Cauliflower gains incredible sweet flavor when roasted. Here, it is paired with healthy chicken and tossed in a homemade olive, almond, and parsley pesto-like sauce.

What you need:

• 1 head(s) (2 1/2- to 3-pound) cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 pound(s) chicken breast tenders, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon(s) freshly grated lemon peel
• 1/4 cup(s) slivered almonds
• 1/3 cup(s) pitted green olives, rinsed well
• 1/4 cup(s) packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, plus additional for garnish

Procedure: (more…)

Make it a special night with easy, elegant appetizers. The Blue Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms!

What you need:

• 3 strips bacon
• 6 large mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 3 ounces blue cheese
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs

Procedure:

1. Cook bacon strips in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy; drain on paper towels. While the bacon is cooking, remove stems from mushrooms. Set caps aside, and chop stems.
2. Add butter to skillet with bacon grease. When melted, stir in mushroom stems, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until the onions caramelize, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a small baking dish with cooking spray.
4. Once the onion mixture has reached a deep, rich brown color, place into a blender along with bacon, cream cheese, blue cheese, and bread crumbs. Blend on low until ingredients are roughly chopped and evenly combined. Stuff cheese mixture into mushroom caps and place into prepared baking dish.
5. Bake in preheated oven until bubbly and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

A healthy snack at mid-morning and another one at mid-afternoon can bring you a burst of energy and cut back on the kind of cravings that lead to a fast food frenzy at your next break.

• Cup of green or herbal tea can boost your energy and bring you long-term health benefits. Try specially formulated Ancient Treasures tea for balance at the workplace or Internal Cleanse tea to clear toxins.
• Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries, goji berries, and cherries: rich in antioxidants, berries can also help remove toxic residue from the system, which is sometimes the cause of low energy.
• Handful of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit is a grab-and-go treat that will ward off your energy slump. Seeds such as pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds are full of magnesium; so are nuts, especially almonds, Brazil nuts, and cashews.
• Instead of a bagel with cream cheese, have a slice of wheat toast with hummus. Beans like hummus can help you sustain your energy and prevent low blood sugar from setting in.
• An apple is a heart-healthy instant snack that will feed your metabolism without overloading you with calories.

I hope this tips will help you make the most of your snacks. I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

You know what guys! Craving for something sweet doesn’t always mean worrying about the extra calories or thinking about what to cut from our next meal to make sure it doesn’t show. Sweets can also be healthy and, what’s most important for the vast majority of women, not laden with calories. The whole-wheat cinnamon pancakes, with a topping of our choice, fit in this sweet pancake.

What you need:

• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup low-fat yogurt
• 1 cup nonfat milk (more can be added to thin the batter)
• 4 tablespoons canola oil (and some more for the pan)
• 2 large eggs.

Procedure: (more…)

Now that the holiday season is over and there’s no more indulging in home-made goodies and sweets, it’s time we got back to our healthy habits of before. However, even if that not be the case, it’s never too late to turn over a new leaf – and Marco Pierre White’s pea and ham soup is as healthy as it is refreshing and tasty, therefore, just the thing we need to get things started.

What you need:

• 1 knuckle of smoked gammon (approximately 1.3kg)
• 2 sticks celery
• 2 large halved carrots
• 4 halved onions
• thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 12 white peppercorns
• 1.2kg Bird’s Eye peas
• 40g unsalted butter
• salt (to taste).

Procedure:
Start by making a stock with the ham, the celery, onions, thyme, carrots, bay leaves and peppercorns. Put all of them in a large saucepan, top with water, add two pinches of salt, put the lid on it, and then let boil. Once the mixture has reached boiling point, lower the heat and let boil slowly for about 20 minutes. (more…)

Looking to replace your old eating habits with some healthy new recipes? A good way to begin is by looking for alternatives to your favorite foods. Don’t go all-in from day one if you want your healthy drive to last more than a couple of weeks. Take things one step at a time, and try to gradually eliminate all the unhealthy foods by replacing them with something similar, minus the fatty sauce or the unhealthy portion size. For example, replace spaghetti and meatballs with this recipe for pasta with chopped grilled vegetables and marinara sauce – it’s just as tasty, but cuts the calorie intake in half and reduces fat by three-fourths.

What you need:

• 8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
• 10 large fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise
• 2 red peppers, sliced into chunks
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, sliced into 1/4-inch-wide rounds
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Procedure:
The first step is to make the marinara sauce. In a heavy cast iron pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and add the tomatoes, garlic, chopped onions, sugar, salt, basil, oregano and pepper. Simmer the mixture without covering it for about half an hour, until the sauce thickens.

Then prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill, coat the grill rack with olive oil or cooking spray and place it 4 to 6 inches away from the heat source. Then, brush the red peppers, zucchini and sweet onion with the rest of the oil and grill them until they are tender, turning them when needed to ensure even cooking. Then place the vegetables in a separate bowl and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain it thoroughly, divide it among the individual plates and top with the sauce and the vegetables.