Let's Talk (IP Approved) Vegetables !!
 

OK, let's hear some thoughts, ideas, and opinions on the "Select" Vegetables in the Phase 1 Ideal Protein Diet. The ones we are supposed to consume 4 cups a day !

I admit I am not a vegetable lover and have to find things that I can "choke down". Please excuse my lack of knowledge on this subject.

Some of the things on the "IP approved" list I just have NO IDEA about!

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There are only a few things on this list that I have been brave enough to try in my first 31 days on the IP diet.

1. Broccoli (Upside: Lots of fiber. Downside: It smells to high heaven when you steam it. My house usually stinks for hours afterwards.)

2. Cauliflower (Upside: it's sort of tasteless, so you can mash it up and pretend it's mashed potatoes. Downside: Hardly any fiber. I guess this might be a good default vegetable?)

3. Zuchinni (Just bought my first one today and haven't cooked it yet -- I had a hard time finding it in the vegetable aisle since it wasn't labeled and I wasn't entirely sure what it looked like -- I think I remember eating this once in red sauce).

4. Celery (Tasteless and stringy. Do people really try to choke down 4 cups of this a day? LOL!)

Some of the items on the approved list are unusual to say the least (at least to me).
Do people eat Algae? Isn't that what floats on lakes?
And what is Sorrel (at first I thought it said Squirrel! LOL).
Watercress? Whaaa?

Let's hear from some of our vegetable mavens on this board.

What vegetables are your staples and why? What tastes and works the best for you?
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I eat alot of salads with cucumbers and three colours of peppers....
pickles are delish

i roast alot of broccoli and cauliflower...with garlic..its delish...and mushrooms roasted as well....

Asparagus roasted is really good..esp if you can get the thinner stocks ..they get crispy and super yummy!

zucchini i put into muffins (lemon, banana or wildberry yogurt) and some ppl make bread or rolls with zucchini outta the IP potato .....

rutabaga fries are supposed to be really good, tho im scared to buy one and try it cuz it looks soo freaking CRAZY.

Buy a rutabaga and make fries, you will be glad you did!! Never had it until this diet and even if I was OFF the diet I would still eat rutabaga!! So good!!!

I had to get creative to keep up the 4 cups a day pace.

Try grating cauliflower and sauteing it in EVOO, spices, some other veggies and an egg white. It is just like fried rice. I can literally eat it almost every day. I make it when we order chinese take out too.

I just ordered a spiral veggie cutter to make "veggie spaghetti." I think it will be great for zucchini!

I try to have a combo of cooked and raw veggies everyday. There are a lot of great recipes on this site and many links to other IP sites too.

For raw veggies, I like to have english cucumbers, I cut them up put them in a ziplock bag with salt and snack on them. I do the same with peppers but without the salt. I also like to have a cucumber salad with onions and I usually add tomatoes.

Mushrooms and zucchini sautéed with garlic is really yummy, I also add chicken sausage or ground beef. Swiss chard (a dark leafy veg) is great with sautéed garlic and lemon juice.

I attempt to try something new or something I haven't in a long time each week, just to mix things up a little. Variety is the spice of life and for me it keeps the diet interesting.

By the way sorrel is an herb. Watercress is a type of lettuce. Lol

Great ideas and feedback so far! Thank you!!!

Sorrel an herb ... who knew

And Watercress is a lettuce (Shoot, I was hoping it was more like Watermelon!)


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I like roasted vegetables - asparagus, zucchini, and rutabaga. Zucchini is so much better roasted.

Rutabaga is no longer on the select list. There was a change in the veggie list in February, and rutabaga was moved to occasional.

I have come to like cabbage. I slice it up super thin - or buy it in the bagged coleslaw form (just make sure there are no carrots). I saute it up in the tiniest bit of oil and season with salt and pepper. If I'm needing a bit of protein, I will crack an egg white into it at the end and cook it up. It takes literally about 3 minutes to do all of this. If you use toasted sesame oil and a bit of Bragg's aminos, it takes on a very Asian flavor. I just try to watch the amt. of oil, as it would be easy to overdo it.

