|
By Christina Scannapiego
Some people tend to forget to maintain a healthy, fresh diet in the winter. The problem is: winter is when you need all those beneficial vitamins and nutrients the most. Since buying fresh, local and in-season produce is most efficient for your health, wallet and our environment, here's just a sampling of winter vegetables you can make sure to pick up next time you're at the market.
Beets
Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, detoxification support
The best hing about beets is that you're sort of getting two veggies in one. The juicy, sweet beet root is the best part, but serving them over their green leaves (sauteed - beet greens would be bitter and rubbery raw). Boil or season and roast the beet root. Serve 'em hot or cold. Use your leftover slices of red goodness in a sandwich for lunch the next day or throw 'em in a smoothie. Delish.
Broccoli Raabe
Power food, vitamins A and C cancer-fighting potential
It's like a cross between broccoli and spinach and you can bet Tony Soprano's family served it for dinner every night with their ziti or manicotti - it's sort of an old-neighborhood Italian thing. Steam it or saute it with some fresh garlic and olive oil Badabing!
Brussel Sprouts
Protein, vitamin A, fiber, calcium, potassium, potential cancer-fighting
As a kid these dreaded two words may have brought a look of disgust to your face. But the slightly bitter yet succulent taste lends itself well to steaming, sauteing or even in pasta. It's great in soup (for meat-likers, brussel sprouts and kielbasa soup is one of the yummiest soups to slurp on a cold day.) Plus, these little guys will fill you up fast . . . but you'll leave the pounds off.
Cabbage
Top of the list as far as cancer-fighting veggies go, but with a slew of other health benefits.
It's cheap, it's good for you and it lasts forever. Really, this stuff hates to go bad. Red or green, eat it raw or cooked, in slaw, salads, stir fries, soups - heck, throw it in a quesadilla if you so desire.
Kale
Anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, detox, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, tons of fiber
The cooler weather keeps it sweet - and it's one of the prettiest veggies, maybe behind rainbow chard (if you;re into that flashy sort of thing). Saute, soup or salad only begins to touch upon all the ways to use this versatile beauty. You can bake it in bread, make a casserole, put it in a pasta, risotto or your breakfast smoothie - or shove it in the juicer.
And for carnivores, it goes great with bacon.
Peas
Lotsa protein; Phytonutrients aid in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and possible cancer prevention.
They'll give you the satisfaction of something sweet and starchy without going too unhealthy. As far as eating them . . . they're peas. You know what to do.
Yams
Potassium, fiber, vitamins B and C and aid in estrogen and progesterone production (good for PMS).
Easting yams or sweet potatoes is also great for your skin. They can be boiled to retain maximum nutrients, roasted, cooked with meat or baked.
Christina Scannapiego is the Outdoors editor for Active.com.
Source for the article.
| 
