Recipe Sharing: Global Flavors: Bahamian Food

My ethnic background is Bahamaian-American. My mother was American, and my father was from The Bahamas. I sort of have a tradition of sharing a little something about my Bahamian roots in every community that I join. What I would like to share with this group is Bahamian food. Matador Network published an excellent article titled “Traditional Bahamian food and dishes from the Bahamas”. The 8 foods are listed below.

🏝️1. Johnny cake

Johnny cake is considered the unofficial bread of the Bahamas, with roots tracing back to Indigenous and early colonial cooking. Despite the name, it’s not a cake at all but a dense, slightly sweet bread baked in a skillet. Many Bahamians enjoy it with butter, cheese, or alongside savory dishes like stews and souse.

🏝️2. Conch salad

Conch salad is a national treasure made with raw conch “cooked” in citrus, similar to ceviche. It became popular as fishermen prepared it fresh right on their boats. Locals often debate who makes the best version — spicy, tropical, or classic.

🏝️3. Chicken souse

Chicken souse is a light, tangy broth seasoned with lime, allspice, and peppers, traditionally served as a weekend comfort food. Historically, souse was made with whatever meat was available, making it a thrifty but flavorful dish. It’s also a beloved Bahamian “hangover cure.”

🏝️4. Guava duff

Guava duff is a steamed Bahamian dessert featuring rolled dough filled with guava and drenched in a warm rum butter sauce. Its origins reflect British steamed puddings adapted with Caribbean fruit. Many families guard their duff recipes like treasure.

🏝️5. Rum cake

Rum cake became popular in the Bahamas thanks to the islands’ long history of rum production dating back to the 1700s. The cake is soaked in rum syrup, making it incredibly moist and long-lasting — perfect for gifting. Some bakeries even ship them worldwide as a taste of the islands.  

NOTE:  There is Non‑alcoholic rum is a zero‑proof spirit designed to mimic the flavor of rum — the molasses, caramel, spice, and oak — without the alcohol content.  You can make rum cake without rum.

• Can You Make Rum Cake Without Rum? Delicious Alternatives! | Meemaw's Recipes 
• Non-Alcoholic Rum Cake | Ann Clark 

🏝️6. Pigeon peas and rice

Pigeon peas and rice are a staple Sunday dish, flavored with tomatoes, thyme, salted pork, and coconut milk. The dish reflects West African culinary influences brought to the Caribbean. It’s so iconic that many Bahamians judge a cook’s skill by their peas and rice.

NOTE:  This recipe varies by cook.  Some omit the salt pork.  Some use chicken broth instead of coconut milk.  Some use bay leaf instead of thyme.  Some use tomato sauce or paste instead of tomatoes.

🏝️7. Goombay Smash

The Goombay Smash was created in the 1960s by Miss Emily at her bar in Green Turtle Cay. This fruity rum cocktail is named after “Goombay,” a Bahamian music style featuring goatskin drums. Visitors still travel to the original bar to taste the authentic version.

NOTE: A non-alcoholic Goombay Smash (often called a Virgin Goombay) is a fruity, tropical mocktail that captures the essence of the Bahamas. It typically blends pineapple, orange, and apricot flavors with a hint of coconut. [1, 2, 3]

The Recipe

This single-serving recipe perfectly balances sweet and citrusy flavors to mimic the iconic island classic:

• Pineapple Juice: 3 oz
• Orange Juice: 1.5 oz
• Cream of Coconut: 0.5 oz (use canned, unsweetened coconut cream or coconut milk)
• Apricot Nectar or Jam: 0.5 oz (acts as a stand-in for the traditional apricot brandy)
• Fresh Lime Juice: 0.25 oz
• Angostura or Orange Bitters: 2 dashes
• Garnish: Pineapple wedge and a maraschino cherry [1]

Instructions:

1. Fill a cocktail shaker or mason jar with ice.
2. Pour in the pineapple juice, orange juice, coconut cream, apricot nectar, lime juice, and bitters.
3. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds until the mixture is chilled and frothy.
4. Strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice.
5. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and a cherry! [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Pro-Tips & Shortcuts

• To nail the coconut flavor without real cream: You can use 0.5 oz of a non-alcoholic coconut syrup (like Monin).
• Want it frozen? Throw all the ingredients into a blender with a cup of ice and pulse until you have a slushie consistency.
• Want a shortcut mix? Brands like Margarita Man sell ready-made Goombay Smash concentrate that you can simply mix with water and blend for a virgin slushie. [1, 2]

SOURCE

🌴🍹🍉⛱️🥥

🏝️8. Conch fritters

Conch fritters are deep-fried balls of chopped conch mixed with peppers, onions, and spices — a favorite festival food. They became popular as a way to use tougher conch meat by tenderizing it in batter. Every cook has their own secret seasoning blend.

