WIND BENEATH MY WINGS (Lyrics) - BETTE MIDLER

I Am Grateful

Linda's Favorite Quote for Today 11/23/15

5 Days till Thanksgiving!!

Broiled Rosemary Chicken over Puréed Lentils and Swiss Chard - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
This is a complete meal that is highly nutritious and delicious. It is a great meal to prepare when you have company and want to make something special.
Broiled Rosemary Chicken over Puréed Lentils and Swiss Chard
Prep and Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:

• 3 boneless chicken breasts (6 oz each)
• 2 cups of 1 15 oz can (BPA free) lentils, drained
• 1 bunch Swiss chard
• 1 medium -sized onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 3 TBS vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried sage
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 TBS + 3 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 1-1/2 TBS chopped fresh rosemary (or 2 tsp dried)
• 2 cloves pressed garlic
• 2 TBS + 1 TBS olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the broiler on high and place an all stainless steel skillet (be sure the handle is also stainless steel) or cast iron pan about 6 inches from the heat for about 10 minutes to get it very hot.
2. While the pan is heating, rinse and pat the chicken dry and season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
3. Leaving the skin on, place the breast skin side up on the hot pan and return it to the oven. It is not necessary to turn the breast because it is cooking on both sides at once. Depending on the size, it should be cooked in about 7 minutes. Remove the skin before serving; it is left on to keep it moist while broiling. The breast is done when it is moist, yet its liquid runs clear when pierced. The inside temperature needs to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74° Celcius).
4. While chicken is broiling, bring pot of water large enough to cook the chard to a boil.
5. Chop chard.
6. Chop onion, garlic, mushrooms, thyme, and sage and then Healthy Sauté them in medium sauté pan over medium-low heat for just about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add lentils, walnuts and 3 TBS broth and heat through.
7. Purée mixture in blender or food processor with salt and pepper to taste. You will have to scrape sides of blender with a rubber spatula a few times.
8. When water has come to a boil, add chard and boil for 3 minutes.
9. Drain chard and toss with 2 TBS olive oil and 1 TBS lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
10. Place 3 TBS lemon juice, pressed garlic, chopped rosemary, salt, and pepper in small sauté pan and heat on stove for a minute. Turn off heat and whisk in 1 TBS olive oil.
11. Remove skin from chicken, slice into thirds, and serve with puréed lentils and chard. Drizzle rosemary lemon broth over chicken and lentils. Serve.

Serves 4 Printer Friendly Version of Broiled Rosemary Chicken over Puréed Lentils and Swiss Chard
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Broiled Rosemary Chicken over Puréed Lentils and Swiss Chard
Healthy Food Tip
Can you help me better understand your nutrient rating system so that I can make the best food choices? For example, I have heard that almonds are rich in calcium, yet this fact is not highlighted in the almonds or calcium write-ups.

Almonds do have a lot of calcium. According to the nutritional profile featured in the book, one-quarter cup of almonds contains 92 milligrams of calcium. Yet, the rating system for nutrient richness that we created for the World's Healthiest Foods website (www.whfoods.org) as well as my book is based not only on the amount of a nutrient that it contains but also the calories that it contains; this allows readers to know whether it would "cost" them a little or a lot of calories to attain the nutrients that are offered by the food.
To qualify to be noted as an excellent source of a specific nutrient, the food needed to feature 7.6 times the amount of nutrients for the calories it contained, to be a very good source it needed to provide 3.4 times the nutrients per calorie, and to be a good source it needed to provide 1.5 times the nutrients per calorie. Therefore, for example, foods with 7.6 mg or more of calcium per calorie are considered excellent sources; those with 3.4-7.6 mg of calcium per calorie are considered very good sources; and those with 1.5-3.4 mg of calcium per calorie are considered good sources.
As one-quarter cup of almonds contains 92 mg of calcium for 206 calories, they only provide 0.45 mg per calorie. Therefore according to our system, they don't qualify as even a good source of calcium, which is why they are not included in the nutrient richness chart or the best sources of calcium chart.
Now, that's not to say that calcium is not a wonderful feature provided by almonds; it's just that compared to other calcium-rich sources such as spinach that provides 10.6 mg of calcium per calorie, mustard greens that provides 8.9 mg/calorie, and yogurt that provides 5.2 mg/calorie, almonds do not provide nearly as much calcium for your caloric investment.
I hope that this helps to explain why almonds aren't singled out as a concentrated source of calcium. Using this almond-calcium example can also help you better understand the presentation of nutrient richness in the book so that you can make food choices based upon this important criterion.

