A big part of changing my lifestyle and how I lost 8% body fat and 25 pounds has centered on making veggies a huge part of our diet.

I learned that meat isn’t the only way to get protein; spinach and greens are loaded with it. I also learned that I LOVE a few things I’d never tried (or thought I didn’t like), like rutabaga, turnips and dill.

I’ve realized that keeping things new and fresh, and trying new things, keeps me committed to healthy eating. And like anything, it needs to stay exciting for me to stay interested. So I’ve started doing this fun little challenge for myself during my weekly trip to the produce market: I pick out a veggie I’ve never seen or heard of before, and I buy it! I normally have no idea what it is, and later that week, I Google it and figure out what the heck to make with it. It’s forced me to try new things that are outside of my comfort zone, and it’s been rewarding!

The persimmon leather I made was so good that my toddler snatched it out of my hand approximately a millisecond after this picture was taken.

In November, I grabbed some parsnips and white radishes. Diced them and roasted them, along with some carrots.

The Importance (and FUN!) in Trying New Veggies SheJustGlows.com

Another week, I posted this picture on my Instagram and had people guess what it was. The answer: celery root! Again, I roasted it, and it had this wonderful warm, mellow celery flavor.

The Importance (and FUN!) in Trying New Veggies SheJustGlows.com

Here’s to trying new things!

What are your favorite “weird” veggies, and how do you prepare them? Let me know in the comments section below!