Top 11 recipes of ’11 (+ Mr. P’s Top Picks)

2011 has been a fun, tasty year. Thank you for reading, commenting, emailing, and spreading the love. It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone…and that there’s more and more people coming to my corner of the blogosphere to see what’s cookin’. (THANK YOU!)

Did you know that back in June 2009 when I started blogging, Mr. Prevention said I wouldn’t consistently blog for a month? Boy, was he wrong. Here we are 2 1/2 years and over 900 posts later!

Sometimes people ask me why I post, much less (most) every day. And I think the answer is that you make time for the things in your life that you enjoy the most. I have found blogging to be an outlet for me and my kitchen and I feel privileged to not only share it with the world, but to help others discover healthy food can be absolutely delicious and not be made up of all sorts of “weird”, impossible-to-find, or insanely expensive ingredients.

That said, here are my hand-picked favorite recipes from 2011!

#1: Cajun Chicken Pasta. This dish was high-rated! Simple to make, a bit spicy, healthy, and $1.50 per serving!

#2: Coriander Tofu Toastadas with Refried Beans and Fennel. This was such a fun 30-minute meal with lots of flavor! Even if you don’t love tofu, you’ll probably love these. The combination of flavors here is killer!

#3: Biscuits and Peppered Sausage Gravy. A guilty pleasure for under 500 calories. My best friend and I can’t stop talking about these!

#4: Baked Dijon Salmon. This was quick and classy. Salmon never tasted, or looked so good!

#5: Stone Fruit Almond Breakfast Crisp. Bookmark this for summer when stone fruit is in season again. (You can thank me later.) This was nearly breath-taking it was SO good. You know a breakfast is good when it’s not only healthy, but may be mistaken for dessert 😉

#6: Chipotle Burrito Bowl. Recreate your favorite Chipotle meal at home – such a fun meal! Healthy, too!

#7: Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese. So cheesy, so good. Mac for under 400 calories? Even better.

#8: Roasted Tomato Soup. Once you make tomato soup with fresh tomatoes, you’ll never go back. This soup came in at 141 calories (for 1 1/2 cups!) and only $1.19 per serving. Pair this with a grilled cheese and you’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven 🙂

#9: Summer Sweet Corn Fettucine. This dish was my favorite from the summer. Mr. Prevention wasn’t totally on board with this one, but I still declare this a favorite! Summer comfort food!

#10: The Best Vegetable Soup. The name is all too appropriate. Fresh herbs make this soup rich with flavor and very kind on the waistline — 103 calories for a 2 cup serving!

#11: Lighter Chicken Parmesan. Why fry when you can bake to a crispy perfection? This dish is delicious and perfect for any and all. Low-carb, too!

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Those are my top picks. And here are Mr. Prevention’s top 3.

Chicago-Style Deep Dish. Certainly not a healthy recipe, but it sure was good. Really good. Not surprising this recipe is mentioned as a favorite by The Pizza Man himself.

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas. These were a hit and they have been passed along all over Pinterest. It’s no wonder as to why…yum!

Buffalo Chicken Tacos. Another not too surprising favorite of Mr. P’s. These were packed with flavor from buffalo sauce, avocado, and Gorgonzola.

Thanks again for all of your support! We look forward to a healthy & tasty 2012!

Lots of love,