Vegan Eggplant Meatballs

These amazing meatless meatballs are made with eggplant, white beans and breadcrumbs to hold them together – if I was a vegan, I would have no problem eating this for dinner every night! They almost remind me of eggplant parmesan, in the form of a meatball.

I've had my eye on this recipes since I got a copy of Mark Bittman's VB6 Cookbook, and it did not disappoint! I love finding new ways to incorporate more veggies into my diet, and I try to eat meatless two to three times a week, so Mark's concept of eating vegan by day and flexitarian by night is quite appealing to me. And this week, I'm giving away 3 signed copies of the VB6 Cookbook on Skinny Bits. Click here for a chance to win your signed copy of the VB6 Cookbook.

Mark suggests serving this on a whole wheat roll, over pasta, rice or vegetables, but I thought I would make some zoodles (zucchini noodles) for a veggie play on spaghetti and meatballs. To make the zucchini noodles, you'll need a spiralizer (I use the Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer) or a mandolin fitted with a julienne blade. I use 1 medium zucchini per person and saute each zucchini with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and garlic for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes tops. To see a more detailed zucchini noodle recipe, click here for my Zucchini Noodles with Lemon and Shrimp.

These meatballs are perfect for all types of diets; vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, clean eating, and gluten-free if you swap the crumbs for gluten-free breadcrumbs.

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Spiralized Raw Zucchini Salad with Avocado and Edamame

Fresh, quick and delicious – this salad takes less than 5 minutes to make, start to finish and there's no cooking involved, so it's perfect for the summer because you won't heat up your kitchen!

This salad was inspired by an amazing vegan appetizer I had in Seaside Florida prepared for me by the staff at Raw and Juicy. It was so fresh and simple, I knew I was going to recreate it at home. Rather than dicing the zucchini into perfect little squares, I used my Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer  (my all time FAVORITE cooking gadget) and spiralized it instead plus I added some cooked shelled edamame sold in the salad section of my supermarket for protein. The results were fresh and fantastic – a MUST try!

And speaking of summer, as shorter hemlines and bathing suit weather approaches, I want to introduce you to my friend Erin Stutland – a life and fitness coach and the creator of Shrink Session: Tone Your Body, Expand Your Mind. She has been featured in Glamour Magazine, Shape, Daily Candy and more and people all over the world are currently experiencing her work.

Erin and I got together last week in her little NYC kitchen to shoot a quick, fun cooking video to demonstrate just how easy this recipe is. Can you believe this is my FIRST cooking video on Skinnytaste? It's not perfect, but I don't think it's terrible for my first time. I plan on doing some more in the future to get more practice, you check it out here...



Erin is a seasoned pro at making videos, and she has also created a workout that is unlike ANYTHING I have ever experienced before. I say that, because frankly, it doesn’t feel like a workout at all. What makes Shrink Session so DIFFERENT from your average workout is that it will definitely tone your bod, amp up your metabolism and burn fat. But it also helps you step into a more a confident, powerful, rock star part of yourself that you may not be in touch with on a daily basis.

Erin is running a FREE 5 day Say it, Sweat it, Get it Challenge that starts June 2nd. You can sign up HERE. Don't miss it. I have no doubt that you are going to fall in love with the workouts and your body!

Hope you enjoy the recipe – it's vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, gluten-free, clean, and delicious!


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30 Light Memorial Day Recipes

Traditionally on Memorial Day weekend, my friends and I always get together and grill in one of our yards.  Being in the backyard with friends, smelling the deliciousness coming from the grill, and hearing the kids playing out back – it doesn't get better than that! This year, I feel like Memorial Day weekend came super early. The only definite plans I have this weekend is going to friend's wedding, aside from that we really have no plans, but I'm really ok with that too! Since the beach opens this weekend, and I am only 10 minutes away, I just might spend the day there!

Whatever happens, I thought I would put together some of my favorite (light) recipes for backyard grilling to kick start the summer. Let's start with desserts first!

These Red, White and Blueberry Yogurt Cupcakes taste too good to be under 100 calories!

Red, White and Blueberry Trifle is a beautiful, guiltless dessert that will make your

Memorial Day gathering proud.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp is the perfect combination of sweet and tart.  

Skinny chocolate chip cookies made with absolutely no butter or oil sandwiched together with fat-free frozen yogurt and colored sprinkles make these Skinny Chocolate Chip Fro-Yo Sandwiches – a great way to kick off summer.

If you need a last minute EASY dessert, try these Red, White and Blue Fruit Skewers with Cheesecake Yogurt Dip – no cooking involved!

