http://www2.mcdowellnews.com/news/2010/may/25/make-healthy-choice-easy-choice-ar-172270/

Time to Give Your Taste Buds a Makeover this Spring?

Try some of our favorites in the Spring issue of American Institute of Cancer Research.

http://www.aicr.org/site/DocServer/AICR_NL_107-Web.pdf?docID=3621

Here are some tasty suggestions to make your meals more exciting:

Give you palate a fresh taste with green pea guacamole dip or red pepper and pecan salad!

Add a new salad green to your menu such as arugula, butter head or endive. Combine it with fresh herbs, like basil, and other vegetables of every color and texture – from steamed sweet potato cubes to crunchy radishes or jicama– similar to apples, but not sweet..

Add roasted bell peppers, carrots, zucchini, onions, turnips and other veggies with a small drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to bring out a rich, sweet taste.

Have a healthy spring!

Carol and Denise

Have you registered for Summer Day Camp yet?  Act now, spots are filling fast for a Summer full of swimming, hiking, group games, archery, field trips and much more!  Contact the Child Care Services Office at 210-CARE, or visit us online at http://www.ymcawnc.org/ (select the day camp widget) for information and registration about Summer Day Camps in Buncombe and McDowell Counties!

Have you ever wondered just how much protein you really need?  What exactly is the role that protein plays in maintaining our nutrition and good health? Here are just a few of protein’s functions:

-growth and maintenance (especially children, teens, pregnant women)

-tissue repair and building immunity

-to make essential hormones and enzymes in the body

-for energy if other energy sources, like carbohydrates, are not available

Extra protein in the diet isn’t usually necessary.  About 25% of your total calories you consume each day should be in the form of protein foods. Contrary to popular belief,eating more protein won’t give you more muscle. The only way to make your muscles larger is to exercise the muscles. If you eat excess protein over the body’s needs for growth and repair, it is just extra calories. Extra calories, whether they are from carbohydrate, protein or fat will be stored as body fat.

Here are a few of our favorite quick and easy portable proteins to eat on the go:

*Greek yogurt (double the protein!)

*Sports and protein Bars

*Protein shakes, sports shakes

*Pistachios, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, soy nuts

*Sunflower and pumpkin seeds

*Peanut butter sandwiches

*Instant breakfast drink packets (carnation instant breakfast)

*High protein cereals (special K, “Kashi” Go-Lean)

*Canned tuna, salmon, or chicken

*dehydrated bean soup mixes

*Individualized packets cheese cubes or string cheese

A balance of healthy carbohydrates, protein and fat are needed for good health!