Colours

Although I used to see March as that sad month that forced me to deal with the harsh realities of being a year older (drama much?), I now have a reason to look forward to it. You see,  March is also National Nutrition Month! According to the American Dietetic Association, this is a month to “focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits”. Nutrition geeks rejoice!


Now some of you may be thinking, “I have no idea how to celebrate this month. What do I do? Just be nutritious?” I am here to help, friends. The theme of this year’s National Nutrition Month is “Eat Right with Color”. That means you have my full permission to go crazy with colorful foods. I mean it. Go Lisa Frank on your plate! Check out the how’s (featuring past recipes from this blog) and why’s (info courtesy of this ADA article) below:


1. Go Green.- Green produce like apples, kiwi, green peppers, spinach and artichoke have antioxidant properties that can promote healthy vision and reduce the risk of cancer. Go eat some!

Spinach and artichoke dipTallarin verde


2. Orange you going to eat some yellow foods?- Before you roll your eyes at my extremely corny attempt to get you to eat orange and yellow foods, hear me out. Apricots, grapefruits, carrots, yellow peppers and sweet potatoes can boost your immune system and keep your eyes healthy. My current favorite from this group are grapefruits!

 These are delish too:

Ceviche with a side of boiled sweet potatoChili with carrots


3. It’s ok the have the blues sometimes (or the purples).- Blue and purple produce, like blueberries, plums, and eggplant may help with memory and urinary tract health. They are also pretty tasty, so why not throw a few berries in your next smoothie or on top of your oatmeal?





4. Seeing red.- For heart health and immunity, the red fruits and veggies are the way to go. Pink grapefruit, cranberries, red peppers and red onions are just some of my favorites in this group.

 Here are a few that I will be experimenting with soon:


Quinoa stuffed red peppersPeruvian Lomo saltado with tomatoesStrawberries with chocolate pb dip5. Be white as a ghost potato.- White, tan and brown fruits and vegetables have been researched for their benefits in heart health and cancer prevention.
 Which white food are you putting on your plate today? Bananas? Cauliflower? Potatoes? Onions?

Breakfast potato skins
Arroz con pollo topped with onion salsa6. Eat a rainbow!- Finally, if you’re the ambitious type and want to get all the colors in at once, here’s a delicious way to do it:

Black bean and corn salsa
Which colors are you filling your plate with today? How are you celebrating National Nutrition Month?