Excellent Ways to Incorporate Plants in our Diet

From the early years, it has always been recommended by health experts to eat your veggies and fruits. Fast forward to today, plants are still strongly advised to make up the majority of your diet. They are incredibly nutritious and contain essential minerals and fiber.

The health benefits are innumerable. Besides the benefit of consuming more plant-based foods has been proven to have a positive impact on the environment and our health. . We all want to be healthy but it can be quite difficult for some of us.

Having more greens and fruits can seem daunting at times, honestly, some of us simply do not like their taste. Luckily, they can be prepared better and can be incorporated into your diet subtly. You will soon get accustomed to the fruits and veggies once you start to take small initiatives.

Take Baby Steps

It doesn’t necessarily have to be all or nothing. You don’t have to make any drastic changes all of a sudden. Moreover, you are likely to revert to your usual eating habits if you abruptly make dramatic changes. Take your time and take baby steps.

Decide to do things that you know are doable. For instance, instead of getting a kale smoothie in the evening, have kale chips with your usual sandwich. You can also insert the chips into your sandwich and season them with paprika. This will make the kale taste better and you can get used to having it.

Once you have accomplished having kale chips with your sandwich regularly, you can try to take another small step, like having baby carrots with your favorite dip for snacks. Simply start taking small doable steps when venturing into this new fulfilling and healthy journey.

You may also want to try a few plant based meals such as deep fried cauliflower that you can serve with a range of sides, such as simple boiled potatoes.

Do Not Limit Your Options With Lettuce

Lettuce is great and all, but let’s face it, they can be quite boring. Many veggie options are heartier, have more flavors, also very colorful. You can surely have lettuce but try to pair it with other ingredients like roasted bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, red cabbage, and so on.

You can experiment with different veggies and try out new recipes over the weekend. For inspiration of scrumptious and healthy recipes, you can visit here.

Sneak On  Veggies at Any  Chance You Get

You can trick yourself into eating veggies and fruits. You can make veggies your secret ingredient. For example, you can add a load of shredded carrots to your marinara sauce. You can add fresh tomato juice and celery to your Bloody Mary or fresh cucumber juice to your margarita and have a delightful weekend.

On weekdays you can add banana and chia seeds to your chocolate smoothie for your weekday mornings. Bananas have potassium and other essential nutrients that are vital for your bone strength, immunity, and overall health. Chia seeds are considered to be superfoods. They are high in fiber, antioxidants, protein, omega 3 fatty acids, and many more. Instead of adding refined sugar, you can add two or three dates, it’s a healthier sugar option. Dates help diabetic people to balance out sugar levels.

Chia seeds can provide you with energy and can meet your satiety levels. They can keep your blood pressure in control and lower the risk of developing heart diseases. Both chia seeds and bananas will give you the energy you need to go through the morning.

Seasoning and Spices Can Make Everything Nice

Fruits and veggies can be eaten as they are. A simple addition of salt and pepper can elevate their flavors. Not everyone prefers a big stack of fruit slices. To make them more appetizing, you can spice them up and it doesn’t have to be limited to just salt and pepper. For instance, you can have pineapples and guavas with Tajin seasoning.

You can have Tajin seasoning with everything. Of course, different people have a different palate and you can try out different veggies and fruits with Tajin condiments. It can be a trial and error-based experiment.

You can also add lime juice to enhance the taste. For instance, you can cut apples into thin slices and mix them with lime juice. Sprinkle cinnamon, you can also add some honey to give it more sweetness. It will be like having an apple pie without any guilt or worry regarding your health.

For a unique taste, you can mix the apple slices with lime juice, salt, and pepper to have an umami taste. You can also cut tangerines with salt and pepper. Paprika and green chilis can also be commendable options to take the flavors to the next level.

Fun Night, Taco Night

You can dedicate a night where you have dinner that is filled with delicious dishes with veggies in them. Mexican cuisine consists of amazing flavors and boasts exceptional hearty dishes like tacos, burritos, pozole, tostadas, etc.

