Skillet Ginger Chicken with Cilantro and Lime

I made this dish for the first time last week. I found the basic recipe in Clean Eating magazine (one of my favorite publications these days!), and adapted it just a bit. It was outstanding! I love the fresh Asian flavor that comes from ginger and lime and cilantro...not to mention toasted sesame oil - yum!

This was very easy and extremely quick to prepare and everyone in the family loved it. I served it with a cold cucumber salad in a sweetened vinegar dressing...the little bit of sweetness was a nice contrast to the kick this dish has. Hope you like it too!


Skillet Ginger Chicken with Cilantro and Lime
adapted from Clean Eating Magazine

serves 4

14 oz. box of whole wheat angel hair pasta
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" chunks
1/4 c. reduced sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/4 c. chopped scallions (white and green parts)
2 c. snow peas, ends trimmed and strings removed
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of cooking water.

Meanwhile, heat peanut oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger; cook one minute. Add chicken and cook till golden brown on all sides, 3-5 minutes. Add snow peas and scallions and cook about 1 minute. Add reserved cooking water, soy sauce, sesame oil and lime juice. Bring to a simmer. Add pasta and cook 1 minute to heat through, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

Keeping Herbs Within Arm's Reach

If you get the Nourish newsletter, you know that I've resolved to replant my herb garden this month. If you don't receive the newsletter and would like to, you can sign up here!

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As background, I started a "potted garden" on the steps to our back patio several years ago and while I'm sure better gardeners can keep their plants alive from year to year, I simply pack it up in mid-November, dump the barren pots, and wait for spring until I can replant! And so it's time for Herb Extravaganza 2010.

Planting herbs in pots outside is SUPER easy. And thank goodness it is, because I can assure you that despite both of us having descended from farming ancestry, neither my husband nor I has a particularly green thumb. We're trying to get the grandparents to teach our children how to REALLY garden and it seems to be working. Case in point? Our 5 year old is sprouting beans in a Ziplock baggie as I write this, though I admit that was a project started in her preschool classroom. Both sets of grandparents plant significant backyard gardens each year and let the kids take part in planning, planting, weeding, watering, and harvesting. I am so grateful for this AND for the bounty of produce that comes our way each summer. Is there anything better than a home-grown tomato? Seriously.

But I digress. This post is about herbs. My ode to vegetable gardens (and the in-season tomato!) will have to wait for another post. Herbs, herbs, herbs. Planting and maintaining herbs just feels simpler to me than vegetable gardening. I normally plant 8-10 pots of herbs and keep them within arm's reach of the back door, which makes dinnertime use a breeze.

Most of the herb varieties I plant require the same growing conditions, which makes maintenance even easier:

1. Full Sun - Lucky for me, our back patio BAKES in sun.
2. Plenty of water, with good drainage - Preschoolers adore watering cans! And using pots with holes drilled in the bottom ensures good drainage.
3. Slightly "lean" soil and infrequent fertilizing - How great that this low maintenance combination makes the herbs' oils even more potent!
4. Periodic trimming and harvesting - A no-brainer - I grow them to USE them, not to look at them.

This year I'm planting the following:

1. Basil - We love this on caprese, that classic tomato and fresh mozzarella salad that is ubiquitous in the summer when tomatoes are in season. I also love to make my own pesto so I grow lots and lots of basil as you need bunches of it for that.
2. Chives - Chopped, these are fabulous on potatoes and in some fish dishes.
   
3. Cilantro - I use this in my guacamole, salsa, and a host of summer salads. You'll recognize it as the quintessential Mexican cooking herb.
   
4. Mint - I make homemade lemonade or iced tea and garnish with fresh mint. Mojitos, too! And it's a great garnish on fruit desserts.
   
5. Oregano - I love this on a traditional Greek Salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion and feta, drizzled with a great fruity olive oil. It's also excellent in pasta sauce, on fish and in many Italian dishes.
   
6. Parsley - This is such a versatile herb. I adore it chopped liberally on top of boiled new potatoes that are drizzled with browned butter and sprinkled with sea salt. It makes its way into a lot of my salads and sautes..it seems to add a note of freshness to anything it touches.
   
