Ways to eat more vegetables: what do you do?

I thought this might help us to up the veggie intake. I sometimes eat a load of mixed veggies mixed with marinara sauce. Please list any simple or complex techniques that you might have! Thanks.

Fri. May 12, 9:45pm

This is a cauliflower recipe that I love:
Ingredients needed:
Cauliflower-medium head
1-8 oz can tomato sauce
¼ cup cheddar cheese
Clean and cut cauliflower into bite size pieces. Put enough cut up cauliflower to fit in an 8-9” glass pie pan. Steam (or nuke) cauliflower until done. Spray glass pan with non-stick spray. Put cauliflower in the 8-9” glass pie pan, pour 8 oz tomato sauce over cauliflower, then sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Put in oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. I often make a meal out of this recipe.

Friday, May 12, 2006, 10:05 PM

add veggies to anything! i love zuchini , carrot slices, and summer squash in spaghetti, or you can add a handful of spinach, tomato, or broccoli to most pasta dishes. also, v8 is a great way to get in more veggies, if you like the taste. i love it but i know some find it unappetizing.

Saturday, May 13, 2006, 1:31 AM

Eat Salad

I have a salad every night, with bagged salad mix, tomato, cucumber, onion and pepper. It's quite filling, very tasty, and low calorie. I add 2 tbsp low fat balsamic dressing (I recommend Newman's Own Light) and I'm all set.

I also add lettuce or baby spinach to my lunchtime sandwich.

For a quick veggie I microwave frozen peas. A quick par boil prepares green beans nicely, also broccoli, and a quick sautee will get you zuchinni or squash.

I love my veggies!

Saturday, May 13, 2006, 8:45 PM

Make a batch of veggie soup every week

I make a batch of vegetable soup every week. It is a yummy low calorie snack. A bowl of veggie soup prepared with no oil has about 100 cals (for about 2 cups) and gives you ~2-3 veggie servings. Yummy!

Saturday, May 13, 2006, 8:50 PM

I have a salad with lean protein every day for lunch. I top the salad with tuna, salmon, chicken, pork tenderloin..whatever I have. Soup is another great option. I also like omelettes with spinach and tomatoes.

Saturday, May 13, 2006, 9:43 PM

this is really great and i think I'll make a big list of all the ideas and plan them into my shopping list and meals.. keep them coming! everything is great so far!

Saturday, May 13, 2006, 10:51 PM

I snack on raw baby carrots or raw broccoli or raw cauliflower all day. And I drink carrot juice every day.

Sunday, May 14, 2006, 10:42 AM

Thanks for mentioning Veggie Soup!
It's been COLD and RAINY lately here in Michigan, so I decided to make a batch today! ;-)

Sunday, May 14, 2006, 1:12 PM

I buy a bag of fresh spinach and chop it up and add it to recipes whenever I can. My kids don't even notice. :)

Sunday, May 14, 2006, 4:15 PM

I made some veggie soup today in my 5 quart crock pot.
I just threw in whatever was in the freezer, fridge & pantry that sounded good and here's what It ended up being. Very yummy! :-) It actually ended up being alsmost more of a stewed veggie mix vs. a soup, but yummy, none-the-less! Plus, I could clean out my freezer a bit!

Freezer:
Roasted Corn
Speckled Butter Beans
Black Eyed Peas
Mixed Bell Peppers
Spinach
A couple of Cubes of frozen Basil
Cube of frozen Garlic

Fridge:
Fresh Celery (chopped)
Fresh Carrots (Chopped)
Fresh Green Onions

Pantry:
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Hawaiian Red Sea Salt
Fire Roasted Tomatoes

Water

Sunday, May 14, 2006, 10:34 PM

Grill them! I slice up carrots, broccoli and cauliflower and put them in a foil packet with some Fat Free Italian dressing and grill them for about 1/2 hour. I just shake the packet around a couple of times while they're cooking. They're tender and taste great, and they are practically no mess.

Sunday, May 14, 2006, 11:13 PM

gaspacho! Easy way to drink your veggies in the summer. Experiment with recipes and watch the salt and oil.

Way better than V8! (which can have a lot of salt by the way)

Monday, May 15, 2006, 5:41 AM

I keep bags of frozen veggies and stir fry all the time.

Monday, May 15, 2006, 8:59 AM

salsa and tomato sauce!

Monday, May 15, 2006, 2:02 PM

veggie rice bowls w/brown rice have become a fave. Just make sure you use lots of veggies and not too much rice. I'll add a bit of tofu or chicken and they freeze wonderfully for a fast lunch or dinner. My favorite veggies to use are: brocolli, carrot, mushrooms, peas, peppers, zuchinni, yellow squash and sometimes asparagus and/or spinach. 2 Tbsp of TJ's vegetable tapenade makes a wonderful seasoning! I also use shallots, garlic, basil, parsley, chives and a few red pepper flakes. I have one of those choppers and prep time is easy! Alternately you could buy these ingredients frozen as well, but I prefer fresh.

