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DiNNER
Boost your number of vegetable servings by sneaking them into foods. Here are some
easy suggestions to get started:
•
Veggie Shreds
– A box grater or the grating attachment on your food processor
makes it super easy to shred zucchini, beets, or parsnips to add to all sorts of
recipes from muffins to meatloaf. In whole grain muffins and quick breads, replace
up to half the soft margarine or oil with shredded veggies; then stir in some frozen
no-sugar-added blueberries or raspberries as a bonus fruit. Shredded carrots,
summer squash or butternut squash can be added to pasta sauce and cooked for
about 5 minutes to soften – then they will never be noticed!
•
Blend in Mushrooms
– Replace half the ground meat in recipes, like burgers,
meatloaf and meatballs, with chopped, cooked mushrooms. Finely chop a package
of mushrooms using a knife or food processor, then sauté in a little extra virgin olive
oil until soft, for about 3 minutes. Once the mushrooms are nearly cool, gently mix
them with raw ground beef, ground chicken or ground turkey (choose extra lean
ground meat and poultry).
•
Cheesy Orange Veggies
– Cooked orange vegetables like butternut squash, sweet
potatoes and carrots puree into a color that makes them easy to add to cheesy
dishes like macaroni and cheese, lasagna or baked enchiladas so you use less
cheese; cheese can be high in saturated fat and sodium.
•
Beans Count
– Yes, beans are a vegetable! Puree garbanzo beans, navy beans or
even black beans into a creamy dip; add a little lemon juice and garlic powder for zip.
Serve with whole grain crackers, homemade baked tortilla crisps or baby carrots.
Source:
American Heart Association
Article copyright © 2014 American Heart Association.
Tips for a Healthier Dinner
