Lime-Cilantro Chicken Fajita Roll-ups

Yield: 3 servings

Ingredients: 

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 yellow pepper, sliced
• 1/2 green pepper, sliced
• 1/2 large white onion, sliced
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Lime-Cilantro Marinade:

• Juice of one lime
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Mexican chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin 
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons dried cilantro

Garnish Suggestions: 

• Lime quarters
• Additional chopped cilantro
• Sour cream
• Jalapeno slices

Instructions

1. Let's start with the marinade first. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, garlic, olive oil, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, oregano,cumin, and cilantro. Whisk until combined.
2. Now  let's prep the chicken breasts. Slice the chicken breasts longways into 2 even slices. Then pound the chicken down using a meat tenderizer until desired thinness is reached . I would recommend anywhere from 1/2 inch to 1/4 inch slices.
3. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
4. Place chicken breast slices into a large resealable bag. Pour the marinade into the bag. Close the bag and shake it until the marinade is spread evenly over the chicken breasts.
5. Allow chicken to marinate anywhere from one hour to 10 hours.
6. Once chicken has marinated, pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
7. Place marinated chicken breasts on a paper towel. Then place bell pepper and onion slices in the middle of each chicken breast slice. Roll up the chicken breasts until it is tightly wrapped and then secure with a toothpick. Use several toothpicks if necessary.
8. Spray a large baking pan with cooking spray.
9. Place each roll-up seam side down in baking pan, 
10. Brush the top of the roll-ups with any extra marinade. 
11. Bake uncovered for approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Serve with additional cilantro on top and lime quarters on the side if desired. Enjoy!

Crockpot Chicken Quinoa Taco Bowls

Yield: 6 taco bowls
Prep time: 10 minutes
 Cook time: 5-6 hours on low, 3-4 hours on high

Ingredients:

• 6 tortilla taco bowls
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 cups quinoa
• 1 can sweet corn, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup taco blend cheese
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup taco sauce
• Optional: sour cream, jalapenos, lime quarters, cilantro, salsa

Instructions:

1. Spread diced tomatoes across bottom of slow-cooker.
2. Rinse quinoa according to package instructions. Then add quinoa to Crockpot. Stir diced tomatoes and quinoa until thoroughly.
3. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place chicken breasts on top of the diced tomatoes/quinoa mixture in slow-cooker.
4. Add bell pepper, onion, black beans, corn, paprika, cayenne pepper to slow-cooker
5. Cover chicken with chicken broth then add taco sauce and cheese to mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir the ingredients in the slow-cooker.
6. Set Crockpot to low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
7. About ten minutes before the chicken mixture is done, heat tortilla bowls according to directions.
8. Once cooking time is up, stir contents of the Crockpot. Chicken should be shredded and mixed well with the rest of the ingredients.
9. Scoop contents of slow-cooker into taco bowls. Add extra taco-blend cheese and taco sauce on top. Also add the optional ingredients listed above if desired.
10. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Slow-Cooker Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata

A few months ago, I posted my recipe for one-pan lemon chicken piccata. Since then, I have discovered an even faster and easier way to cook this classic dish--in the Crockpot! Here is my recipe for delicious, creamy lemon chicken piccata  made in a slow-cooker.
P.S.-The side dishes are Parmesan  zucchini chips and herb and butter rice.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 pint sliced portabella mushrooms
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Juice of one lemon
• One lemon sliced into quarters
• 2 teaspoons lemon and pepper seasoning
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Then place chicken at the bottom of the slow-cooker.
   
2. Place lemon quarters on top of chicken. Sprinkle lemon pepper seasoning over both.
3. Add garlic, onion, capers and mushrooms to the slow-cooker. 
   
4. Add cream of chicken on top. Season with salt and pepper.
   
5. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Southwestern Sweet Potato Salad

Yield: 6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 medium/large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small chunks
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can corn, drained and rinsed
• 2 medium/large avocados, skinned and pitted, chopped into small pieces
• 1 red pepper. diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 white onions, chopped
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers (depending on desired spiciness), seeded and sliced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 teaspoons Mexican chili powder
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 lime, sliced into quarters for garnishing
• 1 tablespoon dried cilantro

Instructions:

1. Add olive oil to a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add sweet potato chunks to skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for approximately 8-10 minutes and then flip the sweet potato chunks. Cook the other sided for another 8-10 minutes. During the last 3-4 minutes, add the black beans and corn to skillet. Then remove from heat and let the corn, black beans and sweet potato chunks cool to room temperature. Add all three to a large bowl.
2. Add red pepper, green pepper, onions, jalapeno pepper slices, avocado, Mexican chili powder and cilantro to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
3. Squeeze the lime juice over the salad and stir until combined. Add lime quarters to top of salad as a garnish. Sprinkle more dried cilantro on top of the salad if desired.
4. Serve immediately or store salad in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Enjoy!

