Treat Yourself Right! by Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., President, Produce for Better Health Foundation (NAPSA)—There’s a reason health experts recommend eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, comerain or come shine. It’s because they taste great, are easy to eat and most importantly, good for you—even in ways we don’t know about yet! When’s the last time a vitamin pill Pivonka could say all that? Fresh fruits from Chile, especially grapes, make eating fruit in the winter fun. You may not realize when you look out the window and it’s cold and gloomy, that in Chile it’s sunny and warm—the perfect time of year for growing grapes. Why not bring a few, or quite a few, of those juicy, delicious, nutritious, sun-drenched fruits home with you from the supermarket? Arrange bunches of crunchy, sweet red ones, lightly flavored green ones and tender, mellow-flavored bluish-black ones in a bowl on your counter. You'll be surprised how much more fruit you eat when it’s colorful, tasty and readily at hand. Choose grapes that are plump, full-colored and firmly attached to their stems. Store unwashed grapes in a plastic bag in the refrigerator; they will keep for up to a week. Everyone knows that grapes are a great snack, but they’re also a wonderful ingredient in a wide range of recipes. Tossed Green Salad with Grapes, Nectarines and Spicy Honey Dressing is a delightful salad to serve with roasted lean meats or fish. The simple, yet flavorful dressing really allows the grapes and nectarines to shine. It’s important to eat 5 to 9 serv- ings of fruits and vegetables every day. Colorful fruits and vegetables provide the wide range of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals your body uses to stay healthy and energetic, help maintain a healthy weight, protect against the effects of aging, and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Fruits from Chile including grapes, nectarines, peaches, plums, apples, pears and kiwi fit the bill perfectly. Now, close your eyes, pop a few grapes in your mouth and savora little taste of summer. For more information on fresh fruits from Chile, visit www.cffausa.org. For information about 5 A Day and The Color Way Guide to the Health Benefits of Colorful Fruits and Vegetables, visit the Web site www.d5aday.com and www.about produce.com. Tossed Green Salad with Grapes, Nectarines and Spicy Honey Dressing A delicious salad to accompany roasted or grilled fish, meats and poultry. Serves 6 Numberof 5 A Dayservings: 114 Prep. Time: 15 minutes Eat Your Colors Every Day To Stay Healthy & Fit This recipe has fruits and vegetables from the following color groups: Blue/Purple, Green, Yellow/Orange, Red Dressing: 2 tablespoons honey 1% tablespoons Balsamic vinegar 1% tablespoonsoliveoil \% teaspoon crushed red pepper Salad: 1 cup each washed, seedless red, green and black grapes,cut in half if desired 1 nectarine, washed, pitted and coarsely diced 4 cups washedand dried salad greens Salt, optional Ground pepper Combine dressing ingredients and mix until wellblended. Stir into prepared fruit and allow to marinate until ready to serve. Toss fruit mixture with greens and serve on salad plates. Sprinkle with salt, if desired, and ground pepper. Nutritional information per serving: calories: 128, total fat: 4g, saturated fat: 1g, % calories from fat: 26%, protein: 1g, carbohydrates: 25g, cholesterol: Omg, dietary fiber: 2g, sodium: 12mg ee eee ee eee eee: BE wr rrr rrr rrr rrr crc ccc Note to Editors: Chilean grapes are available from December to May. Fifty-first in a series of monthly 5-A-Day columns, with more stories featuring fruits and vegetables at www.napsnet.com and search: “Pivonka.”
