Today is one of those “too-hot-to-cook-need-something-easy-for-dinner” types of days.

This afternoon I got home after my weekly grocery shopping trip, looked at the kitchen, and felt like lounging around a lot more than I felt like cooking.

And so, I decided that the husband and I would be having these amazingly easy and delicious grilled paninis for dinner. I had just picked up a bunch of Mediterranean ingredients: creamy feta, red onion, red peppers, tomatoes, olives inspired by the weather outside, and I thought it would be perfect to throw into a sandwich.

It’s a much healthier version of the classic panini, thanks to the whole wheat bread, less cheese and the addition of veggies — and if you want even more veggies a light spinach salad would go great with this dinner.

It took only 15 minutes to make – which is exactly the amount of time I wanted to spend in the kitchen today

The husband loved it, and I know this is going to become a staple in our house in the coming weeks!

The Ingredients

• Whole wheat bread (2 slices per panini) – I like Rudi’s organic flax seed bread
• Feta cheese (2 oz per panini)
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 tomato, sliced
• salt, pepper, garlic cloves, oregano, crushed red pepper, or any herbs & spices/seasonings you like

The Directions

Step 1: Chop your veggies, and slice the cheese into approx. 2 oz slices

Step 2: Layer your panini: cheese first, then toppings (as much as you like!). Top with salt/pepper/oregano/crushed red pepper — basically any spices you like.

Step 3: Grill your panini! I used a panini press, but you can also use a grill pan if you don’t have a panini press.

When it’s done it will look like this:

That is it!

Now just plate it…

And eat it

Each panini has 317 calories, 15g fat, 936mg sodium, 34.8g carbs, 6g fiber, 5g sugar, and 17g protein. The more veggies you add to your panini, the more fiber it will have.

And if you add only 1 oz of cheese to your panini, you will end up with 241 calories per panini, 9.3g fat, 620mg sodium, 33.6g carbs, 6g fiber, 5g sugar, and 13g protein.

A few weeks ago, I was chatting with the husband about protein bars.

Since he (and I) are vegetarian and since we are both super active, I’m always looking for healthy, veggie-friendly protein. Unfortunately, with all of the fake-meat-soy-products and soy-based protein bars out there – that’s often hard to come by.

This is because soy protein isolate has been used as a high protein source in many veggie-friendly products – which I tend to avoid eating (more on that later).

I was explaining all of this to the husband, and he pointed out that the information out there on soy in general is super confusing, as is knowing what types of nutrition bars or veggie-friendly protein products are healthy to eat.

And he’s right! I was confused about soy protein for the longest time (half the articles out there tout it as a superfood, and half of them vehemently disagree with eating soy), and it was only after I did lots of reading and research that I was able to come to a few conclusions of my own.

So here it is …

The Picky Eater’s Guide to Soy: What to Eat and What Not to Eat!

First, let’s look at unprocessed soy products like tofu, tempeh, miso, etc. as well as non-soy protein that people sometimes confuse as soy (seitan).

What are these products? 

• Edamame are whole “young” soy beans – they are picked before the bean has hardened so you can eat them right from the pod.
• Tofu is made from whole soy beans. It is the bean curd that is mashed into blocks (after coagulating soy milk).
• Tempeh is made from fermented whole soy beans. The fermentation process binds the soy beans into a cake form.
• Miso is a thick paste made from fermented soybeans and barley or rice malt. It is used in Japanese cooking to make soups or sauces.
• Soy Milk is produced by soaking dry soy beans and grinding them up with water.
• Seitan isn’t soy at all! It’s actually a wheat protein made from wheat gluten.

Should you eat them? (you’ll see a theme here )

• Edamame: Eat only if it’s 100% organic and non-GMO
• Tofu: Eat only if it’s 100% organic and non-GMO
• Tempeh: Eat only if it’s 100% organic and non-GMO
• Miso: Eat only if it’s 100% organic and non-GMO
• Soy Milk: Eat only if it’s 100% organic, non-GMO, and if the only two ingredients on the label are Whole Organic Soy Beans and Water
• Seitan: If it’s organic, 100% natural (no chemicals or other ingredients you can’t pronounce), and if you can tolerate gluten – it is fine to eat.

