New Year's Resollutions

This was a good trip to the grocery store - lots of veggies and fruits!

Happy New Year! This is the time that many of us make New Year's Resolutions. About 40% of Americans will resolve to improve their habits in some way this week. One of the most common resolution is to eat healthier. This is a good habit to improve any time of the year and during the winter eating healthier can help us resist colds and infections that may come our way.
Nutrition experts say the best healthy eating resolution we can make is to eat more fruits and vegetables.

A program I recently heard advocated eating 'real food', asking if your food comes from a farm (plant or animal) or a factory. I thought that is a good test to help reduce the amount of processed foods we eat.

Zonya Foco, dietitian, presented the message
Eat Real Food!

Kale is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. It is the new 'broccoli'. We maybe reluctant to eat more kale, but when you hear of the health benefits, and find some good recipes, it is definitely a food to add to your grocery list. Benefits include:
* loaded with antioxidants
* excellent source of vitamin C
* can help lower cholesterol
* one of the best sources of Vitamin K, to help with blood clotting
* contains numerous cancer fighting substances
* very good source of beta carotene, which turns into Vitamin A
* good source of many minerals
* light in lutein and zeakanthin, nutrients that protect eyesight
* can help with weight loss

The first time we tried kale, I didn't like it. But this salad recipe was liked by all our family. The secret is to 'massage' the kale with the dressing to make the leaves more tender. The acid of the lemon juice, vinegar and salt will tenderize the leaves and turn them a brilliant green.

KALE SALAD

Toast 1/4 cup pecans or sliced almonds. This can be done in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes until golden brown.
1 bunch kale - remove the leaves from the stems and chop. Discard the stems

Dressing:
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice (juice from one lemon)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Mix dressing ingredients together and add to the bowl of kale. Use your hands to 'massage' the kale for at least a minute. Let the salad sit for 5-10 minutes.
Add:
1/4 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Toss to combine the nuts, kale, dressing, cranberries, and parmesan cheese.

Yea for our local grocery store - now offering
free fruit to kids when shopping with mom
or Nana.