Also, jicama. You will find it usually in one of the non-refrigerated areas of the produce section. Google to find a picture. They are crispy and full of fiber. Some people bake them up as chips -- can sprinkle with Splenda and cinnamon for a sweet sensation. If you chop them and boil them for a while, then saute in a bit of olive oil and season, again, with Splenda and cinnamon, they taste like apples (though they will stay pretty firm). Today, I tried them just cut into sticks and sprinkled with lime zest and juice -- yum! Tastes like you're eating fruit!

Good luck --

Jicama
 

My coach gave me a recipe today for jicama applesauce. You buy a jicama, peel it and puree it in a processor. Add in cinnamon and splenda and it becomes applesace. I have to run it by my husband the chef, but it might be a good possibility!

:D

Try cutting zucchini into smallish cubes and sprinkle with a little Lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg and Sweetner, then micro until just soft (not mushy). Very much like chunky apple/applesauce!

Also rhubarb - long reddish green stalks with a structure much like celery. Slice into half-moon rounds, put in pan w/a little water, cinnamon, vanilla and Sweetner. Cook like applesauce for a super tasty treat. Seems like fruit but is a veg. It is very tart so be sure to sweeten to taste or watch out!!

Many use rhubarb topped w/oatmeal and bake for a crumble.

FYI - you asked how people choke down 4 cups of celery - hope you realize you can make the four cups up from any combo of veggies (and try not to have more than 2 cups for any one meal - too many carbs at once)!

I'm obsessed with roasted veggies. Cabbage, turnips, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, etc.

Line a cookie sheet with foil, mist with Pam, sprinkle on sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.

Roast at 350* until golden brown. Amazing!

Do you have to cook it first?

Veggies this way sound really good, definitely going to try..

Great recipes!

Jicama
 

Hubby said no, but I am going to try to make this tomorrow and report back. He did think that some water might need to be addes to the jicama chincks to help puree it. Nce to have a professional chef at home to answer stuff like this!

Didn't know rutabaga was taken off! Thanks

Didn't know this either!

Yes, this DOES sound good!

Just read the last post - WHAT? No Red/Yellow peppers? That is MY staple! Sautéed in a hot skillet with the oil allowance until begins to carmelize a little. Maybe THAT'S the reason. They likely have too much sugar in them? Like onions - which we can only have raw?

I am slightly obsessed with grilled zucchini.

Cut it in cubes or slices, toss with a little olive oil and sprinkle with your favorite seasoning. Grill it in a grill basket until it is softened/looks bbq'd.
Sprinkle with salt and enjoy!

I put a homemade rub on all my veggies when I grill them. My favorites are zucchini, cauliflower and grilled broccoli. This helps you avoid the broccoli funk!

I tried my first batch of turnip "fries" last week, and they were delicious. Just peel the turnip, cut up into strips, toss with olive oil, add spices such as onion powder and garlic powder, bake on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then flip and bake another 10 minutes, at about 400. Delicious!

Now that I've learned cauliflower needs to be very dry before I roast it, it has become one of my favorites. My #1 favorite is, zuchinni that has been julienned (julienne peeler has become my favorite kitchen tool) and sauteed with a bit of EVOO. Sometimes I sprinkle add some garlic but it's great with just sea salt. Also great with red sauce on my tomato day.

Can't wait to try some of these suggestions!!!

I do love to roast my veggies and I make a salad with cucumbers, zucchini, onions and a few tomatoes with sea salt & pepper tossed in WF Italian. It's even better the next day. But my latest obsession, with the sun setting earlier and the temps dropping a bit, is fritters. I take one cup of shredded zucchini (squeezed in a towel to remove liquid) add 1/2 t baking powder, sea salt, chili pepper flakes & dried onion to taste. Mix then add one pancake mix, stir again. Finally I add 1 beaten egg. Could probably just do two egg whites also, but I haven't tried it. Stir until just mixed. Drop by a rounded T on pam sprayed skillet. Don't flip until they are good & brown. I get SEVEN fritters! Very satisfying and makes me a happy camper.

