Eat Better, Feel Better

Here's an interesting article from MSNBC about tactics parents can use to get kids to eat a healthier diet. Funny thing -- you can use those same methods to get adults to healthier, too! ("Eating healthy" generally means trading fat, sodium, and the empty calories of white flour and sugar for nutrient-rich whole grains, fruits and vegetables.)

And here are a few other ideas. Just for the heck of it, try one new fruit or vegetable every week. Last week, for example, we bought shallots and went a little crazy, adding them to anything that could handle their onion-y flavor. This week, it's herb-marinated olives -- a remarkable change from the ordinary, pimento-stuffed versions. Why try new foods? Because the more varied your diet, the more likely you are to be getting a wide range of nutrients.

Here's another suggestion -- if you're getting tired of steamed or boiled veggies, try roasting them in the oven. So far, we've roasted green beans, beets, broccoli, peppers, asparagus and tomatoes. Yummmm! Just drizzle with some grapeseed oil (rather than olive oil, which has a low smoking point and does not hold up well to heat), sprinkle your favorite seasoning on and they're ready to go in a 350 degree oven. Cooking time varies, depending on the vegetable, so start checking for doneness after about fifteen minutes.

Finally, visit the local garden store and invest in some fresh herbs. They make superb companions to vegetables of all kinds, and herbs contain vitamins and antioxidants. Plus, they're quite low in calories, and help reduce the need for salt, butter and sauces that add fat and sodium to our meals. Start with the familiar ones -- basil, thyme, rosemary, and oregano -- and move into the more exotic fare, like the wonderful pineapple sage (shown in bloom in the photo above) and cilantro. Trust me, these are vegetables like you've never had them before!