Golden Spinach and Sweet Potato Healthy Saute - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Enjoy the combination of spices that gives this spinach and sweet potato dish a unique flavor. Spinach is one of the most nutrient-rich vegetables around and the sweet potatoes add fiber and an extra dose of health-promoting carotenoids to this dish. Enjoy!
Golden Spinach and Sweet Potato Healthy Sauté
Prep and Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup + 1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 6 oz frozen spinach, thawed
• 2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Chop onions and mince garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting benefits.
2. Heat 1 TBS broth in a large stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.
3. Add seasonings and lemon juice and stir to mix thoroughly. Add broth and sweet potatoes. Simmer covered over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover to allow sauce to thicken and cook another couple minutes.
4. Press water out of spinach and add to sweet potatoes. Cook uncovered for a 3-4 more minutes to allow sauce to thicken. Add cilantro, salt, and pepper.

Serves 4

Printer Friendly Version of Golden Spinach and Sweet Potato Healthy Sauté
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Golden Spinach and Sweet Potato Healthy Sauté
Healthy Food Tip

Could you list some foods that are bad to eat?

There are very few natural, whole foods that we would consider "bad" to eat. In and of themselves, and prepared in a way that preserves their natural nutrient composition, virtually all foods are good for you! It's usually what we do to foods that make them bad for us. In other words, we can turn any good food into a bad food by destroying its natural and beneficial qualities.
Here are some of the steps we can take to turn a good food into a bad food:

• We can fry it in fat.
• We can overprocess it and destroy too many of its nutrients.
• We can grow it in unnatural soil that has been treated with synthetic fertilizer or chemical additives.
• We can spray it with pesticides while it is growing.
• We can add synthetic chemical ingredients to it, like synthetic colors or flavors.
• We can add synthetic preservatives to it to extend its shelf life far beyond its natural shelf life.

Common examples of "good" foods turned into "bad" foods include:

• Whole grains that have been turned into 60% extraction grain flours, in which the majority of original vitamins and minerals are lost along with removal of the bran and the germ. (Any baked good with 0 grams of fiber per serving would be a great example of a good food turned bad through excess processing.)
• A whole fruit turned into a low-pulp or pulp-free fruit juice, with all of the pulp nutrients being lost from the juice
• Nearly colorless, overcooked vegetables that have lost their vibrant greens and yellows due to excessive exposure to heat
• Any prepackaged food that is a mystery in terms of its ingredient list and which contains more synthetic additives than whole food components
• White, granulated sugar that has been stripped of virtually all nutrients contained in the original sugar cane plant

For more information on this topic, please see:

• What are the World's Healthiest Foods?
• What are the Health Benefits of Eating the World's Healthiest Foods?

Sauteed Mushrooms with Green Peas - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Enjoy this easy-to-prepare recipe for a tasty complement to many of your favorite dishes. The crimini mushrooms provide you with a rich source of selenium and vitamin B12.
Sautéed Mushrooms with Green Peas
Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 lb medium crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 3 TBS low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 lb frozen green peas
• 1 TBS sunflower seeds
• 
  
• Mediterranean Dressing
• 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 medium cloves garlic
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Chop or press garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to enhance its health-promoting properties.
2. Heat 3 TBS broth over medium heat in a stainless steel skillet.
3. When broth begins to steam, add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes.
4. Add green peas and saute for 4 more minutes.
5. Transfer to a bowl. For more flavor, toss crimini mushrooms with the remaining ingredients while they are still hot. The Mediterranean Dressing does not need to be made separately.
6. Top with sunflower seeds.

Serves 2 Printer Friendly Version of Sautéed Mushrooms with Green Peas
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Sautéed Mushrooms with Green Peas
Healthy Food Tip

Do I need to eat dairy products in order to prevent osteoporosis?

