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Thank you for your kind words....I'm happy that you found my posts fun and useful, and are hoping that I'll be back
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Getting kids to eat veggies isn't easy - every family has tried numerous ways to include veggies in their child's diet, sometimes they succeed, and sometimes they don't. If you don't have kids, you might have nephews and nieces who are picky eaters and veggies are definitely not their favorite foods and must be sneaked into their food. Another alternative is making the food presentation attractive like mini quiches, mini muffins, tiny pancakes, mini pizzas and calzones. Everyone's favorite macaroni and cheese can be baked in individual portions. Think small, think attractive colors, and they will be motivated to try it, and who knows, they might just eat it.

These little baked cherry tomatoes and pearl onions are appealing to kids because they are cute and topped with some gooey cheese. The best thing is everyone gets their own little baked tart or something like a tart, right? And, I haven't met any kid who doesn't anything small and cute that is topped with their favorite cheese.

All you have to do is use store-bought pastry, some cherry tomatoes, pearl onions, and cheese. Any cheese that is their favorite should work in this recipe. I cut some pastry into 3-inch rounds and piled on some sliced cherry tomatoes and pearl onions. Spread some shredded cheddar cheese and dried thyme. Baked in a 375-degree oven for about 15 minutes until the cheese was gooey and the pastry golden brown. Allowed to cool and served. I hope the kid in your life will think this is cute and try it. Good Luck!!View Thread

Bell peppers are nutritious and packed with vitamins. WebMD has a detailed description of health benefits of peppers here .
We use peppers of all kinds in our cooking, sometimes bell peppers but more often thai bird chillies, jalapenos and mexican chillies. Red pepper flakes and chilli powder find their way into our many curries and stews.
These colorful sauteed bell peppers and a boiled egg was dinner tonight, which was all scooped up with homemade flatbreads (rotis). It can also be rolled into a fajita or piled onto a sandwich....endless possibilities. You can also make it heartier by adding some potatoes.
There isn't much of a recipe for this simple dish which comes together in minutes. I sauteed sliced onions, garlic, ginger, bell peppers, a little diced tomato, and some spinach in olive oil. This recipe doesn't call for any other spices so as to not mask the flavor of the bell peppers. I topped it with a hard-boiled egg, some cilantro and had it with flatbreads. You can read it here .


A perfect pasta salad for your next entertaining event, or for your quick lunch. No creamy dressing, nothing heavy and rich, just tiny bow-tie pasta tossed with dried cranberries, peas, walnuts, parsley, and a healthy dose of extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Pleasing to the eye and full of nutrition, takes just a few minutes to get it to the table.
You can read more in this post.
Cranberries are plentiful in the Fall, and I try to use it in baked goodies, salads, or sometimes in a homemade granola mix. Cranberries are full of antioxidants, which protects cells from damage by unstable molecules called free radicals. The health benefits of cranberries include prevention of urinary tract infection, lowering cholesterol, and cancer prevention.
Ingredients I used:
- 1/2 cup of your favorite pasta (I used tiny bow-tie pasta)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Freshly ground black pepper

Few simple steps:
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and keep aside.
- Cook peas in boiling water for about 3 minutes and set aside.
- Mix the olive oil and lemon juice with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper until well combined.
- In a bowl, toss the pasta, peas, cranberries, walnuts, parsley and mix well.
- Pour the dressing and let the salad rest for some time until flavors are well combined before serving.
- Enjoy!

During Fall, pumpkins and squashes are found in several incarnations on the dining table. They make their way into pumpkin scones and muffins, breads and pies. Squash is used a lot in soups, casseroles, and stews.
I made this simple Pumpkin Curry today and adding a handful of shredded chicory enhanced its nutritional value and made it extra healthy. It goes well with rice, breads, and flatbreads like rotis. The ingredient list appears long, but it is just a few simple steps to make this healthy and delicious curry. Turmeric gives the curry its vibrant color while cumin and coriander give it a warm smoky flavor.
Ingredients I used for the curry:
2 cups pumpkin, cubed and boiled
1 cup chicory, finely shredded (use your favorite greens)
2 tbsp diced onion
2 tbsp diced tomato
1 clove garlic. minced
A small piece of ginger, minced
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp cumin powser
1/8 tsp chilli powder
1/8 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp black mustard seeds
A pinch of salt
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
Follow these steps to a delicious curry:
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan and add diced onions, tomatoes, garlic and ginger. Cook until tender.
- Add the spices (coriander, cumin, chilli and turmeric) and stir well. Allow to cook for a minute.
- Add the chicory and stir until the chicory begins to wilt.
- Add the diced pumpkin and water. Add salt to taste and cover.
- Cook for about 10 minutes until well combined.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When seeds pop, add to the curry and stir.
- Variation: You can substitute coconut milk instead of water for a creamier curry.

