Tips for Getting Your Veggies in

 Part two on my series of helping you to eat more veggies!   In part one, we looked what counts as a serving. See- Part One Eating Your Veggies- What is a Serving?.  refToday's post is all about tips and tricks to help you get veggies in.  I will be very honest here and say that I generally don't like veggies.  I have a few I can tolerate, but I am not one of those people who loves a good salad or likes to much on carrots if I have a choice.  I now have a two year old who I really try and model good habits for, so I have been making a better effort on serving veggies more often.  I am pretty proud of myself for getting on board with green smoothies- and they are surprisingly tasty.  (I see a future post on green smoothies in the works.) So, between Shakeology, and the tips below, I hope you can gain some new ideas to help you become a healthier version of yourself, whatever your reason may be.

Some tips for getting your veggies in:

1. Fill your plate with half veggies (fruit can count too, and does complement a salad nicely. Just be sure you aren't doing all fruit, as veggies are lower in calories and have necessarily nutrients as well.)
2. Put them in a smoothie.  Apple juice, baby spinach, a few raspberries make the best green smoothie!  Pairing veggies with fruit and/or yogurt in a smoothie is an easy way to get a couple quick servings of raw vegetable.
3. Find new ways to use veggies.  Vegetable muffins, zucchini cakes, spinach manicotti, eggplant parmesan, etc.  By using vegetables with other ingredients, you open up a lot of possibilities to add in veggies in a way that isn't overpowering.  I recently found a recipe for some excellent vegetable muffins, and I added blueberries for a little something more- I really love them! (Veggie Muffins)
4.  Eat the rainbow. The most brightly colored produce is often the most nutrient-rich, so it’s important to eat a wide variety of colorful vegetables—particularly dark green, red and orange vegetables.  When your plate is visually appealing, it seems more appetizing.
5.  Potatoes do count.  Potatoes have gotten a bad name, and sweet potatoes are one of the top foods for eating clean.  You can put a little bit of coconut oil, nutmeg, and cinnamon on a baked sweet potato and it is heaven!  Potatoes are packed with potassium, so rethink your ban on potatoes. (By the way, 1 medium sweet potato or 1 cup of cooked or mashed potato is a serving.)
6. Add veggies into dishes you already like- layer zucchini slices, chopped spinach, or cooked carrots into lasagna. Stir broccoli or cauliflower florets into macaroni and cheese. Toss
7. Eat soup. Embellish your favorite soups with added veggies. Some homemade soups already contain a nice amount of vegetables, but most canned and commercial choices can stand to have their veggie quota bumped up. Just add the raw or frozen vegetables while you are cooking or heating the soup. (Side note: In general, homemade soup is better than the canned version which has preservatives and lots of sodium!)
8. Load your salads with veggies you prefer.  The options include cucumber, grated carrots, zucchini, green beans, onions, radishes, jicama, tomato, broccoli or cauliflower florets. 
9. Use spinach or other dark greens as a base for your salad.  Iceburg lettuce lacks a lot of the nutrients the darker leaves have.
   
10. Serve your veggies raw. Raw veggies can be more appetizing than their cooked counterparts to people who aren't crazy about vegetables. The flavors of raw veggies can be milder than those of cooked ones. And the texture is crispy, rather than mushy.  Paired with hummus, this is a perfect snack for even those who don't love veggies.
11.  Take your veggies skinny dipping. There's nothing like a little light ranch dressing or onion dip to make a platter of raw veggies disappear. Make it super easy by using bottled light ranch, bleu cheese, or Italian dressing. To make light onion dip, stir onion soup mix into some fat-free or light sour cream. (As mentioned before, hummus is a great complement to veggies and packs some protein for a balanced, clean snack.)
12. Sneak in the veggies. Most people like spaghetti and pizza, which makes them a good place to sneak in some vegetables. Chop any vegetables your family likes (zucchini, onions, eggplant, broccoli, celery, carrots) and add them to the spaghetti sauce. The smaller you chop them, the less likely anyone will notice that they're there. Vegetables can also be a tempting topping for your pizza, adding fiber and nutrients. Any combination of the following will work well: fresh tomato, onion, bell pepper, mushroom, zucchini, artichoke hearts, fresh basil leaves, and chopped spinach. You can add veggies to quesadillas and omelets as well.
13. Drink your veggies. There are several good veggie juices on the market (V-8 or carrot juice), even veggie-fruit juice blends that taste great. Or, create your own veggie blend juice by blending some carrot juice with a fruit juice.
14.  Make them fun. Some vegetables are just more fun to eat than others. Corn on the cob (especially when grilled) continues to be fun into adulthood. So are veggie kabobs, and celery sticks filled with natural peanut butter or light cream cheese. And a zucchini half, tomato, bell pepper, or portobello mushroom stuffed with a savory filling can be as elegant as it is fun.
15. Grill your veggies.  Before grilling, just brush veggies lightly with canola or olive oil, light Italian dressing, or the marinade you're using for your meat (make sure to use marinade that hasn't touched the raw meat). Large pieces can go straight onto the grill (portobello mushrooms, zucchini halves, large pieces of eggplant, asparagus spears). String smaller pieces onto a skewer for a veggie kabob.
16. When all else fails, you can always sprinkle a little grated, reduced-fat cheese over the top. If cheese sauce is more your style, drizzle it over vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower and suddenly, it's a whole different ball game.  This is not the weight loss version, but rather is focused on building a positive connection to veggies, so this works best for kids and not as a daily way to serve veggies.
17. Make veggie chips. Kale chips, spinach chips, zucchini chips- I've recently tried all of these and they are a great snack.  There are several recipes, but in general, drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and some Italian seasoning, bake until crispy.  Delicious!
18. Try a new vegetable each week.  There are all sorts of vegetables and fruits that are interesting, but we never stop to check them out.  Make it a priority to try a new vegetable or fruit each week.  You may find some really surprising results if you have an open mind. (I never ate mushrooms until about a year ago when I found a recipe on the gnocchi box for gnocchi with mushroom sauce.  I decided to give it a try, and both my husband I became mushroom eaters.  It did take an open mind though!  And by the way, grilled portabellos were a result of being open minded and they are so tasty!)
19. Have a meatless Monday (or any other day of the week.)  Make this a chance to try vegetarian dishes featuring vegetables.  There are lots of possibilities, even if you are a meat lover. How does Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables sound?
    
20. Speaking of roasted vegetables, try it out!  I never liked asparagus until I tried roasting it.  Toss asparagus in some olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast until slightly tender.  I now have roasted veggies for dinner at least once a week.  My favorite combo is asparagus, sweet potato, and red potatoes. (The potatoes take longer to roast.)  I often have leftover veggies that I toss in pasta with some mozzarella and balsamic for another meal.

 What are your favorite ways to get in your veggies?  I'm always looking for more ideas!