Hello Friend,

When people resolve to lose weight, they know snacks and junk foods will have to be eliminated and be replaced with salads and fruit. In order to stay on such a nutritious resolution, it is imperative that the meals be enjoyed.

Of course, it’s easy as pie to peel a banana or grab an apple and enjoy the delicious flavors of these and several other fruits without the hassle of preparation. However, everyone knows that we still need our vegetables as some nutrients which may be lacking in fruits are much more present in these substances.

Moreover, when it comes to weight loss, as we detoxify with exercise and nutrition, it is imperative that the body is nourished and provided with as many essential substances as possible to maintain adequate health and wellness. These are abundant in green leaves and vegetables and in addition to this; these substances possess the fibrous qualities to serve as intestinal brooms for ridding the body of excess debris 

But how many people do you know that just grab plain lettuce or cabbage leaves and chew on these items like rabbits? Even if you come across someone so inclined, I bet you they wouldn’t last long on such a practice. But still, we need vegetables. So how does one ensure that they get them AND enjoy them as we go on a weight loss journey?

Perhaps the tastiest and most creative way to get your veggies will be by eating salads. The next step is to enjoy them AND to be able to have fun making them on your own! For saving money and knowing exactly what is in your meals, here are some tips and recipes that should come in handy.

Ensure to chop the base vegetables all to the same size, this allows the flavors to intermingle. When making for the whole family you can double the ingredients in the recipes and increase the vegetables. 

Great choices for base vegetables for salads are lettuce, cabbage, and kale. You can augment these with fruit vegetables like cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes, etc or root vegetables like carrots or plain celery.

For the dressing, you can use any choice of the following to enhance and enjoy your salads even more!

1. Tom-Avo:
    2 organic Roma or hothouse tomatoes
    2 big avocadoes (pitted) 
    2 tsp orange juice (freshly Squeezed) 
    2 oz of water
    1 stalk of Celery 
    1 tbsp of lemon juice (optional)

2. The Real Ranch Dressing:
    2 medium-sized tomatoes 
    2 young coconuts 
    1/2 tsp of salt 
    6 organic sun-dried tomatoes 
    1 stalk of Celery 
    1 tbsp of lemon juice (optional) 

Blend all ingredients and use as a dressing for a lettuce based salad. (Note: I recommend using one base leafy vegetable at a time, if desired a fruit veggie like cucumbers or organic bell peppers can be used along with shredded carrots) 

3. Guacamole:
    2 avocados 
    2 medium tomatoes 
    1/2 orange 
    Sea salt to taste

Process everything in your food processor. 
I would say this can be an excellent first food for a child in the evenings. Serve in lettuce leaves or largely cut cabbage leaves a la Tortilla chips and dips.

4. Dress Down Dressing:
    1/2 lemon 
    2-3 avocados
    Sea Salt to taste 
    1/2 cup water

With the suggestions above, you can now include more salads and vegetables into your meals for a safe and healthy weight loss. These delicious recipes will ensure that you not only enjoy how you make your meals but most importantly, they taste good. This way you can stay on your weight loss program and not compromise tasty meals.

Well, enjoy your salads and have fun working out later on.

Sending You Tons of Love and Humongous Hugs,

Tina “Eat Your Veggies”  McDermott

P.S. ​Want to learn how a small group of women are releasing 10 pounds a week naturally and keeping it off without yo-yo dieting? Join the 10 Pounds Gone Challenge Here