I did the soup thing quite often this winter. A cup of veggie soup and a small lean turkey sandwich on a whole grain roll is very saitsfying and low fat too! I also make a roasted chicken 'n veggie soup that I get loads of compliments on. You can really fill a soup up with vegetables and feel very satisfied for much fewer calories than other choices.

I also do a lot of one-dish chicken 'n stuff recipies in my wok where I combine boneless, skinless chicken breast (cubed) with a bunch of veggies, a little pasta and some kind of light sauce. I can't really call it stir fry because it's more of a cook 'n simmer type thing, but the wok really allows you to do everything in one dish and makes cooking and cleanup fast and easy.

Monday, May 15, 2006, 6:11 PM

Ratatouille...a stew of eggplant, tomatoes, squash and onions. Great over pasta, open face sandwich with cheese,...be creative. Just search for it online, you'll see lots of recipes!

Monday, May 15, 2006, 9:31 PM

Sometimes I find that if the veggies are already cut up, I'm more likely to eat them (call me lazy.) Perhaps try to purchase a small veggie tray from the grocery store and then dip them in non fat ranch dressing for a snack.

Wednesday, May 31, 2006, 3:10 PM

I make "fried rice" that features whatever veggie looked good at the store. It's basically a stirfry with a little rice, egg, and the vegetable. Add some soy sauce and sesame oil for flavor (and garlic and onion and ginger if you get ambitions). Very easy. Yum!

Wednesday, May 31, 2006, 4:52 PM

gazpacho is great!

I agree with your Gazpacho comments. The value of this cold soup is incredible nutritionally. You can also throw in a handful of sliced almonds to the blender. I use whatever veggies I have handy, and always have a cup before lunch and dinner (this is a Dr. Oz trick. He loves gazpacho!)

Thursday, June 7, 2007, 1:56 PM

add veggies

I try to add veggies to everything. A couple of things that I do:

Saute some veggies in a very small amount of olive oil - onions, mushrooms, red and yellow peppers, and fold in egg beaters. Scramble all together.

Stir-Fry: Saute in a very small amount of olive oil - onions, mushrooms, peppers, bamboo shoots, brocolli, chinese cabbage, bean sprouts. At the end throw in some tofu or cooked meat. Top with a couple of tablespoons of stir-fry sauce.

I eat a salad every day. Either as lunch or dinner entree with either chicken, shrimp, tofu, or tuna on top.

Thursday, June 7, 2007, 5:00 PM

I pack up a bunch of ziploc bags full of crudite type veggies on Sundays. Then I have them ready to add to my lunches each day. Use veggies that last well like celery, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, radishes, snow peas. I will also add veg like pepper strips and cucumber disk if i'm alert enough in the morning. With a bit of hummus, these are great for lunch or snacks.

Friday, June 8, 2007, 4:22 AM

I agree-- I find that at New Year's Eve, when I have my annual party, I eat a lot more veggies because it's in a "veggie tray" and "no work" for me...

I think I may start making veggie trays for our every day life... I try to cook veggies with every meal --fresh or frozen. (I hate most canned veggies, except for creamed corn, beans or canned mushrooms (in a pinch). Fresh or frozen tastes / looks better.)

Great idea on the gazpacho--isn't it kind of like fresh salsa?

Friday, June 8, 2007, 10:52 AM

Ways to eat more vegetables

I add a side of veggies to my frozen low-fat/cal meal, like Healthy Choice, or Smart Ones, or Lean Cuisine. It helps fill me up, and I'm sure to get my veggies. I like frozen vegetables and nuke them after I nuke my frozen entree. It really helps stave off the night food cravings.

Friday, June 8, 2007, 1:59 PM

I try to have veggies with every meal. Ok not always breakfast.
My favorite
Try making a pizza with a tortilla crust. Bake 5 min on each side then take it out and load it up. Ragu chunky garden vegetable sauce, green onions, 2 olives, tiny bit of sliced ham (17 cal), tsp or two of pineapple, then smothered in mushrooms and sliced tomato. Top it all off with an ounce or less of cheese and bake 7-10 min more.
I don't crave pizza anymore since I can make my own and my family loves it too.
Don't use the low carb tortillas, they will burn.

I love to make veggie sandwiches. sliced: cucumbers, dill pickle, tomato, red onion, green or red pepper, pepperchini or wax banana peppers, alfalfa sprouts and lastly lettuce but not iceburg it has no nutrional value.

