Recipes - Hidden Valley Monthly Veggies

Hidden Valley has a great campaign, Love Your Veggies that focuses on educating parents and schools to incorporate more vegetables into children's diets - but as an adult I find it useful as well. You can check it out here: Hidden Valley

There's a great Vegepedia with full color pictures of different vegetables. If you click on one, it will open a new page dedicate to that vegetable complete with an overview, growing tips, pick/store/prep tips, recipes and even a quiz.

List of vegetables in the Vegepedia:
• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Beets
• Bell Peppers
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Corn
• Cucumber
• Lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Peas
• Potatoes
• Radishes
• Spinach
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Summer Squash
• Sweet Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Winter Squash
• Zucchini

There's another section called Parent Wisdom with additional tips and recipes.

Food - The Top 12 Fruits and Vegetables to Eat Organic

Although there is a lot of advertising hype for organic products these days, there is also a bit of truth. For your own health, you should educate yourself on what is true and what is fluff.

There are two ways to produce food to sell. One way emphasizes all-natural, non-synthetic methods. The government does not subsidize organic farmers, and the results are mixed, so the price for the yield is higher. This method is deemed organic.

The other way is to use synthetic chemicals which is quicker, faster and because these farms are subsidized, the price is lwoer for the same products.

Now, there is some balance. Not all fruits and vegetables absorb chemicals the same way. And we don't eat all fruits and vegetables the same way. For example, if the produce has a skin that can be removed, you are probably safe to eat the inside unexposed flesh. So, that's why there is this list - the fruits and vegetables that are most likely to contain pesticides (and chemicals) that might cause long-term damage. If you don't want to expose your body to those chemcials, you should focus on buying those products as Organic.

The following fruits contained the most amount of pesticide:

1. Nectarines
2. Celery
3. Pears
4. Peaches
5. Apples
6. Cherries
7. Strawberries
8. Imported Grapes
9. Spinach
10. Potatoes
11. Bell Peppers
12. Red Raspberries

References: Organic.org - What is organic?
Gourmet Food at About.com

Recipes - The Costco Connection

Costco is a warehouse-retailer that sells high-quality bulk items and speciality items. They have an excellent produce section (with organic too).

What is really great is their online magazine, The Costco Connection are all the recipes and the recipe booklets!

One booklet, Simply Delicious, contains recipes such as Baked Orange French Toast, Breakfast Yogurt Bowls, Chicken Salad with Fruit and Nuts, Island Kabobs with Tropical Fruit Salsa, and a bunch more

Another booklet, Smart Cooking contains recipes such as Good Morning Apple Cake, Apple Crab Salad, Grilled Chicken Breasts under Bricks, Crab Hushpuppies, and more. Also includes tips on Storing Your Produce

Recipes - Whole Foods Market - Budget Friendly Recipes

Whole Foods Market is a health-oriented grocery store that has a lot of organic and locally grown foods and even some interesting imported foods from a variety of ethnic groups. I love the variety this store offers and they often have sales and coupons (see the website) so you're not overwhelmed by the higher prices. And you can't beat the hot food and salad buffets they offer at lunchtime.

But, the one area on the website I really enjoy are the Budget-Friendly Recipes so you can get ideas on what to cook in a healthy way with organic products (from any store, really).

A Sample of their recipes includes:
• Double-Stuffed Deviled Eggs with Ham
• Irish Cheddar Potato Soup with Asparagus
• Honey Mustard Mucho Mango Dip
• Health Starts Here® Raspberry Nice Cream
• Carrot and Horseradish Roasted Cod with Red Potatoes and Lemons

Healthy Living - FREE - Aim for a Healthy Weight

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has a free booklet, Aim for a Healthy Weight that you can download. It starts with the definitions of overweight (with a body mass index chart) and the risks of being overweight.

There's a section for daily food amounts (similar to the food pyramid but in chart format).

The food replacement section is really helpful. You can see how to swap your usual (more fattening) foods for healthier options. For example, whole eggs can be swapped for egg whites or egg substitute. Another example is to swap ice cream for frozen yogurt.

The next section deals with portion control - which is really important. They even show pictures of what a portion for a particular food group should look like. For example, one medium fruit is about the size of a baseball. One cup of cereal flakes is the size of your fist. Then you can visualize if your portions are too big.

There's a section on eating healthy while dining out and one for eating healthier ethnic foods.

Toward the end is a discussion on physical activity and suggestions on sneaking in some activities. I like the sample walking plan - something that requires no equipment and only a minimal amount of time.

Healthy Living - HUD - Help Yourself to a Healthy Home

Your overall health begins at home - literally. You may not realize the allergens that exist or the dangers around you, especially if you live in an older home.

HUD has provided a free booklet, Help Yourself to a Healthy Home which touches on indoor air quality, mold, lead poisoning, carbon monoxide, drinking water quality, pesticides, home safety, and more. Each section has questions and action steps to follow.

Food - FREE 21 Day Vegan Kickstart Program

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has a 21 day Vegan kickstart program that you can register for which will email you tips and recipes and the benefits of a vegan diet. Vegan diets differ from vegetarian diets in that vegans eliminate animal-based foods such as eggs snd milk. (A nice comparison can be found at this site: Vegan vs Vegetarian.

