Sad but true. We gain more weight in the summer than winter months, which goes against popular thinking. We believe we’re eating all kinds of fatty comfort foods when it’s cold out. But many folks are trying to get in shape for summer—only to then blow it on all the barbecues, creamy salads, chips, desserts, and all the fun picnic foods that will turn you into a Fourth of July float.

We got your back. And so does The Healthy Mommy. Cuz we all know mommy ain’t got no time to mess with no mess.

Try this recipe at your holiday cookout. Hey, you might be able to sneak in an extra cocktail with the calories you saved. Win!

Ingredients:
1 tsp lemon zest
Pepper
3oz chicken breast fillets
cooking oil spray
1 whole wheat roll
1/8 medium avocado
1/2 cup mixed lettuce leaves

Directions:
Sprinkle the chicken with lemon zest and a generous amount of pepper on each side.

Lightly spray a frying pan with cooking oil spray over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes each side or until cooked through.

Slice the bun in half and spread one half per serve with avocado. Top with the cooked chicken, lettuce and remaining half of the bun to serve.
​
If you want to turn any of these vegetarian or vegan just swap out the meat for tofu or your favorite meat alternative and take out any cheese!

For those of you who don’t like chocolate, this story ain’t for you.

Now, for the rest of us….

Congrats to Chef Cher Harris, who’s been promoted to the role of Corporate Pastry Chef at Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company.

That sounds like a sweet gig to us! Chef Cher will play an important role in the development of the forthcoming confectionary scratch kitchen, ice cream parlor and largest full-service themed restaurant in Hershey—located in Hershey’s Chocolatetown at Hershypark.

To celebrate Chef Cher’s promotion, here’s a recipe from The Hotel Hershey—in which she served as Executive Pastry Chef.

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted & cooled
3 tablespoons bourbon or 1 teaspoon vanilla
1 package chocolate chips (6 ounce pkg)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell

Derby whipped cream:
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon bourbon or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Combine sugar & cornstarch in a medium sized bowl. Add eggs, butter and bourbon or vanilla extract, mix well. Fold in chocolate chips & pecans. Pour into unbaked pastry shell. Bake 40 minutes at 350°. Cool completely before topping with Derby whipped cream. To prepare topping, whip heavy cream with confectioner's sugar. Add bourbon or vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread over pie. Cooled pie may be covered with foil or plastic wrap and frozen. When ready to serve unwrap frozen pie and warm in preheated oven at 300° for 30 to 45 minutes.

The hit Netflix series “Stranger Things” is back July 4th with its third season that we’ve had to wait way too long for. Yes. We’re fans! The show has become such a pop culture fixture that Nike is rolling out two collections of themed shoes and clothing paying homage to the show. Now, it’s time to get your eat-on—Stranger Things style.

Eleven (the same number as main character, Eleven) Burger King restaurants will serve an Upside Down Whopper starting June 21st. Basically, it’s the same Whopper, but presented upside down. We’re presuming the toppings are on the bottom…

Limited edition t-shirts, pins, ketchup packets, and crowns will also be available. 
​

Oh, but that’s not it. A soft drink purchase will give you a chance at winning swag, free food, cash, airline tickets, a car, or a Stranger Things VIP Experience!

Just glad BK didn’t try to create something that would taste the way the Upside Down looks. Gag.

Why, oh why is there a need to devise bizarre food combos? And why, oh, why is IHOP trying to make its name now as a burger joint. Yes, they have more than pancakes, but when your damned name has pancakes—stick to what you do best (allegedly)—PANCAKES.

Perhaps that’s why they’ve created The Big IHOP Pancake Burger. Ugh. It’s everything you think it is:

“A world-famous buttermilk pancake griddle with Cheddar cheese and layered between two premium steakburger patties, then topped with American cheese, custom-cured hickory-smoked bacon and our signature IHOP sauce.”
​

This isn’t like the third bun in the middle of a Big Mac or Big Boy. This is a pancake. And sure, some people order up those big-ass meals with steak, eggs, and pancakes—but usually the pancake is dressed in the traditional way—with syrup and butter and more syrup.

