Wake Up Your Veggies with Fruit

Eat more veggies. You've probably read this or thought about it, but if you're like most Americans, this message hasn't translated into changes on your plate. Eating more vegetables is one of the only consistent recommendations from the plethora of diets streaming from health and fitness magazines, websites, and health professionals. Whether you follow a vegan, Paleo, low-carb, heart-healthy diet, or if you're merely trying to eat healthier, garnishing vegetable dishes and salads with fruit adds variety, color, texture, nutrition and most importantly, flavor, to turn bland mushy vegetables into delicious sensations. Unlike typical veggie toppers like butter, cheese, and oil, fruit cuts the bitterness of green vegetables and accents flavors of other vegetables with no added fat and a lot less calories. Try these combinations or experiment with your own favorite fruits to bring the idea of eating more vegetables to fruition. (Your kids might even like these!)

• Top spinach salad with sliced strawberries
• Mix steamed broccoli with diced oranges or tangerines and a splash of soy sauce
• Add apple or pear slices to a mixed green salad
• Combine thawed, frozen whole cranberries with roasted brussel sprouts (*See recipe below)
• Sauté chopped asparagus and onion with slices of mango and 1-2 tspns of toasted sesame oil

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Cranberries and Walnuts

Don't fear the commonly bashed brussel sprout! Warning: By roasting these mini-cabbages combined with tart cranberries and crunchy walnuts, you may find yourself going back for seconds.

Ingredients

• 1 lb brussel sprouts, washed and sliced in half
• ½ cup cranberries
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425. Place brussel sprouts in glass baking pan or metal roasting pan.
2. Pour vinegar and oil over brussel sprouts. Mix to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Bake for 15 minutes-18 minutes.
4. Add cranberries and walnuts to pan. Bake for additional 5-7 minutes or until brussel sprouts are browned and cranberries are soft.