Healthy Appetizers...Featuring Mediterranean Shrimp Bruschetta #gulfshrimp #lightappetizers #mediterraneanflavor

I grew up on the Texas Gulf Coast, so I've loved seafood my entire life. Whether it's fish, shellfish, or crab...I love it all! With the NFL playoffs kicking off, I've created a refreshing seafood appetizer that's a great alternative to traditional game day food. My Mediterranean Shrimp Bruschetta features a chilled shrimp salad that contains my favorite flavors from a Greek salad with bite-sizes pieces of boiled shrimp. Just before serving, the chilled shrimp mixture is spooned on top of toasted garlic bread. If you're like me and are reducing your carb intake? The shrimp salad can be eaten solo...or it can be served on top of toasted cauliflower sandwich thins. This recipe is quick enough to serve anytime you're in the mood for something a little bit special.

Weekend Gourmet Flashback: Healthier Potluck Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad #healthy2022 #lighterclassics #smallchangesbigrewards #salad

The holidays are over...and most of us are eating healthier in the new year. But? It's nearly time the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl parties are on the horizon. That means game day food...which is traditionally heavy on fat, carbs, and calories. Today's recipe is a lightened version of a Southern potluck classic: Healthier Potluck Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad. There are many variations of this popular salad, but all feature broccoli and a tangy-sweet dressing. Most versions include bacon, onion, raisins, and sunflower seeds...and a few even include small pieces of cheddar cheese. I used favorite components to create my ultimate version of this recipe, then I lightened it up. I used broccoli and cauliflower for a color and flavor contrast. I also added dried cranberries and cashews. Because bacon, cheese, and cashews are higher in fat, I either chose healthier versions OR reduced the amount of the ingredient used in my salad. The end result has essential broccoli salad flavor...while also saving fat and calories. To further shave fat and calories, I used fat-free Greek yogurt in place of mayo in the creamy dressing...and I sweetened it with my favorite no-calorie sweetener. The end result is a delicious salad that you can feel good about enjoying!

The Weekend Gourmet's Most Popular Recipe of 2021: Deconstructed Chicken Quesadilla Salad #proteinpowered #entreesalad #healthy2022 #waldenfarmsdressing #healthymexicanfood #mostpopular2021recipe

Can you believe 2021 is quickly winding down?!?I want to take a moment to wish you all a Happy New Year...and a fabulous 2022! I also want to take a quick look back at 2021 to reveal the recipe that was most popular with my readers. My most viewed recipe of 2021 -- hands down -- was my Deconstructed Chicken Quesadilla Salad! It features Walden Farms' great tasting  Chipotle Ranch dressing. As part of my new healthy eating plan, I use Walden Farms dressings in nearly all of my salads. That's because they have a wide variety of flavors that have zero calories, zero net carbs, zero sugar, and zero fat! My Deconstructed Chicken Quesadilla Salad has all the Tex Mex flavors I crave...without excess fat and carbs. Instead of tortillas, the quesadilla component of this salad is made with carb-friendly cauliflower thins. It also features fresh vegetables, spicy seared chicken, and a bit of guacamole and cheese. Every bite of this filling main dish salad is an explosion of flavor...with zero guilt! 

ABRAMS Books Spotlight: Southern Living 2021 Annual Recipes...Featuring Coconut-Pecan Truffles #southernlivingannualrecipes2021 #chocolate #nobaketreats #fudgetruffles

I'm winding down Christmas week with an ABRAMS Dinner Party blogging group feature...showcasing one of my most anticipated books this season! Southern Living recipes are a standard bearer here in the South...a beloved food resource shared from generation to generation. That's because their recipes always seem to taste like the South...and we can always count on the recipes giving us good results and fabulous flavor! Every December, the Southern Living annual recipes cookbook comes out...featuring every recipe from the past year in one convenient location. I have every edition going back to 1997, so I was thrilled to see Southern Living 2021 Annual Recipes on my Dinner Party lineup! There are so many recipes I can't wait to try in the coming months...but this time, I needed a quick and delicious Christmas treat. I quickly honed in on the no-bake Coconut-Pecan Truffles. With just a handful of simple ingredients, these sweet treats are easy to make up to a day ahead...because the chocolate truffle mixture needs to chill before being rolled in crushed pecans. Simple and decadent, they're ideal all year round...but especially for the holiday season!

