Rachael Ray and USA Today Kindness Challenge Update #2

This week I visited my local grocery store and made a video giving tips on how to shop for healthy foods. These tips will be featured in my cookbook as well. I covered some topics on how to live healthy including my definition of healthy food and how to perimeter shop. I also compared different food items to show how easy and important it is to read food labels.

For example, here is what you might see on a package of chips:

Now, compare that with a healthier, natural chip — which would you prefer?

Another exciting event that happened this week was speaking with a public relations company on how to market Tasty Tidbits project. I was given some great advice on how to use social networks to promote the Kindness Challenge.

I also talked with a literary agent this week who helped me prioritize writing my book. It was nice to hear that I have plenty of content available for my cookbook. The literary agent advised me to put more of my personal story into the cookbook introduction.

This evening I will be interviewing an Olympic Gold Medalist on how a healthy lifestyle contributes to her success. The full interview will be on my website soon.

My exercise tip for this week is that when you need to go to a store, you can park further away than you normally do to walk more which is a great exercise.

Be sure to watch my Week 2 Update video and download your free grocery list found in the Downloads & Tools tab.

Lizzie Likness

Tasty Tidbits Shocks Parents — Parent of Tasty Tidbits class participant, "My daughter begged me to stop at the store on the way home from your class to buy all the ingredients from your recipes, and we did!"

Post by Lizzie Marie Cuisine.

Rachael Ray and USA Today Kindness Challenge Update #1

Kindness Challenge Week 1 Update:

I had a busy week selecting recipes to feature in my cookbook. On February 5th in Atlanta, I will be doing a cooking demonstration at a really fun event with American Heart Association. I'll keep you posted on details. Be sure to watch my Kindness Challenge video #1 for some exercise tips.

Testimonial from a Tasty Tidbits class participant: "It smells delicious, can I eat it now?"

Post by Lizzie Marie Cuisine.

Video: A Quick Note on Fresh Fish

Recipe: Mediterranean Salmon Sliders

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 14-ounce can wild caught salmon (skinless and boneless)
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs (Italian bread crumbs will work too)
• 1 egg loosely scrambled
• 3 tablespoons minced onion
• 2 - 3 tablespoons feta cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• Juice of half of lemon
• To taste: sea salt and cracked black pepper
• 1 - 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

Loosely scramble egg in medium size mixing bowl. Discard liquid from salmon and place salmon into mixing bowl with egg. Break up big salmon pieces with fork until flaky and add remaining ingredients, except oil. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat, add on 1 tablespoon of oil to skillet. Measure out 1/3 cup of salmon mixture and press between your palms to make each slider-sized patty. Skillet is ready when you sprinkle in a few water droplets and they sizzle. Place 4 patties into skillet and cook for 3 - 4 minutes until golden brown, then flip and cook 3 more minutes. Place cooked patties onto a plate and cook the remaining patties. Before serving, squeeze a little fresh lemon juice on top of patties.

Yields: About 8 slider-sized patties

Tasty Tidbits: An updated version of an old family recipe. Great with a side of steamed veggies, served over a bed of baby spinach, or with couscous. Grapeseed oil is very healthy and cooks better at a higher heat than olive oil. Wild caught fish is healthier than farm-raised fish because wild caught fish get a lot of exercise swimming in the wild. Farm-raised fish are stuck in small ponds and don't get to move around much, so sad.

Recipe: Breakfast Stack: Have Fun with your Food!

Breakfast Stack: Have Fun with Your Food

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 slice whole grain bread
• 1 egg
• 2 slices prosciutto ham, sliced extremely thin and torn into bite-sized pieces
• Pinch of grated parmesan reggiano cheese

Cook egg over medium heat to your liking (scrambled, over-easy, etc.). Toast bread then set toast onto a plate and start stacking. Place egg onto toast, top with prosciutto and sprinkle cheese. Serve with a fresh fruit salad and Fizzy Fruit drink using 100% orange juice.

Tasty Tidbit: Jazz up your average bacon and eggs with these fun, healthy stacks!

Recipe: Fun Fizzy Fruit

Fizzy Fruit: A Fun, Healthy Soda Replacement

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 oz. (1/2 cup) Pellegrino sparkling water
• 4 oz. (1/2 cup) 100% all-natural fruit juice (cranberry, orange juice, etc.)

Pour water and juice into glass and enjoy!

Yields: 1 serving

Tasty Tidbit: A cool and refreshing drink with all the fizz of a soda, but a lot less sugar.

Recipe: AB&J "Sushi" Rolls

Reinvent the Classic PB&J with AB&J Sushi Rolls

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 slice whole grain bread
  
• 1 spoonful all-natural almond or peanut butter
  
• 1 spoonful all-natural 100% fruit jam (strawberry, blackberry, etc.)

Remove crust and flatten bread with rolling pin by rolling bread on cutting board. Spread a thin layer of almond butter and jam onto bread. Roll up slice of bread to look like a sushi roll. Cut bread into four bite-size pieces using a serrated knife.

Yields: 1 serving

Tasty Tidbit: Almond butter is a great substitute for peanut butter because it is full of flavor and has healthy fats to boot! By using 100% fruit jam, we eliminate lots of unneeded sugar.

Lizzie Marie, Rachael Ray, USA Today, and DoSomething.org

Hey everyone! I am super-excited and hope you are too about my upcoming appearance on the Rachael Ray show Monday! Click this link to find the time and channel it will show in your area.

You can also read more detals in the article on USAToday.com. Monday, January 17th is when it is all going to happen to stay tuned. The website for the challenge will go live then too, it's:

http;//www.kindnesschallenge.usatoday.com/.

Thanks for your support!