Have your veggies.. and eat them too!

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It is recommended to eat 4-6 servings of vegetables a day, and if you ask 10 people if they do this, I bet you will see many guilty faces! I decided to prompt my friends (and even some strangers!) with a few questions about veggies, here are some of the responses I got: 

  1. "They're not convenient. I mean, an apple or banana is quick, but I can't just grab a bundle of  kale and eat it on my way to work."
  2. "I have no clue what chard is. Isn't that the card we used in college to get food?" 
  3. "I love vegetables, but I'm not a very good cook, and you can only eat so many carrots."

It's true. Vegetables aren't as convenient as a bag of chips, and there are a ton of foreign veggies many don't know how to cook, and yes! raw veggies only go so far. So here are a few tricks I have learned while becoming a veggie loverl: 

  • Prepare your vegetables when you have the time. Cut up broccoli, carrots, onions, peppers, beets, and anything else you use into small pieces and keep them in the fridge. You are more likely to eat them if they are quick and convenient. 
  • Steaming is quick and easy! Grab a pot, add about 1-2 inches of water and bring to a boil, put your veggies in a steamer basket, and steam veggies for 5-15 min with the lid on depending on their density. You will have cooked, warmed veggies really quick! *NOTE: Almost always you can find a steamer basket at goodwill, otherwise, most grocery stores have them for $5-6.
  • Saute veggies with potatoes and breakfast sausage (or tofu) with an egg for a really quick and easy breakfast. Usually this will be anywhere from 2-3 servings of veggies! You're half way there for the day!
  • Opt for a sandwich or wrap as a salad. Many restaurants will swap the bread/wrap and give you extra greens to make it into a salad. 
  • Use dips. Dipping raw vegetables into hummus, homemade ranch, dill, or yogurt can be an easy way to spice up your precut veggies for a quick snack. 
  • Pack small baggies with veggies to snack on. If they are available, you will most likely eat them!
  • Have a favorite soup? Add chopped kale right at the end. Kale is a stiffer green so it will hold its shape longer. Plus, if you are not a fan of the taste, you can barely taste it when it's added with other ingredients. 
  • Green smoothies! Start basic and adjust/explore from there! Here is an easy recipe: 1 cup berries of your choice, 1 medium banana, 1 cup liquid (almond milk, coconut water, water), and 1 cup spinach. Add ice if you are not using frozen berries. Blend all these together and enjoy! Get creative using other leafy greens, chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp powder, alfalfa, wheat grass, etc. The possibilities are limitless! 
  • Make cooking fun! Check out these resources-
  • Check out the recipe's I'm trying (or going to try) on my Pinterest page!