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.

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: This hop ends tnight, so hurry up and enter and vote before it’s too late!

Welcome to our latest FaveDiets Blog Hop, and as always welcome back to all those that participated in last month’s! Be sure to visit last month’s hop which featured your Favorite Holiday Recipes. If you have a great recipe we would love to share it in this month’s blog hop!

We are so excited about this month’s blog hop theme, which is…

Favorite Winter Soup Recipes!

This month we’d love to hear what your favorite soup recipe is. January is officially National Soup Month, and we want to see what you have been making to prep on commemoration of this month. Whether it’s a hearty lentil soup, comforting beef stew, spicy chili or anything else, share here your soup recipes!

How It Works

1. Write a blog post on your own blog showcasing any Favorite Winter Soup Recipes or link to one that is already posted on your blog. You can talk about the cooking process, write up a tutorial, or merely show off the finished product, it’s up to you!
2. Add your link to this post by clicking on “Click Here to Enter” at the bottom of the screen and following the instructions. Make sure you link to your specific blog post, not your homepage, and give it a caption.
3. Remember to copy the FaveDiets Blog Hop button below and paste it into your blog post, linked to this FaveDiets Blog Hop post, so that everyone who reads your blog can see that you’ve been featured on FaveDiets!
4. One link per person please, due to our Giveaway feature, which is explained below.

GIVEAWAY!

Yet again we have a special treat for all our Blog Hop participants. We are opening the hop up to voting!

Every blogger is allowed one link to their favorite winter soup recipe and readers of the blog can now play along by voting for their favorite one. So be sure to tell your friends, family, followers, and fans to vote for you. Voting and submissions end January 19th at midnight CST.

The recipe with the most votes will win a Quaker prize package!

The Quaker prize package includes the following:

• Two containers of Quaker Stila oat clusters bits (flavors are green apple and strawberry)
• Two boxes of Quaker Chewy Yogurt bars, blueberry and strawberry flavors

Please be sure to cast your vote and help us pick a winner!

**Don’t have a recipe for this Blog Hop but want to be notified via email about future events? Sign up for our blogger list and we will let you know when the next Blog Hop is up so you can join the fun!

*Note: Only folks in the U.S. and Canada are eligible to win this prize.

Now you have a chance to win a a V8 V-Fusion Smoothie prize package!

One winner will win a sample of the three new flavors of V8 V-Fusion® Smoothie (Mango, Strawberry Banana and Wild Berry) plus a reusable juice bottle and a Vera Bradley tote bag.

Click here to enter this giveaway today!

V8 V-Fusion® is a breakthrough juice that gives you a full serving of vegetables plus a full serving of fruit in every 8-ounce glass. The result is a nutrition-packed beverage made of 100% juice that’s also delicious and refreshing—choose from 8 different flavors! V8 V-Fusion® even includes vitamins A, C and E, and it has no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or added sugar. Who would have thought that something so nutritious could taste so good?

Plus, be sure to check out the FaveDiets product review of V8 V-Fusion smoothies.

The V8 V-Fusion Smoothie Giveaway Summary

• Prize: Three bottles of V8 V-Fusion Smoothie (Mango, Strawberry Banana and Wild Berry), one reusable drink bottle and a Vera Bradley tote bag for one person.
• Timeline: Begins on January 11, 2012 at 12:00:01 a.m. Eastern Time, and ends on January 22, 2012 at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time
• Contest open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only. Winners must claim prize within 14 days of being announced.

Good luck!

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

Now you have a chance to win a $25 e-gift certificate for Nonuttin’ Foods

One winner will win $25 good towards any online purchase on the Nonuttin’s Foods website.

Click here to enter this giveaway today!

The goal of Nonuttin’ Foods founder Alana Elliott was to create safe food for most food allergies and she began producing the world’s first allergy friendly granola bars in 2004. In 2007, Nonuttin’ granola bars and granolas were the first to begin using gluten free oats so that Celiacs could also enjoy their great taste. Being a food manufacturer means being responsible to the many consumers who must safely enjoy Nonuttin’ products. Alana believes that part of that responsibility must include education for those requiring or choosing special diets. Whether you are looking for tasty food choices, interested in the latest science, looking for tips or feeling overwhelmed, Alana hopes to offer you the information and products you need to successfully navigate your journey.

Plus, be sure to check out the FaveDiets product review of Nonuttin’ Foods.

The Nonuttin’ Foods Giveaway Summary

• Prize: One $25 e-gift certificate for Nonuttin’ Foods for one person.
• Timeline: Begins on January 4, 2012 at 12:00:01 a.m. Eastern Time, and ends on January 15, 2012 at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time
• Contest open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only. Winners must claim prize within 14 days of being announced.

Good luck!

by Brant Secunda and Mark Allen

Adapted from their bestselling book, “Fit Soul, Fit Body”

For many of us, 2011 was a year characterized by stress, weight gain, too much work, lack of motivation, and negative emotions. Fortunately, a new year is upon us. With it comes a new chance to achieve health and happiness by trying out some new behaviors and attitudes, and working at it step-by-step.

It’s not difficult to change your body, your mood, and your relationship to life, work, and others. We travel the US teaching people how to manage stress, get reacquainted with nature, and become energetic and healthy.

