5 ways to enjoy your veggies
Jul 30, 2010
Vegetables are versatile and fare well in all kinds of preparation. You do not have to be a fancy cook or have a lot of time to enjoy vegetables. Here are five totally healthy and delicious ways to enjoy vegetables.
Vegetables are versatile and fare well in all kinds of preparation. You do not have to be a fancy cook or have a lot of time to enjoy vegetables. Here are five totally healthy and delicious ways to enjoy vegetables.
1. Salads
If you can cut, chop, tear, mix and drizzle, you can make salad. If you cannot find the time, you can always grab a bag of ready-to-go-salad (available in supermarkets). They are air-dried and supposedly clean and ready to use. All you have to do is select your favourite kind.
The golden rule to remember is to include a wide selection of colourful vegetables to gain a wide spectrum of nutrients. Top the salad up with your favourite dressing which you can buy ready made from a supermarket; or better yet, make it yourself.
2. Steaming
This is a hassle-free quick method and the vegetables do not lose colour, texture or nutrients. Flavour them with your favourite seasoning or toss them in a bowl with different kinds of dressing. Add them to pasta or soups or eat them like finger food — the possibilities are endless.
3. Stir-fry
The idea is to sautee (lightly fry) the vegetables in high heat to bring out the flavour without destroying the nutrients. Stir-fry should be quick, no more than three to five minutes, depending on the vegetables. You can stir-fry almost any vegetable. Tender, leafy vegetables require less time than vegetables with firmer texture like cabbage.
4. Sauces and condiments
If you have picky eaters or small children who think they are allergic to vegetables, sauces and condiments are a great way to sneak nutrition into their diet without them knowing it. Make spaghetti or pesto sauce with fresh vegetables and herbs and use these basic sauces to assemble pasta dishes. Your fussy eaters may not know it, or do, but it is so delicious, they choose not to complain.
5. Juicing vegetables
Pair them with some fruits and you have yourself a tasty beverage, complete with all the goodness of vegetables without tasting too much like you are eating grass. You may miss out on the fiber when you juice, so be sure to not use this method to replace eating vegetables regularly. For this, you will need to have a juicer.
Online sources
1. Salads
If you can cut, chop, tear, mix and drizzle, you can make salad. If you cannot find the time, you can always grab a bag of ready-to-go-salad (available in supermarkets). They are air-dried and supposedly clean and ready to use. All you have to do is select your favourite kind.
The golden rule to remember is to include a wide selection of colourful vegetables to gain a wide spectrum of nutrients. Top the salad up with your favourite dressing which you can buy ready made from a supermarket; or better yet, make it yourself.
2. Steaming
This is a hassle-free quick method and the vegetables do not lose colour, texture or nutrients. Flavour them with your favourite seasoning or toss them in a bowl with different kinds of dressing. Add them to pasta or soups or eat them like finger food — the possibilities are endless.
3. Stir-fry
The idea is to sautee (lightly fry) the vegetables in high heat to bring out the flavour without destroying the nutrients. Stir-fry should be quick, no more than three to five minutes, depending on the vegetables. You can stir-fry almost any vegetable. Tender, leafy vegetables require less time than vegetables with firmer texture like cabbage.
4. Sauces and condiments
If you have picky eaters or small children who think they are allergic to vegetables, sauces and condiments are a great way to sneak nutrition into their diet without them knowing it. Make spaghetti or pesto sauce with fresh vegetables and herbs and use these basic sauces to assemble pasta dishes. Your fussy eaters may not know it, or do, but it is so delicious, they choose not to complain.
5. Juicing vegetables
Pair them with some fruits and you have yourself a tasty beverage, complete with all the goodness of vegetables without tasting too much like you are eating grass. You may miss out on the fiber when you juice, so be sure to not use this method to replace eating vegetables regularly. For this, you will need to have a juicer.
Online sources