Recipes to try:
• Slow Cooked Provencal Beef Stew
• Mexican Chicken Stew
• Vegetable Couscous Stew
• Chicken Stew (shown above)
• Baja Vegetable Stew
• Quinoa, Chicken and Red Lentil Stew
• Italian Seafood Stew

Buyer Beware
It’s a fact — studies show that people who eat more fruits and veggies have a lower risk of cancer, stroke, diabetes and heart disease. Although these studies mean wholesome fruits and veggies (and the fiber found in them), food companies try to outsmart folks by bottling “juice drinks” made from some juice, added sugars, vitamins and preservatives — then they promote them as being just as good. They’re not.

You might see drinks that claim they have 2, 3, 5 or more (equivalent) servings of fruits or veggies. On top of that, they sometimes promise everything from increasing energy to boosting immunity to making you smarter. The reality is that the juice manufacturing process loses the fiber and can deplete the original benefits of the whole food — manufacturers then go back and add vitamins in again.

Studies also show that it takes longer to feel full when drinking juice (as opposed to solid foods) because the liquid calories don’t “register” in your brain as fast as food. This means it’ll take many more calories from juice to make you feel just as full as eating one fresh fruit.

With this in mind, I reviewed some popular brands and have some tips to keep in mind:

V-8 Fusion
The Claim: You’ll get a fruit, veggie and numerous antioxidants in every cup.
The Truth: Ingredients listed on the bottle are reconstituted vegetables and a fruit juice blend — needless to say, the mix is processed. The antioxidants are listed in the ingredients, which means you’re not getting these nutrients from the fruit or veggies they used. Instead, the company has to add them in. The V-8 Splash is no better and contains high fructose corn syrup.
The Better Choice: V-8 100% Vegetable Juice

Minute Maid Heart Wise
The Claim: Drinking this may help lower cholesterol.
The Truth: Studies show that plant sterols help reduce cholesterol. However, other research has linked sugar — like those found in juice — to raising triglyceride levels (triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood that doctors use to track heart disease risks). The label’s fine print also says the plant sterols come from peanut oil and vegetable oil and there’s plenty of that available in other foods.
The Better Choice: Minute Maid Original 100% Juice

Cran-Energy by Ocean Spray
The Claim: Their mix is good for boosting energy and immunity.
The Truth: The first ingredient is “filtered water” and them some juice concentrates. Lots of colorings and flavorings are added and some B-vitamins, which you can get naturally from foods like grains, chicken, eggs or beef. A sugar substitute keeps the calories low.
The Better Choice: 100% cranberry juice, or try some energy-boosting whole foods

Juicy Juice Brain Development
The Claim: The added DHA (an omega-3 fat) will help with childhood brain development.
The Truth: It looks like the DHA comes from fish oil — tuna specifically. (Does this mean that those with fish allergies should avoid the juice?) There’s also nothing listed on the label that indicates that this drink is made from 100% juice.
The Better Choice: Juicy Juice made with 100% juice or eat some fatty fish, such as salmon or tuna, for DHA

Bottom Line:
While there are worse beverages to guzzle down than juice, there are no real substitutes for the vitamins, minerals, omega fats and fiber found in natural foods. Don’t get duped by hyped-up labels and, when you do pour a glass, opt for 100% fruit or vegetable juice or try making your own. Stick to a cup a day max for adults and 1/2 cup for kids.

Get the recipe »

What is Meatless Monday?
This national campaign was crafted to help us put more fruits, veggies and whole grains back in our diet. In 2003, the each person in the U.S. was eating 222 pounds of meat per year — almost double the recommendations. Unfortunately, too much meat increases your saturated fat and cholesterol intake, which, in turn, increases the risk of many diseases.

About 22% of Americans get the recommended 5 to 9 fruits and vegetable servings per day, but it’s typically starchy corn or potatoes day after day — not an assortment of brightly colored veggies. By lowering your meat intake once a week, you can also reduce your diet’s environmental impact (animal-based foods take more resources to create).

