WELLNESS TIP: Cooked Mushrooms have higher amounts of niacin, potassium and zinc

TRY THIS RECIPE: Cooker Mushroom Barley Risotto Ingredients 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced 1 ½ cups pearl barley 4 sprigs fresh thyme 8 ounces carrots, finely chopped 3 cups lower-sodium vegetable broth 1 ounce Parmesan, grated (2/3 cup) 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley Directions Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in the barley and thyme and cook, stirring, until the barley is just golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker and add the carrots, broth, 1 ½ cups water and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook on high until the liquid is absorbed and the carrots and barley are tender, about 3 hours. Discard the thyme and stir in the Parmesan, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Thin out the risotto with warm water for desired consistency as needed. Top with parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

WELLNESS TIP: Cooking Asparagus increased numerous beneficial plant chemicals, including quercetin, lutein and zeaxanthin

Quercetin is an anti-inflammatory antioxidant that may also help protect heart function and prevent certain types of cancer. The antioxidant lutein helps keep eyes, skin and heart healthy, and may also help protect against breast cancer. Zeaxanthin, also an antioxidant, may help with age-related macular degeneration, which causes loss of vision as we get older.

WELLNESS TIP: Heating Tomatoes at 190.4 degrees for 30 minutes boosted levels of absorbable lycopene by 35 percent

A landmark study published in 2002 in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry first showed that a powerful antioxidant called lycopene is released from tomatoes when they’re cooked. The study found that heating tomatoes at 190.4 degrees for 30 minutes boosted levels of absorbable lycopene by 35 percent. Lycopene has been shown to help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and macular degeneration, a degenerative eye disease. In addition, a study published in The British Journal of Nutrition found that folks following a long-term raw-food diet had low levels of lycopene .

WELLNESS TIP: Reduce dependency on beef by going Meatless on Mondays bec raising cattle requires enormous amounts of resources

To produce one steak, 28 times more land, 11 times more irrigation water, five times more greenhouse-gas emissions and six times more fertilizer are needed compared with the resources needed to raise other protein sources like pork and poultry, Live Science reported in 2014. Growing nutritious plants — such as potatoes, wheat and rice — requires fewer resources than raising animals does, according to the study, published in July 2014 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Eating foods such as fruits, vegetables and grains can help the environment, reduce the risk of heart disease and colorectal cancer, and keep money in your bank account, according to the NRDC.http://news.yahoo.com/happy-earth-day-5-ways-kids-help-planet-155320927.html

WELLNESS TIP: Students can encourage school administrators to approve Lunchtime Composting Program to lessen trash

Green schools Kids can take a proactive step by creating or joining a "green team" at their school. Once they have a parent or teacher adviser, the kids can take steps to create or promote the school's recycling program. If your city or county offers composting services, students can encourage school administrators to approve a lunchtime composting program. That way, food waste won't end up in a landfill but instead will be turned into a reusable pile of organic-matter compost. http://news.yahoo.com/happy-earth-day-5-ways-kids-help-planet-155320927.html