taste this: 3 new ways to do dinner

Roasted Tilapia, potatoes, & lemons. Real Simple.

Spicy honey-brushed chicken thighs. Cooking Light.

Spicy grilled tuna with garden salsa. Self.

6+ simple ways to snack

You know I love a good snack. I loved whole living's guide to snacking so much that I thought I'd share my faves.

When you need something just right, for anytime. homemade granola.

When you need something salty. steamed soybeans with coarse salt.

When you need something of substance. oat-bran applesauce mini-muffins. or these blueberry health muffins.

When you need something sweet. banana, berry, & buttermilk pops.

When you need just a bit of chocolate. cocoa popcorn.

And when you need something rich but not too rich. dark chocolate almond clusters. and some other yummy things to do with nuts.

taste this: 3 ways to soak up the last bits of summer

I'm not quite ready to say good-bye to summer. I'm doing all that I can to make it last. I've become such a california girl in the nearly-two years I've lived here. Give me endless summer!

balsamic portobello burgers with goat cheese. martha stewart.

corn and two-bean burgers with chipotle ketchup. cooking light.

stuffed turkey burgers. food network.

taste this: 3 ways to do chicken like a european

 Grilled chicken stuffed with basil and tomato. Delizioso. Whole Living.

Chicken with pesto potatoes. Sorpredente. Real Simple.

Grilled chicken breast provencal. Ooh la la. Health.

taste this: 3 ways to do pizza

How delish does this pizza bianca look? Health.

Barbecue Pizza is always a fave. Health.

Love this insalata pizza. Cooking Light.

taste this: 3 ways to do easy southwestern

Easy chicken tacos. Real Simple.

Easy poblano, mango, and black bean quesadillas. Cooking Light.

Easy cilantro-lime fajitas. Fitness Mag.

in the kitchen: tricolore salad with mini heirloom tomatoes

This recipe is inspired by cpk's tricolore salad pizza, my love for heirloom tomatoes & arugula, and my love for all things Italian. This is great because it's delicious & satisfying, but still clean and light...and did I mention easy? I paired this with a simple grilled chicken breast [olive oil + Emeril's all-natural chicken rub]. You could opt to do this without cheese to bump it up on the health scale. But where's the fun in that?

1 package refrigerated whole wheat pizza dough trader joes or Canyon Ranch whole wheat dough.
2 T olive oil
1/4 C parmesan cheese

6 C arugula
2 C chopped mini heirloom tomotoes
4 T parmesan cheese
honey balsamic vinaigrette to taste

1] Follow preheating directions on package. Separate dough in half. Roll out half the dough into a thin circle or square. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with parmesan. Bake according to package & Cool. Cut into slices.
2] Place desired slices on serving plate [makes 4 individual or 1 large salad]. Top with arugula, tomotoes, & parmesan. Drizzle vinaigrette to taste. Eat like a pizza.

taste this: made-over four-cheese baked penne

It looks so bad-- but with whole wheat pasta & cottage cheese it's not. And I can only imagine it's still delicious. Makeover your pasta recipe with Self. here.

taste this: pull apart orange rolls

I've found no one in LA knows what orange rolls are. It's such a shame because they are delicious. Then again, maybe it's one less thing to be tempted by. I got this recipe from Martha Stewart & made these delights Sunday. We were in orange roll heaven & shared them with everyone we could. This is a great summer treat, definitely a indulgence. Here.

taste this: oaty mixed berry crumble

I tried this [pictured] crumble for the first time for our festivities and was very pleased. I found this other blackberry cobbler recipe last week which I intended to make for the 4th. But when it came down to it, I didn't have time to make the crust ahead of time. So I went on the search for the perfect crumble and found this from Food & Wine.

I did make a few slight adjustments-- Instead of granola, I added ground walnuts + whole old fashion oats. I used Smart Balance light instead of butter. And I squeezed a little lemon juice over the berries to give it a little extra tarty kick. Topped with vanilla ice cream-- it was molto bene.

image: food & wine

taste this: my favorite chicken

R and I love this new-found recipe via real simple. It is so simple, fresh, and satisfying-- even for my manly man. I made this for the 4th and we were in barbecue heaven. This time, I [somehow] forgot the grilled onions, but I drizzled a little honey balsamic dressing on top and it was still di-vine.

image: real simple

taste this tuesday: summer cobbler + grilled chicken kebabs

I love a good kebab. And I'm very curious about this fruity, citrus twist on one of my faves -- note the pomegranate-orange dressing. 

Cooking Light also has some tempting [and as always, lighter] cobbler recipes. This blackberry latice-topped version would be the perfect addition to my 4th of July celebration. Can you say a' la mode? And don't you just love summertime food?

taste this tuesday: mediterranean chicken wrap

I love Mediterranean eating. Everything is just so simple and fresh tasting. I can't wait to try this. Whole Living.

smarter snacking: multigrain tortilla chips

I believe food should be good for you & taste good. And so do they. I love these.

taste this tuesday: chipotle-glazed roast chicken with sweet potatoes

Doesn't this look so yummy & satisfying? Get the recipe. Fitness.

smarter snacking: chocolate sweet crisps

Sometimes I just need some chocolate. Still, I want to feel good after the fact. These are perfect to get a little sugar + get some good stuff too. Genisoy.

my new favorite snack

Triscuits topped with cottage cheese + chives.

taste this tuesday: grilled chicken & peaches with arugula

Can you say summer? This just screams summer/happiness/barbecues & it only takes 20 minutes. Get the recipe. Real Simple.

taste this tuesday: spicy chicken pizza

Confession: I eat a lot of pizza. I love those carbs. So I'm always looking for healthier, made-over versions. I'm excited to have one more recipe to help me to squeeze pizza into my diet while still being able to squeeze into my skinny jeans. Get the recipe. Fitness.

taste this tuesday: grilled chicken with fresh grape glaze

With memorial day right around the corner, I think I can officially consider it summer. And what comes with summer? Well barbecues of course. This sounds just delightful. Here. Cooking Light.