All vegetables have important vitamins and minerals that we need that promote a healthy lifestyle. Veggies are also low in fat and calories in most instances, which means if you eat them instead of something that is high in fat and calories you can reduce your daily calorie intake.

According to the federal eating guidelines set by the United States Agricultural Department, we should strive to eat 2-3 servings of vegetables per day. The LoseFree Diet recommends even more than this – but there are ways to get them in much easier than you may think.

When it comes to what vegetables are best to eat to lose weight, there is a difference between what you are choosing. Some are higher in calories, sugars, and the dreaded diet C word – carbs than others. These ones that are higher in these are known as “starchy” vegetables whereas the other types are non-starchy varieties. Some foods may be classified as vegetables biologically, but in the sake of classifying foods for our diet may actually be considered grains.

Both types are good to eat, but you’ll want to try and limit yourself to only one of the starchy kind each day and get the rest of your servings from non-starchy varieties. (Although, obviously – it is far better to eat starchy vegetables than to go for a chocolate cake!)

Be sure to eat organic vegetables when possible – the last thing you’d want is to overload your body with pesticides and chemicals! If organic isn’t available in your area or not within your budget, make sure to wash them, wash them, then wash them some more.

Here are some of the starchy vegetables to think about: peas, potatoes, corn, squash, and yams. These are all yummy vegetables, but they do not tend to really give you the full benefits of other types.  Also, because they are considered to be starches, they are actually for some people the equivalent to a serving from the grains group. (Which is why if you’re someone prone to sugar addiction it’s likely I’ve just listed a few of your favorite vegetables – I know I’m a sucker for peas and mashed potatoes!) These foods aren’t bad for you – sweet potatoes are very healthy – but they ARE starchy in nature.

Now, all of the rest of vegetables are non-starchy varieties and for the most part you don’t really need to concern yourself with them all that much – just need to eat them as part of your regular balanced meals. However, I’m always asked things like, but yeah – what’s really BEST – should I be eating broccoli or spinach?

Since I don’t recommend going for a diet based on calories only, to me knowing which veggies are lowest in calories doesn’t really apply to me. Sure, there are low calorie vegetables such as celery – but how much nutritional value does celery actually offer? Very little, since the plant seems to be made up of pretty much only water. Celery is considered a negative calorie food, which means that your burn more calories just by the act of eating it then you get from it.

So, instead of thinking in terms of low calories, I prefer to think in terms of which vegetables give you the best nutritional bang for your buck – because getting the right nutrients is far more important than how many calories you should eat.

Another important aspect of dieting and losing weight is the effect of foods on your metabolism. This in my opinion is far more important than worrying about calorie or carb counts. A good metabolism is what helps you burn those calories and fat as opposed to storing them. If you can keep your metabolism in check, most people have no problems whatsoever trying to maintain their healthy weight.

So, to consult my handy list of foods that speed your metabolism and here’s the veggies we have listed on it:

Black Beans
Green Beans
Navy Beans
Kidney Beans
Spinach

These are just a few veggies, so it helps to learn more that are good for you to eat. It’s also important to remember that when it comes to eating your vegetables the more color the better. Striving to get at least two or three different colors each day will help you get the best

Cabbage (Hey, there’s a reason why people are going crazy over the cabbage soup diet – though that’s not one I recommend)
Leafy Greens – Lettuce, Mixed Greens
Red, Yellow, and Green Peppers
Squash
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussels Sprouts
Bean Sprouts (try them on a sandwich – yum!)
Carrots
Zucchini
Onions
Leeks

I know there are more veggies than just these – but this list of best vegetables for dieting is a great start to help you get more vegetables in your diet! Remember: Dieting successfully means you have to actually like what you are eating! If you absolutely hate vegetables, try hiding them in different foods. Sure, it sounds weird at first, but I have tricked my kids into eating many a things by mixing spinach and orange juice together in a blender for example.

Now that you know the best vegetables to eat to lose weight, what are some of your favorites? Share them in the comments below!

