Before heading off for vacation, I enjoy planning healthy meals a month in advance. It can be fun to set a goal and get yourself into your "fighting weight", so when you're packing your bags, you become excited to wear your pretty little dresses and your bathing suits. Who wants to think about calories or carbohydrates, when you're traveling about and looking at the breakfast buffet...not me! I look forward to every meal. I get so excited about sitting down for breakfast, lunch and dinner. So before you go here are a few of my favorite kick starter meals to get you on your way

I've always loved a good turkey burger, and I enjoy making my own. All you need is some ground lean turkey meat, which can be mixed with spices and season to make it taste just oh so yummy for you. Bun or no Bun? That is the question. Want a good ole hardy burger, keep the bun... feel like being a little lean because summer is on its way, go for lettuce wraps. Whether your dressed or undressed, you'll feel great when you make healthy choices.

I buy my turkey meat and veggies from Whole Foods Market. I mix a little olive oil, Italian Herbs and truffle salt. What's a burger without fries! I heat a large skillet and cook on medium for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Garnish with a little mustard, lettuce, tomato, swiss cheese then finish off with a gluten free Bun from Glutenfree Bakehouse Products / 356 Whole Foods Brand organic ketchup / ALEXIA - all natural roasted crinkle cut fries (0g trans fat)

Dress it up - Dress it down...here is the lean version of a turkey burger, and by the way...very tasty. I did leave off the swiss cheese, and passed on the fries, but I promise it still taste great. No bun needed.

I cook with Herbs of Italy quite a bit - Oregano, thyme, basil, garlic, black peppers, tarragon, red bell pepper, chives. California Olive Oil - and just a little truffle salt.

ALEXIA fries are my son's favorite fries.

I use Herbs of Italy to season the fries, just the right amount of flavor. Garnish your burger with any little topping. Here I have added a baby heirloom tomato...so cute

Vegetable Butter lettuce tacos.

Super simple to make/ broccolini and broccoli (I love them both) -cauliflower rice - radishes - avocado - carrots- spicy red pepper - lemon - garlic oil. Heat the oven to 400 degrees - chop your veggies to your liking (leave out the red pepper if you choose) - heat on a baking sheet for 15 minutes - Place in the butter lettuce and garnish with your avocado, radishes - sprinkle the garlic oil on top. I don't find you need any dressing. The garlic oil has a nice flavor and the crunchiness of the cauliflower rice (love the texture) with the radish is so satisfying. Radishes are full of fiber, riboflavin, and potassium, as well as good amounts of copper, vitamin B6, and magnesium. Radishes are a natural cleansing agent for the digestive system, helping to break down stagnant food and toxins that build up over time. They are a staple in my kitchen.

Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar Detoxing Salad - I've been a fan of apple cider vinegar for a few years and I thought this would be a different way to enjoy the benefits, instead of mixing it with water and knocking it back. I love the red cabbage ( pretty pink color...livens up the meal) and once again really easy to make and SO healthy for you. Apple cider vinegar helps with health concerns including diabetes, cancer, heart problems, and high cholesterol. It contains pectin (a naturally occurring substance found in the skin and the core of berries, apples, and other raw fruit) It's also know to cure hiccups and soothe a sore throat. Plenty of reasons to keep in hand in the kitchen pantry.

You will need Red Cabbage - Sea Salt - Red Onion- Olive Oil - Apple Cider Vinegar - Black Pepper - Parsley. Did you know parsley is rich in many vital Vitamins, including Vitamin C, B12, K and A. This means parsley keeps your immune system strong, tones your bones and heals the nervous system too.

What you will need - 1/2 bunch of parsley / 1/2 medium red onion / 1 small red head of cabbage / sea salt & black pepper to taste / 1/4 cup of olive oil ( or less) 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar. Chop the cabbage and the onion in a food processor.

Season with salt and pepper, and add in the chopped parsley. sprinkle olive oil and apple cider vinegar / mix together and serve fresh or cover the bowl -place in the fridge and enjoy for 3 days. Below are 3 different ways to mix in your healthy detox salad.

