Who knew that the health guru Dr. Oz was also a chef? Well, a chef in the home at least. His day job has him giving Oprah Winfrey health and diet advice but during his personal time he likes to cook with his wife. He likes to use the grill when cooking and since his wife doesn’t eat red meat he has learned to do plenty of fish and chicken dishes. In addition, he likes to cook because he can save money and he knows what ingredients are being used. He explained,

“You know exactly what you are putting in your meals rather than trusting someone you don’t know to limit salt, sugar and fat.”

Here’s his latest and greatest dish, a spicy chili.

Dr. Oz’s Spicy Chili Recipe
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ pound ground turkey or ground meat substitute
½ onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15.5 ounces) kidney beans, drained
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add the turkey, onion and garlic and cook for five minutes being sure to stir frequently. Add remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes.

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The Biggest Loser personal trainer Jillian Michaels may have got things wrong with her quick-fix weight-loss supplements, but at least fans of the show can rely on its host, Alison Sweeney, for sensible advice with a healthy recipe.

Alison Sweeney’s Green Beans with Chicken and Crumbled Feta Cheese
Alison’s biggest tip (or trick if you’d like) is to find recipes that include vegetables into the main course.

Only 360 Calories per serving.. Makes about 4 servings.

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 to 4 breasts)
1 tbsp olive oil, plus some for drizzling
1 lemon
6 oz. fresh green beans (½ cup per person)
½ cup fresh feta cheese, crumbled
1 tomato, chopped
½ avocado (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Fry chicken with a dash of olive oil and lemon slices on top for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the chicken when it’s halfway cooked, and squeeze the lemon juice over it. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes. When the chicken is almost ready drop the green beans in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. Strain the green beans, taking them out while they’re still bright green and crispy. Place them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the crumbled feta and the chopped tomato. The green beans must still be warm so the cheese can melt. If you want, slice the avocado and add it. When the chicken is ready, cut it into pieces and add it to the green bean mixture. And viola!

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If you’re feeling guilty about over indulging over Thanksgiving and are worried how much more your weight-loss program can endure over Christmas, why not cook up a healthy side dish along with that turkey and cranberry sauce. And what’s healthier than asparagus? Multi-talented celeb Kristen Chenoweth dished her recipe for broiled asparagus to Us magazine recently.

All you need is 1 pound of trimmed asparagus, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Preheat broiler before coating each asparagus piece in olive oil. You may want to use a baking sheet for this to avoid a messy countertop. Once the veggies are evenly coated, sprinkle the salt and pepper on each of the pieces. Now place the asparagus pieces so they’re all in a single layer and broil for 6 to 8 minutes.

Check on the veggies from time to time by shaking the baking sheet. When the asparagus pieces are tender and slightly charred, they’re done!

“Asparagus is an easy vegetable that tastes great,” the 41-year-old singer and actress told the entertainment news magazine.

Celeb Diet Doc…
Asparagus does a body good… apparently:)

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If you’re like everyone else and are trying to make the most of the last days of summer with the Labor Day weekend, there’s no need to forego your healthy diet for a fatty and greasy barbecue. Oprah’s trainer Bob Greene has created a nutritious, low-calorie recipe just for you.

Greene, who’s been spending his summer in Hawaii, wrote on Get Fit that he’s gotten hooked on grilled fish, and his grilled salmon recipe only contains 228 calories and 9g of fat.

“Grilled Salmon (makes four servings)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound wild salmon fillet
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, including flat parsley, dill, thyme and oregano
2 lemons, cut into thin slices

Directions:
1. Heat grill to medium.
2. On a piece of aluminum foil, spread half of sliced onions, lemons and herbs about the length of the salmon.
3. Lay salmon on top and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with remaining half of lemon, onion and herbs.
4. Cover salmon with a second piece of aluminum foil and crimp sides together. Place on grill and check after about 10 minutes. When salmon changes color (it should be light pink in the middle) and can be flaked with a fork, your fish is done.”

For more healthy eating tips, watch the video below, in which Greene shows you the best foods to buy in the grocery store.

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In her latest GOOP newsletter, actress Gwyneth Paltrow shares her recipe for her version of ‘fast food’ – roast chicken and potatoes.

“I started to learn how to cook when I was about 19. I was going to the University of California, in Santa Barbara, and I was trying to be an actress as well so I kept driving down to LA to audition,” she says at the beginning of the video.” My dad was there working and we sort of started getting into cooking together… It just became our thing. We started watching a lot of cooking channels and over the years it just became a passion.”

In her YouTube video she takes viewers through the preparation from peeling and boiling potatoes to deboning the chicken.

“[Deboning] will cut the cooking time in half because the bones make it more dense and then it just takes longer for the meat next to the bone to get cooked all the way through,” Paltrow says. “Right now I’m working so I’m really interested in quick meals. I can come home from work, whip it in the oven or make a pasta and it’s done.”

If you don’t want to watch the full 7-minute video, Paltrow has also included a text version of the roast chicken recipe (and a yummy farmer’s market salad).

The meal serves 4 and takes only 1 hour to cook and prepare.

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I just had a wonderful time with Olga Aura, a self described health counselor, at her raw chocolate cooking class. I might also add “gourmet raw chef extraordinaire” to her description judging by this raw chocolate cheesecake recipe she made during the class. It was in a word “delicious!” It has an amazing “cheesecake” taste to it, without the dairy. And as you know I am not a fan of dairy for many reasons. This raw cheesecake is frankly tastier than more traditional cheesecakes I have had in the past.

