“Eat a rainbow!” and “make half your plate fruits and vegetables!” is great advice, though many of us struggle with putting these slogans into practice.
Next week we enter March, and (nerds like me) begin to celebrate National Nutrition Month. We can always work on adding more color and produce into our meals and snacks, so here’s a simple and tasty set of recipes to expand the variety of foods we eat and how we enjoy them.
This advice from Virginia Cooperative Extension, for which I serve as a Master Food Volunteer, offers even more ideas and explanations for why this is sound guidance.
And now! Recipes!
A basic taco formula goes something like this: vegetable, vegetable, vegetable, protein, salsa, whole-grain or lettuce wrap. Statistically, there are billions of ways to make a taco, and not one of those ways is wrong. Use your leftovers, be creative, and have fun making new flavor combinations!
Template for a Taco
Print recipeIngredients
- 2 sweet bell peppers (diced)
- 1/2 onion (diced)
- 1 cup cabbage, carrot, and/or lettuce (sliced/julienne)
- 1 can beans (drained and rinsed)
- shredded cheese
- cilantro lime salsa ((see recipe below))
- salt
- pepper
Directions
| Step 1 | |
| Cook sweet peppers and oil in small amount of canola oil on the stovetop until soft and slightly browned. Add carrots, cabbage, or other ingredients to pan if you also wish to serve those warm. Lightly season with salt and pepper. | |
| Step 2 | |
| While vegetables cook, set out bowls of items to serve, such as cheese, beans, cilantro lime salsa (see recipe below), and any other proteins and vegetables. | |
| Step 3 | |
| Add drained and rinsed beans to vegetable medley or warm (if desired) and serve separately. | |
| Step 4 | |
| Assemble desired ingredients on a butter lettuce leaf, flour or corn tortilla, or scoop up with (no-salt-added or low-salt) tortilla chips. | |
Cilantro Lime Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cilantro (whole, with stems)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 2/3 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (optional)
Directions
| Step 1 | |
| Wash all produce and pat dry. Blend cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and yogurt until smooth. | |
| Step 2 | |
| Add olive oil and salt. Taste as you go, and add more salt and oil if necessary to achieve desired flavor and consistency. | |
This cilantro lime salsa is a new addition to my repertoire, and it’s an excellent substitute for sour cream. What’s your favorite taco salsa?