Help me eat more veggies

[chutch]

I need to eat more veggies. I do well on weekends when I have plenty of free time to make a nice salad, grill some veggies from the garden, or make a big stir fry. But I find that during the week, unless I go out to eat and order a salad, I don't get enough veggies. Fruits are no problem because its easy to grab and apple or banana and take it with me to work- needs no refrigeration or special care, doesn't need anything to dress it up, etc.

Typical work lunches are PBJs and whole grain chips and fruit. I snack on fruit, nuts, pretzels. I prefer not to have to keep anything refrigerated and I bike to work so it needs to be easily portable in a pannier.

Dinners during the week tend to be whatever can be made quickly after working all day and riding in the evenings (pasta, burritos, etc.). I get frustrated with bagged salad because it seems to always go bad before its all eaten.

Any ideas, tips?

[jillm]

This is one of my favorites this time of year--mix blanched green beans, sweet corn (leftover grilled cut off the cob, yum!), and real tomatoes (I mean fresh, august, garden or farmer's market) with pesto sauce (or a little oil and balsamic vinegar) and sprinkle with goat cheese. I make a bunch and we eat it over a few days.

Good luck with the veggies! Looking forward to what others have to say.

[Becky]

I'll buy a bunch of raw veggies, chop/peel/whatever them on the weekend, and use them throughout the week, usually in salads. Prep work doesn't happen during the week. I've been known to make "lettuce-free" salads- all of the salad veggies, but no lettuce or greens. What about buying salad greens in smaller quantities from a store salad bar?

I'm a big fan of using frozen veggies whenever possible. Frozen onions in a recipe instead of freshly chopped, sure! Frozen spinach, thawed and drained, instead of fresh in a cooked dish, you bet! Frozen corn/carrots/broccoli as a side dish instead of steaming fresh, certainly! I prepare fresh veggies when I can, but realistically, that doesn't happen very often during the week.

Low-sodium canned tomatoes are a godsend in recipes, and probably the only canned veggies that I buy (other than beans). Most canned stuff is too mushy and salty for my tastes. A quick rinse in the colander and they're good to go!

[limewave]

I try and do the same thing as Becky. I buy a bunch of fresh veggies over the weekend and then wash, cut, and dice them for easy use during the week. I find that a bag of cut veggies is a great snack for the drive home. Also, when I'm feeling lazy, I cook up some whole-grain pasta or quinoa and throw some frozen veggies in the pot. Or cook veggies in olive oil and mix with the pasta/grain. Add a splash of olive oil or balsamic vinegar for seasoning. It's really easy, light, and tastes good.

I really like the blocks of frozen chopped spinach. I go through a couple of those a week. I'll add it to spaghetti, use as a bed for grilled chicken or stir fry, add as a layer to lasagna or to an omelette . . . it goes on and on. Super easy.

[Smilie]

I really like the blocks of frozen chopped spinach. I go through a couple of those a week. I'll add it to spaghetti, use as a bed for grilled chicken or stir fry, add as a layer to lasagna or to an omelette . . . it goes on and on. Super easy.

Spaghetti with sauce? Can you taste the spinach? I like spinach but my kids not so much.

[kelownagirl]

I mostly eat raw veggies. I'm too lazy to cook them. Baby carrots, snap peas, peppers, and tomatoes are my faves.

[salsabike]

Green peppers. They are easy to wash, trim, and eat half of one as a veggie for any meal.

[chutch]

These are great suggestions, thank you! I'll give several of these a try and figure out what works best for me.

[michelem]

You mentioned burritos and pasta for dinners. How about diced tomatoes and spinach in your burritos? For the pasta, how about throwing in some broccoli florets and/or making a nice sauce with fresh tomatoes and basil?

Although, technically, I think a tomato is a fruit . . . :confused:

Some baby carrots to go along with your pb&j's might work as well.They're pretty travel resistant . . .

[Becky]

You mentioned burritos and pasta for dinners. How about diced tomatoes and spinach in your burritos? For the pasta, how about throwing in some broccoli florets and/or making a nice sauce with fresh tomatoes and basil?


