Every time I see a beige meal, I want to say throw some greens in there or throw some tomatoes or red peppers in. Just add a little something with color. Does that sound judge-y? I certainly hope not.
My basis for this observation is that adding color to a meal ups the health factor. Now, I’m not saying that adding spinach to a plate filled with fried food makes a healthy meal. Yes, the spinach is healthy – but the fried food negates the nutrition offered by the greens.
Think of it like this: more color equals more nutrition. So add color to meals that are already healthy (or at least semi-healthy). Don’t worry about which vegetables give which nutrients (at least in the beginning)—simply add as many colors as possible. It’s a foolproof way to get more bang for your nutritional buck.
Not only is colorful food more nutritious, it also makes the food more visually appealing. This is a huge benefit because our eyes play a pretty big role in pleasing the palate (and thus, stimulating the appetite).
Maybe it’s just me, but my goal is to get as many colors as possible in each meal. A variety of colors equals a variety of nutrients – so eat the rainbow! Right?
So rather than simply eating scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast—I eat scrambled eggs with a heaping portion of sautéed vegetables. Or I top my oatmeal and yogurt with fresh berries and bananas. For dinner, I roast veggies to add a nutritious side dish to my plate.
Here are some ways that I try to get color into each meal.
Breakfast
[oatmeal with Greek yogurt and fresh berries]
[eggs scrambled with tomatoes and spinach]
[fruit sandwich with almond butter, strawberries, blueberries, & banana]
[brown rice sautéed with onions, peppers, and spinach—later topped with eggs]
Lunch
[honey barbeque tofu veggie bowl]
[hummus and veggie wrap + fruit, carrots, and raw nuts]
[broccoli, quinoa, black beans, and hummus + fruit, carrots, and raw nuts]
Dinner
[veggie bowl with a black bean burger]
[sautéed veggies topped with grilled tofu]
[veggie-packed lentil pasta salad]
As an unofficial “rule,” I try to have something green in each and every meal. Of course, it doesn’t always happen – so we’ll call it an ongoing goal. To do so, I begin with broccoli, spinach, or kale as the base of my meal and then I add from there.
Colorful food is more appealing to the eye, no?
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