July Challenge Roundup

[Mitra]

How did you do this month?

Did you eat your target amount of veg & fruit? Did you learn anything new about vegetables? Did you find any wonderful new ways to prepare them, or that your families enjoyed?

[Shadow]

Mitra - I did get in more fruits/veggies during the week than I had been eating before :). Now, I can't say I carried that over into the weekends, but :p ....

[Ottawa]

I am eating more fruits and veggies as well as getting more colors in.

The garden is in full swing and we rarely buy lettuce anymore since if I can keep the Chard havested, the younger leaves are a great replacement. We have a fresh salad every dinner and sometimes at lunch. English cukes, Tomatoes, Bay Zukes, Rainbow Chard, and various Basils all grow well with few pests. For dressing I have been using a bit of Olive oil, vinegar and yogurt, blended with fresh Basil and Costco's Vegetable Medely.

My ECC is up slightly but I find you have a bit more leeway with whole foods.

With great weather I have been doing more and find I am eating a little less calorie dense foods with the heat. I'm definitely on target with the protein and Raspberries and Strawberries are hitting their peak.

[LisaS]

I'm actually extending this in to the first few days of August - I'm the only human in the house for next few days and I'm taking the opportunity to try some new vegetables out - esp. cooked greens which I've NEVER prepared or EATEN before - so yes, the challenge has at least done that.

Tonight I may try an "easy creamed spinach" that I saw Rachel Rae prepare over the weekend on FoodTV - just thawed spinach in a sauce of melted cream cheese & parmesan

I'm also increasing the variety of veggies where I already eat them - like last night's dinner I made a BBQ chicken wrap - usually I make this with some shredded romaine in ranch dressing in the wrap - last night I made a broccoli-slaw + shredded romaine salad - doused it in ranch - used it in the wrap and finished it up as a sidedish. Mmm.

[Billie]

We definitely upped our fruit and veggies Mitra thanks for the prompts. In fact last night Gabe cooked withfresh fennel using all the different parts in a chicken with a creamy leek sauce. Today I beleive "we" are trying to make low carb cookies with the fennel top...life is an experiment at our house!

We are always trying new recipes, or at least Gabe is, when he is not teaching I am the cook and tend to be much more plain, he is always the one with the sauces and marniades going!

Thanks for a great challenge Mitra, I think ensuring our fresh veggies and fruit intake and daring us to different things like that is especially what is needed.

[Zuleika]

I disappeared the last ten days or so because I was on vacation. I was really at the mercy of other people cooking for me, so I didn't do as well. But I did okay. And I did GREAT for the first part of the month.

Great challenge! Thanks.

[lowcarbgirl]

I went vegetarian.

[Mitra]

That's certainly a change, though it doesn't necessarily mean you eat more veggies - I eat a lot more now than I did as a vegetarian. But I'm sure you won't be living on pasta and toast ;).

[lowcarbgirl]

That's certainly a change, though it doesn't necessarily mean you eat more veggies - I eat a lot more now than I did as a vegetarian. But I'm sure you won't be living on pasta and toast ;).

You're right many who become vegetarians (non-low carb) don't eat more veggies. And you're right that I won't be living on pasta and breads (nor rice and potatoes for that matter either <g>).

I however am eating approximately 25 - 30 percent more veggies than I did in the past. I just stick mainly with the best bargains (so I can eat more <VBEG>).

hugs,
Willow