Vegetables (and Fruits) - My 2 cents worth!

Okay, summer's coming and that means there will be a fruit bounty, right? Ah, yes, fruit! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE fruit so this is in no way anything against fruit but just trying to help all of you understand one of the many reasons why I've been able to accomplish my goals where food and fitness are concerned. It has to do with vegetables. Lots and lots of vegetables!

If you're like me you probably love fruit as well. The problem with fruit is the high sugar content. And, yes, it's natural sugar but it's still sugar. The great thing about vegetables is that most of them have little to no sugar. Vegetables are such a fantastic food group and they have so much to offer. Like I used to be, probably most of you don't eat enough veggies each day. I understand why. Believe me. It's not as easy to grab a piece of vegetable as it is a piece of fruit. Most of them have to be peeled or sliced or diced. Yes, they are THE high maintenance food! Imagine veggies trying to get a date, huh? That would be hard.

But they are critical to your success in losing and/or maintaining not only a healthy weight but healthy way of living. You've heard it all over the place about how good fruits and vegetables are for you. But if you're not one that loves vegetables and prefers fruits, getting your veggies in is hard to do. I have a few recipes on my blog that can help you with that.

Have at these vegetables below! They're all good for you. Just make sure you remember that putting tons of butter and salt on won't really help you here. Pretty much any vegetables are good for you but you'll want to stay away from corn and green peas. Carrots really need to be limited. And beets are perfectly fine to have but in moderation due to their sugar content. Beets are a powerhouse food though so don't forget about them entirely. This is no way a limited list. If you find another vegetable that's not on there, feel free to eat it but just be sure to check for its sugar content.

Asparagus
Bell Pepper
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage - including bok choy and napa
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chinese Broccoli
Cucumber
Eggplant
Green Beans
Green Onions
Greens - including chard, kale, collard, dandelion, etc.
Hot Peppers - including jalapeno, serrano, habanero
Jicama
Kale
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Onions - red, yellow, white, Vidalia, Maui
Radishes
Snow Peas
Sugar Snap Peas
Spinach
Watercress
Zucchini

So, enjoy your vegetables. It's summer time so you can get creative with your mixes. I posted a recipe for Pico de Gallo today that is delicious and fresh. You can always cut up any vegetable any way you want to and then make a "salad" out of it with some lemon or lime juice and herbs.

I also try to make a big salad each week with Farmers Market greens (usually the Sweet Mix, basically mesclun, tatsoi, mizuna, pea shoots) and then I slice celery, radishes, mushrooms, green onions, red peppers. Since the greens are from the farmer's market they last all week long. I just keep it in a Tupperware cakekeeper of all things! That way I can just grab a handful or 2 and take it to work or have it to toss with my fish, turkey, chicken, or pork and it's ready to go! So easy that way. I don't dress it because I prefer to make my dressings individually each time I eat.

So, become one with the vegetable and enjoy them! Continue to eat fruit too though. Variety is key! Just cut down to 1-2 pieces of  fruit...but preferably 1. To help you out over the next couple of weeks I'll try to post some salad dressings, both fat free and with some oil. Hopefully you'll try them and like them. Much better and cheaper than the store bought kind. So keep on the lookout for that! Make it a VEGGIE SUMMER!! BE the vegetable!