Eat More Fruits & Vegetables Challenge!

2

Replies

  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Can I dip them in chocolate? If yes, then I will commit to one serving of fruit and one serving of veg a day.

    If no then this is not the thread for me.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    Can I dip them in chocolate? If yes, then I will commit to one serving of fruit and one serving of veg a day.

    If no then this is not the thread for me.

    Absolutely. One of my veggies for tomorrow will be carrots roasted in coconut oil, cinnamon, marshmallow extract.
  • RunnerStephe
    RunnerStephe Posts: 2,195
    Great idea, I love veggies, but never get enough fruit. I have no taste for sweet things.
  • suejoker
    suejoker Posts: 317 Member
    Can I dip them in chocolate? If yes, then I will commit to one serving of fruit and one serving of veg a day.

    If no then this is not the thread for me.

    I believe that chocolate is Mother Nature's way of saying she loves us:) Have you heard of Dole's banana and strawberry dippers? I have an MFP friend that's totally addicted to them and they fit well into her calories.
  • suejoker
    suejoker Posts: 317 Member
    xgdzly.jpg

    This is my latest obsession: beet greens! Before we met, I was struggling to get the RDI of potassium. This was really important to me, since I have high blood pressure. It lessens the effect of sodium and, while you can restrict some of your sodium intake, sodium is in virtually everything! Now that I've met beet greens, getting enough potassium is super easy, even on 1230 calories/day. One cup of beet greens has only 39 calories, yet has 1309mg potassium, 220% RDI of Vitamin A, 60% of RDI of Vitamin C, 16% of RDI of calcium, and 15% of RDI of iron.

    Today, I scored BIG at the farmers market. Since I discovered my love of beet greens, my house has gotten pretty full of beets. My youngest son & I like beets, but I only have a 3/4 refrigerator, and I was wondering how I was going to fit more beets in there. So, I asked the lady at the farmers market if she had any beet greens she could sell me separate from the beets. She gave me 2 bunches for free, because some people wanted the beets without the greens! I'm going back there every week:)
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    Great idea. I have always loved vegetables, even as a child, and was never fussy, so I suppose I am blessed in that sense.
    I regularly have a Ib+ of vegetables with my dinner.

    Tonight, I am having 300g Stringless beans, 5 mushrooms, 1 whole yellow pepper and 100g baby plum tomatoes.
    Not sure how many servings that is.
    Also having an avocado and a large apple.
  • sonnig_tag
    sonnig_tag Posts: 82 Member
    Good morning, and Happy Mother's day!

    Yesterday I had 2 servings of grapefruit, 2 servings of steamed beets, and a serving of steamed kale. So, 5.
    It's tough to get them in when you're out of the habit.

    I just had brunch with my daughter and made sure we both ordered a bowl of fresh fruit (~8oz).

    I dont know who said it, but if weight loss is your goal raisins are not the best fruit choice. They are extremely high glycemic and will convert to fat. Dried fruit in general is that way. Fresh is best. Think of it like canned veggies (loaded with salt, which leads to water retention). If you must, rinse in cold water before eating.

    Have a great day, everyone!
    --Susan
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    Pretty poor excuse for fruit and veggie intake this weekend, but I'm not too worried because I think I will do better throughout the week. I like to not have to worry about hunger when I'm working so I plan my meals much more carefully than I do on the weekends.

    Onions, plantains, carrots. I think those are the only fruits and veggies I can claim today.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    pan searing beet greens, a little soy, some garlic, and House Tsang sauce......gimme!
  • sonnig_tag
    sonnig_tag Posts: 82 Member
    Day 2 of the F&V Challenge, and I managed to eat 5 servings again (second day). Tomorrow will shoot for 6. It's tougher than one might think! I am also trying to kick up my water intake, as I have been bloated and dehydrated... Time to let go of all that!
  • snazzyjazzy21
    snazzyjazzy21 Posts: 1,298 Member
    Can I dip them in chocolate? If yes, then I will commit to one serving of fruit and one serving of veg a day.

    If no then this is not the thread for me.

