Here’s a health tip for you: The more colors on your plate, the better! We’ve been taught a ton about how to diversify the food groups we eat with references like the food pyramid. A little bit of carbohydrates, proteins, fruits, and vegetables, all that good stuff. But another rule of thumb I like to implement into my meals is seeing as many colors as possible. Different colors offer different health benefits, and therefore the more of a rainbow our plate is resembling, the wider variety of vitamins and minerals we are taking in. It’s that simple!
Is it really possible to eat every color every meal?
Most likely not, and that’s okay. But throughout the day is it possible? Absolutely! Think about it, we eat three meals a day, and likely with a couple of snacks in between. That’s at least five different opportunities to introduce a new color into the mouth to nourish the body. And with a diet that is high in fruits and vegetables, it becomes that much easier to eat more colors!
The Science Behind the Colors of Plants
There are a few colors that basically serve as the “primary colors” in nature. Like on a color wheel we know that all of the various color shades derive from the three primary colors yellow, blue, and red; the same is seen in nature with foods. Green, red, and blue are usually the most potent pigments we find, and all three of these colors are packed with nutrients.
The chemical responsible for the green color that spreads from grass and trees to leaves and green vegetables like swiss chard and kale is known as chlorophyll. What gives the blue and purple shades in blueberries, blackberries, and plums is called anthocyanin. And the third most common color responsible for the red we see in tomatoes and bell peppers, along with their orange and yellow color descendants would be carotenoids.
To simplify these scientific terms, chlorophyll is known as nature’s blood and can have profound impacts on the quality of your blood, skin, and overall health. Anthocyanin gives the body tons of antioxidant properties that help keep the immune system high and fight off unwanted illnesses. Then we have carotenoids which contribute to growth, eye health, as well as a strong immune system. Thus by eating these colors, the body is getting infused with nutrients from several sources. This is absolutely ideal!
How To Add More Colors To Your Diet
One way to add more colors into your diet, but in a simplified manner could be through juicing or smoothies. These are both great options for people starting out on their health journey, or people who know they need to add more colors in, but aren’t ready to start eating tons of salads (another great method!). There are so many delicious, drinkable combinations, it is only a matter of finding your favorite! Whether it is the classic strawberry banana smoothie that can easily be even more enhanced with a couple cups of spinach and a handful of blueberries. Just like that you’ve covered almost all of your plant-based color needs! Another method is by juicing your produce, and let me just say this has been by far one of my favorites over these past few months. With the help of FarmboxRx, I find that it is the most convenient method for ordering healthy food online. Every week I have my fruit and vegetable boxes delivered to my doorstep without needing to make the extra grocery trip. The boxes are filled with fresh produce that I use to prepare healthy recipes, like the one I’ll be sharing down below. And when I feel the what am I going to do with all of this produce itch, that’s when I like to throw it into myNama Well juicer and make my go-to pick-me-up. It’s even better than coffee!
Lastly, the third way to incorporate eating more colors into your lifestyle is by getting creative and making a meal that quite frankly, you know is going to be good for you and make you feel good too. When it comes to health, it is not always a question of what food to buy organic or what new health fads are trending. Sometimes it is really as straightforward as eating a clean meal filled with detoxifying vegetables (Tip: Because veggies are so low in calories, make sure you eat enough!) And no, that doesn’t have to mean eating a boring, bland salad. With a little creativity in the kitchen, it can be easy to make healthy meals taste good. This Rainbow Chard Rolls recipe is the perfect example because not only does it cover different color groups, but the sauce (Another tip: a satisfying sauce is key to any veggie-based dish!) is amazing!
Give this recipe a try and be sure to tag us @FarmboxRx and use the hashtags #FarmboxRx and #FarmboxLiving so that we can see your rainbow rolls!
Ingredients
8 Rainbow Chard leaves
1 large cucumber
3 rainbow carrots
1 red bell peppers
8 oz tempeh
Marinade
½ cup soy sauce
3 tbsp honey/agave
1 tbsp chili garlic paste
Directions
- Whisk together soy sauce, honey, and chili garlic paste. Slice tempeh into thin strips. Add tempeh to a shallow bowl and pour the sauce over the tempeh to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Once tempeh is marinated, preheat a large non-stick skillet to medium heat. Sear the tempeh on both sides until golden, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Pour the remaining marinade into a small dish to use as a dipping sauce with serving.
- Slice cucumber, carrots, and bell peppers into thin strips.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Gently dip the chard leaves in the boiling water just for a couple of seconds to soften the leaves. Remove from the water and place on a plate to cool.
- Assemble rolls by removing the tough part of the chard stem. Add a couple of carrots, peppers, cucumber, and tempeh slices to the leaf and roll, burrito-style to hold everything together.
- Note: if your chard leaves are large, slice them in half widthwise and make two rolls with one leaf.
- Repeat the assembly until all of the rolls are stuffed. Enjoy with the leftover marinade as a dipping sauce!
Rainbow Chard Rolls
Ashley Tyrner Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 8 rainbow chard leaves
- 1 cucumber large
- 3 rainbow carrots
- 1 red bell pepper
- 8 oz tempeh
Marinade
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 3 tbsp honey/agave
- 1 tbsp chili garlic paste
Instructions
- Whisk together soy sauce, honey, and chili garlic paste. Slice tempeh into thin strips. Add tempeh to a shallow bowl and pour the sauce over the tempeh to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Once tempeh is marinated, preheat a large non-stick skillet to medium heat. Sear the tempeh on both sides until golden, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Pour the remaining marinade into a small dish to use as a dipping sauce with serving.
- Slice cucumber, carrots, and bell peppers into thin strips.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Gently dip the chard leaves in the boiling water just for a couple of seconds to soften the leaves. Remove from the water and place on a plate to cool.
- Assemble rolls by removing the tough part of the chard stem. Add a couple of carrots, peppers, cucumber, and tempeh slices to the leaf and roll, burrito-style to hold everything together. Note: if your chard leaves are large, slice them in half widthwise and make two rolls with one leaf.
- Repeat the assembly until all of the rolls are stuffed. Enjoy with the leftover marinade as a dipping sauce!