April 16, 2009

Mission: Vegetables before Six P.M.


We all know we're supposed to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, right? Depending on where you get your dietary advice from, that can range from 5 servings a day to 9-11 servings a day. (And that doesn't mean strawberry flavored pop-tart filling or french fries, either. That generally means real nutritious fruits and vegetables).

For me, the "fruit" part is easier than the "vegetable" part. Fruit goes great with breakfast and lunch, as a snack, or even with dinner. Fruit is easy.

But vegetables? I do really well at dinner--we pretty much always have a big-ass salad, and there are additional vegetables either in or sitting aside the main course. I seem, however, to struggle with getting vegetables during daylight hours. Not getting vegetables before dinner puts a lot of pressure on dinner! It would be nice to have more of them out of the way before the sun sets.

My problem: I'm not a big fan of salads at lunch. Why not? Hell if I know. I'm just not. And as to raw vegetables like carrots or bell pepper slices or cauliflower florets? I start to tire of them after a few bites, and then start to resent them for not being gone already. Go away, raw vegetables! But they take forever to chew up and swallow and they are, frankly, not very tasty. I rarely subject myself to them anymore. For the most part, I'd much rather grab a piece of fruit than a vegetable.


While I do have a few methods for tricking myself into eating vegetables before dinner, (and have just discovered a new one that I'll share), I could really use some helpful advice!


Lunch Time Vegetables:

Pretty much my only trick here is: Reheat leftovers from last night's dinner. Soups, pasta with vegetables in it, chili, stir fries, takeout Thai or Indian... If there's a tasty sauce of some sort, particularly if it contains oil and garlic, then I'm willing to get vegetables at lunch. Otherwise? Not so much.

Breakfast Vegetables:

A long time ago, when the blog was very very young (it was on Day 2, I believe, and I was still writing in the third person) I wrote a post about a way to sneak in a morning vegetable: I mixed canned pumpkin with yogurt, pumpkin pie spices, and a boatload of my sweetener of choice. (Let's just pretend that sweetener was honey or agave nectar or something natural you'd all approve of, shall we? ) But pumpkin is a very particular flavor, and I only like it every now and then.

And, well, there are scrambled eggs with onion and pepper and tomatoes and maybe spinach in there. But that doesn't happen very often either, because it requires chopping things and washing out a pan and I'm lazy in the mornings.

So what's the newest breakfast vegetable trick I discovered?

Putting spinach in smoothies!


Green Smoothie photo: nic221

Note: And by "discovered" I mean: "read about in many of your blogs and thought no way in hell! Yeccch! You people are nuts! Until then I finally tried it myself and realized you all were actually onto something." That kind of "discovered."

Yep, I put a cup of spinach in the blender with my normal smoothie recipe, and I couldn't even taste the spinach in there! (The spinach was uncooked; I believe this is probably crucial if you want to avoid barfing). Then, feeling even more adventurous the next day, I put an additional cup of raw spinach in. With two cups, I could taste it a little. But it was just a slightly green, grassy taste, not at all disgustingly vile and loathsome as one might assume!

So I confess, it did look weird. Because I used blueberries, the whole thing wasn't green--it was a rather unattractive purplish-gray. But the smugness I felt from drinking spinach in the morning made it totally worth consuming an ugly beverage.

Now I'm curious about other vegetables. Carrots? Bell peppers? Has anyone experimented with what they can get away with in their smoothies? I'm thinking broccoli is kinda unlikely.

But I need more help! Does anyone else struggle with getting enough vegetables in before dinner? Any suggestions that don't involve carrot sticks?

64 comments:

  1. Smoothies are so much work for me..clean the blender? NO WAY! much rather clean a pan...

    You know what works for me, is putting out things I want to consume for the day, I mean just taking them out of the fridge. So when I go to the kitchen, they are the first things that pop up, rather than the Pringles in the pantry (mm sour cream & onion)

    Hummous on Celery. Salads for lunch with OLIVES...so much tastier...I know, these suggestions suck, and after i say this, you will hate me, but i just really like raw veggies AND am too lazy to cook anything unless its after 6pm.

