It is also fascinating to understand that the various colors of fruits  tells us what specific antioxidants they consist of. These antioxidants are  the plant chemical colorings that provide this variety of color. This is why it is  great idea to consume as many colors as possible to take advantage of the different antioxidants and their individual health benefits. So,  lets look more closely at the individual colors, which antioxidants create them  and the health benefits they will provide.

Blue/Purple Fruits Blueberries, blackcurrents, elderberries and some varieties of cranberries are a top class source of antioxidants called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins create  different shades of blue moving to just short of black based their  density and their PH levels. Anthocyanins help preserve  strong and resilient arteries to protect us from heart disease, high blood pressure  and they also help defend us against cancer.

Red Fruits It is the antioxidant called lycopene that places the red shade in fruits. Lycopene  is one of the more well-studied of antioxidants and discovered to be a surprisingly good at reducing our risk of cancer with extra emphasis at lowering the  risk of prostate cancer in males. It is not understood why, but lycopene populates within the prostate tissue to protect it from oxidative damage that may result in cancerous growths.

Yellow Fruits We can thank an antioxidant named hydroxy carotenoid that creates the yellow color in  lemons, some melons and other yellow produce. Even though there is very little information about the individual characteristics of this antioxidant, hydroxy carotenoid can help defend us  from degenerative disease as every antioxidants do.

Orange Fruits Oranges, nectarines and other orange colored fruits contain the powerful antioxidant called beta-carotene. Research has shown that  beta-carotene is excessively powerful at guarding us against heart conditions  and connected disorders. One study concluded that aged people who consume  at least one portion of beta-carotene food sources once a day are half as  likely to experience a heart attack as the people who consume less than a portion a day!

For more info visit Jack LaLanne Healthy Juicer Recipes.

Almost 108 million Americans were overweight or obese in 1999. Until now, obesity continues to be a serious problem and is predicted to reach epidemic levels by the year 2020.

One way to prevent this scenario is to make people aware of the risks of being overweight or obese.

Here are some diseases that you are putting yourself in risk of if you are carrying a lot of extra pounds:

1. heart disease
2. stroke
3. diabetes
4. cancer
5. arthritis
6. hypertension

Losing weight helps to prevent and control these diseases.

The quick weight loss methods which have spread like fire these days do not provide lasting results. More often than not, dieting methods which involve dietary drinks, foods and supplement or  pills do not work. If they do, the results are just temporary.

It is better to rely on a healthy weight loss option which will provide lifetime results. You have to set realistic goals and not expect to lose a lot of pounds in a short span of time.  

Here are some tips on how you can lose those unwanted pounds the healthy way:

1.   Do not starve your self.

The key to a healthier way of losing weight is: Do not diet.

You may seem happy and feel that you are losing those unwanted flabs on your belly and thighs by skipping meals. But remember that this would not last long. Your body cannot tolerate having insufficient food to fuel the energy that you use up everyday.

If you get used to skipping one or two meals a day, your stored calories will be used up instead of the energy that should have been provided by your meals. So if you just eat one huge sandwich in one day, it will end up straight to your problem area (i.e. highs, buttocks, hips).

2.  Start your day right.

Mothers always say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Have a healthy meal in the morning to jump-start your metabolism.

Your food intake after you wake up will be used to burn fat all day long.

3.  Eat small, healthy meals frequently.

Five  small-serving snacks per day is better than three hearty meals. Eating more frequently, and in small servings, can prevent over-eating. This will also increase your metabolism and make calories burn faster.

4.  Decide on how much weight you want to lose.

Keep your goals realistic. In the long run, it is virtually impossible for you to lose 40 pounds in 2 weeks. Have a mindset that you want to eat healthy to stay healthy for the rest of your life.

Once you have decided on a weight loss plan or program, stick to it and make sure that you follow your own set of dieting rules.  

5.  Drink lots of water.

Your body needs sufficient water  to burn fat and keep your cells hydrated and healthy.

6.  Avoid too much sugar.

Plan your meals around lots of fruits and vegetables, some bread, rice or pasta for that carbo fix that you need, plus lean  meat and protein rich-foods. Sweets, sodas and pastries should be once-in-a-while indulgences only.

7.  Watch your fat intake.

Fat is not the culprit to being overweight. You need this to keep your weight at the proper level.

There is such a thing as healthy fats. Olive, peanuts and canola oil have them. Tuna, salmon and mackerel have omega-3 fats which is good for the heart.  

8.  Exercise.

Leave your car if  you are only going a few blocks from home, take the stairs instead of the elevator, jog, cycle or  skate. Use these activites and other home chores if you are too lazy to go to the gym and take exercise classes. Make sure that you do this regularly and you will not even notice that you are already shedding pounds with these mundane activities.

It does not matter how much weight you plan or need to lose. What is important is that you set realistic goals for yourself.

Go slow. If you have already lost 5 or 6 pounds, give yourself a break then try to lose the next 5 pounds.

