Carrot Cake
A dessert worthy of celebrating Easter, mom, or any other occasion - this easy cake equals indulgence without the guilt!
A dessert worthy of celebrating Easter, mom, or any other occasion - this easy cake equals indulgence without the guilt!
This mood-boosting brew supplies 25% of your DV for potassium, hot on the heels of research indicating that diets higher in potassium and lower in sodium have a positive effect on mood.
If you're not on a regular schedule, both chicory root and prunes might be just what the doctor ordered. Chicory root has been shown to increase intestinal bacteria – which aids digestion – and prunes are more effective than fiber supplements!
The fiber in cannellini beans helps keep blood sugars on an even keel, preventing post-meal brain fog. Their iron also helps to maintain long-term memory, along with the omega-3s in flaxseeds.
This soothing juice will get you de-stressed after a long day, thanks to nutrients such as folic acid, which helps create dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure.
Marinate this killer quinoa salad in a simple sweet-and-sour dressing overnight for crave-worthy bento box lunches, or let it steal the spotlight at your next family barbecue.
Try our hot 'n' spicy wings, which rival the ones you'd find at your local sports bar, on Super Bowl Sunday, movie nights or even for simple weeknight suppers – and don't forget the Blue Cheese Dip!
Perfect for time-pressed adults, this super-quick fruit-and-dairy combo can be adjusted to suit any taste: simply swap in a different variety of all-fruit jam or nuts.
The secret to rich desserts without the fat? Silken tofu. Unlike the firm tofu used in stir-frys, this softer type can be blended to a smooth, thick consistency – perfect for creamy desserts. Lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup and your favorite pumpkin pie spices, our mousse is so rich and delicious your family will never be able to guess the secret ingredient.
Dr. Seuss' dish is all grown up! We've dropped the ham in favor of mushrooms, and ample leafy greens make this breakfast a nutritional powerhouse – with just 150 calories per serving.
Television host, author and chef Candice Kumai's simple parchment supper uses just six ingredients, three of which – soy sauce, orange zest and ginger – are all about bold flavor with few calories!
With a shorter cooking time, this orange-infused salmon is a great dish to throw in the slow cooker before heading out to run errands. You’ll look forward to coming home to this light and fresh meal.
Fresh, fragrant salmon topped with a luscious avocado salsa with tomato and fennel is the way to your loved one's heart (not their waistline).
With more fiber and less fat than your typical deli bagel with cream cheese and lox, this pocket still delivers savory speedy satisfaction. Protein-rich pouched or canned salmon in lieu of the traditional smoked and cured variety kicks loads of sodium and nitrites out of the picture.
An insatiable craving for a moist, sweet slice of zucchini bread sent this reader to the kitchen to try her hand at creating her own clean version. The result: a delicious apple zucchini bread loaf.
One of the poster-children for antioxidants, sweet blueberries lend a burst of color to classic banana bread, while walnuts give each tender slice a textural kick.
This recipe is inspired by the traditional Cuban dish ropa vieja (Spanish for "old clothes"). Traditionally served with potatoes and chickpeas, you can also try it with rice, quinoa or corn tortillas. Using sweet onions keeps the flavor subtle.
To choose an acorn squash, look for an unblemished fruit that's heavy for its size. If possible, buy one or two more than you'll need for this recipe: The winter squash is truly versatile and can be baked in the oven, sauteed, steamed, mashed of pureed for a seasonal soup.
For a perfectly portable, leak-proof lunch, layer the ingredients in this quick and easy vegetarian salad in a glass jar (with a lid). When you're ready to eat, just shake it up!
The original breaded, fried veal and veggies on a white bun was easily transformed using the Italian Scaloppine style of cooking. Herb- and garlic-rich tomato sauce forms the base for the veal as well as the sauce for the sammie.
Sassier than a sandwich, paninis make for a delicious, clean quick-fix meal. If you don't have a countertop grill, put paninis in a hot skillet and use another heavy skillet to press them down as they toast.
This savory pot pie, stuffed with hearty veggies and "cream" sauce, gets its tender crust from a sweet pumpkin purée.
Forget about a boring tuna sandwich for lunch - with just 10 minutes of work, this light and colorful tuna salad will fill you up without weighing you down.
Oven-baked chicken thighs are given a gourmet makeover with our sticky-sweet tamari and honey flavoring. Paired with steamed broccoli and drizzled with a velvety, rich Asian-style almond butter sauce, this is a meal that truly tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen!
By making your own homemade BBQ blend, you'll be able to control every last ingredient that goes in (plus, tinker with our recipe to whip together your own signature secret sauce in the process).
