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Tips
for Eating Healthy This Winter |
by:
ARA |
(ARA)
- It’s easy to eat right during the summer
months with an abundance of fresh produce
available from a wide variety of sources.
But as winter rolls around, those juicy
ears of corn are just a memory. That doesn’t
mean, however, that you drop your healthy
eating habits with the dropping temperatures.
You still need to get your five servings
a day of fruits and vegetables. Make an
effort to include fruits and vegetables
at every meal. Since your options are more
limited during the winter months, now’s
the time to get creative by trying new recipes
as well as sampling produce you haven’t
eaten before.
Winter brings a bumper crop of root vegetables
like turnips, rutabagas and parsnips; squash;
brussels sprouts; and more. Apples and pumpkins
are the foundation of a variety of comforting,
homey desserts. Here are some tips to help
you chase away the winter chill by adding
the flavors and healthy benefits of winter
produce.
As always, the key to buying the best produce
is to know what you’re looking for. No matter
what the season, 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 an “A to Z” guide to produce
that includes useful information on the
peak season for any given item, nutrition
information and selection tips. You can
also “ask the experts” if you have a question
that isn’t answered on the site. Best of
all, the site includes hundreds of recipes
that show you how to put the produce to
work on the dinner 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.
2 cups cauliflower (2 small heads), coarsely
chopped
1 1/2 cups zucchini (1-2 medium), chopped
3 cans (14.5 ounces) chicken broth, reduced
sodium
1 16-ounce can tomatoes, diced, drained
1 cup elbow macaroni or small pasta shells
3 cups kidney beans or black-eyed peas,
drained and rinsed (1 cup dry makes 3 cups
cooked) or 2 cans (15 ounces each)
1 cup carrot (1 medium), sliced
1 cup onion (1 medium), chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil (for pesto)
2 garlic cloves (for pesto)
1 cup basil leaves, fresh, loosely packed
OR (for pesto)
1 cup Italian parsley plus 1 teaspoon dried
basil leaves (for pesto)
1 tablespoon water
Directions
In a 5 to 6 quart saucepan bring to boil
1/2 cup water, tomatoes, cauliflower, onion
and carrots; reduce heat and simmer covered
10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Add zucchini, beans, broth and pasta. Return
to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered
10 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 8 servings.
Golden Apple Oatmeal
Start your day off right with a steaming
bowl of this hearty (and heart healthy)
oatmeal.
1/2 cup Golden Delicious apples, diced
1/3 cup apple juice
1/3 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
1/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats, uncooked
Directions
Combine apples, apple juice, water and seasoning;
bring to a boil. Stir in rolled oats; cook
1 minute. Cover and let stand several minutes
before serving. Makes a 1-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
About the author:
Courtesy of ARA Content
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