Weight Loss Tip: Go for Color

One of the easiest ways to make sure you are getting a good balance of nutritional elements is to have lots and lots of color in your diet. That is a super tip for losing weight, too, because in general if it is naturally colorful it tends to be lower in calories and fat.

Of course there are exceptions...like my personal favorite, ice cream...it can often have a lot of color to it, even if it is all natural. But the added sugar and fat doesn't make it the healthiest choice...at least not for every meal, every day!

The point is to move away from the bland, beige meals. Enjoy the rainbow...either in a meal, a day, or over the course of several days.

Today was a "red letter day" for me...

What do I mean by a red letter day? Well I had lots of red foods, of course. This gave me great taste, good complex carbohydrates and lots of lycopene for good measure!

I had broiled Provencale tomatoes and beets for example. I love how easy they are and how you can take advantage of a hot oven created for one to make the other!

If you've only ever had pickled beets, give baked beets a try. I'm not fond of pickled beets but I love beets baked or boiled.

Baked Beets
Heat the oven to 350.
Wash the beets and clip off the greens, leaving about an inch or two on the beet. Do not remove the root.
Place the beets into an oven proof dish (with a lid) in a single layer.
Add a small amount of butter or olive oil and salt & pepper if desired...or just leave them plain.
Bake in the oven until tender. The time will depend on 1) the size of the beet and 2) the age of the beet. The younger the beets the less time it will take (maybe under 1 hour) Older beets will take longer.
Once the beets are done, I like to cut off the root and the remaining top and peel them before serving. But beets are great cold, so if you cook extra leave them unpeeled and store in the frig. They can be added to soups, salads, salsa...just about anything you want a little color on.

Provencale Tomatoes
Turn oven to broil.
Slice tomatoes into thick pieces.
Place on a broiler pan.
Brush a very light bit of olive oil on the tomatoes.
Sprinkle with herbs and spices. I love Herbs de Provence and a little pepper, but you can try Italian Seasoning or salt-free Spike or any herbs you prefer. Since tomatoes are naturally high in sodium I do not recommend using any salt on your tomatoes.
Place the tray in the broiler for about 10 minutes.
Keep an eye on the tray as everyone's ovens are different.
Serve the tomatoes hot.

You can serve the tomatoes as the main vegetable or sprinkled with feta cheese for a light lunch.

Maybe tomorrow I'll "go green".