Out of these 8 foods, the 3 foods that I remember our family eating regularly when I was growing up were conch salad, conch fritters, and pigeon peas and rice. These dishes are very easy to make. However, depending on where you live, the ingredients may not be available. You may live in a place where you can just go to the local fish market to buy conch. 

If not, just Google “where can you get fresh conch”, and you will find online stores. The same thing for pigeon peas. You might be able to get them at your local grocery store. If not, you can buy canned or dried pigeon peas. The other 5 Bahamian dishes on the list are just as tasty. But the three I mentioned have special memories. Here are links to the recipes. Hope you get a chance to try them.

Conch Salad

Conch Fritters

Pigeon Peas and Rice

NOTE: Some people vary the conch salad recipe by adding diced mango or pineapple. * * *  

Healthy Food Trends and Eating Habits for Life!

This article (link below) was published over a year ago via Consumer Reports. I am a firm believer that what might be a food trend one year could become a regular healthy eating habit that same year and beyond.

Healthy Food Trends to Watch for in 2019 (AND BEYOND!)

~ It's a brand new year! Why not evaluate this list and determine if you have incorporated any of these healthy food trends for 2019 into your healthy eating habits.

Non-Dairy Milks? 

CHECK! I live with family members who are lactose-intolerant. They have to drink non-dairy milks. I drink it cause I like the taste.

Mindful Eating?

Uhh … ??? It's a dietary approach. I'm going to have to do a little more research.

Mindful Eating 101 — A Beginner’s Guide | Healthline

8 steps to mindful eating - Harvard Health

Chickpeas?

CHECK! I started eating chickpeas in the 70s when my university roommate took me to my first salad bar at a restaurant. They made a great addition to a salad. I learned later that you could also put them in soups and make hummus with them. On top of that, the nutritionists say they're good for me? Score!

Chayote?

I live in Texas and our grocery store gets a lot of their produce from Mexico. It's not that expensive to buy. Chayote is a squash that is used in Mexican cuisine. We eat a lot of Mexican food in Texas. (Also used in Jamaican and Brazilian cuisine.)  My only excuse is that … Ummm? I got nothing! I don't have an excuse. I've just never tried this veggie in a recipe. Have you?

10 Impressive Benefits of Chayote Squash

Learn About Chayote Squash : Article - GourmetSleuth

Chayote with Tomato and Green Chile Recipe | SimplyRecipes.com

Sautéed Chayote Squash Recipe | The Spruce Eats

Plant 'Meat'?

CHECK! Everybody is doing it. Right? Well not everybody, but I am. To my surprise, I like the taste. In my personal case, my late husband had to change his diet because of a health condition. I wasn't going to prepare separate meals. One his way and one my way. So I started eating his way. His way was incorporating plant 'meat' into his diet. He's gone now. But I'm OK with still eating meat alternatives.

By the way, you can use chickpeas to make burgers.

Easiest Vegan Chickpea Burgers - Loving It Vegan

Foods for Sensitive Stomachs?

This is not a problem for me. My stomach is lined with iron. But I did learn an interesting food fact. “FODMAP” means fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. Evidently FOMAP foods are big in Australia. I live in the USA. We're starting to come around.

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So have you incorporated any of these 2019 healthy food trends into your diet?

If not, here's another consumer report:

9 Ways to Follow a Healthier Diet in 2020

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I'm no food expert, dietician, nutritionist, or professional in the food industry. I just like writing about my foodie adventures. You can find some more of my writings at My Foodie Luv (my Medium publication) and Food Ways (this blog).

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Would you happen to be interested in pesto?

I’m very proud of this article. It was accepted for publication at Vocal.Media and was selected as a Vocal Staff Pick and featured.

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Pesto

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Original source

ATTN: Newbie Cooks! Best Seasonings and Cookbook for Cajun and Creole Cuisine

If you have ever been to New Orleans, Louisiana US, then you know that region is known for its Cajun and Creole cooking.  There is a difference between Cajun and Creole cooking.  Some say Cajun dishes are spicier.  

