One of the most common New Year resolutions is losing weight, especially since December involves so many family dinners, celebrations and parties. I'm not a fan of diets because I believe that changing habits permanently is the best way to lose weight and keep it off (not an easy task). However, there's a new trend in diets that I'd like to write about: the Dukan Diet.

Arepas are a corn dish made in Venezuela, Colombia and a few other Caribbean countries. In Venezuela, arepas are eaten for breakfast or dinner, served with a wide array of fillings. Arepas are soft, salty and eaten while they're hot (cold arepas taste terribly). They are very filling, with relative low calories, low glycemic index and no gluten. Venezuelans eat arepas almost everyday (me included) and they're deeply ingrained in our culture.

For my sister-in-law's birthday, my mom and I wanted to make her a different dinner. I had shown her some recipes for Chinese Marbled Tea Eggs, which got my attention and hers as well. So, I decided to make them for her birthday dinner, with Chinese fried rice. 

Trying to figure out an appropriate diet snack, I came out with a great solution: oatmeal cookies. Full of fiber, they sounded like a satisfying option to curb my sugar cravings. Considering this, I logged on to Foodbuzz and scanned several recipes until I found something I liked. And the winners are: apple oatmeal and peanut butter-chocolate oatmeal.

Everyone who has tried to prepare homemade whipped cream has faced the same problem: the cream won't peak. Sometimes, we tend to keep whipping in a desperate attempt to get some peaks and we end up with butter. “What's wrong with this stupid cream?” we yell in frustration. If you've been in this situation, you also know the simple solution: chill the bowl and beaters before you begin and use cold cream. But, do you know why this works?

If you've tried pesto sauce, you've probably fallen in love with its wonderful flavor and vibrant green color. Fresh homemade pesto, with superb basil aroma, will undoubtedly sweep you off your feet. But did you know that pesto offers nutritional benefits too? Read on!

I've been making recently my very own homemade granola, perfectly customized and not overly sweet. It keeps me satisfied for a long time and helps curb my sugar cravings. Why making it instead of buying it? Well, commercial brands tend to be too sweet and the labels indicate large amounts of fat and sodium. Also, being able to customize my granola keeps me interested in it.