Make the healthy stuff easier to reach: Farm Summer Salad

By Kay MacInnis

 

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Have you ever thought about your kitchen in terms of where things are placed? Organize things so that the healthy options are the ones that you see easily, and arrange it so you have to look for the less-healthy items.

If whenever you open the refrigerator you see cut-up fruit and vegetables, ready to eat, You’re more likely to eat them! Keep a bowl of cut-up watermelon (or your favorite fruit) in a clear bowl where you can see it and easily reach it when you open the fridge, and keep the cheese in a drawer that you might have to open and rummage through.

This applies to the cupboards as well. Put the healthiest options at eye level to make them easier to grab. Also, think about keeping the healthy items in clear containers and the others in opaque ones. Out of sight, out of mind!

Healthy options for the refrigerator: Cut up fresh fruits and veggies, and stock hard-boiled eggs, low-fat milk, low-fat cheese and yogurt.

Healthy options for the cupboards: Whole grain pasta, brown rice or quinoa (any ancient grain), natural peanut butter or almond butter, nuts and even popcorn are the things you’ll want to see first. Try to limit the processed foods as much as possible. Choose baked chips in place of the greasy ones.

Healthy options for the freezer: Cut up fruits and veggies. Again, try to avoid foods that are highly processed. Sherbet and sorbet can be good choices, compared to fatty ice cream.

Looking for an easy summer salad? Try this one, fresh from the farm!

Farm Summer Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 ears corn, steamed for 4 minutes and kernels removed from the cob
• 1 English cucumbers, diced
• 1 pepper, diced – red, yellow, or orange
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup feta, crumbled
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.
• Chill and serve!

Nutrition Information: 53.12 Calories, 2.61 grams fat, 2.5 mg. cholesterol, 41.5 mg. sodium, 6.53 grams carbohydrate, 1.6 grams protein.

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This is another in a weekly series of healthy recipes from Kay MacInnis, registered dietitian at Providence Health in Columbia, S.C.

Kay promotes health and wellness, helping cardiac and diabetes patients eat their way to healthier lives. She works in consultation with the trained chefs at Providence, combining her nutrition knowledge with their food prep know-how to create delicious, healthy dishes for patients and the public. She also conducts a number of health and wellness events for the public, including the monthly Providence Cooks! classes.

“She doesn’t just give you the fish, she teaches you how to cook it.”

– a Kay MacInnis fan and Providence Cooks! regular.