Score More Good from Produce

More matters when it comes to fruits, vegetables and good health. Every part of your body benefits from eating plenty of produce. More helps heart health. It reduces the risk for cancer and diabetes. It affects your eyesight, the strength of your immune system, your brain and intestinal health, blood pressure, weight and arthritis. It influences the strength of your bones and muscles and how skin ages (or doesn't). Each fruit and vegetable has a unique combination of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that work together in your body to help protect against health hiccups and offer a stronger defense when damages occur.

But if more is good, what exactly is "more"? The low bar is to eat at least two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables a day. That's doable and delicious. Every addition you can make, no matter how small, is a win.

Here in Minnesota most of us should raise our bar. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 35 percent of us eat less than one serving of fruit a day, and only 22 percent of us eat more than one vegetable (and that's when counting fried potatoes as a vegetable). Luckily, we're in the midst of Minnesota Grown season. So much good grows on trees and in fields here. Celebrate our farmers and enjoy the bounty they provide. There's something to the adage "the more, the merrier." Try these tasty ways for scoring more.

Accessorize.

• Add in and add on. Sandwiching it? Lettuce works, but you can layer on more good with sliced radishes, zucchini, cucumbers, bell peppers, apples or pears. Use veggie or herb pesto, salsas, relishes and chutneys on meats, breads, egg or side dishes. Top pizzas, salads, baked potatoes, soups and stews with shredded carrots, turnips, beets, Brussels sprouts or kohlrabi. Chopped or sliced apples, pears, melons and stone fruit are delicious over ice cream, angel food cake, custards, cereals and yogurts.
   
• Cheese it up. Because cheese is a fan favorite and there are so many interesting varieties, perk up your produce with a cheese buddy. Kelsey Pass, our Grand Avenue Cheese Specialist, has put together a plethora of pairing possibilities here.

Substitute.

• Counting carbs? Try using lettuces such as butterhead in place of bread or tortillas. Just place your filling in the middle of a lettuce leaf and roll it up. Use sturdier lettuces like romaine for an open-face approach to tacos. Sliced eggplant, cucumber, zucchini, apples or bell pepper "cheeks" can be a bread sub, too. Try spiralized veggie pastas in lieu of wheat- or rice-based noodles.
   
• Channel a vegetarian vibe. Bean and/or whole-grain veggie patties and mushroom caps make great non-meat burgers. Hearty slices of cauliflower, grilled or roasted and topped with a savory seasoning or sauce, can be a satisfying understudy for meat.
   
• Chip and dip. Say yes to kale chips, but don't forget that you can use the same playbook to make zucchini, beet, kohlrabi, eggplant, squash, sweet potato, apple and pear chips. Season and savor fun new flavors. Pickled produce is on trend as well. Give it a go with green beans, beets, cauliflower, corn, peppers, radishes, apples or pears and enjoy them as mid-day munchers. Chickpeas, lentils or other types of beans make great-tasting hummuses. Of course, you can also check the fresh salsa options in our prepared produce case when searching for delicious dippers.

Experiment.

• Find new produce picks. Commit to putting an unknown in your basket every week. Look at it as a chance to discover new favorites. Our produce specialists can suggest all sorts of cool possibilities.
   
• Think outside the box. Grilled veggies? Of course. Grilled fruit? Heck, yes. Heat caramelizes fruit's natural sugars and intensifies flavors. Stone fruit, pineapple, mangoes, melons, cherries, grapefruit and bananas are excellent grilled. And check out the emerging trend toward savory oatmeal. Avocado, cilantro, mushrooms, chile peppers, spinach, bok choy, tomatoes, curry and ginger will get you started as tasty mix-ins.