2nd Annual 5K!!!

Hello Everyone,
On your mark...get set...GO!! It's time to start getting you and your family ready for the 2nd annual FREE Healthy Lifestyles 5K Family Fun Run/Walk. Bring your family or a friend and come have a great time being active. If you came last year then you know it's a great time. You won't want to miss this!!!

When: Saturday August 13, 2011 @ 8 am (please arrive 1/2 hour early)
Where: The Utah County Historic Courthouse lawn (100 E. Center, Provo, UT)
Who: All Utah County employees and their immediate family (spouse & children) or a guest are invited. All fitness levels are welcome from couch potato to marathon runner.
How:
Click here ( http://uchealthylifestyles5k.pbworks.com) to register.Please only fill out ONE registration sheet per family or group.

Everyone lined up waiting to start last year

For more detailed information about this event and training schedules please click the above link. Make sure to read the "Frequently Asked Questions" page to find your answers and to learn more about the event.

FREE T-SHIRT TO FIRST 100 HEALTHY LIFESTYLES MEMBERS TO REGISTER!!!!

Take Care of Your Skin

Hello all,
This is a great video for adults and especially kids. Sometimes when we think of health we only focus on eating healthy and exercising, but health is such a bigger umbrella. Let's not forget about other things. Next month (July)is UV Safety Month...don't forget to take care of your skin.

June Vegetable of the Month!!!

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights a fruit and vegetable each month. The chosen vegetable for June is:

Okra


Okra grows in an elongated, lantern shape vegetable. It is a fuzzy, green colored, and ribbed pod that is approximately 2-7 inches in length. This vegetable is more famously known by its rows of tiny seeds and slimy or sticky texture when cut open. Okra is also known as bamia, bindi, bhindi, lady's finger, and gumbo, is a member of the cotton (Mallow) family.

Okra is commonly associated in Southern, Creole, and Cajun cooking since it was initially introduced into the United States in its southern region. It grows well in the southern United States where there is little frost.

Okra is a powerhouse of valuable nutrients. It is a good source of vitamin C. It is low in calories and is fat-free. To learn more about okra go here.

Okra and Green Beans
Makes 6 servings
Source: University of Illinois Extension

Ingredients

1 lb okra, uncut
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 lb fresh green beans
2 large garlic cloves, crushed then chopped
1 cup water
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground pepper
1 6-ounce can tomato paste

Wash okra pods, trim stems, do not remove caps. Rinse well and drain. Wash beans and cut into 3 inch lengths. Combine water, tomato paste, olive oil, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in a sauce pan and mix well. Heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to boil. Add okra and beans and additional water if necessary to almost cover vegetables.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer gently until vegetables are crisp-tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve it warm or cold.

*This dish can also be oven-baked. Instead of simmering, lightly cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350°F.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 106, Protein 5g, Fat 3g, Calories From Fat 19%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 19g, Fiber 7g, Sodium 187mg.

June Fruit of the Month!!!

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights a fruit and vegetable each month. The chosen fruit for June is:

Pluots and Apriums

Pluots are complex hybrid fruits that are part plum and part apricot in heritage. These fruits were originally invented in the late 20th century by Floyd Zaiger and are now grown in parts of Washington and California. Pluots have a majority of plum parentage and therefore, have smooth skin like plums. Some varieties of pluots are sometimes called interspecific plums, or dinosaur eggs. The pluot is often confused with the aprium which is another plum and apricot hybrid with mostly apricot heritage. Like apricots, apriums have slightly fuzzy skin. Pluots and apriums are known for their sweetness and flavor; the sugar content of these fruits is much higher than that of a plum or apricot alone. For more information about these fruits go here.

Confetti plum (pluot)-pasta salad
Makes 6 servings
Each serving equals 1/2 cup of fruit or vegetables
Source: Fruits & Veggies—More Matters Better Health Cookbook

Ingredients

8 ounces corkscrew pasta
½ medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
¾ cup peeled and diced jicama
½ cup chopped red onion
8 pluots, sliced
2 Tbsp diced pimento
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
3 Tbsp rice or white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain. Rinse briefly under cold water and drain. In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, red and yellow bell peppers, jicama, onion, and pluots.

In a small bowl, whisk together all the basil, pimento, ginger, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper until blended. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss evenly until coated.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 216, Protein 6g, Fat 3g, Calories From Fat 14%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 42g, Fiber 4g, Sodium 43mg.

Eat Your Colors Half Way Point

We've made it half way through our "Eat Your Colors Challenge". How have you been liking it so far? It's been fun to hear feedback from participants of this challenge. Let's face it, it's more fun to have a variety of foods in your diet and it's good for you!!!
Go here for some tips on how to pick the right produce and the best way to store it.

Check this out!!!

