Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

According to the USDA a person consuming 2000 calories a day should be eating 4 1/2 cups or 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Four servings should be fruit-that's 2 cups, and five servings should be vegetables-that's 2 1/2 cups. A serving equals 1/2 cup of raw or cooked fruit or vegetables, 1 cup of raw leafy veggies like spinach or romaine, or 1 medium fruit like an apple or a banana. The veggies should consist of a variety of dark green, orange, starchy, and other veggies, as well as legumes.
According to the CDC, less than 25% of people eat five servings a day. No wonder we are a nation of sick and obese people, most of us are nutrient deprived. If you eat a fruit and a vegetable at every meal, and then have a few as snacks, 9 servings is not hard to accomplish. After all, fruit and veggies are nature's fast food. A banana or clementine only need peeling, it doesn't get any faster than that. Here is a recipe for a simple nutrient dense fruit salad to keep on hand for snacking. I like the crispness of apple mixed in with the berries, and the lemon juice keeps the apple from turning brown.

Fruit Salad

1 pt. blueberries

1 pt. blackberries

1 pt. strawberries

1 organic apple, diced

juice of 1 lemon

1 T. honey

Combine lemon juice with apple, mix to ensure apple is completely coated. Stir in honey, then mix in rest of fruit.

Note: this recipe has been entered at:
http://www.gelskitchen.com/blog/food-recipe-talk/butter-bean-spinach-salad-nttc-1-march-2009-roundup/