Going Green

Eating whole, unprocessed foods is one of the best ways to enjoy the most benefits from nature's food bounty. Canned carrots lose about 20% of their antioxidant value. Wouldn't you rather spend a minute or two rinsing and cutting the carrots in order to enjoy the maximum benefit?
Try a homemade salad with a mix of your favorite vegetables. See how many colors you can blend in your salad creation. Here's one idea for a variety of healthy choices.

Here's what you'll need:

4 cups fresh spinach
4 cups Romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped green pepper (or use red, yellow, or orange)
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh broccoli
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 sliced red onion
2 cups sliced cucumber
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup sliced zucchini

Simply wash all the veggies, mix in a large salad bowl and enjoy with your favorite dressing. If you're like me and trying to watch those calories have your low fat or nonfat dressing on the side.
For even more flavor and some healthy fats - add some chopped walnuts or whole pumpkin seeds. Eating healthy is so much easier when we include whole foods in our daily diet.

So get out your best stainless steel cookware and prepare a wholesome and healthy meal for your loved ones. And don't forget the salad!