The Vegetable-Factor
The Vegetable-Factor Adding the right amount to your diet single-handedly fights stroke, heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes. We're going to try and make it easy for you. Some quick and easy ways to sneak 'em in; Try swapping noodle soup for bean or lentil soups. Serve your chicken or fish over a bed of corn or gently wilted greens instead of rice. We like to use salsa or marinara sauce for dipping. Add mashed beans or chopped mushrooms to lean ground beef or turkey. Trade half your pasta portion for chopped veggies The Ideal Vegetable-Factor Schedule Your Goal: 14 Cups a Week
That might seem like a lot, but it really is easier than it sounds. Researchers have divided the entire vegetable spectrum into five "groups" (yes, beans/legumes are veggies!) and broken down your exact weekly needs.
Dark Greens
You need: 2 cups per week Spinach; broccoli; romaine; mesclun; collard, turnip, and mustard greens
Payoff: Better lung health, stronger bones, a stronger immune system, lower blood pressure, reduced inflammation, and a healthier brain.
Orange Vegetables 
You need: 1 1/2 cups per week Carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, pumpkin
Payoff: Better vision, blood sugar control, and lung health; high in cancer-fighting carotenoids.
Beans
You need: 2 1/2 cups per week Pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, lentils, edamame (soy beans), chickpeas and tofu.
Payoff: Lower rates of heart disease, high blood pressure, breast and colon cancers and type 2 diabetes.
Starchy Vegetables
You need: 2 1/2 cups per week White potatoes, corn and green peas.
Payoff: The nutrients in this group range from vitamins-A, C, B6, and folate to potassium and magnesium, plus each vegetable is rich in unique antioxidants, such as cancer-fighting isoflavones in peas and blood pressure-lowering kukoamines in potatoes.
Wildcard Vegetable-Factor
You need: 5 1/2 cups per week Artichokes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, green beans, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, wax beans, zucchini.
Payoff: This eclectic group ensures a broad spectrum of nutrients and antioxidants that protect every system in your body, including beta-carotene in bell peppers and quercetin, a natural anti-inflammatory, in onions.
Eating Like This! Here are 14 meals that incorporate all five Vegetable-Factors into a perfect 7-day veggie "schedule." Once you get the hang of it, adding more vegetables to your meals will be a breeze!
Salmon Spinach Salad Toss 1 c. baby spinach (dark greens) with 1 Tbs. crumbled blue cheese and 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar. Top with 3 oz. drained canned wild salmon, 1/2 c. pink grapefruit wedges, and 1 Tbs. chopped walnuts.
230 cal, 19 g pro, 16 g carb, 3 g fiber, 10 g fat, 4 g sat fat,* 37 mg chol, 585 mg sodium
Smoky Mountain Turkey Sandwich Spread 1 tsp. spicy mustard onto a toasted whole grain English muffin. Fill with 2 oz. lean smoked deli turkey and 1/2 c. sliced apples. Pair with 1/2 c. baby carrots (Orange Vegetable-Factor) and 1/4 c. garlic hummus for dipping. 380 cal, 22 g pro, 57 g carb, 8 g fiber, 8 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 20 mg chol, 1,078 mg sodium**
Black Bean Taco Salad Combine 1/2 c. rinsed and drained canned black beans (beans) with 1 Tbs. lime juice, 2 tsp. olive oil, and 1 tsp. chopped cilantro. Top 1 c. torn romaine (dark greens) with beans, 2 Tbs. reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, and 1/4 c. sliced avocado.
292 cal, 12 g pro, 27 g carb, 11 g fiber, 18 g fat, 4 g sat fat,* 10 mg chol, 589 mg sodium
Zippy Roast Beef Wrap Spread a whole wheat wrap with 2 Tbs. plain fat-free Greek-style yogurt, 1/2 tsp. horseradish, and 1 tsp. chopped chives. Fill with 2 oz. lean roast beef. Serve with 1 c. sliced red bell pepper (Wildcard Vegetable-Factor) and 1/4 c. garlic hummus for dipping. 349 cal, 24 g pro, 39 g carb, 8 g fiber, 11 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 26 mg chol, 880 mg sodium**
Shrimp & Artichoke Salad Chop 4 lg. cooked shrimp and combine with 1 Tbs. mayo, 1 tsp. lemon juice and 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper. Fold in 1 c. frozen and thawed quartered artichoke hearts (Wildcard Vegetable-Factor). Serve with 4 whole grain lower-sodium crackers. 315 cal, 13 g pro, 30 g carb, 14 g fiber, 17 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 48 mg chol, 296 mg sodium And, one of our faves!