    Absolutely. One of my veggies for tomorrow will be carrots roasted in coconut oil, cinnamon, marshmallow extract.

    As long as it's not celery. I did that as a child, never again!
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    xgdzly.jpg

    This is my latest obsession: beet greens! Before we met, I was struggling to get the RDI of potassium. This was really important to me, since I have high blood pressure. It lessens the effect of sodium and, while you can restrict some of your sodium intake, sodium is in virtually everything! Now that I've met beet greens, getting enough potassium is super easy, even on 1230 calories/day. One cup of beet greens has only 39 calories, yet has 1309mg potassium, 220% RDI of Vitamin A, 60% of RDI of Vitamin C, 16% of RDI of calcium, and 15% of RDI of iron.

    Today, I scored BIG at the farmers market. Since I discovered my love of beet greens, my house has gotten pretty full of beets. My youngest son & I like beets, but I only have a 3/4 refrigerator, and I was wondering how I was going to fit more beets in there. So, I asked the lady at the farmers market if she had any beet greens she could sell me separate from the beets. She gave me 2 bunches for free, because some people wanted the beets without the greens! I'm going back there every week:)

    tumblr_n4fn2kUy051sy6dflo1_400.gif
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I don't actually know how much is in a serving, so my main focus here is expanding my horizons. Yesterday's new additions were radish and turnip greens, as well as fast cooked collard greens (based on recipes for Brazilian collard greens, but it's basically just sauteeing them with garlic vs. simmering them for a long time--I've done and like the lengthier way of cooking them for some time).

    All of these were a success--it was hard for me to believe that collard greens could be good the quick-cooked way, since I'm so used to the idea that they have to be cooked for a while, ideally with pork of some sort, but they were just as good. I added onions as well as garlic. The radish and turnip greens I added to a lamb stew toward the end and they were great. I probably should have kept them separate just to have a better sense of how they differ, but both took on the flavor of the stew anyway. I'm out of the radish greens for now, but have more of the turnips (plus, turnips), so will try cooking those separately too.

    Like I said above, part of my fascination with greens is just the time of the year and the fact that I'm challenging my cooking by commiting to using a box from a local farm, but it's been quite enjoyable to discover how delicious they are since we never ate them when I was growing up, other than spinach and salad.
  • suejoker
    suejoker Posts: 317 Member
    it was hard for me to believe that collard greens could be good the quick-cooked way, since I'm so used to the idea that they have to be cooked for a while, ideally with pork of some sort, but they were just as good. I added onions as well as garlic.

    I've noticed that when you add onions & garlic to any vegetable, they taste good:)
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    Not great on the intake again today. Carrots, Cauliflower, Onions, Broccoli.
  • raggiemom
    raggiemom Posts: 139 Member
    I've been doing well eating my fruits and veggies. I usually limit my fruit to one or two a day (I'm diabetic) but today I had 3..a banana, some rhubarb, and some raspberries. A big salad for lunch and stir fry veggies for supper. Today's total was 12. I only aim to have 9 servings of fruits and veggies a day, but most days it's 10-12!! If you like salads and stir fry, it's a great way to get a variety of nutritious veggies in your day!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I had a non stellar day yesterday, since I basically skipped dinner. Was at work til forever with only a Zone bar. I'd meant to leave earlier so did not plan well and got home to late to do anything but go to bed.

    Veggies were limited to an enormous amount of my fresh asparagus at breakfast and--why I'm reporting--some gazpacho at lunch. Purchased, but really tasty. I used to make gazpacho all the time and love it. Highly recommended as a good way to get vegetables (and sometimes fruit) in and fun to experiment with different types.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I've noticed that when you add onions & garlic to any vegetable, they taste good:)

    Heh, true enough. Or most savory foods.
  • sonnig_tag
    sonnig_tag Posts: 82 Member
    I don't actually know how much is in a serving, so my main focus here is expanding my horizons.

