You can skip the watercress in this. Plus they're easy to make ahead: PESTO-STUFFED CHERRY TOMATOES (serves 6-8) 2 cups (1 pint) cherry tomatoes 3 oz pkg cream cheese, softened 2 TBL lemon juice 1/4 cup grated Parmesan 1/4 cup finely chopped pine nuts or sunflower seeds (almonds work also) 3/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup finely chopped watercress 1 1/2 tsp dried basil 2 cloves garlic, crushed Cut tops off cherry tomatoes. Scoop out pulp. Drain tomatoes upside down on paper towels while making the filling. Beat the cream cheese w/the lemon juice in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Fill tomatoes w/cheese mixture & chill.~~From Appetizers CHEESE STRAWS (makes about 5 dozen) 1 scan cup flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt Dash of cayenne 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar 5 1/3 TBL butter 2-3 tsp water Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne & cheese. Add the butter & rub in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle in enough water to make a stiff dough. Roll out about 1/8" thick & cut in 3x1/4" strips. Bake on a cookie sheet in a preheated 400° oven for 10 minutes or until slightly brown.~~Company's Coming For this you can vary the kinds of chips: NUTS & BOLTS (serves 12 or more) 2 small boxes Cheez-its 3 cans mixed nuts (3-4 cups) 8 oz shelled pecans 1 qt popcorn (best freshly popped) 2 pkg sesame chips 2 cans coconut chips 1 small box pretzel sticks 2 sticks margarine 1/2 tsp garlic salt or 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tsp salt 1 tsp curry powder Dash of Tabasco 1 TBL Worcestershire sauce Preheat oven to 250°. Mix the Cheez-its, nuts, popcorn, chips & pretzel sticks in a large roasting pan. Melt the margarine in a small pan & stir in the seasonings. Sprinkle over the mixture in the roasting pan. Bake 1 hour, stirring 2-3 times. Cool on absorbent paper & store in cans or jars.~~Cincinnati Celebrates HAM CHEESE BALL (serves 12-15) Two 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened 1 cup ground smoked ham 1 TBL grated onion 2 tsp dried parsley flakes 1/2 tsp seasoned pepper 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Cover & chill 30-60 minutes. Shape mixture into a large ball & coat w/chopped nuts. Wrap w/plastic wrap & refrigerate. Serve w/assorted crackers.~~Food for Thought Oh, and deviled eggs go over well with nearly everyone.

I hope you're feeling better! I don't know if this book is still available, but "Live Longer and Better" is a good resource for not only recipes but also for making good lifestyle choices. It was put out by the editors of Consumer Guide. My copy is 1994, I don't know if it's been updated, but if not check used book resources- it should be cheap. The South Beach diet is good for you too, as long as you stick to mostly fish and veggie meals. Too much cholesterol from meats, even lean meats, will not help your heart. I also have "Protein Power" by Eades and Eades which has many good recipes. It also has information about how your diet affects your health. The only other thing I would suggest is to ask your doctor about an exercise program if you don't already exercise regularly. Happy healing!

In my experience, it seems that the only way you can ever really lose weight effectively and keep it off is to count the calories (no more than 1500 per day) combined with a regular excercise routine. We keep seeing all these faddy diets and gizmos advertised here in the UK but I think we all know deep down where we are going wrong. Cut out fatty foods, reduce any alcohol intake and try to comit to 20 minutes excercise per day (even a brisk walk can help) and if you can stick to this, after two weeks, you will notice a big difference. Best of luck!

Since some of mine are on Zaar, I will warn you to read my page first before trying them. It is under the name house. There is a disclaimer there on the current database and the recipes located on Zaar. As to easy, look nothing could be easier as long as you know how to do tofu. Since we aren't taught by our parents it isn't easy. First There are two types. One is the Mori Nu type aka silken. It is soft like a cottage cheese or cream cheese. It is best in smoothies and desserts such as pudding Don't try to drain it by pressing unless you plan on crumbling it. The other, waterpacked is firmer. If you freeze it, it is much tougher and more meatlike but will resemble a sponge. Esp if you freeze, drain. Simply put on a slanted board and put a heavy plate or pan on top. Let sit until the water stops running. Now it is ready to marinate. Tofu has taste. However it is so bland everything else overshadows it. Use your favorite 'sauce'. At our house we sometimes just pour sundried tomato dressing or raspberry pecan dressing over it and crumble and serve on a salad. The catch is marination time. The longer it sits, the more it will taste like what you are soaking it in. For a Western Beginner I recommend at least over night. Me? well heck I nibble it as I cut it so... However when we started the wife out on it, I soaked it overnight. Now what to do? Lets see Crumble and put on salad I make a dish that uses the tofu, our favorite bread dressing and veggies mixed in for a casserole. If you are lacto add a vegetarian cheese on top and melt. I make our favorite stir fry sauce, marinate and simply pan fry with no oil [use cooking spray for this]. Bake until golden brown and serve with sides Toss cooked or uncooked in a stir fry Make Chocolate pudding or Vanilla pudding BBQ it Toss in your favorit stew Make Dumplings such as Buddah's Jewels for a fancier meal Mix with Seitan and make a loaf to replace turkey on thanksgiving After you start working with it, the net has oodles of recipes that you can pick up in a hurry. If you follow the link off my Zaar page, it will take you to where I now keep the recipes and I vouch for them as accurate. There is a long page of tofu recipe on the site under Vegetarian/Vegan on this site. Some are for advanced users and some are for beginners. The Orange Lacquered Tofu and Ricker's Tofu Roast are my favorites. The chocolate pudding ain't shabby either. Note Ricker's tofu roast uses Seitan in the mix. That is simple to make. 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten [you can find that in the bakng section usually by Hodgson Mills or Bob's Red Mill] and 1/2 cup water, mix, knead 5 minutes boil in your favorite broth for an hour then use, refrigerate in broth or freeze in broth for future use. And if you run into trouble give a yell. Humm maybe I better thaw the garlic pepper tofu for supper. Psst if you run into any smoked tofu? Give it a try. I love it.