Eat Right with COLOR!

March is National Nutrition Month and the theme this year is "Eat Right with Color".  I could not agree more!  Sometimes it may feel overwhelming when you start thinking about health and nutrition.  After all, there are a million different opinions out there on everything from fat, sugar, salt to organic, conventional, and when and how we should eat.  It just does not have to be that complicated.  If we spend more of our time focused on eating a rainbow of colors (no not that blue yogurt that your kids love) then we will be headed in the right direction.  Have you ever taken a moment to look around in the produce section of your supermarket or better yet, the local farmers' market?  It is absolutely gorgeous.  There are so many beautiful colors, flavors and textures and so many that you have possibly never even tried.  This is your chance to see just how colorful you can make your plate and your diet in the month of March (at least the last two weeks of it).

Co-ops and Farmers' Markets
There is no better way to "Eat Right with Color" than to purchase a box of produce from a local co-op or farmers' market.  This will 1) force you to try things that you have not tried before and 2) eat a more seasonal diet.  These days we can get almost any vegetable or fruit that we want at the market despite the season.  However, if we focus on eating more foods that are in season, we will realize greater nutritional benefit as well as better flavor.

I love the idea of getting a big box of fresh, locally grown, organic produce, however the control freak in me has to get past needing to make the decision on what I will purchase.  I finally did it, this week I purchase a half-share from a local co-op.  I picked it up on Saturday morning and was like a kid in a candy store.  The quality is outstanding and the flavor is absolutely out of this world.  I brought it home and quickly found my mind reeling over how I would use it all.  The locally grown strawberries and tomatoes were the highlight, followed closely by the cucumbers that were not waxy like they are at the supermarkt, so I could actually eat the skin.  I immediately prepared myself a bowl of non-fat plain yogurt, sliced up some of the fresh strawberries and sprinkled it with my favorite oat granola.  WOW!  Later in the day I used the beautiful lettuce, tomato, carrots, avocado along with some red pepper, mandarin oranges and some walnuts, pecans and almonds that I already had to make an amazing salad for a dinner with friends.  Sunday at lunch I sliced another of the tomatoes on top of a whole wheat bagel, light cream cheese and smoked Wild Alaskan Salmon.  I did not get to eat the whole tomato myself because my kids were asking to have some quicker than I could eat it all.  I have been eating the blueberries in my Kashi 7 Whole Grain Flakes and skim milk, a fantastic way to start the day.  The co-op box was very large, so I will probably only get one every other week or once a month, but I was pleasantly surprised at both the quality and my own enthusiasm to use the produce.

Here are just a couple of the meals that I plan to make this week using what I received in my box:

Shrimp stir-fry with bok choy, sweet orange peppers and broccoli
Swiss chard, tomatoes and creamy pasta
Marinated pork chops with roasted butternut squash and sauteed kale


Color guide to great nutrition:

Green produce indicates antioxidant potential and may help promote healthy vision and reduce cancer risks.

• Fruits: avocado, apples, grapes, honeydew, kiwi and lime
• Vegetables: artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, green beans, green peppers and leafy greens such as spinach

Orange and deep yellow fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that promote healthy vision and immunity, and reduce the risk of some cancers.

• Fruits: apricot, cantaloupe, grapefruit, mango, papaya, peach and pineapple
• Vegetables: carrots, yellow pepper, yellow corn and sweet potatoes

Purple and blue options may have antioxidant and anti-aging benefits and may help with memory, urinary tract health and reduced cancer risks.

• Fruits: blackberries, blueberries, plums, raisins
• Vegetables: eggplant, purple cabbage, purple-fleshed potato

Red indicates produce that may help maintain a healthy heart, vision, immunity and may reduce cancer risks.

• Fruits: cherries, cranberries, pomegranate, red/pink grape fruit, red grapes and watermelon
• Vegetables: beets, red onions, red peppers, red potatoes, rhubarb and tomatoes

White, tan and brown foods sometimes contain nutrients that may promote heart health and reduce cancer risks.

• Fruits: banana, brown pear, dates and white peaches
• Vegetables: cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, turnips, white-fleshed potato and white corn

I hope you will challege yourself to try some new fruits and vegetables the next time you go to the market and to see just how colorful you can make your diet.

WHAT'S FOR DINNER?
I have never cooked with swiss chard before, so I was quite excited to try this.  Aside from spinach, I have always been a little intimidated by the variety of greens like swiss chard, kale, collard, etc.  If you have any great recipes using greens, I would love it if you would share.  I also really like this sauce because it creamy, light and does not contain any preservatives like you may find in bottle sauces.  My entire family really gobbled this one up, a little to my own surprise.  I am a huge fan of swiss chard!

Swiss Chard, tomatoes and creamy pasta
Servings:  4

1 lb Swiss chard
1 T olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped, or substitute 2 T chopped shallots instead of garlic and onions

2 large tomatoes, chopped or 1 pint cherry tomatoes quartered

1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1/2 cup lowfat milk
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
8 oz fettucine, cooked
1/8 t freshly ground pepper
1/8 t salt
2 T Fresh herbs such as as oregano and basil (optional)

Wash swiss chard, cut into small pieces.  Heat oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add swiss chard, garlic and onion; cooking 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Lower heat to medium and add tomatoes, sour cream, milk, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper.  Stir well.  Add cooked pasta and toss to coat before serving.