We had a great Brown Bag presentation last week that talked about menu planning and the benefits that come with it both nutritionally and financially. There is a great website called www.mealsmatter.org. This site allows you to take your menu planning to a whole new level. You can input your own recipes or take advantage of the 100's that others have submitted. Once you have your menu picked out, the site automatically creates a shopping list for you. It's great!!!! If you have time, check it out.

Rainbow Pizza

Ingredients
3 English muffins, split (6 halves)
1/2 cup Pizza or pasta sauce
Pizza toppings (choose any 3):
Grated carrots
Sliced mushrooms
Chopped broccoli
Pineapple chunks
Chopped green or red pepper
Sliced zucchini
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated

Preparation

1. Spread about one tablespoon sauce on each muffin half.

2. Arrange your favorite toppings on the "crust" in a single layer. Use at least three colors.

3. Sprinkle one tablespoon cheese on each pizza.

4. Place pizzas on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 106 ; Total Fat: 3g ; Saturated Fat: 1g ; Carbohydrates: 16g ; Protein: 6g ; Calcium: 116 mg ; Sodium: 248mg ; Fiber: 3g

May Brown Bag

Eating healthy can be tough when we don't take the time to plan ahead. Come to this month's Brown Bag and learn how taking a few minutes during your week to plan ahead can actually save you some time and money. You'll also learn ideas of how to incorporate more nutrients into your meals. Hope to see you there :)

Health and Justice Building
When:Wednesday May 18th @ noon
Where:HJB room 2500

Utah County Jail
When: Wednesday May 25th @ noon
Where: EOC room

*Door prizes will be given
*Attendance is worth 15 HE points

Eat Your Colors!!!

Hello Everyone,
Spring is here and gardens are growing. Now is a time where there are tons of tasty fruits and vegetables available. The Healthy Lifestyles program would like to invite you to participate in the "Eat Your Colors Challenge".

What: "Eat Your Colors Challenge". This is a four week challenge with two parts:
Part 1: Eat at least 3 of the 5 different colors of fruits and/or vegetables every day throughout the challenge.
Part 2: Submit your yummiest/healthiest recipe containing at least one fruit and/or vegetable in it (the more f&v the better)

Who: ALL Healthy Lifestyles participants are welcome and encouraged to participate in this challenge.

When: May 15th - June 11th

Why Should I Participate?:
*Completing this challenge will give you your total 30 points for the second quarter.
*All who participate and complete this challenge will receive a
Healthy Lifestyles Recipe Book!!!!!!
We'll be combining all the recipes from the 2010 Healthy Holidays Challenge with all the recipes submitted this time around.
*Prize drawing for completing the challenge

When Can I Sign Up?: Today!!!
*Go to www.appleprogram.com
*Log In
*Click on "Competitions"
*Click "Sign Me Up"

Where Can I Find More Info/Instructions?:
*Click Health Promotion (Located on the left hand side of the page)
*Scroll down until you see the "Eat Your Colors Challenge"
*Read about the challenge and the instructions of how to participate

If you have any questions please contact Stephanie Jones @ 801-851-7098, stephh.uchlth@state.ut.us OR call Apple at 1-888-346-0990

May Vegetable of the Month!!!

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights a fruit and vegetable each month. The chosen vegetable for May is:

The Potato

Potatoes were introduced to North America in the 18th century via Irish immigrants, however their native home is South America. Potatoes were first cultivated in the Andes Mountains over 7,000 years ago. Many kinds of potatoes are seen in restaurants, grocery stores, and even homes today, but the most common of these are the russet, round white, and the red potato. Potatoes are tough and durable, store well, and have an impressive nutritional content including being a rich source of fiber, potassium and vitamin C. Like other fruits and vegetables, potatoes are a low calorie food and are free of fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Keep in mind, however, that the leaves and stems of a potato plant are poisonous and may cause illness when ingested.

To learn more about the potato (selection, preparation, etc.) click here.

Broccoli Baked Potatoes
Makes 6 servings (serving size 1 potato)
Each serving equals 1 1/4 cups of fruit or vegetables
Source: Produce for Better Health

Ingredients

6 medium Idaho potatoes
3 stalks broccoli
¼ cup skim milk
1 cup shredded low fat Cheddar cheese
1/8 tsp pepper

Make shallow slits around the middle as if you were cutting the potatoes in half lengthwise. Bake until done, 30 to 60 minutes, depending on size. Peel broccoli stems. Steam whole stalks just until tender and chop finely. Carefully slice the potatoes in half and scoop the insides into a bowl with the broccoli. Add the milk, 3/4 cup cheese and pepper. Mash together until the mixture is pale green with dark green flecks. Heap into the potato jackets and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Return in oven to heat through (about 15 minutes). Oven: 350°F. Time: 30 to 60 minutes; 15 minutes to melt cheese or to reheat.

Nutritional analysis per serving (1 potato): Calories 346, Protein 24g, Fat 7g, Calories From Fat 17%, Cholesterol 20mg, Carbohydrates 44g, Fiber 14g, Sodium 327mg.