Five easy ways to include
healthy recipes in your diet
Admit it, no one really likes being on a diet, but we all know we should eat healthier. It’s just common sense. Then why don’t we do it? Here are some reasons: 1) we don’t think about it 2) it’s too complicated 3) we think healthy foods don’t taste good. Let’s chuck all of that out the window, shall we? These aren’t just diet recipes but plain old good recipes (but still healthy recipes). Here are some super easy ways to change your habits.
Just add vegetables
One of the easiest ways to instantly improve your health is eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. Not only do they provide a wide array of nutrients, vitamins and fiber, they help you lose weight as well. Eating more veggies makes you fuller and you’re less likely to eat that other stuff that makes up the bulk of your lunch and dinner. It’s as simple as adding two pieces of fruit to your day, shredding some carrots into your sandwich or adding bananas to your cereal. And if you’re tired of steamed broccoli with dinner, how about having something more exciting, like artichokes or grilled papayas or apple slaw.
Eat a salad
You can also eat a salad before your lunch or dinner. Not only is it refreshing, but it will fill you up so you’re less likely to gorge on the main meal. In the beginning, it may be easier to buy the bagged lettuce and add your own tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. Opt for more exotic salads made from arugula, spinach, watercress, mache or micro greens. Add some sumptuous ingredients like olives, goat cheese, candied walnuts, avocados or even raspberries to keep it from getting boring. Watch the dressing though, you only need a little bit for taste.
Eat more soup
Soup is a great healthy option for lunch and dinner. Being mostly liquid means that you’ll feel fuller faster. Pair it with a moderate amount of bread and you have a satisfying yet low-calorie meal. Soups are astonishingly easy to make. Most of the work is in chopping up the ingredients. Otherwise, it practically cooks itself. One word of caution though, cream-based soups will wreck your diet. Get the same creamy texture and taste with dry milk and thickeners like potatoes and cooked rice.
Change your cooking methods
Steaming may be the healthiest way to cook vegetables but it may be the most boring too. And remember, if it doesn’t taste good, you won’t eat it. Try a quick stir-fry in a small amount of oil (you won’t want to use more because it could get greasy). Roasting vegetables in a small amount of oil is an easy way to coax amazing flavor from vegetables like carrots, green beans, asparagus, and little used root vegetables like parsnips, beets and turnips. Even kids like eating roasted eggplant dip (if you don’t tell them what it’s made of). Don’t underestimate baking either. You can make fantastic-tasting substitutes for fried foods like onion rings and french fries simply by coating the vegetables with breadcrumbs and baking them.
Eating healthier is easier and better tasting than you might believe. It takes very little effort, just an open mind and a relaxed attitude, which by the way, are good for your health too.