Struggling to Fit Vegetables into your Everyday Meals? Look No Further.
Don't click away! This isn’t going to be another blog that “just steam a bag of broccoli in the microwave!” While that’s a great idea for some meals, no one wants steamed broccoli with their pizza. These 3 ideas will help you to add a delicious serving of veggies to your classic weeknight meals in a way that blends in naturally!
1. Pasta
Spaghetti is a favorite weeknight meal for busy families everywhere. It’s quick and easy, affordable, and kids love it! A bowl of spaghetti with meat sauce already has a good serving of carbs, fat, and protein, all it’s missing is the veg! Swapping half of the noodles with zucchini noodles adds in this vegetable serving without sacrificing the delicious pasta. They blend in seamlessly with the pasta and are easy and cheap to make yourself. Linked here is an affordable hand-held spiralizer, and just like that you have an easy and healthy meal that your family will love!
2. Pizza
At the end of a busy weekday or in the case of last minute weekend plans, pizza is everyones go-to dinner option. And while a salad is always a good option to add a side of veggies, you’ve got to try a big platter of buffalo cauliflower instead. The buffalo flavor dipped in ranch is a classic match with pizza, the veg is just an added bonus!
- Chop a whole cauliflower into medium florets, all around the same size.
- Steam them in the microwave until tender, about 5-7 mins
- Drain out the water, then toss to coat in a mixture of flour, salt, and garlic
- Cook in an air fryer at 400 degrees in batches, until the outside is crispy (if you don't have an air fryer, you can bake on the top rack of the oven for about 20 mins, or until crispy)
- Toss in a large bowl with enough buffalo sauce to coat, plus extra for more spice if you prefer
3. Rice
Rice is a quick, easy, cheap, and versatile staple for any meal. Paired with black beans, meat, fish, or mixed into a casserole, brown rice is a delicious and fiber rich carb to build a meal around. It’s easy to add a serving of vegetables to any rice meal by adding riced cauliflower to it. Using cauliflower rice on its own isn't fooling anyone, but it’s hardly noticeable mixed into real rice. You can either cook it in the same pot as the rice, or you can steam it separately and then stir it in. Be sure to season it well and there you have it - a delicious and nutritious side dish to go with any meal!