7. Rosemary - Pork tenderloin, chicken, tilapia, salmon...they all get a sprinkle or a sprig of rosemary before making their way to the grill. In the fall and winter, I love this on roasted root vegetables and in the summer, it goes into our grilled vegetable concoctions.
   
8. Thyme - This is my favorite herb! It goes in virtually every salad dressing I make and I often add it to vegetable, pasta or fish dishes as well.
   

If eight varieties feels like too many, I encourage you to experiment with planting even one or two pots of herbs of your own this spring. You can find seedlings at your farmer's market, garden center, the grocery store, Home Depot, Lowe's, and many other places. Using seedlings is faster than starting from seeds and you'll get a better sense of how much room each plant will require. Then buy some decent sized pots (10-12" across) with drainage holes, a bag of potting soil, and get yourself started!

Did you know that cooking with fresh herbs (in addition to salt, shallots and butter) is a big restaurant secret behind those flavors you find difficult to reproduce at home? Having your own collection of herbs within arm's reach will spark your culinary creativity throughout the summer. Let me know how it goes!

Shrimp with White Beans and Asparagus

THIS is what you should make for dinner this weekend! (If I do say so myself.) I ripped this recipe out of Health magazine a while back and have been passing over it in my recipe file for far too long. It finally made the cut this week...and WOW...I'm so glad it did! My kids scarfed it down, my husband raved about it, and I'm already planning for the next time I can make it. Yum. As if that endorsement weren't enough, this takes 10 minutes of prep time and cooks in about 5 minutes. Amazing.

I made some adaptations to the original recipe which I've included in the version below. I added asparagus because I thought it needed more vegetables and asparagus is perfectly in season right now! I also decided to serve it over Israeli Couscous, which is the larger couscous that looks like little tapioca balls. I like the texture better than the super fine couscous you generally see in stores. You can find Israeli Couscous in the bulk foods aisle of Whole Foods or other grocery stores, or sometimes in a box near the rice in most grocery stores. If you can't find it, don't sweat it. I'm sure traditional couscous would work just fine! In case couscous is new to you, it's basically just a tiny shape of semolina pasta, not a grain unto itself.


Shrimp with White Beans and Asparagus over Israeli Cous Cous
adapted from Health Magazine recipe

serves 4

1 10 oz. box (1.5 cups bulk) Israeli Cous Cous, cooked according to package instructions
1 lb. asparagus, cut into 1" pieces, blanched (see below for instructions)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter, divided
2 garlic cloves, chopped
8 scallions, chopped (about 1 bunch)
1 lb. medium shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined
1 (15.5 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Cook couscous and set aside.

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 Tbsp. butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and scallions; cook 30 seconds.

Add shrimp and cook, stirring, 3 minutes or until they begin to turn pink.

Add asparagus, beans, parsley, lemon juice, remaining 1 Tbsp. butter, salt and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

Serve over couscous.

How to blanch asparagus:
Wash and cut the asparagus into 1" pieces. Place in a microwave safe bowl with 2 Tbsp water. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 2 minutes on high. Immediately transfer asparagus pieces to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. After 2 minutes, remove cooled, blanched asparagus from ice water and set aside until ready to use.

Fiber-licious

I'm told I spend a ridiculous amount of time extolling the virtues of fiber. My clients are probably sick of hearing me go on and on about how to squeeze more fiber into their daily dining plans. But, the truth is, fiber is so critical to a healthful diet that I can't help myself from evangelizing its benefits!

What is fiber anyhow?
Fiber is basically the part of carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, and grains) that cannot be digested. Fiber is only found in plant-based foods, never in animal-based foods. Most of us need 25-35 grams of fiber a day for optimum health, but most Americans get fewer than 15 grams a day. The best sources of fiber are things like:

• Whole grains (in breads, cereals, or on their own)
• Nuts and Seeds
• Beans and other legumes
• Fruits and vegetables

So what's so great about fiber?

