Here is the program I was telling some of you about that I started to follow. I'm not much of a runner, as a matter of fact I don't care for it too much at all. But walking was not getting my heart rate up enough, so I thought I would give it a try. I am now registered to run a 5K on May 7. We will see how it goes! :) - Vicki

Couch to 5K Running Program

Watch Out For These Healthy Food Pretenders!

I really liked this "Wellness Tip of the Week" emailed in January of 2009 so I'm sharing it here in case you didn't save it... Cindy

Watch Out For These Healthy Food Pretenders!

Pretzels
The label might say “fat free” but they’re made with refined white flour stripped of its vitamins and antioxidants, and they’re loaded with carbohydrates.

Spinach Wrap
It looks green and good for you but spinach is a scant ingredient. These wraps are typically made from refined white flour and the green hue primarily comes from food coloring. It’s higher in calories than cooked spinach and doesn’t have the high levels of vitamins A and C.

Vitamin Water
It has vitamins, but it has a lot of calories as well.

Spark Recipe Calculator

I wanted to share a great website with all of you. The Spark Recipe Calculator allows you to type in the ingredients for a recipe, and calculate the nutritional information, per serving. If you like designing your own recipes or frequently make substitutions, this is a great way to stay on top of your calorie intake!

Homemade Salad Dressing Recipe (great for a Greek salad!)

I've never been a huge salad eater, mainly because I hate the heavy dressings that seem to drown most salads. Last summer, a friend suggested that I try making my own salad dressing, so that I could have more control over the flavor and ingredients. After scouring the internet, I learned that the basic formula for a homemade salad dressing is simply:  2 parts oil, 1 part acid (e.g. vinegar, lemon juice, etc.), a minced aromatic (garlic, shallot, or onion), herbs, salt and pepper.

The recipe for the dressing I make the most often is located below. I usually make it for a Greek salad (recipe also follows). For additional homemade vinaigrette recipes, visit http://www.vinaigretterecipe.com/VinaigretteRecipes.htm.

Lemon Juice Vinaigrette
Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1.5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and shake well.
• Serve immediately, or store in the fridge for up to 5 days, in an air-tight container.

A note about picking an olive oil:
When you're making a homemade dressing or marinade, make sure that you use extra virgin olive oil. Regular olive oil has a bolder flavor, which could mask the flavors of your other ingredients, and is better suited to sautéing and grilling meats and vegetables.

Greek Salad (Horiatiki Salata)
Ingredients:

• 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 cups cucumber, sliced and then quartered
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped into 1-in. squares
• 1/4 red onion, sliced into rings
• 8 oz. low-fat (chunk) feta cheese, cut into small cubes
• Lemon Juice Vinaigrette (see above)
• 16 kalamata olives for garnish (optional, not calculated in nutritional info)

Directions:

• Place the tomato, cucumber, green pepper, onion and feta in a large bowl.
• Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine, just before serving.
• Garnish the salad with a little freshly ground black pepper and (if desired) kalamata olives. 

A traditional greek salad does not have lettuce, but I sometimes add chopped romaine hearts to this recipe, in order to serve more people and get some extra greens into my diet :)

Servings: 6-8
Nutritional Information: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1550901.