It’s National Nutrition Month®, so we want to turn your attention to healthy eating. Do you eat 5 cups of fruits and vegetables a day? Does this sound like an impossible goal? Believe it or not, the USDA recommends eating 2-3 cups of vegetables and 1 ½-2 cups of fruit each day. Most people fall far short of this goal on a regular basis. One way to help is to prepare veggie-based meals like salads ahead of time. Then, when you’re pressed for time or come home ravenous after work, all you have to do is throw the ingredients in a bowl and dinner is ready.
The five recipes below include plenty of vegetables, as well heart healthy proteins and fats such as quinoa, nuts, olives, and avocado, to help keep you full. Try packing one for lunch or serving it as a main course for dinner a few nights a week. Convenience and variety are key to being able to stick with a healthy meal plan. Eating your vegetables doesn’t have to be time consuming or boring!
Healthy Mexican Taco Salad
2 cups chopped romaine or butter lettuce, can mix in chopped cabbage too
¼ avocado, diced
1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
¼ cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbsp crunchy tortilla strips
Use jarred salsa as salad dressing or drizzle with 1 Tbsp. of ranch dressing
Goat Cheese, Beet & Arugula Salad
2 cups arugula or baby spinach
1 oz. soft goat cheese
2 Tbsp walnuts
½ cup diced apples
¼ cup diced canned beets
2 Tbsp light raspberry or strawberry vinaigrette
Quinoa, Cranberry & Feta Salad
*Cooked Quinoa will stay fresh in the refrigerator for at least 10 days, so cook ahead and add it to any favorite salad recipe for some extra protein
2 cups baby spinach
½ cup cooked Quinoa, cooled
¼ cup dried fruit such as craisins or dried cherries, chopped (or use fresh berries in season)
¼ cup reduced fat feta cheese
2 Tbsp sliced almonds or walnuts (whatever you have on hand)
2 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette or fruity vinaigrette
Chilled Shrimp & Soba Noodle
2 cups spinach plus ½ cup chopped cabbage
7-8 large cooked shrimp, cooled and sliced lengthwise in half
½ cup cooked buckwheat soba noodles, chilled and cut into bite size pieces
¼ cup chopped bell pepper
¼ cup matchstick carrots
2 Tbsp crunchy wonton strips
Sliced scallions or fresh chopped cilantro to top
2 Tbsp San-J Tamari peanut dressing (available in most organic grocery sections)
Greek Salad
2 cups salad greens
5-6 pitted Greek olives, quartered
¼ cup diced cucumber
½ cup quartered cherry tomatoes
¼ cup reduced fat feta cheese
2 Tbsp Tzatziki sauce as dressing
Recipes were created by Zara Ryan, BA, ACE-CPT, Fitness Specialist/Personal Trainer at Valley Health Wellness & Fitness Center.
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