Good News About Artichokes

According to "Fitness" magazine, ounce for ounce artichokes have more antioxidants than any other vegetable--and around 50% more than blueberries! That's more than enough reason to add them to salads, sandwiches, pasta, pizza and lots more savory dishes. Canned and jarred artichoke hearts are the easiest way to enjoy them; decrease the sodium by rinsing before adding to your favorite recipes. Fresh artichokes are delicious steamed and served with low-fat dips or a bit of melted butter (just a bit!). Or, you can try stuffing them before you steam them for a satisfying and tasty treat. Grilling is also a good option. For more artichoke recipes, go to http://www.artichokes.org/recipes.html.

Great New Snack Find

Quaker's True Delights Multigrain Fiber Crisps in Wild Blueberry are delicious and addicting. Sort of a cross between rice cakes and blueberry cereal, they offer 3g of fiber and 110 calories per serving--although admittedly it's hard to stick to one serving of these since they're so delicious and light. But pair them with some yogurt or a piece of fruit and you'll have a sweet, satisfying, crunchy treat with added benefits. It's not clear if there are more flavors out there, but the the Wild Blueberry ones are yummy. What's nice, too, is that most rice-cake snacks offer 0g fiber, but since these have whole oats in them they're even better for you. Find out more at http://www.quakeroats.com/products/rice-snacks/multigrain-fiber-crisps/wild-blueberry.aspx.

My Latest Discovery

I found this treasure at Costco and had to pass it on: Tasty Bite's Meal Inspirations Chunky Chickpeas. They're cooked chickpeas seasoned with garlic, ginger and aromatic spices, packed in 8-oz. packs (4 per box) that can be stored in the pantry until you're ready to use them. Tear the package to vent, then microwave for 30 seconds for a quick addition to tacos, pasta, casseroles and more. Or serve them room temperature in salads and sandwiches. Half a pack is only 210 calories, 7 g fat and 10 g fiber! What's more, they're all natural, vegetarian, a good source of protein, gluten free and kosher. The company makes all sorts of ready-made Indian dishes sold in pouches, but these are the best diet bargain of the lot. For more info, go to www.tastybite.com.

The Value of Cooking

If there's one thing I've learned on this journey to eat better, be fit and stay healthy, it's to go back to basics. Focusing in on what I already knew about fruits, veggies and whole grains was the foundation of my eating plan. But I've also learned that buying, eating and cooking foods that are as close to their original form is the way to go. So I'm gonna go ahead and say it: if you don't already know how to cook, it's time to learn.

I believe that the key to permanent weight loss is understanding how your body reacts to food and being able to provide it with the right foods for the reaction you want. I don't know if it's possible to understand completely how your body reacts to food unless you're able to create the dishes you eat. It doesn't have to be fancy "gourmet" cooking: some of the best dishes are the simplest. But you should be able to supply yourself with the basics.

Here's an example of how cooking puts you in control. Every so often I used to buy premade apple pie at the grocery store. Then I tried making my own apple pie, and I discovered that not only did it taste better than the store-bought kind, it also was cheaper and gave me more satisfaction. (It also was free of any ingredients I couldn't pronounce.) I've since taken this concept further and applied it to other foods I might typically buy--or buy in premade form, such as hummus, oatmeal and soup. When I can see the whole foods going into the dish, I enjoy it more, pay less for it and can customize it to my own taste.

Think about this, too. If you're completely at the mercy of what someone else is cooking, which fast-food menus you have or what your overly hungry stomach is craving, you're not in control, and you're less likely to meet your goals. But if you have some healthful staples in your pantry (canned tuna, whole-grain pasta, chickpeas) and your fridge (onions, eggs, veggies) and you know how to cook, you can whip up a killer frittata or even a healthful salad on a moment's notice. You'll feel better about yourself and be one step closer to your weight-loss goals, vs. the person who's on the phone with Domino's Pizza. Think about it.

It can be as simple as asking your mom or a friend to show you how to make something, or as deliberate as signing up for a beginner cooking class. There are tons of cookbooks out there for the novice, as well. Just start somewhere--anywhere you're comfortable--and you may discover a passion for cooking you never imagined. And save a few bucks along the way.

