Tag Archives: eggplant

11 Recipes That Will Convince You to Try the Veggies You Love to Hate

Kids are notorious for it, but there are still plenty of adults who struggle to eat their vegetables. However, the time has come to move on from the idea that vegetables beyond potatoes, carrots and green beans are “yucky,” and expand our palates.

We want to set the record straight for some of the least-loved vegetables (and one fruit) and encourage you to give them a chance. All are packed with nutrients, and are a healthy addition to any diet. We’ll start you down your new vegetable-eating path by providing some recipe suggestions that are so good, you won’t want to pick out the previously-offensive veggies.

Look at this list as your own personal vegetable challenge. Try a new one at least once a week, and you may be surprised which formerly condemned veggies become new favorites!

chicken broccoli

Broccoli

It’s hard to say if the “little trees” nickname helps or hurts broccoli’s appeal. Regardless, the vegetable is packed with vitamin K, important for blood clotting, and can be enjoyed raw or cooked. Ease your way into eating broccoli by combining it with foods you already like.

Try it mixed into your stir-fry for added flavor, fiber, bulk, and color!

 

beets

Beets

A beet’s color may be the prettiest in mother nature’s palette. This nutrient-rich root veggie is also full of carbohydrates, which means they can be a great way of boosting your energy without a sugar crash later. Beets are chock full of many nutrients including calcium, iron and vitamins A and C.

Try it in our amazing Harvest Chopped Salad. (more…)

Danni Allen’s Best and Worst Moments of Biggest Loser’s Season 14

I can’t believe TONIGHT is THE night – the live finale is actually here! As I ready myself for this culminating event, I thought I would share some of my “bests” of the show. Tonight is going to be incredibly nostalgic and I can’t wait for the results! Walk through the past 12 weeks with me as I look back I my favorite moments – whether sad, funny, or delicious!


Best Moment

There were SO many moments that rain high on the list of best moments. I proved many times over to myself “why NOT me!”, but I think the best moment was going to my closet with my mom and sister and THROWING OUT my “big girl” clothes. When I held up my size 18 jeans and they practically wrapped around me, tears flooded. And the best part, my mom and sister were there to share it. So many things happened on the ranch away from my family and this time is was family time! (more…)

Eat Fewer Tomatoes to Reduce Arthritis Symptoms

By Delia Quigley for Care2.com

“If nightshades can be eaten or used sparingly, arthritis can be slowed in developing.” The Arthritis Nightshades Research Foundation

Summer gardens are bringing forth an abundance of nightshade foods destined for your dinner plate, your fresh tomato salad, or scattered across a slice of hot cheesy pizza with peppers. Nightshades or the Solanaceae family, cover some 2,800 species of plants, herbs, shrubs and trees, but the nightshade foods you most often consume include:

  • Eggplant
  • Potatoes
  • Peppers (hot and sweet)
  • Tomatoes
  • Tomatillos
  • Paprika
  • Cayenne
  • Pimentos (more…)

How to Grill Perfect Vegetables

Either as a side dish or the main event, grilled vegetables are a fresh, healthy way to celebrate the summer season.

Not only is it important to eat more vegetables as part of a healthy diet, but if you’re eating more vegetables, chances are you’re eliminating higher-fat foods in favor of colorful, plant-based foods.

Opt for Veggies that Grill Well

Just like meats, different types of vegetables stand up to heat differently. Eggplant, summer squash, button mushrooms, peppers, corn on the cob and onions are all excellent on the grill. To serve them in a more creative way, opt for kabobs or a grilled vegetable salad.

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Eat Right With Color: Blue and Purple Fruits and Veggies

Jane Schwartz Harrison is a registered dietitian and lifestyle writer for www.myOptumHealth.com. She is also the editor of their Nutrition and Healthy Weight, Healthy Kids hubs, and provides nutrition expertise through writing articles, developing menu plans and recipes, and supporting a nutrition column. Working in the nutrition field for the past 20 years, Jane has maintained a successful private practice and lectures regionally.

Feeling blue? In nutrition circles, this would be considered a good thing! Blue and purple fruits and veggies are colored by natural plant pigments called “anthocyanins.” Anthocyanins, part of the flavonoid family, are powerful antioxidants.

A recent survey found that adults who eat purple and blue fruits and vegetables have reduced risk for both high blood pressure and low HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind); they are also less likely to be overweight.

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Are You Loading up on Veggies in the Cold Winter?

Just because it is cold outside doesn’t mean you should take a hiatus from vegetables. It might not be summer salad season, but your body still needs veggies through the winter. As a resident of Washington, D.C., I’ve had my fair share of winter – and I’ve enjoyed my fair share of winter vegetables as well.

In this short video, I will give you ideas for getting hot veggies in the cold of winter.

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