Happy Feet, Healthy Body

Shake that groove thang. Bust a move. Twist and shout. Get jiggy with it. Walk like an Egyptian. It doesn't matter which dance gets you moving—the important thing is that you get moving. That's the whole point of National Dance Day, a grassroots movement that encourages Americans to get up and move. The big day is tomorrow: Saturday, July 31, and it's being recognized as a national holiday.

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who has been an advocate for healthy lifestyle and is responsible for getting Congress to recognize the day, will speak about the importance of dance and physical education, and then will host her own flash mob on the National Mall in D.C. (Not familiar with flash mobs? Check out the 20,000-strong flash mob that invaded Michigan Avenue during Oprah's 24th season premiere.)

Although many programs, such as the Dizzy Feet Foundation and Angelina Ballerina, are focusing on getting children involved, there are plenty of ways for adults to get in on the action, too. Check out the So You Think You Can Dance blog or Examiner.com to find events (many of them offered free of charge) by city.

If there are no special events in your area or you're looking for other ideas, you can:

• Check out the phone book or your local community guide, or even do a Google search in your area for dance lessons for adults. Just make sure to confirm the class is for adults—you don't want to be surrounded by pint-size, pink-tutu-wearing princesses. If you find a class but you're still unsure whether you'll enjoy it, ask to watch a session before joining.

• Hit your local gym and take an aerobic-based dance class, such as cardio dance, Zumba, salsa aerobics or even pole dancing (our rookie diaries blogger gave this class a spin and loved it). Or, look into renting or buying a video or DVD version of one of these classes so you can do it at home.

• Head to a nightclub that offers free dance lessons—this is very popular in Latin and Country dance clubs. Generally an hour before the club gets really busy, teachers from nearby dance studios come and provide a free tutorial so that new patrons can keep up when the club gets crowded.

• Log on and learn to dance. Many online sites offer lessons for free. Check out LearntoDance.com or simply go to YouTube and search "dance lessons" for some great video demonstrations.

The beauty of dance is that it's a personal expression. Unless you're competing in a "So You Think You Can Dance" style competition, there is really no right way or wrong way to dance—no judge will be critiquing you for failing to point your toes or you won't lose points for not having beautiful lines. If you let yourself get wrapped up in the motions and the music, you'll get a good workout (a 150-pound woman can burn about 200 calories during a 30-minute modern dance class) and even have some fun. Now that's what I call happy feet!

In the Kitchen with Sidra: What to Do with a Summer Squash Surplus

Does it seem like there's more summer squash—whether your own garden is overflowing or there's an abundance at your local farmers market or grocery store—than you know what to do with? (Summer squash is a warm-season vegetable that includes zucchini, yellow squash and patty pan.) Allow me to lend a hand: Below are three fresh and creative summer squash recipes to help you use up your bountiful squash supply. Enjoy!

Zucchini Breakfast Pancakes
Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup spelt flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk or soymilk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 cup shredded zucchini
Vegetable oil-cooking spray
4 teaspoons maple syrup

Directions
1. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.

2. Combine flours, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl.

3. Mix in the milk and oil and beat together until batter is smooth.  Mix in zucchini and stir until just combined.

4. Coat hot skillet with cooking spray and drop batter into hot skillet making 4 large or 8 small pancakes. When bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake, approximately 3 minutes, flip, and cook the other side for another 2 minutes.

5. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve.

Nutritional Information
1 serving
Calories: 261
Protein: 9 g
Carbohydrate: 46 g
Dietary Fiber: 6 g
Sugars: 9  g
Total Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
Cholesterol: 2 mg
Calcium: 266 mg
Sodium: 444 mg
 

Pickled Summer Squash Salad
Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sliced yellow summer squash or zucchini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. Put 2 cups water, vinegar, thyme and garlic in a large pot and bring to a boil.

2. Add squash, turn off heat and let cool. Once cooled, remove squash from cooking liquid and season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve as a side dish to poultry, fish or beef.

