By Hilary Meyer, Associate Food Editor, EatingWell Magazine

I want to (and need to) save money. But I don't want to change what I eat too much, so I've come up with a few easy food swaps that will save me $30 a week, which adds up to a savings of $1,560 a year.

1. Swap Tofu for Meat
Let's face it, meat is expensive. So why not try tofu instead? I know it sounds sort of ridiculous, but hear me out. Tofu can be marinated, grilled and sautéed--just like steak can. It has a real knack for sucking up flavors, so cooking it with something bold (like barbecue sauce, for example) can give your taste buds a real jolt without you feeling like you're missing out. Of course, you wouldn't swap tofu for meat every night, but using this swap once a week will save you some serious dough.
Money Saved: $8.75

Give It a Try: Tofu Parmigiana & 20 More Meat-Lovers Recipes with Tofu

2. Use Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs Instead of Chicken Breasts
Everybody loves chicken

Mint is an herb that wears many hats. It not only delivers a perfect pop of flavor in both sweet and savory dishes but garnishes beautifully in a myriad of different drinks. Do you know your way around this refreshing and easy-to-grow herb? Here are 6 of our favorite varieties.

Chocolate
Chocolate: Tastes like a peppermint patty.
It's fun to nibble and good for warm tea-or added to ice cream.

Curly
Curly: Has a pleasant fragrance.
The texture is a bit rough for eating, but it's a fun garnish for cold drinks and berried desserts.


Kentucky Colonel
Kentucky Colonel: Mild fruity-spearmint flavor.
The Kentucky Colonel is the traditional choice for mojitos and mint julep. It's also good added to lemonade or iced tea for a doubly cool and refreshing kick.

Egyptian
Egyptian: Strong spearmint and fruit fragrance
Egyptian is a good choice for savory dishes like tabbouleh or raita (Indian yogurt salad).

Habek
Habek: Musky and rather savory fragrance.
Habek is the ultimate companion to iced tea.

Moroccan
Moroccan: Contains elements of both

Heart Hand PiesFor Valentine's Day, our family has a heart-shaped food tradition, and it started with these adorable strawberry heart hand pies! These hand pies are a tasty treat that even your littlest one can help make for their sweethearts this year!

Ingredients:
1 package pre made pie crust (look for one with no hydrogenated oils, like trader joes or store brand)
Strawberry pie filling (look for one with no high fructose corn syrup)
Fresh strawberries - 1 or 2, washed and dried
Heart cookie cutter
Water

Related: 10 delicious heart-shaped foods for Valentine's Day

Directions:
1. Wash the strawberries, hull and slice them (the perfect task for the little ones!)
2. Cut out 8 hearts and peel away from the pie crust
3. Place a few spoonfuls of the strawberry filling in the centre of each heart
4. Dip your fingers in water and wet the edges of the pie crust
5. Press gently with your finger, then use a fork to press the edges of the crust to form a seal
6. Place one slice of fresh strawberry

We've really enjoyed following former Olympian Summer Sanders's progress as she writes about training for the Disney Princess Half Marathon over on espnW. One of the most striking things is how intense her regimen is. Reaching your peak physical form isn't easy! Of course, most of us aren't training for a marathon, so we don't need to do anything quite as trying as what Summer is undertaking. However, if you're looking for an easy way to meet more modest fitness goals, consider swapping out the most unhealthy elements of your diet with some more nutritious ones -- and don't forget to exercise! With a little work and planning, you won't have to sacrifice anything in the flavor department. Here are seven healthier alternatives to some everyday fast foods to get you started! - By Elizabeth Stark and Brian Campbell

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At this point in winter's deep freeze, most of us feel anything but hot. The dry skin on my hand's looks like it belongs to a Golden Girl. My lips are too flaky for red lipstick, and even the most ambitious sidewalk cat-caller has little to respond to: my shape is buried under a couple layers of wool. All of which leads me to believe that whoever decided to "brighten up" February with Valentine's Day was a freak.

Leaning over a bowl of dumpling soup lends a milkmaid flush to our cheeks (and inspires a new term of endearment). Lusty, falling-apart short ribs warm us from the inside, and a dark chocolate mousse is richly decadent but still airy. These are our sexy foods: our go-to recipes for seduction that can raise temperatures in even the darkest and dreariest winter month. This month, The Shine Supper Club asks you to share your tried-and-true sexiest dish. Here's how to join us:

1. Write a blog post telling us about your sexiest dish by Sunday 11:59PM PST, February

by Kelly Senyei, Epicurious

Now that we're in the second month of the year, food predictions for what will be hot or not in 2013 are slowly being vetted. We predicted a declining interest in tasting menus, a sentiment that's proven true in recent weeks, and many correctly anticipated an increased focus on the first taste diners have at restaurants: the bread.

While cost-saving measures have forced some restaurants to cease serving complimentary carbs, the breadbasket has undoubtedly found new fame on the dinner table. This week, the Wall Street Journal highlighted several restaurants adding oomph to their bread portfolios, including U.S. restaurant chain LongHorn Steakhouse. They also reported that New York City restaurant Commerce spends about $116,000 a year on their famed breadbasket (labor included). I speak from experience when I say that every penny of that $116,000 is well-spent, from the salted pretzels to the poppy seed rolls to the pain d'epi -- all baked fresh and served