You don’t have to do that to your body. Try these healthy but tasty alternatives to another year of face-down groaning on the floor. No, it ain’t bobbing for tofu. This stuff is really good.

Seven Layer Taco Dip

1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
1 (8 ounce) package low fat cream cheese, softened
1 (16 ounce) container low fat sour cream
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
1 large tomato, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch chopped green onions
1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
2 cups shredded low fat Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning mix and refried beans. Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter.
2. Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Spread over the refried beans.
3. Top the layers with salsa. Place a layer of tomato, green bell pepper, green onions and lettuce over the salsa, and top with Cheddar cheese. Garnish with black olives.

Chicken and Artichoke Pizza

3 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 (6 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
large clove garlic, minced
1 (10 ounce) package prebaked pizza crust
4 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut chicken into small pieces pieces. Wash hands and cutting board. Drain artichoke hearts, reserving liquid. Coarsely chop artichoke hearts.
2. Place artichoke liquid in large nonstick skillet and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cook until most of liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Add chicken and garlic to skillet. Cook chicken 3 to 5 minutes or until done (internal temp 170 degrees F). Stir in artichoke hearts. Remove from heat.
3. Place pizza crust on baking sheet; top evenly with tomato slices. Top with chicken mixture; sprinkle with basil. Top with cheese. Bake 12 to 17 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.
4. Serve: Cut pizza into wedges and serve with tossed salad. Refrigerate leftovers.

French Onion Dip

1 lg. cottage cheese
2 pkgs. weight watchers onion broth
1/4 c. minced onions
2 tbsp. celery and parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. paprika
Black pepper to taste
1/4 c. water
1 tbsp. lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Chill in refrigerator at least an hour before serving.

Chicken and Bacon Shish Kabobs

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons canola oil
10 large mushrooms, cut in half
2 green onions, minced
3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into chunks
1/2 pound sliced thick cut bacon, cut in half
1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
skewers

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, mix the soy sauce, cider vinegar, honey, canola oil, and green onions. Place the mushrooms and chicken into the mixture, and stir to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat grill for high heat.
3. Wrap the chicken chunks with bacon, and thread onto skewers so that the bacon is secured. Alternate with mushroom halves and pineapple chunks.
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Arrange skewers on the prepared grill. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, brushing occasionally with remaining soy sauce mixture, until bacon is crisp and chicken juices run clear.

There you go. Four recipes tempting, tasty, and totally better for you than six bags of Cheetos and a half ton of beer.

This may come as a surprise since marketing campaigns have long promoted liquid vegetable oils as ‘heart healthy’. Yes, these oils are low in artery-clogging saturated fat, and don’t have cholesterol. But, as we mentioned, they’re also loaded with fat and calories.

What’s a health-conscious person to do when they need a little oil for cooking? Squeeze it from the nearest skinny looking carrot? No, silly. Don’t get all dramatic on me. What you need is merely some information about which oils are more useful for light and healthy cooking.

Canola Oil
With a mild, bland taste, canola should be one of your primary cooking oils when you don’t want a strong taste from your oil. Low in saturated fats and rich in monounsaturated fats, canola oil also contains alpha-linolenic acid, an essential omega-3 fatty acid that most people are deficient in.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Olive oil should be another of your primary cooking oils. Unlike canola, it does add its own delicious flavor to food. Rich in monounsaturated fat, olive oil also contains phytochemicals that lower blood cholesterol and fight against cancer Extra virgin is the least processed and has the best taste. How about ‘light’ olive oil? Not such a good choice. You have to use more oil for the same amount of flavor. Bad trade-off. Stick to the real deal.

Macadamia Nut oil
Found in health food and specialty stores, macadamia nut oil is great for cooking fish, chicken, vegetables, baked goods, and salad dressings. The high smoking point will make you and your smoke alarm happy when stir-frying or sautéing. Also highly monounsaturated.

Sesame Oil
Sesame oil has a rich, nutty flavor that enhances the taste of some foods. Small amounts will add a distinctive taste to recipes without racking up the fat grams and calories.

Soybean Oil
Most cooking oil simply labeled ‘vegetable oil’ come from soybean oil. This has a bland flavor when you don’t want oil interfering in the taste of your food. Soybean oil supplies some omega-3 fat but not nearly as much as canola or walnut oils.

Walnut Oil
The fun part about walnut oil is, due to minimal processing, it can turn rancid quickly once opened. Not good unless you’re into weird tastes. This oil has a delicate, nutty flavor and is great for cooking, baking, and salad-making. You should be able to find at least one brand in most grocery stores.

Nonstick Vegetable Oil Cooking Spray
Available in all sorts of flavors, the advantage is that the amount of fat that comes out during a one-second spray is so little. Little of it gets into the recipe. Quickens browning of food and keeps it from sticking to pots and pans quite so bad.

There you have it, cooking oil friends and enemies. The long and short, the fat and skinny, the good, the bad, and the nutty. Now go forth and choose your healthy cooking oil with the best weapon of all – information!

Pizza is the quintessentially Italian turned American food group all to itself.

What’s your weirdest favorite topping? Have you tried oysters, dandelions, peanut butter or jelly? How about the Russian favorite mockba pizza, which is a mixture of sardines, tuna, mackerel, salmon, and onions?

Now that last one may make you want to spin around at your computer desk and dry heave into the trashcan but it does bring up the question of healthy pizza alternatives. Let’s stop here for a second – can healthy pizza taste good?

Of course it can, silly goose!

No matter how many veggies they toss on there, a trip down to your local Dominos or Pizza Hut may not yield the healthiest slice of pie around. But if you want that addicting goodness without the festival of chemical and preservative laden meat, I’m here to tell you the news is good.

What exactly makes a pizza healthier other than not eating it?

Good question. Here are a few points to put in your brain blender and cogitate on:

• Use whole wheat pizza dough to boost the fiber content by 50%
• Use low fat mozzarella cheese to lower saturated fat and cholesterol
• Pile on veggies for more fiber and nutrients
• Don’t forget pears, apples, and pineapples make great toppings too

In case you haven’t grasped the concept yet, yes, I am suggesting you make pizza for yourself at home. If that thought horrifies you beyond belief…uh…maybe you should just grab the Yellow Pages and look for ‘pizza’.

But if you’re still with me, try a few healthy alternative pizzas like the ones below.

Tex-Mex pizza.

Grilled pizza with tomatoes, pesto, and feta.

Wild mushroom and sage pizza.

Find a more comprehensive list of healthy pizzas here. And here’s a great step-by-step discussion of exactly how to make healthy and great tasting pizza at home.

I’m not denying take-out pizza tastes great. We all know it does but maybe you shouldn’t get it like that every time. Get adventurous at home and find out how exactly how healthy pizza can make your wildest dreams come true.