Southwestern Baked Sweet Potatoes

Yields: 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 15 mins

Ingredients:

• 4 medium/large sweet potatoes,washed and dried
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 1 can corn, drained and rinsed
• 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced and seeded
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 teaspoons dried cilantro
• Sliced lime quarters for garnishing

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 415 degrees F.
2. Using a sharp knife, pierce each sweet potato several times. 
3. Place prepared sweet potatoes on baking dish and bake for one hour.
4. Approximately 15 minutes before the potatoes are done baking, begin preparing the filling. Add olive oil to a large skillet. Then add the diced jalapeno peppers, red peppers, green peppers, diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Saute on medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
5. Continue sauteing until onions and peppers are tender and garlic is flagrant. Then turn heat to low. 
6. Add black beans, garbanzo beans and corn to the skillet. Sprinkle cayenne pepper, cumin,paprika, salt and pepper on top. Mix to combine. Continue cooking on low for another 5 minutes while you prepare the potatoes.
7. Once potatoes are finished, remove them from the oven. Let them cool for 5-10 minutes. 
8. Trim the top off of each potato to create a boatlike shape.
9. Using a spoon, scoop out most of the potato into a bowl. Be sure to leave enough potato in the skins so the shells do not rip apart.
10. Mash the potato filling using the back of  a spoon and then add it into your skillet, along with the lime juice.
11. Stir once more to thoroughly combine all ingredients.
12. Using a spoon,refill the shells with the potato mixture. Mash it down slightly using the back of the spoon 
13. Top potatoes with dried cilantro. Garnish with lime quarters. 
14. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Zucchini Balls

Yield: approx 15 balls
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Difficulty level: easy

Ingredients:

• 1 large zucchini or 2 medium-sized zucchinis
• 3 eggs
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 4 tablespoons mint, chopped
• 3/4 cup grated Gouda cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 and 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Remove ends from zucchini (s). Do not skin the zucchini.
3. Chop zucchini into very small cubes.
4. In a large mixing bowl, add zucchini cubes, eggs, garlic, cheese, salt, pepper, mint and bread crumbs. Using a spoon,combine ingredients to form a moist batter. Feel free to add a bit more bread crumbs if the matter seems too moist.
5. Form golf-sized balls using your hands.
6. Place each balls onto a greased cookie sheet.
7. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until balls are golden and crispy.
8. Serve immediately with dip of your choice. Enjoy! 

Chickpea-Spinach Wrap

This delicious wrap is super easy-to-make and takes under 15 minutes. It's the perfect quickie after-work snack or healthy lunch on a busy day.Yield: 3 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fresh spinach, shredded
• 1 can chickpeas
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 spinach tortilla wraps
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Add olive oil and garlic to a large pan. Cook on medium-high heat for about two minutes or until flagrant. 
2. Add chickpeas and spinach to pan.
3. Sprinkle cumin and curry powder onto chickpeas and spinach.
4. Stir constantly until the spinach is fully wilted and the chickpeas are cooked thoroughly.  This should only take about 5 minutes.
5. Add salt and pepper to mixture and then remove from heat.
6. In a separate medium-sized pan, place one spinach wrap. Cook for about 15 seconds on medium-high heat and then flip and cook other side for another 15 seconds. Then remove from heat and set aside. Repeat for each wrap.
7. Add spinach-chickpea mixture onto each wrap and then roll it up tightly. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Mexican Street Corn Salad with Black Beans and Avocado

Yield: about 4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 ears fresh corn or 1 medium-sized bag of frozen sweet corn
• 1/2 cup choppped red onion
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
• 1 teaspoon Mexican chili powder
• 1 teaspoons Mccormick Southwest Sweet N' Smoky Seasoning
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup cilantro leaves, choppped
• 1 can black beans (15 oz), drained
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
• 3 oz Cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 fresh lime, sliced into quarters
• 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice, divided
• 2 medium avocados, peeled and chopped small

