Cajun Chicken Caesar Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Cajun Spice (to taste)
• hot sauce (to taste)
• 2 cups romaine lettuce
• 2 tablespoons reduced fat Caesar salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Direction:

1. Sprinkle spice and hot sauce on chicken breast, catering to your own taste, and grill chicken on skillet or grill (chicken is done when light pink has disappeared from center).
2. Toss lettuce, dressing and chicken to evenly distribute throughout salad. Add Parmesan cheese to taste, and serve.

Make 1 serving

Nutritional Information:

• Fat: 3.3 g
• Carbohydrates 7.4g
• Calories: 196.1
• Protein 31.7g

Sparks Peoples recipe

14 Tips for Starting and Sticking with it!

To help get started and stay on track, here are a few tips:

1. Throw Away- the bathing suit you wore in high school... and the memory too. It's normal to have a mental image of yourself when you last exercised. But if that image is from high school, you could be in big trouble. Even if it's from last year, forget it. Remember as little as possible of what you used to look like. Starting today, make a new memory!
2. Prepare- We already know you don't have the time, so write it down like an appointment every day. You wouldn't cancel an appointment, why would you cancel on yourself?
3. Start Slowly- Do much less then what you're capable of. Take a 20 minute walk if you're returning to exercise. You might feel like it's not enough, but it's a good start.
4. Get the family involved- Run while your daughter rides her bike. Go to a local track and let the kids play their own games while you run/walk.
5. Where are your friends? Four words, four reason- motivation, inspiration, determination, conversation. Surround yourself with friends who think positive and live large.
6. Put the pain in perspective- When the going gets tough, remember that you have survived 600 carpools, 540 loads of laundry (this month) 230 dinners and one family vacation! What's the big deal?
7. Allow yourself to slow down- You're driving this bus! For the first time today, you are in control.
8. Sign up for a race- It's a goal to strive for and adds a little meaning to your everyday workout.
9. Run/walk in public- Be proud of your accomplishment. take in all the sites and be an inspiration to others.
10. Just show up- Go to the gym, class or the park. Once you're there, it's hard to say no. 98% of life is showing up!
11. Eat- Follow a healthy eating pattern. If you limit your calorie intake, you will not have enough energy to work out and your metabolishm will slow down.
12. Understand your energy cycle- there aer peaks during our days. Even during the week. Try to complete your workout when you feel good about yourself.
13. Wallow in your greatness- You can exercise to become a better exerciser or you can exercise to become a better mother, a better fater, doctor, or a better friend or you can exercise to become BETTER. Be proud of that accomplishment.
14. Have fun- Where's your childlike spirit? When you can make workouts "playouts" you've got it made.

Don't give up on yourself! After all, it's never too late to be that healthy person you might have been.

Happy Holiday!

Peppermint-Dark Chocolate Slice and Bake Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 sticks "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" cooking and baking blend, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 4 sugar-free candy canes

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Mix eggs and vanilla in a small bowl. Beat butter blend with mixer and slowly add sugar. Beat until smooth. Add egg mixture and blend until incorporated. Add the flours and blend on low until a dough is formed.
3. Divide the dough in half. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter. Place half of the dough on the wrap. Using a floured hand shape into 9-inch long roll. You can shape into rectangle, square or pyramid, depending on the shape of cookie you desire. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 45 minutes or until dough is firm. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
4. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or use silpats. Slice dough into 1/4 pieces. To assure even baking, place 1 pan on upper-middle rack and 1 pan on lower middle rack. Bake for 5-7 minutes. Rotate cookies front to back and change racks. Continue baking until golden brown about another 7 minutes. Cool on rack.
5. Melt the chocolate chips. Crush the peppermint by placing in Ziploc bag and lightly hit with a rolling pin. Spread 1/3 of the cookies with melted chocolate and sprinkle with small amount of crushed peppermint.

Make 6 dozen

Nutritional Information:

• Fat: 3.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 5.9g
• Calories: 55.3
• Protein: 0.6 g

By: sparkpeople

7 Healthy Holiday Tips

Here are seven great tips to remember this Holiday season to stay healthy:

1. Don't Skip out on sleep- Though it is tempting to enjoy a couple of holiday cocktails at a social gathering to ensure you'll get some shuteye the rule is to never have two drinks in a row, opt to have water or club soda between.
2. Start with a mind-body workout routine- Take a few minutes in the beginning of the day before people get around to workout. This will help you stick to your routine.
3. Forgive yourself for slipping up- When it comes to emotional eating, wee need to first come to the fundamental realization that we're mess-ups. Too often in life, we expect ourselves to be more perfect than is humanly possible. So do not give up if you miss a day or two of exercise.
4. Don't give in to holiday weight gain- It is a myth that we gain 7-10 pounds during the holiday. Actually only about 1 to 2 pounds are gained. A good suggestion is to eat 100 calories less per day during holidays get rid of weight you would have gained and set standard for the new year.
5. Get in that exercise- Yes, it seems like it repeats tip 2, but it can not be said enough. No matter how busy you are, no matter how stressed you get, work out!
6. Don't make the meal the focus of the holiday- A suggestion is to eat an early meal and then do something active. Play family football, play a game on the Wii do something that keeps you moving.
7. Eat natural foods to boost immunity-Eating plenty of broccoli, which helps clean out the liver, and taking a multivitamin with omega-3 and making sure to get a daily dose of vitamin A,B,D and E.

Keep these tips in mind and go into the Holidays with the thinking that you are not going to forget all your health goals!

Tip of the Day

Buy healthy, convenient breakfast foods like cereal, yogurt, fruit and oatmeal. Most people who maintain weight loss eat breakfast regularly.

Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/3 Cup butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 Cup packed Brown Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Dark Molasses
• 1 tsp Ginger, ground
• 1 tsp Cinnamon, ground
• 1 Egg
• 1 1/2 Cup all purposes wheat flour
• 1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/2 Cup tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar

Direction:

1. Beat the butter on medium-high speed in a large mixing bowl for 2 minutes. Beat in the brown sugar. Add the Molasses, ginger, and cinnamon, mix thoroughly.
2. Add the egg. Mix in as much of the flour & wheat flour as you can with the electric mixer. Stir in any remaining by hand.
3. Refrigerate for 1 hour
4. Heat oven to 350 degrees
5. Spray 3-4 cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray. Shape into 1 inch balls, roll in granulated sugar mixed with cinnamon.
6. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
7. Bake for 8-12 minutes, until cookies are set and tops crack

Yields: 48

Nutritional Information

• Fat: 1.4g
• Carbohydrates: 9.6g
• Calories; 53.3
• Protein: 07.g

Holiday Spice Cut-Out Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup "I can't Believe It's Not Butter" baking blend
• 1/2 Cup organic can sugar
• 1/4 Cup Molasses
• 1/4 Cup Orange Juice
• 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon, ground
• 2 tsp ginger, ground
• 1 tsp allspice
• 3 Cups whole wheat flour

Creamy Decorator's Frosting:

• 1 Cup Powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1-2 Tbsp Skim milk
• Few drops of food coloring, as desired

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Beat the butter blend using a mixer until softened. Add sugar and beat until smooth.
2. Add molasses and orange juice and blend.
3. Mix the flour with the spices and then add the wet mixture. Store until dough is formed.
4. You may roll out dough at this point, but the whole wheat flour will absorb the liquid from the orange juice and blend the flavors better if let to chill for 30 minutes
5. Divide the dough in half and roll one half to 1/8inch thickness. Flour the cutter and cut out the cookies. Place on cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper or use silicone baking sheet liners. These will not spread much so they can be placed about 1/2inch apart.
6. In order to assure a more evenly baked cookie, place one cookie sheet on the upper third of the oven rack and the other cookie sheets front to back. Bake another 5 minutes. Cool on rack. Be sure to cool completely before decorating.

Yields: 5 dozen 2 2/2 inch cut-out cookies

For the frosting:

Mix all ingredients in small bowl until the mixture is smooth and easy to spread. Add more milk if needed.

Nutritional Information:

• Fat: 3.1g
• Carbohydrates; 9.4g
• Calories: 66.9
• Protein: 0.9g

Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces light (50% less fat) breakfast sausage
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 4 1/2 cups sourdough bread cubes or croutons
• 8 ounces shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 2 large whole eggs
• 4 egg whites or 1/2 cup egg substitute
• 2 cups low fat milk

Directions:

1. Crumble sausage into a medium nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until nicely brown, breaking up into bits with spatula as it cooks. Sprinkle with poultry seasoning. Coat a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with canola cooking spray and set aside.
2. Add sausage to large bowl along with toasted bread squares, cheese, mustard powder, and salt, if desired. Add whole eggs, egg whites (or egg substitute) and milk to mixing bowl, and beat on medium-low speed until smooth and completely blended.
3. Drizzle egg-milk mixture over the sausage and bread mixture; stir to blend. Pour into the prepared baking dish, spread top evenly, cover with foil, then chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake, covered in foil, for 45 minutes. Uncover the foil, and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for about 20 minutes longer or until set.