Nutritional Information
1 serving
Calories: 48
Protein: 1  g
Carbohydrate: 3 g
Dietary Fiber: 1 g
Sugars: 1  g
Total Fat: 3 g
Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Calcium: 16 mg
Sodium: 76 mg

Summer Squash Curry
Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 onion, sliced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 large tomatoes, sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 cup dried red lentils
2 cups sliced summer squash or zucchini
1 cup sliced carrots
4 cups chopped kale

Directions
1. Heat a heavy bottom stockpot over medium heat.

2. Coat pot with cooking spray and add onion. Sautée until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add cumin, mustard powder, ginger, garlic and cayenne, if desired. Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Add tomatoes, 4 cups water, salt, pepper to taste, turmeric and lentils and cook until lentils are tender, about 10 minutes.

4. Add squash, carrots and kale and cook for 5 minutes. Serve as an entrée with a whole grain side, such as cracked wheat, brown rice or quinoa.

Nutritional Information
1 serving
Calories: 250
Protein: 16 g
Carbohydrate: 45 g
Dietary Fiber: 9 g
Sugars: 5 g
Total Fat: 2 g
Saturated Fat: 0.4  g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Calcium: 149 mg
Sodium: 207 mg

The Rookie Diaries: How Did My Garden Grow?

This past April, I planted a "salad" on my deck, blogged about the planting process, and promised to share the results once I'd reaped what I sowed. Well, that day has arrived, and I'm mostly happy to report that I've been having fresh, home-grown salads, basil pesto, mint tea, and mint lemonade for several weeks now! So not only am I enjoying healthy, über-local, 100-percent organic produce, but I'm saving money as well (about $50 so far)! Of course, not all went according to plan. Here's a plant-by-plant blow-by-blow on how my container garden grew.

Lettuce
I planted arugula as seedlings and red sail lettuce from seeds. My arugula did poorly and, ultimately, I ended up pulling it (I couldn't bear to watch it die a slow death). I don't know what went wrong, because everything I've read says that arugula is easy to grow and thrives under a number of conditions. Harrumph. However, my disappointment with my arugula was tempered by the success of my red sail lettuce! I planted tons of seeds, so when it sprouted I had to thin it out quite a bit so each individual plant had its own space. It seemed to plateau around the fourth week, and my dad, an experienced gardener, recommended that I trim any leaves touching the leaves of other plants, which can signal to a plant there's not enough space for it to sprout fully. I followed his advice and practically overnight the lettuce exploded. I couldn't believe how hardy it was. I've been eating fresh salads every other day for about two weeks now, and there seems to be no end in sight!

Tomatoes
I reaped only two tomatoes from my little tomato plant, but it was still exciting to watch a teeny, tiny green bud turn into a round, bursting red tomato. And I can't recall the last time I bit into a tomato that tasted that sweet or fresh. I'd planted a variety known as Better Boy, and the tomatoes are quite heavy and big, so I had to tie my plant up to a stake. Next year, I plan on planting cherry tomatoes, instead, which I understand are easier to grow and produce more fruit.

Cucumbers
These seedlings were practically dead on arrival. I'm not sure if the transplanting process traumatized them or the pot was too small (apparently, they need a ton of room for their sprawling roots) or if I planted them too early (they need a lot of warmth), but they couldn't cut it (nor I them, as it turns out). Any advice on growing these guys is appreciated! I'd love to have some next year!

Red onions
Still to be determined! I think they're almost ready to pluck. I can see the bulb popping out a bit under the soil, and the green tops are getting wilt-y, a good sign—the rule (so I've read) is that they're ready to harvest when about half of the greens have fallen over. That day is coming soon…

Herbs
I planted some herbs along with my veggies because I know they're hardy and I'm a sucker for fresh herbs in my pasta, soups and drinks. I also love smelling them as they're growing. The basil, mint and oregano went nuts! Seriously, if you don't think you have a green thumb, grow some mint and you'll see yourself in a new light. One note: Mint needs a lot of room for its roots. I gave mine its own big pot and it has been content all summer. Also, I had to water my basil often, practically every day. On a sad note, my parsley isn't doing so hot. I plucked it once for a fish dish, and it has been looking rather sad and yellow ever since. It's still fighting, so I'm continuing to water it.

