Making Monday’s evening meal meatless is a great way to feel a little less guilty for any weekend over-indulgence.

Using what you’ve already got in the fridge makes it a double bonus… it helps you get rid of those leftovers!

I came up with this recipe for Baked Quinoa and Carrot Fritters using leftover quinoa and sautéed carrots. I’ve also made something similar with leftover brown rice. It makes a great vegetarian dinner or a side dish.

And even thought I’ve called these “fritters,” technically they’re not because they’re baked not fried.

Click here to see the rest of my post and get the recipe!

This started off as a healthy recipe: spaghetti squash, roasted red pepper and a little garlic.

But then, without warning, it took a luscious turn for the delicious.

Suddenly, it became a rich and decadently creamy dish loaded with flavor: Spaghetti Squash with Alfredo Sauce. I threw in some roasted red peppers for even more WOW.

Okay, so the sauce has a little bit of fat in it. So what?! You’re saving carbs by serving it with the spaghetti squash instead of pasta. And it’s gluten free!

Yep… I’ve always been able to justify all kinds of bad behavior.

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I’ve been waiting all season to get my hands on a whole Brussels sprout stalk so I could roast the entire thing at once.

Have you ever tried doing this? I am telling you the truth: It’s so easy and the presentation is out-of-this-world.

But wait… you say you HATE Brussels sprouts? That’s because you’ve never had them prepared like this: crisp, caramelized and free of that nasty sulfur taste.

Brussels sprouts on the stalk are available right now (obviously).

Here’s what to look for: tightly closed sprouts that are bright green in color on a solid, heavy stalk. The stalk shouldn’t feel rubbery. For more tips on how to select beautiful, loose Brussels sprouts, click here.

I Instagramed a picture of a stalk before I roasted it and I was surprised at how many people said they’ve seen whole stalks in the super markets, but just kept on walking by because, as one reader asked, “How could I make them taste good?”

Well, here’s a recipe to show you how…

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Not up for roasting a whole stalk? Try this recipe: Hot Bacon Salad (made with Brussels Sprouts… yum!).

Shelly asks: I used regular baking potatoes for my potato salad and they basically turned into mush. Are certain potatoes better for certain recipes?

Most of us learn the hard way (or I should say the mush way?) that you can’t use the same type of potato for every recipe. But you should still use the same criteria when you go about selecting potatoes for whatever you’re making:

1. Potatoes should be smooth and they should all be about the same shape and size so they’ll cook evenly.
2. Pass up potatoes that have bad spots, wrinkled skins, cuts, bruises or green coloring.
3. Store fresh potatoes in a cool, dark place… NOT the refrigerator.

Each variety of potato has a “best way” to cook it. Here’s some guidance on how to pick the perfect potato for your particular recipe:

Russet
Bake, mash, French fry, roast

 Red
Boil, steam, roast, sauté, soups, salads, scalloped and au gratin 

 White
Boil, steam mash, French fry, roast, soups, salads, au gratin

Yellow
Mash, steam, bake, boil, roast, French Fry 

Blue/Purple
Boil, steam, bake 

 Fingerling
 Boil, bake, steam

We tend to think of potatoes as villains when it comes to healthy eating. Potatoes aren’t the bad guys, it’s the oil they’re fried in or the sour cream and cheese that they’re topped with… and that has less to do with the potato and more to do with the person eating it!

Potatoes are rich in vitamin C and potassium and loaded with soluble and insoluble fiber (which keeps the digestive tract working and slows down digestion so you feel full longer). A medium baked potato only has 161 calories!

Tomorrow, a yummy delish recipe for your next picnic: All-American Potato Salad (hey, summer’s not over yet!)

(A big shout out to my pals at the United States Potato Board and the Washington State Potato Commission!)