1) Fiber helps to fill you up and create a feeling known as "satiety"- a.k.a. a happy belly!
If you only know one thing about fiber this is probably it! Fiber is Filling with a capital "F". The difference between a 200 calorie bowl of cereal with 12 grams of fiber and a 200 calorie bowl with 0 grams is unbelievable both in terms of how satisfied you'll feel after eating it and how long you will stay satisfied.

2) Fiber eases constipation and promotes regularity.
Did you know that constipation is America's most common digestive complaint? And in nearly all cases, it is treatable by increasing the intake of fiber. Since our processed-food-dependent American diet has had nearly all of the fiber stripped out of it, constipation has crept into the lives of many unsuspecting consumers.

3) Fiber can help to prevent a number of diseases, like heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes.
'Nuff said.

4) When you eat more fiber, you instinctively eat LESS overall!
There's data to back this up, folks. According to Dr. Neil Barnard, author of Food for Life, and part of the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine, for every incremental 14 grams of fiber consumed, calorie consumption goes down by about 10%...naturally! This happens because fiber is so filling that is acts as a natural appetite suppressant. How cool is that?



Ok, I'm sold. Now, how do I get more fiber in my life?

1) Load up at breakfast!
Choose a cereal with at least 6 grams of fiber/cup - some have considerably more - or a high fiber bread to make your toast. Add fruit (especially berries) for another fiber boost.

2) Consciously choose one more power-packed option during the day.
This could be 2 slices of high fiber bread for your lunch sandwich or a brown rice and beans side dish at dinner...but try to get another 12 grams or more from this choice.

3) Choose whole grain, high fiber carbohydrates at every opportunity.
Crackers, breads, cereals, pastas, rices, grains...always choose the least processed (aka highest fiber!) option available.

4) Add fruits and vegetables liberally!
Every time you are headed to the kitchen for a meal or a snack, think about how you can incorporate a vegetable or fruit into that eating occasion. Every. Time. (Hint: the skins often have the most fiber so try not peeling them to preserve all the health benefits!)

So there you have it, a short primer on fiber. I hope you'll be inspired to try adding more fiber to YOUR life. I think you'll be amazed by the results this simple change can produce.

Would somebody hand me a microphone?

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. While I continue to be a huge supporter of what he's trying to accomplish (namely getting Americans to eat real food, made in their own kitchens, more often), I was less than impressed with his appearance on Dr. Sanjay Gupta's Fit Nation show on CNN this weekend...

To begin, the two of them went to a grocery store where Jamie was supposed to outline his shopping recommendations for families, before returning to the studio for more Q&A. I was watching while I was on the elliptical machine - in fact, I extended my workout to catch this piece that CNN had plugged - and I was so disappointed in the whole thing.

Jamie has center stage in America right now on the topic of healthful eating, and he's earned it with a host of food-related credits to his name. He grew up in the restaurant business and had his own TV show (The Naked Chef) by the time he was 25. He's published a number of cookbooks, has his own magazine, owns multiple restaurants, and has become quite a food activist in recent years. All this to say he has EARNED the stage he's enjoying with his Ryan Seacrest-produced 6-episode show. Yet his answers to pretty easy questions from Dr. Gupta really missed the mark. I found myself thinking "How do I get my hands on that microphone?" And then I remembered my blog....

So here goes - should CNN ever decide to ask me any of the questions they asked Jamie, here's what I'd say!

Q - Cherylanne, if I'm in charge of grocery shopping for a busy family, what are the top 3 things you'd tell me to think about when I get into the store?

A - The first thing I'd say is to think BEFORE you get to the store! Having a plan and a list before you shop is absolutely critical to your success throughout the week. Second, I'd say to load up your cart with fresh foods by shopping the perimeter of the store, where all the produce, meat, dairy, and seafood is located. Most of the highly processed foods are housed in the aisles, so shopping mostly the perimeter is one easy way know you're getting the most wholesome ingredients for your family. Third, I'd plan for most dinners to include a protein, a high-fiber whole grain, and at least one vegetable or fruit. That way, if you keep your freezer stocked with good quality, lean proteins (chicken, fish, lean pork, lean beef, beans, tofu) that you buy in bulk, and your pantry stocked with high fiber whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat pasta, high fiber whole grain breads and crackers, sweet potatoes) then most of your "weekly" shopping trip can be focused on fruits, vegetables, and dairy. This makes shopping a breeze and you are never more than a few ingredients away from a healthy dinner!

