Wow, V8 is impressive!

[dancerjodi]

As part of our new 'eating healthier' thing, B and I are trying to stick to the food pyramid as a guide and eat small meals throughout the day: http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/food/food-pyramid/main.htm

I had a difficult time getting in all my veggies last week (besides eating some at dinner I wanted to have some kind of veggie snack in the afternoon). I don't really like munching on carrot sticks and having to bring a salad to work for a snack in the afternoon was a bit inconvenient, so I decided to go the V8 route.

The only time that my family ever bought V8 was at Thanksgiving. I'm not sure why - it doesn't make any sense, really - but having a glass of V8 along with your regular drink at dinner has been customary. As a kid I thought it was pretty gross but decided to try it again this year since my tastes have changed over the years and I was pleasantly surprised. It was really yummy and reminded me a bit of tomato soup (a nice comfort food in the winter perfectly accompanied by a grilled cheese sandwich).

So I picked up some cans of V8 at the supermarket yesterday to serve as my easy and yet healthy veggie afternoon snack. This little thing is amazing! Its only 5.5 ounces, 35 calories and includes the following:
-no fat
-little carbs
-4% of the daily value of fiber
-30% of the daily value of Vitamin A (and 80% of that from Beta Carotine)
-60% of the daily value of Vitamin C
-2% of the daily value of Calcium
-4% of the daily value of Iron
-Juice from not only tomatoes but also carrots, celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress and spinach.

So I think that just totally made my health-conscious day :)

Do you have any healthy food secrets to share?

Comments

[nepenthedreams]

On Weight Watchers, V8 is 0 points, which really says it all. I didn't really like it last time I tried it though - maybe I should heat it up like tomato soup. :-)

[jetgrrl01.livejournal.com]

I don't do it every day, but sometimes I bring salads to work and found a quick way to make them. I buy pre-washed and cut lettuce or baby spinach (healthier stuff), as well as cherry tomatoes. I throw some of the lettuce and a few cherry tomatoes into a plastic container in the morning and into a ziploc baggie I put a little olive oil and some balsamic vinegar. Then, when I want the salad, I smush the ziploc around and put the dressing on the salad. It's a little basic, but it's pretty quick and healthier than some other snack options. You could also add thinks like chick peas and easy stuff like that, but I usually don't get around to it...

Also, I like eating cherry tomatoes as a snack. Yum. :)

[tygerwillow.livejournal.com]

mmm, veggies.

japanese food stores (and probably places like trader joes) have roasted green peas (regular and wasabi-flavored). very yummy and crunchy snack food.

bringing raw veggies like carrots and broccoli with a low-fat dip are a good alternative to salad as well.

[tygerwillow.livejournal.com]

i thought this would be obvious but maybe not -- canned veggie soups are also a good & easy choice.

[devina.livejournal.com]

Do you know of any low sodium ones? I love soup, but I'm trying to stay away from increased sodium content.

[tygerwillow.livejournal.com]

i've never specifically looked for them, so i'm not sure. but low sodium is a big enough concern these days that i'm sure some exist -- read labels. if not, you could make your own soup! low-sodium cookbooks probably have recipes for that sort of thing.

[devina.livejournal.com]

Walden Farms has a 0 calorie line of dressings out. Not sure how they taste, but I'll probably try them soon.

[xany.livejournal.com]

my health-conscious mother would buy V8 for herself all the time when I was growing up. In high school I used to come home from school, fill a huge glass (like one of those plastic "collectible" sports cups that hold 32oz) with V8, a couple of cloves of garlic, a generous pinch of chili powder, a dash or two of Worcestershire, 5-10 dashes of Tabasco, salt and pepper. I'd hit it with the hand mixer, and have a great afternoon drink! (now, I add vodka to the mix for a killer Bloody Mary.)

My mom got rather upset at first, as the V8 was supposed to be for her. Eventually she gave up, and started buying it in larger quantities.

[dionysia.livejournal.com]

we used to have tomato juice at holidays.
hrm. maybe it's a mediterranean thing?

they make more than one variety of v8, so maybe 'spicy' is more your style?

holidays

[dancer.livejournal.com]

My Mom's family is French (not Mediterranean), though I'm glad to know that we weren't the only family that did it :)

[synaesthesia.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you'd be all that interested, but there is a book out called "the goddess diet" that my shiatsu practitioner turned me on to a year ago, back when I thought that I had a thyroid condition... It's based on many small meals, higher protein/lower carbohydrates, and mixing types of food to prevent blood sugar spikes.

