Week 1 of 52 Weeks to Wellness

Add an additional serving of vegetables to your dinner. Try to aim for a minimum of five servings of vegetables per day. Studies link diets high in vegetables with less cancer, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. People who eat more vegetables have a reduced risk for all chronic diseases. There have even been some studies that indicate eating a plant-based diet can reverse some of these chronic diseases. And as an added benefit, most vegetables are lower in calories per cup and may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake.

During World War II, Norway was taken over by Germany. The Germans confiscated all of the animals to feed the troops and the Norwegians were left with a plant-based diet. Research shows that the incidence of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other chronic diseases plummeted in Norway during the years that animal products were not available to the Norwegians.

There are many ways to add more vegetables into your diet. The following recipe will make a great side dish for your dinner. Every time I have taken this dish to an event, people seem to love it. Enjoy!

Mediterranean Olive Toss

1 jar (6 oz.) kalamata olives

12 cherry tomatoes halved

1 small red bell pepper, stemmed seeded and diced

½ red onion, diced

1 cup canned garbanzo beans

3 tablespoons drained capers

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic

3 tablespoons fresh basil

2 teaspoons fresh oregano

Pepper

Feta Cheese

In a medium bowl, combine olives, tomatoes, peppers, onions, beans and capers. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil and garlic, Add to olive mixture with basil and oregano. Mix well, and add feta and gently toss. This will keep in the refrigerator for 7 days.