It's In the Way That You Use It

I talk a lot about the benefits of eating an abundance and a variety of fruits and vegetables. But let’s face it, there are probably a few out there that you may not like so much and simply avoid. For me, believe it or not, one of them is broccoli. I will not eat it raw and it’s OK when steamed with lemon and a bit of butter, but I have to make a conscious effort to buy and prepare it.

Another vegetable over the years that I’ve tolerated but not really had a taste for is radishes. I love the bright red/pink skins and the fact that they’re juicy, but biting into one or having chunks of them in my salad doesn’t excite me all that much. However, for whatever reason, I’ve discovered that I adore radishes when they’re sliced paper-thin. In fact, I could eat an entire plate of them when prepared this way.

What’s the difference between a whole or chopped versus slice of radish? The only thing I can think of is the combination of taste and texture with some foods makes all the difference. I’ve found this with other vegetables as well, such as cabbage and even zucchini which I love raw now. The bottom line is, any ways that I can find to enjoy my vegetables more, I’ll try them and I’m frequently experimenting with vegetables now to find the best ways to eat them. This may be a good strategy to get your kids to try new vegetables as well.

I guess I should get to work on the broccoli! ; )

Keeping it Real

What does the inside of your shopping cart look like? Is it filled with boxes and cans and jars and bags that have been transformed into things that carry health claims on the label? Or, does it contain items that look like something that may have been grown or raised, that don’t have a label, or that have only one ingredient on them.

Isn’t it ironic, but the foods that offer the most authentic and powerful health benefits don’t say it on them? When you pick up a bunch of broccoli, you don’t see a label that says, “contains 100% of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin C”, or “contains 6 grams of fiber per serving”, or “part of a heart healthy diet”. Yet, the bunch of broccoli provides things such as these and more.

To keep it real and healthy, buy as many foods as possible that don’t carry a label or that are still in their natural state. This will provide you and your family with the most nutrition and variety, the least amount of unwanted and unhealthy ingredients, and the least amount of waste from packaging–if you haven’t guessed, I’m all about reducing the amount of waste we produce.

What are some of the packaged foods you buy that you’d like to eliminate from your diet?

It Ain't Easy Being Green

Maybe you remember that adorable song sung by Kermit the frog. It came to mind today while I was talking to a client about the fact that when we “go off the wagon” of healthy eating, the first thing to go is vegetables, and more specifically green vegetables. Why is that? Is it because it’s rare to find kale served at the local fast food restaurant, or because there’s no such thing as spinach ice cream?

What we don’t always realize is that if we are eating our broccoli and baby greens on a regular basis, then we are less likely to crave the foods we should be eating very little of, like sweets, processed and refined carbohydrates, and salty fast food. And if there’s one food category that can dramatically improve our health, it’s green vegetables.

And despite what Kermit says, it is easy to make green part of your everyday. Add a green to your eggs, soup, salad, or wrap. Whatever you’re eating, “greening” it will add very few calories. Yet the fiber and nutrients that they provide will create a ripple effect that will make your cells happy and make it less likely that you’ll wind up with a bucket of fried chicken for lunch. Try it, it’s easy!