Sheryl Crow Teams Up To Feed America + Chats About Her Upcoming Album

May 24, 2013 at 9:08 am
By Samantha Shelton

You’ve heard her name for years, listened to her hit songs and likely watched her as a mentor on season 4 of The Voice. But when she’s not in the public eye, Sheryl Crow is volunteering at local food banks to help the 50 million Americans trying to make ends meet. For the second year, Crow teamed up with Feeding America and One A Day’s Nutrition Mission to fight hunger. We caught up with the busy star to find out how she eats healthy herself (while feeding her kids!) and how you can score a trip to NYC to hang with the music star.

You’ve teamed up again with One A Day for the Nutrition Mission. What keeps you coming back?

I just think it’s such a good program and the last I heard, there are nearly 50 million people in America challenged by food insecurity. With this mission, everyone gets meals three times a day. It seems like the work is never done, and this is just a great, easy way to be a part of helping your community. You just buy a multivatimin, which many people already take, and two meals are donated with each purchase. And if you have a story about volunteering at a local food bank, you can share it at nutritionmission.com for the chance to win a grant for your area, plus a trip to NYC to come hang out with me.

So do you have any fave spots in NYC you might take the winner to then?

When my kids are with me we almost always go to the Museum of Natural History. And Central Park, of course.

So how else can people get involved with the Nutrition Mission?

I think that volunteering at a local food bank is always helpful and very eye-opening. It leaves its mark when you see the kinds of people that come in. It’s not necessarily just homeless people. Oftentimes it’s a mom who has three or four kids, and she works but just can’t make ends meet. One of the problems that we see with food insecurity is that people don’t talk about it; they’re embarrassed. One day I went to school with my little boy, who’s in Pre-K, and we had to go do a morning program. By 9am I was like, “Where’s the snack?” These kids who are affected by food insecurity walk in and haven’t had a good morning meal and by 9 or 10 they really need something. And out of the 50 million people who are affected, 16 million are kids. It’s a problem we can all help with.

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Really Good Read: The Star Attraction by Alison Sweeney (Plus Q+A with ‘The Biggest Loser’ Host!)

May 23, 2013 at 1:58 pm
By Samantha Shelton

Ever wonder what goes on behind-the-scenes in Hollywood, where celebs strut their stuff and their publicists work tirelessly to make sure they look good? If so, then we recommend picking up The Star Attraction by Alison Sweeney. Available now, the first fiction novel from the host of The Biggest Loser takes us into the world of Sophie Atwater, one of the best publicists in Los Angeles. She loves her boyfriend, Jacob, her job and the thrill of working with the stars. But when hottie actor Billy Fox (think Ryan Gosling-level here, ladies) becomes a client, Sophie’s life quickly spirals out of control as sparks fly and she starts to fall for a client for the first time.

We breezed through this story in a few days, making it a great choice for devouring while lounging poolside or at the beach. Just don’t forget the sunscreen because you might get sucked into the story and lose all track of time. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

And if you want to know what compelled Sweeney to pen her first piece of fiction, we’ve got you covered there, too. We sat down with the actress and author to find out whether the scenes she created come from experience, and if we can expect a sequel sometime soon.

What made you want to dive into fiction writing?

I love to read. I gobble books up left, right and sideways. But I also love telling stories. And being apart of Days of Our Lives for 20 years has given me a million stories to tell. I’m so grateful for that. But you know, sometimes it doesn’t go the way I would want it to go as a fan. I wanted to write something that had the ending that I wanted it to have. It was so fun to get sucked into this girl’s life and tell her story.

You’ve said you read all of the time. Who are some of your favorite authors?

Well, my favorite author alive today is Jodi Picoult.

We love her! Did you read her new book, The Storyteller?
[Editor's note: Check out our thoughts on The Storyteller, another one of our Really Good Reads, here.]

Yes, it was amazing! I did this book club on Twitter and Facebook and we read it right when it came out. It was amazing. She’s so inspiring and I just love her controversial topics. She’s amazing.

OK, back to your book. Sophie seems like she’s at a very different point in her life than where you are. Did you relate to her at all, or did you pull from your own experiences when creating her character?

Oh yeah, there’s a lot of her that’s in me, and vice versa. I think that her story is so interesting to me because she is growing and learning and finding herself, and that’s such a great thing for people to see and relate to. And the steamy, fun, romantic stuff – all the red carpet gossip – it’s all stuff I’ve seen in Hollywood, been a part of or witnessed, so it was fun to pull the curtain back a little bit.

