Stephanie Gallagher's Blog

Posted by Stephanie Gallagher

Every holiday is better when you can spend most of the time visiting with family and friends, rather than slaving in the kitchen. With these delicious and easy recipes, you'll have a great Easter dinner -- without all the hassle.

Start with roast pork loin. A simple mustard and maple syrup glaze makes this lean cut of meat especially tasty, and this recipe is fuss-free. Just pop it in the oven and bake.

Make-ahead mashed potatoes are an easy, crowd-pleasing recipe you can prepare the night before.

Fresh asparagus with lemon is a healthy accompaniment to any meal, and makes a refreshingly spring-like vegetable on an Easter table.

And whether you're serving, pork, ham, chicken or turkey, mashed sweet potatoes complete the meal.

Lime Cool Whip Jello mold makes a refreshing sweet side dish or light dessert the whole family will enjoy.

And my low-fat carrot cake is just what everybody craves for dessert at Easter.

Posted by Stephanie Gallagher

Easter is one of the few holidays where you can entertain for brunch, dinner or both!

Personally, I find brunch entertaining much easier. It's not that the recipes are so much easier, it's just that I feel less tired cleaning up at 2 p.m. than at 8.

Here are some of my favorite Easter brunch recipes:

• Breakfast Casserole -- Essentially a strata, this recipe features eggs, turkey bacon, mushrooms, zucchini, peppers and a corn flake topping.
• Sweet Potato Scones -- Slightly sweet and full of flavor, these scones go well with carrot cream cheese spread.
• Blueberry Baked French Toast Casserole -- Sweet and satisfying, this will make you feel like you're staying at a bed and breakfast.
• Spinach Quiche -- Easy and less fat than typical quiche recipes.
• Deviled Eggs -- Easter brunch wouldn't be complete without them!
• Elegant Ambrosia Salad -- Fresh mint gives this recipe a bright note.
• Low-Fat Lemon Bars -- So easy, and less fat than comparable lemon bars.

Posted by Stephanie Gallagher

St. Patrick's Day is coming up, and you don't have to be Irish to celebrate. In fact, many of the foods Americans traditionally eat on St. Patrick's Day are far from authentic.

Corned beef and cabbage is seldom seen in Ireland, but it's a tradition in America. This corned beef and cabbage recipe is super easy to prepare, because it's made in the slow cooker.

Serve it with my low-fat Irish soda bread. Like traditional Irish soda bread, my version has no sugar or raisins, and uses baking soda in place of yeast.

And try my low-fat lemon bars for dessert.

Posted by Stephanie Gallagher

I love shepherd's pie when the weather is cold outside. But I also love experimenting with new flavors. This shepherd's pie recipe is full of fresh new flavors: spicy ancho chili powder, roasted onion and garlic jam and sweet potatoes.

Even better: You can make this shepherd's pie in the Crock-pot. The prep takes a few minutes longer than the typical dump-and-stir Crockpot recipes, but it's worth it. This shepherd's pie is so tasty and flavorful, you'll want to make it again and again.

Posted by Stephanie Gallagher

There are lots of reasons to love salmon: It's high in omega-3 fatty acids, it's low in calories and you don't have to do much to it to make it tastes great.

Consider my baked salmon recipe. Dunk the salmon in an Asian marinade, bake and voila! You have a wonderful tasting meal that takes only a few minutes of active preparation.

My baked salmon with teriyaki sauce is even easier. Just top it with store-bought teriykai sauce, panko and scallions, and bake it. What could be faster?

Use the leftovers to make salmon patties or salmon quesadillas. The kids will love them!

Posted by Stephanie Gallagher

You gotta love a holiday that's dedicated to chocolate and flowers. Oh yeah, and love. That's good, too.

But about the chocolate. Wasn't it just great when researchers discovered that chocolate had antioxidants that were good for you. Sigh. That was a good day in medical history.

How best to enjoy the delicious treat this Valentine's Day? Here are three of my favorite ways:

Chocolate Covered Strawberries -- They're a Valentine's Day classic -- and for good reason. Sweet juicy berries dipped in dark chocolate make these chocolate-covered strawberries a treat for all the senses.

Dark Chocolate Pudding -- Understated elegance. That's what this chocolate pudding recipe is. It doesn't pretend to be a mousse or a torte or a brulee. It's just chocolate pudding. But oh, what a chocolate pudding it is. Dark, rich, and sweet, without being cloying. You will love this recipe.

Flourless Chocolate Cake -- For serious chocolate-lovers, why bother with flour when all you really want to get to is the chocolate anyway, right? Dense and rich without being overly decadent, this cake will satisfy your chocolate craving, indeed.

Posted by Stephanie Gallagher

What better way to show your sweetheart how much you care than with a home-cooked meal? And these Valentine's Day recipes are as healthy as they are delicious.

Start the day off right with strawberry scones and chocolate raspberry smoothies. Or if you have the time, try my chocolate banana french toast. It's bound to get the day started right.

For lunch, warm up with a bowl of broccoli cheese soup or potato soup and my favorite Fuji apple walnut chicken salad (my version of Panera's Fuji apple chicken salad).

You'll want to go all out for dinner, so start with my goat cheese tarts. For the main course, try beef tenderloin or seafood au gratin. My asparagus wrapped in prosciutto is a perfect partner for either the tenderloin or the seafood gratin, and so are fresh green beans with sea salt.

Finish off the meal with flourless chocolate cake or that classic Valentine's Day treat, red velvet cake.

Posted by Stephanie Gallagher

Tomorrow begins the 15-day celebration of the Chinese New Year.

