One of the missions of National Nutrition Month is to help people develop sound eating habits.
One great habit is to make sure that you are getting your fruits and vegetables, specifically those GREEN veggies! Setting a goal to have 2 cups of fruits and 2.5 cups of vegetables each day can be a great way to ensure you're getting adequate vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber (remember how fiber can help lower cholesterol??). It’s also a delicious way to add more color, flavor and texture to your meal! But, I know that it can be hard to make sure you’re getting enough without burning out on the same old salad. So, here are a few ideas for how to incorporate those greens into your diet:
Use vegetables as pizza topping. Try broccoli, spinach, green peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and zucchini.
Try crunchy vegetables instead of chips with your favorite low-fat salad dressing for dipping. Keep cut vegetables handy for mid-afternoon snacks, side dishes, lunch box additions or a quick nibble while waiting for dinner. Ready-to-eat favorites: red, green or yellow peppers, broccoli or cauliflower florets, carrots, celery sticks, cucumbers, snap peas or whole radishes.
Grill colorful vegetable kabobs packed with tomatoes, green and red peppers, mushrooms and onions.
Stuff an omelet with vegetables. Turn any omelet into a hearty meal with broccoli, squash, carrots, peppers, tomatoes or onions with low-fat sharp cheddar cheese.
Add grated, shredded or chopped vegetables such as zucchini, spinach and carrots to lasagna, meat loaf, mashed potatoes, pasta sauce and rice dishes.
If you’d like to talk about more specific and individualized ways to make practical changes to improve YOUR health, give me a call today: 540- 599-9378