SWIHA Blog

Tasty Tips to Spice Up Vegetables

Posted by Melanie Albert on 12/1/14 9:52 AM

By Melanie Albert, Guest Blogger

Eat Your vegetables“Eat your vegetables,” is a common phrase that most of us probably heard from our parents growing up. Many people, especially children, believe that vegetables are boring, or that they have no taste. That only “health nuts” eat raw or plain steamed vegetables. This is where “finishing vegetables” comes into Whole Food S.O.U.L. Food cooking techniques. Read on for tips and recipes about how to make veggies fun and delicious for the whole family to enjoy!

Add Culinary Interest to Your Veggies

Finishing steamed vegetables with organic oils, toasted spices, fresh herbs, toasted nuts and seeds, and finishing salts adds delicious taste and culinary interest, with beautiful colors, textures and aromas.

Steam carrots, cauliflower or broccoli in a bamboo steamer and then finish them with different combinations of oils, seeds, salt or spices to create exciting, tasty dishes!

Use nut oils such as almond nut oil, hazelnut oil or walnut oil, or try herbal flavored oils such as lemon, garlic or rosemary. Toasted spices like sunflower seeds, fennel seeds and cumin seeds are a great addition to veggies, and finishing salts such as smoked sea salt or flavored salt will add some zing! Walnuts and almonds are great to mix into a salad full of vegetables, or use fresh citrus juice such as lemon, lime or orange to add zest to salads or veggies!

9Ways-65-SWIHAFinishvegs-01-2014-1110

Simple Steps to Finish Vegetables

  • Steam vegetables for about 5-7 minutes in bamboo steamer
  • Take vegetables out of steamer into a bowl
  • Sprinkle with sea salt, to bring out the natural flavor of the vegetables
  • Drizzle with oil and gently toss
  • Add citrus and gently toss
  • Add freshly chopped herbs, toasted nuts, seeds or spices, and gently toss
  • Taste and add additional flavor, if desired

The next Whole Food Cooking class begins January 7th! What a great way to learn some healthy cooking tips for the New Year! Contact Southwest Institute of Healing Arts to enroll in the course, or to learn more about our Holistic Nutrition programs! 480-994-9244.

Check out a video clip of Melanie Albert working her magic in the kitchen


Whole Food S.O.U.L. Food Wednesday Action: Experiment with Finishing Veggies

With our Whole Food S.O.U.L. Food blog we invite you to take action with your whole foods eating habits. The goal is to incorporate new whole foods eating into your way of eating step-by-step.

Our challenge for you this week is to experiment with different oils, spices, nuts and seeds, citrus and sea salts when you steam carrots, broccoli or cauliflower. Share your creations with us on Facebook!


9Ways-66-SWIHAFinishvegs-toastseeds-01-2014-1110How to Toast Nuts, Seeds and Spices

Toasting nuts, seeds and spices brings out their flavor and creates a beautiful aroma.

  • Pre-heat small frying pan on low heat
  • Add a few tablespoons of nuts, seeds or spices to the pan
  • Gently cook, stirring gently for a few minutes, until the nuts, seeds or spices begin to smell, and brown a little
  • Enjoy the nuts, seeds or spices with your steamed veggie dish

    Enjoy!

Share your Veggie Finishing creations with us on Facebook:

 

www.facebook.com/SWIHA and www.facebook.com/9Ways90Days


Melanie Albert Blogger Plant ProteinAbout the Author, Melanie Albert

Melanie Albert, nutrition and food expert, author and speaker, has been active in the integrative medicine and nutrition fields for over a decade. She is the founder & CEO of Experience Nutrition Group, LLC, whose mission is to improve the lives health and nutrition of the sports community, kids and corporations through food and lifestyle education.

Melanie is an instructor in Whole Foods Cooking, Holistic Nutrition (Conscious Eating) and Entrepreneurship at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) in Tempe, AZ. She also teaches Intuitive Eating at Spirit of Yoga in Tempe, AZ. Melanie walks her talk and you can always find her at farmers’ markets, in the kitchen experimenting, and practicing yoga.

You can get more recipes, nutrition and food tips from Melanie.

Visit her blog: www.9Ways90Days.wordpress.com

Visit her Facebook: www.facebook.com/9Ways90Days

Topics: Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, Melanie Albert, Whole Foods Wednesday, Blog, SWIHA, Recipe of the Week, Whole Foods, Nutrition

About the Author Melanie Albert

Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, and speaker, has been active in wellness, integrative medicine, and nutrition for over 15 years and has worked with former NFL players, Super Bowl events, holistic practitioners, kids, and seniors. She is the founder of Experience Nutrition Group, LLC in Phoenix, and author of “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods" and companion 55-card deck. Melanie is a 2007 graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, 2001 Integrative Medicine Fellow and 2003 Intuition Fellow of the Kaiser Institute, former marketing consultant for Weil Lifestyle, LLC / Andrew Weil, MD, Holistic Nutrition Instructor of Whole Foods Cooking and Conscious Eating at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Tempe, Arizona, and 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher. She received culinary training with the Rouxbe Cooking School Plant-Based Professional Certification. Her company, Experience Nutrition was an Official Health & Wellness Partner of the NFL Alumni Association in 2011. Melanie lives in Phoenix, Arizona. You can always find her shopping at farmers’ markets, experimenting in the kitchen, and practicing yoga.

Melanie Albert

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