10 ways to eat more vegetables

It can be a challenge to include a sufficient amount of this tasty and beneficial food group to menus. These tips from TOPS Club (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the non-profit weight-loss support organization, offer some creative ways to eat more vegetables:1.) Make a "pasta" dish with spaghetti squash instead of noodles. 2.) Puree cooked vegetables and add them to stews, gravies and soups. 3.) Add raw spinach leaves and an extra-ripe banana to a fruit smoothie. It may sound strange, but the sweetness of the banana masks the taste of the spinach. 4.) Baking? Add shredded carrots to muffins or bread. 5.) Instead of cheese and meat, pile your morning omelet with onions, mushrooms, and red and green peppers. Chop vegetables the night before to save time in the morning. 6.) Add chopped spinach to meat when preparing meatballs or hamburgers. 7.) Try mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes. Experiment with different flavorings such as garlic, a dab of butter and Parmesan cheese. 8.) Add salsa to a breakfast burrito, pile it on a veggie burger or use it in place of high-fat, creamy vegetable dips. 9.) Puree pasta sauce with vegetables such as winter squash or chopped broccoli. 10.) Add chopped carrots to casseroles or meat loaf. To find a local chapter of TOPS, call (800) 932-8677.

********** Published: March 10, 2011 - Volume 9 - Issue 47