• Home
  • Store
  • Close to Home
  • Fitness
    • Cardio
    • Strength Training
  • Healthy Families
  • Weight Loss
  • Recipes
    • Veggie-palooza
    • Comfort Food Makeover
    • Detox
    • Easier Than Takeout
    • Fuel The Day Breakfasts
  • Media
    • In the News
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
  • Contact
    • Work With Me
  • Members
Jan 7 2015

Chicken with Zucchini Ribbons and Avocado Pesto

by Marilyn McKenna

“Spiralizing” vegetables is a thing now, did you know? In fact, there are now a variety of spiralizers on the market to do just that: they turn your garden-variety (bad pun intended) veggies into sexy vegetable ribbons. These glamorous vegetable ribbons are turning up everywhere these days. Most recently on my plate. The best thing […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Recipes Tagged With: Avocado Pesto, Chicken Pesto, Zucchini Ribbons

Jan 4 2015

Tex Mex Lasagna

by Marilyn McKenna

Pro Mom Tip: If you call it “casserole” you can count on lots of exasperated sighing and lack of appetite come dinnertime. If you call the same dish “lasagna” they will come running when dinner is served. Four kids and nearly 27 years of parenting speaking here. In this lightened version of Tex Mex Lasagna I […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Recipes Tagged With: Light Casserole, Lightened Tex Mex Lasagna, Tex Mex Lasagna

Jan 4 2015

Classic Hummus

by Marilyn McKenna

This is my “desert island” food. That is, “if you were stuck on a desert island and could only bring one food with you, what would it be?” Mine would be hummus. If I could sneak some baby carrots, celery and grape tomatoes, even better! Makes 2 cups. Ingredients: 2 14oz. cans low-sodium garbanzo beans, […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Recipes Tagged With: Eat Clean Snacks, Hummus

Dec 31 2014

Chocolate Energy Bites

by Marilyn McKenna

  “Forgive me Father, for I have sinned,” I whispered as I put the delectable morsel in my mouth. I chewed slowly, the flavors unleashing an explosion of earthy, sweet, salty goodness in my mouth. If I have to do a little extra time in purgatory, it’ll be totally worth it, I thought. “You know, […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Recipes Tagged With: Chocolate, Chocolate Energy Bites, Energy Bites

Dec 28 2014

Easier Than Takeout Sriracha Beef with Broccoli

by Marilyn McKenna

I’m a latecomer to the sriracha party, but if Time magazine were to pick a “Flavor of the Year” instead of a “Person of the Year,” I think sriracha would be the 2014 winner. It’s everywhere, and in everything. Once you try this simple recipe you’ll know why! Ingredients: 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth 1/4 […]

Filed Under: Easier Than Takeout, Recipes Tagged With: Easier Than Takeout

Dec 27 2014

Eat Clean “Caramel Corn”

by Marilyn McKenna

An evening watching a marathon of “Downton Abbey” was my inspiration to create a healthy, eat clean version of caramel corn. I enjoy the salty goodness of traditional popcorn, but I crave sweets, and I love the idea of creating a healthy version of something ridiculously indulgent such as caramel corn. Enjoy it with “Downton Abbey” or […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Recipes Tagged With: Caramel Corn, Eat Clean, Eat Clean Caramel Corn

Dec 26 2014

Metabolic Detox Tea

by Marilyn McKenna

I’ve been drinking this detox tea every morning for months now and feel so much better than I did before. Don’t get me wrong, detoxing from caffeine was tough. But now that I’m off I can see how the caffeine / sugar roller coaster was messing with my energy level and moods all day long. Try […]

Filed Under: Detox, Recipes Tagged With: Detox Tea, Metabolic Detox Tea, More Energy

Dec 24 2014

Roasted Turkey Breast in Cast Iron Skillet with Herbes de Provence

by Marilyn McKenna

If you’ve never cooked with herbes de provence, I encourage you to try it. Herbes de provence typically contain savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, oregano and, for the American market, lavender leaves. I mix it with olive oil, salt and pepper and simply rub it on the turkey breast before roasting. The smell while it’s cooking is intoxicating and the flavor it imparts is divine. I like to […]