Why is it important to only eat organic soy?

Because over 90% of the soy in this country is genetically modified (GMO), unless it is organic. That means it’s more chemically altered, sprayed with toxic pesticides, and more processed compared to its organic relative.

The Bottom Line: Out of all of the unprocessed, whole soy products above – I’d recommend sticking to the fermented versions like tempeh and miso and enjoying the other soy products in moderation (more on why in the question below). And always choose 100% organic, non-GMO for any soy products you buy!

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Now – onto the second question: What’s with the whole estrogenic-properties-of-soy thing? 

Soy contains phytochemicals called isoflavones (aka phytoestrogens). Phytoestrogens are natural plant hormones that mimic estrogen in our bodies. For some people, these estrogens may help balance their hormones, but they can also throw off the hormonal balance for other people. The jury is still out on whether phytoestrogens are beneficial or “superfood-like.”

Eating soy is NOT the same as taking estrogen by any means. But some people are more sensitive to phytoestrogens than others — which is why I try to only eat whole soy products in moderation (not more than once or twice a week max). And I probably wouldn’t use soy-based forumla for babies because who knows how those phytoestrogens affect little ones.

BUT fermented sources of soy (like miso, tempeh, and natto) are actually better than non-fermented sources. Fermentation increases the digestibility of soy, adds good bacteria, and reduces the plant estrogen content in soy foods.

Side note: People with low thyroid functioning need to limit their soy consumption since soy contains substances called goitrogens which can slow the production and/or release of thyroid hormones in the body.

The Bottom Line: Eat soy in moderation and choose fermented when possible!

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Lastly – the big question: What’s the deal with soy protein isolate and all of the veggie-friendly protein bars/products?

If you take a look at the nutrition label of most protein bars, veggie burgers, or fake-meat products, you’ll see soy protein isolate featured as one of the main ingredients.

So what is soy protein isolate? 

Soy protein isolate (SPI) is basically the isolated protein component from the soy bean. Creating SPI requires a heavily chemically engineered process to “isolate” that protein: the end result of which is a denatured protein that is stripped of all the nutrients (fiber, minerals, complex carbs) that the original bean contained.

Additionally, to isolate the soy protein, the soy beans are soaked and sprayed with chemicals like aluminum and hexane – which often leaves behind residue that you don’t want to be eating. Hexane is a neurotoxic petrochemical solvent that is listed as a hazardous air pollutant with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The spray-drying method used for soy can also form nitrites – compounds that can form carcinogens in the body.

And if that’s not enough, SPI is always GMO and filled with pesticides.

Lastly, SPI has a higher concentration of trypsin inhibitors – which are chemicals that reduce trypsin (an enzyme that helps digest protein) in the body.

So SPI may have started out as a plant, but once it gets to you, it’s far from it. The products that use SPI also have the craziest list of ingredients and are super processed themselves (methylcellulose, disodium inosinate, or niacinamide anyone?) – which is another reason to stay away from those products altogether. Remember if you can’t pronounce it, you probably don’t want to be eating it.

Some tips about SPI – it can be “hidden” under other names like:

• textured vegetable protein (TVP)
• soy protein concentrate
• Soya, Soja or Yuba,
• textured soy flour (TSF)
• textured soy protein (TSP)

The Bottom Line: NEVER eat products containing soy protein isolate or any “terms” related to soy protein isolate in the list above. Read your ingredient lists carefully and stay away from products with long ingredient lists you can’t pronounce!

This can be hard because lots of popular brands: Clif Bars, LUNA Bars, MorningStar, etc. have SPI on their ingredients list. But there are many other products out there that don’t! You just have to be a little more diligent and read the labels (health food stores and Whole Foods definitely have other options). 

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The Bottom Bottom Line: What to do if you’re vegetarian or want non-meat-protein sources?