    ~rupal

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  2. So need to try the spinach smoothie thing now.

    This post is so well timed! Last night I was going back through my food journal entries, weight loss chart and exercise chart from last year when I had lost a bunch of weight. I noticed that the bulk of my meals were composed of veggies. Now, not so much. At least I know what I need to do to turn things around though. :)

    I suggest slapping some natural peanut butter on celery. I used to eat this as a snack as a kid so it has that great nostalgia/comfort food feeling for me. Also, if you want to find a way to down those cut peppers, carrots and broccoli florets--grab yourself some houmous as a dip. I love that stuff.

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  3. I blend everything.
    It's a disease. DIS-EASE as my husband no longer trusts me when I proffer a glass.

    we also LOVE the Shrek Shakes around here (kicks self for not inviting you and lobster to DOMICILE!).

    Toddler will drink *anything* gree.

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  4. I've been inspired recently by this link about gorilla sandwiches:

    http://www.gorillasandwich.com/

    Mine don't have nearly as many layers. I usually just use guacamole, hummus, and nuts of some sort.

    I make 6 at a time to last me and my husband for 3 days of snacks. While I make them, I eat the cucumber guts that I scoop out with my knife. It would probably also be good to add to smoothies, although I've never tried that.

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  5. Crabby,

    I think the only way I could pull off this spinach smoothie would be to drink it with the lights out. As long as I didn't have to see the green and it didn't have a spinach taste I might be able to choke it down. Just knowing that it's crammed in there with berries and yogurt still makes me a little hesitant.

    Now as for the veggies throughout the day, I go for the celery with peanut butter. I also agree about passing on the salad at lunch and having in the evening.

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  6. Tried it. Once. Just can't past the color. I have fruit in my smoothies, anyway. I try to bring veggies to snack on during the day. Broccoli and ranch dressing. Um. good.

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  7. I'm not very good about DOING IT myself, but raw broccoli florets are super tasty when shook up with a good house italian dressing... I actually convinced my anti-veggie cousin to try it last night, and she liked it! and that was after eating a piece of naked raw broccoli and not liking it.

    I also got her to snack on sugar snap peas while we were playing with my daughter before dinner. good for the crunchy cravings, tho not a trick per se.

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  8. Some great suggestions... and that gorilla sandwich thing is a cool idea! (Hollowed out cucumber) though the guy is somewhat hilarious in describing it--the way he's so serious about all the design elements.

    Sadly, one vegetable I can't stand, raw or cooked, is celery. And I hate to waste peanut or almond butter, Food of the Gods, by combining it with a vegetable when it tastes SO MUCH better on a piece of wholewheat bread. Hummus though... I kinda forgot about hummus. Hey, and aren't chickpeas technically vegetables too? I'd be dipping a vegetable into a vegetable for DOUBLE credit!!!

    Ooh, and snap peas! I actually like them and totally forgot about them.

    I'm loving these ideas, please keep 'em coming!!

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  9. I live broccoli, unfortunately it does NOT agree with my intestines one tiny bit.
    I love the spinach idea......how about a little cooked butternut squash...and your smoothie would be a lovely orange!

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  10. I could definitely do the green shake interesting idea. I am horrible about getting in my vegetables because for one I do not like cooked vegetables and two I don't like MANY vegetables. So it's tough, I always have good intentions I'm going to eat salads everyday for lunch type intentions and then after the second day I am like god give me something else and I abandon the salad everyday thing. I would assume carrots would be great tasting because they are sweet and carrot juice is yummy. Broccoli I don't know about but I think the spinach is a fantastic idea. Now do you use frozen spinach or do you buy spinach in the produce section?

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  11. I use Amy's pot pies and lean cuisines during the day.

    And instead of popcorn, get a bag of frozen edamame (soybeans in the pod), boil it and add some sea salt. Then eat them by biting holes in the pod and sucking out the beans. Don't know why, but it's yummy and we eat it a lot here.

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  12. Salads are good if you put something hot like chili, grilled chicken, beans, or even spaghetti on top. I like the mix of texture and temperature and the fact that I don't overeat the higher calorie hot foods when I do it this way.