Q - What about all that stuff in the middle aisles...don't we need some of it? I mean, it takes up about 90% of the store real estate!

A - I'm most concerned about the heavily processed "convenience foods" that fill the aisles. If you are a savvy label-reader, you can certainly incorporate some items from the center aisles into a healthful diet. For example, cold breakfast cereal is one thing most homes in America have on hand. But the range of nutritional density up and down that aisle is staggering. Read labels! Look for high fiber, low sugar cereals that will start your day with a boost of slow-burning energy. Many (okay MOST) cereals, even the ones labeled "Whole Grain" by food marketers, are just the opposite - high in sugar and low in fiber. Beyond that, frozen vegetables can be real time savers for busy families and as long as they are not prepared with sauces, they can be every bit as nutritious as fresh vegetables! Pasta, rice, spices, canned beans, and broths are all in the center aisles and make it into my family's cart nearly every week.

Q - Doesn't it take a lot of TIME to cook if you are doing it without convenience foods? Between work and my kids' activities, there is barely any time to put a meal on the table!

A - There are so many dinners that can be on the table in 15 minutes or less. As you plan your week, you'll see where your crunch points are and can choose the simplest meals (or leftovers!) for those nights, and save any meals that require more preparation time for the weekends or for nights with fewer activities. I think if you can grill a piece of meat, bake a potato in the microwave, and steam a vegetable or toss a salad, you are about 15 minutes away from dinner any night of the week.

Q - What's the biggest mistake people make when grocery shopping?

A - I think one of the biggest mistakes is believing the food marketing claims on the front of packages. Today, nearly EVERY food in the store that has a package is making a health claim - like "whole grain" or "zero trans fat" or "all natural". But the truth is actually revealed not on the front label, but in the ingredient list and nutrition label. For example, even if the front of the package says "whole grain", if there are less than 3 grams of fiber per serving, you really can't feel like there are enough whole grains in there to matter! I encourage people to become savvy label readers before they settle into routinely purchasing an item for their family. It really makes a difference!


So there you have it...a bit of my first mock interview with CNN...what other questions would you ask if YOU were the reporter? Maybe I'll do future Q&A posts here to practice!

Lemon Chicken and Spring Vegetable Salad

It's hot here this week. Today it's above 80, which is way warmer than usual for April. My allergies are out of control; the pollen count is something insane (like 4000 when it is usually about 150 here). The thought of eating a hot meal today is totally unappealing so it made me think of one of my favorite, super-simple warm-weather meals. Consider this a preview of things to come from me this summer!

I love that this makes a big batch so we can have it for dinner and then I can have it for lunch throughout the week. It keeps beautifully in the fridge because the vegetables in it hold up well. For those of you looking for easy make-ahead options, add this one to your files! You'll be so glad you did.

When I make this, I often serve it with homemade hummus and some whole wheat pita to round out the meal. If you try this, I'd love to know what you think and what you decide to serve with it!


Lemon Chicken and Spring Vegetable Salad
adapted from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Serves 8

2 lbs grilled lemon chicken (See below - must make ahead of salad)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups raw sugar snap peas, strings and ends removed
1 cup each red and yellow peppers, julienned
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped

After the chicken has been grilled, chill in refrigerator. Slice chicken diagonally into 3/8 inch slices. Toss in a bowl with their juices plus the rest of the ingredients above. Taste for seasoning, adjust, and serve cold or at room temperature.


Grilled Lemon Chicken
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme

Whisk together all ingredients except chicken in a small bowl. Pour over chicken breasts into a non-reactive container. Cover and marinate 6 hours in refrigerator (or overnight).

