WAVE A VEGGIE LOUD AND PROUD

Are you a Veggiephobe? Does the mere mention of carrots and broccoli make you want to run around screaming HELP ME!!! .. Do you hide your veggies or better yet try to give them to the dog???... hey dogs eat anything you reason... Does the thought of a crunchy carrot or fresh green beans make you itch all over?? Do you consider your veggies for the day the wilted lettuce leaf and warm tomato on your burger??/ if so... and if Ketchup is your favorite vegetable... then you my friend are a veggiephobe.... Vegetables get such a bad rap.. and I really have no idea why.. they are so bright and colorful and loaded with antioxidants in other words not only are they pretty but they are good for you too... So why are people so frightened of them. You should wave your veggies loud and proud and eat them raw and crunchy too... America has it so wrong... When creating a dinner.. veggies are usually an afterthought.. ... I think we should Have a Veggie celebration and make vegetables the forefront of our meals... How.. How you say can you make something so icky.. so delightful.. RECIPES.. my friend... everything from Eggplant Lasagna, to fresh roasted veggies.. to Veggie Kabobs.. to veggie omelets.. there are so many quick and easy choices out there.. that are good for you too.. and they will not lack in flavor... It is shame that our culture for the most part believes that the most important part of the meal... is the MEAT.. as the Pink Floyd song states.. YOU CAN'T HAVE YOUR PUDDING IF YOU DON'T EAT YOUR MEAT... wellll.... I say the song should say YOU CAN'T HAVE YOUR PUDDING IF YOU DON'T EAT YOUR VEGGIES!!! .. Meat should be treated as a side item. In America we are are blessed with an abundance of good food and if you live on a budget like most of us do.. there are ways to make meals veggie central with out breaking the bank... Many websites out there offer remarkable low cal choices... CHOOSE THEM.. WAVE THOSE VEGGIES.. eat those veggies.. Fill up on those Veggies ... Try a new veggie every day... C'mon you know you want too... C'mon.. try it... You'll like it!!!!!!!

Here .. check this out....
From the Mayo Clinic website ( go to healthy living and click on recipes)
http://mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/RE00125

Recipe:
Asparagus, tomato and red pepper French bread pizza
Dietitian's tip: For a crispier pizza, bake on a pizza stone — a heavy, round plate that simulates the brick bottoms of some commercial pizza ovens. For best results, put the pizza stone on the lowest oven shelf.
SERVES 4
Ingredients
1 cup Asparagus
1 cup diced Roma Tomatos
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 loaf French bread, about 8 inches long, sliced in half and cut into 4-inch sections
1 cup pizza sauce
1 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, add the asparagus, tomatoes and pepper. Add the garlic and toss gently to coat evenly.
Arrange the French bread on the baking sheet. Add 1/4 cup of the pizza sauce and 1/4 of the vegetable mixture to each section. Sprinkle each with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake until the cheese is lightly browned and the vegetables are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Calories
252
Cholesterol
18 mg
Protein
13 g
Sodium
650 mg
Carbohydrate
36 g
Fiber
4 g
Total fat
6 g
Potassium
327 mg
Saturated fat
3 g
Calcium
274 mg
Monounsaturated fat
2 g

By Mayo Clinic Staff Jan 1, 2005
© 1998-2007 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Reliable tools for healthier lives," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
NU00461

This is an example of just one option out there if you are willing to be creative... and let meat join the ranks of the side dishes..
Wish me well
Wish you well too...