ABRAMS Dinner Party Spotlight: Home Made Basics...Featuring Peach Chai with Purple Basil & Thyme #homemadebasicscookbook #chai #icedtea #coldbrewtea

One week to go until Christmas...where has December gone to?!?!? For today's ABRAMS Dinner Party spotlight, I'm featuring Home Made Basics - Simple Recipes, Made from Scratch. In this comprehensive cooking resource, Author Yvette van Boven shares step-by-step explanations for foundational dishes that transform how we cook and eat at home. Accompanied by her signature illustrations and beautiful photography, van Boven provides 400+ recipes that range from simple dressings, vegetables, pastas, gnocchi, tortillas, perfectly poached eggs, and more! New cooks...and seasoned cooks will learn to make satisfying food that's not fussy or complicated. I searched through the recipes for a simple recipe to share at my extended family's Christmas Eve party.

Us Texans love our iced tea...so I knew I had found what I was looking for when I came saw van Boven's Peach Chai with Purple Basil & Thyme iced tea! Warm chai spices...combined with refreshing herbs and juicy peaches. Such an interesting mixture of flavors. I especially loved that prep time was about 5 minutes, then the tea steeped in the fridge. This unsweetened tea isn't typical Texas sweet tea...but it's a welcome variation!

Holiday Timesavers...Featuring Five-Ingredient Peppermint Mocha Mousse #peppermintseason #nobakedessert #simpleholidaytreats #fiveingredients

 

Nobody can deny that he holidays are hectic...and it's important to have a time-saving kitchen strategy! The recipe I'm sharing today is perfect if you need a quick, no-bake holiday dessert that can be prepared a day -- or even two -- in advance. My Five-Ingredient Peppermint Mocha Mousse features a secret ingredient...and it's so creamy and decadent that no one will know how incredibly easy it is to make. My secret ingredient? Refrigerated peppermint mocha coffee creamer. It takes just five simple ingredients -- and about 10 minutes -- to whip up this streamlined mousse. Then, it chills in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, each serving is topped with fluffy whipped cream and a sprinkle of crushed peppermint for a festive holiday presentation! This mousse is an ideal dessert for your upcoming Christmas Eve or Christmas Day family meal. The versatile mousse can also be served in shot glasses for a fun addition to the dessert table at holiday potluck parties. Either way, the mousse is creamy and  delicious...featuring a balanced blend of chocolate, peppermint, and coffee flavors!

ABRAMS Dinner Party: New Native Kitchen...Featuring Great Northern Beans with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette #abramsdinnerparty #newnativekitchen #vegfriendly

Happy Holidays, everyone! It's time for the next recipe from my ABRAMS Publishing Dinner Party blogging group...and is this one ever GOOD! New Native Kitchen is a celebration of Indigenous Native American cuisine. Author and Native foods educator Chef Freddie Bitsoie showcases the wide range of flavors -- and the culinary history -- of Native American cooking. This cookbook provides modern takes on 100 recipes that have long fed this country. From Chocolate Bison Chili to Prickly Pear and Cheese Mousse Tarts, the recipes in New Native Kitchen honor Native American cooking traditions -- while experimenting with modern cooking methods. This cookbook features the recipes and regional cooking traditions of Indigenous groups from across the country. I made the book's simple and delicious Great Northern Beans with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette. Served chilled, it's essentially a flavorful bean salad that tastes great and looks gorgeous in a simple serving bowl. If you have friends and family who are vegetarian/vegan, this dish is a perfect addition to holiday parties and dinner menus you're planning!

ABRAMS Dinner Party Spotlight: Cheese Sex Death...Featuring Honey-Garlic Baked Brie With Rosemary #abramsdinnerparty #cheeselover #bakedbrie #cheesesexdeathbook

 

As part of the ABRAMS Dinner Party blogging group, I recently received a copy of Erika Kubik's Cheese Sex Death...a comprehensive resource for all things cheese. This fabulous resources provides history and detailed information about key cheese groupings (and specific cheese varieties)...a cheese shopping guide...directions for perfect cheese plating and pairings techniques...and some killer recipes! Kubick -- a Chicago-based cheese expert and food blogger -- offers recipes that range from macaroni and cheese to grilled cheese sandwiches...and even a fun party cheese ball. But? I was immediately drawn to her Honey-Garlic Baked Brie With Rosemary...which I knew was perfect for my Thanksgiving day menu! I had never baked Brie before, but Kubick's recipe was so streamlined that I knew I'd be successful! With the busy holiday season here, this is a perfect appetizer to have in your back pocket for last-minute party invites...or drop in guests. Simply keep a small wheel...or two...of Brie in your fridge. The simple topping components are staple ingredients found in most kitchens.

