How to Cook for a Healthier You

UW Health Nutritionist Amy Mihm offers heart healthy grocery shopping tips

MADISON - Does it seem like doctors and other health care professionals are constantly telling you to eat healthy – but then you find yourself wandering the grocery aisles, clueless about what you should be putting in your cart?

• Proteins such as nuts and seeds, lean meats, cheese, eggs, beans, legumes, fish, and poultry (try to find meats, poultry, and eggs from animals raised without hormones and antibiotics if possible)
• Whole grains such as whole wheat, brown rice, oats, barley, millet, quinoa, and popcorn
• Milk and yogurt (choose organic when possible)
• Fresh fruits and vegetables (organic and locally grown when possible)
• Herbal teas, water, and fresh squeezed fruit and vegetable juices and broths
• Healthy oils such as olive, sunflower, sesame, peanut and canola

In Van Riet's Basic Cooking Tips classes, participants leave with a wealth of information and practical tips – from a list of healthy, reputable cookbooks to try to information about local farm markets and community-supported agriculture farms.

Cooking Tips and Recipes

With an emphasis on practical, basic cooking tips, participants also obtain easy recipes and tips to incorporate more fresh produce into their diets, such as tips for steaming, roasting and grilling vegetables.

A range of other recipe selections encourage participants to try something new, such as Bulgur, Garbanzo and Tomato Summer Salad, or Quinoa Black Bean Salad. The class also covers how to shop for and cook fresh fish, and how to bake, sauté and broil fish.

Sample Recipes

• Roasted Vegetables
• White Bean and Herb Dip (also great as a sandwich spread)

Interested in Taking a Nutrition Class?

Check out our Food and Nutrition classes on uwhealth.org, or sign up for the next Basic Cooking Tips class, which will be held on Thursday, November 12, at the UW Health Odana Atrium Clinic, from 5:30-7pm. The cost is $10. Call (608) 287-2770 to register.