The very direct and simplified answer to this question is, "No, you do not need to eat dairy products in order to prevent osteoporosis." However, it is equally true that under certain circumstances, the inclusion of dairy products in your Healthiest Way of Eating might help you to lower your risk of osteoporosis.
In order to understand how consumption of dairy products is related to your risk of osteoporosis, there are several nutritional details that you are likely to find helpful. Osteoporosis-a condition in which minerals and other substances are lost from the bones, causing them to become thinner, more porous, and more easily broken-affects about 20-25 million Americans, primarily older women. It's this same group of women who have been mostly closely studied with respect to dairy products and risk of osteoporosis.

Four nutrients tell at least part of the story

Calcium, vitamin D, protein, and magnesium are four nutrients that tell at least part of the story about dairy consumption and osteoporosis risk. In our World's Healthiest Foods rating system, cow's milk rates as a very good source of calcium and vitamin D, a good source of protein, and not even close to a good source of magnesium. All of these nutrients have been studied individually in relationship to osteoporosis, but all of them also interact in various ways and their interaction tells an important part of the osteoporosis story.

Other nutrients important for bone health

Other bone-health promoting nutrients with clear roles to play in prevention of osteoporosis include boron, vitamin K, vitamin C, ipriflavone, silicon, and vitamins B6, B12, and folate. Not only is cow's milk less than ideal as a food source of these nutrients, but in some cases (like vitamin C) it is nearly devoid of the nutrient altogether.
Could you get enough of all nutrients-including calcium-without consuming cow's milk, or cow's milk yogurt, or cow's milk cheese? The answer is definitely "yes." In fact, most women in the world as a whole who do not develop osteoporosis also do not consume dairy products. Just how could you get enough calcium without consuming dairy products? Let's stay focused on this single nutrient for a moment, and consider the example below involving a dairy-free salad.

Plant foods as sources of calcium

As previously described, calcium is a mineral found in a wide variety of foods besides dairy products. Virtually all greens contain calcium. By "greens," I mean all the dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, chard, mustard greens, and collard greens as well as lettuces, like romaine. Shredded cabbage is also a source of calcium.
Virtually all nuts and seeds-and especially sesame seeds-contain calcium. So do most beans, including navy, pinto, kidney, and black and others. Additionally, tofu can also be an important source of calcium, particularly when the tofu has been calcium-precipitated (meaning that calcium was used to help convert the soy milk into tofu) it can provide a significant amount of calcium.

A dairy-free, high-calcium salad

Although none of the above non-dairy foods, all by itself, will provide a large percent of your total day's calcium, when these foods are combined, the total calcium they provide is actually higher than the amount in an 8-ounce glass of cow's milk. Let's take a salad as our example. Romaine lettuce contains 20 milligrams of calcium per cup. Using 2 cups of romaine lettuce as our salad base, we start off with 40 milligrams of calcium. A half-cup of chard leaves would bump us up another 25 milligrams, to 65 total. Adding one-half cup of organic soybeans we jump up 87 milligrams to 152 while sprinkling on 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds brings us up to 237 milligrams. To top it off, add one-third of a cup of kidney beans and we have a salad that provides a substantial 277 milligrams of calcium.
How does this amount compare to a glass of 2% cow's milk? In terms of total calcium, it's very similar! A glass of 2% has about 285-300 milligrams. And while it is true that our salad contains nearly twice as many calories as an 8-ounce glass of 2% cow's milk, it also contains a much wider variety of nutrients. These nutrients include fiber, which is absent in the cow's milk altogether, and vitamin C, which is over 10 times more plentiful in the romaine lettuce alone than in a cup of 2% milk. And, of course, our salad is a concentrated source of magnesium, with the soybeans alone containing 74 milligrams, more than twice the amount found in 8-ounce glass of milk.
As the salad above highlights, since many of the World's Healthiest Foods contain calcium alongside of other key bone-supporting nutrients, I believe that diets concentrated in these foods may help reduce risk of osteoporosis as effectively, or even more effectively, than cow's milk.

