Pasta with asparagus, pancetta and tomatoes

Flavor overload

Looking for a simple but flavorful pasta dish? This recipe combines tomatoes, pancetta and asparagus for a combination you won't forget.

When you're craving a hearty meal, pasta always hits the spot, especially when it's full of huge flavors. You'll go back to this recipe again and again.

Pasta with asparagus, pancetta and tomatoes recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:16 ounces short-cut pasta10 ounces asparagus, cut into inch-long pieces, tips separated6 ounces pancetta, cut into strips15 ounces canned tomato puree1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered1 clove garlic, crushedOlive oilGrated Pecorino romanoParsley, chopped finelyDirections:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When it boils, add salt, then pasta. Cook according to package directions. Reserve cooking water for later use.Meanwhile, saute garlic and pancetta in a large saucepan with a drizzle of olive oil. When the garlic turns golden, discard. When the pancetta is crispy, remove from saucepan and set aside, reserving grease.Add the asparagus (reserving tips) to the grease in the saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes. Add asparagus tips. Cook for another 5 minutes.Add tomato puree. Cook for about 30 minutes on medium-low. If sauce seems dry, ladle in a small amount of pasta water to achieve desired consistency.Add cooked pasta to the sauce. Mix well, then remove from heat.Add pancetta, fresh tomatoes, grated pecorino romano and parsley. Toss and serve.

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Homemade edible bouquet recipe

Make Your Own Edible Bouquet!Do you love those edible arrangements you see in commercials and magazines? Before you shell out up to $100 for a bouquet of fruit, why not try your hand at making one? This easy creation is not only beautiful, it's cheap to assemble and makes an amazing gift or addition to a summer spread!

Create a beautiful and delicious bouquet for your next picnic, a birthday party or even a bridal shower. Plus, you can completely customize the shapes to make it unique.

Homemade edible bouquet

Yields 1 medium-sized bouquet

Ingredients: 1 pineapple, peeled1 pound fresh strawberries, stems on1 pound fresh blueberries1 pound fresh raspberriesGrapes (optional)Materials: Vase or decorative ceramic potLong wooden skewersFun shaped metal cookie cuttersStyrofoamDirections: 

Place Styrofoam inside your vase or pot, filling it about two-thirds full. Insert skewers (I used about 12.). Set aside.Ensure the pineapple is completely skinned. Then, lay the pinapple down on its side. Using a sharp knife, cut the pineapple into about 1 to 2-inch slices. Then, using your cookie cutters, cut out different shapes. Insert the fruit through the middle onto the skewers. If you'd prefer, you can skewer grapes on first and top it off with the pineapple.Then, skewer the rest of the fruit until all the skewers are filled. Display and enjoy!

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Thin Mint cookie tart recipe

Use your favorite Girl Scout cookies in a pie

Birds are chirping, flowers are starting to bloom, the weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer. That can only mean one thing: It's Girl Scout cookie time!

It's that time of year when Girl Scouts are out knocking on doors, clad in their badge-covered vests, selling those irresistible boxes of cookies. It's hard to turn them away even if you've already bought a box from every other Girl Scout that came your way. Chances are you'll be buying another box of Girl Scout cookies. If you've ended up with a cupboard full of Thin Mints, this recipe is for you.

Not surprisingly, according to GirlScouts.org, Thin Mints are the bestselling variety of cookie. What's not to love about a chocolate-covered minty wafer? As good as the cookies are on their own, they are equally delightful as the main ingredient in this creamy, chocolaty dessert recipe.

Thin Mint cookie tart recipeIngredients:

Crust:

12 Thin Mint cookies4 graham crackers2 tablespoons sugar4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

16 Thin Mint cookies4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60 percent cacao)1 cup heavy cream2 ounces cream cheese2 eggs

Topping:

3 Thin Mint cookies2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60 percent cacao)1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces1/2 teaspoon light corn syrup3 tablespoons heavy creamDirections:

For crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.Place cookies and graham crackers in a food processor. Pulse until mixture is ground to a fine crumb.In a bowl, stir together cookie mixture, sugar and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom.Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.Remove from oven and let cool.

