Do the Gratitude Dance

What are you grateful for? Your grandchild’s smile? Having breakfast with your spouse? A new opportunity that’s come your way?

Yet, when is the last time you really expressed your gratitude for the things that really matter?

Giving thanks for the good things in your life will help to reinforce your positive mental attitude, and even help you to cope with stress.

Focusing on the good in your life, instead of focusing on what’s missing, is also important to attract more good into your life. In fact, whatever you focus your thoughts on you tend to manifest in your life.

So take a break from your busy day to think about what you’re grateful for -- and do the Gratitude Dance!

(Watch this video -- 2 minutes, 42 seconds)

September is National Chicken Month

Chicken is an excellent choice for dinner any night of the week. Packed with protein, selenium, niacin and B6 vitamins, chicken is the low-fat centerpiece of limitless dishes, which might partially explain why the average American eats over 80 pounds of poultry each year! Whether baked, sautéed, roasted, shredded or stir-fried, it’s easy to see why chicken is one of America’s most popular choices for dinner.

Tips for Cooking With Chicken

• Many healthy chicken recipes call for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Chicken breasts are a very versatile cut of chicken, and are very low in fat, only 1 to 2 grams of fat per serving. Conveniently, one 4- to 5-ounce breast, tender removed, yields a perfect 3-ounce cooked portion. When preparing, trim any excess fat from the outer edge of the breast.
• Chicken tenders, virtually fat-free strips of rib meat typically found attached to the underside of the chicken breast, can also be purchased separately. Four 1-ounce tenders will yield a 3-ounce cooked portion. When a recipe calls for chicken breasts alone, remove the long, thin tenders and freeze them wrapped in plastic. When you have gathered enough, use them in quick stir-fries, chicken satay or healthy kid-friendly breaded “chicken fingers.”
• Chicken thighs are slightly higher in fat than other cuts, but have the benefit of full-flavored, juicy meat. To minimize the fat, be sure to remove the skin and trim thighs thoroughly. For quick cooking, choose boneless, skinless thighs. When slow-cooking, such as braising, bone-in thighs work best because they will retain their moisture better. Two 2- to 3-ounce boneless thighs yield a 3-ounce cooked portion.
• Store-bought rotisserie chicken is convenient and practical—but much higher in sodium than a home-roasted bird (4 ounces home-roasted chicken: less than 100 mg sodium; 4 ounces rotisserie chicken: 350-450 mg sodium). Even the unseasoned varieties have been marinated or seasoned with salty flavorings. People with hypertension should think twice before choosing store-bought.
• One pound of raw chicken with bones yields 1 cup cooked, boned meat.