COLOR

Have you ever thought about what life would be like without color? If all we saw was black and white wouldn't life be boring? Or have you ever been asked if you had to choose which of the 5 senses you could live without which one would it be? I can tell you for sure that I wouldn't choose to live without my sight! Color is kind of a magical thing. Right now I am anticipating the leaves on the trees starting to change and the beautiful color that brings! I do love fall and even though I hate winter a fresh blanket of white snow covering everything is a pretty thing. Even better is the long winter being over and those first signs of green grass that lead to colorful flowers blooming!

Did you know how important color is when it comes to our food as well? My kids hear this said almost everyday of their lives now, "Is there something green on your plate?" It is said that you can tell how healthy your food is by how much color there is on your plate. I say this often because I happily admit I am trying to brainwash them into choosing colorful things.  It's just the laws of repetition I am practicing. I mean pictures like this just make my heart happy!

Just in case you didn't get enough school this week here is a little lesson for you!

The Colorful Facts:

Red Foods: such things as tomatoes, raspberries, red peppers, grapes, beets, and pomegranates can help protect memory, reduce LDL cholesterol , scavenge free-radicals, fight cancer, and reduce tumor growth.

Orange/Yellow Foods: such things as cantaloupe, carrots, mangoes, sweet potatoes, and winter squash can enhance immune system and lower heart attack risk, reduce prostate cancer risk, promote collagen formation and healthy joints as well as work with calcium and magnesium to build healthy bones.

Green Foods: things such as spinach, green grapes, asparagus, artichokes, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts can play a role in maintaining eye health, normalizing digestion, boosting immune activity, lowering LDL, and fighting cancer.

Blue/Purple Foods: things such as blueberries, blackberries, raisins, eggplant, and plums can help prevent heart disease, control blood pressure, improve calcium absorption, act as anti carcinogens in the digestive tract, limit the activity of cancer cells and fight inflammation.

White Fruits and Veggies: things such as bananas, cauliflower, garlic, onions, ginger, kohlrabi, parsnips, jicama, and turnips can boost immune activity, balance hormone levels thus reducing the risk of hormone related cancer and also reduce the risk of colon cancer.

Wow! That was enough learning for a Saturday don't you think? Did you notice the one thing they all have in common is that they all work on fighting cancer! Given my family history that is really important to me and seems like a pretty easy thing I can do to protect myself.

When I am fixing a meal I am always thinking about color and put that meal on a white plate and the color becomes even more obvious and beautiful! So here are some examples of our colorful meals.

   

  

Greek Anti pasta Platter

Spaghetti Squash with Homemade Tomato Sauce

 Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Succotash

     

 Asian Lettuce Wraps 

               

  Chick Pea Salad with Baked Pita Chips  

 

      Grilled Cod With Avocado Salsa and Twice Baked Sweet Potato

So the next time you look down at your plate that has white rice, white bread, french fries, or white potatoes, white hamburger buns, chips, etc. say to yourself, "I REFUSE TO BE COLOR BLIND!" Then get up and add some color to your life and your plate! Your body will thank you!

(Just in case you are a smart-alic and you want to try tell me that candy is colorful too I thought I would let you know ahead of time that I don't want to hear it! Also if you would like any of the above recipes just let me know.)