For many of us in the health or nutrition field, the month of March is a time when we remember how important nutrition – what we eat and drink – is for our health. For me, it is a time when I try to:
- Explore new foods
- Ramp up my veggie and fruit intake
- Make healthier beverage choices (try infused water instead of soda)
- Try new recipes
What can you do this month to make positive nutrition changes? Have you heard the chatter about “cauliflower rice”? If you are on the internet, you may see recipes for this new food idea. I love vegetable stir-fry and decided to try this instead of my usual brown rice. I found a bag of cauliflower rice pearls that was cheaper than a head of cauliflower. It was also very convenient. I sautéed it with garlic and olive oil and used it as the base for my vegetable stir-fry. It was tasty and a way for me to add another vegetable to my day. Toasted slivered almonds made a nice addition. This bag featured recipes for cauliflower pearls fixed these ways: mashed, as rice and steamed.
Cauliflower Pearls
Are you looking for other ways to fix cauliflower? One of my favorite ways is to roast cauliflower. I use olive oil, garlic and smoked paprika – its sweet smoky taste makes it a family favorite.
Roasted Cauliflower
Need a fun recipe for the kiddos? Check out the hiding rabbit recipe with their snow-white bunny tails peeking out from peanut butter celery. Another creative, kid-friendly cauliflower recipe is pizza with a cauliflower crust.
Hiding Rabbits
Why should you eat more vegetables? Most of us know that vegetables are low in fat and calories, and rich in fiber and vitamins and minerals. If you wonder how many you need each day, visit ChooseMyPlate for specifics. Click here for tips to help you get more veggies in your diet. This great website can also help you plan a healthier lifestyle by exploring the SuperTracker feature. You can log in and create an account to track your nutrition, physical activity and weight. This free tool can be helpful in you in your quest for a healthier lifestyle.
What will you do to celebrate National Nutrition Month? Share your ideas in the comments.
Sources:
Danielson, L. (2017). 3 Unique Ways to Enjoy Cauliflower. http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/3-unique-ways-to-enjoy-cauliflower
eatright: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (2017). Put Your Best Fork Forward: National Nutrition Month 2017. http://www.eatright.org/resources/national-nutrition-month.
Powers-Barker, P. (2015). Ohio Local Foods Infused Water Experiment. https://u.osu.edu/powers-barker.1/2015/07/06/ohio-local-foods-infused-water-experiment/
Steed, M. (2017). Cauliflower! Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: Answer Line. https://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/answerline/2017/02/20/cauliflower/
USDA (2016). Tips to help you eat vegetables. https://www.choosemyplate.gov/vegetables-tips
USDA (2017). MyPlate. https://www.choosemyplate.gov/MyPlate
USDA (2017). SuperTracker. https://www.choosemyplate.gov/tools-supertracker
Written by: Michelle Treber, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Pickaway County, treber.1@osu.edu
Reviewed by: Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State Univeristy Extension, Franklin county, lobb.3@osu.edu
Live Healthy Live Well 
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