COUNTRY PANTRYinvite the three amigos to your placeOne of the best ways to give yourself a health boost is to introduce different foods into your diet such as vegetables, legumes and fruit. These guys are Mother Nature’s protective foods as they contain many of the essential nutrients our bodies need minus the excess fat. What’s more, they are all extremely versatile and can be served in so many different ways to add interest and variety to your meals and snacks.

good food fact: Eat plenty of vegetables, legumes and fruit.

Select fruit and vegetables that are in season to help reduce your grocery bill. Check out what’s in season now at your greengrocer or supermarket and swap your standard fare for a new fruit or vegetable each week to add something interesting to your menu. If you’re not sure what to do with a new item, just search for ‘healthy recipe ideas’ on the internet or at your library.

Sometimes it can be a long time between fresh food deliveries, especially if you live in a remote area. And, at other times you might just have been too busy to get to the shops. Plan ahead and stock up your pantry now to make sure you never get caught short. Thanks to modern processing techniques, frozen or canned fruit and vegetables are now a very healthy option. Swap high salt content products for low salt varieties and make sure canned fruits don’t have hidden sugars or added syrup in them. Read the label carefully and be aware that sugar is often listed as ‘sucrose’ or ‘fructose’ and salt may be hiding as ‘sodium’.

Long life staples include:

• Dried legumes – packets of kidney beans, chick peas and lentils will last for ages – just soak or pre-cook according to the instructions on the pack and use in curries, chilli con carne and bean salad.

• Dried green peas and beans – great to add to curries, casseroles and stews and can be the perfect side for the family roast.

• Frozen vegies – peas and beans are freezer staples. You’ll also find a growing variety of choices at your supermarket from corn and carrots to Asian vegie combo packs ready to toss into a stir fry.

• Jars of pickled onions, cucumbers, mushrooms or capsicum – choose oil-free options, as these are terrific for a low fat antipasto or tangy addition to sandwiches or salads.

• Tinned baked beans are a healthy instant snack, hearty breakfast or quick lunch.

• Tinned legumes – already pre-softened and ready to add to stews, soups, chilli, salads or jaffles. Just drain and rinse before use.

• Tinned tomatoes – a pantry must-have for soups, sauces, stews and healthy pasta sauces.

• Tinned fruit in natural juice – makes a handy snack when you crave a sweet hit or as an after dinner treat, served with low-fat custard or yoghurt on the side.

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Legumes, such as kidney beans, split peas, soy beans, chick peas and lentils, are high in fibre, are a rich source of carbohydrate, are packed with protein, are low in fat and have a low GI (Glycemic Index) – which means they will keep you satisfied for longer. They are also usually easy on the wallet and can be a cheaper alternative to other sources of protein such as meat and poultry.

Once you start looking, you’ll find legumes in many different foods. Lentils and spilt peas often add substance to soups; kidney beans are essential in chilli con carne; and chick peas are the base for low-fat hummus dip. Bean curd and tofu are also made from legumes.

• Swap meat-based one pot dishes for less meat and add some legumes instead. Add kidney beans to chilcon carne, chick peas to casseroles and lentils to bolognaise.

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• Swap creamy dips for a tomato-based salsa or hummus. Cut up sticks of carrots, celery, capsicum and zucchini for a healthy snack.

• Swap buttery potato mash for a simple ratatouille as a side dish for meat. Coat a pan with oil spray, toss in some sliced onion and zucchini and cook until softened, add a tin of salt reduced tomatoes, a touch of garlic, and chilli if you like it hot, and simmer until cooked.

• Swap a greasy breakfast fry up for poached or boiled eggs with sauteed tomato, mushrooms and spinach.

• Swap smoothies made with full-fat milk for fresh fruit smoothies of your choice with low-fat milk and a dollop or two of low-fat yoghurt. Yummy for breakfast or a snack.

• Swap oil-based salad dressing for lime juice and herbs or balsamic vinegar.

• Swap vegetables roasted in fat and meat juices for vegie skewers cooked on the BBQ.

• Swap tinned fruit in syrup for tinned fruit in natural juice or fresh fruit kebabs. Just skewer-up a mixture of fresh fruits for an eye catching dessert and a new take on fruit salad.

• Swap an ice-block for frozen grapes, sliced bananas or oranges.

top tip: The nutritional qualities of some vegetables can be altered by the cooking process, so it’s a good idea to include both raw salad vegies and cooked vegies in your daily intake.

If you decide that a vegetarian lifestyle is for you, make sure you include legumes, eggs, nuts, or tofu to meet your daily protein needs. You’ll also need to make sure your diet includes sources of vitamin B12; the minerals iron, zinc andcalcium; and omega 3 fats.

Nowthatyouknowthebenefitsofvegies,cookupFastVegieSpaghetti.YoucanfindthisrecipeandothersontheSwapItwebsite:australia.gov.au/swapit

AllinformationinthispublicationiscorrectasatMarch2011