Choose You Blog

I recently  confessed my tendency to overindulge in French fries.  After the blog was posted, a friend shared a recipe with me for no-fry French fries.  I was like, “What?!” French fries that aren’t fried?  And I immediately had to try what I dubbed as “faux fries.” I discovered that the prep is super-easy and I swear the potatoes are delicious.  Here’s how I made them:

Ingredients:

Russet potatoes, peeled

No-stick cooking spray

Seasoning (Options I’ve tried are: salt and pepper, Creole seasoning, and basil and parmesan – all were tasty!)

Instructions:

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  (Tip: While the oven is heating up I do the prep work.)

• Take a baking sheet and place aluminum foil on top the baking surface.  Spray foil with no-stick spray.

• Peel potatoes and cut into slices.  Place on foil.

• Spray sliced potatoes with no-stick spray and sprinkle with your seasoning of choice (see above).

• Bake for 30 minutes.  Sometimes a few extra minutes are needed depending on how many slices you cut and how thick they are. You’ll know they’re done when they brown on the edges.

• Lift off with a spatula and nom nom nom!

I’m not an experienced cook, so please forgive my makeshift recipe. Hopefully my explanation is enough for you to recreate it with success.  If you have suggestions for other tasty seasoning options, please share them here!

Lynn Lamousin is a Choose You subscriber from Atlanta, GA who signed up to Eat Right, Get Active, Get Regular Health Checks, and Protect My Skin. (She quit smoking many years ago, but still dreams about cigarettes.) Her mother and brother both lost battles with cancer.

I went to an SEC college and we love our football!  But what I find interesting is that as the players on the field are running, leaping and exercising I’m settled on the sofa with a plate of food in my lap.

I’ve been looking through the American Cancer Society’s recipes and I was thrilled when I found Black Bean and Butternut Squash Chili in The Great American Eat‐Right Cookbook .  This gourmet game day chili will fill you up with fall flavors without sinking you into the sofa cushions.

Black Bean and Butternut Squash Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 5 cups peeled, seeded butternut squash, cut into 1‐inch pieces
• 1 (141/2‐ounce) can vegetable broth or reduced–sodium chicken broth
• 1 (10‐ounce) can diced tomatoes with chiles, such as Ro*Tel
• 1 (15‐ounce) can no‐salt‐added corn, drained
• 1 (15‐ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

• In a large stockpot over medium heat, add oil. Sauté the garlic, onion, and bell pepper for 8 to 10 minutes, or until softened.
• Add chili powder, cumin, and oregano and stir to combine.
• Add squash, broth, and tomatoes and their juice and bring to a boil, stirring to combine.
• Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add corn and beans and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally.
• Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 6

Prep time: 30 minutes or less

Total time: 1 hour or less

Nutritional Information (Per Serving): Calories: 190; Calories from Fat: 35; Total Fat: 4.0 g; Saturated Fat: 0.4 g; Trans Fat: 0.0 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.5 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1.8 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 555 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 35 g; Dietary Fiber: 9 g; Sugars: 11 g; Protein: 7 g

Lynn Lamousin is a Choose You subscriber from Atlanta, GA who signed up to Eat Right, Get Active, Get Regular Health Checks, and Protect My Skin. (She quit smoking many years ago, but still dreams about cigarettes.) Her mother and brother both lost battles with cancer.

Even though it leaves me with hat head, I do love wearing my wide-brimmed felt fedora. I must admit that I bought it because it seemed stylish, but I was glad to learn that it also serves a dual purpose of reducing my risk of developing melanoma.

Wearing a hat protects areas often exposed to intense sun, such as the ears, eyes, forehead, nose, and scalp. Since buying the fedora, I’ve learned that a style with at least a 2- to 3-inch brim all around is best because it provides the most protection. A baseball cap can protect the front and top of the head but not the neck or the ears, where skin cancers commonly develop. And, sadly, straw hats are not as protective as ones made of tightly woven fabric.  (I love straw hats, but I’m glad I now realize that I should opt for more sun-protective materials.)

