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Why NFL star A.J. Green says he'll proudly miss a game for his family.

In 1993, Houston Oilers player David Williams missed his team's game against the New England Patriots because his wife was giving birth to their first child.

The criticism was swift and furious. And it wasn't just fans who were disappointed that Williams wasn't out on the field — team management was, too.

Williams, left, was an offensive lineman for the Houston Oilers from 1989-1995. Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Allsport/Getty Images.


"This is like World War II, when guys were going to war and something would come up but they had to go," one of Williams' coaches told The New York Times. "[Williams] let the guys down, and he let hundreds of thousands of fans down."

At the time, the team even threatened to fine Williams for missing the game, if you can believe it.

But today, in 2016, a major NFL star says he's willing to follow in Williams' footsteps.

A.J. Green is an awesome football player. So far it sounds like he might turn into a pretty good dad, too. Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images.

Superstar wideout A.J. Green of the Cincinnati Bengals, whose wife is due with their first child in late September — smack dab in the middle of football season — said he wouldn't hesitate to skip a game if it meant watching his firstborn come into the world.

"I can't play," he told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "First one, I definitely want to be there."

Though he added, "Anything before a game day would be ideal."

Green's absence, even for just one game, would be devastating for the Bengals. He's a perennial Pro Bowl player and widely considered to be one of the best at his position in the league. Still, as important as he is to his team, it sounds like Green knows his wife and soon-to-be son or daughter will be counting on him even more.

Babies being born on game day has often (and unfortunately) been controversial for professional athletes.

Williams and Green aren't the only athletes to ever have to address this conundrum either.

Joe Flacco missed the birth of one of his sons to play in a game. Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images.

Joe Flacco of the Baltimore Ravens skipped the birth of his second son a few years ago to start in a regular season game. In response, a few folks scratched their heads at his decision. Mostly, though, there were jokes. Lots of jokes.

Compare that to former Mets player Daniel Murphy, who did the opposite — he skipped the first two games of the 2015 MLB season to be with his newborn son. And he got eviscerated by analysts and former players for it.

"Go see the baby born and come back," radio host Mike Francesca said. "You're a Major League Baseball player. You can hire a nurse to take care of the baby if your wife needs help."

Former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason piled on, saying Murphy and his wife should have scheduled a C-section before the season started to ensure he didn't miss any time. Esiason later apologized.

"You can hire a nurse to take care of the baby if your wife needs help." — radio sports host Mike Francesca

This time, though, it seems like Green is setting a new standard. And his teammates appear fully behind his decision, too.

"I was proud of A.J. for saying that," teammate Andrew Whitworth told The Dayton Daily News. "It's your kid. It's important."

"That's something you can't miss," wide receiver Brandon LaFell added.

Of course, it would be ideal if a dad simply being there for the birth of his kid wasn't worth applauding. But its not just athletes who get shamed and punished for stepping away from work after birth; other dads do, too. So it's nice to see someone braving the backlash and normalizing the idea that men being there for their families is a good thing.

The fact that the traditionally rude, crude, hyper-masculine NFL locker room is standing behind Green's desire to be with his family is a sign that maybe we have made progress after all. And, hopefully, the next time a big-time athlete decides to put family first and skip a game, it won't make headlines.

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10 anti-holiday recipes that prove the season can be tasty and healthy

Balance out heavy holiday eating with some lighter—but still delicious—fare.

Albertson's

Lighten your calorie load with some delicious, nutritious food between big holiday meals.

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The holiday season has arrived with its cozy vibe, joyous celebrations and inevitable indulgences. From Thanksgiving feasts to Christmas cookie exchanges to Aunt Eva’s irresistible jelly donuts—not to mention leftover Halloween candy still lingering—fall and winter can feel like a non-stop gorge fest.

Total resistance is fairly futile—let’s be real—so it’s helpful to arm yourself with ways to mitigate the effects of eating-all-the-things around the holidays. Serving smaller amounts of rich, celebratory foods and focusing on slowly savoring the taste is one way. Another is to counteract those holiday calorie-bomb meals with some lighter fare in between.

Contrary to popular belief, eating “light” doesn’t have to be tasteless, boring or unsatisfying. And contrary to common practice, meals don’t have to fill an entire plate—especially when we’re trying to balance out heavy holiday eating.

It is possible to enjoy the bounties of the season while maintaining a healthy balance. Whether you prefer to eat low-carb or plant-based or gluten-free or everything under the sun, we’ve got you covered with these 10 easy, low-calorie meals from across the dietary spectrum.

