Start 2012 With Your Health In Mind & Visit the Cerritos Farmers Market

Many people set themselves up for breaking their New Year's resolutions of healthy eating simply because they set hard-to-reach goals that leave them feeling deprived and defeated. This year, try simplifying your goals by developing simple eating habits throughout the year instead and let the help you along the way.

Be Adventurous

You don’t have to be like one of those daring travel show hosts who eat organs or insects in order to shake up your diet. If you visit the farmers market throughout the year, you can find a variety of seasonal fruit and vegetables making their way in and out of the stands. Right now you can try pomelos (largest citrus fruit that tastes like a mild grapefruit) or oroblancos (cross between white grapefruits and pomelos) that’s harder to find at regular grocery stores. They're bursting in immune boosting vitamins, and you can pick up some pomelos at the and various sizes of oroblancos at the . You can try all types of living foods from like raw lentils, soybeans, or peas to boost your salad, or take a shot of when you feel a little run down. Experiment with what's in season, and you can always stay tuned with what's new at the market here.  

Color Your Meals

Since creating meals is sometimes a craft of art, we can learn a thing or two from our Kindergarten days by adding lots of color to our often bland dishes. If you’re whipping up a pasta dinner, throw in some zucchini and yellow squashes or some bell peppers to add a splash of color and Vitamin C to your meals. I’ve seen bell peppers and squashes throughout the year at the farmers market, and you can always find them at the  stand. Try baking red-orange yams from or add some fresh strawberries and blueberries from to your morning oatmeal. For snack time, have some veggies with roasted red pepper hummus with a side of tabbouleh salad from  stand.

Don’t Ditch Fats & Carbs — Just Add the Good Ones

Though fats and carbs have gained a bad reputation throughout the years from diet books, the key to not depriving our bodies from those necessary energy sources is to choose the right kinds. If we eat in moderation, the good fats from nuts, seeds, and avocados can help support our heart and overall health.  Get from Paula's Ranch stand to make guacamole for snack time, or nosh on a handful of almonds or walnuts from the or the . Get a good dose of fiberous, complex carbs for more nutrition from , or fresh whole wheat bread from .

Trick Yourself

So maybe you’re not one to reach for an apple when you’re craving a Snickers bar, but get to know your weaknesses and toy around with them.  If you know you often have a craving for a sweet and savory treat mid-afternoon, then plan ahead and prepare your own trial mix—get raw ingredients from and and mix together your favorite dried fruits and nuts, and maybe add in some dark chocolate chips. For a "pick-me-up" drink, bring to work a bottle of that’s bursting in vitamins and antioxidants. For dessert, dip in dark chocolate or try more recipes that use fruit like apple crisps or strawberry tarts.

With the  by your side, you can easily boost your healthy eating habits without having to just munch on carrot sticks and apples all year long. Make this year a time when you can make healthy eating and cooking something fun and adventurous for you and your family.  

Cheers to you and here's to a Happy and Healthy 2012!

* The Cerritos Farmers Market is located in the Cerritos Towne Center at Park Plaza Drive & Park Plaza West, just north of the , and it is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.