Of course, not all melanomas can be prevented, but wearing a hat is one simple thing you can do to reduce your risk.

So, what’s your favorite hat?  (And don’t tell me that after all the royal wedding coverage earlier this year you still don’t own a big-brimmed chapeau!)

He may have been a little off kilter, but the Mad Hatter from the Lewis Carroll classic, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” was on the mark with his hat selection. This style is large enough to shield him – and everyone at the tea party – from the sun.

Lynn Lamousin is a Choose You subscriber from Atlanta, GA who signed up to Eat Right, Get Active, Get Regular Health Checks, and Protect My Skin. (She quit smoking many years ago, but still dreams about cigarettes.) Her mother and brother both lost battles with cancer.

One of my best friends is a breast cancer survivor and in the past I’ve participated as one of her team members in the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk.  In the years that I couldn’t join in the walk, I contributed by making a donation.

One thing I noticed is that Making Strides should be nicknamed the “Pun Run” because many of the team names are very clever.  The event is held because of a serious subject – breast cancer – but for some people the best way to deal with a serious subject is to share a smile.  In this case, a smile over a punny team name.

Some of my favorite silly names over the years have been:

• These Boobs Were Made for Walking
• Breast Intentions
• BUSTin’ Loose

And these more thoughtful ones:

• Stride for the Bride
• Newlywed and Newlywell
• Team Sure of a Cure

Making Strides is more than a walk – it’s a fundraising event to help save lives. The dollars raised through the Making Strides events assist the American Cancer Society in their mission to help people stay well, help people get well, and help in the fight against breast cancer.

To find a walk in your area, donate to a team, or form a team of your own, visit the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer website.

Lynn Lamousin is a Choose You subscriber from Atlanta, GA who signed up to Eat Right, Get Active, Get Regular Health Checks, and Protect My Skin. (She quit smoking many years ago, but still dreams about cigarettes.) Her mother and brother both lost battles with cancer.

I know it sounds like an oxymoron, but I’ve figured out how to workout without doing a workout. This is on my mind because I was just reading that each year over half a million Americans die of cancer and at least one-third of these deaths are partially linked to physical inactivity, poor diet, and carrying too much weight.

I’m kind of stunned by this because those are all things we can modify if we choose to change them – and personally, I am trying hard to change them.

I really hate going to a gym, so here are the no workout workouts I’ve devised for myself that may help you, too:

• I love to shop (purses are my passion!) but instead of just dashing in for a new bag I stay for a while and do some “mall walking.”  I literally walk from one end of the mall to the other.  When I hit the end, I walk back and then head up the stairs to another level and do the same thing.  Mall walking is pleasant because I can window shop, it’s temperature-controlled, and I have access to water fountains and bathrooms.

• I’m a fan of taking the stairs.  I always try to bypass building escalators or elevators and use the stairs instead.  (My calves, thighs, and tush have all thanked me for this!)

• “Walking my errands” is something I do all the time.  (Of course, if you’d rather “bike your errands,” that works too.)  I live within a couple of miles of my bank, the post office, and the library.  So I bought a little backpack (during one of my mall walking trips) and I walk to these destinations as needed.  (BTW, remember to practice roadway safety.  Walk on the sidewalk or use the bike path, whenever possible.)

• No matter my destination, a super-simple habit I’ve gotten into is parking at the back of the parking lot so I have further to walk. Plus, it’s easy to find a spot in the last row and I cut out all that time I used to spend circling around and searching for a space up front.

• When I first bought my house I hired a lawn service, but it got to be a bit expensive.  So, I bought an inexpensive push mower and decided to get some exercise while I saved myself a little cash.

• While I watch television I stretch and workout with hand weights.  If you have a stationary bike or treadmill those are also great activities to do while you watch TV.

• I always try to think of “chores” (i.e. cleaning the house) as an opportunity to get moving.  It’s amazing how much of a workout you can get from sweeping, mopping, and scrubbing.

