If you have leftover turkey or ham from a holiday meal, here are plenty of recipe ideas – everything from pasta dishes to sandwiches. Plus, I couldn’t resist sharing some of my favorite photos from our Christmas celebration. I hope all of you are enjoying the holiday season and finding some time to step away…
Leftover Turkey (or Chicken) Lasagna Roll Recipe with Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Spinach {Low Fat}
When you have leftover turkey (or chicken), try these lasagna rolls, filled with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. The low-fat mix is tucked inside whole wheat pasta and baked until bubbling and golden brown. What happens when one little family of four cooks a 20 pound turkey at Thanksgiving? Well, either we eat until we balloon…
Roasted Butternut Squash & Balsamic Sauce Recipe for Pasta (& More)
This healthy, creamy (but cream-less) vegetarian sauce is fantastic on pasta. You could also use it as a sauce to accompany pork or chicken. It makes me gleefully giddy to open the fridge and find a fresh, healthy pasta sauce just waiting to be tossed with some penne or fettuccine and some fresh veggies. This…
Marathon Training (The True Story) & Carbo-Loading Pasta Recipes
It’s been quite a year. Looking back, it’s hard to believe that one year ago, I was 30 pounds heavier (see the “before” photos), intensely unhappy about where I was with my appearance and fitness level and wallowing in self-pity (oh, there were a lot of tears). And now, here we are. It’s two days…
Healthy Mushroom, Orzo & Swiss Chard Soup Recipe {Vegan} & Marathon Update
This delicious, vegan Healthy Mushroom, Orzo and Swiss Chard Soup is hearty and rich in flavor, but light on calories. I officially entered the land of crazy this weekend. As I mentioned before, I am training for my first marathon. In fact, the marathon is less than two weeks away (cue the butterflies). There are…
Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe with Plums, Feta & Cumin Dressing
When we visited my parents in Victoria, B.C. last week, it became abundantly clear why my obsession with food started at a young age. Within 10 minutes of leaving the airport, we pulled up to my parents’ favorite farm stand, loading up on two varieties of corn (perfect for this Grilled Corn Salad), fresh plums,…
Whole Wheat Pasta in Foil Recipe with Goat Cheese & Tomatoes…For Camping!
The tent, the canoe, the fishing rods, the sleeping bags…One of the highlights of our summers is packing up all of our camping gear and heading into the Uinta Mountains, east of Park City, Utah. We have our favorite spots, one in particular that is set right on the shores of a mountain lake tucked…
Whole Wheat Pasta Salad Recipe with Beans, Capers & Balsamic Yogurt Dressing
Every summer as a kid, I looked forward to my mum’s pasta salad. It was dressed with mayonnaise, tossed with salmon or chicken (though this version is vegetarian) and, best of all, loaded with briny capers. My husband is not a mayo eater, so if I wanted to feed my family a version of my…
Whole Wheat Pasta Salad Recipe with Salmon, Tomatoes & Herb Dressing for a Half-Marathon
This easy whole wheat pasta salad is packed with salmon and tomatoes, and tossed with a herb-infused dressing. Perfect for summertime potlucks and picnics! This is it. For me, this weekend marks a culmination of my health and weight loss journey. On Saturday morning, I’ll be rolling out of bed at some godforsaken hour, dragging…
Picnic Recipe Ideas for Earth Day
Picnic Recipe Ideas for Earth Day Each year, the whole family makes a trip to the annual plant sale held by a local non-profit group called Wasatch Community Gardens. While I contribute recipes to their monthly newsletters, focusing on seasonal produce, and am always happy to connect with the staff and see the dedicated workers…
Whole Grain Penne Recipe with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, Cauliflower & Capers
Tons of veggies are packed into this whole grain penne recipe. Tossed with a delicious roasted red pepper sauce and finished with briny capers. When you’re trying to shed some pounds (more on my story coming very soon), you have to make each meal count. More bang for your calorie buck, I say. For me,…
Turkey Cannelloni with Roasted Peppers & Spinach Recipe
I was about nine years old when I had my first bite of cannelloni. My dad’s business had just moved into a charming brick building in the heart of Vancouver’s historic Gastown. Each time we went to visit him at work, my mum and I first stopped at the famous steam clock on the corner,…
Mediterranean Chicken, Bean & Pasta Soup Recipe
Autumn. This word fills my senses with a multitude of pleasant sensations – the crisp bite of the morning air, the crackle of the leaves beneath my feet, and the rainbow of colors painted across the trees. With the start of school and soccer, the kids look forward to spending more time with their friends…
Chicken BLT (or Bacon, Spinach & Tomato) Pasta Salad Recipe
When I think of New York City, images of kamikaze taxi drivers and business women running for the subway in their sneakers may come to mind. However, while New Yorkers like to work and play hard, they also seek out moments of relative quiet in the bustling city. When my husband and I lived in…
Shrimp, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Asparagus Bucatini Recipe in White Wine & Garlic Sauce
As I stumbled into the bathroom yesterday morning, I made the mistake of glancing in the mirror. At first I thought my bleary eyes were playing tricks on me – that is, until I moved in for closer scrutiny. The silvery flashes that caught my eye were a scattering of no less than 20 grey…
Crockpot Braised Country Style Pork Ribs Recipe in Tomato & Red Wine Sauce
I don’t know what has taken me so long to cook with country style pork ribs. Was it the budget-friendly price that turned me away? Was it the promise of tender meat falling off the bone? Perhaps it was the words “country style”. I am, after all, a city girl. What do I know about…
Spicy Spaghetti with Fennel, Pancetta & Parmesan Cheese Recipe
My husband knows the way to my heart. Yesterday was my birthday and did I ever get spoiled. Not with some big-ticket item from a store, but with thoughtful, meaningful gestures that let me know he was really thinking about what I enjoy. I won’t bore you with the blow-by-blow of the day, but let’s…
Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce with Chicken, Green Beans & Red Peppers Recipe
Well, the New Year’s resolution to eat healthier is going well. Yep, I made it to day 4 of 2010 before making a cream sauce. Excellent effort, wouldn’t you say? Of course, I managed to justify this indulgence by packing the dish with fresh green beans, red peppers, and skinless chicken breasts. Even as I…
Whole Wheat (or Soba) Noodles with Peanut Sauce, Chicken & Vegetables Recipe
“Peanut butter noodles!” comes the cheer from my boys as soon as they hear the blender fire up. That is, unless it’s Sunday morning. Then the cry becomes, “Smoothies!” While smoothies may edge out the noodles, this recipe has become a family favorite. My kids love it because it includes one of their most beloved…
Cinnamon-Scented Toasted Israeli Couscous with Pine Nuts Recipe
With crisp Autumn nights upon us, I am starting to pine for warm, comforting dishes. I climbed into my cozy sweatpants and slippers because I simply can’t cook a comforting meal while wearing shorts and sandals. That’s like slipping into a pair of Spandex after using up all of your McDonald’s coupons in one week. It’s…