All in all, growing a salad has been thrilling and fairly easy. So far I've saved $50 in groceries, and while I still haven't recouped my initial investment (I spent about $250 on containers, potting soil, seedlings, gloves, etc.), the summer isn't over yet! Plus, I've already purchased the most expensive items, so any additional dollars spent on plants and seeds in the future will be minute.

Happy digging and munching to all you gardeners out there—and let me know if you have any tips for growing arugula, cukes and parsley!

Our Healthy Must-Have of the Week: Fruit Puree

During a recent trip to New Mexico to visit my parents, I was excited to discover that their apricot trees were packed with fruit. (They only produce larger amounts of fruit every few years, because it uses up so much of their energy). I enjoy fresh apricots—they're absolutely delicious picked right off the tree—but it was my mom's apricot puree that I was really looking forward to. The ingredients in her puree, or apricot sauce as we call it, are simply fresh apricots and lemon juice (to help keep the fruit fresh and colorful). The simplicity of this apricot puree is its greatest asset; you get true, potent apricot flavor in each bite. That's probably why it has been showing up in almost every one of my meals and snacks for the past couple weeks. My mom also sent my friend/business partner a few jars and she has been eating it daily, too.

No apricot trees in your backyard? No worries! You can puree almost any fruit (whether you grow it yourself, get it at a farmers market or buy it at a grocery store). All you have to do is cook it with a bit of water and a squeeze of lemon juice and then run it through a food mill (a gadget sold at home stores that squeezes the fruit through a fine mesh) or toss it in the blender. Or, if you don't want to make your own, consider buying 100-percent-fruit baby food. It might sound odd, but if you choose a brand that uses only fruit in their product, then you're actually buying pureed fruit. In fact, some of the baby food brands that offer frozen pureed fruit are especially delicious because their flash freezing process helps retain the fruit's flavor!

It's this flavor that makes it such a healthy choice—because it offers a sweetness and powerful fruity flavor, you can use it in place of sugar in some of your favorite foods. Yes, fruit and fruit puree have sugar in it, but it's naturally occurring, and this sugar usually comes with other healthful nutrients and fiber that are found in the fruit. Not to mention, fruit puree packs in a lot of flavor, so a little bit goes a long way. All you usually need is a tablespoon or two, depending on what you're using it for. A single tablespoon of most fruit purees contains around 10 calories (this varies slightly depending on what fruit you're using).

Here are my favorite ways to use fruit puree:

1. Spread 1 tablespoon onto toast or a peanut butter sandwich instead of jam.

2. Stir 2 tablespoons into nonfat plain yogurt.

3. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for a fruity summertime treat.

4. Mix with vinegar and olive oil to make a fruit-infused salad dressing.

5. Spoon on top of salmon or chicken, along with any herbs and spices you like, before baking.

6. Serve as a sauce with lean red meat.

7. Stir ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) into oatmeal.

8. Baked into certain goodies to replace some of the fat and sugar. You'll have to experiment to see which recipes you'll be able to make this substitution; I've found it works well in banana bread, muffins, and brownies. A good guideline to start with is to use 3/4 as much puree as oil (if a recipe calls for a cup of oil, use 3/4 cup fruit puree instead) or 1/2 as much butter (if a recipe calls for 1/2 cup butter, use 1/4 cup fruit puree). If the batter or dough looks dry, add a bit more puree.You can also  cut the sugar by 1/4 (in some recipes, I've cut sugar by 1/2 with very good results).

Break out of a Diet Rut

Sure, eating the same meals week after week is easy and time-efficient, but it might not be the best thing for your diet. After a while, even the meals that were once considered favorites can start to become less appealing. And when this happens, it's more likely that you'll reach for additional food to feel satisfied—and that can easily lead to overeating. So instead of letting yourself fall into a food rut that leaves you less than excited about eating—and possibly even a bit heavier—try these tips for adding variety without too much effort.

