Savory Roasted Carrot Clafoutis

Eat the rainbow- this should be our mantras every day, at every meal, to help keep our bodies in tip top shape. There is a plethora of colorful vegetables available to us so why not? It's good for you and it makes food just flat-out more interesting.

Rainbow carrots are one such option - purple, red and yellow hues dance across the root vegetable to grab our attention. Is it the tantalizing color of these carrots that make us believe the taste is slightly better, more effervescent, than a typical orange carrot? Perhaps our mind plays trick on us but purple carrots are said to be a slightly sweeter while yellow carrots are more mild and less earthy. The resulting mixture of them is eye catching and inspiring- perfect for a Spring morning.

I was inspired by this recipe, mostly for the colorful layout of the vegetables. In my version, the final dish offers the intriguing line up of hidden color, only revealed after cutting and serving. Similar to a quiche, this savory clafoutis is less complicated, a bit richer and a bit more refined. Try adding a touch of sriracha or pesto to add a bit of punch.

Eat with your eyes and your mouth for a full sensory meal!

Grill Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Basil Sauce

I can't stop trying to eek out a few more days on the grill before Snow Miser rears his pretty blue head.  Once again I found myself with a spaghetti squash so I cut in half, scooped out the seeds and plopped it on the grill to get just a little smoky flavor.

I'm also using up the last of my home grown tomatoes about now, so a quick warming of onions and garlic with them makes a super quick sauce.

When you chop the basil, do chop up the stems and eat them. They add a tiny crunch and additional basil flavor.

The whole dish is a healthy, tasty, rendition of classic pasta and sauce, just a little different.

A Healthier Elote in a Cup

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Healthy Elote in a Cup

Watermelon Feta Salad with Spicy Vinaigrette

This recipe is now at Happy Eats Healthy

Roasted Strawberries and Goat Cheese with Lemon Crostini

This recipe is now on Happy Eats Healthy.

Roasted Strawberries and Goat Cheese with Lemon Crostini

Chive and Goat Cheese filled Raspberries

The concept of Farm to Table has been taken a step further with cutting-edge, hard working entrepreneurs like the folks at Outstanding In The Field by taking the table out of the restaurant and placing at a local farm. Regular people get a chance to explore growing first hand and then enjoy the the farm goods as cooked by a local chef. It's fresh, upscale, informative and super delicious.

We attended one of these dinners last year in South Haven, Michigan where we first encountered these delightful raspberry nibbles. Creamy goat cheese and sharp chives cradled in a bright berry, nestled on top of a finishing crunch. A perfect bite.

Mine are slightly different from what I remember. They used a puffed rice for the crunch while I used a popped quinoa. They may have used different herbs in the filling, I happened to have fresh chives and love the little onion hit with the berries. All in all, it's a gorgeous little presentation and is fairly simple to put together.

Try these super tantalizing appetizers for your next outdoor party, then I highly recommend visiting your local farm to see what inspires you. I'm personally psyched for our farm dinner this year in Door County; good food and good friends abound.

Cheese Grapes and Champagne Gelee

You can't have too many appetizer recipes, you just can't. Hummus is great but it isn't exactly elegant, and how many times do you feel the need to 'take watch' to ensure no double-dipping is going down?

These adorable little cheese-stuffed and covered grapes are cute and require one bite, a bonus for those times you don't want to carry around a plate with you (you need those hands for drinks and shaking.)
When I put this tray together I wanted something special on it - like edible flowers. But since we are in the midst of a polar vortex, even non-edible petals are hard to come by, that wasn't going to happen.  The tray didn't really need more food on it, but it needed just a little something to set it apart. The guest of honor and I have a penchant for Champagne, I began to look for ways to incorporate.

Yes it was a fancy and stylish party and yes, jello shots (or in this case gelee) fits right in. These aren't the nasty little neon jello shooters you get from a half-naked girls at the local club. These Champagne gelee cubes are light, tender and the perfect accompaniment to the grapes. Just a little square or two is needed; though a couple of us polished off the remainder of the pan in record time later in the night.

Below I've listed two flavor options for the grapes and a couple of options for how to put them together too. My goat cheese and lemon with toasted pine nuts version is super lovely while the more traditional blue cheese and walnuts arrangement is just a classic taste combination. In both cases, the grapes are a wonderful sweet vessel for the ingredients.

Take your next appetizer tray to a new level with Fat and Happy Grapes and Champagne.

Roasted Butternut Squash Ribbons with Spinach

Inspiration for new recipes comes from many places- old books, restaurants and often from just seeing an image. Such is the case in today's recipe.  To be honest I'm not even sure when or where I saw this particular image, but it has been in my mind for some time.

