Fun + Easy Ways to Eat Your Veggies

June 16, 2020

Happy National Eat Your Vegetables Day! Whether you’re a vegan, carnivore or flex-i-tarian, we can all use a little reminder to eat our veggies every once in a while. Here are five ways to make veggie-eating a little more interesting (and delicious!)

On the Go

Put a few heaping tablespoons of your favorite hummus or nut butter at the bottom of a mason jar. Cut veggies like carrots and celery into sticks and place them into the dip. Secure the lid and take on the go! Great for a picnic or for a mid-afternoon workday snack.

In a Satisfying Salad

Here are some tips for keeping your salads tasty and not boring.

• Dressing: Make your own if you can! It’s healthier and cheaper, and can often be created using common fridge/pantry staples. Here’s a great vinaigrette recipe with a few variations. Don’t be afraid to get creative and use what you have on hand!
• Greens: Choose your greens wisely. Mix a variety of greens for your base to keep texture and flavor interesting!
  • Use fresh herbs to keep enhance flavor
  • If you’re making a kale salad, you MUST massage your kale! This creates a better mouthfeel and taste and makes it easier to digest. How do you give your kale a 5-star massage? Use about a tsp. of olive oil to one cup of kale and massage with your hands for a few minutes.
• Fruit and veggies: Choose in-season fruit and veggies to top your salad. Don’t be afraid to venture outside of raw veggies. You can roast, grill, or pickle them too!
• Here are more ideas to improve your salad from Bon Appetit!

As a Carb Switch-a-roo

Looking to dip your toe into the world of alternative noodles? Start with zucchini lasagna! No need to purchase a spiralizer or any fancy equipment to experiment in the world of veggie noodles, use a vegetable peeler (or a knife) to create long strips of zucchini (roughly the same size as a lasagna noodle) and create traditional (or not!) lasagna layers.

Here’s a great recipe from The Kitchn (also, it’s Keto if you’re into that).

Blitzed into a Smoothie

Blending veggies into your smoothie is a great way to get some extra nutrition in your breakfast (or lunch or snack or whenever you blend!) This article has three great smoothie recipes that include veggies for “beginners” aka those of us who are new to the world of adding steamed cauliflower to our morning breakfast (don’t knock it till you try it!)

No Veggie Left Behind

Got a little extra kale lying around? Went too crazy at the farmers market? Use extra veggies left over from recipes to add some new flavors to morning omelette or breakfast scramble. Another great way to use up random veggies - fried rice! Here’s a basic recipe from The Spruce to build off of. But what to do with the random parts of the veggies we don’t end up consuming? (onion skins, carrot tops, pepper cores, etc.) Store them in the freezer to make a homemade veggie stock. Here’s a recipe for veggie stock from Sweet Potato Soul . Or, if you are able to, compost!