By Liza Muravyeva MS RD CISSN.  Everyone knows to eat more veggies and more greens. No new news there. But are you actually eating them? When you’re starving, you’re probably going to go for that piece of chicken instead of a fresh green salad (especially if you’re a guy).

Greens like spinach and kale are packed with tons of nutrients like iron, calcium, potassium, vitamins A, C, K, and more! There are tons of “greens” products on the market today that claim to balance you internal pH balance and alkalize your system. Those are great and easy to use, however, they come with a higher price tag. So skip the fancy products and get yourself some FRESH greens.

So how can we eat more veggies daily, without putting much thought into it? Here are my top 5 ways of increasing your veggie intake:

1. Since we are all protein fans, go ahead and add a handful of spinach or kale to your favorite protein shake. You will barely be able to tell it’s in there! Make sure to use an actual blender to mix up the greens well. Spinach has a slightly milder taste than kale, but both are great!
2. Make some kale chips. These are delicious and I bet you can eat a whole bag of kale chips in less than 3 minutes. They are super easy to make. Get some kale and lay it out on a baking dish. Spray some olive oil cooking spray on the kale, sprinkle some sea salt and black pepper, and stick it on the oven at ~350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes. If you cook them just right, they come out nice and crispy!
3. Don’t feel like cooking vegetables for lunch or dinner? This would not be my first suggestion- but if you’re in a time crunch you can buy the steamer bags of veggies that you can stick in a microwave and they will be ready in 4 minutes. I’ve seen broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and even brussel sprouts. Go fresh if you can-but the steamer bags are a great alternative.
4. Sauté you favorite veggies in the morning before pouring on the egg whites or your eggs. This takes less than 5 minutes, so no excuses. I prefer using spinach or kale simply because it doesn’t need to cook long at all, and its easy to grab and throw in the pan. Sautee the veggies for a minute or so and add in your eggs/egg whites.
5. Since the cold winter is right around the corner (unless you live in South Florida), you can make a great and hearty stew with turkey or chicken, beans, and your favorite vegetables. Experiment with different veggies like zucchini, carrots, and tomatoes…the more the merrier!

About the Author

Liza Muravyeva MS RD LD/N is a Registered Dietitian, AFAA Certified Group Exercise Instructor and a Mad Dogg Athletics Certified Spinning Instructor.