Hello there, sweet ones!
First things first – the winner of my 500th post giveaway is:
Congratulations, Danielle!! Please email me at gracie@girlmeetslife.com with your shipping address so I can get the cookies in the oven ASAP 
girl [needs to] meet health.
Making the shift from Girl Meets Health to Girl Meets Life was a decision that I’ve never regretted. It left me feeling a greater self of freedom, creativity, and made blogging much more enjoyable.
BUT.
There is one and one thing only that I miss about GMH: it gave me a sense of accountability, which made my vegetable intake hit an all time high. Ever since I stopped posting the majority of my eats, though, I barely eat any vegetables at all. I’m talking…having two servings of vegetables would constitute a good day for me 😕
And that needs to change.
You see, even though health isn’t a major passion of mine, it is definitely still one of my top priorities. When it comes to my diet, I lean more in the direction of adding as many nutrient-rich foods as I possibly can (rather than restricting or cutting anything out). And, as much as I would like to fool myself, opting for an apple fritter instead of a scone doesn’t exactly count.
I thought about creating a challenge for myself, but I’m not really into that sort of thing. Instead, I’m just going to…well…try harder to eat more vegetables! That shouldn’t be too difficult because I really DO like vegetables (preferably when they’re cooked and/or covered in some type of dressing). I guess it’s just more of a “I’m too lazy to prep and cook vegetables” sort of thing.
Since I despise wasting food, the best way to get myself to eat more vegetables is to simply buy them. So, I raided the produce store today and got a whole slew of vegetables, including Kabocha squash. I’ve seen Kabocha all over the blog world, but this was my first time trying it.
I’ve seen prettier vegetables, that’s for sure. I must admit that there was some intimidation going on…primarily because knives and I aren’t the best of friends. But I didn’t let that stop me. I found a reliable tutorial, rolled up my sleeves, and got to work.
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Per HEAB’s method, I roasted the Kabocha for 40 minutes on 425 degrees. It turned out perfectly soft and somewhat caramelized.
The taste, though? Not a huge fan. It was a tad too pumpkin-y for my liking, and the skin was way too tough. I think I’ll stick to butternut squash in the future.
The squash certainly didn’t go to waste, though. I added some to the veggie bowl that I made for dinner, which included roasted brussels sprouts, carrots, and spinach. I topped everything with coconut butter and hummus.
I rounded the meal out with a peanut butter-filled tortilla (for a very Gabriela-esque meal, wouldn’t you say?).
Moral of the story: I need to meet health again…in the veggie department, at least. Oh, and I don’t really like Kabocha. NBD.
How many servings of veggies do you average per day? Any tips/recipes I should try?
i definitely recommend making smoothies or pudding with spinach..! just blend some in and you totally do not notice!
Hahahahaha I love the shout out. Gotta represent the veg + tortillas. Where’s your apple and dark chocolate? Or TJ’s High Fiber cereal with bloobs and almond milk?
I have a vegetable problem. It’s expensive. Though I haven’t eaten that many this week…
My veggies have been megalow lately, too.
I don’t eat too many vegetables either! I love zucchini and squash grilled with olive oil and seasonings, also spaghetti squash is delish!
Katie says
I bought precut butternut squash at Costco so I will be roasting that. For me it’s easiest to get veggies I can saute and stick in pasta, rice, wrap or pizza. It’s whenever they require a lot of prep work that I just go eh not worth it! Green monsters are great, but after having one before the stomach flu I don’t think I will ever drink one again! I know my body does more on a heavier carb vs heavy veggie recipe. I TRIED to eat more vegetables and be healthy… Ended up sick with bad running ability so now I’m eating my cheerios instead of an extra veggie serving 😉
Krystina (Basil & Wine) says
Honestly? I think the season has a lot to do with it. I’ve noticed I’ve been eating far too few vegetables, a lot of fruit, a lot of carbs and too many sweets. But in the warmer months all I do is stock up on fresh produce. Humans are funny.
I think you’re right about it being a season thing. I can practically live off of fruits and veggies in the summer!
The Peanut Butter Addict says
Too bad I can’t count french fries as a vegetable serving 😛 But I agree with Krystina. It’s really hard to stay healthy at this time of they year!
i love to just throw as many different kinds of veggies in a pan, drizzle with oil,salt,and pepper and roast.
usually it includes:
brussel sprouts
potatoes
onions
garlic
zucchini
broccoli
sliced bell peppers
it’s alot so i can snack on it throughout the day, cuz it’s even good when it’s cold and dipped in hummus or mustard.
for me, i eat more when it’s chillier out because i hate using the oven in the summer.
This looks like a title on my blog!
I’m not eating as many veggies as I used to, unless you count sweet potatoes. I used to make the greens the foundation of every meal, and honestly, now I’d much rather just have a burger.
I’m wondering if that was a buttercup squash. They look like kabochas but cook up soft and kind of mushy. Kabocha is much dryer and taste sooo much better. My market sells buttercup and kabochas from the same bin, and I am not happy when I arrive home with a buttercup!
