I feel like I am constantly reminding myself to eat something green…

… and that a few iceberg lettuce shreds on a sandwich, dried parsley flakes, and a bite of a pickle don’t count.

I like green things (except mesclun greens — barf); I just don’t always… get around to it.

If there were a magical buffet of sauteed zucchini or steamed asparagus or blanched peas sitting in my kitchen at all times, I would help myself all day long and would not have to nag or remind myself to make that extra “green foods” effort.

(Cheese, however, is another thing. I never have to remind myself to fit in a daily serving of cheese.)

I also get tired of eating the same vegetables all the time. I buy whatever looks good at the grocery that day, but oftentimes I look at the broccoli and the brussels sprouts and just feel so… over it.

I don’t know how you feel about it. Maybe you are a green foods enthusiast and find it much easier to wash and chop and season and cook a wide array of green vegetables than to, say, throw a slice of cheese onto a Triscuit. (Aren’t you so wonderful.)

But in case you are like me and easily come down with a case of the green food blues, here are a couple of quick and easy ways to get in your servings of vegetables. And yes, I know that the cauliflower is purple and not green. It’s grape-flavored. (Just kidding; it’s not. It tastes like cauliflower.)

SAUTEED HARICOTS VERTS
1 bag haricots verts or French-style green beans
2 T butter
1/2 onion, finely diced
Salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in a heavy skillet and add onions, cooking until the onions are soft and the butter is well infused with the onion flavor.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add green beans, and boil until beans turn bright green and are cooked al dente. This will only take a couple of minutes. Add beans to onion and butter, sauteing for several minutes. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER
1 head of cauliflower (any color), rinsed and cut into pieces
2 T (approx) canola or olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Toss cauliflower pieces with oil, salt & pepper in a bowl until coated (feel free to use more or less oil). Spread onto a foil-lined baking sheet and bake about 25 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork and beginning to brown.

Reward yourself for eating vegetables by having some ice cream.

xoxo,

P.S. A big THANK YOU to all the veterans today!!!