Healthy Recipe

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Breasts with Crisp Zucchini Chips

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Yield: Makes 2 to 3 breasts, 3 cups chips

Ingredients
for the chips
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow zucchini, thinly sliced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

for the chicken
1 egg
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary sprigs
1 package (14 ounces) Just BAREâ„¢ Hand-Trimmed Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets Hand-Trimmed Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley


Directions
• On large platter, lay zucchini slices; sprinkle with remaining ingredients. Let stand at room temperature while sautéing chicken or make ahead and refrigerate.
• In shallow bowl, whisk egg.
• In shallow plate, stir together bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, pepper, salt and rosemary. Dip chicken breast in egg then toss in bread crumb mixture to coat. Repeat with remaining breasts.
• In large skillet, sauté chicken breasts in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Add additional olive oil while sautéing if necessary. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with zucchini chips.

Nutritional Information• • PER SERVING • Calories 410 • % Calories from Fat 44% • Total Fat 20g • Saturated Fat 6g • Cholesterol 175mg • Sodium 900mg • Total Carbohydrate 11g • Dietary Fiber 2g • Protein 46g • Sugars 4g • % DAILY VALUE • Vitamin A 25% • Vitamin C 32% • Calcium 34% • Iron 16% • DIETARY EXCHANGES • Lean Meat 6 • Fat 2 • Vegetable 1

A Healthy 2010

Are you ready to lose those extra ten pounds or more? Did you know that studies have shown that when an individual loses at least 10% of their body weight, they start to see significant health improvements such as decreases in blood pressure, lipid levels, and blood sugar? Join the Live Well “ Lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks” contest to help lose the weight and improve your overall well-being. You can follow this blog for the next 10 weeks to obtain healthy tips, recipes and more. Feel free to comment, ask questions or offer helpful weight loss tips of your own. I look forward to hearing from you and helping you make 2010 a healthier year.

Unfortunately, there is no magic solution to losing weight. To truly lose 1 pound you need to eliminate 3,500 calories. This can only happen by moving more and eating less. So to lose about 1 pound per week, you would need to cut 500 calories per day. This might seem like a huge number but it could mean just cutting down on portion sizes, eliminating or cutting back on sugary beverages; increasing physical activity. I have listed some healthy ways to lose weight. Be sure to follow this blog for the next 10 weeks to obtain healthy tips, recipes and more. Feel free to comment, ask questions or offer helpful tips of your own.

1. Keep a food diary and write down everything you eat for one week. Most people wind up eating 15 percent less than those who don’t record their intake. This is also a good way to recognize what your pitfalls are.
2. Pare down your portions. Remove one-third of the food you are eating on your plate. We are a super sized nation. We eat far more then our bodies need. The more food on your plate, the more you’ll eat regardless of hunger. Serve yourself less and you’ll eat less.
3. Eat on smaller plates. The less food in front of you, the less you’ll eat. Instead of the 10-14 inch dinner plate, serve your main course on salad plates 7-9 inches wide. Try and 8 ounce glass instead of a 16-ounce glass. Especially when it comes to high calorie beverages like soda, juice or alcohol.
4. Fill up on nutrient dense foods. Choose foods that are high in nutrients but usually lower in calories. Fruits and vegetables are a good example. These are volumizers. They help fight disease, lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol and manage diabetes. Aim for 5 servings a day.
5. Fill up on water rich foods first. Dinner salads, vegetable platters and broth based soups. This will fill you up so you’re less likely to overeat your main course.

Be sure to check back for more tips and healthy recipes.

New Year Resolutions

I'm usually not the best at making New Year resolutions. I find just a couple of weeks into the new year I'm already going back to some of my old habits. We all know that old habits are hard to break, so try not to overwhelm yourself with too many resolutions for 2010. Make your resolutions simple and to the point. Write them down and keep them posted. Check your progress on a weekly basis and reevaluate if need be. Here are some of my resolutions for the new year. Feel free to share yours with me and let's make 2010 a great year!

1. Take more time for myself--time to exercise, breathe, listen to my favorite music, etc. Time to yourself can help reduce stress and increase happiness.
2. Worry less--learn to control the things I can and let the other stuff just happen.
3. Try not to eat in front of the television-- this is a habit that will be hard to break. My family and I like to snack after dinner sometimes and that usually happens while watching television. Eating mindlessly can result in too many extra calories. I will turn off the TV and truly enjoy my "portion controlled" snacks.
4. Try a new exercise routine-sometimes we can get stuck in an exercise rut and it's nice to shake things up a bit. I'm thinking of taking up swimming!

I'll let you know how I'm doing and I hope you keep me updated as well.

Keep your eyes open for the Live Well "Lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks in 2010" contest coming soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope Danielson
Health & Wellness Advisor
Niemann Foods

Healthy Holiday Foods

Here are some popular holiday foods that are actually good for you:

1. Red wine--heart-healthy antioxidants
2. Dark chocolate-reduces risk of blood clots
3. Almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts-great source of vitamin E and heart-healthy fats
4. Lean meats such as turkey, chicken and fish-great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids
5. Cinnamon-lowers blood sugar and cholesterol
6. Dried fruit such as cranberries, dates, figs and raisins-rich in B vitamins and iron

Hope Danielson
Health & Wellness Advisor
Niemann Foods

Wash your hands!

Looking for the best way to keep healthy this winter? Wash your hands.

Washing hands throughout the day may be the best way to keep the flu away. Use regular soap and warm water. Dry with disposable towels and use the towel to turn off the faucet.

When you do not have soap and water nearby, try an antibacterial gel. They can kill 99.9 percent of germs. Make sure to look for one with at least 60 percent alcohol in order to kill microbes. Another plus is that alcohol based gels don't contribute to antibiotic resistance.


Hope Danielson
Health & Wellness Advisor
Niemann Foods

Happy Halloween

Looking for smart choices this Halloween. Try some of these better finds:

Smarties (2 rolls have 50 calories and 0g of fat)
Dum Dum Pops (2 pops have 51 calories and 0g of fat)
Tootsie Pop (1 pop has 60 calories and 0g of fat)
Candy Corn (13 pieces have 70 calories and 0g of fat)
3 Musketeers (1 "fun" size bar has 63 calories and 2g of fat)

Happy Halloween!

Hope Danielson
Health & Wellness Advisor
Niemann Foods

Peter, Peter Pumkin Eater!

Did you know that Pumpkins are not only good for decorating but also good for your heart?

According to the authors of Superfoods Healthstyle, canned or fresh, pumpkin is a superfood,. And this squash is especially good for your ticker because it's chock-full of carotenoids that are known to reduce heart disease risk.
Antioxidant ActionAnd that's not all, according to the book's authors, Steven G. Pratt, MD, and Kathy Matthews. Pumpkin is also a good source of potassium, magnesium, fiber, and antioxidant vitamins C and E. So don't think of this squash as merely a fall doorstep jazzer upper.

Hope Danielson
Health and Wellness Advisor
Niemann Foods