So, not sure if you've heard but I'm on this pretty strict diet. Sometimes, I really hate this diet. You can't find anything quick to eat and sometimes I'm just too lazy to cook. I do my best to crush those excuses that pop up and have solutions to each. One of them is vegetables. It's the proverbial "eat your vegetables" speech we loathed as children...but now the adult telling us to eat those veggies is ourselves. The recommended diet is close to most of those low-carb diets. The more protein and produce you're eating, the more on-target you are. That sounds rather simple, right?
This post focuses on vegetables. When your thyroid causes hypoglycemia and/or insulin resistance and your just can't process sugar in any form, you have to figure out ways to choke down some veggies. For that reason, a lot of my ideas work for diabetics too. The plus side of veggies is you get fiber, nutrients, and feel fuller longer, not to mention the weight loss that'll ensue if you load half your plate with them. You'll naturally eat less of everything else on the plate because you're filling up on fiber. That's instant portion control!
Here are some easy ideas for veggies, and I like easy cooking ideas. I only get into cooking moods every once in awhile. I'd rather be sewing, prepping for my classroom, reading, writing...I can think of a lot more fun things to do, but I do like eating so I make an effort each day to cook.
1. Healthy Fats
Forget everything you've read about going low-fat for weight loss. It's a lie (if your doctor tells you this, fire that doctor and hire a new one, that is an antiquated solution that doesn't work!!). I'm not just talking randomness, I've read it on the Huffington Post and WebMD and a litany of other reputable sites. The focus is on healthy fats found in avocados, olive oil, and natural butters (not margarine) because they make you fuller for longer and they help your body break down nutrients in the veggies so your body can use them more effectively. The focus is on healthy fats (avoid the bad fats, right? fried foods are fried in bad oils) including fatty foods like avocados (bet you if you need a snack and you eat a small avocado, the fiber and fat in it is enough to satisfy your tummy for longer than you'd expect). Plus, it is so easy to drizzle a bit of healthy fat on some broccoli or asparagus and it just slides down easier. Ever try sliced tomatoes with basil leaves, mozzarella slices and olive oil on top? Then you haven't lived! Five minute recipe right there.
2. Spices
I love a bit of sea salt (mine has added iodine) and pepper with oil or butter; however, adding a spice mix to veggies has some stellar results. With sea salt, you don't need as much salt to get the taste you want, so you're automatically reducing the sodium content. I like McCormick's Montreal Steak seasoning and Mesquite Seasoning on veggies lately and for those watching their sodium, there are low sodium versions. When I'm really in a Rachel Ray sort of mood, I dice up fresh garlic, add it to raw veggies and drizzle with olive oil and slide into the oven for approximately 10 minutes of roasting. It's easy and it's beyond healthy and more importantly, delicious! Most veggies can be steamed or roasted in a 10-15 minute period.
3. Cheese
Cheese makes anything better. My mom started making Parmesan covered zucchini, yellow squash, and eggplant. I revamped potatoes au gratin by replacing the potatoes with coins of yellow squash in American cheese and half and half. Plus, once you put broccoli and cheese on the dinner table, you have to get your fork out and fend off a few little trees for yourself. Plus, cheese is low-carb and high fat. Remember, fats make you feel fuller longer and when you add veggie fiber, it's a double whammy and cravings are squashed for hours.
I might add that George Stella has an Asparagus Gorgonzola Gratin recipe that I made for the holidays this past year and...just divine. It also takes about 10 minutes in the oven. I had to learn how to blanch veggies when I did that, but that's easier than you think.
4. Grilling
The way you cook your veggies make a difference, right? No one wants boiled, soggy vegetables. Blech! I can roast 'em, nuke 'em, and steam 'em, but grilling makes me salivate. Maybe it's those carcinogens, but give me some shish-ka-bobs anytime. They taste good plain (to me, my honey adds salt), but sometimes you can add chili powder and lime juice for a BBQ flair. Maybe I should try that Montreal Steak seasoning that way...hmm nom nom.
5. Bacon
How could I not go here? Bacon with anything is pretty awesome. Bacon-wrapped asparagus roasted in the oven is the only way my husband eats asparagus, but it's just so divine. It's one of our anniversary musts if I'm cooking our celebratory meal (more often than not, I am). Many vegetables are greatly improved with bacon.
6. Citrus
I adore lemon juice on many foods, but I think it's quite delectable over broccoli and roasted with Parmesan. It doesn't take all that long to prep and it's decadent. How can you feel deprived on a so-called "diet" when you're eating something that decadent and that easy to make? I do advise purchasing the pre-chopped fresh broccoli florets and all you do is squeeze lemon juice and sprinkle Parmesan on top of the broccoli (a cookie sheet might be a good idea, too). I roast it for about 10 minutes and voila. When I'm feeling especially chef-like, I zest the lemon over the veggie before roasting. There have been times where all I had was the lemon, so I zest it, juice it, and add salt and pepper on the broccoli for roasting. Still pretty awesome.
