NNMC Increase Produce: Make Produce the Star

As we finish out this week of the challenge, my last tip has to do with the way you structure your meals. In our society, meals are usually built around meat, with other food groups coming in to take a supporting role. I'm asking you to flip this on its head. Instead, focus first on the vegetables and fruits and then add in your meat or other protein option. When you do this, not only will you increase the quantity of produce in your diet, but you'll also be filling up on those fruits and veggies, which may help with weight loss, if that is your goal. For some, this might be difficult. If you're so used to thinking about your meals with only one structure, you may feel lost for how to switch it up. To ease into this idea, a likely familiar option is a stir fry. Choose a variety of veggies that you love and cook them in a pan with a little oil. Then, consider your protein option, whether it be chicken, grass-fed beef, pork, or tofu. Serve over brown rice and you've got an easy, plant-centric meal that is sure to please everyone. Another great way to get inspiration for this style of cooking is to look at websites like 101 Cookbooks and Vegetarian Times or buy a couple of vegetarian cookbooks. Resources like these will often have recipes that are chock full of produce and you can always add in a little meat if that is a deal breaker for you. However, I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and try a vegetarian recipe now and then (come on in, the water's warm). By simply incorporating these recipes into your repertoire you'll start thinking about food in a whole new way and increase the produce in your life. So get out there and get cooking!

NNMC Increase Produce: Mix in Purees

A great way to sneak in more fruits and vegetables is by adding them in to the foods you already eat. It's an easy method

for boosting the nutritional content of your favorite dishes. Now let me clarify, I'm not talking about doing this in place of eating fruits and veggies on their own. It's still important to have those foods on your plate, especially when it comes to kids. You don't want to send the message that produce isn't important. This is in addition to any other produce you might eat. Simply puree any fruit or vegetable of your choice and then start experimenting. For example, you could add these mixtures to pasta sauce or a stew. In baking, simply replace some or all of the oil with an equal volume of puree, like I did in these sweet potato waffles. One tip, if you need to cook the food before pureeing, is to steam or roast it rather than boiling to retain as many of the nutrients as possible. This way, you're not pouring them down the drain with your cooking liquid. So get creative and try something new! Who knows, you might just stumble upon a delicious combination.

NNMC Increase Produce: Make a Snack

Slipping in more fruits and vegetables at snack time is a great way to up your produce intake. Instead of turning to options like granola bars, crackers, chips, or other vending machine fare, come over to the fresher side of things. You can go as simple or get as creative as you like. The point is to find something that you like and that fits in with your lifestyle so you can keep it up, rather than struggling and feeling like it's a chore. Honestly, this can be just as convenient as those pre-packaged snacks, with a little planning. Cut up veggies over the weekend and divide into snack sized portions so you can grab them right out of the fridge. Mix up a fruit salad that can easily be spooned into a container for later or served up after school. Here are some ideas to get your started.

Snack Ideas

• Veggies with hummus for dipping
• Fruit salad
• Beans and chopped veggies mixed with lemon juice or vinegar, oil, and your favorite spices (make a big batch and keep it in the refrigerator)
• Plain yogurt topped with fresh fruit
• Banana with peanut butter
• Celery with peanut butter
• Smoothie made with plain yogurt, berries, and spinach
• Cup of vegetable soup
• Sliced fruit (apples, pears, orange, peaches, etc.) with plain yogurt for dipping
• Lettuce roll-ups
• Fruit and/or veggie skewers

What's your favorite way to snack on fruits and veggies?

National Nutrition Month Challenge: Increase Produce

Moving into our next week of the challenge, our focus will be on increasing the fruits and vegetables in our diets. Improving your diet is so often about what you can't have, but this week is all about adding things in. When you add more produce to your diet, you will increase the water, fiber, vitamin, and mineral content. Also, eating more fruits and veggies can help with weight maintenance and weight loss as it will fill you up and help you feel satisfied, pushing out higher calorie options. This week, we will approach this goal from two different directions: adding more produce dishes to your diet as well as incorporating it into foods you may already enjoy. By doing both of these, it will be that much easier to amp up the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat every day. If you're not a produce fan, do not fear. Remember that the way you prepare a food can make all a difference. Don't think you like broccoli? Try steaming, sauteing, roasting, serving with a tomato sauce, or blending it into a soup. Also, it can take several exposures before you can really determine if you like a food or not and, because your tastes change as you get older, foods you may have despised as a child might taste delicious to you now. You don't have to like everything, but the more you try and experiment, you might be surprised to discover your new favorite vegetable.

Food Find: Ella's Kitchen Baby Food. It's Not Just for Babies!

I love finding new foods whether it be an interesting vegetable at the farmer's market or a wholesome product on store shelves. Something I've been obsessing over for the past month or so is Ella's Kitchen fruit and vegetable puree pouches. Yes, I am talking about baby food, but, trust me, adults love this stuff too. In fact, the girl at the checkout counter told me so. She's a fan herself and said that many other customers are too. So, I'm not the only adult out there gobbling this stuff up.

Why do I love this product so much? Let me count the ways...

1. Delicious.

I can honestly say I've liked every flavor I've tried. Now, the vegetable ones aren't quite as delectable as the fruits, but what did you expect?

2. Nutritious.

With flavors like peaches + bananas and sweet potatoes, pumpkin, apples, + blueberries you can get a variety of nutrient packed fruits and vegetables.

3. 100% Organic

Everything in the puree pouches is organic and the only preservative is a little lemon juice. Processed foods don't get any more wholesome than that.

4. Portable.

With a resealable twisty cap, you don't have to worry about finishing the whole thing at once or discovering a leak later on.

Now, you know I'm always a proponent of making your food from scratch, but I think these can be a great option when you're on the go. Also, if you're ever in a situation (family get together, vacation, etc.) where the food offerings aren't reflective of what you usually eat, these could be a great way to supplement your diet.

To find out more about Ella's Kitchen, check them out their website at http://www.ellaskitchen.com/.

What are your feelings about adults eating baby food?