Veggie Tart

You'd think that as much as I enjoy photography that I'd take
a little extra time to photograph my food! But here you go. 

We spent a couple of days with friends in Flagstaff to kick off our summer vacation. This dear friend is also a great cook, and one evening she made us a delicious veggie tart (quiche). A couple of weeks later, that tart was still in my mind and I also had some zucchini, tomatoes and onions from our CSA. I called my friend to get some pointers and also found the recipes below online. It seemed along the same lines as what she told me... she seems to be able to cook from memory/skill/experience whereas I need a recipe!

So I tried this and it took a while because I also made a whole-wheat crust! Yes, proud of myself. My friend made this while we were there and made it seem so simple. It did take me some time, so if this is new to you I recommend making it on a weekend or any day that you are not rushed. The result though was excellent! I forgot to take a photo, because it did look so pretty and this is all that was left. My son even enjoyed it too. He took a bite, kept talking, then took another bite and seemingly surprised said "this really tastes good." 

Flaky Whole Wheat Pie Crust (found this staring at me on the back of Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour package, so I had to try it)

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled (was a lot of butter for me to use, but I did it!)
• 5 to 8 Tbsp ice water

Sift flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Cut butter into 12 pieces and rub into dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with some pea-size pieces. Sprinkle water over mixture, one tablespoon at a time and knead lightly just until a dough forms. Form dough into a ball. Cut in half and press each into a disc shape. Wrap each disc in waxed paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling. Yield: Two 9" single pie crusts or 1 9"double pie crust. Crust will make alone with filling or pre-bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Below is the tart recipe I used from www.ezrapoundcake.com. I made a few changes based on my friend's recommendations and our preferences:

• I used the crust recipe from above.
• I added Swiss chard and cut back on some of the zucchini. My friend recommended always using leafy greens, and I definitely agree. It just works. 
• I used fresh tomatoes.
• I used Gruyere cheese only.
• I used a red onion.

Easy Zucchini, Tomato and Cheese Tart

Serves 4 to 6

• 1 SHEET (HALF OF A 17.3-OUNCE PACKAGE) FROZEN PUFF PASTRY
• 2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
• 1 ONION, FINELY DICED
• 2 GARLIC CLOVES, MINCED
• 2 MEDIUM ZUCCHINI, QUARTERED LENGTHWISE AND THINLY SLICED
• 1/2 TEASPOON DRIED OREGANO
• 1/4 TEASPOON GROUND BLACK PEPPER
• 1 (14-OUNCE) CAN READY-CUT DICED TOMATOES, WELL DRAINED
• 3 LARGE EGGS
• 1 CUP GRATED SMOKED GOUDA (SUBSTITUTES: CHEDDAR, MONTEREY JACK, MOZZARELLA, MUENSTER, PROVOLONE)
• 1/2 TEASPOON SALT
• GENEROUS SEASONING FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter a glass pie plate or a dark 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Set aside.
2. Remove the puff pastry from the package, and let it thaw at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, Make the Filling: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until the onion is slightly tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the zucchini, and saute just until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with oregano and black pepper.
5. Mix in the drained tomatoes, and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini is tender but not mushy and the juices have evaporated. Set the pan off the heat, and let the veggies cool.
6. For the Crust: Sprinkle a little flour on your counter and rolling pin, and gently roll the puff pastry into an 11-inch square. Press the pastry into the bottom and up the sides of your pan. (Trim off the excess pastry, and discard.) Prick the pastry  with a fork, and place a piece of aluminum foil on the pastry. Add dried beans or pie weights to weigh down the foil. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove the foil and weights. Let the pastry cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
7. Raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
8. To Assemble the Tart: In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the cheese, salt, pepper, and cooled vegetables. Spoon the mixture into the tart pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry is brown and a knife inserted in the center of the tart comes out clean. Remove the outer rim of the tart pan, and let the tart cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

Action Item: Try new recipes when you can! Set aside one day each week or one day each month to try a new recipe. Add it to your calendar!

For Further Reading: Still have lots of zucchini from your garden or CSA? Or do you just love zucchini? Try these recipes from Meatless Monday.

What's in Season?

