5 ways to get your 5-a-day!

Goodness know's why it's so much easier to do the things that are bad for us. Like one of my favorite Rufus Wainwright songs says "Everything it seems I like's a little bit sweeter/ A little bit fatter/ A little bit harmful for me". So what you've got to do is find tricks and ways to make it easier to put your health first. One of the easiest ways is to eat more vegetables, but that alone can seem hard for the human brain, which scientists are finding is programmed to choose the easiest ways to do things (such as grab a box of cookies when hungry).

Here are my favorite ways to maximize your veg intake with minimal effort:

1. Get them in at breakfast!

For me, vegetables sometime seem out of place at the breakfast table, but that's not so. Add some chopped peppers & onions to your scrambled eggs. Or top your toast with arugula & a poached egg. (And yes, that egg yolk was actually that bright!)

2. Prep your veggies before you're hungry

Try to always have a container of carrot sticks & celery in your fridge. Easy fresh snacking! If you don't like celery swap it for, my favorite, cucumber!

3. Hide your veggies

No, not under the bed! Hide them in your food! This is especially handy if you have picky eaters at your house. Peas are great in pasta; corn & fresh spinach are delicious additions to soup. I grate zucchini (my husband hates it) and add it to pasta, dips (like the one shown above), etc.

4. Buy in-season

For some reason, a lot of people think fresh produce is only for rich people. Those people have never priced a pound of carrots. They're like under a $1 all year long! If you get sick of carrots though, use this Peak-Season Map to find out what produce is at its peak (and cheapest) in your area. Even if it says there isn't anything, just look at California, Florida, or Texas to see what in-season produce will be on its way to your grocery store.

5. Stock your brain with veggie-centric recipes

Search for vegetarian or vegetable-based recipes. You can always add meat if you want!

Here are some recipes to get you started:

Power Salad

Emerald City Bean Spread

Veggie Wraps

Easy Beans & Rice

Spicy Pasta with Sardines & Kale

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Recipe: Veggie Wraps

As promised, here is a recipe using the bean spread from the post published on July 1st. 

By omitting the cheese and using the right tortillas, this recipe can also very easily be made vegan. If you don't swing that way, it's at least vegetarian.

P.S. By now, you probably all think I'm a vegan. I am not. Nor am I a vegetarian. I do, however, live by the idea that humans don't need meat everyday. I also have a lot of vegetarian/vegan friends, and find it easier to start with a veg recipe and then add animal parts/products when desired.

Ingredients:

4 burrito-sized whole wheat tortillas

1 large tomato, thinly sliced

1 medium bell pepper, thinly sliced

½ cup sliced olives

1 small onion, thinly sliced

2 cups leafy greens, any kind you like

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 tsp balsamic vinegar

Red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions:

Note: You don't need to follow this to a T. Use as much or as little of any ingredient as you like.

1. Start by spreading about 2 to 3 tablespoons of bean spread on a tortilla. 

2. Place 3 slices of tomato on top of the bean spread, followed by 4 to 5 slices of bell pepper.

3. Next, add a layer of onion and sprinkle with red pepper flakes, some Parmesan, and 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar.

4. Add a 1/4 cup greens and the olives.

5. Roll and enjoy!

Note: 

I made kale chips for the first time. They were so good! I used this recipe, with the addition of lemon juice and red pepper flakes.

I made a delicious discovery when making these wraps. My arugula went bad, so I decided to try beet greens in the wrap, and boy! are fresh beet greens delicious! They're really tender and kind of sweet. I highly recommend trying them in this wrap or in a salad.
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