Oooo! You just reminded me that I have a recipe for broccoli and spinach enchiladas that is to die for! Assemble ahead of time + pop in oven before taking post-commute shower = hot, fast dinner with almost no work.

[Smilie]

Oooo! You just reminded me that I have a recipe for broccoli and spinach enchiladas that is to die for! Assemble ahead of time + pop in oven before taking post-commute shower = hot, fast dinner with almost no work.

So where is this recipe?:rolleyes:

[Becky]

So where is this recipe?:rolleyes:

At home on my kitchen bookshelf :D I'll try to remember to find it tonight and post it.

[7rider]

I prefer not to have to keep anything refrigerated and I bike to work so it needs to be easily portable in a pannier.

Any ideas, tips?

If you don't already have one, buy yourself a small, insulated lunch bag that can fit in your panniers. Now that stores are having "back to school" sales, you can find one easily. Use a Blue Ice pack (http://www.benmeadows.com/store/Forestry/Expedition_Gear/Water_and_Insulated_Coolers/9000/) or similar to keep things cool without a refridgerator. I obsessively save little plastic containers (like take out deli salad things) to reuse for light-weight lunch containers. All of these ideas (raw veges for snacking, salads, etc), can pack easily in those plastic containers and stay cool in your bag. If it's stuff to reheat, I keep a ceramic bowl/mug at my desk for microwaving....

[gnat23]

My favorite sneakies:

"Pesto" sauce: steam a chopped up head of broccoli. Toss into a food processor or blender with a sprinkle of basil, some broth to thin it out, garlic, parmesan and a splash of olive oil. Make smooth, pour over pasta, good with chicken!

Salad I got from Costa Rica: bag of shredded cabbage, half-a-bag of shredded carrot, slice some seedless cucumbers. Juice of 2-3 limes and some salt to taste. Mix and eat throughout the week.

Snack on baby carrots and celery.

Huge stirfry and a crockpot stew are easy ways to make meals for the week.

-- gnat! (Now I'm hungry...)

[GLC1968]

I also do a lot of grilled veggies during the week. Marinate them in ff italian dressing during the day and grill when you get home (or roast in the oven if it's not too hot out). Very quick and yummy! I always make extra, and throw some in a container to eat with lunch the next day.

I also do the chop veggies on the weekend trick. I even bag them individually so that when I'm putting together food for the day during the week, I can just grab and go.

[chutch]

You are all awesome! These are very doable ideas. Now I'm getting excited :)

Becky- definitely post the recipe when you get a chance

[Becky]

Spinach and Broccoli Enchiladas (from the June/July 2008 issue of Healthy Cooking magazine)

1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp. olive oil
1 10-oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup finely-chopped fresh broccoli (sometimes I use frozen)
1 cup picante sauce, divided
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
8 8-inch tortillas

In a large skillet, cook onion until tender. Add spinach, broccoli, 1/3 cup picante sauce, garlic powder, and cumin; heat through.

Remove from heat; stir in cottage cheese and ½ cup cheddar cheese. Spoon about 1/3 cup of cheese mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a 13-inch x 9-inch x 2-inch baking dish sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Pour remaining picante sauce over the top.

Cover and bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Uncover, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.


My notes:
I generally use low-fat cheeses and whole wheat tortillas when I make this. If I recall correctly, 1 cup of picante sauce isn't quite enough, but it depends on personal preference. I chop the broccoli in the food processor.

When I'm making this ahead, I'll do it one of two ways: make the filling and keep in the fridge until I'm ready to assemble and bake, or assemble it, but wait to put the sauce on top until right before baking. This isn't a good recipe to freeze or assemble too far ahead because of the cottage cheese IMO, but it works ok if prepped a day ahead. Even if you're making it right before dinner, it goes together pretty quickly.