In addition to our juice recipes for weight loss we’ve decided to add a few other healthy free juicer recipes for you to make and enjoy.

There are many health benefits of juicing. It is believed that by juicing fruits you are able to gain more nutrients and healthy properties of the foods. By including more vegetables and fruits in your diet, you can also ensure you are getting enough natural vitamins and nutrients that your body needs to continue to develop and stay healthy. Vegetarians may also find they enjoy these recipes to add variety and flavor to their regular diet.

Most of these recipes are a rough guide and by no means are limited to making exactly as you see described below. Don’t be afraid to try new things, or add your favorite seasonings. We’ve even seen people make soup and fruit deserts with their juicers, so the possibilities are endless! It’s okay to be creative – that’s part of the fun!

Sweet Potato Cherry Juice
1 cup of cherries, stems and pits removed
1 sweet potato, peeled
1/4 turnip

Juice all ingredients in a juicer and combine, add sweetener to taste.

Super Veggie Juice
2 carrots
1 cup of broccoli
1/2 beet
1/2 red pepper
1 tomato
1/2 cucumber

Juice ingredients and mix together. Makes 2-3 servings

Melon Juice
1 large slice watermelon
1 large slice cantelope
1 large slice honeydew

Remove rinds and juice fruits together.

Strawberry Grapefruit Carrot Juice
1 carrot
1 cup strawberries, tops removed
1 grapefruit, peel removed
1 kiwi

Juice all ingredients and serve and enjoy.

Pineapple Fruit Juice
2 large slices of pineapple
1 cup strawberries
1 orange

Juice ingredients together and serve. (You can also add this to a banana in a blender for a nice smoothie!)

Cucumber Grape Juice
1 Cucumber
1 cup seedless red grapes
1 Carrot

Combine all juices together and serve over ice.

Cranberry Juice
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 orange
1 large slice Pineapple
1 apple
Sugar to Taste

Cranberries are very bitter, so while the other fruits may offset some of the bitterness in this juice, you may still find yourself needing to add a little sugar. (Don’t force yourself to drink it if it is too bitter for your own taste – just add a little sugar or sugar substitute!)

Wheatgrass Sweetie
1 Large Handful of Wheatgrass
1 Cup Spinach
1 Large Slice Pineapple

Using a low RPM masticating or manual juicer, juice the wheatgrass and spinach together. Combine with pineapple juice and enjoy.

Do you have any favorite free juicer recipes to share? We’d love to hear them in the comments below! You may also want to take a look at some of the books available that have even more juice recipes available!

Chelle’s One Pot Veggie Spaghetti
This is one of the higher calorie count foods with around 400 calories per serving, but it does have a good source of all of the food groups and vegetables and protein. Read entire spaghetti recipe here.

Healthy Turkey Meatloaf
A turkey meatloaf has around 100 less calories than one made with ground beef. If you top it with cheese for the kids you might even be able to fool them into thinking it’s a hamburger. Read Turkey Meatloaf Recipe Here.

Ham and Cheese Stromboli
This is easy to make, and has only about 200-300 calories per serving depending on which brands and styles you use.

You will need:
Refrigerated Pizza Dough (for healthier version use whole grain!)
Deli Ham Sliced
Low Fat Shredded Cheese
Broccoli Chopped

Roll out the refrigerated dough and cut into 4 sections. In each section place ham, cheese, and broccoli. Roll up the dough around the toppings, cut small slits in the top (or poke with fork) and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until crust is golden.

Chicken Quesadillas
These are a favorite for many kids and parents will enjoy it as well! Each quesadilla has between 360-420 calories.

You will need:
Cooked chicken breast, cut in strips
Shredded Low Fat Cheddar Cheese
Whole Grain Tortillas
Peppers
Tomatoes
Onions
Lettuce
Salsa

If you have a George Foreman or similiar type of grill, you can make these easily without worrying about added butter or grease. You can also lightly grill them in a standard stove top frying pan using a low fat cooking spray. Simply place the ingredients (except lettuce) inside the tortilla and fold in half. Grill on each side 3-7 minutes until the tortilla is toasted. Slice into wedges and serve with salsa if desired.