This salad is a combination of whole grain, fiber and beta carotene rich sweet potato and the fall favorite, pear. It is very easily put together and requires minimum fussing over the stove. It tastes good warm or at room temperature. You can substitute apples for pears in this recipe, and use herbs of your choice or omit them if you do not have them. You can find the detailed recipe on my blog as well.
Ingredients I used:
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, and cut into chunks
1 pear, peeled and diced into small cubes
1/2 cup bulgur wheat
1 cup hot water
1 small chilli, finely minced (optional)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 tbsp butter
Salt to taste
A few simple steps and you are done:
- Soak the bulgur wheat in one cup hot water, close the pan, and set aside.
- Boil the sweet potato chunks and dice it.
- Heat a medium skillet and add butter, diced pears, and sweet potato. Add minced chilli and salt.
- Continue cooking until the pears and sweet potatoes begin to carmelize and look yummy....
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- Uncover the bulgur wheat and fluff with a fork. Add a pinch of salt and mix well.
- Toss the caramelized goodness into the bulgur and toss gently - do not mash up the lovely brown diced pears.
- Sprinkle with lemon juice and chopped cilantro. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

http://shantz-tastymorsels.blogspot.com/2011_10_01_archive.html
Thanks.View Thread

Although apples are a fall-time favorite, and apple pies and cobblers are the most popular apple recipes, there are a few unsung apples out there who find their way to a healthy and tasty snack, complete with crunch, cheesy apples and a thin crust to hold it all together. I posted this easy quesadilla recipe on my blog. It is quick, easy, and tasty. It is awesome when still warm, but leftovers are good too for a light lunch, that is, if there are any leftovers!
Ingredients:
1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese
A pinch of salt
2 medium sized tortillas (whole wheat)
1 tsp olive oil
Method:
- Heat olive oil in a small skillet and brown apples and onions until carmelized. Set aside.
- Warm a griddle and warm a tortilla until browned.
- Spread the apple-onion mixture on the tortilla and top with grated cheese.
- Place the other tortilla on the apple-onion mixture and continue to heat until the cheese begins to melt.
- Carefully flip over the tortillas and brown the other side.
- When browned to your perfection, slide onto a cutting board.
- If you can wait until the quesadilla slightly cools, that would be great. If not, cut into wedges and enjoy!!

I posted this delicious recipe on my blog, click here to see the post.
Ingredients:
1 lb. cabbage, finely shredded
1 cup frozen edamame
1 cup frozen green peas
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small jalapeno, finely diced (optional) or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup water or vegetable broth
Salt to taste
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. fresh herb (your favorite herb)
Method:
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet and add cumin seeds. When cumin seeds are toasted, add sliced onions and minced garlic and cook to medium brown.
- Add jalapeno or red pepper flakes and stir.
- Add frozen edamame and green peas and cook for a minute.
- Add cabbage, salt, and water or broth. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes or until cabbage is tender.
- Garnish with any herbs of your choice and sprinkle lemon juice.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.

1 bunch greens, thinly sliced (turnip greens, collard greens, swiss chard, kale, etc.)
1 sausage, crumbled (you can use any kind you like, including veggie sausage)
1 leek, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 tsp grated ginger
2 tbsp olive oil
1/s tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 15-oz can chickpeas, washed and drained
4 cups water or chicken or veggie broth
A pinch grated nutmeg
Salt to taste
Method:
1. Heat a dutch oven and add olive oil. Add crumbled sausage and brown gently.
2. Add sliced leek, garlic and grated ginger.
3. Add red pepper flakes, ground cumin and coriander and stir gently until spices are toasted.
4. Add chickpeas and stir.
5. Add water or broth and bring to a boil.
6. Add greens and let simmer until greens are cooked through.
7. Taste for seasoning before adding salt because the sausage, chickpeas, and broth will render some saltiness to the stew.
8. Sprinkle nutmeg and drizzle a few drops of extra virgin olive oil and serve warm with crusty bread or rice. You can alter the use of red pepper flakes with ground black pepper or omit it altogether if you are not a fan of spicy food. Enjoy!!View Thread
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