[Trek420]

OK, I will let you know how it came out. Tonite at Chez Trek there's no recipe eggplant parm. This is what I think I did. Come home, let the dog in.

clean then slice eggplant very thin. Lay slices on a cookie sheet and liberally salt with kosher salt (you can use non kosher whether or not you're Jewish ;))

Let dog out.

While eggplant sits and sweats wash then slice mushrooms, onions, toss in hot pan with California olive oil and saute.

Let dog in.

Once sauted cheat and add your choice of marinara sauce product.

Simmer.

Let dog out again.

Back to eggplant, rinse, pat dry, put in oven on the cookie sheet and cook till a little limp (the eggplant, not you).

Let dog in.

While this is going on stir sauce, slice mozzarella slices, find bake pan.

Let dog out.

Remove baked eggplant and layer creatively sauce, eggplant, cottage cheese and mozzarella, more sauce, eggplant, cottage cheese etc.

Let dog in and turn on Olympics.

Note: I like to do prep so slicing and dicing is something I like.

[shootingstar]

Don't forget the red radish --they can add zip. I had forgotten how zippy they were until I had 2-3 about a month ago. After not having them for over 20 years.

Raw Japanese radish, which is larger white-creamy root...is nicer and more gentler. Can be eaten raw or stir-fried. Which is what I had mixed into my stir-fry that I banged up together tonight with buckwheat noodle, onion, ginger root, snow peas, garlic and tofu slices.

[chutch]

OK, I will let you know how it came out. Tonite at Chez Trek there's no recipe eggplant parm. This is what I think I did. Come home, let the dog in.

clean then slice eggplant very thin. Lay slices on a cookie sheet and liberally salt with kosher salt (you can use non kosher whether or not you're Jewish ;))

Let dog out.

While eggplant sits and sweats wash then slice mushrooms, onions, toss in hot pan with California olive oil and saute.

Let dog in.

Once sauted cheat and add your choice of marinara sauce product.

Simmer.

Let dog out again.

Back to eggplant, rinse, pat dry, put in oven on the cookie sheet and cook till a little limp (the eggplant, not you).

Let dog in.

While this is going on stir sauce, slice mozzarella slices, find bake pan.

Let dog out.

Remove baked eggplant and layer creatively sauce, eggplant, cottage cheese and mozzarella, more sauce, eggplant, cottage cheese etc.

Let dog in and turn on Olympics.

Note: I like to do prep so slicing and dicing is something I like.

Can I substitute petting kitty and feeding fish for letting dog in/out if I have no dog on hand? ;)

[Trek420]

Can I substitute petting kitty and feeding fish for letting dog in/out if I have no dog on hand? ;)

Absolutely, substitute pets as needed. One thing you can't change is if you're a conservative you still need to liberally salt the eggplant or it will be bitter.

Note, the dish was good but would have been better with riccotta. They were out at the store, I punted with cottage cheese. I could have drained that .... oh well.

[Pedal Wench]

Trek, you crack me up.

I add veggies to everything. A handful of fresh, bagged spinach on every sandwich, wilted down to nothing in pasta sauce (kids won't even notice it in the sauce), soup, in the beans for your burritos, whatever.

I also use the bags of shredded cabbbage (sold as cole slaw without dressing next to the bagged lettuces) and add to soups or anything else I'm cooking. Start them first, and it cooks down to nothing but adds so much goodness and fiber -- it makes a can of soup a meal if you use enough -- I'll use almost a whole bag in a can of soup for dinner for one.

[Smilie]

Thanks for the recipes Becky and Trek. (sounds like your dog has a gerbil bladder:D ) Eggplant is so weird looking that I have never bought any. You make the recipe seem so quick and easy that I shall have to give it a go. On the grill it would be good too.

[redrhodie]

I joined a community supported agriculture program this year, so I'm forced to eat lots of veggies. I highly recommend you look into it for next year (providing there's one in your area). The produce is all organic and local, and at this point in the season, it's comparatively inexpensive. Going to the farm and picking the food yourself is fun, too. Nothing better than cherry tomatoes right from the vine!