Makes 8 servings

Nutritional Information:

• Fat: 11.7g
• Carbohydrates: 16.4g
• Calories: 282.6
• Protein: 26.3 g

7 Tips for Healthy Meal Planning

Healthy meal planning does not need to be difficult and time consuming. By using a few of these tips and enjoy the extra time you'll discover as a result.

1. Use a slow cooker- Simply set everything up in the morning or the night before and enjoy warm, home cooked meal when you're through with your busy day.
2. Overcook- Make different versions using the same main ingredient. For example cook chicken cutlets all at once then you can use them for a variety of foods.
3. Double a recipe- As long as you'll be cleaning those pots and pans, make more than one meal. Simply double or triple the recipe, label and freeze for later use.
4. Have breakfast for dinner- Breakfast can include a goldmine of healthy foods; high fiber cereals, whole grain pancake or waffles, fresh fruit smoothies, eggs and much more.
5. Keep a running food shopping list- by keeping a running list in your kitchen, you'll find it easy to keep healthy foods on hand.
6. Use some supermarket smarts- When food shopping, keep things quick, easy and healthy with precut, prewashed vegetables, fresh fruit, whole grain breads, nuts, beans and quick cooking lean protein.
7. Menu planning and food preparation- There are so many great options available to make meal planning quick and easy.

Healthy meal planning doesn't have to be difficult or time consuming at all! It can be quick, easy and delicious with just a little bit of creativity and the willingness to do things just a little differently.

Chef Meg's Vegetable and Fruit Stuffing

Ingredients:

• 10 cups white bread, dense, cut into cubes
• 2 strips turkey bacon, stretched and dices
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock, low sodium
• 1 T. butter, unsalted
• 2 yellow onions, diced
• 5 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 2 cups fennel, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• pinch salt
• 1/2 t pepper
• 1/2 t. oregano
• 6 dates, dried and chopped or 6 apricots, dried and chopped
• 1/2 c egg beaters
• 2 T. parsley, flat leaf, chopped

Direction:

• Preheat over to 350 degrees
• Toast bread cubes until light golden in color, about 12-15 minutes, set aside and cool.
• Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees
• Place turkey bacon in a heavy saucepan. On top of stove cook over moderate heat just until the fat is melted and the meat starts to brown.
• Remove from pan, chop into small dice and reserve.
• Drain off any excess fat and discard
• Melt butter in the saucepan. Add onions and saute until golden in color.
• To the onions, add the diced bacon, apples, fennel and celery. Cook, stirring for 3-5 minutes.
• Spray a 13 x 9 baking dish
• Combine toasted bread, vegetables mixture, and stock to a large bowl.
• Mix in herbs, seasonings, fruit, and beaten eggs.
• Transfer to baking dish
• Cover with foil that has been sprayed with pan spray
• Cook 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until top is browned about 20 minutes

Makes 12 three fourth cup servings

Nutritional Information:

• Fat: 1.7g
• Carbohydrates: 16.9 g
• Calories: 88.8
• Protein: 2.7 g

Recipe from SparkPeople user Chef-Meg

Pumpkin Curry Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 1 cup Finely Chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/8 tsp ground coriander
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 32 oz can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup fat free half and half

Directions:

• Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat
• Add onion, celery, and garlic; cook for 3-5 minutes or until tender
• Stir in curry powder, coriander, and crushed red pepper; cook for 1 minute
• Add water and broth; bring to a boil
• Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes to develop flavors
• Stir in pumpkin and half-and-half, cook for 5 minutes or until heated through
• Transfer mixture to food processor or blender ( in batches, if necessary); cover
• Blend until creamy
• Serve warm or rehear to desired temperature
• Garnish with dollop of sour cream and chives

Preparation tip: Soup may be prepared the day ahead. Cool to room temperature after adding pumpkin and half-and-half. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, blend then reheat to serving temperature, but do not boil.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 180

Total Fat: 5 g

Carbohydrate: 30 g

Protein: 8 g

Fiber: 11g

Sodium: 105 mg

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Iowa State University Extension

Chef Meg's Sweet Potato Tarts

Ingredients:

• 8 oz Phyllo dough, thawed
• 2 c. sweet potato, steamed or roasted, flesh only
• 1/2 dark brown sugar
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice mix, plus additional 1/2 for dusting
• 1/4 c. low-fat evaporated milk
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1/2 c egg substitute or 2 egg whites
• 1/2 c. fat free whipped topping

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, spray 24 mini muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
• Remove Phyllo dough from packaging, slice into 1 inch strips, then cut each strip into 2 inch segments.
• Using 3 layers at a time, fill the cups, spraying cooking spray between each layer.
• Repeat process three times
• Remove skin from sweet potatoes and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Place Sweet potatoes, sugar, spice mix, milk and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor.
• Blend until smooth. Add eggs and blend just to incorporate.
• Fill cups to the top of the muffin pan
• Bake 18-20 minutes, until custard is set and pastry starts to brown.
• Once cooled, top with 1 teaspoon of fat-free whipped topping and a dusting of pumpkin pie spice mix.
• Makes 12 servings (Two tarts per serving)

Nutritional Information

Fat: 2.0g

Carbohydrates: 29.8 g

Calories: 151.1

Protein: 3.3g

Recipe by SparksPeople user Chef_Meg

Cooking Class recipe- Sober Champagne

Choose stemmed champagne glasses. Pour each glass half full with very cold diet ginger ale. Fill the glass with very cold apple cider. Serve at once while the bubbles are still rising.

Nutritive Values:
Calories: 55
Protein: 0gm
Carbohydrates: 12gm
Fat: 0gm
Sodium: 1 mg

Cooking Class recipe- Sparkling Mock Red Wine

Give guests a low-calorie non-alcoholic beverage choice and insure their health and safety!

Choose stemmed wine glasses or tall slender glasses. Pour each glass half full of very cold diet lemon-lime carbonated beverage or similar beverage. Fill the glass with very cold cranapple juice. Serve at once while the bubbles are still rising.

Nutritive Values:
Calories: 83
Protein: 0 gm
Carbohydrates: 21gm
Fat: 0 gm
Sodium: 1 mg

Cooking Class recipe- Cheese Ball

This delicious appetizer is lower in fat and higher in flavor than you can believe!

2 8-ounce packages Neufchatel cheese
1 8 1/2 ounce can crushed pineapple (in natural juice) drained
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons chopped sweet onion
1 tablespoon beau Monde spice (Spice Island)
1 cup chopped nuts

Mix all ingredients except nuts. Divide into two balls. Chill 30 minutes for easier handling. Roll in nuts. Serve one now, freeze the other for a special occasion.

Nutritive values:
(1/8 of cheese ball)
Calories: 125
Protein: 3.5 gm
Carbohydrates: 5 gm
Fat: 10gm
Sodium: 64 mg

Tip: Spray your hands with vegetable spray when you shape the ball. This avoids the soft cheese sticking to your hands.

Cooking Class recipe- Pumpkin Bread

This recipe also can be baked in two mini-loaf pans (check for doneness after 50 minutes).
Original:
3/4 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg white
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
155 calories
9 grams fat
53% calories from fat 0 mg cholesterol

Moderate fat:
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg white
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins
127 calories
5 grams fat
32% calories from fat 0 mg cholesterol

Low Fat:
1 cup Pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or apple sauce
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins
105 calories
2 grams fat
17% calories from fat 0 mg cholesterol

In a large mixer bowl beat together pumpkin, sugar, oil and egg or yogurt. In a medium bowl combine the flours, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt; add to pumpkin mixture, stirring just until moistened. Stir in the nuts or raisins. Pour into a greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. bake in preheated 350 oven for about 1 hour or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely.

10 Healthy Party Appetizers!

Did you know that overindulging on the weekends can lead to weight gain of nine pounds a year? To stay on track and still have fun with friends and family, serve some of these healthier party foods.