1. Get creative. You don't have to visit specialty stores or order hard-to-find, exotic ingredients online. In fact, you can look no further than what you already have: Sometimes it's the times when you have little in the house that you are the most creative with a meal. That's because when all your standard ingredients are gone, you're forced you to branch out. Instead of picking out the first thing you see in the refrigerator, freezer, and cabinets, make sure you take an inventory of what you really have. Then ask yourself how you could make a meal out of it. For example, have quinoa that you used once in a recipe but never again sitting in the back of your cabinet? Make a quinoa veggie pilaf using any chopped fresh or frozen veggies that you have left.

2. Keep an "I like it" recipe database. It only takes a few minutes to look up recipes online. There are so many quick and easy options that there are no excuses! Simply make it a goal to look up one or two new recipes each weekend. If you're a member of TheBestlife.com, you have access to lots of delicious, quick, and healthy recipes in the recipe database. Other great places to find recipes are Eatingwell.com and Cookinglight.com. Keep the recipes that get a "thumbs up" in a binder, recipe box, or in a file on your computer. Continue building that database and then when you go to make your shopping list, remember to refer to it so that you don't forget to include in your weekly shopping list the ingredients you'll need to make one or two of the recipes.

3. Swap some of your staples. Most of us have a pretty standard set of items that we buy each week, and in many ways this works to our advantage as long as we're choosing foods that can be used in multiple ways. But don't let this become an excuse to have the exact same shopping list each week. You should switch out certain items, especially ones that end up being accent foods. For example, if you normally buy two types of cheese (one for sandwiches and one for salads or pasta) try switching the types that you purchase (instead of feta buy gorgonzola). The same goes for things like nuts or nut butter; if you always buy walnuts, try pecans. This might prompt you to change your traditional grilled chicken salad with the same old veggies to one using toasted pecans, blue cheese crumbles and apple slices.

4. Visit a farmers market. There's no better place to get seasonal ideas than your local farmers market. Pick up produce, meat/poultry, herbs, etc,. and brainstorm creative ways you can incorporate them into a meal (ask the farmer for some suggestions; he'll probably be more than happy to share). Even through a single season, the crops that are most available change, so you may never eat the same thing twice!

Fitness Move of the Week: Burpees (Toddler Optional)

Feel like you're struggling to get everything done: parenting, work, spending time with friends and fitting in your exercise routine? Let me share a fun time-saving trick my husband and I use to scratch two of these things off our daily to-do list: We include our 18-month-old son in our workouts.

While your little one might not get the form correct (that's no excuse for you!), he or she will enjoy being included in your routine. And you'll likely find something to smile about while you engage in your sweat session. For instance, here's my son Reid trying to imitate his dad as he does burpees, an explosive, push-up-like move that offers some cardio benefits (meaning you burn calories), improves balance, increases flexibility and delivers a full-body workout. (To learn how to do the move properly, check out the instructions or the second video demonstration below.)

• Begin in a full pushup position, up on your toes, with your hands spread shoulder-width apart. Be sure you form a straight line from your toes through your butt and shoulders. Keep your head in a neutral position.

• Do a pushup; lower your body and chest, going as low as you can without touching the ground. Push back up to starting position.

• Jump both feet toward your hands simultaneously, landing as close to the middle of your hands as possible.

• Explode up from the ground, jumping as high as you can with your hands reaching toward the ceiling.

• Land from the jump and go into a deep squat, placing your hands on either side of your feet.

• Jump your feet backward to a full pushup position.

• Repeat. Perform 12 to 15 repetitions or do as many as you can (as quickly as you can) for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Facebook Profile: Watermelon

Hometown: Originally from Southern Africa, I'm now grown all over the world, including 44 of the 50 states.

Birthday: I was first harvested about 5,000 years ago in Egypt.

Family Members: There are more than 1,200 varieties of me. And as a member of the gourd family, I'm also closely related to squash, zucchini, pumpkins and cucumbers.

Favorite Activities: Being enjoyed on my own, in smoothies, made into frozen pops, added to traditionally savory salads (an especially good combination is lettuce, watermelon, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, red onions, salt and pepper). I also love having my flesh scooped out with a watermelon baller and being enjoyed by eaters of all ages as part of a fruit salad.

