Your diet should include a healthy variety of fruits, vegetables, protein and grains. Fruits and veggies are an important part of your diet because they add vitamins and rich nutrients that will make you feel better throughout the day. Try these easy-to-follow tips and you’ll be on your way to a better, healthier you!
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Getting creative and healthy with your meals has never been easier. Fruits and vegetables give extra color, sabor y textura to your dishes, while adding a little creativity to your dinner table. Madrina Malena recommends three cups of veggies and two cups of fruit each day. Here are 10 delicious ways to help you get your daily fill of frutas y verduras!
- Make a fruit smoothie. Fruit smoothies are postres in a glass! Get a simple blender and crush ice and fruit like watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, strawberries and mango and whip up a dreamy licuado for a refreshing drink or snack.
- Add chopped vegetables to your main dishes. (¡Qué vivan las salsas frescas!) Liven up your meals with fresh vegetables, picados and salsas. Incorporate sautéed or fresh onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers and spinach into your dishes for added vitamins and nutrients, and treat your senses to sweet, savory or spicy salsas and pico de gallo.
- Eat a green salad once a day. Make an ensalada mixta a healthy daily habit! Start with fresh lettuce and add other crispy veggies. Try a simple dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Whether paired with lunch or dinner, a fresh salad with mixed greens, carrots, cherry tomatoes, green onions and peppers is the perfect complement to any meal.
- Fire up the grill. Face it. Everything tastes better on the parrilla. Whether you grill the vegetables in a kabob or in a fajita mix, the combination of corn, peppers, onions and chile powder will spice up any meal. Ever tried grilled pineapple with chilito? How about grilled asparagus? Try some of Madrina Lori’s grilled veggies today!
Eat up to three cups of veggies and two cups of fruit every day for a healthier you!
- Shred and puree vegetables. Instead of using dairy or meat products to thicken your sopas and stews, try shredding and pureeing vegetables. Pureed and shredded carrots, celery, potatoes, mushrooms and sweet potatoes make a hearty (and healthy) addition to your dishes.
- Add fruit to your desserts. When you’re craving something sweet—algo dulce—get creative with baked goods by adding blueberries, pears, strawberries, bananas, applesauce or apples into your favorite recipes. Fruit sweetens the flavor and adds a luscious texture.
- Plan a vegetable main dish. At least once a week, let your veggies be the main attraction! Make Lori’s calabacitas con shredded chicken! Get creative! Make a veggie taco! Push the envelope and add spinach to your enchiladas. Pile some shredded jicama, cabbage and carrots on a yummy bean tostada. Add calabacitas to your burritos and nopalitos to your taquitos. Nothing tastes better than Hatch green chile on a quesadilla.
- Sip on vegetable soup. A good sopa de verduras will warm your belly and your soul. Mix together a playful combination of peppers, corn, zucchini, tomatoes, onions and beans for a delicious main or side dish. Too hot for soup? Try Lori’s gazpacho and pretend you’re in sunny Spain!
- Snack on fruits throughout the day. When you’re feeling hungry, reach for raspberries, grapes, blueberries, bananas, apples and pears, which will curb your appetite and give you a healthy boost of energía. Balance the fruit with a handful of protein-rich almonds and you’re on your way!
- Stock up on fruits and vegetables—fresh, frozen and canned. The absolute easiest way to eat more fruits and veggies is simply to have them around! Buy more fruits and vegetables when you go grocery shopping. Keep a bowl of fruit on your table. Don’t forget to stock up on canned and frozen vegetables to ensure your meals are tasty and nutritious. Take a hint from Madrina Malena: rinse canned veggies before eating to wash away some of the added sodium.
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