Fill your plate & enjoy!

There’s an easy trick to healthful eating that can simplify your life—no more counting every gram of carbohydrate, no more measuring tools, and no more guesswork about meals that are both satisfying and nutritious.

The trick is all in how you fill your plate. Visually divide your plate in half and fill one of those halves with nonstarchy vegetables. Divide the remaining half of the plate in two and fill one quarter with a protein. Fill the last quarter with a serving of grains or other starchy food. That’s it!

 

This simple formula is genius because the portions are built right in. What’s more, there are countless ways to mix and match your healthful meals—check out Mix & Match. When you get a handle on the types of foods that fill each section of the plate, swap them to your liking. When you’ve mastered that, use the recipes in this book to create meals your whole family will love. Don’t like one side dish? Swap it for one from another menu.

You’ll notice that not all of recipes fit perfectly into the sections on the plate—you’ll find casseroles, pizza, and even soup where one part of the meal might contain some vegetables and some protein, or some grains and some vegetables. That’s where we’ve done the figuring for you—and if each ingredient were to be divided out, you’d still be filling your plate the right way.

We hope you’ll find this book is both functional and fun. Not only will it help you get dinner on the table, but it can lead to better blood sugars, weight loss, and better health. Now that’s a winning formula!