Five Servings a Day

It used to sound like an insurmountable task.  I could barely get 3 servings of fruits and vegetables in, and that would include a piece of fruit, which almost feels like cheating if it were something really good, like mango or watermelon.  Now, however, it seems I nearly double the requirement and actually enjoy all of it.  A serving of vegetables is considered a half-cup of cooked or raw, or one cup for the leafy varieties.  I try to get in at least one leafy green at both lunch and dinner.  It's not as daunting as you would think.  In the colder months I usually bring homemade soup (I will share some recipes soon!) for lunch.  Most of my soups are packed with several types of vegetables, and I usually always add a handful of greens at the end of cooking.  As a matter of fact, a handful or two of fresh spinach added to almost any soup, sauce, stir-fry, etc. is a great way to add vitamins, antioxidants and fiber.  I always have one of those plastic clamshell packages of baby spinach, and usually arugula as well, in my fridge.  Anyway, the soup must count for at least two servings, and for dinner I always prepare two varieties of vegetables with a lean protein, usually chicken or fish.  I should mention that breakfast is usually a smoothie, including a cup of blueberries (that's two servings right there, and blueberries are a "superfood"!) and a banana.  Now if at some point you snack on a piece of fruit, or some carrots or celery with hummus, you have at least another serving.  You don't have to be a nutritionist to know that eating enough servings of vegetables cuts your risk of so many kinds of cancer and heart disease.  So try to fit them in wherever and however you can.  I began to change my diet mainly for the health benefits.  Now I can honestly say that my tastes are changing, and I prefer the healthier foods to fried, fatty and heavier choices.  The bonuses are the weight loss, more energy and just feeling healthier!