Clean Diet - Need MORE Veggie and Fruit ideas

EccentricDad

I will be increasing my caloric intake soon but instead of filling my calories with more of the foods I'm already eating, I want to eat more nutritiously dense foods so I can be adding more variety to my palate. I already eat a lot of American standard veggies (carrots, peas, green beans, brocolli, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onion) and I am eating a lot of wonderful fruits too (bananas, kiwi fruit, watermelon, apples, cherries, grapes, blueberries, avocado, and tangerines/mandarins). I have been considering adding sweet potatoes, egg plant, pineapple, and cauliflower to my list but I need your advice. What do you think I should add? I'm looking for the most nutritiously dense foods available and something that would be approved by a picky 6 year old child too.

AVinmill

I don't really have any suggestions other than sweet potato which you already covered, I LOVE sweet potatoes.

EccentricDad

I don't really have any suggestions other than sweet potato which you already covered, I LOVE sweet potatoes.

I don't want to add the sweet potato because of the starch, but I am running out of ideas for my 6 year old.

starla5881

Sweet potatoes are amazingly tasty, inexpensive, and nutritionally dense. You can do oven-baked fries with them that should appeal to a 6-year-old. Cauliflower can be good as a mashed potato substitute, or you can serve it with a simple homemade cheese sauce (another kid pleaser). Sugar snap peas are another one of my personal favorites, and they make a fun finger food and are great in stir fry. Zucchini is another great one that's super cheap in season, and very versatile. It's good sautéed, baked, in sauces, etc. And heading into the fall, try some other squashes as well. Butternut and acorn varieties are really tasty and you can do so many things with them.

DominiqueSmall

I will be increasing my caloric intake soon but instead of filling my calories with more of the foods I'm already eating, I want to eat more nutritiously dense foods so I can be adding more variety to my palate. I already eat a lot of American standard veggies (carrots, peas, green beans, brocolli, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onion) and I am eating a lot of wonderful fruits too (bananas, kiwi fruit, watermelon, apples, cherries, grapes, blueberries, avocado, and tangerines/mandarins). I have been considering adding sweet potatoes, egg plant, pineapple, and cauliflower to my list but I need your advice. What do you think I should add? I'm looking for the most nutritiously dense foods available and something that would be approved by a picky 6 year old child too.

I didn't notice any dairy. My nutritionalist recommend Greek yogurt. Also almond butter, cashew butter and susch are great fillers too. And a new one that I LOVE is cream of Buckwheat. Gluten free and yummy with a smashed banana.

Good luck. You're a great role model for your son. That's really nice!

Aventuria

Squashes (including zucchini), eggplant, silverbeet, brussel sprouts...
Many children don't like brussel sprouts though.

Just take the child with you for shopping, and she/he can choose for her/himself.

EccentricDad

I will be increasing my caloric intake soon but instead of filling my calories with more of the foods I'm already eating, I want to eat more nutritiously dense foods so I can be adding more variety to my palate. I already eat a lot of American standard veggies (carrots, peas, green beans, brocolli, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onion) and I am eating a lot of wonderful fruits too (bananas, kiwi fruit, watermelon, apples, cherries, grapes, blueberries, avocado, and tangerines/mandarins). I have been considering adding sweet potatoes, egg plant, pineapple, and cauliflower to my list but I need your advice. What do you think I should add? I'm looking for the most nutritiously dense foods available and something that would be approved by a picky 6 year old child too.

I didn't notice any dairy. My nutritionalist recommend Greek yogurt. Also almond butter, cashew butter and susch are great fillers too. And a new one that I LOVE is cream of Buckwheat. Gluten free and yummy with a smashed banana.

Good luck. You're a great role model for your son. That's really nice!

I'm gluten and lactose intolerant. I have been better at tolerating dairy lately, but I still don't want to risk more intestinal damage. And I didn't list my nut or protein intake because I just want fruit and veggie suggestions but I do well with my macros. I just want the veggies and the fruits to add in.

renkatrun

Check out foodie.com

bluechip777

i have to use butternut squash or pumpkin for 1 of my starch servings...it's half of what i get in my sweet potatoes that i usually eat..

also, i've been dying to try this recipe but it hasn't fit in my diet yet...
http://www.eat-drink-smile.com/2011/04/cauliflower-crust-pizza.html

windycitycupcake

spinach is awesome. if you lightly sautee it it shrinks (you can use non stick cooking spray if you dont want to use oil) and you can eat like 5 or 6 cups at a time (it shrinks down to less than 1 1/2 cups. tons and tons of calcium and iron.
add lemon pepper & garlic salt yum

marvelscale

I will be increasing my caloric intake soon but instead of filling my calories with more of the foods I'm already eating, I want to eat more nutritiously dense foods so I can be adding more variety to my palate. I already eat a lot of American standard veggies (carrots, peas, green beans, brocolli, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onion) and I am eating a lot of wonderful fruits too (bananas, kiwi fruit, watermelon, apples, cherries, grapes, blueberries, avocado, and tangerines/mandarins). I have been considering adding sweet potatoes, egg plant, pineapple, and cauliflower to my list but I need your advice. What do you think I should add? I'm looking for the most nutritiously dense foods available and something that would be approved by a picky 6 year old child too.