#1 | Stick to natural, whole protein sources like beans, eggs, cottage cheese, Greek Yogurt, lentils, nuts, seeds and organic, non-GMO natural sources of soy like edamame, tempeh and tofu (free of sugar, artificial sweeteners, or other additives)

#2 | Try making veggie burgers at home or buy frozen veggie burgers that don’t have SPI like this kind from Amy’s

#3 | Stick to protein-bar brands that don’t use Soy Protein Isolate like Zing, KIND, LaraBar UBER, and CORE Foods

#4 | If you like protein powder – try Amazing Meal or SunWarrior

That’s basically it!

In general shopping for healthy packaged food can be a challenge, but remember it’s all about reading the ingredients and knowing which ones to avoid. I hope this post helps you navigate the world of soy!

This was one of the first recipes I made when I was just starting to learn how to cook.

I remember loving its simplicity and after it was a success, I definitely gained more confidence in the kitchen! Since I first tried this recipe, I have updated it with some modifications that I think are healthier and even more flavorful than the original.

The things I love about this meal are:

• It doesn’t take more than 20-30 minutes and that includes cooking time
• It has tons of anti-oxidant rich veggies and tons of flavor
• It is a complete protein thanks to the brown rice + beans, so it fills you up for a long time!

The original came from FoodNetwork.com, and my modified version is below. For all of those first-time cooks out there, this is the recipe for you! You really can’t mess it up – I promise

Oh and it’s family-friendly too. The husband loved it so much he went back for seconds, and then we had it for leftovers the next day as a topping for nachos. Yum!

The Ingredients

Modified from FoodNetwork.com

• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1-2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup prepared salsa (I like Whole Foods 365 chunky salsa, but any kind will do)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

The Directions

Step 1: Cook rice according to package directions, keep warm, set aside

Step 2: Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute the bell pepper and red onion in the olive oil, until the onion is cooked (about 5 min); add tomatoes at the end and cook for 1 min.

Step 3: Add black beans, red kidney beans, tomato sauce, salsa, corn; stir to combine thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients (all spices); stir to combine; simmer for 10 minutes (or as long as you like – the longer it simmers, the longer the flavors have to blend together).

Step 4: Serve with brown rice and maybe some chips on the side.

This recipe makes four HUGE servings. Each serving has 308 calories, 1.9g fat, 1,000mg sodium (less if you use dried beans vs. rinsed canned beans), 60g carbs, 17.7g fiber, 10.2g sugar, 14.5g protein.

Not bad for a simple, easy weeknight dinner.

Shopping for healthy food on a budget is always a challenge.

Have you ever just gone about your groceries, and then ended up with a huge bill with no idea where the money went? I certainly have, and I’d often wonder why I’d sometimes end up with a huge bill, and sometimes with a budget-friendly bill. So I started taking a look at what types of purchases drove up the cost of my groceries and which ones didn’t.

What I realized was that it wasn’t about whether I was buying “healthier” foods or “junkier” foods, it was all about the types of purchases I was making and taking more of a budget-conscious approach to my shopping.

Healthy food doesn’t have to be out of reach with your grocery budget. You can adopt certain strategies that will make the healthier options seem totally affordable! These 10 tips will help you on your way towards budget-friendly healthy grocery shopping

Tip #1  | Shop the Sales: Most grocery stores have all kinds of sales going on at any given point in time. Look for the weekly specials, the produce that’s on sale, and any deals (like buy 2 get one free) throughout the store.

Tip #2  | Buy in-season: In-season produce is always cheaper. Produce that is not in season has to be shipped from across the world and that shoots up the price pretty quick. This site is a great resource to figure out what’s in season in your town (so you can get the best bang for your produce buck!) And for those of you in the Bay Area – this site is a wonderful resource as well.

Tip #3  | Try coupons: Individual stores have catalogs (usually located in the front of the store) with coupons you can use that same day! You can also find great online coupons here – which you can even search for by your area (so you get the best grocery deals near you!)

