According to the recommend dietary guidelines, an average person should be eating at least 2 ½ cups of vegetables a day. I love a good salad as much as the next girl; but, I knew there had to be a better way to eat more veggies and not feel like I’m drowning in lettuce. After searching the internet and conducting a lot of taste-testing; here are a few recipes that are so good, your body won’t even realize its eating vegetables until its lost two pounds and has gained energy.
1. Zoodles
Zucchini noodles (sometimes known as Zucchini Pasta or Zucchini Spaghetti) weigh in at around half the carbs and calories of regular pasta. Easily made with a spiralizer, zoodles can be tossed with any sauce and any source of protein, and cooked for just a few minutes on the stove. Your mind will be thinking vegetables and your body will be feeling pasta – without the bloat!
2. Veggie Chips
I was skeptical of the idea myself, but as long as you use the right type of vegetable it really does taste like a flavored chip without the grease (and the calories). My favorite vegetable to start out with is carrots. Slice them really thin, toss the carrots in olive oil and salt, and then bake until crispy.
3. Salads without Lettuce
While lettuce is great in the fact that it is filling without many calories, it has the tendency to make you feel like a rabbit after eating so much. A great idea it to ditch the lettuce and get more creative. Try tomatoes topped with mozzarella cheese and basil, then drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. Otherwise known as Caprese, this dish give you a nice break from lettuce while still supplying you with greens and vegies.
4. Quinoa
While technically a grain, quinoa is a relative of Swiss chard, spinach and beets. Not to mention it’s a nutritional powerhouse. Just one cup contains 8g of protein, 5g of fiber, 15% DV iron, 30% DV magnesium, 19% DV folate and heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids. However, mixed with the right ingredients it tastes like a filling bowl of delicious rice. Becoming more and more popular, you can find frozen packages of Quinoa at your local Grocery Store. All you have to do is defrost, cut up some veggies, and cook it all together as a stir-fry.
Just in case you’re behind the times, it’s pronounced KEEN-wah, not kwin-OH-ah.
From tasting like pasta, chips, and rice my body has no idea how many healthy meals I am feeding it these day and my energy has doubled!
What healthy dishes keep you satisfied?
