Brussel: Hey why do you guys get invited to all the parties? Yeah, geez.
Mushroom: That's because we're such fun guys. Hahahaha
It's Sunday so that means we are on to a new challenge. How did it
go with drinking more water last week? Let me know in the comments below. Some
of you still may be on the no sugar challenge with me and how are you
feeling? Has it gotten any easier? I am personally ready for it to be done but I think I'm
starting to get more acclimated. This week we have a new challenge another one
that most people can benefit from and that is to get more veggies in. So this
challenge is going to vary based on the person and how good you are at already
including veggies in your diet. I must say over the past year I have gotten
significantly better at it but it takes actual practice. I know it sounds silly
but I am serious. You have to actually practice including veggies in your diet
for it to become a regular thing and I must admit the holidays didn't help me
much in the veggie department so this is one that is much needed for me. Thumbs up if you
want to take the challenge. So how many veggies do we want to eat? There are tons
of recommendations flying around but generally speaking it is 2.5 to
to 3.5 cups slightly varying depending on if you're a woman
or if you are a man and your age. I personally aim for at least 3 cups but you should
choose something that feels challenging but achievable for you. If
you eat no veggies at all 3 cups might sound impossible. Maybe you want to
aim for 1.5 to 2 cups. If you already eat a serving a day then you
know you get you know a half to 1 cup in, maybe you should try doubling that and
get 2 to 3. Whatever you decide choose something and aim for that goal each day.
Servings are typically measured by the half cup so if you're gonna go for 3
cups a day, that's six servings. Wowza! So how do we do that? Here are some ways to
sneak those extra veggies in. First up something I have talked about before is
volumizing pasta. So when I make a pasta dish I almost always cook a buttload of
veggies and add it to it. So pretty much I use as much veggies as I do pasta if not
more. This way you add volume to your dish. You double the servings that your
dish creates, you cut in half the amount of pasta you're consuming at one time, and
you increase your veggie intake. Use veggies as a base to your pasta dishes. I have a
vegan mac and cheese that uses pumpkin for the sauce base. I have a butternut
Mac that uses cauliflower as the base. An Alfredo sauce that uses cauliflower as
the base of the sauce. I've used zucchini as noodles for my lasagna or just zoodles. You
can have so much fun with veggies as pasta. Make frittatas or omelets any eggs
really. I throw heaps of veggies into frittatas and it is so easy and
delicious. Make a casserole. I showed you in weeknight dinners how to make a
casserole without a recipe at all. You can add shredded zucchini to overnight
oats, pastas, baked goods, sauces, pancakes, pretty much anything. The flavor is so mild you
won't even know it's there and the same goes for spinach. I love adding it to
cook dishes because it wilts down so much that you can add sooo much fresh spinach without even realizing it.
Smoothies! Make veggie packed smoothies and disguise the taste with delicious fruit.
Try substituting for texture. A lot of times we think we're craving chips but
we actually just wanna crunchy bite. Snap peas are a go-to for me and add a little bit of
hummus for a healthy boost of flavor. Make veggie soups. You can literally
boil veggies in water or broth and then just puree. Season with your favourite
spices and BOOM you will have an amazing veggie packed soup. And finally make salads fun.
I haven't been big on salads in the past but this past year I've come around to them and
it's because it got a little bit more creative with my options. My favorite
salad is my chopped taco salad which I shared in my first what I eat in a day
video I think. So do you pledge to take the veggie challenge with me?
Tag me on social media with the #redefinehealth tag and let me know
what is going to be the hardest thing for you about this challenge? Or is it
gonna be easy and if this is gonna be easy for you can you leave some tips for
us in the comments? Please and thank you. I hope you guys have a fantastic week
and remember especially when getting those veggies in its a matter of Mind Over Munch.