References

Bischoff-Ferrari HA. How to select the doses of vitamin D in the management of osteoporosis. Osteoporos Int 2007 Apr;18(4):401-7.
Boonen S, Vanderschueren D, Haentjens P, Lips P. Calcium and vitamin D in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis - a clinical update. J Intern Med 2006 Jun;259(6):539-52.
Dawson-Hughes B, Bischoff-Ferrari HA. Therapy of osteoporosis with calcium and vitamin D. J Bone Miner Res 2007 Dec;22 Suppl 2:V59-63.
Francis RM. Calcium, vitamin D and involutional osteoporosis. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2006 Jan;9(1):13-7.
Kitchin B, Morgan SL. Not just calcium and vitamin D: other nutritional considerations in osteoporosis. Curr Rheumatol Rep 2007 Apr;9(1):85-92.
Vieth R. The role of vitamin D in the prevention of osteoporosis. Ann Med 2005;37(4):278-85.

Mushroom, Tomato, Basil Frittata - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Frittatas such as this one are a great addition to your Healthiest Way of Eating any time of day. They not only provide great flavor one serving contains only 144 calories. Enjoy!
Mushroom, Tomato, Basil Frittata
Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium onion, minced
• 3 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 TBS +1 TBS chicken broth
• 1 cup thinly sliced crimini mushrooms
• 1/2 medium tomato diced
• 3 large eggs
• 3 TBS chopped fresh basil
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mince onions and press garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their hidden health benefits.
2. Heat 1 TBS broth in a 10-inch stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onion over medium low heat for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add garlic and mushrooms and continue to sauté for another 2 minutes.
4. Add 1 TBS broth, tomato, salt, and pepper and cook for another minute. Stir well, and gently scrape pan with a wooden spoon to remove any slight burning.
5. Beat eggs well, and season with salt and pepper. Mix in chopped basil. Pour eggs over vegetables evenly and turn heat to low. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, or until firm. Cut into wedges and serve.

Serves 2 Printer Friendly Version of Mushroom, Tomato, Basil Frittata
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Mushroom, Tomato, Basil Frittata
Healthy Food Tip

What are some healthy beverages that would fit well in my "Healthiest Way of Eating"?

Most people recognize, to varying extents of course, that what they eat (or don't eat) impacts their overall health. And, because of this recognition, many people try to eat more fruits and vegetables, less saturated fat and cholesterol, and cut out junk foods.
However, it is important to remember that what you drink (or don't drink) also impacts your health. If you are careful to eat well, but drink excessive amounts of soda, fruit beverages, coffee, black tea, and/or alcohol you may not be as healthy as you could be. That is because such beverages contain a variety of substances that, when taken in excess, are not health-giving. These substances include refined or artificial sweeteners, artificial flavorings, artificial colorings, synthetic preservatives, and caffeine. In order to keep your beverage choices at the same peak nourishment level as your food choices, here are my recommendations:
Water: You can't go wrong with high-quality water. This beverage is not only at the top of my list, it is in a category all its own. While your water intake needs will vary from day to day, in its Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommendations, the National Academy of Sciences recommends about 13 cups of water each day for men and 9 cups for women. Space your intake throughout the day, make sure to re-hydrate during and after exercise, and steer clear of excess water drinking during meal times if you find that practice to be personally helpful. For the highest quality water, I recommend attaching a high-quality filter to your tap water supply and drinking this filtered tap water as your primary source of water. You can also purchase high-quality bottled mineral waters and spring waters at most grocery stores. To give yourself plenty of easy access to home-filtered waters, you may want to purchase an easy-to-carry water bottle and refill it whenever you are home so that you can have water with you when you are on the go. Be sure to purchase a "BPA-free" bottle if you're getting a hard plastic (polycarbonate) bottle. ("BPA" stands for bisphenol A, a problematic toxin that has often been added to polycarbonate plastics.)
100% fruit juices: Fruit juice can be healthy when it is 100% fruit juice, with no added sweeteners. But, keep in mind, that juice can pack a powerful punch in terms of calories and sugar, so it may not be wise to consume a lot of juice, even 100% fruit juice, if you are trying to drop a few pounds or have blood sugar regulation concerns. To take full advantage of the nutrients available in the fruit, press or juice the fruit at home, and consume it immediately. If you want to buy fruit juice at a grocery store, keep in mind that 100% fruit juice is harder to find than you might think as many fruit beverages sold in supermarkets contain only a small percentage (usually less than 10%) of actual fruit juice. For a special occasi on, instead of serving soda, make a refreshing and healthy punch by combining sparkling water with 100% cranberry juice, ice, and orange slices in a large bowl.
Iced herbal tea: Instead of regular iced tea, treat yourself to a cool drink of herbal iced tea. Many herbs are rich in powerful antioxidants, which support the immune system and overall health. Brew the tea stronger than you would if you were planning to serve the tea hot and then add ice and a sprig of mint or a slice of lemon. Peppermint tea is wonderful when served cold. Or, try a combination of various herbs: chamomile, hibiscus flower, lemon grass, orange peel, rose hips, and strawberry leaf.
Healthier Lifestyle Tea: Healthier Lifestyle Tea is the name I have given to a delicious and health-supporting beverage made of one cup of green tea and one teaspoon of lemon juice. Green tea is both delicious and renowned for its health-promoting properties. Many of its health benefits have been linked with the catechin phytonutrients, such as epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), that it contains. Catechins are antioxidants, which have heart-supportive and anti-cancer properties. The lemon juice adds a refreshing flavor to the tea and is experienced by many people as a perfect complement to the tea, which makes it especially satisfying. Healthier Lifestyle Tea can be enjoyed hot or iced. If you are sensitive to caffeine, you can make it with decaffeinated green tea.