Each of these recipes has less than 600 calories (most a lot less) per serving and can be made in less than 30 minutes. And Albertsons has made it easy to find O Organics® ingredients you can put right in your shopping cart to make prepping these meals even simpler.

Enjoy!

eggs and green veggies in a skillet, plate of baconNot quite green eggs and ham, but closeAlbertsons

Breakfast Skillet of Greens, Eggs & Ham

273 calories | 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (5 oz) pkg baby spinach

2 eggs

1 clove garlic

4 slices prosciutto

1/2 medium yellow onion

1 medium zucchini squash

1/8 cup butter, unsalted

1 pinch crushed red pepper

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

bow of cauliflower ham saladGet your cauliflower power on.Albertsons

Creamy Cauliflower Salad with Ham, Celery & Dill

345 calories | 20 minutes

1/2 medium head cauliflower

1 stick celery

1/4 small bunch fresh dill

8 oz. ham steak, boneless

1/2 shallot

1/4 tspblack pepper

1/4 tsp curry powder

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp garlic powder

3 Tbsp mayonnaise

1/8 tsp paprika

2 tsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

tofu on skewers on a plate with coleslawPlant-based food fan? This combo looks yums. Albertsons

Grilled Chili Tofu Skewers with Ranch Cabbage, Apple & Cucumber Slaw

568 calories | 20 minutes

1 avocado

1/2 English cucumber

1 (12 oz.) package extra firm tofu

1 Granny Smith apple

3 Tbsp (45 ml) Ranch dressing

1/2 (14 oz bag) shredded cabbage (coleslaw mix)

2 tsp chili powder

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

frittata in a cast iron skilletSometimes you just gotta frittata.Albertsons

Bell Pepper, Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata with Parmesan

513 calories | 25 minutes

6 eggs

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted

2 oz Parmesan cheese

1 red bell pepper

1/2 medium red onion

8 sundried tomatoes, oil-packed

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

plate with slices of grilled chicken and a caprese saladCaprese, if you please.Albertsons

Balsamic Grilled Chicken with Classic Caprese Salad

509 calories | 25 minutes

3/4 lb chicken breasts, boneless skinless

1/2 small pkg fresh basil

1/2 (8 oz pkg) fresh mozzarella cheese

1 clove garlic

3 tomatoes

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 3/4 pinches black pepper

1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

3/4 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

four stuffed mushrooms on a plateThese mushrooms look positively poppable.Albertsons

Warm Goat Cheese, Parmesan & Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms

187 calories | 35 minutes

1/2 lb cremini mushrooms

1 clove garlic

1/2 (4 oz) log goat cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

2 sundried tomatoes, oil-packed

1 1/4 pinches crushed red pepper

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

2 pinches salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

plate with open English muffin with goat cheese and sliced baby tomatoes on topMove over, avocado toast. English muffin pizzas have arrived.Albertsons

English Muffin Pizzas with Basil Pesto, Goat Cheese & Tomatoes

327 calories | 10 minutes

3 Tbsp (45 ml) basil pesto

2 English muffins

1/2 (4 oz) log goat cheese

1/2 pint grape tomatoes

3/4 pinch black pepper

2 pinches salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

pita pocket on a plate filled with veggies, meat and cheeseThis pita pocket packs a colorful punch.Albertsons

Warm Pita Pocket with Turkey, Cheddar, Roasted Red Peppers & Parsley

313 calories | 20 minutes

1/4 (8 oz) block cheddar cheese

1/2 bunch Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

4 oz oven roasted turkey breast, sliced

1/2 (12 oz) jar roasted red bell peppers

1 whole grain pita

3/4 pinch black pepper

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp mayonnaise

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

plate with toast smeared with avocado and topped with prosciuttoDid we say, "Move over, avocado toast?" What we meant was "Throw some prosciutto on it!" Albertsons

Avocado Toast with Crispy Prosciutto

283 calories | 10 minutes

1 avocado

2 slices prosciutto

2 slices whole grain bread

1 5/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp onion powder

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

bowl of chili with cheese and green onions on topVegetarian chili with a fall twistAlbertsons

Black Bean & Pumpkin Chili with Cheddar

444 calories | 30 minutes

2 (15 oz can) black beans

1/2 (8 oz ) block cheddar cheese

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

2 green bell peppers

1 small bunch green onions (scallions)

1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin purée

1 medium yellow onion

1/2 tsp black pepper

5 7/8 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp cumin, ground

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

For more delicious and nutritious recipes, visit albertsons.com/recipes.

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