1. Bruschetta: Traditionally, this starter is made with thin slices of toasted bread rubbed with garlic and topped with tomato and basil. Get whole wheat bread slice it thinner and more uniform. 45 calories; 2 g. fat per piece
2. Smoked Salmon mousse: In a food processor, mix 6 ounces smoked salmon with light cream cheese, some dill, lemon zest and juice, and a handful of thin slice of English cucumber. 75 calories, 3 g fat.
3. Salsa: Jarred or homemade, spicy or mil, this is a no-fail appetizer. Serve it with baked or whole-grain chips, vegetables or pita chips. 50-70 calories a cup
4. Guacamole: Full of heart-healthy fats, increase your vegetable intake by adding extra chopped tomato, onion and bell pepper, plus cucumber. 75-80 calories, 7 grams of healthy fat per 1/4 cup servings.
5. Shrimp Cocktail: Shrimp is lean, and each one has 1 gram of filling protein. Protein takes longer to digest and keeps you fuller, longer. 10 Calories, no fat peer shrimp with a teaspoon of cocktail sauce.
6. Lighten up your dip: Skip the chips or serve baked ones. Use pretzels, pita crisps, baked crackers, etc. Better yet: Dip vegetables. Use low-fat yogurt, mayo or sour cream in place of full fat. One cup of lower-fat sour cream will provide all the flavor and texture of mayonnaise but cut 1,300 calories and 150 grams of fat.
7. Chicken kabobs: Toss chicken chunks in a light marinade, then broil until crispy and cooked through. Serve on toothpicks. Thread 1 ounce strips of chicken onto skewers cut in half. Serve with peanut sauce, low-sodium teriyaki or even light ranch dressing. Great alternative to meatballs! 30 calories, no fat, 6.5 protein per ounce of chicken.
8. Popcorn: Popcorn is a whole grain, and 1 cup of air popped popcorn has just 30 calories. Spritz with nonstick spray, then sprinkle on oregano, black pepper and Parmesan cheese.
9. Fruit and cheese: Skip the crackers and serve cheese with fruit instead. Cheese is full of calcium and protein, and the fruit helps bring out its flavor. 115 calories, 7 g fat in once ounce of cheddar cheese (pair of dice) Swap low-fat for full-fat cheese.
10. Deviled Eggs: Halve the mayo in the recipe to save calories. These are another filling, healthy treat. Instead of your typical filling, try hummus salsa or even that smoked salmon mousse. It sounds strange, but it will look gourmet. 65 Calories, 3 g fat per half of an egg.

Holiday Part Tip: Slim Down Your DIps

How many times have you gone to a party, only to find your only choices are a cheese ball and crackers and a bowl of greasy chips with thick and creamy onion dip.
Dips are easy and affordable party fare, and they can be healthy too! As you're preparing for your holiday parties, keep these tips in mind.

• Use light mayo, low-fat cream cheese and skim milk in creamy dips.
• Swap pureed white beans for half the mayo to creamy dips to boost calories and cut fat.
• Serve dips with baked whole-grain crackers and vegetables.
• Try pureeing roasted red peppers with low fat plain yogurt.
• Serve smooth or chunky guacamole that's heavy on the vegetables.
• Instead of using store-bought or your traditional homemade chip dip, use regular mayonnaise for half of the recipe and replace the other half with reduced fat sour cream. One cup of lower-fat sour cream will provide all the flavor and texture of mayonnaise but cut 1,3000 calories and 150 grams of fat.

Ditch the chips and dip and try one of these instead:

• Grilled chicken chunks
• Steamed broccoli or cauliflower
• Bite size chunks of crusty whole-grain bread
• Small wheat pretzels
• Pita Chips
• Bell peppers cut into triangles (Remove top and bottom, then core peppers. Slice down center so pepper lies flat, then cut into triangles).
• Endive leaves
• Inner leaves from Romaine lettuce.

Carrot Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients:
Filling:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoon backing powder
• 1 teaspoon backing soda
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup light butter/margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin pie filling
• 1 cup carrot, finely shredded

Cream cheese topping:

• 4 oz light cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon skim milk

Direction:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350. Grease 15 x10 jellyroll pan
2. In small bowl; combine flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder & baking soda.
3. In large bowl; beat sugar, butter and brown sugar until crumbly. Add eggs, egg whites, pumpkin pie mix and carrots. Beat until well blended. Add flour mixture and mix until well blended. Spread onto greased pan.
4. Prepare Cream Cheese topping: Mix together cream cheese, sugar and milk until thoroughly blended.
5. Drop teaspoon-fulls of topping over pumpkin batter and swirl mixture with a butter knife.
6. Bake for 25-20 minutes or until cake tester (inserted in center) comes out clean. Cool in pan completely on wire rack before cutting into squares.

Makes 48 squares

Nutritional Information:

• Fat: 0.9g
• Carbohydrates: 13.6g
• Calories: 67.2
• Protein: 1.4g

Pumpkin Treat

Ingredients:
1 can Pumpkin
1 box sugar free, fat free vanilla pudding
1/2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 serving light whipped desert topping

Directions:

1. Mix together all ingredients except desert topping
2. Blend well in a bowl
3. Dip out 1/2 cup serving and refrigerate the rest
4. Top with 1 serving of whipped desert topping.

This makes for a great low fat, low calorie dessert in the fall!

Nutritional Information:

Fat: 0.8 g

Carbohydrates: 18.1g

Calories: 127.7

Protein: 1.6 g

Halloween Tricky Treats

During Halloween, it seems like kids and adults alike care more about the candy than the costumes! Here are a few favorite treats at Halloween time that pack a lot of calories.
Pumpkin Flavored Baked Goods- Pumpkin itself is a healthful food. Plain pumpkin puree contains a dose of vitamin A and fiber for a small amount of calories. But pair it with sugar, cream cheese frosting, shortening and butter and you've got a high-cal treat dressed in a healthy-looking orange outfit!
Trick:You can bake your own pumpkin treats using less sugar and fat, plus whole-grain goodness. Use a mini muffin tin to help with keep your portions in check and steer clear of these seasonal baked goods!
Hot Seasonal Beverages- Sometimes there is noting more enjoyable than sipping a hot drink on a crisp fall day. Many coffee joints offer special seasonal beverages during the holidays. While plain coffee is low-cal, seasonal lattes and drinks contain a lot of sugar, and most boast a heavy dose of cream, too.
Trick: Order a small beverage (if you must) and lighten the load by requesting fat free milk and holding any whipped topping. Freshly brewed tea can be a great alternative that is virtually calorie- free.
Caramel Apple- Yes, it's obvious. If you cover a healthy fruit with sugar, it becomes a less healthy choice. Simple caramel apple seem innocent, but they can pack 300 calories onto that little wooden stick!
Trick: Enjoy your apples by cutting them into wedges and dipping them into low fat caramel dip, fat free vanilla yogurt or peanut butter.
Chocolate Fun Size Candies- At an average of about 100 calories a pop, these popular fun-size treats can really add up! Sure they're smaller, but how often do you stop after just one!
Trick: Start reading fun-size labels before throwing out the package so that you're no eating blindly; these calories do count. Fun size peppermint patties and Twizzles have about half of the calories of the average chocolate bar but keep in mind these can still add up!

Don't make excuses about desserts or baked treats being "healthful" just because apple or pumpkin is in the name and monitor your intake of tiny-size treats, which can easily add up to BIG numbers of calories. Think about what these seasonal treats are doing for your body and put your label reading skills to work and stay in control of your choices!

Snowboard Swooshing Squash

Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:

• 2 cups summer squash, sliced
• 2 cups zucchini squash, sliced
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 4 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup canned green Chile's, diced
• 1/2 cup frozen yellow sweet corn
• 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

Instructions:

1. Heat non-stick skillet to medium high and lightly saute the summer squash, zucchini, onion, garlic and cumin until just soft.
2. Toss with rest of ingredients
3. Place in a 1 quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking oil.
4. Microwave 3 minutes on high or until thoroughly heated

Nutrition information: 70 calories, 2 grams of total fat, 11 grams carbohydrate, 2 gram protein, 2 gram fiber, 26 milligrams sodium, 1 milligrams cholesterol.

Is it okay to exercise if I have a Cold?

With cold and flu season here people always ask "Is is okay to exercise if I have a cold?". Will exercises really help prevent cold and flue? How soon after an illness can I return to regular activity?

According to an expert from the American College of Sports Medicine, "multiple studies have shown a 25% to 50% decrease in sick time for active people who complete at least 45 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week".
Despite your best efforts, you might still end up getting the sniffles this winter. So what are some guidelines to follow when it comes to exercise?