Join the kickstart program here: 21 Day Vegan Kickstart

Recipes - Rutabaga

A great way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet is to try new recipes by trying new foods. Rutabagas are an interesting, different root vegetable (known in some places as turnips) that can be used in a variety of ways - roasted, baked, broiled, boiled, stewed, etc. In Scotland, they are known as "neeps" and made in a dish called "neeps and tatties" where tatties are potatoes.

Here are a few recipes to try:
Rutabaga Hash With Onions and Crisp Bacon

Roasted Rutabaga

Rutabaga Oven Fries

Scandinavian Rutabaga Ham (Griljerad Kålrot)

Food - 20 High Fiber Foods by Huffington Post

Fiber has many health and diet benefits - it keeps you feeling full, it can lower cholesterol and blood sugar, it can keep your colon clear and avoid hemorrhoids. Huffington Post has a nice slide show of 20 high fiber foods. CLICK HERE to view it.

Some high fiber foods you need:
• Corn
• Beans (White, black, garbanzo, kidney, etc)
• Avocado
• Whole Wheat Pasta and Bread
• Brown Rice
• Edamame
• Lentils
• Pear
• Artichoke
• Oats and Oatmeal
• Raspberries
• Peas
• Broccoli
• Apples
• Almonds
• Barley

Exercise - Beginner Workout from Calorie Count

The Calorie Count website has a really nice introduction to working out for beginners with a series of articles. The website also offers calorie counts for foods and recipes (click on the Food menu tab). There is also a great community/forum with all sorts of topics.
CLICK HERE to explore calorie count's beginners corner

Some Articles available:
• Cardiovascular Exercise
• Strength Training
• Flexibility
• Setting Up a Complete Program
• Proper Nutrition
• Staying Motivated
• Beginner Ball Workout
• Total Body for Beginners
• Total Body for Seniors
• Strength Training for Obese People
• Interval Training for Beginners
• Beginner Cardio - Walking and Cycling
• Running for Beginners

Exercise - Mix and Match Boxing Moves for a Better Body by Health Magazine

I am always on the lookout for new and different exercises to try and Health Magazine has some great boxing-style moves HERE that are easy enough and fun and can be done almost anywhere.

Moves include:
• Arms and Shoulders - Back Fist
• Arms and Shoulders - Pike Push Up
• Abs and Back - Knee Strike
• Abs and Back - Sit Up and Punch
• Legs and Butt - Back Kick
• Legs and Butt - Crescent Kick

Food - Feel Full Quick Tips from Health Magazine

One of the biggest setbacks on dieting is the lack of satiety (feeling full). After you eat your super-healthy rice cake, your stomach is craving more food which often prompts people to eat junk food.
Health Magazine has a nice slideshow of tips to feel full not just by what you eat but also how you eat. CLICK HERE to read the article.

Tips Include:
• Drink more water before you eat
• Use vinegar and/or cinnamon as flavoring
• Eat more green or orange vegetables
• Try belly-filling potatoes
• Learn to love fish
• Pop some nuts
• Add in more oats
• Try a new bean today
• Eggs are good hunger busters
• Fill up on fiber

Exercise - Self's 10 minute Tone Up Workout

There's just something about a 10 minute workout that sounds do-able...It's difficult to make excuses for a mere 10 minutes. Alexander Kaufman provides several super-easy moves that are quick and full of pow!
CLICK HERE for the workout.
All you'll need is a superband (a giant rubberband device that can stretch to your full height).

Exercises include:
• Hovering Curl
• Kick It Off
• Step Sculptor
• Fly Girl
• Better Butt Lift
• Judo Throw
• Triangle Raise
• Hottie Legs
• Donkey Plank
• The Box

Healthy Living - 6 Vital Nutrients Women may be Missing from their Diet

Baylor Health Care Systems has a wonderful article on 6 vital nutrients many women are missing from their diet. Each nutrient that is focused on includes information on why you need it and what (or how much) you need. They also include a remedy for getting more of what you need.
CLICK HERE to go to Baylor's article.

Nutrients discussed:
• Calcium
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Iron
• Folate
• Magnesium

Exercise - Workout To Go from the National Institute on Aging

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) has a good beginner program, Workout to Go, featuring 13 exercises that anyone can do with detailed information and some videos.
To explore these, CLICK HERE

Exercises include:
• Hand Grip
• Wall Push-Up
• Overhead Arm Raise
• Back Leg Raise
• Side Leg Raise
• Toe Stand
• Stand on One Foot
• Heel-to-Toe Walk
• Balance Walk
• Ankle Stretch
• Back Stretch
• Thigh Stretch
• Shoulder and Upper Arm Stretch

Recipes - Healthy Recipes from Baylor Health Care Systems

Baylor Health Care System has some healthier recipes posted on their website, HERE.

Some recipes include:
• Roasted Winter Squash Soup
• Garlic Whipped Potatoes
• Lighter Green Bean Casserole
• Pumpkin Almond Cheesecake
• Peanut Butter & Dark Chocolate Fudge

Healthy Living - FREE - A Primer for Women's Health

The Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) is offering a FREE Primer for Women's Health, Learn about your body in 52 weeks. Click here to order. They also have other articles and guides you can order.