For filling:

Put cookies in a zip top bag and roughly crush with a rolling pin, leaving some chunks. Reserve.Chop chocolate finely and place in a large bowl.In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream just to a boil. Pour over chopped chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes; then whisk together until completely smooth.Add crushed cookies and cream cheese to chocolate mixture and whisk until incorporated. Lastly, whisk in eggs.Pour mixture into cooled crust.Bake at 350 degrees F for 22 to 24 minutes, until filling is set on edges. (Middle will not be completely set, but will continue to set as it cools.)Let tart cool for at least an hour, and then carefully loosen tart from sides of pan by pushing up from the bottom all the way around the outside. Remove the ring and slide off bottom onto a serving plate.

For topping:

Put cookies in a zip top bag and crush finely with a rolling pin. Reserve.Chop chocolate finely and place in a bowl. Add butter and corn syrup.In a small saucepan, heat cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate and let sit for a few minutes. Whisk until completely smooth.Immediately pour mixture on top of tart and spread evenly to edges. Sprinkle with crushed cookies.Let tart sit at least 15 minutes for topping to set.

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Meatless Monday Chicken-less Florentine

Add A Twist To A Classic!Tried-and-true can rule, but sometimes adding a twist to a classic dish is a good move, too! Try this meatless dish for a fresh take.

It's easy to find meatless products, like soy-based chicken, at most grocery stores, and they taste great, too. This recipe for chicken-less Florentine is a classic dish but with a twist. When you use quick-cooking, soy-based chicken for this recipe, you'll have a fantastic Meatless Monday meal in minutes!

Chicken-less Florentine recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients:2 tablespoons olive oil1/2 red bell pepper, cut into strips, membrane and seeds removed1/4 cup diced onion1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper1/2 teaspoon dried oregano2 garlic cloves, minced3 cups (packed) fresh spinach leaves8 ounces prepackaged meatless chicken strips1/4 cup plain, Greek-style yogurt1 tablespoon butterDirections:

In a saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the red pepper, onion, salt, pepper and oregano, and mix to combine.Cook for 4-5 minutes until the pepper and onion become soft.Add the meatless chicken, spinach and garlic, and mix well for several turns. The spinach will begin to wilt.Turn off the heat, but leave the pan on the burner. Add the yogurt and butter, and mix it in with the other ingredients.Season the dish in the pan with a dash of salt and pepper.Serve on individual plates.

Switch up a classic dish!

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Healthy cooking tips from chef athlete Meg Galvin

Healthy
Cooking TipsCan you really be an athlete and a Cordon Bleu-trained chef? You can if you’re chef Meg Galvin, a marathon runner and one of only 20 female World Master Chefs. And, no, Chef Meg doesn’t run marathons just to burn off all the calories she consumes from the traditional French recipes under her belt. She has dedicated her career to creating healthy – and great-tasting – recipes, and is the healthy chef for SparkPeople.com, America’s largest weight-loss website. Here’s more on the chef athlete and her healthy cooking tips.

Commitment to healthy cuisine

Chef Meg learned early on that the life of a chef (or chef-in-training) was rigorous, with fast-paced days in the hot kitchens, late nights studying and weekends of internships perfecting her techniques. She knew the only way she was going to make it was to take care of herself. "I made a commitment to myself then and there that I needed to stay healthy if I wanted to succeed," Chef Meg recalls.

But a chef's life wasn't the only reason the healthy cooking expert embraced nutritious cuisine. "The commitment to my health and well-being was reinforced when I was working at Shriners Hospitals in Cincinnati, where I was in charge of cooking for children who were recovering from severe burns and other injuries," Chef Meg explains. "Good nutrition is imperative to wound healing, and it truly showed me that what you put into your body is what makes you strong and healthy."

(Over)eating like an athlete

You'd expect Chef Meg to be fit and trim, since she's a marathon runner, but she confides that when she started long-distance running, she actually found herself gaining weight. The lightbulb went on for her as she was training for her first marathon when, after months of preparation, four 20-plus mile training runs, cross-training and the actual race, she actually weighed more. How could that be?

"Easy! I consumed more calories than I burned," Chef Meg exclaims. "I was a ravenous food monster after long runs, grabbing any carbs I could find (such as bread and pastries) and later in the day racing for proteins with loaded fat (burgers and fries!)."

Putting it all together

Chef Meg learned a valuable lesson that applies to us all, super-athlete or not. "I learned later that although I was truly hungry, what my body was really craving was liquid -- thirst often masks itself as hunger," she shares. "As I trained for my next race, I paid as much attention to what I ate and drank before and after workouts as I did to my running. Guess what? I didn't gain weight -- and I lost the weight I put on during that first training season." Chef Meg's commitment to nutrition and healthy living is the secret to her feeling on top of her game; she successfully sets -- then meets and even beats -- fitness goals every year.

