Another month brings us more vegetables to highlight!
Delicata squash
Recently I came out with a stuffed delicata squash recipe for Plantiful Plate meal plan members that brings out nostalgic feelings of stuffings around the holidays. But this is just one way to eat delicata. Delicata risottos are delicious. One thing I love about delicata is that if baked properly the skin adds a lot of flavors. This makes it a bit unique compared to other squashes where you want to ensure you remove all skin. The only downside I have found is not all grocery stores stock delicata regularly. But when it's in season, like in November I can usually track it down and stock up, as it lasts months in a cool dry pantry.
Garlic
The reason I want to highlight garlic is that, although it is a great flavor addition to many meals, garlic has been shown to boost your immune system. November often seems to be the beginning of cold and flu season. This year, with COVID cases on the rise, I think it's even more important to eat well and nourish your body to keep it as healthy as possible during these difficult times. A great way to add garlic to your meals is to include it in your sauces or marinades. Not only will the flavor be delightful (as long as you don't add too much) but the health benefits are also a great bonus.
Kale
Oh kale yeah! It's time to talk about greens. As you may know I'm hosting a FREE greens challenge over the month of December. One of the greens I love to eat is kale. It can be great in salads, sandwiches and wraps when fresh while still holding its own when steamed or cooked to be used as a side dish. I'll share some recipes during the Eat Green Challenge of my favorite ways to use kale. If you aren't signed up yet, just send me an email you'd like to join emily@loveandplants.com.
Sweet potatoes
I wanted to highlight sweet potatoes this month for a couple of reasons. One, they are delicious and part of many people's holiday meal traditions. Two, they are full of nutrients and can be a healthy part of your holiday meal prep. Some of the benefits I love about sweet potatoes include that they:
Are a good source of vitamin C
Help control blood sugar and maintain energy
can help strengthen your immune system (I'm thinking garlic sweet potatoes may be in some of your futures to double down on the immune-boosting properties)
Promote healthy metabolism
Help mitigate internal and external inflammation
What are your favorite November vegetables?