Variety is important in our food plan and when you add colors to your “vegetable palate” you invite balance into your life. Take advantage of your local farmers market and load up on a rainbow of fresh flavor and health! Make a big dish of cooked vegetables, keep it in the fridge and measure 2 cups daily.

Ingredients:
2 onions
3 peppers in different colors
5 zucchini
1 eggplant
1 small cauliflower
20 Brussel sprouts
4 carrots
20 green beans

Preparation:
Peel, cut and mix all vegetables in a large pan. Add one can “clean” tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and bake on 375 degrees for one hour. Remove the foil and bake for 30 more minutes. Store in a big container in the fridge and enjoy delicious vegetables for the whole week!

Here’s a simple way to cook eggplants, which is the base of baba ghanoush. It’s much easier and less messy than roasting eggplants in the oven.

Ingredients:

2 eggplants

Salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice, and chopped garlic. (The garlic is optional)

1 tablespoon of clean mayonnaise or olive oil

Preparation:

Peel  2 medium-sized eggplants. Use a fork to poke some holes in them and place eggplants in a Pyrex microwaveable dish. Cover and place in the microwave. Cook for 22 minutes or until the eggplants are soft, depending on your microwave’s strength. Let them cool for a few minutes and then chop with a fork or blend in a food processor.

Measure 2 cups of the chopped or blended eggplant and add salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice, and chopped garlic. (The garlic is optional).

If you haven’t had your oil for the day, add one tablespoon of clean mayonnaise or olive oil and mix it all together. If you had your oil already, it will be delicious without it also.

2 cups are a full portion of your cooked vegetables for lunch or dinner.

*I love dipping fresh carrots, peppers and celery sticks in the baba ghanoush, or you can also eat it as a side dish with your lunch or dinner.