This recipe is short and sweet. It requires nothing more than some fresh lemon and fresh rosemary to zest things up. The citrus of the lemon juice adds a nice zing, and the fresh rosemary adds a fragrant, pine-like, earthy tone. Mmm. So good.

Served with some corn on the cob and wild rice, and some white wine, this was a meal I’m glad we made.

Ingredients:

-1 salmon fillet, with skin and bones removed. (About 4 oz. is one serving.)

-1 whole lemon, sliced very thinly

-4 sprigs fresh rosemary

-olive oil

-salt, pepper, paprika, and whatever spices you’d like to add.

Equipment/Materials:

-small casserole or baking dish

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Lightly coat the bottom of your baking dish with some olive oil. Place half of the lemon slices and two of the sprigs of rosemary at the bottom of the dish.

3. Lightly coat your salmon with olive oil, and place the fillet in the dish on top of the lemon slices and rosemary.

4. Place the remainder of the lemon slices and rosemary on top of the fillet.

Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked to an even, pale pink and the fish flakes apart when you poke it.

5. Enjoy with your favorite healthy sides!

Tonight, after a night of climbing, I craved some carbs, and what better meal than an empty canvas of whole wheat pasta tossed with whatever wholesome goodness you like?

I’m finishing off a bowl of spicy basil parmesan pasta as I write this.

Ingredients:

-whole wheat pasta

-salt

-olive oil

-spices and herbs (I always opt for salt, pepper, paprika, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning)

-anything you like! Use your imagination. Tonight it’s fresh basil, parmesan cheese, and cashew nut pieces.

Equipment/Materials:

-pot

-colander

-fork or pasta scoop

Directions:

Simply boil your pasta in a pot of boiling water (sprinkle a dash of salt to hasten the boiling, and add a splash of olive oil toward the end to prevent the noodles from sticking to each other), drain in a colander when al dente, dump back into the empty pot, and season as you wish. Add some fresh basil, a handful of chopped cashews, and a handful of parmesan cheese. Mmm mmm good.

I love getting together with these women. It was good food, good drink, and good company.

My roommate Greta made delicious enchiladas using her mom’s recipe, filled with pulled chicken, cheese, salsa, and other yummy things.

My friend Liz made the healthiest of the contributions–ceviche–with shrimp, tomato, cucumber, red onion, lime juice, lemon juice, and orange juice. It was so refreshing!

My two lovelies, Ji and Beth (check out Beth’s vegan blog–wonderfullyvegan.wordpress.com) made vegan dishes. Beth made these amazing Mexican chocolate cookies with whole wheat flour, cocao powder, and cayenne. Oh my word, they were so spicy and chocolatey. The plate was empty before the end of the night.

My twin Steph made another hit as well–tres leches cake–with fresh whipped cream frosting and strawberries. Everyone was raving about it.

Lastly, I made lime coconut milk ice cream which, unfortunately, wasn’t ice-cream-like until this morning.

Overall, it was a lovely time and an awesome prelude to my upcoming trip!

I love Trader Joe’s selection of veggies. This past week I grabbed a bag of Brussel sprouts (only 80 cals a serving), a bag of baby carrots, a bag of shelled soybeans, and a couple bell peppers (one red, one yellow).

Simply chop up the veggies into bite-sized pieces, and saute in some olive oil. Start with the Brussel sprouts as they take the longest to cook. Then add the carrots, and lastly add the bell pepper pieces. While cooking these veggies, bring some water to a boil and boil the soybeans for 5 minutes (as indicated in the instructions on the bag). Add them to the stir-fry. Season with some salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and maybe a drizzle of balsamic. Toss everything together. I like to sprinkle a handful of almonds or cashews for extra protein and a delicious crunch. Yum. A healthy, colorful, low-cal, filling meal!

Did you know that nine times out of ten, if you’re hungry you’re probably actually thirsty instead? True story. And did you know if you reach the point of being thirsty, you’re already far beyond dehydration? Not good.

