5 Super Easy Ways to Eat More Greens
How many servings of veggies do you get in a day? Be honest! It’s okay; sometimes you just need more ideas for how to eat them consistently. Vegetables provide so many nutrients vital to muscle creation, heart health, cell repair and more. Keeping us fuller for longer, greens should be present at every meal. Luckily, it’s easier than you think to eat them daily.
1. Use greens in muffin tins.
If you make meals or snacks for the week, try using a muffin tin for baking ahead of time. You can make egg muffins with all the toppings you like. Just scramble eggs or egg whites and add spinach, tomato, mushrooms or whatever works for you! You can eat these right away or save them for the mornings during the week.
Another way to incorporate more greens into your baking routine is by using them in almond flour muffins. Beat the ingredients together and bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes!
1 ¼ cup almond flour
¼ cup coconut flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons nut milk
1 ½ cup shredded spinach
½ maple syrup
2/3 cup chopped pistachios
1 tablespoon lemon
1 egg
2. Start your day with a smoothie.
Using the right ingredients in smoothies is one of the easiest ways to get more vegetables into your diet. Committing to making a drink like this every morning will heighten your energy levels, flood your system with vitamins and taste great! Just toss a handful or two of spinach or kale into a blender with frozen blueberries, nut milk, flax seeds, cashews and cinnamon. Smoothies like these have less sugar while still tasting like a treat.
3. Try veggie noodles!
Zucchini, carrot, squash, you name it, it might be a noodle. You can make your own or buy pre-cut vegetable noodles. Simply sauté them with olive or avocado oil first, then put your sauce of choice over them! Bonus points if you incorporate greens in the pasta sauce.
4. Keep your vegetables in the front of your fridge and prepare after purchasing.
It happens to everyone. You come home from the grocery store with bags and bags of fresh veggies for you and your family only to throw them away in a week. When you get back from the store, prepare your vegetables that day. Meaning you wash the carrots, cut the peppers, etc. Then store them in airtight containers at the front of the fridge. That way, they’ll be on hand to use when you need them and ready to go when you want a snack.
Also, you can do what I do and buy pre-washed, chopped and packaged produce so you can reach for them when you’re on-the-go. I know it costs a little more, but one of the main reasons people don’t eat their veggies is because they aren’t prepared when they need them. The time saving is so worth buying them prepared!
5. Realize how versatile greens are.
You can throw greens into soups, sauces, casseroles and more. Simply remembering to use them is the key. Like anything, incorporating more greens requires consistent commitment. Often, using spinach or kale in a soup takes an extra 60 seconds. With your vegetables prepared ahead of time, you can easily throw them into most things you cook, adding flavor and nutrients to your meals.
Load up a sandwich or a burger with spinach, tomatoes and sprouts. Look in your fridge and throw all of your veggies in a salad; I call this the kitchen sink! The trick is to remember that most meals can easily have vegetables worked in or on the side.