A 2015 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report
on how well American adults meet the recommended intake of fruits and
vegetables showed we’re not doing so well! Only 13.1 percent of
respondents met the fruit intake recommendations, while only 8.9 percent
met vegetable intake recommendations.
We need to find new ways to add fruits and veggies to our daily routines. Here are my four favorite ways to increase produce intake.
Add Them to Smoothies
This might seem like a no-brainer to some, but a lot of people fear
the weird green color that can result from adding greens to smoothies,
or think it will make them taste bland. Not true! I like to start by
blending 1 cup of spinach or kale with 1 cup of almond milk, then adding
in mixed fruit, dates and even peanut butter. Sometimes I’ll throw in
diced carrots for a beta-carotene boost. And adding beets is a great way
to get a strong pink color if you’re not into green!
Mix Them Into Your Breakfast
Have a muffin, pancake or waffle recipe that calls for milk? Blend
some spinach with the milk before adding it to the remainder of your
ingredients. Just like with smoothies, you can’t even taste it! Adding
sweet bell peppers, onions, garlic and mushrooms to your eggs every
morning also is a great option if you’re wanting something more savory.
Hide Them in Your Sandwiches and Wraps
Do you typically pack a sandwich or wrap for lunch? Add in a few
veggies or, better yet, make an all-veggie sandwich! My favorites are
spinach, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, sprouts,
cucumbers – the list goes on!
Pizza
Who doesn’t like pizza? Homemade pizza is one of my all-time favorite
dinners, and it also is a perfect way to get in a couple servings of
veggies. I like to start with my Sweet Potato Pizza Crust and top it
with tomato sauce, mushrooms, spinach, onions, peppers and some vegan
cheese!
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