If you’re game, get ready to spend over $11. Oh, and this burger alone is 1,310 calories. There’s no hopping away from IHOP with those numbers. 

Weddings are a big deal. Yeah, there’s the whole commitment to one another. But in this case we’re talking big deal as in “event.” Gone are the days where you can just have a nice cocktail hour with a signature drink and a couple of appetizers.

Pffft. Amateurs.

PartySlate—an online wedding planning platform for professionals—surveyed its caterers, including Wolfgang Puck Catering, Modern Art Catering, J&L, and more to discover what’s trending with wedding foods.

PartySlate offers these trends. And then we share ours:

Spirit Tasting Stations- A step up from the average open bar
Crack Wise-ing: We could get a psychic to predict how long couples in attendance will be together.

Cheese Wheel Cakes- Savory cake alternatives
Crack Wise-ing: We’re down with this. But we want a nacho cheese fountain.

Artful Presentations- We eat with our eyes first
Crack Wise-ing: So that naked-chick-with-food-on-her-body-buffet is okay?

After Party Food Trucks- To keep the party going
Crack Wise-ing: No. You’ve eaten and drank on our dime. GTFO!

Themed, Interactive desserts- Ditch the cake
Crack Wise-ing: If a dessert is talking to you, you've had too much open bar. Again, GTFO!
​

If you’re a fan of Reese’s and you love ice cream, then these two treats are a must. Dairy Queen recently unveiled two limited-edition Blizzards: Reese’s Peanut Butter Lovers and Reese’s Chocolate Lovers.
​

So whichever way you lean, you can fulfill your love.

But don’t wait too long. Run to your nearest DQ through the end of June. 
See, if you run you’ve exercised. No food guilt!

The perfect idea for millennials to gift their daddies on their day—the gift of health!

The Mediterranean Diet has been named the best overall diet of 2019, and has been shown to help extend your lifespan by nearly a decade. Mediterranean eating centers around seasonal produce, fish and seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy, and small amounts of meats and sweets.
​
So, forgo anything that costs a lot of money. Make dad this delicious recipe. You might get to drain his bank account, errr, enjoy his pleasure for many more years to come.

Ingredients:
For chermoula sauce:
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp unrefined sea salt
1/2 tsp paprika
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
 
4 (3 1/2-oz) tuna steaks

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix the cilantro, parsley, garlic, salt, paprika, and lemon juice and zest together. Whisk in the olive oil. Place the fish in a glass baking dish and pour half of the chermoula sauce over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate for 1 hour. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill the fish, turning once, until firm (about 6–8 minutes). Transfer to a platter, spread with the remaining chermoula sauce, and let stand for 5 minutes to absorb the flavors.

We’re going to learn something today. Or maybe you already knew this, so it’s really only news to us. In any case, cranberries are America’s Original Superfruit.

And now that summer is unofficially here, it’s time to get up on some cranberries!

The Cranberry Marketing Committee (also did not know this existed) wants all of us to be patriotic and host an #AllAmericanCRAN BBQ.

Here’s a healthy and yum recipe you can dig into:

Ingredients:
2 cups water
 Pinch of salt
 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
 1 cup sweetened, dried cranberries
 1/2 cup minced carrots
 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper
 3 Tbsp finely chopped red onion
 3 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
 1/4 tsp. salt
 Pinch ground red pepper

Instructions:
In a small sauce pan, bring water and pinch of salt to a boil over high heat; stir in quinoa, reduce heat and bring to a low simmer. Cover pot and cook until all liquid is absorbed (about 13 minutes).

Remove from heat and transfer to a medium bowl. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
To the bowl of quinoa, stir in cranberries, carrots, peppers, onion and cilantro until mixed.

In a small bowl, mix together lime juice, oil, salt and ground red pepper and pour over quinoa-cranberry mixture; toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Does not have to be served cold.