It’s a fact- pretty things taste better.  Gourmet restaurants have it down.  Plates are served with twirls of reds, swirls of green, sprinkles of yellow, making your dish appear more like a work of art than a meal.  While making my turkey burgers today I was struck by how blah they looked. Pink on pink-not too appetizing. These needed to be jazzed up!  By adding in yellow squash, cauliflower, fresh oregano and yellow onions, my oh so boring turkey patties were soon covered with flecks of green, yellow and white making them more appealing, flavorful and nutritional.

There’s so much nutritional value in making your food colorful. For example:

YELLOW and ORANGE vegetables contain flavonoids, zeaxanthin, potassium, lycopene,  vitamin C and beta-carotene (vitamin A) and are great for:

•             eye health

•             lowering blood pressure

•             lowering LDL cholesterol

•             keeping joints healthy

•             promoting collagen formation

•             boosting the immune system

•             fighting harmful free radicals

GREEN vegetables contain chlorophyll, fiber, lutein, zeaxanthin, calcium, folate, vitamin C and beta-carotene which can:

•             help you lose weight and keep it off

•             lower blood pressure

•             reduce the risk of cancer

•             reduce LDL

•             aid in digestion

•             fight harmful free radicals

•             power up your immune system

•             strengthen teeth and bones

RED vegetables are full of lycopene, anthocyanins, ellagic acid, quercetin, hesperidin, fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C and have been shown to:

•             increase heart and circulatory health

•             improve memory

•             support urinary tract health

•             lower blood pressure

•             reduce the risk of prostate, lung and cervical cancer

•             aid in gastrointestinal health

WHITE vegetables contain fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B, vitamin C which can:

•             enhance the immune system

•             strengthen the lymph systems

•             aid in cellular recovery

•             regulate blood glucose

So make sure that your plate is covered with as many colorful veggies as possible to ensure you are getting the most out of your meals- visually and nutritionally. 

 

INGREDIENTS

Organic meat and your favorite colorful veggies! For this batch I used:

• 1 pound organic ground turkey
• 1/8 cup yellow onion, sauteed in coconut oil
• 1/8 cup yellow squash, spiralized
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano
• 1/8 cup cauliflower rice
• sea salt to taste
• a few dashes of cumin

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large bowl mix the turkey, veggies and spices.
• Use your hands to mold 8 patties.
•  Cook in a pan with coconut oil, butter, lard or palm oil on medium heat for about 6 minutes or until cooked throughout.
• Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-4 days and then frozen.