It is the time of year to set your New Year's resolutions into action. A popular goal for many people is to eat healthier, whether you are  looking to lose weight or just to treat your body better. Broad, long term goals are difficult to achieve because it is hard to stay motivated when the change that you yearn for seems to be nowhere in sight. The best way to reach your ultimate goal is to create short term objectives along with a personal reward system. All of your goals and objectives should be specific and measurable. For example if you want to lose weight in 2011, you should begin with objectives that you are confident that you can meet. You may plan to walk for 30 minutes a day, four times a week; cut your daily calorie intake by 300 calories; eat one serving of fruit each day; and cook a healthy meal twice per week. Once you have stuck to your plan, reward yourself with something like a manicure (not food). Then you can begin to challenge yourself by increasing the intensity of your objectives.

Many people dread healthy eating or dieting because of the foods that they associate it with. It is a common misconception that in order to lose weight, you must eat tiny portions that leave you hungry or bland meals of boiled chicken and steamed vegetables. I feel that many of my recipes offer people a way to enjoy the foods they love, while keeping calories in check. Inspired by my recent New Years trip to New Orleans, this post is proof that southern comfort food can have a place in your healthy diet. Shrimp and Grits is a very common dish in the lower states and is typically loaded with butter, heavy cream, and cheese. After swapping those ingredients for healthier alternatives, the dish was absolutely delicious. It was still creamy, comforting, and full of flavor- everything that Shrimp and Grits should be.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 11x7 or 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a medium sauce pan, combine milk and broth. Bring to a boil.
3. Add grits and salt and stir continuously with a whisk for 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat. Add parmesan and butter. Stir until cheese is melted.
5. Add cream cheese, parsley, chives, garlic, lemon juice, and egg whites. Stir to combine.
6. Transfer grits into baking dish and bake for 25 minutes.
7. In a large skillet, saute shrimp in butter until pink and done (about 5 minutes).
8. Stir cooked shrimp into the baked grits dish.

I know it seems as if I have abandoned by blog since I haven't posted in over a week. But with graduation less than two weeks away, school has completely consumed most of my waking hours. And the little time left has been devoted to painting. I have missed my time in the kitchen and once December 11th arrives I will be back in full force. As final week nears, I fear that the dreaded frozen dinners will make their way from my freezer to my microwave. With that prediction and the fact that it was my dad's birthday, I decided that I would cook something special this weekend. A lot of my recipes are quick, easy, and fairly cheap to prepare; this is not one of those. This recipe for Crab Stuffed Shells is probably one of the best meals that I have ever made. It is perfect for a special occasion or if you want to impress those you are serving. These shells are beyond restaurant worthy, with a fraction of the calories in a restaurant-equivalent dish. With the succulent crab meat and silky cream sauce, nobody would ever guess that they are even remotely healthy. Crabmeat is an excellent source of protein, low in fat and calories. It also provides essential fatty acids, iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous. Since the stuffing of the shells contains very few additional ingredients, the majority is made up of crab meat. So before you set out to make this, be prepared to spend a little more than usual as the crab meat alone cost me $20. I used half king crab meat and half crab claw meat. If you really want to splurge, I am sure that using all king crab meat would be amazing.If you compare the cost of the ingredients to the cost of a meal at a fine dining restaurant, it doesn't seem expensive at all. I love most types of seafood and crab is definitely one of my favorites. This dish is the perfect combination of ingredients to highlight the natural flavor of the crab meat. I have a feeling this will be a request for many birthdays to come.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Cook the pasta just until al dente according to package. Drain noodles. Let them sit in cold water until ready to use.
3. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the bell pepper, celery, and onion. Saute until softened (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.
4. Add the garlic and saute for another 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. For the Béchamel: In a medium pot over medium-low heat, warm the milk until it comes to a gentle simmer.
6. In a separate medium pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter and then whisk in the flour.
7. Cook the butter/flour mixture (roux) for about 3 minutes until golden blonde, whisking constantly.
8. To the roux, add the hot milk, salt and pepper.
9. Bring the mixture to a boil and let boil for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add the cheese, stirring until melted.
10. In a large bowl combine the vegetables, crab, parsley, 1 cup of the Béchamel, and 1/4 tsp salt.
11. Spoon the crab mixture into the shells and arrange in prepared dish. Pour remaining Bechamel over shells.
12. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes.

Authentic Chinese food is one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. The fact that the Chinese center their meals around whole grains, locally farmed vegetables, and lean meats explains why they do not have the obesity epidemic that we do here in the United States. Although Asian restaurants seem to be in abundance in our culture, the typical fare served at these eateries barely resembles the fresh, traditional ingredients. Mainly because of the American demand for such options, most Chinese entrees include white rice, fried meats, and thick sauces. These adaptations lead us far from a nutritious meal; with many menu selections, you would be better off choosing a combo meal from a hamburger joint. Not only are the dishes loaded with saturated fat and calories, but the sodium content is astounding. By following my healthy substitutions, you can slash these statistics in half.

In no way am I trying to convince you that my recipe for Shrimp "Un-fried" Rice is of Chinese authenticity; it is simply a healthier version of an American-Chinese favorite. I would never even consider ordering shrimp fried rice in a restaurant, but I feel good about enjoying this meal at home in its healthier form. The dish is full of flavor provided by whole-grain brown rice, fresh gulf shrimp, and fried rice seasoning mix. I just so happened to have jumbo gulf shrimp in the freezer (thanks to my dad's recent visit to Destin, FL) when preparing this, but any type will work fine. Of course, the fresher, the better.  It is a very simple  recipe that is easy to prepare in large amounts- just double or triple the ingredients. Wok your way to a healthier lifestyle!

• Many places offer steamed entrees that are served with sauce on the side (Dip lightly, Don't pour).
• Begin your meal with a cup of broth-based soup or a small salad (No Crispy Noodles).
• Choose steamed brown rice over white or fried rice.
• Avoid egg rolls, fried foods, and desserts.
• Stay away from the All-You-Can-Eat buffet. 
• Try using chopsticks to take smaller bites.
• Remember that rice has about 200 calories per cup.
• "Sweet and Sour" = "Fat and Sugar"
• Vegetarian labeled dishes are not always the healthiest options.
• Most meals contain 2-3 servings. Split with a friend or box the leftovers.
• Many fast food chains and some fine dining restaurants post their nutrition information online. Check the stats to decide what you should order before you go.
• Enjoy a fortune cookie for only 30 calories.

***If you cannot locate Kikkoman's fried rice seasoning mix, there are other brands on the shelves in the Asian section of your grocery store. Just be sure to read the directions on the packet, as the preparation of the mix may differ slightly.