Introducing New Foods Into Existing Recipes

Most people start the new year with the intention of eating healthier.  But staring at unknown fields of greens at the grocery store can be daunting.  Incorporate new foods into existing recipes slowly so that your taste buds have time to adjust.  Here are three easy ways to gradually incorporate those healthier choices into your existing diet.

• Using vegetables as pasta noodles – Creating zucchini spirals and topping them with marinara sauce sounds much healthier than white refined pasta. However, making that change overnight may be more of a shock that you’re ready for.  Trying making a half and half recipe, half traditional spaghetti noodles and half vegetable noodles.  The taste will blend in and you will have time to adjust to the new texture.
• Kale does not seem to be going away – At first it seemed like just a trendy thing that was showing up everywhere, but now it may be here to stay. Those curly leaves can be a little tough to just eat on their own, but if you gradually introduce a handful into the salad, you’ll find that the texture can provide an interesting counterpoint to the tender butter lettuce.
• Salt is still something to use in moderation – Yes, any decent cook knows that salt is essential to enhancing the flavor of anything. But it is a seasoning, not a flavor.  Try a dash of salt-free seasoning and you might find that you don’t need as much salt.  There are hundreds of delicious blends to jazz up any dish.

Starting a new diet does not have to mean a complete overhaul of the entire refrigerator, pantry, and freezer.  Simply find the foods that you want to introduce or cut back, and make the change gradually.  Eventually it will just feel normal!