4th of July Appetizers

The Fourth of July is coming up! A few weeks back, I had a BBQ for Memorial Day and made these two patriotic appetizers: 7-layer dip and a veggie tray. If you are having a BBQ or are invited to one, you may want to bring one or both of these snacks to celebrate our Independence Day! Cheers!

 -Tammy

Health tips:   kidney friendly*, diabetes friendly*, kid-friendly, cheat meal**

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Orange BBQ Chicken and Quinoa Fried Rice

Enjoy the flavors of Chinese takeout orange chicken with American BBQ in this mouth-watering dish! I was inspired by the Neely’s Honey Orange BBQ Chicken for this recipe. The glaze is so good you’ll want to drink it haha. The chicken is most flavorful marinated overnight so remember to plan ahead. I also created a healthy take on fried rice using wholesome quinoa. You will not miss the rice! Grill this up for your family and friends this summer!

 -Mel

Health tips: Low fat, heart healthy, low carbRead More »

Zucchini and Arugula Salad

I belong to a private group on Facebook. The purpose of this group is to encourage each other and share ideas about living a healthy life style. We post and converse about many things, but my favorite thing is sharing ideas about food. One of my friends posted this original “Zucchini Carpaccio” recipe. It looked amazing; refreshing and simple with only 5 ingredients. I just happened to have all 5 ingredients on hand for lunch that day so I made it. I loved it so much, I made it for dinner that night and then for breakfast the next day! A big thank you to Gina Homolka from http://www.skinnytaste.com for this recipe. I hope you all can enjoy it too!  Cheers!

 -Tammy

Health tips:   kidney friendly, diabetes friendly, vegetarian

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Zucchini Quinoa Patties w/ Dill Cream

These wholesome little patties pack in so much flavor using simple ingredients, and they are carb/gluten free! You can enjoy them as a light snack or lunch, or alongside a lean protein for a healthy meal. The delicious dill cream adds a bright contrast to the savory patties. Hope you love them as much as my hubby and I did!

 -Mel

Health tips: Low fat, low carb, diabetes friendly, heart healthy, anti-inflammatory Read More »

Roasted Corn with Chipotle Mayo and Cotija

You HAVE to make this chipotle mayonnaise! It is good on so may things; use as a dip for chips, taquitos, fried calamari, on a burger, or this recipe-roasted corn!  I bet it’d be great in a sushi roll too! With the summer months coming up, this is a perfect side dish to consume at any BBQ! I’m making it again this weekend for Father’s Day! And you should too! Enjoy!

 -Tammy

Health tips:   kidney friendly*, diabetes friendly*

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Easy Restaurant-Style Salsa

One of my best friends, Diana, introduced me to this super easy and refreshing salsa at a BBQ over her house a few months ago. We are both big fans of Pioneer Woman because of her simple yet delicious recipes. This is one of our go-to’s for sure! I adjusted just a bit for my taste. This recipe makes quite a lot for a group, and then some!

 -Mel

Health tips: Low fat, low carb, diabetes friendly Read More »

Caprese Panini

My hubby has the week off and we’re heading to the beach. I over pack food and drinks. But I’d rather have too much than not enough! My kiddos requested the good ‘ol peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but I wanted a different kind of sandwich to enjoy, so I’m making a panini-a caprese panini….tomato, mozzarella, and basil.  If you don’t feel like PB & J, then make this!  Enjoy!

 -Tammy

Health tips:   kid-friendly, vegetarian

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Dilly Salt and Vinegar Cucumbers

This is one of my, and also my nephew Aidon’s favorite, healthy snacks. And it seriously only takes 5 minutes to make. I found this recipe on the Recipe Book and More blog and adjusted a bit to decrease the salt and increase the dill. Enjoy that slightly salty, tart flavor of salt and vinegar chips with the brightness of dill, without all the carbs. It’s also very refreshing on a hot summer day!

 -Mel

Health tips: Anti-inflammatory, Low carb, low fat, heart healthy, diabetes friendly, kid friendlyRead More »

Fruit and Greek Yogurt Pops

There are times when I just want something sweet for breakfast…or I want something sweet after dinner, but don’t want to feel guilty about eating something unhealthy like ice cream. And since it’s gettin’ hot out, I decided to make a sweet treat I don’t have to feel guilty about. Yes, popsicles! You can totally have pops for breakfast…or dessert! After all, it’s just basically yogurt and fruit. Enjoy!

 -Tammy

Health tips:   kid-friendly

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