Too Many Vegetables?

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Is it possible for you to have too many vegetables? Perhaps this time of year, when our gardens are plentiful and overflowing with cucumbers and tomatoes, the local produce stands have a variety of choices for cheap prices, co-workers are giving away their overgrown zucchini, and the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) offers so many vegetables, it is impossible to fit them in your fridge. Sometimes you just don’t know what to do with all this healthy food? We would like to take advantage of these fresh wholesome nutrients, but is this possible without the family complaining about so many greens in every meal?

Well, in my opinion, it's never too many vegetables! It just may be time to find ways to be more creative with your meals and I thought I would share some ideas for you to use this summer:

ZUCCHINI

  • Slice and sautée
  • Add sautéed to salad
  • Add sliced raw to salad
  • Make zucchini boats, scoop out the inside and add meat, cheese, red or white sauce, and seasonings
  • Spiralize it: I prefer it raw, but cook it on high for one minute.  Add any sauce and enjoy.  It’s far healthier for you than a plate of spaghetti.

CUCUMBER

  • Make pickles, and if you don’t have the time like me to can them, just make pickles and leave in fridge, and they will last for two weeks.
  • Slice and toss in smoothie: this is such a refreshing smoothie, especially for the hot summer months.
  • Again, spiralize it: squeeze out the juice and add rice vinegar. 
  • Cucumber Tomato Salad
  • Onion, Cucumber, Tomato, Apple Cider Vinegar, Oil, Salt/Pepper

TOMATO

  • Nothing beats fresh tomato sauce, though it does take time.
  • Eat plain with salt and pepper
  • Add to any cooked dish at the last two minutes of cooking. It lightens up heavy meals.
  • Tomato Basil Soup
    • Sauté the garlic and onion
    • Add the tomatoes and cook until they start breaking down.
    •  Transfer to a blender, add the basil and some seasoning and blend until smooth.

MINT

  • Mint adds a tasty flavor to iced tea
  • Mint alone makes the best tea
  • Toss in smoothie

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALAD: Parsnips, fennel, radishes, broccoli can all be added to a salad.  This will not be an ordinary salad, but it will have variety, and different tastes and textures as well as a variety of wholesome nutrients.

MISCELLANEOUS FOR STIR-FRY: Eggplant, zucchini, broccoli, any leafy greens, sliced parsnips and turnips, and fresh tomatoes dropped in at the last minute.

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SMOOTHIE: Spinach, leafy greens, cucumber, mint

Instead of letting your produce go to waste, make the most of the bountiful nutrients, get creative, and feel free to share some ideas of your creations with us in the comments below!

Luisa Szakacsvegetables, nutrition, food, meals, healthComment