Gym Gals' Dinner

This is probably going to sound obvious to many of you, but the key to eating healthy and sticking to a well-rounded menu is to cook healthy foods that you actually want. If all you're fixing is grilled chicken and a salad, day after boring day, you'll eventually reach for those potato chips and never look back. If healthful eating equals misery, there's really no point. Lucky for us, there are plenty of low-fat, high-fiber options that also taste great.

I had a couple of women from the gym over the other night, and my goal was to show them that you can have the best of both worlds. My go-to favorite is Mexican food, because it's comforting and full of flavor. Of course it can also be full of fat and grease. Not this Mexican meal.

I started off with a super easy, no-mayo cole slaw. Simply mix about 4 cups of shredded cabbage, carrots and cucumbers (or whatever vegetables you like) with a dressing of 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. It's light, quick and refreshing.

The side for this meal is one of my all-time favorites: pearl barley and pinto beans, Mexican style. Simply cook 1 cup of pearl barley according to package instructions. Set aside. In a large saute pan, cook 1 minced onion, 1/2 minced red bell pepper, 1 8-oz can of diced tomatoes, 1 small can of mild green chilies, 1 seeded and minced jalapeno (or less if you don't like heat), 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons oregano, 3 tablespoons tomato paste and a few dashes of whatever hot sauce you like. Cook until the vegetables are softened, then add 1 can of pinto beans (drained and rinsed) and the cooked pearl barley. Add salt, pepper and one bunch of minced cilantro and cook for 10 minutes. It's hearty, spicy and low in fat and full of fiber. Top with a few slices of avocado or non-fat sour cream if you like.

For the main course, I made stuffed bell peppers. I mixed cooked ground turkey with sauteed onions, bell peppers, a can of Mexican tomato sauce and a packet of taco seasoning and stuffed it into yellow bell peppers. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. The gym gals were very happy with this healthy but uber flavorful and filling Mexican meal, and even took home leftovers (this kind of food actually tastes even better the next day!). I had one stuffed pepper left over, which I chopped up and put inside a whole wheat tortilla for lunch the next day. It made a fantastic, low-fat burrito!