When you hear that someone is vegetarian, your first assumption is that they must be healthy! And while many are, if vegetarians aren’t careful, it can be very easy to replace meat with bread, pasta, and other starches. So, that’s why we compiled our favorite healthy vegetarian recipes to make it easy!

From light snacks and nutritious breakfasts to easy vegetarian dinner recipes, like veggie burgers, zucchini boats, and healthy vegetarian side dishes, there are plenty of recipes to try out whether you live a meat-free life or just prefer to enjoy an occasional meatless meal. Even if you’re a self-proclaimed carnivore (we’re actually omnivores by nature), you may enjoy having these healthy vegetarian recipes. After all, we could certainly all use more vegetables in our lives and passing on eating meat for some meals won’t hurt us one bit.

Are you a vegetarian or do you just enjoy the occasional healthy vegetarian dinner recipe? Let us know in the comments below, along with your favorite healthy vegetarian recipes.

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A lot of us are trying to eat healthier these days so that we can live longer, more active lives to be around for our children and grandchildren as long as possible. But we also still want to enjoy our food. I’d be lying if I said I never ate fried chicken or mac & cheese anymore, but I don’t always go for the full version. In 2015, I released a book, Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, with 250 lightened up recipes, including plenty of healthy Southern recipes, like Oven-Fried Green Tomatoes, Pecan-Crusted Chicken Thighs, and Southern Potatoes Gratiné.

If you’re looking for healthy Southern recipes, look no further. I’ve got ‘em for you right here.

Love & best dishes,

Paula

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After all, enjoying what you love in moderation is the key to not falling off the healthy-eating wagon and going overboard. In the spirit of staying on track and satisfying your sweet tooth, we pulled together some guilt-free sweets. Your taste buds AND your waistline will thank you!

What are your favorite guilt-free healthy dessert recipes? Share them in the comments section. We are always looking for new ideas to help keep us on track!

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Whether your focus this year is on your physical health, work, relationships, spirituality, or anything else, what we eat has a big impact on our attitude and also on the decisions we make. When we eat good food, our body finds its ideal weight. When we’re at our ideal weight, we function better and everything around us improves, just like that.

If you want to shed those extra holiday pounds, find balance, and feel good, you’re in the right place. Here are some easy tips that will help you find health and your ideal weight:

1. Drink at least 8 glasses (64 oz.) of water a day. This will keep you hydrated and will help your body flush toxins. If you stay hydrated, your body won’t confuse hunger with anxiety or boredom.

2. Eat real foods. Avoid packaged stuff, and eat as close to the earth as possible. This way, you’ll be fueling your body with the best nutrients that our planet has to offer.

3. Start every meal with fresh fruit or a salad. This is a great way to add vitamins, minerals, and fiber to your daily diet. This will also fill you up so you’ll only eat the necessary amounts of your main dish.

4. Listen to your body. Eat when you’re hungry, and don’t eat when you’re not. Chew each bite 30-50 times to make sure you’re eating only the necessary amounts of food your body really needs.

5. Move! It’s not news that staying active adds years to your life. Aim for at least 30 minutes of a workout you enjoy 3 times a week. Other tips to include on your daily routine is parking farther from where you need to be, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and using a step tracker to make sure you hit a daily goal.

Enjoy the ride, eat plants, and be ready to shine!

The post Garden Fresh with Claudia Deen: Tips for an Ideal Weight appeared first on Paula Deen.

Bobby loves clean eating, and for years, Bobby took classic Paula dishes and lightened them up on his show, Not My Mama’s Meals. He kept those dishes full of flavor while cutting back on fat, calories, sugar, and more using lighter ingredients. If you need some reassurance that healthier eating can indeed be delicious, look no further than these delicious dishes.

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Though not all salads are healthy, many will provide vitamins and nutrients that may be lacking from your diet if you don’t regularly eat your fruits and vegetables. Kale is rich in fiber and can help lower cholesterol. Strawberries, blueberries, and tomatoes are all loaded with vitamin C and antioxidants. Cheese, eggs and chicken are all great sources of protein. Beets are a great source of folate, iron, and vitamin B6. And that’s just a few of the delicious ingredients that can go into salads!

And because we’re all busy, one thing we love most about salads is how quick they are to put together! Just chop, combine, and toss with your favorite dressing!

To inspire you to start eating more salads, we’ve gathered some of our favorite salads. With these recipes, you’ll never be bored with salads again!

The post Raising the Bar on Salads appeared first on Paula Deen.

