Thanksgiving is always one of those holidays we love and hate. We love all the eating, drinking, laughing, entertaining – but we hate the feeling of actually feeling like a stuffed turkey afterward!

One of the easiest ways to watch your figure around the holidays is to bring an item from your own kitchen to the table. This way you have one dish you know is really yummy – and not because it’s loaded with tons of cream, sugar & salt!

Here are a few holiday favorites I love to make that are easy & healthy, but yet delicious and not too “good-for-you-tasting” so it feels like you are really splurging when you’re not. Bonus: You’ll never hear so many compliments on how good your dish is – and they don’t even notice it’s full of vegetables…

Sweet & Salty Brussels Sprouts

It’s not often anyone asks for brussels sprouts at the table, but this dish is so full of flavor & vitamin C, it will be gone before you are able to go back for seconds!

(Serves 8-10)

4 cups brussels sprouts, haved

4 slices low-sodium turkey bacon, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large pears, diced

2 large fugi apples, diced

2 cups apple cider

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

2 tablespoons walnuts

Directions: Cook turkey bacon; set aside. In a large pan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook brussels sprouts, cut side down & flipping once, until browned, about 10-12 minutes. Add in diced pear and apple and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add cider, cinnamon, sea salt & pepper. Simmer and stir until all liquid cooks away. Add in cooked turkey bacon pieces and heat with brussels sprouts for 1-2 minutes. Top with walnuts.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Rosemary, Garlic & Thyme

*Time Saver: At Trader Joe’s, they have prepackage root vegetables available that are already washed & cut into perfect cube-sized pieces for this recipe!

(Serves 10-12)

3 cups carrot

3 cups sweet potato

3 cups baby red potato

3 cups butternut squash

3 cups parsnip

3 cups turnip

1/4 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp rosemary

2 tbsp thyme

sea salt & fresh ground pepper

Cooking spray

Directions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Peel & cut all vegetables into 1/2 inch cubes (or similar size). Combine vegetables in large bowl with olive oil, garlic, 1 tbsp rosemary, 1 tbsp thyme, sea salt & pepper to taste. Toss well to coat. Spread vegetables in a large baking dish (you may have to use 2) coated well with cooking spray. Cook for 35-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Top with remaining rosemary & thyme.

Super Quick & Easy Lemon Tart

This dessert isn’t the healthiest - but it’s so rich with lemon & vanilla flavor, you can have a few bites and be completely sugar-saitsfied. Plus, its so easy to make you’ll never have to worry about bringing a dessert last minute again!

(Serves 8-10)

1 large Meyer lemon

1 1/2 cups superfine sugar

1 stick organic butter

1 tsp. vanilla

4 organic eggs

Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut lemon into 8 pieces and place in blender (skins and all!) with the rest of the ingredients. Blend like crazy until smooth! Pour this mixture into your favorite pie or tart crust shell. Bake for 40 minutes or until set (making sure it doesn’t burn). Sprinkle top lightly with powdered sugar and serve.

Remember - Thanksgiving is all about being thankful - so what are you most thankful for?

I’m thankful for my loving family, close friends, good health, amazing clients – and of course, pilates.

You want a flat belly?

Please don’t do 200 sit-ups at the gym. Not only is it hard to watch – it’s pointless.

There is no other request I get more often in the studio than for a skinny middle, and I always repeat the same answer: To get a flat belly you need to change the way you live. That means changing your workout routine (cardio is not enough), throwing out all the soda (even if its diet), and learning how to cook (put down the take-out menu).

Here are 7 ways to cinch inches off your waistline – plus my personal flat-belly tips!

1. Drink H2O. Listen – it’s not rocket science I’m writing about here. Water cleanses your liver and pushes food through the body faster. The more water you drink, the thinner you’ll be. *Flat-Belly Tip: Adding lemon to water has been linked to a smaller waist size!
2. Move More Often. This doesn’t concern the gym. It simply means walking more regularly, taking stairs, hiking with your dog or running after your kids on the playground. Put down your remote control and get up off that chair to get more active throughout the day. Make that call to your mom as you’re walking around the block, or climb your office stairs every day. You can burn extras of hundreds of calories by simply just moving more often. *Flat-Belly Tip: Think of pulling your belly button toward your spine as you walk to feel a greater belly connection!
3. Lift Weights. Cardio is not enough. I’m a big fan of pilates exercises on the reformer machine, which uses resistance ropes to control movements while concentrating on your core. My clients notice results in their bodies – especially in their stomach regions - faster. Your body has to work harder to recover when you integrate weight-bearing exercises into workouts, which drives your metabolism into overtime! *Flat-Belly Tip: Every time you lift a weight or resistance band, think about moving from your center to control movements & create a better connection to your stomach muscles!
4. Eat Protein. Think organic free-range chicken breast, fish (especially wild salmon), lean ground turkey, eggs, tofu and beans. Protein is also the nutrient that builds muscle—and the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism and the more calories you’ll burn throughout the day! *Flat-Belly Tip: Adding protein to every meal/snack will keep your stomach full & your mind off the sweet stuff!
5. Eat Fiber. Berries, apples, pears, seeds, leafy greens, oats & whole grains. Fiber gives you a ton of nutrients with less calories. Perfect. *Flat-Belly Tip: Here’s a waist-slimming breakfast recipe – Combine freshly prepared oatmeal with one scoop of protein powder and top with berries, cinnamon & sliced almonds.
6. Make Friends with Healthy Fat. Polyunsaturated & monounsaturated fats, like those found in nuts, olive oil, fish and avocados, help your body digest foods in a quick and efficient way to keep your stomach fuller longer and your brain happier. Bonus? Healthy fats are tasty in small doses – just a tablespoon or scoop is usually enough to get your recommended daily amount. *Flat-Belly Tip: Make your own belly-friendly salad dressing by combining 1 tablespoon each olive oil, vinegar, dijon mustard, honey & lemon juice. YUM!
7. Don’t Forget Antioxidents. Artichokes, berries, cinnamon, oregano – even beans and potatoes! Fruits and vegetables are packed with powerful antioxidants that can lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes-related damage and even slow down the body’s natural aging process. Antioxidants help prevent cholesterol-clogging in your arteries, keep your heart pumping, and (more vainly) will help clear your skin! *Flat-Belly Tip: A glass of red wine counts!

Your flat belly is so close I can (barely) see it!