Remove chicken breasts from marinade and pat dry. Grill over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Cool slightly before cutting.

Do you want to split that?

A few years ago, during one of the best wellness workshops I've ever attended, our facilitator suggested that when our team went out to dinner that night in Orlando we should split a meal with someone else in the group.

There was silence in the room. Nervous laughter. Rib poking. You would have thought she'd asked us to share naked pictures with one another, not a simple dinner! She patiently continued, explaining that restaurant portions had become unreasonably large at most places and by splitting an entree, we'd likely end up with much closer to the right amount of food for one meal. She urged us to trust her and to just try it!

Our group of about 16 went to dinner that night and if my memory is correct, there were a total of TWO of us willing to take her challenge. (Yes, I was one of them in case you were wondering!) My friend Sally and I split our dinner, and as you might expect since I'm writing this post, we both left the table feeling completely satisfied and not a bit deprived. It was a delightful change of pace actually from the state in which many of us often leave business dinners ...tired...bloated...overly stuffed...and guilty.

I can't say it was the first time I had ever split an entree in a restaurant, but it was clearly a seminal moment for me. I was shocked by the general unwillingness of our group to try the facilitator's suggestion for even one meal. The next day, she admitted that this was often the outcome, explaining that our group was not unique. We're all quite attached to our extra-large portions in restaurants and that's precisely why they continue to grow. Moreover, in many restaurants a single entree could actually serve closer to four people than two - unbelievable.

There are a number of reasons people balk at this meal-splitting suggestion. Just a few of them are:

- they worry they might not get enough to eat
- they don't want to compromise on an entree selection with their dinner partner
- they don't want to be seen as cheap
- they think they might insult the waiter or the chef
- they don't want to cause extra work for the kitchen to split the entree

In our group, all of these reasons had surfaced and more. The sad result was that only two of us had even tried the experiment and experienced the benefits!

I returned from that wellness training and shared a lot of what I'd learned with my husband...who patiently listened and (lucky me!) gamely agreed to try anything once. We went out to dinner a few nights later and I suggested we split our dinner. He agreed. And incredibly, we STILL took home leftovers. It was so eye-opening! Since that night, meal splitting has become a routine occurrence for us...a fun game even. It allows us to order more decadently than we might do otherwise, knowing that we can keep the meal reasonable by eating less of each item. (By the way the idea of taking home half of your dinner also works...but some things just aren't as good when they are reheated!)

This past weekend we went to dinner at Jeff Ruby's, a fabulous steakhouse here in Cincinnati, famous for great food, a larger-than-life atmosphere and portion sizes to match! We split the following:

2 (reeeeeeally big) pieces of shrimp from the raw bar
Lump crab cocktail with remoulade sauce
A green salad with dressing on the side
12 oz filet mignon (7-8 oz for him, 4-5 for me)
Potatoes Anna (and we still took half of it home!)

So were we frowned upon by the staff? Gawked at by other diners? Not a bit. The waiter at this white-tablecloth restaurant did not even bat an eye as we ordered. And as we looked around the dining room, while still in the minority, there were others ordering exactly as we had done. Maybe this is an approach whose time has come between the heightened awareness of healthy eating and the ongoing economic woes many are enduring.

I tell clients that once they've discovered what amount of food feels satisfying to their body for one meal, the goal is to replicate that good feeling at every meal. It doesn't matter if you are at home or in a restaurant, you don't want that overly-stuffed feeling when you are finished eating! Meal splitting is one of the routine practices that enables me to savor truly decadent food in restaurants without the negative consequences.

Maybe Lady & the Tramp were onto something....

My beef with Children's Menus

Have you ever noticed what is ON a Children's Menu? If you don't have small children, you may not be able to rattle off a list, but suffice it to say that the menus are incredibly similar from restaurant to restaurant. They generally include some combination of the following items, regardless of the ethnicity or fanciness of the restaurant in question:

Macaroni and Cheese
Grilled Cheese
Cheese Pizza
Chicken Fingers or Chicken Nuggets
Hot Dog
Buttered Noodles
Spaghetti

Not exactly the healthiest or most varied fare for our littlest eaters. I will concede that nearly every child will eat (and moreover will really like!) these dishes given the opportunity, but I'm often left wondering why these are the only choices on kids menus! To me, it reinforces a widely-held belief that there are two types of food in this world - "Grown Up Food" and "Kid Food" - and I just don't buy that.

