40 Plant Foods Challenge - Winter Edition

Remember when I did the 40 plant foods challenge (Lead by happyhealthymama) back in June? I mentioned in that post that maybe I should do it again in the Winter to see if I also get enough variety when there isn't so much produce in season. Since I live in America I can ALWAYS buy fruits, vegetables, and all kinds of other plant foods regardless of the season, but since I usually stick to the sale items, and not as much produce is on sale this time of year, I thought maybe I lacked variety in the Winter. The past week was the test!

This time I categorized everything according to food types rather than showing the list based on which items I added each day like I did last time. In comparison to the challenge I did in June, I did eat a little bit less fruits and veggies, and I ate a lot more nuts and seeds. This is no surprise to me since I have been eating a lot more nuts and seeds in general. I think if I did the challenge again in the Summer, even if the fruit and veggie categories were a bit higher again, there would still be an increase in the nuts and seeds category.

 Spices and Herbs:

1. oregano
2. basil
3. Cinnamon
4. Chili Powder
5. Ginger
6. Cumin
7. Paprika
8. Black pepper

Legumes:

1. Black beans
2. Red lentils
3. Green lentils
4. Peanuts

Fruits:

1. Pear
2. Cranberries
3. Clementine
4. Apple
5. Grapefruit
6. Banana
7. Blueberries
8. Orange
9. Tomatoes

Nuts and Seeds:

1. Sesame seeds
2. Flax seeds
3. Chia seeds
4. Psyllium Husk
5. Pecans
6. Almonds
7. Cashews
8. Brazil nuts
9. Walnuts

Vegetables:

1. Broccoli
2. Kale
3. Carrot
4. Brussels sprouts
5. Sweet potatoes
6. Sweet onions
7. Red bell peppers
8. Red potatoes
9. Green Beans
10. Garlic

Grains:

1. Oats

Total: 41

I am very happy with my total of 41 different plant foods in a week. In June I had 44 total plant foods, including 5 more veggies for the week and 3 more fruits, but my nuts and seeds category went from 2 to 9! A few of the ways I've been enjoying more nuts and seeds are these crackers, these granola bars, and all kinds of energy bites (black bean chocolate peanut butter, carrot cake, and honey nut bars are all great).

If you're looking to add more plants to your diet and aren't sure where to start, let me recommend a few of my favorites:

honey lime sweet potato tacos

warm fall harvest salad

sweet potato-carrot-apple-red lentil soup

massaged kale salad with lentils sweet potatoes and caramelized onions.

Enjoy!