Instructions:

1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet until shimmering.
2. Add corn. Season with salt and pepper and toss. Then let corn cook, tossing only occasionally, about every two minutes. This allows the corn to brown evenly.  Fresh corn will take about 7-10 minutes to cook, while frozen corn will take about `12 minutes. Remove corn from heat once it is well-charred all over.
3. Add corn to a medium bowl along with drained black beans, cilantro, chopped bell pepper, diced jalapeno peppers, garlic, onions, chili powder, sweet n' smoky seasoning, 1 tablespoon lime juice, mayonnaise and 3/4th of the Cortija. 
4. In a small mixing bowl, pour other 1/2 tablespoon of lime juice over diced avocados. Add bowl to corn mixture and toss. 
5. Top with remaining Cortija, additional chili powder, and sliced lime quarters. Enjoy!

Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

Makes about 8 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 3-4 hours on high setting, 4-6 hours on low setting

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Three bell peppers (red, orange and green), julienned 
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 small (10 oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup Taco-blend cheese
• 3 teaspoons Mexican chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon Mccormick Southwest Sweet N' Smoky Seasoning
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• One package of flour tortillas
• Optional ingredients for serving: sour cream, salsa, guacamole, cilantro

Instructions:

1. Pour one can of the diced tomatoes into the slow cooker. Spread evenly across the bottom. 
   
2. Add half of the bell peppers and half of the onions on top. Sprinkle garlic in.
   
3. In a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, paprika, coriander, Southwest Seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix well. 
   
4. Rub seasoning onto both sides of the chicken breasts. Then place chicken in the slow cooker on top of the peppers and onions. 
   
5. Add the other can of diced tomatoes on top of the chicken breasts. Spread evenly. 
6. Sprinkle Taco-blend cheese over the tomatoes.
7. Top with remaining onions and peppers. Sprinkle extra seasoning on top if desired.
   
8. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 4-6 hours (If you want shredded chicken, cook more towards the longer suggested cooking time. If you want to slice the chicken into strips, keep towards the shorter time)
9. Remove chicken from slow-cooker. Cut into strips or shred.
10. Ladle out approximately 1 1/2 cups of watery broth from the slow-cooker(mostly tomato liquid) and discard.
11. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice and honey. Add this mixture to the slow-cooker along with the shredded/sliced chicken breasts. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
12. Gently toss. Serve in warmed tortillas with optional sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, additional cheese and salsa. Enjoy!

I served the fajitas with spicy Mexican rice and a sweet corn and black beans salad. The recipe for the salad will be up on the blog shortly. There are a quite a few shared ingredients between this chicken fajita recipe and the salad, so it is an easy meal to plan. If you try out this recipe or have any suggestions, feel free to leave a comment below! 

One-Pan Lemon Chicken Piccata

Ingredients:

• 3 boneless, skineless chicken breasts, sliced into halves.
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1 lemon, sliced into quarters
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Rub salt and pepper onto chicken breasts.
3. Dip chicken breasts in flour until they are fully-coated.
4. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil. Add chicken breasts to skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides--about 3 minutes for each side. Work in batches and do not overcrowd the chicken in the skillet. Add more oil if necessary.
5. Remove chicken from skillet and place in oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and is heated through to 170 degrees F. 
6.  Drain most of the oil from the skillet, leaving only a thin layer on the pan.
7. On medium-high heat, add minced garlic to skillet and cook for about 1 minute or until flagrant.
8. Pour chicken broth into the skillet. Then stir in lemon slices and bring to a boil. 
9. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water. Then add this mixture to the skillet.
10. Cook for about 5-8 minutes. 
11. Add lemon juice and capers to skillet. Simmer until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened, about five minutes more. 
12. Add butter to skillet and stir until it is melted. 
13. Add parsley, then remove skillet from heat and set aside. 
14. Remove chicken from oven and serve with sauce on top. If desired, serve over angelhair pasta. 
15. Enjoy!

Meal Planning 101

I just recently got into cooking, so there are a lot of fundamental foodie skills that I need to work on. One of those skills is meal planning. When I first decided to try cooking dinner at home every night, I would never think beyond that day's meal. My routine went something like this: go on Pinterest to get ideas, go grocery shopping, make dinner, toss the leftovers and then repeat the process the next day.