    Along the same lines, I like to fill a latte bowl with green beans, broccoli (cooked), or red peppers (not cooked) - then fill it the rest of the way with wasabi chicken soup (like a homemade pho bowl) or any of the above hot foods. Filling, check. Veggies, check. Easy, check. Now I know what I'm having for lunch.

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  13. Moonlight: I've been doing produce section--don't know about frozen. Is frozen spinach already cooked or is it raw? Dumb question but I've never really thought about it.

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  14. I've actually written down one of my to do's for next week is adding spinach to some smoothies :) I also think i'm going to treat myself to a new blender!

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  15. I'm so with you about preferring fruits to veggies!! And I also agree that the green smoothies are delish! (And you don't even taste the Spinach!) My other fave thing is to blend my oatmeal with spinach. Again, it sounds nasty - and looks like fungus - but you can't even taste it, I swear!

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  16. I use frozen veggies, and take them out the night before. For example, I take about 1 cup of a frozen onion & pepper blend and put it in a zip sandwich bag in the fridge. In the morning, the veggies are down to a moist, thawed 1/2 cup and ready to scramble with egg substitute.

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  17. I have nothing good for you, but have to say thanks for posting this! I struggle with the same thing too.

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  18. Oh, I do eat baby carrots with a little ranch dip. I know, healthy made unhealthy (see...that stupid guilt creeps in), but it works for me. At least it's not unhealthy with a side of unhealthy!

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  19. I have been working on this exact same problem! The easiest (although definitely not cheapest or most ideal) way I've found is just to buy the fruit/veggie mix smoothies, since I don't have a blender (but will after I get married in September, so it seems silly to buy one now). I don't taste the veg at all, but I do kinda wonder if they're really as healthy. I'm afraid that they are sneaking bad things in and taking all the nutrition away somehow. I thought the green would bother me, but it really doesn't Now I have more of a 5 year old's attitude - drinking something green is COOL!

    But other ideas? I dunno. Some days I just eat frozen veggies - broccolli, peas, or corn, usually. Or throw them in with pasta (but that requires making it the night before).

    I also cut up cucumbers the night before and just throw some italian dressing on them. Yumm!

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  20. I bring hummus and raw veggies every day for an afternoon snack. In heavy rotation are: carrots, radishes, green beans or snap peas, cucumber sticks, and bell peppers. Sometimes I throw some dolmas or falafels in there too (bought prepared, unfortunately not homemade!).

    I also do Lazy Salad: organic mesclun, broccoli slaw, chickpeas, alfalfa sprouts and whatever cooked vegetables are leftover from dinner (broccoli, cauliflower and beets are really good). I call it Lazy Salad because nothing needs to get chopped up, which is my biggest obstacle to eating vegetables in the morning.

    I love the Shrek Smoothie idea, though, and will try it on the weekend!

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  21. As kid, I liked fruit, but vegetables, not so much. Now, I like them all! I'm glad I acquired the taste :-)

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  22. I'd love to try this spinach smoothie thing. When I no longer have to watch my Vit K intake I think I'll give it a shot.

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  23. Such great ideas! I have a big bag of spinach in my fridge - I may have to make a Shrek Shake today!

    I am all about the hummus, and veggies are just a vehicle for the creamy deliciousness that is hummus. Hey, whatever gets it done I say.

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  24. I'm not a smoothie gal. I don't like to "drink" my calories. Unless it involves a whole lotta ice cream, chocolate, and malt. : )

    But - I can not believe you find raw veggies flavorless. Really? What are you buying? Get the good, organic, FRESH stuff. Even better - grow some of your own. Carrots should not be blah without dip. And sugar snap peas? Oh lord in heaven. I always plant what I think will be enough...but most never make it into the house. They're great snacking. (I will admit peanut butter is a great addition to celery. So is humus.) Bell peppers, tomatoes (okay, technically a fruit), and zucchini are some more of my favorite snack foods. Add a bit of mozzarella and basil to the tomatoes and you've got a great lunch!

