(OK first off I have to admit I stole this photo from the internet because I don’t have enough salad left to photograph…) But this is what it looks like – so bright and colorful. This salad recipe was given to me by the mom of a friend of mine in my “bridal shower cookbook”. All the guests brought a recipe written on an index card – and it is still one of my biggest go-to cookbooks. Great recipes! And this is one that I make all summer long because it is so yummy and always a hit at cookouts and parties. And big bonus? It’s actually very healthy! But best of all – it’s super easy!

Black Bean + Corn Salad

In a big bowl, mix:

• 2 cans organic black beans
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained – OR 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed OR 1  1/2 cups fresh corn, cooked and cut from cob
• 2/3 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• OTHER suggested additions: chopped avocado, chopped mango

Dressing (mix together in a separate bowl):

• 2 T chopped flat leaf parsley
• 2 T chopped cilantro
• 2 T chopped scallions
• 1 T ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 T olive oil
• 10 T fresh lime juice (about 5 limes)
• Salt & black pepper

Pour dressing over beans and vegetables, then mix until well combined. Chill in fridge to let flavors marry. Serve cold or room temperature. Keeps in the fridge for 4 or 5 days. Also excellent as a salsa with chips, or over chicken or fish.

This week EWG came out with their annual list of the “Dirty Dozen” – the twelve fruits and vegetables with the highest levels of pesticides.  And guess what – 2 of the top 3 are fruits that are typically big hits with children – Apples (#1) and Strawberries (#3).  Ugh. In our house, those are two of the most consumed fruits. I pretty much buy only organic apples, and we still wash them with fruit wash. But organic strawberries are harder to find. Right now they are at Trader Joe’s and are reasonably priced, but that only lasts for a couple of months. Frustrating…

It all does make you think. We are exposed to pesticides in many ways – not just from the food we eat but also in our homes and offices. The greatest exposure in general actually comes from household pesticide use (those sprays that keep ants and bugs out of your house). So if you are worried about what you are eating, definitely think about what you are spraying too. There are many non-toxic bug control sprays available – we have one that we have been using that has kept the tiny ants away (those little guys make me nuts!) It may take a couple of additional days to get rid of the bugs, but just think about how much healthier it is for you and your family.

Anyway, if you are looking for fruits and veggies that are LOW in pesticides, check out EWG’s list of the “Clean 15″. This will help you balance your selections. According to EWG: “Picking five servings of fruits and vegetables from the 12 most-contaminated products would result in consuming an average of 14 different pesticides a day. Choosing five servings from the 15 least contaminated fruits and vegetables would result in consuming fewer than two pesticides per day.” It’s also important to remember to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables so you get the vitamins and minerals you need.

Both of these are available in PDF form so you can bring it with you when you shop.

What do YOU do to try to reduce your exposure to pesticides? Or do you think this is all blowing things out of proportion? We’d love to hear from you – join in the conversation on the Garden Girl Facebook page.

I remember wanting to eat Wheaties when I was little. With a slogan like “Breakfast of Champions” who DIDN’T want to eat Wheaties? Of course, I actually didn’t really like them at the time. That was the problem. They were too healthy-tasting. Fast forward 35 years or so and here I am subjecting my family to “champion-like” breakfast choices – most of which my husband grumbles about, saying they taste like cardboard. Because the thing is, I have a little bit of an obsession with buying only cereal with a certain level of fiber in it, preferably with a little protein – and with only a little sugar. Plus, I buy cereal almost exclusively at Trader Joe’s – so we don’t even get the “real” Cheerios, we get Joe’s Os. It’s just that I have a hard time having the boys eat a breakfast that is empty of the simple things that give them sustained energy and balanced nutrition.

But the thing is, my kids have grown up with these types of cereal so they are actually ok with it. Clearly they would prefer yummier choices (who wouldn’t?) And it’s not to say that they aren’t THRILLED on Christmas when they each open their annul gift of a full box of chemical-laden, sugar-rush-provoking, full-on sweetened cereals like Lucky Charms and Corn Pops! Hey – everything in moderation or as a treat, right? But generally, they don’t complain about the choices.

As a matter of fact, this year my oldest son has mastered the art of organic rolled oats in the microwave. He makes a big batch and we all have it every morning (plus they ALSO eat cold cereal – which to me sounds like a lot of food, but they love it). I had forgotten what a great way it is to start the day with oatmeal- and they love the sprinkling of brown sugar and cranberries.  Between that and the smoothies (still nuts over my Vitamix – holy cow, is that a fun machine!), it’s a great way to get the boys started on their busy days.

Anyway, all that said, I am always interested in suggestions for healthy breakfast suggestions. That’s why the Cooking Light list of good breakfast cereals caught my eye - Choose the Best Healthy Cereal.