• If you've got a cold that's above the neck (runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, etc.) then you should be okay to exercise if you're feeling up to it.
• If you have a cold that's below the next (in your chest) or if you have other symptoms like a fever or swollen glands, it's better to rest.
• Listen to your body. If you're not feeling good and you push it too much, the illness can end up hanging around longer.
• Once you're well again, ease back into exercise. You might find it takes a week or two (or maybe even longer, depending on how sick you were) to get back up to your pre-illness level.

6 Reasons to Add Strength Training to Your Workout

Strength Training will add definition to your muscles and give men and women alike more fit and toned bodies. But working out with weights does so much more:

1. Protects bone health and muscle mass
2. Makes you stronger and more fit
3. Helps you develop better body mechanics
4. Plays a role in disease prevention
5. Boosts energy levels and improves your mood
6. Translates to more calories burned

Don't limit yourself to thinking that lifting weights, expensive machines or gym membership is the only way to do strength training. Push ups, jump squats, lunges, and mountain climbing are all examples of exercises that provide strength training.

Fat Free Sweet Potato Fries

Step 1

Cut 2 scrubbed medium sweet potatoes into quarters; cut each quarter lengthwise into 4 wedges. Arrange on a baking pan misted with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 2

Combine 1/2teaspoon each salt, ground cumin, chile powder, and paprika and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; sprinkle over potatoes.

Step 3

Bake for 20minutes at 425 degrees F or until potatoes are brown and tender, turning once. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition facts

76 calories
0 fat

Recipe taken from Fitness Magazine July/August 2009

Fast-n-Easy Southwest Chicken Chili

Prep time:5min ,Cooking time 15min

Ingredients:
24 ounces boneless,skinless chicken breast, 2Tablespoons dried onion
cooked and cubed 3Tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2cups water 2cups cooked brown rice
1 can(14 ounces)diced tomatoes
1 can(10 ounces) tomato puree
4ounce can diced jalapeno, drained

Instructions:
Put all ingredients together in a medium pot or large pan, bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes.

Recipe provided by Spark Recipes.com

Fast/Fabulous Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
1 box (1.3oz) sugar free/fat free instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups non-fat milk
8oz. fat free vanilla yogurt
2 cups fruit (bite size pieces)

In medium bowl, combine milk and pudding. Beat with wire whisk for 2 minutes. Gently mix yogurt with pudding mixture. Finally, gently fold fruit into mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 5 minutes, 30minutes best. Fruits that can be used are strawberries,blueberries, peaches, bananas, grapes, or kiwi. Canned fruit can also be used after it is drained and rinsed.

Nutrition facts: 2/3 cup serving size

57 calories
0.3g fat
1.6mg cholesterol
211mg sodium
0.7g fiber
10.5g carbohydrates
3.3g protein.

Source from University of Massachusetts Extension

Baked Potato Soup

Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:
7 large baked potatoes 2c chicken stock, low sodium
3T butter, unsalted 4c skim or 1% milk
1 1/2c onion, diced fine 1/4t white pepper
3cloves garlic, minced 2 bacon strips,cooked/crumbled
1/2c celery, diced fine 3T Scallions, chopped
3T flour 1c cheddar cheese, shredded


Directions:
Remove skin from the baked potatoes and chop into 1-inch cubes. In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium until melted and frothy. Add onions and cook for 2minutes. Add celery and garlic to the saucepan and continue to simmer for 3 minutes. Lower the heat slightly. Add flour to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon and cook for 2 minutes;make sure to scrape the spoon against the bottom and edges of the saucepan to pick up any of the mixture that might settle on the bottom of the pan. Slowly whisk in the stock until all is incorporated. Add diced potatoes to the mixture. Slowly add the milk. Once the milk is added do not boil the mixture and stir occasionally. Cook soup over medium to low heat for about 20 minutes. While soup is cooking, cook bacon until crisp in a skillet. Remove bacon from pan and blot excess fat with a paper towel. Crumble bacon and set aside for garnish. If you prefer a smooth soup, puree mixture using food processor or blender. Serve in bowls and garnish with chopped scallion, bacon, and 3/4T of chees. Makes 15 one cup servings.

Calories 259.3
Total fat 8.6g

Recipe supplied by SparkRecipes.

Fruit Kabobs

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 0z) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (7 0z) jar marshmallow cream
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 8 (10-inch) skewers
• 32 Red Grapes
• 32 Fresh Strawberries, hulled
• 3 Cups cubed cantaloupe
• 32 Colby Jack Cheese Cubes

Preparation:

1. In a medium bowl, combin cream cheese, marshallow cream and almond extract. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours before serving.
2. Meanwhile, on sixteen skewers, alternately thread the grapes, strawberries, cantaloupe and cheese cubes. Repeat once on the skewer.
3. Serve the fruit kabobs with cream cheese dip.

Nutrition Facts:

• Total Fat: 4.5 g
• Carbonhyrdates: 18g
• Calories: 130Kcal
• Cholesterol: 15mg

Top 5 Reasons to Love A.M. Exercise

More than 90% of those who exercise consistently have a morning fitness routine! If you want to exercise on a regular basis, the odds are in your favor if you squeeze your workout into the a.m.

Here are 5 Top Reasons to Exercise in the A.m.:

1. Exercising early in the morning "jump starts" your metabolism, keeping it elevated for hours, sometimes for up to 24 hours!
2. Exercising in the morning energizes you for the day, not to mention that gratifying feeling of virtue you have knowing you've done something good for yourself.
3. Studies have shown that exercise significantly increases mental acuity, a benefit that lasts for four to ten hours after your workout ends.
4. Assuming you make exercise a true priority, it shouldn't be a major problem to get up 30 to 50 minutes earlier. Especially since regular exercise generally means a high quality of sleep.
5. When you exercise at about the same time every morning, your regulating your body's endocrine system and circadian rhythms.

Remember these tips to help you have a morning exercise routine!

Salad on a Stick!

Ingredients:

• 4 wooden skewers
• 1/2 large cucumber, sliced 1/2 inch-thick
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into squares
• 2 (1/2 inch thick) sliced salami,quartered
• 8 whole mushrooms
• 2.5 oz mild cheddar cheese, cubed
• 4 grape tomatoes
• Salad dressing, optional

Preparation:

On each of the 4 wooden skewers, thread cucumber slice, bell pepper square, salami, whole mushrooms and cheese cube. Repeat. Top each skewer with a grape tomato.

Serve with your favorite salad dressing, if desired.

Makes 4 servings

Know Your Menu Watch Words

There are a few words that easily slip your mind when ordering food that could be keeping you from making a health choice.

When you go out to eat, just go prepared. Know which words to look for and which to avoid. Below is a quick list of "safe" Green Flag and "Warning!" Red Flag options that even young children can understand. Challenge your kids to see how many "Red Flags" and "Green Flags" foods they can find, and let them choose their own meal out of "Green Flag" options.

The watch words below are a guide. Still, food items can be very healthy or unhealthy regardless of the use of any of these words. There are times when thee words are used to mislead you. So use this along with your good judgment to steer clear of the bad stuff. More often than not, you'll end up making a smart decision.

Green Flag:
Steamed
Reduced
Baked
Marinated
Seasoned
Fat Free
Whole Wheat
Multi-grain
Vegetarian
Light
High Fiber
Fresh
Red Sauce
Vinaigrette

Red Flag:
Breaded
Fried/ Deep Fried
Creamed/Creamy
White Sauce
Crispy
Cheesy
Buttery
Loaded
Bottomless
Au Gratin
Country-Style
Volcano

By keeping these things in mind will help you make healthier choices!

Cobb Salad Wraps

Ingredients:

• 8 oz Chicken Breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1/2 c. avocado, chopped
• 4 turkey bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• 1 celery rib, thinly sliced
• 2 T crumbled blue cheese
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1 T honey
• 1 1/2 t Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 t. Dill weed
• 1/4 t Salt
• 1/8 t. Pepper
• 1 T Olive oil
• 5 Romaine leaves, torn
• 4 whole wheat flour tortillas warmed
• 1 medium tomato, chopped

Instructions;

1. In a small bowl, combine the chicken, avocado, bacon and celery, onion and cheese
2. In another small bowl, combine the lemon juice, honey, mustard, garlic dill weed, salt and pepper
3. Whisk in the oil
4. Pour over the chicken mixture; toss to coat. Place romaine on each tortilla, top with 2/3c. chicken mixture, then with tomatoes.
5. Roll up each tortilla

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 352

Total Fat: 14.6

Cholesterol: 44.4 mg

Sodium: 754.9 mg

Total Carbs: 35.7 g

Dietary Fiber: 4.8g

Protein: 20.9 g

Healthy Kitcken, Healthy Home

Anytime is a good time to give your kitchen a healthy inspection. Nasty foods and hidden pitfalls are just waiting to sabotage your efforts at keeping your family healthy.

