That's Fit

Today is my very first Mother's Day as a mom and it's been wonderful. My son (adopted at age 10) made me a card at school and he picked flowers for me yesterday. Today, he's granting my Mother's Day wish by entertaining himself while I work and not begging me to take him to the skate park or the arcade or any of the other places he likes to haunt.

Later, we'll be getting together with my whole family. I have three sisters so, together with our mom, we're a whole house full of moms. As typical with my family, we're going to be celebrating with a potluck. I know one sister is making a lemon pie for dessert and another is making this delicious homemade bread, so I'm determined to bring some healthy dishes to pass.

For starters, I'm going to bring my sesame asparagus. Once upon a time, I'm sure there was an official recipe for it, but I've made it so often I've long stopped measuring and just make it from memory. Here's a similar recipe, though. Cooking Light has many other healthy recipe suggestions for Mother's Day.

I don't know about you, but I love flipping through the pages of Cooking Light magazine (or, really, any gourmet food magazine). The pictures are gorgeous and inspiring, and the recipes are well written -- even I haven't managed to botch any of their recipes. However, while the pictures and dishes send me into a state of bliss, there is something I don't like -- the ingredient lists that run the length of my arm and cost that, plus a leg.

For special occasions, I'm willing to spend a bit extra for special ingredients. However, if I'm looking for an everyday recipe that I can make on a weekly basis, I don't want to have to keep purchasing a huge variety of expensive ingredients. I want a recipe that looks and tastes like a fancy dish, doesn't pack a ton of calories, and doesn't blow my budget every time I make it. Is that so much to ask?

I generally try making the recipe as it's written the first time, and remove or substitute something for the expensive ingredients after I've tasted it. It's not a perfect system, but it works for me. Do you have tricks to keep costs down on would-be cost-prohibitive recipes? Or do you just bite the bullet and make the dishes will all ingredients listed? Or, do you just find healthy recipes that are inexpensive to make in the first place?

If you often eat like a vegetarian, but occasionally garner protein from lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs or dairy -- guess what -- you're a flexitarian. Catchy label. The American Dietetic Association says one-quarter of Americans fit this description as they consume four meatless meals each week.

According to nutrition advocates, flexitarianism is healthy. This varied diet is high in fiber and low in saturated fat. The focus on fruits and vegetables over protein automatically delivers recommended levels of vitamins and minerals. Studies show flexitarians weigh less and face lower risks of stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and colon and prostate cancers.

I just enjoyed three bean portabello chili for dinner -- if I eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow, followed by a salad at dinner, I'm one meatless meal away from becoming a flexitarian! Read more about flexitarianism and four other healthy food trends thanks to Cooking Light.