Not only does the article make some great suggestions for healthy but great-tasting cereals, but it also has some great guidelines for making good cereal choices including looking for ones with “a serving of whole grains (16g) or at least have a whole grain as the first ingredient, be relatively low in sugar (10g or less), be a good source of fiber (3g per serving), and be free of artificial colors and dyes.”

The list has “winners” for categories like Best Cereal for Kids and Best Cereal for Fiber. So check it out – it’s always nice to shake things up a bit, so maybe you’ll find something new to try – maybe even something that doesn’t taste like cardboard?

I have been singing the praises of one of my favorite “finds” for a few years now, and a friend recently noted that I’d never blogged about it. Duh! I don’t know why this product slipped my mind. It’s such a great thing to have around the house and has a zillion uses. So here it is: True Lemon crystals! Sounds strange – I know. But I swear, once you check this out, you’ll love to have it around. (And let me just disclose that I buy this product, it’s not something that was sent to me specifically for reviewing).

True Lemon is crystalized 100% natural lemon that comes in little packets. The reason I discovered it in the first place was that I was looking for something to stop cut up apples from turning brown when I sent them to school with the boys. They love those presliced apples that you can buy at the store – but that whole concept bugs me, paying a ton more for fruit that is not as fresh and is something that I could do just as easily at home. So I was looking for some kind of vitamin C that I could use on the fruit (which stops the oxidation process). Scouring the shelves at my supermarket, I came across TrueLemon. They boys loved it on their apples, and then I started realizing the other uses for the product.

First off, it is, as I said, totally natural.  According to the website, True Lemon’s ingredients are the same as found in a lemon: Citric Acid, Lemon Juice, Lemon Oil and Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C). It also has a bit of organic evaporated cane juice (but that doesn’t add any calories). Great start, right? I am a big water and seltzer drinker (I have blogged about the SodaStream machine before – another one of my favorite finds!) and I love the concept of fruit water but a) the stuff you buy has artificial sweetener in it which just seems unnecessary and b) keeping cut up lemons and limes around gets to be a pain. So now I have these packet that don’t spoil like fresh fruit but add just the same flavor. So cool! It makes drinking water much more enjoyable

But the uses go on from there – the site lists 20 uses, but I am sure you could come up with more. Some of them include sprinkling it on fish and vegetables as well as adding it to tea. And what is even more interesting, is that the website has an article about a study done by Purdue University that shows that adding lemon to green tea quintuples the amount of antioxidants available for your body to absorb. So tea that actually tastes better is really better for you, too!

Another article on the site refers to a study (also done by Purdue University) that has connected artificial sweeteners with weight gain. According to the article, “when we consume products with a sweet taste and few calories, the result is a metabolism that stores, rather than burns calories, and that wants even more of them.” So put away the Crystal Light and the diet sodas, and instead get some plain water or seltzer and toss in some True Lemon.  Not a big fan of lemon? Or you want more variety? They also sell True Orange and True Lime, as well as Lemonade and Raspberry Lemonade (the boys are HUGE fans) that have stevia as the sweetener.

If you can’t find it in your supermarket (check the area where drink mixes are, as well as the baking area) – you can easily order the products online at www.TrueLemon.com.

A recent OpEd piece in the Washington Post brought up the question again about whether food dyes could be contributing to hyperactivity. The author noted that the FDA is scheduled to meet this week to discuss the topic – in a Bloomberg article on the same subject, they note the specific dyes that are of highest concern, based on a petition submitted in 2008 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. As quoted from the Bloomberg article:

“The petition covers Blue Nos. 1 and 2, Green No. 3, Orange B, Red Nos. 3 and 40, and Yellow Nos. 5 and 6. FDA approval of these chemicals dates to the 1960s and is subject to batch certification. The dyes are used to make a variety of candy, beverages, baked goods and sausage.” (ok sausage? really?)

There have been numerous studies (all controversial) that have linked food dyes to hyperactivity. With two young boys (…), I will be definitely interested in seeing where this goes.  Food in our house is generally clear of dyes – I try to avoid things that are not natural-ish or at least that have too many unnecessary ingredients (like dyes).  I’m not saying we’re crazy vigilant about it – they do get the occasional treat that might have that stuff in it, but generally it is avoided. But it comes down to the fact that, to me, it just seems like another chemical that doesn’t need to be in our food.

But clearly this is a controversial subject. I also found this Food Fear Mongering the the WaPost in response to the Op Ed piece. The author clearly believes that there is too much hype and not enough proof regarding this topic. She believes that sugar is a bigger dietary culprit. She goes on to “fact check” the Washington Post piece. However, some of her fact checking lacks facts, unfortunately:

• She said she found no evidence that the FDA is meeting on the subject (they are, see link above)
• Her rubuttal to the quote from the Washington Post stating “Today’s supermarket is a fun house of hues. Its aisles feature riotously colored processed foods perfectly engineered to appeal to the part of your brain that says ‘yum’.”  is that those foods have no nutritional value and are loaded with sugar. All very true, however that’s not the point. The sugar impacts the taste – one of the senses that impacts the “yum” part of the brain we while eating. But the color impacts the visual – another one of the senses that impacts how appealing food is.

