Fit Fare

While the saying it’s not easy being “green” still holds true in some areas, it is becoming easier to be green than ever before. That’s because of an increasing education of the general public regarding the environment and the growing willingness of local governments to take on greater ecological responsibility.

Whether you live in one of America’s greenest cities such as Eugene, Oregon, or, in a place where the infrastructure isn’t so environmentally friendly, you can still have a positive impact on the environment at the grocery store. Here are a few ways to make more environmentally friendly choices.

Bring Your Own Grocery Bags

One of the worst things for our environment is plastic. Most plastics take hundreds of years to decompose. An easy way to limit the amount of plastic bags that you use, and ultimately, throw away, is to purchase reusable grocery bags.

Purchase Less Packaging

Try to buy products with as little packaging as possible. Instead of multi-packs, purchase large jugs of juice and use your own containers. Look for a block of cheese instead of individually wrapped slices.

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Have you ever looked at an artichoke in the market and thought, “What the heck am I supposed to do with that?” If so, you’re not alone.

Artichokes are odd looking–like a cross between a hand grenade and a cactus. Plus those tiny thorns on the tops of the leaves can give you a nasty prick when you handle one.

Since it’s peak artichoke season, however, I don’t want you to miss out. Eating an artichoke is actually easier than it looks, but it’s helpful to know a few things first:

• An artichoke is actually the edible flower of a thistle plant in the sunflower family. If left to develop, the artichoke will blossom into a spiky, vibrant purple flower.
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Now that the weather is warming up a bit, we have started eating more salads. Before going gluten-free we used to buy all the creamy, fat-laden Ranch and Italian dressings, but ever since finding this recipe in a magazine I don’t buy any store-bought dressings anymore. It is very light and perfect for those warm summer nights. And the good thing is that it is very easy to make!

Creamy Dill Dressing

1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream (either regular or reduced-fat, I use whichever is on sale)
1-2 cloves garlic, pressed (depending on if you like a hint of garlic or a lot)
1 tsp. dried dillweed (or you can experiment with fresh)
salt and pepper to taste

• Place all ingredients in a blender.
• Pulse until all ingredients are blended together and there are no lumps.
• Let chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.

Variations: I also use this dressing over tilapia and other seafoods.

Food Safety: Leftovers can be stored in a tightly-sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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To be honest, I had quite the pessimistic attitude when I first came upon these little pouches of fruit by Peeled Snacks. Packaged dried fruit, so what is new? It is just dried fruit, so simple, no wow factor … but to my complete surprise so [counter] revolutionary.

I used to be an avid dried fruit snacker, but with all of the added sugars and sulfur dioxide, I reasoned that fresh fruit was probably the only way to go. But Peeled Snacks has taken a step back in time, serving up dried fruit without the preservatives and sugar. That’s right, just fruit. As I unfortunately discovered in a prior Peeled Snacks taste test, this means a shorter shelf-life. But as long as you don’t hold onto these babies for several months, they are still pretty shelf-stable.

Go-Mango-man-go ~ I loved (and quickly devoured) these mini mango strips and their true-to-fruit flavor. The mango was surprisingly sweet on its own and left me wondering why on earth so many manufacturers feel the need to add sugar to dried fruit. A truly addictive little healthy snack!

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If you push yourself like I do when working out, sometimes you’re going to end up injured (or at least incredibly sore). I run three days a week, as well as use the elliptical and lift weights four days a week. I don’t often ‘take it easy’ during a workout, and while my schedule has produced some pleasing results over the past year, it also sometimes leaves me tired, sore, and just plain worn out. To help me maintain this schedule, I rely on a few key resources.

Massage

Before I started getting regular massages, I couldn’t understand why anyone would pay someone to rub their shoulders. Really… isn’t this the job of my significant other? How much better could it be to pay someone to do this for me? Well, now that I get regular massages, I can answer with a firm “it’s amazing”. My husband might give good shoulder rubs, but a good massage therapist can do so much more. Unfortunately I can’t tell you how to find a good therapist. The answer is different for everyone. After moving three years ago, I spent almost two years trying out various therapists before I found one who was perfect for me. You need to make sure, above all, that your therapist listens to you. A therapist who performs deep tissue when you really wanted a light touch isn’t going to do you any good whatsoever. Once you do find a therapist, make sure that you have a dialog with them about what is going on with your body each time you visit.

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