It always amazes me how quickly a year passes; here we are in December already! As the year winds down, it’s never too late to try to incorporate more plant-centered meals into your diet, for both personal health and the health of the planet. Personal food choices can really make a difference to our world at large. 

Alina Tugend wrote in her New York Times article “What if Everyone Did Something to Slow Climate Change?” that “according to the World Resource Institute, a research organization, if each person living in high beef-consuming countries — like the United States — ate 1.5 fewer burgers a week, the need for agricultural expansion and deforestation would be eliminated and greenhouse gases significantly reduced.” Small, individual choices add up.

For those who do eat a primarily plant-based diet, it is very important to take vitamin B12 every day, since plants do not provide that vitamin. Eating a wide variety of vegetables, grains and legumes is the best way to ensure you are getting enough of all the other essential vitamins, but don’t forget to take a daily vitamin B12 supplement.

Here are a couple of my favorite vegetable recipes that are tasty, healthy and full of the season’s colors.

Brussels sprouts with cranberries and pecans

Fresh cranberries are full of antioxidants, which provide many potential health benefits. There are a variety of ways to use them other than as a sauce to accompany a turkey. I was skeptical when I first heard about pairing them with Brussels sprouts years ago, but I quickly became enamored with the flavor combination.

Ingredients

--12 ounces Brussels sprouts.

-- 1 cup fresh cranberries.

-- 1 tablespoon olive oil.

-- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar.

-- 1 teaspoon maple syrup.

-- Salt and pepper to taste.

--⅓ cup pecan pieces.

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash Brussels sprouts, trim bottoms and slice in half top to bottom. Spread Brussels sprouts and fresh cranberries in a single layer onto a rimmed cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil, balsamic vinegar and maple syrup over top; toss.

Roast for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through. Sprinkle pecan pieces over the top and roast five minutes more.

I like Brussels sprouts when they are fork-tender, but if you prefer them on the crunchier side, don’t roast them quite as long. 

Green beans withpomegranate seeds and almonds

This recipe calls for pomegranate seeds, which can easily be removed from the peel under water. Cut the pomegranate into quarters, and then peel each quarter over a small bowl under cold, running water. Gently separate the seeds from the pith. The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl of water, allowing you to skim off the membrane, and then drain the seeds.  

Ingredients

-- 1½ pounds green beans.

-- 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar.

-- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil.

-- 3 tablespoons tamari.

-- 2 tablespoons olive oil.

-- 3 garlic cloves, minced.

-- ½ cup sliced almonds.

-- ½ pomegranate, seeded.

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash beans, top and tail them. Mix liquid ingredients together; add minced garlic.

Pour liquid mixture over beans in a large bowl, tossing until coated. Spread beans in a single layer onto a rimmed cookie sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, tossing halfway through. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top of beans, and roast five to seven more minutes, being careful not to burn almonds.

Remove from oven, and sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top.

I like these beans best when at least some of them get a little shriveled and even a little burnt. I made this latest batch using organic beans we grew in our own garden. Green beans are easy to grow and do well in the freezer. It’s never too early to plan for spring.

For gardening tips, more recipes and information on how your food choices affect the planet and your health, go to harriscenter.org/rhp.

Lisa Murray has a passion for exploring the impact our food choices have on human and planetary health.