How to Sneak More Veggies!

Perhaps you have been attempting to eat better lately ... whether it is all that info being thrown at you about how a plant-based diet can reverse bad ailments, prevent future ones, and make you feel better today or you just realized you are missing a plethera of fruits and veggies from your diet.  Either way, here are two quick and easy recipes that are jam-packed with nutritional goodness and sneak in lots of vegetables to your day!

Fierce Fiesta Taco Salad

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry organic quinoa (or brown rice)
1/2 cup canned black beans (no salt-added)
1/2 small-medium white or yellow onion (to taste)
1/4 cup salsa (whatever your favorite is, I use corn and black bean salsa)
1/2 cup fresh or canned diced tomatoes (or use an extra 1/4 cup salsa instead)
1/2 cup corn (preferably fresh or frozen)
1 cup leafy greens (I use spinach or a kale blend)

Make quinoa or brown rice according to package.  Rinse black beans and thaw corn if necessary. Chop onions and hand-shred leafy greens.  Mix all ingredients together and serve over tortilla chips/bowl or for more veggies, on top of leafy greens!  Recipe serves 2.

Choco-Zucc Muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 whole banana, mashed
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup plant-based milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup shredded zucchini

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease muffin pan and set aside.  Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together. In another bowl, cream mashed banana with applesauce and sugar. Add in milk, vanilla, zucchini and any other optional add-ins you might like such as vegan chocolate chips or chopped raw walnuts. Stir until evenly combined. Add flour mix to wet mix in 3-4 batches and stir until just combined. Spoon batter into greased muffin pan and bake 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

*Note, to make without the added sugar, replace with equal amounts apple sauce or maple syrup, or 1/2 mashed banana.

~

Remember, it is all too easy to add veggies to pasta and rice dishes or to many breads and muffins!  And ... don't forget about your morning's green shake!

Happy Thoughts from Your Healthy Herbivore,
S

"Think of the fierce energy concentrated in an acorn!  You bury it in the ground, and it explodes into an oak!  Bury a sheep, and nothing happens but decay."  ~George Bernard Shaw