Thanks to everyone who participated in the January Blog Hop: Favorite Winter Soup Recipes. We loved all the recipes and appreciate everyone voting to help us pick our winner. We had some fabulous submissions, from vegetable soup to hearty chili and a whole lot more. Every month we are so excited to see what you have been cooking up.

For more hearty winter soups, be sure to check out all of the healthy soup recipes over at FaveDiets.com!

(Editor’s Note: Next month’s blog hop will be held over on the RecipeLion blog, so be sure to check in over there in February for all the details)

Now, the winner of the Quaker prize package is…

The BEST Vegetable Soup. . . . NO LIE! from My Kitchen Adventures!

Just contact us with your name and address, be sure to add FaveDiets Blog Hop Winner – MK in your details. Congrats!

If you are a blogger who would like to participate in future blog hops and would love a monthly email reminder, just send your information through our Contact Us page and you won’t miss a single hop!

Editor’s Note: To see the most popular FaveDiets recipes from the past year, be sure to check out our recipe collection of 10 of the Best Healthy Easy Recipes of 2011.

By Brandi Koskie for DietsInReview.com

It’s the end of 2011 and you’ve seen lists for everything from the best-dressed celebrities to the best iPhone apps for the year. At DietsInReview, we let our readers do the list building, whether it be our most popular diets of the year or our best recipes of the year.

Our readers love a new recipe that inspires them as much as it makes them feel comfortable while they’re trying to make healthy choices.  This list of the 10 most popular recipes viewed by our readers this year is a shining example of that.  Trying new approaches to create classic favorites was a popular practice. Likewise, cooking like the rich and famous right at home, or at least from their cookbooks, was a big draw. The Biggest Losers continued to inspire with recipes from the show and from individual contestants making appearances on the list.

Whether you’re foodie who likes trying new things, or someone who goes out of their way to find healthy recipes, this list is sure to inspire you to try something new in 2012.

• Rocco’s Brownies
• Jillian Michaels’ Cranberry Diet Drink
• Barack Obama’s Chili
• Tara’s Turkey Mini Meatloaf
• Healthy Tuna Salad
• Eva Longoria’s Tortilla Soup
• Chicken Cacciatore
• Apple Crumble
• Jillian’s Reuben
• Ada Wong’s 7-Layer Dip

With the end of 2011 coming to an end this weekend, we had fun looking back at some of your favorite recipes of the year. We noticed some trends for the year being No Bake recipes as well as Slow Cooker dishes. Here at FaveDiets, we are also big fans of the slow cooker and love using it to cook up delicious healthy recipes all year round. Now, let’s take a look at five of our readers favorite recipes for 2011:

5 Reader Favorite Recipes for 2011

This image courtesy of Adele of Vegie Head (www.vegiehead.com)

1. Slow Cooked Detox Soup
This one came as no surprise really since we haven’t seen many of these detox recipes that are perfectly adapted for the slow cooker like this one is. This super healthy vegetable soup would even be a hit with families and the addition of miso paste adds an interesting flavor twist.

This image courtesy of Anne Colagioia

2. No Bake Nutella Oatmeal Cookies
No bake recipes were really popular with you readers in 2011 as well. We are seeing a pattern developing here with simple recipes and we like the way you think. These cookies are quick to make and delicious. If you haven’t tried this easy recipe, mark it down for 2012.

This image courtesy of Dreamfields Pasta

3. Festive Lasagna Roll-Ups
This twist on a traditional lasagna recipe is a perfect dish for holiday parties or any night of the week. Make it ahead for a fast way to get dinner on the table for the little ones in your house. This lighter version will also keep you on track with all your new year’s resolutions.

This image courtesy of Jackie @ Jackie's Kitchen

4. Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup
Tortilla soup has never been simpler or better for you than your traditional recipe. This slow cooked dish builds flavors all day and will fill your home with delicious scents. Just add some tortilla strips or chips and your stomach will thank you.

This image courtesy of Anne Colagioia

5. Classic Butter Cookies
Rounding out the top five is definitely one of our favorites this year and a must for every recipe box. These buttery classics are gluten free and taste great with or without the frosting.

Well, those are a few of our reader favorites this year. Hope you enjoyed all our delicious dishes this year and can’t wait to share what we have in store for you in 2012. Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, and delicious new year!!

What was one of your favorite recipes for 2011? We would love to hear!

Every week, we here at FaveDiets.com send out email newsletters five days a week featuring some of our favorite healthy recipes to share with you all. (Are you subscribed to Quick and Healthy Recipes? If not, be sure to sign up here!)

