Yesterday, I did a television cooking segment for NBC 13 Daytime Alabama featuring fresh Chilton County Peaches. One of the three recipes I made was Pork Chops with Peach Salsa which was featured on my site a few weeks back. It had such huge views that I was requested to feature it again.  Here you go.  I hope you enjoy.

Since I was born and raised in the south, I can honestly say I have tried a lot of great fried foods. Over the years, I have worked hard to lighten some of my favorite southern dishes. These Panko-Crusted Fish Sticks have to be one of my favorites. When I made them recently, everyone was raving about them and begged for the recipe. Not only because they were so pretty, but the flavor was out of this world. I served them with this simple sauce, and dinnertime was a hit. These make a great appetizer or main dish for anytime during the year. This recipe also works great with chicken, cut into thin strips.

I’m on a main-dish salad kick this week since it’s so hot outside. I’m also so busy developing and testing recipes for a Christmas project for a major brand. It is so fun to think about Christmas and smell holiday dishes cooking in my kitchen in July. Testing heavier recipes for work makes me want something really light and healthy for dinner. This recipe is one of my favorites for this time of year. I love the freshness of grapefruit, oranges and basil served with the shrimp. When I make this, it’s gone within minutes. It’s very low in carbs, fat, calories and gluten-free.

People ask me all of the time for healthier versions of recipes, and this is one of my all-time favorite main-dish salads. This Healthy Taco Salad recipe has only 184 calories, 4 grams of fat and 19 carbohydrates per serving. It’s so easy starting with a homemade taco seasoning blend for the beef and homemade baked corn tortilla strips. This recipe can also be gluten-free substituting gluten-free tortillas and gluten-free salsa. Enjoy for a simple, healthy weeknight dinner.

When I worked at Southern Living Magazine, we tested a lot of Tomato Pie recipes. I have been searching for one without mayonnaise that was lighter, healthier and still tasted great. My assistant, Alatia, told me about one that she made recently. This Tomato-Basil Pie is super easy, and it makes great use of summery fresh tomatoes and basil. My kids said it tasted similar to a pizza, and they loved it. This is a great recipe idea for a party appetizer, light main-dish dinner or lunch. Serve with a drizzle of balsamic if you like. It’s a true taste of summer.

When Whole Foods Market asked me if I would do one of my television cooking segments for NBC 13 “Daytime Alabama” on Alaskan Salmon, I said, “Yes, please.” We eat salmon at least once a week at my house. Salmon is called a “superfood” because it’s high in omega-3 fatty acids, a type of fat that seems to decrease the risk of heart disease. It’s also a prime source of protein and contains vitamins A and B. This salsa works great with the dish featuring “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray”. Serve the salsa warm or at room temperature.

Watch my segment, Friday, July 9th at 11:30 central time.

Since summer began, things seem (and are) busier than ever. Trying to work at home with 3 kids is always a challenge. Some days, dinnertime becomes a last minute thought. This recipe for Steak Fajita Salad is one of my “in a pinch” recipes. My kids love these, and they wrap the steak and vegetables in flour tortillas. I serve mine over lettuce (trying to skip the carbs). I dollop mine with nonfat Greek yogurt for some extra protein and a great substitute for sour cream.

Note: for the Fajitas seasoning, I used McCormick.

I recently saw a pizza grill pan last week in the window at The Cook Store, a wonderful neighborhood cooking store where I live. I thought to myself, “I want that!”. I received one for a present shortly thereafter, and I was very excited (thanks @jon_lewis -twitter handle). I used it the other night when I was in a pinch as I was testing recipes for my upcoming book (Chipotle Pork Wraps with Slaw).  My kids didn’t want that for dinner so I threw this Grilled Pizza with Basil, Mushrooms and Mini Turkey Pepperoni together for them. I ended up eating both (of course) because it turned out so great!

My kids love pasta salad, and always request it. This week my daughter, Leigh, and I threw this together. It was so delicious, fresh, healthy and gone in about 10 minutes. The photo got rave reviews on twitter and facebook when I posted it. Everyone was begging for the recipe. Here it is just in time for summer. It’s a cool and light idea when it’s so warm outside. Feel free to add cooked or grilled chicken if you like.

For the Sun-Dried tomatoes, I love “California Sun Dry Tomatoes” that come already julienne- cut.

Try Pork with Peach Salsa for a quick summer weeknight meal. This recipe is so easy using peach preserves and honey as a glaze over the pork. I use boneless pork loin chops because they cook so quickly, perfect for busy people. Feel free to grill the pork outdoors, inside in a grill pan or even nonstick skillet. This Peach Salsa is wonderful and filled with fresh peaches, cilantro, purple onion and lime juice. If you don’t eat pork, feel free to subsitute boneless chicken breasts, or I prefer chicken cutlets because they are thinner and cook even quicker.