Eat your greens!

They’re the most important vegetables to include in our diets, but why is it often so hard to eat your greens? High in calcium, iron and other vital nutrients, they are truly wondrous for our health but it can sometimes be a struggle to find fun ways to fit them into our meals. As good as they taste, they can look unappealing on our plates. So, here are five ways for you to get creative with your greens, so that you can enjoy packing more of them into your diet.

Juice them

There are so many delicious combinations you can make from just a few different fruits and vegetables. Although I’ve only just started to get creative and come up with different juice recipes, I’ve already found that it makes such an easy way to pack in some extra greens. Ingredients such as spinach, kale, celery or cucumber taste amazing with fruits like apples or kiwis in a delicious, vitamin-packed drink.

Spiralise them

The spiraliser is definitely the appliance of the moment. More and more of us are buying into the ‘zoodle’ trend, and these nifty gadgets used to create them are popping up all over the high street. You can spiralise all sorts of vegetables, but courgettes work particularly well. A light, refreshing alternative to noodles or pasta, enjoy them raw, stir-fried or boiled. Just serve them up with your favourite sauce for a meal that’s healthy and still full of flavour.

Turn them into crisps

Vegetables such as courgettes and kale are the perfect ingredients for making your own veggie crisps at home. This way, you can snack happy while also getting in some of your five–a-day! Finely slice your courgette and grab a bunch of kale, then place them on a tray and bake in your oven to make the perfect snack. I like to mix and match mine with different flavours – try chilli and lime, paprika or nutritional yeast to make something that’s rich and delicious.

Add them to a sauce

Stirring greens into your sauces for dishes such as pasta can give them added flavour – and cover up their taste if you aren’t too keen on them. Vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and peas are great for stirring into a creamy sauce to give your meal a healthy boost. You can also blend veg such as celery into your spaghetti bolognese to add extra texture and flavour.

Pair them with dips and dressings

Healthy dips such as houmous or guacamole are fun to make, delicious and also count towards your five-a-day! They make perfect pairings for raw broccoli, cucumber or mangetout, making snacking on more veggies easier. Dressings such as lime juice or olive oil are perfect for green salads, and marinating them will liven up and improve their texture – especially kale, as oil can really lift its colour and taste.