Favorite Facts: Low in calories and fat, I'm a good source of lycopene (a powerful antioxidant), and I contain vitamins C, A, B6 and potassium. You can eat every part of me—obviously, the flesh and white seeds are edible, but even the rind can be pickled and the black (or mature) seeds can be roasted. And here's a fun piece of cocktail party trivia: The world record for watermelon seed-spitting is held by Jack Dietz of Chicago, who achieved a distance of 66 feet, 11 inches in March 1989.

Favorite quotation: "When one has tasted watermelon, he knows what the angels eat." —Mark Twain

The Rookie Diaries: Burn More Calories during Your Workouts

When you finally manage to take the time out of your crazy schedule to get to the gym, don't you want to make the most of those precious minutes? I thought I was doing just that with my three-mile, 40-minute run on the treadmill three times a week. And then I took ShedTread, a fitness class offered at The Sports Club/LA at Rockefeller Center in New York City with Julie Bobek (pictured at right). Julie, a private trainer/fitness instructor at the club, runs the popular class designed to help you crank up your burn on the most basic of gym cardio machines: the treadmill.

Julie's class revolves around interval training, so you are moving in ways that get your heart in and out of different cardio zones. "You want a workout that pushes your heart and other muscles in a way they don't expect. You harness and use more energy when you're mixing it up and forcing your body to adapt to different speeds, resistance and endurance." Here are the valuable lessons I learned from the hour-long class, and how you, too, can maximize the time you clock on that moving belt. If you can, take a similar class at your gym—it's harder to crack the whip for yourself, and having other members who are sweating and heaving along with you is the perfect combo of camaraderie and motivation.

1. Start slowly. Julie didn't have us running fast right out of the gate. Instead, we jogged slowly for a couple of minutes so that we could get our "tread-legs" and gradually bring up our heart rate. Kind of like having your morning coffee before you start sprinting out the door in the morning. My slow jog was a 4.3. (The girl next to me was slow jogging at 5, but as competitive as I am, I had to listen to my body and get through the class, so I stayed put.)

2. Find your comfortable jog. After 5 minutes or so, Julie told us to find our "comfortable jog." Don't be fooled by the word "comfortable"—this is not a synonym for "effortless." Julie says this pace should be faster and harder than your slow jog, but not so fast or hard that you're huffing and puffing and counting the seconds until you can get off the treadmill. For me, this was about 5 mph. I was pushing myself, but I was still able to have a conversation. (I know this, because Julie was asking us questions during this segment: "Tula, have you seen the movie Inception?" Me, in a nearly breathless response: "No."). Again, I peeked at the girls to my right and left, just to torture myself. Their "comfortable jogs" were well over a 6. I toggled my speed up to 5.3 in an effort to not be the tortoise to their hares. We ran at our comfortable jog pace for about 5 minutes.

3. Find your "recovery jog." Ah, yes! Recovery! (Little did I know this was the calm before the storm.) This is the pace where you're still jogging but you're doing it slowly enough that you bring your heart rate down and allow your body to "recover." Recover from what? I wondered, as I toggled my speed down to 4.4, where we stayed for a few minutes. Then I got the answer to my recovery question…

4. Perform sprint intervals. I knew it was coming. There was no way that a class called ShedTread wouldn't include sprint intervals. I wasn't wrong. "OK, we're going to do five sprint intervals starting now! Everybody toggle your speed up to where you're pushing yourself, and we'll stay there for a minute, then toggle back to your recovery!" Julie announced in an encouraging but firm tone. I toggled up to a 6.3 (which, I should note, was the comfortable jog for the girl to my right, who was now at a 7.5) and ran hard. Julie gave us a 10-second countdown just before the minute was up and had us go back to our recovery jog. Whew, I survived sprint number one. Julie had us do four more sprints in this fashion, which was really. Really. Hard. The kind of hard I hadn't felt since I ran track in junior high or was racing to Macy's last fall for their one-day mega sale. It was becoming evident to me why my current treadmill routine was not helping me lose weight; I wasn't really pushing myself! [Note: If you're a treadmill beginner, Julie recommends not doing more than two or three sprints at once (each followed by a minute of recovery).]

