Easy Ways to Add More Veggies to Your Meals

When I begin working with a new client, one of the first things we talk about are their fitness goals. Nine times out of 10 the very first one is always weight loss preceded by getting “toned” (a.k.a building muscle and cutting fat, but that is another blog topic all together) and then of course feeling better. The next question from me is always about current food behaviors and food tendencies. It is at this point in the conversation that we start to discuss keeping a food journal for a few weeks so that I can take a glimpse into what they are eating throughout the day. The same patterns show over and over again in these journals no matter what client I’m looking at. There is always an imbalance of food groups, mainly in the veggie category. I am NO vegetarian by any means, but these field fresh friends are really important in the diet for recovery and for digestion. So how does one start to incorporate more veggies into their nutrition? I have some ideas for you!

One of my favorite ways to sneak more veggies into my day is by adding them to breakfast. In fact, this is the meal that I tend to eat most of my veggies believe it or not! Eggs are the perfect medium for all kinds of vegetable additions. Omelettes are fantastic to get in several types at once. I’m a fan of garden style with mushrooms, spinach, onions, and even broccoli. The greener the veggies, the better! Or perhaps you’d like a variety of peppers, onions and mushrooms. Either way, you can get a serving or two first thing in the morning. Not an omelette fan? Try putting those greens in scrambled eggs. Leafy greens such as kale, swiss chard, and spinach are quick and easy to execute. Again, delicious and simple to make.

Over the past year I have also been supplementing with a super green powder in my smoothies in the morning. The mix I use has moringa, spirulina, kale, and broccoli in one convenient scoop. Blended with frozen berries and collagen powder, this tastes like dessert first thing in the morning. While powdered supergreens are convenient, you can also use good old fashioned leafy greens such as kale and spinach. The key to making these palatable in a smoothie is to have a blender that will stand up to the roughness of the greens and chop them down fine enough so that it doesn’t feel like you’re drinking a salad shake! My sister has a vitamix and it does an amazing job of pulverizing all of that fiber into smooth deliciousness.

Lunch time seems to be the biggest struggle for me to get in those veggies, so I tend to opt for a super salad or soup loaded with all that vegetable goodness. On my salads I like to get fancy with beets, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, cabbage, and carrots of course. Topped with chicken or steak and a nice citrus vinaigrette I have the perfect combination for a highly satisfying meal. Soups and stews are also a perfect way to eat a ton of veggies at once. I make chicken soup loaded with onions, celery, carrots, mushrooms, and sometimes even green beans or peas (only if I’m not going Paleo at the time). Tomatoes and parsley also make a great addition to any kind of soup. Again, easy to make and highly satisfying to the belly!

Dinner tends to be the easiest meal to eat at least one veggie as a side. I’m a fan of cauliflower rice and veggie noodles in addition to whatever vegetable side I had planned. A few weeks ago I made a Paleo shrimp stir fry with broccoli, bok choy, red peppers, snow peas, carrots and bean sprouts and then served it over cauliflower rice. It was a vegetable delight! Spaghetti squash makes the perfect canvas for red sauce and meatballs; you get the double plant serving between the sauce and the squash. There are so many ways to add more fresh veggies to your diet as long as you’re willing to get a little creative! An added bonus will be that you’ll probably start to feel like you have more energy throughout the day. Who doesn’t like to have more of a boost to get you through your day?