• Per AllRecipes.com: "Cajun cooking (is) more rustic and Creole cooking (is) more refined." 
• Per New Orlesn.com:  "Creole food typically uses tomatoes and tomato-based sauces while traditional Cajun food does not."

But I say no matter which ... it's all good!

Even though I have stood at a stove for 40+ years, my culinary skills are still at the newbie level.  Dining out at "authentic" restaurants or even ordering for delivery is usually not an option.  That's why I find shortcuts to creating the taste of a particular cuisine.  I am happy to recommend two brands of seasonings for those who want to prepare their own Cajun or Creole dishes.  The official websites for each of these companies have a section dedicated to recipes.  But you might also find this cookbook helpful: The Easy Creole and Cajun Cookbook: Modern and Classic Dishes Made Simple by Ryan Boudreaux.  

(NOTE:  Read free with your Kindle subscription OR ... the paperback book is less than $10 so it would be a great idea for a white elephant gift exchange. 🎅)

Best Seasoning for Cajun Cooking:  Slap Ya Mama!

Yes, there is a difference between these two types of cuisines, but for my palette, there is no difference. Every dish I have ever tried whether it was Cajun or Creole, it was delicious.

But I have only been to New Orleans once and it is likely I will never visit again.  If you are like me and you don't live in New Orleans but you want to try to make your own Cajun food, use slapyamama seasonings.  You can shop for their products via the Amazon store OR go directly to their official website. You can also find recipes on the website.  I met the company owner through Facebook years ago. They sent me free samples of their products to try. Even though the Original Cajun Blend is the best seller, my favorite is the Cajun seasoning for fish fry.  This company was founded in 2001 and is owned by The Walker family, (TW, Mama Jen, Jack, Joe, Tana, Andi, and Ruby).

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Best Seasoning for Creole Cooking:  Tony Cachere

Creole refers to people who are of mixed European and African descent (A little French, a little Spanish, a little Afro-Caribbean, etc.). That specific group of people made their home in Louisiana USA. (Just ask Beyoncé Knowles, the Creole Queen.) They have their special style of cooking which is referred to as Creole cuisine.

If you have ever tasted Creole recipes and you want to make your own, Tony Chachere is one of the best products on the market. They have been in business since the 70s, about half a century.  I discovered the Tony Chacere brand because one of my children bought a can of the seasoning home from the local grocery store. He didn't want to use the herbs and spices in my kitchen cabinet for his cooking, so he bought his own flavorings.

Once I tried their Original Creole Seasoning, I was hooked! I use it to season meat, in my rice dishes, and on my veggies.

For those who may have to watch their salt intake, they have No-Salt seasonings.  If you can not find their products at your local grocery store, go to Amazon OR to their official website.  Tony Chachere is a real person. He is retired now but his business is still thriving.

Are you a newbie cook in the kitchen? Check out some of my other FW posts.

• Food Blurb: For Newbie Cooks Who Want to Cook Chinese Food
• 3 Best TV Cooking Shows for Newbie Cooks
• Improve Boxed Mac-n-Cheese. Is that possible?
• A Good Cookbook is Never Out of Season

World Cuisine – French Appetizers: Eat Like the French

Eat like zee French!! Better yet. Just eat the appetizers.

Have you been tasked with meal planning and preparation for the holidays?

My advice to you? Eat like they do in France.

Michey LM is a fellow freelance writer, and the information contained in an article she published inspired this “two cents”. She has chosen to unpublish her content; however, learning about this delicious cuisine has me yearning (or craving) for everything French!!  

A typical meal in France has 5 (or 7) components or courses. The first course consists of appetizers (or aperitifs). For me, it's perfectly alright to make them my entire meal!! Examples of French cuisine appetizers include herbed cheese spread, Amiens pates (duck pate), fish soup, and a dish called pissaladiere. There are plenty more. The first two on the list are the most satisfying to my taste buds. But more than happy to taste and sample all the other entrées too! Learn more about this wonderful food that you would probably enjoy so much, you would be perfectly fine with skipping the rest of the meal. :)

Here is a variation of the courses: 

• Apéritif, 
• Hors d’Oeuvres, 
• Soup, 
• Main Dish, 
• Salad, 
• Cheese, 
• Dessert. 

But no matter the number of courses, the meal usually begins with the apéritifs / hors d’oeuvres. Americans would call this part of the meal the appetizers. I would be perfectly satisfied just eating the appetizers. Some people skip the meal and go straight to dessert. I wouldn’t skip. I would just start at the beginning of the meal and never graze any further!

I’ll make a confession. I have always envied the French. For me, any time a group of people can enjoy eating cheese (one of my favorite foods), cook their food with butter and/or cream, and not have a problem with their weight, I call that an “art”. Besides that, I say there must be a reason why many world-class chefs (such as popular Asian TV chef, Ming Tsai) go to cooking school in France. There are many interesting links to be found around the web that discuss the art of eating like the French. Here are a few.

♦ The French eating habits the world should learn from

♦ Learn the Different Courses in a Formal French Meal

♦ Serious Entertaining: A 5-Course French Meal for Your Bastille Day Fête (You’ll want to celebrate this holiday every day, even if you aren’t from France.)  

The Everything Easy French Cookbook: Includes Boeuf Bourguignon, Crepes Suzette, Croque-Monsieur Maison, Quiche Lorraine, Mousse au Chocolat...and Hundreds More! (Everything Series)

 

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Strawberries or Blueberries? Pineberry or Pink Lemonade? Let’s Decide

Life is full of difficult decisions.  Especially when it comes to gardening choices.  Tomatoes or peppers?  Herbs or flowers?  Raised beds or containers? 'But choosing between berries? YUM! What a delicious dilemma. 🍓🫐

As if it isn't hard enough to choose between growing strawberries or blueberries. Would you believe there are these two exquisitely delicious variations of these fruits, and you have to choose?  (Or not. 😊)

White Carolina Pineberry Plant VS 

Pink Lemonade Blueberry Plant.

Let's Discuss and Decide.

🍓White Carolina Pineberry Plant

If you are a gardener and you like strawberries, then you might like to try planting the White Carolina Pineberry plant. It tastes like pineapple and strawberry TOGETHER! If you can imagine that.

A pineberry looks like a strawberry that forgot to blush — white flesh, red seeds, and a flavor often described as strawberry meets pineapple. Some say exotic, some say unusual, and some people describe it as weird. But nobody ever calls it boring.

PROs:

• Works anywhere a regular strawberry works — including dipped in chocolate.

• A berry that tastes like pineapple and strawberry? Showing off? That's right!

• Your garden instantly becomes a conversation piece.

• Featured by natural health enthusiasts as a nutrient-rich fruit. (Natural Medicine)

• A fun gift for gardeners who like trying unusual plants.

CONs:

• If you believe all strawberries should be red, this one will challenge your worldview.

• Pineberries can be a little fussier than standard strawberries, so it's not for beginners.   

Fumikas Sagisavas, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

🫐 Pink Lemonade Blueberry Plant

Do you like lemonade? I do. What I like about lemonade is that you can vary the recipe and make it even better by adding another fruit. Do you like blueberries? Well then, there is no reason why you wouldn’t love the Pink Lemonade Blueberry plant. The berries ripen to a rosy pink and taste sweet-tart, like a blueberry with a citrus wink.

PROs:

• For people who always wanted blueberries to be PINK
• Surprisingly beginner-friendly — perfect for newbie gardeners.   
• People might be impressed if they saw them in your garden
• Works in all your blueberry recipes (including blueberry pancakes)  

 

CONs:

• Any fruit claiming to be a blueberry “relative” should be BLUE.  (O.o)  What?  It's not blue!!

Stark Bro's. “Pink Lemonade Blueberry - Check Out This Popular Plant.” YouTube, 23 Mar. 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwV9ituZoMU&t=5s.

* Want to learn more? Specialty Produce is a huge online resource for fruits, vegetables, and rare edible plants. Their site offers detailed profiles—flavor, history, seasonality, and storage tips—making it a favorite for gardeners, chefs, and anyone who loves discovering unique ingredients.

