We all know eating more fruits and veggies is smart advice for our health and waistlines, but what about those pesky pesticide residues?

According to the Environmental Working Group, both U.S. and international government agencies acknowledge that pesticides have been linked with a variety of toxic effects on the nervous and hormone systems, as well as skin, eye, and lung irritation, and various cancers. Yikes! What can you do to minimize your exposure to these nasty compounds?

For starters, switch to organic produce, meats, and dairy. I know shopping for organics can get pretty pricely. Luckily, the EWG has tested numerous fruits and vegetables for pesticide residues and conveniently ranked them from best to worst.

If you’re not quite ready to make an all-out switch to organics, start with the “Dirty Dozen.” By shopping for organic versions of the twelve worst pesticide offenders, you’ll dramatically cut your exposure:

Buy Organic: 

Peaches
Apples
Sweet Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Kale
Lettuce
Grapes (imported from outside U.S.)
Carrots
Pears

Need a reminder when you hit the produce aisle? Download the pocket size Shopper’s Guide To Pesticides or EWG’s free app Dirty Produce.

Stay tuned for recipes featuring “The Clean 15,” the fifteen foods that are still safe to buy conventionally.

What New Yorker hasn’t used Fresh Direct’s convenient online grocery service? Those trucks with the ubiqitous orange cabs can be seen squeezing down even the narrowest city streets delivering sustenance to busy Manhattanites.

With the introduction of their FREE iPhone app, Fresh Direct has now made grocery shopping more convenient than ever, at least for iPhone users.

Aside from the time-saving convience, using an on-line grocer is a great way to eat smarter. People who plan out their meals and keep their kitchens stocked with healthy items tend to eat more healthfully. Fill your cart with a variety of fresh fruits and veggies, eggs, lean meats, low-fat dairy, whole grain bread, canned beans, nuts, and even chocolate. Stock up on some convenience foods as well because you know there will be nights when you get home and that take-out menu will tempt you with it’s burgers and fries. There are over twenty-five 4-Minute heat & serve meals available with 500 calories or less. Or order a fruit or veggie tray, and snack on it throughout the week.

If you’re daunted by meal planning and grocery shopping, you’re in luck. Book an appointment with Mental Kitchen, and allow me to design a customized 1-week meal plan, complete with 7 days of nutrient-packed breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack ideas. Based on your food preferences and the bounty of food items available from Fresh Direct®, I can fill your virtual shopping cart with healthy fare. All you have to do is schedule a delivery time.

I hope all of my readers enjoyed the holidays and have kicked 2010 off to a great start!

My favorite Christmas gift: an Apple iPhone.

Thousands of iPhone applications (a.k.a. apps) focus on food, nutrition, and healthy eating habits. There are apps for cooking just about anything, in any fashion; apps for searching nutrient and recipe databases, apps for making grocery lists and budgets; apps for tracking calories, carbohydrate and fat grams; apps for planning meals and weekly menus; apps for finding local farmers markets, choosing sustainable fish, tasting new wines or cheeses; essentially apps for everything food.  The iPhone even has a built-in timer for use in lieu of a kitchen timer.

Since many of these apps can help you eat smarter, and since eating smarter is my great passion, I am excited to tell you that I will be testing some of these apps and reporting my favorites to my readers.

Today, I installed Whole Foods Market Recipes, a fabulous app that let’s you search for recipes by category or specific dietary preference.  Categories include  family friendly, one pot meals, portable, and quick and easy, and special diets offer low fat, sugar conscious, high fiber, gluten-free, and vegetarian fare. Not only is there a comprehensive variety of recipes to choose from, but once you make your selection, the ingredients are automatically added to your shopping list, in the exact amounts called for.  Who hasn’t arrived home after a well-intended trip to the grocer to realize one or another ingredient was forgotten?  No more!

Rank recipes as Favorites, and you have a complete, portable recipe box to refer to when shopping or meal planning, nutritional information included.

Another useful feature, On Hand, lets you enter foods items you already have but don’t necessarily know what to do with.  The app lists recipes using those items, meaning new meal ideas and less food waste. Better bang for your food buck!

Don’t have an iPhone?  You can find the same, great recipes on www.wholefoodsmarket.com.