We all know the endless benefits of eating more veggies, but some of you may find it difficult to incorporate them into your meals and snacks.  Well, here’s a great way to kick off your new year…how about a New Year’s Resolution to increase your veggie count every day?  Sounds delicious to me….Here are a few tips to help you add more delicious veggies into your day.

• Try a new vegetable each week.  Choose a color for each week of the month and purchase a vegetable of that color.  You may find veggies that you have never heard of, and actually enjoy their taste.  Experiment with eating the veggies raw as crudites, sauteed with whole wheat pasta, scrambled into an omelet or steamed atop of a salad,…the opportunities are endless.  For instance, Week 1 could be Purple Week: Choose Eggplant or Orange Week: Choose an Orange Bell Pepper or White Week: Chose jicama.
• Try juicing; combine herbs, vegetables and fruits into a juicer and create a freshly squeezed juice that will surely keep you energized.
• Include vegetables and fruit every time you have a meal and snack.  This may seem overwhelming, however, simply having your morning egg omelet with salsa instead of hot sauce, your afternoon sandwich with guacamole instead of mayo or pairing an apple with almond butter.
• Keep your fridge stocked with Ziploc bags or Tupperware containers filled with cut carrot sticks, sliced cucumbers, sliced bell peppers and cherry tomatoes for a quick, go-to snack.  Pairing these fresh veggies with Hummus, or Guacamole is the perfect way to incorporate your ‘healthy’ fats, which will allow your body to absorb all of the beneficial nutrients in the fresh veggies.
• Add chickpeas to your chicken noodle soup.
• Toss in watercress, spinach, red radish, purple cabbage, dark arugula, colorful bell peppers into a pan with olive oil, onions and garlic. Saute with your favorite protein source (Chicken, Bison, Tofu, Turkey, Seitan, Tempeh, etc.) and tomato sauce and Vegan Parmesan cheese.
• Top your burger (Veggie burger, Turkey Burger,  Bison Burger, etc.) with nutrient-dense greens such as steamed kale and rainbow Swiss chard instead of iceberg lettuce.  Spread guacamole onto your bun instead of mustard.
• Roast peeled, diced beets and carrots at 425 degrees in a roasting pan for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, and olive oil.
• Mix carrot juice into your breakfast orange juice.
• Add thinly sliced yellow squash, zucchini, carrots and cabbage slaw into a large bowl.  Add red grapes, peanuts, Vegan Mayonnaise, cilantro and canned salmon along with a hit of  Nu-Salt and pepper.  Store in the fridge for a quick and easy lunch or snack. (Thanks Mom and Grandma…this a veggie variation to your pasta salad).
• Marinate your favorite veggies in a mixture of Wheat-Free Soy Sauce, rosemary and olive oil; place into a large Ziploc bag and into the fridge for an hour, then grill!
• Making a pasta salad, meatloaf or quiche? Spiral some veggies with a Spiralizer and throw them into the recipe!
• When planning a pasta dinner, add sliced broccoli, squash, cauliflower, and beans to your marinara sauce.  Cook the sauce with the veggies on the stove top and pour onto your pasta dinner.  Top this delicious veggie sauce with Vegan Parmesan cheese.
• Grill portobello mushrooms marinated in balsamic vinegar.  Remove from grill and spread guacomole  on the inside of each mushroom; fill each mushroom with lentils and salsa.  Sprinkle with herbs and Nu-Salt and pepper.
• Grill kabobs with pineapple, peppers, onions and tomatoes along with your choice of protein.  Dip into 3 toppings of salsa, hummus and guacamole.
• Make your own hummus.  Take a look at my numerous hummus recipes in Recipes From My Healthy Kitchen.
• Have fun and get creative with your meals; add nuts, honey, red onions, raisins, cranberries, fresh herbs and spices to any meal for an extra ‘zing’ of flavor!
• Make Spaghetti Squash instead of pasta.  Top with sauteed olive oil, mushrooms, onions and garlic.

Do you have any tips of your own for incorporating more veggies into your day?