Archive for the 'The Veggie Table' Category

This month has me seeing green and not just because of St. Patrick’s Day. I’m thinking dark leafy greens. Leafy greens are like the little black dress of produce — they go with just about everything. Eat greens raw in a salad, stirred into a soup or sautéed for a side dish.

If you’re used to cooking cabbage for your St. Patrick’s Day meal, why not change up your repertoire by adding some kale in your cuisine? Loaded with powerful antioxidants, kale is actually a form of cabbage, too. It’s hearty enough to stand up in soups and stews, but I like simple presentations such as Kale Chips and Kale with Raisins and Pine Nuts.

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I just adore the month of February. I feel like we’re almost over the winter hump and can start looking forward to spring. Valentine’s Day is smack in the middle of the month and love is in bloom — plus,  it’s National Heart Health Month! As a dietitian, I encourage eating healthfully for your heart,  but at the same time, I have a sweet tooth. I just love all the heart-shaped sweet treats that line supermarket shelves this month.

This Valentine’s Day, I want to strike a balance between sweets and heart-healthy foods, so I’ll be making loved ones my Pumpkin Banana Bread Pudding. It’s made with fiber-filled whole-wheat bread, pumpkin and bananas, which are all heart healthy. Better still, this vegan recipe is free of saturated fat and cholesterol, which means it’s a treat for your ticker, too!

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When the New Year rolls around, I don’t typically jump on the resolution bandwagon; instead, I try to keep myself in check as much as possible every day, but this year is different for me.

I’m scheduled for sports-related hip surgery this month and the road to recovery includes six weeks on crutches with zero activity. Zilch. My gym membership has been put on hold and the yoga mat rolled up and stored away until spring. With this lack of regular physical activity, I know I’m going to have to keep an eye on my eating habits.

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Sure, there are faux-leather belts or wool-free sweater that you think might be perfect for that vegetarian or vegan friend, but you can be more creative than that. If you need some gift ideas for the veggie lover in your life, read on for some of my favorites.

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With that huge turkey, sausage-filled stuffing, buttery rolls, creamy casseroles and more, the traditional Thanksgiving spread isn’t exactly vegetarian- or vegan-friendly. When you’re the cook, you can make sure to serve options that fit your diet, but if your host isn’t serving vegetarian fare, don’t despair. Here are some tips on how to navigate — and still enjoy — the feast.

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As seasons change, so do the menus. Sure, it’s sad to pack up the grill and say “arrivederci” to dining al fresco, but there is something exciting about the first crisp autumn days and the chance to make warm, comforting foods again. If you’re anything like me, fall foods are synonymous with pumpkin, but that doesn’t only mean pumpkin pie. Full of vitamin A and fiber, pumpkin works well with breakfast, in a smoothie and other non-pie sweets.

Here are some of my favorite pumpkin recipes.

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There’s no missing the umpteen faux meat products at the supermarket. Ground “beef,” tofu hot dogs, veggie burgers and “chick-un” — you name it and a veg-friendly “meat” option exists. Here’s what I think of some of these substitutes and a few words of warning.

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The hot, sticky summer we know and love here in New England has finally come. I’ve tucked away my oven mitts and am giving my stove the rest of the season off. So how do I keep cool with my food? I slice up a coleslaw — a cabbage slaw, a broccoli slaw, you name. And guess what? No mayo!

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Pineapple is one of those fabulous fruits that takes my taste buds on a tropical vacation! I can eat pineapple plain, no problem, but lately I’ve been grilling it to get that hint of smoky summer flavor.

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When I switched cold-turkey (pun alert!) from a meat-eating to a vegan diet, I was pleased to see I could still eat fries, chips and salsa, and my secret guilty pleasure, Swedish Fish (it’s not real fish, you see). But I quickly realized I’d stumbled into a common veggie pitfall — eating junk food in place of fresh, whole, plant-based meals.

Here, I’d adopted a vegetarian diet for health reasons but was barely eating my good-for-me vegetables. I started experimenting with vegan and vegetarian cooking, and my mind — and my palate — quickly opened up to a delicious world of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts and fruits. A good, healthy mantra for anyone is “all things in moderation.” Jumping into a junk-food vegetarian diet without any balance was definitely not that.

If you’re new to vegetarianism or looking to test it out, don’t make my same mistakes. Here are common pitfalls to avoid.

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