It's easy to forget that we are all perfect in our own design. Sometimes we muck it up with habits and choices that do not serve us.
The science is crystal clear that eating MORE vegetables can do each of us a WORLD of good. Increasing the vegetables on our plate points us in the direction of more vibrant health, no matter what our age, gender, ethnicity, or current health conditions.
But isn’t it hard to incorporate more vegetables into your diet?
No! It’s surprisingly easy to fall in love with vegetables and find great ways to use them, because there are a VAST variety of types, colors, textures and flavors to choose from. It becomes more and more exciting the further you explore!
Will I actually feel better if I eat more vegetables?
Yes! And you may be surprised by how fast you actually FEEL better.
At Food As Medicine, where I was Executive Chef for a decade, we offered luncheon buffets full of colorful, organic, largely plant-based dishes. Attendees were often amazed to experience health improvements, some within 24 hours. Elimination might improve dramatically! Focus, mental clarity and overall energy might be discernibly better. Quite impressive results for veg-centric eating in only a few days.
Right now we’re coming into salad season, the easiest time of year to start thinking about a vegetable-centric plate.
I think of it as painting your plate with color!
When I paint, I never paint on a white canvas. I put a background color on, that will seep through as I apply other colors. On my food plate, I start with green. That’s the color that offers the biggest bang for your nutritional buck. Arugula, mixed greens, romaine, chard, kale or mustard greens... Then I apply more color on top of that. Depending on what’s in season, it might be asparagus, purple potatoes, green beans, radishes, or strips of jicama. Then I add MORE color: cherry tomatoes, red peppers, golden beets, fennel. You’re painting your plate!
Did you roast vegetables the night before? Boom! On the bed of green. Do you have fresh mint on hand? Or blanched broccoli? Terrific! Throw them in. Have some leftover quinoa? Sprinkle some on top, for texture.
Protein goes on last, as your garnish. That can be a dollop of hummus, poached or hard boiled eggs or legumes such as lentils (¼ cup of beans or legumes is more than enough, and about as much as your body can absorb without feeling bloated) or, perhaps some salmon, or grass fed beef or pastured chicken.
We’re turning things upside down. Instead of the big hunk of protein, and grains or something starchy and just a small amount of vegetables — the classic triangle — we’re making greens the foundation, vegetables the full fledged center, and protein the garnish.
All of your phytonutrients are coming from the plants. Plants contain all of your micronutrients, those minute unsung heroes, those minerals that pump up your cells and your immune system and repair your DNA. These are the fighters! They are responsible for your vitality.
Thinking along the lines of a salad, a mixture of raw and cooked, makes it easy! It’s not like you’re cooking for days here. And it doesn’t have to be a plate, it can be a magically colorful mixed veg-centric bowl!
Like Salad Nicoise with Olive Mint and Caper Vinaigrette from Andy Weil’s most recent book, Fast Food, Good Food — a delicious little rhapsody of flavors, colors and textures, that is so richly satisfying!
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