Chicken Pasta Salad Slice 1 c. grape tomatoes (Wildcard Vegetable-Factor). Combine with 1/2 c. cooked and chilled whole grain penne, 3 oz. chopped grilled chicken breast, 3 sliced fresh basil leaves and 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil. 395 cal, 31 g pro, 27 g carb, 3 g fiber, 18 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 72 mg chol, 70 mg sodium
Bunless Turkey Burger Mix 4 oz raw extra lean ground turkey with 1/2 c rinsed, drained, and mashed canned kidney beans (beans); 1 Tbs. fresh parsley; 1/4 tsp. each onion and garlic powder; and 1/8 tsp. chili powder. Form into patty and grill or cook on stovetop. Serve burger on a bed of 1/2 c. cooked brown rice. 343 cal, 38 g pro, 44 g carb, 10 g fiber, 3 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 45 mg chol, 509 mg sodium Cajun Chicken Grill 3 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast seasoned with a mixture of 1 Tbs. olive oil, 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper, and 1/8 tsp. each cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Serve on a bed of 3/4 c corn (Starchy Vegetable-Factor). 316 cal, 24 g pro, 23 g carb, 3 g fiber, 16 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 49 mg chol, 73 mg sodium
Cranberry Edamame (Soybeans) Wild Rice Salad In lg bowl, combine 2 Tbs. rice wine vinegar, 2 tsp. olive oil, and 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper. Toss with 1/2 c. cooked wild rice, 1/2 c. fresh or frozen and thawed shelled edamame (soy beans), 2 Tbs. fruit juice-sweetened dried cranberries, and 2 Tbs. chopped walnuts. Serve at room temperature. 405 cal, 14 g pro, 41 g carb, 7 g fiber, 22 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 34 mg sodium
California Stir-Fry Combine 2 Tbs. 100% orange juice with 1 Tbs. white vinegar, 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger, and 1 tsp. soy sauce. Set aside. Saute 1/2 c. chopped onions (Wildcard Vegetable-Factor) in 1 Tbs. peanut oil until translucent. Add 1/2 c. each sliced mushrooms and asparagus pieces (Wildcard Vegetable-Factor) with ginger sauce. Continue stir-frying 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Add 1/4 c. mandarin orange sections and 1 Tbs. slivered almonds. Serve with 1/2 c. cooked brown rice. 354 cal, 8 g pro, 43 g carb, 6 g fiber, 18 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 450 mg sodium
Southwest Chickpea and Tuna Salad Combine 2 Tbs. chopped cilantro, 1 Tbs. lemon juice, 1 tsp. sunflower oil, and 1 tsp. minced garlic. Add 1 c. rinsed and drained canned low-sodium chickpeas (beans) and 3 oz. rinsed and drained chunk light tuna in water. 414 cal, 37 g pro, 48 g carb, 10 g fiber, 7 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 53 mg chol, 407 mg sodium
Green Peas Supreme Toss 1/2 c. cooked whole-wheat linguine with 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil, 2 oz. chopped Canadian bacon, and 3/4 c. frozen and thawed green peas (Starchy Vegetable-Factor). Sprinkle with 2 Tbs. Parmesan. 425 cal, 24 g pro, 34 g carb, 7 g fiber, 22 g fat, 5 g sat fat,* 36 mg chol, 995 mg sodium**
Stuffed Sweet Potato Bake or microwave 1 med (6 oz.) sweet potato (orange vegetables). Split potato and scoop out inside, leaving skin intact. In small bowl, whip potato with 3 Tbs. 1% milk, 2 Tbsp blue cheese, 2 Tbs. chopped pecans, 1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp. dried), and 1/2 tsp. minced garlic. Stuff skin with mixture and serve. 369 cal, 9 g pro, 47 g carb, 7 g fiber, 16 g fat, 4 g sat fat,* 15 mg chol, 315 mg sodium
Prosciutto Dill Potato Salad Combine 1/4 c. fat-free plain yogurt with 1 Tbs. fresh dill and 1 tsp. Dijon. Add 1 diced hard-boiled egg, 1 c. cooked and cubed red potatoes (Starchy Vegetable-Factor), 1 c. cauliflower (Wildcard Vegetable-Factor), and 1 oz. prosciutto. 339 cal, 25 g pro, 40 g carb, 5 g fiber, 8 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 234 mg chol, 1,007 mg sodium**
*Strive to limit your saturated fat intake to less than 18 g per day. **Strive to limit your sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day.
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