Grilled Chicken and Fruit Kabobs
Grilled chicken is easy to make, and kids will love helping make fruit kabobs. If you’re in a hurry, you can also serve fruit salad. Adults can enjoy strawberries and tangerines mixed with a spinach salad while the kids can choose to eat the spinach – or not.

Do you have any tips for diet meals for you when you have picky eaters or children to cook for? Any low calorie kid friendly recipes to share? We’d love to hear them in the comments below!

To make matters worse, because nutrition is such a concern not only for parents choosing healthy breakfast cereals for their kids, but many people looking for ways to reduce their cholesterol or lose weight, there are many different labels on the box that can not be just confusing but misleading as well. Many boxes of claim to be whole grain but when you look at the ingredients list you’ll see that they also are loaded with sugar or refined grains in addition to the whole grains.

So how do you make the decision to pick the healthiest breakfast cereals? We’ve created a list of 7 nutritious foods to help guide you when making decisions, and based our selections on the following criteria:

Whole Grains: Consuming whole grains have shown to keep your blood sugar levels even as well as shown to help lose weight. You also get more fiber and vitamins from whole grains.

Sugar Density: Sugar comes from a variety of places, such as dried fruit or honey and many cereal manufacturers add sugar to their products to improve the flavor. If the top few ingredients in the cereal include sugar (or some form of it such as corn syrup) and it has more than 15 grams of sugar, it is likely it is not the best choice. Try to stick with organic sweeter cereals, since they likely use unrefined cane sugar or juice.

Protein: Many people overlook protein when choosing a cereal. High protein cereals however will help you get some protein to keep your breakfast balanced, even if you don’t have time for a hard boiled egg. Nuts and whole grains help add to the protein content.

Now that we’ve looked at what makes certain cereals a good choice, here are our top 7 Healthiest Breakfast Cereals:

Instant Oatmeal, Plain: Getting the plain instant oatmeal will help you control how much sugar or sweetener goes into it, since the flavored types usually have more than you really need for good taste. You can add pure maple syrup (please don’t use the substitutes which are nothing but corn syrup!) or even dried apples and cinnamon. There are tons of variations and things you can add to the oatmeal – so don’t be afraid to try something new! Peaches and nuts are one of my favorites. It’s okay to also add a little salt.

Shredded Wheat: Shredded Wheat cereal is made with whole grains, is an excellent source of fiber, and does not have any sugar. You can add fresh or dried fruit to give it some more sweetness. Even the frosted kinds are not incredibly high in sugar, but if you can enjoy the plain varieties it is a much healthier option. There are many organic brands available, such as Arrowhead Mills Organic Shredded Wheat which averages to be about $3.70 a box if you order in bulk online, and it’s vegan, too. (Most others contain gelatin).

Bran Cereal: Bran flakes don’t sound too exciting, but you can add raisins or other dried fruits to naturally make them sweeter without adding too many grams of sugar. Another trick you can use to sweeten them is add a little bit of maple syrup to them. We love just about everything made by Nature’s Path, so if you are looking for a high fiber cereal that does not taste like cardboard, Nature’s Path Organic Smart Bran is a good one to check out. (Just read the reviews – no complaints yet!)

Nature’s Path Flaxseed Cereals: Flaxseed is a great source for Omega 3 fatty acids, which are a good type of fat for your health. Nature’s Path brand makes a number of cereals, with my personal favorites being their Maple Crunch and Pumpkin granola – especially on some coconut yogurt. You can find them in most stores (my local Wal-mart even sells them) – though they too are cheapest when ordered in bulk online. Click Here to See Nature’s Path Flax Cereals

Kashi Go Lean: Kashi cereals tend to be higher in sugar and pretty sweet, but the protein and fiber in them makes up for it enough to be a contender on our list. Unlike a lot of the non-organic cereals you see in the grocery stores, it doesn’t have a ton added ingredients, so it’s a good compromise. But, it is kind of on the expensive side, and not nearly as tasty as some of the other things on this list!

