Love the Veggie!
The great and powerful renitaleandra made me cry when she told me what she considers veggies: corn, beets, green beans, potatoes = love
*cries*
Corn and potatoes does not count as healthy veggies. I worry for my country. Don't worry, I'm a red-blooded American. I can enjoy a hamburger like a true carnivore. Even if I'm a snooty elitist that likes arugula. I agree vegetarianism is unnatural--it's...perverted... Even if some of my best friends are vegetarians.
Still--I lost about 100 pounds, and kept most of it off, by learning to love the veggie--and I don't mean the potato. Moreover, my jeans are tight again and it's the time for New Year's Resolutions. So for me, for Renita, for my beloved nation--I give you--a list of veggies and how to love them--with a focus on the veggies of January!
One should have 5 servings of a veggie daily (a serving is ½ cup cooked; 1 cup raw). For health and losing weight the rule of thumb is that in a large plate about a palm worth or a quarter of the plate should be meat/protein, a fistful or another quarter should be starch (grain/potato) and the rest--veggies!
Best if you have (I bolded what is always in season; underlined in season now--at least in America):
1/2 cup daily of something in the broccoli family: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips, cauliflower, collards, bok choy, mustard greens, swiss chard.
1 cup steamed or two cups raw spinach family: spinach, kale, collards, swiss chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, romaine, orange bell pepper)
Veggies in Season in January: Basil, Brussels Sprout, Celeriac, Collards, Fennel, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lamb’s Lettuce (Mache), Leek, Parsnip, Rabe, Sweet Potato, Swiss Chard, Truffles
I tend to find regular spinach not to my taste--but baby spinach is as nutritious and great in a salad. You can also make a "spinach pesto"--Puree raw spinach with almonds or walnuts, some garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. Serve on chickpeas or bow-tie pasta. Romaine is certainly a much tastier alternative in a salad to the usual iceberg lettuce popular in America. And cabbage of course features in cole slaw (go easy on the mayo). I admit nothing has made me love Brussels Sprouts--if anyone has a way they'd like to share please do. Although I have heard of a suggestion to make a pesto out of them too. (shred Brussels sprouts and stir-fry with minced garlic, olive oil and pine nuts. Squeeze some lemon juice over it and toss with pasta). And for me certainly basil, fennel, leek = love.
That leaves the mighty broccoli--which I'm happy to have lightly steamed (bright green, not khaki when you're done, please). But for those that need persuading...
Put broccoli in a baking dish with olive oil drizzled over it, salt, pepper and lots of minced garlic. (Real garlic. Anyone using garlic powder deserves to be shot). Place in a 425F oven for 15 minutes. Check it to see if the ends are getting carmelized (browned). It should be soft but not mushy. Yummmmmmmm. Delish.
From Jane Brody's Good Food Book
Broccoli Chinoise
1 large bunch broccoli (about 3 stalks)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
=============================
Dressing
2 tablespoons sesame seed oil
1/4 cup rice or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar (splenda works well)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Red pepper to taste
1. Cut the flowerets off the broccoli stalks, cut the stems on a slant into slices about 3/8 inch thick, and cut the flowerets into bite-sized pieces. Place the broccoli on a steamer rack, and steam the vegetables until it is tender-crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes. Cool the broccoli immediately under cold running water.
2. In a heavy skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds until they are golden, shaking pan to avoid burning the seeds. Remove the seeds from the pan, and when they are cool, sprinkle them over the broccoli.
3. Combine the dressing ingredients, and pour the dressing over the broccoli, tossing to mix the salad well.
Curried Cream of Broccoli Soup
Vegetable oil spray
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, chopped (2 tablespoons)
3/4 teaspoon curry powder, or more, to taste
1 2/3 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 bunch broccoli (about 1 pound) cut into flowerets, stems cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup skim milk.
Spray a large saucepan with oil or a slick of olive oil and saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes. Add the curry, pepper, broth, and water to the pan, and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and potato. When the mixture returns to a boil, reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer the soup for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor. Return the puree to the pan, stir in the milk, and cook the soup over low heat until it is hot (but do not boil it)
I highly recommend Jane Brody's Good Food Book--I love the recipes. They are a blend of healthy w/o being punishingly so--but tasty.