I find myself making things like ratatouille, stir fries, lots of salads, pasta primavera. I hate to cook, so I usually eat out a lot. Not this year! I haven't visited the local burrito shop in weeks! I still hate to cook, but since I've picked some of the food, and watched it grow, I can't watch it go bad. I've bonded with it. Cute little cucumbers--I'm gonna eat-cha.

My other tip is spinach from the salad bar. It's cheap and ready to eat, and I add it to quesadillas, sandwiches, omelettes, cans of chili. Easy.

[limewave]

In fall and winter, I really enjoy oven roasted vegetables. Just about any root vegetable works. A spray of olive oil, a dash of sea salt--and roast in the oven. YUM>

[arielmoon]

Those recipes look good and I bet I can veganize them!

I do the weekend prep thing too! I make a few cups of whole grain rice add some steamed some baby carrots, broccoli, and/or yellow squash from my garden, some nutritional yeast (adds a cheesy flavor) and some spices. I divide it into several portions in glass containers for lunches at work. When I get to work I do not refrigerate or microwave, I simply eat it. (I am weird in addition to being vegan, I dont use plastic containers or use a microwave).

I also do the frozen veg shortcut too and my fave is froz peas in my salad. Cherry tomotoes from my plant are the bestest in there too!

[jillm]

When we joined the csa I ended up making a LOT of soup and freezing it. (We'd get so many greens in the spring I'd just lightly sautee them and puree with lemon juice, ginger and a little chicken stock... and gulp it down!) Here are a couple of good zucchini soup recipes I found. (I think when I made them I added tofu to protein it up a bit)

Zucchini cilantro soup http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/ZUCCHINI-CORIANDER-SOUP-10481

Zucchini basil soup
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/ZUCCHINI-BASIL-SOUP-242831

Epicurious, recipezaar, and foodnetwork .coms all are excellent sites.

[Trek420]

Thanks for the recipes Becky and Trek. (sounds like your dog has a gerbil bladder:D ) Eggplant is so weird looking that I have never bought any. You make the recipe seem so quick and easy that I shall have to give it a go. On the grill it would be good too.

Not gerbil bladder, she just likes it that I'm trained to come to the door on request.

Eggplant is great, grilled, baked, mashed in dip, puree in soup, Japanese eggplant in stir fry turns the most beautiful color. I plan on leftovers tonight with of lemon cucumbers marinated in Japanese wine vinegar.

[Dogmama]

Two slices of sprouted grain bread (or any dense whole grain bread)
Light cream cheese - spread on both slices

Veggies:

Shredded carrots
Cucumbers
Sprouts
Red bell peppers
Roma tomatoes (add before serving so bread doesn't get mushy)
Spinach, lettuce, other greens
???

The cream cheese is a good "sticker" for the shredded carrots & sprouts so they stay put. You can also sprinkle with sunflower seeds.

You can substitute garden-type cream cheese, onion & chive - whatever floats your boat.

[OakLeaf]

Seasonal recipe from the garden/farmer's market. This is adapted from a recipe that called for chard and dill instead of kale and shiso. Out of season, one could easily use frozen limas (in which case the cooking time would be about the same as the greens for large limas, or somewhat shorter for baby limas). Light sesame oil or other vegetable oil could be substituted for the butter to make a non-dairy recipe. Simple and delicious!

1 very large bunch red kale (about 1-1/2 lbs)
1 qt unshelled lima beans
2 small onions (or 1 medium-large)
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup red shiso leaves (aka perilla, beefsteak)
1/4 cup water
Salt and pepper

Shell lima beans
Coarsely dice onions
Wash kale and cut into strips
Mince shiso

Heat butter in a large Dutch oven or similar pot. Saute onions until translucent. Add lima beans and water, bring to simmer and cover. If butter is unsalted, add some salt now. Approximate cooking time based on size and age of limas, subtract the approximate cooking time of the greens.

Add greens and herbs, stir to mix, cover and simmer until limas and greens are tender.

Serve with rice or other whole grain.

Serves two very hungry people or three who didn't get a long ride in!

