"Boo-ya!" my dad said last
night as we fist bumper over our food-filled plates. Because of my school
having a fall break, I was home for the weekend. My dad and I had prepared a
wonderful meal of steak and sautéed veggies; aka the perfect Paleo meal.
When I first started reading my "Paleo For Dummies" book, one thing
in particular stood out. The more colorful your plate is (and I don't mean the
cute pattern hand-painted onto your actual plate, I mean what you fill it with)
the more healthy it is. This especially applies when you are talking about
vegetables.
Quiz time, what is more healthy?
Lettuce or Spinach? Think really hard…your almost there….Answer? Spinach,
obviously. Why? Because the darker the green the more nutrients it has. Spinach
is jam-packed with more calcium, more iron, and even more vitamins A, B, and C.
(And pretty much ever other letter of the alphabet.)
Okay, so we can't only eat
green, or else we might become, well a shade of emerald, and we all know what
they say…
So what other colors can we include in
the color pallet of our diet? Throw in some red for contrast. Red peppers,
tomatoes, radishes, and red onions. (Although, onions aren’t really red on the
inside....) Let's add a little sunshine with some yellow. Spaghetti squash,
yellow peppers, yellow tomatoes (they do exist), and summer squash. Peppers
contain many main minerals including zinc, potassium, manganese, magnesium, and
selenium. Can't beat that! And maybe we are a little girlier, and we want to
throw in a some purple. Eggplants, cabbage, and kohlrabi. (Yeah, I don't really
know what that last one is either.) And last to finish the color wheel... what
is a painting with out some happy orange. Pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and
carrots. Full of nutritional goodness, and such a fun color. Orange just makes
you smile.
Now let me give you an example of a
really vibrant color dish. So yes I know I am cheating by being home for
this particular meal, but anyone with a friend who lives in an apartment can
find access to a stovetop. And trust me your stomach will leap for joy with all
these healthy substances.
What
you will need:
Virgin
Olive Oil
Red
and yellow peppers
Onions
Carrots
Zuchinni
Pepper
Other
kind of seasoning (optional)
Preparation:
-First
get out your big skillet and put a little olive oil in the bottom. *Make sure
not to saturate the bottom of the pan, because too much oil can make it hard
for your veggies to cook and isn't good for you*
-Turn
the stove on to a medium heat and bring the oil to a sizzle.
-Next,
cut up all your vegetables and add the carrots and onions to the pan. They take
longer than the other vegetables to cook.
-You
will know when these are done because the onions will have turned more
transparent and the carrots will have softened. Once this has happened, add the
rest of your chopped veggies.
-As these simmer in your pan, add a
little pepper and any other seasoning you want to use to add some flavor. (Some
examples include all-spice or oregano. I personally use a Greek seasoning,
which gives the vegetables a delectable flavor that you can't get enough of.
You can find this Cavender's greek seasoning at your local Publix.)
-You will know when all your vegetables
are done because the zucchini will turn from white to more of a light brown
color. The peppers will be softer, but remember you want them to still be a
little crunchy to avoid over cooking.
-Remove from the heat when
done cooking to make sure the vegetables don't continue to cook in the pan. Serve
and enjoy!
This is the perfect side dish for any
meat. It is full of vitamins and other great nutrients. And notice it looks as
if you have an entire rainbow on your plate. My dad and I had to watch our
portion control because even through it is all vegetables you can still
over-indulge because it tastes so great!
So always remember, when you are
deciding what to eat, choose the more vibrant colors. By the time you are ready
to devour your meal, make sure your plate looks like a Picasso
masterpiece.
Boo-ya indeed.
-CC