I think many of us look forward to summer and eating some of the traditional fruits that are in season, but what else might be in season and why should we try them all?

I found this website for North America - www.eattheseasons.com. Of course, this will vary a little based on where you live in the US, but it's a good starting point. The site is also published in the UK and maybe other countries/areas too.

So what's in season in July?

arugula, beets, beet greens, bell peppers, carrots, corn, cucumber, eggplant, garlic, kohlrabi, peas, radishes, rhubarb, zucchini

apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, lemons, limes, melon, mulberries, nectarines, passion fruit, peaches, plums, strawberries, tomatoes

 

Why choose fruits and vegetables that are in season?

From www.eattheseasons.com, there are a number of good reasons to eat more local, season food:

• to reduce the energy (and associated C02 emissions) needed to grow and transport the food we eat
• to avoid paying a premium for food that is scarcer or has traveled a long way
• to support the local economy
• to reconnect with nature cycles and the passing of time
• seasonal food is fresher and so tends to be tastier and more nutritious
  

Action Item: Try a new fruit and/or vegetable today. Chilled fruits are one of the most refreshing choices on a hot summer day!

For Further Reading: Another great website for finding what foods are fresh and local in your area is the Eat Well Guide. And if you don't enjoy shopping often for fruits and veg, read this post and see if your area farmers offer a Community Supported Agriculture program.

Those tiny stickers!

Do these tiny stickers from fruits and vegetables drive you crazy too? If yes, please read on and share in my pain. If not, you might want to move on to another post because you might think us sticker-annoyed people are crazy!

Here's how it goes in our house.

• For some reason, it bothers me to walk to the trash bin to drop in one little sticker that usually sticks to my finger and is difficult to get in the trash bin anyway.
• If my husband or son takes a piece of fruit, the lovely little sticker often gets left on the counter for me to peel off later. Or on the kitchen table or who knows where. Probably some I haven't found yet!
• When I'm preparing dinner, same issues.
• If the stickers don't get removed, they go to the compost bin on the peel and after weeks and weeks usually come out of the compost bin intact and I have to pick them all out.
• Get my gist? I may be going a little overboard, but they can be a nuisance.

My solution? Not rocket science, but I hung a clothespin on my kitchen compost bin and voila! Stickers gather in one place. When I carry the compost outside I first toss the stickers into the trash. Happy me :)

Smoothie Pops

Some kids are out of school for the summer and warmer weather is upon us (in most places), so why not make some SMOOTHIE POPS?

Store bought popsicles are often filled with sugar and artificial colors, but smoothie pops are easy, healthy and refreshing. Just like the name says, make your typical smoothie and freeze it in popsicle molds.

Here's my son's favorite recipe:

• mango
• vanilla yogurt

Blend those two items and freeze. Voila!

The possibilities are endless.

• Use whatever fruit you have in the house (it's a great way to use up any that might go bad)
• Try yogurt or almond milk for different flavors
• Purchase frozen fruit when/if it's on sale.
• It's a good way to introduce new fruits into your diet. Kiwi not your favorite? Blend it with strawberries!
• Blend the fruit completely or leave small chunks of fruit in the popsicle if you like.
• Watermelon is great, put it in a blender then pour it into a popsicle mold. Nothing else needed!
• These healthy pops can be eaten for breakfast too! It's a fun and different way for kids to eat their fruit.

Action Item: Make smoothie pops today (or buy/create popsicle molds first). These popsicles are healthier, taste great and reduce packaging waste!

For Further Reading: Fructose Watch: The Top Nine Healthiest Fruits You Can Eat and The Best Eight Fruits for Better Health

Whole Foods

I actually mean whole foods (foods with only one ingredient) not the store.

If you are trying the mini-pledges listed here (Commit to a Healthier You), then today starts:

Week 5: Try two new whole foods –

Try a minimum of two new whole foods that you’ve never had before.

This should be a fun week, because you're not trying to cut anything out of your diet. You're adding in the good stuff! If you haven't started the mini-pledges, take the week 1 plunge today and see if you can eliminate (or reduce) processed foods from your diet. Commit to a healthier you with foods that fuel your body!

