Green Giant

I have a confession to make: I am a closet foodie. I love to talk about food, I love to watch people make food, I am borderline obsessed with looking through recipes for that oh so perfect meal. The problem is that I don't really cook. It isn't that I can't cook, mind you, only that I don't really do it. I have no doubts in my mind that once I decide to hone my cooking talents I will blossom into a gourmet chef... I've just been too busy with my comings and goings that I never try to make anything much.

Since I'm a young, unmarried gal, though, I tend to have a bit of solo meal time. I don't have kids and my boyfriend (the real chef here) usually does the cooking when we get together- but I DO have nights alone where it's just me making a plate for one. For the longest time I would rely on diet TV dinners, but the more I read about different real meals, the more grossed out all those preservatives and freezer-burned vegetables seemed to me. Today I want to talk to you about one major part of realistic meals for one (or two!).

The number one rule I have learned in my quest for good health is that hardly anybody gets enough vegetables. Think about it- did you really get your recommended 3-5 yesterday? And no, potato chips don't count as a veggie! Come on, lovelies, didn't you get the memo that vegetables give you better hair, skin, and overall health?

Studies are finding more and more that women in the US are getting plenty of meats and dairy in our daily meals, but no where NEAR as many of those little green monsters. Here's the great news: vegetables are one of the easiest things to cook for just you, yourself, and you! The tricks are: incorporating it into your meals and considering portion size. The "best case scenario" dinner plate looks like this:

You should have HALF of the plate filled with vegetables (or fruit, but really it should be veggies), and a quarter of it meat/protein, the other with a starch. Yes, I know you can see that already, I'm just sayin'. So your main course, per se, of your meal should be that veggie! The problem is that lots of people don't quite know how to cook vegetables that aren't boring and bland. There are lots of awesome things you can make that will light up your plate AND your palate. Another trick, too, is using what is in season. Trust me, it will be a lot fresher and yummier- not to mention more "eco-friendly," if they don't have to ship it from some Lab in Timbuktu. There are a few different basic ways to make vegetables. Number one is steaming. If you don't know how to do this- it is SO easy and takes almost zero hands on time. All you need is a pot and a strainer of some kind. A few of my favorite things to steam lately are: Asparagus, Bell Peppers (I recently fell in love with Orange ones), Sugar Snap Peas, Carrots, and broccoli. I like to either dust them with a bit of butter, seasoned salt, or some Parmesan cheese for flavor. The best part about this kind of cooking? You can make as much or as little of the vegetables as you need! It's not like with a casserole where you make a ton and feel like the lonely cat lady as you eat it alone. Another great way to make vegetables is to fry them in olive oil, perhaps with a little bit of lemon juice and some Sea Salt and Black Pepper. I just found an cooking article with Asparagus, lemon juice, salt, and lemon rind that Im pumped to whip up. This one sounds dangerous due to the whole "frying in Olive Oil," but as long as you don't cook out all the great antioxidants- you need not fear Olive Oil. The studies on this bad boy are getting better and better and with that Vitamin C from the lemon juice this one sits to be a heavy hitter in the benefit arena. Another option is to bake them in a thick and yummy sauce- but it's a little higher in fat and should be used sparingly. Broccoli in a cheese sauce or Asparagus (clearly one of my favorites) in a peanut butter sauce can be delicious if baked correctly. Want to get an even easier meal? Buy yourself a Spaghetti Squash. It sounds complex but it is one of the EASIEST ways to sneak veggies instead of a starch into your meal. And it's delicious too! The "how to" is usually on a sticker on the squash itself- no research required!

The benefits of vegetables are amazing. chock full of Vitamins and Minerals, don't ignore these little buggers! If you are in a huge rush or (like me) don't have a stove and 30 minutes on your lunch break at work, you can buy microwave steamable veggies. If you're REALLY lucky you have time to get to your BBQ and cook your vegetables on the grill. This can be one of THE most delicious ways to make them. Kabobs are an excellent way to get your fill of the whole shebang. And not that it's closing in on Summertime it's the perfect opportunity to fire it up and invite a few friends over for some good low-fat eats. And now I leave you, hopefully pumped on the greens (and Reds and Yellows), with some pictures of your potential new best friend: awesome (and healthy!) food- totally doable by the solo diner: