Different vegetables and fruit?

sndyxo

Hi guys,

I'm trying to eat healthier so I can drop 30 pounds and I find myself in a food rut. I always try to eat at least one bowl of soup with leafy greens for dinner and sadly that's the only time I get in some form of vegetables. I usually eat spinach, bok choy, and cauliflower in my soups. Any suggestions on other delicious and nutritious vegetables for soups or snacks? I'm sick of always eating spinach and cauliflower! I need to expand my vegetable and fruit intake. Please share your ideas on different fruits and veggies that you eat to help lose weight. Also, if you could include veggie recipes that would be great. I would love to incorporate veggies and fruits into my other meals instead of only soup at dinner time.

Thanks!

ameliaannakin

Snacks-wise, I would suggest apples, bananas and pears. Also, dried fruit such as pitted dates and unsulphured/organic apricots are really good too. I also like a red pepper with a tablespoon of low calorie dressing as a snack.

Regarding meals, I try to get loads of vegetables into my food. My food diary blog - ameliasfooddiary.wordpress.com - might give you some ideas

Ax

kristy6ward

Try shopping the produce section of your grocery store and getting something in every color of the rainbow.

VeryYellow123

butternut squash is great in soups (I like my soups really thick and this is quite a dense vegetable), as for snacking I really love pineapple at the moment. It's so sweet and delicious - in fact I think I might go have some now. I buy the pre-packaged version because they're so handy to have at work. X

Missjulesdid

make ribbons of carrot, zucchini, and yellow squash using a vegetable peeler. Pour piping hot marinara sauce on it.. VEGGIE spaghetti YUM!

roasted asparagus. Select skinny asparagus spears. toss in a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Roast until tender. Delicious hot or cold.

twinkiemon

If you work, try a salad for lunch - you can dress it up with all sorts of yummy and colorful veggies - carrots, bell peppers, zucchini - or even some raisins or craisins. Pick a low-fat dressing and you're good.

I like bringing dried fruit as a snack to work and I bring an apple every day for a snack - Satsuma oranges are great too because they're so easy to peel (though they're getting out of season now)

You could also try eating like lean chicken or turkey or fish with veggies on the side - broccoli, mixed squashes (yellow squash, zucchini), asparagus (I like it cooked in the oven - about 350 for 10 or so minutes - drizzle with a little olive oil, salt and pepper - delish). You could also try something like stuffed bell peppers - cut off the top of a bell pepper and stuff with ground turkey, rice or cous cous, garlic, onion, whatever you like.

samanthalynn11

I make it my mission to find a new fruit or vegetable that I've never bought as often as possible. This week I purchased savoy cabbage, a parsnip, and a leek!

I really like adding kale to soups, it's quite healthy and when it's cooked in soup it's not as bitter in my opinion. I also add spinach to my smoothies after I work out to get some extra greens. Another thing I do is make spaghetti squash, put marinara on top (sometimes I mix other vegetables like mushrooms into that), and a little parmesan cheese. It doesn't taste like spaghetti, but I enjoy it and it's low calorie.
I agree with the comment below about pineapple! I buy the pineapple pre-cut and packaged at Trader Joe's, simply for convenience.

smilingirisheyes

Raw jicama is good on its own, so are grape tomatoes, carrot chips, and sugar snap peas.

sndyxo

Thank you for all of your wonderful replies! I will make sure to keep all of your advice and suggestions in mind the next time I go produce shopping and when I'm cooking my next meal!