Best of 2011 & Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I just wanted to take a minute and thank all my wonderful readers, family and friends who have supported me during this blogging adventure. I posted my first recipe on January 17, 2011 and have been cooking, writing and blogging almost every day since. I am so grateful for your comments and emails and I have a ton of ideas to improve this site in 2012.

I just want to say a special thanks to Craig, who is constantly helping out and brainstorming ideas for the blog. He designs recipes, takes photos, and makes last minute trips to the store to get ingredients. Not to mention the fact that the poor guy has to wait while I take photos before eating dinner most nights. I also want to thank my Grandma Jackie, who is my #1 fan and best recipe tester. She has provided me with ideas and feedback and I am so grateful for her help. 

So, to sum up, here are my top 10 most popular and most commented posts. Looking through this list, I am pleased that most of these dishes are healthy makeovers of traditional recipes and popular take out dishes. I have so many light and lean dishes to get us through January! So thanks again for reading!

Kisses & Hugs,

Dara

Gen Y Foodie's Top 10 Recipes of 2011

1. Cuban Style Rice and Beans

READ MORE FOR THE REST OF THE TOP 10!

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Mini Turkey Meatloaves

I don't know about you but I ate a TON this past weekend. My holiday binge was epic. So many delicious dishes and lots of desserts, nuts, chocolates and glasses of wine. The best way to recover from this sort of gluttony is to spend some time making some filling and healthy things to keep in the fridge for when you get hungry. Meatloaf is a delicious comfort food, and turkey  meatloaf is a fabulous way to keep it light. However, sometimes turkey meatloaf can get really dry and coarse. This recipe combines lots of healthy veggies with lean turkey breast for a protein packed and comforting dish.

You can obviously bake this in a loaf pan, but its faster and simpler to just use muffin tins. It cuts down on baking time and makes fabulous single servings. I decided to use my square muffin tin, but feel free to use what you've got. Mini muffin meatloaves would be a great party appetizer!

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South American Squash and Quinoa Soup

As you know, I love squash. Although I hate cold weather, I welcome the many tasty varieties of squash that appear and enjoy developing new recipes that feature this incredibly healthy veggie. Recently, we found this gorgeous Abobora squash at the store. Turns out, Abobora is the most popular variety of squash in Brazil. It was grown here in Massachusetts through a fabulous collaboration between Brazilian and Massachusetts farmers which seeks to research growing and farming conditions, as well as make Brazilian produce locally available here. I was psyched to try out this exotic squash and decided to create a South American inspired soup around it.

This soup is simple, healthy and incredibly flavorful. It features roasted squash with healthy and filling quinoa and some tasty spices. Simple and healthy with a bit of exotic flair. Abobora squash is a Japanese hybrid that has deep orange flesh and a slightly sweet and creamy taste. If you can't find this squash in your hometown, you can substitute Kabocha or Butternut squash.

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Tuesday Links!

Hey guys, after a busy long weekend of non-stop cooking, I am taking a short break. I will be back posting recipes on Thursday. I have lots of healthy, detoxifying things planned for the next few weeks. I also plan on putting together a best of post with some of my favorite recipes of 2011.

In the meantime, here are some healthy links to tide you over!

• Never Get Sick Secrets - Health.com 
• 2011's Health Breakthroughs - HuffPo
• Vitamin D is not a miracle cure - ABC News
• Winter Holidays increase heart attack risks - USAToday
• Boost your smoothies with these super foods - FitSugar
• Is beer as healthy as wine? I hope so! - NYTimes

And here are some wholesome, healthy recipes to help you ring in 2012

• This black eyed peas salad looks so tasty - NY Times
• Yummy Son in Law Eggs - The Mistress of Spices
• Quinoa and Greek Chicken Salad - Cooking Healthy for Me
• Brick Chicken with Pomegranate Cider Sauce - Gastronomic Nomad