I’ve been reading this fabulous book called “Why French Women Don’t Get Fat” by Mireille Guiliano and the book is pretty much a bible for any person, male or female, trying to stay fit and healthy. One of the chapters that really impressed me was about staying hydrated and remembering to drink water throughout the day. Such a simple tip, such common knowledge, yet typically and easily forgotten and often under-appreciated.

I have a busy job these days and I often spend the entire day at my desk (yes, I even eat lunch at my desk while I work), only getting up to ask my boss a question here or there. That means 1) I’m not getting up to refill my drinking glass and 2) I’m not drinking enough water to even have the urge to use the restroom. Two very, very unfortunate things.

To function at capacity, we need to be drinking eight 8 oz. cups of water a day (you know this already)! More if you’re active and sweat a lot. How much do you actually drink?

The benefits of drinking water are enormous and include healthier skin, healthier hair, decreased appetite for food, and ultimately, weight loss. Drink some water the next time you crave a snack, and keep on doing this, and I bet you will start to see yourself not only losing weight, but feeling more alert, more alive, and ultimately, happier and healthier.

Sure, it was a time to see friends, but it was definitely more of a time to eat, drink (Greta fixed us all champagne and creme de menthe), and be merry!

I prepared a baked potato bar with about 10 lbs of russet potatoes, coated in olive oil and salt and baked on cookie sheets for over an hour at 375 degrees.

I prepared a smorgasbord of potato fixings, from butter, sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese, sauteed mushrooms, steamed broccoli bits, and crumbled veggie bacon, to caramelized onions, scallions, chives, and sweetly sauteed garlic. It was a hit.

I also made key lime pie.

Friends shared their own delicious treats, including Guinness chocolate cake, chips and salsa verde, green apple slices (an attempt at keepin’ it healthy), and open-faced grilled sandwich halves.

The party was a success, and I can’t wait for next year’s shindig!

Home-made goat cheese pizza is so easy to make, and you have the power to control what goes on it. You can make it as healthy (or unhealthy) as you like. Stick with lots of veggies, go light on the sauce and cheese, and you can’t go wrong.

Rather than make my own pizza dough like I usually do, we opted to get some ready made dough from Trader Joe’s. You simply roll it out onto a clean surface, transfer to a baking sheet lightly coated with olive oil, top it with your favorite toppings, pop into a preheated oven at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes and there you have it. A delicious, home-made pizza!

P.S. To keep with the Italian theme, we finished the meal with some delicious, decadent Talenti chocolate gelato.

Not only is it supremely delicious and addictive, it is super healthy for you, too! It is high in protein, calcium, fiber, magnesium, folic acid, potassium, and vitamin E. It is also has extremely low saturated fat content and is rich in monounsaturated fats making it a heart-healthy choice, and has no trans fats.

I get my almond butter from TJ’s because it is really cheap there (just $5 a jar!) and I go through the stuff like my Orbit gum. But, sometimes, when I want to give myself a real treat, I’ll get the freshly pressed stuff from the PCC.

It’s much sweeter than the pre-jarred stuff. The best. So, if you’re looking for an alternative to your average, old peanut butter, why not give almond butter a try? You won’t regret it.

Tonight I made shirataki noodles with a meatless bolognese sauce. Super healthy. Super low-calorie. And of course, super tasty.

Ingredients:

-one package of shirataki noodles

-1/2 cup Morningstar meatless crumble (or ground turkey or beef if you prefer)

-3/4 cup red sauce

-2 tbsp olive oil

-1 glove minced garlic

-1/4 cup diced onion

-1/4 cup finely chopped carrot bits

-1/4 cup finely chopped celery bits

-seasoning to taste: salt, pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning

-grated parmesan cheese

Equipment/Materials:

-small pot

-colander

-nonstick skillet + spatula

Directions:

1. Boil the shirataki noodles in the small pot for just 2-3 minutes. The noodles have an odd, noticeable smell to them, so boiling them helps get rid of this. Drain and set aside when done.

2. While the noodles are boiling, saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil in a non-stick skillet until fragrant and translucent. Add in the carrots and celery bits and saute until somewhat tender.

