Q: You need to give up booze to have abs / lose weight / see results. A: FALSE. Yes, abs are made in the kitchen. But I've found an amazing way to BALANCE what I'm eating during the week so that I can fully enjoy myself on the weekends. And that's why I decided to create the NUTRITION & NIGHTLIFE CHALLENGE. Summer is one of the hardest times to say "no" to cocktails; happy hours, weddings, vacations, the beach....all of these are more fun when you add in some booze. So I'

When there’s nothing to eat and you don’t want to spend a lot of time or energy cooking, a stuffed baked potato is an easy, filling, and affordable option that will please the whole family. Just bake (or microwave) a potato and fill it with your favorite healthy toppings (like steamed veggies, salsa, and plain Greek yogurt). The flavor options are endless! f you already have baked sweet potatoes and leftover chicken ready, you can put this dinner together in less than 10 minu

Make it ahead of time, store it in the fridge and voila, you’ve got a cold, revitalizing superfood-packed meal that’s easy to make. This green gazpacho with cucumber is a great starter to a summer meal. Garnish it with microgreens, sliced radish and, my absolute favorite, pine nuts (they’re like tiny, earthy bursts of butter), and dig in with a spoon. Or, plunge a hunk of your favorite bread into it. Total Time: 25 min. Prep Time: 25 min. Cooking Time: None Yield: 4 servin

A “birthday cake” that only takes 15 minutes to make and doesn’t require any actual baking? Yes, please! They’re incredibly easy to make — all you have to do is place seven ingredients into a food processor, blend them together, and you’re basically done. There’s no oven time required, so if you’re one of those raw cookie dough eaters (or just looking for a healthy gluten free snack), then this is definitely the dessert for you. (Psst – the sprinkles are just for decoration.)

Poke (pronounced poe-kay) is a popular Hawaiian dish that is taking the mainland by storm. Poke shops and food trucks are popping up all over and if they haven’t reached your city yet, don’t worry, they will. In the meantime, you can make it at home! Since you don’t cook it, it’s a refreshing choice on those hot summer days. Since poke is made from raw fish, buy your fish the day you plan to eat it, and keep it chilled at all times. Make sure to ask the person behind the fish

This Southwestern Rice Salad with Black Beans is a trimmed down, fiber-filled version of a Tex-Mex rice bowl — we held the guac, sour cream and shredded cheddar to bring the dish under 200 calories, but if you have calories to spare, add ¼ avocado on top. But it’s far from bland. Instead of using salt and fat to flavor, we went with the verdant, fresh flavors of green onion and cilantro, added a medium-spicy kick from fresh jalapenos and chili powder, and acidic brightness fr

Halibut is an easy (and delicious) way to get protein and key vitamins and minerals in your diet with very little fat. If you love fish that doesn’t taste “fishy,” then you need to add this Pistachio-Crusted Halibut to your recipe repertoire. Halibut is a firm whitefish that goes with pretty much anything, and it’s equally delicious when baked, broiled, poached, or grilled. Total Time: 20 min. Prep Time: 10 min. Cooking Time: 10 min. Makes 4 servings 21 Day Fix portions: 1

It’s the hot-weather cooking conundrum: What’s a light, refreshing meal that’s not a salad? No one wants to spend hours in the kitchen over a hot stove, and there are only so many greens you can eat before your taste buds start demanding more action. The answer: Marinated Veggies with Chicken Sausage. In this flavor-rich dish, colorful summer veggies like zucchini, squash, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and green beans soak in a tart marinade; chicken sausage adds a boost of

Pasta is a dish that tugs at your heartstrings. My mouth waters thinking about a steaming plate of hot pasta — and let’s not forget about the freshly grated Parmesan cheese that melts on top. One of my favorite types of pasta is fettuccine alfredo. I love how the creamy garlicky sauce coats each noodle. It’s the type of dish you never get tired of, and it’s always a crowd pleaser at the dinner table. Whether the sauce is made with butter and cheese or butter, cheese and cream

The menu for next week is up --- these challengers are in for a treat :) Personally, figuring out WHAT to eat to be healthy has always been hardest for me. I'd be caught up in reading labels, going for "diet" and "low fat" foods and would be so frustrated when I wasn't seeing any results from trying to eat healthy. Then I found something that worked. No more counting calories, points or researching labels. The 21 Day Fix has changed the way I look at food and portion control,