    Gah. Now I'm hungry. And I just had breakfast (fruit & yogurt thanks).

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  25. BAHA!!!!!! This made me laugh

    Note: And by "discovered" I mean: "read about in many of your blogs and thought no way in hell! Yeccch! You people are nuts! Until then I finally tried it myself and realized you all were actually onto something." That kind of "discovered."

    I soooooo thought the same!! "Bonkers Americans" was my actual thought!! Well done for givin it a whirl xxx

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  26. I'm more inclined to eat veggies than fruit. And generally I prefer them raw.

    Carrots, peppers, broccoli, sweet potato and cucumber all taste great dipped in tzatziki sauce.

    I also love my pasta this way. Cooked, a good-tasting (Classico or better)prepared sauce for speed, topped with raw onions, peppers and tomatoes, with a sprinkle of cheese. The hot sauce warms the veggies over slightly but the crunch remains. :)

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  27. Yeah, I pretty much get in my noontime veggies by eating leftovers. Many raw veggies just make me want to vomit as snacks (broccoli? cauliflower? there's not enough dip in the world to make me like 'em raw). I do like making pasta or grain salads for lunch-- big lettuce salads don't do it for me either, but if I can toss some pasta with beans and bell pepper, basil, tomatoes, a little wilted spinach, cucumber etc-- I like that. (Note: for me, also includes about 2 cups of olive oil, but I think it may be possible to be more restrained.)

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  28. I wish I liked smoothies but I just don't.

    I actually prefer to eat most of my veggies raw, so munching on a pile of raw veggies does not bother me. I like to eat vegetarian for breakfast/lunch, so my usual practice is to have veggie soups frozen in individual containers to take to work. That way, at least during the work week, my lunch always involves veggies.

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  29. Oooo I'm another veggie hater. (Kind of makes life difficult when you're a vegetarian too).

    And the veggies I do like? Are actually classified as fruits (tomato and avocado). Those jerk scientists.

    So thanks for the tip on the spinach in smoothies, I'll have to try that.

    Lately I've been pre-chopping up my veggies and keeping them in separate containers, then pulling them all out to make sandwiches (Which started because I got that stupid $5 foot long song stuck in my head...and now I've mentioned it and it's stuck in my head again!).

    I'm more inclined to eat them if I don't have to do any work.

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  30. Carrots make a smoothie sweet without adding syrup, but I up the weirdo smoothie notch by just a bit when I seekritly add kale into the mixer, ninja-style, so no one spots it and no one can give me odd looks when I'm downing the pitcher before an HIIT session.

    Also, if you're not down with having to get up and chop your vegetables in the morning, you could always pull an OAMC and make something that you can just heat up when you want some eats to go.

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  31. I love smoothies! In fact, mine only have lemon as fruit. Nothing beats a green smoothie in the AM, made with avocado, half an English cuke, and a lemon, When I have spinach, I add it to the mix. It's smooth and doesn't taste "green" (at least, to me!).

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  32. I can't seem to squeeze the veggies in for breakfast... I eat a bowl of oatmeal with banana, ground flax, and crushed almonds, 5 days a week when I'm at the office. Veggies don't really go with oatmeal... But I make a conscious effort to have veggies during lunch and dinner. For lunch I usually have broccoli and cauliflower florets with hummus. I can eat raw broccoli and califlowers for days... love em... I also make mixed bean salads or light chicken salad with lots of veggies... I'm not a big fan of celeries either... I only like them with a gigantor spoonful of cheese-whiz which defeats the purpose of being healthy, lol..

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  33. There are a couple of cookbooks directed toward parents of young kids that have recipes that "sneak" veggies into various recipes. (One is "The Sneaky Chef" and another is "Deceptively Delicious.") I must admit that I use this not just for the kids, but for myself and Hubby, as well.
    And I'm a BIG fan of green smoothies! Especially if they have blueberries in them, yum!
    Also have to agree with you on the celery. Can't stand it, myself.

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  34. Doing the happy dance for you and your 2 cups of spinach, Crabby. :D

    Green smoothies are da bomb! Here's some more recipes for you to try: Have You Had Your Greens Today?

