You can make this tasty dish as spicy as you want it.

For optimal health and nutrition, I always try to eat whole grains and multigrains made from whole grain products. I avoid anything made from white flours. If you look carefully, you may find whole grain rice noodles at Asian markets. I found a multigrain noodle that works very well in this, and most other Asian noodle recipes. Lots of flavor, and lots of healthy fiber as well!

Don't let the list of ingredients scare you. This is easier than it looks, and you will love the results.

If you are a low-carb dieter, you probably have heard that you should avoid white potatoes. The white potato category includes red potatoes, yellow potatoes, and brown potatoes — basically, anything besides yams and sweet potatoes. Some people avoid white potatoes, along with eggplant, peppers, and other nightshade vegetables, for other reasons, One common concern is that these may make arthtitis worse.

If you are among the potato-avoiders and you miss your spuds, there are a number of ways to get a similar dish using other veggies.

Try some of these ideas, and you may find your cravings diminished to a tolerable state. And for the low-carbers, remember that you can have a little bit of real potato every now and then, particularly if accompanied by some protein to temper the glycemic effect.

The next time you have a craving for pasta, but think you can’t have it because it is so high-carb, consider these recipe tricks.

Use green beans — also known as string beans or snap beans — in place of part of the pasta. Use veggies in place of part or all of the meat. You can feel good about this meal.

Do you drink cola? If you drink the regular commercial brands, you are getting the equivalent of ten teaspoons of sugar in every 12-oz can. Since most colas in the U.S. don’t use sugar anymore, you are probably ingesting high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Studies suggest that HFCS is even worse for your health than sugar. Diet cola drinkers are likely getting a dose of aspartame in place of the cane or corn sugar.

If you search diligently, you may find some diet colas that are sweetened with sucralose, also known as Splenda. Examples include Diet-Rite and Diet R.C.

On the Chef Deb Diet I recommend that you avoid sugar as much as possible. This isn’t always easy. Sugar is added to many foods, and often shows up where you least expect it. Worse than sugar is high-fructose corn syrup, which has been linked to various medical problems. Even fructose, when extracted from its natural source — fruit — is questionable, as it can play havoc with your glucose levels, and make dieting more difficult.

I decided to go sugar-free several years ago, when a friend’s father went on a low-carb diet. At first I was skeptical — as were many people at the time. But I told him that I would try it, and that I would give him my opinion after a week or so. Well, it’s been a lot longer than a few weeks, and I liked the sugar-free lifestyle so much that I never went back.

I do eat bread, but I like to skip it sometimes in order to lower the glycemic load of a meal. I had a package of ground beef ready to use, but instead of making burgers, I decided to try something different.

Here’s what I came up with. This proved easy, healthy and delicious!

I was visited by the Munch Monster last night. It wanted me to make nachos. You know, corn chips with melted cheese on top. But I am going extra-low-carb for a little while, so the chips — even whole-grain ones — were out of the question. A bit of cheese is OK, especially the low-fat, organic cheese I keep handy. But what to use to sub for the chips?

Then I had an idea. I wasn’t sure if it would work, but I had to try. I rinsed and dried a head of romaine lettuce, and laid the leaves out on a plate, sprinkled these LIGHTLY with shredded cheese. Then I microwaved them for 1 minute. The cheese was gently melted. I considered giving them another 30 seconds to melt it further, but I decided I didn’t want the lettuce to wilt, so I took them out and let them cool slightly.

Many people put off going on a diet because they fear having to give up their favorite foods. Many diet plans tell you to avoid certain foods — at least temporarily. This helps you better understand which foods cause you to binge. If done properly, this process will raise your "food awareness", and lead you to a state of "mindful eating". At this point every mouthful is significant, and you do not eat anything unconsciously or thoughtlessly.

One food that many people give up and then feel deprived without, is pasta.

As far as pasta made with "enriched" white flour is concerned, you are better off without it. This is white flour. It provides little nutrition to compensate for the glycemic stress on your system.