We know vegetables are good for us and part of a healthy diet, but it takes a little creativity to mix it up to vary flavors and textures so we’re not always eating carrots and broccoli, right? You may have heard of “eating the rainbow” to remember all the ways we can get variety in our diets. Vegetables have a variety of nutrients to round out our vitamin and mineral intake. Environmental Working Group is a non-profit organization that tests the safety of our consumer products. Each year they highlight which fruits and vegetables are showing up with the highest pesticide residue. Some vegetables are considered “clean” and included in the Clean 15. These vegetables are fine to purchase traditionally grown as they are not likely to be sprayed with chemicals for pests and preservation.
Clean_15 Onions, Cabbage, Frozen sweet peas, Asparagus, Cauliflower. Follow the links to see the full list of fruits and vegetables.
Here are the Dirty Dozen vegetables you should always purchase organic since they are commonly sprayed with pesticides, fungicides or other food production chemicals. Follow the link to see the full list of “Dirty” fruits and vegetables:
Spinach, Celery, Tomatoes (yes, these are “fruits”), Bell Peppers, Hot peppers, Potatoes
Here are some tomatoes I harvested from my garden…
I love to cook, but honestly the time I have to devote to cooking complicated recipes is limited. This basic recipe has become a staple for me, especially during the summer and fall when fresh produce is in abundance. I just made a batch of zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes and red onions for a quick and healthy lunch. I’ve even come to enjoy brussel sprouts in late summer this way, they get a wonderful buttery texture. You can vary the herbs you cook to change the flavor or just cook with a bit of Celtic Sea Salt to enhance the natural flavor of the vegetable.
Fresh vegetables cut into medium size pieces
Olive oil or grapeseed oil
Celtic Sea Salt
Herbs of your choice (optional)
Toss vegetables with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt. Broil in the oven until tender. Serve warm or cold, on it’s own or as a side dish. For extra flavor, sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan cheese just at the end of baking.
This is a nice dish to cook ahead of time and keep in the fridge for a quick meal.
No comments yet.