So it’s that time of year again.  Despite the snow that is falling here in North Georgia today, spring is just around the corner. Soon we’ll be doffing our sweaters and opting for tank tops and flip flops.  So maybe it’s time to watch what we’re eating so that we can be fit and trim for the warm months!

Here is a healthy meal that doesn’t feel, taste, or look healthy at all.  It’s colorful and meaty and full of flavor.  The spicy heat of the fish contrasts perfectly with the cool, creamy avocado salad.  And the leftovers make great fixings for a taco night!

Spicy Grilled Mahi Mahi with Avocado Salad

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
4 4-ounce fillets of mahi mahi
2 large, ripe avocados, peeled and diced
1 cup corn kernels, cooked (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1 16-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your grill or grill-pan to medium-high heat. Brush the fillets with the olive oil and sprinkle both sides with the cajun seasoning. Grill for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until the fish is cooked to your desired doneness and nicely browned.

Meanwhile, combine in a bowl the avocado, corn, black beans, red onion, tomato, bell pepper, cilantro, and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss to combine.

Top each fillet with a serving of the avocado salad, and serve immediately.

Here is a delicious, figure-friendly soup that will satisfy and comfort you – without breaking any of those New Year’s resolutions!

Veggie-Noodle Soup

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 13-ounce can of sweet corn, drained and rinsed
3 cups low-sodium vegetable (or chicken) stock
1 cup of bowtie pasta
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot,  heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, the carrot, and the celery.  Cook the vegetables for about 10 minutes, until they are nice and soft.  Next, add the sweet potato, the corn kernels, and the vegetable stock.  Bring the mixture to a boil, and then lower the heat to a simmer for 20 minutes – or until the sweet potato is tender.

Add the pasta, and return to a boil.  Lower the heat to a simmer for another 10 minutes, until the pasta is tender.  Adjust the seasoning of the soup with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

I’m not sure what it is about this appetizer, but for some reason, men seem to always love it!!!  It’s been a favorite of my husband’s for a long time.  There is something so unique about the mixture of the salty cured ham and the sweet chunks of melon.  It makes a wonderfully light and fresh addition to any menu!

Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon

12 ounces of cantaloupe, cut into bite-sized pieces
12 ounces of honeydew melon, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 lb. prosciutto ham, very thinly sliced
Toothpicks

Wrap each piece of melon with a slice of prociutto and secure with a toothpick.  Garnish with extra fruit, if desired.

This is a wonderful and (gasp!) healthy dip that features black-eyed peas and other delicious beans in a light dressing tossed with some fresh herbs.  I tasted something similar to this concoction at a party and decided to try to re-create it for myself!  The husband really liked this one . . .

Poor Man’s Caviar Dip

1 14-ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15.5-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 14-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups cooked corn or 1 15-ounce can white corn, drained
1 cup finely chopped sweet onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
3 shakes hot sauce

Combine all the beans, the corn, the onion, the garlic, and the herbs in a large bowl, and set aside.

In a seal-able container, combine the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard, and hot sauce.  Seal and shake vigorously until completely combined.  Pour the dressing over the bean mixture.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, before serving so that all the flavors can meld.  Serve with tortilla chips (or just a spoon).  Enjoy!!

Looking for an appetizer to bring to a holiday party? Tired of the same-old-same-old?  Try something zesty and bold . . . this spicy black bean dip is sure to keep your party warm on a cold winter night!

Spicy Black Bean Dip

1 15-ounce can black beans
3 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons cumin
3-4 shakes of hot sauce (optional)
1 teaspoon fresh or canned jalapeno, finely diced
1 tablespoon grated onion
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream and cilantro for garnish

First, drain the black beans, reserving their liquid in a bowl.

In the bowl of your food processor, combine the beans, the garlic, the cumin, and the hot sauce. Blend until smooth. Adjust the texture to your liking by using the reserved bean liquid to thin the dip. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro, and serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Trying to stay healthy but still love the ease and convenience of a nice, hearty crock-pot dinner? Have I got the recipe for you! This is a rustic, hearty, and flavorful meal that slow cooks to perfection but does not include any of those creamy condensed soups that have a tendency to pack a lot of calories and fat. This is also an extremely versatile recipe – your chicken can be almost any cut, even a whole chicken would work. And as for the veggies? Whatever you have on hand can be thrown on in there – we used onions and potatoes this time, but carrots, celery, even green beans would be delicious.

