Hold on to summer a little while longer and fire up the grill for my tasty Strawberry Teriyaki Salmon Kebabs. 

In a recent post, I shared my Strawberry Jalapeño Salsarecipe and promised that it would make another appearance soon in a second recipe to pair with it.  Well, here it is- my Strawberry Teriyaki Salmon Kebabs. 

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These healthy chicken tenders and tomato poppers are the perfect addition to your summer picnic basket.

Don’t you just love summer?  Everything is just more casual and relaxed when the summer season is underway- including entertaining.  All you need is some good friends, good food, and some cold drinks.  Simple is best when it comes to summer entertaining.  No slaving over a hot stove for hours. I’d rather spend the time outdoors! 

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These tasty vegetarian patties are nutritious and satisfying- the perfect addition to your dinner table!
  

I received free samples of California walnuts mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering 
a recipe contest sponsored by the California Walnut Commission and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.


One of the most common requests that I get for the blog is easy, filling, vegetarian dinner ideas.  Perhaps it’s partially because of the Meatless Mondays movement, which encourages people to give up meat once a week to help reduce our risk of chronic preventable diseases and reduce our carbon footprint.  People are starting to shift from the traditional way of thinking that meat should take center stage at each meal with vegetables, fruits and grains relegated to the role of supporting players.  I try to incorporate as much plant-based whole foods as possible into my diet, so I’m always happy to oblige with new tasty and hearty vegetarian recipes.  In fact, the most popular recipe on my blog to date is a veggie burger recipe.  Who would’ve thought?

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Take your next brunch from ordinary to extraordinary with these delicious and easy chilaquiles. 

Every year around this time, my entire family gets together and goes on a family vacation.  For the past several years, we’ve traveled to Mexico.  What’s not to love about Mexico?  Beautiful beaches, friendly people, and of course, amazing food!  It was on one of these trips several years ago that I first discovered chilaquiles.  Tucked away at the breakfast buffet next to the pancakes, eggs and waffles, I found what looked at first to be a very unassuming dish but ended up being quite a hidden gem. 

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There’s no doubt that Korean food has become a big food trend in recent years.  A wide range of Korean dining establishments have been popping up all over the map, from gourmet 5-star restaurants to more casual Korean fusion eateries, to trendy food trucks.  It’s become so popular, that gochujang, which is a Korean red chili paste, has even been called the new Sriracha.  I personally didn’t really experience good, authentic Korean food until I went to college.  One of my best friends from college is Korean and I went home with her for a visit my freshman year.  I still remember that meal at Anne's house.  I sampled bulgogi- tender pieces of grilled, marinated beef, japchae- thin glass noodles stir fried with flavorful meat and vegetables, and my favorite dish- bibimbap.  All of this was served family style with a wide assortment of tasty and colorful banchan, or side dishes.

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This easy, protein-packed fried “rice” features nutritious quinoa and canned tuna.

I am a big menu planner.  When people ask me for healthy eating tips, menu planning is always high up on my list.  Menu planning means that I take some time each week to plan out my family’s meals for the week and then I make one trip to the grocery store.  This helps me to plan nutritious meals for the whole week and avoid last-minute trips to the grocery store or take-out restaurant.  But sometimes life can get hectic and every now and then, I’ll find myself tired and hungry after a long day at work, peering into my fridge, asking myself the time old question, “what’s for dinner?”

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5-Minute Pineapple Frozen Yogurt

Disclosure: As a Stonyfield blogger, I received free samples of Stonyfield organic yogurt to develop this post.  All opinions expressed are my own.  


My daughter Sienna has very interesting eating habits.  Like many kids her age, one day she’ll love something and the next day she’ll refuse to eat it.  But there’s one food that’s remained a constant in her diet from the beginning- yogurt.  She’s loved yogurt since she was a baby and we first introduced her to solids.  If it were up to her, she would probably eat yogurt for breakfast, lunch and dinner!  

