In this video, Cheryl shares one of her recipes from the book, a Grilled Shrimp Salad with an Avocado Aioli The avocado aioli has over 20 vitamins and minerals and the “good” fats – heart healthy, unsaturated fats. With help from avocados and greek yogurt, the luscious and creamy quality of the aioli gives you a nutrient dense alternative to the typical bottled creamy dressing high in saturated fat.

The Avocado Aioli can even be used in several ways:

• as a creamy sandwich spread — It would be delicious with a few slices of turkey, tomatoes, and cucumber. Yum!
• a thick veggie dip — chomp on red pepper, celery, and zucchini strips
• thinned out with water for an amazing salad dressing — try it with Cheryl’s recipe or your favorite salad

If you love BL or are just looking for a quality nutrition plan that focuses on good foods that do good for your body, Six Weeks to a Healthier You is a great pick up!

Watch Cheryl’s video demonstrating the avocado aioli.

Want to see Cheryl’s recipe? Visit www.theamazingavocado.com/recipes/recipes-from-cheryl/

Want to learn more about Cheryl? Visit her website: www.cherylforberg.com

If there is only one piece of advice I have for all parents, it’s easy: serve fruits and vegetables often. So much of our food preferences are formed right at home. Kids learn to enjoy the tastes and flavors of a variety of foods when parents put them on the plate. It might take time to find out what your kids like and certain fruits and vegetables may fall in and out of favor, but it is always important to try. Enjoy healthy meals and snacks with your kids and everyone wins!

Avocados from Mexico is reaching out to parents with a similar important message. They have partnered with actress Holly Robinson Peete on a Public Service Announcement (PSA) inspiring adults to lead by example by making smart food choices their children can emulate. (watch the PSA now)

The goal of the PSA is to help reduce the incidence of childhood obesity by encouraging families to eat more fruits and vegetables. In the PSA, Holly, a mother of four, reminds adults that children observe and follow everything they do and can influence their children’s future eating and exercise habits.

I think Avocados from Mexico and Holly Robinson Peete’s message is an important one. Parents are the best role model for their kids. When it comes to nutrition, there are endless possibilities that the whole family can enjoy. Try snacks like frozen grapes, banana slices with almond butter, and open face whole wheat crackers with a slice of cheese and avocado.

Twitter: @AmazingAvocado

Facebook: Become a Fan

Web: Two chances to win!

NBC Photo: Dave Bjerke

Hey, hey! Bernie Salazar here… I’m so excited to be working with Avocados from Mexico and share this video blog with you on one of my favorite foods I’ve been eating since losing 130 pounds on The Biggest Loser — The Amazing Avocado!

Watch me turn one of my old meals – burger and fries – into a delicious and nutritious Southwest Turkey Burger.

I love the creamy texture of avocados on my burger. Three slices have only 50 calories! Find out how else I incorporate avocados into my well-balanced eating plan in this video. Then, leave a comment and tell me how you like your avocado.

Twitter: @AmazingAvocado

Facebook: Become a Fan

Web: Two chances to win!

Here’s hOping that Let’s Move will be the answer, once and for all. Take a look at the video and let me know what you think.

“The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake,” said Mrs. Obama.  “This isn’t the kind of problem that can be solved overnight, but with everyone working together, it can be solved.  So, let’s move.”

It’s all about taking care of yourself. Nobody is expecting perfection here. But days in and days out of fast food and on-the-go meals will catch up with you. When it comes to heart health, here’s what’s important in food and nutrition:

• maintain a healthy weight (especially watch that unhealthy abdominal fat)
• keep a normal blood pressure
• manage cholesterol levels
• prevent diabetes (hint, doing the above helps prevent it)

After you watch the video, post a comment. What are your healthy food swaps?

In health,
Rebecca

Raw Nuts and Nut Butters

Nuts are a good source of vitamin E, protein, and poly- and mono- unsaturated (good) fats. Buy raw to keep salt intake in check and eat as a snack or on top of salads or cereals. Nut butters make a perfect breakfast or lunch sandwich. Buy a 100% nut butter, without salt, sugar, or extra oils and ingredients. Nuts are calorie-dense; eat no more than 1 ounce fresh, or 2 tablespoons nut butter, a day.

Whole Grain Pasta

While pasta suffers from the misleading bad rep of carbs, whole-wheat pasta has a place in healthy pantries. One cup is an excellent source of fiber, manganese and selenium, and a good source of protein, thiamin, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper.

Dried Fruits

When you’re out of fresh fruit and can’t make a grocery run, dried fruits are heroes. Eat as a snack, or with salads and cereals. Because they have concentrated natural sugar, stick to sensible portions. A serving of dried fruit is one-fourth of a cup.

Canned Tuna in Water

An excellent source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and selenium, canned tuna is ready to eat. Make it into a salad or sandwich for a last-minute meal helper. Skip the mayo, and drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, and Italian seasonings.

