We've all heard that we should "eat the rainbow", and that the more colorful our plate, the better. Recently, my plates have been pretty beige, so I'm looking to add more color to my dinners. Here are some tips for adding color to your diet:
Go to Farmers' Markets and look for Purples
-Purple peppers
-Purple carrots
-Purple sweet potatoes
-Purple cauliflower
-Purple beans
These are actually found in nature, and contain a big dose of vitamins and minerals. You can make the purple sweet potatoes into fries. Season with truffle salt or pink himalayan salt for added flavor. The purple carrots can be used in a stir fry, along with the purple peppers. Use the cauliflower to make a warm purple salad. Cook the cauliflower for 5 to 10 minutes to make it soft, then add olives, breadcrumbs, vinegar, and red onions for more color.
Get Creative with Greens
Add celery hearts to your Caesar salad. Drizzle the celery hearts with olive oil, then char them on a very hot grill. Make the dressing in a food processor with 1 egg yolk, 1 diced celery stalk, 1 smashed garlic clove, a 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Process while pouring in 2 cups of olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Pour this over the celery hearts and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Yum!
Eat Some Pink Power Snacks
Find some smoked salmon and make a twist on a bagel with lox. Top a Wasa cracker with some cream cheese, smoked salmon, and red onions. The salmon is a great dose of protein and will help you stay fuller longer. Also, look for new fruit cups that have Chia seeds in them. The chia seeds provide extra vitamin C and fiber so you can power through your day.
Add colorful items to your shopping list and see how creative you can get. This is a fun way to cook healthy!