Five easy ways to eat your veggies

If you've been to my boot camp you know that from the start I have you keep a food journal. One of the first things I notice when I read through them is that people don’t get enough vegetables in their daily diet. I like to see at least two servings of vegetables every day. Fibrous carbohydrates such as fruits and veggies contain fiber that keeps you full for fewer calories. They help you shed pounds and feel better overall.




Each meal should contain a source of carbohydrates, and that doesn’t have to mean bread, rice or pasta. The best sources of carbohydrates—whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans—promote good health by delivering vitamins, minerals, fiber and a host of important phytonutrients, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Easily digested carbohydrates from white bread, white rice, pastries, sugared sodas, and other highly processed foods may contribute to weight gain, interfere with weight loss and promote diabetes and heart disease, the organization said.

While fresh vegetables are always your best choice, frozen and canned are much better than nothing at all.

Here are five ways you can get more vegetables in your diet that you may not have considered.



1. Add pico de gallo to your scrambled eggs at breakfast. Fresh and Easy carries a packaged pico de gallo in the vegetable aisle that makes it easy.


2. Have fresh vegetables on hand for snacking. Grape tomatoes, pre-washed broccoli and cauliflower and sliced cucumbers make great snacks. When they’re ready ahead of time, it makes it easier for you to reach for them.

3. Green Giant makes frozen Steamers bags that take less than 10 minutes to prepare. They usually contain three servings for less than 200 calories for the entire bag.

4. When you’re preparing tuna or chicken salad, add diced tomatoes so you automatically have vegetables in the salad.

Here’s a healthy recipe that you can keep on hand.

Low-Fat Tuna or Chicken Salad
2 cans (6 1/2 oz.) tuna fish or two chicken breasts, baked and cubed
1/2 or more red onion chopped
1 large stalk celery chopped
2 fresh tomatoes diced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper (or to taste)
1 tsp. basil leaf (fresh or dried)
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup salad dressing

Mix all ingredients. Chill. Serve in pita bread.

5. Turkey or chicken meatballs are another way you can get your vegetables in. Make these meatballs ahead of time and reheat single servings as you go. You can even add a tomato sauce when you reheat the meatballs to get more vegetables in your diet.

Baked Chicken or Turkey Meatballs (from Smitten Kitchen)
3 slices Italian bread, torn into small bits (1 cup)
1/3 cup milk
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large egg
1 pound ground chicken or turkey
2 tablespoons tomato paste, divided
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Soak bread in milk in a small bowl until softened, about four minutes.

Cook onion and garlic in one tablespoon oil with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat until onion is softened, about 6 minutes. Cool slightly.
Squeeze bread to remove excess milk, then discard milk. Lightly beat egg in a large bowl, then combine with chicken, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, pancetta mixture, bread, and parsley. Form 12 meatballs and arrange in another 4-sided sheet pan.

Stir together remaining tablespoons of tomato paste and oil and brush over meatballs, then bake in upper third of oven until meatballs are just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.