Phyllis’ Blog

Here’s my dilemma. I ought to eat more vegetables. In fact, I’d like to eat more vegetables. And fruit. And even grains. But where do I find good recipes that take me beyond my practice of steaming a pack of frozen broccoli as a side dish? How do I learn to think first about vegetables when I’m planning dinner?

And a bigger step yet — how can I develop a habit of making vegetables, or whole grains or fruit, the heart of our main meal each day? It’s this simple — where can I find tempting main-dish vegetable, fruit, or whole-grain recipes that will taste good and satisfy?

A Small Confession

I’m not a big violator. I always prepare vegetables or a salad or both for our dinner. And I always have an apple or banana for breakfast. And often some greens for lunch. But they’re the colorful edges and not the main game.

The educators have done their part. I have been convinced that I should re-configure our diet so that fruits, whole grains, and vegetables are the main planks and not just the decorative trim. So where are the tasty recipes that will help me do that?

A Few Non-Negotiables

But I’ve got to be realistic, too. I have a few requirements. I need recipes that don’t call for fancy ingredients or ones that need a lot of special handling. I don’t have time to track down exotic grains. Nor do I have extra hours to extract juice from whole grapes or reconstitute dried beans or even cook red beets, no matter the charm of their plumy tops and finely shaped root ends. Those are pleasures for free time — and I’m woefully short of that.

And there’s something else. I want the people who eat at my table to be satisfied when they finish a meal. I don’t want them off scrounging for snacks an hour or two after they’ve eaten my properly put-together spread of vegetable and fruit dishes. Those of us who anticipate meat or pasta as the center of a meal need a little assistance and patience as we scale those dishes back in favor of whole grains and sturdy vegetables. So I need recipes that satisfy hearty eaters with substantial yet healthy food.

And I’ve got to mention this. It can be expensive to furnish your pantry with fresh berries and spinach and salmon and 95%-lean beef. Although, when you fill up the shelves with these items instead of slabs of ribs and steaks and prepared pizzas and pastas and gravies, you’ll likely find that you’re spending less to feed your household. But cost is an ever-present concern for many of us.

A Little Back Story

Every October, my husband, Merle, and I attend the International Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany. A couple of years ago, our Good Books exhibit was next to Mayo Clinic’s exhibit. During some downtime, we and Mary Rysavy from Mayo admired each other’s books. Mayo Clinic had authoritative volumes about health and diet and exercise. Our exhibit was full of cookbooks and children’s picture books, histories, books about quiltmaking, justice and peacebuilding, and memoirs.

“We ought to work together on a project,” Mary said one day. “Mayo has published some cookbooks, but they really aren’t for everyday use. Your cookbooks are put to daily use. I wonder if we could bring Mayo’s strength in health together with your strength in finding and presenting make-it-again recipes?”

Merle and I were intrigued. Could we gather a collection of recipes that would solidly reflect Mayo’s commitment to healthy eating? And could we find, and then agree on, recipes that meet my criteria — recipes that are tasty, quick and easy to prepare, and that come from good home cooks who are scattered all across the country?

Could This Idea Work?

I worried a little, I admit, that we may not find enough appealing recipes. Could we discover vegetable main dishes with readily available ingredients — that would work for people with very little time, and with almost no confidence in their cooking skills?

What about whole-grain main-dish recipes that would meet the pickiest kids’ standards? And could we move fruit from garnish status to the heart and soul of a meal?

Mayo would insist on healthy recipes. I was dedicated to the idea, because I knew how much I wanted such a collection of recipes for myself.

And so we set out to try. Merle was no less an ardent believer in the possibility of this project, and he threw his insistent encouragement into it every day.

Bless those resourceful home cooks who have already upped the proportion of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains in their daily cooking! Thank you for sharing your tastiest specialties in our Fix-It and Enjoy-It Healthy Cookbook: 400 Great Stove-Top and Oven Recipes!

I wanted to make sure you knew that Fix-It and Enjoy-It Healthy Cookbook, with its 400 make-it-again recipes, is a resource you can trust if you have a dilemma like mine. I have been making these recipes since I first began reading the submitters’ selections, and we are loving the dishes and their ease of preparation!

One More Thing

At this time of year, when you’re more likely to find locally grown, fresh berries and corn and tomatoes and cherries and asparagus and peaches, put these gems at the center of your meals. You won’t be sorry — and you won’t be sacrificing!