WHEN HEALTHY FOODS WORK TOGETHER POWER PAIRINGS ON YOUR PLATE
Have you ever looked at a “superfood” list and felt like you needed to overhaul your entire pantry? In reality, most of us already eat a decent mix of food. The trick isn’t always what you eat, but what you put side by side on the plate.
Other everyday food pairings work the same way. Think about a fresh tomato salad drizzled with olive oil. With that pairing, the fat in olive oil helps your body absorb more lycopene from the tomatoes. Raw carrots with a scoop of hummus or greens with a few slices of avocado do something similar for vitamin A. The snack tastes better, and your body gets a little nutrition boost.
Your body runs on familiar basics like protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. Those are the nutrients you learned about in school. Plants also carry extra helpers called phytonutrients. They live in the colors and flavors of fruits, vegetables, herbs, tea, and even coffee. These nutrients are useful on their own, but the real magic happens when they team up. Nutrition researchers sometimes call this “nutrient synergy,” which is just a fancy way of saying certain foods do more for you together than they do alone. A simple example is pairing vitamin C with plant-based iron. Your body absorbs iron from beans, lentils, spinach, and oats more easily when something rich in vitamin C is in the same meal.
Spices can work together, too. Turmeric on its own is fine, but when you add a pinch of black pepper, your body absorbs much more of the curcumin it contains. That’s why some drinks and seasoning blends put them side by side. You don’t need a long list of rules for all this. Just try to eat a variety of healthy foods. If your plate
has more than one color, a source of protein, and a bit of healthy fat, you are already building the kind of small combinations that help your food do more for you.
Shrimp Taco Soup
TAKE A BREAK!
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
• 1 tbsp chili powder • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1. In a small bowl, mix chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 tsp salt, and pepper. 2. In a large pot, heat oil over
• 1 tsp garlic powder • 1 tsp onion powder • 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided • Black pepper, to taste • 3 tbsp olive oil • 1 small onion, diced • 1 red bell pepper, diced • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes • 2 tsp agave • 2 cups water • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained • 10 oz frozen corn • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined • Jalapeño slices, chopped cilantro, Greek yogurt, crushed tortilla chips, and lime wedges, for toppings as desired
medium-high heat, then add onion and peppers; cook 5–6 minutes.
3. Stir in seasoning mix. 4. Add tomatoes, agave,
water, remaining salt, and more pepper to taste. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Stir in beans and corn, then add shrimp. 6. Cook 4–5 minutes, until
shrimp are cooked through.
7. Add desired toppings before serving.
Inspired by FoodNetwork.com
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