Filed Under: Close to Home, Comfort Food Makeover, Healthy Families, Recipes Tagged With: Cast Iron Skillet, Christmas Eve Dinner, Roasted Turkey Breast

Dec 22 2014

Play nice with sugar and spice

by Marilyn McKenna

I texted my daughters “Wanna make truffles this year?” “YESSSSSSS!!!!” they enthusiastically responded. Making homemade truffles was a Christmas tradition in our house throughout their childhood, but since my weight loss 7+ years ago I haven’t made truffles or any of the other McKenna family favorite holiday treats that I did for so many years. […]

Filed Under: Close to Home, Comfort Food Makeover, Healthy Families, Recipes, Weight Loss Tagged With: Christmas Cookies, Close to Home, Holiday Baking, Sugar Addiction

Dec 21 2014

Slow Cooker Moroccan Stew

by Marilyn McKenna

This is one of my all-time favorite flavor combinations, and it couldn’t possibly be any easier to achieve! Even when I fail to plan ahead and defrost the lamb shanks, I can put them in the slow cooker still frozen on the lowest setting early in the day and still come home to this spicy, […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Easier Than Takeout, Recipes Tagged With: Healthy Comfort Food, Lamb Stew, Moroccan Stew, Slow Cooker

Dec 6 2014

Could a detox jumpstart your weight loss?

by Marilyn McKenna

Filed Under: Detox, Podcasts, Recipes, Weight Loss

Dec 1 2014

Let’s deck the halls! (but first, go help dad clean out the garage)

by Marilyn McKenna

Feliz Navi-dog from Stella! The days after Thanksgiving are a time of excitement as we begin the transition into Christmas or Hanukah mode (some of us faster than others). I’m not a shopper, so my idea of Black Friday is staring at the inside of my eyelids, leaving the lines and crowds to someone else. […]

Filed Under: Close to Home, Comfort Food Makeover, Healthy Families, Recipes Tagged With: Close to Home, Deck the Halls, White Turkey Chili Recipe

Nov 30 2014

Light White Turkey Chili

by Marilyn McKenna

A few days after Thanksgiving and the leftovers are no more welcome than houseguests who have stayed just a little too long. I tossed everything but the leftover turkey I used for this recipe and the cranberry sauce. Besides the turkey, all the other ingredients were things I already had on hand, some because of Thanksgiving, […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Recipes Tagged With: Chili, Comfort Food Makeover, Healthy Recipes, Turkey Chili, White Chili

Nov 25 2014

Bite-sized Thanksgiving desserts to die for

by Marilyn McKenna

BAM! I have got this Thanksgiving dessert thing figured out! Let me just say up front that I am a dessert fiend. I love them all: tarts, crisps, pies, cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, trifles, flans, glacees, gelatos, truffles … you get the picture. I love making them, I love eating them, and I love the leftovers […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Healthy Families, Recipes Tagged With: Cheesecake Bikes, Dessert, Healthy Thanksgiving, Pecan Pie Bites, Pumpkin Pie Bites, Thanksgiving

Nov 23 2014

Skinny Stroganoff

by Marilyn McKenna

When Rob and I got married one of the first gifts he gave me was The New Housekeeping Cookbook (such an optimist, isn’t he?). In it I found what would become a staple for our newlywed dinners, especially those first few cold winters when we lived in Chicago. I’m talking about Beef Stroganoff. All those years ago […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Recipes Tagged With: Comfort Food Makeover, Healthy Dinner Ideas, Stroganoff

Nov 20 2014

Pico de Gallo

by Marilyn McKenna

  Having always taken the easy way out and purchased ready-made pico de gallo, my current detox has got me scrutinizing ingredients in everything. What I found in making my own pico de gallo is that I can tailor it to my own tastes (more peppers, a little less jalapeño) and leave the veggies chunkier […]

Filed Under: Easier Than Takeout, Recipes Tagged With: Healthy Recipes, Pico de Gallo

