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The March of Dimes Chicago Chef of the Year Award was created out of a desire to honor Chef Rick Bayless for his achievements, especially as they relate to the March of Dimes and its annual Chicago Signature Chefs Auction. As the inaugural winner of this award, Bayless is being honored for his many efforts including his dedication to the culinary arts, his humanitarian efforts, his dedication to the environment, the farming industry and an eco-friendly lifestyle, and his recent accomplishments in Bravo's Top Chef Masters, which brought nationwide attention to local chefs and to the Chicago restaurant market.

"Chef Bayless is a culinary legend who has used his fame and success to not only bring some great attention to the Chicago Restaurant world, but also to encourage a green and sustainable lifestyle, which is especially important for new and expecting mothers," says Dane Neal, co-host of Restaurant Radio Chicago.

Bayless will be in Mexico on the night of the auction, and has worked with the March of Dimes to create an exclusive video presentation for the award to be shown at the event. In the video, the award is given to Bayless by the Kernans, a family that has been affected by the organization's mission, and who most recently raised the most funds in the history of the state of Illinois ($42,000) as a Family Team for this year's walk, March for Babies.

"In addition, to have this fantastic award with Chef Rick Bayless as its inaugural recipient, and presented at the March of Dimes Signature Chefs event, which is by far the premier food-related charity event in Chicago, immediately makes it one of the most prestigious honors that chefs in this city will be vying for next year," says Neal.

The event is Thursday, October 29, at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel, 5 p.m. More than 600 guests will sample the unique dishes of local chefs representing some of the city's most notable restaurants. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.tinytastings.com.

(10-20-09)

Before throwing out the meat and seeds of a carved Halloween pumpkin chew on this: Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamins A and C and potassium, and the seeds are high in fiber, vitamin B12 and polyunsaturated fatty acids, one of the so-called good fats.

"The flesh of pumpkin and the seeds are abundant in many essential nutrients," says Lona Sandon, a registered dietitian at UT Southwestern Medical Center. "Pumpkins are low in fat, calories and are loaded with vitamins."

If you are planning to use fresh pumpkin for baking, Sandon says, choose smaller, blemish- and bruise-free pumpkins. Smaller pumpkins have softer and tastier meat. To maintain freshness, pumpkins should be stored in a cool, dry place until ready to use.

And don't forget to oven roast the pumpkin seeds. They are ideal as snacks or as a salad topping.

Check out our Purely Pumpkin Recipe Collection!

(10-20-09)

Fall's brilliant colors are in full bloom. With this season comes a variety of hearty fruits and vegetables that are great for your health, such as apples and pumpkins. While they may be great for fall activities like bobbing for apples or carving pumpkins, Chicagohealers.com practitioners Dr. Helen Lee and Dr. Melody Hart point out the many health benefits of these two power foods.

"Fresh fruits and vegetables will always provide the most nutrients and natural enzymes that the body can use more readily, so it is important to take advantage of the health benefits of apples and pumpkins while they are in season," says Dr. Helen Lee.

Here is a breakdown of the benefits of apples and pumpkins just in time for their peak season:

According to Dr. Lee, pumpkins contain the following benefits:

Nutrient-rich:

Provide vitamin C and E, iron, zinc, magnesium and potassium, which support the health of organs such as kidneys, bladder and prostate.

Contain both beta and alpha carotenoids, which are antioxidants that help prevent cell damage.

Supply lutein, which supports healthy eyes.

Beneficial to Health:

Aid in ridding the body of parasites and other unwelcomed digestive inhabitants.

Contain healthy essential fatty acid oils.

High in protein; 1 ounce of seeds provides about 7 grams.

Easy Ways to Incorporate in Diet:

A handful of raw pumpkin seeds as a snack or mixed with trail mix, or on top of cereal.

Pumpkin seed butter spread on toast.

Pumpkin pie/desserts/pancakes/waffles.

Pumpkin baked or browned with spices in risotto, chili, rice or spaghetti.

According to Dr. Hart, apples are important in the diet for the following reasons:

Quintessential for Health:

Low in fat and calories.

Enzyme-rich energy food, which helps break down and digest other foods.

Reduce risk of colds and flu.

Improve ability of intestinal muscles to move waste through and help lower cholesterol levels.

Regulate Blood Sugar:

Help prevent hypoglycemia and diabetes.

Keep blood glucose levels up to help feel full longer.

Packed with Nutrients:

Pectin fiber binds and helps eliminate gut toxins, keeping the GI tract healthy and act as a natural stimulant (green apples contain more pectin).