A lot of the rituals and recipes associated with the Chinese New year have to do with bringing good luck. I always say that when you eat good food, you feel good, and you have good luck.

So enjoy these healthy Chinese-inspired recipes for good luck tomorrow and all year long:

• Asian Beef Egg Rolls - So easy -- and you can make them in advance!
• Shrimp Fried Rice -- Low in fat and full of vitamins and minerals, this shrimp fried rice is as healthy as it is tasty.
• Braised Bok Choy -- Low in calories, and laded with vitamin C, this bok choy recipe is quick and easy to prepare.
• Bok Choy Salad -- Spicy wasabi peanuts make this salad a standout winner!

Posted by Stephanie Gallagher

Believe it or not, when I'm in a big hurry, I like to make homemade pizza for dinner. It takes only a few minutes of active cooking time (most of the work for the dough is done by the bread machine).

You just have to plan it in advance. Start the dough in the bread machine about 2 to 2-1/2 hours before you're planning to make the pizza.

My homemade pizza recipe is simple, because I use store-bought sauce. But the smoked mozzarella cheese makes it taste as good as the best takeout you've ever had.

Or switch it up and try my spinach pesto pizza. It's incredibly flavorful, and cooks very fast.

What about dessert? Try my strawberry fruit pizza with chocolate pizza dough. Now that's special!

Posted by Stephanie Gallagher

Whoever the genius was who decided that grocery stores should carry rotisserie chicken deserves a debt of gratitude from yours truly. And I daresay, moms everywhere feel the same.

This moist little birds are not only delicious and healthy main courses in and of themselves, but they provide the perfect starter ingredient to a huge variety of recipes.

Take chicken enchiladas. This layered Mexican casserole tastes every bit as authentic as the chicken enchiladas you'd get in a good Mexican restaurant, but the hardest part -- making the chicken flavorful -- is done for you with rotisserie chicken.

The same is true for my chicken pot pie. A refrigerated pie crust and frozen vegetables cut the work time down considerably.

Fuji apple walnut chicken salad is one of the best tasting dinner salads you'll ever make. And it can be pulled together in less than 15 minutes, thanks to rotisserie chicken.

And even when you know you'll be super busy in the evening, you can make my white chicken chili with rotisserie chicken in the morning, because it's done in the Crockpot.

Give one of these easy recipes a try tonight. Your family will never believe they started with a store-bought rotisserie chicken.

Posted by Stephanie Gallagher

Whether you're feeling sick and need a chicken soup recipe to feel better, or you just want something warm and comforting, soup hits the spot.

I like to make a big batch of creamy vegetable soup or roasted butternut squash soup over the weekend, then eat it all week long.

If you want something that appeals to the kids, try my tomato soup with roasted red peppers or my corn chowder. They're thick and creamy. And they go great with a slice of homemade Italian bread from the bread machine.

Enjoy!

Posted by Stephanie Gallagher

It's hump day. Do you know what you're having for dinner tonight?

With these quick and easy dishes, you'll have dinner on the table in no time (and they're healthy, too):

• Cajun Tilapia -- Spicy and flavorful, this tilapia recipe takes fish to a whole new level. Serve with brown rice.
• Shrimp Fried Rice -- The perfect way to use up leftover rice.
• Crock Pot Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches -- Throw these in the Crockpot in the morning, and have dinner on the table in 10 minutes at night. So easy!
• Turkey Hash -- Save time by buying pre-chopped vegetables, available in the produce section of your local supermarket.
• Chicken Satay -- Marinate the chicken in advance, then make this recipe in just minutes. Good-quality peanut sauces are available in most supermarkets. Use one of those, and you'll save half the prep time for this recipe.

Posted by Stephanie Gallagher

I don't know if it's just a cliche or not, but whenever I have a good breakfast, my whole day goes well.

I wanted to share with you my five favorite healthy breakfast recipes:

1. Chocolate Chip Scones: Flaxseed meal is used to replace some of the fat, but you'd never be able to tell. These scones are bursting with flavor.

2. Antioxidant Smoothies: Made with acai berry juice, these smoothies are refreshing and packed with vitamins and minerals.

3. Blueberry Baked French Toast Casserole: You'll think you're spending the weekend at a bed and breakfast when you make this recipe.

4. Cheerios Breakfast Cookies: These make a great on-the-go breakfast, and they're great for kids, too.

5. Crock Pot Oatmeal: If you've never tried real oatmeal (not the quick-cooking instant stuff), you owe it to yourself to try this recipe. It's my absolute favorite way to start the day in the winter.

Posted by Stephanie Gallagher

So you've made a resolution to eat better this year. Great!

These healthy recipes should help you stay on track. They're all the comfort foods you want to eat when the weather gets cold, but I've tweaked them to make them healthy.

For example, my macaroni and cheese souffle is a soul-satisfying version of the classic mac n cheese. And it is packed with protein, calcium, iron and fiber.

My broccoli cheese soup is velvety smooth and delightfully cheesy, but it has far less fat and calories than the typical broccoli cheese soup.

Or take my baked potato soup. It's rich and creamy, yet far less fattening than the average potato soup. Add some Italian bread and a salad, and you've got a terrific meal.

If you're looking for something sweet to tempt your taste buds, try my Lindt chocolate chip cookies or my flourless chocolate cake.

Remember, you don't have to sacrifice anything to eat well. Just stick to natural foods made with good, wholesome, fresh ingredients and you're halfway there.

The important thing to remember is that you don't have to suffer in order to eat well. You can have macaroni and cheese,