How To Sneak More Veggies into Your Meals

In survey after survey, when asked, “why don’t you eat more plant-based meals?” respondents say, “my family/spouse wouldn’t stand for it.” I get it. I’m married to a VEGAN who isn’t wild about vegetables. Okay, that may be an overstatement. Since he’s likely to be reading this, I’ll cut the hyperbole: I’m married to a vegan who does not like most raw vegetables (with the exception of celery), and the only form of kale he likes is crispy kale chips.

Thankfully, there are creative ways to sneak nutritious veggies into meals. Because no matter how you identify on the eating spectrum — omnivore, pescatarian, vegetarian, plant-based — it’s always a good idea to add more plant-based nutrients to your diet. Here are some of my favorites.

Plant-based Balls

Baked Veggie Balls: The Buddhist Chef is a pro at simple, flavor-packed meals. He shows us how, in just a few minutes, we can use our food processor to pulverize a can of chickpeas, a handful of spinach, frozen veggies, oats, a couple of herbs and spices, and wind up with a bunch of versatile balls! Use them in a bowl, atop a salad, wrapped in a tortilla, drizzled with sriracha, mustard, ketchup, or (my favorite) chili crunch. When you’re the chef, it’s up to you to decide what to do with them.

IKEA-Inspired “Meat” Balls: A few years ago, when IKEA introduced “plant balls,” a spokesperson said, “We actually hope that we sell less meatballs.” That’s quite a statement from the iconic DIY furniture-meatball seller. From personal experience, I can say they were a hit. When I visited IKEA for the first time, just to taste the plant balls, they were sold out. An employee working the cafeteria line told me they couldn’t keep up with demand. Make these balls and save yourself a trip to IKEA. Bonus: By cooking these at home, you’ll also save yourself from buying yet another funky accent piece you probably don’t need.

Familiar Favorites, With a Twist

Kale Pesto: My favorite time of year is summer, mainly because I can grow basil, and basil is the foundation of my favorite food, pesto. Some pestos use greens other than basil, but I’m not open to those. What I am open to, and adore, is this pesto — because, in addition to basil, it calls for an equal amount of kale. And Kale = Health. This is also oil-free, which cuts down on calories A LOT (pesto typically contains copious amounts of olive oil). And yet, it works. If you find it’s too dry, just add a splash of water or veggie stock. Mix in some broccolini, and you’ll have a decadent bowl smooth and crunchy health.

Hidden Veggie Mac & Cheese: If you’re new to plant-based cooking, this is the dish for you. Learn how to make a creamy, nut-free, dairy-free sauce with roasted butternut squash, cauliflower, tahini, a splash of coconut milk, and nutritional yeast. If you haven’t yet acquainted yourself with nutritional yeast, find it in any supermarket and store it in your pantry. It adds savory, cheesy flavor to dishes and is sure to become one of your new favorite staples. (Try it on popcorn!)

Burgers

Zucchini Sweet Potato Burgers: The (very funny) writer Dave Barry has a joke about zucchini. He urges people in his neighborhood to lock their car doors in the summer because so many people grow zucchini; they search for unlocked cars to throw their excess into. Anyone who is part of a CSA understands this joke. But guess what? Zucchini is another one of those under-loved, under-utilized vegetables that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Do you want more Vitamin C in your diet? Do you need more fiber, or perhaps suffer from constipation? Give zucchini a chance. These burgers are a good place to start.

Artichoke Spinach Cauliflower Bean Burgers: Another recipe with my favorite direction, “add all ingredients to a food processor, and pulse.” White beans add a shot of protein, and a laundry list of veggies add a days-worth of nutrients. Cumin, onion powder, and Italian herbs create a burst of umami flavor. And because all of the veggies are pulverized before they’re shaped into a burger, no one will know they’re there — except you.

Get a Veggie Boost with Dessert!

St. Patrick’s Day Sweet Green Muffins: Make these moist green muffins for St. Paddy’s Day, and ask the fortunate eaters to guess what’s in them. Applesauce and maple syrup provide sweetness, but no one will have any idea about the rest, even though they are GREEN. Note: Be sure to use “flax eggs” instead of $8-12/dozen eggs — they are simple to make (mix flax seed with water and let it sit for 5 minutes), have zero cholesterol, and work just as well. 

Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies: These cookies taste like carrot cake, but don’t require you to bring out a cake pan, or go through all of that cake-baking fuss to make them. Caramelizing shredded carrots in a skillet with maple syrup and brown sugar is a creative game-changer that elevates these babies to next level greatness.