Hi everyone,

Last week we were talking in the make-up room about restaurants putting bread on the table before the meal arrives. Seriously, who's idea was that? People don't do that at home! (Right?) What is the point of filling up on empty calories while you're waiting for the food you actually ordered to arrive? My husband calls it "filler." I wrote about this in The Mommy Diet, too. I think everyone should follow a simple rule when eating out: Skip the bread! Ask your server not to bring it to the table, so you don't start nibbling mindlessly. This is an easy fix, and it could save you literally hundreds of calories.

Are you tempted by the bread basket? Do you have any easy rules for maintaining healthy eating in restaurants?

XO

Ali

Hi everyone,

Check out my friend Christie's new cookbook, Cake Simple. Of course I don't eat cake very often, but when I do I want it to be homemade! This book even has a recipe for red velvet mini cakes.

Let me know what you think!

XO

Ali

source: marthastewart.com

Hi everyone,
 
When I have guests over for dinner, I think it's festive to serve some kind of dessert. This can be tricky, though, because the daily calorie allowance that's healthy for my body doesn't leave much room for decadent sweets. I often serve mixed berries with a little dark chocolate, which is always a hit. But it's fun to have options, especially when it's something fun and unexpected to surprise your (grown-up) guests with!
 
Here's one idea, inspired by Martha Stewart. I can't tell you exactly how many calories are in this, so try it at our own risk—but it's a whole lot lighter than a slice of cheesecake! Just cut cantaloupe or watermelon into fun shapes using small cookie cutters, soak the fruit in a margarita (or a mojito!) for 15 minutes, pop the fruit on a wooden stick, and freeze it for at least 1 hour for a yummy adult treat! A fancy, modern jell-o shot, if you will. Ha.
 
Do you have any ideas for fun and light sweet treats for the end of a dinner party? Please share them here!
 
xo

Ali

Hi everyone,

Recently I was very surprised to learn that a salad I love from a certain restaurant has almost 1,000 calories in it. Thanks to The Biggest Loser, I know a lot about calorie counts, so I was aware that the salad was hardly calorie-free, given its ingredients. The total still seemed staggering to me, though, and I won't be ordering that salad again anytime soon!

But I read an article recently that said the majority of people actually don't pay attention when restaurants give calorie counts. What about you? Does knowing the calorie count of menu items affect what you order? What do you think about the calorie labeling law for fast food and chain restaurants? I'd love to hear your thoughts about this!

xo

Ali

Hi everyone,
 
Although I'm very careful about keeping my kids' sweet treats to a minimum, we bake cookies together from time to time. And when we do, we always make them from scratch. The actual process of assembling the ingredients is our favorite part—well, that, and of course Ben likes tasting the dough.
 
I love doing baking cookies, but I do not want to consume nine million in the process. Between spoonfuls of batter and the actual fresh baked cookies, it wouldn't be tough to overindulge in a big way. Avoiding that isn't easy, because I am ridiculously tempted by cookie dough. Full disclosure? It's one of my all time favorites.
 
So I needed to learn some self-defense against the dangerous chocolate chip cookie, and I developed the simplest trick ever: I chew gum while I'm baking. It's actually a great tip in general to minimize snacking in the form of "tasting" as you go along. Real chefs always say you need to taste your food (I watch Top Chef—contestants have been eliminated because they didn't taste), but when you're cooking meals you're familiar with, chewing gum instead of taking bites might keep you from filling up before dinner, and as long as you taste it once before serving, you should be fine. And with something as technical as baking, which is really about following a recipe by the numbers, I think not tasting is just fine—especially when it's a recipe you know well. Popping a little stick of gum in my mouth saves me from sneaking bites every time.

Do you have any tips to avoid snacking while you're making something in the kitchen? Please share!
 
xo

Ali

Hi everyone,

Last week, we asked you about your go-to healthy snacks on a hot summer day. One of my favorite responses came from this week’s Mom of the Week: Kelly!

Here’s what Kelly had to say:

"Kabobs! There are so many different kid-friendly options. My daughter loves to help make these. Sometimes we use cheese, turkey, tomatoes, and grapes or other times we just use fresh or dried fruits. I cut up the pieces and my daughter has a great time putting them on skewers. Also, sometimes I let her cut the food into shapes with cookie cutters and we use crazy straws for the skewers. You can then put these into a kid-friendly smoothie to dress it up and make it fun! Another fun and easy summertime snack is to put yogurt tubes in the freezer. These make a great, healthy dessert."

It looks like you are new to the community, Kelly. Welcome! Those are both very cool snacks for a hot summer day! I love the idea of making the kabob ingredients even cuter by cutting them out with cookie cutters. If you've never tried this before, here are a couple good examples:

Images: parents.com & blog.superhealthykids.com

Thanks for sharing, Kelly. For a chance to be featured as next week's Mom of the Week, tell us…

What kind of shoes do you wear for playing with the kids?

Do you have a pair of "play shoes" that perform well on the playground—and look good enough to wear in public? We want to know what's on your feet when you're having fun with your kids! Let us know in the comment section below.
 


XOXO


Ali

Hi everyone,

Does your family have a meal that you like to make on certain days? At my house, we do "Fajita Fridays" during the summer!

Check out this video of my main ingredients sizzling on the grill:



Tell me about your themed meal night in the comments section below. Let the drooling begin!

XO
Ali

image source: whatscookintew.blogspot.com

Summer means picnicking in the park, firing up the backyard bbq and partying poolside! With so many fun events going on, and your always on-the-go summer schedule, it can be hard to focus on your eating and fitness goals!

This summer you can enjoy all your favorites and still stay on track. Daiya Style Shreds are a revolutionary dairy-free cheese option that you can use to enjoy pizza, nachos, grilled sandwiches, or any recipe, and they have only 90 calories per serving. Daiya Style Shreds are vegan, kosher, and allergen-free with no preservatives, trans fats, or cholesterol. Daiya Style Shreds are free from everything but still taste great!

To find a retailer or restaurant serving Daiya near you, click HERE.

Try this simple summer time favorite – Daiya Pesto Pizza:

1 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crust
1 cup Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds
½ cup pesto sauce*
½ cup green bell peppers, chopped
1 (2 ounce) can chopped black olives, drained
½ small red onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and sliced

Preheat your grill to medium or your oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Spread pesto sauce on the pizza crust, top with tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion, olives and artichoke hearts, and then cover with Daiya Style Shreds. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and browned. Enjoy!

* To make homemade fresh pesto featuring Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds for the pizza base, check out the recipe HERE.

Submit your favorite Daiya creation for a chance to win:

We are looking for new, inspired recipes featuring Daiya products. All our best recipes have come from Daiya fans. Once you have decided on your favorite dish, submit your recipe for a chance to win $500 towards the healthy activity of your choice!

Click HERE to view the rules and regulations & submit your creation today! 

For more summer meal ideas, check out other fan favorites HERE. 

It’s your Daiya™ – how do you enjoy it? Let us know in the comment section below.

Today’s post is proudly sponsored by:

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