[chutch]

Two slices of sprouted grain bread (or any dense whole grain bread)
Light cream cheese - spread on both slices

Veggies:

Shredded carrots
Cucumbers
Sprouts
Red bell peppers
Roma tomatoes (add before serving so bread doesn't get mushy)
Spinach, lettuce, other greens
???

The cream cheese is a good "sticker" for the shredded carrots & sprouts so they stay put. You can also sprinkle with sunflower seeds.

You can substitute garden-type cream cheese, onion & chive - whatever floats your boat.

This would be great to alternate with my pbjs!

[malkin]

Last year we got a lot of winter squash and I started putting it in lots of unusual places. We've picked a couple of them up at the farmers' market already- they look like little pumpkins. A dollop of cooked squash will brighten up plain bean burritos.

[pardes]

When I was a kid, Mom used to disguise parsnips by mixing them into the mashed potatoes. Yuk. It's not that I mind parsnips for their own sake. But a parsnip parading as a mashed potato should be illegal.

Grow your own vegetables and you'll WANT to eat them with pride and benefit from their fresh flavor. I usually grow tomatoes (my very favorite food) and they end up costing about a million dollars a pound in supplies and labor but oh my but they are gooooooood.

[Trek420]

Sorry for the thread hijack, these are fruits, not veggies. I figured it falls under the heading of "getting more produce in your life"

Breakfast at Chez Knott: gluten-free pancakes with home-made fruit compote on top. We peeled apples & plums, simmered them in strawberry mango juice.

Yummy! and I just found out I've been drinking half-caff all this time

[uk elephant]

In the spirit of vegetable consumption, I just made zucchini muffins. Delicious and was very quick and easy to make....

[LoriO]

I love those ziploc steamer bags that they came out. Often for lunch I will slice up some yellow squash (sometimes I add broccolli or green squash or whatever suits my fancy) put in the steamer bag with some seasoning. Throw it in the microwave at work for 2 minutes. Serve either by itself or over rice, quinoa or brown pilaf (cracked bulgar cooked in beef broth) and then sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese.

Simple quick and easy way to get a nice portion of veggies added to your diet.

[3for3]

You mentioned you make burritos. We love breakfast burritos at our house and sometimes even have them for dinner! They're super simple and fast.

I sautee chopped veggies - usually yellow squash, zucchini, onions, bell peppers of any color, and finely chopped potato. Then I beat some eggs with a little milk and add them. On the side I usually make a little turkey bacon (It gives the good flavor with WAY less fat!), then crumble that and add it in the end. Serve up the filling in a whole wheat tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, add some salsa on top, wrap up and enjoy!

[tulip]

These are great...now if I just had a kitchen!

My kitchen renovation is just about to start, so it looks like I'll have a kitchen in a few months. I decided to buy a fridge with a bottom freezer because the veggie bin will be more accessible, I won't forget about them, and I'll eat more of them.

[andtckrtoo]

You mentioned you make pasta. I like to add some zucchini and squash to pasta sauce. I also add spinach. I tell the family it's basil (which I also add) and no one complains. ;)

Stir fry is also great to make during the week because as long as the veggies are pre-chopped (buy them that way, or chop them up over the weekend), it takes nothing to toss some olive oil with a touch os seasame oil, shrimp, soy sauce and broccoli, squash, pea pods, scallions, etc and serve it up quickly. Trader Joe's also has some really good frozen veggie mixes for stir fry - that's even quicker. Brown rice takes a while to cook - so cook up a big batch over the weekend and put a little water in it then microwave to warm up.

I've also been known to assemble zucchini lasagna over the weekend, then I simply have to pop it into the oven for an hour then serve it. Soups also store well - and are usually better the next day anyway. I love a hearty Minestrone soup served with a green salad and a good dense bread.

[withm]

These are great...now if I just had a kitchen!

My kitchen renovation is just about to start, so it looks like I'll have a kitchen in a few months. I decided to buy a fridge with a bottom freezer because the veggie bin will be more accessible, I won't forget about them, and I'll eat more of them.

