Cinco de Mayo is one of the unofficial starts of summer and one of the most food-focused holidays in the US. Who would want to pass up a day where tacos, guacamole, and margaritas flow like fireworks on the Fourth of July? If you’re a calorie counter, that might be you.

Mexican food is known to be rich and heavy and full of fat and calories. A meal at On The Border could push you past 2300 calories for two margaritas, chips and salsa, the three ground beef enchilada dinner with chile con carne, rice, and refried beans, and a sopapilla to round it all out. You know that’s more than a day’s worth of calories, right? And we won’t remind you how bloated you’ll feel afterward.

We plan on celebrating Cinco de Mayo this year, and want you to do so, too! That’s why we’re sharing a few tips and recipes to do so with much less guilt.
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The first time I ever tried a caprese salad was when I was visiting my much-more-sophisticated-than-I older cousin Billy Jo. She and her husband own an exquisite home in Houston and my sister and I were down for a visit nearly a decade ago now.

Before dinner one night, Billy pullled out the ingredients for a caprese salad – fresh mozzarella, gorgeous roma tomatoes, huge stems of basil, and a little balsamic vinegar.

Never having seen such an adventurous flavor combination before, I watched closely as she meticulously layered the cheese with the tomato, and then the basil, over and over again until the plate resembled the Italian flag. A drizzle of balsamic vinegar finished it off before we all claimed our portion. Admittedly, my then 16-year-old self didn’t appreciate the robust, fresh flavors. But now, it’s one of my absolute favorite Italian bites. This “grilled cheese” sandwich is an homage to that salad with a bit more heartiness and the ease of portability.
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The more I started digging into whole foods, the more I started learning about whole foods blogs that boasted amazing recipes like Blueberry oat cobblers, Tuscan kale salads, and superfood nut butter cups (just to name a few). Such a blog is A Couple Cooks, run by husband and wife team Alex and Sonja Overhiser.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Sonja recently about she and Alex’s blog, their approach to health, and their outlook on life. Here’s what she had to say.

Why did you start your food blog?
A Couple Cooks started as an offshoot of what was our personal blog at the time, which was quickly becoming filled with photos of food as we were falling in love with cooking. However, we also started it with a mission – as a place to inspire home cooking and healthy eating, which we’d found so much joy and fulfillment from in our own lives. It’s taken on a new life from when it started – it’s become a place where we can express ourselves creatively, as well as a way to connect to our local food community and others around the world who love food. It also gives us a place to think about advocacy and activism, be it for food/health issues, environment, or social justice.
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My daughter is turning three this week. As any mother can attest, I just can’t understand where the time has gone. She’s smart, sassy, full of song, and has been waiting for her birthday for months. With no prompting she has provided constant reminders of her wish for birthday hats, balloons (one of each color), and a cake (with fire on top) for months. I was happy to finally oblige with all three this weekend.

The cake, of course, is the centerpiece of any birthday party. But I’m also that mom and sugar is a rare treat in our house – birthdays being a reasonable exception. Still, I didn’t want to overload her, myself, or our guests with a sugar bomb topped with more fat and sugar in the frosting. So, I shared my vision for a fresh, homemade, but easier-on-the-sugar cake with our assistant editor and resident baker extradordinaire, Dana.

This Strawberry Lemonade Cake was a hit! It was rich and dense like a restaurant or bakery cake, but felt clean, light, and perfectly sweet. That’s because we didn’t use any butter and went light on the sugar, but made up for it with honey and fresh strawberries.
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I love introducing new friends, especially when I know they’ll hit off. Diets In Review readers, I know you’ll love one of my dearest online friends Holly Whitleff, who runs the healthy, inspiring, ever-delicious blog The Healthy Everythingtarian. So many good things to say about this girl I hardly know where to start!

Let’s begin with food. Holly has always approached food practically and healthfully, avoiding any fad diet trends or overly-complicated ingredients or equipment. That’s why I’ve always loved her blog: Healthy, simple food inspiration can always be found. Apple cheddar tart, anyone? Plus, she’s one of the most entertaining online writers you’ll read.

I had the extreme pleasure of speaking with Holly recently about her blog, her life and her practical approach to health. Here’s what she had to say.
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