Trying new fruit and vegetable recipes can add excitement
One of the things I struggle with in my weekly meal planning is thinking of healthy side dishes for dinner. Long gone are the days when my kids were little, and I would “whip up” a box of cheap Macaroni and Cheese to everyone’s robust approval. Not only was that not the healthiest choice—but it can get boring.
A good way to add fruits and vegetables to your meals is to think of ways to use them as a side dish. Opening a can of vegetables is Ok-but think about roasting or grilling peppers, pineapple or peach slices, mushrooms or asparagus. Tossing these in with a wholegrain pasta or brown rice is an easy side dish that will help you get your targeted number of fruits and vegetables. Trying new fruits and vegetable recipes can add excitement to your meals. The possibilities are endless and the benefits are huge. By adding more fruits and vegetables to our diet, you can improve your health.
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, three reasons support the recommendation for Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables. First, most vegetables and fruits are major contributors of several nutrients that are under-consumed in the U.S., including folate, magnesium, potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamins A, C, and K. Second, consumption of vegetables and fruits is associated with reduced risk of many chronic diseases. Third, most vegetables and fruits, when prepared without added fats or sugars, are relatively low in calories. Eating them instead of higher calorie foods can help adults and children achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Side dishes do not need to be fancy. Roast some apples as a side dish with pork, steam fresh broccoli, or cut up a healthy fresh fruit salad for dinner. Use these healthy tips to season your vegetables while keeping the fat and calorie content low:
■ Stir-fry vegetables in a non-stick skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
■ Sauté onions or other vegetables in fat-free broth rather than fat.
■ Season vegetables with a small piece of lean ham or smoke flavoring.
■ When cooking greens substitute skinless chicken thighs for ham hocks, fatback, or neck bone.
■ Mash potatoes with skim or evaporated skimmed milk and non-fat yogurt, or fat-free sour cream rather than whole milk and butter.
■ Toasted wheat germ can add crunch and nutty flavor to baked goods such as sweet potato casseroles with 80% less fat than nuts.
■ Experiment with herbs and seasonings. 1 teaspoon dried herb = 1 tablespoon fresh herb.
A good tip is to keep side dishes “ready-to-go” in your pantry, freezer, or fridge. Keep frozen bread products, frozen fruit and vegetables, pre-cooked rice, hash brown potatoes, or French fries in your freezer. In your refrigerator, try to have cut fresh fruit, raw cut vegetables, spinach, and lettuce, sliced and cubed cheeses, pickles, and salsa, ready to grab. And finally, keep applesauce, canned fruit and vegetables, canned tomatoes, beans and corn, dried fruit and nuts, low-fat crackers, rice, quinoa, tortillas, popcorn, and whole grain pasta in your pantry.
RASPBERRY SLAW
Makes 6 Servings. 2 cups shredded red cabbage. 2 cups shredded cabbage. 1 cup shredded carrots ¼ cup prepared raspberry vinaigrette 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise ¼ tsp. pepper ½ cup fresh raspberries
In a large bowl, whisk vinaigrette, mayonnaise, and pepper until blended. Add to cabbage mixture; toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered 10 minutes. Top with raspberries.
ORZO WITH FETA & ARUGULA
Makes 6 Servings. 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta 6 cups fresh arugula ½ cup crumbled feta cheese ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted. ½ cup dried cherries or dried cranberries 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil ¼ tsp. salt ⅛ tsp. pepper Lemon wedges
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain orzo; rinse with cold water and drain well. In a large bowl, combine arugula, feta, almonds, cherries, oil, salt ad pepper. Add orzo; toss to coat. If desired, serve with lemon wedges.
LEEKS AU GRATIN
Makes 8 Servings.
6 medium leeks (white and pale green portion only) 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream 1 tsp. kosher salt ½ tsp. pepper ½ cup grated Romano cheese.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut leeks lengthwise in half; cut halves crosswise into 3-inch pieces.
Place cream, salt, pepper, and leeks in a large ovenproof skillet; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; simmer, covered 5 minutes.
Uncover; simmer 15 minutes.
Remove from heat, sprinkle with cheese.
Bake uncovered until golden, and leeks are tender, 15-20 minutes.
Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.