As the mother of preschool age children, I'm often asked questions about how I get my own kids to eat healthfully. So many of my clients, friends, and family struggle with children who are either picky eaters or habitual snackers or reluctant eaters overall. The truth is, on certain days I could call my own children the same things...but I have a few principles that generally keep them eating healthy diets full of foods that nourish them.

Here's what I do:

1) There's no "Kids Menu" at our dinner table
I cook one meal for the family and the kids can either eat it or not...but I don't make separate food for them. Since we've done this since their very first meals, they don't know any other way so they agree to this pretty readily. I may "deconstruct" our meal so that they have slices of grilled chicken and mandarin oranges if we are having an Asian Chicken Salad, but I simply won't prepare different food for them.

2) I put at least one KNOWN hit on their plate at each meal.
To help with the first principle, I make sure that there is at least one thing on their plates that I know they love at each meal. While they then at least try everything, when they don't love ALL of their dinner, there is something healthy there to fill their bellies.

3) I don't have a "Clean Your Plate" rule.
Since I'm constantly introducing new flavors and textures at the dinner table, and since it's unlikely they'll love everything I ask them to try, I don't force them to completely finish their lunch or dinner plate. When they are full, they stop, and that's cool with me! The beauty of this is that they stop eating when they are full...even on nights when one of their favorites is on the table! I'm far more interested in training them to listen to their bodies for fullness cues than I am in policing them while they reluctantly choke down those last bites of potatoes. Kids will not starve themselves. Trust me. They may not be hungry when we want them to eat a meal, but when they get later, they will eat healthful, nutritious food if it is what is offered to them.

4) I use condiments like catnip and kids dishes like art canvases.
All kids LOVE LOVE LOVE to dip! I will let them dip anything in anything if it works for them! Ketchup is a favorite...homemade salad dressings....sour cream....mustard....barbecue sauce...kids can handle a few extra calories if it gets them to eat REAL FOOD for dinner! Try it. I swear to you my kids eat their vegetables FIRST because of this. I also have those sectioned-off kids dishes and often artfully arrange their food in fun presentations. They love the visual fanfare as much as you love it when a great restaurant stacks or fans your food on a gorgeous plate. We eat with our eyes first - kids do too.

5) I keep healthful snacks on hand all the time.
Kids have small stomachs and need to eat smaller quantities more frequently. Rather than fighting the "not now it's almost time for dinner (or lunch)" battle, I keep healthy snacks on hand and let them eat when they are hungry. If that means they eat a smaller dinner, so be it. As long as what they are eating for snacks is nourishing, it doesn't really matter WHEN they eat. This means snacks are things like turkey and cheese, fruit, raw vegetables, soups, plain nonfat yogurt with fresh add-ins, leftovers from previous meals, healthy cereals, dried fruit, etc. Get the good stuff in. Don't be picky about when it happens.

6) I teach that treats and snacks serve two different purposes.
We have "healthy snacks" (see #5 above) and we also have "treats". My kids love cookies and ice cream and french fries as much as any other child does, but I'm trying to teach them that those are things we eat because they taste good and are a fun treat...NOT because we're hungry. When we are actually hungry, it's time to fuel our body with healthy food..not to go digging for a cookie. Incidentally, this reduces the craving for "treats" overall because their bellies are full of GOOD stuff...and when they do have a treat, that's exactly what they call it and how they see it. One is not a substitute for the other. When you want that chocolate chip cookie, let's face it, nothing else is going to scratch that itch. I think there's a place for both and the important lesson is learning to tell the difference.

