Over and over it's the same message "eat more vegetables".
We heard it as a kid, and all through our lives.
But how?
It's hard when you don't enjoy the taste of them. It's hard when you don't know how to include them into meals.
In fact, it's so hard to eat vegetables that over 90% of Australians don't meet the recommended guidelines of 5 servings a day (that's a lot).
So, if you're struggling to eat your vegetables, this list is for you!
1 - Salad Dressing. Seriously, if you don't like the salads you're eating, it's probably because it's too boring and plain. Add a dressing, add cheese, add crunchy noodles.
2 - A Big Veggie Roast. So quick and easy. Useful for roast dinners or meal preps. Chuck in potatoes, pumpkin, zucchini, onion, tomato, capsicum... the list is endless.
3 - Add Honey. Similar to salad dressing, I like to add honey and salt to my sautéed veg, it adds a little sweetness and makes it 1000x more enjoyable.
4 - Cheesy Veggie Bake. Melted cheese makes everything better, especially vegetables. Use this for cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, capsicum and serve it one the side.
5 - Blended Veggie Pasta Sauce. Pick your favourite style of pasta sauce and try to recreate it. Blend tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs and capsicum together for a rich tomato based sauce. Or blend spinach, rocket, garlic, basil and parmesan together for a pesto sauce. Or try your own!
6 - A Good Bowl of Soup. Perfect for the cooler weather, go a smooth and creamy soup, or a hearty chunky soup. Make it your self or buy it pre-made.
7 - Sneak it into Smoothies. Spinach is the perfect candidate to be added to smoothies, it does make it a funny colour, but it doesn't alter the taste.
8 - Mac N Cheese. Get the best of both worlds by adding vegetables such as broccoli, carrot or peas to your favourite cheesy pasta.
9 - Dips N Chips. Make your own favourite dip. Try a roasted capsicum or a hummus. Or buy your favourite dip and cut up veggie sticks to eat with.
10 - Stuffed Capsicums. Use the vegetable as a bowl and fill it with rice, quinoa, minced meat, beans. Up to you! Melt cheese on top and you've got a jam packed nutritious meal.
11 - Pico De Gallo. This Mexican style side dish can compliment just about anything. I add it to salads, to taco bowls, to wraps, to burgers, on toast with eggs... literally anything.
12 - Potatoes. I think I should remind you, potatoes are a vegetable. They are packed with fibre and nutrients. Boil em, mash em, stick em is a stew....
13 - Broccoli Cheesy Bites. This fun spin on tater-tots is perfect for a snack, and entree or for kids.
14 - Carrot Cake Oats. Recreate this beloved cake as a warm bowl of oats.
15 - Spinach and Ricotta Quiche. Use as a side or as a full meal.
16 - Veggie Pizza. Make it a date night or a family fun night and make pizzas at home. Go the extra mile and try making the dough yourself!
17 - Veggie Fritters. Use corn, carrot or zucchini to make these delicious snacks.
18 - Bruschetta. Perfect for a date night, an entree, a breakfast or a snack! Make it more traditional, or add a little variety.
19 - Spinach, tomato and feta pull apart. Making your own bread is bringing this to the fancy new level! Try it for dinner parties.
20 - Parmesan Zucchini Bites. Great for a side dish paired with steak or grilled chicken!
21 - Rice Paper Rolls. These are a fun dinner to add to the rotation. They are fresh, light and can be done in so many different ways.
22 - Veggie Skewers. Perfect for any summer grilling. Have it just a vegetables, or pair it with meat or halloumi. Add fruit such as peach and pineapple to add some extra pop.
23 - Spinach and Ricotta stuffed pasta shells! I love this trend at the moment, a fun way to eat your pasta and get veggies in.
24 - Buddha Bowls. I love doing these near the end of the week when I running low in ingredients. Start with a bed of rice or quinoa, then throw in any leftover veg and meats.
25 - Summer Salad. This watermelon, cucumber, mint and feta salad will be your new favourite when the weather warms up.
26 - Avocado Toast. Bring back the basics, avocado is incredible, full of fibre and healthy fats. Top the toast with red onion, tomatoes, edamame beans and egg to give it a nice boost.
27 - Frozen Peas. These bad boys can be added to almost any dish. Butter chicken, pesto pasta and risotto are my favourites.
28 - Black bean brownies. Adding vegetables into sweet dishes are a great way to sneak them in.
29 - Side dishes. Utilise these side dishes to spice up meals you usually eat. Try grilled corn topped with butter and herbs, chilli and salt on edamame beans, or a cherry tomato salad.
30 - The Ultimate Sandwich. Stop with the plain old ham and cheese sandwich on plain old white bread. Try a gourmet styled sandwich. Add grilled chicken, avocado, bean sprouts, rocket, red onion, grated carrots and cucumber. Make it as out there as you wish. I seriously hated sandwiches before I decided to level them up and make them fancy.
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