We all know we should be getting 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. But, if you are like many of my clients, this can seem a daunting task.
Fortunately, there thousands of ways to add more vegetables to your diet.
One of my favorites is cauliflower rice.
Cauliflower rice is easy to make and can be used in place of regular rice, pasta, or couscous in most recipes, making it a nutritious and lower carbohydrate option.
Even if you hate cauliflower, using it in this way minimizes the cauliflowery taste.
Don’t worry about making too much, cooked cauliflower rice can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and raw cauliflower rice can be frozen for up to 1 month.
Basic Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients:
1 large head cauliflower (about 1-1/2 to 2 pounds); rinsed, leaves and stems removed
1 Tablespoon rice bran oil
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Cut cauliflower into 1″ pieces
Divide into 2-3 batches
Place a batch of cauliflower into a food processor with a grating or shredding blade and pulse until the cauliflower resembles rice. Repeat with the remaining batches.
**If you do not have a food processor, you can use a box grater with medium holes to grate the cauliflower until it resembles rice
Place riced cauliflower on a paper towel and squeeze out any excess water
Line a baking sheet with foil and oil lightly with rice bran oil
Place riced cauliflower on the baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes until cauliflower is softened. Stir 2-3 times to prevent sticking
Use straight from the oven in recipes or allow cauliflower to cool before putting it in the refrigerator
*If you don’t want to turn on the oven, you can cook the riced cauliflower in a skillet. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat, add cauliflower, and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Your cauliflower rice can now be eaten alone or used in a variety of delicious and nutritious recipes. Be creative, experiment, and enjoy!
This is week 4 in our series, Improve Your Health,Eat a Rainbow. So far we have looked at the GREEN and RED groups. This week we are exploring the YELLOW and ORANGE foods.
Foods in the orange/yellow group contain Vitamin C, alpha-carotene, and the phytonutrient, hesperidin.
Vitamin C is important for tissue regeneration, decreasing cholesterol and triglycerides, and strengthening the immune system. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and can help prevent cancer. Vitamin C also helps the body absorb iron.
Alpha-carotene is a member of the carotenoid family, that also includes beta-carotene. Carotenoids are antioxidants that reduce free radical damage to tissues that can lead to cancer and heart disease. In addition, the body converts alpha and beta carotene to Vitamin A. Vitamin A supports healthy skin, eyes, and immune system.
Hesperidin, found in citrus fruits, is a flavonoid with anti inflammatory properties and can improve circulation.
Orange and yellow foods can boost your immune system, protect against cancer and heart disease, and keep your skin and eyes healthy and beautiful. Adding 1 or 2 orange/yellow fruits or vegetables to your daily diet can help you reach your goal of 5-7 servings per day.
Try these recipes to add more orange and yellow foods to your diet:
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Whether it’s whole wheat spaghetti, rice penne, shirataki noodles, or spiralized zucchini almost everyone loves a bowl of “pasta” topped with tomato sauce. Sadly, most store bought sauces are full of sugar and preservatives. But, why buy from the store when making your own tomato sauce is quick and simple. This Rustic Marinara sauce is delicious, and it only takes about 1 hour to make. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week and frozen for 3-4 months.
I love this recipe because it is hearty and full of vegetables. Roasting the vegetables, rather than cooking them down in a kettle, adds a caramelized flavor that sets this sauce apart.
No matter what you put them on, homemade tomato sauces are full of nutrition. Tomatoes contain lycopene, beta carotene, vitamin C, potassium, and folate among other vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Cooking tomatoes makes lycopene more available to the body, so enjoying a homemade tomato sauce is a great way to get this nutrient into your diet.
Rustic Marinara Sauce
Ingredients:
2 pounds cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 pound zucchini, chopped
1/2 pound yellow squash, chopped*
1 cup mushrooms
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, diced
1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons red wine or water, if desired
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine tomatoes, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, onion, garlic and basil in a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Place all ingredients on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
Roast vegetables in the oven for 10 minutes, stir and roast and additional 10-15 minutes until vegetables are soft and caramelized.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.
Place 1/2 of the vegetables in a food processor or power blender and process until smooth.
Add 2 tablespoons of wine or water to mixture and pulse to combine.
Remove to a bowl and add the remaining vegetables to the sauce and stir to combine.
Use over pasta, spaghetti squash, spiralized vegetables or on top of bruschetta.
Store extra sauce in the refrigerator or freezer.
This recipe produces a chunky sauce, so if you like a smoother sauce simply purée all of the roasted vegetables to your preferred consistency.
*If you are not a fan of yellow squash, try adding 3/4 cup of chopped carrot instead. Actually, feel free to experiment with any vegetables of your choice. I like spinach and eggplant in this recipe as well.
You are probably familiar with the phrase, “Variety is the spice of life.” But when it comes to our nutrition, many of us avoid “spicing it up”. I am not talking about adding spices to your food (although it is a great idea), I am talking about including variety.
Take a moment to review your food choices over the past week. Do you eat the same thing for breakfast every morning? Does your daily salad consist of romaine lettuce, tomatoes, a slice of cucumber, and some shredded carrot?
