You know a balanced diet that includes lots of fruit and vegetables is best for your health, but getting there can be a challenge given everything you need to accomplish in a day. Daily meal planning does not must be a daunting task if you turn to your freezer for a little help. In fact, starting with frozen ready-to-eat meals as the base of your dinner plate and adding side dishes with fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and/or low-fat dairy can make it possible to serve up a balanced meal that’s quick and tasty. And that goes for pizza night too!
“Eating a balanced diet doesn’t mean you have to give up favorite foods like pizza,” says Bobby Parrish, Food Network personality, and Today contributor. “It just means you have to watch portion sizes and balance your plate with nutritious side dishes of fresh vegetables, fruit and whole grains.”
Research shows that Americans struggle to meet recommended dietary guidelines. In fact, nine out of 10 people do not get the daily recommended servings of fruit and vegetables, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An easy way to increase the mixture of foods you eat is to complement something you already enjoy – like pizza – with a side dish from another food group.
Nestlé USA’s Balance Your Plate educational program aims to help you create delicious and nutritious meals that combine frozen and fresh foods. The website www.nestleusa.com/balance provides information, tips and recipes to help consumers prepare easy, balanced meals that meet dietary guidelines.
By choosing your favourite frozen dish, such as pizza, as the base for your meal, you can create a more balanced plate with these tips:
* Make at least half your plate fruit and vegetables. For example, if you have a slice of cheese pizza, pair it with a fresh salad or your favourite vegetable side dish.
* Find out your portion by looking at the recommended Serving Size on the Nutrition Facts label. Here’s a simple idea for pizza portions: imagine your hand as a slice of pizza and plan to enjoy one or two hands.
* Don’t be afraid to mix vegetables directly into or on top of your pizza. For example, top cheese pizza with fresh tomatoes and basil right out of the oven.
* Bagged greens, spinach or salad kits are an amazing and quick way to add greens to your plate.
Parrish, who partnered with DiGiorno to create the original side dish recipe, offers these two nutritious and delicious salad recipes to pair with your favourite pizza to create a more balanced meal:
Quinoa and Herb Grapefruit Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 grapefruit
- 2 tablespoons pistachios, chopped and toasted (optional)
- 1-2 small carrots, grated
- 1 tablespoon each of fresh parsley and dill, chopped
- seasoning from 1 lemon
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- A few cracks of black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of additional virgin olive oil
Direction:
Bring 1 3/4 cups of water to a boil and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add 3/4 cup raw quinoa. Stir well, reduce heat and cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Check the quinoa; the water must be absorbed and the grain must swell. If the quinoa hasn’t broken down, add another 1/4 cup of water and cook until the water has evaporated and the quinoa looks cooked. Flatten with a fork and let cool for up to two hours, otherwise you can make it ahead of time and refrigerate overnight.
Place cooked and cooled quinoa in a large bowl. Using a knife, remove all the skin from the grapefruit and chop all the pieces directly into the bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients and blend well. Check the taste; You may need to add more lemon juice. The salad will keep in the fridge for up to three days.
Shaved Apple and Crunch Romaine Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 hearts of romaine lettuce
- 1 sweet apple, such as gala or pink lady
- 2 tablespoons of raisins
- 1 tablespoon of fresh chives, sliced
- 2 teaspoons of sesame seeds
- For the salad dressing:
- 3 tablespoons of tahini
- 2 teaspoons agave nectar or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Peel and juice of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- A few cracks of black pepper
- 2-4 tablespoons of water
Direction:
Use a slicer or mandoline to thinly slice the apples. Place the slices in a large bowl and squeeze the lemon juice over the slices so they do not turn brown. Slice the romaine thinly and add to the bowl with the rest of the salad. Set aside.
For the sauce, add everything but the water to a small bowl and whisk until combined. Add enough water to loosen the dressing for pouring. Check seasoning; You may need more salt or lemon juice.
Store sauces and salads in the fridge until ready to serve. Just before you dress the salad, add 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few dashes of pepper to the romaine mixture. Toss the salad with enough dressing to coat everything, being sure not to overdress the salad. Once the salad is dressed, it must be eaten and must not be stored in the fridge.
For recipes, information and more food ideas, visit www.nestleusa.com/balance.