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  35. BLANCHING...blanched broccoli brings out a better flavor and beautiful color. It stays crunchy, but softer. Boil water then dip the broccoli in for 1 - 2 minutes. Rinse. (Sometimes I use the green water for boiling pasta after removing the broccoli).

    It's easy to store and have available with favorite dressing or plain. My kids love it that way (see on YouTube "My kids love broccoli").

    I recently stumbled upon "Cranky Fitness" and enjoy it a lot. Thank you for sharing your insights and humor.

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  36. My smoothie this morning is baby carrots, spinach, grapes, mixed berries, vanilla soy milk & flax seed. DELICIOUS! I haven't tried any other veggies other than spinach, mixed greens & carrots. Today my smoothie is a purple-green due to the berries. It makes me feel all virtuous to get so many fruits & veggies in before 8:30 AM!

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  37. Never had a veggie smoothie (gasp! And I call myself a health blogger!). But I recently acquired a juicer so I shall be having fun with that!

    I like grilled sandwiches stuffed with loads of veggies and hummus. Steaming veggies with grated parmesan is tasty, and dipping veggies in hummus or peanut butter is good stuff.

    I like sweet vegetables, too, because then I can pretend they're fruit. Cherry tomatoes are great just on their own!

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  38. I generally try to eat fruit at breakfast and lunch and veggies at lunch and dinner. I'm really surprised that you don't like raw veggies; they are one of my faves. You can sneak veggies into things like muffins and breads, but let's face it - those usually aren't very healthy. I would think your best options would be the smoothie you've already mentioned, and then things like breakfast tacos, crepes, sandwiches, and fritatas. But those def take time.

    If you want a timesaver, you can do what I do - prepare my breakfast/lunches for the week on Sunday. Uusally when I am whipping up Sunday breakfast, I also start making my food for the week. Both breakfast tacos and breakfast sandwiches freeze really well. That might be way to get those veggies in w/o prep work duing the week.

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  39. You should just force yourself to kack down some vegetables no matter what time of day it is. If the reason for veges is better nutrition, what's the big deal? Make your entire breakfast out of vegetables. Who cares how it tastes?

    I suggest the following:
    1 slice of Ezekiel bread, toasted spread with a can of creamed corn (preferably plucked out of your end-of-the-world cupboard), topped with a thick layer of raw spinach, layered canned pickled beets slices, artichoke aioli, celery sticks - threads only, bean sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, (deep fried) green beans, finally some rutabaga slices sprinkled with raw garlic, topped with a dollop of hummus and a dill pickle. And (shut up and) eat it. Yummy and nutritious.

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  40. When I saw the topic my first thought was "Whatwhatwhat? You are supposed to eat veggies during the DAY?!" That's just crazy talk!

    I love the ideas listed here and will definitely try them - plus now I want a "Shrek shake" - sorry Crabby, but when it was just a spinach smoothie that didn't appeal, but add a cute name (Miz) and I am in! Apparently I can be swayed like a toddler, lol!

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  41. The Lobster just gave me a funny look because I'm GUFFAWING over some of these comments.

    And oh my goodness, POD, I'm just imagining trying to choke that breakfast down... if anything could send me whimpering back to the Poptarts of my youth it would be that sandwich.

    I agree, too, about the Shrek shake! Much more appealing to think of if that way!

    Oh, and the problem with raw vegetables is not so much that they have no taste... it's that they taste like VEGETABLES!

    (Weirdly, though, I like the taste of vegetables more when they're cooked, as long as I eat them WITH something. A plate of steamed vegetables all by themselves? Barfarooni.)

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  42. Oddly enough, it's not vegetables I have a problem eating every day, throughout the day, it's fruit.

    I'm the weird one here, I know. It's just how it goes. I would much rather eat veggies than fruit. I love just about every kind of veggie there is, cooked or raw, alone or with a dip, doesn't matter.

