Created 4/3/2011
If your kids aren’t a fan, it may take a few tries and some experimenting for them to fall in love with vegetables, but don’t give up. With all of the colorful varieties available at your local market this spring, your family will be inspired to try them all. And when you get them home, here are 10 ways to put some excitement into those veggies:
1. Roast. Cut vegetables into 1-inch pieces and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 425°F until caramelized, about 40 minutes depending on the vegetable. Serve warm or cold.
2. Grill. Whether outdoors or inside using a grill pan, vegetables cooked on the grill add a smoky, caramelized flavor to any meal.
3. Flavor. Sprinkle grated Parmesan, toasted sesame seeds, over warm vegetables.
4. Dip. Infuse low-fat yogurt or puréed beans with fresh ginger, garlic, citrus and fresh herbs to create zippy dips for raw or cooked vegetables.
5. Purée. Puréed soups make a quick and healthy meal, and can be served hot or cold. Chop vegetables, cook in broth until tender (about 20 minutes), purée with a hand blender, thin with additional broth and season to taste with herbs, salt and pepper.
6. Stuff. Mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes and eggplant, to name a few, make great vessels for stuffing. Add a medley of lean meats and vegetables inside the hollowed-out vegetable, or slice into thin planks, stuff, roll and bake.
7. Sauce. Coulis is a sauce made from a puréed raw or cooked vegetable (or fruit). A roasted red pepper coulis, for example, can be tossed with spaghetti squash or used as the base for salad dressings.
8. Mash. Mixing your mashes can lead to exciting things. Try mashed cauliflower with mashed spring peas, or mashed carrots with mashed parsnips for new flavor profiles.
9. Salad. Slice and dice whatever raw vegetables you have in the house and make a “garbage salad” out of them. Serve up with crisp romaine before dinner (salad appetizer!) and your hungry family will devour them.
10. Embrace. Move out of your comfort zone and try a new vegetable once a month. Positive affirmation, when it comes to healthy eating and making vegetables a part of every meal or snack, will make the journey to good health fun and easy.