Nov 19 2014

Gluten-free protein bars

by Marilyn McKenna

This is a recipe makeover of my infamous (in my own mind anyway) Vegan Thumbprint Cookies that I’ve been making for years. This new version’s still vegan, but because I’m doing a metabolic detox and my doctor’s got me off of gluten, I had to redo the recipe without using the whole wheat flour that […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Fuel The Day Breakfasts, Recipes Tagged With: Gluten Free, Protein Bar, Vegan

Nov 16 2014

Skinny Chicken Parmigiana

by Marilyn McKenna

Who doesn’t love Chicken Parm? It’s classic comfort food, but it doesn’t have to be super fattening. I modified traditional Chicken Parm by cutting back on the cheese, but other than that it’s the same dish you’ve always loved. Serves 4. Ingredients: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 cup breadcrumbs 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Recipes Tagged With: Chicken Parmigiana, Skinny Chicken

Nov 16 2014

Gluten-free Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins

by Marilyn McKenna

Yes, I said chocolate … and peanut butter! Did I mention they’re gluten-free and completely vegan?!?! Boom! These crowd-pleasing muffins couldn’t be any easier. I sprinkle dark chocolate chips on them for an extra-decadent touch. Makes 9 muffins. Ingredients: 1 cup creamy peanut butter (or nut butter of choice) 2 very ripe bananas 1/4 cup maple syrup […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Fuel The Day Breakfasts, Recipes Tagged With: Chocolate, Gluten Free, Muffins, Vegan

Nov 14 2014

Podcast: Detox Demystified

by Marilyn McKenna

Filed Under: Detox, Podcasts, Recipes, Weight Loss Tagged With: Detox, Podcast

Nov 11 2014

Winter Slaw

by Marilyn McKenna

This is a beautiful salad to serve at a holiday gathering or anytime you want to serve a fresh, seasonable vegetable in the fall or winter. It’s colorful and light; a perfect complement to nearly any dish. Serves 8. Ingredients: 1 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved and cored 6 kale leaves, stripped of stems 1 […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Easier Than Takeout, Recipes Tagged With: Brussels Sprouts, Kale Salad, Winter Slaw

Nov 8 2014

Roasted Cauliflower and Mushroom Quiche with Quinoa Crust

by Marilyn McKenna

I’ve been wracking my brain trying to come up with a healthier way to make quiche. Everybody loves quiche, whether you’re entertaining or just making a simple Sunday breakfast for the fam. The magic of this recipe is the quinoa crust. It’s got a nutty taste that’s a departure from the standard pie crust, and […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Easier Than Takeout, Fuel The Day Breakfasts, Recipes Tagged With: Cauliflower, Quiche, Quinoa, Vegetarian

Nov 7 2014

Turn a banana into a power snack

by Marilyn McKenna

Bananas are a great, grab-n-go snack that will do your body good any time of day. They’re naturally sweet and packed with potassium, but alone they may not provide the ideal mix of macronutrients to support your body-shaping and weight loss goals. Here’s how to upgrade your banana to a power snack, and really make […]

Filed Under: Recipes, Weight Loss Tagged With: Banana Snack, Healthy Eating, Healthy Snacks

Nov 5 2014

Peanutty Thai Noodles with Chicken and Sugar Snap Peas

by Marilyn McKenna

This recipe is literally faster than finding your car keys to go get take out. Well, it is if you’re me. Anyway, this super simple recipe is a great weeknight family favorite that pairs creamy peanut butter with crunchy snap peas. You can get the chicken cooked and all of the other ingredients prepped while […]

Filed Under: Easier Than Takeout, Recipes Tagged With: Chicken Recipe, Super Simple Chicken, Thai Noodles

Nov 2 2014

Chicken Cashew Lettuce Wraps

by Marilyn McKenna

Ditching the tortilla (or rice, or bread, or pita, or naan) in favor of a crisp, fresh lettuce leaf is one of the easiest ways to cut calories and carbs from your favorite wrap. After all, the tortilla (or rice … or bread) is just a way to hold the delicious stuff inside! The yummy stuff inside this […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Easier Than Takeout, Recipes Tagged With: Chicken Lettuce Wrap

