Creative cooking makes vegetables more appealing

As the New Year unfolds, many of us commit to improving our health through better eating.

In my experience as a dietitian, it can be helpful to start by focusing on what we can add to our diets rather than what we need to take away. Colorful fruits and vegetables add vibrancy and disease-fighting nutrients to our plates, but many people struggle to incorporate them into daily eating.

What if instead of simply nestling a pile of steamed mixed vegetables alongside the nightly meat of choice, we imagined meals where they were woven into creative and delicious dishes?

RELATED:Plant-loving Strange Town has appeal beyond vegan

To introduce this idea to some admittedly veggie-averse diners, I recently hosted a lunch featuring three recipes that use vegetables in nuanced ways. Focusing on flavors that excite the palate and cooking methods that enhance a vegetable’s sweetness, rather than its bitter notes, is a formula for success. 

Blended with ginger, sweet onions and coconut milk, bright orange carrots make a delicious base for a silky, subtly sweet soup. For spice lovers, a kick of chili sauce such as Sriracha settles nicely into the background for a pleasantly warm finish. Fresh green cilantro adds a pop of color and freshness to this soup that has made it into my weekly winter dinner rotation.

Cornbread is a delicious Southern staple, but made into muffins with roasted broccoli and Gruyere cheese inside, it’s a tasty new vehicle for elevating veggies. Roasting broccoli caramelizes its natural sugars and turns skeptics into converts. The sweetness of cornbread and nuttiness of Gruyere complement what’s sure to be your family’s new favorite “green food.”

In keeping with the theme, a brussels sprouts salad with brown butter dressing employs a sweet and nutty cloak to tame the bite of this cruciferous vegetable. Toasted hazelnuts add distinctive crunch, and Pink Lady apple slices lend a tart, juicy balance.

Dark chocolate and fresh fruit finish this nourishing meal on a sweet, yet healthful note. Rich in flavanols that can lower blood pressure and improve blood flow, dark chocolate is a decadent superfood. Choosing a variety that is at least 70% cacao ensures a higher antioxidant and lower sugar content. Enjoying fresh, seasonal fruit for dessert teaches our palates to appreciate Mother Nature’s candy while allowing us to dial back the added sugar we consume.

This year, consider a commitment to abundance: add a rainbow of fruits and vegetables to your week of eating, rather than focusing on what you need to leave behind. Perhaps you’ll find that more thoughtful incorporation of healthy, delicious real food will naturally nudge some of the less nourishing options off your family’s table.

Ashleigh Spitza is a registered dietitian and freelance writer in Wauwatosa who blogs at funkybeetsblog.com. 

More ways to integrate veggies into your diet

Bake sweet potato fries: Slice sweet potatoes into long slices and drizzle with olive oil, salt and cayenne before baking at 400 to 425 degrees until tender and browned.

Stir-fry zucchini, mushrooms and diced tomatoes with olive oil and herbs and serve over brown rice.

Try mashed cauliflower with nutmeg and Gruyere cheese.

Finely dice and sauté eggplant and mushrooms and add to spaghetti sauce.

Load up sandwiches with baby spinach, marinated red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes.

Creative Vegetable-Focused Menu

RECIPE:Carrot Coconut Soup

RECIPE:Cornbread Muffins with Roasted Broccoli

RECIPE:Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Brown Butter Dressing

Fresh fruit and 70% cacao dark chocolate