Fast Friday post! Being that March is national nutrition month, it’s a great time to get creative with vegetables. A few of you have mentioned over the years that you wished you liked vegetables more or you weren’t sure how to add more of them into your life. I am going to show you a few delicious, creative ways to add more vegetables to your diet (that are not salads).
How to painlessly add more vegetable to your diet
Breakfast ideas
Yes, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day and a perfect opportunity to get a running start on your veggie consumption. Add handfuls of spinach to omelets, primavera baked egg muffins in tortillas or frittatas. Try a savory oatmeal bake or this easy squash & spinach goat cheese casserole with lots of hidden veggies. With just a few minutes of prep, your first meal of the day is the easiest way to add more vegetables to your diet.
Soups
If you are a salad eater, double up on whichever veggies are your favorite. Vegetable soups are the easiest way to add in a full day’s supply of nutrients. Puree carrots, zucchini, and or red peppers and hide them in this creamy roasted red pepper tomato-based soup. The kids/spouses won’t even notice. This triple mushroom zucchini ramen is a low calorie, low carb option full of nutrients.
Sandwiches and Such
Sandwiches offer up a perfect canvas to add more vegetables. This Mushroom and Spinach Hummus Melt is ready in minutes and who can say no to its cheesy goodness? You won’t even taste the zucchini in these Zucchini Waffles Grilled Cheese Waffles. How about some Squash, spinach, and feta fritters the whole family will love?
Snacks
Bake carrots and zucchini into muffins or savory bread like these blueberry, banana, carrot, and zucchini squares.No one will know they are in there! Cut up veggies of different colors and textures so they are ready for snacking all week. Dip them into hummus or your fave salad dressing or cream cheese.
winning Dinner Ideas
When my kids were younger, I roasted and pureed eggplant and peppers into their pasta sauce. Vegetable Enchilada Lasagna anyone? Try out some bean or veggie-based no meat vegan portobello mushroom meatballs Treat yourself to a homemade pizza with fun veggie toppings. Let everyone customize their own Eggroll in a Bowl.
Finally, discover new ways to make the vegetables that you do like. Make a list of them and do a search on Pinterest. (You are following me on Pinterest right?) It’s fun to find new recipes to get excited about and get out of the vegetable rut. There are so many ways to add more vegetables to your diet that are not salads. Cook well, eat well, be well.
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I think i put veggies in almost EVERYTHING. But my tactic is to have enough during the day so that if I don’t end up with a balanced dinner (say I have to rush to training and end up having a sandwich) everything after my working hours is an added bonus 🙂
That is a great plan!
I love adding extra veggies to eggs or smoothies for breakfast. Recently I have tried to add more veggies when I eat salads for lunch or dinner.
Sometimes I just open my fridge and take out all the veggies I have and try to come up with some kind of interesting combo. Even if it is just a a salad, it’s better when it’s packed w a variety
I’ll put some veggies in my smoothies! For me, that’s always a good way to get my veggies.
Yes it definitely is! I like the crunch of veggies
Thanks.
I’m not good about my veggies. Usually only at dinner.
Maybe some of these tips will help you!
YES! I love these tips to add veggies. I love adding carrots to tomato soup. SUch a great way to get more nutrients. I think it adds some sweetness to the soup too.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Carrots are great in soups and baked goods I agree
Great tips. I need to start eating more veggies into my diet.
Hope some of these tips help you get those veggies in
I love filling my salads with a ton of veggies.
The best thing I’ve done to ensure I am eating veggies is to find the ones I like and experiment with different ways to cook them. If you don’t like veggie A then don’t buy it and just find the one you like is so important.
Yes that is a great way to start eating more of them
These are great tips! I love adding vegetables to frittatas, especially for my little one.
Frittatas are always good!
Green smoothies are a great way to get in some extra veggies!
they are a great choice!
When I made that red pepper/tomato soup, I was amazed at how easy it was to puree the veggies ((DUH)). Wish I’d done that sooner 😉
Yes so easy! So glad that you liked it
These are GREAT tips. I could definitely try them on my husband. He’s such a slacker when it comes to eating veggies. That savory zucchini bread sounds delicious. I will give it a try next week.
