The guidelines, published every five years by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, tackle a various topics and concerns.
This edition analyzes the disparity between what Americans actually eat and what they should eat. It also includes physical activity with nutrient consumption into what is called “eating patterns”.
The goal is to tighten the gap between the national nutritional recommendations and what the average American consumes. Areas of focus include sugar intake, fiber-rich whole grains, and saturated vs. unsaturated fats.
The guidelines emphasize that an eating pattern, on the whole, is much more important than its parts. For the full text of the guidelines, click here.
SEASONAL EATING
February is a time for quick and easy comfort foods! This recipe knocks it out of the park because the two star ingredients, cauliflower and leek are in season, but it freezes and reheats well. Make a big pot and put half of it away for a snowy day.
Cauliflower Leek Soup
Ingredients
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp all purpose flour (use ap gluten-free flour for GF)
4 cups reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 bunch leeks (about 3 or 4) dark green stems removed
1 medium head cauliflower, chopped (about 1 1/2 lbs florets)
kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
Directions
Wash leeks very carefully to remove all grit. Coarsely chop them when washed.
In a medium soup pot, melt butter and add flour on low flame. Using a wooden spoon, stir and cook 1 to 2 minutes.
Add broth, leeks, and cauliflower and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low for about 20 minutes, until cauliflower is soft.
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth adjusting the salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
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