Welcome to the ANNI feed.
There is a place for everyone at my table.
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(Pssst...HEY, YOU. Yeah, you there.
I am whipping up something so delicious right now.
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Veggie
Tales
Tips to take your vegetables from sad stories to happily ever after.
I'm a little bit of an odd duck when it comes to vegetables. I was always the kid who brought the veggie tray to class parties in school because I couldn't get enough. I've always loved them!
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But, I know that getting the correct vegetable intake each day can be a challenge for some (visit https://www.choosemyplate.gov/eathealthy/vegetables to find out the amount of vegetable servings you should be eating daily) . You should have a goal to consume between 1-3 servings daily. Children and youth need at least 1 serving, while adolescents need 2 or more, and adult men and women should be eating around 2-3 servings or more each day. Vegetables are often full of nutrients and provide our body with many of the vitamins and minerals it needs to heal and refuel our body without simultaneously causing damage. In other words, they are usually nutrient dense. Getting enough fruits and vegetables is an important part of any evidence based dietary protocol for the general population.
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I asked on my social media what concerns you had about cooking vegetables. My top tips are below to address them and I hope they help! Let me know what you think by using the hashtag on your post! Can't wait to see what you create.
theANNIfeed
01
Season, and you don't have to steam them.
Most people have awful memories of veggies because they've only ever had them steamed. Bless our busy mamas or those cafeteria ladies, but steaming takes the least amount of prep and yields the least amount of flavor. For most of my veggies, I toss them in olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and onion powder, and cook them at 400-425 degrees Farenheit for about 30 minutes. It makes the perfect side for just about any meal, and you'll be surprised by how much flavor it can add. You can also play around with different seasonings if you want to get adventureous!
02
Just add one serving to each main meal.
Small changes like adding an avocado to your morning smoothie to make it more creamy, or substituting cauliflower rice for rice in your dinner dish are easy ways to start moving towards a more plant-based dietary pattern of eating. Remember, you don't have to eat totally plant-based or even follow a plant-based diet to be eating the correct amount of plant foods each day. Just focusing on making sure there is one serving of vegetables for each meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
03
Pair something you might normally avoid with something you like.
I'm not one to ever reach for carrots by themselves but pair them with some hummus and I practically inhale them. something that can especially get those raw veggies in is finding good complementary foods, which is just a fancy way of saying pair them with something good. For example, you're probably a lot more likely to eat (or get your kids to eat) celery if it has some peanut butter to go with it!
04
Ask your vegan and vegetarian friends for recipes.
Your friends that have been vegans or vegetarians for years have likely had to navigate the tricky terrain of consuming a higher amount of fruits and vegetables. Instead of starting from scratch, ask them what their favorite veggie dishes are. Remember-vegetable foods are not limited to sides! Vegans and vegetarians can often make a whole entree of something like lasangna or pizza from entirely plant based ingredients! Going to someone with more experience will help you learn that you won't have to compromise taste to improve your eating.
