In today’s fast paced, fast food world, most of us need to improve our daily diet by eating more vegetables. For optimum health that means 3 to 5 servings a day. Try these twelve ways to easily (and deliciously) incorporate more veggies into your meals and snacks.
1. In the winter, make one pot meals, like soups, stews, and chowders. Use a combination of fresh and frozen vegetables. Turnips, parsnips, and other vegetables you might not enjoy on their own are quite satisfying in a hearty winter soup or stew.
2. Make a simple tossed salad part of your dinner every night. No need to wash and cut up veggies. Buy salads already prepared, so all you have to do is open the bag, put the salad in a bowl or on a plate and add some low-fat or low-calorie dressing. Toss in a few sunflower seed kernels, dried nuts, or sprouts for extra crunch and additional nutrients.
3. Trade potato chips and other high fat, high calorie snack foods for matchstick carrots. Again, buy the carrots already washed and prepared. They may seem a bit expensive but there’s no waste (if you actually eat the carrots and don’t leave them to rot in the crisper of your refrigerator).
4. Make at least one stir-fry meal a week. Experiment with various stir-fry recipes to come up with your favorite variation of vegetables, seasonings, and a small amount of meat. Use fresh veggies, or try some of the many frozen varieties of stir-fry mixes available at the supermarket.
5. Try a chicken and veggie fajita for dinner or lunch at least once a week. Simply cook diced chicken and chopped onion in a few tablespoons of oil. Add seasoning (look for fajita seasoning in the spice section of your supermarket). When the chicken has cooked all the way through, and the onions are translucent, add chopped green, yellow, and red peppers and continue cooking until they soften. Put a couple of spoonfuls of the cooked veggies and chicken in the center of a flour tortilla, add some shredded cheese, and fold as you would for a burrito.
6. Add shredded carrots or zucchini to meatloaf or meatballs.
7. Instead of a “meat lover’s pizza,” order (or make) a “veggie lover’s pizza” once in a while.
8. Serve low calorie dips with fresh veggies instead of chips and crackers.
9. If you get tired of salads, try slaw. Browse cookbooks for recipes that include red cabbage and interesting ingredients besides the ordinary green cabbage and carrots.
10. Experiment with vegetable casseroles. Broccoli and Rice is an easy one that most families will eat. You’ll find recipes for some variation of this in many cookbooks, or try the all time kid’s favorite, Green Bean Casserole.
11. Make a simple and satisfying veggie quiche for dinner once in a while. Use a frozen pie crust and all you’ll need to prepare is the filling.
12. Drink vegetable juice for a morning or afternoon snack. Also add it those hearty soups and stews you rustle up for dinner.
Once you start thinking about it, you’ll find it really isn’t that difficult to incorporate more fresh and frozen vegetables into your daily diet.
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Suzanne Lieurance is a fulltime freelance writer, children’s author, and The Working Writer’s Coach. Find out more about her writing and coaching services at [http://www.lieurancegroup.com]
