5 Vegetables to Enjoy All Year Round & How to Spice ‘em Up

Here are 5 vegetables that are available all year round and different ways to serve them.

Spinach
Of course it can be used as the base for a salad, but sautéed spinach can add great flavor for an interesting healthy side dish. Use olive oil, garlic and peanuts (or any other nut), for a hearty, flavorful vegetable dish!

Bell Peppers
This vegetable comes in such an array of beautiful colors that it adds variety and nutrients to any dish. Red, yellow, orange, or green they’re all tasty and have many uses. Peppers are a necessity for stir-frys and fajitas, whether it’s a beef, chicken, or vegetable concoction. Try them roasted (char the skin under the broiler, place in an ice bath and peel the skins, then salt) to put on sandwiches or make unique appetizers.

Cabbage
This antioxidant rich vegetable is not just to accompany corned beef! Bacon, sausage, onions, and potatoes are other great pairings. Spices such as dill, thyme, and nutmeg can really bring out a lot of flavor for any variety of cabbage. If nothing else, it’s a great ingredient for homemade soups.

Carrots
This bright, aromatic vegetable can be used with almost anything. It’s not just good for snacking on or slicing on top of a salad. A typical pairing would be with pot roast and potatoes, which adds some essential nutrients to the standard meat and potatoes meal! You can also sauté carrots with a little butter and cinnamon for a yummy side dish.

Cauliflower
Adding color is always good, but that doesn’t mean you should pass on this white cruciferous veggie. Steamed with a little cheese or even just topped with sea salt and pepper can spice it up a lot. We like using it in egg frittatas for breakfast!

Even using most of these as snacks doesn’t have to be boring. Aside from spinach, all of these are great to dip in a little hummus. We love the pesto flavored hummus, but there’s also about 10 other varieties giving you a few different flavors to choose from. The trick is to not just think of vegetables as a boring necessity, but as a versatile food that can be cooked and served in many different fashions. No more excuses about not having any "in-season" vegetables, there’s always something!