Weekend Gourmet Flashback: Small-Group Thanksgiving...Featuring Pomegranate-Honey Glazed Air Fryer Turkey Breast #thanksgiving2021 #smallgroupcelebration #turkeybreast #airfryer #pomegranate #honey

 

Thanksgiving is THIS WEEK! Can you believe it? For smaller groups...or any other post-Thanksgiving Day celebrations you have planned, why not roast a whole turkey breast instead of making an entire bird? Today, I'm re-sharing one of my most popular recipes of 2020: Pomegranate-Honey Glazed Air Fryer Turkey Breast. It's a fun, modern take on classic roasted turkey that features a sweetly savory exterior...and a perfectly cooked interior. Everyone who tastes this turkey raves...then asks for the recipe!

Cooking with an air fryer saves time in the kitchen, because it cooks food faster than a traditional oven. It also frees oven space to cook other Thanksgiving menu items! The end result here is a turkey breast that's tangy and mildly spicy outside, while remaining juicy and tender inside. That's can be difficult to achieve with white meat turkey! Before being roasted, the turkey breast is liberally seasoned with a quick homemade spice rub. After an initial 15-minute roast, the fruity pomegranate-honey glaze is brushed on the turkey breast in two additions as it continues roasting. The finished turkey breast is served on a platter, sprinkled with jewel-like pomegranate arils. It's paired with simply roasted baby potatoes. This recipe is proof that good things come in small packages. It also makes a beautiful centerpiece to your holiday table! 

The Perfect Quick and Easy Holiday Hostess Gift: Spiced Pecans from 2021 Christmas with Southern Living #abramsdinnerparty #southernliving #spicedpecans #homemadeholiday

Growing up in Texas, Southern Living magazine has been one of my go-to cooking, entertaining, and decorating resources for as long as I can remember. I especially love their annual Christmas guidebook! I recently received the 2021 Christmas with Southern Living holiday book as part of the ABRAMS Dinner Party blogging group. I featured it in my Holiday Cookbook Gift Guide last week. However, I also want to share a simply delicious recipe from the book. Southern Living's Spiced Pecans recipe is made with staple ingredients you likely have in your pantry. These sweet-spicy pecan halves are a perfect snack to serve impromptu holiday guests. They're also a perfect homemade hostess gift or teacher appreciation gift! I was able to whip up a 2-cup batch of these pecans in about 15 minutes, before letting them set up for a couple of hours. Delicious, quick to make, and made with staple kitchen ingredients. That ticks all the boxes for the hectic holiday season! 

Holiday Gift Guide: New Cookbooks from ABRAMS Publishing #abramsdinnerparty #holidaygiftguide #bestcookbooks2021

It's hard to believe that it's already November! I'm basically in denial that Thanksgiving is just around the corner. November means it's also time to start thinking about holiday gift shopping for friends and family! If you have any home cooks on your shopping list, today I'm sharing a trio of fantastic cookbooks I received this Fall as part of the ABRAMS Dinner Party blogging group. Each of these cookbooks is unique and fun...they truly offer something for everyone. Whether your gift list includes aspiring bakers...maybe at-home hosts who love to entertain...or someone who simply lives for Christmas DIY and cooking/baking projects? I've definitley got you covered!

(1) Nailed It! Baking Challenges for the Rest of Us. In this official companion cookbook, the creators of the popular Netflix baking series Nailed It! share behind-the-scenes tips, tricks, and detailed recipes behind the mind blowing cakes and other baked goodies from the show's most popular episodes. The cookbook also includes simplified versions of some of the show's most memorable baking challenges -- which give even inexperienced bakers the ability to bake a personal masterpiece. Recipes range from smaller, "easy-ish" Baker's Choice recipes for cookies and cake pops...to some of the most challenging cakes ever revealed behind the show's iconic Door #2. The main goal of this cookbook is to have fun baking -- whether your final creation is a mouthwatering masterpiece -- or a delicious disaster. The books also includes tips for hosting an at-home Nailed It! challenge event. There's even an entire chapter dedicated to fun holiday recipes -- including Head Judge Jacques Torres' famous and simple-to-make Legendary Hot Chocolate. I already have that recipe earmarked to serve my family on Christmas Eve!

