Veggies Just Needed a Better Recipe

Most people don't struggle to eat enough vegetables because they lack discipline or don't know they're healthy. They struggle because we've made vegetables the least interesting part of the meal.

Think about tonight's dinner.

You'll season the chicken.

Maybe marinate it.

Taste the sauce.

Adjust the seasoning.

Then, with five minutes to go, you'll throw some broccoli into boiling water and hope for the best.

If you boiled a chicken breast with no seasoning and served it plain, nobody would call it a taste sensation.

Yet that's exactly what we expect from our vegetables.

Somewhere along the way, vegetables became the thing we added because we knew we should.

The thing we throw onto the plate at the last minute if there's room—or time.

One thing plant-based cooking gets right

Whether you eat meat or not, there's something we can learn from people who cook great plant-based food.

When vegetables have to carry the meal, they can't afford to be boring.

They get roasted instead of boiled.

Charred instead of steamed.

They're paired with herbs, spices, dressings and contrasting textures.

Vegetables stop feeling like an obligation.

They become something you actually want to eat.

I'm not suggesting you stop eating meat.

I'm suggesting you steal the mindset.

Give your vegetables the same attention you'd already give your chicken, steak or pasta.

Four simple ways to make vegetables more exciting.

Roast instead of boil.

Broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, peppers and courgettes all become sweeter and more flavourful when roasted with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

Add some crunch.

Toasted walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flaked almonds, crispy chickpeas or crumbled feta can completely change the texture of a dish.

Create better layers.

Instead of a handful of mixed leaves, think about layering flavour and texture.

For example:

• Celery, grapes and toasted walnuts.

• Rocket, cherry tomatoes and shaved parmesan.

• Cucumber, tomatoes, red onion and fresh herbs.

A great salad isn't just leaves. It's a combination of flavour, texture and contrast.

Finish with a dressing.

Olive oil with balsamic and Dijon.

Lemon, olive oil and garlic.

Greek yoghurt with herbs.

Tahini with lemon and a drizzle of honey.

Small effort.

Big difference.

The problem was never the vegetables.

They just needed a better recipe.

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Thanks,

Jamie