Anyway – I think this will be interesting to watch. Clearly lobbyists on both sides will be fighting hard. In Europe they have required warning labels on foods using some of those dyes. It has actually forced companies like Kellogg’s to change to natural dyes to avoid having to put those labels on their products in Europe. The way I see it, if it’s one fewer unnecessary chemical used in food, regardless of whether costly studies and wasted time have proven any links to anything detrimental, that’s a good thing. So let’s hope we at least get the warning labels.

Soup is such a great thing to make on a Sunday. You can have it for dinner, then have the leftovers for lunch during the week. And since I have had WAY too much cake this past week (too many birthdays at this time of year in our family!) I decided tonight was a good night to have a light dinner. I was trying to find this recipe that I had seen for easy tomato soup and I couldn’t find it, so I figured I’d have to wing it. And it’s not bad – so I thought I’d share it (I know it’s pretty close to the recipe I had used before). And as a little twist – I added light coconut milk to it instead of  half & half or evaporated milk. It’s delicious – makes it a little more exotic. (and apologies for the not so great photo…)

Why am I bothering to make my own tomato soup? Well, I don’t know about you if you’ve ever read the Campbell’s Tomato Soup label but when I did I was blown away. It has always been my favorite of their soups – and now I realize why. They were sucking me in with CORN SYRUP without me realizing it! No wonder I liked it so much – it was like a can of tomato candy! (OK – actually that sounds gross but you get the idea). Ugh.  So I looked for a healthier but still yummy alternative. I have posted a recipe before that’s perfect in the summer with fresh tomatoes (it’s delicious!) but it’s far too time consuming for a quick dinner. So enter canned tomatoes.  Let me know if you try this – I’d love your feedback (or if you made any tweaks to it). Also – after I made tonight’s soup, I found this recipe from Cooking Light. It sounds really good – kind of halfway between what I made tonight and the roasted fresh recipe that I shared this summer. You roast canned tomatoes as the base. Yum! I will have to try that one next.

Here’s my Kristin’s Easy Tomato Soup recipe:

• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• One 28oz can of crushed tomatoes (I used San Marzano tomatoes)
• 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth (less if you want thicker soup – you can play around with the amount)
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk OR half & half OR light coconut milk (optional – to make “cream of tomato”. I love it with coconut milk – it gives it a whole new flavor )
• Salt & pepper to taste

To make the soup, in a medium saucepan saute the onion in the olive oil until translucent (don’t brown). Add the crushed garlic and saute 1 minute. Add the can of tomatoes, the tomato paste, the broth, brown sugar and basil. Stir to combine then simmer for 20-30 minutes until thickened. Blend either in batches (carefully!) in the blender, or use a stick blender until the consistency you prefer (chunky or smooth). Add salt and pepper to taste. If you would like to make the soup creamy, blend in the evaporated milk, half & half or coconut milk, if using, before serving.

It is surprisingly fresh and flavorful, and really only takes about 15 minutes of actual prep time.

As a total side note: RIP to my trusty Braun Stick Blender, circa 1991. Yep really – I had it that long. My college roommates gave it to me when I graduated. I just noticed tonight that it has a big crack in it. But boy was that thing made well – it has been around for many many sauces and soups. I guess that means I have an excuse to get a new one, though!

My son’s 5th grade class put together a cookbook. Each child brought in their favorite “healthy” recipe. I have to say, although some of them aren’t especially healthy, it is a great collection of recipes. We have had fun making many of them together (he is becoming quite the cook – although he, like his mom, prefers baking to cooking). Recently he made these Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins all by himself, and we all loved them. They are really low fat, very yummy and easy to make. Much to my husband’s dismay (since they clutter up our freezer), I throw bananas in the freezer when they are starting to get too soft. Storing them in the freezer means you can always have bananas ready for baking! They look nasty on the outside, since the skin turns black, but they are perfect for recipes like this. Just thaw on the counter or even microwave them, pricked, for a minute or so to soften them up.

Low Fat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (we used 1/2 all-purpose and 1/2 white whole wheat)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 3 mashed ripe bananas
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips  – optional – but clearly, why would you ever leave chocolate out?