Eat healthy, drink lots of water, have enough sleep and exercise. This will give you a higher chance of losing weight and improving your health, which would result to a new, healthier you.

I grew up eating this dish but instead of chicken, my mom would use lamb. And, she wouldn’t make it quite as spicy. It’s really simple and quick. The scallions complement the chicken especially well. You can opt to make it not spicy but I really think the hot peppers are essential. Then again, I love spicy food, the kind of spicy that might actually burn a hole in your stomach.

I’ve also been trying to improve upon my food photography skills. No money to invest in a macro lens though but I’ve been focusing more on plating and lighting. It’s too bad I shoot at night (because I eat right after I take the pictures) so the indoor lighting really limits what I can do.

Ingredients
3 1/2 oz. chicken breast, sliced
1/4 tsp. corn starch
1 Tbs. soy sauce
4 scallions, cut on a slight diagonal
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 chili peppers, chopped

Sauce
3 Tbs. fat-free chicken broth
2 Tbs. soy sauce

Method
Put the chicken breast in a small bowl with 1 Tbs. of soy sauce and the corn starch. Using your hands, coat chicken thoroughly with soy sauce. Let marinate for 5 minutes.

To make the sauce, combine the broth and soy sauce in another bowl and set aside.

In a pan, spritz a few sprays of Pam and put on high heat. Add garlic and saute until garlic becomes slightly golden. Add the chicken breast and stir. When the chicken breasts are half cooked, meaning you see some white but still a lot of pink, add the scallions, chili peppers and sauce. Continue to stir until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Remove and serve with steamed rice.

Serves: 1-2

Calories: 222, not including rice
Fat: 1.7 grams

Hope you all enjoy!

Bean Preparing: Wash green and wax beans; remove ends and strings. Leave whole, or cut in 1-inch pieces. For French-style, slice diagonally end to end. Shell limas or favas and wash. Rinse dry beans: place in a heavy sauce pan or kettle with about 3 times as much water as beans. Cover pan; soak overnight. (Or bring to a boiling simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover pan and soak for at least 1 hour.) Do not drain.

Bean Cooking: In covered pan cook whole or cut fresh beans in small amount of boiling salted water till crisp-tender, 20-30 minutes. Cook French-style beans 10-12 minutes, Cover and simmer till tender.

Green Beans Supreme

Ingredients:

• 1 – pound green beans or
  2 – 9 ounce packages frozen French-style green beans
• 1 – small onion, sliced
• 1 – tablespoon snipped parsley
• 3 – tablespoons butter
• 2 – tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 – teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 – cup dairy sour cream
• 1/2 cup shredded American Cheese
• 1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

Direction:
Cut fresh beans French-style cook as directed above. (Or, cook frozen beans according to the package directions.) Drain. Cook onion and parsley in 2 tablespoons of the butter till onion is tender. Blend in flour, lemon peel, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a dash of pepper. Add milk; cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Spoon into 1-quart casserole. Sprinkle with cheese. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter; toss with bread crumbs and sprinkle atop beans. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat till cheese melts and crumbs brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

Creamy Lima Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 – pound lima beans, shelled (2-cups)
• 2 – tablespoons sliced green onions with tops
• 1 – tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1 – tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 – tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 – cup dairy sour cream

Directions:
Cook fresh lima beans as directed above. (Or, cook frozen beans according to the package directions.) Drain well. In medium saucepan cook green onion in butter or margarine till tender but not brown. Blend in flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and dash pepper, and milk and brown sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, till thickened and bubbly. Stir sour cream and drained cooked limas into sauce mixture. Heat through, but do not boil. Makes 4 servings.

Mustard Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 – pound wax beans
• 1/2 – cup sugar
• 1/2 – cup vinegar
• 1/4 – cup prepared mustard
• 2 – tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 1/4 – teaspoon salt

Direction:
Cook the whole fresh wax beans as directed above. Drain. In a saucepan combine sugar, vinegar, mustard, onion, salt, and 1/3 cup water. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring till sugar dissolves. Add drained cook fresh beans. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes; cool. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight, stirring occasionally. Makes 2 cups relish.

Two-Bean Fritters

Ingredients:

• 1 – cup green beans, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 – cup wax beans, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 1/2 – cups all-purpose flour
• 1 – tablespoon baking powder
• 1 – beaten egg
• 1 – cup milk
• Fat for deep-fat frying

Directions:
Cook green and wax beans as directed above. Drain well. Stir together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Combine egg, milk, and cook beans. Add to dry ingredients, mixing just till moistened. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into deep hot fat (375°). Fry, several at a time, till golden brown, 3 -4 minutes. Drain on paper toweling. Makes about 24 vegetable fritters.

Ingredients;
One packet instant oatmeal ( high fiber maple/brown sugar is a good choice)
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon margarin

Recipe:
Preheat a skillet to medium low heat. In a bowl mixt together oatmeal and egg whites. Add the margarin to the skillet and make sure it has coated the bottom. Add the oatmeal/egg mixture and cook untill brown on the bottom, about 3-5 minutes, and flip. The bottom side will cook faster about 2-3 minutes. Then serve.

