7 Tips to Add More Color to Your Diet

1. Add fresh berries to oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, or even sorbet to add color, flavor and antioxidants.
2. Leave the skins on mashed potatoes, and add another vegetable to the mash, like scallions, escarole, squash, rutabagas or parsnips.
3. Add contrasting colors to a green salad: Fennel slices, tomatoes, carrots, sunflower seeds, beets, grapefruit segments, pomegranate seeds, you name it. (See “10 Tips for Making the Perfect Salad” for more salad inspiration.)
4. Fresh herb leaves add color, and increased fiber and vitamins: Add whole cilantro leaves to Thai or Mexican soups, use whole parsley leaves for Italian or French dishes.
5. Don’t overcrowd your plate. Leave enough room so that you can appreciate the natural appeal of each item, and you’ll be limiting your portion size at the same time.
6. Place your sauce underneath your entrée. It will allow you to see the beauty of the main attraction and keep you from over-saucing and drowning your food.
7. Dark brown is a pretty nice color, too. Toss a few toasted nuts or seeds on top of your salad, oatmeal or yogurt for both color and heart health. (Try one of our roasted nut recipes.)

This was excerpted from “Feast Your Eyes” which was published in the May 2005 issue of Experience Life magazine.