1. Incorporate a vegetable into every meal. Peas, broccoli, asparagus, red, yellow or green bell peppers, spinach – you name it, vegetables provide nutrients and fiber.
  2. Use more beans and legumes, and less meat. Chickpeas, lentils and beans of all types are good sources of fiber and protein. Use my Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid to learn more about healthy varieties of these pantry staples.
  3. Serve up whole grains. Brown rice and bulgur wheat provide a delicious, grainy taste and texture – and have more fiber and protein than their white counterparts. Choose true, relatively intact whole grains like these over grains that have been ground into flour.
  4. Switch sweets. Instead of soda, stock the pantry with sparkling waters. Pour fruit juice into a pitcher and dilute it to lessen the sugar content. Stock your kitchen with fresh, whole fruits, and leave the cookies in the store.