Start with the fridge and pantry. Focus on replacing sugary and highly processed foods with complex carbs and healthy alternatives.

• Throw out: Thick dressings, white rice, creamers, white pasts, white potatoes, chips, dip, soda, and mayonnaise.
• Keep: Vinaigrette's, vegetables, nuts, sweet potatoes, whole wheat pasta, brown or wild rice, tomato sauce, oatmeal, salsa, yogurt, and natural applesauce.
• Put on probation: Cheese, milk, butter, ice cream, eggs, cooking oil and beef.

Then move on to the rest of the Kitchen:

• Learn to read food labels
• Collect healthy, quick recipes
• Toss out all those pizza coupons
• Get a few water bottles to keep cold water handy in the fridge
• Put a bowl of fruit and granola/breakfast bars by the back door.

Invest in:

• Fresh produce
• A pitcher with a filter for water
• Spices so healthy food doesn't get boring
• Healthy cookbooks
• A sturdy cutting board
• Plenty of containers to portion out prepared foods, store leftovers, and pack lunches.

Keep these things in mind when you clean your kitchen and see if they help you!

Southwest Summer Stir Fry

Take advantage of sweet corn when ti's i n season! This recipe can be easily doubled for a larger gathering.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 1 small green pepper, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 cup fresh corn kernels (cut from 3 ears corn)
• 1 large vine-ripened tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted peanuts, optional

Preparation:

1. In a work or large skillet, heat oi over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, green peppers and onions and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in cumin. Add corn and cook until it is just tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, honey, salt and hot sauce and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in cilantro or parsley and sprinkle with peanuts, if using.

Nutritional Information per Servings:

• 120 Calories
• 3.2g Fat
• 0.4g Saturated Fat
• 3.0g Protein
• 29g Carbohydrate
• 3.6g Fiber
• 191 mg Sodium

Source Healthy Living Kitchens

Snacking Healthy

Snacking might be the missing ingredient that will help you reach our weight loss goals. But snacking doesn't serve to replace a meal. In fact, you should spread meals and snacks out by an hour or two, and snacks should total a couple hundred calories or less.

Munching between meals can actually reduce your overall caloric intake by curbing overeating at your next meal. By controlling later bringing, snacking can help you stay on track. You can actually use this to your advantage. If you know you are going out to a big dinner with friends later, for example, make sure you have a healthy snack before you head out so you're less likely to order a large entree.

Snacking isn't Grazing:
Mindless eating is often the downfall of many snackers. You may start with only a handful of your favorite crackers, only to finish the entire box, with out even thinking about it. Obviously, this example isn't the healthy snacking that can help you reach your weight loss goals.

To Avoid Grazing:

• Fill a small plate with your snack and leave the kitchen!
• Never bring the entire container with you in front of the television or computer.
• If you stand around the snack table chatting at a party, you may find yourself reaching for food when the conversations lulls.
• Limit yourself to a single serving.
• Plan out your snacks just like you would a meal. Is one cookie worth the calorie cost, when you could eat a plate of fresh fruit instead.

Practice moderation: As with the rest of your diet, moderation is crucial when snacking. Don't sabotage your diet with unhealthy nibbles throughout the day; stick to nourishing food whenever possible.

Mousse a La Banana

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons 1% milk
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 medium banana, cut in quarters
• 1 cup plain low fat yogurt
• 8 1/4 inch banana slices

Directions:

1. Place milk, sugar, vanilla, and banana in blender. Process 15 seconds at high speed until smooth.
2. Pour mixture into a small bowl, fold in yogurt. Chill. Spoon into 4 dessert dishes; garnish each with 2 banana slices just before serving.

Makes 4 servings- Serving Size: 1/2 Cup

Nutritional Information:

• Fat: 1.4g
• Carbohydrates: 17.9g
• Calories: 98.9
• Protein: 4.6g

Deal with Weight-Loss Plateaus

Weight-loss plateau is an integral part of weight loss. DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED! It is your body's way of protecting you for survival purpose. The weight-loss plateau occurs because your body thinks there is a famine and has slowed your metabolism in order to conserve calories. This will happen periodically throughout your weight-loss.

A few Exercise Tips:

1. Variety- Often we fall into a exercise routine- You have to mix up your exercise routine in order to consistently shock your system. A few ways to mix up your workout: Alternate the weights, change the number of repetitions, and change the exercise.
2. Intensity- The best way to speed up your metabolism is to boost the intensity of your training. You will burn more calories, challenge your body and literally force your metabolism to burn a little brighter.

Food Tips:

1. Eat More- The best way to fix this quickly is to give your body a little more food so it feels secure. Vary your calorie intake.
2. Reduce your sodium and DRINK LOTS OF WATER: Keep your sodium under 1,500 mg a day at most for as long as you can manage. You can achieve this in part by cutting all processed food out of your diet for two weeks.

Keep going! A plateau will usually break on its own after about three weeks!

Five-Spice Turkey & Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup Rice, brown, instant
• 2 teaspoon oil, sesame
• 1 pound turkey, lean ground
• 1 tablespoon ginger, fresh
• 1 large pepper, red, bell
• 1 can water chestnuts, canned
• 1/2 cup broth, reduced-sodium chicken
• 2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 head(s) lettuce
• 1/2 cup fresh herbs
• 1 large carrot, shredded
• 1 teaspoon oil, canola

Preparation:

1. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey and ginger; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through, about 6 minutes.
3. Stir in the cooked rice, bell pepper, water chestnuts, broth, hoisin sauce, five-spice powder and salt; cook until heated through, about 1 minute
4. To serve, spoon portions of the turkey mixture into lettuce leaves, top with herbs and carrot and roll into wraps.

Nutritional Information:

• Calories: 285
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Sodium: 543mg
• Dietary Fiber: 5g
• Total Fat: 11g
• Carbs: 24g
• Cholesterol: 66mg
• Protein: 26g

Recipe Source: eatingwell.com

Habits for Fit People: Add Activity- Not just Exercise to Your Day!

You want to be a fit person, right? Here are some habits for keeping fit and staying healthy.

Add more activity to your day. This is not just exercise or planned workouts, either. You might not think about it often, but there's a lot more to a fit lifestyle than the time you spend exercising.
You may be thinking that since you work out regularly, you don't need to worry about doing additional active things each day. For example: you think I can park in the closest spot to the door at the store since I worked out earlier today or when some one ask you to go for a walk in the evening with them and you think "I better not over do it after that hard work out I did today".
Remember, there's more to fitness than just working out. You'll feel stronger, more energetic and fitter when you incorporate little bursts of activity into your day on top of your work out.

Here are a few ways you can bring more "activity" into your fit lifestyle, no matter how much time you have on your hands:

• For dinner out, choose a place within walking distance of your house (up to 2 miles away) and walk to and from the restaurant.
• At work, opt for the restroom furthest away from your workstation.
• Take the stairs any chance you get: at work, the mall and even in your home.
• Shun some labor-saving devices like remotes and dishwashers a few nights a week
• When watching TV, try a few simple exercises like the plank, push ups, squats or lungs.
• Play with the kids. Don't just be an onlooker!
• For a fun night out with friends or family members, choose activities like bowling, ping-pong and miniature golf.
• Sit on an exercise ball at your computer to help strengthen your core and posture muscles.

Keep these things in mind and you can become more fit!

Lemon-Garlic Shrimp & Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoon oil, olive, extra virgin
• 2 large pepper(s), red, bell
• 2 pounds asparagus
• 2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 pounds shrimp, raw
• 1 cup broth, reduced-sodium chicken
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoon parsley, fresh

Preparation

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, asparagus, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to soften, about 6 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl; cover to keep warm.
2. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Whisk broth and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth and add to the pan along with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, Stirring, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Serve the shrimp and sauce over the vegetables.

Makes 4 Servings

Nutritional Information (Per Serving):

• Calories: 226
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Sodium: 514mg
• Dietary Fiber: 4g
• Total Fat: 7g
• Carbs: 14g
• Cholesterol: 174 mg
• Protein: 28g

Summer Party Survival Guide

While a family cookout or a neighborhood barbecue is supposed to be a time to eat, drink and be merry, those of us trying to follow a healthy path can find such events to be more trying than entertaining. The endless platters of grilled meats. The bottomless bowls of mayo salads, and the parade of refined carbs.
A typical meal from a cookout can have more than 1,500 calories and almost as much fat as you should eat for an entire day. You can cut the calories in half and boost the flavor with a few simple tricks!