The possibilities are endless...different seasonings & veggie combinations.

I usually eat cucumbers and green peppers daily. It feels like a cheat when I occasionally add a red or yellow pepper into the mix(occasional veggies). One medium cuke is about 2 cups. The peppers that I choose are usually 2 cups. It's nice and easy.

I also love, love , love zucchini. It is so versatile. It is yummy roasted/grilled. I use a spiral slicer to make zucchini noodles- just love a good shrimp scampi with those noodles. Also, I cut them up like apples and cook it with some Walden Farms Apple butter and cinnamon to it make it taste like apples.

On weekends I'll cut up a bunch of zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms and grill or roast them give them some evoo and sea salt and you're good to go. Sometimes I will cook some mushrooms in a sauté pan with some egg whites.

I buy my produce from a natural food store - all produce grown in CT and mostly organic. The veggies really do have more flavor than regular supper market veggies. My husband was surprised that the green peppers taste so good.

Algae is seaweed. I have enjoyed a seaweed salad when going out for sashimi (sushi without the rice).

There is so much to enjoy.

I have to copy some of these recipies.

Does anyone have any suggestions about how to cut the Rudabega, without an axe? LOL

Same here. I had never eaten a turnip before this diet. I made turnip fries last week, and they were great. I used onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. You wouldn't think so many seasonings would work well together, but it did.

I have also become addicted to fried rice (made with cauliflower). You would never know you were eating cauliflower. I will continue to eat this long after I finish this plan.

Okay. NOW I am frustrated.
:tantrum: :censored:
Where does this info come from???? :?:

:soap:
We have SO.MANY. bad coaches out there!!!
Two incorrect vegetable lists have been posted and people are confused. I even see posts on other threads about it.

The most recent IP protocol is clearly in the stickies and there is a link EVERY.DAY. in the daily chat. :drill:
(I just edited and linked it here too)

HERE IS THE CORRECT LIST OF SELECT VEGGIES: (cut/pasted directly from the 2/2013 protocol sheet (or 3/2013):wizard:


Vegetables
Select: Algae, Alfalfa, Asparagus, Arugula, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Bean Sprouts, Cauliflower, Cabbage (red, pak choi, bok choy), Celery, Celeriac, Chicory, Collards, Cress, Cucumbers, Dill Pickles, Endive, Fennel, Field Salad, Green Onions, Jicama, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Mushrooms, Okra, Onions (raw only), Hot Peppers, Radicchio, Radish, Rhubarb (cooked), Sauerkraut, Sorrel, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Turnip, Watercress, Zucchini

Occasional (You may only choose two items per week from this list): Brussels sprouts, Beans (Green & Wax), Eggplant, Palm Hearts, Rutabaga, Snow Peas, Tomato

All colors of bell peppers are allowed!
Rutabaga was moved to occasional (it wasn't removed all together)
THIS LIST DOES NOT INCLUDE SOYA
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:hug:I'm so glad people were talking about jicama, even tho it wasn't on either incorrect list. It is very versatile.

I find cauliflower the most versatile of all. You can mash it into mock mashed potatoes, roast it, shred into "rice", even make it into "hummus".
I substitute it in potato salad recipe & use WF mayo and haven't missed any summer salads! Before IP, I rarely ate the stuff.

I find I'm eating more salads for dinner, just because I'm "out" of veggies for the day. When I first started IP, I wondered how people "got in" 4 c. veggies/day and now I can't wait til goal, when I can add more! I eat a balance of cooked and raw but really prefer them cooked.
I've been putting my meat from dinner on a bed of about 4c (loosely measured) chopped romaine or leaf lettuce, purchased at the farmer's market within the past few days (I love summer & the freshest produce!).