Now we like all of our recipes, but naturally some recipes prove more popular than others. For December, we decided to compile a list of The Top Ten Healthy Cooking Recipes of December 2011 as chosen by our loyal newsletter readers.

So what recipes made the cut? Well, you’ll have to check out the article to see the full list! For a sneak peek, here are three of the recipes that made the cut:

KFC Inspired Mashed "Potato" Bowl

Classic Butter Cookies

Mini Baked Glazed Donuts

For even more of the most popular dishes as chosen by your fellow readers, be sure to check out the Jan. 2nd issue of the FaveDiets Quick and Healthy Recipes email newsletter!

Your turn: What is the best recipe you have seen or made in the past month?

This guest recipe comes to us from health web writer Becky Mackay.

Scotch broth has been one of my favourite recipes for years. It tastes of evenings in front of a warm open fire, while a cold winter gale blows outside. My own personal experience of course, but you can’t deny the homely taste of Scotch broth warms you from your fingers to your toes. Scotch broth also contains enough vegetables to make your fingers, toes, belly, heart and entire body feel very happy and is one of the healthiest comfort foods around.

Here is my recipe for delicious Scotch broth along with the health benefits of its yummy ingredients.

You will need:

75g of pearl barley-Barley is full of fibre, which is great for healthy digestion and is also known to lower cholesterol, due to its high beta glucan levels.

75g of fresh or split peas-Green peas are full of nutrients and are rich in iron and vitamin C, which boost your immune system. Perfect for the winter months when colds are rife.

1 swede-Swedes are the king of good health, containing C,E, K and B vitamins, as well as Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Excellent health this winter-covered!

3 carrots-Another super vegetable, carrots are an excellent source of beta-carotene, vitamin C and antioxidants, bringing a wealth of health to your dinner table. Carrots are known to improve cardiovascular health and reduce the rates of colon cancer.

1 small cabbage (if you like your broth extra thick)- Are linked to cancer prevention and are rich in antioxidants and are anti-flammatory.

2 sticks of celery- Celery is full of vitamin C and fibre and is also a great source of folic acid, vitamin B6 and B1 and also calcium, which makes celery one of the best vegetables to eat to halt the damaging affects of tooth decay and gum disease.

2.5 litres of water

A touch of salt and pepper 

1kg of mutton, lamb or chicken (if you are going for the non vegetarian option).

Lets get cooking!

1. Soak the barley and split peas (preferably overnight, but a few hours before should do).
2. Chop up your veg (as chunky or as fine as you like, depending on your preferences).
3. A touch of cooking oil to the pan and throw in your chopped onion. After softening the onion add the water and the meat (or just the water if you are a vegetarian).
4. After about half an hour of boiling add your peas and barley and leave to simmer for another 30 minutes.
5. After this add the rest of your vegetables.
6. If you are having meat and have used the bone, now is the time to remove it and then place the meat back in the pot.
7. Dish it up and enjoy!

About the Author:

Becky is an online writer, with a keen interest in health and lifestyle. For more top tips on heart health, beauty tips, gum disease and weight loss surgery, visit her twitter page @FreshHealth11

Almost any kind of meat can be cooked in the oven and be just as delicious as it is if you grill it or fry it. Ribs are no different. Cooking ribs in an oven aids in retaining the moisture of the meat. It is also much easier then grilling, as it’s more convenient and a lot less time-consuming. Whether you’re yearning for spare ribs, rib tips, or baby back ribs, here is a guide that will assist you in preparing delicious oven baked ribs.

Preparing the Meat
After purchasing an adequate amount of meat, be sure to prep it several hours ahead of your cooking time or even the night before. Most ribs have a tough membrane on the outside called the fell; ensure that you remove this in order to make your ribs much more tender. Season your meat thoroughly, using your favorite herbs and spices as a dry rub. Most people use a basic mixture of garlic, salt, pepper and sometimes brown sugar. You may add thyme, rosemary, paprika or any other spice that you find flavorful. You may also choose to marinate your meat instead of using a dry rub. Marinating ribs adds moisture to them. You may create your own marinade or use one of the commercially-prepared marinades. Refrigerate your ribs until you are ready to cook them.

