Get the Right Tools for the Job
So you've cleared your cupboards of hormone-disrupting processed foods and stocked up on fresh vegetables and fruits, organic meats, low-fat organic dairy products, and whole grains. Excellent. You've replaced high-calorie cooking methods like frying with low-calorie methods like baking, roasting, and steaming. Awesome! Now let's take a closer look at another aspect of healthy cooking: your cookware.

Believe it or not, the pots and pans you cook your food in can have an impact on your metabolism. Some choices are better than others, and I'll start with the good ones:

• Cast iron. This classic material conducts heat well and can even add a little iron, an essential nutrient, to your food. Cooking experts recommend seasoning cast-iron pans with vegetable oil so foods won't stick to them.
• Porcelain-coated cookware. Pots and pans coated with porcelain are naturally low-stick and easy to clean.
• Stainless steel. An alloy of iron and other metals, stainless steel is nontoxic and doesn't react with acidic foods.
• Glass. Glass cookware is great for baking and roasting and has the advantage of being microwave safe.

What I'm not so crazy about are pans with chemical nonstick coatings like Teflon. For years, nonstick pans had a great rap because they made cleanup easier and required less butter and oil for lubrication. But in recent years, organizations like the Environmental Working Group have spoken out against Teflon because it contains the chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which may be released when Teflon is heated. The Environmental Protection Agency has labeled PFOA a likely human carcinogen, and some research has linked it to abnormal levels of thyroid hormone, liver inflammation, and elevated cholesterol. The maker of Teflon has committed to phasing out PFOA by 2015, but until then you're better off using healthy alternatives.

http://www.jillianmichaels.com/meet-jillian/blog.aspx

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Helen Keller

"I am strong beyond belief. I am powerful beyond measure" ~Abby Ruby

Downtown Restaurant Week 2009
July 27 - August 9th
During Downtown Atlanta Restaurant week, a number of downtown eateries are offering meals for $25. From July 27 through Aug. 9, you can choose from a special three-course menu at each restaurant.
Visit www.atlantadowntown.com for more information on Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week.

High Museum: Free Fulton County admission
When: Every 1st Saturday of the month (ends June 30, 2011)
Price: $0 Event Phone Number: 404-733-4570 http://www.high.org/

National Black Arts Festival
July 31-August 2
Atlanta Symphony Hall and Woodruff Arts Center
http://nbaf.org/

AmericanaFest
Friday, July 31
at Tanglewood Farm, Canton, GA
Celebrate the spirit of our great nation all month long with bluegrass music, and patriotic pony rides through Tanglewood’s all-American Wild West Town. See, pet and feed more than 100 miniature farm animals that call Tanglewood their home. In addition, contestants can sign up for the Little Britches Rodeo with bungee bull riding, stick horse races, sack races, fast-draw (pictures! read more
Price: $10 per person (free for infants under one) includes tour and pony ride
Phone: (770) 667-6464
http://www.tanglewoodfarmminiatures.com/

Watermelon is for everyone all year round. It is sweet, juicy, bright and fun! It's not just for summer. It's not just for slicing.  The National Watermelon Promotion Board wants to tell everyone about watermelon's versatility, its health benefits, and its availability year round.

Whatever your mood, there's a watermelon dish to suit it. Search our recipe database for everything from salsa and smoothies to pancakes and sandwiches. Any time of day is the right time of day to enjoy watermelon. Do you know you can carve a watermelon to make a great basket for fruit salad or centerpiece for a party? Try it with our instructions and easy to follow pictures.

Don't be fooled - watermelon is nutritious and delicious! Packed with vitamins and minerals, this Lycopene Leader is a healthy snack that benefits the whole family. Picking the right melon and storing it correctly are important. Learn all our fun facts, varieties, history, how watermelon grow and production statistics here. Visit a local watermelon festival near you.
http://www.whataboutwatermelon.com/index.php/2009/07/happy-national-watermelon-month/  and http://www.watermelon.org/watermelon_lovers.asp