A few servings of vegetables every day can give you a powerful boost of vitamins and fiber. The trick is to have vegetable variety in your diet.
The most common vegetables that vegetable-haters eat most often are corn, green beans, peas, iceberg lettuce-not exactly vitamin powerhouses. I know one man who counts a single leaf of lettuce as fulfilling his daily vegetable duty and that`s always part of a greasy hamburger.
Nutritionists say that`s not good enough. We all must ”strive for five” servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
Among those servings should be at least one of the super-vegetables endowed with major amounts of vitamins and other health-giving properties:
broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes or collard greens (or any cooking green). Tomatoes and bell peppers are other good choices.
Another important consideration is to include the ”cruciferous” clan of vegetables-the cabbage family-including broccoli, cauliflower, collards and kale, brussels sprouts, nappa, bok choy, etc. They are important in a cancer- preventive diet.
It`s easy to make a variety of vegetables appealing.
For a festive meal, microwave a whole, trimmed head of cauliflower and surround it with broccoli florets, carrot slices and diced red bell pepper. It`s an entire vegetable garden loaded with vitamin C and beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A.
To microwave: Core and trim leaves from one whole cauliflower and place in a large microwave-safe baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons chicken broth or water; cover and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
Uncover cauliflower and add around the perimeter 2 cups thinly sliced broccoli stems and florets and 2 cups thinly sliced carrots, plus 2 tablespoons coarsely diced red bell pepper. Rotate pan and re-cover. Microwave on high 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. No salt will be necessary because microwaving enhances vegetable flavors. Let vegetables stand, covered, for 2 minutes.
Serve with a low-fat salad dressing, if desired. Or homemade buttermilk ranch dressing goes very well. Or use this low-fat mayonnaise sauce to glaze the cauliflower and serve the rest in a bowl:
Blend 1/2 cup light mayonnaise with 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard and 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed. Blend well and spread a little over the head of hot cauliflower.
Here`s another healthful dish, a deluxe fruited cabbage slaw, lower in fat than the usual mayonnaise-dressed salad:
CABBAGE FRUIT SALAD
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 egg
3/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup light sour cream
4 cups shredded cabbage
2 diced fresh pears
1 fresh plum or nectarine, sliced, optional
1/2 cup golden raisins
1. Mix sugar, cornstarch and lemon rind in a small saucepan. Stir to remove all lumps.
2. Beat egg with orange juice and lemon juice in small bowl; stir into sugar mixture. Simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thick and smooth. (If bits of cooked egg white appear, despite the moderate heat and constant stirring, just skim out bits and discard.)
3. Refrigerate sauce until cold. When ready to serve, fold in sour cream. 4. Mix cabbage, diced fruit and raisins in serving bowl. Toss with the amount of dressing desired (any leftover dressing is good with fruit or angel food cake or gingerbread).