What about Egg fu young Egg beaters and egg whites with tons of bean sprouts, mushrooms and green onion. Soy sauce to taste. With a Tbls of fat free brown gravy over it. They are about 35 calories a patty inc. the gravy and delicious.

Chow mein of a head of celery, 2 yellow onions sliced, and a bag of bean sprouts sauted in a non stick pan with just a bit of spray like pam. When crisp tender add a 1/2 cup of water with 1 T cornstarch mixed together. Soy sauce to taste.

Try fajitas: red, green or yellow peppers with onions. You can use just a little chicken with it.
I don't like to have too much of the tortillas so I will either make one with a tortilla and the rest on lettuce if I am still hungry or make a fajita salad. Using Fat free sour cream as a dressing.
Last week I even made fajita soup with the left overs.
Thats all that comes to me right now.

Friday, June 8, 2007, 3:35 PM

MUSHROOM MAIN DISH

Take a hearty Mushroom- portabello or cremini sliced farily thin- laid out in a single layer on a heavy baking sheet. Sprinkle with very light coating of olive oil or pam. Then sprinkle with with fresh thyme leaves (no stems), a little sea salt and black pepper. Then use either hand grated or pre-grated parmesan cheese - a faily heavy dusting of cheese. Put it under the broiler (WATCH VERY CARFULLY) Remove when when melted (nice and bubbly).

Friday, June 8, 2007, 9:07 PM

3:35, thanks for the egg fu yung & chow mein ideas, never thought of making soemthing like that at home.

Friday, June 8, 2007, 9:14 PM

Vegetables are the basis for all my meals, including breakfast. Usually stirfried or in a salad.

Friday, June 8, 2007, 10:10 PM

I'm trying to eat a LOT more green leafy veg, and incorporating them into smoothies to get more than I can eat in salads alone. Spinach in smoothies is a tremendous success - you can cram a pile in and not even taste it!

Sunday, June 10, 2007, 8:40 AM

Fresh tomatoes sliced with Mrs. Dash sprinkled on top.

Sunday, June 10, 2007, 2:33 PM

We are addicted to Acorn Squash.

Cut one in half and scoop out the seeds.
add a tsp of water to each half and cover with saran wrap
microwave both for 8 minutes
carefully uncover and add a little salt/pepper

If we're eating it for a meal and not as a side, we'll add 2 tbs ricotta cheese.

Very good for you and very filling. (esp with the cheese)

Sunday, June 10, 2007, 3:53 PM

Roasted green beans

Yummy and different way to enjoy slightly wilted or woody fresh green beans;
wash about a pound and break off the ends
throw into a plastic bag and add a tbsp of olive oil, a little salt and pepper
toss until coated and on foil lined cookie sheet
bake in Hot oven 475
after 10 minutes stir and cook another 10 or so minutes until browned.
eat them warm from oven

Brussles sprouts are good this way too, wash, cut in half, coat and incinerate
for 15 minutes, stir and incinerate again and they actualy taste good....and I am not a fan of brussles sprouts.

Sunday, June 10, 2007, 9:12 PM

blanched green beans (70 seconds in boiling water), then just add a little soy sauce and a little sesame oil. Sooooo good.

Thursday, December 6, 2007, 3:09 PM

Several times a week I steam 1 c broccoli with 1 c cauliflower in chicken broth for 10 mins. Eat with lots of pepper and few spritz of can't believe it's not butter spray - yummy and fillling!

Thursday, December 6, 2007, 6:24 PM

An easy way to get in some veggies is to buy the frozen packages. I boil some noodles and add frozen veggies to the colander so when I drain the noodles the veggies thaw. Toss with your favorite salad dressing or add tuna and mayo for a cool pasta salad.

Sunday, December 9, 2007, 8:45 PM

seeing as it's winter now, I'm all for stew.

Root veggies are in season. They may be carb high, but they're still veggies.
Rutabaga, turnip, carrots, squash, sweet potato, parsnip, potato, they all go great in a good beef stew.

Sunday, December 9, 2007, 9:48 PM

what about making split pea soup - ours had lots of carrots, celery and onions, not to mention peas. Very little oil so it would have been low fat too,if not for the polish sausage we put in.

Sunday, December 9, 2007, 11:16 PM

This is an excellent thread. I love fresh, steamed, or cooked veggies. Just about any you can think of except brussels sprouts (can't stand the smell of them so never could get them close enough to my face to even taste them...lol).

Saturday, December 22, 2007, 11:53 AM

This is a great thread! when im having my evening meal instead of having chips or potatoes, i tend to cut carrots and parsnips into thin slices (using a peeler usually), coat them in olive oil and bake them in the oven until all crispy! tastes amazing!

Saturday, December 22, 2007, 2:35 PM

bump

Sunday, January 13, 2008, 6:39 PM

Powder form
www.organicfrog.com
Good Luck!

Monday, January 28, 2008, 11:24 PM

I eat....

I like roasting different kinds of veggies: sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, green beans, onion, garlic in the oven, with a light tossing of olive oil, a pinch of salt, pepper, and curry powder. It tastes exotic and yummy!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008, 11:59 AM

Eat them and then juice some.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008, 7:13 PM

Bump - for the 2/24/08 poster who didn't think to search "more vegetables".

Sunday, February 24, 2008, 6:04 PM

Green Smoothies

I started adding spinach to fruit smoothies, about 1/2 spinach to the fruit. I also add a little water, you can use what ever fruit you want.

This way I can eat them for breakfast and get some veggies in, which I find difficult to do otherwise.

Sunday, February 24, 2008, 7:43 PM

I'm a vitamix junkie. I don't want to advertise, but it does open up a lot of ways to increase veggie intake.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008, 10:16 PM

wow, $500 for a blender. does it really work that much better than a $100 blender?

Link

Tuesday, March 18, 2008, 9:08 AM

bump

Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 9:51 PM

a b c d e f

a b c d e fa b c d e fa b c d e fa b c d e fa b c d e fa b c d e fa b c d e fa b c d e fa b c d e fa b c d e fa b c d e fa b c d e fa b c d e f

Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 11:33 PM

bump

Wednesday, July 9, 2008, 1:00 AM

how does everybody add more veg into their meals?

Friday, July 11, 2008, 6:41 PM

East vegetables Asian style. Very healthy and flavorful. You can lightly steam the vegetables and season it with salt or soy sauce and sprinkle some sesame oil and sesame seed if you like. Spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, beansprouts..any vegetables would do.

Or saute any vegetables lightly on a pan or wok with sesame oil. Add soy sauce and sesame seed lightly to flavor. You can add smashed garlic in sesame oil first and add chopped green onions as the last step if you like.

Friday, July 18, 2008, 7:55 PM

Omelets are also a great way to start off with a veggie.

I was raised to plan our meals around the meat and have been trying to go the other route. When I can I go to the farmer's market and buy my weekly veggies then go through my cookbook for recipes to plan my meals around.
sometimes it is a simple casserole, souffle or soup.

Friday, July 18, 2008, 9:34 PM

yea

Tuesday, July 29, 2008, 8:42 AM

bump

Wednesday, July 30, 2008, 11:31 AM

bump

Friday, August 15, 2008, 5:02 PM

here is how we get more veggies in our diet- quick and easy recipe for making a pile of vegetable soup packed with greens:

Link

Saturday, September 19, 2009, 12:05 PM

Carrot Ginger Soup recipe

this one is very tasty- and it turns off hunger. seriously.

-PEERtrainer

Link

Saturday, September 19, 2009, 12:06 PM

Pasta bake, with very little pasta and mashed squash or pumpkin. Just roast any veg in a tiny bit of oil, take out the squash bits and mash them up, then add back to the pan with some wholewheat pasta, a tin of tomatoes, and a few chopped up bits of laughing cow light cheese on top, then pop back in the oven for another half hour. Optional sunflower and pumkin seeds on top for the last 5 minutes are great, too.

Monday, September 21, 2009, 11:37 AM

Extreme Zucchini

My favorite trick is to search for recipes meant for kids. They are usually simple and quick. I fell in love with Extreme Zucchini recently and make it two or three times a month. It is zucchini, tomato, yellow bell pepper and onion, all steamed at the same time, with a little mayo. I use vegan mayonnaise, but I'm sure the regular stuff tastes just fine ;c)

It is 19 calories a serving! Which is a good thing, because I eat all four servings.

Link

Monday, September 21, 2009, 7:48 PM

fruits/veggies

Hi, I hope you find this useful...

http://www.ehow.com/how_5677745_servings-fruit-vegetables.html?shared=true

Link

Tuesday, November 24, 2009, 12:20 AM

veggie pasta

v8? is that the pasta with the infused(?) vegetables? I've always wondered if we actually get anything from those like spinach spaghetti or the v8, because I think I saw at the label that the spinach content on the spaghetti I bought was about 2% (or was it 0.02%?? lol). That's not much is it?

Wednesday, November 25, 2009, 11:14 AM

this is one of the BEST ways to get a PILE of greens in each day:

http://blog.peertrainer.com/tip_of_the_day/2009/12/pureed-peertrainer-energy-soup-recipe.html

It works!

Link

Saturday, September 25, 2010, 7:31 PM

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