Exactly How to Eat 1 Pound of Veggies a Day
My go-to-guide to get more green in your routine
Photo by Simon Peel
Today is National Women’s History Day. Yay! What an incredible opportunity for us to recognize the forward-thinking females of yesterday whose influence shaped our universe for the better.
However, we can’t ignore the current state of today’s woman. In a recent health report released in February by the 2016 Commonwealth Fund, the health status of American women fell short ranking us dead last compared to that of women in 11 developed countries.
Largely impacted by diet, exercise, stress level, and prescription drug use, the results had our leading health gurus hitting the morning talk show circuit with 5 consistent solutions.
Sleep more
Meditate daily
Exercise often
Stop popping pills
Eat 1 pound of vegetables a day
Sounds like some easy to follow advice to me. However, I was shook to see so many negative reactions to eating 1 pound of vegetables. So after watching too many repeated protests, I decided to share exactly how I eat 1 pound of veggies every single day.
First, let’s get our measurements straight. 1 pound of vegetables would equal about 5 cups of fresh spinach, 3 cups of chopped cucumbers, or 5 whole carrots. Which, is totally doable with the right attitude and a little meal prep. So let’s break it down one meal at a time following my rule of 5 cups.
Breakfast: Say goodbye to no brain breakfasts like boxed cereal, pre-packaged bars, and yogurt on-the-go. Instead, say hello to satisfying green smoothies, eggy veggie muffins, and sweet potato toast.
Eating a veggie based breakfast with added protein keeps my brain and body satisfied for hours and can taste totally delicious. Plus, any of the above recipes pack at least 1 full cup of veggies per serving.
When it’s lunchtime I only have to ask myself one question, “What would Elaine Benes order”? The answer to all Seinfeld fans is of course “the big salad”. Salads are a great mid-day option because they are completely portable, filling, easy to make, and there are so many healthy and delicious ways they can be prepared. Try my big salad recipe packed with 2 full cups of greens plus 1 more cup of roasted veggies. We only have one more cup to go.
Winner winner veggie dinner! When it comes to nightly meal planning, the heart of my dinner plate is veggie forward. This means that the protein serves as my side or add-on while something like buttery cauliflower rice or beefy portobello steaks take center stage. Nourish your body with with any of my plant-based recipes tonight and you will know exactly how to eat 1 pound of veggies a day.
Abundantly,
B.E.