Recipe of the Week: Tuscan-Style Tuna Salad

Recipe of the Week: Pork Chop Suey

Recipe of the Week: Catalan Sauteed Polenta & Butter Beans

Recipe of the Week: Creamy Avocado & White Bean Wrap

Recipe of the Week: Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry

Recipe of the Week: Vanilla-Orange Freezer Pops

Recipe of the Week: Tilapia & Summer Vegetable Packets

Recipe of the Week: Spinach Salad with Steak & Blueberries

SUMMER IS THE SEASON OF THE BERRY!

Summer Berries

Delicious, colourful berries are in season. Here's what to do with them. Temporarily stained fingers and tongues are a cheap price to pay for the oodles of health benefits and bold, sweet flavours of berries — available all summer long. When colourful punnets of these warm-weather staples start appearing in abundance on market shelves, grab them, as there's very little you can't do with this versatile fruit.

Health Benefits

If you add one food to your diet this year, make it berries. They taste great and are very nutritious. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are rich in antioxidants, which may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.

Selecting and Storing
When choosing berries, be sure to examine the punnet carefully for any signs of mould. Once mould has started it can spread quickly from berry to berry. Shop at supermarkets, or fruit markets with a high turnover, or at farmer's markets where the food has travelled the shortest distance, to ensure the freshest fruit. Because berries are fragile, keep them in their original containers or arrange them in a shallow pan (to reduce pressure from stacking), cover them with a paper towel and put them in the fridge. Don't wash them until just before you're ready to use them.
Blueberries freeze especially well. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until hardened, then transfer them to a resealable bag. Incidentally, frozen berries taste great and retain much of their nutritional value. In a pinch, you can substitute them for fresh in baking and smoothies. In fact you'll find that frozen berries are actually better to bake with than fresh berries. The juice from fresh berries has a tendency to bleed into cake and pancake mixture.


Cooking with Berries
Keep a punnet or two on hand in the fridge all week. Their price goes down significantly when they're in season and given their health benefits, you'll want to enjoy them in these ways and others:

• Toss a handful of berries into your morning cereal to pump up its nutritional value.
  
  
• Start off the day with a fresh berry smoothie: Blend a mix of whatever berries you have on hand with half a banana some low fat plain yogurt and skimmed milk. Sweeten it with a bit of honey if necessary.
  
  
• Fold a handful of berries into your low fat or fat free yogurt.
  
  
• For a berry sauce to drizzle over pancakes, or fresh or frozen yogurt, puree 150g berries with 50g sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until smooth. Fold in another 150g whole berries with a spoon.
  
  
• Top a bed of greens with a few berries and a tangy vinaigrette.
  
  
• Marinate (yes, actually marinate) strawberries with 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and 1 tbs of icing sugar, for a very Italian take on dessert.
•  http://www.weightwatchers.co.uk/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=30271

Recipe of the Week: Grilled Chicken Tenders with Cilantro Pesto

Recipe of the Week: Turkey & Tomato Panini

Recipe of the Week: Pork Chops with Quick Rhubarb Sauce

Recipe of the Week: Smoky Corn and Black Bean Pizza

REGISTER FOR THE DIABETES AWARENESS DAY 5K RUN/WALK AND KIDS FUN RUN!

Fort 4 Fitness

Race Weekend is Here!

The first three years of this annual event were spectacular as local health and fitness organizations joined with Fort4Fitness to celebrate Northeast Indiana’s commitment to healthy living and lifestyles.  2011 promises to be bigger and better!  Make your plans to join us for this weekend of fun and fitness in the Fort on September 23-24, 2011!

There's something for everyone at the Fort4Fitness Fall Festival.  Several events make up the Fall Festival, each of which offers an opportunity for participants to enhance their lifestyle through healthy activities or information.

The Fort4Fitness Health Festival is a 2-day event, held at Parkview Field.  The Health Festival is open to the general public free of charge and features both local and national exhibitors who are there to provide attendees with information on health, wellness and exercise.

Merchandise vendors are also a part of the Health Festival, along with entertainment and featured speakers throughout the event.  The Friday night Health Festival also serves as the location for packet pick-up for Saturday's races, and hosts the conclusion of the Kids & Seniors Marathon.

