Monica Thomas has disliked vegetables all of her life … until now. When she decided to be healthier, she knew she needed to include them whether she liked it or not. She started buying frozen veggies and jazzing them up with a little bit of cheese or a small serving of a healthy salad dressing (she now makes her own). She then began incorporating more salads and adding tasty ingredients like goat cheese, apples, and chicken, fish or nuts for protein. Now, she enjoys roasting Brussels sprouts and making “riced” cauliflower, which involves tossing cauliflower florets in a food processor. Check out her go-to cauli-rice dish:
- Sauté cauliflower “rice” with avocado oil (olive oil works, too).
- Toss in sugar snap peas, carrots, sweet peppers, endive, chopped apples and salt. If you don’t have, or don’t like, a certain veggie, add one you do like and don’t be afraid to play with different flavors.
- Serve right away or scoop the mixture into silicone muffin liners and freeze for a quick and easy bite later.
With the help of her veggie adventures, hiking and weekly TOPS meetings, Monica lost an incredible 200 pounds and is keeping it off. She was even able to share her story on the TODAY Show earlier this year.
Monica is proof that, when we’re open to trying something new or different, amazing things can happen. We may find a new favorite exercise class, a more positive attitude or, who knows, maybe even a love for vegetables.
Do you have any favorite tips for eating more veggies? Share them in the comments section below!
By Patricia Jamieson May 10, 2017
Will have to try this “new” recipe. Used cauliflower rice in a Spanish Rice recipe & it was very good. Love cauliflower in place of potato for potato salad. And also “new” broccoli in place of taters for broccoli tots.
By Christine Rodriguez May 10, 2017
I’ve been using the frozen cauli-rice for many dishes. My family loves it as well. The other night I made a Tex Mex dish using brown rice and theyall asked, “What happened to our REGULAR rice!” LOL.
By Marya Kalen May 10, 2017
I love the portioning tip! I freeze baggies of cooked spaghetti squash and plastic portion cups of home made tomato sauce. I’m going to try the silicone baking cups instead. It will save $ on plastic baggies and it’s better for the environment, too!
By Deb Veliotis May 10, 2017
I used to hate veggies but now that I’m older & wiser & I know their incredible benefits I eat veggies all the time! I love sauted oinions, peppers, mushrooms, shallots, green beans, kale, spinach & garlic. I also roast asparagus, brussel sprouts, root veggies & potatoes. Yum!
By Arlene June 21, 2017
I have always loved vegetables cooked and raw. There are so many recipes for vegetables now instead of the meals that were served with potatoes and peas or carrots or some other fiber that was suppose to be a vegetable. The frozen case has more prepared vegetable dishes that are tasty and easily cooked in the microwave; so don’t be a TOPS member who turns up their nose and faints at the mention of “vegetables”.