How to Add More Unusual Vegetables to Your Diet

Jicama is an unusual vegetable that can be incorporated into your diet.

Eating enough vegetables for a healthy diet can be difficult, especially if you don't care for their taste. Even if you do enjoy your vegetables, eating the same varieties every day can be tiresome. Add unusual vegetables such as jicama to your diet by including them in your favorite salad recipes, whether chicken salad, egg salad or greens-based salads. Other vegetables such as beets and kale can be added to juice recipes for a healthy boost.

Things You'll Need

• Jicama
• Paper towel
• Knife
• Your favorite salad ingredients
• Red beet
• 1/2-inch chunk of fresh ginger
• 8 kale stalks
• 5 slices fresh pineapple
• Juicer
• Glass
• Spoon
• Salad greens
• Arugula
• Escarole
• Salad dressing
• Salad bowl
• Fork

Instructions

1. Rinse off any dirt or residue from the outside of the jicama. Pat dry with paper towels. Remove the skin with a knife. Cut the jicama into french-fry-sized sticks. Cut those sticks into small cubes.

2. Gather the ingredients for your favorite recipe of chicken salad, tuna salad or egg salad. If you don't like any of those, gather ingredients for a greens-based salad. Prepare the salad as you normally would, adding jicama pieces for crunch. Serve in a sandwich or with your favorite salad dressing.

3. Rinse off the beet and kale stalks and pat dry. Cut the beet and pineapple into slices small enough to fit into your juicer. Place a glass in position to catch juice exiting the juicer. Turn on the juicer. Feed the kale, beets and ginger through the juicer. Add the pineapple pieces. Stir and drink the juice.

4. Rinse off the salad greens, arugula and escarole. Tear them all into bite-sized portions. Prepare your favorite salad using these vegetables and anything else you'd like to add. Pour on your preferred salad dressing.

Tips & Warnings

• Juice from a juicer should be enjoyed shortly after extracting it.

• Crunchy vegetables such as jicama also can be enjoyed in wraps, or dipped into hummus or salad dressing.

• Some vegetables, such as zucchini, can be baked into breads, muffins and casseroles.

• Leafy vegetables such as kale also can be gently stir-fried or wilted like spinach or collard greens.

References

• Sixwise: Jicima, the Heathy Vegetable that Acts Like a Fruit
• The Kale Effect: Cup o' Kale Recipe
• Gardening Central: Unusual Vegetables