It was all around the time I got laid off the first time and I never did try it, but a lot of it seemed to jive with the "eating healthier" thing I do every now and then where I'll drop dairy for the most part and stay away from corn syrup and refined stuff, and cook more.

It's interesting stuff, actually -- despite the corny title.

We're going to be overhauling our diet -- and starting yoga -- very soon, will have to compare notes (maybe over a healthy dinner?)! :)

Yes!

[dancer.livejournal.com]

We can work on planning a menu and time (and, you two can finally meet our bunnies) :)

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

I used to be addicted to the spicy v8. hmmm I should pick some up on the way home tonight.

and I want to second the wasabi peas, those are awesome. As are wasabi soy nuts and edmame as far as healthy snacking food goes.

[tygerwillow.livejournal.com]

augh! how could i forget edamame! yes, it is definitely one of my favorites, i have it with lunch all the time. i also find that it's very good at calming down my tummy when it's not doing well.

Edamame?

[dancer.livejournal.com]

What is edamame?

Re: Edamame?

[tygerwillow.livejournal.com]

boiled & salted soybeans (in pod). it's a popular appetizer in japanese restaurants -- to eat it, you squeeze the beans out of the pods with your fingers and into your mouth. it's not really widespread, but if you have a good supermarket it'll be near the tofu and other healthy organic foods. the costco in waltham carries it.

[ggirl.livejournal.com]

I also recently tuned into V8 5.5 oz cans again and I love the damn things! perfect snack for the afternoon. To get all my veggies in each day (5 servings) I pack a nice-sized salad each morning which takes all of 5 minutes to make: Use a bag of pre-packaged spring mix or baby greens (baby lettuce leaves, fresh yummy green stuff, not iceberg lettuce!), half a cucumber peeled and sliced up, some cherry tomatoes (easy enough to buy at the store for the week) and some mushrooms. If I'm feeling really fancy I throw in some sprouts. I shake on some fat free italian dressing, toss it all around in my convenient tupperware container, and bring it to work. Very filling, very healthy, and pretty easy once you get in the habit of doing it. I also like to snack on raw baby carrots out of the bag or a baby carrot/sugar snap pea mix. I also have 1 apple a day. Canned green beans heated up in the microwave for a minute are easy too.

[nepenthedreams]

It's not super-healthy, but it's my way of coping with not having pizza (due to the high calorie count, etc).

Pita pizzas - whole wheat pitas split and toasted, covered in tomato sauce and fat-free mozzarella cheese. Add veggies if you like. Melt in toaster oven (or real oven).

[nazier.livejournal.com]

I have never liked v8 but on the salad note I buy the bgs of premade salad and keep some rasberry vin. at work for easy munching. I can get you some books on macrobiotic eating if you like, its a nice way to get healthy and stay slim (I should start doing it again myself)

[jetgrrl01.livejournal.com]

I just thought of another veggie thing (mainly because I'm making some tonight). I do a big batch of curried sweet potato soup, and then bring some to work every day. Sweet potatoes are heavy on the vitamins and soup makes them a bit more appetizing for me. Although I've heard you can make tasty baked steak fries with them, too.

healthy food secrets

[dirtyknees.livejournal.com]

Since my diet is 95% vegetarian, I rarely have trouble getting enough veggies. However, I do have problems eating enough calcium and protein. One of my favorite quick calcium-rich comfort foods is tzatziki and pita bread. The tzatziki sauce is dead-easy: a cup of non-fat plain yogurt is drained through cheesecloth, then I throw in a teaspoon of minced garlic (mmm, so good for the immune system), and 1/4 of a cucumber, julienned. You can also add grated carrots.

I also snack on chocolate GNC isolated soy protein in milk at about 4PM or so. It fills my stomach, though it doesn't cure the "munchy" craving.

--Andrea

Re: healthy food secrets

[dancer.livejournal.com]

The tzatziki - how "yogurty" is it (I just can't eat yogurt - something in it makes me gag) :) The other ingrediants sound yummy enough that it may make it do-able :)