Reset your taste-buds by adding fresh fruits and vegetables
I
am trying to reset my taste buds to the natural flavors of fresh fruits
and vegetables. My taste buds still crave the salt- and sugar-filled
foods from holidays, the Super Bowl Party, and Valentines Day. I’m
hoping that by increasing the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables in
my diet, I can decrease some of the ingredients I’ve been indulging in
(refined sugar, salt, and fat to be specific).
1) I’m adding one fruit to a meal every day.
Fruits
have a natural sweetness. Oranges and apples are in season right now -
and they are delicious. There are so many different varieties, I’ve
been doing a little taste test on my own to figure out which ones I
like. Oranges are a great addition to breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
They are portable and sweet an succulent. Apples are great to cook
with. I add diced apples to pancakes, sliced apples to a green chili
sauce, and sauteed apples to pork chops. Sometimes I combine these
fruits plus some banana slices for a yummy dessert or breakfast dish.
I’ve found that fruit can quench my thirst and my sweet tooth if I just
give it a chance.
2) I’m adding one vegetable to a meal every day.
I
am also reconnecting with the savory and sweet flavors of vegetables.
I made haricot verts (fancy name for skinny green beans) with some
reduced sodium chicken broth and they tasted amazing! I added corn to
my cornbread recipe and it made it more moist and sweet. I keep whole
carrots, onions, and cherry tomatoes on hand to add to stew, chili,
spaghetti, meat loaf, or to cut up for crudites (small vegetables cut up
and served with dip). If I’m short on time and I’m heating up a frozen
family meal, I add a bag of frozen vegetables.
The
goal here is ADDING fruits and vegetables back into your diet, not
taking something away. But as I add, I have less room for other things
like chips, candy, cookies, and cake. I hope to save those things for
special celebrations and make fruits and vegetables part of my daily
routine.