• Choose extra lean ground beef or turkey to save 100 calories and more than half the fat of standard burgers.
• Opt for fat-free or low-fat all-beef hot dogs, turkey dogs or veggie dogs instead of bratwurst.
• Choose vegetables, ketchup and mustard and skip the cheese and mayo
• Drink water instead of soda, sweet tea or lemonade.
• Make macaroni salad with whole-wheat pasta to boost fiber.
• Use light vinaigrette instead of ranch dressing of may-based sauces for potato salad and veggie dips.
• Load up on fruit
• Choose whole-grain buns, baked chips or pretzels and limit the baked goods.
• Make kebabs using vegetables and lean meats for a lighter main dish.

No-bake Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients:

• 8 ounce(s) pasta, whole-wheat, elbow macaroni
• 1 package broccoli, frozen chopped
• 1 3/4 cup milk, lowfat
• 3 tablespoon flour, all-purpose
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper, white
• 3/4 cup cheese, cheddar, shredded
• 1/4 cup cheese, Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon mustard, Dijon

Preparation:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta for 4 minutes. Add frozen broccoli and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta and broccoli are just tender, 4 to 5 minutes more.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1/2 cups milk in another large pot over medium-high heat until just simmering. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup milk, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl until combined.
3. Add the flour mixture to the simmering milk; return to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in cheddar, Parmesan and mustard until the cheese is melted.
4. Drain the pasta and broccoli and add to the cheese sauce. Return to the heat and cook, stirring, over medium-low heat, until heated through, about 1 minute.

Nutritional Information:

• Calories 412
  Saturated Fat 7g
• Sodium 640 mg
• Dietary Fiber 7g
• Total Fat 13g
• Carbs 56g
• Cholesterol 37 mg
• Protein 22g

Recipe Source: Eatingwell.com

Exercise Tips for Vacation

While vacation is a time to relax and take a break from work, stress and the usual routine. It should not be a break from your healthy habits. With a little planning, you can enjoy your vacation and still maintain your fitness level.
Whatever your plans- a family road trip, a tropical cruise, or a relaxing beach you can avoid packing on excess weight by packing some healthy foods and workout gear instead.


Here are some ideas to think about:
On the Road:
Plan exercise and stretching breaks. Just three 10 minute pit stops add up to 30 minutes of activity. Go for a quick jog or walk, stretch and run around with the kids. Back in the car, you'll be more alert and energetic.

At the Airport:
While in the airport, take every opportunity for extra movement. Use the stairs, pass on the people movers and carry your own luggage. Instead of sitting around before boarding, use the time to walk. It's okay to get up and walk through the aisles a few times when you are feeling antsy during a long flight.

When Cruising:
Plan for fitness every day. Cruises usually offer complete gyms, aerobics classes, trainers, running tracks and pools. Go dancing in the evening and play beach games when docked.

At the Inn:
Before leaving home, find out what fitness opportunities the hotel offers. While most will have a pool, others may offer tennis, walking paths, bike rentals, and full gyms. Then, pack the appropriate clothes, shoes and gear.

Fitness Anywhere:
Design your own portable workout. All you need to pack is some lightweight, cheap equipment: resistance bands, a jump rope and a sticky mat. You can also do push-ups, planks, lunges, squats, triceps dips on a chair, and other body weight exercises.

With a little planning this vacation you will not loss out on fitness!

The Lieutenant Governor's Challenge: "Your Heart is in Your Hands"

Are you looking for something to help keep you going with the Healthy Villages program. Here is a great web based program that can help you keep track of your physical activities and fruits and vegetable consumption.
The Lieutenant Governor challenge is a 12-week, web based challenge that tracks your physical activity and fruits and vegetable consumption.

To sign up go to www.ltgovernorschallenge.us

Baked Salmon Dijon

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fat free sour cream
• 2 tsp dried dill
• 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 lb salmon fillet with skin, cut in center
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• as needed fat free cooking spray

Instructions:

1. whisk sour cream, dill, onion, mustard, and lemon juice in small bowl to blend.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil baking sheet with cooking spray
3. Place salmon, skin side down, on prepared sheet. Sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper, then spread with the sauce.
4. Bake salmon until just opaque in center, about 20 minutes

Makes 6 Servings

Nutrition Information:

• Calories: 211.3
• Total Fat: 5.1g
• Cholesterol: 82.6mg
• Sodium: 286.5 mg
• Total Carbs: 5.0g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.9 g
• Protein: 30.5 g

11 Ways to Cool Down your Summer Workout

Heat exhaustion can occur when your body gets too hot, resulting in physical symptoms like weakness, muscle cramps, dehydration, dizziness, confusion, rapid heart rate and headache. Staying hydrated and getting out of the heat can help prevent and treat heat exhaustion.

But you don't have to give up exercise just because it's hot outside. Here are 11 tips that will help you beat the heat.

1. Wear "wicking" fabrics- while cotton is comfortable, it doesn't wick away moisture very well. Choose a loose-fitting polyester/cotton blend instead, or synthetic fibers designed especially for wicking during exercise.
2. Protect your Skin. Apply sunscreen with SP 15 (or higher) to prevent sunburn, even on cloudy days.
3. Drink Often. Hydrate your body before, during and after your workout by carrying cold water and drinking it often.
4. Perfect your timing. Sun, humidity and pollution levels are most intense during the day, so you're at greater risk for dehydration, sunburn and heat exhaustion during this time. To minimize the effects of the weather, work out in the early morning or late evening.
5. Acclimate to the heat. Even the fittest people can have trouble exercising when it's hot and humid. Start by exercising in the heat for only a few minutes each day and gradually increase the amount of time you can tolerate outdoors.
6. Seek Shade. Parks, trails, and other tree-lined areas can help you stay cooler than direct sunlight.
7. Monitor your heart rate. If your intensity level rises above your target range, slow down or stop to avoid further stress.
8. Listen to your body. If you notice any symptoms of heat illness stop your workout. It's not a good idea to "push yourself" in extreme heat.
9. Know when to stay inside. If temperatures climb above 90 degrees, take your exercise in an air-conditioned environment.
10. Avoid extreme temperate changes. Don't go from blistering outdoor heat to a shockingly cold air-conditioned building. Try to cool yourself down gradually before exposing your body to cooler temperatures.
11. Take a dip. Water exercise is a great alternative in hot weather.

Hot weather isn't the time to take risks. Even healthy people should take it easy in extremely high temperatures and everyone should understand how to exercise safely and effectively at the height of the season.

Summer brings many fun and exhilarating opportunities to get outside, so enjoy yourself!

Grilled Shrimp Cocktail with Yellow Gazpacho Salsa

Ingredients:

• 4 medium tomato(es)
• 1 medium pepper, yellow
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1 stalk celery
• 1/2 small onion, red
• 2 tablespoon ginger, fresh
• 2 tablespoon vinegar, white wine
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, black ground
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 dash(es) hot sauce
• 1 pound shrimp, raw
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoon thyme, fresh

Preparation

1. Mix tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, celery, onion, chives, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, salt and hot sauce in a large bowl. Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 day.
2. Mix shrimp, garlic and thyme in a medium bowl; cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
3. Coat a grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat or preheat the grill to medium-high and oil the grill rack. Cook the shrimp until pink and firm, about 2 minutes per side. Serve the shrimp with the salsa.