Now I have realized that it is much more efficient to plan for the week ahead, not just that night's dinner. I have made Sunday my official Meal Planning Day. On Sunday, I scour the Internet for recipe ideas and make a comprehensive grocery list. I will search the Internet or use apps like RetailMeNot to find any available coupons. Then, I either go to the local grocery store or place an order on Fresh Direct. We usually get takeout on Sundays, so I don't have to worry about that night's dinner. And it feels great to have all of my shopping and meal planning done for the week ahead! I am free to concentrate on cooking--the fun part!

I know that most of my readers are cooking newbies like myself. So I drew up this simple list of ways to make your meal planning more efficient. Efficient meal planning is cost-effective, timely, and just generally makes your life easier. Ready to make a change for the better? Let's get started!

1. Keep a meal journal

Purchase a basic weekly planner for this.  Your meal journal should serve two purposes. One, you can use it to look back on past meals for inspiration. Two, you can use it to plan for the week ahead.

On a designated day of the week, search the Internet, cookbooks, and your own past recipes for the following week's meal inspiration. Once you have decided what you are going to cook each day, write up a grocery list of all of the items you need. Next, decide where you are going to get the items on the list. Some grocery stores might be better for certain items than others. Finally, get shopping! Having all of the items ready at your disposal is much easier than going out every time you realize you don't have a necessary ingredient. You will also save money this way.

Tip: try adding pictures of each night's dinner to your meal journal. It's fun to look back on what you ate a month ago or even a year ago!

2. Plan your meals around sales

Look at grocery circulars (either from the newspaper or online) to see what's on sale at your favorite grocery stores and plan your meals around that. Also,  try coupon-hunting apps like RetailMeNot and Ibotta to save even more money. This doesn't take much effort at all and it always makes me happy to know that I am saving money!

3. Try theme nights

As you may have noticed, I take pictures of each night's dinner. These photos are helpful in many ways. One way I use them is to determine if I am cooking something too frequently and need to branch out. Sometimes I will realize that I am stuck in a rut of cooking the same things over and over. One way I get out of this rut is by planning a theme night.

Most families have done a Taco Tuesday, but have you considered doing a Macaroni Monday or a Weiner Schnitzel Wednesday? Your theme could be a certain culture, like Indian or Italian. Or you could try Thanksgiving in June or a picnic in the dead of winter. The possibilities are endless.

4. On a diet? Check calories counts before you shop!

Meal planning and dieting go hand-in-hand. Research shows that people lose more weight if they plan their meals ahead of time.

Once you have drawn up your grocery list, Google each item to find out the calorie count. If the calorie count is higher than you were expecting,  research lower-calorie alternatives. Or simply make the next meal a light and healthy one to make up for your splurge. It's okay to cheat once in a while!

5. Rotate favorites

If you're cooking for someone other than yourself, ask them what their favorite dishes are and make a master list of ten or twenty recipes. Don't forget to include your faves on the list too! This master list will be your "go-to" list when you have no idea what to make for dinner. Rotate between the meals so everyone gets to enjoy their favorite entrée.

6. Keep staples on hand

You don't want to spend hundreds of dollars at the grocery store every week, so it is important to keep your kitchen well-stocked. Take note of the foods and spices you find yourself using constantly and make sure to always have them in stock. Here are some of my staples: chicken breasts, olive oil, Smart Balance, shredded cheddar cheese, bell peppers, diced onions, minced garlic, paprika and good ole' Frank's Red Hot Sauce.

7. Use leftovers strategically.

I used to just throw away all of my leftovers, thinking I would forget about them and they would start to smell if I saved them. Now I realize that I should take full advantage of leftovers in order to save money and cut down on trips to the grocery store.

It's important to package leftovers correctly so they stay fresh as long as possible. As soon as I store the leftovers, I make a note in my meal journal of when the product should expire and then try to work my future meals around that. I often push other planned meals back a day to make sure I use the leftovers first.

These are just a few easy ways to get started with meal planning. Got any other tips? Leave a comment below and let me know!

Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats

I served my zucchini boats with a side of spicy Jambalaya-style rice.

