We all know that vegetables are important in our diet as they are rich in nutrients and antioxidants. They boost your health and are great for weight management.
However, most of us don’t eat enough vegetables and some find that eating the recommended servings can be hard. Even getting children to eat their veggies can be a struggle. Even for those who like veggies, it can be challenging to eat the recommended servings daily, especially when you are craving for a rich and creamy mac and cheese. It’s tough to ignore when that craving hit.
What if there are delicious ways to trick yourself into eating veggies without compromising the flavours of the dish? Let’s learn how to incorporate vegetables into your meals so you’ll get your recommended servings of veggies.
Veggie-based soups
Adding veggies into your soups is a great way to consume multiple servings at once. You can even make the veggies as the base of your soup by pureeing them, or adding them into cream-based soups. Even adding a little extra veggie into your meat-based soups can increase your intake of fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Vegetable lasagna
A great way to “hide” your veggies from your picky eaters. By layering the lasagna with zucchini and eggplant with a rich tomato sauce base and cheese, you can make it pasta-free. It’s an awesome dish for those who want a carb-free meal that’s rich in nutrients.
Oodles of veggie noodles
Love your pasta but on a low-carb diet? How about making veggie noodles? If you have a spiralizer, you can insert your veggies and just process them into noodle-like shapes. You can even shred them, slice it with a mandoline or just cut them. Veggies like zucchini, carrots, spaghetti squash and sweet potatoes can be turned into veggie noodles. Once the “noodles” are made, you can combine them with any pasta sauce and other vegetables or meat.
Hide the veggies in sauces
Picky kids at home? Sneak your veggies into your sauces and dressings. They’ll never find out they’ve been eating veggies. Chop onions, carrots, bell peppers and green leafy greens and add them to your marinara sauce or pasta sauce. Roast some root veggies and puree them to make rich sauces similar to Alfredo. Or try making your own pesto with roasted beets.
Veggie-crust pizza
Instead of your regular flour-based pizza crust, how about a cauliflower crust or sweet potato crust? It’s low in carbs yet they taste great. Combine finely chopped cauliflower with eggs and almond flour to make your crust or mash boiled sweet potatoes. You can then add your own toppings, cheese and then pop it into the oven to bake.