This week Stephanie Eusebi had a great idea on her blog, Stephanie Eusebi Nutrition and Wellness: Swiss Chard Wraps. ( Click here to see her recipe and step by step instructions.)  I love tortillas, but I haven’t been buying them a lot lately for one reason: a medium sized tortilla can be 120 calories.  That’s the equivalent of a brownie and I’d much rather have the brownie.  That’s why I’m going to try Stefanie’s chard substitution.  I can eat my meal AND eat a brownie after dinner and I’ll still come out even calorie-wise, better off nutrient-wise, and way better off chocolate-wise.  (Should I skip the brownie?  Of course!  But this is a long term healthy lifestyle, not a crash diet…there will be days I need that brownie.)

For those of you not familiar with chard, it’s a big, slightly bitter leaf.  Mmmm, sounds appetizing, right?  Here’s a picture of it growing in my garden.  Pretty, isn’t it?  I started thinking beyond wraps to other tortilla dishes I could substitute chard in: burritos, tacos, and enchiladas. Ole!  Seriously, if you have taco seasoning in your filling, will you even taste the difference?  Taco seasoning is potent packet powder.  Will you care if you can taste the difference if you get to eat a brownie guilt free afterwards?

It’s a small change, but it can make a big difference in your diet, your health, and your brownie intake.  I think we have a winner!

“Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.” Proverbs 11:28