Bored of basic fruits and veggies? Creative recipe options abound

Produce can liven up many of the recipes you already make. (Kerry Tasker/The New York Times)

Credit: NYT

Credit: NYT

Produce can liven up many of the recipes you already make. (Kerry Tasker/The New York Times)
News
By Nancy Lyons – Ohio State University Extension Office
2 hours ago
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Discover the many benefits of adding vegetables and fruits to your meals. They are low in fat and calories, while providing fiber and other key nutrients. Most Americans should eat more than 3 cups — and for some, up to 6 cups — of vegetables and fruits each day. Vegetables and fruits don’t just add nutrition to meals. They can also add color, flavor, and texture. Explore these creative ways to bring healthy foods to your table.

  1. Fire up the grill. Use the grill to cook vegetables and fruits. Try grilling mushrooms, carrots, peppers, or potatoes on a kabob skewer. Brush with oil to keep them from drying out. Grilled fruits like peaches, pineapple, or mangos add great flavor to a cookout.
  2. Expand the flavor of your casseroles. Mix vegetables such as sautéed onions, peas, pinto beans, or tomatoes into your favorite dish for their extra flavor.
  3. Planning something Italian? Add extra vegetables to your pasta dish. Slip some peppers, spinach, red beans, onions, or cherry tomatoes into your traditional tomato sauce.  Vegetables provide texture and low-calorie bulk that satisfies.
  4. Get creative with your salad. Toss in shredded carrots, strawberries, spinach, watercress, orange segments, or sweet peas for a flavorful fun salad.
  5. Salad bars aren’t just for salad. Try eating sliced fruit from the salad bar as your dessert when dining out. This will help you avoid any baked desserts that are high in calories.
  6. Get in on the stir-frying fun. Try something new! Stir fry your veggies — like broccoli, carrots, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, or green beans — for a quick and easy addition to any meal.
  7. Add them to your sandwiches. Whether it is a sandwich or wrap, vegetables make great additions to both. Try sliced tomatoes, romaine lettuce, or avocado on your everyday sandwich or wrap for extra flavor.
  8. Be creative with your baked goods. Add apples, bananas, blueberries, or pears to your favorite muffin recipe for a treat.
  9. Make a tasty fruit smoothie. For dessert, blend strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries with frozen bananas and 100% fruit juice for a delicious frozen fruit smoothie.
  10. Liven up an omelet. Boost the color and flavor of your morning omelet with vegetables. Simply chop, sauté, and add them to the egg as it cooks. Try combining different vegetables, such as mushrooms, spinach, onions, or bell peppers.

Recipe: Spinach Topped Tomatoes

Makes 8 servings

110 calories per serving

Ingredients:

2 large tomatoes

1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed

2/3 cup bread crumbs

¼ cup parmesan cheese

¼ cup finely chopped onions

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 ½ tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon dry parsley

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 to 2 dashes* hot pepper sauce

Dash* black pepper

*a dash is 1/8 teaspoon

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  3. Wash tomatoes and remove core.
  4. Slice each tomato in 4 thick slices.
  5. Place each slice in the pan.
  6. Squeeze the thawed spinach to remove extra water.
  7. Mix all remaining ingredients. 
  8. Divide mixture into 8 portions
  9. Spoon a portion on each tomato slice.
  10. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Peach Cobbler

Makes 4 servings

Serving size: 1 cup

270 calories per serving

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

1 (14.5 ounce) can sliced peaches in juice

1 cup baking mix

2 tablespoons brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Dissolve cornstarch in cold water in a square baking dish.
  3. Add peaches with their juice. Stir to distribute cornstarch.
  4. Combine baking mix, sugar, and cinnamon.
  5. Stir in milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla.
  6. Stir to make a soft sticky dough.
  7. Drop by tablespoons on top of peaches.
  8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbly and baking mix is brown.

Fruit Rice Cakes

Makes 6 servings

Serving size: 1 rice cake

65 calories per serving

Ingredients:

6 rice cakes

¼ cup low-fat cream cheese, softened

Sliced fruits of choice such as kiwi, peaches, strawberries, apples, bananas, mandarin oranges, grapes, oranges

Directions:

  1. Top each rice cake with 2 teaspoons cream cheese.
  2. Arrange a variety of fruit pieces on top of cream cheese.

Interested in free nutrition education classes with Ohio State University Extension’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program? Contact Nancy Lyons at lyons.489@osu.edu or 937-205-5250.

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About the Author

Nancy Lyons