The document outlines a wellness workshop led by Cristin Stokes, focusing on innovative ways to incorporate more vegetables into daily diets, emphasizing both the nutritional benefits and practical preparation methods. It provides dietary guidelines for vegetable consumption, encourages variety through color and subgroup diversity, and shares tips for making meals more veggie-friendly. The document also includes meal suggestions and resources for further wellness support.

1. Veggilicious!
Cristin Stokes, RD, LN
MUS Wellness

2. Workshop Description
You know you should be eating vegetables, but
sometimes that's easier said than done, right? If
you're sick of the same salad & steamed broccoli,
come discover new ways of preparing &
incorporating vegetables into your diet that will
make you actually want to get those 5+
recommended servings per day!

3. Cristin’s 6 Nutrition Tenets
 1. 80/20 rule of moderation
2. Eat more plants
 3. Choose whole foods over processed
 4. There’s no hidden secret to weight loss
 5. Take advantage of all the wonderful food grown in
Montana
 6. Enjoy your food!

4. Why Mom was right
Nutrient density
Vitamins & minerals
Antioxidants
Phytochemicals
Fiber
Reduced risk of CVD, cancer, hypertension, diabetes
Improved GI & eye health

5. Dietary Guidelines – Veggie
Recommendations
1 cup = 1 cup raw or cooked; 2 cups leafy greens

6. Dietary Guidelines – Veggie
Recommendations
5 subgroups based on nutrient content
1. Dark-green (romaine, kale, broccoli, spinach)
2. Red & orange (tomatoes, squash)
3. Starchy (corn, peas, potatoes)
4. Beans & peas
5. Other (peppers, cucumber, asparagus, avocado,
beets, zucchini)

7. Dietary Guidelines – Veggie
Recommendations
How many servings/day?
Aim for 5+ (1/2 cup) servings throughout the day
The more the merrier!
Think proportionally
Variety of colors

8. Typical American diet
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs + toast
Lunch: Turkey Sandwich (bread, cheese, turkey, mayo,
mustard, iceberg lettuce), apple, bag of potato chips
Snack: Pretzels
Dinner: Spaghetti w/meatballs, side salad (lettuce,
carrots, tomato), French bread, Brownie
Vegetable servings: ¾ - 1 cup total (2 servings)

9. Breakfast
Add veggies to
Eggs
Scrambles
Omelets
Quiches
Breakfast burritos
Savory crepes, oatmeal, baked goods

10. Breakfast
Juicing
Vitamins/minerals, but no fiber
Basic blend: carrot & celery
Then add: leafy greens, bell peppers, fennel, parsley, cucumbers,
beets, or apple juice
Smoothies
Start with spinach to fruit smoothies
Green basic: 1 cup greens + 1 cup liquid + 1 ½ cups ripe
fruit

11. Snacks
Dips
Hummus
Yogurt-based
Peanut
Washed, prepped, ready
Eye-level
Green vegetables chips

12. Lunch/Dinner
Wraps & “salad” sandwiches
Soups
Pureed
Pizza
Add veggies to frozen or delivery even!
Stir-frys
Veggie “noodles”
Vegetable-stuffed potatoes, squash, peppers

13. Lunch/Dinner
Whole grain salads
Veggie crusts – Cauliflower, zucchini, potatoes
Mixed in with meat
Meatloaf, meatballs, pasta sauce
Toppings on fish, chicken, meat
Pasta
Aim for 1:1 ratio for pasta:veggies

14. “Hidden” Veggies
Purees
The Sneaky Chef, Deceptively Delicious
Sauteed/braised green leafies
i.e. Pasta, casseroles, mac n cheese, soup
Shredded
Squash, carrots, zucchini, turnips, onions, sweet
potatoes, etc. Add to sauces, soups, stir-fry,
casseroles, pizzas
Baked goods/desserts

15. Tips for kids
Ellyn Satter Child of Mine: Feeding with
Love & Good Sense
Parents decide the when, what, and where;
Kids decide whether and how much
“You don’t have to eat it”
Serve with familiar foods
Good role-modeling
Exposure to vegetables

16. Salads
 Raw salads
Mince very small or grate (chewing is less of a chore)
Visually appealing
Add color!
 Chop greens & herbs with scissors
 Dressings
Full-fat
1:3 vinegar to oil ratio
Fresh/dried herbs, dijon mustard, garlic or ginger,
honey, strong cheeses

17. Salads

18. Preparation Methods
General rule: Quicker & less liquid = more
nutrients retained
Cooking = more digestible
May increase nutrients in some cases
Fresh vs frozen vs canned

19. Garden-fresh
Superior taste & nutrition
Save $$$ eating seasonally
How to find:
Farmer’s Markets
Local grocers
CSAs
Grow your own!
Online seasonal produce chart

20. Post-Veggilicious Workshop!
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs w/broccoli &
mushrooms + toast spread w/red pepper
puree
Lunch: Turkey sandwich (bread, cheese, turkey,
mayo, mustard, roasted red pepper, shredded
carrots, spinach), Cucumbers w/peanut
dipping sauce, Bag of potato chips

21. Post-Veggilicious Workshop!
Snack: Pretzels w/pumpkin hummus
Dinner: Spaghetti squash “noodles” w/meatballs
(shredded carrots & zucchini included), marinara
sauce, side salad (romaine, shredded cauliflower,
purple cabbage, roasted beets), French bread, black
bean brownie
Vegetable servings: 9+, with more variety, color, and
nutrients!

22. MUS Wellness Resources
 www.muswell.limeade.com Incentive Program
 www.montanamovesandmeals.com Blog
 wellness@montana.edu Email
 @montanameals Twitter