Getting Sneaky with Vegetables

If your household is like mine, you probably have family members who do not really appreciate all that vegetables have to offer. Although dietary thinking is constantly changing, and theories about what is healthy for you have altered over the years, one fact has remained constant: Vegetables are good. You can ask the vegans, the ketoists, the fasters. All will agree. Vegetables are a necessary element of our diets and perhaps the only non-negotiable one.

What’s so great about vegetables? Vegetables contain most of the major vitamins and nutrients like iron, vitamin A, potassium and vitamin K among others. In addition they are loaded with fiber, another necessary nutrient for digestion and weight control. In addition, a diet A diet that includes vegetables can result in lower blood pressure, decreased risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, and have a positive effect upon blood sugar. Since different vegetables contain different nutrients, the best practice is to consume as much of a variety of different vegetables as possible.

But not everyone likes them, and even those who do enjoy a vegetable here and there, will have their favorites and will avoid all others. In my house, we have a lot of broccoli fans. Corn and green beans are also tolerated. Occasionally a carrot. Beyond that, we are an unadventurous group and in many cases, outright refusers.

I’ll always encourage you and those in your family to continue to offer noticeable vegetables on your plate. I want my family–and especially my kids–to get in the habit of having vegetables with every meal, so in order to instill that habit, you need sometimes to actually see the vegetables; so some days in my house you’re just going to get a serving of green beans. We all know that our tastes change, so even though you disliked something last year, you may find that now, it’s not so bad.

But I’ve also learned to get creatively sneaky. I hide vegetables whenever possible in house favorites. Most dishes are amenable to adding a vegetable that will go virtually unseen and untasted. I’m not talking about potatoes, as we get plenty of those. I also usually avoid the stronger flavored vegetables, as the whole point is for them to blend in. The trick is to chop them up small or when possible, grate or puree them. These vegetables shred well: Zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, most greens, eggplant, broccoli, brussels sprouts, spaghetti squash. These vegetables can be pureed pretty easily: Butternut squash, pumpkin, yams, beets, parsnips, peas, carrots, onions, cauliflower, tomatoes.

So grab your grater and your food processor, and soon you’ll be smiling at the sneaky ways you’re helping to keep your family healthy. Here are some of my favorite ways to incorporate vegetable sneaks, and the add-ins I’ve used in the past.

• Jarred or homemade sauces: Add tomatoes, peppers, onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, zucchini, parsnips, rutabaga, rhubarb

• Salads/Sandwiches: If you can get your family to eat any type of salad, you can likely switch up the greens with no one noticing: spinach, kale, chard, arugula, endive

• Breads and cakes: Think carrot cake and zucchini bread, but also try these in your breads and cakes: Shredded pumpkin, butternut squash, parsnips, sweet potato, rhubarb; you can add almost anything to cornbread (try okra, red onion, jalapeno)

• Salsas: Add avocado, cucumber, radish, corn, zucchini, jalapeno,

• Salad dressings: Tomatoes, avocado, onion, zucchini, spinach, celery, cucumber; You can even use these pureed veggies in place of the oil!

• Soups: Beets, carrots, tomatoes, squash, mushrooms, corn, peas, green beans, zucchini, asparagus, summer squash, spinach, pureed turnip or cauliflower

• Casseroles: The options here are endless; try eggplant, greens, cauliflower, peas, spinach, broccoli, corn, squash

• Meatloaf or Meatballs: onions, carrots, peppers, zucchini, celery, green beans, water chestnuts

• Lasagna: artichokes, asparagus, spinach, zucchini, corn, peas, broccoli, summer squash

• Skillet dishes (for example, sloppy joes, hamburger helper, american chop suey): peppers, onions, corn, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini

• Stews: green beans, celery, lima beans, mushrooms, peas, water chestnuts

• Taco meat: sweet peppers or jalapenos, onions, carrots, zucchini, celery, squash

Feeling inspired yet? Try something new tonight and share your ideas with us! Just don’t tell my kids.