Turn your usual sweet potato pie into bite-size truffles, a totally rich and decadent treat that lets you flex your festive creativity!
Food Network's Private Chefs of Beverly Hills co-star Manouschka Guerrier shared a killer sweet potato ice cream recipe. Bonus: no ice cream maker needed!
These sweet potato brownies are a great way to pack more immune-boosting vitamin A into your day.
With a heady brew of sweet, tart, smoky and spicy flavors, this 15-minute dish takes tofu to a whole new level.
We've lightened up a winter favorite, keeping all the flavor elements intact (thick mushroom sauce, bread crumbs, green beans) but with a welcome summery twist.
Bright peppers are as lovely as they are healthy, with ample vitamin A and C. Our stuffed turkey peppers are filled with wild rice and turkey for a generous dose of protein and fiber.
This decadent recipe attracted an army of clean-eating enthusiasts - just look at the ooey-gooey buns you get for 145 calories! Freeze a batch for Sunday morning treats.
Smaller spring potatoes, also known as new potatoes, tend to be sweeter, making this an ideal time of year to try a variety other than America's beloved Russet (otherwise known as the Idaho potato). Our Herbed New Potatoes is a side that's both simple and elegant.
You can put together your own combination of preferred mushrooms or look for already-combined sampler packages at your local market. Try the sautéed side over top of pan-seared chicken, polenta or even pizza.
Pungent blue cheese balances out the sweetness of dates in this meal-worthy salad made with a combination of baby spinach and arugula.
We've chosen to keep it light for this steak pasta recipe with a tomato-based sauce smoothed with sour cream. Top that off with lean steak and lesser-known whole-wheat farfalle pasta, and you've got yourself a deliciously clean dinner sure to please any pasta lover in your family.
Hearty barley, split peas and ham give this classic soup a comforting appeal that will stick to your ribs long after you've scraped the final spoonful from your bowl.
If you have memories of eating split pea soup with ham as a child, our soup will fill that spot in your heart (and help improve heart health with omega-3 fatty acids).
Infuse iron-rich spinach and protein-powered chickpeas with some simple flavor thanks to garlic, paprika, cumin and red wine vinegar.
Looking for a crunchy, savory snack? These thin, crisp and delicious baked chips will soon become a surprise hit in your house.
Food Network mainstay Kelsey Nixon is known for making professional-looking dishes that are surprisingly easy, and this impressive pork tenderloin is no exception!
Spice up your evening with this succulent beef tenderloin topped with fiery sauteed shrimp.
These tofu steaks become pleasantly toothsome thanks to their time on the grill, and the flavorful smoky-sweet rub lends delicious dimension to a somewhat plainly flavored protein.
Spanakopita, or spinach pie, is a classic fixture in Greek cuisine, most often sold as individual triangular pastries. Enjoy our casserole version as a light snack or appetizer, or pair it with a lentil soup or fresh tomato salad for a more filling main for the whole family.
We've taken your classic potato skins and given them a southwestern makeover, using hearty black beans, cilantro and a kick of spicy jalapeño. Both the potatoes and the filling can be made in advance and simply assembled and baked the day of your party.
An honorary mention in our AHA collaboration, this heart-healthy southwest quinoa salad comes from Chef Jean Hertzman, PhD, CCE, assistant professor of food and beverage management at the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration at UNLV.
Our version of holiday sweet potatoes puts an end to the usual maple syrup-induced sugar shock, opting instead for roasted garlic and rosemary (plus beaten egg whites for a fluffy texture!)
Flank steak is an affordable, lean cut, which benefits from quick cooking. Since it does not have extensive marbling, cooking to medium rare or medium, and slicing thinly against the grain, will result in the most tender texture.
Go ahead, eat this burger! We've transformed a diner classic so you can indulge while keeping fat and calories way down. One bite and you'll never go greasy spoon again.
Ditch high-sodium beef dips – they can be labor intensive and replete with artificial flavor enhancers. With just five ingredients, our all-natural sandwiches keep sodium in check, offering 32 grams of protein and letting your slow cooker do most of the work!
Flip on your slow cooker in the morning and come home to a rich, warming vegetarian stew topped with a cornmeal crust. Comfort at its finest!
Get out your crock pot and try the easy, clean and comforting slow cooker chicken barley stew that helped one of our readers shed 200 pounds!
Searing a large piece of beef and then roasting it in the oven gives you the best of two worlds: crisp, caramelized edges and a tender, juicy interior. Our herb-laced Dijon rub is the icing on this sirloin roast.