Veggie Spreads are the Perfect "Stealth" Food

In the effort to get more fruits and veggies into your diet, it can be challenging to find creative and delicious ideas. Here's one of them, straight from my childhood: roasted vegetable spreads, in particular eggplant spread, which my mother used to make when I was growing up.

Eggplant Spread
Place two unpeeled, pierced medium-sized eggplants and one large unpeeled sweet onion, halved crosswise and flesh-down, on a baking sheet or roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Roast in a 350-degree oven for about an hour, until both are soft. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Remove eggplant stem, eggplant peel and onion skin from vegetables. Place flesh in a large bowl and chop with a hand chopper (or place in food processor and pulse to chop). Add salt and pepper to taste, white vinegar and a tablespoon or so of sugar, and stir to combine. Adjust seasonings as necessary. Chill and serve, either alone or on whole-grain crackers and bread or as a dip for crudite. You can also mix with whole-grain pasta and serve warm or chilled as a pasta salad.

Roasting the veggies makes them sweet and gives them depth of flavor. Try experimenting with other veggies, such as cherry tomatoes, carrots, beets or cauliflower and then mashing them together with the onion (and possibly whole garlic cloves) to create your own flavorful and healthful spreads. For veggies that burn easily, spray with cooking spray or coat with olive oil before roasting. Enjoy!

Give Workout Videos a Chance

When my kids were babies and I couldn't get to the gym, I was a huge workout video devotee. I could exercise anytime I wanted at my level--whatever level that happened to be on any particular day during early motherhood. From the get-go, my daughters learned that when Mommy is working out, you don't bother her unless it's an emergency (well, most of the time they stuck to this). As they got older and I was able to venture out to gyms with childcare, I only used workout videos occasionally, and after my kids started school and I discovered running I only used them when the weather was bad. But lately, I've rediscovered the wonderful world of workout videos.

No matter how fit or how much of a beginner you are, no matter what type of exercise you enjoy or are ready for, there's a workout video designed for you. I suggest you start with a catalog that offers a broad range of exercise videos. My favorite is Collage Video (www.collagevideo.com) because there are so many options and the customer service reps will help you through the process of choosing the videos that are right for you. They even rate the videos they sell (opt for the "Staff Favorites" for the best choices). Everything from Jillian Michaels to Billy Blanks to Denise Austin--plus lots of great, new instructors--is available, and it's a fun, safe way to try something new like ballet, boot camp or ballroom right in the privacy of your own home. The only downside is you have to be motivated enough to throw in the DVD and actually do the workout. But that's another issue we've covered before.

So whether you're a brand-new exerciser or have been working out for a long time and want to try something different, give workout videos a chance. They can give new life to your weight-loss and fitness efforts.

More Reasons to Love "Cooking Light"

Kudos to "Cooking Light" magazine! I've always loved this publication, but it keeps giving me more reasons to love it. This month's issue busts 10 nutrition myths about the foods we love and makes it more than OK to eat them--who wouldn't love that? Myths like "Added sugar is always bad for you" and "Organic foods are more nutritious than conventional" are debunked and backed up with scientic evidence.

"CL" also brings to light a few nutrition facts that I didn't know:

1. Eating eggs won't raise your cholesterol levels. Truth is, the cholesterol you eat has little to do with your blood cholesterol levels. It's really saturated and trans fats you need to pay attention to, and eggs are a nutritional powerhouse, so don't avoid them unless you have a documented medical reason or are a vegan (or just don't like them).

2. Avoid foods with added "fake fiber," like some yogurts and even water (oh please!). Why? Not all fiber is alike. Scientists believe that foods with naturally occurring fiber (fruits, veggies, legumes, whole grains) are nutritionally superior to fake-fiber foods. So, more isn't necessarily better.

3. You don't have to avoid chicken skin all the time. Did you know that a 12-oz. bone-in, skin-on chicken breast has a mere 2.5 grams of saturated fat and only 50 calories more than the same chicken breast without the skin? And most of that fat is monunsaturated--the good kind--so it's OK to indulge once in awhile (keeping calorie and fat counts in check, of course.)

There's lots more in the article, too, so pick up a copy if you get a chance. You can also go to www.cookinglight.com for tons more info on healthy cooking and eating.