A vegetable love affair – by Emma Stirling, Editor.

Do you have weeks like mine when the planets seem to align? Without orchestrating it one little bit, I have lined up two major posts and a mag article just on vegetables.  And it got me thinking.  Do I eat vegetables because they’re healthy? And out of habit?  Or do I really love eating them?

Time to pick sides

If I had a choice between a carrot cake and a carrot, I know the cake would win.  But then why do I think about veg a whole damn lot, seek them out and crave them, when they’re not around? Is that a need? A crush? A love affair? When I eat out at a restaurant I’m often looking at the sides first to see what scrummy concoctions chef has applied to the broccoli, green beans and spinach.  But I know clearly that not everyone thinks like me.  Yes I really do.  As I was interviewed by Paula Goodyer for her column this week in the Sydney Morning Herald that raised the issue of being charged extra for vegetable sides.  And boy were the comments polarised and super charged.  Jump over and have a read and then pop back again.  And then check out Chef Mr Wilkinson’s new cookbook below.  I think he has a crush like me?

A spark of a crush

So when did it all begin? This infatuation with the cruciferous? I certainly wasn’t a veggie loving child, but I ate them just the same.  And now I have Master 7 who has vegetable “issues”.  And Miss Ten who’s recent, birthday dinner wish was….drum roll…globe artichokes.  My latest guest post for GI News explores what the research tells us works when raising a vegetable lover.  Jump over and have a read and then pop back again.

Veg out?

So imagine my surprise when the gorgeous new look Weight Watchers magazine arrived this week and my feature article this month is on…wait for it….Learning to Love Vegetables.  I realised that it must be a love affair as I’m like one of those girlfriends with a new man (or new baby) that just goes on and on! You can pick up a copy in the news stands now in Australia (July, 2012) and check out my updated, super glam, (even my father didn’t recognise me), Nutrition Editor profile shot.  Sitting here in my ugg boots, it’s all a distant photo shoot away!

And then I read the most hilarious new post So that’s where pumpkins come from – by our previous sub of the month, The Off Duty Dietitian Ash Jones APD.  And knew I had to talk veg to you too this stellar week. So time to take sides? Are you a true vegetable lover? Or do you just eat them cos they’re good for you? Have you tried everything on this A-Z fruit and vegetable list? Drop us a comment below and make me smile.