Here are nine keys to achieving a fit body and a fit soul in 2012.

Key #1: Minimize six types of stress in your life. Chronic stress produces high cortisol levels that don’t go away. Chronically high cortisol will make you sick, physically and emotionally. Stress can come from multiple sources including these six: negative emotions, too little sleep, poor diet, overwork, toxic chemicals, and inflammation. The antidote for stress is balance. Look at each of these six stress triggers individually and work on finding small ways to reduce excesses and achieve more balance in each area. Seek more laughter, calmness, and clarity in your life.

Key #2: Seek a “quiet mind.” Ignoring external chatter and focusing on one thought or a single repetition is an extremely effective tool for dissipating emotional stress and helping shift negative thoughts. Learning to achieve a quiet mind also helps to reduce cortisol levels in your body and increase DHEA, a feel-good hormone that promotes feeling of serenity. Quieting your mind can help you sleep better, eat more healthfully, and keep work and life pressures in perspective. One of the best ways to quiet your mind is to exercise, especially outside.

Key #3: Transform negative emotions. Good thoughts lead us to incredible awareness and experiences. Olympic athletes know this, which is why they psyche themselves up before a big event. Each day brings personal “Olympic moments”–for instance, an important meeting, a big workout, a tough but necessary talk with a friend, or a commitment to a daily spiritual practice. Fear, anger, and jealousy hinder our optimal performance. Bite off a smaller chunk of tasks that seem overwhelming. Get perspective on the real significance of your troubles and reactions by being out in nature. Accept the fact that challenge is normal and life is not controllable.

Key #4: Reconnect to nature. Who hasn’t been touched by a rose in bloom or trees coming to life in the springtime? Having a sense that you and Mother Earth have a special relationship lets you know that everything is as it should be, which makes our souls happy. The more you connect to nature, the more open you will be to its wisdom and calming influence.

Key #5: Love yourself more. Self-love is the best way to honor yourself, and the most immediate tool you can use to fortify yourself against negative emotions like fear or self-doubt. Learning to honor and love yourself instantly transforms “need” into “peace.” One of the factors that eats away at self-love is boredom–boredom with work, boredom with your own repetitious behaviors, boredom with life. Try to find what’s new in the old; seek out new ways of thinking and behaving. Draw strength, support, and affirmation from community.

Key #6: Know your goal. To get somewhere, you first have to know where you want to go. What physical goals are you striving toward? What kind of person do you want to become? Having these answers sets your intentions, helps focus your efforts, and provides you with tangible ways to measure the results. Set small goals. Set yourself up for success; for example, schedule your workouts at a time when you’ll be most likely to do them. Turn your attention away from negative thoughts.

Key #7: Live your intention. Asking for a healthy soul but choosing unsupportive friends will only prevent you from finding peace. Asking for a fit body, but eating junk foods, will only sabotage your own success. Surround yourself with actions, thoughts, and people who will empower you and allow you to achieve your personal success.

Key #8: Slow down. In the modern world, most people feel they must push their bodies and souls to the limit to make any gains in fitness, or in life. Slowing down allows your body to run more efficiently. Apply small focused changes that are gradual versus intense.

Key #9: Eat like a cave man. Our bodies weren’t built to withstand the rapid changes we’ve witnessed in our food industry. The hunting and gathering we once did has turned into drive-throughs, super-sized meals, and chemically laden foods our organs don’t have the ability to use or process. Eating the right amounts of carbohydrates, fats, and protein based on ancient genetics keeps you from eating either too little or too much, both of which cause us to hold onto unwanted and unnecessary body fat. Drink lots of water and eat whole, unprocessed foods.

* * * * *

Shaman-healer Brant Secunda and six-time world champion Ironman Mark Allen are body-soul fitness experts and seminar leaders known for blending ancient shamanic wisdom with the latest scientific findings on nutrition, fitness, mood, and stress, and turning them into fresh tips and advice for improving health and well-being. Their new book is Fit Soul, Fit Body: 9 Keys to Healthier, Happier You (BenBella Books). Learn more at www.fitsoul-fitbody.com.

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

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

Now you have a chance to win chocolate or granola from Enjoy Life Foods!

Three winners will receive 1 bag of Enjoy Life mega Chunks chocolate or 1 bag of  Enjoy Life Double Chocolate Crunch Granola.

Click here to enter this giveaway today!

At Enjoy Life, their whole business is making smile-good foods that keep people’s insides happy too. That’s why all of their foods are specially made to be gluten-free and free of the 8 most common allergens, which account for 90% of all food allergies. Their mission is to make delicious products that just about everyone can EAT FREELY. They promise they’ll make you smile inside out! Enjoy Life Foods now offers over 30 delicious products that are all allergy-friendly AND gluten-free.

Plus, be sure to check out the FaveDiets product review of Enjoy Life Foods.

The Enjoy Life Foods Giveaway Summary

• Prize: One bag of Enjoy Life mega Chunks chocolate or one bag of  Enjoy Life Double Chocolate Crunch Granola to three people.
• Timeline: Begins on December 28, 2011 at 12:00:01 a.m. Eastern Time, and ends on January 8, 2012 at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time
• Contest open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only. Winners must claim prize within 14 days of being announced.

Good luck!