Kai Kahale
Most people know that vegetables are a healthy part of a balanced diet. Not only do they taste delicious if correctly prepared, but they’ve been part of our sustenance the world over, even in the poorest communities. If you have access to good, well-grown vegetables, you’re provided the potential of many versatile and nourishing meals.
It’s only a relatively recent phenomenon in that individuals can go a long time between eating vegetables if they so desire. From ultra-processed foods to convenient carbs or strict proteins and fats, it’s easy to limit preparing vegetables from a modern diet with access of modern supermarkets.
However, the vitamin and mineral profiles of many vegetables as well as their sheer affordability means they should almost always remain an element of your diet. To switch to that healthier alternative, we intend to share a few ways you can bake vegetables into your schedule once more.
In this post, we’ll explain how to incorporate more vegetables into your diet.
Start With Smoothies
You can never go wrong with smoothies. You can also balance fruit into your vegetable mix for a sweeter taste. For example, spinach and kale blend seamlessly, changing the color and boosting the nutritional profile but having minimal impact on taste. A handful of frozen cauliflower can make smoothies creamy without dairy, perfect for vegans. Carrots also pair well with tropical fruits, bringing a sweet earthiness. The endless mix-and-match approach is perfect for using spare vegetables in your cupboard or when looking for that mid-afternoon snack.
Add Veggies To Soups & Stews
If you have spare vegetables to hand, you can always make a soup or stew. Irish stew is often crafted from simple ingredients such as potatoes, celery, and carrots, while beef and tomato stews can be enjoyed with onions and heartier root vegetables. As with smoothies, you can also make blended soups easily with the right appliance and freeze it in batches, providing a quick, delicious veggie-filled meal when you need one.
Sneak Them Into Sauces
Any Michelin-star restaurant will use a variety of sources, and most of these will be crafted via carefully managed vegetable balances. Tomato-based pasta sauces can easily accommodate grated carrots for depth, or you could even use finely chopped bell peppers, or pureed squash. Pesto isn’t limited to basil either, you can try versions with spinach, kale, or even beets for vibrant colors and flavors.
Enjoy Veggie Snacks
If you’re trying to stay away from processed snacks and simple carbohydrates, vegetable alternatives can be a great alternative. Slicing sweet potatoes thinly and laying them in an air frier can provide delicious crisp-like textures while roasting carrots and using dipping hummus can be a perfect alternative to oil-soaked fries. The key is preparation – having these snacks ready to grab makes choosing vegetables over less nutritious options much easier.
Buy A Vegetable Steamer
One of the reasons many people veer off vegetables is because they take time to prepare and if boiled conventionally, they can taste boring. This is where steaming can be such a great option, especially if you’re on a diet.
Not only does this method taste delicious, but you can throw disparate vegetables into the pot and use them in your main dish when finished. If you’re looking to enjoy vegetables again with little effort, this is a fantastic way to start.
Purchase A Wonky Delivery Box
Supermarkets, grocers, meal box kits and delivery services are tackling food waste by offering boxes of “wonky” vegetables that may not be attractive or appealing enough to sell on their own. These blended boxes provide many different vegetables that could have grown oddly or may be a little dented or damaged for a cheap price.
They’re an easy and affordable means of bringing home enough vegetables to last you the week, without having to buy brand new or spend time weighing them out at your local greengrocers. Having vegetables on hand makes you so much more likely to use them.
Limit Waste
Not only does this save you money, but it allows you to cook up your vegetables now and incorporate them in meals later. This meal-planning approach ensures you’ll rest on conveniences less frequently and enjoy your pre-considered vegetable approach more comfortably.
If you can stretch some vegetables or ingredients further, you have more chances to use them. For example, if making baked potatoes, you could scoop out some of the inner potato to provide more room for your filling, such as blending the inner potato with cream cheese and chives. Then, you can refrigerate some of the unused potato and mash it for your next meal.
Consider Frozen Vegetables
Many people think that frozen vegetables, owing to their less-fresh nature and cheaper price, are inferior and nowhere near as a good as fresh produce. But the truth is that frozen vegetables can offer a better nutritional profile than those sat on a shelf for days before purchase. Think about it – frozen peas are often frozen on-site, meaning they lock in all those minerals and vitamins during long transportation and display periods.
Having frozen peas, chopped spinach, sweetcorn and mixed vegetables in your freezer section means you always have a quick-to-cook option on the table, perfect for filling out meals or cooking a quick recipe if you need them. It also means you don’t have to worry about rotating vegetable inventory in your cupboard or fridge because frozen alternatives can last for months. Sure, keeping fresh produce is a great idea too, but having frozen backups to hand will be the best option.
Strain Vegetable Stock
Making vegetable stock is a great way to use up odds and ends from the crisper drawer. Onion skins, carrot tops, celery leaves, and mushroom stems all contribute flavor and work great when strained into liquid. Even slightly wilted vegetables find a new purpose in stock. Simmering these bits and pieces extracts their essence, creating a flavorful base for soups and sauces if seasoned correctly. Straining the stock afterward is key, removing the spent vegetables and leaving behind a clear, rich and healthy liquid you can then use to cook with. This is a trick many executive chefs use, so why not make it a staple of your cooking regimen?
With this advice, you’ll be certain to incorporate more vegetables into your diet for good.How to Incorporate More Vegetables into Your Diet
