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[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #9b9b9b;”] T[/dropcap]he other day, I was thinking I’ve never heard anyone say that eating vegetables is bad for you. Or that we really should be trying to eat less veg. Which is pretty remarkable.
When you think about how much debate and differing-of-opinion there is around healthy eating, it’s a relief to know that there’s one thing everyone (pretty much) agrees on.
Which brings me to…
The number 1 way to eat leaner AND healthier
Simple. Eat. More. Vegetables.
What’s the easiest way to eat more veg?
Wherever possible just replace the grain based foods you normally eat with vegetables. It’s that easy.
I’ve been eating this way for almost 2 years now and the more I do it, the easier and more fun it becomes!
Here are some ideas to inspire you to get more veg on…
11 healthy eat-more-veg ideas
1. cauliflower ‘couscous’
See recipe below. This is a new one for me. Basically you just grate or whizz raw cauliflower in a food processor then saute it in a little oil until soft. Use anywhere you’d normally serve cooked couscous.
2. sweet potato ‘polenta’
Instead of a puddle of oozy corn or maize based polenta, simmer chunks of sweet potato until tender then mash with milk and butter.
3. cauliflower ‘rice bubbles’ or ‘rice krispies’
There won’t be any ‘snap, crackle or pop’ but try finely chopping cauliflower and serving with your favourite yoghurt and some granola. One of my current favourite breakfasts.
4. lettuce wraps or ‘sandwiches’
Break free of you sandwich rut. Serve your favourite sandwich filling wrapped in crisp iceberg or cos lettuce leaves.
5. kale ‘chips’
Perfect for when you feel like a healthier salty snack than potato chips. Toss kale leaves in a little oil and bake on a tray for 10 minutes or until crisp. Also good with parmesan grated over.
6. zucchini ‘noodles’
Shave zucchini into ribbons using a vegetable peeler or mandoline. Layer on a baking tray with some oil and bake until soft – about 15 minutes. Serve anywhere you’d normally serve buttery noodles or pasta.
7. carrot ‘spaghetti’
Use your vegetable peeler to shave thin carotti ribbons. Simmer in boiling water, like pasta until just tender. Drain and serve with your favorite pasta sauce.
8. eggplant ‘lasagne’
The Greeks are all over this with their moussaka – replace pasta sheets in lasagne with grilled or pan-fried eggplant slices.
9. baby spinach ‘pasta’
Works best with hearty pasta sauces or ragus. Serve on a bed of baby spinach leaves. Much lighter than a big bowl of pasta and quicker too – no need to boil the pot.
10. shaved cabbage ‘vermicelli’ or ‘angel hair pasta’
A mandoline works best here. Shave white or savoy cabbage until you have your ‘vermicelli’. Serve with a stew or a pasta sauce. Or toss the shaved cabbage in a lemon juice and olive oil dressing with lashings of parmesan for a lovely main course salad.
11. cauliflower ‘rice’
An oldie but a goodie. I’m still amazed how well raw grated cauliflower works in place of steamed rice. Especially good for soaking up curry sauces. Much quicker than boiling rice and no need to worry about it going ‘gluggy’. The only downside is the extra washing up from the food processor.

Looking for more simple ideas to eat leaner and healthier?
Then my latest eCookbook ‘How to Love Your Waistline and Your Food’ could be just what you need!
For more details go to:
www.thestonesoupshop.com/lyw

cauliflower ‘couscous’ with goats cheese
serves 3-4
Cauliflower has to be one of the most underrated vegetables. Like its cousin broccoli, it’s chocked full of nutrients. But the lack of green colour means it doesn’t feel as ‘healthy’ as other greens. This can be a benefit though if you’re looking for a ‘stealth’ veggie.
2 onions, peeled & chopped
1 cauliflower
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 bunch coriander (cilantro), leaves picked
2 handfuls goats cheese
1. Soften onion with a little oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Stirring occasionally it will take between 5-10 minutes.
2. Grate cauliflower using your food processor. Or just whizz the cauli until very finely chopped.
3. When the onion is soft add cauli and coriander to the pan. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until cauli is soft and starting to brown – about 5 minutes.
