranges
1 cup of sliced feta

2 tbsp. of light olive oil
1 tsp. of red wine vinegar
1 tsp. of tarragon vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sugar

1. place the spinach on a plate and then in any order drizzle each ingredient on
2. Mix the dressing ingredients together and pour over salad

Serve immediately.
Serving Size: 2

Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Okay so I know what you are thinking - bacon? Healthy? Is that even possible. My answer is NO. Bacon is high in fat and cholesterol. Does it have protein in it? Yes, but not enough to count as a protein serving. However healthy people or people trying to get healthier still want to be able to eat bacon, right? And those of us (including myself) who don't eat bacon or any kind of pig want to eat it also. The question is what can we do? How can we have our bacon and still be healthy and keep to our dietary or religious needs. The answer is: soy bacon. Each strip of soy bacon has 30 calories and 2 grams of fat. Real bacon has 50 calories in a slice and 5 grams of fat. So while you aren't saving that many calories, every calories helps and each slice has 1 gram of saturated fat and soy bacon has less than half a gram in each. This alternative recipe will be a sure hit for you, your family and your waist line.

Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
4 slices of soy bacon (Morning Star Farms is good)
4 slices of tomato
4 slices of cheese (American is ideal)

4 slices of whole wheat bread
1 tbsp. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter



1. cook the bacon in the microwave for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes
2. melt the butter in a pan and the place the bread down
3. break each bacon in half and place down on the bread, the add 2 slices of cheese and 2 slices of tomato and 1 slice of lettuce
4. spread the bread with the mayo and then put the mayo side down on top of the lettuce.
5. cook on each side for 3 minutes and flip over until it is lightly browned and toasty looking on each side.

Serve and Enjoy!!

Old Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese

So I am afraid to say this but I don't like cheese...yes I know you may be thinking "what you don't like cheese? Doesn't everyone like it?" Well not me and I never have. However, just because I don't enjoy cheese does not mean I refrain from using it in many of my recipes. After all most people love it! I want to share with all of you my great grandmother (Ganny)'s famous macaroni and cheese. Everyone in my mother's family loves this and we have it at almost every family get together.

Macaroni and Cheese
1 pound of whole wheat elbow pasta or whole wheat linguini 
2 pounds of shredded low fat cheddar cheese
dash of salt
dash of pepper
low fat milk
1/4 onion sliced (optional)

1. cook the pasta for 7 minutes (until al dente)
2. Preheat oven to 325*
3. mix the pasta with the cheddar cheese
4. pour it into the pan and then pour the milk into the pan until the pan is filled half way with milk
5. add a dash of salt and pepper on top along with the slices of onions
6. cook in oven for 45-60 minutes (depending on browned you like it) I recommend 50 minutes.

Serve Hot! I promise you that you will never go back to Kraft Macaroni & Cheese again!

Grilled Avocado Melts

If you like avocado then I promise you will like this. Avocados sometimes get a bad rap because they are high in fat but the fat from an avocado is healthy for you, the fat from ice cream not so much. Avocado have 18 essential amino acids, high in vitamin C and E and can lead to a healthy heart. Okay so enough with the health lesson let's get down to recipe, right?!

Grilled Avocado Melts

1 large avocado
dash of salt
dash of pepper
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
4 slices of whole wheat bread
2 thick slices of tomato
4 slices of sliced mozzarella or munster cheee
1 tbsp. of unsalted butter


1. mash the avocado and add in salt, pepper and lemon juice
2. lightly butter one side of each slice of bread
3. place 2 slices of bread (butter side down) on a preheated skillet
4. carefully spread the avocado on the bread with a spatula [remember the stove top is hot]
5. then carefully place the tomato down on each bread, on top of the avocado mush
6. then place 2 slices of cheese down and then top it with the other piece of bread (butter side facing up this time).
7. with the spatula push the bread down as you would if you were making a grilled cheese sandwich. After about 3 minutes flip the sandwich over and repeat with the other side for 3 minutes. Then flip a few times making sure each side is lightly browned and then serve each sandwich on 2 plates. 
Serve each grilled sandwich on a plate and enjoy!

Yummy and healthy- Each sandwich has about 380 calories.

Cheese Burger, Fries and Milk Shake Please...oh no!

Well I've never actually ate this nor would I eat my version of it but from what I hear a cheese burger with fries and a milk shake is like heave. If you grew up in the 50's , 60's or 70's I'm sure you have one these once in your life and if you haven't I am sure you have dreamed about it. Remember in the movie Grease when all they really eat their hangs out are milkshakes and burgers? Yum! Well it does not take a rocket scientist to realize that this combo is not exactly going to lower your cholesterol. But still why shouldn't we be able to indulge a little? Well I am not going to give you permission to indulge completely but at least a little bit. Here is an amazing recipe to have your cheese burger, fries and milkshake and eat it too!!

Morning Star Original Burgers - a normal burger has between 250-300 calories. This only has 130 calories!

1 Slice of of low fat cheese- between 60-100 calories!

Whole Wheat Bun- the normal bun you get has 160 calories and enriched flour (which may sound healthy but it is actually so bad for you) a whole wheat bun has only 120 calories.

French Fries- just buy the kind in the store and reheat it without any oil!

1. Cook burger according to directions (meanwhile heat up the fries)
2. Place the slice of cheese on the hot bun and let it melt just a little
3. Place one bun on the whole wheat bun 
4. Serve on a plate with side of fries

Milk Shake
1 cup of vanilla frozen yogurt
1/2 cup of  low fat milk
2 tbsp. chocolate syrup

Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend on high for about 2-3 minutes or until nice and creamy.

Eat with Burger and Fries

Total Calories Healthy Version: 800 calories
Total Calories of Unhealthy Version: 1100 calories        

You just saved 300 calories!