♦  White Carolina Pineberry Plant

A berry that tastes like pineapple and strawberry is a berry lover's delight! White Carolina Strawberry - Pineberry - Pineapple Hybrid Berry https://t.co/1BvmQituHf #fruit #exoticfruit #pineberries #strawberries #healthyeating #groceryandgourmet#Gifts for #Gardeners pic.twitter.com/yPOm8D0uTB

— My Shopping Channel (@goshoppingbees) April 13, 2026

♦  Pink Lemonade Blueberry Plant

Pink Lemonade Blueberry Bush Live Plant, 5-8 Inch Tall, Sweet Fruit Seedlings, 2-Pack https://t.co/6eNwG32OPU #fruit #exoticfruit #pineberries #strawberries #healthyeating #gardening #plants #groceryandgourmet#Gifts for #Gardeners [perfect for #beginners] pic.twitter.com/XQqXsSLxCF

— My Shopping Channel (@goshoppingbees) April 13, 2026

Three (3) Best TV Cooking Shows for Newbie Cooks

It’s a common expression in American culture when people are praising something new and different that they might say something to the effect, “It’s the best invention since the napkin.” By the way, do you know who invented the napkin? Well, it was Leonardo da Vinci in 1491. (No wonder they call the man a genius!) 

Back on point. In my humble opinion, TV cooking shows are the greatest invention since the napkin. People give the late Julia Child credit for introducing the American audience to the wonderful world of French cuisine. Her show was called “The French Chef,” and the first episode aired on February 2, 1963. Sorry, but … in 1963, I was eight years old, and the only TV show I cared about was The Mickey Mouse Club. Cooking shows did not interest me.

However, as a married adult who was trying to please a husband and a bunch of hungry kids, TV cooking shows finally got my attention. All of a sudden, there were loads of programs on local television and cable TV. They aired 24/7, and if you had Internet access, you could watch them online. Some of the chefs even have food blogs. You can learn how to cook almost any kind of cuisine OR just get some cooking tips to figure out how to make your home-cooked meals taste better OR you can watch a well-known popular cook or chef prepare a dish and get confirmation that your recipe you have been making for years is just fine. As an example, for years, my siblings told me I made the best macaroni-and-cheese. For the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, that was the dish I was responsible for preparing. Their compliments were very much appreciated. But you don’t know how proud I was the day I watched a Paula Deen cooking show. She was preparing a holiday meal, and guess what? She made her mac-n-cheese just like me!

Three (3) cooking shows are especially good to watch if you are a newbie in the kitchen. They are no longer being produced, so you might have to search online for old episodes or buy the DVD collection.

Rachel Ray – 30-Minute Meals

Ms. Ray always said that she was a cook, not a professional chef. But that didn’t matter. She really could prepare a meal in 30 minutes. A healthy meal from start to finish. Do you know what that means to moms who work a full-time job outside the home, to be able to prepare a meal for your family in half an hour? The original shows aired from 2001 to 2012. She also made macaroni and cheese, but not the way Paula and I made it. So I wasn’t sold on that particular recipe. But I did like many of the other dishes she made. She has hosted other cooking shows since, but this is the series that made me her loyal fan.

• Watch Rachel Ray cooking shows on Prime Video

Ming Tsai – East Meets West

Ming Tsai can cook! Mr. Tsai prepares “fusion” dishes. In other words, he takes the best of the East and the best of the West and fuses them to make wonderful Asian-European recipes. Unlike Rachel Ray, Ming Tsai is a professional chef who attended Le Cordon Bleu, a culinary school in Paris, France. He made his appearance on television when he served as a substitute or guest chef for Sara Moulton on her TV show. When she returned to work to pick up where she had left off, to her surprise, people who had watched her program while she was absent kept asking about that Asian guy. He’s Chinese-American. One thing led to another, and he ended up having his own TV show. The East Meets West episodes aired from 1998 to 2003. I like the episodes where he cooks with his mom and pop. Although he went to French cooking school, he gives his mom credit for teaching him most of what he knows about cooking. Isn’t that sweet?

