Berries are at their peak freshness in the spring and this recipe takes advantage of all those juicy, sweet strawberries pouring into grocery stores. With each serving coming in at only 190 calories you can afford to add a dollop of sugar-free whipped cream or a scoop of frozen yogurt. Makes 9 servings.

Image from Allrecipes.com. All rights reserved. Copyright 2012

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh or frozen, slightly thawed unsweetened strawberries, halved (about 2-1/2 cups)
• 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed to measure, divided
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons margarine, melted
• 12 ounces fresh or slightly thawed frozen rhubarb, sliced (about 2-1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 9 packets Sweet One® granulated sugar substitute, divided
• 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup whipped cream (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; add strawberries, rhubarb and orange peel and toss. In small bowl, combine cornstarch, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 6 packets Sweet One®; add to fruit and toss to coat. In same bowl, combine oats, walnuts, flour, cinnamon, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and remaining 3 packets Sweet One®; stir in melted margarine until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until topping is browned and rhubarb is tender. Cool before serving. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

For many people, work means sitting in front of a computer at a desk all day. Recent studies have shown that this can be worse for your health than you might think, even if you are active outside of work. So what can you do to stay active and healthy all day?

Image from Prevention.com. All rights reserved. Copyright 2011

• Take a break. Getting up more from your desk during the day can be good for your health and your sanity. Research has shown that frequent small breaks can make most people more productive and they can help keep your waistline in check. Taking a walk at lunch is also a great way to sneak exercise into a busy schedule. It gets you outside and gives you a mental break from work.
• Stretch it out. If you can’t get away, take a break at your desk. Get up and stretch your muscles. Reach for the sky, bounce a couple times on your tip toes and then bend over to touch your toes. This helps relieves the tension in your shoulders and back.
• Stand up. If you can make adjustments at your desk or in your office, standing is better for you than sitting. Standing breaks at your desk can be better for your back, strengthen your leg muscles and improve your balance. It also burns more calories than sitting. Start by standing for 15-20 minutes every couple hours and gradually increase the frequency as you get more comfortable.
• Climb some stairs. If there are stairs in your building, take a 5 minute break and climb a few flights. It’ll get your blood flowing, warm up your muscles, and allow you to clear your mind. If you have a friend in the office it’ll also give you a chance to catch up with them while increasing your heart rate.
• Bounce around. Exercise balls have become more popular at work. Because an exercise ball isn’t stable, you’re using your core muscles and legs to help compensate for changes in balance. Thus, you’re essentially getting a low-key workout. Start with 5-10 minutes an hour and slowly increase the amount of time on the ball to avoid muscle fatigue and cramping. For tips on choosing the right ball and additional exercises you can do, check out this page.

These simple changes in your work day can help lower blood sugar, triglycerides, cholesterol and waist size. Do you want to know how many calories these activities burn? Try out the Get Moving calculator!

Ingredients

• 3 pounds peaches, peeled, seeded, sliced
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup NutraSweet® Spoonful™
• 1/4 cup NutraSweet® Spoonful™
• Mint sprigs
• 3 cups peach nectar
• 1 pint fresh or frozen, thawed raspberries
• Freshly grated nutmeg

Copyright, 1999, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, All Rights Reserved

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Directions

Process peaches, peach nectar and 1/3 to 1/2 cup NutraSweet® Spoonful™ in blender or food processor until smooth; refrigerate until chilled.

Process raspberries in blender or food processor until smooth; strain and discard seeds. Stir 1/4 cup NutraSweet® Spoonful™ into raspberry puree; refrigerate until chilled.

Spoon peach mixture into bowls; swirl raspberry mixture through soup, using 2 to 3 tablespoons raspberry puree for each bowl. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg; garnish with mint.

GARNISH (if desired) 1/2 cup fruit to include mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries and blackberries).

DIABETIC FOOD EXCHANGE: 2-1/2 fruit

Nutrients per Serving:

• Calories: 140
• Protein: 1 g
• Carbohydrates: 36 g
• Saturated Fat: 0 g

Summer blockbusters are just around the corner and all those treats at the cinema can be tempting. But movie theaters are making it easier to stay on track by offering more options and healthier alternatives.

• Cut out the fat- The average small movie popcorn with “buttery” topping has the same calorie count as a quarter-pound cheeseburger. However, popcorn can be a great, high fiber snack when you skip the butter pump. If you want to add flavor without the calories bring a seasoning shaker with you or make your own mix at home.
• Don’t drink your calories away- An average small movie soda (23 oz.) has about 14 teaspoons of sugar and a little over 200 calories while an average large movie soda (47 oz.) has almost 30 teaspoons of sugar and about 450 calories. Skip the calories and sugar by choosing a diet soda or water.
• Get your protein- Surprisingly, hotdogs are a high protein snack that’s one of the lighter savory items available. Skip the nachos which can come in at more than 900 calories.
• Indulge your sweet tooth- If you just can’t resist a box of candy, know the best ones to choose to get the most out your treat. Many theaters now offer fruit snacks which are the best option because they’re made with real fruit juice. A couple twizzlers are also a good alternative, but don’t eat the whole bag which comes in at around 500 calories. Milk duds are lower in sugar—and take longer to eat—than most cinematic sweets. And finally, Junior Mints are coated in antioxidant-rich dark chocolate and the cool peppermint can help satisfy your craving quicker. Just make sure to share a box of whatever you get to keep your portions under control.

Recently released research has indicated that people who eat chocolate several times a week are actually leaner than people who don’t eat chocolate at all. The new study says this is because chocolate may actually boost metabolism and inhibit fat absorption. Now this doesn’t mean that we can all eat pounds of chocolate every day (although that would be fantastic)! But if you’re struggling with a sweet tooth, go ahead and indulge in a piece or two of dark chocolate or have a small slice of our bittersweet chocolate torte.