Poblano peppers are magical.

I’m sure you’ve dived into a plate of them, roasted and stuffed with deliciously gooey cheese. You’ve probably also chipped-dipped the heck out of them in a mild salsa.

Oh… but they’re so much more. They can help you eat healthier and lead a better life (well, eat healthier anyway). Like in this recipe for Fettuccine with Poblano Alfredo.

The poblano peppers add an interesting depth of flavor to this Alfredo sauce and help thicken it. The cream and butter are gone, but you’ll never miss them. I substituted milk for the cream and olive oil for the butter… and let the poblano peppers do all the rest. You’re welcome.

Here’s the recipe… you’re going to love it!

Don’t worry; I’ve still dosed this Fettuccine Alfredo recipe with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. I mean, it’s an Alfredo after all.

I’m not a heretic. (OK…maybe a little bit.)

I know what you’re thinking: “A stew. Really? When it’s so hot and muggy?”

Yes… because this Vietnamese Beef Stew proves that it IS possible for a stew to be light, and, dare I say it, refreshing.

It’s the star anise and cinnamon combination that lifts this stew above the ordinary and gives it a playful summery flavor. Simmering it for hours tenderizes an otherwise tough cut of meat and allows the flavors to deepen and develop.

My inspiration for this stew comes from a similar dish I devoured at James Beard Award-winning Chef Chris Shepherd’s restaurant, Underbelly, in Houston.

I prepared this recipe on top of the stove in my Pauli Cookware. You can also cook it in a crockpot, so that after being out of the house all day enjoying summer, you’ll have a great dinner waiting for you at home!

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Star anise is a key ingredient in this dish… read more about it in my post “What is Star Anise?”
Here’s another delicious dish I think you’ll enjoy… Seafood Cioppino.

You’ve made your resolutions and promises to take better care of yourself, right?

Here’s an easy four-ingredient flavor-packed snack that will indulge your sweet tooth, but has only 40-calories a serving (and it’s all about portion control!)

I came up with this Light and Easy Guava & Cheese Empanada recipe for my pals at Right@Home, the bilingual website that has everything you need to start your New Year right.

In addition to healthy recipes and exercise tips, the Right@Home website has great ideas to help you clean, organize and reduce all that post-holiday clutter. Want to reinvent your living space on a budget? Check out their smart decorating ideas.

Sign up for email alerts with this registration link so you’re the first to know about the website’s special offers and coupons. Click here to sign up!

A New Year and a healthier, more organized you… with Right@Home, SC Johnson’s online resource for information, tips and offers on their products including Glade®, Windex®, Ziploc®, Scrubbing Bubbles®, Pledge®, OFF!®, Raid® and more.

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Pam asks: I followed your recipe for waffles, but they didn’t turn out crisp. Oh, and I added a mashed banana, too.

Well, Pam, it could be a couple of different things, which I’ll talk about in a bit… but I’m willing to bet adding the banana, without adding more flour, may have made the waffles a bit softer than you wanted.

But, I’ll bet they still had terrific flavor!

For every cup of mashed banana, add ¼ cup flour so your waffles can crisp up on the griddle. You only need to add extra flour if  you are using bananas. With most fruit, you can stir it right into the batter. I prefer topping the waffles with fruit, rather than adding it to the mixture, because the waffles can end up looking like something from the “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”  (if you use strawberries, for example).

Here are a few more waffle-related tips so you’ll have wonderful waffles:

• Make sure the waffle iron is clean before you begin… bits of  last month’s batch of waffles will burn (and a dirty appliance is incredibly gross).

• Use a waffle iron with a nonstick coating. If needed, brush with oil or anti-stick spray. Don’t over grease the griddle!

• Mix the batter in a pitcher to make for easier pouring. If the batter is in a bowl, use a measuring cup to equally portion out the batter.

• When pouring the waffle batter on the griddle, use just enough to fill the griddle compartment. Don’t overfill onto the middle separator or off the sides.

• Use chopsticks or wooden skewers to lift waffles from the waffle griddle to help keep the griddle scratch free.

• Keep waffles warm in a single layer on a rack in a 225°F oven. Don’t stack or wrap them… the steam will make them soggy.

• Clean your waffle iron (when it’s cool) with a toothbrush and a damp cloth. Don’t use abrasive cleaners and NEVER submerge an electric waffle griddle.

For light as air waffles: separate the egg and beat the whites to stiff peaks. Then fold the beaten whites into the batter.

For crispy thin waffles: increase the amount of oil by 1 to 2 teaspoons. Use just enough batter to coat the bottom of the waffle griddle.