Do One Thing: Add more color to your diet

I'm sure you've heard that you should be eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, in all different colors, for maximum health benefits; but do you know why? Those different color groups represent different groups of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, so in order to get as many different micronutrients as possible into your diet, it's important to vary the colors of the fruits and veggies you eat. If you're looking to branch out in this area but feel intimidated once you reach the produce aisle, this handy tool from Women's Health Magazine can help. It breaks down fruits and vegetables by color and then gives peak season and shopping & storage tips for specific examples within each color family. Check it out.

Women's Health Magazine - The Rainbow Connection

I'm sure you've heard that you should be eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, in all different colors, for maximum health benefits; but do you know why? Those different color groups represent different groups of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, so in order to get as many different micronutrients as possible into your diet, it's important to vary the colors of the fruits and veggies you eat. If you're looking to branch out in this area but feel intimidated once you reach the produce aisle, this handy tool from Women's Health Magazine can help. It breaks down fruits and vegetables by color and then gives peak season and shopping & storage tips for specific examples within each color family. Check it out.

Women's Health Magazine - The Rainbow Connection

Grocery Staples

You want to start eating more healthfully at home but don’t know where to start. How about revamping your grocery list to include a bunch of good-for-you basics that will provide the foundation for healthy meals all week long. Here’s a challenge: Take a look at the list of nutritious staples below and see how many you can easily start including in your regular shopping basket, if you aren‘t already. If one of the listed items is new to your usual routine or new to you completely, see if you can find some recipes you might like that incorporate them. For reference, take this list with you on your next shopping trip.

Bananas
Apples
Oranges
Berries (fresh or frozen)
Avocados
Broccoli
Baby spinach
Cherry tomatoes
Potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Lemons
Fresh herbs (Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano)
Eggs
Skim or low-fat (1%) milk or soy milk
Low-fat or non-fat, plain or low-sugar yogurt
Low-fat cheese
Salmon
Rotisserie chicken
Light canned tuna in water
Hummus
Fresh Salsa
Canned beans
Mustard
Extra-virgin olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Kosher salt
Peppercorns/Ground Pepper
Seltzer/club soda
Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts)
Whole-wheat bread and pasta
Whole wheat tortillas
Brown rice/quinoa/bulgur wheat/whole-wheat couscous

You want to start eating more healthfully at home but don’t know where to start. How about revamping your grocery list to include a bunch of good-for-you basics that will provide the foundation for healthy meals all week long. Here’s a challenge: Take a look at the list of nutritious staples below and see how many you can easily start including in your regular shopping basket, if you aren‘t already. If one of the listed items is new to your usual routine or new to you completely, see if you can find some recipes you might like that incorporate them. For reference, take this list with you on your next shopping trip.

Bananas
Apples
Oranges
Berries (fresh or frozen)
Avocados
Broccoli
Baby spinach
Cherry tomatoes
Potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Lemons
Fresh herbs (Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano)
Eggs
Skim or low-fat (1%) milk or soy milk
Low-fat or non-fat, plain or low-sugar yogurt
Low-fat cheese
Salmon
Rotisserie chicken
Light canned tuna in water
Hummus
Fresh Salsa
Canned beans
Mustard
Extra-virgin olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Kosher salt
Peppercorns/Ground Pepper
Seltzer/club soda
Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts)
Whole-wheat bread and pasta
Whole wheat tortillas
Brown rice/quinoa/bulgur wheat/whole-wheat couscous

Do One Thing: Water down your wine!

If you're already planning on doing some drinking this weekend, why don't you try these tips?:

• Choose red wine over white wine or beer (the antioxidants in red wine may potentially provide more heart-health benefits than other alcoholic beverages)

• Drink a full cup of water between glasses of wine (as you spend half your drinking time filling up on water, you’ll cut back on all the extra calories coming from alcohol and you’ll get more of the water that your body needs)

If you're already planning on doing some drinking this weekend, why don't you try these tips?:

• Choose red wine over white wine or beer (the antioxidants in red wine may potentially provide more heart-health benefits than other alcoholic beverages)

• Drink a full cup of water between glasses of wine (as you spend half your drinking time filling up on water, you’ll cut back on all the extra calories coming from alcohol and you’ll get more of the water that your body needs)

Did You Know?: Positive thinking can improve your health

According to the Mayo Clinic, research has found that positive thinking may be associated with positive health benefits such as increased life span, decreased risk for depression, and even increased resistance to the common cold, among others. Click here to learn more about the potential benefits of positive thinking and for tips on how you can start practicing positive thinking today.

