When an inconvenience becomes a serious health problem...

So allow me to set the stage: a neighbor of mine is in his garage and I just pull into my garage next to his...I ask him, "How have you been / how was your weekend / how are you?" and the response he gives me reminds me why we need be healthy and have better eating habits...

"I was in the hospital over the weekend / I had chest pains and pressure in my chest / I underwent an angiogram (medical procedure to using a colored dye in your blood to visually see blockage problems in your heart)..."

No one should have to respond to "how was your weekend" like that...the unfortunate reality is that many of us are currently putting ourselves in that position through our daily eating habits and food choices...it is our "human nature" to only deal with a problem when we can see it, feel it, hear it, when it truly becomes an inconvenience. And the consequences of our actions include hospital visits, medical procedures and the possibility of needing to take medications since we cannot win the fight to incorporate health into our lives...

So "How do I prevent this condition from worsening / reoccurring again???..."

"The doctors told me to eat healthy...."

And that's the blunt truth of it all...if you want to avoid the hospital, or unncessary doctor's visits, or avoid undue stress related to lingering diet related health problems, we need to eat healthy...BUT HOW????...

For this particular situation, without knowing the specifics, most doctors & nutritionists want us to lower the amount of bad cholesterol in our diet, eat more fiber from fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and eat smaller portions to lose weight and lower our risks for these diet related medical conditions...In terms of food ideas, here's my take on getting our bodies back on track through healthy & great tasting meals:

• Roasted Butter Nut Squash w/ Roasted Shrimp and Garlic
• Saute Eggplant, Peppers, and Sun-dried Tomatoes with Chicken Breast
• Herbed Chicken & Apple Burgers with Arugula, Grape Tomatoes and Whole Wheat Pita Sandwiches
• Zucchini, Cauliflower & Chicken Breast Stuffed Bell Peppers
  

Here's the recipe for the Stuffed Bell Peppers:

Serves 4 (1 serving = 1 stuffed pepper)

-4 medium red bell peppers, tops and seeds removed
-1 tsp olive oil
-salt & pepper to taste

-2 medium sized zucchini, finely diced - 1/4"
-1/4 head of cauliflower, finely chopped
-8 oz chicken breast (cut into 1/2" slices)
-5 basil leaves - chopped
-1 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
-1 Tbsp Light Olive Oil

-1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
-1 tsp Light Olive Oil


Preheat oven to 375-degrees & line a baking sheet with rimmed edges with foil. Cut the tops off the red bell peppers and remove the stems and seeds. Place on the baking sheet and drizzle the inside of the peppers with olive oil, and season lightly with salt & pepper. Set aside.

On low heat, heat your oil with the basil leaves - do not burn - we want to extract the oils from the basil to infuse the olive oil. Meanwhile, prep your veggies and chicken breast. Once the basil oil starts to "sizzle" (about 10 minutes on low heat), increase the temperature and saute the chicken breast slices. Light season with salt & pepper. After the chicken begins to brown, remove from the pan and begin to saute the veggies. Lightly season with salt & pepper. While veggies are cooking, finely dice the chicken, and add back into veggie mixture. Add Herbes de Provence and continue to cook until zucchini is just turning soft (5 to 7 minutes). Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Remove the chicken veggie mixture from heat and spoon into the the bell peppers. Make sure to pack in as tight and as evenly as possible. Sprinkle the panko crumbs onto each stuffed pepper and drizzle the olive oil on the crumbs.

Place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the peppers are soft but not burnt. Make sure to watch the panko crusts to keep from burning.

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly for 5 minutes after removing from the oven.