Lately, I have been having trouble eating enough vegetables.  By “trouble,” I mean I have reverted to a cranky 4-year-old who would prefer to eat whatever I want to eat whenever I want to eat it.  “But, wait, you are a vegetarian, Annabel — what do you eat?!”  Well…

I have been living off of coffee, pita and hummus.  The food choices of a champion frazzled student. It’s an absolute misconception that vegetarians naturally eat healthier than their omnivore counterparts.  I have known plenty of people who eat a nice, steady, vegetarian diet of cheese pizza. So, short of spoon-feeding myself vegetable purees via “air plane,” I’m forcing myself to grow up and get on track.  Le sigh.

The thing is, I am totally “salad-ed out” — sorry Salad Girl, but I have no desire whatsoever to eat a salad in my current food stage.

So, the three things I resolve to do:

• Plan. Buy bags of celery and carrots, chop on the weekends and keep “snack packs” available to take to work, school and elsewhere when on the go.
• Cheat. When in a real time crunch, buy bags of pre-washed and chopped vegetables. I have to fork over a little extra cash, but I don’t mind cheating and buying these bags since they make my life easier.
• Make 3-ingredient-or-less meals. Yep, you so do not need to be a kitchen pro to get in a nice, healthy veggie-filled meal.  The following is my new fave dinner:

Three Ingredient Meatless Stir Fry

Trader Joe’s Vegetable Medley.  1/2 bag — 50 calories, 0 g fat, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein, 25 mg sodium
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Meatless meatballs.  I love these things!  They are so versatile and delicious.  Six meatless meatballs — 140 calories, 6 g fat, 4 g fiber, 16 g protein, 560 mg sodium
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Trader Joe’s Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce.  1 tbsp — 15 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, 460 mg sodium
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Total:  205 calories, 6 g fat, 8 g fiber, 20 g protein, 1045 mg sodium

Three ingredients.  Mix together over medium heat.  Add a couple tablespoons of water, cover. Wait. Uncover. Enjoy.  So easy even a cranky toddler (me!) can do it.

Pros:  Convenient, low cal, low fat, lots of veggies and taste.
Cons: Convenience cost for pre-chopped vegetables, high sodium.
Overall:  I’m all about this dish.

In the News

• Science Daily‘s, “Mediterranean Diet Associated With Reduced Risk Of Depression” (10/6/09) here
• Science Daily‘s, “High-fat Diet Impairs Muscle Health Before Impacting Function” (10/6/09) here
• Los Angeles Times‘, “FTC Announces New Guidelines, Says Bloggers Must Reveal Payments for Reviews” (10/5/09) here — We knew this was coming. What do you think about blog disclosure rules? Frankly, I think ethical bloggers should and do disclose when they’re paid to write about a product, and I get that this rule is meant for the very few big-time bloggers.  But is it considered “payment in kind” if a company gives you free products to try without the promise of a review? Curious.

Do  you have any super simple ways to get in your vegetables that do not include making a salad?  Do you go through food “stages”?  Get in food ruts?

<3, The Cranky One

Item 1: Applesauce and Carrot Applesauce Crushers

These are portable little squirt purses of apple-sauce (or carrot apple sauce) that are 50 calories each. While the packaging is adorable, I’m not sure it makes much sense to buy these. They offer the amount of satisfaction as a piece of gum. If you’re still curious, you’ll find them in the aisle with the peanut butter.

Verdict: Save your dime and eat a raw apple instead! For 30 more cals you’ll be more satisfied and get 4 g of fiber.

Item 2: Little packs of fresh, pre-cut and washed, raw vegetables (picture unavailable)

They are adorable and ready to cook right away!  They are offered in brussel sprouts, zucchini, squash, sweet potato and more.  You’ll find them in the refrigerated section above the salads.  I bought the speared sweet potatoes, put them on a lined cookie sheet sprayed with Pam, put them in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees and voila!  Sweet potato fries with NO FAT!

Verdict – May cost more than buying the veggies and preparing them yourself, but in terms of convenience and fulfilling the end goal of getting you to eat veggies – TRY!