Eating more plant foods than animal products can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease without having to become a strict vegetarian.

1. Add vegetables to every meal, including breakfast.

You have so many options from spinach chocolate pancakes, breakfast cookies, and smoothies to frittatas, veggie omelets and egg muffins etc.

2. Fill at least half of your plate with vegetables. 

Vegetables are also great for adding color and enhancing the presentation of your plate, making food more appealing to eat.

3. Snack on veggies.

Instead of snacking on unhealthy cookies, candies, or chips why not make some chips from kale, beetroot, parsnip or sweet potatoes; pretty much any vegetable can be turned into chips. Also carrots, celery or peppers go really well with hummus, bean dip, or guacamole.

4. Double the amount of vegetables. 

When recipes call for a certain amount of vegetables, how about doubling the amount called for in the original recipe. You can also add extra veggies to your sandwich, burgers, or wraps.

5. Drink a green smoothie a day. 

A green smoothie is made using a handful of leafy greens like baby spinach, arugula/rocket, romaine lettuce, chard, beetroot leaves, cauliflower or broccoli. Make the leafy greens the main ingredient and once you have added some fruits, like apples or berries, and other boosters like peanut butter, you won’t even notice the spinach. Experiment with different greens and fruits and you’ll be hooked.

6. Incorporate delicious salads into your meal plan.

People often tell me they can’t stand salads because they are so boring. Well that’s the whole problem. Salads are not boring if you do them right. So get creative by experimenting with different varieties of vegetables, nuts, fruits, or proteins. There is no limit to the options.  Click here to learn how to make your salads interesting.

7. Try spiralizing your veggies.

There are so many gadgets available to spiralize your veggies. I love this product from Inspiralized because, by making creative shapes easily, it makes vegetables more appealing to eat, especially for children. It is so easy to use and most of the meals that come in the associated recipe book are vegetable-based so you get to try new recipes as well.

8. Be Creative.

Try vegetables that you’ve never had before. You can buy them at your local supermarket or you can subscribe to a veggie box delivery.  You can also look for new recipes for your usual vegetables, like grilled veggie kebabs, or stuffed bell peppers. My favorite is roasted vegetable medley; it’s sooo easy to make and the kids love it too!

9. Stock up on frozen vegetables. 

Having vegetables handy and ready to use can save time; no more excuses!

10. Replace carbs with vegetables.

Let your imagination go wild!! Use lettuce as your bread, zucchini slices for lasagna and grated cauliflower for pizza base or “rice.”

I am planning to create a a FREE 5-day veggie challenge and would love to hear from you, especially if you struggle to introduce veggies in your diet.

Comment below or feel free to email me if you are interested.