Panko bread crumbs and crushed walnuts join forces with dried herbs to create a crispy, flavorful coating for our roast – in perfect textural contrast to its creamy blue cheese sauce.
This protein-rich dinner is only $2 per serving, but that doesn't mean it can't have rich flavor! The process of reduction intensifies the sauce's flavor, lending the sirloin a pleasing tang.
Mighty little sunflower seeds have been shown to reduce the risk of developing asthma, high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis, colon cancer, diabetes and heart disease. That and their great taste are why we chose to feature them in this clean granola recipe.
Stew doesn't have to simmer for hours. This one cooks up in a jiffy, thanks to quick-cooking ingredients like shrimp and small potato wedges.
We've taken your classic shrimp salad sandwich and amped up the flavor even more with fresh dill, crunchy celery and Dijon. In our version, Greek yogurt stands in for mayonnaise, providing creamy texture without the fat.
Adding beaten egg whites to these luscious cheesy grits increases their volume (so you'll feel like you're eating more!), yet gives them a light texture. And if zucchini's not in its prime, substitute any seasonal vegetables you love!
Lean ground turkey and buttermilk-mashed Yukon gold potatoes give this seasonal family favorite all the flavor and creaminess you'd expect from a shepherd's pie—with none of the actual butter or cream. Translation: a low-cal, low-fat meal sure to soothe any wintertime craving, guilt free.
Fennel, shallots and olives are a popular combination, making this light and elegant flatbread a surefire hit. We've tossed the shallots in a bit of lemon juice to brighten their flavor and roasted the fennel to bring out its natural sweetness.
Our slightly browned scallops nestle on a bed of puréed peas, as satisfying in texture as they are nutritionally robust.
With a vibrant sauce and a bit of flair in its presentation, this dish looks and tastes great for so little effort. Scallops take literally minutes to cook, making them the perfect fast food when you need a touch of elegance in a flash.
Broiled scallops sprinkled with a crunchy, toasted bread-crumb and almond mixture and cloaked with a thick, smooth, lemony avocado sauce is our lean, culinary ode to this New Orleans signature sandwich.
Bloody Mary fans will love this hearty drink, especially if you spike it with a dash of Worcestershire sauce or some horseradish!
The success of the homemade potato chips in this $2 dish really depends on your knife – sharper knives cut thinner slices for crispier chips! Toss your chips with dill only after they've come out of the oven so the dried herb doesn't burn.
A short marinade infuses the salmon with citrus flavor and helps keep it moist. Plus, since only a small fraction of the marinating liquid is absorbed, this easy step keeps calories low!
You can make both the potatoes and onions the day before so that your pre-party preparation is extra fast and easy. After assembling the dish, either bake it at home and serve it within an hour or so (it's equally delicious at room temperature), or take it to the host's place and bake it there.
Roasted chicken can sometimes get boring. With our cherry barbecue sauce and toasted almonds, this Sunday dinner staple takes on a starring role.
These aren't your grandmother's Brussels sprouts, considering the subtly mild zip you get from the apple cider vinegar and the nuttiness from the chestnuts.
Surprise! Nutritious rhubarb can be eaten raw! Serve this simple compote over nonfat Greek yogurt, homemade granola or even savory dishes such as grilled pork tenderloin.
Nutty-tasting quinoa adds texture to a backdrop of creamy rich-tasting beans. A dash of smoky chipotle pepper gives this chili a meaty quality without all the fat.
Thanks to the extra hit of fiber, sweet potato fries are a filling stand-in for white spuds. With just a light coating of olive oil, baking the potatoes adds a crispy, crunchy texture that garners Clean Eating approval while you indulge your craving.
Switch butter and whole milk with reduced-fat cottage cheese whenever you want to whip together your own flavorful, naturally low-fat mashed potatoes.
This reader came up with an easy morning meal option that's versatile enough to allow you to pop in your own favorite produce.
Preparing a Thanksgiving turkey can be overwhelming for some, but we've broken it down into easy, manageable steps for a stress-free holiday.
Modern-day Italians serve cornmeal-based polenta as a simple side or hearty entrée, enriched with cheeses and herbs. Offering yet another take on the classic, our polenta is used to create a soft crust for a winter vegetable pie.
It may not be the first cooking method that comes to mind when you think of chicken, but poaching is a great way to cook lean proteins that have a tendency to dry out.
A warm and comforting dessert without the usual calorie count (just 156), and ready in just 35 minutes!
In Latin America, a picadillo usually consists of finely chopped well-seasoned meat and vegetables served alongside a bed of rice. Here, we've transferred the concept to the soup pot to spice up your cold winter nights.