What decides what you grow to eat in your garden? It may be what tastes best, or it may just be just what grows with the least effort; it’s certainly hard to resist the sheer bounteousness of courgettes, even if they’re not your favourite vegetable.
158. Say (O Muhammad ): "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to
you all as the Messenger of Allah - to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens
and the earth. La ilaha illa Huwa (none
has the right to be worshipped but He); It is He Who gives life and causes
death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad ), the Prophet who can neither read
nor write (i.e. Muhammad ) who
believes in Allah and His Words [(this Qur'an), the Taurat (Torah) and the
Injeel (Gospel) and also Allah's Word: "Be!" - and he was,
i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary),], and follow him so that you may
be guided. "
159. And of the people of
Musa (Moses) there is a community who lead (the men) with truth and establish
justice therewith (i.e. judge men with truth and justice).
160. And We divided them into
twelve tribes (as distinct) nations. We directed Musa (Moses) by inspiration,
when his people asked him for water, (saying): "Strike the stone with your
stick", and there gushed forth out of it twelve springs: each group knew
its own place for water. We shaded them with the clouds and sent down upon
them Al-Manna and the quails (saying):
"Eat of the good things with which We have provided you." They harmed
Us not but they used to harm themselves.
163. And ask them (O Muhammad ) about the town that was by the sea,
when they transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath (i.e. Saturday): when their
fish came to them openly on the Sabbath day, and did not come to them on the
day they had no Sabbath. Thus We made a trial of them for they used to
rebel (see the Qur'an: V.4:154). 7. Surah Al-A'raf (The Heights)
Another consideration, especially at this health-conscious time of year, is nutrition. Plants differ in their ability to deliver the essential nutrients needed for a healthy diet. A recent paper in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics looked at this question, using the Nutrient Rich Foods (NRF) index. For each food, the NRF index adds up all the per cent daily values (per serving) for nine “good” nutrients, then subtracts the sum of per cent daily values for three “bad” nutrients that we eat too much of.
“Daily values” are worked out by the US Food and Drug Administration, but are similar to Britain’s “guideline daily amounts”. The nine good nutrients are protein, fibre, vitamins A, C and E, calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron, while the three bad guys are the usual suspects: saturated fat, sugar and salt. The more of the former and the less of the latter, the higher a food scores.
If we look just at vegetables, very near the top are “dark green” varieties of all kinds, including leafy salads, chard, cabbage and broccoli. The king of healthy veg, an excellent source of nearly everything, is spinach. If maximising healthy nutrients per square yard is your aim, these are the things that should fill your veg plot.
Next come squashes, pumpkins and carrots, closely followed by a large group of “other vegetables” (including asparagus, beetroot, cauliflower,green beans, iceberg lettuce, courgettes, onions and turnips); all good for you, but not quite up there with cabbage. All these vegetables are slightly better for you raw than cooked, largely owing to the loss of vitamins and minerals on cooking.
Next come potatoes, although here there’s a lot of variation in how you choose to eat them; baked or boiled, sadly, is much better for you than chips. Interestingly, sweet potatoes have the highest NRF index of all, above even leafy vegetables; sweet potatoes are a particularly good source of vitamins and also of potassium, which can help to lower your blood pressure.
So the definitive answer to whether potatoes count as one of your five a day is no, but sweet potatoes do. It’s just a pity that, despite new hardier cultivars becoming available, sweet potatoes are still not all that easy to grow in Britain.
But don’t get too carried away by differences between individual vegetables. If we take a step back and look at the bigger picture, all fruit and veg have high NRF scores. Dry beans, pulses, nuts and seeds have similarly high scores. Both outscore meat, which, though it has plenty of nutrients, is let down by lack of fibre and high levels of saturated fat. A bit below meat come eggs, then dairy products and grains, and finally (with negative nutrient scores) pure processed things such as sugar and fats. In short, compared with all the other foods you could be eating, any fruit and veg is a healthy option, and, of course, growing them is itself good for you.
Finally, I should also mention tomatoes, which better than anything illustrate that exactly how you consume some foods makes all the difference. Tomatoes have a moderately high NRF score and are definitely one of your five a day, but cooked tomatoes aren’t as good as raw or juice, while most shop-bought pasta sauces are no better for you than a bacon sandwich.
Fruits and vegetables are part of a well-balanced and healthy eating plan. There are many different ways to lose or maintain a healthy weight. Using more fruits and vegetables along with whole grains and lean meats, nuts, and beans is a safe and healthy one. Helping control your weight is not the only benefit of eating more fruits and vegetables. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer and other chronic diseases. Fruits and vegetables also provide essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and other substances that are important for good health.
To lose weight, you must eat fewer calories than your body uses.
This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to eat less food. You can create lower-calorie versions of some of your favorite dishes by substituting low-calorie fruits and vegetables in place of higher-calorie ingredients. The water and fiber in fruits and vegetables will add volume to your dishes, so you can eat the same amount of food with fewer calories. Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories and are filling.
Here are some simple ways to cut calories and eat fruits and vegetables throughout your day:
Breakfast: Start the Day Right
- Substitute some spinach, onions, or mushrooms for one of the eggs or half of the cheese in your morning omelet. The vegetables will add volume and flavor to the dish with fewer calories than the egg or cheese.
- Cut back on the amount of cereal in your bowl to make room for some cut-up bananas, peaches, or strawberries. You can still eat a full bowl, but with fewer calories.
Lighten Up Your Lunch- Substitute vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, or onions for 2 ounces of the cheese and 2 ounces of the meat in your sandwich, wrap, or burrito. The new version will fill you up with fewer calories than the original.
- Add a cup of chopped vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, beans, or red peppers, in place of 2 ounces of the meat or 1 cup of noodles in your favorite broth-based soup. The vegetables will help fill you up, so you won't miss those extra calories.
Dinner
Add in 1 cup of chopped vegetables such as broccoli, tomatoes, squash, onions, or peppers, while removing 1 cup of the rice or pasta in your favorite dish. The dish with the vegetables will be just as satisfying but have fewer calories than the same amount of the original version.
- Take a good look at your dinner plate. Vegetables, fruit, and whole grains should take up the largest portion of your plate. If they do not, replace some of the meat, cheese, white pasta, or rice with legumes, steamed broccoli, asparagus, greens, or another favorite vegetable. This will reduce the total calories in your meal without reducing the amount of food you eat. BUT remember to use a normal- or small-size plate — not a platter. The total number of calories that you eat counts, even if a good proportion of them come from fruits and vegetables.
Smart Snacks
- Most healthy eating plans allow for one or two small snacks a day. Choosing most fruits and vegetables will allow you to eat a snack with only 100 calories.
About 100 Calories or Less
- a medium-size apple (72 calories)
- a medium-size banana (105 calories)
- 1 cup steamed green beans (44 calories)
- 1 cup blueberries (83 calories)
- 1 cup grapes (100 calories)
- 1 cup carrots (45 calories), broccoli (30 calories), or bell peppers (30 calories) with 2 tbsp. hummus (46 calories)
"Eat your fruits and vegetables." You've likely heard this statement since childhood. Research shows why it is good advice:
- Healthy diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases.
- Fruits and vegetables also provide essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and other substances that are important for good health.
- Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories and are filling.
- Vegetables, like fruits, are low in calories and fats but contain good amounts of vitamins and minerals. All the Green-Yellow-Orange vegetables are rich sources of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, beta-carotene, vitamin B-complex, vitamin-C, vitamin-A, and vitamin K.
- As in fruits, vegetables too are home for many antioxidants. These health benefiting phyto-chemical compounds firstly; help protect the human body from oxidant stress, diseases, and cancers, and secondly; help the body develop the capacity to fight against these by boosting immunity.
- Additionally, vegetables are packed with soluble as well as insoluble dietary fiber known asnon-starch polysaccharides (NSP) such as cellulose, mucilage, hemi-cellulose, gums, pectin...etc. These substances absorb excess water in the colon, retain a good amount of moisture in the fecal matter, and help its smooth passage out of the body. Thus, sufficient fiber offers protection from conditions like chronic constipation, hemorrhoids, colon cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, and rectal fissures.
...Go for greens today to help you stay fit and healthy!
 Artichoke |  Arugula |  Asparagus |
 Bamboo shoots |  Basella |  Beets |
 Bell pepper |  Bitter gourd |  Bok choy |
 Broccoli |  Brussel sprouts |  Butternut squash |
 Cabbage |  Carrots |  Cassava |
 Cauliflower |  Collard greens |  Cucumber |
 Eggplant |  Endive |  Fennel |
 Kale |  Kohlrabi |  Leeks |
 Lettuce |  Lotus root |  Moringa pods |
 Mustard greens |  Okra |  Onion |
 Parsnips |  Peas |  Potato |
 Pumpkin |  Purslane |  Radicchio |
 Radish |  Rhubarb |  Shallots |
 Spinach |  Sweet corn |  Sweet potato |
 Swiss chard |  Tomato |  Turnips |
 Watercress |  Winged Bean |  Yams |
 Zucchini |
Recently, vegetable nutrition has widely drawn the attention of fitness conscious as well as food scientists alike for their proven health benefits. Majority of day-to-day used vegetables are very low in calories, and saturated fats. Just for example Celery holds just 16 calories per 100 g. There is a long list of vegetables whose calorie is less than 20 per 100 g such as bottle gourd, bitter melon, cabbage, chinese cabbage, bok-choy, eggplant, endive, spinach, summer squash, swiss chard, etc. Scientific studies have shown that these low-calorie but nutrient-rich foods help human body stay fit, and free from diseases.
Furthermore, human body spends a considerable amount of energy for the metabolism of foods, which is known as BMR or Basal metabolism rate. So just imagine…when you add lots of vegetable nutrition in your everyday diet, in fact, you set to lose more weight than you would gain…Right!..This is the concept behind the "negative calorie foods."
How much vegetables should be in our daily diet?
Eat at least 5-7 servings of fresh vegetables every day. Federal dietary guidelines now recommends at least nine servings of vegetable nutrition and fruit nutritions per day. Seasonal vegetables should be encouraged. Bring variety in the choice of vegetables in your everyday diet. Yellow and orange color vegetables are rich in Vitamin-A, a, ß carotenes, zea-xanthins and crypto-xanthins, whereas dark-green vegetables are a good source of minerals and phenolic, flavonoid as well as anthocyanin anti-oxidants.
Selection of vegetables
Whenever possible, go for organic farm vegetables to get maximum health benefits. They are not very expensive if you can find them from the nearby local farm owners. Organic verities tend to be smaller but have rich flavor, possess some good concentration of vitamins, minerals and loaded with numerous health benefiting anti-oxidants.
- In the markets, however, always buy small quantities so that they should last within a day or two. There is no point in eating unfit greens!
- Buy vegetables that feature freshness, bright in color and flavor, and feel heavy in your hands.
- Look carefully for blemishes, spots, fungal mold and signs of insecticide spray. Buy whole vegetables instead of section of them (for example, pumpkin).
How to use vegetables?
First thing you need to do soon after shopping your choice of vegetables is to wash them thoroughly, especially green leafy vegetables. Rinse in salt water for few minutes, and gently swish in cool water until you are satisfied with cleanliness. This way, you ensure them free from dirt, sand and any residual chemical sprays.
Use them early while fresh because, firstly, certain vegetables have very short shelf life andsecondly, the health benefiting properties of a vegetable declines with time. However, if you need to store them, then place inside plastic wrappings or in zip pouches in order to preserve their nutrition for short-periods until you use them.
Breakfast Time
Oats do help lower cholesterol, said Blatner. “Oats contain a special fiber called beta-glucan, which if you eat a cup most days, will help lower your cholesterol by 5 to 10 percent.”
Healthy Oil
Coconut oil is believed to help with fat burning, memory and immunity. Don't believe the hype, Blatner said.
“Research doesn’t necessarily support" the claims, she said.
Healthy Sweeteners
Are honey and maple syrup really good for you?
The idea is that they are natural sweeteners and have more antioxidants, but they're not health foods. "Sugar is not a health food. You’ve got to use it in moderation," said Blatner.
Belly bloat
Which of these —apples, pears, onions, pasta, garlic — cause belly bloat?
All of them!
A lot of people just think that gluten is the only culprit, but it's not. New research shows that there something called FODMAPs, which is a group of carbohydrates in things like apples, garlic, onions, that could cause some people to feel bloated.
Are you on a gluten-free diet? What if gluten isn't the problem?
"They’re all good for you, but for some individuals, especially those with irritable bowel syndrome, these can be bloaty, so just you can eat them but pay attention, not so many,” Blatner said.
Some of us wander produce sections and farmer’s markets, dreaming of the soups and salads, stews and scrumptious side dishes we will make with our heaping basket of vegetables.
Others buy a bunch of carrots with good intentions and watch it wither at the back of the refrigerator.
Still others refuse to let a fresh vegetable enter their homes. These longtime vegetable haters and/or round-the-clock workers, too time-crunched to cook, rely on cereal, takeout noodles and easy-to-eat bananas for nourishment.
Food companies have noticed that not all of us are down with pureeing parsnips, and they are stacking grocery store shelves with convenient, all-in-one fruit and vegetable products.
Many are juices. There are also smoothie kits in the freezer section and sauces near the canned fruit.
But are these products a sound substitute — healthwise — for your mother’s hearty vegetable stew?
Terry Poulton is desperate to know. The 69-year-old Torontonian lives alone and, as she has for much of her life, has little interest in turning on a stove.
“I couldn’t get through a head of lettuce or bunch of carrots if I tried,” she says. “I really don’t like to cook. There’s no motivation when you’re by yourself.”
Poulton, a memoir coach and retired journalist who says she is health-conscious, often turns to shelf-stable fruit+vegetable juices to ensure she gets at least one or two veggies each day. She also enjoys fruit purees spiked with vegetables.
“I mix these in with oatmeal or granola for breakfast,” she says. “They are a shortcut for me to get some vegetables. I hope my strategy is working.”
Registered dietitian Stephanie De Maio says these fruit+veg products are not a precise replacement for the suite of good things found in whole fruits and vegetables.
But, she adds: “If you are not having any fruits and vegetables right now, these products can’t hurt. At least you’re going from zero to something.”
De Maio, a clinical dietitian at St. Michael’s Hospital, says her primary concern is that people consume too many calories when drinking their fruits and veggies. She points out that some popular fruit+veg juices have 140 calories per 1-cup serving — the calorie-equivalent of three apples.
“Few of us would eat three or four fruits in one sitting,” she says, adding that many of us are likely to drink more than 250 mL at once, given how easy it is to gulp a sweet-tasting juice.
Registered dietitian Danielle Battram agrees that regularly replacing fruits and veggies with juice — even ones blended with carrots and kale — likely means you are consuming more calories than you need.
And, she says, calories consumed in liquid form often don’t change how we eat the rest of the day, meaning: “most things we drink are just extra calories on top of what we eat.” Milk, she adds, can be an exception.
Swapping fruits and vegetables for processed products, whether juice or purees, means people aren’t reaping the benefits of dietary fibre found in whole oranges, apples and carrots, Battram says.
“When you eat them whole, your gut has to work hard, and giving your gut a workout is a good thing.”
“Your gut is a muscle, and if you don’t use it, you lose it. Eating fibre-rich foods keeps your gut toned. You don’t want to be on a liquid diet unless you have to be.”
Battram, an associate professor in the department of food and nutritional sciences at Brescia University College, says juice passes through the digestive system faster than whole vegetables and fruit, which means naturally occurring sugars are quickly absorbed in the blood stream, affecting blood sugar levels.
The indigestible fibre in whole fruits and vegetables also triggers regular bowel movements.
Processing fruits and vegetables, whether in making a fruit concentrate or in pasteurization, also removes beneficial phytochemicals found in the nature, Battram says.
“We can’t replicate those in a product,” she says. “I can’t tell you how many are destroyed (during processing) — scientists haven’t yet identified them all — but it’s likely you are missing out on those as well when you reach for these products.”
Both De Maio and Battram say that fruit+veg products can serve a nutritional purpose for those who can’t — or choose not to — eat fruits and vegetables in their natural state. The sauces are a better choice than the juice, they say, because they have fewer calories per serving and at least one gram of fibre.
But if you are already eating several servings of fruits and veggies a day — Health Canada recommends adults consume between seven and 10 servings a day — then there is no need to regularly include these processed drinks and sauces in your diet.
Poulton, who worried these products are “a waste of calories and money,” will continue with her daily dose of fruit+veg sauce and save the juice for a treat.
“It’s my plan B,” she says. “It’s better than just ignoring fruits and vegetables.”
