HOW TO INCREASE VEGETABLE INTAKE THROUGH THIS QUICK TECHNIQUE...

HEALTHY KITCHEN BASICS: Sauteed Veggies

One of the foundations of healthy eating is to increase vegetable intake. This reaps many rewards: vegetables are high in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and micronutrients, they are low in calories and they are high in fiber. Patients that increase their vegetable intake to 7-15 portions per day consistently report more energy, better bowel regularity, stronger immune systems and weight loss (fiber makes you feel full).

The problem with increasing how many vegetables you eat daily is that it's hard to do. It takes planning, it takes variety (how many lettuce salads can you possibly eat before you are bored?) and it takes knowing what to do with them to make them taste good.

One of the easiest ways to deal with vegetables is to lightly sautee them. This recipe is so flexible that you can take any vegetables you have and make a delicious dish. You can even substitute frozen vegetables for fresh ones.

The best part, is that having a big batch of sauteed vegetables around allows you to easily add them to any meal. Additionally, you can use this recipe as: a side dish cold or room temperature, add to egg whites for a healthy omelette, blend them up for your baby food, freeze it (it defrosts great!), add it to brown rice to make “fried” rice, use as a foundation for whole grain lasagna, mix with lettuce as a salad, add to a corn muffin mix to get veggie heavy muffins... and the possibilities go on and on...

Summer Succotash

½ yellow onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

3 heads of broccoli, chopped

1 bunch of asparagus, chopped

2 yellow corn, kernels off

1 bag of spinach chopped

Optional: 1 can of low sodium beans

1 Tablespoon Olive oil

3+ garlic cloves, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste + any other seasonings you enjoy

In a pre-heated pan, add the oil and the onion. Sautee lightly until onions are translucent. Add the carrots and bell peppers and sautee for about a minute. Add the asparagus, corn and garlic. Sautee until soft but not all the way cooked through. Add the beans if you are using. Then lastly add the spinach and seasonings. Cook until spinach is wilted.

Precautions: Since this dish contains corn, it counts as a starch+vegetable. If you like to separate out your starch, simply omit the corn.

Considerations: Be careful of how much olive oil you use. Since vegetables naturally contain water, you might be surprised at how little oil it takes to make a moist dish