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Summer Entertaining Salads

May 21, 2013 at 12:25 pm
By Guest Blogger

By Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD

You know the usual suspects at all the backyard barbeque: burgers, chicken, potato salad, chips and dip. Add a pop of creativity—and health—to your next summer soiree by throwing together a colorful veggie-inspired salad.

With the help of The Dole Taste of Spain Salads, I am posting 31 salad recipes throughout the month of May—enough for a different salad every day. This week, the 7 featured recipes are perfect for summer entertaining and sharing with friends.

Below are salad recipes and some healthy entertaining tips to give your party a punch of flavor, creativity and nutrition. Enjoy!

Spinach Salad with Grilled Peaches & Goat Cheese

ENTERTAINING TIP: Serve grilled fruit in a salad and/or as a dessert with a scoop of fro-yo. Fruits that grill well include peaches, plums, nectarines, pineapple and bananas.
INGREDIENTS

• 3 peaches, halved and pitted
• Cooking spray
• 1 package (6 ounces) DOLE Baby Spinach
• 6 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt & black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat grill (or grill pan) over medium heat.
2. Mist peaches with cooking spray.
3. Grill peaches flesh side down for 4 minutes (until grill marks appear & they easily come off grill grates).
4. Flip and grill another 3 minutes (until tender).
5. Let peaches cool and then cut each peach half into 6 slices.
6. Toss spinach with vinegar, salt and pepper. Top with peaches, goat cheese and pecans.

Serves 6. Serving size: 1.5 cups. 110 calories and 6g fat per serving.

Here are  more Summer Entertaining Salad recipes. Check back next week for a new round of salads!

Toasted Pita & Bean Salad
ENTERTAINING TIP: Have a vegetarian option for those with special dietary needs. This is a filling veggie-friendly salad for your non-meat eating guests.

Mexican Coleslaw
ENTERTAINING TIP: Serve slaw as a side on its own or as a nutritious & crunchy burger or fish taco topper.

Grilled Smokey Eggplant Salad 
ENTERTAINING TIP: Get your veggies party-ready by dressing them up with flavorful herbs & spices – this salad uses smoky paprika for a Spanish-flare.

Banh Mi Chopped Salad 
ENTERTAINING TIP: Entertain guests with an Asian inspired salad – have chopsticks available for those who want a more interactive & authentic experience.

Tempeh Taco Salad 
ENTERTAINING TIP: Lighten up your fiesta by serving a taco salad instead of tacos. Tempeh is a simple & healthy vegetarian swap for ground beef.

Orzo Salad with Artichoke, Tomato, Red Onion & Capers
ENTERTAINING TIP: Change up your standard pasta salad by swapping to a different pasta shape & vary your veggies. This recipe uses orzo pasta tossed with Mediterranean flavors.

About the Author: Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified specialist in sports nutrition based in Chicago. She is the author of The Flexitarian Diet. Dawn is working with Dole throughout the month of May to inspire more salad eating.

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A Skinny Pasta Recipe for a Slimmer Summer

May 20, 2013 at 12:57 pm
By Colleen Moody

For some reason, pasta always seems to get linked to a winter comfort food. And it’s true that on a cold, blustery day a bowl of spaghetti can hit the spot, but when given the right ingredients it can make a pretty mean, lean summer dish as well. Check out this recipe below from Christine Avanti, CN, author of Skinny Chicks Don’t Eat Salad and Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food so you can continue your carb love affair and still sport a bikini this summer.

Simple Skinny Pasta
Makes 7 servings

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup artichoke hearts packed in water
4 ounces mozzarella (fresh packed in water), cubed
1 cup Skinny Vine Slim Chardonnay
1 pound whole wheat pasta, cooked according to package directions

Directions

1. In an extra large frying pan, sauté onions, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes and tomatoes in olive oil until onions being to caramelize. Deglaze pan with Skinny Vine Slim Chardonnay wine scraping all the brown bits from the pan. Add artichoke hearts and lightly sauté until artichokes are evenly distributed.
2. Add cooked pasta and fresh mozzarella and lightly toss with a set of tongs.
3. Plate and sprinkle with flat leaf parsley or basil.

Nutrition info per serving: 366 calories, 18g protein, 53g carbohydrates, 8g fiber, 10g fat

 More from FITNESS: Give It a Twirl: Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes

 

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4 Tips for Top-Notch Health

May 16, 2013 at 3:31 am
By mohrresults

I am surrounded by estrogen.

My wife and I have two daughters. We run Mohr Results Women Only Fitness Boot Camp. I am a Registered Dietitian, a profession that is 97% female. And I currently have pink toenails after our almost 4 year-old thought it would be fun to “paint daddy’s toenails like mine.”

