Two Gals Cooking Light Giveaway and Grilled Tomato & Brie Sandwiches

What brings two gals from opposite sides of the continent together, one from upper New York State and the other from British Columbia, Canada? Their passion for food and creating innovative and delicious dishes for their family, co-workers and friends.

Shelby (aka HoneyB) from The Life and Loves of Grumpys Honeybunch is an avid blogger and writer. Her love for her family shines through in every post besides the fact that I wish her dishes could just leap off of the pages. She makes delicious dishes for Grumpy's palate as well as fabulous desserts for co-workers and friends. Shelby and I both have a love for Cooking Light magazine which has an emphasis on healthy eating and living. Each issue covers light cuisine and includes more than 70 delicious and flavourful recipes. It also explores food and nutrition news as well as fitness, health and beauty.

With our love for Cooking Light magazine Shelby and I decided to collaborate for one week and kickstart our summer by sharing some recipes with you from this months issue of Cooking Light. Check out her post here. Shelby and I will be alternating days so please return here at MTBT tomorrow for the second entry to our week of Cooking Light. The great thing about eating light is that you can still love your food and not give up any of the flavour... just focus on loving food that’s good for you. People like us who really adore food and flavour have a much better chance of eating well, and healthily, and enjoying every minute of it!!!

Eating light and healthy is a key component to better health.

The most important piece of advise would be to not skip breakfast!!! People who eat breakfast usually feel less hungry throughout the day. It might sound odd, but a good way to 'eat light' is to 'start heavy' in the morning with a healthy breakfast, such as oats, that will give you a slow release of energy throughout the morning. If you don't like porridge, then try Swiss-style muesli thrown onto some yogurt with walnuts and fruit or whiz together some oats, pitted medjool dates, yogurt, apple juice and honey into a smoothie. Eat complex carbohydrates whenever possible such as whole grain cereals, rice, pasta, bread, beans, nuts and some types of fruit. Complex carbohydrates are low in fat, fast-burning, and rich in vitamins and minerals.

Eat carbs for lunch and protein for dinner. If you have your main carbohydrates in the middle of the day, then your body has plenty of time to digest them in the afternoon. So lunch can be pasta with tuna and capers, a sandwich or a baked potato, and dinner can be something lighter, such as grilled fish or a big bowl of soup. Your body will be able to digest it more easily and not feel weighed down.

The first couple days may be difficult if this is a life-style change, but once you've done it over and over again, it will become second nature and you will have an easier time. Don't give up!!! There's no such thing as cheating. It is not always possible to eat healthy and light everyday. Think of those days that you eat something else as wandering and not cheating. Wandering is not wrong or bad. I want to wander all around the world and experience new foods!!!!!

Some exciting news. Shelby and I have been given the opportunity to give away a years subscription to Cooking Light magazine to THREE lucky readers...count them... THREE.... so be sure to visit all this week . We had already decided to do a CL week and Aaron came up with this offer. It was meant to be!!! Just leave one comment on our Cooking Light posts for the next week at The Life and Loves of Grumpys Honeybunch or right here at More Than Burnt Toast and 3 winners will be chosen by random draw on Saturday June 13, 2009. These Cooking Light Subscriptions have been generously offered to our readers by Aaron of Magazine Direct. Thank you Aaron!!!!! If you already have a subscription share their magazine with your family or friends. Follow us through this weeks journey as we laugh and cook our way through this months issue of Cooking Light Magazine.

To kickstart our week of Two Gal's Cooking Light we are both preparing Grilled Tomato and Brie Sandwiches from the June 2009 issue. These sandwiches make the most of juicy, flavorful summer tomatoes. Serve with grapes or carrot sticks. Be sure to visit More Than Burnt Toast tomorrow for more healthy and delicious recipes from Cooking Light with Heirloom Tomato and Herb Pappardelle .

** Grilled Tomato and Brie Sandwiches**

8 (1-ounce) slices 100% whole-grain bread (about 1/4 inch thick)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, halved
2 teaspoons country-style Dijon mustard
4 ounces Brie cheese, thinly sliced
1 1/3 cups packaged baby arugula and spinach greens (such as Dole)
8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices beefsteak tomato
Cooking spray

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Prepare grill to high heat.

Brush one side of each bread slice with oil; rub cut sides of garlic over oil.

Spread 1/2 teaspoon mustard on each of 4 bread slices, oil side down. Top each bread slice with 1 ounce cheese, 1/3 cup greens, and 2 tomato slices. Top each with remaining 4 bread slices, oil side up.

Place sandwiches on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 2 minutes on each side or until lightly toasted and cheese melts.

Serves 4