Dietitians Dish – March 1, 2021

Renew Your Focus During…

If you made plans to improve your wellness in 2021 but feel like you got off-track, now is a great time to renew your focus! Everywhere you turn during March there are National Nutrition Month® AND Frozen Food Month campaigns offering wellness messages and recipe ideas. Draw inspiration from them.

This week, focus on eating a variety of nutritious foods each day!

Include healthful foods from ALL food groups.
Learn how to read Nutrition Facts Panels.
Avoid distractions while eating & take time to enjoy your food.
Hydrate healthfully.

Have you felt sluggish and tired this winter? The dry environment caused by heating systems during winter can take its toll. It’s important to drink enough and make healthful beverage choices (without too many calories, added sugars or caffeine). Did you know that fruits and vegetables can help you hydrate? That doesn’t just mean juice either! Broccoli is 89% water and only has 31 calories in a 1-cup serving.
This side dish makes it easy to include a few different food groups, in a flavorful way. What a tasty way to enjoy some broccoli!

Garlicky Pesto – Broccoli Rice

Directions:

Long Grain White Rice: Prepare 1 cup dry long grain white rice as label directs.
Pine Nuts: In large skillet, toast 1/3 cup pine nuts over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant, stirring frequently; transfer to plate to cool.
Broccoli: Cut 1 medium head broccoli into florets. In food processor, pulse broccoli until small pieces remain. Heat large skillet over medium heat; spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add broccoli; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned and tender, stirring occasionally.
Garlic: Mince 2 garlic cloves; add garlic to skillet and cook 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring frequently.
Pesto: Remove skillet from heat; fold in 1/2 cup prepared pesto, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and rice. Serve rice sprinkled with pine nuts. Makes about 4 cups.

Recipe and image source: Inseasonezine.com