(2) Arty Parties -- An Entertaining Cookbook. This book is ideal for the at-home entertainers on your shopping list. Author Julia Sherman is a cook, writer, and artist. In Arty Parties, she shares how anyone can easily apply an artist’s touch to their at-home celebrations. Even if you're not an artist? You can entertain like one with this fun cookbook/guidebook! Arty Parties shows how to cook, live, and host like an artist via simple, inspired recipes and hands-on kitchen experiments. Sherman explains how to design uniquely personal (and memorable) gatherings that will leave your guests raving long after the party ends. Arty Parties states that modern gatherings are not so much about "getting it right"...meaning modern parties emphasize fun over perfection! Showcasing colorful food that's innovative and simple, Sherman shares recipes and flavors that are creative -- without being fussy or complicated. Examples include Avocado-Lemongrass Panna Cotta, a Saffron-Infused Tomato Soup, and Cauliflower Salad with Curry Vinaigrette. I especially love that every recipe has a key at the bottom that shares whether the recipe Makes Good Leftovers, is appropriate for Make Ahead, and which Season it's most appropriate for. Arty Parties is unique and beautifully designed...a how-to guide to create meaningful experiences. Gatherings that nourish the host...and their guests...in body, mind, and soul.

(3) 2021 Christmas with Southern Living. For many of us here in the South -- including myself, it doesn't feel like the Christmas season until Southern Living magazine releases its annual Christmas lifestyle book. Part DIY holiday decorating guide...part cookbook of holiday menus and recipes...this annual holiday guidebook contains tons of great ideas to make the holiday season extra special! This year's edition contains more than 100 new recipes that make entertaining and holiday food gift giving easy and fun. The editors of Southern Living share their favorite cooking tips -- including make-ahead secrets -- that make holiday hosting fun and less stressful. The book's overriding theme is making holiday memories with family and friends. The 2021 Christmas with South Living edition  includes a special section showcasing gifts from the kitchen -- including Mighty Mint Pinwheels and sweetly savory Pickled Grapes. The book's 200+ photos depict tasty food...and more. The front half of the book shares beautiful holiday DIY decorations and table settings...along with designs for holiday wreaths, trees, centerpieces, and mantel arrangements. 2021 Christmas with Southern Living is a go-to resource for essentials needed to make the holidays beautiful...and tasty. 

To order any of these books, simply click on the GRAY linked title for each book. This will take you directly to the book's dedicated page on the ABRAMS Publishing website. From there, you can order for delivery directly to your holiday gift recipient...or to your home address so you can wrap and hand deliver your purchase.

Be sure to come back here next week for a quick and easy recipe from 2021 Christmas with Southern Living. I'll be featuring the recipe for their sweetly-spicy Spiced Pecans. They're delicious...and easy to make with ingredients you likely already have on hand in your kitchen. They also happen to make excellent hostess gifts during the busy holiday party season!

Disclosure: I received complimentary copies of these three recommended cookbooks as part of the ABRAMS Dinner Party blogging group. All opinions about these books are solely my own. 

Halloween Tutorial: How to Make a Spooky Boo-Rific Corn Dog Cup Display #halloweenfun #kidfriendlyhalloween #doityourself

 

Halloween is on the weekend this year! With a bit more free time than a weeknight Halloween, why not whip up a simple and SPOOKY seasonal meal that's a perfect dinner before trick-or-treating...or a family at-home scary movie fest! I can't wait to show you how quick and easy it is to create my seasonal Boo-rific Corn Dog Cups with Green Goo Dipping Sauce. It's also a great Halloween kitchen craft project to have kiddos help assemble! Frozen corn dogs are embellished with and presented in seasonal Halloween decorations. They're served with a vibrant green dipping sauce made with lower fat ingredients and flavored with avocado, cilantro, and ranch. Family fun and yummy food...that's what life's all about! My step-by-step tutorial will show you exactly how easy this project is to achieve.

San Antonio McDonald's Restaurants Now Hiring for Full- and Part-Time Positions! #mcdonaldsishiring

Are you currently looking for a job in San Antonio? Local McDonald’s restaurant Owners are actively seeking additional employees to join their teams! An increase in customer traffic has created an immediate need for additional staff to keep restaurants operating in a manner that provides an outstanding customer experience that fulfills McDonald’s promise of quality, service, cleanliness, and value. Available jobs include full- and part-time opportunities based on each restaurant's specific needs. People who are interested in applying have a wide range of options to do so! They can apply in person, pick up an application at any participating San Antonio-area McDonald's location, submit an application online at careers.mcdonalds.com, or use their smart phone to text APPLY to 38000. 

