The USDA Dietary Guidelines recommends Americans eat 5 – 13 servings of nutrient-dense produce each day, with the average person needing 9-11 servings. Not surprisingly, even the low end (only 5 servings) seems unrealistic for many of my clients. According to a report published by the CDC, only ONE in TEN adults are eating enough fruits & veggies! How on earth can a person TEN servings of plants in a day?!? Today, I would like to introduce you to my favorite hack to help you eat more veggies!
Favorite Hack to Eat More Veggies
Yes, that’s right. I’m calling this a HACK and not a RECIPE. A simple formula, this is my go-to when I need something relatively quick, highly nutritious and very filling. Follow along as I fix my Veggie Hash
Look at all of this vegetable goodness!
The basic ingredients are:
- 1 cup starchy veg (usually a root vegetable, like sweet potato, white potato or even sliced beets. Summer squash, spiraled zucchini or butternut squash is also delicious!)
- 1 cup sliced onion (because who doesn’t love caramelized onion?!)
- 1 cup diced bell pepper (Italian red sweet peppers are my favorite)
- ½ cup sliced mushrooms (even if you aren’t a mushroom fan, give it a try)
- 2 cups dark leafy greens (spinach here, but kale, chard, mustard or spring mix are also good choices)
Seasonings of your choice (today’s choice is from my herb garden – thyme, oregano & rosemary, plus salt, pepper & minced garlic)
Let’s get cooking!
Heat an 8” skillet over medium heat. Once your skillet is hot, add in about 1 tbsp of olive oil, butter or ghee.
Next, add in the sliced onions & mushrooms. Give it a stir and let the mushrooms sweat (Yep. That is the very technical term for cooking these mushrooms) and the onions to start to caramelize. You should give it all a stir a couple of times to cook evenly.
Once onions & mushrooms are starting to turn a nice golden color, add in the garlic & bell peppers.
Now is a good time to add a little bit of salt & pepper to ensure things are well-seasoned.
Right now would be a good time to have Smell-O-Vision or a Scratch-N-Sniff screen!
Next, add your sweet potatoes, a bit more salt & pepper (if you like) and your chopped herbs.
Side Note: Another favorite seasoning combo is white pepper, ground turmeric, a pinch of Chinese Five Spice & a dash (or three) of curry powder. If you enjoy more spice, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. So delicious!!
Once the sweet potatoes start softening, stir in your leafy greens. Cover with a lid to wilt the spinach and crisp up the sweet potatoes.
Look at the char on those potatoes! Is your mouth watering yet?
If you can tolerate eggs, take this dish to the next level by cracking one right in the middle of this deliciousness. Season your egg, cover your skillet and turn the heat to low.
Cook until your egg cooked through to your preference. Using a spatula to help you, slide it all onto a plate.
Now we eat!
I like my eggs with “jammy” yolks. How do you like your eggs?
Can you believe that cutting board full of chopped veg is on my plate?
If you make this hash like I did, you will end up with SIX delicious servings of veggies & be well on your way to meeting the USDA Recommendation.
Since spring has arrived along the Texas Gulf Coast, there are so many different ingredients to choose from!
I’d love to hear how you used my favorite hack to eat more veggies!
If you make this hash like I did, you will end up with SIX delicious servings of veggies & be well on your way to meeting the USDA Recommendation.
Since spring has arrived along the Texas Gulf Coast, there are so many different ingredients to choose from!
I’d love to hear how you used my favorite hack to eat more veggies!
RESOURCES:
CDC Report: Only 1 in 10 Adults Get Enough Fruits or Vegetables
What does your diet look like compared to the Standard American Diet? Too Much of a Good Thing
