Make the Most Out of Your Meals

You've swapped red meat for poultry, french fries for salads, white rice for brown, and you’re wondering, can you get even more out of your healthy dinners? The answer is yes! You can get the most out of your meals by knowing the best way to prepare them.


With these simple tricks, you can not only improve the taste of your favorite health foods, but you can enhance their nutritional value as well.



Turkey Burgers

You know that turkey burgers are better for you than traditional beef, but did you know you can make them even healthier? Next time you serve turkey burgers, top them with some capsaicin-rich chili peppers or Tabasco sauce. Capsaicin is a spicy compound found in foods like chili peppers, jalapenos and Tabasco sauce that is known to fight against fat and decrease inflammation.

Spinach

Whether you like it cooked or raw, you can make your favorite spinach dishes even healthier with a few small changes. If you like cooked spinach, you’re in luck: steaming spinach releases additional anti-oxidants. For extra flavor, add some garlic that’s been chopped and left to stand for 10 minutes. This rest period allows the garlic to release a chemical called allicin that can help lower your risk of heart disease.

While raw spinach is a great source of vitamin K, calcium and iron, studies have shown that plant-based iron is not readily absorbed by the body without the assistance of vitamin C. If raw spinach is your preference, get the most out of your salads by dressing them with vitamin C-rich citric toppings like mandarin oranges and lemon vinaigrettes.

             
                  
Brown Rice

An excellent source of magnesium, iron and B vitamins, brown rice is a staple side dish for many families. It’s delicious with chicken and veggies, but for optimum health benefits, try serving it with black beans. Both brown rice and black beans are incomplete proteins that, when combined, provide all of the nine essential amino acids your body needs.