The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that we eat around 3 cups of veggies each day, but most of us aren’t reaching this daily target. The goal becomes even more challenging to achieve if we don’t include vegetables in our breakfast, which ought to be one of our main meals.
I’m excited to share with you some easy ways to sneak vegetables into your breakfast and start your day off on the right track. The bonus is that, regardless of whether you prefer sweet or savory dishes, you can make ample room for tasty and nutritious veggies in your breakfast.
Loaded omelet
If you like having eggs for breakfast, making a veggie omelet or scramble is an easy way to get in a substantial amount of vegetables first thing in the morning. Bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms go well with eggs. If you don’t eat eggs, you can replace them with tofu to achieve a similar result. Most omelets call for a minimal amount of vegetables to help the omelet stay intact; however, don’t be afraid to load up on the veggies and make it more of a scramble.
Breakfast burritos
Who doesn’t love burritos? Although not typically considered a breakfast food, breakfast burritos with scrambled eggs (or tofu) and vegetables is a delicious and nutritious way to start your day. You can add to them some lettuce, spinach, peppers, or whichever veggies you fancy. Pair the burritos with some tomatoes and avocado, and you have a delightful meal!
Veggie-rich smoothies
If you’re more of a sweet-breakfast person, you can still sneak some vegetables into your smoothies. For example, adding spinach, kale, or any other leafy green to your smoothies rarely compromises the taste and is a great way to eat incorporate some greens into your first meal of the day. Especially if you add bananas to your smoothie, you’d be surprised how easily you can hide that ‘green’ taste!
Zucchini oats
Another option for sweet breakfasts is zucchini oats. Sure, it sounds like a strange combination, but this is an easy way to add vegetables to your oatmeal without adversely affecting its taste. Simply spiralize a zucchini, steam or sauté it, and mix it into your oats. You can do the same with sweet potatoes or butternut squash and drizzle a bit of honey and cinnamon on top. Seasoned well, these veggies can actually taste really sweet and quite delicious with your oatmeal.
Veggie fritters
Veggie fritters are basically savory pancakes. You can make them with whichever vegetables you fancy, but grated carrots, zucchini, and sweet potatoes are the most common and work really well. All you have to do is mix the grated vegetables with eggs (or vegan egg replacement) and flour and fry them in the pan. They pair perfectly with a side of berries. Yum!
Liquid veggies
If you prefer to not eat vegetables at breakfast, you can always make a vegetable juice. The key is to get those veggies in, whichever way you can. Instead of downing a sugary juice for breakfast, try carrot juice or any type of green juice, including the ever-popular celery juice. If you need to sweeten your juice a bit, add a half of an apple to make it less bitter.
Shakshuka
Shakshuka is another great egg breakfast dish to which you can add tons of vegetables. Again, even if you don’t eat traditional eggs, a vegan egg substitute works perfectly with this meal. The base is primarily made out of tomatoes, but you can add red bell peppers, spinach, and whatever vegetables you are in the mood for.
Do you include veggies in your breakfast meals regularly? If so, which veggies?
Leave a Reply