The cheesecake is sweetened with a pinch of stevia. Stevia is made from the leaves of the stevia bush native to South America. You only need a pinch of this stuff as it’s 300x sweeter than sugar, with zero calories. You’ll find Stevia in the supplement aisle of any health food store. There have been health concerns raised about Stevia but after a review of the literature I can say they are pretty much baseless. Btw, stevia has been used safely for centuries in South America and is the number one substitute in Japan. The Stevia taste can be a little tricky. It can have a slight metallic licorice aftertaste. But there is none of that in this recipe, probably for a couple of reasons. Citrus flavors blend nicely with Stevia and the lemon juice probably helped blunt this aftertaste effect. There are also dates in this recipe and this may have helped too.

A raw food diet is very healthy because you’re eating minimally processed foods… that is foods in their most natural state. If you’re a straight vegan be sure you supplement your diet with B12. With Olga’s permission here is the delightful raw chocolate recipe that will amaze you and broaden your horizons as to the possibilities of raw food.

Raw Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust
1 cup dried coconut
1 cup walnuts or pecans
pinch of salt
pinch of stevia
pinch of cayenne

Powder the coconut first in the food processor or blender
Add everything else and process to a sticky consistency.
Press into the bottom of a 6 or a 9 inch spring form pan.
Put into the freezer to set up while you are making the filling.
The nuts need to soaked over night and dried before using to make them more digestible and lower the acid levels.

Filling
1 cup walnut or almond milk
2 cups cashews
1 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup carob or cacao powder
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs soy lecithin
1 tsp vanilla extract
big pinch of stevia
pinch of salt

To make the nut milk soak the nuts over night. Blend with water in a 1:2 ratio. Strain through a mesh cloth or cheese cloth.

Blend all ingredients in a blender, except the coconut oil.
Once the batter is completely smooth add the coconut oil and blend again.
Pour into the crust and smooth the surface with a spatula.

Let the cheesecake set up overnight in the refrigerator or freeze for one hour if serving that day.

This recipe was made entirely in a Vitamix blender which I would say is a must for this recipe. Attempting this in a food processor will be a little tricky in my opinion.

Be sure to check out Olga Aura’s website to learn more about her other cooking classes. Thanks Olga!

Nothing says “summer” more than eating meaty, lip-dripping, watermelon slices on a hot humid day. You may be surprise to know that something so delicious is actually good for you too.

This summertime treat helps boosts blood levels of a powerful antioxidant called lycopene.  Lycopene belongs to a family of compounds known as carotenoids which give many fruits and vegetables their vibrant orange, yellow and red colors. Identified as heart healthy and a cancer fighter, lycopene is responsible for the red color found in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit. Individuals found to have higher lycopene blood levels had a much reduced incidence of heart disease and prostate cancer.

When people think of lycopene they often think of tomatoes, but watermelon actually contains 40% more lycopene than fresh tomatoes by weight. Whereas the cooking process, by releasing lycopene from the cell walls, helps makes lycopene from tomatoes more freely absorbable by the body, watermelon lycopene is just as easily absorbed fresh from the fruit.

Here’s a watermelon recipe that is sure to be a hit around your house…

Watermelon Gazpacho
Here’s a watermelon take on a classic gazpacho traditionally made with tomatoes. Either way, gazpacho is a great way to get your lycopene fix. The extra virgin olive oil adds a silky smoothness to the dish and will help boost you body’s ability to absorb the fat-soluble lycopene.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS
7 cups cut in 3-4 inch segments + 1 cup finely diced watermelon (about 6 lbs with rind)
1 cup diced cucumbers
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 tablespoon of sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup cilantro

DIRECTIONS
Puree in batches 7 cups watermelon in food processor. Transfer to large bowl.
Add remaining 1 cup diced watermelon, cucumbers, bell pepper, and onion to bowl.
Stir in sherry vinegar, add black pepper and garnish with cilantro. Serve chilled.

Enjoy!

With summertime just around the corner, here’s a favorite cantaloupe recipe of mine that’s easy-to-make, incredibly elegant and will help your skin look younger too. Cantaloupe is loaded with sun-protecting betacarotene, the bright-orange pigment found in cantaloupe that is a powerful antioxidant. Better known for its anticancer properties, betacarotene keeps your skin young and healthy by decreasing your skin’s sensitivity to sunburn. Other foods high in betacarotene include carrots, mango, squash, peaches and broccoli.

Another skin-healthy compound, found in this recipe, is limonene which gives citrus peels its bitter taste and has been linked with a reduction in skin cancer. Be sure to use the zest or citrus peels in your dishes as limonene is mainly found in the citrus peels and not in the juice.

While no substitute for sunscreen, it’s good to know that you can help keep your skin young by eating right. I have always been a big fan of getting your vitamins and nutrients from fruits and veggies, especially since the health claims of some vitamin supplements have been called into question.

Cantaloupe with Lemon Zest
I find that the simplest recipes most often taste the best. This elegant summertime favorite is deceptively delicious contrasting the sweetness of cantaloupe with the tang of lemon juice and zest.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Serves 6

INGREDIENTS
1 medium cantaloupe
Juice and zest of 3 lemons

DIRECTIONS
1. Cut cantaloupe in half and remove seeds. Cut each half into 6 slices. Using a paring knife cut away rind in one piece. Re-assemble each cantaloupe slice, putting flesh with rind, and carefully cut each slice into 1/2 inch segments leaving the rind intact.

2. Drizzle lemon juice over each prepared cantaloupe slice. Top with zest and serve. Enjoy