Give Your Veggies a Makeover
Many people don’t eat vegetables because, “they don’t like the taste.” It is super easy to flavor your vegetables and as a partner of the Together Counts™ program for active, healthy living we recognize that when it comes to children, taste can literally make or break a dish. At Camp Shane, a weight loss camp for youth, we put a spin on our veggies to make them tasty. Next time you need to add a side of veggies, try these 3 easy ways to flavor your vegetables and never eat bland again!
Fresh Herbs
Try adding some whole sprigs of fresh herbs to your vegetables while they are steaming. Some of our favorites are parsley, thyme or dill. You could also chop up the fresh herbs and scatter over the top of the vegetables once they are cooked.
Making a pesto from the fresh herbs is another way to add loads of flavor to either raw or cooked vegetables. Simply blitz with a little olive oil, garlic, nuts and Parmesan cheese. Add the pesto while the vegetables are still hot and serve straight away or stir the pesto through your salad ingredients for a flavorsome salad option.
Lemon Juice
Next time you go to steam your veggies, add some lemon juice to the steaming water, or add a few slices of lemon or lemon zest to the vegetable as they are steaming. Green beans, broccoli and zucchini are good choices to use.
For oven baked vegetables, try marinating your vegetables before cooking them by mixing the juice of half a lemon with 1 tbsp of oil and some chopped fresh herbs together. Toss the vegetables in the mix and bake in the oven.
The lemon juice, olive oil and fresh herb mix is also good to use as a dressing for a fresh garden or Greek salad. If you want a little more tang you can also add a little lemon zest.
Vegetable Broth or Stock
When stir-frying vegetables, add some broth or stock. It adds flavor and reduces the need to add too much oil. A mix of 1 tablespoon of vegetable broth or stock and 1 tablespoon of oil is good to get the stir frying process started. If you find that your vegetables are sticking to the pan, add some more stock or broth. Vegetable stock or broth can also be added to your mashed vegetable dishes, such as sweet potato or cauliflower mash. Just remember if you are buying your broth or stock to choose a salt-reduced variety!
Changing up your veggies with these three suggestions will make them nutritious and delicious! Don’t pass on the benefits from vegetables because you’re afraid of the taste. Try something new!!
David Ettenberg is the founder and president of Camp Shane, with locations in New York, Arizona, Georgia, California, Texas and Wisconsin. He is a certified camp director, as well as a member of the National Camp Association and the New York State Camp Director’s Association. David is a recognized expert on weight loss camps and loved by thousands of parents and campers for his life-changing work for more than 47 years.
For more tasty food ideas take a look at these other articles from Together Counts!