7) I let them eat treats!
I absolutely admit that I give my kids "treats" on a daily basis. My objective is not to withhold indulgences from them; in fact I often indulge right along with them! My goal is to help them learn how to integrate these things into an otherwise healthful, nourishing diet. We keep portions kid-sized. If my 5 year old asks for chocolate, she means 1 or 2 Hershey's kisses or 10 chocolate chips in a little pile....NOT a king sized Snickers or 4 cookies. Make sense?

8) I try to cut myself some slack.
That means when someone asks my daughter what her favorite meal is, and she says "chicken nuggets and french fries" I try not to cringe! The truth is that she really DOES love it when we let her have lunch at McDonalds...it's just not a frequent occurrence in our house. My answer to the favorite meal question may be Maine lobster with drawn butter eaten on the coast....but that doesn't mean I eat it often, right? Every meal isn't going to be perfect...in your house or in mine...but I take heart in knowing that on most days my children are getting healthful, nutritious foods into their bodies and learning how to really enjoy food!

So, what do I do about Children's Menus? I rarely have my kids order from them. I'd rather get them a plate to share my meal or order an adult meal or side dishes for the two of them to share than give in to the conformity of the ubiquitous Children's Menu.

Do you have other ideas to share? Comment here and tell us what YOU do to keep the kids in your life healthy and thriving!

Chicken and Black Bean Burritos

If the arrival of warmer weather makes you crave Mexican food eaten al fresco, but you normally shy away from it because you think it's unhealthy...think again! Remaking less-than-ideal restaurant meals at home can shave tons of calories and fat while preserving the essence of the flavors and textures you love.

Take, for example, these chicken and black bean burritos. Staying in control of the preparation of the meat, the amount of cheese and sour cream and the fiber content of the burrito turns what could be an overstuffed restaurant meal into a healthful meal for under 350 calories! I serve these with a salad of greens, tomatoes and cucumbers...maybe a few chunks of Hass avocado...and a little vinaigrette. They're delicious and go together quickly so they make a perfect weeknight dinner. Try them and see what you think!

Black Bean and Chicken Burritos

Serves 6

1 T. canola oil	2 c. black beans, drained & rinsed
1 c. chopped red onion	1 T. fresh lime juice
1 lb. chicken breast, cut in strips	4 oz diced canned green chiles
½ tsp kosher salt	1-2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp chili powder	6 lg whole wheat tortillas
Salsa	Sour cream

1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Toss together the onions, chicken salt and chili powder and put in the skillet. Cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until the chicken is cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
2. Stir in the beans, lime juice, chiles and cilantro and warm through. Remove from the stove, cover and keep warm.
3. Warm the tortillas. Fill each tortilla with ½ c. of the chicken mixture. Roll and place seam side down on a serving dish. Serve with small amounts of salsa and sour cream.

Easter Treats - Make 'Em Worth It

It's Easter weekend and for many would-be healthy eaters it's a test of endurance to survive the seemingly endless parade of Easter treats that arrive in stores at this time of year. Frankly, whether you celebrate Easter or not, I think the retailers make it hard to resist the onslaught of sugar-laden treats with which they fill the aisles. And that's all BEFORE the family feast scheduled for Easter Sunday!

My philosophy around Easter Treats is pretty simple. Pick the ones that are unequivocally worth it to you and enjoy them without guilt this weekend.

Personally, I treasure the tradition of an Easter dinner eaten among family and friends and ours includes a host of Eastern European traditional foods: a rich egg bread called "paska", baked ham, kielbasa (aka Polish sausage), pickled eggs and beets, freshly grated horseradish, and many other family treasures. I look forward to this annual meal and to the tradition its preparation upholds so I eat it without a trace of guilt!

And as for those sweet treats? My personal "worth it" list includes:

1) Cadbury Mini Eggs...not the kind with the yolk centers but those little pastel- candy-coated-solid-chocolate gems...

2) Starburst Jelly Beans...."original" flavors please - none of the tropical stuff

3) My newest obsession...Martha Stewart's Chocolate Babka (oh my word)

I can't wait until Easter morning when I "discover" my basket that holds those chocolate eggs and jelly beans. And truth be told, we've already cut the first loaf of babka since this was the first time I've ever made it and I wanted to make sure it was worthy of an Easter Day appearance...believe me...it is. That's it pictured at the top of this post.