Bob’s Red Mill Mighty Tasty Cereal: This is a hot cereal that will slowly grow on you as being one of your favorites – though at first you may not be too impressed. It’s gluten free, and has some great whole grains that you may not have tried before. I like it with peaches and nuts, but I will also confess my favorite way is to add a few chocolate chips to it – it’s like having a chocolate chip cookie for breakfast, but a lot healthier! You’re supposed to cook it on the stovetop, but I make it in the microwave all the time.

Ezekial 4:9 Organic Golden Flax: If you’re not accustomed to wheat germ or flax, this one may taste a little different to a lot of people. However it is the healthiest, most organic breakfast cereals out there. This one wins the award for most nutritious breakfast cereal ever. It’s very expensive in markets (if you can even find it), thankfully it’s available in bulk if you Order Online. It’s another one of my favorites.

It should be noted that while we did spend several hours researching and reading different nutrition labels that this is not a scientific study or conclusve of all cereals out there. Most of the nutrition data came from either the company’s website or nutritiondata.com where they list labels. I can tell you that I have personally eaten all of these cereals myself and give them my approval for taste

Don’t forget you don’t necessarily have to eat cereal with cow’s milk – they’re also often great on top of yogurt, and I love them with coconut milk, though almond milk is another good substitute as well.

Do you have a favorite one that you feel should be included on our list of top 7 healthies breakfast cereals? Have you tried any of these and want to leave your comments/reviews? We’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.

You will need the following ingredients to cook a turkey meatloaf:
1 pound of ground turkey
1 egg
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs (you can make your own from grating dry whole grain bread and mixing with Italian spices)
1/4 cup flax seed
1-2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce
1-2 tablespoons of ketchup
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
1/2 cup spinach leaves, minced finely
Tomato Sauce (optional – we know some people like to top their meatloaf with it!)

Directions on How to Cook the Turkey Meatloaf:
Before you get started, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and pull out the pan you will be cooking your meat loaf in. I usually use a square 9×9 glass pan that I line with aluminum foil to make cleaning up later a breeze!

In a large bowl, mix the ground turkey, egg, ketchup, and barbecue sauce. (It’s messy, but easiest to mix if you use your bare hands) Mix in bread crumbs and seasonings.

Shape the meatloaf into a loaf shape that looks sort of like a football and place into the pan.

Next you will want to cover the pan with aluminum foil. Covering the pan with foil will help prevent it from drying out. Turkey meatloaf tends to cook a little bit faster and dry out more quickly than traditional meatloaf made with ground beef because it is very lean. For most ovens you will want to cook it for about 45-50 minutes, depending on if your oven temperature is actually 350 degrees or not. Be careful not to cook it too long, so checking on it often is recommended. You will know the turkey meatloaf is done when the inside is no longer pink and the juices are clear and the internal temperature is 165 degrees. If you are the type who likes tomato sauce on your meatloaf, add it on during the last 5 minutes of baking.

While your healthy turkey meatloaf is cooking, you’ll want to make start preparing whatever sides that you want to serve with dinner. Just about anything goes great with this turkey meatloaf, so pick a few of your favorite vegetables and sides to serve with it for a healthy balanced meal. Here are some ideas for you: Fresh spinach salad, Broccoli, Green Beans, Baked Potato, Cottage Cheese, Asparagus, Brussel Sprouts, Fresh Corn on the Cob, Green and Red Peppers, or Whole grain rice.

Do you have a healthy turkey meatloaf recipe to share? Tell us about it in the comments below!

1. No added sugar: One of the keys to eating healthier is to learn how to stop sugar cravings for good. Most of our meal plans do not include any added sugars and also rely heavily on switching to whole grains, since refined grains are often processed by the body as sugar. Try to stay away from sugar substitutes, since these are not healthy for you at all.