Kids Marathon - Parkview Field
6:30 pm Friday 

Seniors Marathon - Parkview Field
6:30 pm Friday

4 mile Run/Walk - downtown Fort Wayne         
7:30 am Saturday


Half Marathon - downtown Fort Wayne             
8:00 am Saturday                                           
                                               
10k Run/Walk - downtown Fort Wayne            
9:00 am Saturday                                               

Fresh Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 pounds plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

Preparation

• 1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Place half of tomato mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining tomato mixture. Stir in salt and pepper. Ladle 3/4 cup soup into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with 1 tablespoon yogurt and 1 1/2 teaspoons basil.

Go to full version of

Fresh Tomato Soup recipe

Nutrition Tips for College Students

Many college students gain weight during their freshman year in college.  The weight gain results from several changes in lifestyle habits that take place during the first year.  The unlimited, around the clock, unhealthy food choices; excessive alcohol intake; inconsistent meal schedules; emotional eating; lack of exercise can cause the gain of unwanted pounds.  Listed below are healthy tips that may help you adjust to college while avoiding weight gain. 

Eat Regular Meals

• Eat a small meal every 3-5 hours. 
• Eat breakfast within an hour after waking up: 
  • Pick up a piece of fruit or a bagel from the cafeteria at dinner for breakfast the next morning. 
  • Eat breakfast on the way to class. 
  • Breakfast can include any type of food such as one slice of leftover pizza, sandwich, fruit, or a cereal bar. 
• Avoid snacking throughout the day if you tend to overeat at night. 

Make Healthy Meal Choices 

• Wait until you have finished your meal before deciding on dessert; skip it if you feel full 
• Include at least one serving of fruit and one serving of vegetables at lunch and dinner. 
• Choose the healthiest meal options available. 
  • Request salad dressing, sauces, and gravy on the side 
  • Choose the plain meal options (baked chicken instead of a casserole dish). 
  • Request 1/2 sized meal portions. 
  • Limit breaded and fried foods. 
  • Ask if they have plain steamed vegetables available. 
  • Limit cream soups and creamy sauces. 

article provided by:

http://www.bucknell.edu/

5 Easy Lunch for Kid Ideas

 

By Sherrie Le Masurier

When it comes to kid-friendly lunches some of the best lunches are the ones kids can make themselves. We have an easy lunch for kid rule in our house. At least once a week our children aged 11 and 13 make their own lunches.
Over the years, their list of easy lunch for kid favorites has grown to include some really good food selections. Today both children can whip up their lunches at lightening speed and the best part aside from the ease of assembly is that they’re packing something they enjoy.

So in honor of my children and their easy lunch for kid homemade recipes, here are some of their favorites.

Sandwich Roll Ups

Mini Subs

Homemade Lunchables

Cold Dogs

Lunchtime Leftovers

An easy lunch for kid idea is as close as your kitchen cupboard. Be creative and suggest some new food combinations, you may be surprised how well they go over!

To view full article visit:
http://www.school-lunch-ideas.com/

Grab n Go!

Fresh Berry Muffins

2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons fat free sour cream
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons low-fat milk
1 large egg
1 cup unbleached white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons Splenda
1 1/4 cup chopped strawberries (or substitute any fresh berries, unchopped)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners (you'll need about 11 liners).
• Add oil, sour cream, milk, and egg to mixing bowl and beat until smooth; set aside.
• In a large bowl, add flours, salt, baking powder, sugar and Splenda; whisk to blend well. Add the chopped strawberries to the flour mixture and toss well to coat them with flour. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir to blend together well.
• Put 1/4 cup of the batter in each muffin cup. Bake until the tops bounce back when gently pressed (about 20 minutes). Cool muffins about 10 minutes.

Yield: 11 muffins
Per muffin: 136 calories, 4 g protein, 23 g carbohydrate, 3.4 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 201 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 22%.

Article Link: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/celebrate-summers-bounty?page=2

Back to School Snack

  

  

Easy for parents and Healthy for kids!

 Yogurt Popsicle

1 c. plain yogurt
1 banana, sliced
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. fruit juice or fruit chunks

This is a very basic recipe that can be change so many ways to please your kids. Try thier favorite friuts, juices, and  flavors of yogurt.

Blend ingredients together and pour into small paper cups. Freeze. Place a plastic spoon, popsicle stick or better yet a pretzel rod in each cup when yogurt mixture is half frozen. To serve, turn cups upside down and run warm water over it until the popsicle slips out. Let children keep the cups to use as a holder. Makes 4-5 small popsicles.