Im here to tell you that that is not the case.
Bonus: the more variety in your diet, the more variety you get in nutrients.
Plus, the more ways at your disposal to prepare and eat delicious food.
Nazima Qureshi, R.D.
Check your local supermarket or specialty grocery stores to get your hands on these veggies.
Try Devje’s recipe forspicy opo squash soupfor some South Asian flavor.
Eggplant can be found in a variety of sizes and prepared in tons of different ways.
Jute mallow
Jute mallow is a green leafy vegetable native to the Middle East.
In Arabic it’s known as mulookhyeh.
In the U.S., it’s only available in Middle Eastern stores in the freezer section.
Jute mallow is an excellent source of iron, B vitamins, and minerals.
The leaves may be finely chopped to make a thin soup with chicken bone broth and garlic.
But start out with jute mallow in Zibdeh’smulookhyeh stew.
Bok choy
Bok choy is also known as Chinese cabbage.
In Cantonese, the literal translation of bok choy is “white vegetable.”
This veggie comes in lots of varieties, registered dietitian Michelle Jaelin says.
For example, Shanghai bok choy has greener stems and baby bok choy is more tender and quicker-cooking.
Just rinse well under running water to remove the excess soil.
But for optimal freshness, don’t wash it until you’re ready to use it.
Get started with bok choy using Jaelin’s recipe forbaby bok choy with sesame seeds.
Gai lan
You’ve probably seen gai lan on a menu as Chinese broccoli.
It has dark green leaves, long stems, and small light green flowers.
It’s leafier and more bitter in taste than broccoli, but has a delicious, mustard-y flavor.
Fun fact: The trendy broccolini is actually a hybrid between regular broccoli and gai lan.
It’s also a great source of fiber.
Jaelin says she didnt always enjoy gai lanwhen her mother served it for dinner, she found it bitter.
After years of practice, Hatanaka can now confidently peel daikon radish paper-thin just like her mom.
you might pickle daikon or eat it raw as a part of a salad.
Keep in mind that the flavor gets stronger toward the tip.
For a milder radish flavor, opt for the upper part of the radish trunk.
Hatanaka’sdaikon radish and apple saladbrings together simple flavors of apple and a homemade dressing to complement the daikon radish.
Shiitake mushrooms
You’ve probably seen shiitake mushrooms in grocery stores, both fresh and dried.
For example, she’ll sautee them with dark leafy greens to make a quick and flavorful stirfry.
Chayotes have a subtle sweetness to them and can be eaten raw or cooked.
They’re an excellent source of folate, which is a B vitamin.
Other vitamins and minerals found in chayotes include Vitamin C, manganese, and potassium.
Moreno-Bryce recommends giving chayotes a test drive with thesespicy chayote tacos.
Yucca
Yucca is known as cassava and manioc.
It thrives in hot, tropical climates.
It’s a good source of vitamin C, manganese, and fiber.
Many African dishes feature hearty vegetable stews and soups poured over grains or tuber vegetables.
Give yucca a try in Lopez’s recipe foryucca fries with sriracha mayo dip.