My advice to those of you trying to get through Easter without derailing your healthful intentions is to figure out which treats are worth it to you...then have them...and skip the rest. Peeps don't do it for you? Then by all means, LEAVE THE PEEPS IN THE STORE! But hey, if Peeps are your thing, then enjoy their once-a-year appearance and be done with it till next year!

It's a bit late to offer up this last idea, but I'd also suggest not opening any Easter treats until it's actually...well...Easter! While retailers would have us believe we should be filling our carts with candy as soon as Valentine's Day has passed, in truth it's probably best to just wait to buy or make Easter treats until it's time for Easter. This makes it much easier to resist the temptation to open and eat entire bags of the stuff before the holiday has even arrived. (And yes, the same advice goes for Halloween!)

Well, I'm off to color eggs with my little guys....Happy Easter one and all!

A little something to snack on...

Whether you believe that snacks are a nutritional necessity or an evil temptation, the truth is that not many of us live a snack-free life. Personally, I plan 2-3 snacks into my day...and the key word there is plan. I find that having a plan and always (I mean ALWAYS) having a healthful snack option nearby keeps me from caving into less healthy temptations on a routine basis.

When I'm hungry for a snack, it's not always for the same thing, so having a variety of cold and hot, creamy and crunchy, sweet and savory options on hand lets me feed my body what it's asking for...instead of always trying to make a packaged nutrition bar work. When what you are craving is cold and creamy...trust me...no nutrition bar is going to do the trick.

So here are a few tips on planning for snacks and also some of my favorite snack ideas.

1) Keep snacks in the places you most often are - your home, your purse or briefcase, the office, and even the car! This way you are never in a situation where you find yourself hungry and pulling into a CVS for that bag of Twizzlers...or Doritos...or whatever it is you fall for when you fall off the wagon.

2) Have healthful snacks prepped and stored at eye level in the fridge and the pantry so they are the first thing you see when you open the door.

3) Buy snacks when you buy your meal ingredients - build them into your grocery list for the week and make sure there are enough to last until the next grocery trip.

4) Portion snacks into small resealable bags so you have built in portion control. Mindless eating from an open box can quickly turn a snack into a meal-sized indulgence, so pre-empt this problem with a little advance legwork.

So...now that you have a few ideas for how to manage the snacks, what are some great options to keep on hand? Here are a few of my favorites...but as always, let your taste preferences be your guide.

1) Hummus with red peppers or baked pita crisps - you can buy pita crisps or make your own by brushing pita bread with a little olive oil, sprinkling with salt and pepper and oregano, cutting into triangles, and baking in a 400 degree oven for 8 minutes on each side. Yum.

2) Greek yogurt and a Granny Smith Apple - I buy the plain nonfat yogurt and flavor it by adding a dash of cinnamon, a little stevia sweetener (like Truvia or Pure Via), and a touch of vanilla extract. This keeps the sugar contact down and has a delicious fresh natural flavor.

3) Nonfat cottage cheese with red grapes - There is something wonderful about the contrast of the sweet red grapes and the slightly salty, creamy cottage cheese.

4) Roasted almonds and dried tart cherries - Another variation of the sweet/salty combination and I like how the chewy cherries pair with the crunchy almonds.

5) String cheese and cut raw vegetables - Highly portable for on-the-run snacking occasions. Try red and yellow peppers, radishes, snap peas or asparagus for variations on the ubiquitous carrots and celery.

6) Cracked Pepper and Olive Oil Triscuits with thinly sliced Havarti or fresh mozzarella and sliced grape tomatoes - maybe add a sliver of basil? Awesome.

7) Single serve containers of Healthy Choice Soups - so easy to keep in your desk for when what you really want is a warm, savory, mini-meal in the middle of the afternoon.

Enjoying healthful snacks as a bridge between meals is something that really works for me and for many of my clients. Have fun experimenting with ideas of your own - and share some of your favorites here as comments if you'd like!