According to local McDonald's Owner/Operator Maria Acosta:

All local McDonald’s restaurants provide our communities convenient, familiar dining options. Our sales are strong, and we need additional employees to join our teams. We invite everyone who is looking for a job to join our McFamily. We offer a safe, fun, and friendly work environment where every employee is valued, rewarded, and given tools to grow professionally and personally. It does not matter if you are looking for your first job, or are looking to establish yourself in a long-term career. We are proud that McDonald’s provides outstanding opportunities for everyone...and offers flexible scheduling, tuition assistance programs, a competitive starting wage, and the chance to advance quickly to our management team.

 

Jobs at McDonald's include a wide range of employee benefits. Benefits provided to McDonald’s employees include local and national savings and discounts via their employee “McPerks” program, free uniforms, flexible scheduling, career counseling and educational resources, and college credit for advanced management courses. McDonald’s USA, LLC, serves menu options made with quality ingredients to 25 million + customers nationwide daily. Nearly 90% of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurant locations are independently owned and operated by businessmen and women. For more information, visit the McDonald's website, follow them on Twitter (@McDonalds), or visit their Facebook page.

Disclosure: This is a compensated post for McDonald's. All information shared was provided by McDonald's.

ABRAMS Dinner Party Spotlight: Scott Conant's Peace, Love and Pasta...Featuring Eggs In Purgatory #abramsdinnerparty #healthy2021#weekendbrunch #scottconant #eggs

I'm excited to share that I'm participating in the ABRAMS Dinner Party blogging group for my third year! I love receiving ABRAMS Publishing's new cookbook releases...and sharing some fabulous recipes with y'all! This season, I'll be sharing recipes that mesh with my new dietary changes...fewer carbs and more protein. The first cookbook I'm sharing is Chef Scott Conant's Peace, Love, and Pasta. You probably know Conant from his chef appearances on Food Network's Chopped. With my current eating plan, finding a recipe to feature from a pasta-centric cookbook seemed like a huge challenge at first glance. But? I immediately honed in on Chef Conant's Eggs In Purgatory recipe...eggs simmered in a garlicky herbed tomato base. I knew it would be a perfect weekend brunch treat! Since I was only feeding two people, I cut the recipe from the book in half...and I also used a lot less olive oil than the original recipe called for. 

With this cookbook, Chef Conant returns home to create his most personal cookbook. Recipes are made with simple, fresh ingredients that were staples of his childhood in a New England family...with roots in Southern Italy. Focusing on foods he grew up with...and the dishes he makes for his loved ones today...Peace, Love, and Pasta features simple, flavorful Italian recipes for home cooks to serve at their own table. This Eggs in Purgatory recipe is a perfect example of that simplified cooking style!

Healthy Appetizers for Game Day and Beyond...Featuring Shrimp Remoulade Deviled Eggs #healthy2021 #lightappetizers #gameday #homegating #deviledeggs

My favorite time of year is here! From now through the end of the year, there's Astros playoff baseball...weekly football games...and plenty of Fall/holiday entertaining. That means I have to carefully plan so I can enjoy some healthy appetizers while sticking with my healthy eating plan! Today, I'm sharing a fun, spicy spin on traditional deviled eggs. My spicy Shrimp Remoulade Deviled Eggs feature my favorite bold shrimp remoulade flavors in a two-bite appetizer! The yogurt-infused filling can be made up to a day ahead -- making assembly time just before serving quick and easy.

Fish Tostadas with Ranch-Feta Slaw...Featuring Outer Aisle Jalapeño Cauliflower Sandwich Thins #healthy2021 #cauliflowerthins #outeraisle #eatmorefish

By now, y'all know how much I love cauliflower sandwich thins and pizza crusts. I'm eating fewer carbs these days -- a key reason for my recent loss of nearly 50 pounds! I use their versatile, lower carb sandwich thins and pizza crusts to make everything from pizza...to sandwiches...and more! Today? I'm using their lightly spicy Jalapeño sandwich thins as a sub for tortillas to make Fish Tostadas with Ranch-Feta Slaw. This flavorful cousin of traditional fish tacos has all the Big Flavors you want...with fewer carbs and less fat! My tostadas start with a base of toasted Outer Aisle jalapeño cauliflower thins that are spread with a simple avocado mash. Next is layer of spiced, pan-seared tilapia. Finally, each tostada is topped with a creamy-crunchy Ranch-feta slaw. Full of fun flavors and textures...but not excess calories = a winning scenario!

