Antioxidants, Ahoy?

One of my vows this summer is to somehow, miraculously, get my entire family to eat more veggies and fruits.  I love them, and could most likely pretty much subsist on salads, fruit salads, and side dishes as a lifetime eating choice.

Alas, it is not the way with my hubby and child, who must have meat and bread in abundance at meals or it doesn't seem like a meal. 

But I'm working on it.

Aside from sneaking in some veggies to various sauces (you should see my spaghetti sauce and homemade meatballs between the ground up zucchini and carrot and the bits of herbs everywhere), I've begun to try and work veggies and fruit into our family diet in a more straightforward way as well.  Under the assumption that you can't know you like them if you don't realize you are eating them, I've decided that what you can see can be really informative about where your taste buds are headed.

To that end, I've been puttering around looking for really good veggie and fruit recipes that will appeal not just to my broad, veggie-happy taste buds, but also to people who aren't so keen on trying something new all the time.

Because it is summer, all the farmer's markets are cropping up around where we live, and The Peanut and I will try to get to them a little more frequently in the coming weeks.  I find that if we have grown a veggie, or if she gets to help pick it out, she's a little more likely to taste it for me.  

Those of you who have had successes working more veggies and fruits into the diet of a very, very picky and texture-sensitive child's diet, do tell how you did it.  I am more than ready for some creative cooking advice on that score.

In the meantime, I've been looking for recipes that say healthy, antioxidant-filled summer bonanza.  And I've managed to find quite a few.  Thought some of you might find some of these good for your house as well.  Enjoy!


-- Quick-Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce with Spaghetti
-- Tomato-Basil Pizza
-- Chunky Tomato-Fruit Gazpacho
-- Spicy Carrot Salad (Houria)
-- Middle Eastern Carrot Salad
-- Curried Zucchini Soup
-- Zucchini Oven Chips
-- Mango, Avocado and Shrimp Salad
-- Italian White Bean and Artichoke Salad
-- Watermelon Salad (savory version)
-- Fruit Salad with Honey-Yogurt Sauce
-- Blueberry-Peach Cobbler
-- Blueberries with Brown Sugar Cream
-- Cavatappi with Bacon and Summer Veggies
-- Easy Veggie Fried Rice
-- Spinach and Leek Frittata
-- Seasoned Spinach
-- Strawberry Banana Pudding
-- Cheese and Tomato Toasts
-- Citrus-Infused Strawberries
-- Blueberries with Lemon Cream
-- Pineapple-Raspberry Parfaits
-- Tomato-Basil Finger Sandwiches
-- Tropical Cucumber Salad
-- Mediterranean Tuna Antipasto Salad
-- Shrimp-Stuffed Salad Tomatoes
-- Beanless Zucchini Hummus
-- Blueberry Syrup
-- Chevre and Herb-Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
-- Couscous with Seven Vegetables
-- Eggplant Dip
-- Hot and Sour Swiss Chard
-- Italian Artichoke and Leek Salad
-- Mega Berry Antioxidant Spinach Salad
-- Tuna Nicoise Stovetop Casserole



(Photo via Rrrodrigo. Love the saturation of color in this shot -- lovely!)