Eat More Veggies
Are you one of the many people who only get about two servings of vegetables a day when you should be really getting five to seven? It can be frustrating to incorporate that many servings when reaching for something processed is so much easier. While it may take some planning, boosting your veggie intake will reap great rewards such as weight loss, improved artery and heart health and increased energy.
Veggies – It’s in the Bag
Take advantage of those pre-washed bagged salads, spinach and other veggies you can find in the produce section of your local grocery store. Cleaning and prepping the vegetables can take time and if you are tired at the end of the day, you are not going to bother. Fresh, pre-packaged produce is easy, fast and contains no harmful additives.
Salad as the Main Meal
Consider making a large salad for your main meal instead of as a side dish. Bypass blah iceberg lettuce and try different types of salad greens. Consider offbeat options like endive, Swiss chard, mesclun, watercress and even purple cabbage. Don’t forget other vegetables for your salad; anything with a satisfying taste and crunchy texture would work. And remember, the more colourful it is, the more nutritious it is. A large salad could easily count for two or three servings of vegetables alone!
Other Vegetable Ideas for your Diet Plan
Get in the habit of offering raw vegetables at the dining table, regardless of the meal you are serving. Baby carrots, cherry or grape tomatoes and sugar snap peas are great finger foods. Cucumber slices, celery sticks, green onion stalks, colourful pepper strips, small bunches of broccoli and cauliflower and even squash and zucchini slices are tasty as well. Purchase or prepare a healthy, low calorie dip such as hummus or a Greek yogurt-based option to encourage more veggie consumption. Consider a veggie tray at night for snacking in front of the tv instead of potato chips!
Sneaking vegetables in other dishes is an alternative. You can finely chop or puree your favourites and blend them into spaghetti sauce or meatloaf. You can also sauté and incorporate them into omelettes or sandwich wraps too. Bypassing meat-laden pizzas in favour of veggie varieties is another tasty choice. Getting more vegetables into your diet plan isn’t hard but you do have to be creative!
A great way to benefit from veggies is the Sacred Heart Soup Diet. If you want to learn more about it, you’ll find plenty of info here. Start here: Day 1 of Sacred Heart Soup Diet or Sacred Heart Hub – Summary of the 7 Day Detox Diet
Simplify veggie prep with a mandolin vegetable slicer:
Mandolin Veggie Slicers
