Care

Reshaping Your Menu – Dinner!

 MNU-ICONS-HEALTH


Hello, friends! We’re back to our ongoing series on how to re-shape your meals, one meal at a time.  This week, dinner! 

 

We have already covered Breakfast and Lunch.  Let’s tackle that age-old stumper…what’s for dinner?  Here are some suggestions for some healthy choices.  Try to pick one and start with that.  Then the next time you are boggled by what to make for your evening meal, you might have a step up to making a better choice.

  

Meatlessmonday

DINNER

 

Meatless Mondays –

This is a movement started by The Monday Campaigns, in associated with the Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health.  Their goal is “to reduce meat consumption by 15% in order to improve your personal health and the health of the planet.” See more here>

“Presidents Wilson, Truman and Roosevelt galvanized the nation with voluntary meatless days during both world wars. Our intention is to revitalize this American tradition. We’re spearheading a broad-based, grassroots movement that spans all borders and demographic groups. By cutting out meat once a week, we can improve our health, reduce our carbon footprint and lead the world in the race to reduce climate change.”

So try something veggie and delicious, like an eggplant parmesan, bean burritos or broccoli soup.  Just one day a week of meatless meals can lower cholesterol, curb obesity and reduce the risks of a variety of illnesses from cancer to heart disease to diabetes. 

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Tomatoes

Did you now that 2 to 4 servings of tomato sauce a week can cut your prostate cancer risk by 34%?  They are also my favorite vegetable, and I eat them like candy!  Grape, cherry, heirloom, roma, beefsteak, you name it, I will eat it.  They are so versatile and easy to pop in to so many dishes.  They are high in lycopene, which is a big cancer fighter, and also an anti-inflammatory.  They even help with cognitive dysfunction, osteoporosis and skin damage.  Add to soups and stews, salads, or make a simple tomato sauce that can go over just about anything. They can be roasted, sauteed or sliced as a topping.  They are so good for you, find a way to incorporate them into as many meals as possible.

 

 

PeshiePlated

  

Fish

Bon Appetit recently claimed that fish is the new chicken.  Hooray! There are 22 grams of protein per 4 oz. Eating one serving of fish per week can halve your risk of a sudden fatal heart attack. The secret ingredient in fish is omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon is especially high in them.

 If you broil your fish, it will make the skin crispy but it won’t have the time to dry out.  Remember, fish shouldn’t smell “fishy.” If it does, it isn’t fresh. 

 

stirfry

 

 Stir Fry

 An easy way to prepare a great stir fry is to have already washed, de-stemmed and bagged your veggies.  As soon as you come home from the market, clean, chop and prep your produce so it’s easy to grab and throw into whatever you are making.  This helps us make better choices about what we put into our bodies, when the convenient stuff is the healthy stuff, and not a bag of chips.  Try baby bok choy, bean sprouts, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, broccoli, chinese cabbage, red or green bell pepper, chile peppers, noodles or serve over brown rice or quinoa.  Toss in your favorite protein and you have a delicious meal and likely leftovers for lunch the next day. Score!

 

Avocado3

Avocados

 Did you know there are two grams of protein per half avocado? And nine essential amino acids, Omega 3’s and folate?  Avocados are an anti-inflammatory and are rich in monounsaturated fats that boost heart health and help lower blood pressure. They are also delicious!

Besides the obvious guacamole, you can add avocado to sandwiches, beans, wraps,  and salads, or top on chicken or beef.  You can also add them to smoothies and eggs, both of which can be served for dinner. Incredibly versatile and also good for you, avocados are a great healthy addition to any meal.

 

Beans

beans
There are 7-9 grams of protein per ½ cup cooked legumes. That’s a lot of protein in a small serving! Wrap them up in a high fiber tortilla with some salsa, throw them in a salad, make a soup, have some hummus, use as a side to chicken or fish.  Beans are full of protein, fiber, antioxidants, isoflavones (heart healthy!), low in fat and help keep things moving in your system.  If you are leaning towards a more plant-based diet, these little guys are a must-have for a protein source.  They are also great for those watching their sugar intake, because they have a low glycemic index.  Throw some of them in whatever you are eating, and pump up it up a notch!