Tip #4  | Buy generic: Brand names cost way more. That’s just a rule of thumb. And most in-store/generic brands are just as good! Case in point: Whole Foods’ 365 brand which, especially when on sale, is extremely affordable.

Tip #5  | Buy frozen: Frozen produce is just as good as fresh produce, and it works perfectly if you’re looking to spend a little less, especially on out-of-season items.

Tip #6  | Buy bulk: The bulk section has become my best friend. Many grocery stores now have a bulk section where you can get everything: spices, nut butters, oils, honey, maple syrup, grains (like oatmeal and quinoa), pasta, beans, cereals, dried fruits, the list goes on. And you save a ton because you don’t pay for the “packaging” at all.

Tip #7  | Avoid the middle of the store: Most packaged foods don’t have nearly the same nutritional value as whole unprocessed foods like produce, fresh dairy, fresh meats, and whole grains. You end up paying a lot more for a lot less nutrition – so my suggestion would be to stick to the perimeter of the store and cook meals at home using tons of spices for flavor!

Tip #8  | Make a list: And stick to it! That way you aren’t distracted by any of the enticing goodies you might come across during your shopping (but that you don’t need!) 

Tip #9  | Don’t shop hungry: This relates to Tip #8 above, but basically, if you end up going to the grocery store hungry, you will buy a lot more of those “impulse” purchases, again, that you probably don’t need. Eat first, then shop.

Tip #10  | Choose meatless protein sources: Foods like beans, lentils, etc. are wonderful protein sources and are also extremely good for you! They’re also insanely cheap – especially if you buy them dry and in bulk (although canned is pretty cheap also) Switch to meatless a couple of nights a week and your health and wallet will thank you!

I love creating healthy pasta recipes.

Pasta is one of those foods that we’re told not to eat if we’re on a diet. It has “way too many carbs” and can make you “put on weight.” But pasta is also one of the best comfort foods we have, and for people who love it, it’s so hard to give it up!

Granted, I’m not a fan of white pasta. White pasta is similar to white bread – it doesn’t really have a ton of nutritional value. But by swapping out the white pasta for whole wheat pasta and making a few other healthy additions, you can have your “cake” and eat it too!

Here is how to transform regular pasta into a Skinny Pasta recipe:

• Use whole wheat pasta, and stick to 2oz per serving
• Make your plate fuller with TONS of veggies (this recipe uses broccoli, red peppers and zucchini) – load up on these and they will make you feel like you have more pasta on your plate!
• Use plenty of spices vs. oil: spices have health benefits and virtually no calories, and they make your veggies taste great. My go-to spices for pasta are: oregano, salt, crushed red pepper, and garlic.
• Get a really great pasta sauce or make one at home (I like Muir Glen’s Garden Vegetable pasta sauce)
• Don’t skimp on the cheese – use 2 Tbsp shredded fresh parmesan to top your pasta, it’ll melt and make the entire dish super gooey and delicious

I promise, if you follow these steps you can enjoy pasta any day of the week, and feel great about what you’re putting into your body!

• 8 oz whole wheat spaghetti (2oz per serving)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 small broccoli heads, chopped into small florets
• 3 zucchini, diced
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 red bell peppers, diced
• 2 cups low sugar, organic spaghetti sauce (I used the Muir Glen Organic Garden Blend)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (use 1-2 Tbsp per serving)
• salt & pepper to taste

The Directions

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Step 1: Cook spaghetti according to package directions, set aside.

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Step 2: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, onions, and garlic – saute for 3-5 minutes, until the onions are slightly translucent. Add the broccoli, zucchini, oregano, crushed red pepper, and salt/pepper to taste. Cook for 5-10 minutes until all of the vegetables have cooked through.

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Step 3: Heat the spaghetti sauce in a small pot over low heat. Add the diced red bell peppers to the sauce, simmer for 10 minutes. To serve: take 2 oz of the whole wheat spaghetti and top with 1/4 of the sauce, 1/4 of the vegetable mixture, and 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese.