    But I need more fruit in my diet. Bananas - great for the first day home from the store then they start to ripen and taste awful to me so unless I make smoothies they go to waste.
    Oranges - I'm almost always eating on the go before dinner and that is way too much work and mess.
    Apples- same deal as oranges
    Strawberries - great when in season
    watermelon - same - but not really portable
    grapes - this is the one I can eat any time, any place and I love them but I need variety

    There's more examples but I'm tired of typing.

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  43. I'm a raw veggie addict with a real problem b/c too many raw veggies wreak havoc on my insides.

    I love, love, love roasted veggies and they're easy to make. Chop, chop, dowse in olive oil with a sprinkle of kosher salt and black pepper and in the oven 375 for about 20-30 minutes.

    I've had a carrot, ginger and honey smoothie. It was so good that it made me sigh out loud.

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  44. Hi Crabby,

    I just this week, made a decision to increase my veggies. I have to do so periodically since I ebb and flow like the tide when it comes to veggies. I don't eat fruit smoothies since they tend to send my blood sugar super high, but a fruit and veggie smoothie seems possible.

    Of course there is the cleaning of the blender . . .

    Terrie

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  45. Well, you got lots of suggestions & comments. Me, I like to use different types of mustard on my veggies. I microwave/steam them & on goes the mustard... I LOVE IT! I like a sweet/hot mustard that was unfortunately discontinued from Trader Joes. There is a "Sweet Hot Mister Mustard" that I can't find by me & I would have to order it but my sis sent me some & it is great. I also check out other flavors at the stores, make sure the ingredients are pretty clean. I have not tried the mustard with raw veggies but I bet that would be good too. I even put on chicken breasts when I bake & put in my lean turkey loaf & meatballs!

    Also, there is that cook book for kids.. The Sneaky Chef, that puts veggies in foods she makes. Maybe check that out & see if there is something you can make that suits your fancy & "sneak" the veggies in that way.

    Like R, I am sort of lazy when it comes to cooking & I am not a good cook!

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  46. I'm with bdaiss; I don't like to drink my calories either, unless it involves at least 6% alcohol. And green smoothies? It would have to be in a covered glass in the dark. Squeezing my eyes shut, holding my nose and making a face.

    I'm surprised nobody has mentioned grilled or roasted veggies. If you take carrots (either chop up the big ones or use the baby ones if you're as lazy as I am) and any other hard veggies, sprinkle them with balsamic vinegar and stick them in an oven for about an hour, they end up tasting like candy. Cook a whole mess of them at one time and they'll last for days. Unless you eat them all at once.

    I'm a salad-at-lunch person. I think I can get my entire daily serving of veggies in that one meal, leaving me free to have popcorn for dinner. Wait -- I didn't just admit that, did I?

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  47. I second the suggestion for roasted or grilled veggies. We have one of those wok-shaped grill baskets, and we make some great grilled veggies with it. (And, if you make a whole bunch of grilled veggies, you can freeze some and put them in soups during the week. One of my lunches this week was a mess of roasted and grilled veggies with 1/2 cup of black beans mixed in. Yum.)

    I also like veggie soups. I was on a kick where I'd eat veggie+tofu (or leftover diced meat) soup for breakfast. Hmmm...I might have to get back into that. (I got distracted by the amazing discovery of oatmeal and peanut butter.)

    I've also been seeing a lot of mock-guacamole recipes online lately, but made with asparagus or peas.

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  48. I'm another oddball - don't care too much for fruit, but love veggies - raw, cooked, steamed,deep-fried (oops)
    No suggestions, but love the comments!

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  49. I will at least eat veggies, fruit on the other hand - well, I am getting better at finding some I will eat.

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  50. Mmm just thinking about veggies is making me hungry! I was always dubbious about those smoothies, but I reckon if they gained your approval then perhaps I should try one.

