With so many yummy foods to choose from, it can be tough to stay on track with eating a balanced, healthy diet.
Let’s face it, a plate full of vegetables isn’t nearly as appealing as your favorite comfort food or a thick slice of cake, but implementing a colorful medley of veggies into your meal plan is not as tough as you think.
If you’re looking to give your dishes an extra boost of goodness without sacrificing taste, look no further! We’ve rounded up a few tasty recipes, chock-full of flavor and veggies so that you can enjoy every bite totally guilt-free.
01
Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups
INGREDIENTS:
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2-1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
2-1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 jar (24 ounces) meatless pasta sauce
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375°. Cook and drain noodles according to package directions. Mix eggs, spinach, cheeses and seasonings. Pour 1 cup pasta sauce into an ungreased 13×9-in. baking dish. Spread 1/3 cup cheese mixture over each noodle; roll up and place over sauce, seam side down. Top with remaining sauce. Bake, covered, 20 minutes. Uncover; bake until heated through, 5-10 minutes.
via Taste of Home
02
Primavera Skillet Pizza
INGREDIENTS:
2 bell peppers, sliced
1/2 head broccoli, florets removed
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dusting surface
1 lb. pizza dough, at room temperature
1 cup ricotta
1 cup shredded mozzarella
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 400°. On a large baking sheet, toss peppers, broccoli, onion, and cherry tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.Roast until tender and tomatoes are bursting, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove and increase oven temperature to 500°.Brush an oven-proof skillet with olive oil.
On a floured work surface, use your hands to roll out dough until it’s the circumference of your skillet. Transfer to skillet and brush dough all over with olive oil.
Leaving a 1/2″ border for crust, dollop spoonfuls of ricotta on dough and sprinkle with mozzarella.
Top with roasted vegetables and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle crust with salt.
Bake until crust is crispy and cheese is melted, about 12 minutes.
via Delish
03
Sunset Smoothie
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1/2 cup frozen raspberries or strawberries
1 large carrot, sliced and cooked
1/2 cup coconut water or plain cold water
1/2 cup orange juice (fresh juice from one medium orange)
2 tablespoons hulled hemp seeds (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!
via Happy Healthy Mama
04
Banana Zucchini Bread
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups mashed overripe banana about 4 large
2 cups grated zucchini
3/4 cup butter melted
3/4 cup buttermilk or 2 tsp vinegar + milk to make 3/4 cup total
2 eggs lightly beaten
3 cups 13.5 oz all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare two loaf pans by greasing or lining with parchment paper (allowing an overhang on sides). With a fork, beat together mashed banana, zucchini, melted butter, buttermilk, and eggs in a large bowl until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to banana mixture and gently stir until just combined.
Bake for about 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and top feels springy. Cool for about 5 minutes in pans, then invert into an oven mitt and flip onto wire cooling racks to cool completely before slicing.
via Foodess
05
Sneaky Mashed Potatoes
INGREDIENTS:
3 medium/large red potatoes (about 3 cups), rinsed, eyes and rough skin parts removed, cut into 1 1/2″ pieces.
3 cups cauliflower, rinsed, cut into 1 1/2″ pieces.
1/4 – 1/3 cup milk (may need more depending on preferred texture, substitute cream or half and half for a richer taste or sub unsweetened vegan milk option)
2-4 tablespoons butter (may need more depending on preferred texture – or sub vegan butter)
Pinch salt, plus 1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon salt, to taste.
Fresh-cracked pepper, to taste.
Fresh herbs, rinsed chopped, optional.
DIRECTIONS:
Bring a large pot filled 3/4 full of water to a boil. Add pinch of salt and potatoes and cook for 17-20 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. When potatoes have 7-8 minutes left of cook time, add cauliflower, so both finish cooking at same time. Drain potatoes and cauliflower in a colander. Add potatoes and cauliflower back into empty pot and put pot back on burner you were just using, make sure it’s off. Residual heat will help potatoes and cauliflower dry out a bit. Let rest 2-3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 cup milk, salt, and pepper to pot and mash with handheld potato mashed to preferred texture. Add additional milk and/or butter until mixture reaches desired texture. Add additional salt/pepper until mixture reaches desired flavor.
via The Chic Life