Chicken enchiladas are a favorite dish of mine, but typically they are so unhealthy. I decided to create an alternative to the Mexican favorite and came up with this easy zucchini recipe. I served this dish to my family and they actually liked it more than regular chicken enchiladas! Try it out and let me know what you think. I like my sauce to be super spicy, but feel free to tone it down by leaving out a few of the spices to suit your preferences. Leave a comment here or tweet me at @kitchen_sams using the hashtag #LetsTalkFood. I hope you enjoy this simple but decadent dish as much as we did!

Ingredients

For the spicy enchilada sauce:

• 1 and 1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 4 tablespoons chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2/3 cup low-sodium organic chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Mexican chili powder
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

For the zucchini boats:

• Four medium zucchinis
• 8 ounces cooked and shredded chicken breast
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Mexican chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 cup shredded chedder or taco-blend cheese

Instructions

1. Let's make the enchilada sauce first! In a medium saucepan, spray olive oil cooking spray and turn on medium-high heat. Add minced garlic to saucepan and saute for about 30 seconds.
2. Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, chipotle chiles, salt and pepper, and cornstarch. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
5. Add water to another medium saucepan. Bring to a boil while you complete the next two steps.
6. Now it's time to make those zucchini. Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out the insides of the zucchini, leaving the zucchini about 1/4 inch thick.
7. Don't throw away the insides of the zucchini! Chop them into small pieces and put aside for later.
8. Drop the hollowed-out zucchini halves in the boiling water. Cook for one minute and then remove. Set aside.
9. In a large pan, heat oil. Add minced garlic and chopped onion. Cook on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes.
10. Add chopped zucchini, cilantro, shredded chicken, cumin, oregano, chili powder, chicken broth, and tomato paste. Mix well and cook for about 7 minutes.
11. Place 1/3 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a large lasagna dish.
12. Add zucchini halves on top of the enchilada sauce.
13. Fill each zucchini half with chicken mixture. Press down firmly.
14. Top each zucchini with 2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce. Sprinkle shredded cheese on zucchini boats.
15. Cover with boil and bake for about 30 minutes.
16. Top with more cilantro and sour cream if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Easy Ways to Cut Calories Throughout the Day

Don't have time to invest in a complicated diet plan like Atkins or Weight Watchers? Losing weight doesn't have to be hard! Try following these easy tips to make small changes in your daily diet. You will lose weight without the added stress of changing your whole lifestyle. You'll also be more likely to keep the weight off long-term as these changes become routine for you.

1. Use skim milk instead of half-and-half or Coffeemate in your morning coffee.
2. Eat a bowl of Kashi cereal instead of a fast-food breakfast. This high-fiber cereal will make you eat less throughout the day.
3. Whatever you do, just make sure you eat breakfast! This super easy trick will ensure you don't pig out later on.
4. Use Smart Balance instead of butter or margarine.
5. Ask for a child-size soda instead of a medium-sized one if you find yourself at the drive-thru.
6. Skip the croutons on your salad.
7. Toss your salad with one tablespoon of low-fat salad dressing until every lettuce leaf is coated. You will get away with using half of the usual serving size. This is much more efficient than simply pouring a ton of fatty dressing on the top of your salad.
8. Add hot sauce to your food whenever possible. The spiciness will up your metabolism while adding flavor to bland foods.
9. Freeze a can of Donald Duck orange juice and enjoy as a dessert. It tastes like ice cream but has fewer calories.
10. Replace half the butter in cake or brownie recipes with mashed bananas. Surprisingly, the final product is pretty much the same.
11. If you think you are hungry, try drinking water before eating a snack. Our brains often confuse thirst for hunger. If you are still hungry after a glass of water, go for the snack.

Have any more tips for this list? Leave a comment below!

Sam's Original Fiesta Salad

It might be the dead of winter, but this mouth-watering salad will instantly perk up your day. This colorful, flavorful and healthy salad is super easy to make and will be a hit at your next picnic--err, fireplace gathering.

Makes 3-5 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 package grape tomatoes
• 1 lime
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 3 bell peppers, preferably of all different colors. Chopped.
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 avocado

Lime Vinaigrette Dressing Ingredients:

• 1 bottle lime juice
• 1 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Instructions:

1. Slice grape tomatoes in half
2. In a large bowl, add tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers and onions.
3. Drain black beans. Add to salad mixture.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. In a separate bowl, add avocado. Stir. Add avocado to salad and stir well.
6. In another bowl, mix salad dressing ingredients. Add to salad.
7. Add sliced limes on top as a garnish
8. Serve or refrigerate