Making Meals With More Vegetables

Too many of us fall short on getting the recommended amount of vegetables in our daily diet. The reasons vary - some are not a fan of the taste of veggies, others just run out of ideas on how to eat them and they get bored with the same old salad. Here are three ways to get a little more vegetables and therefore nutrients into your diet;

1. Experiment with Salad Ingredients: Salad does not have to be boring and it can taste great. Try different combinations of fruits and vegetables in your salad and you may be surprised how good it tastes. Try combining spinach, carrots, red pepper, chick peas, celery, strawberries and mixed nuts for an extremely healthy yet different tasting salad that can be eaten as a side or as a meal by itself. Make a home made dressing with crushed garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey and spices to top it off. Adding fresh fruits and nuts or different kinds of cheese to any salad will spice it up and keep you from getting bored.

2. Substitute vegetables for meat. Sound impossible? Not so - once you try it you will never go back. Mushrooms have a very meaty texture and are both a healthier and cheaper meat substitute. Try mushroom burger or make lasagna with a mushroom base. You can also try to make pasta dishes with only vegetables and fresh spices instead of adding fattening meat.

3. Make fresh salsa. Fresh salsa is a cinch to make yet its amazingly tasty and a great topping for almost any dish. Combine onions, tomatoes, peppers. Lime juice, chili peppers, garlic and cilantro and keep a big bowl in your fridge. Add it to your eggs or load it on baked potatoes, beans or other dishes to add a lot of taste, very little calories and more veggies to your diet.
 
Not only are vegetables an amazing source of nutrients and minerals but they are extremely low in calories. The more veggies you eat, the less calories you ingest and the healthier you are.  You don’t have to eat less to lose weight - eat more just of the right foods.