Healthier Artichoke Dip
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 6 servings

1 15-ounce can artichoke hearts in water, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained well

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons part-skim ricotta

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder


1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to a rough puree (the texture of bean dip).
2. Spread the dip in a shallow 8-inch ovenproof serving dish and bake until bubbling, about 30 minutes. Serve warm with pita chips.

Nutrition facts per serving:
68 calories, 5g protein, 9g carbohydrate, 2g fat (1g saturated), 4g fiber

Recipe from: fitnessmagazine.com

Guilt Free Party Recipe

Sweet and Smoky Pecans
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Makes: 6 servings

1 1/2 cups pecan halves

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pinch cayenne

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients; mix well.
2. Spread the nuts on the baking sheet; roast, tossing halfway through, until browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
3. Let the nuts cool. Serve.

Nutrition facts per serving:
220 calories, 3g protein, 8g carbohydrate, 22g fat (1.9g saturated), 3g fiber

Recipe and photo from: fitnessmagazine.com

Healthy Party Foods

It's that time of year where your work, school, neighborhood, church, friends and family are all throwing parties. That means tons of good food, probably lots of unhealthy food and the opportunity to completely ruin your healthy habits. Now you don't have to starve, just use self control and only have a little taste of the not so healthy items. If you are helping throw one of these parties or have been asked to bring something, here are some good healthy options!

Bruschetta:  Now italian bread doesn't have much nutritional value, but when you top it with a delicious mixture of tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and basil you now have a great appetizer. Tomatoes contain lycopene which is a powerful antioxidant to help ward off cancer and heart disease. There are lots of healthy fats and those healthy fats actually help your body to absorb some of the nutrients from the tomatoes.

Salsa: If you are given a choice of dip options, salsa really should be the one you pick every single time. It's main ingredients-tomatoes, peppers and lime-are full of vitamins A and C, loaded with fiber and are super low-calorie.

Fruit & Cheese: Women require 1000mg of calcium per day, which gives you an even better reason to hang out by the cheese platter. One or two good sized cheddar chunks will give you about 120mg but they do add up in the fat and calorie department so don't go too crazy. Hard cheeses like cheddar yield more calcium-and calories-than soft cheese like brie or goat. For fruit load up on strawberries, kiwis or pineapple for an extra dose of Vitamin C and an immunity boost.