Baking your ribs
Remove your meat from the refrigerator and place it in a baking dish. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Pour about a quarter of an inch of water into the dish; this will aid in keeping the meat moist while it cooks. You may also prepare your own braising liquid, using your choice of ingredients. Most people use wine or beer along with other seasonings such as onions or garlic.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil, ensuring that the foil is not pressing into the meat. Place the meat in the oven and bake for approximately two hours. Check the meat for tenderness after the first hour. Adjust your temperature to 350 degrees F, remove the foil and replace baking pan for another hour; cook until the meat is as tender as you like. You may brush with barbeque sauce and return it to the oven for another fifteen minutes if you so desire. You are now ready to serve your family and friends your oven-baked ribs; they’ll swear you spent all day standing over the grill.

Authors Bio:
Learn how to cook ribs from guest contributor Christa Blair who writes for EasyCookingGuide.Com

Apples.

Cinnamon.

Cobbler.

Apple Cinnamon Cobbler. Goodness gracious, I had no idea light food could be so sweet and full of cinnamon-y rapture! This delightful dessert recipe from EverydayHealth.com was inspired by the produce from Michelle Obama’s White House garden, and it reflects her quest for great-tasting, wholesome foods. Apple cobbler recipes like this one remind me of spiced winter ciders and the crunch of snow and dead leaves beneath my feet. This is one of many healthy dessert recipes that do incorporate your favorite flavors without abandoning the trimness of your figure. Did I mention the cinnamon? I do love that cinnamon. And apples. In a healthy cobbler. Oh my.

What is your favorite apple dessert recipe? I’m a big fan of anything that tastes like apple pie (like this cobbler)!

If you’re as fond of cobbler recipes as I am, try these others from FaveDiets.com:

• Blueberry and Peach Cobbler
• Copycat Cracker Barrel Cherry Chocolate Cobbler

Cauliflower recipes are often known for their blandness of taste, but only because many people don’t know how to cook the vegetable properly. When done well with complementary ingredients, a recipe for cooked cauliflower can be both complex and delicious. Plus, because roasted cauliflower recipes are high in both fiber and Vitamin C and low in calories, the curiously shaped vegetable should be a staple for any dieter. Balsamic and Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower, a recipe inspired by the cauliflower growing in Michelle Obama’s White House garden, is packed with wholesome nutrition as well as unforgettably savory flavor. The roasted cauliflower absorbs the balsamic vinegar and spices for a zesty punch, and Parmesan-encrusted florets pack satisfyingly crunchy texture. Forget the dull, bland cauliflower cheese recipe of your past. Instead, try this innovative recipe from EverydayHealth.com!

How do you incorporate healthy foods into your favorite meals? I’m usually not a cauliflower fan, but I really enjoyed this one! I love when recipes transform my least favorite ingredients into something I really like. I like to top veggies with tasty cheese and spices for a flavorful kick.

FaveDiets.com is also brimming with excellent ways to jazz up vegetables. Try these other cauliflower revamps tonight:

• “Popcorn” Roasted Cauliflower
• Baked Cauliflower Cups
• Easy Cauliflower Au Gratin

There’s nothing like a hot and delicious vegetable soup recipes to ward off a wintry chill. If you’re looking for something to warm you up this winter, try this Amazon Bean Soup With Winter Squash Greens recipe from EverydayHealth.com. This wonderful recipe was inspired by Michelle Obama’s White House garden, which is full to bursting with the loveliest of winter vegetables and fruits for recipes just like this one. Serve this vegetable soup in halves of cooked acorn squash to add to that harvest atmosphere and surround it with a festive green, or enjoy it hot in your favorite mug. Healthy soup recipes like this one are both nutritious and tasty!

What is your favorite soup for winter? I love to make acorn squash soup or a nice big bowl of chili!

If you’re looking for more soup recipes, check out these from FaveDiets.com:

• Just-Like-Mom’s Broccoli Cheese Soup
• Pumpkin Black Bean Soup
• Healthy New England Clam Chowder

I love the combination of sweet and savory in the same dish. Chicken is especially phenomenal with sweet sauces and side dishes because they really bring out the more subtle flavors of the meat. This Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew from EverydayHealth.com, inspired by Michelle Obama’s White House garden incorporates the warm comfort of chicken stew recipes and wholesome harvest vegetables. Chicken recipes like this are unexpected and innovative because they diverge from bland, over-used soup recipes. Plus, because it’s made in the slow cooker, this chicken stew recipe is easy to make ahead of time. Healthy chicken recipes and hearty stew recipes collide with sweet potato in incredible all-in-one slow cooker stew recipes like this one.

What are your favorite sweet and savory recipes? I’m a big fan of Memphis honey barbeque sauce on chicken, and I love sweet potatoes, so I can’t wait to try this recipe!