2. Eat Organic & Avoid Refined Foods: Organic foods taste better. But beyond that, they’re not filled with harsh chemicals and preservatives and other toxins your body can’t process and can cause you to gain/retain weight. If you want to be healthy, your body needs the right nutrition – and you can only get that from whole foods. Read labels carefully – if you don’t know what an ingredient is, it’s probably best to avoid it.

3. Stick to the Food Groups: It is important to make sure you get a good balance of the different food groups. The LoseFree Diet recommends 3-4 servings of vegetables, 1-2 servings of fruit, 3 servings of proteins, and 2-3 servings of grains each day. If you balance these all out through out each meal, it’s easy to make sure you get the right nutrition your body needs to become healthy.

Remember, before using these free meal plans for weight loss to speak to your doctor to make sure any of your special dietary needs are taken care of. This diet does not take into consideration things like sodium or cholesterol if either is a concern for you. Exercise will help you greatly if you want to see faster, more permanent results. Click Here to Learn More About the LoseFree Diet to See if It Is Right for You.

These meal plans are not “rules” but simply a guide to help you determine what you will eat when starting your diet on your own.
Remember, if you’re not eating foods that you like and enjoy, you may not be able to stick to your diet as easily! Dieting shouldn’t be focusing on what you can’t eat – but what great things you can and should be eating! For some ideas to make your own custom diet plans, see Creating Your Own Custom Meal Plans.

Below are some ideas for what to eat each day:

Breakfast Ideas

It’s important to eat breakfast to jump start your day. NEVER skip breakfast and try to eat something that is healthy and will leave you feeling satisfied enough until lunch.

• Whole Grain Cereal with Almond or Coconut Milk, Fresh Fruit and Nuts
• Whole grain tortilla with scrambled egg, spinach, and salsa
• Fruit/Veggie Smoothie (Perfect for busy mornings – visit out sister site Shake Weight Loss for lots of recipes)
• Easy Microwave Veggie Omelet
• Flaxseed Banana Pancakes

Lunch Ideas
When creating our lunch ideas, we tried to keep in mind that many people will be eating lunch on the go – so we stuck to ideas that are portable and easy to take along just about anywhere.

• Whole grain tortilla wraps with romaine lettuce, spinach, turkey cubes, shredded carrots, and avocado slices
• Black Bean salad with salsa
• Spinach salad with tangerines, strawberries and chicken
• Hard Boiled Egg and Veggie Sticks
• Tuna sandwich with green peppers, olives, tomato and onion

Dinner Ideas

• Whole grain rice pasta with marinara sauce, squash, zucchini, carrots, and spinach
• Salmon or Cod and asparagus or broccoli
• Tortillas with meat, lettuce, salsa, and black beans
• Homemade pizza with sauce, peppers, onions, and spinach
• Chicken stir fry with more veggies than rice
• Steak salad with homemade french fries
• Healthy Turkey Meatloaf

Snack Ideas

Being prepared with lots of snacks and snack ideas will help you avoid falling into the temptation of not so healthy snack ideas. So, while if you aren’t hungry you certainly don’t need to eat snacks, you don’t have to deprive yourself either. You just need some ideas!

• Any veggies
• Any fruits
• Banana with peanut butter, sunflower seeds, and mini chocolate chips
• Baked tortilla chips and salsa
• Date and Walnut Bars
• Trail Mix
• Turkey slices on crackers
• Baked apple with granola on top

Now that you have some ideas on what you can do for dieting and making your own meals, you can start planning what foods you will eat. Of course, this is only a small glimpse of the thousands of possibilities.

Have any suggestions or questions about these free weight loss meal plans? Share them in the comments below.

I don’t count calories in the Lose Free Diet, as my philosophy is if you’ve cut out sugar, are eating enough veggies, and have switched to low-fat/no-fat versions of food, chances are you’re eating the right amount of calories – and if you’re exercising you’re also burning those calories! Also most of the meals are filling enough that I’m not too often hungry in between meals.