How To Draw Hair Lesson

The difficulty in drawing hair is learning how to depict it as soft and movable while not spending hours trying to draw individual hairs. 

Think of hair as having three definite tones; highlights, shadows, and lowlights, and begin by drawing the shape of the skull and deciding on the general shape of the hair.

Block in the darks, or, shadow areas of the hair, working around the highlights. It may be useful to squint at your reference if you're using one, as this will help you to see the shape of the shadow and highlight.

Build up the hair with a series of directional strokes that follow the growth pattern of the hair. Keep the hairline broken at the part and the forehead, and be sure that your hair follows the shape of the head.

Break across the shadow areas with a few highlighted hairs that you pick out with the kneaded or electric eraser, and draw a few fly away hairs around the outside of the hair to keep it from looking too smooth. Touch up the darks again as needed, and the hair is complete.

Want To Learn More ...

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• people
• hands
• eyes
• faces

... and a whole lot more from beginning to end, and a goldmine of sample illustrations for further ideas.

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Warm Regards

Chris Elmore
Drawing Made Easy

Linda's Favorite Quote for Today 11/17/15 - Breathe

The Warning Signs of a Heart Attack

Heart Attack Symptoms

• By Lindsey Konkel
• Medically Reviewed by Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD

When you’re having a heart attack, every second counts. Learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of heart attack and seek treatment quickly.

Heart attack symptoms vary in type and severity.
Symptoms can be mild and come on slowly over the course of several hours or they may be more intense and sudden.
While sudden chest pain may be the most common heart attack symptom, not all people experience chest pain during a heart attack.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one-third of people with heart attacks had no chest pain.
People with diabetes and older adults are more likely to experience other heart attack symptoms.

And symptoms of heart attacks are different in men and women. 

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Most Common Symptoms

The most common warning signs of a heart attack include:
Chest pain: Most heart attacks involve pain or discomfort in the center or left-center of the chest. Pain may be mild or severe.
The pain may feel like tightness, fullness, heavy pressure, crushing, or squeezing. It can also feel like heartburn or indigestion.
Chest pain usually lasts more than a few minutes. Sometimes it goes away and comes back.
Upper body discomfort: You may feel pain or discomfort in your arms, jaw, neck, back (especially between the shoulders), or upper part of the stomach (above the belly button).
Shortness of breath: You may experience trouble breathing or feelings of breathlessness when you are at rest or doing very slight activity that wouldn't normally cause breathlessness.

Other Common Symptoms

Other common warning signs that may signal a heart attack include:

• Light-headedness or sudden dizziness
• Cold sweat or clammy skin
• Nausea and vomiting
• Heart flutters or palpitations (especially in women)
• Cough (especially in women)
• Heartburn (especially in women)
• Extreme fatigue or exhaustion (This symptom may last for days or even weeks leading up to a heart attack and is more common in women than men.)

