More Ways to Eat More Vegetables

How did your vegetable eating go last week?  Do you know what the most frequently eaten vegetable in America is?  Potatoes.  Do you know how they’re most often consumed?  You got it - French fries.

We can do better than that!  In case you need more ideas, here are 13 more ways to enjoy vegetables each day, with some tips to keep the calorie count down.

13. Stir fry any combination of veggies (using Pam or a little olive oil), seasoning with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, curry, etc.
14. Steam veggies (such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, string beans) on stove or in microwave; lightly season or spray with liquid margarine.
15. Turn a baked potato into a meal by topping with broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, low fat chili etc. and low fat cheese or fat free sour cream.
16. Microwave sliced zucchini and canned tomatoes (add a can of sauce if preferred) with Italian seasoning and garlic powder; top with shredded low fat mozzarella.
17. Broil tomato halves seasoned with Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese.
18. Use low fat salad dressing, mustard, tomato sauce, salsa, and other “disguises” to eat more vegetables and learn to like them.
19. When dining out ask to substitute salad or steamed veggies for fries or sliced tomatoes for hash browns.
20. For variety, choose broth-based vegetables soups instead of salad as an appetizer.
21. When attending a lunch or dinner meeting, ask the server if there is a vegetarian choice – it’s usually delicious!
22. As an alternative to chips, cut celery and carrots into bite-sized pieces and add red grapes for a colorful, satisfying combination that travels well.
23. Heat a can of stewed tomatoes.  Add seasoning if desired, and eat as a chunky tomato soup.
24. Swap your usual drink for a Bloody Mary.
25. Don’t assume you don’t like unfamiliar vegetables – try them!  Remember that our tastes change over time, so try them again if it’s been more than a year since your last attempt.

Finally, for an easy way to eat nine servings a day, check out my SonoranLiving appearance.

25 Ways to Eat More Vegetables

Vegetables are an essential component of your diet if you wish to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. They add lots volume and nutrients, with very few calories, a smokin’ deal!  And they’re so versatile that you’re sure to find ways to enjoy them if you set your mind to it.  Here are the first 12 of 25 ways to eat more vegetables while keeping the calorie count down.  Remember to include at least one vegetable with lunch and dinner, and experiment with preparation methods and spices. 

1.      If vegetables are not your favorite, start with what you know you like – most people like corn, lettuce, and tomato sauce – and build from there.

2.      Add vegetables to your sandwiches – lettuce, spinach tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, sprouts, and mushrooms.

3.      Top pizza with vegetables, such as those listed above.

4.      Add a bag of frozen vegetables to bagged frozen dinner meals (such as Lean Cuisine) – there’s enough sauce, and it typically serves four.

5.      Make vegetable fajitas using red, green, and yellow peppers, onion, zucchini, etc. and fajita seasoning.

6.      Make omelets with egg substitute or egg whites, adding your favorite vegetables.

7.      Try tomato sauce in your omelets (trust me on this, it’s my favorite!)

8.      Add tomatoes, shredded carrots or zucchini, and/or mushrooms to your spaghetti sauce.

9.      Make crockpot ratatouille (a vegetable stew consisting of eggplant, zucchini, onion, garlic, tomato (fresh or canned), bell pepper, Italian Seasoning); freeze and have on hand.

10.  Make cole slaw using bagged cole slaw mix (adding fruit for variety), and use low fat or fat free mayo mixed with a cole slaw seasoning packet.

11.   Grill veggies (onion, peppers, portabella mushrooms, zucchini, etc.) for sandwiches or as a side dish; brush with FF Italian dressing or a mix of olive oil and flavored vinegar.

12.  Grill skewers with onion, mushrooms, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, peppers, pineapple, and chicken or lean pork, if desired.

Exercise and Vegetables - Your Best Friends?

Exercise is like vegetables in many ways.  Both are good for you and something mom wanted you to have every day.  They each make it easier for you to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and avoid countless chronic diseases.  So why do we resist them so much?

From my coaching experience, I’ve found that many people have narrow views of both exercise and vegetables.  They’ve disliked them for years, usually due to negative experiences somewhere along the line.  Perhaps well-meaning mom overcooked vegetables, didn’t offer much variety, or couldn’t afford to serve them fresh to your large family.  (The only fresh vegetables I had when I was really young were in a salad made with iceberg lettuce.)  Maybe the P.E. teacher embarrassed you in front of the class (mine did) or you were always the last kid chosen for the team (me again!)  If you avoid vegetables, exercise or both, take a moment to trace your feelings back to their origin.  Don’t tell me you just don’t like them, because they’re both too varied and offer too many options for such a general statement to be accurate.

Exercise and vegetables really are your best friends, so give them another try!  I’ll look at vegetables next week and start now with exercise.  As I pointed out a couple of weeks ago, there are so many ways to be active today, even if you can’t run, throw, or catch.  Enlist a friend to join you at a Zumba class, or start a walking program and listen to your favorite book on your MP3 player as you stride.  Yard and housework count as activity, as does swimming with the grandchildren.  How about visiting the fitness center where you live? 

Let me know if I can help you.  In the mean time, the 2012 summer Olympics start on July 27.  Let the games motivate you to get moving!

Free to Look, Feel and Be Your Very Best!

"Every choice you make has an end result." Zig  Ziglar
 

Happy Independence Day!  Today I recognize and celebrate your freedom to choose to look, feel, and be your very best.  As Zig Ziglar reminds us, every choice has an end result.  The good habits I work with my clients to create are just a series of choices.  Here are some choices that could help you be well:

·       To schedule your medical screenings (mammogram, colonoscopy, dental exam, etc.) in your smart phone

·       To go food shopping every week

·       To make sure you have someone spot you whenever you climb a ladder

·       To get up early enough to eat breakfast and prepare something to bring for lunch

·       To read a favorite book, call a friend, or write in your journal rather than turn on the TV

·       To select a side salad rather than fries

·       To have only safe sex (or even better, sane sex!)

·       To stop drinking after one drink for women and two for men

·       To choose prayer over despair and faith over worry

·       To get a minimum of seven hours of sleep a night

·       To quit smoking

·       To schedule your exercise time: four out of five days during the week and one day on the weekend

·       To appreciate how amazing your body is (healing itself, alerting you when it needs something, and so forth) rather than criticize it for not being perfect

·       To ask for help, advice or support when you need it

I’m all about that last bullet.  If you’d like help enhancing your wellness, make the choice to contact me today!