9 Simple Ways to Make Vegetables Irresistible
Sneak in the Goodness
Creative ways to add more nutritious oomph to your meals:
Mix grated or finely chopped vegetables (carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, or bell peppers) into meat loaf, meatballs, or burgers.
Dump one bag of baby spinach leaves into a jar of simmering marinara sauce (the marinara counts as a vegetable serving, too). Serve over whole-wheat pasta.
Prepare mashed potatoes using half potatoes and half steamed, mashed cauliflower.
See also: 9 Surprising Fruits and Vegetables That Last a Long Time
Butter 'Em
Add 1 teaspoon pure whipped butter (it has fewer calories than stick butter) along with a pinch of salt and pepper to steamed vegetables. It's simple, but the taste enhancement is dramatic. You can also try sprinkling on Parmesan—which works for kids, too. A study found that adding cheese to veggies for a few days helped children learn to like the taste of plain vegetables.
Dunk 'Em
It's OK to (sometimes) play with your food. For my family, this means cutting vegetables into bite-size pieces and serving them with a light dip. Bauer favorites: baby carrots, sugar snap peas, red bell pepper and celery sticks, and grape tomatoes.
Roast 'Em
To bring out the sweet flavors of carrots, cauliflower and eggplant, coat a baking sheet with oil spray and place chopped veggies in a single layer. Mist with a little more oil spray and add seasonings (my go-tos are sea salt, ground black pepper and balsamic vinegar). Roast at 450 degrees F until they begin to caramelize, 20 to 30 minutes.
Skinny Dip
Rinse and drain a 16-ounce can cannellini beans (preferably no-salt-added). Place in a large bowl and mash with the back of a fork or a potato masher. Stir in 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons olive oil, 2 Tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil, 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage, 2 minced garlic cloves and 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste (optional).
Edamame Hummus
Thanks to the soybeans, this protein-packed appetizer will help you stay fuller longer.
Using a food processor, combine 2 cups shelled edamame + 1/3 cup water + 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar + 2 Tablespoons tahini + 2 Tablespoons olive oil + 1 minced garlic clove + 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Process until smooth. Season with black pepper.
Instant Lunch
Make a quick soup—like broccoli or cauliflower—by simply boiling veggies in low-sodium chicken broth until tender, adding your favorite seasonings, then puréeing until smooth. (An immersion blender will get the job done fastest, but a regular blender also works.)
Shopping Secrets
Three things to know when buying produce.
1. CHOOSE WHAT'S IN SEASON
Score better taste along with higher nutritional values when you eat seasonal items. Four picks that are best at this time of year: artichokes, spinach, broccoli and asparagus.
2. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FROZEN
Don't bypass the vegetables in the frozen aisle. They're just as good for you as their fresh counterparts, since they were picked at the peak of ripeness and flash-frozen to lock in the goodness. Stockpile a variety in your freezer to make healthy last-minute suppers on busy weeknights. Add frozen mixed vegetables to canned soup or bulk up a pasta or rice dish with frozen peas.
3. CONSIDER PACKAGED PRODUCE
Precut peppers and bagged lettuce aren't just convenient. Keeping ready-to-go veggies on hand as snacks or an easy dinner ingredient may inspire you to up your intake. But be aware that once the package has been opened, trimmed veggies spoil faster than whole versions. Check the use-by date to make sure you'll eat the produce in time.
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