Don't ignore limes either (see #4). Lime juice and/or zest are excellent in coconut curry chicken when I'm cooking the diced portobellos, carrots, snap peas, and green beans. I'm certain there are many other varieties and spice mixes with citruses, like orange zest. If it's something that could go on baked chicken, it could go on roasted or grilled veggies, too.
7. Store prepared produce
HEB is my haven. I haven't had to start grocery shopping out of town to manage my diet because of HEB. They have fresh, pre-cut veggies. Some are bags of broccoli or asparagus that are ready to nuke for a few minutes and dinner has a tasty veggie side. They also offer pre-cut, seasoned veggie mixes and stuffed mushrooms and jalapeno wraps (see #5). It takes something that would take me another 15 to 20 minutes of prep time down to just cooking time. My brother has grilled the stuffed mushrooms for me before and he reminds me he has this special square dish to cook veggies on the grill. Lovely.
8. Frozen Veggies
Frozen Veggies are just as nutritious as fresh and sometimes, more so. They are frozen at their peak, so they have the best amount of vitamins and whatnot. I like the veggies with sauces. Two I adore the most is an HEB spinach in cream sauce and cauliflower in cheese (see #3). I've made many coworkers jealous at lunch this past year because I'll have a hamburger patty and the creamed spinach. All I did to prepare it was open up a bag of HEB precooked hamburger patties, place a patty in my glass lunch container, rip open a bag of HEB spinach in cream sauce (still frozen at 7am), pour the whole bag in and close the lid. As a side note, one of my children who hates mostly anything green will find me eating a bowl of the spinach in cream sauce (it's that good it can stand alone) and she starts stealing it from me and gives me puppy dog eyes and a quivering bottom lip to just take the entire bowl. The irony! Again, people are stealing my food. It's just easier to warn her, "I'm eating this, you want some?"
9. In Casseroles as Starch Substitute
If you've noticed a theme in all my blogs, I'm real big on substituting. It's just easier to adjust to life if I'm subbing one item in a dish you make often. It's not a big overhaul then. For example, isntead of regular pasta substitute with spaghetti squash. It's really easy. You can nuke half a squash with the seeds removed or a whole squash and remove the seeds later for approximately 20 minutes and then serve with spaghetti or Alfredo sauce plus a protein. I usually start the squash before I start cooking my protein and boiling the water for regular pasta for the others in the family.
I keep talking about my boy George Stella, but there's this one dish that is to die for titled Ultimate Mock Mac and Cheese Casserole. It's the full meal deal with cauliflower as a pasta substitute, some broccoli, chicken, bacon (see #5, it just keeps popping up!), cream cheese, cheddar cheese and a few other ingredients, and there's a meal that has no leftovers. Super delectable!
Our school's 3rd grade grows giant cabbages each year. Last year, I had a daughter in 3rd and she brought home a 15 pounder. It took me a bit to chop it up and while I never got my act together to create a dish in time for the 3rd grade cabbage social (in my defense, spring is rough on teachers), I got some awesome ideas there. From there, I got the idea to make an enchilada casserole that uses sauteed cabbage instead of corn tortillas. It's simply cooked, crumbly ground beef seasoned the way you want, enchilada sauce, sauteed cabbage and onions in butter and salt/pepper, and cheddar cheese in a casserole dish. Again, this dish doesn't have leftovers and I'm watching my children pile on two or three servings throughout dinner and I just stare in amazement. Who eats their veggies like that?
10. Baby Food
Hear me out on this one...and if Bianca ever finds out, you are all liars. I fight her the most about eating healthy foods. I know the texture gets to certain ADHD individuals. She once loved watermelon but now it makes her gag. It has a gritty texture and as my health has declined and I stole it back, I seem to have a similar issue. I can't handle certain foods anymore never mind they are on my diet. I just can't stand it in my mouth and I'm gagging. Now, poor baby, she's always had this issue. When she was of an age to start baby foods, the spoon made her gag and over the years, you do what you can to avoid watching chewed up food being spit out at yet another meal. So, I take meals I know she'll pig out on like spaghetti and add a baby food jar of Italian spiced vegetables to the sauce. You can sneak it into muffins, just reduce your liquid. People make zucchini bread, so I don't want to hear it and if you out me, I don't know you and you're a liar! Just as long as we're clear on that. :)
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