5. Play with incline. Once sprints were over, and we were back to a recovery jog, Julie gave us a few minutes to chill before she chirped "OK, everyone meet me at an incline of 5 at a brisk walk!" OK, I can do this, I thought. Walking briskly (I was at a 4) at an incline is hard, but I much prefer it to sprinting at an incline of 0. After a few minutes, Julie upped the ante. "Meet me at an incline of 7! Same pace!" I reluctantly followed orders. After another couple of minutes, I heard the words I prayed and hoped weren't going to come out of her mouth. "10! Meet me at an incline of 10! Keep your pace!" Reader, I cannot tell a lie, I cheated—I went up to an incline of 10, but I brought the pace down a bit to a 3.5. I was, thankfully, encouraged to do this by Julie, who pays close attention to everyone in class and could probably see I'd hit a wall. She told me to stay at that pace for the remainder of the incline portion, which lasted a few more minutes before she gradually brought us back down to a flat incline. (I was a little embarrassed, but I was more exhausted than embarrassed. Plus, because it was my first class, I was OK with going slower.)

6. Go "off ramp." Next, Julie had us pause our machines, wait until the belt stopped moving completely, then hop off to do…squats! Oh no! We did 10 squats with our feet apart, 10 together, and repeated the whole cycle again. Then back onto the treadmill at a steep incline and a brisk walk for another minute. Then off again for another series of squats, then back on. There was a method to her madness: Squats—along with all that incline work we were doing—builds your hamstrings and your glutes and balances the strong quads that running naturally works.

7. Go to the mat. After 45 minutes of serious treadmill work, Julie released us to the mat and had us do planks, crunches and bridges to work our core and, again, to focus on the hamstrings and glutes to ensure that those muscles were getting just as good a workout as the quads.

Class was over and I was exhausted, but also elated. I had that feeling you get of accomplishing something you didn't think you could, and I had a wonderful model from which to fashion my own, successive treadmill sessions. No more relaxing on the treadmill reading a magazine while I amble. From now on, I plan to work hard. That's why they call it a "workout!"

Our Healthy Must-Have of the Week: Peanut Butter

Although the popular saying goes 'as American as apple pie,' it could just as easily have been 'as American as peanut butter.' In fact, peanut butter is one of the most widely eaten foods in America, whether you're a kid enjoying a PB&J sandwich for lunch or an adult spreading it on a slice of whole grain toast with sliced banana and a drizzle of honey.

Of course, its creamy, nutty taste is a huge selling point, but perhaps even more appetizing is the fact that it offers loads of health benefits. For starters, peanuts contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fats—this is one reason why numerous studies have shown that diets rich in peanuts or peanut butter may protect against cardiovascular diseases. (Monounsaturated fats help lower LDL "bad" cholesterol when they replace saturated fats in the diet.) Peanut butter is also rich in other heart-protective vitamins and minerals like manganese, folate, niacin, and vitamin E. (Just be sure to choose one that is free of heart-harming trans fats or partially hydrogenated oils, such as Smart Balance.)

Plus, it's packed with protein—the combination of protein plus the healthy fat makes it super-satisfying, which can help curb hunger and lower your total calories for the day. And remember, a little goes a long way. Which brings me to the next important point: Portion control! Even though peanut butter is filling, it's easy to overdo it if you're not careful. Because peanut butter is comprised mostly of fat (even though it's the good kind), it has more calories. One tablespoon contains 95 calories and 8 grams of fat. To keep calories and fat in check, try to stick to no more than 1 tablespoon at a time.

Of the thousands of ways to use a tablespoon of peanut butter, here are my top 10:

1. Spread on top of a whole-grain waffle.

2. Mixed into a smoothie.

3. On whole-wheat bread with banana slices and a drizzle of honey

4. With sliced apple in a whole-wheat wrap.

5. Mixed into low-fat plain yogurt with a touch of honey for a creamy fruit dip.

6. Mixed with low-sodium soy sauce, lime juice, hot water, and chili paste to make a peanut butter dipping sauce or dressing for chicken, tofu or shrimp dishes.