3. Add the meatless crumble (or meat) and season to taste with salt, pepper, paprika, herbs, etc.

4. Add in the red sauce and mix together.

5. Toss in the noodles and there you go! Serve with a few sprinkles of grated parmesan cheese and you have yourself a very healthy pasta dinner.

I adore picnics. They bring to mind summertime afternoons in the park, frolicking in the sun, dining on fresh foods like fruit, veggies, cold meats, and sipping on chilled wine. They remind me of simpler times, napping on a quilt, or perhaps reading an old favorite novel, playing cards, or idly chatting.

Warm, spring or summertime weather is ideal for picnics. But, when the winter chills make you long for summer, why not have a picnic indoors, inside your very own home?

Tonight, we bought a loaf of ciabatta, ripe tomatoes, turkey from the deli, deviled eggs, and some of that aged sharp cheddar. Combined with the pesto we already had at home, some leftover bell pepper filling, and a chilled bottle of Moscato D’asti, this was a perfect way to spend a chilly evening indoors.

When winter gets you down, I highly recommend a picnic; it’s the perfect remedy!

Gum is one of the things that helped me lose weight two years ago. By turning to gum instead of a bag of chips or a cupcake, I was able to keep my mouth busy and avoid eating lots of unhealthy things. Plus, spearmint is apparently an appetite suppressant! Double awesome. If you’re trying to lose weight and you find yourself giving in to food cravings when you really don’t want to, I recommend turning to gum like I did and still do.

If you want Orbit gum in particular (my fave), look out for sales at Safeway or Target. I just bought ten three-packs (14 pieces per pack) for $1.99 each! That’s less than $0.70 a pack! If you buy a single pack at the checkout aisle, you won’t get as a good a deal, as they usually charge well over a buck per pack. And, believe it or not, Costco is charging you more than you should pay, too!  They sell the 12-pack boxes for something like $10 a box. That’s $0.83 a pack. The most I’d pay for a three pack is $2.50, which is also $0.83 a pack; this is what Target sells their three-packs for when on sale. So, keep an eye for the sales, and remember the awesomeness of gum!

Steph has always had some sort of infatuation with England, be it Prince William, the Harry Potter books, the Spice Girls, or shepherd’s pie.

26th birthday at the Queen Mary Tea Room.

Thankfully, to the delight of her guests, this infatuation translated into great attention to detail and consequently, a fabulous tea party with wonderful treats.

She had several teas to choose from, including almond cream, ginger peach, black currant, and coconut chai. It was all served from authentic teapots into a variety of unique teacups with saucers.

She had several multi-tiered serving trays with treats that were apparently supposed to be served (consumed?) in a particular order (that’s how they do it in England, I guess). There were savory things like mini mince meat pies (made from scratch, recipe to follow soon), salmon tarts, mushroom turnovers, and cucumber sandwiches. And, there were sweet things like scones (served with various jams, marmalades, and clotted cream), lemon squares, shortbread, and vanilla bean wafers. It was a feast.

Having tea with my sisters and friends was a great time, especially on the weekend when I feel a little less guilty about consuming such rich, high-calorie foods. I give myself a break to indulge more on the weekends. There is no point in depriving myself of eating yummy things. Life’s too short to restrict myself from such pleasures. With that said, however, I do drink my almond cream tea with milk and sugar on the rare occasion, as green tea is my tea of choice during the week. Everything in moderation, but who can resist such a lovely cup of tea?

Now don’t run out and buy yourself a bunch of green tea thinking it is a miracle drug. You still need to maintain a healthy diet and regular fitness/exercise regime in order to lose or maintain weight. But, green tea just enhances everything. It definitely doesn’t hurt.

So the next time you find yourself reaching for that cup of coffee or can of soda, think twice. Replace your sweet and sugary beverages with pure green tea.

Almond meal not only tastes divine, but it’s also very good for you. Unlike regular all-purpose flour, almond meal (especially the unblanched kind) has many important vitamins and minerals including vitamin E, iron, and calcium. Plus, it has lower carb content than regular flour and is high in fiber. What’s not to love about almond meal?!