Oct 29 2014

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup

by Marilyn McKenna

Not only does this sound like a cozy way to warm up on a chilly fall day, it’s a delicious way to do it too! I’ve done a “healthy make over” of a popular soup recipe to drop calories and fat, so we can enjoy this comforting favorite without wrecking our healthy living goals. After all, sweaters […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Recipes Tagged With: Cheeseburger Soup, Slow Cooker, Soup

Oct 22 2014

Grab-n-go breakfast sandwich

by Marilyn McKenna

Put down that nasty protein bar! I know you’re in a hurry. I know you’ve got hungry mouths to feed. Me too! In addition to the “make ahead” versatility of this grab-n-go breakfast sandwich, there are nearly infinite ways you can put it together. Top it with smoked salmon for a super healthy yet decadent […]

Filed Under: Fuel The Day Breakfasts, Recipes Tagged With: Breakfast Sandwich, Healthy Recipes

Oct 19 2014

Skinny Drop Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie

by Marilyn McKenna

What could be more comforting than chicken pot pie? Traditional chicken pot pie has a pie crust on both the top and bottom, meaning it’s loaded with fat. Here we’ve not only substituted a lower fat biscuit for the pie crust, but replaced the starchy potatoes with turnips and added mushrooms for an earthy flavor. […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Recipes Tagged With: Chicken Pot Pie

Oct 17 2014

Lifestyle change: buzz word or buy-in?

by Taryn Langlois

If you’re like most people, you’ve tried to change your health habits before. You’ve started and stopped diets and exercise plans at least once, if not many times in your life. You start each new plan or program with renewed zeal. You start out strong. You eat only 1200 calories per day (or less), you track your food, […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Healthy Families, Recipes Tagged With: Buzz Word, Lifestyle Change

Oct 15 2014

Butternut Squash Sandwich with Goat Cheese and Apples

by Marilyn McKenna

What’s the best possible sandwich? One that has all of your favorite ingredients in it! By that definition then, this is my favorite sandwich. It’s vegetarian, but could easily benefit from the addition of roasted chicken or sliced turkey breast. Make a big batch of the Roasted Butternut Squash with Green Apples and Candied Walnuts […]

Filed Under: Easier Than Takeout, Recipes Tagged With: Apples, Butternut Squash, Fall Sandwich, Goat Cheese, Vegetarian Sandwich

Oct 15 2014

Badass Green Protein Smoothie

by Marilyn McKenna

I finally came up with a green smoothie that actually tastes good and is super healthy! The secret is to use frozen kale + banana and mango, which are super sweet. The result is a smoothie that is nutritious and filling, but even better it’s creamy and delicious! Ingredients: 1 scoop vanilla protein powder 1 […]

Filed Under: Detox, Easier Than Takeout, Fuel The Day Breakfasts, Recipes, Weight Loss Tagged With: Green Protein Smoothie, Green Smoothie, Healthy Green Smoothie

Oct 12 2014

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

by Marilyn McKenna

Chicken Tikka Masala with basmati rice is a classic Indian dish that lends itself well to slow cooking. Having said that, this is more of a Sunday dish than a weeknight dinner, in my mind. Browning the chicken, onion and garlic ahead of time is not something I can handle at 7am on a weekday, […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Easier Than Takeout, Recipes Tagged With: Chicken Tikka Marsala, Healthy Recipes, Indian Food

Oct 8 2014

Slow Cooker Healthy Apple Cranberry Crisp

by Marilyn McKenna

I’m always looking for shortcuts to cut my kitchen time and using the slow cooker is one of the best ways there is. I chopped up apples while I was making dinner tonight, tossed them in the slow cooker, crumbled up the topping, topped the apples with it, put the lid on the cooker and set […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Recipes Tagged With: Apple Crisp, Healthy Recipes, Slow Cooker

