This post is sponsored by Bolthouse Farms
Hi choir, I’m preaching to you!
My health and understanding of weight loss and nutrition really took a turning point when I read the book Superfoods HealthStyle back in 2007 and realized that health is not about what you don’t eat but what you do. Eating then became a game to see how many nutritious foods I could pack onto my plate. I began trying new foods (like kale, sardines, beets) and experimenting with creative ways to enjoy them.
I’ll admit, I am one of the many who features unhealthier foods on my Instagram feed.
#cake #donuts #wine – yum
But #broccoli, #greensmoothies and #oatmeal have gotten some attention too!
Bolthouse Farms had the idea to track the social media attention of fruits and vegetables verses the unhealthier foods and created the Food Porn Index to track them. People love to post pictures of their food, but fruits and veggies are underrepresented in a 75% to 25% ratio of unhealthy to healthy.
The site is quite mesmerizing – if you click on any of the foods you’ll jump to a screen where you can watch them do crazy things – from a heart “beet” to avocados you can squash into guacamole with your mouse.
In the spirit of celebrating fruits and vegetables, here is my top 10 list of favorites and the ways I enjoy them most.
Kath’s Top 10 Favorite Fruits And Vegetables {And Ways To Enjoy Them}
10. Brussels sprouts \\ roasted with blue cheese and bacon \\ shaved and sautéed
9. Herbs \\ pesto! \\ rosemary grilled meat \\ dilly potato salad \\ cilantro garnish \\ thyme-y chicken
8. Crunchy apples \\ out of hand (obviously) \\ smothered in almond butter \\ roasted with cinnamon
7. Okra \\ roasted into fries \\ coated in cornmeal and baked \\ in a gumbo or soup
5. Avocado \\ as yogamole \\ cubed into a salad \\ smashed on a sandwich with a fried egg
4. Kale \\ chipped \\ sautéed with some bacon and maple syrup \\ wilted into a soup or pasta
3. Raspberries \\ fresh from the farmer’s market into mouth \\ in overnight oats \\ dunked in a smoothie
2. Tender lettuce \\ dressed and topped with crispy salmon \\ tossed with goat cheese and almonds
and…..
1. Bananas \\ whipped in oatmeal \\ smashed on toast with almond butter \\ swirled into banana soft serve
Honorable mention: Mushrooms, heirloom tomatoes, pears, peaches, zucchini, red bell peppers.
To keep the conversation going about all the ways we can enjoy fruits and veggies, I am hosting a Twitter chat this Thursday, March 6 at 8:30pm EST / 5:30 PST with Bolthouse Farms. Follow along @Katheats, @Bolthouse Farms and #FoodPornIndex.
Do you have a favorite gorgeous photo of a fruit or vegetable? Please share a link!
Jill @ Fitness, Health and Happiness says
The Food Porn Index is so stinkin’ cool! Now I need to check out your overnight oats link. I make overnight oats often and love to find ways to change them up a bit.
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats says
Bananas are a good one! I’d say roasted vegetables of just about any kind are my favorite, it’s the best way to make them!
simple green moms says
We vote for AVOCADOS =) they are yummy in sooooo many ways!
Jackie says
Bananas are my favorite too!!!!
Kristen Davison says
I love looking at pictures of fruit! I used to avoid it because of sugars but now I can’t imagine a day without it! I follow @fullyrawkristina she has the most amazing pictures of fruit!
robin says
Hard one, because I LOVE them all. I didn’t start eating beets though until a couple years ago. Now I even love them raw, so sweet great in salads !
Livi says
I love shaved brussels sprouts. Crispy and roasted to perfection…it doesn’t get much better than that!
Catherine says
I’ve never had okra, but roasting them seems like an easy and yummy way to prepare them. I’ll have to do that soon! I also just wanted to let you know that, in the years that I’ve been following your blog, I have always loved visiting it. You are a great writer and your page set-up is very clean, organized, and attractive. Just thought I’d share! 🙂
Lydia Rehrman says
Hi Kath,
I love reading your blog! I also agree that trying to fit as many healthy foods in our body is the key. The problem is that if you fill up on unhealthy things, there is no room for the good stuff! 🙂
Becky says
Corn, asparagus, arugula, apples, berries, cherries, bananas, sweet potatoes & okra. I credit you with turning me onto the idea of roasted okra – Edie girl now demands it weekly in season. Thank you! It’s really sort of sublime.
Hillary | Nutrition Nut on the Run says
we have a lot of the same favorite foods: kale, bananas, raspberries, kale, and Brussels. Have all of these in my kitchen at the moment 🙂
Mom says
So interesting and your photos really pop!
RunEatRepeat says
I have no idea how to cook okra! Send help.
Ash says
You forgot #6
KathEats says
I guess I’m still undecided!!
Lauren @ Focused To Be Fit says
I’m not a fan of brussel sprouts, but the way you describe them with blue cheese and bacon….I feel as though I could have a change of heart.
Michelle @ A Healthy Mrs says
One of my favorite veggies is cauliflower — I feel like it’s often underrated!
Tiffany says
Me too, Michelle! It is really one of my favorites when roasted.
Here, is my favorite recipe! This recipe can seriously get you to eat an entire head of cauliflower lol!
http://plantpoweredkitchen.com/almond-roasted-cauliflower-and-evolving-taste-buds/
As a side note – I don’t bother to coat it in oil because I don’t think it makes a big difference as I’ve tied it both ways. I just lay the cauliflower (cut into medium florets) on parchment paper and just let it roast then top with the nutritional yeast and almond meal. Its also great without the topping!
Donna says
Our son, the foodie, taught us how to grill fresh okra. He washes and dries it, puts them on skewers, brushes them with olive oil, and sprinkles on seasonings (Tony’s Cajun seasoning is our favorite!), and grills them! They do not get soggy. They get crisp! Delicious in the summertime when you can get fresh okra at the farmer’s market.
Tiffany says
Wow, Donna! this sounds amazing! I’ll definitely have to try it! I usually make a tomato okra stew that is really delicious! Cant wait to try a new alternative! Thanks!
Alex @ Kenzie Life says
One of the things I really love about your blog is that you show a great balance between healthy eating and treats and I think that is so important. I’m really proud of the way I eat because I know I have a healthy, mostly unprocessed diet but more importantly, the way I eat makes me feel good both physically and mentally.
Elisabeth says
My favorite fruits & veggies are blackberries, raspberries, Red Haven peaches, roasted sweet potatoes, fresh green beans, red cabbage…a lots more! I’m probably more of a veggie lover than fruit, for the most part.
Melissa Moore Johnson says
Here’s a favorite photo of a favorite fruit. I especially love it because it was taken outside of my busy office building in L.A., but from the photo you wouldn’t know it. Looks like it was taken out in the country on vacation or something! http://instagram.com/p/NSIoaCDhxV/
KathEats says
Love it!
Nancy @ Top Pressure Cooker Reviews says
I have to try these! I just bought some raspberry liqueur so now I’m just waiting for the right occasion. I’m hardly waitinG! Thanks for the great recipe! 🙂
Ash Bear says
I am absolutely loving clementines, bananas, apples, and dried apricots as office snacks these days! In addition, I just discovered the power of pesto – holy yum!
Lizzy says
Love the beautiful photos on your post and the simplistic approach you take in preparing fruits and veggies as the main stars in many of your meals. Here’s one of my favorite phone/Instagram photos where I made fruit center stage in our meal with mango and avocado tacos and a watermelon feta salad:
http://ontherhoades.wordpress.com/2013/05/page/2/
http://ontherhoades.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/051313_fruity-dinner-7.jpeg