“Let my words, like vegetables, be tender and sweet, for tomorrow I may have to eat them.”  Author Unknown

How many servings of vegetables did you eat yesterday?  And French fries DON’T count!

So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.  (Daniel 1:16; NIV)

We all know that we should be eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, right?  We hear it all the time, from many different sources.  That’s a main focus I have when working with nutritional clients.  What can we do so that you get more vegetables into your diet? There are so many wonderful vegetables available to us - many that folks have never bought or prepared.  May I challenge you to be “adventurous?”   Purpose to buy a new vegetable this week that you’ve not prepared before.  It may be an avocado, purple cabbage, or spaghetti squash.   Find a recipe and make it.

This week’s recipe uses fresh, colorful peppers, zucchini, summer squash, and red onion.  It also contains tamari and balsamic vinegar.  In case you’re not familiar with tamari, it can be found in the condiment section of the health food store or most regular grocery stores.Tamari is a dark brown liquid, sold in a glass bottle, and usually slightly thicker than regular soy sauce. The salty fermented paste derived from soybeans, called miso, actually served as the basis for development of tamari. This development occurred during the Edo period (1603-1867) in Asia, when extra water was added to the miso paste to create a thick, dark sauce. The flavor of this sauce was called tamari. Later, changes in the process added wheat to the paste’s ingredients, and today, tamari can be purchased as either wheat-containing or wheat-free.

Most of the regular soy sauce products in the grocery store aisles contain many artificial colorings, preservatives, and MSG.  I don’t recommend using any of the “common” brands of soy sauce.Even though tamari is high in sodium, it has a flavor that goes beyond its saltiness. This means that you can use less tamari than you would salt to get the same level of enjoyment from your foods. Tamari blends well with many spices such as garlic, ginger, and onions.  There are also low sodium brands available.  The most common brands that I’m aware of are Eden and San-J.  Tamari can easily be used in marinades for vegetables and meats.  It can also be used in salad dressings and sauces.  Store tamari in the refrigerator once it’s opened.Enjoy your vegetables!

Link of the Day
Marinated Roasted Vegetables

Blessings on you as you purpose to eat more vegetables.