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Beet & Carrot Salad

Savor the Flavor of Eating Right with National Nutrition Month®!

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By Kristin Kessler, Registered Dietitian

March is an exciting month in the land of health professionals. Why? It’s National Nutrition Month® (NNM)! This tradition was started by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to educate the public on how to eat nutritiously, and each year the Academy selects a fun, nutritious (and delicious!) theme to encourage healthy behaviors. The 2016 theme is “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right,” which champions the notion that food can be both wholesome AND tasty. Read on to learn more about this theme and garner kitchen inspiration with theme-centric recipes. 

Flavorful food is fantastic

 

Change your mindset from “I must eat vegetables because they’re healthy” to “I want to eat vegetables because they’re tasty!” Wholesome food—when prepared properly and with quality ingredients—can taste as good as candy, we promise! This Carrot and Beet Salad is a perfect example. It complements the simple goodness of veggies with crunchy pistachios and creamy feta cheese.

Treat traditions with thankfulness

 

We all have food traditions that we hold dear, like that Thanksgiving side dish you can’t live without or the one-of-a-kind birthday cake your mom bakes every year. Celebrate the “specialness” of food while also doing your body good by lightening up beloved classics with healthy ingredient swaps (think: subbing Greek yogurt for sour cream or whole wheat for refined grains). For a healthy twist on a traditional Sloppy Joe, try Mexacali Turkey on a Bun, made with lean meat and whole wheat hamburger buns.

Savor the fun of social eating

 

Arguably the most important lesson we can learn from National Nutrition Month? Food = FUN! Sharing meals with loved ones makes food exponentially more memorable and satiating. Potlucks are one of our favorite forums for this food + fun combo. If you don’t have one on the books, consider hosting your own—just because! This Winter White Chili, a colorful concoction that’s both kid and adult-approved, will make an excellent centerpiece at your next get-together.

For more information on National Nutrition Month and how to Savor the Flavor of Eating Right, check out www.eatright.org. 

Heart Beet-Worthy Recipes

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This Valentine’s Day, give your sweetheart the gift of good health with an alternative red treat: beets. These earthy-flavored vegetables are nutritional powerhouses, packed with immune-boosting vitamin C, gut-friendly fiber and essential minerals like potassium and manganese. What’s more, regular consumption of beets has been linked to lowered blood pressure and even decreased risk of heart disease and some cancers. Check out the below beet-centric recipes as you prep for a romantic feast on February 14—these super-veggies are the ultimate key to a happy, healthy heart.

Beet ‘n Greet

 

Baby toast + beet salad + creamy cheese = bite-sized culinary bliss. Begin your Valentine’s meal with these Beet & Bean Salad Crostini. They’re light yet flavorful, quick to pull together and pair exceptionally well with a bottle of bubbly.

Lettuce Feast on Beets

 

Continue your beet-tastic evening with this Carrot & Beet Salad. It stars Libby’s® Sliced Beets and Sliced Carrots alongside crunchy nuts and tangy goat cheese.

The Beet Goes On

 

Done with dinner and craving a sweet-yet-salty treat? We thought so. Pair this Roasted Beet Salsa with your favorite crackers and for a satisfying conclusion to your heart beet-worthy day. 

Summer Salads for Every Occasion

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‘Tis the season for light, fresh meals full of flavorful veggies. We all have our go-to salads we make over and over again, but here’s some inspiration to pull you out of your salad rut to create delicious combinations the whole family will enjoy.

Super Food Salad

Dinner salads are a smart way to work in a variety of nutritious ingredients into one meal. Start with a leafy green such as romaine lettuce or spinach, add a colorful assortment of your favorite veggies and top it off with a protein source like hardboiled eggs, grilled chicken, beans, or canned fish.  For added flavor, incorporate fresh herbs such as dill, basil and parsley.  Beware of creamy dressings that can negate the healthy properties of your salad and instead opt for vinaigrette which is easy to make with a few staple pantry ingredients. We like this Salmon & Dill Green Bean salad as a complete meal in a bowl.

Salad for Picky Eaters

While it may seem that salads and kids don’t mix, sometimes picky eaters may be sensitive to particular textures or temperatures.  Mellowing out the intense textures in a salad could help.  For instance, if raw carrots are too rough or crunchy, try using Libby’s® Sliced Carrots and Sliced Beets over a bed of soft spring mix.  Our Beet & Carrot Salad is a great salad to start with.

Appetizer Salad for Backyard Barbecues

Complement your grilled burgers or chicken skewers with a tangy Easy Three Bean Salad instead of a high-calorie potato or macaroni salad.  This versatile salad can be served as a topping with tortilla chips or French bread, a top a bed of lettuce or simply on its own.

Salads in a Snap

With a well-stocked pantry, you can create a fantastic salad in minutes. Keep on hand canned veggies like Libby’s® Whole Kernel Sweet Corn and Libby’s® Sweet Peas plus nuts, seeds, beans, canned fish and dried cranberries. In the fridge, store bagged lettuce and, if you have time, precooked quinoa and precut veggies. With all the ingredients right at your fingertips, a healthy, yummy salad is easy to throw together!