As a mom of three, I faced a few tough table-time challenges. One example that stands out, was when my middle son refused to eat salad. Can you imagine that…truly a nutrition nightmare for a nutritionist mom! I knew I had to think of a way to attract him to that bowl without making our kitchen a battleground.

As a solution, I kept in mind that my son was a citrus fruit fan. So I gave him a bowl of oranges while the rest of us had a medley of salad veggies topped with the same fruit. I felt comforted in knowing that at least he was still getting the wealth benefits that citrus fruit provides.

Then slowly and regularly, I added some greens to his citrus bowl, and then included some tomatoes, and so on, until he became a salad-lover like the rest of us! Now he’s 6’4” and he is making and buying his own salads, most of which, by the way, contain a variety of his favorite citrus fruits!

Oranges are an excellent source of vitamins C and good source of fiber, folate and potassium. Oranges also supply lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that may help reduce risks of heart disease, diabetes, age-related macular degeneration and prostate cancer.  Citrus fruit, in general, by the way, are members of a family of fruit that healthfully hydrate. Although particularly essential in warm climates, adequate hydration is important year through, for all ages.

Besides contributing a wealth of valuable nutrients, did you know that the vitamin C in citrus fruit also boosts the absorption of the iron that’s in leafy greens?

Salad, Meet Citrus

 Ingredients:

 1 cup each of fresh kale, spinach and arugula – washed and spun dry

6 leaves of fresh mint – washed, dried and chopped

2 oranges – peeled and cut into pieces

1 small fresh beet – peeled and cut into cubes

Jicama – ¼ cup – peeled and cut into cubes

1/2 avocado – cut into slices

Nuts – small handful, unsalted

Balsamic glaze – drizzle

Directions:                                             

1. Place greens (Including mint) on a large platter or in a large salad bowl.
2. Top bed of greens evenly with oranges, beets, jicama, and avocado.
3. Top with nuts.
4. Squeeze balsamic glaze decoratively over salad.

Serves 4 (for side salad)

So where do you start? I recommend making a commitment to eat more fruits and vegetables. People who eat more fruits and vegetables are less likely to suffer from chronic diseases and there aren’t many other foods groups that are low in calories, and provide a variety of vitamins and minerals. Fruits and vegetables can also help you lose weight when substituted for higher calorie, higher fat foods.

As a mom of three boys and grandmother of one, my kitchen is the heart of my home. Although food shopping, cooking and baking are like therapy to me…even I don’t always have the time to chop, peel slice, and dice!

Here are my 5 simple hacks to eating more fruits and vegetables:

Boost up your burger by putting a new spin on an old favorite classic dish. If you’re looking for a simple way to skyrocket the nutrients in your dinner, try adding chopped mixed veggies to ground turkey. Opting for turkey instead of ground beef, reduces cholesterol, saturated fat, and calories. The addition of diced veggies and spices will not only add flavor and color, but also bring big benefits by increasing fiber and valuable vitamins and minerals, too! Try using a mini muffin tin and make extra so you can freeze them and bring them for lunches during the week.

Enjoy pizza night any night without a side of guilt. Have you seen riced cauliflower in the supermarket? A cauliflower crusted pizza starts with a base of veggies that you can build onto with fresh tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, shredded cheese and chopped garlic. It can be vegan, gluten free, high in fiber, loaded with veggies, high protein, low sodium, or rich in calcium…but any way you slice it…it’s delish!

Meet your vegetable goals. We’re told to eat around 9 servings of fruits and veggies each day but sometimes that seems nearly impossible. The solution to stay on track could be as simple as remembering to reach for a can of V8 100% Vegetable Juice. Each 5.5-ounce can contains one full serving of vegetables, without any prep required. V8 does double-duty by also helping us hydrate. I’ve found it helpful to keep a V8 5.5 oz can with a straw next to my keyboard while I’m trying to meet a tight deadline. That’s one serving of vegetables right there.

Pick the proper portions. Since most foods in the produce aisle don’t wear labels, defining specific portion sizes, can be tricky. Did you know a “serving” of vegetables is equivalent to: ½  cup of raw or cooked vegetables,1 cup of raw leafy greens  or ½ cup 100% vegetable juice?  One “serving” of fruit is 1/2 cup of fresh, frozen or canned fruit, ½ cup of 100%fruit juice, or 1⁄4 cup of dried fruit.

It’s way too easy to get caught up in the rush of everyday life and forget to take care of YOURSELF. Take a walk, listen to music, take a bath, call a friend or make your favorite recipe. Just be sure to include fruits and veggies at every meal and your body will thank you for that habit. Taking time for ourselves helps us be better mothers, partners, and friends.  Go squeeze yourself onto your own to-do list today!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by V8 100% Vegetable Juice and the opinions are my own.