San Antonio-Based Wholesome Meats Beef Now Available at Select Texas H-E-B Locations...Featuring Autumn Steak Salad with Balsamic Dressing #healthy2021 #sustainablebeef #wholesomemeats #HEB #entreesalad

Texas-based grocer H-E-B and San Antonio sustainable beef startup Wholesome Meats have partnered to bring regeneratively raised grass-fed beef to Texas H-E-B locations throughout the state...including their mutual home base of San Antonio, Houston, and Austin! Wholesome Meat's premium beef is born, raised, and grazed in the United States according to the highest standards. Wholesome Meats CEO Kent Wuthrich says, "...We believe that H-E-B customers want a sustainable choice and are thrilled to be working with such a forward-thinking grocer!" Today, I'm sharing a complete meal salad featuring Wholesome Meats' tender, flavorful tenderloin filet.

My Autumn Steak Salad with Balsamic Dressing showcases the health benefits of main dish salads...but using heartier cool-weather flavors. This hearty salad is bursting with so much delicious flavor and texture! The sublimely tender filet is definitely the star of the show here. However? The other salad components have the big flavors that are necessary to perfectly partner with the meaty beef! This salad has everything that you need for a complete meal: lean protein, organic baby field greens, seared mushrooms and zucchini, briny roasted red peppers, crumbled feta, chopped walnuts, and a tangy balsamic dressing.

Healthier Pizza with Outer Aisle Gourmet...Featuring California Chicken Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Chipotle-Ranch Drizzle #healthy2021 #fewercarbsandfat #lighteneduppizza

In the coming weeks, I'm going to be partnering with Outer Aisle® to feature some healthier, lower-carb Fall and holiday recipes using their versatile and delicious cauliflower pizza crusts and sandwich thins. I love their products so much that I don't even miss high-carb bread, tortillas, pizza crust, etc.! I'm kicking things off today with a personal pizza that's a lighter homemade riff on a flatbread from Schlotzsky's restaurant. My California Chicken Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Chipotle-Ranch Drizzle tastes like a splurge...but it's much lower in fat and carbs! The inspiration for this modern spin on tradition pizza came from my friend Amber, who was looking for a way to enjoy a lighter version of this restaurant favorite at home. This is the end result of my tinkering around in the kitchen. One big reason that I love Outer Aisle pizza crusts is that I can enjoy an entire personal-size pizza. Chicken breast, turkey bacon, roasted red peppers, avocado, and green onion are reminiscent of your favorite club sandwich. Then? The mildly spicy chipotle-ranch drizzle takes every bite over the top!

I baked this pizza in an air fryer, but it can also be baked in a traditional oven. I provide directions for both cooking methods below. One of the biggest complaints I hear about cooking with cauliflower crusts and sandwich thins is that they make your final pizza/sandwich soggy. That's such an easy fix! Simply toast the cauliflower crust/thin in your hot air fryer or oven for about 8 minutes before you assemble for the final bake. The end result will be crispy and perfectly cooked. 

Healthy Soup...Featuring Tomato-Basil Shrimp Bisque #healthy2021 #tomatobasil #healthysoup #shrimpbisque

 

Labor Day is the official end of Summer...although we won't see truly cooler temperatures here in Texas for several weeks. I love soup year round...but when the weather turns cooler, I crave comforting soups! This year, I'm starting early so I can retool some of our favorite soup recipes to meet my new healthy eating goals. Today, I'm sharing a revamped version of Tomato-Basil Shrimp Bisque that features a double dose of basil, fire-roasted tomatoes, and Texas Gulf shrimp in a creamy base. This bisque is ready to eat in less than an hour...and it tastes fabulous! To reduce fat and calories in this bisque, heavy cream is replaced with a combination of reduced-fat cream cheese and plain unsweetened almond milk. I promise the end result is indeed creamy and full of flavor!

Healthy Game Day Appetizers...Featuring Creamy Cajun Shrimp Dip #healthy2021 #shrimpdip #healthyappetizers #gameday

Football season is nearly here again! For us? That means game day food. This year, however, I plan to focus on game day munchies that taste great...but have less fat, carbs, and calories. First up is today's recipe for Creamy Cajun Shrimp Dip. This chunky dip features sweet Gulf shrimp, green onions, Cajun seasoning, garlicky hot sauce, and other flavorful ingredients. To shave fat and calories...without sacrificing creamy texture...I use fat-free Greek yogurt and reduced-fat olive oil mayo. This dip takes less than 10 minutes to make with a food processor. But? That can be our little secret! Get ready for some serious compliments when your guests try this flavorful dip...