I think 2 servings of veggies a day is perfect.
Ohh, you might be right about it being a buttercup squash. It was in a bin that said Kabocha, but if they look the same than who knows! I’ll have to find someone who can verify a Kabocha so I can give it one more shot
I lurve veggies and cannot get enough but rarely do!
REALLY you didn’t like kabocha!!?? Wow! I have it every day :p
Have you tried parsnips? Roasted with some maple syrup and salt…sooo good! Make sure they’re real soft (sometimes the centre stalky bit can be a bit tough) all the way trhough. SO good,they’re very sweet
Linda says
In Italy I don’t find kabocha =(
maybe I would not like it but I would try it.
I try to get in as many veggies as I can but it seems winter makes me want to snack on oatmeal and not carrots. Strange, eh? I get in at least three fruits a day and probably the same in veggies. I prefer more - veggies, at least - but just do my best to eat mindfully.
Melie says
I know what you mean! I usually get my veggies in the form of salads, but with the cold and everything, they don’t seem so appealing any more…So my go-to way for increasing my vegetables in the winter is buying a huge bag of baby spinach and adding a handful of it in everything I cook or eat (pasta, soups, stir-frys, you get the picture)!
My diet analysis project told me I’m getting 8-12 servings of veggies a day! My favourite way to eat them lately is in a roasted veggie salad with carrots, acorn squash, broccoli, parsnips, and brussel sprouts over spinach with toasted pine nuts, chopped figs, and goat cheese. It’s sooo tasty. 😀
Have you tried roasting acorn squash in the same way that you did the kabocha? I MUCH prefer it!
Susan says
I am actually eating a plate of kabocha as I type this.
I eat probably 8 servings a day, but I’m a pretty big veggie fan. My suggestion would be to try as many different kinds as you can; we all have different likes and dislikes! Also, “fries” are the way to go sometimes. Eggplant fries, squash fries, carrot fries, or good ol’ potato fries! Also, I like adding shredded carrot to my PB sandwiches with some cinnamon and sea salt. It’s just the perfect amount of sweet/savory!
Great suggestion - thanks!! Because who doesn’t love fries? 😉
I think I get close to 10 servings of vegetables on a normal day… yes 10!
I <3 kabocha, but it is pretty sweet!
I struggle getting enough veggies in, too- I really have become obsessed with brussel sprouts though- just a little bit of oil and salt and pepper!
I’m sorry you didn’t really like the kabocha pumpkin, Gracie!
Personally, I love it
I’d say try to eat more from the veggies that you like. It makes it a whole lot easier and funnier, hehe. Fun recipes are the way to go!
Never tried kabocha! The only way I’ve been getting in my greens lately is in protein shakes! My favorite shake right now is this Thin Mint one: 2 HUGE handfuls of spinach, 1 1/2 scoops chocolate protein powder, 1/2 cup milk, some ice and a dash of mint extract!
Blend it all together and it seriously tastes just like a Thin Mint! And you get a boatload of spinach in there without even tasting it!
Thanks for the suggestion, Kayla!! I’m not a *huge* fan of mint, but just adding chocolate protein powder to a green smoothie sounds like a great idea 😀
Veggies are the hardest thing for me to eat as well. But maybe that’s because I am trying to like them. Fruits taste so much better. I did just try roasted green beans for the first time. It was the first time I ever had fresh green beans! I just put a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder on them. Then I roasted them in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Tasty and easy.
Alina @ Duty Free Foodie says
I love kabocha, but I’ve never successfully cut it on my own! I’ve actually stopped trying and just hand the knife to my boyfriend when I want to make squash.
For me, it helps to pack salads for work. It’s a structured way to eat vegetables and it’s a fast lunch to pack, so it’s a win-win. I also like making tasty garlicky hummus to dip veggies in.
I pretty much like any veggie if it’s roasted…but that’s nothing new, so I’m really looking forward to your ideas for getting more veggies in. Like coconut butter on veggies? Great idea!
Late congrats on your 500th post!! I love the changes the blog has undergone recently.
I normally eat a lot more veggies too, but have been lucky getting in a decent sized serving with each of my dinners. That certainly doesn’t always happen though. I’m really going to focus on that post baby.
I’m just like you, I’m not a huge veggie person. If you find any recipes please share because I need to up my intake!
im veggie & fruit obsessed
yeah i def like butternut better!! the skin is HARD to digest too!!
I <3 veggies- but roasted is my FAV
mmmm i love me some veggies! i go through SO many each week!! sometimes I just go to the store to get veggies alone! i want to try kabocha oh so badly!
I’m a big fan of making Kabocha into pudding with maple syrup and some other ingredients. Tastes much better that way than just straight up roasted.
I’ve never been able to find a kabocha.
One way I sneak veggies in is to put some spinach/kale/mixed greens on bottom of whatever I’m eating. So if it’s veggie lasagna, I’ll just place the lasagna on my bed of greens.
I absolutely love kabocha squash. Sorry you weren’t a fan! Maybe try pureeing it next time?