What to Do in a Heart Attack

A heart attack is a medical emergency.
The quicker you get to the hospital, the better the chance that you will survive the heart attack and minimize damage to the heart muscle.
According to the NIH, most heart attack sufferers wait two or more hours after symptoms first appear before seeking medical treatment.
Follow these steps if you or someone around you is having heart attack symptoms:
Call 9-1-1 immediately: Do not wait more than five minutes.
If you take nitroglycerin for chest pain that comes on with exertion and goes away with rest, take it immediately.
If chest pain doesn't go away within 5 minutes, call 9-1-1.
Chew one aspirin: After you call 9-1-1, the operator may tell you to take an aspirin.
Aspirin may help to slow or reduce clotting and blockage around the site of a ruptured plaque.
But aspirin won't cure a heart attack or make symptoms go away, so never delay calling 9-1-1 to take an aspirin.
Sit down and stay calm: Try to relax and remain calm while you wait for help to arrive.
If you are home alone, open the front door and sit on the floor near the entrance.
This will help the paramedics easily find you in case you lose consciousness before the ambulance arrives, and give them a flat surface on which to begin CPR if necessary.
Note the time: If you are able to do so, record the time your heart attack symptoms began and what you were doing when they started.
This information will help the doctors treating you when you reach the hospital.
If you are having heart attack symptoms and for some reason cannot call 9-1-1, have someone else drive you to the hospital.

Never drive yourself unless there is absolutely no other choice.

Coconut Oil vs. Butter: Which Is Healthier?

How to Pick the Healthiest Foods

Whether you're at the farmers' market, baking some treats or looking for a snack on the road, here's how to make the healthiest food choices.

Is Coconut Oil or Butter Healthier?

Why Your Body NEEDS These Carbs

Are Organic Veggies a Better Choice?

3 Times You Should Ditch Olive Oil

Buy It or Make It? Easy Homemade Hacks

Try Zoodles Over Noodles to Up Your Nutrients

Skinny Fall Soups Recipes

Skinny Fall Soups

Soup is the ultimate weight-loss food because it fills you up on fewer calories. Try one of our skinny soups for dinner tonight!

Skinny Fall Soups

12 Metabolism-Boosting Soups

Easy Homemade Chicken Soup

500-Calorie Dinners with Soup

170-Calorie Minestrone

30-Minute Slimming Soups

Can Soup Help You Eat Less?

Motivational Quote by Steve Maraboli

Motivational Quote by Jason Mraz

Poached Halibut with Fennel and Cauliflower - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
If you want to enjoy great flavor along with an excellent source of vitamins, add this easy-to-prepare recipe to your Healthiest Way of Eating. The recipe creates a delicious broth, which you will want to savor to the very last drop.
Poached Halibut with Fennel and Cauliflower
Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lbs halibut, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 1TBS + 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 medium sized onion, cut in half and sliced medium thick
• 1 large carrot, turned into 11/2 inch pieces
• 1-1/2 cups cauliflower florets, cut into quarters
• 1 medium sized fennel bulb, sliced medium thick
• 5 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• salt and black pepper to taste
• chopped fennel green tops for garnish

Directions:

1. Slice onion and chop garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out their hidden health-promoting properties.
2. Rub halibut with lemon juice and season with a little salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 TBS broth in a 12 inch stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for 5 minutes stirring frequently.
4. Add rest of broth and carrots. Simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes covered.
5. Add cauliflower, fennel, and garlic. Place halibut steaks on top and continue to cook covered for about 6 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper
6. Serve halibut with vegetables and broth. Sprinkle with chopped fennel greens.

Serves 4 Serving Suggestions:

• Brown Rice

Printer Friendly Version of Poached Halibut with Fennel and Cauliflower
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Poached Halibut with Fennel and Cauliflower
Healthy Food Tip

What is the best tuna to buy?

