Eating vegetables is one of the most important things you can do for your health. In fact, a growing body of science shows a vegetable-rich diet can help you control calories and lose weight, and also may help reduce risk factors associated with heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.

Yet nine out 10 U.S. adults aren’t meeting the daily recommended intake for vegetables and fruit. Why? Some of the most common barriers are convenience and taste. In fact, a recent survey reveals that nearly 60 percent of respondents said that if vegetables tasted better, they would likely eat more each day.

The good news is that a little creativity can go a long way in making vegetables taste good. One of the latest innovations from the makers of V8 vegetable juice, which has been delivering vege­table nutrition for 75 years, is V8 V-Fusion — a unique blend of vegetables and fruit that delivers a light, sweet taste. Each 8-ounce glass provides a full serving of vegetables and a full serving of fruit, plus antioxidant vitamins A, C and E. That’s great news for more than half of the women surveyed who said they prefer the taste of fruit over vegetables.

Also consider new and innovative options like a mango and avo­cado salad, a refreshing granita, or sneak extra vegetables into favorites like pasta or lasagna.

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Vegetable guru and best-selling cookbook author Mollie Katzen says the sky’s the limit when it comes to ways to enjoy eating your vegetables. “There are hundreds of ways to make vegetables flavorful and fun. Experi­ment with all different types and combinations to find something that tanta­lizes your taste buds.”

sources:

• Casagrande SS, Wang Y, Anderson C, Gary TL. Have Americans Increased their Fruit and Vegetable Intake? The Trends Between 1988 and 2002. Am J  rev Med 2007; 32:257-63

• Online Omnibus survey of 1,000 women ages 35+, conducted by Impulse Group on behalf of V8; Dec. 2007

• Online Omnibus survey of 1,000 women ages 35+, conducted by Impulse Group on behalf of V8; Dec. 2007

• Michael W. Davidson and The Florida State University



Beet-Avocado-Pear ‘Carpaccio’

Thin slices of beautifully contrasting ingre­dients are arranged in shallow layers on a plate and sprinkled with touches of extra flavor, texture and color. Serve this as an elegant first course for dinner or as a main dish for lunch.

NOTES: You can cook the beets any way you prefer — by steaming, boiling or roasting. Cut the pear and avocado just before using, so they won’t turn brown.

A few handfuls of very fresh arugula leaves or spinach leaves

1 pound beets, cooked until tender,

then peeled and thinly sliced

1 to 2 tblsp roasted walnut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium firm-but-ripe avocado

1 tblsp cider vinegar

Salt, to taste (optional)

2 medium-sized perfectly ripe pears, in thin slices (peeling optional)

1 tblsp fresh lemon juice

1⁄4 cup crumbled Roquefort or Gorgonzola cheese

1⁄2 cup minced walnuts, lightly toasted

Optional garnishes:

Pomegranate seeds

Dried cranberries (or minced fresh

cranberries)

Squeezable lemon wedges

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Scatter the arugula or spinach onto a medium-large serving platter, or on 4 or 5 individual plates.

2. Place the beet slices over the arugula. Drizzle the beets with oil.

3. Halve the avocado, then pit, peel, and cut it into long thin slices. Arrange these around the beets and immediately drizzle the avo­cado surfaces with vinegar to keep them from discoloring. Sprinkle very lightly with salt, if you desire.

4. Lay the pear slices on or around the avo­cado, then sprinkle everything with lemon juice.

5. Toss the crumbled cheese over the top and garnish with walnuts, pomegranate seeds,

or cranberries, and a wedge of lemon. Serve immediately, passing around the pepper mill.

Yield: 4 to 5 servings

Excerpted from The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without by Mollie Katzen. Copyright (c) 2007 Tante Malka Inc. Published by Hyperion. All Rights Reserved.

Pan-Seared Salmon in

Peach-Mango Sauce

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Vegetable cooking spray

4 salmon fillets, about 3⁄4 inch thick (about 1 pound)

1 large red pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced

11⁄2 cups V8 V-Fusion Peach Mango juice

1 mango, peeled, seeded and chopped (about 11⁄4 cups)

1⁄4 cup honey

2 tblsp cornstarch

1 tblsp lime juice

1⁄4 tsp cracked black pepper

4 cups fresh baby spinach

2 tblsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 cups cooked regular brown rice

1. Season the salmon as desired.

2. Spray a 12-inch skillet with the cook­ing spray and heat over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the salmon, skin-side up and cook for about 5 min­utes or until it’s well browned. Turn the salmon over and cook for 4 minutes or until it flakes easily when tested with a fork. Remove  the salmon from the skillet and keep it warm.

