You know you need to have plenty of vegetables each day, but it’s not always easy. Sometimes the intentions of healthy eating don’t quite pan out the way you’d like. You planned on a salad for lunch, but went out with friends and it somehow ended up being pizza and beer. Then you met some cookies in the break room, and forgot all about the carrots and celery you had waiting for you in the fridge. As for dinner, you ended up working late and drove through for something… doesn’t that leaf of iceberg lettuce count as a vegetable?
Truth is, our days can get away from us. Sometimes it’s easier to stick with a good habit when we do it it first thing in the morning.
So what about vegetables for breakfast? Here’s a collection of tasty ideas for getting some greens (and orange, yellow, and red veggies, too) along with your morning coffee.
- Omelets call for tasty fillings, and roasted veggies are just the thing. Just roast or grill squash, mushrooms, peppers, and onions along with your dinner, and chop the leftovers in the morning to fill your omelet.
- Smoothies include fruit, maybe dairy — and why not some vegetables, too? We like spinach and cucumbers with yogurt and bananas. Add some frozen peaches for an icy, frothy treat.
Try a Green Light Smoothie — smooth and sweet with a bit of bite:
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1/2 c. cold green tea
1/2 c. spinach
1 peeled kiwi fruit
1 sprig cilantro
Mix all ingredients in a blender till smooth.
- Avocado and eggs are great friends. Cut an avocado in half, remove the pit, and set it into a baking dish. Depending on the size of the avocado and the number of people you’re feeding, you might need a muffin tin or something larger. Settle the avocado, hollow it further if need be, and crack in an egg. Top with some herbs and set the baking dish into a 350 degree oven. Bake till the egg white is set, 15 or 20 minutes. Serve with whole-wheat toast.
- Create breakfast burritos with tortillas, cheese, black beans, corn, tomato, and scrambled egg. Fold the burritos up and bake them in the oven while the family gets ready. Serve with salsa.
- Chop avocado and tomato and pile the mixture on English muffins. Top with cheese and give it a minute under the broiler.
- Make breakfast fast with frozen hash browns. While the pan is heating, cut up peppers, mushrooms, zucchini or asparagus, and onions. Fry them all together into a colorful hash and slide a fried egg on top.
- When you mix up muffins or pancakes for breakfast, stir in grated carrots and zucchini for extra flavor and flair. Both veggies have a natural sweetness that makes them work perfectly with raisins and cinnamon or maple syrup.
- Fill celery with almond or peanut butter for a kid-friendly breakfast. Add raisins for the classic Ants on a Log.
- For a weekend breakfast or brunch, add broccoli, spinach, and tomatoes to your favorite quiche recipe.
- A Full English breakfast is another great choice for weekends and holidays. Cook up eggs and bacon or sausages, and add grilled tomatoes and mushrooms on the side.
Once you get in the habit of including veggies in your breakfast plans, it’ll come naturally. Tell us your favorites!