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No more boring tuna dishes!  My Spaghetti with Tuna is an elegant dish that will make you look at albacore in a whole new way. 

I love pasta.  I often turn to pasta dishes when I’m looking for dinner ideas for my family or even when I’m entertaining guests.  I try to keep things interesting by adding a variety of ingredients to my pasta dishes like colorful, nutritious vegetables and hearty, lean proteins.  You may not think of adding seafood to your pasta dishes but fish, shrimp, scallops, crab, lobster, clams and mussels are all excellent additions to your usual dinner dishes.  In fact, the US Dietary Guidelines recommend eating at least 8 ounces of a variety of seafood per week for those following a 2,000 calorie-per-day diet.  Among other things, seafood is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have numerous health benefits.  

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Crispy chicken cutlets are topped with a fresh, vibrant salad.  Dinner is served!

Thank you to organicgirl for sponsoring this post!

Many people start the New Year off with resolutions to eat healthier, and this often includes eating more greens.  But it can be easy to get stuck in a salad rut.  I’m here to tell you that salad doesn’t have to be boring or bland!  There are lots of fun ways to make your salads more interesting.  I personally love adding a variety of ingredients with contrasting flavors and textures like chopped nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and crumbled cheese.  

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Packed with fresh ingredients, my Sunshine State Cioppino is the perfect light post-holiday meal.

This post was sponsored by Natalie's Orchid Island Juice Company.  As always all opinions expressed are my own.


I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  But now that the holiday is over, you may be looking for some lighter dishes.  My Sunshine State Cioppino definitely fits the bill.  Packed with flavor and fresh, nutritious ingredients, it’s the perfect post-holiday clean eating dish.

This dish is a twist on cioppino, a classic seafood stew that originated in San Francisco.  Cioppino was originally developed by Italian fisherman who used whatever fresh seafood they had caught that day including crab, fish, shrimp, clams, mussels, and squid.  It’s typically made with a tomato-based broth that’s infused with wine and served with plenty of crusty bread for dipping.  I decided to make a version of cioppino using fresh Florida seafood.  After all, I’m a Floridian now so why not take advantage of the bounty of fresh, local seafood? 

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These bite-sized meatballs are packed with the flavors of fall and are the perfect addition to your holiday table. 

By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by siggi’s yogurt and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest.  I received coupons for free samples of siggi's yogurt.

When I think about holiday recipes, pumpkin immediately comes to mind.  Pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin spice lattes, you name it- I’m a fan of them all.  If you read my last post, then you know that I’m especially excited about Thanksgiving this year because my family is coming to Florida and I’m doing the cooking.  Because the main course is going to be a big meal, I plan to make just a couple of small but delicious appetizers to whet everyone’s appetites.  My Pumpkin Spice Meatballs with Orange & Ginger Cranberry Sauce are the perfect holiday appetizer.  They’re light, nutritious, and packed with the flavors of fall.  Plus, these adorable morsels are bite-sized, so they won’t fill your guests up too much before the main course. 

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Enjoy the delicious flavors of fall with this hearty and nutritious breakfast parfait. 

Disclosure: As a Stonyfield Blogger, I received samples of Nature's Path and Stonyfield products for use in this post. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

Are you a fan of the pumpkin spice craze that occurs this time of year?  Once fall comes around, the stores start lining their shelves with pumpkin spice products and the internet abounds with pumpkin recipes.  Personally, I’m still a fan of pumpkin spice because I love this time of year.  Since I moved to South Florida, I definitely miss the change of seasons (but not the brutal winters!).  It’s just not the same drinking a pumpkin spice latte in 80 degree weather.  But even if I can’t have the fall weather, I can still enjoy the wonderful autumn flavors.

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These aren’t your usual kebabs!  My Beef Kofta Kebabs with Tzatziki Sauce are bursting with flavor and protein.   

By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by The Beef Checkoff and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.


