Warm up tortilla in microwave, about 15 seconds.
In the middle of tortilla, spread hummus evenly. Top with spinach, rice, black beans, carrots, bell pepper, cucumber, and avocado.
Fold the edges of the tortilla, then flip one side over and roll like a burrito. Wrap in foil.
Each year in March the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics promotes National Nutrition Month to encourage people to make informed food choices and develop sound eating and physical activity habits. This year’s theme is “Eat Right, Bite by Bite”, and promotes eating a variety of nutritious foods every day, planning and creating healthful meals each week, and the value of consulting a registered dietitian nutritionist.
National Nutrition Month 2020 promotes weekly key messages for the month of March. The following are those for the first week.
Week One: Eat a variety of nutritious foods every day!
1. Include healthful foods from all food groups. With all the low carb-promoting diets currently trending, the grains group has been neglected by many for fear of adding too many carbs to their diet. However, whole grains offer fiber, several B vitamins, and minerals including iron, and can provide health benefits such as reducing risk for heart disease, supporting healthy digestion, and can help with weight management. A healthful eating pattern can include lean proteins, a variety of fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy and making at least half our grains whole grains.
2. Hydrate healthfully. Healthy beverage options include water, unsweetened tea and coffee, and low-fat milk or plant-based milks. Water recommendations vary based on age, gender, activity level, and overall health. For generally healthy women, 11.5 cups of water are needed daily to stay hydrated, and for generally healthy men, 15.5 cups of water are needed. Taking into account that typically 20% of the water you need comes from food you eat, women need about 9 cups of water daily and men need 12.5 cups.
3. Learn how to read the Nutrition Facts Panel. There have been some updates to the Nutrition Facts Panel in recent years, which will be required for all food products with food labels by 2021. Some key things to highlight is that it now has added sugars on the label, and also vitamin D and potassium because many Americans do not get the recommended amounts. Additionally, the % Daily Value has been updated to reflect current scientific evidence.
4. Practice portion control. All foods can fit into a healthy eating pattern, but how much we eat of certain foods can, of course, impact our health. Using your hand as a guide is a simple method for understanding recommended portions. The palm of your hand is generally the portion size of meat. A fist is about 1 cup of fruits, vegetables, or rice/pasta. One handful is about 1 oz. nuts, or two handfuls is about 1 oz. chips or popcorn. Your thumb is about the size of 1 oz. of peanut butter or hard cheese.
5. Take time to enjoy your food. Food is meant to be enjoyed! Not feared, not to feel guilty about, but thoroughly enjoyed. Practice mindful eating habits by really focusing on what you are eating, and taking the time to sit down, enjoy food with family and friends and keep distractions like TV and phones away.
For a tasty, quick recipe to enjoy this week, try out this wrap. This offers a simple way to sneak in a balanced meal when you’re in a hurry offering protein, grains, and vegetables. The best part about this wrap is you can change it up to include any vegetables you enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
Warm up tortilla in microwave, about 15 seconds.
In the middle of tortilla, spread hummus evenly. Top with spinach, rice, black beans, carrots, bell pepper, cucumber, and avocado.
Fold the edges of the tortilla, then flip one side over and roll like a burrito. Wrap in foil.