The Film: Jumping the Broom is a witty, comical and oftentimes predictable movie about an African American couple that hail from two very different socio-economic backgrounds who get married in Martha’s Vineyard.  The focus is primarily on the weekend of the wedding—of course, but is filled with heartfelt, tender and soulful moments. The movie stars Paula Patton, Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine and Laz Alonso. 

Many of us enjoy cuisines from all over the world. However, finding delicious fare from your favorite country that is not high in fat and calories can sometimes be a challenge.  MCCN has assembled a diverse array of easy to prepare, low-fat, low-calorie ethnic dishes for your choosing.

Malaika Duke, a wife and mother of three children, has completely transformed her lifestyle in less than six months.  As she approached her 32^nd birthday recently, she realized that her father was diagnosed with diabetes when he turned 32. Her siblings and her grandmother also have diabetes, which prompted her to re-evaluate her entire lifestyle.

There are two main types of sushi, nigiri-zushi and maki-zushi. Nigiri-zushi is vinegared rice hand-formed into oval shapes; its usually topped with various raw and cooked seafood. Maki-zushi  on the other hand is vinegared rice combined with seafood and vegetables then wrapped in an edible seaweed called nori and sliced into rounds. Nigiri-zushi is tricky to prepare so most people eat it at  Japanese restaurants and sushi bars. Maki-zushi is much easier to prepare but requires a sushi mat for rolling.

The California roll is an American invention, and was made by a California sushi chef in the early 1970s. He made leftover avocado, cucumber and fish cake into a maki (roll) sushi. To hide the seaweed, which many Americans did not like, he hid it in inside a layer of rice—today known as an “inside out roll.”

Biotin, also known as Vitamin H is one of eight essential vitamins that comprise the B-complex family of vitamins. It can be found in many foods such as liver, cauliflower, salmon, carrots, bananas, eggs, oatmeal, soy flour, and cereals just to name a few foods.

Valentine’s Day is one of those celebrations that you either love or could care less about—depending at times of course on your relationship status.  For those that enjoy partaking in the pleasantries of the Day of Love, what sweeter way to celebrate than with some chocolate treats? Not all chocolate is bad for you.  In fact, many experts believe that dark chocolate is good for your heart.  A small amount each day can help to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. And if you really are striving to a heart healthy diet, choosing vegan or organic chocolates are even better. 

Super Bowl Sunday is next week, which means it’s time to prepare for tailgating parties, or other get- togethers to watch the big game.  If you started the year off on a health kick, you can continue on that path with these easy to prepare healthy appetizers.

As a working mother with a very demanding schedule and a child, working out on a regular basis seems to be an impossible task.  In fact, trying to get enough sleep each day is challenging enough without having to think about hitting the gym or taking a yoga class, that is why I’m always looking for ways to be efficient while getting the most out of my hectic day. If you are in the same predicament, here are five quick and easy tips for busy moms (and dads too), to get some daily exercising without having to go to the gym.