A New Take on Traditional Veggie Cooking
By Stephen R. Farris
Cooking vegetables is a great way to not only eat healthy, but also get the fiber, vitamins, and minerals your body needs on a daily basis. The problem with cooking vegetables is coming up with new ways to cook them.
To a degree, we're still bogged down with the way our ancestors cooked vegetables. Usually this means choosing one type of vegetable, cooking it and serving as a side dish at mealtime. That is, unless you're making soup. Then you can throw in as many as you please.
But you don't have to continue cooking vegetables in this fashion, since there are so many different ways you can incorporate them into some of your favorite dishes without disrupting your healthy eating habits. As a matter of fact, you'll probably end up with even more added nutrients in your meal.
A New, Healthier Spin for Sandwich Making
Making a traditional sandwich (or tacos) usually requires a form of white bread, which can be high in carbs, sodium, and sugar. However, you can ditch the majority of those ingredients (or all of them) by substituting the bread with a couple of leaves of lettuce, or even a slice or two of Portobello mushroom. Add your favorite sandwich ingredient such as turkey, chicken, or lean cooked hamburger patty, along with your favorite condiment and a slice or two of tomato, onion, or avocado. You can even dash a little shredded cheese on top for added flavor. Now you have a low-carb sandwich by using vegetables instead of grain.
Grilled Veggies
If you're like most folks, you enjoy getting outdoors on a nice day and do some backyard grilling. Usually, grilling means nice cuts of meats such as steak, brisket, burgers, and chicken. As a side to your meat entree, try throwing a few veggies onto your grill to bring some extra flavor and healthy nutrients to your outdoor meal. Zucchini, bell peppers, Portobello mushrooms, yellow squash, tomatoes, and potatoes are all good choices for grilling. Instead of a meat shish kebab, load that skewer up with your favorite veggies instead.
Tuna Salad
For a different spin on your typical tuna salad, try adding some vegetables. To give you an idea, chop up some onion, celery, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, spinach, kale, or bell peppers. Whichever ones you prefer. Add in some herbs and spices, a dash of salt and pepper, and you've got one delicious and healthy meal. Just remember to use a lettuce leaf if you're going to make a sandwich!
The important thing is to eat healthy, and one of the best ways is by eating more fresh vegetables.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Sugar Hill, Ga.