Typically, when you think about losing weight you think of starving yourself, eating rather bland foods that either taste bad or are tasteless. But that’s not true.

There are many healthy, low fat, low calorie meals that taste great and help you lose weight. Try these tasty and healthy recipes while you are trying to lose weight. Just remember, when losing weight you want to eat smart so you don’t have to go hungry.

Sundried Tomato and Black Olive Dip

Low-fat dip that’s delicious served with cut veggies or baked pita triangles.

1 cup of sun dried tomatoes
1 cup black olives, pitted
1 teaspoon capers, drained
3 large tomatoes, chopped into small pieces
1 tablespoon fresh basil finely chopped (alternatively you can use one half teaspoon dried basil)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Ground black pepper to taste.

Place all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend for approximately 1 minute. You probably don’t need salt as the capers tend to be quite salty but add according to taste. Place mixture in bowl and serve. For a creamier dip add half a cup of plain, low-fat yogurt to mixture and stir.

** gluten free, dairy free.

Zesty Orange Chicken

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
4 ounces orange juice
Zest of one orange
4 orange slices (peel on)
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 garlic clove, crushed and peeled
1 tablespoons oil

Preheat the oven to 325F. In a large bowl mix the orange juice, orange zest, parsley, oregano and garlic. Add a little salt and pepper if desired.

Place the chicken breasts in a non-stick baking pan and make 3 to 4 slashes on the top of each breast. Pour the marinade over the top and then top each breast with an orange slice.

Cook approximately 20 to 30 minutes or until cooked through. Discard orange slices and serve with a side of wild rice and French green beans.

Fast food can be healthy food if you know where to look. And the easiest place to find healthy fast food is in your kitchen.

The new “Pillsbury GOOD FOR YOU!” cookbook can help families with the daily challenge of making fast, healthy and flavorful dinners despite today’s busy schedules.

The book features 170 healthy, delicious recipes that contain less fat, sugar and salt than regular recipes. All can be prepared in 35 minutes or less, with more than half of the recipes taking 20 minutes or less. Here’s a tasty “Super Express” sample:

Spicy Chinese Chicken Tacos

Start to Finish: 20 Minutes

1 box (4.6 oz) taco shells (12 shells)

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (3/4 lb), cut into thin, bite-size strips

1 teaspoon grated gingerroot

1 small clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 large green onion, sliced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

11/2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

1. If desired, heat taco shells as directed on box.

2. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, gingerroot and garlic; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned.

3. Stir in soy sauce, honey, onion and pepper flakes to coat. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center.

4. To serve, place scant 1/4 cup chicken mixture in each taco shell. Top each with lettuce. Serve immediately.

6 servings (2 tacos each)

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories: 180, Calories from Fat: 60% DV, Total Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fat 1.5g, Cholesterol 35mg, Sodium 260mg, Total Carbohydrate 18g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 4g, Protein 14g, Vitamin A 4%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 4%, Iron 6%, Exchanges: 1 Starch, 11/2 Very Lean Meat, 1 Fat; Carbohydrate Choices: 1

Besides delicious recipes, the cookbook also contains quick tips for better nutrition, on-the-go dinner ideas, easy-to-assemble fruit desserts and a pantry makeover. Look for it wherever books are sold.

But, it wasn’t until the time of WWII that Margarine finally became popular in America, even though it was taking up around 40% of the market, since the 1920’s. Formerly prior to WWII, there had been restrictive laws against Margarine which were repealed, and then Margarine became the dietary staple, as was motherhood and apple pie.

Soon after this, it was followed by Crisco and artificial lard. It was also during this same period that refined oils made great inroads into the market place and became attractive to the consumer. It was these refined oils that actually made the manufacturer look great to the housewives of that time. It seems that no one ever noticed that even the insects would not eat of these oils, when any was spilled.

But by this time, it was very evident that these artificial oils and other product were here to stay. No one ever seemed to take note, or gave any thought to the long term consequences on the health of the nation that came with these cheap artificial foods.

The whole period that started in the 1930s up until the present, was increasingly proliferated by a market driven science, one that was out to change consumer food habits. The complete idea was to wean the consumers away from the animal fat and cold pressed vegetable fat and seeds that had worked and was healthy for generations, and entice them to the new refined oils.

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