5 Vegetables You Need to Use This Winter
Posted December 19th, 2016 in News
Love them or hate them, we need to eat veggies!
Packed with fiber and tons of vitamins and minerals, they’re not only crucial to our diet, but they can taste really good, too. You may have walked through the produce department before thinking “Huh? What IS that?” While we’re proud to offer a large selection of vegetables for you to choose from, we thought we’d give you a rundown of the tastiest & most nutritious vegetables that are currently in season. Don’t be afraid to add a little color to your plate!
1. Broccoli
Do you have nightmares of your mother trying to get you to eat your broccoli? Broccoli may be the most polarizing vegetable, but when prepared correctly it adds another dimension of amazing flavor to your dinner plate. Don’t worry, broccoli is not nearly as scary as you’ve imagined all of these years. Start simple with this Brilliant Broccoli recipe from Jamie Oliver. You’ll only need 4 ingredients: broccoli, butter, salt, and pepper.
2. Cabbage
Cabbage is absolutely packed with nutrients. Vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese, dietary fiber, potassium, vitamin B1, choline, phosphorus, vitamin B2, magnesium, calcium, selenium, iron, pantothenic acid, protein, and niacin are all present in this winter veggie. Vitamin K is known to help you concentrate & support your overall mental health. Cabbage is also known for it’s ability to regulate blood sugar, keeping you feeling great throughout the day.
Still not convinced? Cabbage also tastes amazing. We love these ideas from WiseBread on how to prepare a cabbage, try a few of these out for yourself!
3. Kale
Kale may be the world’s healthiest vegetable. High in fiber and low in calories, it makes the perfect addition to any meal. Did we mention it’s a vitamin powerhouse with 0 grams of fat? It may be intimidating at first, but the best way to introduce kale to your diet is in a healthy smoothie or baked into kale chips.
4. Kohlrabi
Okay, this is where you might be getting skeptical. Kohlrabi? You may have never heard of this winter veggie, but it’s a versatile root vegetable that can be eaten raw or cooked. You can even eat the leaves! Since kohlrabi is a member of the cabbage family, it has a similar taste but is much heartier, somewhat like a potato. One of the tastiest ways to experiment with the veggie is by making kohlrabi fries. This vegetable is so much more nutritious than potatoes, yet will still give you the crunch you’re looking for.
5. Parsnips
If you’ve never tried a parsnip, you’ll find it in the produce section looking quite like a carrot, but brown. Parsnips boast a wide array of health benefits including fiber, folate, potassium, vitamin C & more. These veggies have a warm and earthy flavor, perfect for soup. Try this Creamy Roasted Parsnip Soup full of wintery spices & comforting flavors.