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This meal is a regular staple in our house. The husband loves it, and I love how easy it is to make! You can use any veggies you like in this dish: kale, chard, other squashes, carrots, would all taste great.

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This recipe makes 4 huge servings, and each serving has only 310 Calories, 7.3g Fat, 57g Carbs, 11g Fiber, 0.8g Sugar, and 12.9g Protein! It is spicy, creamy,  has great texture and is family-friendly.

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Is your mouth watering yet?

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Print

Skinny Spicy Spaghetti with Garlic, Parmesan and Veggies

Yield: 4 servings

This recipe makes 4 huge servings. Nutritional Information per serving: 310 Calories 7.3g Fat 57g Carbs 11g Fiber 0.8g Sugar 12.9g Protein

Ingredients

• 8 oz whole wheat spaghetti (2oz per serving)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 small broccoli heads, chopped into small florets
• 3 zucchini, diced
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 red bell peppers, diced
• 2 cups low sugar, organic spaghetti sauce (I used the Muir Glen Organic Garden Blend)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (use 1-2 Tbsp per serving)
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions, set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, onions, and garlic - saute for 3-5 minutes, until the onions are slightly translucent. Add the broccoli, zucchini, oregano, crushed red pepper, and salt/pepper to taste. Cook for 5-10 minutes until all of the vegetables have cooked through.
3. Heat the spaghetti sauce in a small pot over low heat. Add the diced red bell peppers to the sauce, simmer for 10 minutes. To serve: take 2 oz of the whole wheat spaghetti and top with 1/4 of the sauce, 1/4 of the vegetable mixture, and 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese.

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Recipe by: The Picky Eater, pickyeaterblog.com

One of the things I love about being in the Bay Area is that there are tons of vacation spots within just a couple hours of home. Monterey is one of those hidden gems that is just south of the Bay Area, but feels like you’re in a destination far away.

It’s a sleepy little town, with tons of outdoorsy activities, great wine, and sights to see.

So when the Hyatt Regency Monterey Resort contacted me with a complementary offer to stay at their accommodations in Monterey for a weekend, the husband and I couldn’t resist. We had been to Monterey for a weekend trip once before: when we were still dating and the husband surprised me with the trip for my birthday.

The last time we visited, we took a glider ride over the mountains (which is definitely something you can’t miss), visited the aquarium, cannery row, Fisherman’s wharf, downtown and went on a few hikes.

This time, we just relaxed. The resort was big enough that we could enjoy ourselves for a weekend without really having to do much at all! They had 3 restaurants, each with great vegetarian options (more on how much we ate, and how I got back on track later), an amazing spa and gym, and a beautiful golf course that our room overlooked. They even had running / hiking trails near the hotel for a relaxing walk or more intense hike.

Our first dinner was at Tusca, their flagship restaurant where we met Chef Mike, and the rest of the staff. They have an awesome open kitchen which made it feel like an upscale restaurant (not a typical resort restaurant).

Chef Mike just started bringing out dishes, one after the other. It was amazing. We started with some olive oil, balsamic, fresh (warm) ciabatta bread, and roasted garlic.

We enjoyed our pre-appetizer while looking at this peaceful view from our table:

Next was the Baked Eggplant Cannelloni, which I was a little skeptical about because neither the husband or I love eggplant. But when it came out I was amazed. There was no pasta in this dish! The eggplant was so thinly sliced, it resembled pasta (and definitely did not resemble eggplant). It was stuffed with a meaty, roasted mushroom blend, topped with fresh marinara, parmesan and arugula. It was inventive, light and delicious.

Next came the freshly baked, wood-fired pizza. But this was no ordinary pizza. It had: fresh tomato sauce, a super light layer of cheese, swiss chard, roasted carrots, basil, cauliflower (yes, cauliflower), and roasted red peppers. It wasn’t super oily or heavy, and the flavors were great.

After we were done with our pizza, we received the Grilled Seitan Bastilla. Tusca makes their Seitan from scratch, in their restaurants. It has zero preservatives or artificial ingredients, so even though I’m not a fan of fake meat, I had to try it. It was mixed with apricots and spices, and rolled into a light puff pasty. Underneath were pureed lentils (yum) and roasted chard.

We were pretty full by this point, but we had to try the Gnocchi. Served with leeks, marcona almonds, whole cloves of roasted garlic, and yes, lots of butter. This was definitely the most indulgent dish we had on the menu! Everything else was on the healthier side.

Somehow we had room for dessert. An apple galette, Pistachio gelato, and a Dark chocolate vanilla bean lava cake with spiced pear compote rounded out our meal.

We left incredibly full, but very very happy!

The next morning, we started our day with a light and healthy breakfast, courtesy of room service.

Steel cut oats, fresh fruit, and milk – I felt pretty good about it. And it was a nice change from our super decadent dinner the night before!

After breakfast we headed to the spa, where I literally had the best facial I’ve ever had in my life. The husband really enjoyed his Trager Method relaxing massage. From the spa, I decided to check out the gym, which I have to say was pretty impressive for a hotel/resort gym! It had great machines, weights, pretty much anything you’d want.

That was one way I balanced out the eating, by working out for 30 minutes on Saturday & Sunday

But of course, we had to try the food at the Hyatt’s second restaurant: Knuckles Sports Bar. Keep in mind, the food I’m about to share was specially made for us by Chef Bryan. Most of it wasn’t on their traditional menu. But it was such fantastic vegetarian food, I think they should make it an option for vegetarians who visit!

The customized menu was a really cool experience. Chef Bryan came to talk to us about our food and flavor preferences, and then created menu items in the kitchen from scratch. While we were waiting for our dinner, we got to munch on fresh peanuts and popcorn – which was kind of a fun treat.

When our first two appetizers came out, I was surprised! We were served chaat (at a sports bar!) – and I have to say I was really impressed with the flavors.

We also got to try this hearty vegetable soup – full of squashes, carrots, and other root veggies.

For our entrees, I had the tofu tacos, topped with shredded cabbage, a small amount of cheese and fresh salsa. It was served with a jicama, grapefruit and avocado salad on the side – which was delicious!

The husband had a “burger and fries” – which was a double decker black bean veggie burger, served with grilled asparagus with dates and hazelnuts. The asparagus was so good I kept eating it off my hubby’s plate.

And of course, dessert. Do you see a theme here?

Two cheesecakes: a mango cheesecake with fresh berries, and a snickers cheesecake which kind of reminded me of the kind you get at Cheesecake Factory. The mango cheesecake was my favorite: it wasn’t super mango-y, it was airy, fluffy and just melted in your mouth. And when paired with the blueberries – wow.

We stumbled back to our room, watched a couple movies, and went to sleep. It was an extremely relaxing day.

The next morning we had a similar light breakfast, went to the gym and then headed home. Even though our weekend trip was only 48 hours long, it felt so much longer! The staff at the Hyatt was incredibly nice to us in every interaction we had, and they even sent up treats to our room each evening (a fruit and cheese plate one evening, salad + crackers the next). If we had stayed a couple more days, we would have driven to Big Sur and hiked around there for a while, and probably would have visited some wineries too. But there’s always next time!

(Full disclosure: the trip and the food were complimentary, but all of the opinions in this post are my own – we really did have a wonderful experience!)

So, as you can tell, we definitely indulged on this trip. But for me, it was completely worth it, because I knew I could get back on track as soon as we got home.

And here’s how (it’s only 3 simple steps!)

1) I didn’t feel guilty about indulging. I planned to indulge for 2 days, and I planned to get back to my healthy eating ways when we got home. So I just enjoyed every bit of it, and when it was over I was ready to eat light and healthy again! I know it’s easy to feel guilty or freak out after “falling off the wagon,” but if you end up doing what I did, try not to beat yourself up about it. Eating unhealthy for 2 days won’t make you gain tons of weight. It will likely be mostly water weight which will fall away as soon as you get back to your healthy eating plan.

2) I ate super clean on Sunday when we got home, and for the rest of the week. That meant drinking tons of water and green tea, eating lots of leafy greens and other fruits/veggies, easing up on the sugar intake, eating high fiber whole grains, and going on my standard daily run.

3) I got 8 hours of sleep on Sunday night. Sleep is important for helping you detox, and if you’re going to be exercising you need your rest as well.

I hope this helps you start eating clean after your next vacation or night of over-indulgence! Happy Friday everyone!

Who doesn’t like chips?

Crunchy, salty, and bite-sized — they’re perfect for curing those 3pm munchies.

Of course, they’re not always the healthiest snack option since they’re fried and usually highly processed. That’s not the case with Food Should Taste Good, the company that’s making the perfect chip that tastes great and is good for you too.

Their ingredients are all-natural, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan (most of their varieties are vegan with the exception of a few), kosher, and are a good source of dietary fiber. They even put superfood ingredients like flax and quinoa in their chips!

I love their inventive flavors: Hemp, Kettle Corn and Chocolate have to be standouts on my list And yes, I did say chocolate. It’s not super sweet but tastes more like a crispy dark chocolate “wafer” that can be used as a dipper for ice cream or chocolate mousse, or even as a “graham cracker” for s’mores!

The nutritional stats on these chips are pretty impressive. 10-12 HUGE chips (definitely bigger than the typical chip size) have 140 calories, 6g fat, 18g carbs, 3g fiber, 1g sugar and 3g protein.

I like dipping them in fresh, homemade salsa, or as a side to hummus and a whole grain salad.

And now, one lucky reader will win a prize pack of four flavors of FSTG chips (one bag of each flavor!)

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Now the important part –

To Enter: You can enter in one of five ways (each option below counts as a separate entry):

It is no secret that I love lentils. Between their high protein content and their earthy, nutty flavor – I’m always looking for more ways to squeeze lentils into my diet.

I’m also a huge fan of mediterranean flavors and the husband and I absolutely love falafel. And so, when I saw this recipe from Tasting Table, I absolutely had to try it!

These patties are made from tiny, quick cooking beluga lentils. Sweet potato is the sneaky ingredient that beefs up these patties and gives them a slightly sweet flavor. Spices like cumin, sumac, and oregano take you straight to the Mediterranean, and panko breadcrumbs + 1 egg helps bind the mixture together.

What you end up with is a delicious and nutritious falafel-style burger that is topped with a creamy feta and mint sauce that, truth be told, I could just eat straight from the bowl!

You can use whole wheat pita bread as the “burger bun” for these patties, or you can actually put them in a whole wheat burger bun. Either one would work. The feta sauce acts like a healthy version of “mayo,” and you can top it with any fresh veggies you like! I chose tomatoes, red onions and cucumbers to keep with the falafel theme.

One thing to note is that these patties are slightly soft: they won’t become super firm like traditional veggie burger patties, so it’s important to add texture and crunch from all of the vegetable toppings you add to this dish.

The Ingredients

Recipe credit: Tasting Table

Yield: 4 burgers, Cook Time: 60 minutes

. Step 2: Transfer the lentil mixture to a food processor. To the lentil mixture, add the onion, egg, panko breadcrumbs, sesame seeds, cumin, marjoram, oregano, sumac (if using), salt and pepper. Pulse until coarsely chopped, about five 1-second pulses. Step 3: Shape the mixture into four 4- to 4½-inch patties, each about ½ inch thick.

.Step 4: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Lightly coat the skillet with nonstick pan spray and add two of the lentil burgers. Cook until the burgers are browned, 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and cook on the other side, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a large plate and repeat with the remaining patties.

. Step 5: Make the sauce: To a medium bowl, add the feta cheese, then use a fork to crumble it. Stir in the yogurt and mint.

Step 6: Slice open each pita to create 2 round slices. Place a lentil burger on 4 bottom rounds and top each with some of the feta sauce and your veggies. Top with the remaining pita rounds. Serve immediately.

