| Slimming
down in the summer is ever so much easier. The warm air is inviting,
the sun is shining and you don't have to dress like an Eskimo
just to get the mail. You want to show off your fresh pedicure
and that sassy new pair of summer sandals, don't you? Fresh vegetables
and fruits are beginning to ripen in your backyard garden. If
you don't have a garden of your own, fruits and vegetables are
always available in the produce section of your grocery store.
You'll also find a colorful bounty of fresh organic produce at
your local natural foods store.
Craving fresh fruits in the warmth of summer
is only natural. We don't usually think of tomatoes as a fruit,
but that's what they are. This nourishing food is full of nutrients,
one of which is lycopene, which gives it that deep red color.
Tomatoes are naturally full of antioxidants, which are great
for fighting free radicals inside the body, thus keeping you
healthy and energized. Lycopene is also responsible for the
bright red and orange of fresh ripe peppers.
One of the best ways to start a diet is to
learn a new snack recipe or try combining foods in a new way.
Choose firm and bright orange, green and red peppers. Cut the
stem off with a sharp kitchen knife. Clean the seeds out, and
slice the pepper in half, then in long strips. Keep them on
hand to eat instead of crackers or chips, for a refreshing,
delicious-tasting snack that's good for you, plus, won't add
pounds to your hips.
Dip
your pepper slices in fresh hummus for a real treat. You might
like to make this as a simple dinner or low-calorie, nutritious
side dish. This middle eastern staple food is simple to make
and will keep fresh when refrigerated. Open one can of garbanzo
beans, rinse under fresh cold water and drain. In your blender,
pour half the can of garbanzos with enough olive oil to allow
it to blend into a wet liquidy mix. easily. Chop up a fresh
organic garlic clove (or two). Toss in the remainder of the
garbanzo beans, the chopped garlic, and blend. Sprinkle on salt
and ground black pepper to taste.
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