Remember this time-tested principle:
If you want to reduce the number of calories you consume each day without feeling hungry, eat early and often. A study from the University of Texas, El Paso, found that the fewer calories subjects ate during the day, the more total calories they ate during the whole day. Eating a good breakfast moderates the appetite throughout the day, so you don't pig out when you finally do get around to eating. So eat breakfast!! Other research shows that its best not to skip any meals, and to eat healthy snacks between meals too. Individuals who eat frequently (four to six times) throughout the day eat fewer total calories and experience less hunger than those who eat just two or three times a day.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup trans fat-free margarine with 8 grams of fat per tablespoon
1/2 cup Splenda®
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup egg substitute (or 1 egg)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (or substitute whole-wheat flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups Kashi Go Lean® cereal
1/2-cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup shredded or flaked coconut (optional)

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line jellyroll pan or large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Add margarine, Splenda®, and brown sugar to large mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until well combined. Add egg substitute (or egg) and vanilla and beat until well blended.
3. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a 2-cup measure and blend together with fork. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to mixing bowl with margarine mixture. Beat on low just until combined.
4. Stir in cereal, coconut (if desired) and mini chocolate chips, by hand.
5. Use cookie scoop or 1/8 cup measure to form each cookie on prepared jellyroll pan. Bake for about 10 minutes or until just starting to brown on edges.
Yields 28 cookies

Nutritional Information:
Per cookie (without coconut): 73 calories, 2 g protein, 10 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 104 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 39%.

__________________________________

Sole with Grapes

Ingredients:
4 filets of sole (about 5 ounces each)
1 cup seedless green grapes
2 lemons
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Heat up an indoor or outdoor grill.
2. Clean and rinse the sole filets. Season with salt and pepper. Place the filets on a rack covered with aluminum foil. Grill slowly for 10 minutes; turning them after 5 minutes.
3. Squeeze the lemon juice into a bowl. Rinse the grapes and cut into halves. Put grape halves in a pan with lemon juice and simmer slowly for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Slice the second lemon. Place a cooked sole on each plate.
5. Sprinkle with the grapes and lemon juice. Garnish with lemon slices and serve hot.
Yields 4 servings

Healthy Snack Mix
This fruit and nut mixture offers a taste of nature, with pumpkin spice and dried cranberries.

Ingredients:
1 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries
1/2 cup unsalted or lightly salted roasted almonds or sunflower seeds
1 1/2 cup unsalted or lightly salted roasted peanuts
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup white chocolate chips (optional)

Preparation:
Add all of the ingredients to a gallon size plastic bag and seal. Toss the bag around to mix all of the ingredients well.
Yields 3 1/2 cups or 10 servings (1/3 cup each);

Nutritional Information:
Per serving (1/3 cup each): 208 calories, 7 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate, 14.5 g fat (1.9 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 2 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 56%.

__________________________________

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Ingredients:
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce (or substitute other types of lettuce)
1 cup chopped, vine-ripened tomatoes
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced
2 green onions, white and part of the green, chopped
2/3 cup canned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2/3 cup reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or use soy cheddar cheese)
1/4 cup sliced black olives (optional)
Dressing:
1/3 cup of your favorite salsa
1/3 cup fat-free sour cream.
Garnish:
2 ounces reduced-fat tortilla chips, broken slightly (or use regular tortilla chips).

Preparation:
1. Combine lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, green onions, kidney beans, cheese, and black olives, if desired, in a large serving bowl and toss to blend.
2. In a 2 cup measure, blend salsa with sour cream until fairly smooth. Drizzle over the salad ingredients and toss to blend well.
3. Sprinkle the chip pieces over the tops and serve!
Yields 4 servings

Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 282 calories, 13 g protein, 30 g carbohydrate, 13 g fat (3.7 g saturated fat, 7.1 g monounsaturated fat, 1.6 g polyunsaturated fat), 10 mg cholesterol, 7.5 g fiber, 350 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 42%.