I always like to recommend foods as close to their whole, natural forms as possible. Yet, in the case of tuna, it is difficult for me to stick with this principle 100% due to the types of fresh (and frozen) tuna most widely available in the marketplace and their relative risk of mercury toxicity.
Canned light tuna, ordinarily made from skipjack tuna, actually poses a substantially lower risk in terms of mercury exposure than fresh yellowfin or albacore tuna. So this type of tuna-canned light tuna-is the type that's best for you to buy if you want to eat tuna relatively often (for example, about one meal per week). If you are only interested in eating tuna about once per month, other options include yellowfin or albacore tuna (that is either fresh or frozen, troll or pole caught), which I would describe as having a medium mercury exposure risk. While from an ecological standpoint, I would rank these tuna as "best choices" most of us will probably want to consider the mercury and health risks right alongside of the ecological ones when deciding upon our food purchases.
While canned light tuna is my "best choice" recommendation when it comes to canned tuna, it's important to take a close look at the "canned light" label as skipjack, yellowfin, bluefin, and tongol can all be sold as "light" tuna. Skipjack is your best choice among these light tuna options for lowering your risk of mercury exposure.
I also recommend water-packed versus oil-packed tuna whenever you are buying canned tuna. In addition to questioning the quality of non-organic oils used in oil-packed tuna (and the unnecessary, lower-quality fat calories they provide), water-packed tuna, on average, contains a slightly higher omega-3 fat content than oil-packed tuna. However small it may be, it is yet another important benefit that it offers.
There are also more expensive, specialty brands of canned tuna available in the marketplace that may serve as a good option. Some of these specialty products give you better flavor and more omega-3 fatty acids due to higher-quality production methods.
They may also involve more sustainable fishing methods than many other forms of canned tuna.

Mediterranean Pinto Beans - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

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healthy food tip and recipe

Today's Recipe If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
If you sometimes find it difficult to think of new ways to prepare beans try this easy-to-prepare recipe that tastes great. Enjoy!
Mediterranean Pinto Beans
Prep and Cook Time: Prep and cooking time: 15 min; 30 min to marinate
Ingredients:

• 1 large ripe tomato, seeds and excess pulp removed, diced
• 2 TBS finely minced onion
• 4 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 TBS balsamic vinegar
• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 4 TBS chopped fresh parsley
• pinch red chili flakes
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• 2 cups or 1 15 oz can (BPA free) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• Optional: 1/2 of 2 oz can rinsed and chopped anchovies

Directions:

1. Mince onions and press garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to enhance their health-promoting properties.
2. Mix together all ingredients, except beans, in a bowl.
3. Drain and rinse bean well. Toss beans with rest of ingredients. Let marinate for about 30 minutes before serving.

Serves 2 Printer Friendly Version of Mediterranean Pinto Beans
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Mediterranean Pinto Beans
Healthy Food Tip

What is the nutritional difference between home-cooked dried beans and canned beans?

While I am not a big fan of canned vegetables, since their canning process destroys many nutrients, from a nutritional perspective (let alone for the sake of convenience) I do like canned beans; the reason is that whether beans are canned or cooked at home, there needs to be extensive cooking and therefore the nutrient difference is not as great as it is for canned vs. home-cooked vegetables. Therefore, if canned beans are more convenient for you, by all means go ahead and enjoy them. I would suggest looking for those that do not contain additives or too much salt (100-200 milligrams per serving is a good target) and, if possible, feature beans that are organically grown. Whether organic or non-organic, however, you'll definitely want to rinse them off with cool water so that you'll be able to enjoy the beans themselves and eliminate, as much as possible, any unwanted substances that might be present in the canning liquid.

How To Draw The Chin And Neck Lesson

When drawing the neck, it's important to remember that the lines are not parallel, even though they seem to be.

The neck is not a pole that attaches the head to the body, it is a movable column that tapers and curves.

There are also differences between male and female necks; males have a more pronounced adam's apple and are generally more heavily muscled, while female necks are more slender and graceful.

Begin by lightly drawing the main shape of the neck and chin, including both the outside lines and lines that indicate flexed tendons or muscles and the collarbone.

Draw carefully to make sure that the angle of the neck is correct; even in the relaxed, forward looking position, the neck is not straight up and down, but tilts forward slightly.

Erase guidelines and begin to replace lines with shading that will show the curves of the neck and chin, always being careful that your strokes follow the curves of the neck and chin.

You may also need to make adjustments to the line of the chin. Try to envision the bones and muscles under the skin as you work; this will help remind you where the lights and darks should fall.

Finish the drawing by blending tones with a stomp or tortillon, picking out highlights with the kneaded eraser and dropping in deeper shadow areas as necessary.

Experiment by drawing the neck from forward, side, and back views, and improve your understanding of the area by drawing from life. 

Have your model turn the neck, look up, and look down to see how different movements affect the neck and chin.

Want To Learn More ...

Drawing Made Easy is a simple course which shows you step-by-step how to draw ...

