Happy National Nutrition Month®!

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) has dubbed March National Nutrition Month® and this year's theme is "Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right."

What pops into your head when you think of "eating right?" Boring salads and celery? Food that tastes like cardboard? Let's work on changing that stereotype. Here are three tasty ideas to get you started on enjoying the taste of your food while eating right:

1. For a sweet snack, try this take on a chocolate covered apple:

Apple Slices with Chocolate Protein Dip
Makes two servings

Ingredients:
2 tsp cocoa powder
1/2c plain greek yogurt (or vanilla if you need a little extra sweetness)
1tbs creamy almond butter  (can use any creamy nut butter, or sunflower butter for a nut-free option)
1-2 apples of your favorite variety (I love pink lady)

Directions:
Simply stir together the cocoa, yogurt and nut butter until smooth. Slice the apple and dip  in the cocoa goodness.

*A side note about the versatility of plain yogurt. You may know that it is a good substitute for sour cream on tacos, etc, but did you know that it also tastes great for dipping artichoke leaves (and the heart) into?  Artichokes happen to be my favorite vegetable and this is a much lighter option than mayonnaise or melted butter and surprisingly tastes just as satisfying.

2. Savor the Mediterranean to give your "salad" a little flair:

Simple Greek Salad
Makes 1-2 Servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup cucumbers
2 tbs chopped red onion
1/4 cup Kalamata olives
2 tbs feta cheese
salt & pepper to taste
olive oil & red wine vinegar to taste
optional - crushed red pepper for a kick (I use this on everything!)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and enjoy.

3. If you are wanting a hot beverage without the fat and calories, try some original Good Earth tea. If you don't drink tea, I urge you to give it a try. It's not like any other tea I've had. A couple great things to note: first, it's naturally sweet and spicy, so there's no need to add sweetener. Secondly, the hint of spice is always satisfying and helps curb hunger.

I hope these tips jump start your enthusiasm for nutrition this month!
To learn more about National Nutrition Month®, visit www.eatright.org/NNM