Frozen Banana Popsicles are an easy, fun summer treat for the kids and grown-ups too!

No cooking required for Watermelon on a Stick.  Sometimes it's the simplest things that make the best desserts.

If you want something quick and easy for dessert, Grilled Pineapple is wonderful!

What can be a better way to start off the Memorial Day festivities than with a glass of Freshly Brewed Ice Tea with Fresh Mint

Iced Green Tea Mojito the perfect cocktail to welcome the start of summer and the start of your party.

This Skinny Shrimp Salsa is the perfect light appetizer, just set out some baked chips!

Southwestern Black Bean Salad – this salad makes enough to feed a crowd as a side dish or to start the party off as an appetizer if you serve it with chips.

Guilt-free Grilled Potatoes are made right on the grill. Perfect along side a burger this weekend!

Summer Macaroni Salad with Tomatoes and Zucchini is the perfect macaroni salad without a ton of calories or fat.

Southwestern Black Bean Quinoa and Mango Medley perfect as a side dish and for the vegetarians at your party.

Asian Cabbage Mango Slaw.  A light, fresh, crisp slaw goes great with fish, pork or even burgers.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, a protein packed salad with fresh Mediterranean flavors.

Baby Red Potato Salad is great if you're not a fan of the traditional potato salad loaded with mayonnaise.

If you love pesto as much as I do, you'll love these Grilled Pesto Chicken and Tomato Kabobs. 

Another recipe using my skinny homemade pesto are these Grilled Pesto Shrimp Skewers – delicious!

Lemon slices in between pieces of salmon make these Grilled Salmon Kabobs  pretty as well as delicious!

The spicy, salty, sweet combination of the creamy chili sauce is what makes these Bangin' Grilled Shrimp Skewers soooo delicious.

The Best Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers are perfect for your vegetarian guests.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork will have your house smelling incredible while it slow cooks all day!

If you're looking for a new way to enjoy a burger, try this Grilled Hawaiian Teriyaki Burger.

Homemade blue cheese dressing makes these Buffalo Turkey Burgers with Blue Cheese Broccoli Slaw amazing!

No one will know these Turkey Burgers with Zucchini are loaded with extra veggies.  

Salsa Verde Burgers (MY FAVORITE) are topped with pepper jack cheese, salsa verde and avocado...delicious!

You won't miss the meat after one bite of this Spicy Black Bean Burger.

Why not make your own barbecue sauce this year.  Homemade Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce is a great balance of sweet and spice; perfect on chicken, pork or beef.

What are your plans this weekend? Whatever they are, hope you enjoy!!

Naked Turkey Bruschetta Burger

Lean, delicious, juicy turkey burgers made with zucchini and topped with a summer garden tomato bruschetta topping over a bed of baby arugula – no bun required!

I thought I would share this fabulous turkey burger recipe from the archives for those of you who may not have tried this.

This dish was inspired by a meal my girlfriend ordered during a girl's night out. I always get inspired when I go out to eat, and created this lighter version which turned out delicious. For the turkey burger, I went with my skinny turkey burger recipe I posted a few years back, it's made with shredded zucchini which gives it lots of moisture and great flavor. They are delicate, so I prefer to make them on a skillet instead of the grill.

This is the perfect summer meal for under 300 calories, especially if you have lots of tomatoes in your garden. You can easily make these vegetarian by using a boca burger or veggie burger of your choice. By the way the lovely fork is by For Such A Time Designs. Hope you enjoy!

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Seaside Florida Vacation Giveaway

 

I am so excited to give one lucky winner the chance to WIN a 3 day, 2 night stay at a fabulous vacation home in Seaside Florida (airfare not included)! This is a great giveaway – I know because I was JUST there on a girls weekend getaway two weeks ago with these fabulous ladies pictured below. Seaside FL, if you're not familiar it's on the Florida panhandle in Walton County, between Panama City Beach and Destin.

It's the perfect, charming beach town with white sand beaches and turquoise waters. Pastel houses with white picket fences are tucked away on tree lined streets with families riding their bikes to the nearby ice cream shop. Quaint restaurants line the streets along with food trucks, clothing stores, art galleries, ceramic shops and more, all within walking distance.

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Grilled Shrimp and Watermelon Chopped Salad

Chopped romaine tossed with sweet, juicy watermelon, grilled shrimp and goat cheese and a golden balsamic vinaigrette – I'll be making this salad all summer!!