I just took a break to eat my breakfast and it reminded me that natural peanut butter is a whole food! If you've never tried real peanut butter, then do that this week. You can buy it in jars (the ingredient list will say PEANUTS), you can make your own or check at your grocery store because some have a peanut or almond grinder in the store. You can even take your own jar (get it weighed first)!


Here's info from the 100 Days of Real Food blog, about whole foods:

Some examples that you’re hopefully familiar with are apples, potatoes, brown rice, whole-wheat flour and spinach. Some other whole foods that are a bit less common are as follows:

• Quinoa (pronounced “KEEN-wah”)
• Barley
• Parsnips
• Kale
• Collard greens
• Steel cut oats
• Papaya
• Brussels sprouts
• Black-eyed peas
• Chickpeas
• Bok choy
• Swiss chard
• Radicchio (pronounced “rah-DEE-kee-oh”)
• Spaghetti Squash
• Watercress
• Dates
• Kiwi
• Eggplant
• Pomegranate (and having the juice in a martini does not count!)
• Fava beans
• Lentils
• Spelt
• Pine nuts
• Star fruit

Action Item: On your next visit to the grocery store, pick out two new fruits, vegetables or grains to try. If you have no idea how to cook or eat or peel them, go online for recipes and how-to videos. Or call your Mom! No excuses.

For Further Reading: What Exactly Are Whole Foods? and The Benefits of Healthy Whole Foods

Eat Local

You might be starting week 3 if you are taking the 10-week challenge to cut processed foods from your diet. If you are not a part of this challenge yet, check out this link (Commit to a healthier you - week 3) and get started!

Here's this week's challenge:
Week 3: Meat – All meat consumed this week will be locally raised (within 100-miles of your hometown). Meat consumption will also be limited to 3 – 4 servings this week, and when it is eaten meat will not be presented as the “focal point” of the meal. Instead meat will be treated as a side item or simply used to help flavor a dish.

This could be a more difficult week for some people, depending on where you live and what stores and farmers markets you can access. But my job is to help you on your journey, so check out the links below for ways to find locally-raised meat.

If you have a difficult time finding locally-raised meat, it will be a good week to work on your vegetarian meals! You will find many in my previous blog posts.

Eating meat is a personal choice, but I ask that you try to make decisions that are better for your health, animals and the environment. Always ask questions and read more on the topic. I did a quick search and found this article Meat Consumption and the Environment. There are plenty more out there talking about which meat better for your health, how animals are treated in various situations, and what effects certain types of farming have on our resources.

In my family we don't all agree 100% on meat consumption. I prefer a vegetarian diet now, and this includes fish for me. My husband prefers mostly vegetarian meals, but likes meat included one to two times per week. Our son goes back and forth; he's still working out his opinions for and against, which is great!


Action Item: Just like the challenge states for this week - work on making meals where meet is not the focal point. You can really be creative and try a variety of nutritious vegetables, fruits and beans. If you tend to make the same meals over and over, this challenge is especially for you!

For Further Reading: Eat Wild (let's you search your state for local, grass-fed meat, eggs and dairy) or try Local Harvest, another site to help you find local meat, produce and other local items. Great ways to support your local farmers, and you'll know where your food comes from!

Try this recipe for Summer Squash and Sausage stew. The chef states that it's the perfect summer stew, but it seemed a little better suited for cooler weather for us. That being said, it was still yummy! I used vegetarian sausage and replaced broth with water in our recipe. Vegetarian sausage, in my opinion, is not an ideal food either (very high in sodium), but we make sure to only eat it occasionally.

Fruit & Veg Muffins

Talk about a good way to fit fruit, vegetables and healthy fats into your diet, try these hearty breakfast muffins from www.allrecipes.com. I made these today and they are really good, sweet and moist! Ron was hesitant to try them, because he wasn't in the mood for a "veggie muffin," but he was pleasantly surprised when he ate one later in the day. He said "I didn't think they'd be that sweet."

It's not a quick recipe, but it's not difficult either. As the energy bars posted before, I like this recipe because of the changes you can make to suit your own taste. These muffins are not just for breakfast, I think they'll taste good at any time of day.

I recommend checking the reviews via the link above before making yours, and I've explained my substitutions below (in blue).