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Spray two 12-muffin pans (total of 24 muffins) with cooking spray or line with paper muffin cups. (I found some great ones at our grocery store that are unbleached and biodegradable)
3. Whisk together in one bowl: flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
4. Whisk together in another bowl: egg, mashed bananas and oil.
5. Add flour mixture to banana mixture and blend just until dry ingredients are moistened.
6. Add chocolate chips and stir lightly to mix.
7. Divide batter among the muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
8. Bake until toothpick inserted in muffins comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. (I suggest checking at 20).
9. Let cool 3 minutes in pan, then let cool on wire rack. Serve warm or cool.

I was reading another article online about staying healthy and keeping weight under control, and I came across this article in the Boston Globe. It’s a great compilation of advice from different health specialists – psychologists, weight control specialists, nutritionists and physical therapists. What I really like is that the advice is very practical. Because let’s face it, we have enough going on in our lives, we don’t need complex rules to live in a healthy way. We just need some easy tweaks that will keep us in check – and that’s exactly what the article offers.

Their top 3 tips are:

1. Don’t Diet! “Dr. David Ludwig, who directs the Optimal Weight for Living Program at Children’s Hospital Boston, says diets backfire when people put a lot of energy into unsustainable ways of eating — cutting way back on a whole food group, for example. It’s better to follow the advice even the 5-year-olds in his clinic can grasp: Eat real foods, not fake foods.”
2. Be Aware of Stress and How You React To It “Many people eat when they are stressed, and the foods they choose for comfort may be high in fat and sugar. That could undermine their best intentions to maintain a healthy weight.” The article suggests finding alternatives to eating to help handle stress -like exercising or talking with a friend.
3. Pick a Goal and Try to Get Closer to it. I like this one – basically they are saying, don’t stress yourself out by setting a crazy goal and getting upset when you don’t reach it. Instead, “Boston Medical Center cardiologist Dr. Gary Balady says take aim at one of the American Heart Association’s targets: weight, diet, smoking, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, or physical activity. Make it your resolution to improve, even if you don’t reach your goal.” Aim to make small advances – cut down on smoking, cut down on a few calories, etc.

So if you’re seeking ideas to keep things healthy and in control this year, check out the article for the remaining 8 tips, plus other insights.

Looking for some fun and innovative healthy resolutions? The Washington Post asked some food/health-based experts what their resolutions are and compiled them in Resolutions for 2011: Eat and drink more healthfully.

So here’s to a happy, healthy year!

I don’t know about you but any time there’s more information out there to say that it’s OK to eat chocolate, coconut and sugar (in moderation of course!) it makes my day a little brighter. So needless to say, my day was made when I saw Cooking Light’s list of 10 Nutrition Myths Debunked.

Along with mentioning that a little refined sugar is not bad, they also remind us “that other sweeteners like “natural” honey are basically refined sugar anyway—and they are all metabolized by your body the same way, as 4 calories per gram.” So experts suggest you keep added sugar to 10% or less of total daily calories (200 sugar calories out of a 2000 calorie day).

They also remind us that eggs are not the scary things we were led to believe 10-15 years ago. Our body’s cholesterol levels have little to do with the cholesterol in the food we eat, but it is highly impacted by the saturated fats and trans fats in our diets. Those are the things to steer clear of! So say yes to that omelette – just skip the full fat cheese and opt for veggies and a sprinkling of lowfat cheese instead.

But wait – do we need to skip the full fat cheese after all?  There was one interesting new fact that I hadn’t heard yet. And while it sounds like good news, it definitely adds more to the confusion. They are finding that SOME saturated fats actually don’t raise cholesterol. Huh? Haven’t we been told for years that saturated fat is bad bad bad? Well here’s where the cheese, chocolate and coconut come in (yahoo!).  Apparently there are multiple types of saturated fats and the body does not metabolize all saturated fats the same way.  So the belief is that “stearic acid, a type of saturated fat found naturally in cocoa, dairy products, meats, and poultry, as well as palm and coconut oils, does not raise harmful LDL cholesterol but boosts beneficial HDL cholesterol levels.” So maybe – again, in moderation which is where I think the biggest issue arises – a cube of “real” cheese, a bit of chocolate and a sprinking of coconut might not be as bad as we thought!

I think the fact is – all of this information just goes back to the fact that we need to watch HOW MUCH we eat, and make sure we get a good variety of food – including lots of fruits and vegetables.  But in the end, a crunchy chocolate chip cookie with coconut and real butter is not going to be the end of the world. The trick? Just eat one (no, Kristin, not 3!). And it sure is going to be better for your body than one of those “low fat” or “low calorie” cookies loaded with chemicals and ick. So savor and enjoy!

Just thought I’d share this link to Cooking Light’s interesting list of 10 things that you think are OK healthwise but really are not so great for you.

A few worth mentioning:

• Smoothies (uh-oh…)
• Reduced fat peanut butter
• Packaged sliced turkey
• Energy bars

Check out the article for the full list and the reasons why they might not be so great.