I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!  This year it was just the three of us at home, but I couldn't have asked for a better day spent with my husband and daughter.  Watching Sienna open her gifts and giggle with delight was priceless.  After she was done playing with her new toys and frolicking in the wrapping paper, she took a well earned nap.

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Nutrient-packed cauliflower forms the base of this low-calorie, gluten-free bread that's topped with cheesy goodness.  It's the perfect guilt-free appetizer for the holidays!  

As 2014 comes to a close, it’s nice to take a moment to reflect on all of the events of the past year.  This month’s Recipe Redux theme is all about reflection.  Since the group has been around for 42 months, they decided to put out a fun challenge to finish up the year.  We had to pick a cookbook and create a healthier version of the recipe on either page 42 or 142. 

The recipe I’ve chosen to redux is “Cheese Bread from Genoa” or “Focaccia al Formaggio” from Mario Batali’s cookbook Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home.  There's a full page picture on page 42, so technically the recipe is on page 43.  Mario Batali is of course, a chef superstar with an endless knowledge of Italian cuisine.  In this book, he demystifies many traditionally elaborate Italian dishes, simplifying them for the home cook.

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UPDATE: The giveaway is done. Thanks to everyone who entered!

I recently announced the release of my second book Cooking Well: Anti-Aging and now it's time to celebrate with a giveaway.  I’ll be sending signed copies to two lucky winners!  To enter to win, all you have to do is leave a comment below.  All comments are appreciated, but if you have any anti-aging tips, I’d love to hear them!

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Who doesn’t love a hearty bowl of slowly simmered meat sauce tossed with pasta and freshly grated cheese?  This version, which uses turkey, is lighter in calories without sacrificing any of the rich flavor. 

I received free samples of wine from Francis Ford Coppola Winery to create this post but I was not financially compensated in any way.  All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

A few weeks ago I mentioned my love for Instagram.  Well that love grew a little bit deeper when the wonderful people from Francis Ford Coppola Winery reached out to me after seeing my Instagram account to ask if I would like to sample some bottles of wine.  After thinking long and hard for a nanosecond, my answer was "Yes, Yes, Yes"!  Right before Thanksgiving, I received these four beautiful bottles in the mail:

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Simple, delicious, wholesome and nutritious.  Serve these Holiday Almond Raisin Clusters at your holiday table and watch them disappear!

“By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the California Raisin Marketing Board and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

Eating healthy this holiday season doesn’t mean that you have to deprive yourself!  California Raisins are a great way to add natural sweetness to your savory or sweet dishes while also adding a boost of nutrition.  They’re also a great choice for wholesome and healthy on-the-go snacking.   California Raisins are fat-free and cholesterol-free and they’re packed with several important nutrients.  One quarter cup serving supplies 9% of your daily fiber and potassium, and 6% of your daily iron.  Plus, they’re naturally sweet so when you incorporate them in your recipes, you can significantly cut down on the amount of additional sugar.

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I’m thrilled to announce the release of my second cookbook Cooking Well: Anti-Aging.  More and more research has shown that we actually do have some control over how we age. Our lifestyle habits, like diet, sleep, and exercise, affect our body’s ability to repair the cellular damage that occurs with age. Many foods have properties that help prevent certain diseases and keep us healthy and feeling young. Incorporating these foods into our diet helps ensure that the aging process will be gentle and healthful.

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A simple topping of breadcrumbs, herbs, lemon and olive oil is the perfect way to dress up salmon for a quick, nutritious weeknight meal. 

Over the last few months I've become very active on Instagram and I've found it to be an incredibly supportive community.  It's given me the opportunity to interact daily with other foodies, bloggers and food companies.  Recently, I was fortunate to strike up a relationship with Sizzlefish, a wonderful seafood supplier with a simple mission- to offer direct delivery of top quality fish to customers so that they can reap all of its amazing health benefits.  They provide fish from the best-quality fisheries, packaged into individual portions and ready to be turned into fantastic meals.

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This nutritious twist on lasagna uses spaghetti squash instead of pasta.  Spaghetti squash has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and is loaded with nutrients.  Packed with protein and fiber, this dish will keep you feeling full and satisfied!

I’m excited to announce that I recently became a member of a wonderful community of bloggers called The Recipe Redux.  Started by three registered dieticians, The Recipe Redux was founded on the belief that healthier eating should always taste delicious.  It’s right up my alley!  I’m so happy to be a part of this unique and talented group. 

For this month’s challenge, The Recipe Redux asked us to share a healthier “redo” of one of our favorite food memories.  It’s the perfect challenge for this time of year with Thanksgiving right around the corner.  For many of us, some of our most treasured memories revolve around sharing festive holiday meals with family and friends. 

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With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I'm sure many of you are in menu planning mode.  I know I am!  As one of the biggest, if not the absolute biggest food holiday, Thanksgiving gets its fair share of attention from the food blogging community.  It seems like social media has been taken over  with holiday inspired recipes, and I've been seeing so many incredible dishes on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook.  So I thought I would share some of my favorites with you.  The 20 recipes below include some appetizers, entrees, side dishes and desserts.  Many of them are healthy and some are a bit more indulgent.  Enjoy and happy cooking!

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Brussels sprouts are definitely a polarizing food- people either love ‘em or hate ‘em.  Personally, they weren’t my favorite vegetable growing up.  This is probably because my mom never cooked them at home so my only experience was at restaurants where they were usually boiled to death and served with absolutely no seasoning.  But, in recent years, the humble Brussels sprout has definitely had a huge growth in popularity.  You can find them on any restaurant menu from casual to gourmet.  Shaved, deep-fried, roasted, braised and of course everyone’s favorite- cooked with bacon.  There’s something about the salty, smoky flavor of bacon that pairs really well with the slight bitterness of the sprouts.     

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This recipe was inspired by my mom and is one of the recipes included in my upcoming book, The Natural Pregnancy Cookbook, which will be released in 2015 (so stay tuned!).  Having grown up in a vegetarian household, my mom has always made the most delicious, vegetarian Indian dishes.  This is definitely one of those dishes that I turn to when I want something comforting that will deliver a taste of home.  

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My Spinach, Mushroom & Gruyere Strata is a perfect dish for Sunday brunch.  A strata is a layered casserole made with cubed bread, eggs, cheese and other ingredients like vegetables or meat.  It’s similar to a savory bread pudding and it’s definitely a comfort food.  The beauty of making a strata is that you can toss in whatever ingredients you have on hand and you can prepare it all the night before.  In the morning, simply bake it and serve it straight out of the oven while it’s hot and puffed up. 

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