Eat Veggies - Kill the Cravings

Almost everyone craves sweets. It’s only natural as our body’s use glucose (the simplest form of sugar) for energy.  But rather than depending on processed sugar, why not try to add naturally sweet foods to your daily diet to satisfy your sweet tooth?

Sweet vegetables soothe the internal organs of the body and energize the mind. They are full of fiber and amazing nutrients that feed the body and kill the cravings. A bonus is that many of these vegetables are root vegetables, which means they are energetically grounding, which helps to balance out the “spaciness” some of us often feel after eating other kinds of sweet foods.

Some examples of vegetables that taste sweet when cooked are:

• Carrots
• Sweet Peppers
• Onions
• Beets
• Winter squashes
• Sweet potatoes
• Yams
• Some Tomato varieties
• Sweet Peas

How do I cook veggies?  You can eat them raw, of course, just grate them over a bed of lettuce!!  They are sweet AND crunchy helping with two different types of cravings I hear about all the time but, here’s a simple way for you to try them cooked!

Use one, two, or as many as five of the sweet vegetables mentioned on the previous page. Then chop the hard vegetables, like carrots, and beets, into smaller pieces. Cut softer vegetables, like onions and cabbage, into larger chunks or slices. Use a medium-sized steaming pot and add enough water to lightly steam the vegetables. You may want to check the water level while cooking and add more water if needed. Remember, vegetables on the bottom will get cooked more than the ones on the top. Cook until desired softness. The softer the vegetables get, the sweeter they become.

Getting in the habit of cooking simple meals like steamed veggies will save you time and energy.  Instead of adding complicated sauces, create a condiment tray for your table so you and your family/guests can personalize your veggies. Here are some recommended condiments you could try. Feel free to add your favorites and use organic whenever possible. Look for those with minimal ingredients, additives, and processing.

Basic Spices - Peppers - Salts

• cinnamon
• turmeric
• garlic powder
• ground black pepper
• cayenne
• paprika
• sea salt

Nuts - Seeds - Sweeteners - Oils

• nut butters: tahini, almond
• nuts: pine, cashew
• seeds: pumpkin, flax, sesame
• sweeteners: coconut palm sugar, honey, maple syrup
• oils: coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, flax seed oil, toasted sesame oil

Vinegar - Sauces - Other

• apple cider vinegar
• balsamic vinegar
• tamari soy sauce (or Soy-free Coconut Aminos)
• hot sauce
• tomato sauce
• sea vegetables
• nutritional yeast
• mustard

When the vegetables are cooked to your satisfaction, empty the ingredients into a large bowl, flavor as desired, and eat. The leftover cooking water makes a delicious sweet sauce, and is a healthy tonic to drink by itself.

Other cooking methods include boiling, roasting, and stir-frying. You can also try simmering and puréeing vegetables to create a soup.

Be creative!

Want to get even healthier? Do you have a favorite sweet veggie that helps with cravings? Share it in the comments! Curious about how health coaching can help you make your own healthy changes? Let’s talk! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with me today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about! Visit www.noshoesnutrition.com and sign up for a FREE consultation.  I work with people from all over the world individually or in groups so don’t let anything hold you back!