7. Spread on celery sticks and topped with dried fruits, such as blueberries, cranberries, golden raisins, and purple raisins to create rainbow ants on a log.

8. Spread on a Granny Smith apple and sprinkled with cinnamon.

9. Melted and poured over low-fat vanilla ice cream topped with mini chocolate chips.

10. On whole-wheat crackers to create mini sandwiches.

Making YOU a Priority

Whenever you take a flight, the emergency instructions include the tip to first put on your oxygen mask (should it drop) before assisting your kids or other family members. After all, how could you ever help the people around you if you're oxygen deprived? This idea of taking care of yourself first so you can be a better support for the people around you translates to every aspect of life. In other words, you have to be at least a little selfish to be a great caregiver. Here are some of our favorite ways to be selfish so you can be selfless.

Put yourself first: Leave the kids with a sitter so you can hit the gym
Why it's not-so-selfish: You know the feeling you have after you finish a workout? You're ready to take on the world—calm, cool, collected, and able to accomplish anything. Simply put, getting to the gym on a regular basis makes you feel great, which means you'll be better able to help the kids with their homework, play board games, or just lounge around and be silly with the family when you get back. Remind your family that while it might seem like you're taking away from precious family time when you hit the gym, you're actually increasing the quality of the time you do spend with them, even if it's a little shorter. Or, get a two-for-one bonus by planning family activities, such as family hikes, walks, or bike rides, so you get in a workout and spend some quality time with the gang.
 
Put yourself first: Quit your "job" as a short-order cook so you can create family dinners that fit into your healthful eating plan
Why it's not-so-selfish: You know the drill—your daughter wants honey mustard chicken, your son wants a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and your husband just wants anything right away. While it's important to offer a variety of wholesome foods, cooking up three or more versions of dinner each night not only zaps your time and energy, but it also makes it more likely that there will be leftovers around that don't fit into your eating plan. For instance, do you really want the fried chicken fingers you made your son sitting around tempting you? Eating a healthful diet is something that spans all age groups—so as long as you offer a variety of tasty, nutritious fare (one entrée and a few sides), expect your entire family to eat the same dinner.

Put yourself first: Skip the fast food lunch outing with co-workers
Why it's not-so-selfish: While it may seem like getting out of the office to socialize with co-workers does your body good, the fast food meal you'll be eating will likely cancel out all of those benefits. For instance, a greasy-burger-and-fries meal would leave you feeling sleepy, groggy, bloated, and/or moody. On the other hand, if you were to bring your own healthful, well-balanced lunch with appropriate calories, you'd feel refreshed and energized. To get a healthy lunch and the benefits of some office bonding, ask a co-worker to do a lunch-share with you. Every other day, you each make enough lunch for two, and then dine together. This works as long as you're both on the same page, nutritionally speaking. Or, you could tag along with co-workers who are grabbing fast food... but eat your own lunch. You'll still get the social interaction, but you'll feel much better and be more productive when you get back to the office.

Put yourself first: Turn down an invite to spend time at home
Why it's not-so-selfish: If you're feeling frazzled by the pile of laundry in your closet, the sink full of dirty dishes, and the unpaid utility bills stacked up on the kitchen table, you're probably not going to fully enjoy a night out. Instead, saying "no" to an invitation and using the time to get yourself organized can help you make free up time for, and thoroughly enjoy, the events you do attend. So if you have happy hour plans with friends on Tuesday, your child's soccer game on Thursday, family dinners every other weeknight, and a barbecue on Sunday, you might want to pass on the invitation to go to brunch with a friend on Saturday. Just be honest with her and reschedule for a slower week that works for you both. Resisting the urge to over-schedule yourself will help bring back balance to your life. Remember, free time is important, too. In fact, you may actually want to schedule in some free time each day, just as you would any other appointment.