Ingredients:

2 eggs

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup water

dash of almond extract

dash of salt

2 tbsp sugar or other sweetener

1 cup almond meal (you can also use almond flour, which doesn’t have the almond skin)

*optional: replace some of the almond meal with both wheatgerm and ground flax for an even more nutritious meal.

Equipment/Materials:

nonstick skillet + big non-metal spatula

mixing bowl + fork + big spoon

Directions:

1. Crack the eggs into the mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, water, almond extract, salt, and sweetener. Beat together with a fork.

2. Add the almond meal and blend well with the spoon.

3. Preheat a non-stick skillet to medium. Add half the batter to the skillet and gently shake/tap the skillet against the stove to level out the batter. Cook on medium heat until you start to see a few small bubbles form on the top. With the non-metal spatula, gently flip the pancake over. Cook for a minute longer until both sides are golden brown. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

Yum! Now you’ve got lovely almond pancakes! Add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup, and this breakfast is scrumptious.

You can jazz up oatmeal with whatever your heart desires. Peanut butter. Jam. Maple syrup. Cream. Brown sugar. Toasted nuts. Fresh or dried fruit. The ideas are endless!

Lately, I’ve been enjoying my oatmeal with a little bit of almond extract (of course) and a couple spoonfuls of honey. Yum. Honey almond oatmeal. What could be better?

Sure, I love me my doritos, my pringles, my cheetos, my Tim’s Cascade jalapeno chips (my absolute fave), my chex mix…yum, yum, yum. But a single serving of chips (usually around 10 or 11 chips) averages 150 calories. Not bad if you stick to those 10 or 11 chips. But who does that? It’s so hard to stop eating them, for the satisfying crunch of the deep-fried goodness mixed with the powdery/cheesy seasoning is addictive.

Fortunately, the healthy alternative of popcorn with nutritional yeast saves the day! Make some popcorn on the stove in a little bit of oil (I use my whirly pop), skip the butter, add a dash or two of garlic salt, and generously sprinkle some nutritional yeast on top of your popcorn, and you’re good to go. Two tbsp of the stuff is only about 50 calories! And it has a super nutty, cheesy flavor that vegetarians and vegans alike (and omnivores like me) just adore. SO good. So savory. So flavorful. So addictive. But way healthier than chip flavoring you’ll get in a bag of munchies. Nutritional yeast is loaded with amino acids, B-vitamins, protein, and fiber.

You can get it in the bulk foods aisle at groceries like Whole Foods, Fred Meyer, or the PCC. Mmm, mmm, good.

When dining out and trying to eat healthy and keep my calorie count low, the first thing I do is ask to see the nutrition guide. Most  restaurants (The Cheesecake Factory, Red Lobster, PF Chang’s, Bahama Breeze, etc.) these days usually carry a nutrition guide highlighting every nutritional bit of information about an entree. They give you calorie count, information about fats, vitamins, sodium, protein, etc. Use this instead of the menu to make your dining choice. I’m always so shocked to find out how seemingly “healthy” entrees are often 1,000+ calories! That’s almost my entire daily calorie intake!

Today I had lunch at PF Chang’s Chinese Bistro and wow, pretty much nothing was less than 600 calories. Thus, I opted for the steamed veggie dumplings (six of them) and a side of garlic spinach.

My entire meal was less than 300 calories. It takes some detailed reviewing of the nutrition info, but at least now you know what you’re consuming.

If you’re eating at a mom and pop joint without such a nutrition guide, avoid obvious things like butter, heavy sauces, fried or deep-fried foods, etc. Aim for entrees with lots of veggies, whole grains, boneless/skinless meats, etc. Also, aim for meals that are steamed or grilled. If not that, aim for baked or sauteed (in olive oil vs. butter) over fried.

These are just a few tips from me to you, to help you start your dining experience in 2011 on the right foot!

