ISO ideas for getting more veggies each day.

[Kelli Kerrigan]

You might want to try making soup for your lunches. Full of vegis that are good for you. I also add spinach to alot of things (one of my favs!) My turkey meatloaf always gets a full box of the frozen chopped stuff. Vegis in pitas are real good and quick to make.....hope this helps!

[hlao23]

Great topic! I also have problems getting enough veggies.

Those of you who do eat lots of veggies: How often do you grocery shop? My fresh veggies don't seem to keep very long in the fridge. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif

[Leanne]

Ok - here is my day of food - maybe it will help you.
I have a piece of fruit for breakfast, maybe some juice.
For lunch I have a salad that I throw lots of veggies in (plus yogurt or something else), or leftovers.
Dinners are usually a pasta or stir fry with lots of veggies. Or a meat & 2 veggies (thereabouts). Soups also get alot of veggies thrown in. Even my chili has beans, onions, peppers, & tomatoes.
Carrot sticks & fruits for snacks - grapes are good for that. I also love fresh sliced tomatoes - with cajun seasoning or balsamic vinegar.
I love veggies - so get them any way I can. I make sure I have a piece of fruit & at least one veggie for lunch.

[Wendy w]

I take a salad to work nearly every day.

[BevP]

It's hard for me to do veggies too. But I do love the salad bar at the grocery store. It's great for dinner salad or lunch by adding some meat from the deli. Also the baby carrots often get eaten right out of the bag in our house. But we definately need more ideas.

[RUSTYSMOM]

Hi Lindrusso - you know what is great (that I need to start doing again) is roasting a bunch of vegetables over the weekend - or whenever you have time. Roasted carrotts, parsnips, peppers, brocoli opnions, etc... They are really good. SPray them with a bit of olive oil and salt and that is it. You can eat them as is, toss them with pasta or salad, reheat to serve with dinner.

I need to follow my own advise. I am with you - not eating enough fruits and veggies!

[Chefmom]

One of my favorite lunches is a rice pilaf. I simply make rice in the rice maker, then I saute some onions and a little garlic in olive oil, add some chopped carrots and soften on low, then I add a little orzo pasta and toast that.

Then I add a can of either veggie stock or chicken stock and cook until the pasta is done and the stock is almost gone, then add any other seasoning, the rice that is already cooked and some chopped beans (usually something neutral like great northern) and some frozen peas or broccoli or asparagus, depending on the season.

I keep this in the fridge and my daughter likes it, I like it for a quick side dish, you can even pair it with a grilled chicken breast. Better yet it gets beans into me, and that's the most important thing. I chop them so that they really don't mush when you eat them, and you really don't even know they are there!

So, it's veggies, rice and beans (proteins) and it fills me up and tastes good too. I get tired of salads, and this works in the winter when fresh veggies aren't that great.

Tami

oh, it reheats in the micro great!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[S]

One of my favorite sandwiches is to take crusty French bread, spread on some hummus (usually store bought) and top it with many layers of thinly sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion. Then sprinkle with feta cheese. Romaine is good on this sandwich, as is spinach. Sometimes I vary it with zucchini and summer squash. The more veggies, the better!

[alice*]

I usually grocery shop once a week but make several stops for certain things (say for a specific recipe) a few times during the week. The veggies keep fresh fine

[lorilei]

Why not add carrots to a fruit smoothie in the morning?

Add shredded carrots or cabbage to your sandwich at lunch? Bring a bag of cherry tomatoes or baby carrots to munch throughout the day...

I usually make vegetables a main feature at dinner time by serving a large salad, multiple veggie sides, or a vegetarian main course.

I've developed a love affair with veggies over the years -- I think you'll find that once you start, you won't want to give it up. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[kwormann]

No fiber involved, but I love a V8 between breakfast and lunch during the mid morning slump....gets a veggie serving in, too http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Kim

[lindrusso]

Hi all. I am currently trying to increase the amount of veggies and fruits in my diet. Fruits are pretty easy in that they are "ready-to-eat", it's just a matter of actually EATING them. But I find it hard to get veggies in. Raw veggies are fine, but they get boring if that's all you eat. I'm looking for ways to get veggies that will keep me excited and motivated.

Dinner time isn't usually a problem - I make sure to prepare some sort of veggie - but I find it hard to fit veggies in at lunch time in a way that doesn't require too much preparation. I have been thinking about pre-chopping some veggies and storing a large salad each week (no dressing to keep it fresh) and eating from that. I also thought about sauteeing veggies at the beginning of the week and keeping them in the fridge for quick and easy omelets, quesadillas, etc.