My husband is the worst! I am embarrassed to admit it
Veggie soups are so good!
They sure are! I have another great one to share tomorrow too
We are fairly decent about getting in our veggies. We all love salads and little man is especially good about eating his greens.
I’ve never thought of a savory oatmeal bake.
It sounds like your son is open to eating veggies which is fabulous. I have a few great savory oatmeal bakes that I return to over and over again all winter. You can find them in my recipe list at the top
Love it! I also sneak vegetables into desserts (avocado pudding or nice cream with spinach tossed in!). Even savory waffles with butternut squash as the egg replacer.
Savory waffles are so good! Have not made those in a while perhaps it’s time again
These are such great ideas! I’m all about adding more veggies in!
Thanks hope you find some ideas that work for you all as well
Hi Deborah,
My kids love soup with veggies. Looking for some ideas on it and already I tried your one but they didn’t like it that much, their reply is ‘sweet’ on it. If you have any, please share. Thanks
These are all great tips, and that lasagna looks amazing- I may have to make it next week!!!
Thanks! It is one of my favorites when you cannot decide between enchiladas and lasagna
Soups are my go-to when I need to get more veggies in my vegetable – resistant husband. Sandwiches are great for that too.
I have one of those husbands too!
Oh, that red pepper tomato soup! Just realized I haven’t made that in awhile…and I have some peppers on hand 🙂
very convenient! 🙂
Salads are my go to. I like the crunch of fresh veggies and tend to have texture issues with the cooked ones, although I do like omelets. Sandwiches from JustSalad are my close second.
I’m also a sucker for baby carrots or green peppers in Marzetti dip. For guacamole, I need chips but for dips I’m usually happier with veggies – less salty
I also love salads and I love the crunch of veggies in hummus or dressing.now you have me craving some guacamole 🙂
LOL. You made me think about hummus, so we’re even. For some reason I don’t tend to buy that as often. Now wondering why and will probably come home with some.
I had avocado toast the other day for the first time since I think the marathon. I think it’s going to translate into a “need” for some guacamole.
I went through an avocado phase myself!
I’ve been thinking about making some homemade pasta sauce with veggies. Usually I get some added fruits and veggies by adding them into smoothies!
I love to blend veggies in spaghetti sauce so easy
I rely on roasting veggies and soups in the winter and I’m looking forward to grilling veggies as it warms up – plus salads and smoothies are always good options. I feel like I’m pretty good about getting my veggies in, but my husband is a whole other story!
Thanks for linking up 🙂
OH I won’t even tell you the struggles I face with my husband!
These are all great! My favorite meal is breakfast but lately am rushing in the morning so I quickly make a smoothie with oatmeal. I haven’t used spinach in a while but am thinking I need to use it again. I don’t eat a lot of vegetables but try to add them whenever I can.
always good to find new ways to use veggies
Soups and sauces are such an easy way to cram in more vegetables. Sometimes I have to get creative with our cooking but we are usually pretty good about getting our rainbow.
It is fun to get creative as well
I try to add greens to my eggs and smoothies. But that veggie sandwich looks so good!
Yes it’s a good one!
I’m good with veggies but I struggle a lot with fruit, I’ll have to try the blueberry bread
OH I know you will love it
Love all of these ideas! While I love veggies, the rest of the family here does not. I do puree veggies into sauces for the kids and they do enjoy raw carrots so there’s that. I also sneak some fresh spinach into the greens I put out for taco toppings but the struggle is real!
Oh I hear you! My husband is really a struggle which is rather ironic
I love veggies! I wish I could get my husband to eat more of them. He has a very limited palate when it comes to veggies. I definitely am fond of sneaking them in where I can!
For instance, i have a recipe of pesto which uses kale or spinach. It may not be his favorite, but he does eat it. 🙂
Such yummy recipes, Deborah!
my husband is a lost cause! KInd of ironic huh?
I love all these ideas! I live with a total carnivore and anything green he is picking out. I keep sneaking them in when I can 🙂
Your husband sounds a lot like my husband
This is so helpful! I need to start eating more vegetables.
glad that I gave you some ideas!
Great tips to include vegetables in the food. I love soups. And vegetable soup is my favourite.
thanks hope I gave you some new ideas
Thanks for sharing