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 carrots, shredded
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 1 zucchini, shredded (I used one zucchini and one small mashed sweet potato based on the reviews)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil - coconut oil would be good too)
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour and added a little extra)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (used 1/4 cup of honey instead)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut (didn't have so didn't use)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (used chopped walnuts)
• 1/2 cup dried cherries (used chopped dates)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper liners.

2.  Mix carrots, banana, zucchini, vegetable oil, yogurt, and eggs together until fully incorporated.

3.  Whisk flour and baking soda in a separate bowl. Mix brown sugar, oats, coconut, pecans, cherries, cinnamon, salt, and ginger into flour mixture until all ingredients are coated in flour. Stir wet ingredients into flour mixture until just combined. Scoop batter into the prepared muffin cups.

4.  Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean and edges are slightly brown, 17 to 22 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.


Action Item: Try these. East some now and freeze some for later!

For Further Reading: 10 Tips for Shifting from Processed to Whole Foods

Keep up the good work

If you are committing to a healthier you and following the mini-pledges to cut out processed foods OR if you are always on the lookout for creative and easy ways to add fruits and veggies to your diet, here are some ideas:

The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide offers 13 ways to add fruits and vegetables to your diet. Here are some of them:

• Be sneaky. Adding finely grated carrots or zucchini to pasta sauce, meat loaf, chili, or a stew is one way to get an extra serving of vegetables.
• Try something new. It’s easy to get tired of apples, bananas, and grapes. Try a kiwi, mango, fresh pineapple, or another of the more exotic choices available at your grocery store.
• Blend in. A fruit smoothie is a delicious way to start the day or tide you over until dinner.
• Spread it on. Try mashed avocado as a dip with diced tomatoes and onions, or as a sandwich spread, topped with spinach leaves, tomatoes, and a slice of cheese.
• Start off right. Ditch your morning donut for an omelet with onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Or boost your morning cereal or oatmeal with a handful of strawberries, blueberries, or dried fruit.
• Give them the heat treatment. Roasting vegetables is easy and brings out new flavors. Cut up onions, carrots, zucchini, asparagus, turnips and coat with olive oil, add a dash of balsamic vinegar, and roast at 350° until done. Use roasted or grilled veggies as a side dish, put them on sandwiches, or add them to salads.

If you make a smoothie, why not freeze the rest into popsicles? Smoothie Pops, as we call them in our house, are a great warm-weather treat with no artificial colors or added sugar.

• Make a smoothie as you normally would and freeze it in popsicle molds.
• Use fresh or frozen fruits, sometimes frozen may be less expensive. Or buy up lots of blueberries when they are on sale and freeze them!
• Fruits such as watermelon and mango can be pureed and frozen without any added ingredients or by adding a little yogurt to the mango.
• The fruit combinations are endless... keep trying different fruits, yogurt, juice or almond milk.
• Delicious and healthy! My son even eats these with his breakfast some days.

Action Item: If you don't have popsicle molds, you can make popsicles using small paper cups and popsicle sticks or even plastic spoons (if you have any that you want to use up!) If you like to eat fruit this way, then down the road you can invest in re-usable popsicle molds.

For Further Reading:

• From this blog, read In Your Face and Change. 
• Or from allrecipes.com, this looks like a delicious one that I hope to try today, Hearty Breakfast Muffins.
• More good information can be found here, Eat Right When Money's Tight

What's in season?

To help you start the real food mini pledge of eating two fruits and/or vegetable per meals (see yesterday's post), here are some tips!

First, choose fruits and vegetables that are in season if you can. The foods will taste their best this time of year and cost less.  Here's a small list, and this will vary a little (or a lot) depending on where you live:

• Apricot
• Artichoke
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Cherries
• Lettuce
• Okra
• Pineapple
• Rhubarb
• Spring peas
• Zucchini

Next, fit these foods and others into your daily routine:

• Add fruit to your cereal or yogurt for breakfast. Use fresh or frozen fruits.
• Make a smoothie, and you can use fruit and veggies (like spinach!)
• Make a big beautiful colorful salad for lunch. If you are packing a lunch for work, pack the lettuce and toppings separately and put it all together at lunch time.
• Cut carrots and dip them in hummus.
• Buy a whole wheat pizza crust and top it with the veggies you already have.
• If you eat meat, make it a small part of your dinner. Make the vegetables the focal point. Try steamed vegetables and enjoy the natural taste.
• At least one day this week, search for a new recipe. Pull out a cookbook that you may not have opened in ages or check out www.allrecipes.com (my favorite).
• And I know this sounds crazy to some of you, but snacking on a apple is truly delicious and filling! Apples are crunchy, sweet and delicious. Try to buy organic if you can and eat the skin too.
• Steam an artichoke and enjoy! (instructional video link below)
• Try dried apricots or other dried fruits (with no added ingredients).

Action Item: Visit a farmer's market and ask what the best fruits and vegetables are in your area this time of year.

For Further Reading: This is the video I watched to learn how to cook and eat artichokes. And from previous posts on this blog, check out Reduce Your Risk of Death, Cherimoya and Fruit Leather

Reduce Your Risk of Death

I had other ideas for today's post, but after reading this research article from Science Daily I definitely think it is worth sharing. It's a long read today, but worth it. The text from the article is on this page just below my comments or you go click the link to read the story and supporting info.

This article makes me say (again)... Eat your vegetables and fruit! Fueling your body with natural foods leaves less room for the chemicals and additives and sodium and sugar that make you unhealthy, sick, give you pains and deplete your energy. If this article doesn't cause you to take a second or third look at your eating habits, then I'm not sure what will. YOU, for the most part, have control over how you feel, how your body functions and how likely you are to end up with heart disease or certain types of cancers. This is also a sad reminder that many people in the US do not even have access to fresh fruit and vegetables, thus leading to poor health and the snowball events that follow. Let's me grateful that most of us can choose healthy foods. Take charge and choose health!

As a reminder, these are results from one study. Add this to your growing knowledge of healthy eating and let it guide you in making good eating choices.

Eating seven or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day reduces your risk of death by 42 percent

Eating seven or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day reduces your risk of death at any point in time by 42% compared to eating less than one portion, reports a new University College London study.

Researchers used the Health Survey for England to study the eating habits of 65,226 people representative of the English population between 2001 and 2013, and found that the more fruit and vegetables they ate, the less likely they were to die at any age. Eating seven or more portions reduces the specific risks of death by cancer and heart disease by 25% and 31% respectively. The research also showed that vegetables have significantly higher health benefits than fruit.

This is the first study to link fruit and vegetable consumption with all-cause, cancer and heart disease deaths in a nationally-representative population, the first to quantify health benefits per-portion, and the first to identify the types of fruit and vegetable with the most benefit.

Compared to eating less than one portion of fruit and vegetables, the risk of death by any cause is reduced by 14% by eating one to three portions, 29% for three to five portions, 36% for five to seven portions and 42% for seven or more. These figures are adjusted for sex, age, cigarette smoking, social class, Body Mass Index, education, physical activity and alcohol intake, and exclude deaths within a year of the food survey.

The study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, found that fresh vegetables had the strongest protective effect, with each daily portion reducing overall risk of death by 16%. Salad contributed to a 13% risk reduction per portion, and each portion of fresh fruit was associated with a smaller but still significant 4% reduction.

"We all know that eating fruit and vegetables is healthy, but the size of the effect is staggering," says Dr Oyinlola Oyebode of UCL's Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, lead author of the study." The clear message here is that the more fruit and vegetables you eat, the less likely you are to die at any age. Vegetables have a larger effect than fruit, but fruit still makes a real difference. If you're happy to snack on carrots or other vegetables, then that is a great choice but if you fancy something sweeter, a banana or any fruit will also do you good."

The findings lend support to the Australian government's 'Go for 2 + 5' guidelines, which recommend eating two portions of fruit and five of vegetables. The UK Department of Health recommends '5 a day', while 'Fruit and Veggies -- More Matters' is the key message in the USA.