If you are like most of my clients you are in a nutritional rut, eating the same foods day after day often prepared the same way. That’s why this month I am encouraging you to “eat the rainbow”.
What does it mean to “eat the rainbow”?
We all know we should be eating 2-3 servings of fruits and 3-4 servings of vegetables every day in order to meet the minimum requirements for a healthy diet. But, did you know that we should also be eating a variety of different colors of fruits and vegetables?
You probably know that fruits and vegetables contain vitamins and minerals we need to stay healthy, but they also contain phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are chemicals made by plants to protect them from diseases, insects, and other harmful agents. Fortunately, they can do the same for us! Phytonutrients can help prevent certain cancers, support the immune system, and fight inflammation, among other things. Different colors have their own unique set of phytonutrients. For example the phytonutrient, Lycopene, which has been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes, macular degeneration, and certain cancers, is what gives tomatoes, watermelon, and strawberries their red color. Fruits and vegetables generally fall into 5 color categories: green, red, orange/yellow, blue/purple, and white/brown. Over the next 5 weeks we will explore each color in more detail.
Why “eat the rainbow”?
There are several benefits to “eating the rainbow”, including:
Improved nutrition– As I mentioned earlier, different colored fruits and vegetables have different types of phytonutrients which benefit our health.
It’s easy– Just 1 serving of each color guarantees you get at least 5 servings of fruits/veggies which means you are effortlessly getting the minimum requirement for the vitamins, minerals, and fiber these foods contain.
Prevents boredom– Let’s face it, eating the same foods over and over can get boring. Boredom can lead to skipping vegetables or replacing them with less healthy choices like, sugar laden juices. The “eating the rainbow” method encourages you to try different foods within the color group, for example trading your romaine lettuce for arugula or bok choy. Also, different cooking methods affect the availability of nutrients within a food, cooked spinach provides more nutrients than raw spinach.
Supports the local economy– Another part of the eat the rainbow plan is to eat seasonally. This means buying fruits and vegetables when they are in season. Often the best place to do this is at your local farmers market.
Can help you save money– It may seem like buying all of these different colors of fruits and vegetables can get expensive, however produce that is in season is often less expensive than an off season option. Think of the difference between buying blueberries in the summer versus in late winter. Also, filling up your diet with healthy fruit and vegetable options means you will be less hungry for expensive snacks. Think of the money you will save by taking an apple to work for mid afternoon snack time rather than dumping money into the vending machine for chips or a candy bar.
It is important to remember that “eating the rainbow” is not a diet, but rather a handy tool to help ensure you consume a variety of fruits and vegetables. It helps ensure you get plenty of important nutrients without getting bored or having to think too much about what to eat.
Next week’s post will explore the the nutrients and types of foods found in the GREEN category. Until then, here is a game you can play to see how well you, “eat the rainbow.” The game works great with kids, but many of my adult clientsenjoy it as well.
Eat The Rainbow Game
What you need:
A picture of a rainbow
A magic marker or sharpie
A box of gold stars or small stickers
How to play:
Print out your picture of the rainbow.
Use a marker or sharpie to divide the rainbow into seven sections and label 1 section for each day of the week.
For each serving of a color group you eat, place a gold star/sticker on the corresponding color.
Repeat the process every day for a week.
At the end of the week, review your results. How did you do? Did you get at least 5 servings of fruit and veggies each day? Were you lacking in any particular color group? Do you avoid one color all together?
Challenge yourself to improve your eat the rainbow performance the next week.
Have fun, be adventurous, and until next time, have a happy healthy day!
If you want to learn more simple and effective nutritional habits, join my online nutritional coaching program that starts September, 9th. Learn more at: https://procoach.app/wellnessphx
Strawberries are one of my favorite things about summer. As a child I picked strawberries to earn spending money, I think I ate more than I picked, but fortunately we were not charged for eating the profits.
There is something about the strawberry’s sweetness and slight tanginess that appeals to me and I try to make good use of them in my summer recipes.
The great thing about strawberries is that not only are they delicious, but they are packed with nutrients as well! Strawberries are loaded with antioxidants. Antioxidants help prevent damage to the body’s cells and can reduce the risk of heart disease, improve cognitive function (aka improve memory), protect the eyes from diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts, and even help prevent cancer. Strawberries also contain high levels of Vitamin C which supports immune system function. In addition, strawberries contain potassium and magnesium which can aid in lowing blood pressure.
One of my favorite summer strawberry recipes is Strawberry Caprese Salad Skewers. Creamy mozzarella combines with sweet strawberries, tangy tomatoes and crisp basil topped with a sweet tang of balsamic vinegar. This is a fun delicious recipe that makes a terrific appetizer or side dish for a picnic or summer potluck.
Strawberry Caprese Salad Skewers
Ingredients:
Marinade:
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, plain or strawberry infused
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Skewers:
8 bamboo skewers, 6-8″ long
24 ciliegine mozzarella balls
24 cherry tomatoes, washed and dried
16 strawberries, washed, dried and halved
2 large bunches sweet basil, enough for 24 leaves, washed and dried
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions:
Whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a medium sized bowl.
Add mozzarella balls and marinade in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
Wash and dry tomatoes, strawberries, and basil.
To make skewers, slide 1 strawberry half to the end of the skewer followed by 1 basil leaf, 1 mozzarella ball, and finally 1 tomato, repeat 2 more times and finish with an additional half strawberry . Repeat the process for all 8 skewers.
To serve, arrange skewers on a serving tray and drizzle with additional balsamic vinegar.
If you do not want to go to the trouble of making skewers, combine marinade, mozzarella, tomatoes, strawberries, and 1/3 cup thinly sliced basil leaves in a bowl and gently mix. Serve over spinach or kale.
Salsa is a fun and delicious way to add fruits and vegetables to your diet. Whether they are made with tomatoes, peppers, or tropical fruits like the recipe today, salsa can be eaten alone, with tortilla chips (in moderation of course), or used to garnish fish, meat, tofu, or eggs.
This pineapple and papaya salsa is loaded with beta-carotene, vitamin C, and enzymes that can help support and improve digestion.
Pineapple and Papaya Salsa
Ingredients:
2 cups pineapple, cut into 1/2″ chunks
2 cups papaya*, cut into 1/2″ chunks
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons pepitas
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon lime juice
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a nonmetal bowl and mix well.
Cover and place in refrigerator for 4-6 hours to allow flavors to mingle.
Serving size= 2 Tablespoons
Serve over chicken, pork tenderloin, grilled tofu, or a green salad in place of dressing.
There is nothing quite like a scoop of mint chocolate ice cream on a hot summer day. Unfortunately, ice cream is not the healthiest way to relax and cool off.
This recipe combines delicious chocolate protein with cooling mint for a tasty and healthy summer treat.
Not only do the mint leaves pack a powerful antioxidant punch, but mint also helps improve digestion, boost liver function, and lower body temperature (yep, eating mint actually makes you cool)!
The avocado adds a creamy consistency while providing a healthy dose of fat!
I love this smoothie after a long day in the heat when I need some nutrition but don’t feel like eating a meal.
Chocolate Mint Protein Smoothie
Ingredients:
2 cups organic spinach (or kale if you like stronger greens)
1-1/2 cup milk (unsweetened almond or coconut work great, but you can use nonfat dairy milk if you prefer; water works too)
Combine all ingredients in a power blend per and blend until smooth.
Sit back, cool off, and enjoy!
*PureTrim shakes contain 21 grams of vegan protein, antioxidants, a blend of essential fatty acids, probiotics, and less than 8 grams of net carbs. Oh yeah, and they actually taste great too! Order yours now!
Don’t forget to check out our other healthy, yummy recipes on our Recipes page!
There is nothing quite like a scoop of mint chocolate ice cream on a hot summer day. Unfortunately, ice cream is not the healthiest way to relax and cool off.
This recipe combines delicious chocolate protein with cooling mint for a tasty and healthy summer treat.
Not only do the mint leaves pack a powerful antioxidant punch, but mint also helps improve digestion, boost liver function, and lower body temperature (yep, eating mint actually makes you cool)!
The avocado adds a creamy consistency while providing a healthy dose of fat!
I love this smoothie after a long hot day when I need some nutrition but don’t feel like eating a meal.
Chocolate Mint Protein Smoothie
Ingredients:
2 cups organic spinach (or kale if you like stronger greens)
1-1/2 cup milk (unsweetened almond or coconut work great, but you can use nonfat dairy milk if you prefer; water works too)
Combine all ingredients in a power blender and blend until smooth.
Sit back, cool off, and enjoy!
*PureTrim shakes contain 21 grams of vegan protein, antioxidants, a blend of essential fatty acids, probiotics, and less than 8 grams of net carbs. Oh yeah, and they actually taste great too! Order yours now!
Don’t forget to check out our other healthy, yummy recipes on our Recipes page!
Sweet berries and creamy avocado come together on crunchy toast for this breakfast favorite! Oh yeah, and it is nutritious! The avocado provides healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, fiber, and potassium, while the berries supply antioxidants, vitamin C, and manganese.
Berry Delicious Avocado Toast
Ingredients:
2 slices multigrain bread or gluten free bread
1 large avocado, ripened
1/3 cup blueberries, rinsed
1/3 cup strawberries, rinse and quartered
Cinnamon, to taste
Instructions:
Scoop avocado into a small bowl and mash with a fork until smooth.
Gently fold in blueberries and strawberries.
Toast the bread in a toaster or in a skillet*
Top each slice of toast with 1/2 of the avocado mixture and sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.
Serves 2
*If you do not have a toaster, you can toast the bread in a skillet: brush both sides lightly with butter, place in a skillet preheated over medium heat, grill until lightly browned then flip over and repeat on the other side.
This toast is great alone and makes a terrific side dish to a green salad or eggs.
ENJOY!
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