Winter Steamers

I mentioned yesterday about adding one serving (about one cup) of vegetables to your daily routine. Well, I thought I'd follow up with my favorite, no fuss way of preparing vegetables; steaming. It's very quick and versatile. Either I will add the steamed vegetable to a leftover meal or stew or I will make a warm meal out of it by adding some left over chicken, tofu or an egg then organic butter, parmesan, ground black pepper and (a little) raw garlic. By the way, I don't ever just make one cup of vegetables...a serving for me is almost a plateful, all the add-ons are like condiments (cheese, meat, cooked pasta for example). It's a great evening meal, filling and tasty but not heavy for sleeping.

Just a note, beets, potatoes, onions take the longest (25 minutes) while leafy greens take only about 5-8 minutes, however, you can decide on the textures you prefer. Keep in mind that slicing the vegetables in even pieces (either larger or smaller) makes a difference in cooking time too. Once you've tried this a couple of times and become comfortable with it, the whole process should only take about 30 minutes to complete.

I also thought that I would include a list of winter, seasonal vegetables for consideration the next time you are at the grocery store.

Artichokes, Avocado, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccoli Rabe, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chestnuts, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Lettuce, Parsnips, Radishes, Rhubarb, Rutabaga, Snow Peas, Squash (winter), Sweet Potatoes, Turnip (white), Watercress

Because of the specific nutritional make-up of winter vegetables, eating them regularly (every day) will help to ensure a healthier immune system and balanced energy levels.

Enjoy,

Birgit