10 Ways to Eat More Veggies (and Love it!):

People always say to me: "I should eat more vegetables, Tess!" I invariably smile at them and say "Shouldn't we all!" But it's so true...eating lots of fresh, organic vegetables makes a world of difference in our health. Good ol' veggies give our skin a glow, keep our digestive system on track, and keep our weight in the happy place. It's also striking to me how much of a difference the consumption of more fresh vegetables would make in the health of our society. Many of the diseases people suffer from are due to diet - a diet that usually includes far too few whole foods and vegetables. So, my advice? Make eating vegetables a joy! If you begin eating your vegetables daily, I promise you'll notice a big difference in how you look and feel. And I also promise that you'll love it!

So here are a few tips on getting more veggies into your daily diet. Ideally, 6 cups of fresh vegetables daily is my recommendation, although even half of that is great!

10 Ways to Eat More Veggies (and Love it!):

1. Make a list of your favorite vegetables. Start there, rather than with ones you "should" like.
2. Try tossing your favorite vegetables with a little olive oil (and garlic) and baking at 400F, until browned and well roasted. Almost any veggies are surprisingly delish this way, even broccoli!
3. Discover as many recipes as you can that use vegetables as the main ingredient. Again, go for ones that sound delicious to you. You'll be more likely to stick with a healthy lifestyle if you're actually enjoying it! There are several delicious vegetable recipes on this blog, in my book, and on VegWeb.
4. Make "snack bags" for when you're on the go. For example, if I know I'll be gone for several hours, I'll often pack some organic celery, pea pods, and carrot sticks (ready to go) so that I can keep up with my veggie intake while I'm away from home.
5. Soup out! Many soups make a great medium for vegetables. Tomato Soup, vegetable barley, and Green Chili-Garlic-Potato are just a few that are veggie-packed delights.
6. Discover your happy salad! Everyone has one. What kind(s) of dressing do you love? What toppings make you smile? As long as you're using mainly whole foods ingredients, you can build a delicious salad that will love you back. For example, one of my happy salads consists of: romaine lettuce, sliced onions, kalamata olives, grape tomatoes, diced cucumber, lemon-marinated tofu, and a garlic-olive oil-lemon vinaigrette. Oooh, my mouth just started watering...
7. Try mixing fruits with vegetables for added interest. For example, some sliced pear in your arugula salad adds a delicious, nutritious element.
8. If you need a place to begin, you can also juice your vegetables to help increase your daily intake. Juicers are available for under $50 and can help you stay vitalized with veggie power! Personally, I don't feel the need to juice daily, though - I juice when I feel my immune system needs a kick, or once in a while when my body asks for it (yes, it talks to me...just like yours talks to you!).
9. Make an Asian stirfry for dinner - with a simple sauce made from tamari, garlic, toasted sesame oil, and fresh ginger, your veggies will taste divine. Just make sure to keep their nutrition intact by only cooking them until they're crisp-tender.
10. Wrap them up! Whether in rice paper (for fresh spring rolls), phyllo (for baked pockets), or whole grain tortillas (for veggie wraps), the right combination of seasonings and sauces will make you want to eat veggies til the cows come home! (And they will come home, once they find out you're eating all those veggies.)

Eating lots of vegetables is a great way to prevent illnesses and keep your immune system at its peak! The Kathleen Show has a program called Preventions Not Prescriptions every Tuesday that I really recommend checking out. Lots of great bloggers with wonderful ideas on wellness and health are always involved.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and please let me know your favorite way to incorporate vegetables into your life!