It is generally accepted that eating more plants is good. But it’s not just quantity that matters, or even quality. Variety is key – eating a wider variety of plant material, including fruit and vegetables but also herbs and spices, grains, nuts and seeds, is beneficial for our own health, as well as the health of the planet.
In his book 2023 The Lost SupperMontreal-based writer Taras Grescoe notes that since 1900, an estimated three-quarters of the genetic diversity in farmers’ fields has been lost; of the 10,000 plants that have fed us over the past thousand years, only 150 are cultivated for food today. Half of the calories consumed on Earth come from three grasses – rice, corn and wheat, all of which are subject to genetic modification or scientific hybridization. We have a lot more choice when it comes to brands, styles and flavors of chips and yogurt than we have varieties of apples and bananas, carrots and cucumbers.
A growing body of research supports long-term farming and horticultural practices that encourage agricultural biodiversity for the benefit of the land and crops; More diverse agricultural communities mean more diverse soil microbes, reducing pathogens and increasing yields. It’s the same for our own gut gardens: a 2018 study found that more variety in our diet — specifically 30 different plants per week — means a more diverse gut microbiome, which in turn contributes to better brain function and overall health. (Good news: For the purposes of the study, coffee counts as a plant. Add oat or almond milk, and that’s two. Yes, wine matters—you’re already on your way.)
Whether you try the 30 a week challenge suggested by the experts behind the study or not, it’s interesting to observe how many different plants we consume on a daily basis. As fall plans begin to ramp up and lunches are eaten away from home more often, these simple meals are portable, store well, and provide an opportunity to deviate from the usual bag of oranges or broccoli crowns—for our dining experience as well as our physical and mental well-being.
Peanut noodles
Whatever vegetables you have in your fridge can go into a batch of raw nuts, which are perfectly portable and delicious cold. Peanut sauce keeps well in the fridge for weeks and can be made with almonds, cashews or other nut butters instead, if needed. For added texture, toss your tofu cubes in cornstarch and brown in a splash of oil in a hot pan until crispy on all sides.
Grainy Vegetable Bowl with Goma Dare
It’s always a good idea to plan leftovers for dinner to call for lunch the next day; leftover veggies of all kinds can be tossed in a dish with lentils and barley or farro and pulled together with a delicious creamy toasted sesame dressing, both of which can also be made ahead to have on standby. The combination of fresh, crisp celery and apples is a delicious contrast to soft roasted squash, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts and other late summer vegetables.
Double
Double is a Trinidadian sandwich of spicy chickpeas wrapped in a soft flatbread – both channa and dough can hang in your fridge all week. The dough is rolled in and quickly cooked in a hot pan. Although not traditional, grating sweet (or regular) potatoes into the chickpea mixture while cooking is delicious and increases the plant content. For a more streamlined flatbread, omit the yeast and add 1/2 teaspoon baking powder along with the dry ingredients; knead until smooth and let rest for 15-20 minutes before rolling, no need to rise. Serve with tamarind chutney and grated fresh cucumber, plain or dressed with a little garlic and/or finely chopped chili and a squeeze of lime.
Italian-style chopped salad
As with most salads, there’s no need to stick to specific measurements here – start with plenty of crisp chopped lettuce (and a bit of bitter radicchio if you like), then top with chopped pepperoncini, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, salami, chickpeas and shredded Parm. Check out the deli for similar ingredients, like marinated artichoke hearts and even feta-stuffed peppers—all have shelf life and can be kept on hand for the days you need a chopped salad.
All cakes
These voluminous cookies have a cookie texture and look like muffin tops – they’re loaded with grains, nuts (which can be left out if the kids are on their way to school) and seeds, with protein and fiber boosts from cooked red lentils, which have the taste and texture of oats – no one will know they are in there.
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