Nutritional Information

• Calories: 131
• Saturated Fat: 0g
• Sodium: 418mg
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Total Fat: 1 g
• Carbs: 10g
• Cholesterol: 168mg
• Protein: 20g

10 Steps to Speed Weight Loss

Here are 10 steps to help you loss weight:

1. Switch up your snacks. Instead of grazing on the baked goodies in the break room, have a plan for healthy snacks that combines a little bit of fat, protein, and crunch as as apple slices with peanut butter.
2. Cut out high-calorie condiments and sugars-Instead of using sugar in your coffee try splenda. Use mustard on you burger or sandwich instead of mayonnaise and order your salad dressing on the side so you can control the amount you eat.
3. Hoff it- Exercise is key! People who manage at least 150 minutes of activity a week are more successful with weight loss. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or park a bit farther from your destination so you have to walk.
4. Anticipate temptation-If you know you can not resist freshly baked brownies, don't keep a mix in your pantry. If you are going to friends or family members and know you'll have a hard time, make a decision before you get there about what you will eat and stick to it!
5. Try the veggie-loaded plate method-Banes recommends using your plate to guide your food selection and portion sizes. One half of the plate should be vegetables. The other side can be split between protein and starchy carbohydrates.
6. Skip the Fast Food- Adults who have been successful with weight loss demonstrated that people who eat at fast-food restaurants less than twice a week have greater success with their weight loss.
7. Limit the calories you drink- While most people understand sugary sodas add calories, Banes sees a misconception when it comes to sweet tea and juices. Sweetened tea is no less calorie-dense than soda, and you'd be better off eating the fruit than drinking the juice.
8. Be accountable- Whether you have a diet buddy you check in with, a support group or a food dairy keep track of your daily food choices takes only a few minutes, but can double your weight-loss success.
9. Order smaller portions-Data suggests that people who order smaller portions or share a plate at restaurants are more successful with weight loss.
10. Acknowledge your success- People who believe they can succeed with weight loss actually do lose weight more successfully.

These are small changes, all of which can easily be made, will quickly add up to more pounds lost over time!

Cantaloupe Crush

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup cantaloupe cubes
• 1/3 cup pineapple chunks
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup frozen or canned peaches
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 ice cubes

Directions:

Whirl all ingredients in a blender until smooth

Makes 2 servings!

Nutritional Information:

• Fat: 0.4 g
• Carbohydrates: 24.3g
• Calories: 96.6
• Protein: 1.3g

9 Hidden Reasons to Stay Motivated

Are you always looking for ways to stay motivated to keep working out? Here are 9 hidden reasons to stay motivated.

1. Confidence-How did you feel after that first jog around the block? Or when you finally walked the stairs at work without losing your breath? The more you accomplish, the more you'll believe in yourself.
2. Fit into that dress- It's been hanging up in your closest now is the time to start being able to wear it.
3. Make the week easier- Ever felt like a week was taking forever? This happens when you're not working towards anything. When you have a goal in mind, you'll want to cook that healthy dinner or go for a walk.
4. Give you purpose- Every once in a while, we need a good reason to get out of bed. Eat a healthy breakfast that's going to jump start your day, go for your morning job or walk to the driveway and grab the paper.
5. For the kids- and your grand kids. The healthier you are, the longer you'll be around to watch!
6. Power of momentum-Momentum builds quickly and can lead to great results.
7. The 'wow' effect- Walking int a restaurant, you run into someone you have not seen for awhile. They gasp, "Wow, you look great!"
8. Spread the spark- When friends and family see how hard you're working, they'll wonder how they can reach their own goals. By staying motivated, you'll not only help yourself, but others too.
9. Keep gaining experience-The more you do, the more you will learn and understand.

Keep up the good work and stay motivated for a reason that works for you!

Healthy Snack Ides for Kids

As we work on our health goals as adults we need to make sure our kids are also making healthy choices too. Here is a list of good healthy snack ideas for kids and adults!

• Apple slices with peanut butter
• Carrot sticks with ranch
• Grapes and cheddar cheese
• Sliced turkey on wheat bread
• Snack mix made with raisins, nuts, and whole wheat cereal
• Whole grain tortilla or bagel with low-fat cheese or cream cheese
• Bean burrito on a whole-wheat tortilla
• Cut-up fruit or easily portable whole fruit, such as apples, oranges or clementines
• Whole grain cereal, dry or with milk
• Low-fat yogurt with fresh berries
• Frozen bananas with peanut butter
• Strawberries plain or put with some vanilla yogurt

Do you keep a Fitnees Journal?

Why is an exercise journal so important?
In today's lives it is so easy to forget what we do from day to day, much less from week to week. Having a fitness journal allows us to review where we were in the past and to develop a plan where we would like to be in the future. It can also help to determine why some days are harder/easier then others.
Your journal doesn't have to be anything too elaborate! A spiral notebook or some paper stapled together would work great.

Listed Below are things you should include in your journal:

• Type of activity performed- carido, strength training, yoga, etc.
• Time spent exercising
• How you felt during your exercise- were you tired before you started? Did you cut your time short due to fatigue? Did you feel energized?
• Sleep patterns- Many times the first sign of over training is a disturbance in your sleep pattern. If you begin to experience a change in your sleep habits, you may need to allow a few days off to allow for recovery.
• Refueling- If you exercised an hour or more did you eat/drink to refuel your glycogen stores after your workout.
• Weather Conditions- If you exercise outside, include the weather conditions.
• Strength Training- Make sure you update your training routines regularly.
• Mileage- Runners should keep track of their daily and weekly mileage.
• Injury- Documenting an injury will allow you to see how quickly you recover or to know if you need to see a Doctor for an issue that is not resolving.

Not only is a journal another motivator, but many times it can help pinpoint any issues that may arise. Keep a log, while tedious for some, is just another tool to help many people stay accountable!

Little Chef Salad Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

• 8 lettuce leaves
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into matchsticks
• 1 to 2 cups shredded carrots
• 6 ounces deli-sliced turkey breast, cut into matchsticks
• 6 ounces deli-sliced ham, cut into matchsticks
• 4 (1 ounces each) slices cheese, cut into matchsticks
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
• 2 hard-cooked egg whites, chopped
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 c low-fat dressing of your choice.

Directions:

• Rinse lettuce under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place lettuce on a clean surface.
• Top each lettuce leaf evenly with cucumber, carrot, turkey, ham and cheese. Sprinkle with tomato, egg and onion. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Nutrition information per serving:

• Calories: 275
• Carbohydrate: 17g
• Cholesterol: 40mg
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Fat: 11g
• Protein: 19g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Sodium: 950 mg

Recipe from Hy-vee.com

11 Things Children can Teach you about Healthy Living:

Everything you need to know about fitness and nutrition you can learn from watch kids.

1. Everything can be a game. Make up rules, shoot for personal records, and regain your competitive spirit.
2. Don't walk when you can run. Everyday is full of opportunities to increase your fitness. The rule is closely related to "don't drive when you can walk".
3. If you don't like it, don't eat it. Chances are, your eating habits won't stick around long if you hate what you're eating. Healthy eating involves balance and moderation.
4. Laughter feels good. Kids seem to inherently know that laughter can ease blood pressure, help your brain function, give you energy, and help you reach your goals.
5. Playtime is important. We get so caught up in work, and "have-to's" that we forget to take time for ourselves. Not only does relaxing make life worthwhile, it has real health benefits.
6. The world should be full of color-- especially on your dinner plate! Splash it with as many colors as possible, paint it like a rainbow with food.
7. It's always more fun with friends around. Children ten to gravitate toward other children. It gives them spirit and makes them want to play all day. Working out with other people is almost like having a playgroup.
8. Adventures are found outside, not inside. Every kid knows that the good stuff is the great outdoors-- fresh air, wide open spaces, limitless possibilities.
9. It's important to use your imagination. Give yourself permission to believe in your own super powers and let your mind take you wherever it wants to go.
10. Anything is possible. No fear, no self-doubts, no negative self talk, no self-criticism, no worries, no destructive anxieties or thoughts of failure. To a child, he/she can do anything. And they are right!
11. You have your whole life ahead of you. Here's your chance to do it right!

Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons dry red wine
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon grated, peeled ginger root
• 1 lb boneless round steak, fat trimmed and cut across grain into 1 1/2 inch strips, raw
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, each cut into 8 wedges
• 1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, rinsed, trimmed and sliced
• 2 stalks celery, bias cut into 1/4 inch slices (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 small green peppers, cut into thin lengthwise strips
• 1 cup water chestnuts, drained and sliced
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Prepare marinade mixing together wine, soy sauce, sugar and ginger. Marinate meat in mixture while preparing vegetables.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet. Stir-fry onions and mushrooms 3 minutes over medium-high heat.
3. Add celery and cook 1 more minute. Add remaining vegetables and cook 2 minutes or until green pepper is tender crisp. Transfer vegetables to warm bowl.
4. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet
5. Stir-fry meat in oil about 2 minutes or until meat loses its pink color.
6. Blend cornstarch and water. Stir into meat. Cook and stir until thickened.
7. Return vegetables to skillet; stir gently and serve.

Makes 6 servings- Serving sizes: 6oz portion of beef and vegetable mixture.

Nutritional Information:

• Fat: 10.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 18.4g
• Calories: 245.5
• Protein: 19.0 g

Staying Hydrated while Exercising!

So you know how much an average person sweats during one hour of vigorous exercise? One quart! Exercise saps a lot of water from your body. What can you do to make sure you stay hydrated?