Adding fresh fruit like apples and bananas to the top is amazing!

2 Chicken Breast
1 Cup Chopped Broccoli
1 Cup Chopped Zuchinni
2 Cups Chopped Asparagus
1/2 Yellow Onion Chopped
6 OZ Whole Wheat Spaghetti
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For marinade:
1 Cup Soy Sauce
2 Lemons (juice and zest)
4 Garlic Cloves grated or minced
1 Tablespoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme
Salt
Pepper

Mix marinade together. Chop up chicken into cubes and marinate for about 30 min. Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. While waiting in a pan over medium heat add olive oil and chicken, keep any left over marinade for later. Cook the chicken through, about 8-10 minutes. Once chicken is done cooking remove chicken from a pan and put aside. Add pasta to boiling water and cook about 9-11 minutes untill al dente. While pasta is cooking add vegtables and the rest of the marinade to the pan and cook on medium heat. After the pasta is done cooking add the chicken and the pasta to the pan with the vegtables and toss so the sauce coats everything.
Serve hot!

5 servings in this one pot meal and each serving is 290calories!

1. Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high
   heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and reserve.
2. In a large skillet, brown sausage over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon
   to break up. Transfer sausage to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
3. Drain skillet and add oil. Add onions, peppers, and scallions. Saute’ until onions are
   translucent, about 4 minutes. Add potatoes and gently stir to mix. Cover and cook
   for 5 minutes without stirring until potatoes form a nice golden crust.
4. Stir in parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook an additional 5 minutes.
   Remove lid and stir in sausage. Continue cooking if necessary, until the potatoes are
   fork tender. Sprinkle with Asiago.
5. In a large pot, combine vinegar with two quarts of water and bring to a rolling boil.
   Reduce heat to a bare simmer. Crack an egg and, holding the shell close to the surface
   of the simmering water, slide it into the pot. Working quickly, repeat with remaining
   eggs. poach for 2 minutes.
6. Remove each egg with a slotted spoon and drain on a towel. Serve over hash.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 370 cal,
20 g fat (3.5 g sat fat), 28 g carbs, 3 g fiber,
500 mg sodium, 20 g protein

Written by: Katie Lee

Here is a great low calorie pork spinach enchilada dish!

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless pork loin chops
1/2 chopped yellow onion
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
3 garlic cloves graded
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups fresh spinach
1 can green chile diced tomatoes
2 cans green enchilada sauce
9 corn tortillas (60 calories a piece)
3 cups shredded cheese

Recipe:

Cut the pork chops into 1 inch cubes. Place a skillet over medium heat and add extra virgin olive oil. Once the skillet is warmed up add pork, onions, garlic, and crush red pepper. Cook untill pork is browned and cooked through, about eight minutes. Put the heat down to low and add the can of tomatoes spinach, stir until spinach wilts. In a baking dish pour a little bit of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan, then add 3 tortillas on the bottom, then half of the meat mixture, then more enchilada sauce,and one cup of cheese. Repeat by adding 3 more tortillas then the rest of the ingriedents. Add the last three tortillas on top and the rest of the enchilada sauce and then the rest of the cheese. Bake about 35-40 minutes untill cheese is melted and bubbley.

There are 8 servings in this recipe and each are 350 calories.

• 1/2 – pound asparagus, bias-sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 6 – eggs
• 2 – tablespoons water
• 1/4 – teaspoon salt
• 1 – Dash of pepper
• 2 – tablespoons butter or margarine
• Golden Tarragon Sauce

Directions:
Cook cut-up fresh asparagus as directed. Drain well; keep warm. Beat eggs, water, salt, and pepper with a folk till blended but not frothy. in 10-inch skillet or omelet pan heat butter or margarine till it sizzles and browns slightly. Tilt pan to grease sides. Add egg mixture and cook slowly. Run spatula around edge, lifting egg to allow uncooked portion to flow underneath. Spoon asparagus across center of omelet and roll onto hot platter. Serve with remaining Golden Tarragon Sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Golden Tarragon Sauce:
In a small saucepan cook 1/4 cup sliced green onion with tops in 1 tablespoon butter till tender. Stir in 3 tablespoons dry white wine and 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar. Simmer till liquid is reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. In another saucepan met 1 tablespoon butter; blend in 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour. Add 1 1/4 cups of milk. Cook, stiring constantly, till thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon, crushed. Return to low heat and slowly stir in onion mixture. Heat through, but do not boil.

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a cooling rack on top. Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine beef, egg white, 1 1/2 Tbsp ketchup, onions, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, thyme, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Use your hands to mix everything together.
3. Divide meat into 8 thin patties and place on prepared rack. Brush with remaining ketchup. Bake for 20 minutes.
4. Place sliders in buns and serve.

Makes 4 servings(2 sliders). Per serving:
280 cal, 6 g fat (1 g sat fat), 38 g carbs,
2 g fiber, 500 mg sodium, 20 g protein

Written by: Katie Lee