It’s easy to create a healthy diet when we focus on adding more vegetables to what we already eat.  Once a week or more, we can also make our main dish a vegetable one.

1. Plan some meals around a vegetable main dish, such as a vegetable stir-fry, ratatouille, or vegetable soup. Then add other foods to complement it.  These can include brown rice, quinoa, a baked potato, a side of beans or lentils, or a small serving (about 2 ounces) of lean meat, chicken or fish.

2. Include a green salad with your dinner every night. Add raw vegetables like shredded carrots, celery, red peppers, jicama, cucumber, tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, or artichoke hearts.

3. Shred carrots or zucchini into meatloaf, casseroles, quick breads, and muffins.

4. Include chopped vegetables (zucchini, broccoli, eggplant, carrots, spinach, onions, peppers, fresh tomatoes) in pasta sauce or lasagna.  Peas can also be added.

5. Make or order a veggie pizza with toppings like mushrooms, green peppers, and onions, and if ordering ask for extra veggies.

6. Use pureed, cooked vegetables such as potatoes, zucchini, onions, and carrots to thicken stews, soups and gravies. These add flavor, nutrients, and texture.

7. Grill vegetable kabobs as part of a barbecue meal. Try cherry or grape tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, summer squash, yellow squash, red, orange, yellow or green peppers, and onions.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis