Ideas

It’s no secret that one of my favorite foods is sweet potato. It’s up there with rice and bread for me – I just have to have it (in some way) in my diet.  On a recent flight from Nigeria to the States, I was served a creamy rice dish that got me craving risotto…

Like every other honest person in the world, I get cravings…and I have to admit that sometimes I cave and enjoy a non-scheduled indulgent treat, or two…or three.  And yes, I try to plan when I’m going to eat something that is less calorie-conscious because if I actually plan for it, then it’s not really

With all of the writing I’ve been doing for my upcoming book on meal prep and meal prep recipes, I wanted to do a deeper dive on an article I wrote a while back on cooking chicken in bulk and having variety.  Besides over cooking the protein, I often hear complaints about the lack of variety.

On April 22 we will celebrate Earth Day, and millions of people across the globe will engage in activities that “celebrate” and appreciate our planet.  I want to touch on a topic that is often overlooked (in many parts of the world), food waste. In the US alone, it is estimated that we throw away about

Whether you’re trying to impress someone for the first time, or you’re trying to boost the romance in your existing relationship, here are few “rules” that I try to abide by: Keep it simple. This is especially true if this is one of your first dates. Make a recipe that is not so complex and really focus

I’ve been experimenting a lot in the kitchen recently to prepare for my upcoming book. Not everything I make is going to make the final cut to go to print but it doesn’t mean it’s not worthy of a little link “love.” Here’s a recipe I made with a calorie-conscious date-night in mind. Check out

One of the most important aspects of any healthy eating journey is variety – it keeps us all sane and satisfied.  I draw a lot of inspiration from various cuisines around the world.  It’s not as complicated as you may think – it’s just a matter of pairing different spices and herbs together, and when

Ditch the store-bought stuff and make your own delicious salsa that you can easily customize for your tastes and preferences.  I use salsa for nearly EVERYTHING! Salads, eggs, protein, grilled vegetables, etc.  Essentially anything that needs an extra kick, gets a serving of my fresh homemade salsa. It’s a great lower-calorie alternative to give your

Here is a “cleaned up” and more calorie-conscious version of a big queso dip that people usually eat at Super Bowl parties.  This version uses about 67% less cheese and cream and lean ground beef which nearly 50% reduction in calories. My fat calorie count per serving is 11g vs the original version of this queso

When you think you may miss eating your daily serving(s) of fresh fruits and vegetables, grab a smoothie to save the day! Below are 7 that I enjoy… Quick note: when I reference coconut milk and almond milk, I mean the UNSWEETENED, lower calorie non-dairy milk you can purchase in a carton or jug. The calories should be

This year has come and gone and we have already arrived at the “SuperBowl” of cooking – Thanksgiving. Many people have a lot of angst around this time of year because we while we want to enjoy our favorite, family indulgent recipes, we don’t want our enjoyment to totally derail our healthy eating efforts. But

Just in time for the holidays! Here’s a delicious, Southern-inspired comfort food treat for your family get-together or your weekly meal prep.  Keep in mind that some of the ingredients below are optional – that’s just me trying to add a little something “extra” for the holiday.  With that in mind, make this recipe your

Tis’ the season of calorie-conscious comfort food and tailgating for football and luckily, I picked up the perfect tool for both.  Recently, I picked up the amazing panini/grill skillet from Kohl’s to test out and I haven’t put it down since. I love it.  It adds grill marks to just about anything, so you lock in

Having survived a pretty hot summer, no one is looking forward to cooler weather more than me! Only drawback is that many of us become less active in colder weather. It’s understandable because we generally like to be comfortable and stay where the warmth is – which is usually inside! That’s not a problem, so

In 2016, I want to continually challenge you to make choices that will push you closer to your fitness and wellness goals. Whether you’re advanced or a beginner to healthy eating and living, there’s something here for you. Print this calendar out and place it on your fridge or wherever you need a reminder! In fact, you can

I still remember the first time I had a taco salad as a teenager. Admittedly, I wasn’t a fan of salads then but I quickly became one after enjoying a delicious Mexican-inspired salad with steak, beans, corn, tomato and cheese (lots of it) all in a crunchy taco shell! I’m not going to name the

Wait! Don’t toss out that leftover chicken breast (that you refuse to eat because you’re sick and tired of it by the end of the week). Toss it in a salad, chop it up, then wrap it up!   Remember, you should always adjust recipes like this one to compliment your goals and nutrition plan.  

It’s BAAAAAAAACK!!!! In 2016, I want to continually challenge you to make choices that will push you closer to your fitness and wellness goals. Whether you’re advanced or a beginner to healthy eating, there’s something here for you. Print this calendar out and place it on your fridge or wherever you need a reminder! In fact, you can even schedule

If you love BuzzFeed Tasty videos as much as I do, then you’ll enjoy these attempts to re-make those decadent recipes in a much more calorie-conscious way (while keeping the recipes pretty simple). Keep in mind these are still fairly high calorie, but contain significantly less fat and simple carbs than the original recipes. Enjoy! JALAPEÑO POPPER BURGER

It’s no secret that I love sweet potato almost as much as I love avocado. A few weeks back I visited a cafe in Dallas, TX where they served sweet potato tots. They were delicious and got me thinking that I should create my own calorie-friendly version. These were my first attempt and they came out

I may be a little biased, but I think Texas has the best Mexican (next to Mexico of course). There’s nothing like driving up to a taco stand on any given day and ordering some of the most mouth-watering tacos “you never knew you were missing in life.” And right next to nearly every taco