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Be Sneaky with Vegetables
Getting picky eaters to eat vegetables can be a challenge some times! Here are our tips on being sneaky with vegetables.
We all know we need to be eating more veggies. Some of us love them and eat them at every meal. And then there are those of us who can’t stomach the thought of chomping on something green that looks like a tree. And no, we’re not talking about four-year-olds — we mean adults, too!
If you’re the primary cook in your family, and pasta sauce and French fries are the only veggies going down at your home, you may want to get a bit sneakier. We’ve come up with some pretty cool ways to help you add vegetables into meals without anyone knowing. You get to be creative and it doesn’t take much work. Saving time and eating healthy — sounds like a winning combination!
Get shredded!
Grab a box grater or the grating attachment on your food processor to shred zucchini, beets, carrots or parsnips to add to all sorts of recipes. Add a vegetable serving to your favorite whole grain muffins and quick breads by mixing shredded zucchini into your batter before baking. You can also sauté shredded carrots, summer squash or butternut squash for about five minutes before adding them to pasta sauce for a quick, veggie-filled meal. Even your pickiest of eaters may not notice!
Get mushy!
Replace half the ground meat in recipes like burgers, meatloaf and meatballs with cooked chopped mushrooms. Finely chop your choice of mushrooms using a knife or a food processor, then sauté in a little olive oil until soft – about three minutes or so. Once the mushrooms are cool, gently mix them with your lean ground chicken, turkey or beef. Cook thoroughly and follow the recipe as is. Voila! Another veggie-ful meal for the family.
Get Cheesy!
Cooked and pureed orange vegetables like butternut squash, sweet potatoes and carrots can be blended, unnoticed, into cheesy dishes we all love like macaroni and cheese, lasagna, or baked enchiladas. You end up using less cheese, which cuts some of the saturated fat and sodium. You can also add the sweeter-tasting veggies to a blender with some low-sodium broth and puree them into a smooth soup that most kiddos (and adults) will love.
Be smooth!
Grab that blender and put it to work! When you’re making your favorite fruit smoothie, add in a frozen banana and some spinach, carrots, squash or just about any vegetable (cooked is easier to blend, FYI). The frozen banana makes for a sweet, thick, and creamy smoothie and it adds a strong banana flavor that helps hide the flavor of the veggies. Want a more colorful smoothie? Try adding beet, avocado or sweet potato to change the tint. You’ll be surprised at how bright – and healthy — your breakfast will be!
Tricks for sneaking some extra veggies and fruits into your kids (or your) diet!
- Add grated vegetables such as carrots or squash to casseroles or soups.
- Add fresh fruit to cereal or oatmeal.
- Add diced vegetables such as bell peppers, mushrooms or spinach to eggs for a breakfast frittata.
- Kids love pizza so pile it high with veggies such as tomatoes, peppers, spinach and chopped broccoli.
- Try a fruit smoothie for breakfast.
- Create healthy breakfast muffins with zucchini or carrots.
- Experiment with veggie noodles by using a spiralizer to create these fun an nutritious noodles!
- Make your mac & cheese gourmet by adding broccoli.
- Spinach, tomato, or avocado can make a nutritious addition to the traditional grilled cheese sandwich.
How to choose a Mango
How to Choose a Mango:
- Don’t Focus on color
- A ripe mango should give slightly when squeezed
- Ripe Mangoes have a fruity aroma at the stem end
Adapted from Mango.org
Slowcooker Baked Potatoes
Make batches of baked potatoes in your slow cooker! Make the most of all your kitchen tools by using your slow cooker to prepare baked potatoes and keep your oven or microwave open.
Instructions
- Scrub potatoes under cool running water and let dry.
- Prick each potato at least 8 times.
- Lightly brush each potato with olive oil, season with herbs of your choice. Be ware of adding too much sodium to your potatoes!
- Individually wrap each potato in foil (wrap tightly).
- Place in slow cooker and don't overfill.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or until tender when pressed with a mitten. Caution: potatoes will be hot when removed from slow cooker.
Healthy at potlucks
Healthy Appetizers: Make it easy on yourself and healthy on others by cutting up fresh veggies and serving with a healthy dip such as hummus. Another option is fruit! Make fruit kabobs on party toothpicks or skewers. This makes them easy to pick-up, an attractive option, and a great way to increase intake of important nutrients!- Go Ahead and Get the Chips: Don’t forego the chips and guacamole, but make it a healthy option by bringing whole grain tortilla chips to go with heart healthy guacamole. Want to control portions on the guacamole? Serve it in individual soufflé cups with lids (makes it easy for transport as well).
- Do a Salad Swap: Instead of taking a green salad which may result in a high fat creamy dressing on top, choose a grain based salad such as quinoa. Add low fat veggies such as tomatoes, corn, and black beans; finish off with lime juice and chopped cilantro!
