MyPlate, the government’s replacement for the
food pyramid, is celebrating its first birthday with a revamped website that
includes new resources and recipes, as well as tips for celebrating events with
healthier food and by including movement and exercise as part of the
festivities. You can find the links to
the celebration resources and more, including the place to wish MyPlate a Happy
Birthday by clicking below.
A year ago I promised to review the original recipes from the MyPlate site when I wrote my post about the change. You can find their original recipes here. So, in honor of MyPlate’s first birthday, I present my reviews of the salads from their original recipe list. So far, we have liked everything we have tried. I explain my adjustments for each recipe below, if any.
As I mentioned last year, we like the Outtasight
Salad (page 5). We use whatever fresh vegetables
and fruits we have on hand, usually doubling the amount to two cups each. The more vegetables and fruits, the less
noticeable the greens are, and my children prefer the salad this way. Also, fresh pineapple is our choice over
canned. And for the dressing, we leave
out the vinegar, keeping the dressing thicker and creamier, so it can coat the
chunks of vegetables and fruits.
We usually eat this as a light lunch, with nut
butter or cheese toast. Leftovers make a
good side salad for dinner.
The Fire and Ice Watermelon Salad (page 9) is a refreshing and new way to eat watermelon. I really like the kick of the dressing, but my children prefer to eat the fruit mixture without the dressing, so I just reserve it on the side. We were almost out of white vinegar the first time I made this, so I used half white and half apple cider vinegar. You could probably use all apple cider vinegar too, although I have not tried that yet.
This recipe makes a lot, so you may be eating this
watermelon for a couple of days; it is good as a snack, or a luncheon side
dish.
We have also tried the Bulgur Chickpea Salad as a
side dish (page 10). I actually prepare
my bulgur off the stove, using warm water.
I use fresh parsley instead of dried, and shredded carrot instead of
chopped. This dish offers an interesting
flavor combination that is light and fresh, perfect for summer.
These last two recipes are great ways to use the green onions we grow on our windowsill.
These last two recipes are great ways to use the green onions we grow on our windowsill.
If you have tried any of the MyPlate recipes, let us know how you liked them. You can find additional new recipes and resources at this page. With so many links, I have plenty of new recipes to try, so look for more reviews in the future!
Hi Elisa, Thanks for linking-up! I'll have to try this when my watermelons are grown! Thanks so much! I better get back to work, I can, FINALLY, move our livingroom into our new home addition!!!!
ReplyDeleteYAH!!! :-D God Bless!
Awesome! :)
ReplyDeleteWow! This is a GREAT post! I love the healthy recipes and with all the links there is so much information--I can't believe it! I am a huge watermelon fan, so I can't wait to try that watermelon salad and I will definitely be a with dressing person. Thanks for linking it to "Pay It Forward". I hope you'll link up more of your reviews in the future.
ReplyDeleteLadies, I am also a big fan of watermelon! Let me know how you like the Fire and Ice salad. Thank you all for the opportunities to link up; I will definitely be joining you in the future.
ReplyDeleteThank you for adding this to the Our Favorite Things Link Party. I'm currently on a quest to feed my family better. I really appreciate your opinions on the recipes. Its always nice to have a idea of what to expect.
ReplyDeleteGrabbing veggies and fruits that I have on hand seems like a great plan for salad--flexible and minimizing waste.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing with us at Healthy 2Day Wednesday! :)
ReplyDelete