Teaching our children healthy eating habits

Here's a fun and easy to make veggies and dip treat. Try this as an after school snack project or a healthy treat anytime.

2 carrots, peeled
3 cups broccoli florets
4 cherry tomatoes
3 Tbsp parsley leaves

Dipping Sauce:

1/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard

1. To prepare dipping sauce, combine yogurt, sour cream, honey, and mustard in a small bowl.

2. Hold carrots against cutting board and trim off ends. Cut each carrot in half, crosswise, then lengthwise to make four pieces. Arrange each plate by putting two carrot pieces side-by-side in the center. Arrange broccoli around the carrots forming
a cluster. Arrange the tomatoes at the top of the plate.

3. Spoon dip around the base of carrots and sprinkle with parsley.

Let the kids design their own plates and shapes. Help them learn that eating veggies is fun. Healthy eating is fun at any age! Teaching our children at any early age that eating healthy foods is fun and good for you!

Getting enough fiber

Eating a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables each day will kick-start your path to a healthy, trimmer body! Add in some daily exercise and you can join the millions of happy, healthy people who have successfully lost weight - and kept it off! Fiber is a key ingredient in any healthy eating plan!

Because insoluble fiber passes through our body practically intact, it leaves few calories. And since the digestive tract can handle only so much bulk at a time, fiber-rich foods are more filling than other foods - so we tend to eat less. Insoluble fiber can also inhibits the absorption of calorie-dense dietary fat. So, reaching for an apple instead of a bag of chips is a smart choice for someone trying to lose weight.

Clinical studies show that a heart-healthy diet (low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and high in fruits, vegetables and grain products that contain soluble fiber) can lower blood cholesterol. In these studies, cholesterol levels dropped up to 2 percent for every gram of soluble fiber eaten per day!

As it passes through our body, soluble fiber binds to dietary cholesterol, helping the body to eliminate it. This reduces blood cholesterol levels, which, in turn, reduces cholesterol deposits on arterial walls that eventually choke off the vessel. There also is some evidence that soluble fiber can slow down the production of cholesterol, and alter low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles to make them larger and less dense. Scientists suspect that small, dense LDL particles are a danger to our health. Fiber reduces the danger!

Recent findings from two long-term studies of men suggest that high fiber intake can significantly lower the risk of heart attack. Men who ate around 35 grams of fiber-rich foods suffered one-third fewer heart attacks than those who had the lowest fiber intake.

Several scientific studies have found that diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fiber are associated with a reduced risk of certain cancers, diabetes, digestive disorders, and heart disease.

If you are like me and wanting to shed a few pounds - the quickest way to lose weight is eating healthy and getting plenty of exercise! Add more healthy fruits and vegetables to your daily diet - you'll benefit from the added fiber and a healthy array of vitamins and antioxidants! Keep eating healthy and get plenty of exercise!

A Taste of New Orleans

The line went on and on - anxious and hungry people willing to wait for what seemed like an eternity - just to get a plate of the special "cajun-food". It was jazz night by the river and hundreds had shown up a little early to get a taste of this annual treat.

For those of us who have yet to experience some of the wonderful foods you can only seem to find in New Orleans this was our chance! I had heard about this - cajun - food and still, had no idea what to expect.

So we waited patiently - savoring the pleasant aroma which grew stronger as we neared the serving tent. I couldn't even pronounce the name of part of our meal - and here I was along with hundreds of others ready to shell out my $7.50 for a plate full of this regional treasure.

Well, it turns out that part of the tasty culinary delight is a very simple - and nutritious - dish. And so easy to make that even an amateur like me could manage! If you want a taste of New Orleans that is really easy and inexpensive to prepare you're sure to enjoy this recipe for red beans and rice!

Natural Rapid Weight Loss

Natural, rapid weight loss is a goal we can reach! Combining healthy eating with lots of exercise and healthy, physical activity is the quickest way to lose weight. And keep it off! Getting rid of belly fat is a simple matter of burning more calories and exercising. Targeted exercise - like lower ab strengthening and plenty of cardio will get just about anyone on the road to a slimmer waistline!

We are so lucky to have an abundance of healthy, natural foods available this time of year. Even the pickiest dieter enjoy the many healthy food choices available. Try some fresh, garden grown peppers and tomatoes in a salad today! Pick up some locally grown fruits and vegetables at a nearby farmers market the next chance you get!

And don't forget to exercise. Burn off some of those calories - and burn off those fat cells lingering around your mid-section. Try a new sport this week. Or turn a room in your house into your very own fitness center. Who can afford to drive to that expensive health club? Buy some quality low-impact exercise equipment and burn more calories right in the comfort of your own home!

