One of my biggest problems when losing weight is that I have a big appetite- I work out a lot due to my job, leaving me with a metabolism that sometimes feels like a growing teenage boy (seriously). Especially when I ran cross-country or training for a race, I was constantly hungry. So, one of the best ways I have found to control the hungry monster inside of me is to fill up on vegetables. If you know me, you know I can put down some serious salad (or any food). Like, a bag of lettuce to myself. No joke. But you know what? For a bag of spring mix there is only 25 calories, and with some healthy carbs, fats, and proteins with it, I am full. Vegetables are great because they are filled with water, so your stomach gets full and satisfied. Imagine putting a tablespoon of peanut butter in your stomach, or an apple. Each have about 100 calories, but the apple is much larger, therefore, you are fuller because it has more volume. Oh yeah, did I mention how amazing vegetables are for you?
This stuff is pretty common sense. But you know what isn’t so common for people? Loving vegetables more than fries. Just for the record, potato chips and French fries do not (unfortunately) count as a vegetable. So, to please your palate as well as your hunger, below are my favorite vegetables recipes!
Brussel Sprouts: (this works for just about any vegetable, just adjust time depending on thickness of vegetable- try it with squash, zuchinni, broccoli, beets, etc.)
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of Brussel Sprouts
- 2 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 garlic cloves (or the equivalent of garlic powder)
- 2 tablespoons of chopped almonds
- 2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary (omit if you don’t like rosemary!)
- Sea salt to taste
Set oven to 425 degrees. On a baking sheet, I like to put down tin foil to have an easy clean up. In a bowl, mix all ingredients together so everything is coated evenly. Lay on baking sheet and, and sprinkle with rosemary and salt. Bake for 25 minutes or to desired consistency!
Simply Delicious Salad: I have to thank Ally, my boyfriend’s stepmom for this amazing recipe. She is an amazing cook, so it didn’t surprise me how delicious it is, but it did surprise me how simple it is. It is quite the crowd pleaser, too. Thank you Ally for sharing such a great recipe!
Ingredients:
- 1 bag / container of fresh spinach (remove stems)
- 1 bag / container of fresh arugula
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup of dried cranberries
- ½ chopped red onion (thin slices work best so they soak up the dressing)
This is so healthy, simple, and delicious. Toss with dressing and let sit for a few minutes before serving, so the onions can marinate in the dressing. I have also tried adding in a few toppings if it is more of a main dish, try ¼ cup of walnuts or hazelnuts, 1 chopped apple or 1 cup of thinly sliced strawberries, 1/4 cup of gorgonzola or goat cheese.
Soy Good Green Beans:
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of Green Beans
- 1/2 cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce or Liquid Aminos
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons of water
- Dash of sea salt
- 1 tablespoon Red Chilli Pepper Flakes
- 2 garlic cloves (or the equivalent of garlic powder)
- Nonstick spray ( I use coconut oil)
On your stove, heat a medium size pan with nonstick spray. While heating, mix soy sauce, lemon juice, and garlic together. Add in the green beans, water (for steaming), and cover. Let cook until green beans become bright green, but are still hard and not cooked thoroughly. When green beans are bright green, add in the soy sauce mixture and stir so they coat evenly. Let cook for another 1-2 minutes, until they are cooked to your desired consistency (don’t over cook them, otherwise all the nutrients are cooked away). Remove from heat and put in either a bowl or platter. Sprinkle with salt and red chilli pepper flakes and toss to coat evenly. Eat up!
Spicy Sweet Potato Fries: This is a healthy substitute to regular fries because of the little oil that is used!
Ingredients:
- 3 medium sized sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoon of paprika
Preheat your oven to 400°F. While it is heating, slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and then cut into 4-6 wedges. In a bowl, toss with the oil, cayenne pepper, paprika, and salt, and lay the pieces on a baking sheet. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, tossing halfway through (around 25 minutes), so they are browned evenly and cooked all the way through.
Let me know if you have any favorite vegetable recipes!! I promise these recipes are soo good that you will be craving veggies!
Eat your vegetables.
Xo,
Hayley