Eggplant can be a challenging vegetable to cook. If it’s not cooked right, you get the equivalent to an oil-soaked chunk of memory foam, but cooked correctly, you get the most savory, soft, creamy vegetable you could imagine. Eggplant is also a great vegetable to add to your diet because its nutrient dense with about 3 grams of fiber for 1 cup, an excellent source of potassium, and the skin is rich in anthocyanins, which can help reduce inflammation, and may help improve cardiovascular health. I strongly encourage you to try eggplant, and this is a great starter recipe. –Dana Mealing, RDN, LDN, CIEC, Tevis Center for Wellness community nutrition educator
Tag: antioxidants
Classic Kale Chips
Your healthcare provider may have recommended the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) to help you with your blood pressure, but you may be finding it hard to get in all that veg while cutting back on salty snacks. Try these delicious kale chips for a crunchy snack that’s rich in vitamins C, A, K and antioxidants.
Baked Chicken Veronique
Grape season is here! A choice fruit for late summer, grapes are full of powerful antioxidants. Many of us are familiar with the study that came out years ago that left the media presenting the suggestion that we should drink one glass of red wine a day for our heart health. This is because the powerful antioxidant resveratrol has been shown to help prevent damage to blood vessels and reduce out “bad” cholesterol, known as LDL. However, alcohol is considered a toxin and can be damaging to our health. So how do we get resveratrol in our diet without red wine? Grapes. You can also find it in other fruits, such as blueberries and blackberries. Grapes are a common snack, but most people don’t use them in their cooking. This recipe is a unique sweet and savory way to cook with grapes and get some heart-healthy antioxidants in your system!
Poyha – A Native “Meatloaf” Recipe
Poyha is a traditional Native American dish, commonly attributed as Cherokee in origin, though the recipe has been made by tribes spanning from the Great Plains to the East Coast. The recipe calls for ground venison, but ground turkey will make a great substitute while keeping with traditional foods. Poyha is packed with protein, complex carbs and flavor. Some recipes will mix in additional dried fruits such as sour cherries or blueberries, boosting this dish with antioxidants. Give this seasonal comfort recipe a try, and use local ingredients if possible. This recipe would be paired nicely with a luscious salad or sauteed greens and mushrooms.
Kale & Avocado Salad
This plant-based salad is loaded with fiber, heart-healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants! Adding blueberries to this salad gives a hint of sweetness and a very important antioxidant called anthocyanin that gives fruits and vegetables their deep red-orange and blue-violet colors. Research has shown anthocyanins may reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, help prevent cancer and improve cognitive function. This salad also contains edamame, a soybean high in fiber and protein.
Green Tea & Mango Splash
Get all the health benefits of the antioxidants in green tea while spicing it up, too!
Lemon, Beet and Walnut Salad
Beets have been touted as a superfood due to its high antioxidant content. This delicious salad is a great way to include beets in your diet.
On the Path to Good Health
It’s well established that eating well is important for your overall health. Here are a few ways to make healthy eating fun and interesting: