If getting your family to eat more vegetables is something on your to-do list, you'll want to keep reading!
While slipping vegetables into your family's diet may appear devious, my technique isn't about "tricking" them into eating more vegetables. I recommend gradually expanding your family's exposure to plant foods while also modeling the behavior you want to instill. To put it another way, preach what you teach!
I understand that
including more vegetables in your meal might be difficult, especially when
you're dealing with picky eaters and competing interests, but it is feasible!
Here are a few of my
tried-and-true methods for incorporating vegetables into your family's favorite
recipes.
DOUBLE YOUR VEGETABLES
Simply doubling the
vegetables already in a recipe is one method to sneak in more vegetables. This
is fantastic in pasta dishes, casseroles, soups, and stews. So, if a recipe
asks for 1 cup of broccoli, use 2 cups instead. Another approach to
implementing this idea is to increase the number of vegetables depending on the
serving size. This Grilled Chicken With Zucchini-Asparagus Saute, for example,
serves four people. You could increase both amounts of veggies to match 1 cup
of cooked veg per serving if you use 3 cups of zucchini and 2 cups of asparagus
(4 cups of each veggie).
Use colorful foods like
rainbow carrots or yellow peppers as a bonus suggestion. You'll have a more
colorful lunch, and younger children may like eating purple or red carrots
instead of orange carrots.
SHRED IT AND FORGET
ABOUT IT
Adding shredded or finely
diced vegetables to family favorites is simple. When creating burgers or other
meat meals, use mushrooms instead of half of the ground beef. Carrots and
celery are easy to disguise in meat recipes (consider using a white carrot if
you have finicky diners). In addition, "like" vegetables,
particularly root vegetables, can be added to recipes. Add parsnips or turnips
to the sheet pan when roasting potatoes. If you're roasting sweet potatoes, add
some diced butternut squash. Serve a plant-based gravy-like Mushroom Gravy if
your dish requires a sauce.
Muffins, pancakes,
bread, and waffles with finely shredded zucchini or cooked carrot and sweet
potato. Cauliflower that has been cooked can be easily used in casseroles and
mac and cheese. Butternut squash diced works well in chili. And the most
excellent way to get more vegetables is to make your veggie burgers.
Make a cauliflower mash
to serve alongside roast chicken or pot roast to increase the number of
vegetables in those recipes.
YAY FOR THE VEGETABLE
PUREE!
To add taste and
nutrients, blend fruit and vegetables. To prepare a delightful veggie puree for
smoothies, yogurt, or oatmeal, blend blueberries, banana, red cabbage,
cauliflower, mango, and strawberries. Pumpkin or squash purée can be added to
store-bought pancake or waffle mixes and your favorite bran muffin recipe.
Chocolate chip cookies are also a terrific way to use sweet potato purée.
Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable that may be used in various dishes—Toss pasta sauce with a simple cauliflower puree. If you don't want to serve the roasted cauliflower on top, you can leave it out, and they'll still get it in the sauce. Cauliflower can be steamed and puréed or finely grated and added to scrambled eggs, porridge, smoothies, mashed potatoes, or soup.
Blended soups are
another excellent way to include more vegetables into your diet. The key is to
combine soups with similar-colored vegetables. No one will notice if you blend
carrot puree into butternut squash soup or spinach puree into blended asparagus
soup. What vegetables are you talking about?
Mash the avocado into
chocolate pudding, smoothies, dips, and refried beans for an extra burst of
fiber and nutrients.
PIZZA FOR THE WIN
Pizza is a great way to
get more vegetables on the table. A regular cheese pizza can be enhanced with
sauteed spinach, finely sliced broccoli, mushrooms, or roasted red peppers. The
finely diced component is the key here. Smaller vegetable bits may not appeal
to discriminating palates, but a full-sized broccoli floret may!
Pizza dough is also a
terrific way to get more vegetables into the family! You can use roasted
vegetables or a cauliflower crust.
Bonus tip: Make a quick
spinach quiche with the cauliflower crust recipe above for a great pizza
alternative. If spinach isn't your thing, substitute vegetables that your
family like. You'll still get some cauliflower in the crust, so you can feel
good about getting in an extra serving of vegetables while cooking something
your family will enjoy.
'RICE' IS NICE, AND
ZOODLES ARE NOODLES.
In the frozen food area
of the supermarket store, you can get vegetables disguised as pasta or rice, or
you can make your own! For the kids, a spiralizer (for zoodles) is a fun
project, and a food processor makes the perfect veggie "rice."
Broccoli, sweet potato, and cauliflower rice are delicious and straightforward
substitutes for rice in stir-fries, buddha bowls, tacos, burritos, and pasta
recipes.
Bonus tip: Spaghetti squash
is another excellent pasta substitute. This Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti Squash Boat
is quick and easy to make, and you won't even miss the pasta!
FINAL VERDICT
Vegetables may be added to anything, from spaghetti to soup to pizza. Getting your family to eat more plants is a significant win, but it cannot be easy. You may adapt some of your favorites to help increase your family's health and encourage a more plant-based lifestyle with a bit of creative thought (and a dedication to keeping it entertaining!).