Sorry it has been a while since I've blogged. It's been a little insane with Christmas sneaking up on me! After celebrating a wonderful Christmas with my amazing family, I decided to share a few of the Christmas goodies we enjoyed.

My family likes to also eat healthfully, and we try to keep that tradition even on the holidays. Yesterday, we ate Cedar Plank Salmon that my dad grilled. We also had an amazing Greek Salad that my aunt made. She filled it with bell peppers (of all colors), cucumbers, olives, grape tomatoes, and feta cheese. It was scrumptious, and I actually ate it for leftovers tonight for dinner! We had several other dishes on Christmas, but these are the 2 that stand out the most.

Since I am a former pastry chef, I am in charge of making the desserts for most family functions and holidays. I decided that I wanted to do something a little lighter this year. I made a pear, apple, and cranberry tart tatin with a whole wheat crust. It went over fantastically!!! We served it with some low fat, low sugar vanilla ice cream. My family loved it.

With this in mind, I would like to share this recipe, so here it is.

Crust:

In a food processor combine:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

To this add and pulse just until combined:

4 oz. unsalted butter (cold)

Next add:

2 tbsp canola oil
3tbsp ice water

Pulse until just comes together and knead on a floured surface to form a ball. Wrap and chill while making the filling.

For Filling:

Mix together:

4 apples, peeled and sliced
4 pears, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp lemon juice

In a 12 inch skillet, mix together:

1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp cinnamon
1tsp ground ginger

Cook this mixture in a skillet until it melts together. Remove from heat, and layer the apples and pears in the pan:

Once you have made a layer of apples and pears sprinkle some dried cranberries, make another layer of apples and pears, and then sprinkle more dried cranberries. Finish with a 3rd layer of apples and pears. Remove from heat, roll out dough, and place on fruit. Place in oven, on 350, for about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for about 5 minutes. Turn skillet over onto a pan lined with parchment. Let sit for 15 minutes to let the tart set. Cut into the desired amount of slices, and serve with light vanilla ice cream.

I hope everyone enjoys this recipe as much as my family did!!!

My Usual Mid-Morning Snack

I often eat 4-5 small meals a day, instead of larger meals. I am always on the go and active, so I tend to get hungry fairly often. I have found that mid-morning is when I become ravenous! I like to eat something with a high amount of protein, and decent amount of carbohydrates. This helps sustain me for several hours, and is a great way to keep my metabolism and energy going throughout the day.

A lot of times I like to eat Greek style yogurt with a small handful of raw almonds. A small handful, for me, is about half a serving (or 15 grams). Some people enjoy the taste of plain Greek style yogurt, but I am a fan of the style with honey added to it. It is a small amount of honey, and does add a few more calories, but if you are careful about your diet, it should not be a problem. Also, if I do eat the plain, I load it up with berries and still add the nuts. It is a super yummy snack!

Welcome to my healthy eating blog!

I've decided to start a healthy eating blog. Not only will this blog follow my day-to-day eating habits, but it will encompass a total healthy lifestyle.

Healthy living does not have to be the sprouts and tofu that many think it is...sprouts and tofu are delicious, by the way! Leading a healthy lifestyle can be fun, interactive, creative, and easy. After receiving my degree in Baking and Pastry Arts from the Culinary Institute of America, I worked for 2 years as a pastry cook before returning to school to continue my education in Nutrition at The University of Tennessee. My love of food, and my passion for nutrition and exercise has led to me to pursue a career in this field. I am also studying journalism, and hope to continue to inspire others to eat and live healthfully.

I will post pictures, recipes, and exercise tips to help others incoporate health into their life. Enjoy!