Eat Different Vegetables [Challenge]

Matthew Gates http://notetoservices.com 2m 619 #vegetables

The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.

Challenge of the Week: Eat Vegetables

Vegetables often get a very bad rap and are the least favored food by many people, almost never being incorporated into the diet, specifically the American diet. Plenty of people go to the grocery store and have no idea what the vegetable section even looks like. They may go their lifetimes without having ever tasted a vegetable, possibly only liking one or two vegetables, because that is all they have ever been exposed to eating.

For those who do not like vegetables, they may turn to the only two vegetables that are favorable: corn and potatoes. These, however, are not the healthiest vegetables in the bunch, with green vegetables usually being overlooked. Green vegetables are the healthiest and yield great complex carbohydrates into the system, which are necessary for the body to get the essential nutrients.

Many of these vegetables can be acquired through your local grocery store or Trader Joe’s. It is preferable that you buy fresh vegetables or the frozen packages, as canned goods may contain preservatives and others chemicals that the body does not need.

Vegetables are not as bad as many people think and do taste great. There are some that do have an acquired taste, while others may be mixed with other foods in order to create a great taste, and there are plenty more vegetables that taste great on their own. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you which ones taste the best, because everyone’s tastes are different, but here is a list of vegetables that you should try this week, as part of a side dish in your main meal.

Your challenge this week is to try a different vegetable everyday to see which ones you like and could start implementing into your diet, as part of a healthy diet. There are various ways to cook these vegetables, including frying or baking, and some may even be eaten raw.

Artichoke

Arugula

Asparagus

Aubergine (UK) = Eggplant (US)

Amaranth

Legumes

Alfalfa sprouts

Azuki beans (or adzuki)

Bean sprouts

Black beans

Black-eyed peas

Borlotti bean

Broad beans

Chickpeas, Garbanzos, or ceci beans

Green beans

Kidney beans

Lentils

Lima beans or Butter bean

Mung beans

Navy beans

Pinto beans

Runner beans

Soy beans

Peas

Mangetout or Snap peas

Bok choy (known as Bok choy in UK and US)

Broccoflower (a hybrid)

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Calabrese

Cannabis

Carrots

Cauliflower

Celery

Chard

Collard greens

Corn salad

Endive

Fiddleheads (young coiled fern leaves)

Frisee

Herbs and spices

Anise

Basil

Caraway

Cilantro seeds are Coriander

Chamomile

Dill

Fennel

Lavender

Lemon Grass

Marjoram

Oregano

Parsley

Rosemary

Sage

Thyme

Kale

Kohlrabi

Lettuce Lactuca sativa

Maize (UK) = Corn (US) = Sweetcorn (actually a grain)

Mushrooms (actually a fungus, not a plant)

Mustard greens

Nettles

New Zealand spinach

Okra

Onion family

Chives

Garlic

Leek Allium porrum

Onion

Shallot

Spring onion (UK) == Green onion (US) == Scallion

Parsley

Peppers (actually fruits, but treated as vegetables)

Green pepper and Red pepper == bell pepper == pimento

Chili pepper == Capsicum

Jalapeno

Habanero

Paprika

Tabasco pepper

Cayenne pepper

Radicchio

Rhubarb

Root vegetables

Beetroot (UK) == Beet (US)

mangel-wurzel: a variety of beet used mostly as cattlefeed

Carrot

Celeriac

Daikon

Ginger

Parsnip

Rutabaga

Turnip

Radish

Swede (UK) == Rutabaga (US)

Turnip

Wasabi

Horseradish

White radish

Salsify (usually Purple Salsify or Oyster Plant)

Skirret

Spinach

Topinambur

Squashes (actually fruits, but treated as vegetables)

Acorn squash

Butternut squash

Banana squash

Courgette (UK) == Zucchini (US)

Cucumber (actually fruits, but treated as vegetables)

Delicata

Gem squash

Hubbard squash

Marrow (UK) == Squash (US) Cucurbita maxima

Patty pans

Pumpkin

Spaghetti squash

Tat soi

Tomato (actually a fruit, but treated as a vegetable)

Tubers

Jicama

Jerusalem artichoke

Potato

Sweet potato (Yams and Sweet Potato are same)

Taro

Yam

Water chestnut

Watercress

Zucchini

Vegetable list, courtesy of Wikipedia

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