You have noticed that there haven’t been many posts of late here on the FaveDiets blog. Well, there is a reason behind that.

Going forward, FaveDiets blogging will be happening over on the RecipeLion blog. You will still be able to get the same giveaway announcements, blog hops, questions and healthy recipes that you saw on the FaveDiets blog in the past, except it will be on the RecipeLion blog. In addition, there you will be able to read great posts from RecipeLion.com, AllFreeSlowCookerRecipes.com, AllFreeCopycatRecipes.com and AllFreeChickenCasseroleRecipes.com.

The FaveDiets blog will still be up, so you will still be able to find all of the great recipes and posts that have been on the FaveDiets blog over the past two years.

When you’re on the RecipeLion blog, be sure to check out all posts written by Matt (that’s me!) to stay on top of all things FaveDiets.com.

Matt, in the FaveDiets Test Kitchen

Amongst all of the editors here, Matt Kaplan stands out a bit (just check out our Meet The Editors page…). After all, how many apple core-eating freegans do you personally know? Still, he is quite the fit as the editor of FaveDiets.com, biking to FaveDiets HQ for most of the year and eating vegetarian food out of old glass containers.

Depending on who you ask, the kitchen is either a panoply of delightful aromas or a bio-hazard wasteland when Matt heats up his leftovers for lunch. When everyone else brings in cookies and candy, Matt brings in jars of homemade pickles. A foodie at heart with an obsessive eye for saving money, he is always open to new experiences and tastes. He spends his free time staring down his two cats, reclaiming fruit and yelling nonsense at vehicles.

5 Questions – An Interview with Matt Kaplan

1. What are your 3 favorite ingredients to cook or bake with?

Argh, this is a tough one for me as I look to cook with a whole lot of ingredients. I would say though that my three favorites are turmeric, ginger and rosemary. I love how just a little bit of spice or fresh herb really transforms a dish. Plus, all three of these ingredients are super versatile.

2. What would you eat for your last supper?

Even though I’m a vegetarian, my last meal would probably have to be a lobster roll from Kelly’s in Revere paired with Bell’s Hopslam. Dessert would be a huge helping of rich pistachio ice cream.

3. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

Ha, I feel like this question was included for me! I’ve eaten my fair share of unusual things, but the weirdest has to be ant. There’s this particular type of ant found in the Northeastern rainforests of Australia that secrete acid from their rears. When you lick their backsides, which I did, they taste like a very tart lemon-lime candy. Outside of licking ants, the weirdest things I’ve eaten is probably kangaroo, crickets and camel.

4. What’s your go-to snack food?

Almonds! They’re by far my favorite out-of hand snack, followed closely by homemade baked tortilla chips with homemade hummus. My hummus is way tastier, and way cheaper, than anything I’ve found in stores and goes with anything.

5. What’s in your fridge right now?

With three males in my household, food never seems to last very long! Right now, I think it contains corn tortillas, Brussels sprouts, brown mustard, kombucha, vegetable broth, lemons, limes, water, chickpeas and kimchi I think.

As Editor for FaveDiets.com, Matt sees all kinds of recipes. Have you ever wondered what recipes HE loves?? Well, you should check out…

Matt’s All-Time Favorite Recipes on FaveDiets.com

Butterscotch Squares

Dollar Store Casserole

No Bake Nutella Oatmeal Cookies

Matt’s All-Time Favorite Recipes on RecipeLion.com

Easy Anytime Frittata

Chocolate Chirpie Chip Cookies

Poor Man’s One Pot Rice and Beans

Matt’s All-Time Favorite Recipes on AllFreeSlowCookerRecipes.com

Slow Cooker as a Foot Bath

Slow Cooker Candles

How To Make Yogurt In A Slow Cooker

Matt’s All-Time Favorite Recipes on MrFood.com

PB & J Bars

Back Door Company Spread

Sweet Endings Pizza

Matt’s All-Time Favorite Recipes on AllFreeCopycatRecipes.com

Low Cal Wendy’s Style Frosty

Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits Made Healthier

Jonah Lisa’s Copycat Sabra Hummus

Matt’s All-Time Favorite Recipes on AllFreeChickenCasseroleRecipes.com

15 Minute Chicken Casserole

Family Favorite Chicken Casserole

Healthier Cracker Barrel Copycat Chicken Casserole

Many of you, our loyal readers, frequently look at our recipes and subscribe to the Quick and Healthy Recipes email newsletter. Behind everything you see that happens here at FaveDiets.com comes through our dedicated editors, who work to provide you all with the very best healthy recipes online.

Who are these editors? What makes them tick and what are they all about? Today, I’m highlighting Jess Farris, one of my fellow editors here.

A southern gal from good ol’ Tennessee, “Jess” Farris delights in the ridiculous. She prides herself on being an obsessive baker and experimental chef, a marathon runner, and adoptive mother to a two-year-old aquatic turtle named Artichoke. As a language enthusiast, she speaks French and Arabic, and she can emulate a total of 28 different dialects from various locations in the United States and across the globe. She spends her days contemplating the ideal climbing tree, conversations with Oscar Wilde, and preparations for the impending zombie apocalypse.

Five Questions for Jess:

1) What are your 3 favorite ingredients to cook or bake with?

I adore the versatility of canned pumpkin in a variety of soups and sauces, and all manner of desserts, and avocado is one of my go-to toppings for burgers, salads, soups and nachos (not to mentions an excellent guacamole). Otherwise, I am firmly convinced that almost every food tastes better with the addition of cinnamon. Lots of cinnamon.

2) What would you eat for your last supper?

I would have a half rack of Memphis barbecue ribs smothered in Corky’s barbecue sauce with a side of fried okra and a big buttery sourdough roll. For dessert, I’d eat a gigantic slice of pumpkin pie with cinnamon ice cream.

3) What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

When I was living in Morocco for one summer, I tasted a somewhat stomach-churning camel jerky. It wouldn’t have been so bad, but the camel’s head was hanging from a meat hook a few feet away from me, and the jerky was floating in a questionable oily substance. I also tasted some delicious cow’s brains while I was there.

4) What’s your go-to snack food?

I eat at least one apple every day. I also love to use them in sauce, pies, tagines, and as a topping for ice cream.

5) What’s in your fridge right now?

I’m headed out of town in a day or two, so it’s sparsely populated with kalamata olives, aged white cheddar, leftover chicken, and a bottle of pinot grigio.

 Here are some of Jess’ favorite recipes from around our sites:

• French Pumpkin Soup
• Hop, Skip and Go Naked Cookies
• Tennessee BBQ Sauce
• Moroccan Chicken
• BBQ Chicken Casserole with Hash Browns
• White Hot Chocolate
• Gingersnap Streusel Pumpkin Pie
• Herbed Chicken and Orzo
• Homemade Chicken and Dumpling Casserole
• No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars
• Crumbly Apple Coffee Cake
• Baked Salmon with Sherry
• Winter Bread Pudding with Dried Pears
• Artichoke Spinach Dip
• Apple Braised Chicken Breast

In case you were caught unaware, Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1, the latest movie in the popular Twilight saga, comes out this weekend. To be perfectly honest, I know almost nothing about Twilight. I know it involves vampires, werewolves and angst-ridden romance, but that’s about it.  (Actual Twilight fans: is this accurate at all or did I just insult a huge legion of fans?)

However, I do know how insanely popular the books and movies are. After all, even The Muppets are getting in on Twilight fever:

If you just cannot get enough of the Twilight crew, then perhaps you are tempted to hold a Twilight party to commemorate the new movie. If you’re holding or attending a Twilight party, then here are some themed party food ideas for you.

My first impression of Twilight is that it’s all about werewolves and vampires. As a result, a fun main dish to serve at a Twilight party would be vampire-themed, like say Vampire Chicken or Vampiric Turkey Burgers. However, be careful about serving these dishes to actual vampires as they’re loaded with healthy (for us) amounts of garlic.

For something a bit more authentic to the Twilight story line, instead serve enchiladas. According to my crack sleuth Internet investigation, the favorite dish of Bella, the main female character, is enchiladas. Not sure though if Bella would prefer vegetarian enchiladas like this Bean and Veggie Enchiladas recipe or a more traditional enchiladas dish like Chicken Enchiladas with Cheese.

Of course, what would a party be without sweets? For that, I looked to the books for inspiration. All of the books have an apple on the front of them, so of course be sure to serve apple dishes at your Twilight party. I recommend Apple Walnut Upside Down Cake, Caramel Apple Bites and Easy Apple Nut Muffins.

For a more authentic Twilight party, check these ideas:

• Twilight Quesadillas with image of Edward Cullen from Hungry Happenings
• Love At First Bite Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Breaking Dawn Cupcake Toppers from Delaware County Moms
• Bloody Vampire Red Velvet Cupcakes from FoodAtick
• Almond Joy Cupcake from Peanut Butter and Peppers

Fun fact: This is actually not the first time we’ve written a Twilight-related post. Back in July 2010, we published a guide on how to gain muscles like Twilight actor Taylor Lautner.

Your turn: Are you a Twilight fan? Have any plans for the release of Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1?