 

  

beets-jewel

Beets

Not a beet fan?  Time to rethink this one.  Add to salads or roast or add to a goat cheese sandwich.  A root vegetable, beets are full of folate, betaine and cancer-fighting antioxidants. You probably already know they are good for your liver (hangover much?) and they are also an anti-inflammatory.

 

 

  

Asparagus spears

 

Asparagus

Asparagus is high in folic acid, potassium, fiber, and multiple vitamins. It is also low in calories. You can eat it cooked (roasted, steamed) or raw (chopped in salads). It even breaks down carcinogens and protect cells from free radicals, so that makes it a great cancer fighter!

 

 

 

 

Grainswholegrains

Whole grains are unrefined grains that have not had their germ and bran removed by milling, and are better sources of fiber and other nutrients than processed grains. You can use these as your building block and then add vegetables and proteins. Besides the obvious better choice of whole wheat pasta over semolina, good grains include quinoa (which is gluten-free, and has 5 to 9 grams of protein per 1 cup), farro (which has more fiber and fewer calories as the same amount of quinoa), amaranth and buckwheat.   Make a quinoa salad with some crunchy veggies, throw in some chickpeas and add a vinaigrette or toast the grains to intensify their flavor (bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees).  Use these as a substitute for rice, pasta and potatoes in your everyday meals.

 

 Sweet Potatoes

sweetpotato

 

High in fiber (almost twice as much as other potatoes) and beta-carotene, they also contain a large amount of B6 and potassium, both of which are incredibly good for your heart. They are rich in Vitamins E and C and manganese.  It’s easy to replace a regular potato as a side dish with sweet potatoes or a mash.  They are great roasted or baked in the oven (who doesn’t love sweet potato fries!?), and can easily be added to soups, stews or even desserts.  

 

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Pizza

It’s easy to grab a whole wheat pre-made crust from your local market and whip up a delicious, healthy pizza that is a threat to any Domino’s.  Consider that tomato sauce is high in lycopene (great cancer-fighter).  If you go easy on the cheese (or not at all, like me) then you can pile it high with all of tons of great veggies, and just sprinkle some cheese on top. There have been studies (in Italy, of course!) that say eating pizza may reduce the chances of getting cancer. Try these ingredients for even more goodness:

  • Onions – Rich in vitamin C, chromium, fiber, and help lower blood sugar and cholesterol
  • Black olives – Help fight heart disease, lower cholesterol
  • Red peppers – Source of vitamins A, C, and B6

This is a meal the whole family can help prepare, and a great way to get a whole lot of goodness in one shot.  

  

Eggs

 Make perfect boiled eggs

If you don’t have an issue with animal products, eggs are a protein giant.  They are also incredibly versatile, so you can make them many different ways.  Try to buy the organic eggs.  Although pricier, they have the least amount of injected hormones.  Eggs are packed with nutrients like choline, which studies have shown reduces the chance of breast cancer, and other antioxidants like lutein and zeazanthin, which help prevent macular degeneration.

Breakfast for dinner is always a favorite, so don’t be afraid to flip your menus around.  A nice frittata with a salad, egg salad sandwiches, quiche, omelette with salsa and black beans, an eggs benedict burger, egg drop soup, or a pasta dish like pappardalle with mushrooms and fried egg are all great additions to your dinner menu.

 

 

Greensleafygreens

 Kale is the veg of the moment, but with good reason.  There are other great greens too, like mustard, collard and turnip.  Also Swiss chard, spinach, broccoli.  Any and all of these can be added to just about any dish for added nutritional goodness, vitamins and antioxidants.  If you aren’t a fan of the taste, you aren’t cooking them right.  They are great braised with oil and garlic, roasted, sauteed, wilted, blanched or charred. Be creative, and it will start to seem like old hat.  At the very least, throw them into a meal-replacing shake with some fruit and your taste buds will never know the difference – but your body will.

 

One meal at a time, you CAN change the way you eat. More greens, more protein, less carbs and sugar, cut out the processed food.  Ease your way into it, and soon it will become a regular habit.  It will even start to taste better than the things you used to eat. You can do it!