Eat More Veggies + {Peach, Pepper, & Bean Chutney}

I hope you already saw/read/entered to win yesterday's Monday Giveaway post about the gluten-free, veggie-packed "Better Chip."  If not, stop and do it now!  In preparing to do the review and taste test, I put together a number of dips/sides to accompany each chip flavor: like roasted red pepper hummus for the Red Pepper and Salsa fresca version, cranberry goat cheese & cherries for the Sweet Onion and Cheddar version, etc...I was able to be a bit more adventurous with the flavors for the "plain" Fresh Corn and Sea Salt version of chips.  But, adventurous doesn't have to be complicated. This medley of fruits/veggies/legumes is part of my new plan.

Eat More Veggies:

Dear Hubby and I recently went through our "early 30s" physicals at the doctor, and the consensus was we need to eat more of a plant-based diet.  Dear Hubby was diagnosed with extremely high cholesterol (253) to the point of being prescribed daily meds to control it.  At 31.  Ouch!  I, on the other hand, was given glowing reviews for my amazing cholesterol (98) from 2 different doctors. A few things I took away from all this:

1) I need to get Dear Hubby to eat more similarly to the way I do. It's really not ok for me to make myself something healthy (and blog about it), and buy him his own Pepperoni Pizzas to heat up.

2) I need to be creative in how I prepare veggies/fruits so that Dear Hubby is more likely to eat them. Dear Hubby is picky. REALLY picky.  He doesn't like most vegetables (onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes to name a few) and doesn't like Mexican food (WHA????? I could eat Mexican food EVERY DAY!! Why didn't I know this 10 years ago when we were dating?!?!?! (Kidding)).  But seriously, I need to give more effort in making dishes I know he is more likely to enjoy finish.

3) I need to prepare a variety of veggies/fruits each week so that we are getting a balance of the various nutrients they offer.  I have started to do this by buying different things that are on sale at our local market each week.  Last week it was peaches, strawberries, coconut, and sweet potatoes.  This week it was peaches, cherries, beans, and kale.

4) I need to change my viewpoint on a plant-based diet. I'm sorry but I have always thought vegetarians and vegans were weird (Plain. and simple. Sorry, no offense.) and that they were the unhealthy ones. I now know some (who blog) that are really wonderful!!! And I am beginning to research / dig into information that not only promotes a primarily plant-based diet, but speaks against the current American trend of MEAT, MEAT, and MORE MEAT (in the holy name of "protein") at every meal.  Oh, that and our doctor recommended it.

5) I need to include veggies/fruits into each meal of the day.  A piece of fruit at breakfast, a chutney with chips for a snack, spinach salads for lunch, and a plant-based meal for dinner...all throughout the day.

6) I need to juice regularly again.  Dear Hubby likes pretty much every juice I've ever made (with the exception of V8 because it was too onion-y for him).  But Mean Green, and Sunset juice, and Pink Kale, and Veggie Garden Juice, are all awesome ways for him to get some extra nutrients that he otherwise wouldn't have.

A few other things to note: I still plan on cooking (and eating) some meat, but waaaaaaaaay less than we have been used to... organic, cage-free, grass-fed or not.  I have another change I'm planning on making in my own life, which I will discuss in another upcoming post... as it really deserves its own.

Questions:

• Have you ever gotten a disturbing report back from a doctor? Have you had to change your health/lifestyle in any ways because of it?
• Are you good at eating your veggies?