Sweet as vinegar

Slathering vegetable-based meals in cheese—or cheese substitutes—regularly? You're not doing your cholesterol levels any favors, and you're also robbing the vegetables of their flavors, since the taste of cheese can easily overwhelm—plus, the stuff causes phlegm. I know, it's terrible (that I rhymed). Instead, for a rich, tangy, less expensive and healthier way to get that umami kick in your meals, use rice vinegar. Splash some in the skillet when sautéing onions to make a taste-bud-lilting addition to a salad. Toss vegetables in vinegar, oil, salt and pepper and then roast. Mushrooms, cauliflower, kale, whatever—it provides a major flavor boost to just about any savory dish.