Oct 7 2014

Overnight steel cut oatmeal

by Marilyn McKenna

Steel cut (Irish) oats are the least processed type of oat cereal. The toasted oat groats are simply chopped into chunks the size of a sesame seed. The nutritional profile of steel cut oats and old-fashioned rolled oats is virtually identical, but the slow-cooking nature of steel cut oats makes them a superior candidate for […]

Filed Under: Fuel The Day Breakfasts, Recipes Tagged With: Breakfast, Slow Cooker, Steel Cut Oatmeal

Oct 5 2014

Slow Cooker Sesame Ginger Chicken

by Marilyn McKenna

Fall means it’s time to break out the slow cooker! What could be better than putting a few ingredients in before leaving for work and coming home to a warm, comforting and healthy meal?! This one’s just as good as any takeout you’ll find, plus you control the ingredients, so you know it’s good for […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Easier Than Takeout, Recipes Tagged With: Sesame Chicken, Slow Cooker

Sep 18 2014

OMG! Who knew oatmeal could be so funny??? (brought to you by the letter “O”)

by Marilyn McKenna

Oh. I guess you were thinking this was going to be about the health benefits of oatmeal. That’s understandable. It’s not. It’s about THE Oatmeal. The Oatmeal is the website and comic drawn by very funny guy and fellow Pacific Northwest resident, Matthew Inman. My introduction to The Oatmeal came by way of a Twitter […]

Filed Under: Fuel The Day Breakfasts, Recipes, Weight Loss Tagged With: Oatmeal

Sep 15 2014

L is for Lazy (and Lentils)

by Marilyn McKenna

Lentils are lazy legumes. (How could I possibly have resisted saying that for “L”? I simply do not have that much self-control.) I mean yes, they’re really good for you. And yes, they come in lots of pretty colors. But as I pointed out in “Tales of the Laziest (Healthy) Cook in North America” I […]

Filed Under: Recipes, Weight Loss

Sep 12 2014

(Drink Your) Greens Juice

by Marilyn McKenna

This is my variation on a popular green juice recipe. Do like I did; try lots of different combinations to come up with one that suits your palate. As long as your drink is primarily vegetables … and you love it! … you can’t go wrong! I don’t own a juicer, so I prep my […]

Filed Under: Detox, Easier Than Takeout, Fuel The Day Breakfasts, Recipes, Weight Loss Tagged With: Juice

Sep 12 2014

J is for Juice

by Marilyn McKenna

I’m not willing to go so far as to say that fruit juice is junk food, but I will say, it’s not terribly helpful when you’re trying to lose weight. Fruit juice is high is sugar, and because it’s stripped of naturally occurring fiber, it goes down very quickly. Fiber slows down calorie consumption because […]

Filed Under: Detox, Recipes, Weight Loss Tagged With: Juice

Sep 8 2014

F is for Frozen Foods

by Marilyn McKenna

Fabulous frozen foods fulfill your fit food fantasies! Try to say that three times fast! If you haven’t already guessed, today’s ABCs of weight loss are brought to you by the letter … The plethora of healthy convenience foods that are available in your average grocery store these days is nothing short of miraculous. Nowhere […]

Filed Under: Close to Home, Recipes, Weight Loss Tagged With: Frozen Foods

Sep 7 2014

E is for Edamame

by Marilyn McKenna

In the ABCs of weight loss, it’s hard to limit myself to just one “E” (… Exercise … Eat right) but if I must, then it’s gotta be Edamame! Edamame are a naturally low-fat source of protein and fiber. Buy them frozen, already shelled and simply drop them in boiling water for a couple of […]

Filed Under: Recipes, Weight Loss Tagged With: Edamame

Sep 5 2014

Greek Edamame Salad

by Marilyn McKenna

This salad is great on its own for lunch, as a side to chicken or fish for dinner, or over lettuce anytime! Edamame are high in protein and fiber, but low in fat. They’re also a great way to add vegetable protein to your diet. Ingredients: 16 oz. bag frozen, shelled edamame 1 English cucumber, […]