I didn't notice any dairy. My nutritionalist recommend Greek yogurt. Also almond butter, cashew butter and susch are great fillers too. And a new one that I LOVE is cream of Buckwheat. Gluten free and yummy with a smashed banana.

Good luck. You're a great role model for your son. That's really nice!

I'm gluten and lactose intolerant. I have been better at tolerating dairy lately, but I still don't want to risk more intestinal damage. And I didn't list my nut or protein intake because I just want fruit and veggie suggestions but I do well with my macros. I just want the veggies and the fruits to add in.

Can you take lactase? I'm also intolerant but I take lactase when I want to drink milk or eat a little bit of ice cream.

betrayalunknown

for prepared food, I would suggest:

1) roasted corn on the cob

2) oven broiled brussels sprouts

3) shredded cabbage slaw with peanut dressing

4) mashed cauliflower (instead of mashed potatoes to watch your starchy vegs)... many recipes all over the net

for raw veggies, I would suggest:

5) cherry tomatoes

6) sugar snap peas (buy the "stringless" packaged ones to save time and convenience)

7) snow peas

8) sliced washed bagged white or crimini brown mushrooms

9) avocados

betrayalunknown

oh! and edamame... kids love those, especially when you buy the variety still in the shells...

katie81smith

I will be increasing my caloric intake soon but instead of filling my calories with more of the foods I'm already eating, I want to eat more nutritiously dense foods so I can be adding more variety to my palate. I already eat a lot of American standard veggies (carrots, peas, green beans, brocolli, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onion) and I am eating a lot of wonderful fruits too (bananas, kiwi fruit, watermelon, apples, cherries, grapes, blueberries, avocado, and tangerines/mandarins). I have been considering adding sweet potatoes, egg plant, pineapple, and cauliflower to my list but I need your advice. What do you think I should add? I'm looking for the most nutritiously dense foods available and something that would be approved by a picky 6 year old child too.

My 2, 5 and 7yr olds all love pineapple. There is so much that you can do with it, and I introduced it as spongebob themed dinner one night. and they have loved it ever since. I can put the fresh pineapple in almost anything and they love it for a quick snack as well. egg plant has almost no flavor, so as long as you sub it for a starch i'm sure the lil one would not even know. My 7yr old daughter is very very picky, but she will eat anything if she is able to help cook it. Hope this helps.

Flutterby1976

Some of my favourite vegies:
- Definitely go with sweet potato or even purple/white yams- I dice it, steam it and put it in salads. Stops sugar cravings and keeps you full for longer.The texture of it in your soup (when pureed) is amazing too- makes it sweet and creamy.
- Zucchini (maybe you call that squash?) is great steamed, stirfried, grilled (broiled) or baked
- Eggplant is great tossed with other vegies (and olive oil) and baked. I can even steam it but some people dont like the texture.
- Silverbeet a tastier version on spinach- sauted with a little garlic and some water or just steamed in a layer of stacked roast vegies or lasagna.
- sprouts - alfalfa, mungbean sprouts, water cress.. all great for different flavours in salad.
- Try shaving raw rasish, fennel or beetroot into salads for some colour, texture and zing (purple and yellow carrots too if you can find them!)

As for the no dairy- try goats/sheeps/bufallo milk products. I can't tolerate even a couple of mouthful of cows milk in any sort of dish but have made up for it with yoghurt and cheese produce made from non-cows milk. Go slowly with these (I find I cant drink goats milk for example but can have a couple of mouthfuls of cheese)- most people with dairy intolerances can do these alternatives. Also be sure you get some calcium through sesame seeds, enriched soy milk. Tofu or and soy or nut milk are great to add to you your diet too.

Another tip: my lunches have always been the envy of any office I've worked in. I make 5 salads on a Sunday night and store them in the fridge (with the dressing and wet ingredients in a seperate container). Provided you pack it into a lunch box DRY and dont cut any more than you need to right before you eat (i buy cherry tomatoes and only cut the other vegetables into slice on the day) it's much fresher than any salad I buy. I dont eat meat but even the boiled eggs keep fresh enough if you peel them on the sunday night and dont cut them til right before.

mycrazy8splus1

i have to use butternut squash or pumpkin for 1 of my starch servings...it's half of what i get in my sweet potatoes that i usually eat..

also, i've been dying to try this recipe but it hasn't fit in my diet yet...
http://www.eat-drink-smile.com/2011/04/cauliflower-crust-pizza.html

I've done this recipe and all of my kids loved it. It's a keeper!