The skinny
Nutrition experts say it’s best to eat whole fruits and vegetables to reap the full benefits of these nutritional powerhouses.
But if that’s not possible — perhaps you’re travelling, or too busy or disinclined to cook — registered dietitian Danielle Battram suggests choosing a fruit-and-veg sauce over a similarly branded juice.
“It’s closer to food,” she says.
Motts Fruitsations + Veggies comes in two unsweetened flavours. One snack-size container (111 grams) of peach apple carrot sauce has 60 calories, 12 grams of sugar and one gram of fibre. It’s marketed as being one of your daily servings of fruits and vegetables.
We asked Battram and registered dietitian Stephanie De Maio to review and rank four brands of fruit+veg juice.
Both (independently) put SunRype Fruit Plus Veggies & Fibre (Strawberry Banana flavour) at the top of their lists because a 250 mL serving has 120 calories, a low sodium count and 2 grams of fibre.
Both put Arthur’s Smoothies Fruit + Veg (Carrot Energizer flavour) lower on their lists because a 250 mL serving has 140 calories and 1 gram of fibre.
Both said V8 V-Fusion (Pomegranate Blueberry flavour) was at the bottom of their lists because it has 110 calories per 250 mL serving and no fibre.
Eating more fresh vegetables is one of the simplest choices you can make to improve your overall health. A vegetable-rich diet can help protect you from arthritis, heart disease, stroke, dementia, cancer, and can even help slow down your body's aging process.A recent study found that people who consume seven or more portions of vegetables and fruit a day have a 42 percent lower risk of dying from any cause, compared to those who eat less than one portion—and vegetables have the greatest impact.1But vegetables can also benefit you in some surprising ways. Did you know that certain vegetables can help reduce bloating, and others can give your skin a more youthful glow? They can even improve how you handle stress—and adapting to stress is critically important to your mental AND physical health.2
Could Vegetables Be the REAL Comfort Foods?
Move over mac-and-cheese... vegetables are the REAL comfort foods, with nutrients that actually improve your resilience to stress. Eating vegetables helps replenish your magnesium and vitamin C, which can be depleted by stress.Vegetables also provide you with omega-3 fats and B vitamins, proven to help reduce anxiety and depression. The vitamin K in veggies helps reduce inflammation in your body, which stress can aggravate.3Green leafy vegetables, such as kale, spinach, and Swiss chard, are loaded withmagnesium, which helps balance your cortisol, one of your "stress hormones." Magnesium and potassium relax blood vessels, helping keep your blood pressure low.4Magnesium also plays an important role in calcium absorption, helping you maintain good muscle and nerve function and a healthy immune system. Low magnesium levels have been linked with anxiety disorders and migraines, both of which are typically aggravated by stress.5Avocados are one of the best stress-busting foods you can eat, replete with potassium, glutathione, healthy fats, and more folate than any other fruit. Folate is extremely important for your brain. Asparagus is also rich in folate.
The Causes of Gas and Bloating
Bloating and gas are usually tied to what and how you eat. Vegetables can help reduce bloating—but if your gut is not healthy, they can make bloating worse.A major cause of bloating is gas in your abdomen, half of which is simply swallowed air.6 You can reduce swallowed air by refraining from habits like drinking through a straw, chewing gum, or drinking carbonated beverages.The remaining abdominal gas is produced by the bacteria in your gut that help digest your food. If food doesn't move quickly enough through your digestive tract, gas can build up in your intestines, resulting in that uncomfortable bloated feeling.Foods that tend to make bloating worse include sweeteners like sorbitol andfructose, grains, legumes, dairy products (if you have difficulty digesting lactose), and certain fruits and vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and prunes.These foods contain sugars and starches that some people have trouble digesting. Overeating, eating too quickly, and not chewing your food adequately also contribute to bloating.
