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Meet The Flavor Boost That Will Make Your Veggies Mouthwatering
Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN is Vice President of Scientific Affairs at mindbodygreen. She received her bachelor's degree in Biological Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania and Ph.D. in Foods and Nutrition from the University of Georgia.
It doesn't matter what type of diet you follow—we all have one goal in common: eat more veggies. Vegetables play a central role in eating and living more healthfully. Studies have even connected eating three servings of vegetables (alongside two servings of fruit) per day to lower mortality. But the best part about veggies? With the right recipes that deliver on flavor, you'll never run out of ways to enjoy them.
And that comes down to one ingredient, in particular: rice vinegar. We often limit it to our Asian recipes—but rice vinegar adds flavor and flair to so many unexpected dishes. Is your love for Brussels sprouts in need of inspiration? Looking for a new way to crunch on some cabbage? NAKANO Rice Vinegar has your veggies covered, and we'll show you how.
Rice vinegar: Where does the flavor come from?
Rice vinegar has been used for ages to bring out the best flavors in food. And how? Rice vinegar is made by two distinct fermentation processes. The first fermentation process converts sugars from the ingredients (rice) into alcohol, and the second fermentation process converts that alcohol into acid. This is the acetic, or acid fermentation, that forms vinegar. The outcome is much more mellow than its vinegar relatives.
While it still provides some acidity, rice vinegar also carries a subtle sweetness. So when we use NAKANO Rice Vinegar in a veggie recipe, we get multiple types of taste, like sour, sweet, and salty. NAKANO Rice Vinegar also comes in flavors, like Natural, Organic Natural, Roasted Garlic, Seasoned, Organic Seasoned, Toasted Sesame, and Basil & Oregano, meaning your veggie-potential really is limitless. We'll prove it:
Take your salads to the next level.
We're all susceptible to falling into the occasional salad rut. Throwing together the same ingredients every time, or settling for the same-old dressing, is a recipe for boredom at best. NAKANO Rice Vinegar is the nonnegotiable ingredient for a balanced salad dressing that brings out the personality of your veggies. Eating a salad should never feel like a chore—and with this Pear and Candied Walnut Salad recipe, it won't.
Add a sauce to your grilled veggies.
Veggies are versatile, and how you prep them will bring out different flavors. If you're always eating your veggies cold—bring the heat. Fire up the grill, and enjoy the roasted flavors of this Grilled Veggie & Ranch Bowl. Grilled veggies are already flavorful—but add the cashew ranch in this recipe, made with NAKANO Natural Rice Vinegar, and you'll now have a reason to eat more vegetables. The secret is always in the sauce—especially when it involves rice vinegar.
Turn up the heat on your veggies.
Veggies can always benefit from a little extra spice, whether you're trying to add zip to your dip with this Baked Broccoli Poppers with Honey-Siracha Dipping Sauce, or balance out a recipe's sweetness like in this Spicy Rosemary Tomato Peach Chutney. Rice vinegar is a perfect addition because instead of burying the heat, it complements and provides a more well-rounded flavor.
Make a dip for your veggies.
Veggies are made for dipping! And with the right dip, you might not even notice you're eating veggies instead of potato chips. So what is the secret ingredient? Rice vinegar, of course! And when it's healthy—like this Whoa! Wasabi Dipping Sauce or Edamame Hummus—you can be sure to munch carefree.
Eat more veggies!
You can never eat too many veggies—but across the board, we're not eating enough. According to a report by the CDC1, only 1 in 10 adults are meeting the daily recommendation of 2 to 3 cups of vegetables. One of the factors at play is, collectively, we don't know how to make vegetables taste good. But that's easily remedied with the right recipe and NAKANO Rice Vinegar (available in various flavors). Rice vinegar takes your veggies from meh to mmmm—try one of these recipes to see for yourself!
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