Defeating The Winter Doldrums — (NAPS)—Defeating the winter doldrums may seem daunting, but it can be done. According to Ellie Krieger, reg- istered dietitian and lifestyles counselor, there are several ways to keep the blues at bay. “Exercising, eating healthy foods and creating some imaginative activities can help people ery have a healthier, happier winter,” she Ellie Krieger said. Following are a few of Ellie’s tips: Exercise—Indoors And Out e Volunteer your time ata local agency. Spend an afternoon helping someone else—you’ll feel better for it. Soup’s On—PoundsAren’t “Perhaps myfavorite key to winter health and happinessis soup,” said Krieger. “Most people like to eat warm meals that stick to their ribs in the winter, and soup is just that. Plus, with so many canned- preparedversionsof soup available, it is certainly a quick and easy mealto serve,” she continued. According to Krieger, soup is also great for maintaining your weight. “When people eat soup they e Enjoy winter outdoor activi- tend to feel content before they take in too manycalories since for some skiing or snowboarding. Or becomea kid again and build a the scales from tipping in the wrong direction,” she explained. in a “friendly” snowball battle. recipe to warm you from head to toe. ties while you can! Hit the slopes snowman, go sledding or engage Surf’s up! Put on your bathing suit and swim somelaps in an indoor pool. It’s great exercise— and a good way to judge if you’ve added winter pounds. Eating Tips e Eat your veggies! Canned vegetable soup is an excellent way soup is mostly liquid. That keeps Following is a nutritious soup Spill-The-Beans Minestrone Ingredients: 1 tablespoonolive oil 1 medium onion, chopped Pantry basics—cannedbeans, broth, tomatoes and dry pasta— are all you need to makethis colorful, rich soup % teaspoon crushed red pepper Grated Parmesan cheese (optional) Preparation: In medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook and stir onion and garlic 3 to 5 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add broth, beans, tomatoes, kale (if desired), pasta and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce 2 cloves garlic, finely heat; cover and simmer 10 to during the winter. Or, add canned vegetables to other types of soup. 2 cans (14% ounceseach) tender. Serve with Parmesan cheese,if desired. run to the store! Keep a wellstocked pantry that includesa vari- 1 can (15% ounces) reducedsodium garbanzobeans, Creative Ways To Spend 1 can (15% ounces) reducedsodium red kidney beans, Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Servings: 6 (1% cups) to get your vegetable servings Stock up so you don’t have to ety of convenience items such as canned foods and popularpastas. Winter Days Fire up the grill! Have a cookout indoors by cooking chicken kebabs and turkey burgers on an chopped reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth rinsed and drained rinsed and drained 1 can (14% ounces)Italianstyle stewed tomatoes 2 cups choppedkale or indoor grill. Open a can of baked beans and use a variety of canned Swiss chard (optional) % cup uncookedsmall shell- summer fruit salad. Make sure you eat from paperplates. 4 teaspoonItalian seasoning fruit to make a healthy, taste-of- shaped pasta 12 minutes or until pasta is Nutritional Information Per Serving: 203 calories; 4 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 745 mg sodium; 37 g carbohydrate; 8 g fiber; 11 g protein. For hundreds of canned food recipes or for more information on canned food, visit the Canned Food Alliance at www.mealtime.org.