I'm wondering if you creative people out there have any hints or tips????? Thanks so much for sharing!! I wish I could be like you Ohioan - where it just seems to come naturally!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[alice*]

Hello, I love veggies so getting a lot in doesn't seem to be a problem. I am not too busy so I am able to do a little preparation at home. I like to steam some fresh veggies (I usually do carrots, broccoli and cauliflower), then saute a ton of garlic in a few tsp of butter or marg. I then add the veggies and some chicken stock, soy sauce or wine and simmer until they are coated in a slight sauce. These are very good as a side dish, sprinkled with sesame seeds or on rice. It is actually very easy. Good luck! Also, making a really good, low fat dip to have around helps the boring-ness of veggies. Baby carrots in CLs roasted pepper cheese dip are very good. You can make a bunch of dip and keep it in the fridge for easy access. I also like to mix together garlic, fat free yogurt, kraft fat free "salad dressing" mayo type stuff, dill and chives. Very good and fat free.

[lindrusso]

Thanks everyone for the ideas. I especially like the ideas for roasting veggies and for making more soups. I could make a large batch of veggie soup and freeze in individual portions for a quick lunch - and it would taste much better than those canned soups!!!

For me it's like so many things - I just need to pay more attention to what I eat and make the effort. Once you get in the habit, it's much easier. My other problem is that I really crave carbs when I'm hungry - veggies just don't seem as satisfying - which is funny because carbs just make me even hungrier later!

[phantomcg]

Great topic! I'm always looking for more ways to enjoy veggies and I love reading about all the ideas on how to prepare them in advance for lunches.

One of the things that I like to do for lunch is to bake extra potatoes (either regular or sweet) for dinner and then take the extra's for lunch. I like to top them with lots of different veggies. Broccoli, cauliflower and spinach are some of my favorites. I really like the idea of roasting a bunch of veggies in advance.

Cheryl

[lorilei]

Originally posted by lindrusso:
My other problem is that I really crave carbs when I'm hungry - veggies just don't seem as satisfying - which is funny because carbs just make me even hungrier later!

Linda - I have the same problem with carbs. And many times I find that what I really need when I'm HUNGRY is protein.

I try to eat vegetables as snacks and with other things. I don't run to the veggie tray when I'm starving (vegetables don't fulfill me that way), but I do make sure that whenever I'm eating carbs or protein that there's veggies there as well!

[catharine]

As for the roasted veggie idea, I have worked out a pretty good lunch system. Sunday nights I heat up my George Foreman Grill and roast red peppers, portabello mushrooms, sometimes zuchini or squash, some onions, etc.

I put the veggies into those compartmentalized plastic containers, and in the mornings I throw a slew of the veggies (sometimes I need to blot them with a paper towel) into a tortilla. You can put in a little shredded cheese, feta and/or hummos as well. Roll it up and wrap it in aluminum foil. Makes a great lunch.

Another favorite is to make a bean salad early in the week, and put spinach and/or lettuce into individual containers. I throw the beans salad into the greens for a satisfying and healthful lunch.

Finally, I sometimes make a big batch of veggie chili on Sundays. I have a great recipe that has beans, potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, corn, onion, tomatoes, etc. It is almost totally fat free but very filling (and delicious). let me know if anyone wants this posted. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[hlao23]

Catharine - I would love to have the recipe. Thanks in advance. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Cheryl - Can you keep the potatoes and veggies out (say in your lunchbag) or in the fridge? It seems like it might take a while to reheat a cold potato and finding cold patches wouldn't be very appetizing.

[njwgood]

catherine, I would love the recipe, I am on weight watchers and we love low fat, filling stuff!!! thanks, Nancy

[LSB]

I keep a "salad bar" in my fridge. When I shop I wash and cut up everything and put it in plastic ziploc bags or other containers and when I want a salad I just bring everything out and throw it together. The veggies keep pretty well for a few days at least. I usually leave a small opening in the bag to circulate air. It makes it easy at dinner too when I'm busy making other stuff. If I have any leftovers - grilled chicken, roasted veggies etc - I just throw them in too. It's also easy for a quick stir-fry.

[phantomcg]

Hlao23:
I usually cut the potato in half while it's still hot, put the veggies on it and stick the whole thing in my lunch bag. I use "reuseable" ice cubes in my lunch bag. I think that I ususally take the container out of my lunch bag 45 minutes to an hour before I want to eat. Sometimes I'll heat it up in the microwave, but I also like to eat it at room temp. With just potatoes and veggies, I don't think there would be any problem out of the 'fridge (at least I've never had a problem).

Cheryl

[Laura Wick]

Another poster mentioned hummus, which is made primarily of beans. It comes in all kinds of flavors and consistencies. I have found some that are quite thick, and some that are less so. You might keep raw veggies on hand, and dip them in hummus--you'd be getting double veggies. I usually use celery for this.

You can also use hummus on a sandwich instead of mayonnaise.