I'm trying to eat MORE...

kccc · Post by **kccc** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 10:01 pm

... more fruits and vegetables, that is. Plain ones, not doused in sauce or anything.

Not that I'm tweaking no S - these are not hard rules I'm adding on, just a "stretch" to aim for in terms of nutrition. My old pattern included one fruit at breakfast, 2 fruit/veg at both other meals. I'm trying to up the former 1+2+2 pattern to 2+3+3.

I'm finding it adds to my N-day meal satisfaction for me to think in terms of "what ELSE can I have?" - even if that "else" is an apple or broccoli!

Murphysraven · Post by **Murphysraven** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 4:13 pm

What do you consider a serving? I've been suprised to find out a lot of whole fruits (like apples/bananas, etc) were 2-3 servings due to their size!

I am certainly working on eating more raw veggies with meals, mostly salads or carrots. I like raw asparagus too if it's thin stalks. Also suprising is that raw green cabbage is lightly sweet! Jicama is another not well know food item that I just love, but its pretty starchy so I don't have it often.

kccc · Post by **kccc** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 3:52 am

I knew bananas could be two... apples?? I don't THINK mine are - I get the smaller ones in the bags because I don't like them too big.

But that's a really good point - I could "supersize" my veggies and get the additional servings I'm trying for. (And may be doing it unaware already!!)

Still, what's cool and funny is the "mindset" change. Once I tell myself I HAVE to eat more, my natural resistance kicks in and says "but I'm FUUUULLLL."

What can I say? My inner child is a bit whiny sometimes.

silverfish · Post by **silverfish** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 6:28 am

You can do interesting things with vegetables that don't involve sauce: Steamed broccoli rocks with slivered almonds on it. Brussels sprouts can be cooked with onion and bacon, or green beans be bundled together with a strip of prosciutto and cooked on a pan. You can put almost any cooked vegetables into a wrap (pumpkin, fetta, mixed greens and pine-nuts!) or with couscous for a combination meal/side/salad. Cut thin slices of potato or sweet potato and bake them on a baking sheet with just a very light spray of light oil. Dump them all in a dish with fresh rosemary and assorted spices and roast them with whole garlic cloves (very sweet).

I've been known to make a meal just of the last.

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:53 pm

If I'm hungry between meals, instead of the glass of milk that Reinhard recommends (which I hate -- just mentioned that in another post), I have fruits or vegetables, maybe even a small bowl of vegetable soup. Fewer calories, more fiber and other nutrients. Works for me.

I also don't worry about the starch in things like jicama or potatoes and so on. I really only worry about the starch in man-made foods.

kccc · Post by **kccc** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:54 pm

Silverfish, you're making my mouth water - those all sound great!!

bonnieUK · Post by **bonnieUK** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 1:16 pm

I find the best way to serve vegetables is with fresh lemon juice, herbs & spices, perhaps some fresh crushed garlic or the easier dried garlic granules.

Lemon juice really brings out the colour of some veggies too making them look much more appealing.

I'd recommend going for good quality herbs & spices without artificial additives or added salt - good herbs and spices shouldn't need cheap additives or flavour enhancers. I avoid salt due to problems with water retention and have found that cayenne chilli pepper is a great alternative to enhance the flavour of veggies.

Some cooked veggies are nice topped with a good quality pasta sauce too, particularly brocoli and green beans.

If you want to get more raw veg into your diet, investing in a food processor can help you whizz up chopped salads / salsas etc. very eaily and quickly.

May fav food processor made coleslaw type salad involves:

Raw white cabbage
Red onoins
Carrots
Juice of 1 lemon
Olive oil (optional - sometimes I omit this and can't even tell the difference!).
Dried basil
A dash of cayenne pepper

Hope that gives you some ideas

bonnieUK · Post by **bonnieUK** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 1:20 pm

wosnes wrote:If I'm hungry between meals, instead of the glass of milk that Reinhard recommends (which I hate -- just mentioned that in another post), I have fruits or vegetables, maybe even a small bowl of vegetable soup. Fewer calories, more fiber and other nutrients. Works for me.

I also don't worry about the starch in things like jicama or potatoes and so on. I really only worry about the starch in man-made foods.

A cup of Miso soup makes a good "snack" too, as it is flavourful & warming but with very few calories - I like it with a bit cayenne pepper for extra heat (yes I'm obsessed with cayenne pepper - I like things spicy

). I usually get Miso soup sachets from the health food shop and keep some around as an "emergency snack".

Blondie · Post by **Blondie** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 1:54 pm

I also don't worry about the starch in things like jicama or potatoes and so on. I really only worry about the starch in man-made foods.

I'm so with you on this. I avoid white bread, overprocessed starches etc, but usually I think it's silly (barring doctor's/nutritionist's orders related to hyperglycemia or the like) when people avoid bananas, carrots, beets, watermelon, etc. Please, eating bananas is not what has made America fat.

I really believe that even fruits and veggies higher on the glycemic index are unlikely to cause real issues for hyperglycemics (and this is true for my diabetic friend) unless they overload on them or don't eat enough other stuff. Exception for dried fruit, maybe.

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 3:24 pm

I don't think the refined white things are necessarily bad, but it depends on how much, how often, and in combination with what other foods.

When your diet is based on the refined foods and includes very little in the way of whole foods; they're a problem. When they're eaten along with lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains -- not so much of a problem.

While I do eat white bread, white-flour pasta and white rice, I don't eat very much very often and there's always lots of vegetables, beans and fruit as well. Oh, and did I mention cookies? My downfall.

kccc · Post by **kccc** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 4:47 pm

Thanks for the great ideas! I will have to try the coleslaw. I don't eat regular coleslaw much b/c I hate mayo, but your version sounds great! It's also very "portable" which helps with lunch (though the other recipes sound wonderful for dinner).

I adore roasted veggies, but they take too long for weekdays, so I don't have them as often as I'd like. I think I'll cook some this weekend, though. A healthy S-day treat is a good plan! (And left-over roasted veggies are so good to throw in things - I'll make a bunch!)

Appreciate the support!

(And I agree about "white processed" versus potatoes and bananas. And about some refined stuff won't kill you if it's not the bulk of your diet - though I LIKE whole-grain better when I can get it. And cookies being a downfall - gotta agree with that too... )

WinstonWolf · Post by **WinstonWolf** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 2:51 pm

Neat trick with some veggies if you're short on time...

... take, say, some asparagus. Put 'em in a relatively shallow microwave-safe pan or dish, pour in some water, and nuke for ~5 minutes.

Honestly, they've come out better that way than sometimes when we boil 'em.

Haven't tried with, say, broccoli, but I expect something similar would work.

I also do the occasional odd chinese-style stir-fry. Cut up some chicken, some onion, maybe green pepper, maybe broccoli, whatever. Put oil in a pan, grab a wooden spoon (if you have one). Garlic too or ginger if you have them in the house (and like them).

Meat doesn't really take very long to cook this way, veggies actually take longer... toss in some soy sauce at the end, easy stuff.

Rice if you like it, we usually have that with rice.