A chef athlete's healthy cooking tips

Though most of us don't have a healthy personal chef whipping up our meals, we can still eat well by making small changes in our everyday cooking. Here are a few of Chef Meg's favorite healthy cooking tips.

Give your favorite recipes a makeover

Chef Meg credits her ability to stay slim to giving even the most calorie- and fat-laden recipes a healthy turn. "As a culinary instructor, I am always asked how I stay slim," says the healthy cooking expert. "I realized early on that although I teach primarily classical French cuisine, I can give the recipes a healthy twist." No matter what recipe you want to make, you can find a slimmed-down rendition.

Healthy swaps

Look for ways to swap out fattening ingredients with healthier substitutes. "Instead of hollandaise, made with butter, egg yolks and lemon juice, try a Greek yogurt sauce with herbs," suggests Chef Meg. "Instead of drowning a fresh piece of grilled fish or chicken in a rich sauce, top it with a salsa made from diced seasonal fruits and vegetables."

Combine fiber and protein

Meals containing fiber and protein can not only aid in weight loss and keeping the weight off, they can also keep you running at peak performance. "That brings me to one of my favorite post-run recipes from The SparkPeople Cookbook: wheat berry and broccoli salad," says Chef Meg. "The fiber in the broccoli and the wheat berries fills me up, and I add extra almonds for crunch and even more protein."

Spice up your recipes

Herbs and spices do wonders to add color, flavor and texture to meals without adding a lot of calories. "You can work magic with spices and herbs," says the health-focused chef.

Chef Meg recommends:

Use celery seed as a substitute for salt.Rub a couple of dried spices on your favorite protein instead of a bottled marinade (which are mostly sugar, salt, and fat), then grill it to perfection.Finish as many dishes as you can with a sprinkle fresh chopped herbs.

Be adventurous with herbs and spices to give all of your meals a healthy, mouth-watering change.

Make-ahead meals

Planning ahead is key to eating healthy. "After a long run (or long day), the last thing anyone wants to do is cook," Chef Meg says. "I make [meals] the night before, and they are ready to eat when I get home." A good example is Chef Meg's wheat berry and broccoli salad. "I grab a bowl of this along with some leftover roasted chicken, and the ravenous food monster in me is satisfied!"

Up next: Chef Meg's Wheat Berry and Broccoli Salad recipe >>

Continue »12

Lyme disease Myths, treatment and overtreatment

What You Need To Know About Lyme DiseaseWith summer hiking and camping in full swing, Lyme disease is more of a threat to our health. We've all heard that you need to check yourself for ticks after being in the woods in fear of developing Lyme disease. But the real facts about Lyme disease are hard to find, and some medical professionals are saying that Lyme disease is overdiagnosed and overtreated. We talked with Dr. Steven Soloway, board-certified rheumatologist in Vineland, New Jersey, about the myths, misdiagnoses and treatments for Lyme disease. Don’t go into the woods until you read this.

What is Lyme disease?

According to Dr. Soloway, Lyme disease is a tick-borne infectious disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, an organism that lives on deerticks and can be spread to humans from the bite of an infected tick.

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Lyme disease: Lots of hype and contradictory info

Dr. Soloway warns that people who live in areas where Lyme disease is prevalent should do all they can to prevent getting tick bites. However, he believes there is too much hype about the disease and an overwhelming amount of contradictory information.

"For example, one study indicated that individuals have 25 percent chance of infection if they miss a tick, yet other research suggests the tick has to be attached to the skin for at least two days to transmit the Lyme bacteria," the doctor explains.

Most common Lyme disease myth

"The most common myth is that Lyme is a chronic illness," Dr. Soloway says. "When you hear someone use the phrase 'chronic Lyme disease' they are probably talking about a patient whose arthritis or other symptoms such as headache, fatigue, loss of sleep and joint pain are due to the Lyme infection that was properly treated. " The rheumatologist explains that true chronic Lyme's disease is a life-threatening neurologic illness.

Post-Lyme disease syndromes

Dr. Soloway says there are cases in which people end up with post-Lyme syndromes, which typically fall into two categories.