• Start paying attention to your fluid intake 2-3 hours before you are going to exercise. Drink 2-3 cups of water during that time, and then drink another cup immediately before you start exercising.
• Once you start exercising, keep drinking water frequently. A good rule of thumb is to drink one cup every 15-20 minutes. Keep a water bottle with you. Take breaks to head to the water cooler. Do what it takes to keep yourself hydrated.
• When done exercising, you need to keep replenishing your fluid levels. Its recommended you drink another 2-3 cups within two hours after you have finished. Then drink water regularly afterwards.

Without this extra water, your muscles will become dehydrated. Muscles movement depends on how hydrated you are, so if they are dry, they will not work as well. As a result, your workout will not be as productive as you would like.

Do your body a favor and replenish that quart of fluids your body is losing while you work out. Your muscles will thank you later!

Cajun Chicken Caesar Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Large boneless skinless chicken breast
• Cajun spice (to taste)
• Hot Sauce (to taste)
• 2 Cup romaine lettuce
• 2 tablespoons reduced fat Caesar salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Sprinkle spice and hot sauce on chicken breast, catering to your own taste, and grill chicken on skillet or grill (chicken is done when light pink has disappeared from center)
2. Toss lettuce, dressing, and chicken to evenly distribute throughout salad. Add Parmesan cheese to taste, and serve.

Makes one serving.

Nutritional Information

• Fat: 3.3g
• Carbohydrates: 7.4g
• Calories: 196.1
• Protein: 31.7g

Recipes from "Sparks People"

10 Tips for Starting a Wellness Program Today!

It is never too late to begin your journey in wellness! Here are 10 steps you can take today to get started.

1. Write out your goals and desires. What is your overall goal for 3 to 5 year? Set 3 month and weekly goals based on your wellness vision. Goals should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Action-based, Realistic and Time-oriented.
2. Ask What, When and How. Make a list of the hurdles that keep getting in your way. Then determine which ones are true obstacles, things that you will have to work around or find solutions to.
3. Have a plan. Most tasks do not work with out a plan in place. Lay out a plan for accomplishing your goals, as well as solutions for overcoming the hurdles.
4. Start a Journal. Write down your goals, desires, barriers, obstacles, excuses, solution and plan. Then you can track your progress, write down your thoughts and stick to your plan.
5. Begin your journey where you're standing now. Accept where you are and where you need to be and begin the stops necessary to bridge that gap.
6. Take one step at a time. What happens when you leave out an important ingredient in a recipe? Doesn't work so well, does it? You must take certain steps in order to reach a place of well being and make it fit your lifestyle.
7. Learn from your setbacks. Making mistakes and experiencing failure is all a part of being human and living. Rather then getting down on yourself, take that setback and turn it into something positive.
8. Spend some time "cleaning house". Create a list of your activities and decide which ones aren't contributing to your overall purpose in life. Get rid of those items that are not meaningful to your life and concentrate on those that will help you get to your overall goal.
9. Stop comparing yourself to others. We're bombarded by images of "perfect" bodies every day. Stop comparing yourself to a fantasy and just be the best YOU that you can be.
10. Reward yourself. It's OK to feel good about yourself. And it's OK and beneficial to reward yourself for your accomplishments not matter how small they may seem.

Take these steps and get started on your Wellness Program Today!

Poppy Seed Bread

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
• 1 cup egg substitute
• 1/2 cup sherry
• 1/3 cup poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 pkg instant fat free, sugar free vanilla pudding
• 1 pkg yellow cake mix

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together using the minutes required by the cake mix instructions. Pour batter into sprayed bread baking dishes (2/3 full).
2. Back at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until inserted toothpick to the center comes out clean.

Makes 36 servings

Nutritional Information:

• Fat: 4.8 g
• Carbohydrates: 13.7g
• Calories: 107.2
• Protein: 1.8g

Portion Sizes

No More Portion Distortion:
Knowing portion sizes is just as important as knowing how many portions to eat! The list below includes the number of portions that are recommended daily for most adults and children, and matches standard SINGLE portion sizes with an easy way to visualize its real size.

Bread, Grains, and Pasta:
A single Serving, Is about the Size of.....
1-ounce slice of whole wheat bread-- Index Card
1/2 bagel-- Can of Tuna
1/2 Cup of rice, cereal. or pasta-- Small Walkman
1-ounce muffin-- Cupcake wrapper
4-inch pancake --CD
2-ounce piece of Italian bread --Bar of soap

Recommended Daily Servings:
Kids ages 6-12: 6-9 servings
Teen Girls: 6-9 servings
Teen Boys: 9-11 servings
Adults: 6-11 servings

Easy to Please Breakfast Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients:
1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup crunchy low-fat cereal or granola divided
1/2 cup fresh fruit, sliced (strawberries, blueberries, bananas)

Preparation:
To assemble parfait, begin with spooning half of the yogurt in the bottom of a bowl or tall glass. Add 2 tablespoons cereal and 1/2 cup fruit. Spoon on the rest of the yogurt. Top with remaining 2 tablespoons of cereal.

Substitution Idea:
Use any flavor of yogurt as a base. You can also subsitute canned fruit (drained) for fresh fruit.

Nutritional facts:
Calories: 408
Total Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 12 mg
Sodium: 276mg
Carbohydrates: 75g
Dietary Fiber: 5g
Protein: 16.5g
Calcium: 45% Daily Value

Fitness Myth! What is true and What is a Myth!

Fitness Myth: If you can't exercise hard and often, there's really no point!

Truth: Even moderate activity is shown to reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke. If you don't have 30 minutes in your day to exercise, try splitting it up into 10 minute segments instead. Everyone can find 10 minutes to spare sometime during the day! There are simple tings you can do to increase your activity without having to go to the gym: take the stairs instead of the elevator, jump rope or do body weight exercises (push up, crunches) at commercial breaks, take a short walk after lunch. Remember that any exercise is better than none!

Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup sifted cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Direction:

1. Sift flour, salt, and 3/4 cups sugar together.
2. Beat remaining ingredients until soft peaks form. Reduce mixing speed and gradually add remaining 3/4 cups sugar several tablespoons at a time.
3. Sift a small amount of the dry mixture over the whipped eggs. Fold gently. Continue (sifting and folding) until all flour is just incorporated.
4. Gently pour batter into a greased 10 inch pan. Bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean).

Makes 12 servings

Nutritional Information:

• Fat: 1.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 34.2g
• Calories: 165.6
• Protein: 4.8 g

Sparks People

What to Do After a Workout?

Many people have great workout routines. You drink plenty of water, warm up, stretch, work the entire body and even get in some cardio.
Once completing the workout most people head back to the house, change and move on with the day.

How you treat your body in the minutes and hours after you exercise has a direct effect on muscles soreness., muscle strength and growth, and staying hydrated.,

Things you should do once you have completed a workout:

• Cool Down: The first thing you should do is cool down.
• Stretch: Stretching allows your muscles to rebuild, growing bigger and stronger, and thus allows you to get the full benefit from your efforts.
• Drink Water: It's recommended that you drink another 2-3 cups within two hours after you have finished exercising.
• Refuel: You need to repair your muscles and boost your energy level, and you need to do it fast.
• Exercise Extra: The longer you cool down after a workout, the less sore you will be the following day.

Try these few steps and see if it makes a difference in your workout.

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:

• 4 Large Chicken Breasts
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 Cup Pasta sauce
• 8 oz. mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the over to 350 f
2. Heat the sauce in the microwave or over the stove until hot.
3. Pound the chicken breasts until they have a uniform thickness. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat enough oil to cover the pan in a nonstick pan over medium heat until hot. Saute the chicken breasts until cooked through and golden, about 5 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the other.
4. Dip the chicken in the sauce and then add to a casserole dish. Pour remaining sauce over and top with cheese. Bake the chicken in the oven until the cheese is melted.

Serves 4

Nutritional Info:

• Fat: 16.3g
• Carbohydrates: 6.7g
• Calories: 349.2
• Protein: 41.9g

2009 National Walk at Lunch Day

Wednesday, April 29th is 2009 National Walk at Lunch Day!

The National Walk at Lunch Day is part of "Walking Works", a Blue Cross and Blue Shield program designed to help members of all fitness levels take steps for better health and reduce the likelihood of future problems such as:

• Heart Disease
• Diabetes
• Certain Cancers

Plan to bring your shoes to work on Wednesday, April 29th and plan to walk during or after lunch. Find so friends or co-works to join you!