Enjoy a Little Veggie Variety

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Enjoy a little veggie variety, boost health, prevent disease

By Pat Kendall

What's good for you and tastes great? Pat Kendall knows -- she's a food

science and human nutrition specialist with the Colorado State University

ative Extension. Her column runs Saturdays.

Eat your vegetables. That was good advice when we were kids, and it's good

advice for adults.

Only 23 percent of Americans eat five or more servings of fruits and

vegetables a day. Increasing physical activity and eating more fruits and

vegetables can help reduce the risk for certain cancers, stroke, diabetes

and heart disease.

It's an easy way to improve health, especially with the abundance of locally

produced fruits and vegetables available during summer months. In addition,

today's vast transportation system ensures a year-round supply of fresh

produce.

If you're limiting your choice in vegetables mostly to lettuce, carrots and

potatoes, it's time to expand your horizons. Consumers have an

ever-expanding variety of vegetables from which to choose in the produce

aisle. The next time you go grocery shopping, make a point of buying a

vegetable you have never tried before. If you're not familiar with how it

can be prepared or eaten, look for an information card located in the

produce aisle or ask the produce manager. Here are a few examples of

vegetables you might enjoy.

Arugula -- a green, leafy vegetable with a distinctive flavor that can be

mixed in green salads or cooked and tossed with pasta or risotto.

Blue potato -- looks and tastes like a normal potato but has blue skin and

flesh. Can be boiled, mashed or microwaved. Makes an eye-catching dish when

used in potato salad.

Bok choy -- a variety of Chinese cabbage that consists of several white,

bunched stems with thick green leaves. Bok choy is often used in stir-fry

dishes but can also be eaten raw.

Daikon radish -- looks like a large, smooth parsnip with a stronger, more

bitter flavor than a red radish. Great sliced and served with a dip, or can

be used in sushi.

Fennel (anise) -- resembles a short celery bunch with feathery leaves and

has a mild licorice flavor. Leaves are often added to fish stews, soups and

casseroles, but can also be eaten raw in salads or used as a garnish. The

bulbs and stalks can be braised, steamed or sauteed, as well as added to

soups.

Jicama -- a root vegetable that is crisp, crunchy, and slightly sweet. Can

be peeled, sliced and eaten raw by itself or mixed in salads. Jicama also

makes a great addition to stews and stir-fried dishes.

Kale -- one of the oldest forms of cabbage and often used as a garnish, this

dark green leafy vegetable is delicious steamed or added to soups. It's rich

in vitamins A and C and a fairly good source of calcium.

Kohlrabi -- this member of the cabbage family resembles a turnip, both in

looks and taste. It can be used in recipes in place of turnips or peeled and

eaten raw by itself or in salads.

Leeks -- a type of onion that looks much like green onions, only bigger and

sturdier. Both the bulbs and leaves are edible. The bulbs are most often

sliced and added to soups or casseroles, while the leaves tend to be used in

salads.

Parsnip -- looks very similar to a carrot in size and shape but is white in

color. With its mild flavor, parsnips can be eaten raw or added to soups and

stews.

Tomatillo -- a member of the tomato family, a tomatillo looks like a small,

green tomato covered in a paperlike husk. It has a citruslike flavor and is

often used in Southwest- and Mexican-inspired dishes, including salsa and

salads.