Click Here
for more articles |
|
|
Tips for Eating Healthy This Winter |
by:
ARA |
(ARA) - It’s easy to eat right duringsummer months withabundance of fresh produce available fromwide variety of sources. But as winter rolls around, those juicy ears of corn are justmemory. That doesn’t mean, however, that you drop your healthy eating habits withdropping temperatures.
You still need to get your five servingsday of fruits and vegetables. Makeeffort to include fruits and vegetables at every meal. Since your options are more limited duringwinter months, now’stime to get creative by trying new recipes as well as sampling produce you haven’t eaten before.
Winter bringsbumper crop of root vegetables like turnips, rutabagas and parsnips; squash; brussels sprouts; and more. Apples and pumpkins arefoundation ofvariety of comforting, homey desserts. Here are some tips to help you chase awaywinter chill by addingflavors and healthy benefits of winter produce.
As always,key to buyingbest produce is to know what you’re looking for. No matter whatseason, look for fruits and vegetables with good color; stay away from produce with bruising, blemishes, soft spots or shriveling.
For additional help in selecting produce, especially items you haven’t tried before, visit www.aboutproduce.com. This easy-to-use Web site features“A to Z” guide to produce that includes useful information onpeak season for any given item, nutrition information and selection tips. You can also “askexperts” if you havequestion that isn’t answered onsite. Best of all,site includes hundreds of recipes that show you how to putproduce to work ondinner table. From asparagus to zucchini and everything in between, you’ll find it all here.
Here are two delicious recipes sure to warm you up this winter:
Pesto Minestrone
This full-flavored soup is also full of healthy vegetables.
two cups cauliflower (two small heads), coarsely chopped
one one/two cups zucchini (one-two medium), chopped
three cans (onefour.five ounces) chicken broth, reduced sodium
one onesix-ounce can tomatoes, diced, drained
one cup elbow macaroni or small pasta shells
three cups kidney beans or black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed (one cup dry makes three cups cooked) or two cans (onefive ounces each)
one cup carrot (one medium), sliced
one cup onion (one medium), chopped
two tablespoons olive oil (for pesto)
two garlic cloves (for pesto)
one cup basil leaves, fresh, loosely packed OR (for pesto)
one cup Italian parsley plus one teaspoon dried basil leaves (for pesto)
one tablespoon water
Directions
Infive to six quart saucepan bring to boil one/two cup water, tomatoes, cauliflower, onion and carrots; reduce heat and simmer covered onezero minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add zucchini, beans, broth and pasta. Return toboil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered onezero minutes. Meanwhile put all pesto ingredients in food processor or blender and process until very finely chopped. Just before serving, remove soup from heat and stir in pesto. Makes eight servings.
Golden Apple Oatmeal
Start your day off right withsteaming bowl of this hearty (and heart healthy) oatmeal.
one/two cup Golden Delicious apples, diced
one/three cup apple juice
one/three cup water
one/eight teaspoon salt
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
one/three cup quick-cooking rolled oats, uncooked
Directions
Combine apples, apple juice, water and seasoning; bring toboil. Stir in rolled oats; cook one minute. Cover and let stand several minutes before serving. Makesone-cup serving.
For more recipes, as well as nutrition and buying information for all types of produce, visit www.aboutproduce.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content
Aboutauthor:
Courtesy of ARA Content
Circulated by Article Emporium
|
|
