No tasty piece of meat or sweet and delicious fruit, vegetables have a way of being pushed to the side of the plate during family meals. Fortunately, there are ways to incorporate nutrient-rich veggies into your diet without compromising the dish’s taste.
Also see: 5 Tips to make humble vegetables taste amazing
Healthline, a health and wellness publication, explains that vegetables can help boost your health and fight diseases, while also being beneficial for weight management.
The American Heart Association lists four ways to include vegetables in your family’s meals.
Shred it
Vegetables such as zucchini, carrots, and beetroot can easily be shredded and mixed into everyday meals.
They can be added to wholegrain muffins, pancakes, soups, or stir fries for an extra boost of flavour and nutrients. Furthermore, these vegetables often blend in well, so nobody will notice their inclusion.
You can use a hand grater or food processor to prepare them, or save time by buying pre-shredded veggies at the local store.
Swap it
Mushrooms are a simple way to add savoury flavour and extra nutrients to meat-based dishes.
If you’re keen, you can replace half of the mince used for burgers with the finely chopped fleshy fungus. To do this, sauté them in a little olive oil over medium heat until softened, then allow them to cool before mixing them into the mince.
Also see: Kids don’t have to hate vegetables: Delicious hacks to win over your picky eaters
Purée it
Cook and blend orange veggies, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, and butternut squash, and add them to your meals. You can stir them into cheesy dishes such as macaroni or lasagne. Replacing some of the cheese with vegetable purée can help reduce the meal’s saturated fat and sodium content, while adding fibre and nutrients.
Blend it
Getting out the blender and making a smoothie is also an easy way to increase both your fruit and vegetable intake.
For example, start with frozen fruit such as bananas, berries and mango, then add vegetables like spinach or cooked carrots. Blend with low-fat milk, plain yoghurt, water, or a splash of juice. For extra flavour, fresh ginger or cinnamon may do the trick.
Also see: Why you should eat more leafy green vegetables
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