Avalon1957: I tried to PM you but you're not accepting PMs. Could you please edit your posts to correct or remove the incorrect info to reduce future confusion? Thanks. edit: thanks for editing

THANK YOU Lisa for posting the CURRENT veggie list.

It might be a good idea for everyone reading here to compare the list from their coach to the posted CURRENT P1 list. It is clear that many coaches DO NOT choose to stay current with IP changes. It is unconscionable that they are willing to take people's money but NOT willing to keep up with the correct program!!

Arm yourselves everyone!

Thanks Lisa, I have been following that veggie list, I have seen on this site people using yellow summer squash, I specifically asked my coach about it and they said NO. ??? Zucchini yes, yellow no, too much sugar? I used to eat only the yellow and never a fan of zucchini. I now do a a stir fry for dinner at least 4 nights a week with different veggies but always zucchini in it.

We've also heard MIXED RESPONSES on this from coaches!!

The nutrition on a cup of
zucchini = 4 carb. 1.5 fiber 2 sugar
Yellow crook neck squash = 5 carb. 2 fiber. 1 sugar
NOTE: statistics do vary slightly on both depending on where you look. ALSO yellow crook neck is not specified on the approved list (though it is sometimes referred to as yellow zucchini!)

My suspicion is that coaches like many others are not as familiar with this kind of yellow squash and when they hear yellow squash they are thinking of the wintery kinds that are higher carb!!

Jlus,

Ahhh, but here in New England the yellow squash is everywhere so I'm not sure of that but it seems that it can be used just as the zucchini?

Has anyone been eating the yellow summer squash with not impact on the plan?

sonolady: I use both green zucchini and yellow summer squash as my primary veggies. I've become slightly obsessed with roasting them.

I have used yellow and green equally throughout.

I sincerely think many coaches are thinking if winter squashes - not what we are referring to here!!

I asked the coaches at least 4 times about the yellow squash and they just kept telling me its not on the plan, no real answer as to why, its just not on the list. ?? I hate when they just "tow the line " and don't know why.

I think I will add it to my list of veggies...

Thank you Jlus and IPN, I find I get much more help and guidance here than from the clinic.

I keep looking for Jicama, I am dying to try it but cant find it anywhere....

It definitely is not on the list so probably best each decide for ones self. There are many things that fall w/in IP guidelines not on the list...

Don't label me a rebel for eating off the list!! I actually grew up with it being called yellow zucchini so I honestly didn't think of it as not approved until I saw a discussion several months ago here. I checked the nutrition stats and decided they are pretty much the same as zucchini!

I've been using yellow zucchini (which is what I know it as) interchangeably with the green. I don't feel like it impacts my losses; I'm a slow loser with or without yellow zucchini.

WillowVee Thanks, I am with you the weight is slow to leave my body, but I have less to lose. I think my body is happy where it is and I am not. LOL. I'm going to treat the yellow as the green. The scale hasn't move in 10 days so its not going to hurt at this point, the inches havent changed either.grrrrrrrrrr

I use both. Have them growing in my garden. Don't know what I'll do when they are gone. I eat them everyday!

I've used both all along with no problems at all.

As others have said, yellow crooked neck summer squash is often referred to as zucchini, also. The nutritional stats are so.close to green zucchini.
I use them interchangeably (or together), as well

Again, as I keep saying, we have coaches who only know what they are told. They are not "experts".

Thank you all!!! I've listened to them for 8 weeks on that one, but I'm done with straight zucchini...the green one anyway.

Lisa I am making the mockamole later and the crackers for the first time. I'm looking forward to trying them.

This site is a wonderful place for guidance, support and ideas.........

It is what has kept me OP since July 30, 2012 and I credit it with my 95+ lb weight loss. Community is so important!