Wendy Wesley is rated as one of St. Petersburg’s and Tampa Bay’s best nutritionists and dietitians with excellent client reviews and community awards.

Wendy is a registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist (Florida) serving St. Petersburg, Tampa and Clearwater and is verified through Nutritionist Near Me and Dietitian Near Me.

Your staples may be different depending on your tastes and cooking style.

5 quick and easy tips to save money in the grocery store.
Make a Plan
Shop the Middle
Meats in Bulk
Frozen is your Friend
Shop in Season

While doing IF, you delay your first bite in the morning until you feel real hunger coming on. The key word here is REAL hunger. It is not shaky hunger or angry hunger. It is real hunger that, on a scale of 1-10 (1 is starving and 10 is Thanksgiving) is around a 3 or 4.

This is a healthy, fiber-rich salad that is green, red and white for the holidays. Put on the dressing immediately before serving or offer it on the side.

Bowls are fantastic because they require assembling and not that much cooking.

This egg dish will keep you full for hours because of the protein in the eggs and the fiber in the colorful vegetables.

This 5-ingredient pesto sauce is light and versatile because you can use almost any kind of leafy green including basil, cilantro, spinach, collard greens, mustard greens, sweet potato leaves or arugula.

Put all the ingredients in an old jelly or mustard jar and shake up. It keeps in your refrigerator for months.

Here’s a easy recipe to try in the fall when butternut squash and pears are in season.

Yes, this soup can be made in 30-minutes using canned black beans. I recommend using the can juice because it contains bean starch which will make the soup thick. Puree half to 75% of the beans for a velvety consistency.

According to the University of North Carolina over 60 percent of the foods in the grocery store contain added sugars. These common foods below contain added sugar.

I have made this salad at least 20 times for parties and company and it keeps impressing me. Substitute quinoa and summertime stone fruits like peaches, nectarines or plums. Because these fruits are softer they won’t last as long at the apples so consider that into your plans.

A big helping of peppers and onions add color, flavor and fiber. To finish, the sauce can be made with mayo or Greek yogurt mixed with hot sauce and chili powder.

This recipe is heavy on vegetables and light on the pasta. This can be made vegan by omitting the cream and the cheese and subbing butter for oil. Farro is a nutty-tasting and chewy grain found near the rice in the store. Orzo looks like rice but it actually pasta and is found in the pasta section.

While out with a new friend at Deccan Spice in Clearwater I tried some of her Chana Masala. Wonderful! I found a recipe and modified it for a fast dinner. Hopefully, you already have the chickpeas and tomatoes in your pantry. I had to get coconut milk and garam masala spice but I’m happy to now have these in my rotation.

When I am asked about plant-based meats I struggle with my answer which is essentially, “Yes, they are good but what do they replace?”

It’s a boring answer and not the one people want or expect. I am constantly asked to confirm people’s choices and this response is the equivalent of a sad trombone. Rarely the right answer is exciting.

The right answer regarding food is always to minimize processing. When food is minimally processed, fiber, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants are increased. Always.

Here's a snack that is easy to make (4 ingredients) and will keep you full and give you sustained energy for hours. The extra "add-in" is your choice. Pick raisins, dried cranberries, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds or chocolate chips. These high-protein and high-fiber snacks are made in minutes and can be kept refrigerated for up to one week. They travel well in your purse or bag, too.

My favorite recipe for a quick and easy weeknight side dish. Kids love them!