We are so fortunate to have so many natural and healthy ways to lose weight. Natural, rapid weight loss is a goal we can attain! Enjoy the rest of this Summer eating healthy and getting in all the exercise and fun you can! You can eat healthy, exercise and lose weight fast!

Remember - the quickest way to lose weight is with healthy eating and plenty of exercise!

Eating Healthy - enjoy a tasty Summer favorite!

Summer is my favorite time of year ( at least until Autumn gets here .... and then ). There is so much good, healthy, fresh food available. Stop by a local farmer's market and pick up some fresh produce this weekend! Enjoy some of this year's harvest with your family and friends.

Here is a tasty Summer favorite sure to please your pickiest eaters -

A Tasty Summer Treat



Ingredients:



2 pounds of new potatoes ( we like the smaller ones best )

2 ½ teaspoons of your favorite course grain mustard

1 ½ teaspoons of lemon juice ( fresh squeezed if you have a lemon

Add a teaspoon or light sprinkle of lime juice if you have it

4 Tablespoons of extra virgin Olive Oil

2 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill

Or 4 tablespoons of chopped dill pickles.

( substitute pickle relish if you like )



Prep:

Bring the potatoes to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes.

Cut into bite size pieces.

Mix all the other ingredients in a big bowl and add the potatoes!

Stir until well mixed.

Cover and Put in the ice box for a couple hours.

Enjoy this delicious potato salad with your favorite grilled chicken or lean beef! Have fun this Summer with your favorite people and enjoy some of the many healthy eating options available!

A cool Summer treat!

Healthy eating just comes natural during the Summer. Summer is the perfect time of year to enjoy easy to make refreshing treats. So enjoy something healthy and easy today.
If you're like me and want to lose a few pounds this Summer = There are so many natural and healthy ways to lose weight during these warm Summer months! Enjoy lighter fares and be sure to include plenty of fruits and vegetables in your Summer menus. Keep a bowl of fruit around that everyone can enjoy. Mix up some berries and lowfat yogurt into a wonderful and refreshing shake!

Here's a quick and easy treat your whole family can enjoy!

What you'll need:

3 bananas
24 ounces yogurt, nonfat strawberry
10 ounces strawberries, frozen - thawed and undrained
8 ounces undrained, canned crushed pineapple

Lets mix it up -

1. Line 18 muffin-tin cups with paper baking cups.

2. Dice or mash bananas and place in a large mixing bowl.

3. Stir in remaining ingredients.

4. Spoon into muffin-tin cups and freeze at least 3 hours or until firm. Remove frozen cups and store in a plastic bag in freezer.

5. Before serving, remove paper cups and let stand 10 minutes.

Healthy eating is fun and costs far less than eating out! Enjoy a quick and easy home-made treat with your family today!

Check those labels and keep eating healthy!

I'm a terrible shopper. If the boys want it I usually just toss it in the cart. We more often than not end up bring home one bag of healthy vegetables. Maybe another with some beans, and pasta. And a couple bags of snack foods that they choose. You - know, the tastes great stuff that offers few nutritional benefits!

We can all eat healthier if I would spend just a few extra minutes checking the labels for nutritional content.

Check servings and calories. Look at the serving size and how many servings the package contains. If you consume one serving, the label clearly outlines the nutrients you get. If you double the servings you eat, you double the calories and nutrients, including the Percent Daily Value (% DV).

Make your calories count. Look at the calories on the label and note where the calories are coming from (fat, protein, or carbohydrate). Compare them with the other nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, to decide whether the food is worth eating.

Don't sugar-coat it. Since sugars contribute calories with few, if any, nutrients, look for foods and beverages low in added sugars. Read the ingredient list and make sure that added sugars are not one of the first few ingredients. Some names for added sugars (caloric sweeteners) include sucrose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, maple syrup, and fructose.

Know your fats. Look for foods low in saturated fats, trans fats ( hydrogenated), and cholesterol to help reduce the risk of heart disease (5% DV or less is low, 20% DV or more is high). Most of the fats you eat should be polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Keep total fat intake between 20% to 35% of calories. Avoid those potentially dangerous trans fats if you can.

Reduce sodium (salt), increase potassium. Research shows that eating less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium (about 1 teaspoon of salt) per day might reduce the risk of high blood pressure. Most of the sodium people eat comes from processed foods, not from the salt shaker. Also, look for foods high in potassium (tomatoes, bananas, potatoes, and orange juice) which counteracts some of sodium's effects on blood pressure.

Check those food labels and keep eating healthy! Healthy eating doesn't have to be boring. Make it fun for you and the little ones and enjoy better health for years to come!