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Login Here Signup Here Signup using FacebookLove, love, love this place. New to the forums and have a question. Does anyone know how quickly veggies lose their nutritional value after being peeled, cut, chopped, etc.? I'm wondering how much nutrition would be lost if I prepared veggies a day ahead and stored them in the frig in an airtight container for juicing or blending the next day. Is the time saved preparing veggies in advance worth the nutrition lost?
By the way...my husband got me this upright carrot peeler. This is one of the most amazing kitchen gadgets I've ever seen. Has anyone here tried it?
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So, from reading previous posts it's looking like the time saved is worth the nutrition lost. Heck, if broccoli forgotten in the fridge can produce flowers, then I should be okay prepping veggies about 12 hours in advance.
Any comments?
Thanks!
If it makes your life easier, I think it's okay to peel and/chop enough veggies to last today and tomorrow. I can definitely notice a difference by the third day, though. To encourage my better half to make better snack choices, I will chop celery, carrots and red bell peppers into strips for dipping. Heartier veggies will fare better than high water content ones, like cucumbers or tomatoes. I would consume those on the same day as I chopped them.
I tend to chop and eat my veggies right at the moment I want to consume them, but I have that luxury since I work from home. If I had to pack a lunch for work, though, I'd definitely be chopping my veggies either that morning or the evening before.
Another approach might be the old macrobiotic standby: pressed salads. You can shred carrots, celery, other root veggies, cabbage, onions, etc., then lightly salt and press the water out of them for 30 minutes (or up to 1 day). Obviously, this changes the texture and flavour, but you'll create a mixed vegetable salad of sorts that you can eat by the spoonful along with whatever else you are making. It's an interesting way to get a little variety in your day.
Great suggestions, 1sweetpea. Thank you!
My husband is wanting to get on board with me on January 1st. I've made drinks for him in the past, but now he's wanting to learn how to do it himself. If I can wash and prep a day ahead of time, it will save me time at lunch plus it will hopefully make it more convenient for him to start a new and very positive habit. :) There are times I get home from work and I'm starving. That's when it's super tempting go grab something conventional. If I can load up the Vita-Mix with pre-prepped veggies for a smoothie or some soup, I'll be recharged and ready to prepare for the next day. Thanks again for the ideas!
Never tried a pressed salad before. Sounds delicious!
May I ask what line of business you are in that allows you to work from home?
I definitely agree with prepping ahead. Many times we'll make something like sushi rolls and any leftover veggies go into tomorrow's lunch salad or whatnot.
Josephine, I'm an editor. My SOs second business is a company that creates trivia games. We have an online game and pub-based live hosted trivia league that is played in bars and restaurants across North America. It's still a very young company, but growing in leaps and bounds. I edit all the trivia content as well as write most of what appears on our websites, press releases and newsletters. He writes the trivia questions for the trivia league. I am the guinea pig for content and the editor of the material. I also create the "name that tune-esque" song clips, which is a lot of fun.
The set-up works great for us as a couple. He works like a slave, while I work regular hours and keep a clean, comfortable home and create great meals. I keep him healthy and well-fed, while he provides the means to make it all happen (nice home, great lifestyle). We are able to travel for 6 weeks every year, which is pretty unheard-of in North American workplaces, but the sacrifice for me is a pretty crummy salary right now, while the company is getting off the ground. It will be worth it, though, to see his brainchild become a great success.
My passion is writing, so in my spare time, I'm working on my own writing projects, which will hopefully be published and read by others one day soon. After battling eating disorders for many years, I have decided to write about my experiences in the hopes that I can positively affect someone else's life and steer them in a better direction. Now that I am in a great head-space, I have a need to share my story and provide inspiration to anyone who has self-esteem/self-worth issues and a negative relationship with food.
I'd love to learn more about you and other Goneraw members. Do you work and if so, what type of work do you do?
Wow, 1sweetpea, what a great concept. And what a great job, even if the pay is lousy at the moment. :)
I'll bet your writings will help countless people around the world deal with their eating disorders in a positive way. Sure sounds like now is the perfect time to make it all happen.
Me? I've been a secretary / administrative assistant since the 10th grade. I'm in my mid-40's now and so tired of the daily grind. I want more than anything to make a living from home...but I just haven't found my niche yet. My time will come. ;)
Warmest wishes for success beyond your wildest dreams - to you and your SO. I'd love to see updates about your journey posted to GoneRaw.
Hmmm ... e-mail me and I'll happily keep in touch while travelling. I don't have a blog or personal webpage, so e-mail or Facebook are my only ways to communicate.