I'm so excited to share this recipe with you, it's so good I plan on making it again for dinner tonight so my husband gets to try it. I put this together in about 20 minutes, so it's perfect for busy weeknights. The dressing is DEE-LICIOUS, I used DeLallo's golden balsamic vinegar, which is made from white grapes rather than red and has a sweetly rich taste – it's fabulous! They sell it at my local supermarket, or you can buy it online, but if you want to use regular balsamic, that would work fine too.

I love watermelon in my salad, mostly because I'm not much of a tomato lover. A few weeks ago while in the airport headed to Seaside Fl, I stopped to grab a bite at Marcus Samuelsson's new restaurant Uptown Brasserie located at the new JFK Delta terminal 4, and ordered a salad just like this. Eating healthier while traveling is getting so much easier these days, a good thing although they also have a Shake Shack which after seeing the calories on the menu, I opted not to try.

Hope you enjoy this salad, I'll be making this one all summer!

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Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps

This is my go-to turkey taco recipe. It's delicious and light – On nights I want to go low-carb, I forgo the taco shells and use lettuce wraps instead!

This is an oldie from the archives, but since I make this so often I thought I would update the photos just in time for taco Tuesday! It's naturally gluten-free, low-carb, and paleo & dairy-free without the cheese and sour cream. I find the outer leaves of Iceberg lettuce makes the best wraps, it's crisp and pliable and the leaves are large enough to make decent size wraps.

Add your favorite taco fixins such as shredded cheddar, light sour cream, chives, black olives, jalapeno, tomatoes or whatever you like on your tacos. The portions are generous, and if you're kids want shells, you can easily bake a few for them and use the same filling.

Making your own taco seasoning is a healthier alternative to buying packaged taco seasoning, and uses less sodium, no sugar, no preservatives and no msg. It also saves you money if you are on a budget. If you prefer to use the package seasoning, simply replace it with the spices listed here.

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Veggie Ham Egg and Cheese Bake

For an easy brunch recipe to serve for a large gathering, try this wonderful savory egg dish; made with part whole eggs, part whites, mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, scallions, tomatoes, ham and cheese.

You can modify this however you wish – swap the ham for lean sausage or leave it out. Swap the cheddar for mozzarella or leave it out for dairy-free. As for the vegetables, use whatever you prefer, no rules here!

My sister in law Denise recently made something very similar to this at a brunch she hosted and I knew I wanted to remake it (just a bit lighter). Her recipe called for flour but I tested it without and it worked fine, plus I swapped some of the eggs for egg whites, added a lot more veggies and use reduced fat cheese. This turned out wonderful, and you can prep it ahead and bake when your guests arrive. Enjoy!


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Fruit Pizza

Need a colorful dessert idea for Mother's Day? Try these lightened up white chocolate cookie bars topped with cream cheese frosting and fresh fruit. The perfect dessert for Spring or Summer!

I brought these to my daughter's class party yesterday and shared a photo on my Instagram and everyone wanted the recipe, so here it is! You can use any fruit you like, I usually use my favorites and try to keep it colorful but if you don't feel like cutting fruit, just use berries! You may notice some of the photos pictured here don't have white chocolate chips, that's because I tried it both ways and liked it better WITH the white chocolate, but if you're not a fan of white chocolate you can leave them out and increase the sugar slightly. The recipe below and nutritional info includes the white chocolate.

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Skillet Harissa Turkey Meatloaf

Making meatloaf in the skillet is perfect for busy weeknights – it's ready in less than 30 minutes!

I took my basic turkey meatloaf recipe, swapped the ketchup for jarred Mina Harrisa (or you can use homemade), added shredded zucchini and made them in the skillet. The results were juicy, quick, delicious round meatloaves with a little kick! I served it with a simple chopped cucumber and tomato salad which I tossed with a little olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper.

You can purchase Mina Harissa on Amazon and I think Whole Foods carries it, it's a bright red Moroccan condiment that can be used with couscous, vegetables, meats or whatever you want. You can also make it from scratch which I often do, but for this recipe, Mina was perfect.

If you prefer to make this in the oven as a large loaf, you can! Bake it at 350°F for 1 hour.

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Picadillo Quesadillas

One word... YUM!

I make Crock Pot Picadillo all the time in my house (Madison's number one request), and because it makes so much I like to get creative with my leftovers. I came up with this for lunch one day and my husband said I should put it on the blog, so I thought with Cinco De Mayo coming, it would be fun to do some Cuban-Mexi fusion.

I made a really quick & easy Pico de Gallo to add along with the cheddar jack cheese, the results – delicious!

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