4. Season. Serve cauli topped with coriander and crumbled goats cheese.
VARIATIONS
vegan / dairy-free – replace goats cheese with avocado or roasted pine nuts.
budget – replace goats cheese with ricotta, yoghurt or cottage cheese.
carnivore – serve as a side dish to roast chicken, grilled chicken breasts or lamb cutlets.
green couscous – replace cauli with broccoli.
less serves – feel free to halve or quarter this recipe as needed.
__________
video version of the recipe
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In ‘How to Love Your Waistline and Your Food’ I’ll show you…
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- How to get started with a new simple way of eating.
- How to reach your ideal weight and stay there by eating good food.
- 12 common healthy eating mistakes and how to avoid them.
- Why excessive exercise doesn’t help you lose weight over the long term.
- 13 tips for beating sugar cravings.
- 6 steps to mastering the art of eating less.
- Over 100 new healthy, delicious SUPER EASY recipes for breakfast, lunches, dinners, sides, sweet treats and snacks.
- PLUS MORE…
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For more details go to:
www.thestonesoupshop.com/lyw
With love,
Jules x
That is very inspiring Jules. I have been making more of an effort to have predominantly veggies in my diet and this is a great list of things to remember. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome Sneh
I’ve been following you for nearly a year now. You always come up with the best recipes known to mankind! Great job, and thanks for all the good, healthy eating.
Thanks tVM!
You say the nicest things :)
What a wonderful looking recipe! Will definitely have to try adding some grated cauli to my diet :)
Love this list! I wouldnt have thought of a lot of these options so thank you!
This is great! I started at keto diet/lifestyle a week and half ago. I’ve got the meat side of it covered but was looking for a different ways to work in veggies. Tonight I used the pressure cooker to cook three heads of cauliflower, mashed them, then portioned them for the freezer.
Nice one Jules!
Any tips on choosing a good goats cheese? I don’t think there are any delis worth the name in my area, so I am stuck with the woolies and coles selection.
Josh
I really love the south cape goats cheese – it’s relatively affordable and lovely flavour
I already enjoy your emails
I followed the recipe and ended up using it as taco filling in corn tortillas with avocado and Cholula! Delicious!
Thanks for a great recipe!
Great idea Keaton
Thanks for sharing!
this is so great. you should be really proud of your site, its so hard to find food blogs with recipes that are healthy, simple AND affordable. plus all your protein-rich meatless options are wonderfully considerate of the environment. all in all a health-conscious art school student’s dream :) rock on jules clancy!
Thanks Ruth!
Fabulous recipe! It is amazing how versatile cauliflower is. I think my favourite way to prepare it is cauliflower mash. But this recipe comes a very close second. I love it so much I posted it on my blog (despite the fact that my photo is a lot less enticing). Thank you so much for sharing!http://afracooking.wordpress.com/2012/09/03/%EF%BB%BFcauliflower-couscous/
This is awesome and I can’t wait to try it. I don’t have a food processor, though–could I achieve the “couscous” texture simply by chopping the cauliflower very finely or popping it in a blender at the coarsest speed?
Yes Keely
Hand chopping or the blender will work
Great list of eat-more-veggies you have there!! I’m sharing this. Thank you :)
Thanks Gift!
I love this recipe! It is the best when you are cooking for one – and cauliflower keeps pretty well so you don’t get stuck eating the same thing every day. I like to add cumin and cayenne pepper to mine, and top it off with roasted pepitas for a bit of crunch! SO tasty – thanks for the great recipes!
GReat idea with the cayenne and pepitas Katie!
thanks for sharing
Jx
looks brilliant, will try this tonight!
i imagine this could work with ground cumin instead of ground coriander. what do you think?
cheers,
benjamin
yes cumin would be lovely benjamin!
I made this tonight and it was wonderful! And it reminded me that I’m anxious to receive your cookbook! I forgot that I preordered it until I made this :) Yum!
Great Ashley!
Thanks for preordering.. really appreciate it :)
What recommendations do you have for people on Coumadin who are not allow or must limit greens, green vegetables or vegetables in the cabbage family?