Changes...

So, here are some pictures explaining why I haven't blogged in THREE YEARS... (yikes!) 

I graduated college and entered the great big grown up working world. 

I got pregnant and had the most adorable baby girl ever.  She's almost 17 months now, and has more Evil Kneival spirit in her than most boys.  No fear. & endless energy. 

But I miss writing, so, hi again! I thought I'd share a list of quick, easy ways I get vegetables into our crazy busy schedule, AND make them likable. ;-P

Purée 1/2 to a whole cup each raw carrots, onions, bell pepper, and frozen or fresh spinach. Add to rice when you cook it, along with a 1/2 cup extra water or chicken broth. (Making rice with chicken broth is... Just yum! ) I usually use these amounts when cooking up a whole pound of brown rice.  I then freeze family-sized portions in ziplock bags with with the air squeezed out.  Microwave 2 minutes at a time to thaw. 

When making macaroni and cheese (I like Annie's organic boxes... Good for tummies and wallets!) add 1 cup frozen peas and carrots or Lima beans to the cold water before it boils. Leave them in and prepare the macaroni and cheese as normal.  Add some garlic powder, white pepper, and Parmesan to taste, along with the cheese powder.  

Buy spaghetti sauce that has a serving of veggies in it. Kroger store brand has a variety of red sauces with 1 cup of vegetables in them, and they are waaaay too good for a store brand. Red pepper and garlic and mushroom and onion are my faves. 

Buy pasta made with a serving of vegetables.  They really don't taste any different.  Just get used to having green or orange noodles.  Your body will thank you. 

Buy frozen sweet potato fries.  It's that easy. We like them sprinkled with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a locally bought mild Cajun seasoning.  And LOTS OF KETCHUP.  Ketchup's a vegetable, right? 

Use frozen veggies.  When I first got married, I made a gourmet meal every night for six months. Then I plunked down on the kitchen floor and cried over ruined bread, and some stuff changed.  Unless it's in season and on sale, I pretty much always buy my vegetables frozen now.  They're pre-washed and cut and ready to go, so it's much easier to throw them into meals.  And since Kroger sells a great selection of them on a perpetual 10 for $10 "sale," I can get the veggies I need at a good price year round. They sell pretty much every veggie/combo that you need for most normal (read- not exotic) recipe.  It's a choice I had to make for my family- we don't eat as much organic produce as we used to when I went to the farmers market every other week and froze my own veggies.  But this is what I have time for now, and it's still a lot better than not eating vegetables. 

Add a handful of vegetables to your regular recipes.  This might require a little research to see what goes well with what cuisine, but I always just think about what they pair with the entrees in restaurants.  Zucchini, tomatoes, onions, and eggplant with Italian dishes.  Zucchini, bell peppers, cabbage, onions, carrots, peas, corn, mushrooms ( and a lot more!) are the most popular with Asian cuisine.  Lima beans, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and sweet or hot peppers with Latin dishes.  Tomatoes and bell peppers with some African dishes.  Cucumbers, purple onions, and tomatoes with Mediterranean food.  Just start with chopping up a small amount and tossing it in with your dish.  

Get more creative with salads, sandwiches, and omelettes.  Add some thinly sliced fresh bell pepper.  Include tomato and carrots.  Peel strips of skin off a raw zucchini or yellow squash, then slice thinly and toss it in. Spice it up with some hot peppers. Dollop on salsa instead of tomatoes for zing, or replace dressing/dip with a salsa.  Experiment with salsas.  

And those, ladies and gents, are my humble, not-so-tricky tricks for sneaking veggies into my family's tummies.  Hope you found something useful!