Part-time vegetarian? Meatless meals provide health & financial benefits

Want to eat more healthfully and save some cash at the same time? Consider going vegetarian for one meal per day or one day per week. The Mayo Clinic explains that "...people who eat only plant-based foods — aka, vegetarians — generally eat fewer calories and less fat, weigh less, and have lower cholesterol levels than do [non-vegetarians]." People who eat less meat also tend to have a decreased risk for various diseases. You don't have to be a full-time vegetarian to take advantage of these benefits. Start with one day or one week at a time. The bonus? Many non-meat sources of protein are cheaper than meat. Some of these non-meat protein sources include: eggs, skim or low-fat milk, low-fat cheeses, tofu and soy, beans, nuts, fruits & vegetables, whole grains and fish. A diet containing more of these foods and less meat provides more opportunities for a higher intake of fiber, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and other nutrients. To read more, check out the following articles:

The Mayo Clinic -Meatless meals: The benefits of eating less meat



MarthaStewart.com -How I Learned to Love Meatless Meals






Image: MarthaStewart.com

Want to eat more healthfully and save some cash at the same time? Consider going vegetarian for one meal per day or one day per week. The Mayo Clinic explains that "...people who eat only plant-based foods — aka, vegetarians — generally eat fewer calories and less fat, weigh less, and have lower cholesterol levels than do [non-vegetarians]." People who eat less meat also tend to have a decreased risk for various diseases. You don't have to be a full-time vegetarian to take advantage of these benefits. Start with one day or one week at a time. The bonus? Many non-meat sources of protein are cheaper than meat. Some of these non-meat protein sources include: eggs, skim or low-fat milk, low-fat cheeses, tofu and soy, beans, nuts, fruits & vegetables, whole grains and fish. A diet containing more of these foods and less meat provides more opportunities for a higher intake of fiber, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and other nutrients. To read more, check out the following articles:

The Mayo Clinic -Meatless meals: The benefits of eating less meat



MarthaStewart.com -How I Learned to Love Meatless Meals






Image: MarthaStewart.com

Do One Thing: Eat breakfast every day

You already know that you should be eating breakfast every day. After all, the American Dietetic Association states that people who eat breakfast "...have a better attitude toward work, higher productivity and better ability to handle tasks that require memory..." versus those who don't and "breakfast eaters also have more strength and endurance and better concentration and problem-solving ability." The problem may be that you're confused about what constitutes a healthy breakfast or you just don't feel you have the time for this morning meal. Ideally, you should aim for a breakfast that contains a nutritious food from each food group, i.e., a whole grain (whole wheat/whole grain pita, toast, pancake, English muffin), a fruit/vegetable (berries, apple, orange, banana, tomato, zucchini, spinach, asparagus), a protein (peanut butter, egg, nuts, tofu, chicken breast, salmon, tuna), and a dairy item (preferably a cup of skim or low-fat milk, but low-fat cheese works great too). Examples of a complete breakfast include:

• peanut butter and sliced bananas or strawberries on whole wheat toast, with a cup of skim milk
• whole grain pancake topped with fresh berries with one scrambled egg on the side and a cup of skim milk
• veggie omelet topped with low-fat cheese of your choice with whole wheat toast and cup of skim milk 
• oatmeal made with milk and topped with fruit and nuts

Maybe you have just enough time to grab something out of the fridge and quickly gobble it down before running out the door. Even if you are pressed for time, and can't quite fit in all four basic food groups, you can still have a sensible breakfast. Some quick and healthy breakfasts include:

• plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt top with berries and/or nuts
• toasted whole grain English muffin topped with a slice of low-fat cheese and a slice of tomato
• banana or apple and a small handful of almonds (about 24 nuts)

And remember, if your breakfast includes making a stop at the coffee shop, opt for a cappuccino, latte or espresso and order your drink with skim milk, sugar-free syrup and no whip.

Starting your day this way will not only help you feel more alert and energized during the day, it will also keep you feeling more satisfied until lunchtime and will help you achieve your nutrition goals by providing protein, fiber, calcium and lots of vitamins and minerals right off the bat!

For more tips on healthy breakfasts, check out MarthaStewart.com.

Image: MarthaStewart.com

You already know that you should be eating breakfast every day. After all, the American Dietetic Association states that people who eat breakfast "...have a better attitude toward work, higher productivity and better ability to handle tasks that require memory..." versus those who don't and "breakfast eaters also have more strength and endurance and better concentration and problem-solving ability." The problem may be that you're confused about what constitutes a healthy breakfast or you just don't feel you have the time for this morning meal. Ideally, you should aim for a breakfast that contains a nutritious food from each food group, i.e., a whole grain (whole wheat/whole grain pita, toast, pancake, English muffin), a fruit/vegetable (berries, apple, orange, banana, tomato, zucchini, spinach, asparagus), a protein (peanut butter, egg, nuts, tofu, chicken breast, salmon, tuna), and a dairy item (preferably a cup of skim or low-fat milk, but low-fat cheese works great too). Examples of a complete breakfast include:

• peanut butter and sliced bananas or strawberries on whole wheat toast, with a cup of skim milk
• whole grain pancake topped with fresh berries with one scrambled egg on the side and a cup of skim milk
• veggie omelet topped with low-fat cheese of your choice with whole wheat toast and cup of skim milk 
• oatmeal made with milk and topped with fruit and nuts

Maybe you have just enough time to grab something out of the fridge and quickly gobble it down before running out the door. Even if you are pressed for time, and can't quite fit in all four basic food groups, you can still have a sensible breakfast. Some quick and healthy breakfasts include:

• plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt top with berries and/or nuts
• toasted whole grain English muffin topped with a slice of low-fat cheese and a slice of tomato
• banana or apple and a small handful of almonds (about 24 nuts)

And remember, if your breakfast includes making a stop at the coffee shop, opt for a cappuccino, latte or espresso and order your drink with skim milk, sugar-free syrup and no whip.

Starting your day this way will not only help you feel more alert and energized during the day, it will also keep you feeling more satisfied until lunchtime and will help you achieve your nutrition goals by providing protein, fiber, calcium and lots of vitamins and minerals right off the bat!

For more tips on healthy breakfasts, check out MarthaStewart.com.

Image: MarthaStewart.com

In Season: Asparagus

Springtime is asparagus time. One cooked half-cup of the beautiful green spears provides more than a third of your daily folate needs, about 7% of your daily fiber, 6% of your daily potassium and 5% of your daily iron, as well as significant amounts of vitamins A, C and K. Asparagus is great at any meal: in eggs at breakfast; in a salad; as a side dish at dinnertime. When buying asparagus, look for vibrant green, firm stalks, of uniform size and with closed & compact tips. If you aren't used to preparing asparagus, click here for a number of great recipes from MarthaStewart.com.

If you still aren't convinced you should be adding asparagus to your springtime arsenal of nutritious foods, check out this recipe for Wheat Berries and Roasted Asparagus With Tomato-Coriander Sauce and Peanuts, from the "Recipes for Health" section at NYTimes.com. Martha Rose Shulman suggests a delicious tomato-based sauce to serve over your asparagus. (Tip: you can choose to omit the wheat berries from the recipe and prepare just the sauce and asparagus.)

Image: Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Springtime is asparagus time. One cooked half-cup of the beautiful green spears provides more than a third of your daily folate needs, about 7% of your daily fiber, 6% of your daily potassium and 5% of your daily iron, as well as significant amounts of vitamins A, C and K. Asparagus is great at any meal: in eggs at breakfast; in a salad; as a side dish at dinnertime. When buying asparagus, look for vibrant green, firm stalks, of uniform size and with closed & compact tips. If you aren't used to preparing asparagus, click here for a number of great recipes from MarthaStewart.com.

If you still aren't convinced you should be adding asparagus to your springtime arsenal of nutritious foods, check out this recipe for Wheat Berries and Roasted Asparagus With Tomato-Coriander Sauce and Peanuts, from the "Recipes for Health" section at NYTimes.com. Martha Rose Shulman suggests a delicious tomato-based sauce to serve over your asparagus. (Tip: you can choose to omit the wheat berries from the recipe and prepare just the sauce and asparagus.)

Image: Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times