for the love of vegetables part 1

I haven't always loved vegetables. Fruits, yes. Vegetables, no. It's hard to believe I ever turned down vegetables like green beans, squash, spinach, and collard greens. Now, vegetables like these make up the majority of my diet. And I am so glad they do, because they are healthy, tasty, and fun to eat!

Pros of eating fruits & vegetables:

• they are versatile. If you don't like a veggie cooked one way, try it another way or cooked in your favorite dish
• they are nutritious. You can get all of your essential nutrients from veggies!
• You can only get fiber from vegetables
• They are cheap! Save that $$$ :)
• They leave you filling full, satisfied, and energetic!

Cons of eating fruits & vegetables:

• none :-)

And no, I'm not talking about fried okra, french fries, and loaded baked potatoes with cheese and bacon bits. I know it IS possible to turn vegetables into junk. But it's amazing how after you stop eating the junk, your body will crave and relish the taste of natural food, PLUS you get the physical benefits of eating them the healthy way: weight loss, energy, and a powerful immune system. If you trace the word "vegetable" back, you would find words like "vigorous", "active", "strong", and "lively". It's no surprise that these words define vegetables because that's how they make you feel!
It's so sad that our nation is suffering from so many preventable diseases like obesity, heart disease, & diabetes. Many of these problems are preventable by getting a wholesome, veggie & fruit-filled diet. Nutritionally, there is not one bad thing you can say about vegetables! They are the ONLY possible way you can get fiber (that's right, NO animal by-product has fiber); and with a colorful diet of fruits & veggies, you can get ALL of the essential nutrients you need. I'm not pretending to be a veggie-know-it-all, or a nutritionist for that matter...but these are all interesting & life changing facts I have read & researched over the past few weeks in my journey as a vegan.
I recently found an AMAZING book at the library called Power Foods. This is not a vegan book (nor a vegetarian for that matter), but it does include a lot of vital information & recipes using vegan ingredients (or non-vegan ingredients that you could easily substitute). One of the recipes I can't wait to try is "Sweet Potato Hummus". The book explains the health benefits of each fruit & veggie; plus, it tells you how to buy, store, and prepare each veggie. Pretty sweet, huh?

This is what Power Foods had to say about some of my recent favorite fruits & vegetables:

Asparagus:

Health Benefits: Asparagus contains the most folate out of any other vegetable. Folate helps rid the body of the amino acid homocysteine, which has been associated with cardiovascular disease. It also has been known to have aphrodisiac effects for all you lovers out there ;) It is also full of: vitamin A (good for vision), potassium (good for kidneys), vitamin C & vitamin K. Asparagus is also a natural anti-ager! & hello, spring...they are in season right now! :)

(FYI: I'm cooking an asparagus, spinach, & Daiya cheese pizza tonight. YUM)

Grapefruit:

Yesterday, I was feeling so tired. I ate a grapefruit, and moments later, I felt so energetic. True story! It's no surprise because according to Power Foods, they can help the body defend off everything from the common cold to heart disease and cancer.

Health Benefits: Just by eating one whole grapefruit, your daily requirement of vitamin C is covered. They also provide a robust amount of folate & potassium.

Sweet Potatoes
These are and always will be my favorite vegetable. They are great baked, mashed, made into fries, and even chips! I really feel like I am cheating on health when I eat sweet potatoes; they are that good!

Health Benefits: Packed with the antioxidant beta-carotene...which our body converts to vitamin A. As a result, they may be good for vision, help prevent some kinds of cancer, and boost immunity. Low in calories & high in fiber, they are great for weight loss...so am I cheating on health? Obviously not! They also have folate, vitamins B6, C, and E. I can't wait to try that "Sweet Potato Hummus". YUMM.

Spinach
Spinach is fun to cook with. Think of all the possibilities...dip, pasta, pizza, salad...or just by itself!

Health Benefits: Spinach is packed with Vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting and bone health. Other nutrients found in spinach help protect against heart disease and some forms of cancer. Spinach also contains vitamins B6, C, folate, and magnesium. Spinach is also in season right now, so make Popeye proud, and eat up! :)

Those are just a FEW of my favorites. What is your favorite vegetable?

I titled this part 1, because I plan on posting about how to choose veggies...which ones you can purchase non-organic, and which ones you should ALWAYS buy organic...how & why to buy in season, etc.

I am very excited about an upcoming Saturday trip to Pepper Place, Birmingham's own farmer's market! I can't wait to load up on locally grown vegetables and fruit! If you have never been..you have to go! There is also live musicians, arts & crafts, fresh flowers and a lot of homemade goodies :)

The Pepper Place Market is located at:
2829 2nd Avenue South
Birmingham, Alabama 35233.