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“A diet that includes five servings
of fruits and vegetables a day is a way to show loved ones you care about
them,” says Kathy Means of the Produce Marketing Association (PMA). Set a good
example by incorporating these healthy foods into your own diet, and encourage
friends and family members to do the same.
Means points out that coronary
heart disease is the major cause of death in the United States, and is the most
common and most serious form of cardiovascular disease. Current evidence
suggests that fruits and vegetables help protect against coronary heart disease.
You can make sure you’re getting
your “five a day” with a few simple changes. For example, instead of
starting your morning with coffee, try a glass of fresh-squeezed juice instead.
And instead of reaching for a candy bar or chips for an afternoon snack, reach
for a piece of fruit or some crunchy vegetables.
You can also incorporate more
fruits and vegetables into your cooking. For inspiration, visit
www.aboutproduce.com.The recently redesigned site features hundreds of free
recipes that can be sorted by dish size, salad, soup, sauce, snack, beverage, or
dessert. Here’s a sample main dish recipe that can be prepared in less than 20
minutes:
French Style Chicken with Apples
6 boneless, skinless chicken
breasts
1 onion, sliced
1 can (10 ounces) condensed chicken broth
3 tablespoons apple brandy, cider, or apple juice
3 Empire apples, cored and sliced
6 to 8 artichoke hearts, cut in half
Pinch of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper
Minced fresh dill and parsley
Spray a large, non-stick skillet
with cooking spray. Brown chicken breasts on both sides. Remove chicken from
skillet and set aside. Stir in sliced onion, apples, artichokes, broth, juice
and spices. Cook 3 minutes. Spread chicken breasts in skillet; arrange apples,
onion, and artichokes on top. Simmer covered, about 10 minutes or until chicken
is tender and heated through. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh
parsley or dill and apple slices before serving. Makes 6 servings.
When visiting aboutproduce.com,
sign up for the Recipe Club to receive a free recipe every week by e-mail. Or if
you find a recipe that a friend or family member might enjoy, you can forward it
to them directly from the site.
In addition, you can now search for
recipes that contain more than one fruit or vegetable item. Convenient links
make it easy to learn more about the purchase, storage, and handling of each
produce ingredient.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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