As much as I really love fruits and vegetables, sometimes I get to the end of the day and realize that, well, I haven’t really had my share for the day. Especially of green vegetables. Because while I don’t have a mental number for the number of servings I’d like to eat in a day, sometimes it’s just pretty obvious that my green factor was lacking.
There’s a reason your mom never let you have dessert till you had eaten your greens. They’re high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and plant-based substances that may help protect you from heart disease, diabetes, and perhaps even cancer. Personally, I’ve noticed that having an abundance of greens in my diet really helps me feel my best, keeping my skin clear and my digestion churning.
The good news is, there are some really quick, easy, and realistic ways to get some extra greens into your meals, even if they’re not the star of the show. It’s really simple to get more greens into your diet without having to completely change up your eating habits or relying on expensive green juices (which you don’t need btw). These tips are all about taking what you already eat and making them a little greener. I incorporate greens into my diet using these ideas almost every single day, and I’ve started to find certain meals feeling rather incomplete if the greens are missing.
Add greens to…
…smoothies.
Throw a large handful of greens into the mix when whizzing up your smoothie. I’ve only ever tried this with spinach and kale (kale is more earthy) and I enjoy both, but feel free to get more experimental with things like romaine lettuce, swiss chard, and the like.
Tip #1: blend the greens with the liquid first before adding the rest of the ingredients to avoid having little bits of green leaves throughout. Tip #2: If you’re blending greens with berries, the smoothie will likely look brown-ish, but don’t let that stop you! The smoothie is for YOU, not Instagram. If it tastes good and is good for you, nothing else should matter.
…oatmeal.
Zoats (zucchini + oats) are definitely worth a shot. Start with just a bit, and work your way up if you’re daring!
…eggs.
Fill your omelette with your favorite (green) veggies, mix some greens into your scramble, throw a handful of spinach under your fried or poached eggs. The meal will be more filling, delicious, and nutritious.
…sandwiches & wraps.
Not adding any greens to your sandwiches or wraps? You are missing out. Pile your sandwiches high and stuff your wraps with lots and lots of greens – they add tons of flavor, color and goodness. A spread of pesto instead of your usual mustard or mayo (if it works well with flavor profile) adds more greenness and great taste.
…pasta.
Throw some leafy greens into your pasta – spinach wilts down and works especially well. Zucchini, broccoli, asparagus and peas are my other green favorites. I also love adding arugula to pasta salads.
…pizza.
Top your pizza with some chopped green peppers, zucchini, spinach or fresh arugula – all are good choices.
…soups & curries.
A handful of kale, spinach, arugula, or your favorite greens will take any pot of warm comforting food to the next (health) level.
…dessert.
Yes, really. Add zucchini to your brownies, bread, muffins, everything. You can’t taste it, but it’s there. Get on it.
And if none of these work, or you simply aren’t feeling like adding greens directly to your main (we all have those days – it’s okay), just add a side salad to one of your meals.
It may not be always be easy to eat your greens, but these ideas sure will make it easier.
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