I was fortunate enough to be raised by parents who had a huge love and appreciation for GOOD food.  My Mom is 1/2 Italian and every Sunday night my family and I would have an Italian feast.  Now a days, we only really get that on Christmas and my brothers and I always look forward to Momma Diehl’s homemade sauce and Italian cooking.   It is one of the only days of the year that I will consume processed white flour ingredients.  However, that doesn’t mean I don’t crave it the other 364 days of the year!

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Do not let the pictures fool you! I don’t think it’s possible to capture a picture good enough to explain how DELICIOUS this smoothie is!  Generally, I’m not a big smoothie fan. I mostly believe in getting your nutrients through solid foods – HOWEVER – when it comes finding healthy alternatives to cater to those chocolate craving moments (we all have them!), this does the trick!

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This time of year jump starts cravings for ‘comfort’ foods with earlier sunsets, Fall foliage, chilly evening temperatures.   This dish is Autumn in a bowl!  We all know I am a summer baby but I won’t deny that I love Fall seasonal foods!  This delicious power bowl includes a perfect blend of protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals! Giving you all your nutrients in one delicious meal!
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Looking for a quick, easy way to spruce up your protein from the grill (or pan)?  This recipe is absolutely delicious!  Not only does it take 10 minutes, to make but it adds so much flavor to any protein!   Cherry tomatoes are in season at your local farmers market or in the stores, be sure to grab a fresh pint and try this recipe!

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People often ask me what is my simple pleasure in life with food.  For me, it’s simple. Sweets.  I love anything sweet. Cookies, cakes, pastries, chocolate, dried mango, granola, etc.   As much as I enjoy all the above, it isn’t necessarily a certain “cookie” that I crave but yet the simple flavors of what the cookie has to offer me.  I am always looking for great innovative ways to take the “bad” stuff and turn them into diet friendly options. Not only for myself but for my clients as well.

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My favorite season is FINALLY here!! We have put the Winter blues behind us and moving along into Spring/Summer!  As the days are getting longer and the temperatures are getting warmer, I crave fresh seafood the most!   To celebrate my favorite season, here is a delicious and easy meal!    Continue reading →

For those of you who know me, know that I love to turn anything I can into ‘spaghetti’. You can thank the Italian blood in me for that!   With it being the New Year, one of my resolutions is to get a little deeper with my creativity in the kitchen so I can share it all with you!

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One of my favorite parts about working in the nutrition industry is listening to people’s nutritional desires, their likes vs. dislikes on all types of food.  I’ve noticed that most dislike brussel sprouts.  My initial reaction to this is “Have you ever added bacon to brussel sprouts?!”.  We all know that adding bacon to any food is a major game changer! People also visualize brussels and this boring vegetable that was put on the table as a kid and was force fed by their parents.    The beauty of cooking is the endless opportunities where you can take a simple ‘boring’ food and turn it into a bowl full of heaven!  Before we get into that, let’s discuss the benefits of brussel sprouts.

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 The holidays are here which means sweet central!  Often times I hear about how people have gained 10lbs during the holidays due to the mentality of “I’ll get back on track in January!”    It’s inevitable that you’re going to want and crave sweets during this time of year (or all year round!). So before gravitating towards the nearest cookie, piece of cake or brownie try this delicious chocolate satisfying flavor avocado chocolate pudding!  Not only is this treat packed with nutrient dense super foods it’s also a great afternoon snack, satisfies any post dinner craving or can be a great treat to offer at your holiday party!

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It’s October which means crisp air, holiday season around the corner and of course, all things apples!   Have you ventured to do your annual apple picking and question what on earth are you going to do with all these apples?  There’s only so many apples you can eat in the raw before viewing them as just a boring apple!  Well, here’s a solution!

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