We roast butternut squash all the time, often in the form of small cubes. So why not make ribbons out of the raw squash and roast the ribbons? I could see the argument the moment I picked up the squash to make the ribbon- it's not so easy to make ribbons out of big, heavy, shapely gourd. However, if you cut the squash into manageable size pieces you will find the ribbons are quite easy to make.

The result is a wonderful mix of tender roasted squash with charred crunchy edges. The spinach, cheese and lemon give the dish structure. This is one of those recipes that is just simple, but really tasty and satisfying. I actually ate my plate standing at the counter; never even made it to the table.

Try roasting some squash ribbons for a fun, stand up kind of recipe. I think you are going to like this Fat and Happy one.

Olive Oil Poached Orange Tomatoes with Honey Goat Cheese

This recipe is now at Happy Eats Healthy

Olive Oil Poached Orange Tomatoes with Honey Goat Cheese

Pumpkin, Couscous and Chorizo Stuffed Jack O'Lantern Peppers

Ever wonder who the first person was that decided to carve a pumpkin?  And who thought eating that hard gourd was even possible? Lucky for us that person (or persons) were inquisitive as we now reap the benefits.

Since pumpkins are synonymous with Halloween I thought we should carry that theme even further into the kitchen with these adorable, delicious stuffed, decorated peppers.

The couscous choice was merely one made based on our upcoming move (the more pantry items we eat, the less we have to pack and move.) Substitute in rice, quinoa or other grain of your choice. After baking, the slightly wilted pepper mixes with the pumpkin, the chorizo, the creamy goat cheese and the tart dried cranberries for a glorious spooky bite.

I've roasted a lot of pumpkins but only recently heard that you don't have to scoop out the insides before roasting, but rather leave the insides in tact and scoop out after roasting. This made me curious so I did a little experiment by roasting half of the pumpkin cleaned out and half not cleaned out. The results were pretty much the the same, a dreamy creamy roasted pumpkin; though I found I preferred cleaning out the pumpkin first, maybe just for nostalgia sake.

Say Boo at your next dinner with these super fun Fat and Happy stuffed pumpkins!

Squash and Pea Shoot Salad Bruschetta

Bruschetta is nothing more than a good piece of bread acting as a vessel for some yummy toppings. You almost can't go wrong with any combination you put together.

Today I pair the long awaited butternut squash with a light radish and pea shoot salad for a lovely Summer meets Fall version. Rounding out the flavors is the orange parsley dressing. It's light yet hearty, soft and crunchy all in one bite. Delicious.

This is definitely a 'use a fork and knife' brushetta over a simple 'pick it up and take a bite' one and that just adds to the dishs' depth and character.

Try this out as a plated appetizer or salad course at your next dinner party- you'll get some well deserved Fat and Happy kudos!

Garlic Roasted Squash Grilled Cheese

It's that time of year when my backpack starts to get real heavy. Not from schoolbooks but from squash and pumpkins! Nothing says fall more then seeds roasting in the oven.

Roast a squash and you will have the base for a variety of meals from squash soup to ravioli. Today's recipe takes a classic grilled cheese and ups the ante by adding in garlic roasted squash. It's a perfect dish for left over squash or try it with pumpkin too.

Use any squash you prefer, I had butternut squash on hand. It's low in fat, filled with fiber and offers significant amounts of potassium  (important for bone health) and vitamin B6 (essential for the proper functioning of both the nervous and immune systems.)

Add a squash to your shopping  bag and lift from your legs, not your back for this gooey, delectable Fat and Happy sandwich.

Pineapple Gazpacho

This lovely pineapple has been sitting on my counter for days. Staring me down. Saying "What'chu gonna do with me? I'm gettin' ripe over here!" You know it's time to get cooking when your ingredients start talking to you.

Grilled pineapple has got to be one of my top 10 favorite things to work with- it's simply delish by itself. Chopped up in grain salad with mustard vinaigrette is so good too. Or try a drenching of homemade caramel sauce, it just kills!

Been there, done that.  This time I yearned for something fresh. The late summer sun is beating through the windows and the air conditioning never seems to shut off. That's when it hit me- gazpacho!

Classically made with tomatoes, gazpacho is a chilled Spanish soup from fresh ingredients. Throw some fruit and vegetables in a blender and your done.

Turkey Blueberry Grain Burgers with Fig Jam and Brie

Tips and articles about healthy eating are everywhere- email, Facebook posts, magazines, newspapers and even posted on the elevator screen that riders stare at to avoid the uncomfortable 15 seconds of standing next to a stranger. A photographic memory is required to keep it all in, but every now and then one sticks. Today I share one such memorable tip.

We all know how quickly turkey meat becomes dry, especially ground turkey meat used in a burger. Mixing blueberries into the meat not only gives the burger a healthy antioxidant boost but it helps with a juicier result. Seriously. Tested and confirmed.