Cdposey26

brussel sprouts, spinach, kale, watercress, cabbage, greens (mustard, turnip, collard). Asparagus is one of my favorites on the grill. spaghetti squash and acorn squash are great

EccentricDad

Can you take lactase? I'm also intolerant but I take lactase when I want to drink milk or eat a little bit of ice cream.

I take lactase but my intolerance is pretty bad. I have to take 3 pills for one greek yogurt (but I don't have a problem with frozen greek yogurt so I don't know why).

unsuspectingfish

Spinach, kale, and other dark, leafy greens.

Although, for kale, I suggest locating some baby kale, if possible. It's much more appetizing, in both cooked and raw form. It makes a great salad.

jenilla1

Cauliflower was one of my favorite vegetables as a kid! I still love it - especially raw with a light sour cream or yogurt based dip! YUM! Snow peas were always tasty and fun, too! My husband says he liked all kinds of summer squash - zucchini, yellow squash, etc. - as a kid.

ETA: Oops! I just looked back and saw that you are lactose intolerant. Skip the dairy-based dips obviously! Cauliflower is also great chopped up into any kind of salad with any kind of dressing...

JeNaKizz

-Try making kale chips by baking them in the oven and add your favorite seasonings like Mrs DASH. (If you want a lil salty fix)
-Bake some yams and add a lil cinnamon
-Overnight oats with almond milk or greek yogurt, next day top it off with blueberries or any berries and PB2 or almond butter
-Banana pancakes, mash 1 ripe banana and 2 eggs or 2 egg whites and throw them on the pan with olive oil

super_monty

Raw BABY leaf spinach, it's not as sharp as the big leaf version.

mycrazy8splus1

have you ever tried goat milk? Often people that have problems with cow milk can use goat milk. I have 8 children who are all lactose intolerant but they can do goat milk just fine (we even tried cow milk a few months back just to see if their bodies had changed and would accept cow milk and they spent 3 days with diarrhea and vomitting...no more experiments!). Goat milk breaks down much easier than cows milk. It's just a thought.

nfgchick79

Broccoli Rabe is delicious. I saute it in white cooking wine for a couple of minutes and then I throw on some hot sauce and fresh squeezed lemon. It tastes great with chicken or steak (or even pork chops). I eat that and asparagus all of the time. Here's my list of go-to veggies:
-Broccoli Rabe
-Asparagus
-Tomatoes
-Mushrooms
-Bell Peppers
-Onions
-Scallions
-Sun-dried tomatoes
-Eggplant
-Squash
-Avocado
-Cucumber (tastes great with salt and pepper or dipped in hummus)
-Kale

kiittenforever

Some veggie ideas..

Bean sprouts.. I steam them with other veggies and make a big stir fry. I use the bean sprouts as a base for the stir fry sometimes instead of rice or noodles or just add in.

Bok Choy.. steamed then with a bit of garlic and vegetable oil or use in stir fry.

Leeks.. leek soup

dkp4469

I have afew tips if you would likethem??? first take eggplant? to make eggplant parm, peel your eggplant, slice into one inch disks. dip in whisked egg whites. coat in seasoned bread crumbs, now heres the trick get a cookie sheet out or two. spray cookie sheet with some kind of spray oil put the egg plant on one at a time until filled then spray the top.bake in oven until tender. they will be nice and crispy and you saved a whole bunch of calories and fat by not frying? Then you can add what ever kind of marinara sauce or spagettie sauce, and low fat mozzerella? I make this all thetime. My son who isquite picky when he was young used tothink it was chicken parm? lol he knows now and still loves it. also, if you double the batch you can freeze ths easily, just freeze in a freezer bag in single layers without the sauce and the cheese. Caulifower you can steam and then mash like potatoes, add a bit of low fat cheese like a tablespoon or two for taste really good, also, can take summer squash, cut in half put on grill, season with whatever then just eat them delicious!! sweet potatoes I eat as lunch I microwave them you can eat the skin or not up to you, I put some brummel and brown on it . Its a mrgarine type spread made with yogurt really low in fat etc, tastes realy good can add cinnamin to the potato if you like and thts a meal. Hope this helps!!!! Oh the squash and zucchinis?? after grilling, you can toss with a bit of pasta? yum!!! Or a potato?