Many people will make New Year’s resolutions in good faith, but most are doomed to fail within the first month or two.
They start out with great resolve, promising to lose weight, eat healthier, exercise more — and a lot of other things.
However, these sudden changes are too big for an all-at-once accomplishment. Making gradual changes is much easier to help one to succeed.
Re-work your grocery shopping list to choose more fruits and vegetables, and limit any high-fat entrees or meat portions to no larger than your fist or a deck of cards.
Building your entrée choice around a variety of vegetable choices will help in many healthy ways. By concentrating on the “side” dishes, you’ll benefit weight control, your heart, blood pressure, cholesterol and other internal organs, because you’ll cut down dramatically on fats, salt and sweets.
Eating more vegetables and fruits at meals and as snacks will help not only to satisfy your hunger, but, because they are dense calories, you will be satisfied with fewer calories.
Vegetables and fruits can be fresh, frozen or canned. When you buy fresh produce, look for firmness, color and where it was produced. The longer it takes to get to your grocer, the fewer nutrients your choices will still contain.
Don’t buy more than you can use within a few days to ensure the products provide better nutrients.
Make sure to read the labels on frozen and canned products. Manufacturers will often add salt, sweetening and sometimes fats that only provide shelf life for them — and nothing of value for you.
By making simple changes, you will help yourself and your family to better health.
Enlist your family’s support to begin choosing fruits for snacks and desserts instead of cookies, cake or other high-fat, too-sweet and too-much-salt food choices.
These gradual changes will reward you more quickly than you think with better weight control and a healthier overall feeling.
Try these two easy-to-prepare and great-tasting vegetable side dishes at a meal soon.
Try this dish with the pungent taste of nutmeg to give it a definite lift while providing you with a good serving of beta carotene (vitamin A).
Select fresh carrots, preferably organic. Carrots with the tops still on are the freshest, but if you’re selecting loose carrots, watch that they aren’t too thick, as this type often has an “old” taste.
Or choose a 1- or 2-pound bag of small organic carrots already peeled.
Prep vegetables and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook.
8 fresh whole carrots, washed and scraped, and slice to 1/4-inch thick — about 3 cups or 1 pound bag
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup water
Prepare carrots and slice as above. In a 2 quart glass casserole, place the carrots and toss them with nutmeg. Add water and cover them with a lid or a damp paper towel.
Microwave carrots on high for about four minutes, then check to see if they’re tender to taste.
Continue cooking in 60-second increments until they’re done to your taste.
Microwave ovens often vary in temperature, so adjust whatever time is needed.
Serve hot.
Yield — 3 cups
A triple combination of vegetables cooked in the microwave for just two minutes to preserve nutrients.
Prep vegetables ahead, cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook, just prior to serving.
This medley provides fiber and calorie-dense nutrients.
1 cup broccoli — Wash and shake off excess water and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup carrots — wash, scrape and cut into matchstick lengths, about 1/4 inch thick
1 cup zucchini — wash, do not peel, and cut into matchstick lengths, about 1/4 inch thick
1 teaspoon trans fat-free Earth Balance spread or unsalted butter
In a large 2 quart glass or ceramic casserole or baking dish, place the cut broccoli and carrots.
Add spread or butter, cover the dish with a lid or a damp paper towel and microwave for 60 seconds on high.
Add zucchini, cover and microwave for another 60 seconds.
As microwave ovens can vary in power, check yours for best time and make note of it here.
Let each person add their own salt and pepper to their taste.
Yield — 3 cups
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