Filed Under: Easier Than Takeout, Recipes

Sep 3 2014

B is for Beets

by Marilyn McKenna

More ABCs of weight loss, and if “A” is for avocado, then… … is for beets! Beets are on more “Top Superfoods” lists than I can count. There are scads of reasons to eat beets, and even more delectable ways to eat them. Let’s take a look! 5 reasons you can’t “beet” ‘em: Lower blood […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Detox, Easier Than Takeout, Fuel The Day Breakfasts, Recipes, Weight Loss

Aug 29 2014

Warm Caprese Salad

by Marilyn McKenna

I feel like I’m reciting the words from Green Eggs & Ham when I’m talking about Caprese Salad. I would eat it on a plane; I would eat it on a train I would eat it in a car; I would travel near and far Whether you like it warm, cold, in a boat or […]

Filed Under: Easier Than Takeout, Recipes

Aug 22 2014

Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad

by sermodigital

Enjoy this sweet, crunchy salad in the waning days of summer. It can be served warm, cold or even room temperature. Try stuffing a corn tortilla with it and topping with a bit of cheddar cheese and a dollop of nonfat Greek yogurt for a vegetarian main dish! Ingredients: 4 ears of sweet corn on […]

Filed Under: Easier Than Takeout, Recipes

Aug 15 2014

Zucchini Patties

by Marilyn McKenna

These usually have breadcrumbs and tons of cheese in them – then they’re fried in oil. Does it taste good? Pfffft, of course! Does it turn a perfectly good vegetable into something unhealthy? Yes! Instead, I reduced the amount of cheese, added quinoa rather than breadcrumbs, then cooked them in a nonstick skillet with olive […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Easier Than Takeout, Recipes

Jul 25 2014

Creamy Iced Latte Popsicles

by Marilyn McKenna

You can make this using leftover coffee from your morning pot (not there’s ever any leftover at my house!) or use instant espresso powder, like I used here. Great afternoon pick-me-up on a hot summer day! Ingredients: 1 T instant espresso powder 1 cup boiling water 1 T no-calorie sweetener (such as Stevia) 1 cup […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Easier Than Takeout, Recipes

Jul 24 2014

Mixed Berry Greek Yogurt Popsicle

by Marilyn McKenna

These two ingredients can stand-alone and are among my favorites. Combined, they are to die for! Ingredients: 1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries 8 oz. high-quality mixed berry Greek yogurt (such as Chobani or – my fave – Ellenos) Directions: Divide berries evenly among popsicle molds. Spoon yogurt over top of berries, place stick/handle […]

Filed Under: Easier Than Takeout, Recipes

Jul 23 2014

Blueberry Banana Popsicle

by Marilyn McKenna

This is perfect for blueberries and bananas that may be just a bit past their prime. Blend and enjoy! Ingredients: 1 overripe banana 1 cup blueberries 12 oz. can diet sparkling blueberry pomegranate juice (such as Ocean Spray) Directions: Put all ingredients in blender to combine until smooth. Divide mixture among popsicle molds, freeze and […]

Filed Under: Comfort Food Makeover, Easier Than Takeout, Recipes

Jul 22 2014

Lemon Curd Coconut Popsicle

by Marilyn McKenna

There aren’t many reasons I turn on my stove during the summer, but making lemon curd from fresh lemons is one of them! Lemon curd is a tart, sweet and magical addition to these fun popsicles. Ingredients: 1/3 cup unrefined organic coconut oil 2/3 cup sugar 2 eggs 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 1/4 tsp […]

Filed Under: Easier Than Takeout, Recipes

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Next Page »

#ItMatters Store

  • 28 Days to Overcoming Food Addiction eBook $57.95
  • Eat Like It Matters Book $13.95

Recent Posts

  • Finding Second Gear

    Finding Second Gear

  • The easiest interval workout in the history of the universe

    The easiest interval workout in the history of the universe

  • Digging myself out of depression

    Digging myself out of depression

Copyright © 2015 Marilyn McKenna | Privacy Policy
You should always consult a doctor before changing your diet or starting a new exercise regimen.