Tulip - you need your builder to lend you one of these during your remodeling project.

http://www.dwyerkitchens.com/tempkitchens/Pages/default.aspx

Everything you need (assuming you can stash the fridge in the dining room or somewhere accessible).

Good luck!

[tulip]

Tulip - you need your builder to lend you one of these during your remodeling project.

http://www.dwyerkitchens.com/tempkitchens/Pages/default.aspx

Everything you need (assuming you can stash the fridge in the dining room or somewhere accessible).

Good luck!

Very cool! I have a homemade version of that: a microwave and dorm fridge (the SAME fridge I had in college 20+ years ago--it still works!) on a table. It'll do.

[chutch]

I've been working on incorporating some of these ideas. My husband has jumped on the bandwagon with me too and we've been making more dinners together which is a pleasant side effect.

Thanks so much for the suggestions!

[Pedal Wench]

For dinner last night -- can of Healthy Choice soup mixed with entire bag of shredded cabbage (coleslaw) cooked together. Prep time: 30 seconds, cook time: 15 minutes, nutritional value: through the roof!

[Dogmama]

Trader Joe's also has some really good frozen veggie mixes for stir fry - that's even quicker. Brown rice takes a while to cook - so cook up a big batch over the weekend and put a little water in it then microwave to warm up.



TJ's frozen brocolli is really good. It's the actual tips, not the woody stems. Also, they sell brown rice that goes into the microwave for 3 minutes. It's $$ compared to making your own, but convenient.

[flash]

Hi Christie!
Although it can seem intimidating, it's actually not too difficult to add veggies to your regular diet. If you think outside the box, that is! Here are a few ideas, building on the schedule that you described. Please read below & let me know if you think any of these could work for you! Monica


I need to eat more veggies. I do well on weekends when I have plenty of free time to make a nice salad, grill some veggies from the garden, or make a big stir fry. But I find that during the week, unless I go out to eat and order a salad, I don't get enough veggies. Fruits are no problem because its easy to grab and apple or banana and take it with me to work- needs no refrigeration or special care, doesn't need anything to dress it up, etc.
On the weekend, grill EXTRA veggies and serve those as a side dish for dinners later in the week.
In addition to whole fruits, take whole veggies for lunch! A washed whole carrot, red or green pepper, a tomato, or a couple of small cucumbers don't need refrigeration between breakfast and lunch. If you keep a knife in your desk, you can slice & enjoy these with your PBJ & create a nice balanced meal. If you don't want to bother with the knife, you can eat any of these from your hand (like an apple, so to speak). If you don't already LOVE veggies and this sounds too boring, then throw some salt packets in your lunch bag.

Typical work lunches are PBJs and whole grain chips and fruit. I snack on fruit, nuts, pretzels. I prefer not to have to keep anything refrigerated and I bike to work so it needs to be easily portable in a pannier.

Dinners during the week tend to be whatever can be made quickly after working all day and riding in the evenings (pasta, burritos, etc.). I get frustrated with bagged salad because it seems to always go bad before its all eaten. Pasta and Burritos say "veggie" all over them! Throw any veggies or beans into your pasta sauce ... frozen spinach, frozen corn, frozen peas, frozen broccoli, fresh bell peppers, fresh celery, mushrooms, fresh carrots, canned beans (black, garbanzo, kidney, etc.). My pasta sauce always has more veggies than meat. Likewise for the burritos. Sliced bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes are all fast, quick, and inexpensive additions to a traditional burrito. Carrot, celery, cucumber, and pepper sticks can be prepped on the weekend and served on the side with a burrito or sandwich. In fact, that's what I call "salad" at my house. Like you, I find that bagged salad or lettuce gets forgotten in the back of the fridge. So I just skip the lettuce and put the longer lasting salad items on my plate instead. And sandwiches (which you didn't mention), with or without meat, can be a good place to add veggies too: sliced veggies, sliced avocado, etc.


Any ideas, tips?