Each serving includes: 1 burger patty, 1 whole wheat pita, and 1/4 of the sauce and veggies — which ends up being pretty filling! For even more protein you can add 2 patties to your pita/burger sandwich and make it a double decker

But for the traditional amount (1 patty, 1 pita, 1/4 sauce), this recipe ends up being 340 calories, 6g fat, 54g carbs, 8g fiber, 10g protein. Not bad for a healthier falafel/burger dinner!

The husband and I both loved this recipe. And while it did take an hour to make, it was totally worth it at the end!

I love roasted red peppers.

I love their texture, their flavor, and how they add a gourmet feel to so many dishes.

What I don’t love about them is that often at restaurants and the grocery store, they are packed in oil, or roasted in a ton of oil, which just adds unnecessary fat and calories to these beautiful healthy peppers.

So today, I’m excited to show you a fun trick to make healthy roasted red peppers at home that you can use in a ton of recipes! It’s super easy, and takes about 20 minutes. (This technique is thanks to my friend Vijay, who is the owner of Hungry Globetrotter - a food startup, and is a super chef in the kitchen )

Disclaimer: You need a gas stove to roast the peppers in this way. If you don’t have a gas stove, you will have to use an oven.

Step 1: Wash and dry your peppers (be sure to leave the stems on!). Turn on your gas stove to medium heat. Place one of the peppers on top of the flame (propped up by the burner grate)

Step 2: Keep an eye on the pepper as the flame begins to blacken the skin – don’t worry about it getting charred – that’s what you want! The more charred it is, the easier it will be to peel. Use tongs to hold the pepper by the stem and turn it so the skin can blacken on all sides. When it’s close to done the skin will become charred and slightly wrinkled, like this:

Step 3: When the peppers are done, transfer them to a large bowl while they are still super hot, and cover them with a towel.

Covering the peppers with a towel allows them to steam while they cool, which helps cook them and also makes them easier to peel.

Step 4: After about 20 minutes (or once the peppers have cooled) you can use your hands to peel the skin off the peppers. Then they will look like this:

Step 5: Slice the peppers down the center and remove the seeds.

Step 6: Julienne the peppers, and use them immediately, or put them in an airtight jar for future use.

And that’s it! You just made restaurant quality roasted red peppers at home. One whole pepper will have just 30 calories, 7g carbs, 2.4g fiber, 5g sugar, 1g protein, making it the perfect topping or addition to any meal.

We made pizzas at home this weekend, which we topped with our roasted red peppers. Delicious!

Granola has always been one of my health food pet-peeves.

This is because granola is always marketed as “healthy,” I mean, even the word “granola” sounds healthy doesn’t it?

But unfortunately most granolas are more like dessert than a health food. They are often packed with sugar and fat, and sometimes 1/2 cup of granola can have 250 calories, 10g fat and 20g sugar (that’s more than a Snickers bar!)

Which is why I usually stay away from eating granola, and choose healthier breakfast cereal options most mornings.

So imagine my delight and surprise when the folks at Purely Elizabeth contacted me to introduce their actually good-for-you granola! A granola with all-natural ingredients that’s low in sugar but still tastes good? I had to try it.

And as Purely Elizabeth promised, their granola was delicious. It was light and airy, and only slightly sweet to make it feel like a real treat.

Their granolas are made with all-natural, organic and gluten-free ingredients including: quinoa, an ancient grain considered a complete protein; amaranth, high in b vitamins; chia seeds, providing excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and antioxidants; and raw virgin coconut oil containing medium-chain fatty acids that get used as energy rather than stored as fat – plus anti-viral + anti-microbial properties.

1/3 cup has 130-140 calories, 2g fiber, 6g fat (all of it good fat), 4g protein, 18g carbs, and only 6g sugar. And all of their granola is non-GMO, vegan, soy-free, free of refined sugar, and hand baked.

They have four amazing flavors, and I got to try all of them!

And now, one of you has the chance to win a prize pack from Purely Elizabeth containing 1 huge bag of each of their granola flavors!

Now the important part –

To Enter: You can enter in one of five ways (each option below counts as a separate entry):