"A MUFA at every meal" has almost become a mantra for me. As you know, "MUFA" (MOO-fah) stands for "monounsaturated fatty acid," a type of hearthealthy, disease-fighting, "good " fat found in foods like almonds, peanut butter, olive oil, avocados, even chocolate. MUFAs are an unsaturated fat and have the exact opposite effect of the unhealthy saturated and trans fats you've heard about in the news.

But there's more! MUFAs are delicious in and of themselves. Who doesn't love drizzling olive oil over a salad or grabbing a handful of chocolate chips? You'll find the MUFA-rich foods incorporated into the meal plans and Snack Packs. You can substitute one MUFA for another as long as the calorie counts are nearly equivalent. For example, you can exchange almond butter (200 calories) for semisweet chocolate chips (207). For precise MUFA serving amounts per meal, consult the chart on the opposite page. Better yet, copy this chart and post it on the inside door of your pantry. To get better acquainted with the five MUFA groups and learn how to buy, store, and prepare them, turn to page 103.

Five surprisingly healthy foods