Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables

Recently the United States Department of Agriculture unveiled a new logo, MyPlate, to help Americans make better food choices.  MyPlate, which replaces MyPyramid, is based on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and designed to remind Americans to eat healthfully.

The suggestions represented by MyPlate are not new, but rather based on principles we have been hearing from some time.  One of these principles seems most easily incorporated into our meal plans during the summer.  “Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.” What could be simpler with garden fresh vegetables and sun ripened fruits close by!

Discover the many benefits of adding vegetables and fruits to your meals. They are low in fat and calories, while providing fiber and other key nutrients. Most Americans should eat more than 3 cups of vegetables and fruits each day. Vegetables and fruits don’t just add nutrition to meals. They can also add color, flavor, and texture.

If you don’t have a garden, you may find vegetables and fruits that are in season on special in the local supermarket.  You could visit to one of the local farmers markets and perhaps even pick your own produce.

• ·        Cook fresh or frozen vegetables in the microwave for a quick-and-easy dish. Steam green beans, carrots, or broccoli in a bowl with a small amount of water in the microwave for a quick side dish.
• ·        Cut up a batch of bell peppers, carrots, or broccoli. Pre-package them to use when time is limited. You can enjoy them on a salad, with hummus, or in a veggie wrap.
• ·        Top your cereal with bananas, peaches, blueberries, or strawberries.
• ·        Add apples, bananas, blueberries, or pears to your favorite pancake or muffin recipe.
• ·        Boost the color and flavor of your morning omelet with vegetables. Simply chop, sauté, and add them to the egg as it cooks. Try combining different vegetables, such as mushrooms, spinach, onions, or bell peppers.
• ·        Brighten your plate with vegetables that are red, orange, or dark green. They are full of vitamins and minerals. Try acorn squash, cherry tomatoes, sweet potatoes, or collard greens.
• ·        Brighten your salad by using colorful vegetables such as black beans, sliced red bell peppers, shredded radishes, chopped red cabbage, or watercress.
• ·        Try a fruit mixed with fat-free or low-fat yogurt for lunch.
• ·        Pack a tangerine, banana, or grapes to eat for lunch.
• ·        Add crushed pineapple to coleslaw, or include orange sections, sliced strawberries, dried cranberries, or grapes in a tossed salad.
• ·        Don’t forget about frozen varieties.  Frozen vegetables are quick and easy to use and are just as nutritious as fresh veggies. Try adding frozen corn, peas, green beans, spinach, or sugar snap peas to some of your favorite dishes or eat as a side dish.
• ·        Canned vegetables are a great addition to any meal, so keep on hand canned tomatoes, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, mushrooms, and beets. Select those labeled as “reduced sodium,” “low sodium,” or “no salt added.”
• ·        Sip on some vegetable soup. Try tomato, butternut squash, or garden vegetable soup. Look for reduced- or low-sodium soups. 
• ·        If dinner is away from home, order an extra side of vegetables or side salad instead of the typical fried side dish.
• ·        Try a new vegetable or fruit. You never know what you may like. Ask a clerk for help in selecting an unfamiliar variety at the market.
• ·        Keep a bowl of whole fruit on the table, counter, or in the refrigerator.
• ·        Buy fruits that are dried, frozen, and canned (in water or 100% juice) as well as fresh, so that you always have a supply on hand.
• ·        Make most of your choices whole or cut-up fruit, rather than juice, for the benefits that dietary fiber provides.
• ·        Use the grill to cook vegetables and fruits. Try grilling mushrooms, carrots, peppers, or potatoes on a skewer. Brush with oil to keep them from drying out. Grilled fruits like peaches, pineapple, or mangos add great flavor to a cookout.
• ·        Expand the flavor of your casseroles by mixing in sautéed onions, peas, pinto beans, or tomatoes into your favorite recipe.
• ·        Add extra vegetables to your pasta dish. Slip some peppers, spinach, red beans, onions, or cherry tomatoes into your traditional tomato sauce.
• ·        When dining out, eat sliced fruit from the salad bar as your dessert. This will help you avoid any baked desserts that are high in calories.
• ·        Stir-fry your veggies—like broccoli, carrots, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, or green beans—for a quick-and-easy addition to any meal.
• ·        Add vegetables to your sandwiches and wraps. Try sliced tomatoes, romaine lettuce, or avocado.
• ·        Make a tasty fruit smoothie for dessert.  Blend peaches, strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries with frozen bananas and 100% fruit juice for a delicious frozen fruit smoothie.
• ·        If fresh fruit has gotten a bit overripe, it is still useful in baking or smoothies.

 

Remember the basic food safety rules.  Wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap before and after preparing fresh produce.  Rinse fruits and vegetables before preparing or eating them.  Under clean, running water, rub the produce briskly to remove dirt and surface microorganisms.  Even if you plan to peel the produce before eating, it is important to wash it first. 

For even more healthy eating tips from MyPlate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov

 

Green Beans with Bacon-Balsamic Vinaigrette

2 pounds green beans, trimmed

2 bacon slices

1/4 cup minced shallots or green onions

3 Tablespoons coarsely chopped almonds

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

 

Cook beans in boiling water 8 minutes or just until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well; set aside. Cook bacon in a small skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, and crumble. Add shallots to bacon drippings in pan; sauté 1 minute. Add almonds; sauté 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and cool. Add vinegar and sugar to pan and stir until sugar dissolves. Add crumbled bacon. Pour vinaigrette over beans, tossing gently to coat. Yield: 8 servings, 3/4 cup each

Nutrition Information per serving:  99 calories; 12g carbohydrate; 4g fiber; 5g total fat; 3g protein; 4 mg cholesterol; 50 mg sodium.

 

Marinated Vegetable Salad

2 medium tomatoes or 4 roma tomatoes, cut in wedges

1 medium green sweet pepper, cut into small squares

1 cup thinly sliced zucchini or yellow summer squash

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic or wine vinegar

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme or basil (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or basil, crushed)

1 clove garlic, minced

 

In a large bowl combine tomatoes, sweet peppers, zucchini, onion, and parsley; set aside. For dressing, combine oil, vinegar, water, thyme, and garlic in a screw-top jar. Cover and shake well. Pour dressing over vegetable mixture. Toss lightly to coat. Let vegetable mixture stand at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Or cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours, stirring once or twice. Let stand at room temperature about 30 minutes before serving.) Use a slotted spoon to serve. Yield: 6 servings, 1/2 cup each

Nutrition information per serving: 64 calories; 5g carbohydrate; 1g fiber; 5g total fat; 1g protein; 0g cholesterol; 6mg sodium

 

Corn Salad

3 cups fresh, canned, or thawed frozen corn

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 cup minced red onion

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1½ cups seeded and diced tomatoes

4 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

3 Tablespoons cider vinegar

salt and pepper to taste