3. Add the red pepper and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat until the pepper is tender-crisp.

4. Stir the V8, mango, honey, cornstarch, lime juice and black pepper in a small bowl. Stir the V8 mixture and the spinach into the skillet. Cook for 2 min­utes or until the mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the cilantro. Serve over salmon. Serve with rice.

Makes: 4 servings

Nutrition facts, amount per serving: Calories 430, Total Fat 9 g, Sat. Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 56 mg, Sodium 106 mg, Total Carb. 63 g, Dietary Fiber 4 g, Protein 26 g % Daily Values: Vitamin A 100%, Vitamin C 79%, Calcium 7%, Iron 12%

Pomegranate

Blueberry Granita

Prep: 10 minutes

Chill: 5 hours, 30 minutes

4 cups V8 V-Fusion Pomegranate Blueberry juice

2 cups fresh blueberries and/or strawberries

2 tblsp honey

2 tblsp lemon juice

1. Place the V8, blueberries, honey and lemon juice into a blender container. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour

the V8 mixture into an 11x17-inch baking pan. Cover the pan tightly

with plastic wrap.

2. Freeze for 45 minutes or until the edges of the V8 mixture become icy. Stir the V8 mixture with a whisk. Cover and freeze for 45 minutes more.

Stir the V8 mixture again with the whisk.

3. Cover the pan and freeze for 3 hours or until the V8 mixture is frozen solid.

4. Scrape the frozen V8 mixture with a fork to form icy flakes.

Cover and freeze for 1 hour.

5. Spoon the granita into goblets or par­fait glasses. Garnish with mint leaves and serve with additional fresh fruit.

Makes: 6 servings

Nutrition facts, amount per serving: Calories 114, Total Fat 0 g, Sat. Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 22 mg, Total Carb. 29 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Protein 0 g % Daily Values: Vitamin A 11%, Vitamin C 108%, Calcium 3%, Iron 2%

Mango & Avocado Salad with Acai Berry Vinaigrette

Prep: 15 minutes

1⁄2 cup V8 V-Fusion Acai Mixed Berry juice

1⁄4 cup olive oil

1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tblsp water

1 tblsp Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1⁄8 tsp ground black pepper

6 cups chopped Romaine lettuce

1 medium mango, peeled, seeded and sliced (about 11⁄2 cups)

1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced (about 11⁄2 cups)

1. Beat the V8, oil, vinegar, water, mustard, garlic and black pepper in a medium bowl with a whisk or fork.

2. Divide the lettuce among 4 salad bowls.

Top with the mango and avocado slices. Spoon 2 tablespoons vinaigrette over each salad. Serve immediately.

Makes: 6 servings

Tip: Garnish with fresh raspberries.

Nutrition facts, amount per serving: Calories 122, Total Fat 8 g, Sat. Fat 1 g, Choles­terol 0 mg, Sodium 49 mg, Total Carb. 12 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, Protein 1 g % Daily Values: Vitamin A 61%, Vitamin C 43%, Calcium 3%, Iron 4%

Here are some tips to get you on your way to eating more veggies!

• Creative Cooking: Add vegetable juice to chilis, stews, meatballs and more. One 8-ounce glass adds 2 servings of vegetables.

• Fuel Up on Flavor: Enjoy one of the flavorful varieties of V8 V-Fusion, which provides a full serving of vegetables and fruits in each 8-ounce glass in unique, on-trend flavors include Acai Mixed Berry, Pomegranate Blueberry and Peach Mango!

• Keep It Simple: Grab and go with a bag of pre-cut baby carrots or celery for a healthy snack or lunch accompaniment. Choose frozen vegetables to add to sauces or eat as a side dish.

• Be Adventurous: Try new vegetables in new ways! More than 200 types of vegetables have been categorized around the world, with about 75 types growing throughout the United States.4 Mix and match with your favorite fruits and other foods for something you’ll enjoy.