1) Baked Salmon on a bed of lettuce, grilled peppers & cauliflower 2) Baked Salmon on shredded cabbage salad 3) Baked Chicken with Cesar Salad, and grilled Broccolini.

I'd love for you to share with me some of your favorite healthy salads, and any recipes you've come up with. Let's stay healthy by educating ourselves and stay out of the doctors office!

Lemon Italian Sparkling Mineral Water.

“I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.” W.C. Fields

― Take care of your mind body and spirit, it wants to see your dreams come true. xo janet

Lately, I've heard and read more about Sardines than I ever had before. Of course, the allure of these small guys and their health benefits, are indeed intriguing, and people who eat them seem to experience a long healthy life, and that peaks my interest. Sardines are named after Sardinia, the Italian island where large schools of these fish were once found. While sardines are usually enjoyed fresh, they are most commonly found canned, since they are so perishable. With growing concern over the health of the seas, people are turning to sardines since they are at the bottom of the aquatic food chain, feeding solely on plankton, and therefore do not absorb heavy metals, such as mercury, and contaminants as do some other fish.

1-Cardiovascular / 2-Bone & Joint Health /3 -Cancer Prevention / 4-Eye&Hair /5-Skin&Health /6- Protein

While there are six different types of species of sardines belonging to the Clupeidae family, more than 20 varieties of fish are sold as sardines throughout the world. What these fish share in common is that they are small, saltwater, oily-rich, silvery fish that are soft-boned. In the United States, sardines actually refers to a small herring, and adult sardines are known as pilchards, a name that is commonly used in other parts of the world. Sardines are abundant in the seas of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Mediterranean with Spain, Portugal, France, and Norway being the leading producers of canned sardines.

No one is certain when sardines came onto the scene, but in 1795 Napoleon Bonaparte needed to feed his men, he helped popularize these little guys, (no pun intended)… by initiating the canning of sardines. They were the first fish to be canned in order to feed his army and the citizens of the land which he controlled. It took hundreds of years for the positive results to be discovered. But now with people living to be well in their 100's... and I'm talking healthy peeps. They all have something in common…Sardines

Residents of Acciaroli, a costal village nestled on the Mediterranean Sea, consume a diet rich in wine, rosemary and anchovies. Let's take a look at the lovely rosemary herb.

Rosemary is not only fragrant, it's a good source of iron, calcium, and vitaminB6. Rosemary was traditionally used to help alleviate muscle pain, improve memory, boost the immune and circulatory system, and promote hair growth. Just one more reason to add or increase rosemary into our diets.

Over the weekend I decided to get creative with a few sardine recipes.

Avocado toast with chives / cherry tomatoes / olive oil / No need to add salt. Sardines are already naturally salty. Hermès China. Sardines are one of the highest sources of essential omega-3 fatty acids on the planet, along with other important minerals and vitamins.

Always looking for a moment to mentally escape to Italy. Pizza with basil / cherry tomatoes / chives / Bela Sardines. Why not add a little Rosè for your Italian get-away lunch.

Here's a healthy quick, and light dinner - Arugula salad with green asparagus, poached in water (or grilled) for 1-2 minutes / anchovy filets in olive oil and lemon / Parmesan cheese with fresh lemon and olive oil mixed with chives / slices of toast for dipping in your olive oil / Of course we continue to hear more and more about the benefits of Red Wine. Maybe we don't live in Italy, but we sure have a lot to learn from the healthy Mediterranean. We are living longer so why not live it in good health.

Creating a healthy path for ourselves is not only important it's fun. There is so much to learn about the benefits of healthy eating. When you begin to educate yourself on food, herbs and your body, it will change your life...for the better of course. You can then walk a little further for a little longer with a lot of joy. There's still so much to see in this big beautiful world...

"Ecco a vostra buona salute"... here's to your good health

“If you don’t take care of your body, where are you going to live?” ~Unknown