4 Tasty Ways to Slip in Veggies

1. Stir-fry. It's quick, easy and you already love it. Now try serving it on top of a bed of spinach or romaine lettuce instead of the standard white rice. "You've just made an entree salad, and think of the Vitamin A you get with it."

2. Rebuild your sandwich. Try adding a little lettuce, baby spinach, tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber or even mushroom. It varies the texture and adds loads of flavor.

3. "If you're grilling, think of other things you can wrap in foil and add while the coals are still hot. Try sweet potatoes, sweet corn or sweet onions. They caramelize in the heat and taste great with meat or served as leftovers in a salad or reheated."

4. Add more toppings to your pizza. Even if it comes with mushrooms, add more. The experts recommend experimenting with shaved carrots or squash to make a heartier meal.

Banana on the BBQ

Don't let a food rut ruin your healthy-eating streak.
Summer time is a dieter's dream—fresh fruits, veggies—they're ripe and ready.

Ready for some new ways to get the most snacking power out of your favorite fruits?
HealthGal and nutritionist Amy Hendel has some super sweet tips. "Consider that a banana can be grilled (open face) and then sprinkled with nuts," says Hendel. "Watermelon smoothies can be incredibly refreshing, and sprinkle a tiny drop of sugar on grapefruit halves and broil them in the oven for a refreshing and sweet, healthy dessert." We don't know about you, but Amy had us at 'grilled banana.'

Diet-Friendly Summer Side Dish

Grilled Asparagus with Romesco Sauce

The perfectly simple summer side dish, this spicy Grilled Asparagus with Romesco Sauce adds a new, spicy zing to one of our favorite veggies.

Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds jumbo fresh California asparagus, trimmed
olive oil, as needed
salt, as needed
freshly ground pepper, as needed
3/4 cup drained, roughly chopped roasted red bell pepper (from a jar)
2 tablespoons roughly chopped sundried
tomato (packed in oil, drained)
2 1-inch slices baguette lightly toasted, torn into pieces
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
tablespoons of cool water, as needed


Directions
Brush asparagus with olive oil. On an outdoor or a stove-top grill over medium high heat, grill asparagus, turning frequently, until lightly browned and fork tender, about 5 minutes. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Cool.

In a food processor, puree roasted red bell pepper and next 8 ingredients. With machine running, drizzle in 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil. If necessary, thin with 1 tablespoon water at a time until a thick, sauce-like consistency is achieved.

Arrange asparagus on a serving platter or individual plates; serve with Romesco sauce.

Makes 6 servings. Nutrition Facts Per Serving:
90 Calories, 50 Calories from Fat, 6g Fat, 0.5g Saturated Fat, 0mgCholesterol, 210mg Sodium, 9g Carbohydrate, 2g Dietary Fiber, 3g Protein.