Mayo Clinic - Positive thinking: Reduce stress, enjoy life more

According to the Mayo Clinic, research has found that positive thinking may be associated with positive health benefits such as increased life span, decreased risk for depression, and even increased resistance to the common cold, among others. Click here to learn more about the potential benefits of positive thinking and for tips on how you can start practicing positive thinking today.

Mayo Clinic - Positive thinking: Reduce stress, enjoy life more

Rotisserie Chicken Dinner

A rotisserie chicken, brought home from your local supermarket or warehouse store, can be a great foundation for a quick & healthy meal. The most basic rotisserie chicken dinner involves simply slicing up the chicken and serving it with a side salad and any vegetable or starch. One variation might include a side salad of bagged spinach leaves and sliced tomato, lightly dressed with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar; and oven-roasted red potatoes, like these, from MarthaStewart.com.

For a completely different take on the rotisserie chicken dinner, try these "Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches" from the Food Network's Ellie Krieger.

A rotisserie chicken, brought home from your local supermarket or warehouse store, can be a great foundation for a quick & healthy meal. The most basic rotisserie chicken dinner involves simply slicing up the chicken and serving it with a side salad and any vegetable or starch. One variation might include a side salad of bagged spinach leaves and sliced tomato, lightly dressed with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar; and oven-roasted red potatoes, like these, from MarthaStewart.com.

For a completely different take on the rotisserie chicken dinner, try these "Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches" from the Food Network's Ellie Krieger.

Piece o' Cupcake!: Healthy homemade pizza

Your child loves pizza. So do you; who doesn't? But you also want to feed your child healthy foods that he'll enjoy. Why not make a healthy homemade pizza? It is truly a fast, easy meal that the whole family will love. Many grocery stores these days carry fresh, or frozen, whole wheat pizza dough. Next time your child is begging for pizza, why not roll out some pre-made whole wheat dough and top it with lots of good-for-you ingredients that you know your child will happily accept: part-skim mozzarella, parmigiana cheese, sautéed broccoli, caramelized onions, roasted peppers, thin slices of zucchini or eggplant, shredded chicken, etc. Assembling the pizza is even something your child can help with. The pizza dough package will usually give baking instructions and often recipe ideas as well.

For the sauce, a simple tomato or pesto sauce works well. Here's a recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food for "Easy Chunky Tomato Sauce." The best part about this sauce is that it keeps in the freezer for up to 2 months, so you can make a big batch in advance and freeze it in meal-sized portions to pull out when needed.

Your child loves pizza. So do you; who doesn't? But you also want to feed your child healthy foods that he'll enjoy. Why not make a healthy homemade pizza? It is truly a fast, easy meal that the whole family will love. Many grocery stores these days carry fresh, or frozen, whole wheat pizza dough. Next time your child is begging for pizza, why not roll out some pre-made whole wheat dough and top it with lots of good-for-you ingredients that you know your child will happily accept: part-skim mozzarella, parmigiana cheese, sautéed broccoli, caramelized onions, roasted peppers, thin slices of zucchini or eggplant, shredded chicken, etc. Assembling the pizza is even something your child can help with. The pizza dough package will usually give baking instructions and often recipe ideas as well.

For the sauce, a simple tomato or pesto sauce works well. Here's a recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food for "Easy Chunky Tomato Sauce." The best part about this sauce is that it keeps in the freezer for up to 2 months, so you can make a big batch in advance and freeze it in meal-sized portions to pull out when needed.

Introducing: Piece o' Cupcake!

Tomorrow I will publish the first post of the new Piece o' Cupcake! series. Just like Do One Thing and Did You Know?, Piece o' Cupcake! is a recurring series that focuses on a particular theme, in this case, making healthy living convenient and fun for your children and your family as a whole. Meet me back here tomorrow for the launch of this series!

One quick note: This series was the brain-child and suggestion of a family member, my sister, who has three little "cupcakes" of her own. Thank you!

Tomorrow I will publish the first post of the new Piece o' Cupcake! series. Just like Do One Thing and Did You Know?, Piece o' Cupcake! is a recurring series that focuses on a particular theme, in this case, making healthy living convenient and fun for your children and your family as a whole. Meet me back here tomorrow for the launch of this series!

One quick note: This series was the brain-child and suggestion of a family member, my sister, who has three little "cupcakes" of her own. Thank you!