For this particular recipe I added quinoa and lentils, taking the health benefits one step further. The result is a blue-tinted fun and tasty burger. Fig jam and brie cheese step into the condiment spotlight to really takes this burger over the edge.

Even if you have no intention of making this exact turkey burger version, make note of this healthy tip. It's a great way to sneak nutrients into any Fat and Happy burger.

Simple Holiday Appetizers: Walnut Stuffed Endive and Herbed Cheese, Apple and Meat Skewers

Like it or not, the Holidays are upon us. My guess is that most of us enjoy this time of year but feel so much pressure for a myriad of reasons.

My gift to you is these simple Holiday appetizers. Rather than slave in the kitchen when you have shopping, wrapping and decorating to do, these little hors d'oeuvers shine by elevating basic ingredients

The Walnut and Goat Cheese Stuffed Endive get an unexpected flavor boost from honey and jelly while the Cheese, Apple and Meat Skewers boast an unexpected herb treat.

Reduce your stress (if even just a little) while enjoying tasty snacks at the same with these Fat and Happy appetizers.

Turkey Enchiladas with Pumpkin Mole

Every year we host a 'Left Overs Party' a few days after Thanksgiving for our friends and family. The goal of the party isn't just to eat up all the left overs, but to test my creativity and ability to come up with a new dish.

One of the hardest left overs to work with was the remains of a pumpkin pie. To completely reinvent a dish would mean to turn a sweet dish into a savory one. This pumpkin mole does just that. With a hint of sweet to cool off the spicy peppers, this mole is delicious and screams Fall comfort food.

Before we get into the recipe, let me state this is not a traditional mole with 20-some ingredients. But it is a simple, delectable, deep rich sauce; though it does not require a pumpkin pie. Roasted or canned pumpkin will work just fine.

Set your leftovers free and you will be rewarded - hopefully with this gorgeous pumpkin mole!

Wine and Port Spiced Pears with Cardamom Mascarpone

A meal is not finished until dessert is served. Don't get me wrong, I don't eat dessert every day. But you cannot throw a dinner party without the grand finale. It's like a fireworks show without the closing scene; it would still be good, but lacking something. 

Dessert don't need to be sugar laden or stuffed with chocolate to be amazing. Case in point- these spice simmered pears served with a spoon of creamy mascarpone are elegant. Stunning. And surprisingly delicious. This is coming from an anti fruit-as-dessert person.

The most difficult part is peeling the pears. If you can manage that, you can manage this dessert.
Finish your meal with bang with these Fat and Happy Wine Port Pears. You can thank me later.

Thanksgiving Leftovers - Leek, Turkey and Horseradish Mac n Cheese with Cripy Speck and Potato Chips

Leftovers are hands down the best thing about a giant Thanksgiving feast. It's important to be creative so boredom between two slices of bread doesn't take away your eating enjoyment.


This macaroni and cheese recipe is the perfect place for leftover turkey. But don't stop there- use up onions, celery, peppers, even cranberries... have fun with it! The horseradish gives it a peppy zing.

Keep your holiday eating fest going with this yummy fat and happy horseradish macaroni and cheese. Just be sure to get in your workout, this one is worth it.

Cheesy Squash Breakfast Sandwich

Fall is is just another name for squash. And while I love a good roasted squash, I can only eat so much of it at one sitting. The outstanding questions is what to do with the leftover squash.

Sear it, add garlicky carrots, goat cheese, sprouts and a runny egg, then smash it between two pieces of toast. Done.

An egg sandwich is the bomb and only gets better with the addition of squash. Sauteing the carrots with garlic while searing the squash adds a little crunch to the sandwich while the sprouts add a fresh flavor.

This breakfast sandwich came out better than expected- even Dave gave it two thumbs up. I happened to have left over roasted squash, but you can roast a fresh one. Do slice and sear it to get that nice, golden brown crust as noted below.

Whip up a new option for squash with this delicious fat and happy squash sandwich. It's perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Flavored Popcorn

A close friend is marking half a century. Friends and family from all parts of her life are coming together to celebrate with an evening of elegant picnicking and lighthearted roastings.

I struggled with what dish to bring that was carefree, simple to pack and move around and that stands up to the weather. To add to that, I was given her AARP card that showed up in the mail to do something creative with. Let me deviate from the recipe for a moment to say we are talking about a women who has a better body than any one half her age, stunning looks and has the fun attitude to go with it it all. Simply Fabulous!

Somehow I landed on the idea of making serving bowls out of copies of her AARP card. From there, it was easy to come up with a snack to fill those paper bowls - flavored popcorn.

Two easy recipes but wildy different in taste. The Parmesan and Oregano Popcorn is rich and buttery while the Indian Spice Popcorn is exotic and finger licking good.

Everyone loves popcorn and these are fun, simple favors for all fat and happy ages.