getyourgoodnews/thehappychef

Hello everybody and welcome to The Happy Chef! I'm your host Chef Robert
Lewis, The Happy Diabetic, changing the way we eat one recipe at a time!

I'm excited to be a part of Get You Good News.com. My hope is that you catch
my passion for a living healthy lifestyle, cooking, making a difference in your life.
I want to make it simple and easy. Over the course of this column, I will bring
you real life experiences that will inspire you to take control of you healthy
lifestyle, so let's get to it!

Of course, we're in the beginning of a new year, so it's resolution time! AGAIN.
What does that mean? For me I like to think about it as a goal. So...here are my
eating goals for life. You know you heard me talk about "it's all about the
balance" so let's get balanced!

Here's my plan to a healthy lifestyle 2010

Increase my Intake of Fruits and Veggies : 1 piece of fruit, a salad and a
vegetable. Look honestly at your way of eating and add 2-4 servings per day. If
that is too much, add 1 serving to what you already eat. Ambitious? You can do
it!
For a great snack, buy some dried fruit (but watch for added sugar, sulphites
and other preservatives). Apples and whole fruit is what you should go after.

OK More Whole Grains: Tree barkey looking grains in bread and cereals are
what I'm looking for. Whole-grain bread products have come a long way from the
cardboard '70s version you hated. Now available in mainstream markets are
healthy alternatives such as cracked wheat sourdough, whole grain English
muffin, and 9-grain breads. Cereal manufacturers have also jumped on the
bandwagon, adding whole grains like oats, wheat, bran and barley. Be sure to
look for high fiber over 5 grams.

Eat more Fish: Your mother told you fish was good for you! She was right.
Much research has shown the ample benefits of a diet rich in fish. Salmon is my
favorite.

Eat Much Less Refined Sugars/Sweets: I have turned to dark chocolate.
LOVE IT! Considered a super food, dark chocolate is an antioxidant and low in
sugar. The darker the better, and it can be melted for dipping strawberries or
dried fruit for a tasty dessert (adding a serving of fruit as well).

No More Soda: Honestly, there isn't anything healthy about soda. No! Drink
some QCA spring water.

Get a Head Start with Breakfast: Breakfast is the most important meal, yet it
is probably the most skipped meal of the day. The word "breakfast" describes
exactly what it does: breaks a fast. After a good night's rest, your body has
gone eight to twelve hours without food or energy. It needs to replenish its blood
sugar stores. Blood sugar, or glucose, which comes from the breakdown of food
in the body, is your body's main source of energy. Proteins and carbs working
together like whole grain breads that are higher in fiber with peanut butter.

Here are some good suggestions for a healthy breakfast:

o High fiber cold cereal with fruit and no fat milk
o Yogurt with fruit or low-fat granola cereal
o Banana and a Kashi bar
o Old fashioned slow cooked oatmeal with raisins or berries
Instant type foods are generally highly processed. These foods digest very
quickly spiking your blood sugar. HIGH FIBER foods are filling and slow to
digest.

So…Get balanced!

Here is this week's recipe:

Over 1 billion pounds of shrimp is consumed each year in the U.S., almost 90%
of it from Asia and Central America. About 80% of shrimp consumed in the
United States each year is eaten in restaurants. Some 40% of the shrimp eaten
in the U.S. is farmed raised shrimp from Asia and South America. World shrimp
production is over 5 billion pounds a year, about 20 % of which is farmed.
Salmon and shrimp are the most popular seafoods in American restaurants. In
2001, shrimp replaced canned tuna as America's favorite seafood overall.

Shrimp and tomatoes are a wonderful pair that go great together. This recipe is a
succulent example!

Shrimp Scampi and Tomatoes of Love
Ingredients
1 lb Roma tomatoes; (2-3 tomatoes)
2 oz Feta cheese
4-5 sprigs of basil; fresh
4 T. virgin olive oil
Dash cracked pepper
1 lb large fresh shrimp, raw, deveined
1 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 fresh lime

Let's put it together!
Wash and slice tomatoes crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, 4-5 slices per
tomato. Arrange 2-3 slices on each salad plate. Sprinkle the blue cheese on top
each tomato. Cut fresh basil leaves into strips and top each tomato with basil.
Drizzle olive oil over the tops and add a dash of pepper.
Shrimp preparation:
Combine the juice of the lime, oil, garlic, and pepper in a large bowl. Add shrimp
and toss lightly to coat. Heat the grill on until hot. Place the shrimp on the grill
and cook for approximately 3-4 minutes. Turn the shrimp. Place the shrimp on
top of the tomato, basil, and Feta cheese. Enjoy!

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