Veggies: from BLAH to Breathtaking: Fat Makes all the Difference!

Steamed broccoli.

Blanched asparagus.

Raw bell peppers.

Grilled zucchini.

All fantastic, all nutrient dense.

And yes, all rather on the plain side.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m a firm believer that simply can be the best way to go in terms of prep time and ability to remake a dish into something else once it becomes a leftover, but if all we ever do is plain, it can come back to bite us in the bum.

For one thing, we can certainly eat too much of a good thing.  Too much kale (without enough iodine from seaweed) could compromise thyroid function.   Too much protein (without enough fiber and fat) can cause constipation.  And too many almonds can be quite inflammatory.

For another, since eating is more than just a matter of supplying our bodies with nourishment, but something meant to be enjoyed by all senses, if we stick with plain, it’s simply not as satisfying.

The last thing we’d want to do is create a scenario in which we’re feeling so bored of eating plain veggies that we decide that the only way to live a little is to go way beyond the scope of healthy, mindful eating and head to the nachos, corn dogs and pizza.

Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a happy medium?

There is.

And it’s called fat.

If we don’t have fat with our veggies (and lean protein), not only do we feel less satiated, leading to that old habit of needing to ‘graze’ throughout the day, we absorb less nutrients from our food and most importantly, don’t enjoy the meal as much.

Consider how you’d feel if you ate a meal of steamed broccoli with lemon juice and a plain baked chicken breast.

Not bad, right?

But what if that’s what you ate for lunch every day?

Now let’s reposition to that meal including some rich fat sources.   Duck fat on a whole, roast cauliflower.   Coconut oil on a tray of grilled sprouts.  Roasted, charred broccoli with olive oil drizzled on top after cooking!

Now we’re talking!

The best part of all?

It’s beyond easy to create a plethora of ‘veggie + fat dishes in next to no time’.

Check out the recipes above and stand by for my Leeks Roasted Beneath a Whole Chicken Recipe coming soon!

And in the meantime, add some fat to your morning tea or coffee instead of sugar- your blood sugar levels and your concentration will thank you!