A couple of weeks ago, insomnia inspired me to make up themes for the non-meatless-Monday days of the week. So this week on Eat Drink Better, we’re running a weekly special each day! For Try-Something-New Tuesday, I decided it might be fun to share a few healthy vegetable recipes using veggies you may not normally cook with. These are 5 of the top 10 healthiest vegetables you can eat according to a recent study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
So, without further ado, try something new!
Watercress
Watercress is a powerhouse green that topped the CDC’s list of healthiest fruits and vegetables. High in vitamins A and C, it works wonderfully in salads or as a dressed garnish to a main dish. Here are a few recipes you might enjoy:
- Avocado and Watercress Salad (Epicurious)
- Watermelon with Watercress and Feta (Food Network)
- All-in-One Salad (Food52)
Chinese Cabbage
Chinese cabbage — also known as Napa cabbage — came in as the number 2 healthiest vegetable you can eat. Also good raw in salads, it is often used in stir fries, to fill dumplings, or simply grilled. It’s an excellent source of folic acid and has anti-inflammatory properties. Which of these healthy vegetable recipes shall you try?
- Sweet and Tangy Herbed Cabbage Salad (Eat Drink Better)
- Very Veggie Pineapple “Fried” Rice (Eat Drink Better)
- Stir-Fry Cabbage (Food Network)
- Chinese Cabbage Stir-Fry with Rice Noodles, Pork, and Cilantro (Martha Stewart)
- Chinese Cabbage Salad (AllRecipes)
Chard
Chard, the third healthiest vegetable you can eat, is a lot like spinach and can be used similarly. Simply sautéing with a bit of lemon, cheese, and/or cream is my favorite way to enjoy it. Here are a few recipes for you:
- Sauteed Swiss Chard with Parmesan Cheese (AllRecipes)
- Onion Pizza with Ricotta and Chard (The New York Times)
- Swiss Chard Gratin (Whole Foods Market)
Beet Greens
Don’t toss the green tops you chop off those beets! They have tons of flavor and loads of vitamins A and C and are the fourth healthiest veggie around.
- Roasted Beet Salad with Oranges and Beet Greens (Epicurious)
- Beef-Ricotta Meatballs with Braised Beet Greens (Food & Wine)
- Tangy Buttered Beets and Beet Greens with Dijon (Whole Foods Market)
Chicory
Chicory leaves are a good source of vitamin A, calcium, and potassium and the sixth healthiest vegetable you can enjoy. Chicory also aids in digestion. As with the other greens in this list, it can be used raw in salads, simply sauted or braised, or cooked into pastas, soups, or stews. A note on potential substitutes if you can’t find something named chicory: Curly endive or frisée can be used in its place. Some sources say they are one and the same. How do these recipes look?
- Vegan Frisée Salad with Garlic-Walnut Dressing (Eat Drink Better)
- Orecchiette with with Sausage and Chicory (Food & Wine)
- Chicory Salad with Walnuts and Parmesan (Food Network)
- Braised Chicory (Culinate)
I hope you see the possibilities with these healthy vegetable recipes. Now get out there and try something new! Let us know what you end up enjoying on this or any other Try-Something-New Tuesday.
Image Credit: Beet Greens via Shutterstock
