Healthy Home Cooking With Chef Meg!

Chef Meg Galvin is working with SparkRecipes to develop healthy recipes, test some of our best member-submitted dishes and teach the fundamentals of cooking through informative and entertaining videos and articles. A World Master Chef since 2005, Chef Meg is the host of the regional television show "The Dish," which is aired on a Cincinnati CBS affiliate and online. 

Below you can find Meg's recent videos, original recipes, and member recipe makeovers.

Recipe Videos

Chef Meg cut the sodium on this hearty soup by swapping taco seasoning for three spices you already have on hand. There's a secret ingredient (garbanzo beans) that helps add fiber and thicken our Taco Soup!

This dish has 20 cloves of garlic, which become sweet and mild when roasted. Chef Meg took this member-submitted recipe and made a few changes to add flavor without fat and calories.

An Italian favorite gets a below the border twist. Chef Meg made just a few tweaks before giving this one her seal of approval! She adds the spices early in cooking to help boost flavor and added a full pound of turkey for a more filling meal.

Chef Meg took this member-submitted recipe and turned it into a hearty entree that's bursting with flavor.

Roasted chicken is a simple and versatile protein. Use it in soups, throw it on pasta or pair it with a simple salad. Tip: Save time and energy by roasting two chickens at once and freezing one (carve it first).

This hearty salad provides a filling and fiber-rich base for classic roast chicken. Serve it alone as a vegetarian starter.

My kids love this recipe! They never complain about eating both beans and greens in one meal when they're served alongside rich, slow-cooked pork.

These healthful muffins freeze well! Make a batch on them on the weekend for a quick and tasty breakfast. Serve with a piece of fruit and a glass of low-fat milk.

Cooking fish or chicken in parchment paper packets is a technique known as "en papillote." The protein stays moist without any added fat, and the herbs and fish lend flavor to the vegetables.

Fruit is often a back-up ingredient or side dish at dinnertime, but it gets a co-starring role in this meal. Serve this flavorful, lean chicken dish over brown rice or with a baked sweet potato and steamed green beans.

Chef Meg moves strawberries from the dessert course to the salad course. Strawberries are delicious when combined with tender spinach and crunchy toasted almonds.

This is a great meal for a busy night--for some added fun, leave the forks in the cabinet and bring out the chopsticks!

This is really more of a process than a recipe. Rice paper wrappers, which are available in the ethnic sections of most larger supermarkets these days, are a great way to wrap your veggies and protein for a quick snack or light lunch.


Technique Videos

Learn how to make tomato concasse with Chef Meg. In this video, you can learn how to peel, seed, core and chop a tomato like a pro!

Learn how to properly remove zest from citrus fruit with Chef Meg Galvin of SparkRecipes.com.

Learn how to segment or "supreme" citrus fruit for salads and desserts.

Learn how to roast a pepper with Chef Meg Galvin of SparkRecipes.com

Chef Meg Galvin is working with SparkRecipes.com to make over some of your recipes. She's also sharing her own healthy recipes and helping you feel more comfortable in the kitchen.

Fish is great for your health, but most of us don't know how to choose a fresh one. Chef Meg shows us how, and she teaches us how to break down a fish and make fish stock.

Roasted garlic is a healthy and flavorful addition to any meal. Chef Meg shows you how she does it--with very little added oil or fat.

Chef Meg shows you how to chop parsley the way the pros do. "Keep going," she tells her culinary students. "You're making parsley dust."

Chef Meg demonstrates how to chop and skin a mango easily and efficiently. Maneuvering around that giant pit can be tricky!

Chef Meg of SparkRecipes.com shows you how to chop basil without bruising it, using a chiffonade technique.

Chef Meg shows you how to choose an avocado, remove it from the skin then slice and dice it.

Chef Meg shows you how to properly slice and dice an onion, and she offers tips on doing it without shedding a single tear.

As a world master chef, you would think that Chef Meg's kitchen would be full of fancy tools. Nope. She prefers to keep it as streamlined as possible. She shares her 6 favorites with SparkRecipes.com.

Chef Meg demonstrates how to poach an egg for a healthy, hearty breakfast.

