Three Bean Chili  If you’re a Patriots fan preparing for Super Bowl Sunday, then you’re most definitely in need of some comfort food. What better way to fill that void than with a bowl of tasty chili or a big plate of cheesy chili nachos? This recipe is a pretty basic chili that uses traditional ingredients, with a few minor personal touches that I think pushes it over the edge from a good chili to a great one. This dish can be made in 30 minutes and can feed a football team. OK, maybe not, but it definitely serves at least eight.   Ingredients:  You can find almost everything you need for …

White Bean Alfredo Sauce Alfredo is known for its decadence, but it doesn’t have to be. By replacing all that cream and butter with healthy, pureed white beans, you can enjoy all the flavor and texture of an alfredo sauce without any of the guilt. Of course, you can’t expect it to taste exactly like the real thing, but it comes pretty darn close. In addition to being the healthier option, this recipe is a whole lot easier to prepare than a regular alfredo sauce. For all those people who say they can’t cook, this recipe is almost fool-proof. I know there are probably some skeptics out there, …

Broccoli & Tofu Pad Thai This is one of my favorite dishes and, one day, after spending way more than I should on Thai take-out, I went in search of a recipe so I could start perfecting it at home. The sauce is a little heavier than what you would find in a typical Thai restaurant, but the taste is close and it uses ingredients that you most likely already have in your cupboard. This is a great dish to make when your start to get bored with the typical weekly fare and want to mix it up a little. This recipe serves four, but you can easily cut it down to serve one or two people.  Ingredients…

When you come home after a long day at work, hungry and tired, sometimes the last thing you want to do is cook. Before you pick up the phone to order that pizza or greasy Chinese take-out, consider this quick and tasty idea that can feed a family. It uses just a few simple ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. This dish is something my mom and grandmother used to make and was easy enough for me to pick up just from watching them make it.  Ingredients:  A lasagna is only as good as its ingredients, so the key with this recipe is authenticity and quality. You can probably find …

The holidays are all about indulgence, but the New Year is about resolutions: goals, promises and good intentions. Perhaps the most famous of which is the weight-loss goal. For many, it means losing that holiday weight brought on by massive portions and festive desserts. The goal of this dish is to help make that a little easier by providing a healthy option that doesn't compromise flavor. Ingredients: The key to this recipe is the fresh grated Parmesan. It really adds most of the flavor to this dish, so you want to get a good quality cheese. I picked mine up, along with a fresh clove of …

Holiday Recipe: Spiced Oatmeal Bars with White Chocolate and Cranberries Fruitcake was thing that first came to mind when I racked my brain for a holiday recipe, perhaps a variation: fruitcake cookies, fruitcake bars, fruitcake bread. But mid-thought it occurred to me that fruitcake is maybe not the most-liked of holiday treats, so why force myself to overcome a hurdle from the get-go. Might as well start from scratch. So, what makes a holiday recipe? For me, it's a combination of toasty spices, comforting flavors and hearty ingredients, which is exactly what these bars have. This is an …