The original recipe calls for spinach instead of broccoli, which I made the first time and I have to say that I prefer the spinach. But desperate times call for desperate substitutes and the broccoli came to the rescue with flying colors! With the cheeses and seasonings you may not even realize you’re eating broccoli (which is exactly what it wants you to think)! This chicken dish is quite good though, and pairs very well with whole wheat pasta, marinara sauce, garlic bread and fresh salad. Also keeps well for leftovers.

I saw a recipe in Real Simple for Quick and Easy Samosas and had to make them. Samosas are an Indian food (read more about them here) with a recipe normally taking quite a long time to prepare; this recipe could not have been more easy to follow or turned out a tastier result. Saving time, you use a store-bought crust, pre-made mashed potatoes (I made my own to cut down on unnecessary additives), frozen peas, chopped onion and spices from your pantry. Our 1 year old daughter could not get enough of this delicious dish and neither could we!

If you’re a fan of Raisin Bran cereal, but you’re not a fan of additives like corn syrup when you just want a good bowl of cereal, you have some choices: One, you could write to Kellogg’s (makers of both Raisin Bran and Total Raisin Bran, among others) and express your dissatisfaction, or you could forgo the activism (this works well if you’re hungry) and simply make your own raisin bran without the excess corn syrup and other undesirable ingredients.

Here’s how I made my own raisin bran last Saturday morning:

• I proceeded to my local grocery store, where my first stop was to the scan the cereal aisle in search of a suitable replacement for the bran part of the raisin bran cereal. After several rejections– even the venerable Total contained corn syrup and some other additives I hoped to avoid– I settled on Grape Nuts Flakes. I know: it’s a bit of an unlikely choice, given the original Grape Nuts are personally something I’m not overly excited to try and have consistently avoided for nearly three decades. I think that’s the general consensus of the public as well, though that conclusion is only anecdotal; yet perhaps that could explain why Grape Nuts Flakes have been introduced. This was a risk, as I was choosing the bran base based on ingredients rather than flavor, but I’m happy to report that Grape Nuts Flakes is delicious and worthy, even on its own. Better, it is comprised of relatively tame ingredients, a low sugar count, and of course, whole grains.
• Next, I sought a boxed raisin brand to complete the bran. My fear was that, like many modern food brands which have stood the test of time, Sun-maid raisins would contain additives I wished not to consume. Fortunately I discovered that Sun-maid raisins contain, amazingly, nothing but actual raisins. Hence, I had my raisin and my bran.
• The third and final ingredient I already owned, and here’s where you may debate my choice. To add a bit of additional sweetness, I decided to coat my raisins in sucralose (commonly sold as Splenda brand). You may argue that Splenda’s health effects haven’t been properly studied, and I wouldn’t argue that point. You may also argue that the raisins are sweet as nature intended them; if that’s your preference than simply skip the part where I add additional sweeting to my raisins.
• Now for the mixing: I started by filling a typical cereal bowl with Grape Nuts Flakes.
• Next, I empty 1/2 of a box of raisins into a small bowl. This is on the low side in a typical bowl of cereal- if you like many raisins, add the entire box.
• To the bowl of raisins, I add about 1/2 teaspoon of Splenda (or sugar, if you prefer), then I shake the bowl around until there’s an even coating on the raisins. Be sure to de-clump any raisins at this point. Note: Skip this step if you don’t want to add additional sweetener to your raisins.
• Finally, dump the bowl of raisins into the bowl of Grape Nuts Flakes, stir, and add milk.

When you decide to eat healthier, you don’t need to eschew all your old favorites– simply taking the time to re-create them using choice ingredients can be a great way to cut the junk but keep the comfort food.

Who doesn’t love a good french fry? My three year old son is particularly fond of fries, but isn’t so fond of ones that aren’t loaded with fat. Imagine my surprise when he ate these without hesitation or wrinkly nose! These fries are low in fat, taste great and take about 25 minutes to bake in the oven. Figuring about 1 small/medium potato per person, rinse and peel potatoes. Cut into thin strips and lay flat onto a baking sheet covered in non-stick cooking spray. Make sure all fries are laying flat on the sheet. Spray fries with cooking spray and dust with salt and pepper. If you like other seasonings, rosemary and garlic powder taste great for example, go ahead and apply whatever you like. Pop into the oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, turning once halfway through.

Our family loves bagels and when we started eating healthier, it was difficult to find any that didn’t have either enriched flour or high fructose corn syrup or both. Rather than give up a food that we all enjoy, I tried a home-made bagel recipe found on allrecipes.com.

Substituting half whole wheat flour and half white wheat flour in place of the bread flour was the only change I made to this recipe. The bagels are very easy and quick to make using a bread machine and taste delicious – almost a cross between toast and a bagel.

This is an outstanding, unique summer treat, and a great choice for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike! Garlic-lemon mayo combined with feta cheese and grilled vegetables on focaccia bread – all in less than twenty minutes! The recipe can be found on AllRecipes.com.