It’s fitting, then, that I would be writing about ways to celebrate YOU — for National Women’s Health Week.  Of course, at Fitness magazine, every week is women’s health week…but now the rest of the country jumped on board and this whole week has officially been a week to celebrate YOU.

So: How do YOU celebrate YOU?

Taking care of your body from the inside out (and the outside in) is surely a great start. That means fueling your body with quality nutrients to perform at your peak, physically and mentally.  Physically, it may be at the gym and/or playing mom and chasing little ones around all day.  Mentally, it may be at the office and THEN chasing little ones around all day.

Regardless, the foods you fuel your body with can make or break you.  After all, don’t you want to have the most energy possible instead of wanting to curl up and excuse yourself from the rest of the world?

Here are 4 ways to support your health:

1. Two words: Move. More.  We are not meant to sit all day, every day.  If you work a traditional 9-5 type job, though, this is exactly what happens.

2. Hydrate. Your goal is to drink half your body weight in ounces (if you weigh 150 pounds, that is 75 ounces, or around 9 cups of water daily). Try adding some citrus fruit to water, or a splash of juice to seltzer, to make it more appealing.

3. Snack smart. Eating frequent meals can keep your energy up, curb cravings and help feed your body the fuel it needs to chase after kids, stay focused at work or whatever it may be. The key is that snacks should: 1) include some protein, 2) include healthy fats, 3) be convenient 4) include fiber (bonus!).

KIND Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate + Protein (OMG!) is one of our faves—it has a little added protein boost, healthy fat AND 3 grams of fiber all packaged in convenient awesomeness.  These are awesome because they A) taste great, B) offer satisfying protein and fiber C) provide healthy fats.

4. Fuel Your Body with Fresh, Quality Foods.  This is an important one.  Outside of the snacks you choose, the other meals you eat are important too.  Start with a quality breakfast (eggs, oats, a homemade smoothie, or even just a piece of fruit and some nuts) and then follow it up with a quality lunch and dinner.

Now, the lunch and dinner parts can be tricky.  You’re on the go, challenged on what to eat, or maybe don’t like to cook.  The same “rules” apply for meals as they do snacks — protein + healthy fat + fiber = awesome.  For an on the go option, I love Subway’s Double Chicken Chopped Salad.

There you have it.  Four super easy, practical strategies to take care of you.  When you take care of you, you aren’t just taking better take care of everyone else, you’re also celebrating YOU.

RELATED: Get more nutrition and women’s health advice from Chris and Kara Mohr.

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Angelina Jolie’s Brave Decision for Her Health

May 14, 2013 at 12:08 pm
By Marianne Magno

In a brave, must-read editorial for The New York Times, Angelina Jolie reveals that she underwent a preventive double mastectomy earlier this year to reduce her risk of breast cancer. Jolie explains that it was her mother, who died of breast cancer at 56, who motivated her to take charge of her health. The actress, director and humanitarian explains that she is a carrier of a “faulty” BRCA1 gene, which puts her at an estimated 87% risk of breast cancer and 50% risk of ovarian cancer .

Jolie hopes that sharing her story will encourage others to be proactive about their own health:

“I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience. Cancer is still a word that strikes fear into people’s hearts, producing a deep sense of powerlessness. But today it is possible to find out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action.

…For any woman reading this, I hope it helps you to know you have options. I want to encourage every woman, especially if you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, to seek out the information and medical experts who can help you through this aspect of your life, and to make your own informed choices.”

We here at FITNESS applaud Jolie’s decision to take preventative measures against cancer and to use her celebrity to encourage other women to do the same. We’ve been inspired by other women who also chose to have preemptive mastectomies: our marketing manager, Kristin Guinan, who underwent the same procedure at age  27, and marathoner, soldier and mom Margaret Smith who decided to forgo reconstructive surgery after her mastectomy.

Early detection and action are important, and it is up to us to take control. In Angelina Jolie’s words: “Life comes with many challenges. The ones that should not scare us are the ones we can take on and take control of.”

Resources for Your Healthy Breasts:

• How to Do a Breast Self-Exam
• What You Need to Know to Prevent Breast Cancer
• “Why I Gave up My Breasts”
• “My Battle with Breast Cancer”

 Read Angelina Jolie’s full op-ed here.

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Superfood Salads

May 13, 2013 at 4:00 pm
By Guest Blogger

By Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD

Superfoods help keep us healthy and youthful. They potentially fight diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease and may even help slow the aging process. So what better foods to toss into your salads?

With the help of The Dole Taste of Spain Salads, I am posting 31 salad recipes throughout the month of May — enough for a different salad every day. This week, the 7 featured recipes have a Mediterranean vibe and are packed with suprfoods.

These salads are high in flavor, easy on the waistline and will supercharge your health and energy so you can enjoy all the activities summer has to offer from volleyball to paddle boarding to playing frisbee on the beach.

Southern Spanish Market Salad

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Avocado. Avocados are worshiped for their heart healthy unsaturated fat, filling fiber (14 grams per avocado!) and essential nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K and folate.

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 package (11.3 oz.) DOLE All-Natural Ultimate Caesar Kit
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• 1 avocado, peeled, and cut into chunks
• 1 medium bell pepper, cut into short thin strips
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 anchovy fillets (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine all DOLE® All-Natural Ultimate Caesar Kit ingredients except Caesar Dressing. Add olives, avocado, bell pepper, balsamic vinegar and toss with dressing.
2. Transfer salad to shallow bowls or plates and garnish each with an anchovy fillet, if desired.
3. Family Friendly Suggestion: So you’re a poultry person…no problem! Try swapping anchovies for a half-cup of pulled or diced cooked chicken to add extra protein that pairs just as easily with olives, cheery bell peppers and balsamic.

Serves 4. Serving size: 1/4 salad. 252 calories and 19g fat per serving.

Here are  more Superfood Salad recipes. Check back next week for a new round of salads!

Seville Potato Verde

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Potatoes. Potatoes contain resistant starch, which is a compound that works overtime to help you feel fuller longer. Also, potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium.

Raspberry Avocado & Mango 

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Raspberries. Raspberries are loaded with anti-cancer and anti-inflammation compounds. Plus they are a low-cal, high nutrition way to curb a sweet tooth.

Beet Salad w/ Citrus Goat Cheese

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Beets. Thanks to a unique pigment, called betalain, biting into a beet provides antioxidants, reduces inflammation and may help flush toxins out of the body. Beets are also rich in blood pressure lowering nitrates.

Crunchy Broccoli Salad

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Broccoli. Raw broccoli provides high amounts of immune-boosting vitamin C and bone-beneficial vitamin K.

Endless Summer 3-Bean Salad

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Beans. Beans provide protein, heart smart fiber and energy enhancing iron. Beans also help keep cholesterol in check and blood sugar balanced.

Caprese Chopped Salad 

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Tomatoes. Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants (particularly the trifecta of carotinoids: lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin) which may improve the health of particularly your eyes and heart.

About the Author: Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified specialist in sports nutrition based in Chicago. She is the author of The Flexitarian Diet. Dawn is working with Dole throughout the month of May to inspire more salad eating.

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What You Need to Eat to Be Heart-Healthy

May 13, 2013 at 9:28 am
By Lauren Cardarelli

According to a recent statement made by the American Heart Association, heart failure costs are expected to more than double by 2030, potentially costing Americans a whopping $244 per year! Time is tickin’ to beat the rising heart disease incidence—the leading cause of death in women. Insert omega-3 fatty acids, which has proven study after study to reduce the risks. Opt for food sources of supplements, says New York University adjunct nutrition professor and FITNESS Advisory Board member Lisa Young, Ph.D., R.D. It’s as easy peasy (and affordable) as cracking open a can of tuna—just two servings of seafood a week! Now isn’t that just fin-tastic?

Jazz up the versatile canned good with your favorite spices, Dr. Young suggests, and fold it into a cold pasta salad, wrap or form into burgers. Another great idea? Tasty crostinis made with thin baguette slices, fresh rosemary and Kalamata olives. No more fishing for heart health excuses. Here’s a quick and easy recipe that pairs perfectly with a glass of white for a summer soiree app. Your friends and heart will thank you later.

White Bean and Tuna Crostini
(Recipe courtesy of Melissa d’Arabian)
Makes 4 servings

• 10 thin baguette slices
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon rosemary, finely chopped
• 1/8 cup dry white wine
• 1 15-ounce can white kidney beans, drained
• 1 5-ounce can chunk-light tuna packed in water, drained and flaked
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions: Preheat oven to 350° F. Arrange baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet; brush slices with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Bake until bread is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside. In a preheated skillet, cook onion, garlic, rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened. Add the wine and simmer the mixture until the wine is reduced by half. In a food processor, purée the beans and the onion mixture and salt and pepper to taste, transfer the mixture to a bowl and chill it, covered, until it is cool. In a small bowl, toss together tuna, onion, olives, parsley, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.Spread bean puree among baguette slices and top with tuna salad. Garnish each with 1 small rosemary sprig.

For more recipe ideas and information on heart healthy fish, visit getrealaboutseafood.com.

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5 Reasons You Need to See ‘The Great Gatsby’

May 10, 2013 at 9:51 am
By Samantha Shelton

It’s likely the most talked about movie since The Hunger Games–at least it is in the FITNESS office. And one of the perks of working here is getting the chance to see movies before they hit theaters. So on Tuesday night I made my way to the Ziegfeld theater in NYC, popped on my 3-D shades and was transported into one of the most beloved stories in American literature. If that’s not reason enough for you to go see The Great Gatsby, here are five more:

1. Leonardo Dicaprio. The man has been making our hearts flutter since Romeo + Juliet, and we swear he just gets better (acting-wise and come on, looks-wise) with age. If you didn’t know, Baz Luhrmann, the director of Gatsby, worked with Leo way back then on R+J. Once we watched him on screen, we saw exactly why Luhrmann wanted to collaborate with the actor again: love or hate him, Leo was the perfect guy to play the complicated role of Jay Gatsby. The love, confidence and desperation of his character all seep through, and he had us chastising Daisy Buchanan for her crazy amounts of indecision.

2. Tobey Maguire (Nick Carraway) and Leonardo Dicaprio (Jay Gatsby)’s bromance. It’s real, both on and off-screen. We can’t get enough of it.

3. The fashion. This period wasn’t called the Roaring 20s for nothing. It was the tip of the iceberg for women exploring new dress lengths (short, short, short!), hairstyles and lots of sparkle—and you know we love sparkle. Fun fact: costume designer Catherine Martin worked with Brooks Brothers for many of the male costumes—think 2,000 garments + 200 tuxedos—who actually sold clothing to Fitzgerald back in the day.

4. Isla Fisher and Carey Mulligan. Our May cover girl plays Myrtle, Tom Buchanan’s mistress who lives in the Valley of Ashes and wants the glamorous life. Although her role is small, Fisher knows how to make a big impact. Mulligan takes on the iconic role of Daisy Buchanan, and delivers flawlessly. The woman knows how to be alluring, and we love that she isn’t afraid to speak her mind. What we don’t love: Daisy’s inability to make a decision and stick with it. Just watch the movie and you’ll see what we mean.

5. The music. Just as he did in R+J, Luhrmann took Gatsby, a very classic story, and blended it with contemporary music. Now we’ll admit, this is the part we were most skeptical about. Sure, we love blasting Jay-Z, Florence + The Machine and Lana Del Rey during our workouts, but would it work in a movie set in the 20s? Surprisingly, it does. In fact, we say it’s what makes the movie that much better. Bringing contemporary beats to the party scenes helped us make a connection with all of the characters and the fun they were having. Think about it: if you were ready to get your dance on tonight, would you blast music from the 20s and feel jazzed; ready to rock? We didn’t think so. This blend of eras made the story more relatable so we could really be immersed in the story. Smart move, Luhrmann. Smart move.

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2 Recipes For a Heart-Healthy Mother’s Day Brunch

May 10, 2013 at 9:24 am
By Karla Walsh

There are few better ways to show mom how much you care than breakfast in bed. That tray of goodies—perhaps pancakes with sausage or Eggs Benedict—sure tastes great, but may not be too nice for her health, though.

New research found that a meat-free diet can cut risk for heart disease by 32 percent, so the two vegan recipes below from The China Study Cookbook, will keep mom’s heart happy, too. By the way, all of the dishes in the book are not only vegetarian, but vegan!

Scrumptious Apple-Filled Turnovers
Serves 8

Turnovers

• 3½–4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1 tablespoon Sucanat
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2½ teaspoons instant (fast rise) yeast
• 1½ cups warm water

Filling

• 3 cups apples, diced finely
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped
• ¾ cup raisins
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg

1. Mix all the turnover ingredients together in a bowl. Knead with your hands for 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Separate into 8 balls; cover, and let rise for 40 minutes.
2. Once turnovers are covered, prepare filling by mixing all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
3. After 40 minutes, roll out each ball to a diameter of about 3 inches. Place one heaping tablespoon of filling into the center. For each turnover, fold the edges together to form a half moon. Pinch the edges together with a fork so there are no openings.
4. Preheat oven to 425˚F.
5. Let your turnovers rise on the counter for 15 minutes, then place turnovers on nonstick baking sheet.
6. Bake at 425˚F for 20–25 minutes.

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