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I love Eat Smart's Broccoli Slaw and almost always have some in the house since it is healthy and versatile.  It's great for topping salads, adding to stir fry, and for making different types of slaw.  Good thing I had some on hand because I hadn't really thought about slaw being a great side to last night's dinner, thanks mom for the suggestion!  In a rut, I searched online for a broccoli slaw recipe and found a great one to base my creation off of.  I had to do a bit of  improvising due to what I had in stock, but it worked out great!  This Broccoli Slaw is creamy, sweet, and guilt-free.

Composition books, pencils, and backpacks line the store aisles which means it's back to school time! The kids have all of their supplies ready to go, but what about breakfast? It is imperative for people, especially students, to eat this most important meal of the day so I wanted to give you an idea for a Breakfast Sandwich that can be made in just a couple minutes, has a great nutritional value, and is low in sugar and fat, unlike many other popular morning meals.  It's great for kids and adults so enjoy one and have a great day!

This recipe came about after the husband had requested I make stuffed chicken breast. Since it was his birthday (week), I wanted to make a special one for him, so I took his love for apples and the inspiration of a fellow foodie blogger, Running with Deviled Eggs, who mentioned she was making a similar dish, and created this Apple, Goat Cheese, & Rosemary Stuffed Chicken Breast. It came out just perfect, which I was very happy about since I used a technique new to me- rolling the chicken vs. cutting a slit down the middle to stuff it. The rolling method works well with any filling that is made of small components, so if you're gonna change up the ingredients, make sure to dice them!

After wrecking my brain about what I wanted to serve as the main course for this year's holiday dinner for my lady friends, I decided to create a pasta dish that was different, but would still appeal to everyone attending.  This dish is like a collaboration of Baked Ziti, Spinach Lasagna, and Chicken Alfredo.  It worked out perfectly because I was able to make a vegetarian version too (just doubled the recipe and left out the chicken on the second pan). Both were delicious and had plenty of flavor.  I really enjoyed the change from red to white sauce, as it gave the dish a creamy texture, yet was still not heavy and overbearing.

Asparagus has gained popularity over recent years and it has taken me some time to come around to them. I must admit that I am partial to the size of asparagus that I care for. I am not a fan of the big, thick stalks, but I really love the thin, pencil sized asparagus. Whenever I pass a bunch in the produce section that is full of the "skinny" ones, I have to grab it.  Asparagus is even a good find when I don't know what's on the week's menu  since it goes well with all meats and fish (although I dislike when they stick it in my sushi roll).

You can mess with asparagus by boiling/blanching or steaming it, but I really like to roast it. Aside from it being real easy to do, I like the softer texture and the flavors that come out when it is cooked at a high temperature. I am sure there is a chef out there that would say I am ruining or overcooking the vegetable, but I think you'll agree when you try this simple preparation, that the texture is fun to eat (kinda like cooked green beans) and the taste is excellent thanks to an uncomplicated combination of balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

What's better than a delicious low fat, low maintainance dessert that requires no baking?  You can make this Banarama Pudding in the time it takes you to realize that there is no great answer to such a question!   

This one will satisfy the whole family's sweet tooth- well except those sorry souls who don't do bananas.  Don't just keep it at home though!  Bring it to a BBQ, Pot Luck, or any gathering where you are looking to impress without having to stress.  They'll be sure to go bananas for it (sorry, I had to go there- I couldn't resist)!

Pork Chops make a cameo in my kitchen every few weeks and I love coming up with creative ways to enjoy them.  Because the meat adapts well to flavors of all sorts, I feel free to get a little adventurous with them.  Tonight, I was in the mood for something lemony, but wanted to keep it savory also.  So I went with a light breading for the chops matched with a creamy lemon sauce.  I knew I could nail the pork chops, but was concerned about the sauce... it turned out to be a great innovation. There was no frying or heavy cream, yet each bite of this dish still had a rich delicousness to it.

Tired of the old Green Bean Casserole?  Me either, but why not change it up this year and bring a new green veggie (masked by creamy deliciousness) to the table!  My husband's aunt likes to liven up our holiday menu with this Broccoli Casserole (thanks to my personal demand) and was sweet enough to give me the recipe.  After going over the ingredients, I was not surprised to find out why this darn thing tasted so good- aside from the broccoli, everything else is what I consider to fall under the "bad for you" category.  Fortunately, most everything comes in a lighter version and the dish tastes just as good with the substitutions! Take my lead and skip out on some of the calories or live on the edge and go full out with the regular version of the ingredients.

I'm not sure what took me so long to finally make one of my favorite preparations of broccoli, but just this afternoon, I asked my mom how she makes her casserole and hours later, we were enjoying it for dinner.  Had I known how easy it really is to make, I probably would have been serving this side dish for years.  The simplicity of its ingredients and preparation make it a no brainer and the added bonus is that it is low in fat, while still nutritious.  This recipe works well with cauliflower too!

Move over sweet potato casserole (but not too far 'cause I like you too), there's a new side dish in town-  Butternut Squash Souffle.  This recipe of sweet, cinnamony, warm goodness is derived from one that a family friend used to make years ago for Thanksgiving.  Since then, I have made it a number of times and tweaked it to the point where it has minimal fat, but still gets the rave reviews.  Add this sweet side to your holiday table and they'll be sure to ask for it every year- and you won't have to worry because a simple list of ingredients, including frozen squash, along with the 4 step directions, makes this recipe so easy to replicate.