One thing to remember is that when you’re working out, you should aim to be active at least 30 minutes or more a day, 5 or more days a week.

Do you have any suggestions for other double-duty workouts?  How do you fit activity into your daily schedule?

Lynn Lamousin is a Choose You subscriber from Atlanta, GA who signed up to Eat Right, Get Active, Get Regular Health Checks, and Protect My Skin. (She quit smoking many years ago, but still dreams about cigarettes.) Her mother and brother both lost battles with cancer.

I just moved to a new state and I have to get new health insurance and new doctors.  And I admit that I dread the process.  So, I did some research to educate myself on how to select a new primary physician or specialist.  Here are questions that I’ll be asking the doctor and myself:

• How much experience/education/training does the doctor have and is it the type of background that will match my needs?
• Is the doctor board certified?
• What hospital is the doctor affiliated with?
• Does the doctor accept my insurance?
• Does the doctor seem to be listening to me and treating me with respect? What about the doctor’s staff?
• Is the doctor’s office in a convenient location?
• What days of the week is the doctor’s office open and what are the office hours?
• How long does it usually takes to get an appointment?

At the first appointment with my new doctor I’ll need to be sure to have all the information about my personal and family health history at hand so I can set-up a schedule of screening tests.  I learned that if you speak to the office staff at your new doctor’s office they should be able to help you transfer your past medical records to your new doctor.  This can help prevent errors and avoid extra tests.

If you’re having trouble finding a new doctor, ask friends, family and co-workers for a referral.

Lynn Lamousin is a Choose You subscriber from Atlanta, GA who signed up to Eat Right, Get Active, Get Regular Health Checks, and Protect My Skin. (She quit smoking many years ago, but still dreams about cigarettes.) Her mother and brother both lost battles with cancer.

Dear fatty fried food,

“only in moderation”

is my new motto.

Okay, I’m not Emily Dickinson, but my haiku is heartfelt because I just learned that poor diets and sedentary lifestyles are the most significant contributors to cancer risk.  When I heard this I thought, “Wow, I gotta eat better and get moving.”  But, it’s not just a thought – I’m actually doing it!

I’m a vegetarian, but I still struggle with my weight and I really struggle with eating well-balanced meals. People assume that as a vegetarian I’m “healthy,” but I can personally attest to the fact that French fries cooked in vegetable oil and sprinkled with salt are:

1. Fattening when you overindulge in them
2. Delicious!
3. Not healthy if it’s all you eat
4. Delicious!
5. Did I say, Delicious!?

Okay, so you get the point, while delicious and okay in moderation (again, let me emphasize “in moderation”) lately I’ve been very slack when it comes to eating a balanced diet.

So, I recently made a Choose You commitment to Eat Right. The American Cancer Society recommends eating 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day to help prevent cancer. And, in general, those with the most color – dark green, red, yellow, and orange – have the most nutrients. Plus, fruits and vegetables are usually low in calories.

So, I’m limiting French fries (and other fried munchies), and instead I’m following these snack suggestions to help me reach my daily fruit and vegetable goal:

• I stocked up on dried fruits and vegetable juice boxes. Both are portable and can be easily stored in a desk drawer, gym bag, or the glove compartment.
• I bought fresh fruits and vegetables and arranged them in a bowl on the kitchen counter. Seeing them on display reminds me to actually eat them!
• Prep is often my downfall (I’m a little lazy in the kitchen), so I look for pre-washed, pre-cut vegetables. The grocery store has everything from baby carrots to broccoli florets bagged, washed and ready to eat. For a quick (and Delicious!) snack, I dip them in non-fat ranch dressing for extra zip.

Anyone have other suggestions for portable snacks that will help me alleviate the desire to shove fried potatoes in my mouth?

Lynn Lamousin is a Choose You subscriber from Atlanta, GA who signed up to Eat Right, Get Active, Get Regular Health Checks, and Protect My Skin. (She quit smoking many years ago, but still dreams about cigarettes.) Her mother and brother both lost battles with cancer.