Spaghetti is probably one of my favorite meals… in fact, any kind of noodle dish is a favorite meal. French fries? Fried rice? Chips and dip? Count me in!
Over the course of the past few years of studying nutrition and wellness, I started looking for ways to easily increase my vegetable intake without losing some of my favorite snacks and dishes. Here are some tips to expand your dinner and snacks by replacing some guilty pleasures with vegetables!
1) Skip out on the usual spaghetti dinner by replacing wheat noodles with spaghetti squash.
2) Take the time to make your own French fries by cutting into a sweet potato, lightly coating it with olive oil and then baking in the oven.
3) Replace crackers, pretzels and other dippers with celery and bell pepper sticks or slices of cucumber.
4) Change up your salads and/or noodle dishes with spiralized zucchini noodles
5) Crisp up some kale or finely shaved veggies in the oven for a chip substitute.
6) Use sliced eggplant or zucchini for lasagna noodles.
7) Use large lettuce leaves instead of taco shells or wheat wraps.
8) Toss a head of cauliflower into a food processor to replace mashed potatoes, rice and even pizza crust.
9) Make fresh plain popcorn on the stove top instead of packaged and buttery bagged popcorn.
10) Eat something healthy, low in sugar and high in protein by snacking on a sliced green apple with 2 tablespoons of almond or peanut butter.
11) Lose the sticky rice and just use seaweed as sushi wrapping.
What are some other tasty veggie replacements?
Check out the first indoor Winter Farmer’s Market on November 19th at Wentworth Greenhouses in Rollinsford to shop for some new recipe items!