I don’t know the quantity of ingredients, but I know that the peaches were covered in a heavy butter, cinnamon, sugar mixture. And I know the crust was purely crisco (!), water, flour, and a little salt. She says if you want good crust, you must use crisco. My advice is to use your best judgment when indulging in little devils like these. Eat less, savor, enjoy. When making your own sweet treats, use natural sweeteners like agave syrup or applesauce. Unfortunately, though, there is no good substitute for butter in crust. Just remember–everything in moderation.

Simply chop up some of your favorite veggies (or whatever you have on hand), and saute in olive oil. I like carrots and celery. I sprinkle some celery salt, pepper, and paprika, and let the veggies get a little tender. I transfer the veggies to a bowl, and add chopped tempeh to my pan. I add in more olive oil as necessary, a couple splashes of soy sauce, and more celery salt and pepper. I saute the tempeh until golden brown and a little crispy, and add to my bowl of veggies. This meal is so delicious!

Today I made what I call Fall Fettuccine. A delicious, hearty, Autumn pasta dish infused with flavors reflecting the season and full of a variety of textures to keep you coming back for more.

It’s simply whole wheat fettuccine (always use whole wheat. It’s way better for you) tossed in a pumpkin, craisin, walnut sauce. I am not a fan of creamy, fatty sauces, so I try to sauce up my pasta with olive oil and whatever veggies, fruit or saute-able things I have available. This particular sauce has a soft, melt-in-your-mouth component with the pumpkin, a chewy, sweet component with the craisins, and a crunchy, nutty component with the nuts. Yum. I love the contrasting textures.

To make the sauce, I simply sauteed some frozen pumpkin pieces (high in Vit A, and very low cal) I had in my freezer (never throw away pumpkin meat, because it’s so much better than the canned stuff and you can do so much with it) with chopped craisins and walnuts, in some olive oil. I then added a couple splashes of pure maple syrup from the fridge, and sprinkled some ground ginger and cinnamon which I had in my baking drawer. Salt and pepper to taste, and there you have it! Feel free to add some parmesan cheese and herbs to zest things up, too. Yummmm.

If you want to mix and match your drinks, then here are some drinking tips:

1. Stay away from drinks with juice. Vodka cran fans? Sorry. Cranberry juice has 140 cals a cup!

2. Stay away from the sweet, sugary drinks. This is a no brainer. Margaritas, mojitos, cosmos. Those all have got to go.

3. Stay away from cream and milk. White russians? Nope. Bailey’s? Nope.

4. Drink diet. If you must have a sweet drink, then do diet coke with something.

5. Light liquors have less cals than dark liquors.

6. But red wines have less cals than white wines.

7. The more shots, the more cals. A shot of liquor is usually 70-80 cals each!

8. If you like beer, drink BudLight. Only 110 cals for 12 oz.

Drink responsibly, and drink sensibly.

Liz and I met in graduate school and we decided that, after we’ve had our fill of  our I/O Psychology careers, we’d partner up and hopefully one day open a restaurant or bistro off the coast of some faraway island paradise. She comes from a huge Italian family and let me tell you, they know how to not only eat, but how to cook, bake, and feed people.

Liz made a feast of brisket, latkes, pearl onions and shallots, green beans, and gluten-free rugelach.

I contributed gluten-free challah bread courtesy of Wheatless in Seattle (note: it was horribly inauthentic, not braided, not fluffy, etc.) and home-made bakewell tart.

I tried stalking up on the veggie parts of the meal, but man, that brisket and latkes were sooo hard to resist. In any case, I did manage to limit my intake of bakewell tart to one slice, and my intake of rugelach to one piece.

Feast your eyes on the feast Liz prepared.

Brisket

Mmm, mmm.

I like to add a strip of Morningstar veggie bacon (only 30 calories for a slice), and break it up over the top of the pizza. It adds some protein and flavor to it. I also zest it up with some celery salt, pepper, and paprika.

Believe it or not, the pizza itself is only 300 calories for a serving. It’s good to share with a friend, but sometimes I actually eat the whole damn thing (it has two servings). Yeah, it’s 600 calories, but if you have it for breakfast (who says you can’t have pizza for breakfast?) or lunch, it’s not a big deal because you  can burn off those calories later.

Tip: Eat more earlier in the day, and less as the day goes on.