Tacos are preferred by many as the ingredients are readily accessible and they are simple to prepare. Moreover, they are incredibly tasty and can be the perfect fun and healthy food while having dinner with your friends or family. You can plan a night as taco night, like Taco Tuesday, and incorporate wonderful veggies into your meal.

You can fill the tacos with charred zucchinis and bell peppers. The charing caramelizes the sugars in the veggies and adds a smoky flavor, adding more depth to the whole flavor profile. You can also add stir-fried mushrooms and corn into your tacos and top it with crunchy coleslaw. You can pair the tacos with sweet corn salad.

The dedicated night does not always have to be taco night. It can also be a special cuisine night. Like, on Fridays, you can have Indian cuisine and have veggies that are prepared in Indian style. You can make pav bhaji which is essentially a hearty vegetable stew(bhaji) consisting of peas, cauliflowers, and carrots that are meant to be eaten with a loaf of airy bread (pav).

Meatless Mondays

You can plan a day every week where you do not eat meat at all. You can still have animal-based products like eggs, milk, cheese, and various dairy products. Meatless Mondays are an effective way to munch on more plant-based meals and snacks.

You can have a hearty frittata with grilled vegetables and cheese for breakfast. Chipotle huevos rancheros and vegetarian breakfast burritos are great breakfast options. You can have pita bread with hummus for brunch paired with a refreshing berry smoothie or fresh juice to quench your thirst.

Instead of sodas you can have freshly squeezed orange juice mixed with sparkling water. For lunch, you can have teriyaki stir fry vegetables paired with noodles or steamed or fried rice. You can also substitute rice with quinoa or minced cauliflower florets.

If you are considering being a bit adventurous, you can opt for zoodles instead of regular wheat noodles. Zoodles are basically shredded zucchini in the shape of noodles. It does not necessarily have to be only Mondays. It can be any day of the week that you find convenient.

Change up Your Cereal Bowl

There are days when we have cereal for breakfast. Whether it is corn flakes, bran flakes, oatmeal, or pinole, add some berries, fruit pieces, and nuts to jazz up your cereal. Cherries, bananas, blueberries, raspberries, and sliced strawberries are great additions.

You can also add dried cranberries, dates, and sultanas to the cereal. Roasted almonds and cashews will add more texture and mouthfeel. These natural additions are incredibly healthy and nutritious. They also add more dimension to the flavors and make the cereal bowl very delectable.

Purchase Plant-based Options at Your Convenience

Going to the farmer’s market can be a drag especially when you live in an urban area and the market is quite far away from your daily route. Moreover, fresh produce from organic stores can also be a bit expensive. Simply delve into the local groceries near your home or office.

You can delve into canned sweet corn and black beans. Buy packages of baby carrots and your favorite ranch dip. Purchase tomatoes, russet potatoes, bananas, and other products that fall within your affordability and convenience.

Include Vegetables in Your Regular Meals

You do not have to opt for replacing everything with vegan or vegetarian alternatives. You need carbs and starches for energy. You can simply add more veggies of your liking to your usual pasta dinner. Checkout at your local stories lentil and chickpea pasta. Healthier options.

Grilled bell peppers, carrots, peas, corn, broccoli florets, and even sweet potatoes can be great additions. The veggies will fortify your meal providing minerals like iron, magnesium, and fiber. It does not necessarily have to be regular meals.

It can also be included in your favorite dishes. For instance, you can have vegetarian pizza with grilled aubergine, olives, jalapenos, cherry tomatoes, etc. You can also snack on scrumptious trail mix or kale chips with your favorite cheese dip.

The Takeaway

It can be quite daunting to include more greens and fruits in your regular diet but it is possible. Simply start by taking baby steps and progressively making more changes. Just believe in yourself and implement convenient ways to include more plants into your diet.