Good Morning Everyone!
Are you getting your veggies in every day? I challenge you to eat at least seven servings of vegetables daily! Yes, at least seven, and I prefer eleven. It isn’t as hard as you think! A serving is roughly 1 cup of raw vegetables, 1/2 cup of cooked, or 2 cups of raw, leafy greens. If the leafy greens are cooked, such as spinach, chard and kale, it shrinks considerably! The average person eats less than three servings daily of vegetables. That’s not enough nutrients for your body, and vitamin pills have their place, but they are never the same as real food working synergistically with your miraculous machine (your body). Look at all the benefits of broccoli alone! Here’s an example of getting those vegetables into your day in a variety of colors.
Breakfast – Throw some leafy greens into a fruit smoothie or the eggs you are scrambling. Be generous, and that’s two servings to jump start your day! Make a vegetable omelet. Add some vegetables from last night’s dinner to your breakfast on the side.
Lunch – Include a salad with your meal. It is filling, and you can get in at least three servings of vegetables. Think Tomatoes, Romaine, Shredded Carrot, Cucumbers, Onions, Peppers, Scallions, and how about some Basil?
Dinner – Make a deliberate decision to always serve three vegetables at dinner. This is easy in a stir fry, or a vegetable medley. Last night I made a quinoa shrimp bowl for the whole family. It had carrots, scallions, basil, broccoli, and zucchini in it. We also had a salad.

Here are a few recipes from my blog that are vegetable forward main dishes, and there are many more in the recipe index.

Bacon, Tomato and Basil Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Butternut Squash Lasagna

English Cottage Pie

Grilled Vegetables and Shrimp Toss

Below, I have a handy free Seasonal Produce Guide to help you out!

Find ways you like to cook and eat vegetables, and just do it! Over time, you will notice a huge difference in how you look and feel! Summer is one of the best times to meet this challenge. There is an abundance of fresh, local vegetables available. I want you to feel your best! So, I’m curious, how many servings are you guys getting on average a day? How do you eat them?
Enjoy your Wednesday!
Sandra Shields, Certified Health Coach