Beans and Lentils

They are an inexpensive excellent source of protein, fiber, and B vitamins. Buy “no-salt-added” canned beans or rinse thoroughly in water. Use instead of meat for Mexican dishes, in salad, stews, soups, and appetizers. Dry lentils are easy to prepare—just simmer for 15 minutes. Use in soups and stews. When making rice, substitute half the amount with lentils for more fiber and protein.

Instant Brown Rice

Instant brown rice is a quick source of whole grains. Toss with frozen veggies, cut-up pieces of chicken, fish, lean meat, or tofu, and you a have a 30-minute rice skillet dish for dinner. Also serve with stir-fries and curries.

Whole Grain Cereal

No pantry is devoid of cereal so make yours whole. Look for the word “whole grain” in the first ingredient. For a better cereal, sugar should not be among the first three. Buy plain oatmeal and mix it with dried fruits and nuts.

Dark Chocolate

For your sweet tooth, dark chocolate is a dessert rich in flavonoids, which have antioxidant capacity. Buy small, individually wrapped pieces to help with portion control. It still has calories.

Soup

Drinking soup before meals makes you feel full, eat less, and consequently helps with weight loss. You can also pair it up with a sandwich for quick meal. Choose no-salt-added, broth-based, vegetable-rich soups.

Canned Diced or Crushed Tomato

Processed tomato products have lycopene, which helps lower prostate cancer risk. Use for pasta sauce, stews, chili, or fajitas. Drain diced tomatoes from juice and add to chicken or fish when baking. Mix with steamed vegetables, such as green beans, asparagus, or broccoli.

Olive Oil

It’s one of the most versatile and flavorful oils. This monounsaturated-fats-rich oil can be used for marinating and sautéing meats or vegetables, drizzling over chicken or fish before baking, and salad dressings. Keep in a cool dark place in your pantry.

Tortilla chips

In an ideal world, no one would eat chips. But that world doesn’t exist. Choose tortilla instead of regular potato chips. They have less calories and fat, and they can get you to eat a serving of vegetables—salsa! Keep your portions in check.

About Nour:

Nour El-Zibdeh, RD, is a registered dietitian based in Northern Virginia. She is a nutrition consultant, freelance writer, and blogger. In her blog, Practical Nutrition, she continues to inspire people to take practical steps for better nutrition and health. In her consulting practice, Nour offers nutrition communication and individualized wellness services.

Practical Nutrition: http://www.PracticalNutritionByDietitian.com/

Consulting Practice: http://www.NourRD.com/

Here’s what they said to the Members of Congress, Sen. Gillibrand and Sen. Casey:

• Obesity and childhood obesity is a problem, it effects kids self-esteem (confidence and worth), grades suffer, and it stems from lack of education.
• They said people have no idea about food, where it comes from, what to eat, how to moderate processed foods etc.
• They asked for physical education and health education in schools. Hey, Bernie and I did too. See it here.

If you haven’t seen the show you can take a look at Mike Morelli’s recap at Diets in Review.

Cravings in general do not have to necessarily be “bad” things. It’s all in how you respond to them. In this post, I’ll explain how to healthfully handle cravings.

Identify Your Type of Inner Voice – and Squash It!

Reflect on the last time you had a memorable craving, what “voice” did you hear?

The Seductive Seller

“You know you want me. I’m sooooo good. You deserve it. You worked so hard.” The seductive seller accentuates all the positive aspects of the food and none of the negative. It preys on the food-as-reward mentality (which is a dieter’s trap). The problem is responding mindlessly to the food seduction rarely gives you the satisfaction you are actually looking for. Maybe you don’t even need food. Maybe you need a hug or a kiss – or some sleep! Don’t let the seductive seller sweet-talk you. Make sure when you choose to eat something you take your time and enjoy each and every bite.

The Inner Critic

“You are so weak. You fail at everything you do and you’re going to fail at this, too.” The inner critic is all about demoralizing and sap motivation techniques. The self-hate it perpetuates is toxic to your well-being. Listening to these messages makes you more vulnerable to them. Next time you hear the inner critic come out, confront it. Be aware that these are just words flowing through your mind. You don’t have to follow them.

Respond to Cravings with Awareness and Mindfulness

As I said at the top of this post, cravings don’t have to be a bad thing. You are in control. Recognize a craving when it comes on, squash the voice and choose to take a mindful approach. Ask yourself “am I hungry or do I need something else?”. Maybe you need some rest, a hot bubble bath, or a chat with a close friend.

If you do feel hungry or if you just want to respond to the craving even though you know you’re not, it’s OK. Giving yourself permission to respond to cravings can be very liberating. But make sure you choose a reasonable portion size of your food and really take the time to slow down and enjoy each wonderful bite. Notice the taste and the pleasure it brings you. Experience it with all your senses. You may not even finish it before feeling completely satisfied. So stop early.

Taking the mindful approach to cravings is a healthy way of living a life you deserve. Next time you have a craving, embrace it!