The Easiest Sangria Cocktail for Weight Loss

Who said you can’t enjoy alcoholic beverages without guilt? Not me. Especially when we’re talking about a refreshing, festive beverage like summer sangria. I used to work as a young chef in Spain. There, Sangria was the new wine. The country gets so hot in the summer that the Spanish prefer a glass of Sangria because…

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8 Secrets of Amazing Food Presentation

If you’ve been following me through my emails and here at Earlytorise.com, you’re probably already cooking lots of delicious food. But how do you make it look as amazing as it tastes? The truth is, we “eat with our eyes first.” Sure, food has to taste good. But it also has to look good. Food…

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Make Your Own Fat-Burning Blueberry-Almond Energy Bars

It’s kind of a requirement if you’re trying to lose weight to have fat-burning foods on hand and ready when you need them. That means snacks, too. Making your own snacks is not only economically savvy, but it will also ensure you avoid the excess sugar and additives in pre-packaged, store bought options. I have…

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The 8 Rules of Cooking For a Crowd

Are you a crowd-feeder? As a chef who owns a fine-dining catering company in Tampa, Florida, I am. We serve elegant dinners for groups ranging from 10 to 350 people. So we know a crowd when we see one. At home, it’s the same thing. Trust me, when we cook for our five children, Carissa…

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Sweet & Savory Fat-Burning Thai Curry (Gluten-Free!)

Since you can’t get enough of them, here’s another easy, fat-burning, gluten-free, one-pot recipe. The beauty with one-pot recipes is that you end up with minimal cleanup and more time to play. And who can say no to that? Plus, this is a lovely curry. Sweet and savory at the same time, a bit spicy…

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Guilt-Free, Chocolate Bourbon Brownies

  I know, I know. A chocolate bourbon brownie sounds too decadent to be healthy. But this guilt free, delicious chocolate dessert will make a believer out of you. Make no mistake about it; this bourbon-infused chocolate brownie is so high in fiber and vitamins that it’s like eating vegetables. In fact, that’s literally the case:…

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Salsa Recipe Made Simple

Irresistibly, we all envision a salsa to be tropical, colorful, somewhat spicy, and so festive! With the right salsa recipe, it can be. There are so many kinds of salsa you can make. From the Mexican Salsa Roja or Salsa Verde, to the Southwestern Avocado-Grilled Corn-Chili, and the Caribbean inspired salsas with fruits like Papaya,…

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My Take on Tabouleh (Hint: There’s a Gluten-Free, Paleo Hack)

CAULIFLOWER TABOULEH If I may say so myself (I’ve been told), this is my best Eat More, Burn More recipe: Cauliflower Tabouleh on page 74 of my cookbook. Here is why: It’s Gluten-Free, it’s Paleo, it’s ultra-fast (20 minutes top), and there isn’t a more categorically fat-burning, no-cook recipe in the entire world. And I…

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10 Benefits of Dairy for Health and Weight Loss

Dairy elimination diets are all the rage these days. The common wisdom seems to be that if you want to lose weight it’s time to switch milk for soy, and ditch the cheese and ice cream. If the prospect of this makes you want to cry, have no fear! There are actually some really compelling reasons…

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No, THIS Popular Restaurant Dish Is NOT Healthy

When I was growing up in the south of France, my mother would always cook a lot of food. Every single meal started with a first course (out of 4!), which was always either salad or soup. Starting with a “first-course” soup is great. It brings much-needed water to your body and whets your appetite…

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Red Quinoa, Artichokes, and Parsley Salad

For the 7 to 8 days of Passover, Jewish families are celebrating freedom from slavery and flight from Egypt. And it all starts with the Seder, where the story of the exodus is told, and elaborate food and wine customs take place. Artichokes and parsley are both staples of Jewish cuisine, and fit very well…

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