I have always been a huge fan of fruits and vegetables. I believe my love for health foods began in the womb, as my mom always packed her meals with fruits, veggies, and nutrient-dense foods. In fact, I'm certain her habits, which in turn effect mine, led to my long, thick hair. Thanks, Mom!
Growing up, my brother and I enjoyed school lunches that were as healthy as you can imagine; they were carefully packed with the most nutritious of foods, always adhering to the policies of the food pyramid. My mom would pack our lunches with spinach, cantaloupe, tomatoes, and alfalfa sprouts, which often brought me funny looks from my peers, but all is forgiven.
We weren't allowed to eat gummy snacks like Fruit by the Foot unless it was a special occasion and mostly only drank 100% pure juice. I am thankful for the healthy values my mom instilled in us from an early age because they have helped set my eating habits in the right way. While I have fallen off the healthy bandwagon before (I'm an emotional eater), it's evident that the foundation for healthy eating in my family was laid down effectively. I try to eat organic when possible, I constantly snack on fruits and vegetables, and I don't eat red meat. However, especially when you're constantly on the go, it's difficult to get enough fruits and vegetables. I think it's fair to say that people find fruits easier to eat than vegetables, due to their sweet nature, but trust me, veggies are just as fun and packed with nutrients!! Here are some tips for adding more veggies to your daily routine.
1. Utilize snack packs. Take Zip-loc bags (affectionately called "zippies" in my house) filled with veggies on the go. You won't have to worry about cutting or peeling them during your busy day. I recommend celery, carrot, broccoli, and cucumber slices as they are easy to eat and won't cause a mess.
2. Eat a large, nutrient-dense salad. Top your lettuce with tomatoes, mushrooms, tri-color peppers, onions, bell peppers, beets, etc. You can add lean meats such as chicken to add more protein. I tend to go overboard at Souplantation when it comes to topping my salad, but at least I'm getting my daily servings of veggies!
3. Dip your veggies in hummus. I especially love using red bell peppers, cucumber slices, and tomato slices to dip into the side, which is already jam packed with great vitamins just by itself.
4. Cook your veggies in chicken broth. I didn't have oil a couple nights ago, so decided to cook my green beans, mushrooms, and diced onions in chicken broth. Not only did it cook in the pan perfectly, it also added some delicious flavor to the veggies. This allowed the veggies to keep their nutrients, which is always a plus!
5. Add veggies to your smoothies. This one might freak people out a little bit, which is understandable! However, know that kale and spinach, which are incredibly great greens, are perfect additions to your smoothies. Their taste can easily be drowned out by apples and pineapples, but their vitamins will remain!
6. Drink your carrot juice. If you haven't tried carrot juice, you're missing out. Bolthouse Farms has the best carrot juice I've tasted; it's sweet and quite yummy. It's filled with Vitamin A, and 8 oz has only 70 calories (5 from fat) in it. Best yet, it's gluten free and vegan, so everyone can enjoy it.
7. Make your own salsa. Chips aren't the only things that will taste good with salsa. I love adding tomato salsa to my chickens, salads (it's a healthy alternative to typically fattening salad dressings), and rice. You can use a combination of tomatoes, peaches, mangoes, corn, and black beans to achieve different flavors, depending on what you're cooking.
8. Grow your own vegetable garden. There are no excuses for not eating enough vegetables when they're grown in your own backyard! Can it get any more convenient than that? Nope! Start with easy to maintain veggies, like cucumbers and tomatoes, and work your way up. Don't forget to look into sunlight and seasonality requirements.
9. Substitute intelligently. Whenever you're at a restaurant, substitute your fries/baked potato/rice for steamed vegetables. Food often tastes better when someone brings it to you, and this time, they'll be bringing you less calories and fat.
10. Buy power green packs. I frequent a couple grocery stores that sell "power green packs", which are mixes of spinach, arugula, and kale. I don't have to worry about cutting, dicing, or rinsing, so it's convenient to add to virtually all my meals.
11. Add veggies to your eggs. Eggs are packed with protein and can be dressed up in many ways. I fill the bottom of a large frying pan completely with the aforementioned power greens. Then, I crack an egg on top of it. I add sliced tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, and a little bit of cheese. I then add another layer of power greens to the top. Not only do these veggies add more vitamins to my meal, but they also make it much healthier.
12. Use lettuce as bread. Lettuce is a much healthier alternative to bread and comes with far less calories. Don't forget you can get "protein style" at In-N-Out, which means there's no bun to be found!