Great source of vitamin A carotenes for antioxidant activity, the flavonoid quercitin as well as vitamin C.

Help Fight Disease:

Bone protection.

Asthma relief.

Alzheimer's prevention.

Cancer prevention (lung, breast, colon and liver cancers).

Diabetes management.

Lower cholesterol.

Learn more by reading Say Ahhh-ples: The Appeal of Apples for First-time Eaters and Perfect Pumpkin: This Orange Vegetable Is a Great Option for Babies and Toddlers.

(10-20-09)

Rite Aid, the third largest drug store chain in the United States, is not requiring pregnant women to have a prescription to get either the regular flu shot or swine flu vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put pregnant women on the priority list for both swine and seasonal flu shots. Officials at the CDC are urging pregnant women and new moms and dads to get the swine flu vaccine. They are also stressing that the vaccine can be given in any trimester, and there is no benefit for the mom-to-be to wait until she is out of her first trimester.

Learn more by reading the following:

Swine Flu and Pregnancy: How Does the Influenza H1N1 Strain Affect Mom-to-be?

Swine Flu and Babies: Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment for the Swine Flu

Swine Flu's Connection to Heart Disease

Swine Flu: One Shot or Two?

(10-20-09)

Kourtney Kardashian, 30, and her boyfriend, Scott Disick, have announced the sex of their baby, according to People magazine. The couple will welcome a baby boy sometime around Christmas. Kardashian's baby shower is planned for November 14 at her mother's home in Los Angeles.

(10-13-09)

Dr. Marjorie Greenfield, a practicing board-certified OB/GYN, associate professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine MacDonald Women's Hospital and author of The Working Woman's Pregnancy Book (Yale University Press, 2008), shares these 6 tips for staying on good terms with coworkers while pregnant:

1. Show Them Your Job Matters: Pregnant women are often seen as prioritizing their personal lives over their work. If you don't want this reputation, do your job well and with enthusiasm.

2. Act Competent: Pregnancy brain, characterized by spaciness and confusion, is not borne out by the research, even though some women feel less sharp during pregnancy. Be careful about presenting yourself as ditzy due to pregnancy, because people tend to believe what you say about yourself (and that image isn't good for your professional standing).

3. Don't Be a Whiner: You chose to have this baby, so complaining about pregnancy symptoms or hardships may be detrimental to your professional image and reputation with coworkers. Remember that for some of your colleagues, parenthood may not be an option.

4. Go the Extra Mile: Being generous now can pay big dividends later, when you need it most. Stockpile brownie points by helping others, covering for coworkers and going the extra mile for the organization.

5. Plan Ahead: Prepare for your leave by talking about your workload and how it might be handled while you're away. Be professional in training your replacement; your reentry will be easier if your substitute has done a good job and feels positively toward you.

6. Don't Overextend: Try not to offer to work during your time at home. Most new mothers find it extraordinarily difficult, no matter how competent they are at work, to recover from childbirth, manage a new baby and handle job responsibilities.

(10-13-09)

Breast cancer is predicted to kill more than 40,000 U.S. women this year, while 192,000 more will be diagnosed with the disease. With early detection, however, nearly 90 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer will live at least five years.

The keys to early detection are getting an annual mammogram combined with regular self-exams of the breasts, says Dr. Phil Evans, associate vice president for imaging services at UT Southwestern Medical Center. "We recommend annual mammograms beginning at age 40," Dr Evans says. "For high-risk groups, including women who have a first-degree relative with breast cancer or women who had chest X-rays for Hodgkin's disease when they were younger, we recommend they consult with their doctor to determine if they need to start earlier."

Women whose mothers had breast cancer before they were 40 years old should start getting regular mammograms at age 30, Dr. Evans says.

(10-06-09)

Christina Milian and her husband, The Dream, are expecting a baby, according to People magazine. The singer says she is about 19 weeks pregnant. The couple recently married in a Las Vegas ceremony.

(10-06-09)

Jon Cryer, 44, star of Two and a Half Men, and his wife, Lisa Joyner, 42, have adopted a baby girl, according to People magazine. The baby girl's name is Daisy and she was born on August 11. This is the first child for the couple who married in June 2007. Cryer has a son, Charlie, 9, from a previous marriage.

(10-06-09)

Will Ferrell, 42, and his wife, Viveca Paulin, 40, are expecting their third child together, according to People magazine. The baby boy, due in January, will join big brothers Magnus, 5 1/2, and Mattias, 2 1/2.

(10-06-09)