Wendy Middleton is a caterer and nutritionist. She is also a mum of three boys, so she has plenty of tips on how to get more veggies into your diet.
Take it away Wendy…..
We all know vegetables are good for us. However, including plenty in our diet can be a struggle. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, only 7.5% of adults meet the daily requirement of vegetables. Women do a bit better than men, 11% compared to 4% of men. However, only 6% of children are eating adequate vegetables.
I have 3 sons and I’m constantly trying to find ways to increase the vegetables in their meals. Is this the same in your household?
Vegetables provide us with fibre to keep us fuller for longer and help to keep us regular. As well as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for optimal health and to ward off disease.
But which vegetables should we be eating?
Starchy vegetables are high in carbohydrate. We definitely need these to support our activity levels but we don’t want to over indulge. Starchy vegetables include sweet potato, potato, parsnip, beetroot, carrot, peas, corn. An easy way to remember which ones are starchy is these are generally sweet tasting.
Half our plate should be non-starchy vegetables. These include leafy greens, tomato, cucumber, zucchini, celery, capsicum, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini and brussel sprouts. I’ve created a Healthy Plate guide providing more detail. This is ideal to stick on your fridge. You can download it here.
Below are my quick and easy ways to increase non-starchy vegetables in your day.
Zucchini Noodles (zoodles)
You’ll need a spiraliser to make your noodles. These are inexpensive, generally around $30 and you can find in any homewares shop. The brand I have is Betty Bossi. I’ve also tried Zyliss and that worked well too.
You can use zoodles to replace spaghetti or noodles. They’re a healthier gluten free alternative than gluten free pasta which tends to be high in carbohydrates. They also have the added benefit of being high in fibre and nutrients. You can watch me make zucchini noodles here.
Cauliflower or broccoli rice
You can use these vegetable rices to replace white rice. Cauliflower and broccoli are high in fibre, low in carbohydrate, high in Vitamin C and support detoxification.
You can download the easiest cauliflower rice recipe here.
If your family are a bit resistant to cauliflower rice my tip is to sneak a small amount into normal rice and gradually increase the amount. Shhh!
Cauliflower mash
Cauliflower mash is a great swap for potato mash. It really is delicious. Everyone in my family enjoys this, even the one that doesn’t like cauliflower! It’s quick too. It takes just 5 minutes to throw everything in a pot. You can download the recipe here.
Healthy coleslaw
Preparation is the key to success and this Healthy Coleslaw is a great one to make ahead and have ready to add to a variety of meals. You can serve along side a steak or piece of fish for dinner; add to wraps for lunch or serve with homemade burgers. I often add some tinned sardines, chilli and drizzle of olive oil for a quick and easy lunch.You can find the recipe here.
The coleslaw stays fresh for at least 5 days, so I highly recommend you add this to your weekly meals.
Vegetables in your smoothie
Peel and cut zucchini into chunks and store in the freezer. Then add to your smoothie and blend. You won’t even notice it’s there and you have added nutrients and fibre. A handful of spinach is another easy addition to smoothies.
I hope you found these tips useful.
If you have any questions or suggestions for future blogs hit reply and send me a note. I’d love to hear from you. And if you’d like more tips and recipes don’t forget to follow us on instagram and facebook. Simply click on the links below.
Enjoy your veggies!
Kickstart Your Dietary Changes
If you’d like to get your diet back on track I recommend a Diet Assessment. This is a simple way to kickstart dietary changes. I send you a food diary to complete. You’ll then receive a report detailing my recommendations. Please register your interest here.
Please call or email me if you’d like more information.
Wendy’s Beautiful Blog
If you would like delicious and nutritious recipes to try out click here and then scroll to the bottom of the page and subscribe to her blog or email Wendy here and ask to be included on her mailing list.
Contact Details
Wendy Middleton
Nutritionist & Caterer
Adv Dip Nut Med, ATMS 50532
Phone: 0403 861 117
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.acutabovenutrition.com.au
Instagram: @a_cut_above_nutrition
Facebook: @A-Cut-Above-Nutrition-638198306386427/
Pinterest: @cutabovecater
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