The Guidelines
To start, the guidelines say that less than 7% of your daily calories should come from saturated fat and 300 mg or less from cholesterol. To stick to that, you wouldn’t want red meat, pork, chicken, turkey and any high-fat dairy (whole milk or cheese) on your Monday menu. Limit eggs to 1 per day. This isn’t a no-protein initiative though; fish and seafood high in omega-3 fats — such as tuna and salmon — are encouraged since they help lower cholesterol. Low-fat dairy such as 1% or fat-free milk, low fat cheese or yogurt are also good.

Balancing Your Proteins
Remember, protein is found in plant foods too — you just need to know where to get it. Beans, peas, lentils and whole grains contain protein. Combining foods such as rice and beans produces the same protein quality as a piece of chicken — just without all the cholesterol and saturated fat. Like I just said above, fish is another great protein to put on your plate.

A Month of Meatless Mondays
Maybe you’re not ready to go whole-hog (okay, that phrase doesn’t work here) but try it for a month. Here are 4 balanced menus of all-day meatless eating:

Week 1
• Breakfast: A bowl of whole-grain cereal with milk, topped with fresh fruit
• Lunch: Romaine Salad with Orange, Feta and Beans with a whole-wheat roll
• Mid-afternoon snack: Low- or non-fat yogurt
• Dinner: Portobello Mushroom Burgers with a side of Sweet Potatoes and Celery Root Fries

Week 2
• Breakfast: Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes with 4 ounces of orange juice
• Lunch: Good ol’ peanut butter and jelly on whole-wheat bread, followed by a glass of low-fat milk and an apple
• Mid-afternoon snack: Fresh vegetable medley (carrots, broccoli florets, peppers) dipped in 2 tablespoons of low-fat ranch dressing
• Dinner: Miso-Glazed Scallops with Soba Noodles with Garlic Sautéed Spinach

Week 3
• Breakfast: Vanilla Spice Oatmeal
• Lunch: Peanut Tofu Wrap, followed by an orange
• Mid-afternoon snack: Walnut and Dried Cherry Bar
• Dinner: Salad Presto with a bowl of Vegetarian Chili

Week 4
• Breakfast:Herbed Egg White Omelet with 1 slice of whole-wheat bread topped with 1 teaspoon of jam
• Lunch: Vegetarian Reuben Sandwich with 1 cup mixed berries for dessert
• Mid-afternoon snack: A handful of almonds
• Dinner:Honey Broiled Salmon with a side of Rice and Black Bean Pilaf and Orange-Scented Broccoli and Cauliflower

Get the recipe »

And the winner is… fresh veggies! Direct-from-the-farm fresh, if possible. But that doesn’t mean you should count out the frozen ones. There’s a time and place for them too. Find out the advantages of each and how the nutritional benefits vary.

When Fresh Isn’t Always Best
Some conventional veggies get shipped for miles across the country — a trip that can take days and cause their nutrients to diminish over time. After riding in trucks, vegetables then sit on supermarket shelves, where they’re exposed to air and water misters — another way that vitamins get destroyed.

The freshest produce choice is locally grown options from your farmers’ market. The fruits and veggies are picked and sold when their quality is best (they are usually a better price, too!).

When to Choose Frozen
Manufacturers freeze vegetables at the peak of their freshness to preserve the nutritional value. Frozen produce is great to keep around in case you run low on fresh or if there are limited offerings at supermarket due to seasonality. They’re especially convenient when you don’t have time to clean and chop (it happens to the best of us). I toss frozen peas into my stew and last week I ran out of fresh broccoli and turned to my emergency frozen bag.

Frozen veggies also work well in pasta dishes, such as in this Creamy Scallop and Pea Fettuccini or a veggie soup.

Preserving the Vitamins
Vitamins in food are easily destroyed by heat, exposure to air, oxygen and water and changes in pH balances. Here are some ways to maintain the vitamins in the fresh or frozen veggies you cook:

• Use as little water as possible when cooking: Steaming and stir-frying are two great methods.
• Cook quickly over low heat: Cook veggies until just tender and avoid overcooking.
• Never add baking soda: It brightens the green color in veggies, but destroys thiamine and vitamin C.
• Cut and cook veggies in large chunks: The smaller the pieces, the more exposure to air. This tends to destroy vitamins A, D, E, K and the Bs.
• Cook veggies as soon as possible after cutting: This will minimize the time exposed to air.