Fiber May Be Friend or Foe, Depending on Your Gut
You have probably heard that fiber is important for good health, but it is important to realize that eating a high-fiber diet with a damaged intestinal lining can lead to serious health problems. If high-fiber foods make you feel bloated, then it may indicate your digestive tract is in need of healing.Your digestive system is not designed to break down fiber. It is actually because your body can't digest fiber that it plays such an important part in digestion.Soluble fiber, like that found in cucumbers, blueberries, beans, and nuts, dissolves into a gel-like texture, helping to slow down your digestion. This helps you to feel full longer and is one reason why fiber may help with weight control.Insoluble fiber, found in foods like dark green leafy vegetables, green beans, celery, and carrots, does not dissolve at all and helps add bulk to your stool.This helps food to move through your digestive tract more quickly for healthy elimination. Many whole foods, especially fruits and vegetables, naturally containboth soluble and insoluble fiber.If your gut flora is healthy, i.e. dominated by beneficial, probiotic species, then these microbes will feed on the undigested fiber in your bowel, allowing it to thrive and proliferate.
Fiber Helps Nourish Your Gut
Many of these dietary fibers are digested by the beneficial bacteria in your distal colon and they produce short-chain fatty acids, like butyric acid, that are highly nourishing to your intestinal cells. This creates a very healthy symbiosis.However, if your gut is filled with pathogenic organisms (dysbiosis), fiber will actually make your symptoms worse, as it is a non-specific growth promoter for intestinal bacteria that doesn't discriminate between pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms. One of the best ways to restore your gut health is by regularly consuming naturally fermented vegetables, which I will be discussing shortly.A temporary low-fiber, low-residue diet may also be quite helpful, such as theGAPS diet (Gut and Physiology Syndrome). Part of the GAPS program is removing fiber because it feeds microbes.Most healthy people need upwards of 32 grams of fiber per day, but the majority of Americans fall quite short of this amount. Most of your fiber should come from vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds—not grains. Psyllium seed husk and flax are also beneficial. Also drink plenty of fresh, pure water every day, as this too is important for a healthy GI tract.
Vegetables May Reduce Bloating—But Increase Them Gradually
Once your digestive tract is working optimally, the fiber in vegetables will help flush out waste and gastric irritants, thereby minimizing bloating by keeping things moving along. When changing your diet, do so gradually, because suddenly eating lots of vegetables, or radically increasing your dietary fiber when you're not accustomed to doing so, can be a shock to your system.The microbial environment in your gut is accustomed to certain conditions, and changing this too abruptly can result in gastric distress, bloating, and other GI symptoms. Whenever making changes to your diet—even beneficial ones—take care to acclimate over time. If you introduce new foods and experience a problem, back off a bit and see if it helps.According to Dr. Wayne Pickering, improper food combining is another major factor behind gas and bloating, as well as heartburn and upset stomach. If the food you eat is not digesting properly, not only can these symptoms arise, but your body will also be deprived of critical nutrients.The two foremost rules of food combining are: 1) No proteins and starches at the same meal, and 2) No fruits and vegetables at the same meal. For more information about the principles of food combining, please listen to my interview with Dr. Pickering.
Going vegetarian? Be sure to vary your diet to be sure you’re getting enough protein. “As long as your vegetarian diet contains a mix of grains, beans, nuts [and] seeds each day — and, if you choose, dairy and eggs — you should be getting the protein you need,” Krieger says.
Grains and legumes, such as rice and beans, supply a complete protein, but you don’t need to eat them at the same time to get the full benefit.
If you want something vegan and gluten-free, try bean and vegetable soups or rice bowls. “I am loving to make rice bowls, with hot whole-grain rice topped with a variety of steamed, raw and pickled vegetables, peanuts or sesame seeds and some kind of protein.”
Edamame or marinated tofu would work for protein, and top it all off with an Asian-style dressing.
Cut down on the time it takes to roast vegetables by choosing tender vegetables such as asparagus, broccolini and green beans, which will roast in half the time of root vegetables, “taking only 15 to 30 minutes at 375 degrees or so.”
For firm vegetables, chopping them smaller will also cut down on roasting time.
If you’re craving a new, seasonal vegetable, look for growth shoots and leaves later in March — “ramps, garlic scapes, pea greens and herbs like parsley, as well as radishes. I know, I too am ready to move on from root vegetables!”
Ancient veggies in the back of the freezer? They might be salvageable. “It probably wouldn’t be dangerous to eat — freezing food prevents bacterial growth — but it will likely have an off flavor and compromised texture at this point. Thaw it and give it a taste. If it tastes fine, turn it into a soup or use it in a mixed dish. Otherwise, toss it.”
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