How do you like your veggies? What tips would you add to this list?
Crunch crunch crunch
Natasha
Growing up, my brother and I enjoyed school lunches that were as healthy as you can imagine; they were carefully packed with the most nutritious of foods, always adhering to the policies of the food pyramid. My mom would pack our lunches with spinach, cantaloupe, tomatoes, and alfalfa sprouts, which often brought me funny looks from my peers, but all is forgiven.
We weren't allowed to eat gummy snacks like Fruit by the Foot unless it was a special occasion and mostly only drank 100% pure juice. I am thankful for the healthy values my mom instilled in us from an early age because they have helped set my eating habits in the right way. While I have fallen off the healthy bandwagon before (I'm an emotional eater), it's evident that the foundation for healthy eating in my family was laid down effectively. I try to eat organic when possible, I constantly snack on fruits and vegetables, and I don't eat red meat. However, especially when you're constantly on the go, it's difficult to get enough fruits and vegetables. I think it's fair to say that people find fruits easier to eat than vegetables, due to their sweet nature, but trust me, veggies are just as fun and packed with nutrients!! Here are some tips for adding more veggies to your daily routine.
1. Utilize snack packs. Take Zip-loc bags (affectionately called "zippies" in my house) filled with veggies on the go. You won't have to worry about cutting or peeling them during your busy day. I recommend celery, carrot, broccoli, and cucumber slices as they are easy to eat and won't cause a mess.
2. Eat a large, nutrient-dense salad. Top your lettuce with tomatoes, mushrooms, tri-color peppers, onions, bell peppers, beets, etc. You can add lean meats such as chicken to add more protein. I tend to go overboard at Souplantation when it comes to topping my salad, but at least I'm getting my daily servings of veggies!
3. Dip your veggies in hummus. I especially love using red bell peppers, cucumber slices, and tomato slices to dip into the side, which is already jam packed with great vitamins just by itself.
4. Cook your veggies in chicken broth. I didn't have oil a couple nights ago, so decided to cook my green beans, mushrooms, and diced onions in chicken broth. Not only did it cook in the pan perfectly, it also added some delicious flavor to the veggies. This allowed the veggies to keep their nutrients, which is always a plus!
5. Add veggies to your smoothies. This one might freak people out a little bit, which is understandable! However, know that kale and spinach, which are incredibly great greens, are perfect additions to your smoothies. Their taste can easily be drowned out by apples and pineapples, but their vitamins will remain!
6. Drink your carrot juice. If you haven't tried carrot juice, you're missing out. Bolthouse Farms has the best carrot juice I've tasted; it's sweet and quite yummy. It's filled with Vitamin A, and 8 oz has only 70 calories (5 from fat) in it. Best yet, it's gluten free and vegan, so everyone can enjoy it.
7. Make your own salsa. Chips aren't the only things that will taste good with salsa. I love adding tomato salsa to my chickens, salads (it's a healthy alternative to typically fattening salad dressings), and rice. You can use a combination of tomatoes, peaches, mangoes, corn, and black beans to achieve different flavors, depending on what you're cooking.
8. Grow your own vegetable garden. There are no excuses for not eating enough vegetables when they're grown in your own backyard! Can it get any more convenient than that? Nope! Start with easy to maintain veggies, like cucumbers and tomatoes, and work your way up. Don't forget to look into sunlight and seasonality requirements.
9. Substitute intelligently. Whenever you're at a restaurant, substitute your fries/baked potato/rice for steamed vegetables. Food often tastes better when someone brings it to you, and this time, they'll be bringing you less calories and fat.
10. Buy power green packs. I frequent a couple grocery stores that sell "power green packs", which are mixes of spinach, arugula, and kale. I don't have to worry about cutting, dicing, or rinsing, so it's convenient to add to virtually all my meals.
11. Add veggies to your eggs. Eggs are packed with protein and can be dressed up in many ways. I fill the bottom of a large frying pan completely with the aforementioned power greens. Then, I crack an egg on top of it. I add sliced tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, and a little bit of cheese. I then add another layer of power greens to the top. Not only do these veggies add more vitamins to my meal, but they also make it much healthier.
12. Use lettuce as bread. Lettuce is a much healthier alternative to bread and comes with far less calories. Don't forget you can get "protein style" at In-N-Out, which means there's no bun to be found!
How do you like your veggies? What tips would you add to this list?
Crunch crunch crunch
Natasha