Ingredients

• 1 whole cured ham (10 pounds)
• 3/4 cup sugar-free apricot preserves
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons brown or Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Cover a large roasting pan with aluminum foil and place a roasting rack in the pan.
2. Score the fat of the ham in a diamond pattern (see Note). Place the ham on the roasting rack. Bake for 2 hours.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the preserves, brown sugar, mustard, ginger, and pepper. Continue whisking until melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Remove the ham from the oven and spread the glaze all over the ham. Return the ham to the oven and bake until the glaze is thick and slightly caramelized, about 30 minutes more.
5. Transfer the ham to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

 Serves 12

Note: To score the skin of your ham, remove the thick outer rind, leaving behind about a 1/2-inch-thick layer of fat. Using a very sharp knife, lightly slice into the fat to create a diamond pattern over the surface of the fat. The scoring will help to render the fat, making for a tasty, crispy outer layer.

More about Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Recipes All Lightened Up

Paula Deen has lost over 40 pounds and has maintained her weight loss for over two years by swapping out ingredients to reduce fat and calories. Paula’s key to weight loss is moderation and accountability, and one day a week she still enjoys good old southern cooking with biscuits and all. One does not have to give up taste when reducing calories, and these recipes are a testament to that. Paula shares 250 of her favorite recipes lightened up. This brand-new, New York Times best-selling cookbook presents lightened up versions of fifty of her classic southern recipes and presents new recipes that cut the calories but not the delicious taste.

The New-York Times Best-Selling cookbook, Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Favorite Recipes All Lightened Up, is now available now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and your local bookstores!

The post Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Favorite Recipes All Lightened Up, Exclusive: Holiday Baked Ham appeared first on Paula Deen.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 can (28 ounces) no-salt-added crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and 1⁄4 teaspoon of the salt. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, tossing occasionally, until the onion is very tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Stir in the tomatoes and water. Increase the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 1⁄4 cup of the Parmesan into the skillet in an even, pancake-shape mound. Flatten the mound with the back of a spatula. Repeat with a second 1⁄4 cup of the cheese. Cook until the cheese is lacy and the edges and bottom are golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully flip with a thin, flexible spatula. Cook until crisp and golden, about 1 minute. Transfer the crisps to a paper towel–lined plate. Repeat 
with the remaining cheese. Let the crisps cool and then break them into bite-size pieces.
4. Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth (or use an immersion blender to puree right in the pot). Return the soup to the pot over medium heat. Stir in the milk and cook until hot. Ladle into bowls and top with the cheese crisps and basil.

 Serves 4

More about Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Recipes All Lightened Up

Paula Deen has lost over 40 pounds and has maintained her weight loss for over two years by swapping out ingredients to reduce fat and calories. Paula’s key to weight loss is moderation and accountability, and one day a week she still enjoys good old southern cooking with biscuits and all. One does not have to give up taste when reducing calories, and these recipes are a testament to that. Paula shares 250 of her favorite recipes lightened up. This brand-new, New York Times best-selling cookbook presents lightened up versions of fifty of her classic southern recipes and presents new recipes that cut the calories but not the delicious taste.

The New-York Times Best-Selling cookbook, Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Favorite Recipes All Lightened Up, is now available now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and your local bookstores!

The post Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Favorite Recipes All Lightened Up, Exclusive: Cozy Tomato Soup with Parmesan Crisps appeared first on Paula Deen.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) sliced peaches in juice, drained, with 1/4 cup juice reserved 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with the butter.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk in the milk and vanilla until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and arrange the peach slices on top. Drizzle over the reserved juice. Bake for about 40 minutes, until lightly golden and firm to the touch.

Serves 8-10

More about Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Recipes All Lightened Up

Paula Deen has lost over 40 pounds and has maintained her weight loss for over two years by swapping out ingredients to reduce fat and calories. Paula’s key to weight loss is moderation and accountability, and one day a week she still enjoys good old southern cooking with biscuits and all. One does not have to give up taste when reducing calories, and these recipes are a testament to that. Paula shares 250 of her favorite recipes lightened up. This brand-new, New York Times best-selling cookbook presents lightened up versions of fifty of her classic southern recipes and presents new recipes that cut the calories but not the delicious taste.

The New-York Times Best-Selling cookbook, Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Favorite Recipes All Lightened Up, is now available now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and your local bookstores!

The post Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, 250 Favorite Recipes All Lightened Up, Exclusive: All-New Peach Cobbler appeared first on Paula Deen.