The stomach only has a certain capacity, but the body continues to cry out for food until we have fed it the nutrients we need. Therefore, in order to prevent overeating, we need to try and make our food as nutrient dense as possible. This is particularly true for children, many of whom turn away from vegetables and reject the green element on their plate. Sound familiar? This means we have to think of genius ways of getting the good things into their diets. On the other hand, you may be one of those who is totally turned off by green and looking for ways to get the nutrients in without having to chow down a forest of kale.

Look no further! Here are three sneaky ways to veg up your day:

1. Whizz it up – Cook a big pan of vegetables (include all the colours) until soft. Then whizz up until you have a puree. You can use this fresh and also freeze it for future use. You can then add it to all kinds of things without it having an impact on the flavour. Add spoonful to your favourite pizza base recipe and in the pizza sauce. Once you’ve started with one spoonful, work up from there. You can even add a spoonful to your cake recipes!
2. Superfood powders – These guys are a powerhouse of nutrients and you don’t need to consume much of them to get the goodness you need. I wouldn’t suggest trying to hide spirulina in your meals, as most algae have a very strong colour and flavour. One powder I would suggest is moringa leaf powder, which is one of the most nutrient dense plant leaves on the planet. It has seven times the vitamin C than an orange and over four times the amount of calcium than milk. Try adding a teaspoon into soups and sauces.
3. Sprouts – Now I’m not talking about the ones that everyone avoids on the Christmas dinner plate (although I LOVE them!!) I’m referring to seeds that have just started to sprout and are consumed raw. Each seed contains all the nutrients the plant needs to grow and flourish, so when you are consuming them, you are consuming the nutrients of the whole plant. These are also more bioavailable for the body, as the sprouting of the seed eliminates indigestible enzymes and lowers levels of phytic acid. You can buy packets of sprouts ready made in the supermarket, your local healthfood shop or veg box scheme. They are also very easy (and cheap!) to do at home. These sprouts can then be added to everything as a little injection of nutrients. I love them on salads, stir-fries and soups.

Have you any tips on getting more vegetables or nutrients into your diet? What’s your favourite method? If you feel you would like to share it, I would love it if you added it in the comments below.

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