Read today’s News Column: Add appeal to diet resolution

Posted January 19th, 2010 by Elaine Hastings, RD - Nutrition Expert and filed in Meal Tips

As 2010 begins, healthy eating generally tops most people’s list of resolutions. As time goes on, it gets harder to stick to your good intentions. After a day or two of munching carrots and dry rice cakes, those high-calorie foods become more tempting than ever.

Slowly but surely, we begin to sneak those slices of pies and servings of yummy, cheese-covered casseroles back onto our plates.

In general, most people want to take better care of their bodies and shed unwanted weight. What most of us don’t want is to eat boring “rabbit” food and tasteless, unappetizing snacks. It is the lack of knowledge about food options, not necessarily an unwillingness to change, that sabotages the majority of healthy eating resolutions.

Instead of adding more salt and oil to give flavor and excitement to your meals, “fierce flavor” combinations make for a more satisfying and delicious meal that rank high in taste and visual appeal, without the high calories and fat. Here are some suggestions.

Spices are spectacular: Learn how to use a variety of spices to create some incredibly tasty, low-calorie dishes at home. Ground black pepper and garlic are common kitchen spices, but discover the difference that using more exotic ingredients can make. Saffron, ginger, rosemary, cinnamon, celery seed, curry powders, basil, fennel and dill can add zesty flavors to meats, salads, soups, stews and casseroles.

These intoxicating ingredients are as good for your body as they are for your taste buds. Even steamed carrots can become a favorite family dish when you add a bit of freshly grated ginger to the recipe.

Look for African and Middle Eastern spices and herbs such as harissa, berbera and charmoula to use in your cooking. Asian spices and herbs include items such as Chinese five spice, star anise, lemon grass and Japanese seven spice or shichimi-togarashi. If Eastern Indian cooking is one of your favorites, explore the possibilities of using ingredients such as sambar or garam masala.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and remember that fresh and high quality spices pack the most flavor and punch.

Powerful peppers: Never overlook the power of using a variety of peppers to spice up the taste of foods. Chili peppers very commonly are used in many recipes, but there are many other choices to consider.

Try flavoring up some of your favorite dishes with Anaheim peppers, baby bells, sweetly roasted red peppers, rocotillo varieties, banana peppers, poblanos or the insanely fiery power of the Scotch Bonnet pepper.

Most people have no idea that there are so many varieties of peppers available and even fewer realize that the spicy rocotillo pepper also has a sweet, fruity taste.

Choose colors: Make the most of the great assortment of produce that is available in 2010. Why settle for orange carrots and white cauliflower when you can bring vibrant color to your healthy veggie dishes? and try using a white plate, look for more inĀ restaurangporslin.

Forget boring and bland foods. You and your family will be curious and excited to sit down to a low-calorie meal that includes a salad made with orange cauliflower and lemony, yellow-skinned cucumbers. You might also try a savory stew with multi-colored beans.

Another option is sweet and deliciously different white, yellow, red and purple carrots that are as fun to look at, as they are to eat.

With a better understanding of balancing options and adding flavor to healthy foods, there is no need to put off making more nutritious choices. By incorporating some of the small changes suggested above, you may find yourself an inch closer to meeting your healthy goals for 2010.