Chances are your parents drilled this into your head as a child and you probably hated every bite of it, but like it or not vegetables are our friends. In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle it is recommended you eat at least one-cup of vegetables three times daily. Now, we won’t force the whole FDA vegetable chart down your throat but we will suggest at least three you should highly consider eating for year 2015.
Tomatoes
Good for preventing various types of cancer and bringing down your cholesterol levels.
Kale
High in fiber and good for your rebuilding your muscles after your workout.
Yellow squash
Helps boost your eyesight, healthier skin and heart disease.
A Recipe for Including All Three
Kale, Yellow Squash, and Sweet Potato Stew
Serves: 6 to 8
What You Will Need:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium-large red onion, chopped
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 to 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 32-ounce carton low-sodium vegetable broth
(or 4 cups water with 2 vegetable bouillon cubes) - 8- to 10-ounce bunch kale (curly or lacinato)
- 1 medium or 2 small yellow summer squashes, diced
(remove seedy parts if desired) - 1 to 2 fresh hot chile peppers (such as jalapeño), seeded and minced, optional
- 3 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley, or more, to taste
- Hot cooked brown rice or quinoa, optional
How to Make It:
- Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until both are golden.
- Add the sweet potatoes and broth to the soup pot. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are just about done.
- Meanwhile, trim away the stems from the kale leaves. Slice them thinly or discard them. Chop the kale into bite-sized pieces and rinse well in a colander.
- Stir in the kale, squash, tomatoes, chile peppers into the soup pot along with the cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Simmer until the kale and squash are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes longer.
- Season with salt and pepper and stir into the cilantro. Taste, and see if you’d like to add more of the other seasonings. If time allows, let the stew stand off the heat for an hour or two. You might lose some color as far as the greens, but there will be more flavor. Heat through before serving.
Photo and Recipe Source: VegKitchen.com