By Katy Dyer, RD
Food Day was founded by the Center for Science and Public Interest and is celebrated annually on October 24th (today!). This is a day meant to inspire change in the American’s food choices and food policies. Food Day highlights the array of complications in our food system that lead to obesity and unhealthy lifestyles. Food Day priorities include promoting safer, healthier diets, reducing hunger, supporting sustainable and organic foods, reforming factory farms to protect the environment and animals and supporting fair working conditions for food and farm workers. This year, Food Day specifically focuses on food access and justice for food and farm workers.
Source: www.foodday.org
Everyday is food day at Dr. Patricia MD! Similar to the priorities of Food Day, we promote a diet filled with real food. The term “real food” refers to whole foods instead of foods broken down into strange ingredients, packaged in a box and placed on a shelf for months. One of the easiest ways to recognize a whole food is if it does not even have a label! Think apples, grapes, carrots and lettuce. Some whole foods do have labels, but their ingredient list is usually short and contain ingredients you can recognize and pronounce.
Get inspired and try out the “Real Food” recipe below:
Green Bean Salad with Red Onion and Salsa Dressing
Adapted from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons salsa, preferably green tomatillo salsa
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
3 sprigs cilantro, plus more for garnish
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
- Steam the green beans until tender-crunchy, about 3 minutes. Allow them to cool then toss with red onion in a large bowl.
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a blender or mini food processor. Process until smooth.
- Toss the dressing with the green beans and red onion.
- Garnish with some cilantro leaves.
Learn more about Food Day priorities, how to get involved and find recipes and resources at www.foodday.org