I’m very excited about this weekend, as on the 19th I will be attending one of the events being held as part of the 2nd annual Chicago Food Film Festival!

This festival combines two of my favorite things: food and movies! The event features over 20 movies all about food, with additional events that highlight food from the movies and from Chicago.

2011 NYC Food Film Festival from George Motz on Vimeo. (Note: I know the video is about the NYC Food Film Festival, but I’m hoping the Chicago Food Film Festival will be just as visually enticing!)

For more information on the event, check out their website.

To get a better sense of the types of films they will be showing, check out Naturally Risen, the Best Super Short from the 2010 NYC Food Film Festival:

NATURALLY RISEN from michael evans on Vimeo.

If you’re local, then you should definitely consider going to this!

A little known fact about me: Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday of year. Leave it to someone who looks at recipes all day to love a holiday that entirely centers around food!

There are certain Thanksgiving dishes that we all grew up with, but sometimes traditions that need to be updated. I especially love that my Thanksgiving dinners have become more and more vegetable-centric as the years have worn on.

In honor of my favorite holiday and in my love of healthy recipes, I’m very excited about the very latest FaveDiets free-to-download eCookbook: How to Have a Better Thanksgiving Dinner: 13 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes.

With this eCookbook, we have assembled some of the best easy Thanksgiving recipes around, including healthy Thanksgiving side dishes, healthy Thanksgiving appetizer recipes, and healthy Thanksgiving dessert recipes.

The healthy recipes in this eCookbook are extra special, as they all come from some of the wonderful healthy cooking bloggers I have the pleasure of working with. I want to extend a big thanks to everyone that contributed to this great eCookbook, and I highly recommend you check out these fantastic food blogs if you have not already:

• Jackie from Jackie’s Kitchen
• Kait from Kait’s Inside Dish
• Kara from FoodBaby blog
• Marina from Kitchen Away From Kitchen
• Jessica from Dishin’ About Nutrition

A big thanks to all the bloggers who contributed to this eCookbook, and also a big thanks to all the bloggers who I have had the pleasure to work with on all the editions of This Month’s Healthy Bite and The Healthy Hop! And, I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout-out to everyone who reads this blog.

I greatly enjoyed working with all these great bloggers, and I hope to do something like this eCookbook again!

Hello everyone! My apologies about not posting a healthy recipe with tales of my home kitchen of late. Things have been crazy busy here at FaveDiets HQ as we gear up for the end-of-the-year holiday season  (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s). However, I didn’t want to leave you hanging without any updates so here is what we’ve been up to lately:

1 – Diets in Review

If you haven’t seen them already, the folks at DietsinReview.com have been publishing my how-to articles featuring tips, tricks and recipes for using some of my favorite healthy ingredients. Check them all out:

• New Turnip Recipes for Delicious Fall Meals
• 5 New Recipes to Enjoy Dried or Fresh Figs
• 7 Recipes to Enjoy the Juicy Health Benefits of Grapes

2 – Developments in the Blogosphere

I’m lucky enough to work with a wide variety of fantastic food bloggers, so many of whom I’m incredibly grateful to for providing me with recipes, cooking ideas and feedback. If you’ve been checking in with FaveDiets.com, you may have noticed an influx of new healthy recipes graciously sent in. I love being able to work remotely with so many great contributors, and I wanted to thank them for all of their efforts. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out some of their blogs and learn a little more about them:

• Jackie of Jackie’s Kitchen
• Anne of EZ Gluten Free
• Jessica of Dishin’ About Nutrition
• Kevin of Closet Cooking
• Lauren of Balanced Ford, Healthy Life

Frankly, there isn’t enough space to list out everyone, but know that I greatly appreciate all of your efforts!

Also, a big thanks to Janetha of Meals & Moves for featuring my breakfast quinoa as part of her Better Breakfast Challenge, and for Mama J of A Little Bit Crunchy, A Little Bit Rock & Roll for featuring a FaveDiets quiche recipe on her blog.

3 – Healthy Recipes from My Kitchen

I would be remiss if I at least didn’t give you a sneak peek at what I’ve been up to in my kitchen lately:

Black Bean Soup

Breakfast Quinoa

Grain Free Stuffed Peppers

Homemade Horseradish

Fear not, as I hope to have all of these recipes up in full soon!

4 – Apple Pie Contest

This past Sunday, I attended the Bucktown Apple Pie Contest in my home city of Chicago. I know apple pie is usually pretty far removed from healthy eating, but I couldn’t resist checking out all of the beautiful pies.

5 – Blog Hops!

If you haven’t already, be sure to head on over to the RecipeLion blog to check out their October blog hop. This month’s theme over there is Halloween recipes. Best of all, the blogger whose recipe gets the most votes will win a free cookbook.

