Veggies. A food group that the vegans, Adkins followers, paleo folks, etc will all agree on, are crucial for optimal health. My tip today indeed relates to not only how to incorporate veggies at every meal, but how to keep them fresh throughout the week.

Tip #1

Salad spinner. Storing your leafy greens in a salad spinner helps extend the shelf-life. Give it a try and enjoy salads all week, start to finish. Take this one step further and chop up a large salad every Sunday so you have something quick, nutritious and high volume for evenings when you are quite hungry and need something quick. A salad can compliment any meal. My gym even serves a side salad with breakfast orders.

Tip #2

If you do not have a salad spinner, put a clean, dry paper towel in the container or bag that the leafy greens came in. I just did this minutes ago after I purchased, then used, Costco’s Power Mix leafy greens in my smoothie. Just putting a paper towel in the resealable bag, and changing the paper towel for a fresh one every 2-3 days, can really extend the freshness of these veggies.

Tip #3

Do not be afraid to have veggies at breakfast. More so, make it a habit. If you are on the go or whipping up something nice at home, there is no good excuse for not eating veggies to start the day. Some ideas 1) One to 3 cups of leafy greens in a smoothie, 2) ever had a paleo pancake? There are numerous recipes out there, but I most often take half a banana, 3 eggs and 1 cup of leafy greens, cinnamon and toss all the above in a blender until I get a smooth batter like consistency. With such, I warm some coconut oil in a skillet and make 2 real food pancakes. 3) An american breakfast with eggs and meat and some leftover veggies from the night before. Or roast up a cookie sheet-worth of veggies each Sunday. The examples of how to include more vegetables in the AM can easily go on, but find a way to eat 6-10 servings of veggies a day, and start with breakfast.

Cheers to you and good health,

Kel