10 EASY WAYS TO ADD MORE VEGETABLES TO YOUR DAY

I think people often feel overwhelmed when it comes to making healthier choices – but I want you to know that it doesn’t have to be!

Here are my top 10 easy ways to add a little more veggies to your day:

When most people think smoothies, they think about fruit and yogurt. But here’s a little tip: you can throw a handful or two of greens (spinach, kale, etc.) into it and other than the color change, you won’t know the difference!

Try It! I recommend checking out Simple Green Smoothies for endless combinations!

Soup is a great switch up from salads. You can still pack it with just as many veggies, but you get the comforting warmth from the added broth. Just look for low-sodium as it can be high.

Try It! Jessica’s White Bean Tortellini Soup, Lindsay’s Simple & Creamy Squash Soup or any of these 8 Warming Vegetable Soups from Cooking Light are great ways to incorporate veggies into soup!

Topping your pizza with veggies is a great way to sneak a little more into your day.  Try peppers, diced tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, asparagus – whatever your preference may be!

Try It! Make any of these Health.com’s 7 Fresh & Healthy Vegetable Pizza Recipes or if you’re short on time, my favorite Amy’s Roasted Vegetable Pizza

This is one of my go-tos.  I pair chopped veggies with hummus at lunch and for snack on an almost daily basis.  The crunch of the veggies paired with the creamy hummus is completely satisfying (and acts as a perfect replacement for chips!).

People often make sandwiches with meat and cheese out of convenience, but what they don’t realize is they’re missing out on a super easy way to get some veggies into their day!  So go ahead and load up on the lettuce, tomato and onion next time you make a sandwich and feel good about all those nutrients you’re adding.  Or better yet, make an entire sandwich of veggies…the combinations are endless!

Try it!  Above is my Ultimate Veggie Sandwich or you can try your hand at any of these 21 Martha Stewart Vegetarian Sandwiches.

I love roasted vegetables.  For anyone who proclaims that they’re ‘not a vegetable fan’ I always, always, always tell them to roast them.  Just toss them with olive oil, a little salt and pepper then stick them in the oven at 425 degrees F for about 10-15 minutes each side.  They get nice and crispy and full of flavor.  Potatoes, asparagus, brussel sprouts, peppers, cauliflower and broccoli are some of my absolute favorites.

Try It! Click the picture above for my balsamic roasted potatoes, give any of these Roasted Vegetable Recipes from Food Network a try and be sure to check out this 100 Days of Real Food’s guide to roasting vegetables, featuring 4 different ways to do it!

This is one of my favorite easy weeknight dinners.  It’s also a great way to get veggies in without having to prepare a separate dish.  I sauté a bunch of veggies in a pan with a little olive oil, add some sauce, mix it with pasta (whole wheat cheese tortellini is my favorite) then top with a little cheese.

Try It!  Try my whole wheat cheese tortellini and pesto and summer veggies recipe,  any of these Food & Wine vegetarian pasta dishes or one of these from Cooking Light!

This is another really easy way to add veggies to your day that I think people often overlook.  Whether you’re a fan of eggs in the morning, at lunch or during dinner, it’s super simple to sauté a few veggies along with them.  If you want to get really fancy, you can make an omelet!

Try It!  You’ll find a bunch of good ideas in this ‘29 Ways to Eat More Veggies at Breakfast’ post on BuzzFeed.  Or if you’re crunched for time, try these Egg Muffin Cups from Two Peas & Their Pod, you can easily make them ahead and store them for the week!

I know this one seems like a no-brainer, but I think it’s often forgotten.  It’s a really simple compliment to any lunch or dinner and is a great way to get a couple cups of veggies in.  It doesn’t have to be anything fancy – just throw some lettuce in a bowl and chop in whatever veggies you have on hand!

Try It!  Lindsay at Pinch of Yum kills it with salads.  I love ALL the combinations she puts together.  Check them all out!

Just as with the pasta, you can easily chop up whatever you have on hand, toss them with noodles or rice, add your protein of choice and call it a day!  You can easily get 2-3 different veggies into one dish which not only adds flavor but color (and nutrients!) as well.

Try It! Try these ‘10 Healthy Stir-Fry Recipes Under 300 Calories’ from MyRecipes.com  or any of these from Health.com.

Hope that helps you all to feel a little less overwhelmed.  Remember, focus on what you can ADD to your diet rather than what you should be taking away.  The more veggies you sneak into your day, the fuller you’ll feel (most contain a good amount of water!) and the better your body will function with replenishment of those essential nutrients!

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