This is a dish that the whole family will love!  Kofta kebabs are common in many parts of the Mediterranean, Middle East and Persia. They’re made with ground meat instead of cubed meat and are packed with flavor.  Think ground beef mixed with fresh parsley, garlic and warm spices like coriander and cumin.  Yum!  Serve them with my creamy tzatziki sauce and some flat bread and you’ve got a delicious and easy meal that’s perfect for casual summer dining.

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Featuring eggs in two different ways, this pasta dish is the ultimate comfort food.

By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Davidson’s Safest Choice Eggs and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time. 


I love a good recipe contest.  So when I heard about the new “Light and Lean Recipes” contest through the Recipe Redux, I got really excited.  Sponsored by Davidson’s Safest Choice eggs, this contest challenged us to come up with delicious recipes showcasing these pasteurized eggs. 

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This Father's Day, celebrate the most important man in your life with this show-stopping steak dish that's sure to be a hit!

With Father’s Day just around the corner, are you still trying to figure out what to get that special guy?  Instead of the typical gifts, this year why not get him something unique that he’ll really enjoy?  I’m talking steak.  Big, beefy, marbled, meaty goodness.  If he’s a steak lover, then Snake River Farms and Double R Ranch have the perfect Father’s Day gifts to please the most important man in your life.

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Canned chickpeas are transformed into these crispy, delicious fritters that are packed with protein, fiber and flavor!

This month’s Recipe Redux challenge was to raid our pantry, cupboards, freezer or fridge to find hidden “treasures” and incorporate them into a healthy recipe.  I love this idea because I’m definitely guilty of forgetting what I have in my kitchen sometimes.  I often have good intentions at the grocery store and stock up on plenty of pantry items only to forget about them later.  And what about those times when you buy an ingredient specifically for one recipe and then the rest of the container sits in the fridge forever?  Guilty.  So I scoured my kitchen for this challenge and came up with two worthy contenders- canned chickpeas from the back of my cupboard and an open bottle of tahini from the fridge.  Since I couldn’t choose which one to use, I decided to use both!

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Jump-start your day with this Strawberry Almond Breakfast Quinoa- a hearty whole grain dish!

Start your day off right with this nutritious whole grain breakfast.  Quinoa might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of breakfast dishes but it’s a nice alternative to traditional oatmeal and it cooks up quickly.  Quinoa is an ancient grain with spectacular health benefits.  It’s packed with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals- no wonder the Incas referred to it as the Mother Grain!  To read more about quinoa, CLICK HERE. 

Quinoa can be cooked in milk instead of water, which will give it a slightly creamier consistency.  I use unsweetened almond milk in this recipe but you can use any type of milk like regular milk or coconut milk.  Then you just top it with your favorite ingredients for a filling breakfast that will jump-start your day. 

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Put a spring in your step with this energizing green smoothie.

This post was created in partnership with Stonyfield.  All opinions expressed are my own.

I’m a big fan of smoothies.  They’re quick and easy to make and they’re such a great way to get lots of fruits and veggies into your diet.  Plus, my toddler loves them, which is awesome for me because I can add in a whole variety of nutritious ingredients that she normally might not try on their own.  Now that I live in sunny South Florida, I love making smoothies all year round.  It's great being able to take advantage of the abundant fresh produce, but if you live in a cooler climate, you can always use frozen fruit.  In the freezer section of the grocery store, you’ll find plenty of fruits and vegetables that are frozen at their nutritional peak, just waiting to be popped into the blender to make a healthy, refreshing smoothie.  

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All of the bold flavors of a burrito with much less fuss!  These meatless burrito bowls are delicious, nutritious and packed with protein.

People often ask me for nutritious, easy vegetarian recipe ideas and I’m always happy to see that my vegetarian recipes are some of the most popular posts on my site.  You don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy vegetarian dishes.  Thanks to movements like Meatless Mondays, many people are trying to decrease the amount of meat in their diet and incorporate more plant-based foods.  It’s not only good for your health, it’s also good for the planet!

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