Variety IS the spice of life

Any time I teach a class or meet with an individual, the topic of being 'bored' with the same meals or food comes up. Man cannot live on bread (or anything else for that matter) alone! Eating a variety of food every day is not only more enjoyable, but also better for your gut health and immune system. Your GI (gastrointestinal) tract creates lots of good bacteria when you eat a variety of food- particularly high fiber/whole food like beans, vegetables, whole grains, fruit, nuts and dairy products. But eating the same thing day after day can be boring. Here are a few new ideas to spice things up:1. Add nutmeg, cinnamon or cardamom to your oatmeal or Greek yogurt to change up the taste. Chopped almonds or walnuts add texture, mono-unsaturated (heart-healthy) fat and protein.2. Season broccoli, green beans, zucchini or other vegetables with garlic, ginger or hot sauce. These are lower in calories and fat than butter, margarine or oil and punch up the flavor.3. Make a dry rub for pork or chicken with 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. season salt. Place the seasoned meat in a crockpot with apples, sweet potatoes and onions and dinner is done by the time you return from work.4. Add cayenne pepper or cinnamon to peanut butter and spread it on an apple or banana. You'll be surprised how delicious this is!5. Season black beans with cumin and oregano and serve with scrambled eggs and salsa for breakfast. This dish is really filling and you might not even miss the toast.6. Chop cucumbers and add them to plain Greek yogurt. Use this as a sandwich spread in place of mayonnaise.7. Season green beans or broccoli with garlic, lemon and a little olive oil.8. Roast potatoes tossed in rosemary, olive oil and a bit of season salt.9. Sprinkle shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese on cooked broccoli or spinach.10. Dress your salad with a blend of olive oil, red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard. It's much lower in sodium and adds a tangy taste to boring greens.