• Watch Ming Tsai cooking shows on Prime Video

glitter-graphics.com

Paula Deen – Paula’s Home Cooking

Paula’s a Southern gal, and I grew up eating Southern cuisine. To clarify, I am talking about the traditional food cooked by folks who live in the Southern United States. Black-eyed peas, collard greens, corn bread, fried chicken, etc. Get the picture? I liked Ms. Deen’s show for 2 reasons. The first reason I have already stated. It’s the food I grew up eating, so a lot of what she cooked reminded me of home. The second reason is that Ms. Deen’s personal story reflects the triumph of the human spirit. I always love the stories where a person gets knocked down, but they get back up and summon their will to survive. Ms. Deen found herself divorced with two sons to support. After trying various jobs, she decided to try something she knew she was good at: Southern cooking. She started a home business, making sandwiches. People would place orders, and her sons would ride bicycles and deliver to the customers. From that start, it was one success after another. She opened restaurants and published cookbooks and was ultimately allowed to have her own TV cooking show: Paula’s Home Cooking aired from 2002 to 2012. Yes, I know that her road to success has not been without controversy. But I personally admire her gumption! I also like her recipes, but confess that they need to be modified to be a little bit healthier and heart-friendly. It was not only one who had that opinion. Her own son, Bobby Deen started a TV show called “Not My Mama’s Meals”. He took his mom’s recipes and tried to revise them by reducing the fat content, sugar, etc.

• Watch Paula Deen cooking shows on Prime Video

Do you have any favorite TV cooking shows?

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Original source

Food and Nutrition: You Must Find Ways to Eat Your Veggies (It's Not That Hard)

Eat your veggies. I know this. But for me, it just required a little creativity. However, I learned that saying it and doing it was easy! 

I Ate What My Mom Cooked!

My diet when I was growing up basically consisted of greens or legumes (black-eyed peas or lima beans) seasoned with ham hocks or smoked pork neck bones. That’s how my mother cooked. That’s what my mother cooked. And that’s what we ate. My mother let it be known that if we didn’t like what was on the stove, we were welcome to go out and try to find our own food. Or? We could hold out until we got hungry enough to eat it!!

Most of the time I was hungry enough!

But looking back, when I think about it, had my mother simply not added that one ingredient – the meat for seasoning – we could have been an almost vegetarian family. I say almost because of course for Christmas and Thanksgiving there was always turkey. For Easter, there was a ham. And for most of our Sunday dinners, there was fried chicken. Occasionally during the week we might have smothered pork chops or smothered liver.

I was blessed to receive government grant money which paid for my tuition and books, my dorm room, and my meals at the university cafeteria. It was in the cafeteria that I learned that it was perfectly normal to eat a large bowl of salad for lunch! A large bowl? Loaded with veggies? Really? My mom never served us a big bowl of salad!

Plant-Based Foods and Meatless Mondays

Nowadays plant-based food and meatless meals are all the rage. On Twitter, they circulate lots of recipes and meal ideas and hashtag them #MeatlessMonday. Not only are we treating our bodies well but we’re saving the planet too!

Life events actually forced me to completely change my dietary and eating habits. My late husband was diagnosed with heart disease. Consequently, when making out the grocery list beef and pork was no longer on the list. And we started adding more veggies to our meals. It wasn’t a difficult adjustment to make actually. Lots of times when I was at the grocery store there were certain veggies that I wanted to try. But we had a budget. By the time I finished buying all of the other foods on the list, there was no more money left for trying those veggies. But what do you know? Not buying beef or pork freed up $30 to $35. Now I had the money to buy zucchini, swiss chard, bok choy, cauliflower and lots of other fresh vegetables.

Cooking Tasty Veggie Dishes is Not That Hard

Now my only challenge was how to cook them and make the veggies tasty and not boring. TV cooking shows, food blogs, and Twitter to the rescue! There is no shortage of veggie recipes on the Internet. In fact, if you can find an Indian TV cooking show or YouTube video to watch, an Indian food blogger or an Indian food Twitter account to follow, you can learn all kinds of ways to prepare your veggies as a side dish or as the main meal. The spices they use to add flavor are amazing!!

However, if you’re not an adventurous cook and you just want a no-fuss way to cook and eat your veggies here is a way that is quick and easy.

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Chop up some veggies. What kind of veggies? Whatever you want. Pattypan squash (or any other squash), peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, eggplant, etc. Season with fresh herbs like basil, parsley, oregano – whatever herbs you like. Add chopped garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss them in some olive oil. Mix all your ingredients, wrap in foil on a baking dish. Bake at 350 F for about 40 minutes. You can drizzle the roasted vegetables with your favorite balsamic reduction or not! You can serve over rice, quinoa, crusty bread, etc. or just eat them!

Most dietary experts say that you should eat 5 cups of fruits and veggies per day. Most people don’t have problems finding fruit to eat. We like fruit. It’s sweet! But when it comes to the veggies? We know it’s good for us. But we have to get creative.

Content previously published at 100Springs.com