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  51. I didn'tread everyone else's comments so I may be repeating some stuff here, but...
    -You can put broccoli into smoothies, just not too much. 2, maybe 3 florets.
    -You can also put some cooked beet into smoothies, and occasionally I throw in pumpkin, carrot (cooked or shredded first), butternut squash or sweet potato. I might not try all of them at once, though.
    -Lettuce wraps with meat leftovers!
    -Cucumber on sandwiches!
    I felt like I had more good ideas but I can't think of them now.
    In other news, a smoothie I really like is 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup vanilla yoghurt, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 banana, and cinnamon. Surprisingly with all the strong flavors, nothing is overpowering. They all meld really well and the sum ends up much better than its parts.
    -Karell

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  52. Birds Eye makes something called "Pepper Stir Fry" which has chopped up bell peppers and onions. I just throw it in a preheated skillet and saute, then pour it on a plate and cook my eggs (or just add the egg in if you don't care if it's fluffy). The stir fry peppers are also very convenient for fajitas, tacos, etc.
    There is also frozen whole leaf spinach, you can throw that in an omelet or egg scramble with tomatoes, feta, and a little olive oil.
    Has anyone mentioned soup? There are often vegetables in soup.

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  53. I love spinach in smoothies! I can hardly taste it, but the color is kind of unappealing when mixed with berries. They end up looking more muddy than vibrant green.

    Other veggies I've had smoothie success with are cucumbers, celery, kale (just not as much because it's kinda bitter), and parsley. Parsley, cucumber, apple, and ginger together tastes great!

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  54. you coulda had a v-8 :) vegetable smoothies... work for me

    gp

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  55. Breakfast vegetables? One word: gazpacho.

    Mary Anne in Kentucky

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  56. I think I read that same post about the spinach in the smoothie and I have yet to try it! Instead of adding sweetener to my smoothie I add a scoop of protein powder with milk, frozen fruit and some flax seed! :) Just need to add that spinach!

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  57. Not much convinced about the spinach smoothies, but next time I've got the blender out... maybe I'll give it a try!

    I got this breakfast tip from Sophie, of http://www.mostlyeating.com/

    Carrot cake porridge; sounds weird, I know, but wait until you taste it. I now also include grated carrot in my bircher museli - it adds a little sweetness, and mixed with the yoghurt and everything else, it doesn't really taste like vegies.

    It bulks out the breakfast too - always good to feel a bit fuller!

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  58. This is more of a juicer than a blender item but juiced carrots are awesome in smoothies. They are quite sweet for veggies.

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  59. im not a big veggie person, and i used to be veg. i'm too picky. i only like Indian cooked veggies... samosas, pakoras, dhals... i loathe green beans, but masala barbatti are freaking excellent. i also second the gazpacho suggestion. why eat a salad when you can have a sandwich? put all your veggies in a pita/ chapati/fry bread.

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  60. I love fruits and veggies, but then again, I'm high raw, all vegan. So, I get loads of veggies throughout my day easily if I want.

    Yay for the green smoothies! Such an EASY and delish way to get greens in without noticing.

    A couple of my simple faves:

    2 cups water
    1-2 mangos
    3-5 leaves kale
    pinch nutmeg

    2 cups water
    2 bananas
    1-2 handfuls spinach

    2 cups water
    2 apples
    1-2 handfuls spinach
    1/4-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon


    YUM!!!

    Cheers,
    Kristen

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  61. roasted veggie or grilled veggie kabobs, make extra with dinner for lunch the next day.

    Crustless quiche loaded up with broccoli, mushrooms, onion and tomato for a great protein and veggie combo

    Zucchini Latkes, I have step by step on the recipe section of my blog, again make with dinner, reheat with lunch

    Eggs topped with salsa

    Wraps loaded up with grilled chicken and your favorite steamed veggies tossed in italian dressing or topped with salsa

    Low sodium V8 is filling, I always kept cans of it in my desk drawer to hold me over when I had to work late

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  62. The ultimate veggie hater's way to cheat? Vital Greens powder in your morning protein shake.

    While I don't hate veggies, I make sure I get some extra in at brekky with this shake but by the sound of it your shrek shake is a lot easier on the tastebuds.

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  63. I LOVE vegetables, but I find that they don't fill me up the way (those dreaded) carbs do. I can't seem to find a way around this!

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  64. Yep, I put a cup of spinach in the blender with my normal smoothie recipe, and I couldn't even taste the spinach in there!Then, feeling even more adventurous the next day, I put an additional cup of raw spinach in.

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