Don’t worry, as the October FaveDiets blog hop begins this Thursday, 10/20. Check in then to see what cookbook you can win by participating in the FaveDiets blog hop. I don’t want to give anything away, but I think you’ll especially like it…

Have a great week!

FaveDiets.com has created a brand new eCookbook, How to Cook Quickly: The 26 Best Fast Healthy Dinner Recipes!

Learn more about and download the How to Cook Quickly: The 26 Best Fast Healthy Dinner Recipes Free eCookbook here

With this recipe collection, have the best quick healthy dinner recipes ready to go for just about any occasion. These healthy 30 minute meals are always ideal no matter what your personal tastes are.

Everyone enjoys a hearty home cooked meal. What everyone does not enjoy is the time it takes to cook such a dinner. At the end of a long and stressful day, the idea of spending hours in the kitchen is incredibly unappealing. In reality, what are needed are quick dinner recipes that get you in and out of the kitchen in no time at all.

The How to Cook Quickly: The 26 Best Fast Healthy Dinner Recipes eCookbook is completely free, and can be downloaded here: http://www.favediets.com/Editors-Picks/How-to-Cook-Quickly-The-26-Best-Fast-Healthy-Dinner-Recipes-Free-eCookbook

Be sure to go to this page to see all of the great healthy recipe eCookbooks offered completely for free.

Interested in reviewing this eCookbook? Download it, peruse it, and then write about it in the comments section of this post! I’d love to know what you think of this masterpiece!

If you are a big football fan like myself (go Bears!) then you will go bonkers over this awesome giveaway being run by Zoye® 100% Pure Soybean Oil. Even if you’re not much a sports person, as a healthy foodie I think you’ll still enjoy this one:

Zoye is offering a tailgate package worth $1,500 to the grand prize winner of the contest, which begins Oct. 3 and runs through Oct. 28. The prize package will include a canopy tent, grill, camp chairs, cooler, serving table, outdoor games and many more items, all featuring the logo and colors of your favorite NFL or NCAA football team.

To enter the Zoye Top-Ranked Tailgate recipe contest, roll out your favorite recipe containing at least 2 teaspoons of Zoye, snap a photo of the prepared dish next to a bottle of Zoye® 100% Pure Soybean Oil and pass it to them online at www.zoyeoil.com/contest. Zoye can be picked up at any Meijer, D&W or Family Fare locations or ordered online at www.zoyeoil.com.

The Zoye Top-Ranked Tailgate recipe contest winner and recipient of the ultimate tailgate package will be determined by online voting.  For more information and contest details, including recipe entry and voting instructions, find Zoye on Facebook by searching “Zoye 100% Pure Soybean Oil” or go to the Zoye Website, www.zoyeoil.com/contest.

You have one month to get cooking – good luck!

About Zoye:

Zoye® 100% Pure Soybean Oil is a product of Zeeland Food Services, Inc™, a division of Zeeland Farm Services, Inc.® located in Zeeland, MI. Zoye is a healthy alternative cooking oil, naturally containing Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin E. Zoye also features a low saturated fat content, no trans fats, 0 mg of cholesterol, and is made with non-Genetically Modified (non-GMO) soybeans. Because Zoye is produced by ZFS with renewable energy, it’s not only good for you and your family, but for the environment as well.

It’s time to get ready for the most wonderful time of the year! With September almost over, three of the biggest holidays of the year (Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas) are just around the corner. To help you prepare for the end of the year holidays, FaveDiets is teaming up with RecipeLion.com, FaveCrafts.com and AllFreeHolidayCrafts.com to bring you the new 101 Days of Holiday Recipes & Crafts newsletter.

Sign up for the 101 Days of Holiday Recipes & Crafts newsletter today!

So what is this newsletter all about? From now until after New Year’s Day, we will be sending out a daily newsletter featuring some of the best holiday-related DIY ideas around. Learn how to decorate your house like a Haunted House, make a healthier version of Grandma’s stuffing and bake up a batch of Christmas cookies.

Now, that newsletter is featuring top notch Halloween ideas to get you pumped for October. Starting in November, you’ll get oodles of Thanksgiving recipe and craft ideas. December will feature seasonal ideas for the perfect Christmas celebration. Additionally, every newsletter will have Christmas cookie and craft ideas just for you.

Basically, if you love the holidays (and who doesn’t?) then this is the newsletter for you.

Sign up for the 101 Days of Holiday Recipes & Crafts newsletter today

Enjoy!

Your Turn: What is your favorite end-of-year holiday? (Mine’s Thanksgiving)