    Basically: cooked greens and other veg = 1/2 cup = serving. Raw leafy greens = 1 cup = serving. Fruit: 1/2 cup = serving (or small/medium banana, medium whole fruit, etc.).
  • sonnig_tag
    sonnig_tag Posts: 82 Member
    Weird food day yesterday (Monday), but I had a cup of veggie soup, grapefruit, and a large salad. I'd call it 4 servings total.

    I'm taking my mother out for a belated Mother's Day lunch today and plan to eat some veg, plus grapefruit this morning.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Basically: cooked greens and other veg = 1/2 cup = serving. Raw leafy greens = 1 cup = serving. Fruit: 1/2 cup = serving (or small/medium banana, medium whole fruit, etc.).

    But I've learned to think about everything in grams! (Kidding, in case it's not obvious. Well, kind of true but not bothered by it.)
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    Cauliflower, broccoli, onions, pineapple. And um a mini outshine tangerine carrot bar. Whatever, I'm counting it.
  • suejoker
    suejoker Posts: 317 Member
    Hey, Veggie Lovers!

    I was planning my menus for tomorrow and was a bit short on calcium, so I decided to google the veggies highest in calcium. Here's the Top 10 List:

    #1: Collard Greens (Cooked)
    Calcium per 100g serving Calcium in 1 Cup Chopped
    210mg 357mg
    21% DV 36% DV

    #2: Kale (Raw)
    Calcium per 100g serving Calcium in 1 Cup
    205mg 137mg
    21% DV 14% DV

    #3: Turnip Greens
    Calcium per 100g serving Calcium in 1 Cup Chopped
    190mg 105mg
    19% DV 10% DV

    #4: Garlic
    Calcium per 100g serving Calcium in 1 Cup Calcium in 1 Clove
    181mg 246mg 5mg
    18% DV 25% DV 1% DV

    #5: Arugula (Rocket)
    Calcium per 100g serving Calcium in 1 Cup
    160mg 32mg
    16% DV 4% DV

    #6: Broccoli Rabe (Rapini)
    Calcium per 100g serving Calcium in 1 Bunch Cooked (437 grams)
    118mg 516mg
    12% DV 52% DV

    #7: Mustard Greens
    Calcium per 100g serving Calcium in 1 Cup Chopped
    101mg 152mg
    10% DV 15% DV

    #8: Sun Dried Tomatoes
    Calcium per 100g serving Calcium in 1 Cup
    110mg 59mg
    11% DV 6% DV

    #9: Spinach (Raw)
    Calcium per 100g serving Calcium in 1 Cup
    99mg 30mg
    10% DV 3% DV

    #10: Okra
    Calcium per 100g serving Calcium in 1 Cup Sliced
    96mg 177mg
    10% DV 18% DV

    http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/high-calcium-vegetables.php
  • zenalasca
    zenalasca Posts: 563 Member
    Had 2 servings of vegetables today, after a week of obstinately avoiding vegetables whenever possible). Not hard when your BF keeps buying lots of veg though! Not fruit though (strawberry artificial flavouring doesn't count lol)
  • yaxm
    yaxm Posts: 3 Member
    IN TOTALLY IN, I love my veggies, being a vego, currently 'noming on the remains of a "family sized" bowl of salad. And that's dinner done :wink:
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    5 servings of veggies today. I had three more planned for dinner with 2 servings of pineapple to finish it off, but ... nondairy frozen dessert happens.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Did pretty well today (though not so well on the calcium list as a few other recent days). Radishes, turnips, and Brussels at breakfast, salad with smaller amounts of various veggies at lunch, and zucchini and bok choy at dinner. Three of those are seasonal and locally grown too, which is not all that, but is something I personally enjoy. Also it reminds me that it's past Mothers Day, so I need to plant already.
  • zenalasca
    zenalasca Posts: 563 Member
    Not so good today, only half a cup of rocket in my pasta. And lots of strawberry jam just in case that counts perhaps a tiny bit :ohwell:
  • annko65
    annko65 Posts: 18 Member
    I am in if the challenge is still one, starting today and committing to a 10 a day!!

    Great idea!!!:happy:
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    5 servings of veggies today. I don't think I ate any fruit.

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