"Our study shows that people following Australia's 'Go for 2 + 5' advice will reap huge health benefits," says Dr Oyebode. "However, people shouldn't feel daunted by a big target like seven. Whatever your starting point, it is always worth eating more fruit and vegetables. In our study even those eating one to three portions had a significantly lower risk than those eating less than one"

The researchers found no evidence of significant benefit from fruit juice, and canned and frozen fruit appeared to increase risk of death by 17% per portion. The survey did not distinguish between canned and frozen fruit so this finding is difficult to interpret. Canned fruit products are almost four times more popular than frozen fruit in Europe*, so it is likely that canned fruit dominated this effect.

"Most canned fruit contains high sugar levels and cheaper varieties are packed in syrup rather than fruit juice," explains Dr Oyebode. "The negative health impacts of the sugar may well outweigh any benefits. Another possibility is that there are confounding factors that we could not control for, such as poor access to fresh groceries among people who have pre-existing health conditions, hectic lifestyles or who live in deprived areas."


Action Item: Count your vegetable and fruit servings daily for a week. How are you doing?

For Further Reading: Fruit & Veggies: More Matters and Serving Sizes

It's Magic

Since I mentioned food waste the other day, I am following up with a short article about food waste in restaurants and how you can help. If you have a minute, read The American Meal: The Massive Waste it has Become.

Here's another idea to reduce waste (and save money). Use food scraps to regrow vegetables! Has anyone tried this? It's on my list; I'll keep you posted when I attempt it. I'm pretty bad with gardening, but I think this just might work for me! This graphic came from www.cookingstoned.com (his last name is Stone if anyone is concerned and not intrigued by that name.)

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Our most recent CSA delivery.

Ever find yourself buying the same fruits and vegetables at the store and sticking to the same recipes? Probably so. We all do; that may be why you're reading this, searching through magazines and trying new foods at restaurants. One way to break out of that rut, is to get food from a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). CSA allows city residents to have direct access to high quality, fresh produce grown locally by regional farmers. Good for you, good for the farmer and good for the environment.

Many of you may grow your own vegetables in the summer, get vegetables from family members who do grow their own or have easy access to local farmers and their products. If so, you may not want or need a CSA. For others, like me, a CSA delivery is a beautiful thing!

I've been wanting to do this for years, but have not been able to for various reasons. Here in Albuquerque, I am now purchasing from Skarsgard Farms. They deliver to the house weekly. We've only received two deliveries so far, but are really enjoying it. We'll likely receive a different combination of fruits and vegetables each week -- foods that are in season and that I might not have bought at the store. We ate some delicious pears last week which, for some reason, I had not been buying recently. So they've been a nice addition! And after having a big batch of kale in my weekly delivery, that's when I found the kale/quinoa/shrimp recipe. On sites like www.allrecipes.com, you can search by ingredients that you have to receive a list of possible recipes.


Personal note: There was a time when I would not eat anything green (except peas) and hardly any other vegetables for that matter besides maybe corn and potatoes! Ask my Mom. She has always enjoyed real food though; local Grainger County tomatoes are probably still here favorite. My point is that anyone can change; keep trying new foods and learning to appreciate new tastes. It can definitely be interesting!

Action Item: If you're interested in a CSA near you, check out www.localharvest.com.

For Further Reading: Benefits of Community Supported Agriculture and CSA: What It Is and Why You Should Join

What about protein?

People working toward healthier diets often cut back on their meat intake. Many times, the first question by you (or others suddenly concerned about your protein intake) is "how do I get enough protein?" Don't despair... there's healthier protein everywhere! Choose fish/seafood, nuts, beans/peas, low-fat dairy, and check out the links below for vegan high-protein, nutrient-packed foods.

Keep in mind, that "Protein tends to play a starring role at mealtimes, but you might be better off if it moves out of the spotlight and becomes part of a supporting cast of foods on your plate.

Most Americans get more than enough protein each day, and may be getting too much of this nutrient from animal sources, like meat, poultry, and eggs.

 

Although important in the diet, extra protein will not help you build more muscle or make you stronger. When you're consuming too much of it, you're probably taking in more calories and fat than your body needs.

You need protein because "it has its hands in every critical function of the body," says Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. But the truth about protein is that many people don't need as much as they are taking in." Thank you, WebMD.

An easy way to start cutting back on meat is by participating in Meatless Monday, a program started by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. This is a great read: Why Meatless?

