Diet Friendly Fast Food

Day 340.

I learned back on February 5, that roasting vegetables in the crockpot was easy and fool-proof. Weve eaten a lot of roasted vegetables since, but I always kind of stick to my comfort zone and pick out the same ones at the grocery store. Not this time. I wanted some sort of traditional winter-y vegetable dish to share at our upcoming holiday dinner. So I googled winter vegetables.
Carrots.
Parsnips.
Rutabagas.

I know carrots (quite well), and I did buy parsnips for the first time this year (they look like big white carrots!) but have never bought a rutabaga. The produce guy was eager to lead the way, and for the rest of the afternoon I sang "rutabaga sits in the old gum tree" even though I know darned well that those arent the correct words. I just couldnt get it out of my head.

The Ingredients.

--2 pounds carrots
--2 pounds rutabagas
--2 pounds parsnips
--1/2 cup chopped parsley
--3 T olive oil
--1 tsp kosher salt
--1 tsp black pepper
--1 tsp basil

The Directions.

This is enough food to feed about 12. I used the 6.5 quart crockpot. Peel all of your vegetables, and cut into 2-inch chunks. Feed scraps to the guinea pigs. Im usually a huge fan of the baby carrot (because of laziness), but wanted a more rugged look for this dish. If you would like to use baby carrots, go for it, and dont cut them. Chop the parsley.

Put all the vegetables into your crockpot, and add the olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper. Toss with your hands to coat fully coat the vegetables.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4-5. The vegetables are done when they have reached desired tenderness. I cooked ours on low for 6 hours, then on high for about 90 minutes.

The Verdict.

I love the ease of roasting vegetables in the crockpot. I would have needed to cook this much food in batches in the oven, and stirred them a few times to keep them from burning (I am no good with the oven!) but in this case, I put the veggies on in the morning and was out for most of the day. The kids picked out a few carrots, but found them to be spicy.

For the college athlete, vegetables and fruits play an important role. Damage and inflammation occur in the body due to exercise and the main way to fight that inflammation is to incorporate more anti-inflammatory foods. Fruits and vegetables are highly anti-inflammatory and should be incorporated on a daily basis. In fact, the athlete has a higher demand for certain vitamins and minerals on top of the need to fight inflammation and therefore, there is a higher recommendation for fruit and vegetable consumption (at least 7 cups a day of fruits and vegetables combined). Most people love fruits and have no issues incorporating them into their daily routine, whether it be in a smoothie, as a snack or as a sweet ending to a meal. However, many struggle with how and where to add all those vegetables.

                
Here are some healthy ways to incorporate more vegetables in your daily routine:

• For breakfast, add vegetables to your omelette such as spinach, red peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, etc.
• If having a breakfast burrito, consider adding salsa.
• If having a smoothie consider adding things like carrots, beets, kale, spinach, celery, etc. My favorite juice is 50/50 100% orange juice and 100% carrot juice, yum! (note; any smoothie with vegetables needs to have a good balance of fruits as well or else it will taste kind of yucky).
• Use vegetables as part of your daily snacking for example: carrots and hummus, celery and peanut butter/cream cheese, bell peppers and cottage cheese, tomatoes and Greek yogurt or just a vegetable mix (baby carrots, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers)
• When making sauces such as tomato sauce add more vegetables to it, for example: saute onion, garlic, zucchini, squash and eggplant and then add the typical tomato sauce you use. That makes for a richer, tastier sauce
• Use vegetable rich soups such as minestrone and salads as an appetizer. 
• Try to create a meal based on vegetables. Consider even going meatless for one day. Examples to try: vegetable stir fry, vegetable lasagna, big salad.
                 
  
• Have a side of salad each meal. Make sure you have variety so you do not get bored.
• What ever vegetable you like, take 2-3 servings of it instead of 1. Example: if you like broccoli, have 2 cups of it, not just one.
• If you like grilling, make sure you always grill some vegetables, whether they are in kabob form or not. See some ideas on previous blog or on Eating Well .
• Always have cut up vegetables visible so that you will always be reminded they are there and they can be a good grab and go option.
• Use shredded or pureed vegetables for things like muffins, cakes, meatloaf, meat balls, breads, casseroles, etc. Example of vegetables you can use: sweet potato, zucchini, carrots. Here is a zucchini, carrot apple muffin recipe.
• When having pizza, make sure you sprinkle more vegetables such as spinach, onion, mushrooms, etc.
• When you go to a party or dinner be the one that brings the vegetables. Typically thats the one thing lacking from a party.
• If you are tired and dont feel like cooking, microwave frozen veggies. They are quick and easy. In fact, its the best "fast food" around.
• If you enjoy using the slow cooker, almost everything done in it can have added vegetables. Example: add carrots, peppers and squash to your chili. 
• Stuff vegetables. Example: make stuffed peppers with meat and rice, stuff tomatoes with cauliflower mash and pesto, Stuff mushrooms with garlic, etc. 
• Add diced vegetables to your tacos.

All vegetables can be incorporated whether fresh, frozen or canned. I am positive there are far more many ways but these healthy ways are all simple and doable. They can help get any athlete to the 7 cups a day recommendation of vegetables and fruits.  Here are some easy recipes to help get you going.