Sweet Couscous with Dark Chocolate and Dried Fruit

Sandra Boynton, author of Chocolate: The Consuming Passion, notes, “Research tells us that 14 out of any 10 individuals like chocolate.” This comforting, simple combination of fruits and chocolate is adapted from a recipe by Mark Bittman, noted cookbook author and food columnist for the New York Times.

Serves 2 • Prep Time: 5 minutes • Cook Time: 10 minutes

 

1  cup plain or vanilla-flavored almond milk

1  cup uncooked power pilaf (see here) or Israeli or pearl couscous

1/4  teaspoon almond extract (optional)

2  tablespoons dark chocolate chunks or chocolate chips

2  tablespoons chopped dried cherries, cranberries, apricots, or golden raisins

 

1  In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the almond milk to a boil and stir in the pilaf. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until tender. Fluff with a fork.

2  Stir in the almond extract, if using, chocolate, and dried fruit. Enjoy warm, at room temperature, or cold.

 

Calories 135 • Total Fat 3.5g • Saturated Fat 2g • Carbohydrates 20.5g • Protein 5g • Dietary Fiber 1g • Sodium 55 mg

Energy Balance!

Get a jump on healthy living!

 

Some voices—family, friends, doctors, even our own—may tell us, “Don’t exercise, take it easy, you’ve been through so much . . . just rest.” But the scientific research tells us to ignore those voices and get moving, even if we’ve never exercised before.

Many studies show that being overweight at the time of breast cancer diagnosis and weight gain after diagnosis are linked to higher rates of recurrence and lower survival rates. To complicate matters even more is this fact: Treatment can cause weight gain. And we’re not talking about a pound or two. In an article in the December 18, 2011, issue of HUFFPOST Healthy Living, Dr. Wendy Demark-Wahnefried of the University of Alabama at the Birmingham Department of Nutrition says that in one year, women who received chemotherapy for breast cancer experienced muscle loss and fat gain that was similar to ten years of normal aging. So a forty-five-year-old may find herself with the body type of a fifty-five-year-old.

But wait, the news is good from the research published in the May 25, 2005, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), which says that physical activity after diagnosis can boost survival rates . . . even modest amounts of exercise. The greatest benefit occurred in women who performed the equivalent of walking three to five hours per week at an average pace. Numbers like these are hard to ignore . . . so try the following recipe to get moving now.

 

Calories Out Recipe No. 1

 

Instant Exercise!

 

Angie Ford, Jazzercise^® Center owner, shares these simple tried-and-true, time-saving ways to fit fitness into your busy life. Remember these daily tasks to make exercise a natural part of your day, every day:

POP IN A DVD. Remember that aerobic means rhythmic or continuous, with an increased heart rate for at least 20 minutes, so find a recipe that takes at least that much time to bake and pop in a good exercise DVD (I love the Jazzercise^® “Dancin’ Abs” thirty-minute version!).

REMEMBER THE PUNCH LINE. Imagine that you’re getting punched in the gut. To exercise your core, hold that feeling for a count of twenty. You can practice this core workout in your car or while standing in the check out line at the grocery store. Stronger core = stronger back = better balance = avoiding falls.

GET TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER. Your heart is a muscle, so you have to exercise it. To do so, you need to get it pumping on a regular basis. Weekend warrior-type stuff doesn’t work. Slow and steady wins the race, so consistency is just as important, if not more so, than intensity.

GET SNEAKY. Here are four simple ways to sneak in some fun and practical exercise moments throughout the course of your day:

• Park farther away from the grocery store door.
• Vacuum out your car (use your core muscles when tipping forward to get under seats).
• Take a quick walk with the dog (or neighbor).
• Avoid the elevator and take the stairs.

HYDRATE BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER EXERCISING. Studies have found that athletes who lose as little as 2 percent of body weight through sweating have a drop in blood volume which can cause the heart to work harder to circulate blood. With this drop in blood volume may come cramps, dizziness, fatigue, heat exhaustion, and stroke. So drink plenty of water.

FUN IS THE MOTIVATOR. If you aren’t having fun with your workout, you are less likely to stick with it. Since consistency is the key, it’s important to find something that feels joyous and not like a “chore.”

 

WHO KNEW?

Q: Is it okay to use cooking spray when I bake?

A: According to a study published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, December 20, 2007, even small amounts of the sprays, when heated, released high concentrations of diacetyl, a chemical that can cause serious and even fatal respiratory disease under repeated, long-term exposure. Although manufacturers have since removed products containing diacetyl from the market, some health advocates fear that using aerosol products is still risky since the long-term effects of inhaling the particles and vapors of other artificial ingredients isn’t known. Alternatively, an oil-spray pump sold at cookware stores works very similarly to a store-bought version (i.e., Pam) but also has key differences: You can fill the container with any oil of your choice. You manually pump air into the cylinder, which causes an increased internal pressure. Upon pushing the button, the pressure is released and oil is expelled onto the pan or food surface. There is no aerosol or artificial chemicals. This handy tool is a very healthy way of applying small amounts of fresh oil to foods.