By STEPHANIE WITT SEDGWICK
The new year is bright and fresh and filled with good intentions. New Year’s resolutions abound, so I’ll add one to the list: Eat your fruits and vegetables, not because your mother told you to or because the food pyramid prescribes it, but because it’s the simplest and most delicious way to keep all those other pledges to lose weight, eat better and feel better.
They also taste great.
I have watched children eat doughnuts while they lob apples and oranges in an impromptu game of catch.
I also know that when the same fruit is turned into kebabs, the kids will eat it.
The way to lure takers is to make those foods appetizing. Preparation is key, so here’s my list of suggestions to get you started:
- Always have fruit ready to eat. Cut oranges, apples, pears, bananas and pineapple into bite-size chunks or slices before you offer them. Wash and quarter big strawberries. Separate a bunch of grapes into small clusters and offer them like gifts.
- Do your vegetable prep in the morning. What takes 15 minutes when you get home at night takes less time in the morning; I’m not sure why, but I know it works for me. So trim the green beans, wash and dry the salad greens, shred the cabbage and dice the onions. You’ll be about a thousand times more likely to cook the vegetables when you get home.
- Buy prepped items. Find vegetables cut, sliced and diced – in packages in the produce section and in the supermarket salad bar. Fresh fruit comes in snack packs. Frozen vegetables come in steaming bags ready for the microwave.
- Give vegetables some love. Simple steps can make a huge difference with relatively little effort. Roasting vegetables enhances their flavor. Fast dressings made with a little oil and some citrus juice can enliven humdrum salads. Chopped garlic, cooked slowly in olive oil that’s then drizzled over almost any steamed green vegetable, can make that vegetable happy.
- Liberate fruit from the dessert course. Mix diced fruit into salsas; serve with grilled fish. Saute and season apple slices as a side dish or sandwich topping. Puree leftover fruit for a first-course soup. Add orange wedges and strawberry slices to salads. Roast pears, then toss them with bitter greens and a slightly sweetened vinaigrette.
- Be crafty. On cold days, make simple vegetable soups with whatever you have on hand; who can tell what’s in a pureed version? Packaged low-sodium chicken broth tastes better when it is simmered with added onions and diced vegetables. Use vegetable juice as a cooking liquid; it counts as a vegetable serving. When diners are hungry they tend to be less picky, so serve the salad before the main course instead of after.
There’s some chopping here, but once it’s done, this soup’s a snap. Choose your favorite vegetables, but try to include parsnips and carrots, as the latter add color as well as flavor.
Winter Vegetable and Barley Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into small dice (1 cup)
1 large rib celery, cut into 1⁄4 -inch dice (3⁄4 cup)
1 pound assorted root vegetables, such as parsnips, carrots, rutabaga and/or turnips, peeled and cut into 1⁄4-inch dice
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cups low-sodium or homemade broth
1⁄3 cup pearled barley
1 cup frozen sweet peas
4 ounces cooked ham, cut into 1⁄4-inch dice
3 tablespoons chopped chives
Heat the oil in a 4- to 6-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery; cook for 3 minutes, stirring, then add the diced root vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.
Stir in the broth and barley. Once the liquid begins bubbling at the edges, cover the pot and adjust the heat so the liquid maintains a little movement. Cook for 45 to 55 minutes or until the barley is done and the vegetables are tender.
Uncover; add the peas and ham. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring a few times, until the peas are tender. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the chives.
Divide among individual bowls; top each portion with a sprinkling of the remaining chives.
Roasted pears and butternut squash bring their sweet, deep flavors to the bitter arugula. The dressing uses some of the roasted pear as well, helping to keep this salad light.
Serve as a side dish or as an appetizer; dress it up with chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts.
Arugula and Roasted Squash Salad With Pears
1 pound butternut squash, cut into
3/4-inch cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium (about 9 ounces each) ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cut in half and cored
Salt
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 or 3 teaspoons honey
Freshly ground black pepper
5 ounces baby arugula
Preheat the oven to 375º. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking oil spray.
Toss the butternut squash cubes with 1 tablespoon of the oil: transfer to one side of the lined baking sheet. Place the pear halves, cut sides down, on the other side. Sprinkle the pears and squash lightly with salt.
Roast for 35 to 40 minutes or until tender, stirring the squash pieces every 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the pears over after 25 minutes.
When the pears and squash are tender, remove them from the oven; they might not be ready at the same time.
Transfer one of the roasted pear halves to a blender along with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, the vinegar, 2 teaspoons of the honey and salt and pepper to taste; puree until smooth.
Taste, and add the remaining teaspoon of honey as needed, along with any seasoning adjustment.
Divide the arugula among individual salad plates. Top each portion with equal amounts of the roasted squash and pears. Drizzle about 11/2 tablespoons of the dressing over each salad.
Top each salad with a grind or two of black pepper, if desired, and serve.
Recipes from Stephanie Witt Sedgwick.
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