Post-Lyme synovitis

"People can develop post-Lyme synovitis, in which a patient develops arthritic symptoms after being properly treated for Lyme disease," the doctor explains. He says he treats these patients similarly to how he treats other patients with inflammatory arthritis, such as for rheumatoid arthritis.

Post-Lyme fibromyalgia

Some patients develop post-Lyme fibromyalgia, where they suffer from persistent body aches, sleep loss and depression, according to Dr. Soloway. "Many patients with fibromyalgia feel better with antidepressants and sleep medicine," he adds.

Lyme disease often over-medicated

Dr. Soloway is concerned about the common practice of treating Lyme disease with long-term antibiotics. "The reality is that most patients should only receive a three-week course of oral antibiotics," he explains. "In rare later stage cases or in chronic arthritis, patients may require one or two months of antibiotics. There is no evidence based on data to support a long-term course of antibiotics."

Find a Lyme disease specialist for proper treatment

Physicians who don't specialize in Lyme disease may misdiagnose Lyme disease and prescribe an ineffective treatment. Dr. Soloway suggests, "Go to a specialist like a rheumatologist or infectious disease specialist who has experience in testing for and treating Lyme disease." He also explains that your specialist should conduct a Western blot test to confirm the infection.

Prevention first

If you're going out for a hike or plan to spend time in the woods, wear clothing that protects your skin -- but don't just rely on your clothing to keep you from getting bit. "The single most important thing someone can do is to check their body for ticks after being in an area where they may be present," says Dr. Soloway. "An infected tick must be on the body for 48 hours in order to transmit the infection; so early removal of ticks is essential to Lyme disease prevention. It is also important to use insect repellents with DEET prior to entering areas where ticks may be present."

How to remove a tick

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The 5 health and fitness resolutions you need to make

Health and fitness resolutions need not be complicated affairs, complete with pricey gym memberships, organic meal delivery and juice fasts. Take a step back and focus on simplicity instead.

Resolutions:
Back to basics

We’re not joking; there are a few small but important changes you can make as the New Year approaches that will have you set for a happier, healthier and fitter 2013.

Say no to soda

Put down the can of carbonated sugar (for real) and promise yourself to stop buying soda this year. Not only is it totally devoid of nutrients, all those empty calories add up surprisingly fast. There are 150 calories in a can of Pepsi. If you’re drinking several cans or opting for larger fountain-style sodas, that number can skyrocket. To avoid excess sugar and calories, say no to soda. Drink water instead or water flavored with a squeeze of lemon or lime. Don’t have citrus fruits on hand? Keep some packets of True Citrus on hand (try lemon, grapefruit or orange for starters) to add to your water or sparkling water. These little packs are all-natural, calorie-free and full of flavor.

Cook more (with fresh food)

If you really want to put your health first and lose weight (or maintain it), promise yourself that you’ll get reacquainted with your kitchen — and not just in a reheating things kind of way. Adding more fresh produce to your grocery list is a sure-fire way to look and feel better. The fewer processed foods you eat and the less frequently you grab food on the go, the more opportunity you’ll have to load up on fresh, healthy fruit and vegetables. Not sure where to start? SheKnows has tons of recipes for healthy meals, from appetizers to snacks to mains. You can also hit up culinary-minded pals for advice on how to use all your newly purchased goodies.

Walk everywhere you can

No, you don’t need to get a gym membership (again) this year. All you need to do to keep the weight off is to walk more. And we don’t mean just from your car to the office or to the corner store and back (although every little bit counts). We mean vowing to walk briskly for at least 40 minutes a day, more when you have time. This could take the form of longer walks with the dog, walking to meet friends instead of driving, walking to work or implementing a post-dinner family walk at least three nights a week. All you need is a good pair of shoes or boots and you’re set for a year of extra calories burned.

Ditch the scale

We know what you’re thinking: If you don’t have a scale, how will you keep track of weight loss goals? To that we say, numbers don’t really matter. What matters is how you feel. If your only concern is getting the number on the scale to budge, you won’t be focused on long-term health and fitness. Instead of basing your goals on being a certain size or weighing a certain number of pounds, just make a promise to yourself to make healthy choices to do something active every day.

Get outdoors once a day

Another easy way to ensure you get moving daily in some form is to get your fresh air. It might be cold where you live, but that’s no excuse to stay indoors. Take up an outdoor activity like skating, cross country skiing or snowboarding, or take your workout outdoors. Fresh air is great for your mood and your health, no matter the season. Invest in the right gear to keep you warm and dry, and get outside!

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