What Does a Daily Serving of Fruits and Veggies Look Like?

Happy Labor Day morning!

I follow a ton of amazing and healthy Facebook pages, but this item came across my news feed this morning and it was too fabulous not to share.  This excellent info comes from Plant-Based Dietitian :)

By Plant-Based Dietitian

Are you eating enough fruits and veggies? The one thing nobody can argue about is the fact that we all need to be consuming more fruits and veggies. Less than a quarter of Americans enjoy the recommended minimum daily allowance (and that calculation includes fries and ketchup asservings...as well as incidental produce sneakily making its way into people's diets via cakes, candies, and other junk foods). And yet fruits and vegetables are the most nutrient-dense and calorically-light foods on the planet, serving up incalculable amounts of phytochemicals, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fibers, and water with minimal caloric buck.

One serving equals:
--->1 medium piece of fruit
--->1/2 cup chopped fruit
--->1 cup raw vegetables
--->1/2 cup cooked vegetables

Strive for *at least* 7-9 servings per day and amp up the variety....emphasize the (dark) greens and then the other deep-colored produce, such as berries, deep orange vegetables and fruits, and cruciferous gems such as kale, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower...

--->Drink green juices and smoothies.
--->Start each meal with either fresh fruit or veggies.
--->Include soup, stews, and salads daily.
--->Add veggies to every meal.
--->Eat any other food on top of a bed of greens.

Here is the CDC calculator for how many servings you need to consume a day (but always err on the side of more fruits and veggies...): http://1.usa.gov/1u5g6Xu

Here are 10 pictures of your daily recommended servings (where the picture comes from via Habitera):http://bit.ly/1lDyyGr

What is your favorite way to include more fruits and veggies?

*Resources:
--->Eat At Least One Rainbow A Day: http://bit.ly/1lDAyP8
--->CDC 2013 State Indicator Report on Fruits & Vegetables:http://1.usa.gov/1ChHhDf
--->BMJ's A higher consumption of fruit and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of all cause mortality, particularly cardiovascular mortality: http://bit.ly/1ChIgU3
--->My Go Green Tips on Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead:http://bit.ly/1lDzN8A
--->Juicing Vs. Blending: http://bit.ly/1orYhQX
--->5 Ways to Enhance Nutrient Absorption:http://bit.ly/1lzQE6w
--->NutritionFacts.org on Fruits and Veggies:http://bit.ly/1u5p0nY
--->LiveScience Make it 7: http://bit.ly/1ls6LbJ
--->Plant-Based Food Guide Pyramid and Plate:http://bit.ly/177tOQz

So, go out and enjoy the Labor Day holiday with family and friends, but just remember to add in plenty of colorful fruits and veggies!

Jenni :)

Super Smoothie

It's super late...I'm super tired...and I'm super hungry.  I'm preparing to go out of town so between planning, packing, list making and litter box cleaning outing (oh yes, that is most definitely a real thing!) dinner is just not in the forefront of my mind...but still the hunger grows!  So, tonight calls for a green smoothie :)

I found some pineapple & spinach in my fridge that needed to be used, so into the blender they went; then I added some frozen peach slices (I froze these peaches last week since they were super ripe) and some water.  The Vitamix did the rest of the work :)

PS - here's a super awesome guide to freezing all kinds of produce from Design Mom :)

Later friends!

Jenni :)

Juicing is too expensive...not so much!

Have a juicy day!

Jamie 

Jamie's Green Juice

There are quite a few people juicing these days and turning to plant based, whole food eating.  So this is my green juice recipe; feel free to make variations and change for you.  Happy juicing!!!

Creamy Dreamy Veggie Soup:)

Happy Sunday evening from soup central!

This soup is so fabulous that I've made it twice in 2 days...yup, it's true!  Now, I'm not one who has ever been a fan of vegetable soup for the majority of my life...waaaay too many chunks and strange textures in there :)  But, in an effort to increase my vegetable intake I have finally found a way to embrace veggie soup - blend it up, baby!  While I am aware this is not a revolutionary thought in the grand scheme of things, it has most definitely helped me out in the vegetable department.  So, without any further blubbering...the recipe!

Creamy Dreamy Broccoli Mushroom Soup

1 large onion chopped
1 clove of garlic (sliced in half)
4 Tbsp of butter or oil (olive, grapeseed, coconut...take your pick!)
16 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 carrot chopped
2 heads of broccoli chopped
1 can of coconut milk (the full fat stuff...sooooo good!)
1 box of vegetable broth (32 oz.)
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot add butter or oil, chopped onion and garlic - cook over medium heat until onions start to turn translucent.  Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes; then add chopped carrot and broccoli and cook for another 10 minutes.  Add coconut milk, broth, salt and pepper; bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until all of the vegetables are thoroughly tender.  Allow the soup to cool for approx. 10 minutes before blending.

An immersion blender is definitely the easiest way to blend this soup, but any blender will do - just make sure to only fill the blender less than 1/2 full or you may just redecorate your kitchen in creamy dreamy veggie soup :)  You can puree as much or as little as you like - I like my soup a little more smooth while my sister is more in favor of a bit of chunk - so this step is all about personal preference.

I usually end up with about 2 quarts of soup so I have soup for days...this is something I'm totally ok with :)  My favorite way to enjoy this soup is with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and a serving of my homemade corn tortilla chips so feel free to add your own toppings or additions.

I have used this same basic recipe to make the following variations so far:
1. tomato
2. broccoli and mushroom
3. zucchini, corn and mushroom
4. corn and potato
5. zucchini and corn
6. cauliflower
7. sweet potato and corn

Any veggies you like will work; so just try it...be creative!

Hope you have a super veggie powered week!!!
Jenni :)

Food Matters Giveaway Celebration!

Every 48 hours for the next 2 weeks Food Matters is giving 

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Good luck!!!!!!!!!

Welcome!

Welcome!  Welcome!  Welcome!

We're so glad you decided to join us!

Since starting our plant based journeys we have met so many people who want to know more about juicing, smoothies, veggie dinners, etc.  So, this will be our way to connect with those people :)  This will be a place where we can post our recipes, experiences, advice and successes in the hope of inspiring others to start a health journey of their own.  Please feel free to check back often or subscribe for instant updates.

Let's all get healthy together...one fruit or veggie at a time!

*photo credit - SendOutCards - 103633269*