Once notorious for his love of junk food and his famous stops at McDonald’s, former president Bill Clinton has embraced a vegan lifestyle to prevent heart disease.

Former President Clinton now considers himself a vegan. He’s dropped more than 20 pounds, and he says he’s healthier than ever. His dramatic dietary transformation took almost two decades and came about only after a pair of heart procedures and some advice from a trusted doctor.

I remember growing up in my European immigrant family with great food.

Some from Italy and some from Eastern Europe but all of it driven by the freshest ingredients and much of it, meatless.

My grandmas and aunts always had their own gardens and were “putting up” or canning something at any given time.

For me summertime always means tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches.

These were not gourmet growing up.

They were just any bread with mayo, fresh tomato and “crunchy” salt on top.

I spruced these up a little by grilling artisan whole grain bread with olive oil to give crunch and texture to the bread and I’ve also added big fleshy leaves of basil for that peppery edge that basil can give.

Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise is my favorite with this sandwich.

Even a few slices of avocado would be delish!

Get creative and keep it meatless. The possibilities are endless for a tasty, light and nutritious meal that says, “Summertime” in every bight!

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

These pancakes were the star of the show.

Fragrant Lemon; light and fluffy, golden and warm with just a hint of sweetness!

Lemon Ricotta pancakes were heaven.

We shared these like dessert.

Smoked Salmon Benedict Two Poached Eggs, Smoked Salmon and English Muffin with Herb and Lemon Hollandaise

Brunch with wonderful friends in Chicago found us at Prarie Fire in the Loop.

A comfy and cozy atmosphere on a Sunday afternoon was a perfect backdrop for delicious food and yummy morning cocktails!

This is a comfort food hangout with a sophisticated twist.

Signature PGC Benedict Two Poached Eggs over Sautéed Spinach, Crumbled Bacon and English Muffin Roasted Tomato Hollandaise

Greek Omlette Feta, Tomato, Spinach and Onion

Look at how fluffy and moist this omlette is!

Fresh Raspberry Preserves and Whole Wheat Toast

The raspberry flavor was so fresh and…..raspberry-y!

This is a great brunch spot.

A must see when in Chicago!

What a gorgeous sunny day in Chicago!

What better to do than lunch and shop on a crispy cool Spring day?!

Where better to go for both than Barney’s and Fred’s?!

A seat next to the window with a glorious view of the Gold Coast was the perfect way to enjoy this beet and goat cheese salad!

Fred’s is a cool upscale spot which features organic and local food as much as possible.

The atmosphere is pure Gold Coast; Comfortable luxury!

The salmon was wild caught, tender and juicy.

The spinach was perfectly cooked and flavorful.

This is a great combination.

I can eat salmon and spinach everyday!

The avocado and tomato salsa made this the absolutely perfect meal for me!

All my favorites on one plate with green onion, too!

Very fresh. Delicious!

My honey had the linguine with clams in a very light tomato sauce.

This dish was garlicky and spicy.

Absolutely fantastic!

We were both jockying between the two plates trying to decide which was better.

It was a tie.

We were so full!

But that did not stop us from completely cleaning our plates!

Of course, we walked around Michigan Avenue for a while.

I shopped, he tried to stop me from shopping, and so it went until we stumbled on Tavern on Rush……..

The waiter warned me and I just assumed he was a wimp. A supermodel in waiter clothing.

How could he think for a moment that I could not finish a piece of cake?!

It was just lovely! and HUGE indeed!

There was no finishing this cake but it was spectacular!

Not too sweet, moist and a chocolate buttercream landscape of heaven!

It was a brisk and windy Chicago day and we spent it on the patio of Tavern on Rush, sipping coffee and nibbling on this cake!

There was people watching and the luxury of a carefree afternoon with my loved one.

A small pool of creme Anglais, fresh strawberrries and a delicate chocolate sauce created the perfect balance of flavor and texture!

Look at this! From every angle a monument to yumminess!

I can’t wait to go back and do it all over again!

Lunch at Carpaccio in Bal Harbour was the ultimate “Miami” brunch experience.

Let’s forget about the food for a moment. Carpaccio is the place to see and be seen.

Sunday afternoon brunch, after a long night of clubbing in South Beach, is the only remedy for what long nights have to offer!

The patio offers the best people watching opportunities.

This fresh mozzarella and vegetable platter was the perfect morning after meal.

Linguine with clams…

Margherita pizza….

Angel hair pasta with basil and fresh tomatoes….

The food was going fast!

Dancing until 4:30 in the morning can make a girl pretty hungry!

Fried calamari and zucchini was the fried food fix we all needed!

These were crispy, hot, salty and delicious!

A long leisurely meal, great friends, and the post-mortem of the night’s shenanagins with a cold bottle of Sauvignon Blanc is the best way to say “Good-bye” to Miami!

What is better than cheese and crackers with friends on a sunny afternoon?

Fruits and olives, beautiful cheeses and fresh whole grain bread and crackers take this afternoon snack to a whole new level!

Fresh ripe papaya taste like honey and sunshine!

These crackers are melt in your mouth fantastic. So much flavor in wholesome ingredients makes this guilt-free snacking at it’s best.

Lesley Stowe, Raincoast Crisps are my new favorite cracker!

These are unique, delicisious and worth the trouble to find!

These photos with the sun streaming in bring back memories of great conversation and joy with friends.

Fine dining does not have to be complicated.

Some of my finest culinary moments have been born of the simplest ingredients!

Don’t forget to put the love into it to get the most of your food and friends!

Having a network of support and good information helps to make these goals reachable.

Resources like WeightLoss for All offer a wealth of knowledge to help you achieve your personal best by choosing the best low calorie foods.

When you’re trying to lose weight, arranging a low calorie meal plan is pretty important. You can work out all day and night, but if you’re taking in more calories and fat than your body needs to maintain itself, you’re only going to gain weight in the long run. Still, you gotta eat, so it’s all about developing a diet of low calorie foods.

Read Weightlossforall.com for articles and tips, information and support that you can count on for reliable weightloss advice!

While it is a clever spoof on dreadful pharmaceutical commercials it is also poignantly true.

Lunch at Abigail’s in Ravinia, Ill was a treat on a cold but sunny day.

Nicoise salad is the best ever with slices of rare seared tuna.

Olives, capers and tender greens served room temperature….so important!

The grilled shrimp salad was the special that day and was delicious with horseradish dressing.

More crispy greens!

Someone had to order the chicken sandwich with basil alioli and fresh tomato jam!

Crispy flatbread with hard pungent cheeses was light and tasty!