Healthy Crock Pot Chicken

2-3 medium potatoes, quartered
2-3 small red onions, quartered
Carrots and celery would be good, too, but we didn’t have any on hand
2 cups water
1 chicken bouillon cube/packet (sodium-free)
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
2 bone-in chicken breasts (boneless will work, too, but bone-in = more flavor!)

Place the potato and onion wedges in the bottom of your crock pot. Cover with water. Stir in bouillon, poultry seasoning, Worcestershire, parsley, and salt and pepper. Place the chicken breasts on top. Season the meat with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Remove the bones before serving (the meat will be so tender that it should fall right off). Serve the chicken and veggies over cooked brown rice or whole-grain pasta, if desired. Pour some broth over the top for extra flavor.

Here is a tasty, tangy, and well-balanced side-dish that’s perfect for everything from a potluck gathering to a romantic dinner for two. The toasty walnuts and pungent bleu cheese compliment the sweet beans just perfectly for a lovely trio of flavors.

Beans with Walnuts and Bleu Cheese

3 big handfuls of green beans (or purple pole beans, like we used here!)
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ounce of good bleu cheese, crumbled

Rinse the beans well and place them in a large saucepan. Cover with water, and bring to a simmer, cooking for approximately 7-8 minutes, until the beans are tender.

Meanwhile, add the walnuts to a dry skillet. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the nuts just begin to brown, and are nice and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.

When the beans are done, drain them well and place them in a bowl. Toss them with salt and pepper to taste. Top with the toasted walnuts and the bleu cheese crumbles. Serve immediately.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – sometimes just the simplest, freshest ingredients don’t need a whole lot of hootenanny in order to make a delicious dish. Simple stewed tomatoes with pungent garlic and fresh herbs make a perfect pasta sauce – quick, easy, fresh, simple, pure – delicious!

Quick Garlicky Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10-12 ripe Roma tomatoes, quartered
4 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
6-8 large basil leaves, chopped
4 servings of your favorite pasta (I went with gnocchi!)

Over medium-low heat, pour the extra virgin olive oil into a heavy skillet. Add the tomatoes and the garlic. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add half of the chopped basil. Cover and cook for another 2 minutes.

Serve the sauce over the pasta, garnishing with the remaining basil.

And I’m not gonna lie to you, dear readers – after I took these photos, I decided to sprinkle a bit of crumbled feta on top! Delish!

Sometimes the best way to cook fresh veggies is the simplest. Just some olive oil and salt and pepper bring out the sweet and juicy flavor of fresh summer squash. Also, caramelizing veggies as you cook them – just bringing out the slightest browned color in them – will draw out their amazing natural sweetness. These simple sautéed squash medallions go down like candy, the perfect accompanimnet for a light, summery meal.

Sautéed Squash Medallions

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 medium yellow crook-necked squash
1 medium zucchini squash
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Meanwhile, slice up your squash and zucchini on the diagonal so that you have pretty round slices. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the slices in the pan in an even layer and allow them to brown for about 3-4 minutes. Turn the slices over and allow them to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve immediately for a fresh and tasty veggie side dish.

Look for more of my bread recipes over the next several weeks as I gear up to sell some at our local farmers’ market next month! There’s just nothing like a fresh, home-baked loaf of bread, ya know?

This is a moist and chewy bread with lots of body. The whole grains give it a lot of flavor and texture, but they are light enough to not weigh the bread down too much. The fine texture of the grains makes it a perfect sandwich bread – or perhaps a piece of toast with butter and jam?

Whole Wheat Oat Bran Bread
Inspired by the Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking

2 tablespoons active dry yeast
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon salt
5 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 cups oat bran
2 eggs
2-3 cups bread flour

Combine the whole wheat flour, yeas, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter, milk, water, molasses, and honey until warm – the butter should partially melt. Pour into the whole wheat mixture and stir well. Stir in the oats and the eggs. Beat the mixture for 10 minutes, gradually adding bread flour until the bread dough begins to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, until it feels smooth and elastic. Add flour as necessary to prevent stickiness.

Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough in it, turning to coat. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 1/2 hours, until it is doubled in bulk.

Gently punch down the dough with your fist, divide the dough into thirds, and shape into the desired forms on greased baking sheets or shape and place into greased loaf pans. Cover with a tea towel and let the dough rise a second time until doubled in bulk – it should take about 45 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and bake the loaves for 30-35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.