Brought to you in part by the wheedling of that shameless vegetarian, silburygirl
*cries*
Corn and potatoes does not count as healthy veggies. I worry for my country. Don't worry, I'm a red-blooded American. I can enjoy a hamburger like a true carnivore. Even if I'm a snooty elitist that likes arugula. I agree vegetarianism is unnatural--it's...perverted... Even if some of my best friends are vegetarians.
Still--I lost about 100 pounds, and kept most of it off, by learning to love the veggie--and I don't mean the potato. Moreover, my jeans are tight again and it's the time for New Year's Resolutions. So for me, for Renita, for my beloved nation--I give you--a list of veggies and how to love them--with a focus on the veggies of January!
One should have 5 servings of a veggie daily (a serving is ½ cup cooked; 1 cup raw). For health and losing weight the rule of thumb is that in a large plate about a palm worth or a quarter of the plate should be meat/protein, a fistful or another quarter should be starch (grain/potato) and the rest--veggies!
Best if you have (I bolded what is always in season; underlined in season now--at least in America):
1/2 cup daily of something in the broccoli family: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips, cauliflower, collards, bok choy, mustard greens, swiss chard.
1 cup steamed or two cups raw spinach family: spinach, kale, collards, swiss chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, romaine, orange bell pepper)
Veggies in Season in January: Basil, Brussels Sprout, Celeriac, Collards, Fennel, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lamb’s Lettuce (Mache), Leek, Parsnip, Rabe, Sweet Potato, Swiss Chard, Truffles
I tend to find regular spinach not to my taste--but baby spinach is as nutritious and great in a salad. You can also make a "spinach pesto"--Puree raw spinach with almonds or walnuts, some garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. Serve on chickpeas or bow-tie pasta. Romaine is certainly a much tastier alternative in a salad to the usual iceberg lettuce popular in America. And cabbage of course features in cole slaw (go easy on the mayo). I admit nothing has made me love Brussels Sprouts--if anyone has a way they'd like to share please do. Although I have heard of a suggestion to make a pesto out of them too. (shred Brussels sprouts and stir-fry with minced garlic, olive oil and pine nuts. Squeeze some lemon juice over it and toss with pasta). And for me certainly basil, fennel, leek = love.
That leaves the mighty broccoli--which I'm happy to have lightly steamed (bright green, not khaki when you're done, please). But for those that need persuading...
Put broccoli in a baking dish with olive oil drizzled over it, salt, pepper and lots of minced garlic. (Real garlic. Anyone using garlic powder deserves to be shot). Place in a 425F oven for 15 minutes. Check it to see if the ends are getting carmelized (browned). It should be soft but not mushy. Yummmmmmmm. Delish.
From Jane Brody's Good Food Book
Broccoli Chinoise
1 large bunch broccoli (about 3 stalks)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
=============================
Dressing
2 tablespoons sesame seed oil
1/4 cup rice or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar (splenda works well)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Red pepper to taste
1. Cut the flowerets off the broccoli stalks, cut the stems on a slant into slices about 3/8 inch thick, and cut the flowerets into bite-sized pieces. Place the broccoli on a steamer rack, and steam the vegetables until it is tender-crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes. Cool the broccoli immediately under cold running water.
2. In a heavy skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds until they are golden, shaking pan to avoid burning the seeds. Remove the seeds from the pan, and when they are cool, sprinkle them over the broccoli.
3. Combine the dressing ingredients, and pour the dressing over the broccoli, tossing to mix the salad well.
Curried Cream of Broccoli Soup
Vegetable oil spray
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, chopped (2 tablespoons)
3/4 teaspoon curry powder, or more, to taste
1 2/3 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 bunch broccoli (about 1 pound) cut into flowerets, stems cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup skim milk.
Spray a large saucepan with oil or a slick of olive oil and saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes. Add the curry, pepper, broth, and water to the pan, and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and potato. When the mixture returns to a boil, reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer the soup for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor. Return the puree to the pan, stir in the milk, and cook the soup over low heat until it is hot (but do not boil it)
I highly recommend Jane Brody's Good Food Book--I love the recipes. They are a blend of healthy w/o being punishingly so--but tasty.
Brought to you in part by the wheedling of that shameless vegetarian, silburygirl