Taking care of our family and each other includes finding ways to give them good, nutritious meals, and that can be challenging. What are you going to do when they will only eat vegetables familiar from childhood: green beans, peas, corn and potatoes? Green beans were often cooked in bacon grease and loaded with bacon bits. The peas and potatoes may have been swimming in a rich creamy white sauce and butter. Take away the sauces and you are left with a simple dish that can get old quickly.
Let’s face it, canned vegetables night after night can be boring at best and not that nutritious. Personally, I prefer frozen or fresh vegetables; however, budget and time constraints often push me to the pantry to grab a canned vegetable and heat it up quickly for dinner. Here are a couple of ways to garnish those simple vegetables without adding a lot of calories and fat.
ITALIAN STYLE GREEN BEANS
Drain and rinse two cans of green beans; add a can of chopped Italian tomatoes; heat well and serve.
Now that was easy, right? Experiment with other additions and you’ll be amazed how a plain can of green beans will look more appealing and taste great.
For a more festive meal; try replacing the traditional calorie-laden green bean casserole with this recipe.
HOLIDAY VEGETABLE CUPS
Drain two cans of green beans, rinse and heat in a skillet with a small amount of olive oil. Season to taste – experiment with basil, dill, or other herbs.
Trim crusts from eight slices of whole grain bread, lightly buttered. Carefully push center of bread slices down into muffin tin. This will form a pocket with four corners sticking out. Lightly toast in the oven. Scoop out a couple tablespoons of hot green beans and top with bell pepper, slivered almonds, chopped onion, a sprinkle of grated or Parmesan cheese, or a dollop of sour cream.
Many housewives are planning their meals based on what the market has in its sales announcements this week. You can often find low sodium and low sugar items for sale as well. When you do, stock up on them. If not, most vegetables can be rinsed before heating or added to a recipe without losing flavor. The key is to find nutritious foods that will actually be eaten.
In short: be brave, experiment. Do your best to make mealtime a special time with your family while enjoying the bounty God has provided. Let me hear from you with your ideas. Enjoy!
Susie Kinslow Adams