• people
• hands
• eyes
• faces

... and a whole lot more from beginning to end, and a goldmine of sample illustrations for further ideas.

With clear (and fun) instructions on how to draw ... you'll learn at your own pace in the comfort of your home.

Click here to learn more

Warm Regards

Chris Elmore
Drawing Made Easy

Happy Veteran's Day 11/11/2015

To my Dad, I miss you a lot, I am proud of you for joining the Army like so many of your brothers did in your family. I am sorry you did not make it out, and we did not get to know each other as father and daughter. Happy Veteran's Day to you Safford Smith Pye, Sargeat of the Bobcat Mission in Saigon Vietnam 1966.

Linda's Favorite Quote for Today 11/10/15

Linda's Favorite Quote Pick of the Day

How's your attitude today?

How To Draw Teeth Lesson

Many of the same principles applied to drawing lips will apply when drawing teeth, because of course the lips are still visible, though parted.

Begin by drawing the basic shape of the two lips and a guidelines that indicate the center of the mouth vertically, horizontally, and the plane that the teeth are on.

These lines will help ensure that the mouth doesn't slope crookedly. Use light, sketchy strokes; it is very easy to overdraw lines, especially when drawing the mouth and teeth.

Erase guidelines and begin to shade in the areas of greatest contrast. These will be the corners and inside of the mouth, the bottom of top lip and top of bottom lip, and the bottom of the bottom lip. 

The top lip is slightly darker than the bottom lip, and there is usually a highlight that extends across the middle of the bottom lip. Instead of drawing the teeth, define them by shading the areas around them.

Add details such as the lines on the bottom lip that indicate where the skin puckers, and lightly (with a hard pencil, 3H or greater) add a few lines that show division between the teeth. Blend the darks to soften the lips, and add back in more darks if needed. 

Remember that the teeth follow the curve of the mouth, and so the back teeth will be in shadow. There will also be a shadow over the top quarter or so of the teeth (or gums, if they're visible) cast by the upper lip.

Pull out highlights on the front upper teeth and define the line of the lips by pulling out a line of highlight across the top lip and in places on the bottom lip. 

Add finishing touches by blending, darkening, and lightening as needed.

Want To Learn More ...

Drawing Made Easy is a simple course which shows you step-by-step how to draw ...

• people
• hands
• eyes
• faces

... and a whole lot more from beginning to end, and a goldmine of sample illustrations for further ideas.

With clear (and fun) instructions on how to draw ... you'll learn at your own pace in the comfort of your home.

Click here to learn more

Warm Regards

Chris Elmore
Drawing Made Easy

How To Draw A Pair Of Eyes Lesson

From the last edition we know what tools to use and paper type is best to draw on.

Now we'll start our drawing journey together ...

Draw the rough shape of the outside of the eye and the lines that indicate the upper and lower lids, the iris (colored part of the eye), and pupil.

Keep the lines light and sketchy until you're satisfied with the relative size and shape of all the elements.

Begin to lightly shade in the corners of the eye to indicate that they are rounded and slope back into the head.

The darkest parts of the eye will be the shadow under the upper lid, the ring around the iris, and of course the pupil. 

As you shade the pupil, carefully leave a place for the highlight to ensure that it stays bright white.

The highlight is crucial to showing where eyes are looking, so place it carefully, and make sure that both eyes are looking the same direction.

Make the eye come to life by adding darks and picking out highlights with a kneaded eraser.

There will be some reflected light in the corners of the eye, and fluctuations between darks and lights in the iris will help create the illusion of depth and mood. Blend darks with a paper stomp or tortillon.

Finally, add a few lines that indicate lashes. Just a few will do the trick. 

Make sure that there is a highlight under the lower lid, otherwise it can easily appear that the eyelid is very thin, or that the lashes are growing out of the eye itself.

Also, don't forget that the lashes often cast a shadow on the eyeball, so a few lightly shaded lines will give this impression nicely.

Want To Learn More ...

Drawing Made Easy is a simple course which shows you step-by-step how to draw ...

• people
• hands
• eyes
• faces

... and a whole lot more from beginning to end, and a goldmine of sample illustrations for further ideas.

With clear (and fun) instructions on how to draw ... you'll learn at your own pace in the comfort of your home

Click here to learn more

Warm Regards

Chris Elmore
Drawing Made Easy