by Pat Merewether

Created on: February 16, 2009   Last Updated: September 29, 2010

Many foods are excellent sources of nutrients and fiber, but they also have strong flavors and some, such as okra and asparagus have a texture that takes a bit of getting used to. But take heart, you can make healthy foods appealing and it just takes a little research and knowledge.

Cooked or raw?  Fresh spinach in a salad or on a sandwich may work better for you than cooked spinach. Eaten raw, spinach is rather sweet and gives a bit of crunch to a sandwich or salad. Canned spinach should be avoided if this is your first spinach experience. It's has a swamp-thing texture and is rather bitter.  Steamed or lightly sauteed is best for taste, texture and nutritive value. Broccoli also has a sweeter, more mild flavor when eaten raw.  Most green veggies are better for you eaten raw, cooking kills off some of the nutrients.

We are often told that salt is bad for us.  And, like many things this is true if we consume too much.  But consider the quality of your salt before you give it up entirely.  Himalayan pink salt contains 87 minerals and less sodium chloride than the table salt most of us are familiar with. There are many varieties of sea salt,  black salt from Hawaii, and salts from France that are good for you.   Just a pinch of these salts will greatly enhance the flavor of cooked vegetables and provide your body with trace minerals. These salts are available on-line, or in health food stores.   

Much of the processed spaghetti sauce is loaded with sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup (which has been getting a lot of bad press lately due to health concernes).   You can make your own healthy spaghetti sauce from un-sweetened or chemically altered tomato sauce, or purchase organically grown Roma tomatoes and start from scratch.  Adding a finely grated carrot will thicken your sauce and sweeten it slightly. 

It is good to cut back on the consumption of red meat. If you enjoy meatloaf, consider mixing half ground beef and half ground chicken or turkey.  You can also include TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) which is a granular, dried soy product you rehydrate with water.  I rehydrate it with water and a bit of soy sauce to enhance the flavor and color.  TVP has very little color and will pick up the strongest color in the mix, so if you add catsup to your meatloaf mix, the TVP will appear red,  not a very appetizing

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