However, once in awhile I do want a little snack, and picking a lower calorie one certainly doesn’t hurt anything! Below is my list of favorite low calorie snacks:

Pickles: Pickles are a great snack! My favorite are and always will be Claussen Pickles. Only 5 calories per pickle! Though the sodium is VERY high, so if you’re watching sodium, you may want to take that into consideration.

Salsa: Salsa is another very low calorie snack by itself – only 5 calories. However, you do have to again watch the sodium, and be careful of eating tortilla chips with it! (Though the tortilla chips won’t kill your diet, they are much higher in calories and fat – 3 Tostidos brand chips have 68 calories in them!) You can however dip a number of things in salsa besides chips – such as carrots, celery, cucumbers, lunch meat slices, and other veggies.

Peanut Butter: This is a great low calorie snack if you are craving something sweet. Each teaspoon of peanut butter is approximately only 15 calories. You can pair it on a banana which has between 80-115 calories for a low calorie snack that can also pack in some extra energy or an apple that has 50 calories for a crunchy snack.

Sugar Free Jello: Sugar free Jello is less than 10 calories per serving. Sugar free pudding is higher in calories because you mix it with milk, but it can also be a better alternative than candy or high calorie snacks.

Grapes and Berries: Grapes and berries are a great snack that fulfill the need to be munching on something. You can freeze them and eat them frozen also.

Plain yogurt: A half cup of plain yogurt has about 80 calories, if you pair it with 10 blueberries or raspberries, you have a tasty snack for less than 100 calories.

Veggies and Low-Cal Dip: Veggies such as peppers, radishes, cucumbers, and celery are very low in calorie. You can get low calorie dressing to dip them into for a tasty and crunchy snack for less than 75 calories.

Turkey, Lettuce, Cheese Roll-Ups: This is a satisfying snack you can make by rolling a slice of turkey, a slice of low calorie cheese, and a piece of lettuce. It’s like a sandwich without the bread!

Tomato: I love eating tomatoes, especially when they are ripe and in season. Slice them up, add a little salt and pepper, and you’ve got a delicious and satisfying snack for between 35-50 calories! Add 1/4 cup of tuna with that tomato, and you’re still under 100 calories.

Do you have any favorite low calorie snacks? Share them in the comments below!

Last night we made steaks and it is a very filling meal without a lot of “bad stuff”. We served with a light tossed salad made with spring greens, mozzarella cheese, and croutons with a Light Italian dressing and baked potatoes.

It’s been several years since I tried to cook a steak on my own, and in January firing up the grill isn’t exactly the most appealing thing in the world…

Fortunately, I found a site all about cooking steaks that made me remember it all pretty quickly and has all kinds of good tips for cooking a great steak.

The most difficult part about cooking a steak is getting the right doneness without it being burnt to a crisp on the outside. I’m one of those people that steak aficionados hate: I like a fillet medium well. I don’t know why, but I like my meat cooked. I don’t care so much about the flavor nearly as much as I care about how easy it is to eat. Seeing blood drip from a half cooked steak is not so appealing to me, though I know several people who will only eat their steaks cooked rare.

Yup, when you’re following the Losefree diet you can even enjoy a healthy steak dinner every so once in awhile. And no, the croutons on your salad aren’t going to wreck your diet as long as you continue to remain sugar free and exercise regularly! Remember: It’s all about balancing your meals, getting enough veggies, and staying fit that will help you lose weight for free – and for good!

Banana picture from Wikimedia Commons

Today I’ve decided to dedicate an entire post to bananas. Why? Because not only are bananas great tasting, but they also can help satisfy sweet cravings and are an excellent source of potassium! Bananas can be a great snack to eat when you are feeling low in energy, but don’t have the time to take a nap, such as while out running errands or working.

My favorite snack with the banana is bananas and peanut butter – simply slice up the banana, spread a little no sugar added peanut butter and you’ve got a healthy and satisfying snack.

This post is also partially inspired by a great “mostly sugar free” banana bread recipe I found on this banana bread recipe site. It was a lot different than traditional recipes, so I decided to try making it myself and was pretty pleased with the results.

Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients:
3 Mashed Bananas
2 cups flour (We used whole wheat, naturally!)
2 eggs
1/3 cup butter (I substituted 1/3 cup no fat margarine)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
10 pitted prunes (cut into small pieces) (I left this one out, prunes aren’t something I keep on hand at the house!)
10 pitted dried apricots (cut into small pieces) – I did have these so figured I’d try it!
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup all-bran cereal (I used Total)
1/3 cup maple syrup (ours is sugar free of course!)

Directions: Combine mashed bananas, cereal, milk and dried fruit. Beat butter, maple syrup, and eggs and stir into the cereal mixture. Mix remaining dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and stir in. Spread into greased bread pan and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until center is firm.

I was really shocked at the results – it wasn’t too sweet, but it certainly didn’t seem like anything was missing either! Also I think the cereal and apricots added a nice touch to the flavor of this banana bread.

Granted, it’s not “sugar free” since bananas naturally have sugar and even no-sugar maple syrup will add some sugar in large quantities. Overall though, I found it to be a nice alternative to the rest of the sugar loaded banana bread and muffin recipes I had tried in the past.

Here are Some More Ideas to Include Bananas in Your Diet:

In a fruit smoothie
In low-fat yogurt
On top of whole grain cereals or oatmeal
In a fruit salad
Open faced peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread

While I wouldn’t recommend going to a strict banana diet (and yes, there is such a thing!) adding bananas into your regular meals can be an easy – and delicious way – to make sure you are getting enough fruit servings and sweeten up any dish without the need for sugar.

What do you say? Do you like bananas? What are some of your favorite ways to eat bananas?

Making juice is relatively easy – often a blender or food processor will work, and there are many fantastic juicers available such as the one pictured above.

While fruit juices are sweet and yummy (and we did include one in the list below) generally it’s better if you’ve decided to add more juice to your diet that you choose vegetable juices, since enjoying fresh vegetable juice helps you get more servings of veggies at once. You can also choose to combine veggies and fruit together in your recipes for tangy and sweeter combinations.

Here are Some of Our Favorite Juice Recipes:

Orange Strawberry Banana Juice Smoothie

This smoothie is great to make when you’re in the mood to pull out your blender. You will need:

1/2 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice or no sugar added natural orange juice
1 Banana
3-4 large Strawberries, tops removed
Ice Cubes if desired (adding more ice will make it more of a “smoothie”)

Mix all ingredients in blender until smooth. Each smoothie counts as 2 servings of fruit.

Carrot Juice
Carrot juice is a healthy way to squeeze your veggies in.

You will need:
1 Carrot, peeled and cut into smaller pieces to fit in your blender
1 apple, peeled and cored

Blend ingredients until it has reached a liquid consistency. You could also use a juicer. This recipe counts as 1 veggie serving and 1 fruit serving.

Pineapple Carrot Juice

You will need:
1 Carrot
3-4 slices of pineapple

Juice or Blend ingredients together and serve over ice if desired. Counts as one veggie and one fruit serving.

Pepper Juice
1 Carrot
1/2 cup Green or Red Pepper seeds removed
Celery, if desired
1/2 Cucumber, peeled & seeds removed

Juice all ingredients together. This may make 2 servings of juice depending on the size of the peppers and cucumbers.

Tomato Juice
Tomato juice is a great treat to have with lunch or even breakfast.

You will need:
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1 stalk celery
1 cucumber
Salt and Pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients together and enjoy.

Leafy Grape Juice
Green leafy vegetables are the most beneficial to eat, but it can be hard to get enough servings each day. This juice gives you an excuse to eat more!

You will need:
1/2 cup of seedless red or green grapes
1 cup of green leafy lettuce or fresh spinach
1 apple, peeled, cored, and sliced

Juice all ingredients together.

If you’re looking for more juice recipes, you may want to also check out some of these books available inexpensively below (or free at your local library!)

Amazon.com Widgets

Do you have any favorite juice recipes for weight loss? Share them in the comments below.