I'm not recommending that everyone change to a vegetarian lifestyle unless that is your goal! Our family chose to cut meat from our diets for health and environmental reasons. We have worked at it for years, and we probably eat meatless meals 90% of the time. I do recommend cutting back on meat if you haven't already and have fun trying new vegetarian/plant-based recipes. I think you'll notice a difference in your energy level and your overall health! My Mom always told me to "eat my veggies" and I finally started listening. Now I'm healthier for it :)

Depending on your dietary needs and what works best for you, meat can play a healthy and important role in your diet. As always, choose foods that fuel your body and meet your needs.

A word of caution - adding processed veggie products to your diet is a fine way to get started or to supplement a meal on a busy day, but please note that processed or pre-packaged veggie sausage, veggie burgers, etc. may include tons of sodium. So just keep reading those labels!


Action Item: Make your own hummus with this recipe or find one with roasted red peppers, more garlic, etc. Or try protein-rich foods in different ways... last night I added leftover red quinoa into our chili. Easy, simple and added protein, iron and other nutrients!

For further reading: 10 Vegan Foods Packed with Protein and Five Easy Steps to Wean Off Meat and How Much Protein Do You Need?

Veggie Tacos

Another great recipe from allrecipes.com for Tasty Lentil Tacos. This is a delicious meatless meal!

Here's the recipe:

1 tsp canola oil (or your oil of choice)
2/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 small clove garlic, minced
2/3 cup dried lentils, rinsed
1 tablespoon taco seasoning, or to taste
1 2/3 cup chicken broth ( I use water instead, no need for extra sodium)
2/3 cup salsa
12 taco shells (or whole wheat tortilla shells)

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Mix lentils and taco seasoning into onion mixture; cook and stir for one minute.
2. Cover lentils with chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Uncover and cook until mixture is slightly thickened, six to eight minutes. Mash lentils slightly; stir in salsa.
4. Serve about 1/4 cup lentil mixture in each taco shell; top with lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and sour cream. 

I just use this as a base for our tacos or burritos, then go crazy adding other ingredients for toppings.

We typically choose from: corn, avocado, kidney or black beans, tomatoes, cheese, greek yogurt, brown rice, shredded spinach or kale, roasted butternut squash chunks, shredded zucchini, sauteed vegetables...

Parents magazine even recommends trying the toppings below to get kids more interested. I can't say that they all sound good to me, but they might interest you!

• scrambled eggs
• diced mango
• diced pineapple
• diced peaches
• pinto beans
• crushed tortilla chips
• roasted sweet potato chunks
• radish coins
• lime wedges

I put every topping in a separate bowl on the table. Yes, it requires dirtying lots of dishes, but my son has fun creating his own taco from all the colorful toppings. Let me know what your favorite taco toppings or burrito ingredients are!

Action item: If you don't already, try a meatless meal at least one day per week. 

For further reading: Meatless Monday

Organic

Organic. You're either all for it or hate to hear the word. I saw something written about labeling organic food, and it made perfect sense. Why must real, unprocessed, healthy food be labeled? Why not label the other stuff as "un-organic" or "warning: pesticide residue." It doesn't make much sense.

I agree that fresh fruit and vegetables should be affordable (and accessible) for everyone, but that's a topic for another day and probably for someone else. For those of you with a green thumb, keep growing your vegetables and let's find ways to get it in the hands (and mouths) of people (and kids) who need it! I'm trying, but I am just no good at growing or keeping anything alive. Going to try again this spring if I can keep our dog out of the beds!

Back to topic... everything you buy does not need to be organic unless that's how you choose to shop and eat. Remember though, we as consumers say a lot with our purchases, so if we buy more organic products companies will start to listen.

To help get you started, here's list of fruits and vegetables that you should try to buy organic when possible. On that link, there's also a list of "clean" foods that you don't have to buy organic to feel good about them.

Action item: If this is an area you don't know much about, read the articles below to make better-informed decisions about "clean" fruits and vegetables. Better yet, print out a list or save one in your phone to double check when shopping.

For further reading: Nutrition of Organics vs. Non-organics (this also mentions organic vs. local and fresh vs. frozen).
Organic vs. Nonorganic