Kale to the King of veggies. Lots of incredible benefits to eating Kale - hardly any calories, lots of fiber, and many other nutrients.

Here's a very easy recipe for enjoying Kale ... cut it up, toss with a little olive oil, and sprinkle a little salt on it. Now, roast it in the oven ... 400 degrees for about 10-minutes. I like them crispy.

So, instead of eating those unhealthy potato chips, try making your own Kale chips. I bought a head of Kale for $1.49. 

Nutrition Information for Kale Chips

A Quinoa Yogurt Parfait ... compliments of Joy Bauer. 

Usually, when I make Quinoa, I add spices and veggies. Then it's a side-dish for my main meal. 

Using it in a parfait demonstrates how many different ways Quinoa can be added to your healthy diet.

Do you ever wonder what's in those "healthy" bars you are purchasing? Wonder no more: Make your own with this simple recipe. Picture below are the ingredients and instructions. 

Source: Original Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Almond Butter or Peanut Butter
1/2 cup honey 
1 cup high fiber cereal - Uncle Sam
1 cup puffed brown rice cereal 
1/2 cup almonds
1/3 cup dried cranberries 
cinnamon  - to taste
pinch of sea salt

Instructions: Thoroughly melt the honey and almond/peanut butter in a small sauce pan, then add the melted mixture to a medium bowl containing the oats, cereal, almonds, dried cranberries, and sea salt. Stir until all is well combined. With wet hands or using a piece of wax paper press the cereal bar mixture into an 8 inch square pan that's been lightly coated in oil and lined with parchment paper. Once the mixture is pressed flat and even set the pan in the fridge for an hour to harden. Remove, cut into individual bars and enjoy.

As a healthy eater, I'm always "hunting and gathering" new foods to eat. I "discovered" quinoa about a year ago. In a word, it's delicious. It's easy to prepare (takes about 15-minutes cooking time) and will take on the flavor of anything you throw in it. 

This version has: black beans, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, peppers (spicy, red, and green), artichokes, and onions. I also added cumin and cayenne pepper. It's a modified version from Allrecipes. 

It's high in protein and fiber. And by adding all these other veggies and beans, it's a health-sensation! So, if you've never tried quinoa, go for it!

Oh yeah, since it's so filling, it can be a meal (I have it for lunch) or a side dish.

One more side benefit: One package makes a tremendous amount. So, put it in the refrigerator and warm it up in the microwave (about 45-seconds).  

Cost: Frequently, I am told that healthy eating is expensive. The ingredients for this cost about $9.00. If I were to have this for lunch, this would serve about 5 meals. That's about $1.80/meal. Yep, that beats out a fast food junk meal.

I'm a big fan of Edamame - easy to prepare and loaded with protein. Here's a spiced up version of plain Edamame. Very simple and delicious: add cranberries and pop it with some Feta cheese. I don't eat a lot of cheese. I usually use a little to pop some flavor. So, if you want to omit the cheese, no problem. It will still taste delicious.

This can be a snack or serve it as a side salad with your main meal.

This tasty treat can be a meal or a snack. It's very flavorful and delicious.

Ingredients: One high fiber wrap, hummus, veggies (peppers, mushrooms, etc.) You can eat the veggies raw or cooked.

This is just one example, of many, that demonstrate a healthy snack/meal can be easy to make and inexpensive.