Veggies in Disguise: The Sweet Spot!

Did you know 90% of adults don't get enough fruits and veggies?

Adults should be eating 2-3 cups of veggies every single day.

Which means their body isn’t getting the nutrients needed to function properly. A diet rich in vegetables can:

1. Lower blood pressure️ reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke

2. Prevent some types of cancer

3. Lower risk of eye and digestive problems

4. Decrease blood sugar

5. Promote weight loss

6. Decrease hunger

I’m going to inspire you to eat more vegetables by sneaking them into your diet, undetected! Today, we’ll focus on making sweet treats a little healthier. This is perfect for little ones who turn their nose at veggies, the person who doesn’t like the taste of them, and all of us with the sweet tooth!

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1. Smoothies & Smoothie Popsicles

People love smoothies! It’s such an easy way to add vegetables and without much prep and easy clean up. Try freezing veggies or fruit to use less ice.

Popsicles are great treat, especially for summer. Make a smoothie and pour into a popsicle mold or ice cube trays to freeze. You can also add chia seeds, nuts, chopped up fruit, dark chocolate — be creative!

Simple smoothie recipe:

• 1 banana

• 1 cup blueberries

• 1 small fist full of kale

• 2 tbsp chia seeds (optional)

• 1/2 cup milk or almond milk

• 1/2 cup ice

Blend until smooth! You may need to add milk or ice depending on your preference.

Veggies to try:

• Carrots

• avocado

• spinach

• cucumber

• kale

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2. Banana Bread or Brownies

Vegetables like zucchini and squash go well in baked goods, the picky eater in your life won’t complain. Blend them up with the liquid ingredients so they’re too small to notice. Another tip is to add a banana or apple sauce to your batter. This adds sweetness without having a ton of refined sugars!

Banana zucchini bread recipe:

• 2 eggs

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 3 bananas (mashed)

• half an avocado (mashed)

• 1/2 cup zuchinni (shredded/strained)

• 2 cup flour or almond flour

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 2/3 cup sugar or stevia

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together, put in a pan and bake for 50-60 mins. *bake time may vary.

Veggies to try:

• avocado

• zucchini

• spinach

• squash

• carrots

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3. Cakes

Did you know cakes have been used to celebrate for hundreds of years?? We love any opportunity to have a slice.

That being said, cakes are generally HIGH in sugars and fats. Switch out sugar for fruit like banana, maple syrup, or stevia. Best to stay away from icings and opt for fruit, whip cream, a drizzle of syrup or sprinkle of powdered sugar.

Try adding 1/2 cup of veggies to your fav cake recipe. Please note you may need to add more water/milk to get the consistency you need to bake. Cook up your vegetables until soft and then use in a blender with the liquids of your recipe so it incorporates well into the cake.

Veggies to try:

• carrots

• squash

• spinach

• zucchini

Try this vanilla spinach cake:

Delicious

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4. Mousse or pudding

Not as many options for mousse or puddings, but the ones out there are still pretty tasty! Use vegetables that blend easily without chunks to maintain that creamy, smooth consistency of mousse. Try adding some chickpeas, they taste great in mousse and offer a protein boost.

Veggies to try:

• avocado

• squash

• carrots (steamed)

Make this yummy avocado mousse:

Yes, please!

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Need fast meals to have in your back pocket for busy schedules? Check out these 3 nutritious dinner ideas that take 10 minutes or less, and won’t break the bank! Read more here.