If you like that dish, you’ll LOVE this one!
Use this message as the foundation for all your meals and snacks. What’s great about this is not only will it help meet health goals (we know balanced menus rich in fruits and vegetables help reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, like heart disease and diabetes) it also aids with weight management. Did you know filling half your plate with fruits and veggies automatically slashes calories? And you didn’t have to count a thing!
Here’s some food for thought on classic favorites made over so that half the plate is filled with your favorites. Bonus – because you are featuring fruits and vegetables, you can keep menus interesting by using seasonal favorites. They’ll taste great, typically cost less, and beat the boredom complaints from the family because the natural sweetness of fruit, and the savory goodness of veggies will be singing to taste buds all year ’round!
This and That
Try these colorful additions on YOUR plate! You will be amazed at how easy it is to load up on nutrients – and how much better it tastes, too.
| Like That? | LOVE This! | |
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| Apple fritter donut | Pancakes made with natural applesauce mixed in and sprinkled with cinnamon, chopped apples and walnuts | |
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| Toaster Waffles | Whole grain toaster waffle “burritos” – top toasted waffle with sliced bananas/ strawberries and roll to eat on the go | |
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| Cereal with 1% or fat free milk | Cereal with 1% or fat-free milk, fresh blueberries, strawberries, or sliced peaches | |
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| Greek yogurt | Reduced-fat or fat-free Greek yogurt with diced nectarine | |
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| Trail mix made with low-fat granola and almonds | Trail mix made with low-fat granola, almonds, and dried cranberries | |
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| Peanut butter and jelly sandwich on white bread | Peanut butter and sliced banana (or apple) on whole grain | |
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| Turkey wrap with lettuce and mayo | Turkey wrap with lettuce, sliced avocado, tomato | |
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| Macaroni and cheese | Kicked up mac ‘n cheese with peas and corn See Recipe | |
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| Chips with ranch dressing | Carrot coins, cucumber slices, and bell pepper strips with ranch dip (mix fat-free Greek yogurt with ranch dressing mix to add a dairy serving and blast the fat) | |
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| Canned chicken noodle soup | Chicken noodle soup with veggies See Recipe | |
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| Buttered noodles | Cheesy pasta primavera See Recipe | |
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| Grilled chicken and mayonnaise potato salad | Grilled chicken, made-over potato salad and grilled grapes See Recipe |
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| Pie (two crusts, canned filling) | Simple homemade peach & blackberry cobbler made with frozen fruit (recipe below) |
Recipe
Peach & Blackberry Cobbler
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 30-35 minutes
Amount: 8 servings
- 2 (10 ounce) packages organic frozen sliced peaches, thawed, drained
- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen blackberries, thawed, drained
- 1 cup cane sugar
- ¼ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1½ cups buttermilk biscuit mix
- 6 tablespoons organic milk
- 1½ tablespoons butter, softened
Directions
- In large bowl, combine peaches, blackberries, sugar, flour and cinnamon. Transfer to a greased 8×8-inch baking dish.
- In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto peach mixture.
- Bake in a preheated 400°F oven 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
Nutrition information per serving:
Serving Size:
1/8 of recipe
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 280
Total Fat: 3g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 5mg
Sodium: 370mg
Carbohydrates: 61g
Dietary Fiber: 5g