Recent Recipes

Chef Meg's Recipe Makeovers

Slow Cooker Marinara Chicken and Vegetables (Chef Meg's Makeover)
Good 3.7857/5 (14 ratings)
cals: 164.2   fat: 2.1 g   protein: 27.3 g   carbs: 7.9 g   fiber: 1.8 g
Fruit Kebabs with Coconut Yogurt, Chef Meg Approved
Very Good 4.5/5 (8 ratings)
cals: 42   fat: 0.5 g   protein: 0.9 g   carbs: 9.7 g   fiber: 1.2 g
Halibut Stew (Chef Meg's Makeover)
Very Good 4.3333/5 (12 ratings)
cals: 157.2   fat: 6.6 g   protein: 17.6 g   carbs: 7.3 g   fiber: 1.9 g
Caramel Popcorn (Chef Meg's Makeover)
Very Good 4.3542/5 (48 ratings)
cals: 116.6   fat: 2.8 g   protein: 0.7 g   carbs: 23.3 g   fiber: 0.8 g
Greek Turkey Burger (Chef Meg's Makeover)
Very Good 4/5 (4 ratings)
cals: 252.1   fat: 12.4 g   protein: 30.2 g   carbs: 5.2 g   fiber: 0.5 g
Lynda's White Chicken Chili (Chef Meg's Makeover)
Very Good 4.3636/5 (88 ratings)
cals: 226   fat: 5.2 g   protein: 25.3 g   carbs: 20.2 g   fiber: 4.6 g
Chicken Cordon Bleu-California Style (Chef Meg's Makeover)
Very Good 4/5 (4 ratings)
cals: 355   fat: 24.1 g   protein: 33.3 g   carbs: 1.2 g   fiber: 0.2 g
Chocolate Fondue (Chef Meg's Makeover)
Very Good 4.5217/5 (23 ratings)
cals: 88.8   fat: 3.5 g   protein: 1.2 g   carbs: 14.7 g   fiber: 0.6 g
Chicken Breasts with Red Wine Sauce (Chef Meg's Makeover)
Very Good 4.5185/5 (54 ratings)
cals: 179.7   fat: 6.4 g   protein: 20.8 g   carbs: 5.8 g   fiber: 1.1 g
Boston Baked Beans (Chef Meg's Makeover)
Very Good 4.3455/5 (55 ratings)
cals: 167.5   fat: 0.8 g   protein: 6.4 g   carbs: 34.2 g   fiber: 6.1 g

Chef Meg's Original Recipes

Chef Meg's Spice Cookies
Very Good 4.2308/5 (13 ratings)
cals: 61.1   fat: 2.6 g   protein: 0.8 g   carbs: 9.2 g   fiber: 0.5 g
Chef Meg's Vanilla Flavoring
Very Good 4.875/5 (8 ratings)
cals: 10.7   fat: 0 g   protein: 0 g   carbs: 0 g   fiber: 0 g
Chef Meg's Beef, Broccolini, and Sweet Potato Supper
Very Good 4.5833/5 (12 ratings)
cals: 339.8   fat: 11 g   protein: 31.1 g   carbs: 29.5 g   fiber: 5.7 g
Chef Meg's Oven Roasted Tomatoes
Very Good 4.5/5 (2 ratings)
cals: 28.9   fat: 2.4 g   protein: 0.4 g   carbs: 2 g   fiber: 0.4 g
Chef Meg's Cinnamon Chocolate Shortbread
Very Good 4.4167/5 (12 ratings)
cals: 62.4   fat: 3.3 g   protein: 1.4 g   carbs: 7.6 g   fiber: 0.8 g
Chef Meg's Angelic Peppermint Towers
Very Good 4.375/5 (8 ratings)
cals: 215.4   fat: 5 g   protein: 4 g   carbs: 41 g   fiber: 0.7 g
Chef Meg's Beef and Blue Sandwich
Very Good 4.5/5 (4 ratings)
cals: 325   fat: 9.8 g   protein: 33.5 g   carbs: 27.7 g   fiber: 5.7 g
Chef Meg's Beef Roast
Very Good 4.5484/5 (31 ratings)
cals: 191.2   fat: 7.6 g   protein: 28.7 g   carbs: 0.1 g   fiber: 0 g
Chef Meg's Caramelized Onions
Very Good 4.8/5 (5 ratings)
cals: 26.4   fat: 0.6 g   protein: 0.7 g   carbs: 5 g   fiber: 1.1 g
Chef Meg's Vegetable Beef Soup
Very Good 4.7273/5 (11 ratings)
cals: 119.8   fat: 3.6 g   protein: 15.9 g   carbs: 4.7 g   fiber: 0.9 g